My family and I always enjoy taking a trip to Holiday World in the fall before they close for the season. The lines aren’t usually as long, and we are able to enjoy the fall weather while having fun with our kids. It’s always a great way to kick-off the fall season!
HENDERSON COUNTY COLONELS ATHLETICS
As I’ve said before, we are a football family and always looking forward to fall. But – my kids are now at the age they are becoming really interested in sports. From my son watching the football and basketball players to my daughter learning all the cheers, it’s always a fun family outing we can look forward to when the new school year starts and all the sporting events begin!
Shout out to Murphy Lane Designs for our Colonel T-shirts!
APPLE CINNAMON LOAF
I had never tried an apple loaf until recently when I stopped by Antler to grab a coffee. It was absolutely delicious! This is a perfect fall treat to add with your morning coffee or take as a sweet treat for fall gatherings!
From the Editor
School is officially back in full swing, routines are in place and fall is just around the corner! With the hot and humid summer we have had, I am ready for the cooler weather to arrive. Chili and soups, sweaters, football and bonfires are calling my name.
In this issue, we are bringing all things agriculture. Our readers will find a feature on Taylor and Kayla Pruitt’s local sheep farm and what it’s like running a farm while still working full-time jobs and raising three littles. We also have featured how Niagara Soap Company has taken off with Mark Andrews and the help of his family making cold processed soap and self-care products.
Inside, you will also learn about the remarkable efforts and success of Carter Siewert as he placed third in the national SkillsUSA Championship for his Interactive Application and Video Game Development.
Make sure to check out our colorful (and spooky) Frankenstein’s Monster Cookies that are the perfect treat for Halloween festivities. We also have provided a fall animal stick craft that kids will enjoy making on those cool fall afternoons.
Don’t miss our Parent Profile featuring Clate and Mindy Jones and what life looks like for them as farming family!
Happy Fall Ya’ll!
LYNDI MAUK Editor, Henderson Family Magazine
Do
DESIGN
GRAPHIC
KAYLA TALLEY EARNS A STATE CHAMPION BUCKLE AT THE KENTUCKY 4-H HORSE SHOW
This summer, Kayla Talley, a freshman at Henderson County High School, competed in the 2025 4-H Kentucky Horse Show placing in a variety of classes with her horse, Otis. She won first place in the Junior/Senior Western Pleasure, second place in both the Junior/Senior Western Horsemanship and Hunter Under Saddle and placed third in the Junior Western Showmanship. Kayla’s accomplishments earned her a state champion buckle and the reserve high point trophy in Western division. Kayla’s horse club leaders are Tresa Skaggs and Alice Skaggs who are appreciated so much for their dedication to the 4-H horse program.
Kayla has been riding since she was 6 years old with Hoofprints in the Sand in Anthoston and has been involved with 4-H since she was 9. She has also competed in several shows hosted by Southern Muhlenberg Saddle Club bringing home a variety of awards in January of this year.
Outside of riding and showing horses, Kayla plays volleyball on the freshman team at Henderson County High School and also plays travel volleyball. She hopes to pursue a career as a veterinarian someday. Her parents, Derek and Jennifer Talley, are very proud of her accomplishments.
HUDSON STEVENSON ATTENDS SPACE CAMP AT THE U.S. SPACE & ROCKET CENTER
This summer, Hudson Stevenson had the opportunity to attend space camp at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. This camp is an immersive experience in science, technology, engineering and math where participants train as astronauts in low-gravity environments, design and construct missions.
Hudson has wanted to go since he was in second grade after his family visited the center over Fall Break, but students have to be enrolled or have completed 4th grade.
For the first level of space camp, there are no major application requirements but as the program progresses there are grade requirements and teacher recommendations needed. “He’s been obsessed with space for as long as I can remember,” Hudson’s mom, Nicole, said. She continued, “Since he was in second grade, he said he was going to grow up, marry Lucy and be an astronaut. Last year on the first day of school, his best friend, Lucy, collapsed on the playground at school and died a week later. His world was turned upside down. So it was extra special that he got the chance to attend this.”
The cost for space camp was $1,800, and Hudson raised most of the money on his own. He started fundraising and saving up birthday and Christmas money a year in advance. He did a calendar fundraiser, worked at his grandparents to earn money and purged his books from home and had a book sale. Hudson also asked for donations from friends and family. He raised as much as he could, and his parents made up the difference.
There were 140 kids in attendance. For Hudson, space camp was a way for him to figure out if he really did want to be an astronaut, and he does hope to work for NASA some day or be in the Space Force.
Hudson was awarded the Right Stuff award — the most prestigious individual award given at the end of the week-long Space Camp. It is given to the outstanding camper who best exemplifies the courage, integrity, and excellence of early space explorers and test pilots.
When asked what the best part of space camp was - “Everything! I got to do so many cool things, meet new friends and learn a lot!” Hudson said.
His mom stated, “We were so shocked when he got the right stuff award - not because we didn’t think he was worthy. He struggled with some homesickness while there and called home a few times. He always works hard and wants to be the best. It made us so proud to know that he pushed through, found his grit and learned a lot about himself in the process. The award also said that he made other campers experience better — so being good to others is important and means a lot!”
After Space Camp graduation, families were able to explore the museum with their graduate as a private guide for free.
Hudson wants to attend the next step version when he is 12, so he plans to start saving for that now!
Clate and Mindy Jones
JONES FARMS
Photo by Darrin Phegley
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF (FAMILY, PETS, ETC.)
We have two daughters, Reagan Grace (6) and Elsie Lee (4). We have a dog named Belew, a rabbit named Steve and two hermit crabs named Rockstar and Diamond.
WHAT DO YOU BOTH DO FOR A LIVING AND HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN THOSE ROLES?
Clate is a part of his family owned seed company called Kentucky Blue Corn. They specialize in breeding unique corn genetics that are grown for food products such as corn chips, tortillas, color dyes and bourbon. Mindy is Product Agronomist for Pioneer seeds. She works with the lifecycle management of corn, soybeans, wheat and canola for Kentucky and Tennessee. Mindy manages on-farm research trials across the state to bring new products to market. Shes been with Pioneer for 12 years. We also own Jones Farms, operating out of Henderson and McLean counties. We work closely with Mindy’s parents’ operation, Hopson Farms, predominately growing food grade corn and soybeans.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT FARMING? WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES YOU FACE?
We love watching plants grow. There is just something fulfilling about putting a seed in the ground and doing everything you can to help it reach its full potential. The most challenging aspect of farming are the parts you cannot control. High input prices, extreme weather challenges such as delayed planting from too much rain, river flooding to the crops burning up from not enough rain. Farming involves a lot of risk management and most importantly, faith.
WHEN YOU AREN’T WORKING ON THE FARM, WHAT HOBBIES DO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY ENJOY? When we are not working, we are usually hunting or running the kids to a sporting event or practice. The girls both play soccer, gymnastics and love to swim. The whole family hunts. Anyone close to Mindy knows her happy place is in a deer stand, and Clates is either duck or turkey hunting. Clate got to share his passion for turkey hunting with Reagan this year, and she killed her first turkey during youth season.
HOW DO YOU BALANCE WORK AND FAMILY LIFE?
To be honest, it’s hard to say there is much balance. With our jobs and farm operation from spring until winter, it’s pretty much always busy season for one of us. We try to spend as much time together as a family that we can. We make vacations a priority so we can get away and enjoy quality time together. Also, we couldn’t do it without the help of both of our mothers. They are the unsung heroes of keeping the operations running.
WHAT IS INVOLVED IN CORN BREEDING AND GROWING SPECIALTY CORN?
Corn breeding is a process of developing new corn hybrids for specific reasons. It involves selecting plants with desirable traits such as high yield, or in our case, color for food products. It’s a long process. It takes up to eight generations to create a finished inbred that can be crossed to make a hybrid. Growing commercial production of specialty corn has its own set of challenges but for the most part not all that different from conventional corn. It will be non-GMO so that requires a more expensive and specific herbicide plan. The corn also needs to be isolated from conventional fields so there is no cross pollination. The most important part of specialty corn is ensuring you have a good market for your crop. You need a contract with an end user offering a price that makes it all worth your time.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE SOMEONE INTERESTED IN A FARMING CAREER?
As Randy Hopson always told me, “Experience is your best teacher.” If you can start working with an operation to gain experience and knowledge, even as a high school student, that is a great way to learn. Access to land and operating capital are the most challenging parts of starting a farming career. It’s important to start building relationships with landowners and local farming operations. You never know where those relationships may lead. HF
by
Making it
CRAFT CORNER
LEAF IT TO ME!
A Fall Animal Stack Craft
Looking for a creative way to celebrate the beauty of autumn with your kids? This Leaf Animal Stack craft is the perfect project for a cozy fall afternoon. Using colorful leaves and a bit of imagination, your child can create a cheerful lineup of woodland animals—complete with googly eyes, quirky tails, and lots of personality!
Bonus? It gets you outside collecting supplies and brings a little nature indoors.
Photo
Jamie Plain
SUPPLIES NEEDED:
›› A variety of leaves (different shapes, sizes, and colors)
›› White cardstock or thick paper
›› Black marker or pen
›› Googly eyes
›› Yellow and orange construction paper or cardstock (for beaks and accents)
›› Scissors
›› Glue stick or craft glue
›› Optional: Paint pens or markers for extra details
INSTRUCTIONS: BUILD YOUR LEAF STACK!
STEP 1: Go on a leaf hunt!
Head outside and gather a handful of leaves—try to find a mix of sizes and colors. Flat, dry leaves work best, but slightly flexible ones are great for shaping.
STEP 2: Choose your animal lineup.
In this example, you’ll make (from bottom to top):
›› A hedgehog
›› A green bird
›› A brown bird
›› A purple mouse
›› But feel free to mix it up! Any woodland critter is fair game.
STEP 3: Start with your base animal.
›› Glue a large leaf near the bottom center of your page. This will become the hedgehog.
›› Use a brown marker to draw a face and body on the paper.
›› Glue the leaf over the body as its spiky back.
›› Add black marker “quills” and a googly eye.
STEP 4: Build upward!
Stack each animal on top, gluing leaves as their bodies.
›› For the birds, use a green and a brown leaf and add a triangle beak cut from yellow paper.
›› For the mouse, glue a brownish leaf with a curved paper tail and tiny ears.
STEP 5: Draw the legs and extras.
Use a black marker to connect each animal with fun little stick legs. Add whiskers, dots, feathers, or texture as you wish!
STEP 6: Finish it off.
Add googly eyes to every animal and smiley faces if you’d like. Want a frame? Use fallen leaves to create a natural border around your artwork like in the example!
WHY WE LOVE IT
This craft combines creativity, sensory play, and outdoor exploration. It's perfect for developing fine motor skills, artistic expression, and seasonal appreciation. Plus, it’s totally fridgeworthy—or gift-worthy!
Whether you make one animal or a whole forest full, this craft is sure to be a fall favorite. HF
WRITTEN BY ASHLEY WEDDING Ashley is the editor of Owensboro Parent Magazine. She enjoys everyday adventures with her husband, Drew, and their three kids, Avery, Reed and Mason.
FRANKENSTEIN’S MONSTER COOKIES
IT’S ALIVE!!! Well, sort of. What started as your run-of-the-mill chocolate chip cookie took a wrong turn through the mad scientist’s pantry. We dumped in hunks of Oreos, shocked it with neon green food coloring, and unleashed a cookie so monstrous it might stomp across your kitchen counter if you’re not careful. They’re gooey, chunky, and dangerously good—aka the kind of cookie you’ll want to devour before the villagers show up with pitchforks.
›› 1–2 tsp green food coloring (gel works best for vivid green)
›› 2 cups (340 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
›› 1 cup roughly chopped Oreo cookies (about 8–10 cookies, cream and all)
INSTRUCTIONS
›› Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
›› Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
›› Cream butter and sugars: In a large mixing bowl (or stand mixer), beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
›› Add eggs + flavor: Beat in eggs one at a time, then mix in vanilla extract.
›› Make it monster green: Add green food coloring to the wet ingredients. Start with 1 teaspoon and adjust until the dough is the shade of Frankenstein you’re dreaming of.
›› Combine wet and dry: Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing until just combined. Don’t overmix.
›› Fold in mix-ins: Stir in chocolate chips and chopped Oreo chunks.
›› Scoop & bake: Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.
›› Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden but centers still look a touch soft.
›› Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
NOTES & TIPS
›› If you want extra spooky effect, press a few Oreo chunks and chocolate chips onto the tops of the dough balls before baking — they’ll stay visible.
›› These are soft-baked style cookies. If you want crispier edges, bake 1–2 minutes longer.
›› You can swap the Oreo chunks with Halloween Oreos (the ones with orange filling) for a scarier vibe. HF
ARTICLE AND PHOTO BY JAMIE PLAIN Jamie Plain is a nationally published culinary and commercial photographer working as a full-time staff photographer for Black Box Media. She has a knack for making tasty food and pretty art. See more of her portfolio at jaastudios.com.
Community
Photo by Jamie Plain
SPRUITT FARMS
Bringing Family Together Through Farming
itting on seventeen acres is the home and farm of Taylor and Kayla Pruitt. With their three young children, Elliott (7), Jack Murphy (5), and Tatum (3), they have built a side business of sheep farming and introduced their children to what hard work looks like.
Nestled inside their large red barn and roaming their pasture are twenty-two sheep and two sheep dogs, but learning the ropes of what owning a sheep farm looks like didn’t come easy. Having both grown up around farming, Taylor and Kayla were familiar with the agriculture industry but sheep were never part of their farming experiences. Kayla grew up on a produce farm, and Taylor grew up around his grandfather’s cattle and his family's tobacco farm. This duo never saw themselves with sheep, but their beautiful, open field opened doors for a new opportunity.
The Pruitts aren’t fulltime farmers. Rather, Kayla is a registered nurse at Deaconess where she does infusionmostly oncology drugs such as chemotherapy. Taylor works full-time at Kimberly-Clark in Owensboro working with recycled fiber. They are both blessed with flexible schedules, which allows them to be able to be with family, work around their children’s schedules and work on their farm as needed.
The doors opened to discussion about running a sheep
farm through Kayla when she and a patient, Kimberly, were talking one day. While chatting, Kayla asked Kimberly what she and her husband do for a living, and her patient stated how they owned a sheep farm. The conversation continued with Kayla sharing how she and her husband lived on a farm, too. Kayla explained how — at the time — they had hay in their field, and the previous owner had a horse farm. It worked to the benefit of the previous owner that the farmer across the street would bail the hay for him and he would use it. They let the farmer across the street do the same thing because they didn’t have the equipment to do anything, but then Kayla thought "Why don’t we do something to benefit from this farm ourselves?”
Taylor had talked about doing cattle, but Kayla’s fear was they would have a bull, it would get out, and then it’s her and three small kids. She didn’t know how she felt about that. Kimberly told her that she should get her husband, Duane, and Taylor together to talk about farming sheep. She explained how they are low maintenance and have a pretty high dollar. They exchanged numbers and the rest was history.
Kayla said, “Most people aren’t sheep farmers around here. We do have some here in Henderson but most people do cows and stuff like that. There is more of a different market that
will stand out.”
The Pruitts decided to jump in and give sheep farming a try. Kayla stated, “We had planned on getting our farm ready for a year. We will get it all ready and then we will bring it all in.” However, things didn’t go as planned. Someone just happened to post their Great Pyrenees dogs. These dogs can only be away from sheep for a certain period of time, and farmers have to make sure these dogs are used to being around sheep because not all Great Pyrenees are sheep dogs. The dog mom — with a bit of exaggeration — said, “It was a deal you couldn’t pass up, so we got these two dogs and then we were like, ‘We’ve got to get sheep!’ We started putting things together really quick. I feel like when you are around our culture of life you always know somebody that knows somebody that can help get you going. Between Duane and Kimberly Davis — owners of Dogwood Ridge Farm — and our family friends, we started out with six sheep.”
Taylor explained the importance of starting small to make sure they liked it, especially since neither of them were familiar with sheep farming. Taylor said, “We just kept working with two families trading sheep and buying around to keep reproducing.” Most of their twenty-two sheep are girls right now, and that’s what they want. They now have some registered sheep, too.
COMMUNITY
There are people who eat mutton around here, but it’s not near as common here, Kayla said, so all they do right now is raise them and take them to market to sell.
The optimistic farmer’s wife said, “In the long run, I would like to maybe partner more with locals - like Thomason’s is known for their mutton or Homers. That may not be what we like to eat but other people do and then it's your local meat and you know where it comes from. And that’s my thing is I eventually want us to grow a little bit.”
Outside of their sheep, they also have chickens on their farm. Kayla had pigs when she was in high school, so she would love to get some pigs on their farm in the future, too. She explained how she loves seeing her children experience farm life. She noted an example of their family being out of eggs one day. She went out to see if there were any eggs from their chickens. One of her kids said, “How cool is that. You can go in your backyard and get your own food.”
When it comes to the animals on the farm, their youngest daughter, Tatum (3), is still pretty fearful, but she is beginning to get out there more. Elliott (7) will comb the dogs and Jack Murphy (5) will go in the chicken coup and pick the eggs and go inside the fence with the sheep when Taylor goes out there. “We just want them to be comfortable,” expressed Kayla.
Farming hours look a little different for the Pruitts since they have other jobs outside of their sheep farm. Taylor will go out in the morning and at night. He will make sure there is food and water, count the sheep, give medicine, trim hooves, etc. He will then check on the dogs and chickens and clean the coup out. The dogs have their own spot in the barn with the sheep, and they are very protective over the sheep. As the Pruitt Farm has grown, they have had to redo their set-up within the barn and field. Taylor has blocked off 6 acres for the sheep, and put a fence around it to regulate where they can move
throughout the pasture.
Although sheep farming is more low maintenance, it still comes with challenges just as any other type of farming. Predators and diseases are two of the main challenges owning a sheep farm. Taylor noted, “As long as you keep them healthy, it's manageable. The dogs are a big advantage for us, so I don’t have to worry about predators.”
When it comes to diseases, sheep farmers do what they can to keep their sheep healthy by making sure the pasture stays dry, trimming their hooves and cleaning out the barn to avoid foot rot. If a sheep gets foot rot, farmers must move all the sheep away from the pasture for a certain period of time to allow the disease to get out of the pasture. In some cases, Taylor explained how there are farmers who get rid of their sheep for an entire year.
Farming doesn’t stop even when the Pruitt family has to go out of town. That has been what has made this farming experience so rich is knowing they have family who are able and willing to help. Taylor trained Kayla’s younger cousin, Hudson, who is a freshman in high school. He brought him over one day, trained him on how to do everything and then watched him handle the farm to make sure he understood and answered questions he might have.
Sometimes other family members will drive over to help, so Taylor has it set up so people don’t actually have to go in with the sheep. There is a walkway with a homemade feeder. The food and water are already there. This allows them to make their farm convenient and make those who are willing to help comfortable with how they prefer to help. Taylor said, “It's kind of dynamic because some don’t want to get in with the sheep or with the dogs.”
A coffee pot of grain can be used to bring the sheep back in if they ever get out. Taylor can shake it, and they will come to him. Kayla laughed saying, “When they see Taylor outside it’s like little kids, ‘Oh, daddy!’ They will run. It’s the cutest thing. They are trained.
They will follow him around and do whatever.”
Two years into sheep farming, the Pruitts are still learning this way of farming but one area that is constant is lambing season which keeps them pretty busy. They will put the ram in with the sheep and are able to control it by whether the ram is in or out, knowing they will get the babies within a month or so of each other. Their first year they kept the ram in to get turnover. September, October, and November are when they are breeding, and ideally March is when you start getting baby lambs. Gestation is usually five months, but Taylor and Kayla said it’s very difficult to tell if they are pregnant until their milk bag comes in.
Taylor explained how anyone interested in getting started with sheep farming needs to make sure they have good sheep. Farmers can find registered sheep in classifieds from all over the world. Pruitt Farms currently have registered Katahdin and Katahdin Dorper mix. The sheep farmer explained, “Katahdin are the most popular around here. The heartiest sheep. They stay healthier. Their feet stay better. They can handle the weather conditions. Ideally, we don't want a wet condition for a sheep.”
Registered sheep are those your 4-H participants are going to want. You start with a registered ram (male) and ewe (female). Once they have a baby, farmers send the registry into the Katahdin website and then that sheep is registered and that lineage keeps going. Taylor noted, “Half of the flock is in your ram. If you have a bad ram, you will produce bad sheep. If you have a good ram, it keeps your genetics going. That’s the whole point of registering. If you have a good ram, you want to register him through Katahdin so you can control your flock. It just keeps track of where they come from.”
Outside of having good sheep, a good fence is important. They have only had one baby get out, but their dogs stayed right there with it the whole
by Jamie Plain
time. During the ice storm, their fence was laid down. That next week, they put up actual fencing. “We could have lost them all but luckily they stayed right there,” said Taylor. Good sheep and a good fence is the first start, the rest you will learn as you go Taylor said.
The Pruitts love that their children will be growing up on a farm like they did. The proud mother said, “When we grew up, my parents wanted to instill in us what hard work is and I feel like farming is a good way to instill the value of a dollar. We want them to be able to know that and that not everything can be handed to them. I would like to see us grow and instill work ethic and be established by the time they get bigger so they can get involved with it and take it to market. And it’s a way for us to hopefully be able to pay for extra as well.”
Aside from the Pruitt kids being involved in taking care of their family farm, Taylor and Kayla would like to see them be involved in the Henderson County 4-H program, too.
The Pruitts find so much joy being able to all be together on their farm. It gives their kids something to do when they are playing outside while also allowing them to learn important life lessons. Kayla said, "It's pretty flexible, so even when they get older, they can still do whatever they are involved in while also taking care of sheep.”
Looking ahead, they would like to see their little sheep farm grow. As mentioned, being able to work with local businesses is a goal of theirs, but for now they are sticking with the USDA market because it is easier as they are still learning each year.
Kayla would also like to get their
garden back up. She has even thought about putting a booth by the street to sell produce from their garden. She expressed how it is important to get what you can. Even if it is twenty-five cents a basket, that can go to their kids. It will also help their kids understand what it's like to grow their own food and how important it is to care for things.
There are so many possibilities on their beautiful, seventeen acre farm. The Pruitts are grateful for the opportunity to experience this way of life and to introduce and raise their children around it. Their full-time jobs may keep them busy outside of the farming world, but when they come home, it brings their family together. Kayla said, “It’s nice that it is a family affair. It’s a lot of work for a small farm,” but they wouldn’t have it any other way! HF
WRITTEN BY LYNDI MAUK Lyndi Mauk, editor of Henderson Family Magazine, was born and raised in the Bluegrass State. She is grateful to be going through life alongside her husband and best friend, Brandon, and being a mother to their two kids.
Photo
CARTER SIEWERT Creativity Leads to 3rd Place at SkillsUSA Nationals
In a massive crowd of over 15,000 people at the SkillsUSA nationals award ceremony, now-senior Carter Siewert was crowned a 3rd place winner for his video game, “Murder Mansion” that he developed over his junior year. Carter managed to be the only Kentucky competitor to take a podium level award, bringing great pride to our state and to Henderson. I was lucky enough to be a chaperone on the trip and witnessed this amazing moment that Carter worked hard for, and I got to sit down with him to discuss the “ins and outs” of his game that has been a joy to play for his classmates and many others.
“It all started in Mr. Inge’s class,” Carter stated. “He gave us an assignment, and the theme was ‘mystery’ and ‘boss fight’. I decided to make a murder mystery game with a character that follows you around like a boss.” Carter is part of the pathway in the Career and Technical Education unit taught by Mr. Dalton Inge that focuses on programming and game design. In Carter’s game, the goal is to find the murder weapon and the identity of the killer before the “boss character” can catch you. It is a mix of a chase scene and investigative work, and Carter’s classmates and Mr. Inge were very impressed by what he turned in. “We showed it to the class, and everyone seemed to like it. People were playing
it and asking me for the download so they could play it on their own.” He beat out all but two out of forty-nine other competitors at nationals, and he is determined to do even better next year. Carter is already thinking about what he can do differently next year to place higher.
Carter reminisced on his progress through the SkillsUSA competitions. “When we first went into the state competition, we weren’t even expecting to place. We were just scouting because it was our first time ever going to a competition like this. So, I don’t even think we were very prepared. So now I know from seeing other competitors
at nationals what I should improve, like the documentation, presentation, and some other things like the test we had to take to get in.”
Carter faced some serious challenges over the course of the game’s development and the SkillsUSA competitions. “I went through four partners,” Carter stated. “My first partner, Eli, did the most out of them all, but I did all of the coding and got all of the artwork for the characters. Eli added the decorations for the map and helped with that, which was very helpful.” Carter went to state with a different partner, then had to get an entirely separate partner for the national’s trip.
Unfortunately, Carter’s partner for nationals had to drop out at the last minute, leaving Carter on his own. He actually lost points for not having a partner in the competition but still managed to snag third place. Carter did want to thank his first partner, Eli Schmidt, for his contributions to the game. Carter also wanted to give a huge shoutout to Mr. Inge for getting him interested in video game design and for helping him every step of the way.
Hallie Siewert, Carter’s mom and owner of HallieCakes, expressed great pride in her son. “I was so nervous. He called me at state and was like, ‘we’re just going to go get some knowledge and see what’s happening,’ but I said that you never know what could happen and that his game was really good. He calls me after the interview and says, ‘I have a good feeling we might win.’ So that was really exciting. After he won state, we were determined to get him to nationals, which was stressful because it was right before we left for a trip to Canada. This is something that he just loves and it’s probably the biggest passion he has. We were determined to make it happen for him and for how nice it will look on college resumes. He didn’t think he was going to place in the top three at nationals, but he thought he scored really high. He knew not having a partner would definitely hurt him. But, of course, when he called us, and we put it on speaker phone with all my family there, he said…” At this point, Hallie started to tear up. “I can hardly even talk about it. I still think about it, and it gives me chills! He told us he got third and we just were overjoyed for him.”
When those of us at nationals in Atlanta found out Carter placed, the top three finalists were shown by state at the jumbotron at the arena. When Kentucky popped up, all of us that were with Carter screamed and the excitement was palpable. Carter and Mr. Inge ran down to the stage as fast as possible, and when Carter was crowned the third-place winner, there was definitely some cheering and jumping up and down happening by the Henderson team in the stands.
Hallie said that she is also proud of Carter’s creativity, although it must run in the family more than she might think because of her amazing dessert designs. “He has that creative background and he’s always been like that. We have been so surprised because usually when you have that math side of your brain like my family does it doesn’t show up as much. I was a math major, my mom was a math teacher, my dad was a math professor, so his creativity has blown me away. Even as a young kid, he was way more creative than I could ever imagine myself being. It’s a nice balance because he needs that creativity in some of the things he enjoys coding. It kinda makes sense now!”
Congratulations to Carter for his major win, and we can’t wait to see what he can accomplish next year! HF
WRITTEN BY KAYCEE INGE Kaycee Inge has lived in Henderson her entire life and plans to keep it that way. She
animals and movies, and enjoys drawing with charcoal and working on local political campaigns in her spare time.
loves
Photo by Darrin Phegley
Niagara Soap Company A FRESH START
Photos by Darrin Phegley
Anew small business is bringing handmade craftsmanship and a touch of chemistry to Henderson’s farmers market. Niagara Soap Company, founded by Mark Andrews and his wife Jennifer, is a family-run venture that blossomed from a post-retirement hobby into a rewarding local business. What started as a simple curiosity about soap-making has now become a way for the Andrews family to stay active, creative, and connected with their community.
After 23 years teaching science and four years serving as athletic director at Henderson County High School, Mark Andrews retired in July 2024.
Retirement didn’t last long, however. By the fall, he was already looking for a new challenge. When he and Jennifer learned that local soap maker Lucia Felty, owner of Lucia Soaps, was scaling back her business and selling her equipment, they decided to take a closer look.
“Once I started talking to Lucia, it just sounded interesting,” Mark explained. “The techniques reminded me of chemistry experiments I used to do with my students. It’s really about careful measuring, safe handling of materials, and creativity with colors and scents.”
For a lifelong science teacher, the
transition made sense. Soap-making involves precision, patience, and a little bit of artistry, skills that Mark had been practicing throughout his career in the classroom. By December 2024, he was already learning directly from Lucia, and by January 2025, he was making soaps on his own.
Niagara Soap Company specializes in handcrafted bar soaps made with five key oils: olive, coconut, palm, castor, and shea butter. These ingredients, combined with lye, form the base of each bar. From there, fragrances and colors are added. Currently, Mark and Jennifer are focusing on fall and winter scents that feel cozy and inviting during
the colder months.
The name “Niagara Soap Company” pays homage to Mark’s hometown of Niagara, Kentucky, a small community near Henderson. The Andrews family felt it was important to connect their new business to the place they call home. Their logo, which Mark designed himself using Canva, features a cornfield inspired by the view from their back door. “It may not be the most creative name,” Mark admitted, “but it represents who we are and where we’re from. We love this community.”
Soap-making at Niagara is more than a business, it’s a family project. Jennifer plays an important role in choosing scents and colors, while their daughters, Maddie (10) and Candler (6), love helping with decorations and lending a hand at the farmers market, making the business a true family effort.
Since January 2025, Mark has been a regular vendor at the Henderson Farmers Market, selling soaps on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. While most shoppers come to the market for produce, Niagara Soap Company has carved out its niche and developed a loyal following.
“The best part is when customers come back for a second or third time,” Mark said. “That tells me we’re doing something right.”
Though he has looked into expanding to other markets, such as Owensboro, Mark has chosen to keep his focus local for now. The Henderson market not only provides steady
Photo by Darrin Phegley
sales but also opportunities to meet new people and build friendships with other vendors. For Mark, that sense of community has been just as rewarding as the business itself.
While the farmers market has been a great start, Mark believes craft fairs will provide an even larger market for his products since soap isn’t something people buy every week like vegetables. Growing awareness of Niagara Soap Company will help shine a light on his products in settings where shoppers are looking for unique, handmade goods. This fall, Niagara Soap Company will appear at several regional events, including the Madisonville Arts and Crafts Fair, the Craft Tucky Festival at the Owensboro Convention Center, and a one-day event in Corydon on October 19. Mark hopes these events will introduce his products to new audiences and expand his base of loyal customers.
Outside of soap-making, Mark also keeps busy with part-time work at local radio station WSON, where he sells advertising. Having built relationships with the station during his time as athletic director, the move into sales felt natural. Between radio work, market days, and family life, Mark’s schedule remains full and purposeful. HF
WRITTEN BY CHRISTIE NETHERTON Christie Netherton is the Community Engagement and Marketing Specialist for RiverValley Behavioral Health. She is a local Kentuckian from Frankfort with a journalism degree from the University of Kentucky. She spends her free time roller skating at local parks, snuggling with her dog, and is a self-proclaimed foodie.
Discover
Learn about Farming with Books!
Cows Can Moo! Can You?: All About Farms
By: Bonnie Worth
FIND THESE AND MORE BOOKS AT THE HENDERSON COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY.
Join the Cat in the Hat as he spends a day on the farm with Mr. and Mrs. Greenbean and their three little greenbeans: Jean, Dean, and baby Irene! From dawn to dusk, kids will see cows being milked, chickens being fed, sheep being sheered, fields being tilled, fertilized, reaped, mowed, irrigated - and lots more!
A Year on the Farm
By: Sue Unstead
Follow the busy lives of Mr. and Mrs. Farmer through “A Year on the Farm,” looking after the animals and growing crops. Look out for the busy Red Tractor who helps out. Level 1 DK Readers feature read-together stories for children just beginning to learn to read. These books contain short simple sentences, simple vocabulary, word repetition, and large type. Strong visual clues and special picture dictionary boxes help children with new words. Lively stories feature characters and topics that are familiar to young children.
Outdoor Farm, Indoor Farm
By: Lindsay Metcalf
Discover how both outdoor and indoor farms sustainably grow the food we eat throughout the year in this vibrant, rhyming picture book.
Construction Site: Farming Strong, All Year Long
By: Sherri Duskey Rinker
Told in rhyming text, six farm vehicles work through all the seasons, from spring planting to building a barn to protect the animals in winter.
Look, See the Farm!
By: Bill Wilson
“Look, See the Farm!” is the heartwarming story of two sisters visiting their grandparents’ organic farm during each of the four seasons, discovering the many interesting creatures that make the farm their home. Young readers will gain a look at the farm life and the animals living on the farm, as well as discovering the wild birds that thrive there.
Marley, Farm Dog
By: Susan Hill
When Marley’s family visits Uncle Bob’s farm, Marley tries to help with the chores by rounding up the chickens and herding the sheep, but he seems to just get in the way.
Change Fear It or Accept It
Fall is one of my favorite times of the year. My family and I travel a lot during the fall for sports and to visit family. I, being the control freak of the family, am typically always behind the wheel. Oftentimes on a long drive, while the rest of the family is sleeping, I turn my worship music on full blast and take in my surroundings. One of the first things I always notice are the trees. Whether we are on the Natcher headed to Bowling Green, 1-65 headed to Louisville, or Highway 431 to Tennessee, I always notice the colors of the trees.
In early fall, I notice the few brave trees accepting their fate with
confidence. They stand there boldly surrounded by familiarity. I often wonder what I can learn from them. How can I welcome change with such boldness in my own life? My oldest daughter is 10. What a weird stage to observe. You watch your own “baby” become this awkward pre-teen searching for her own familiarity. You watch her struggle with emotions she has never experienced before, while also tackling the challenge of those emotions as her mom. You yourself are struggling with all the fine lines of parenting. When to show grace. When to discipline. When to preach. And when to just listen.
I have been teaching for 13 years. I have seen my students change right before my eyes. I, myself, have changed tremendously over the course of my life. But, the truth is, I have never experienced this change from a parent’s perspective. I can ask all the right questions and read all the right books but nothing has prepared me. As I have been working to navigate this time of our lives, I have often found myself thinking about those trees. How they welcome change.
How can I welcome this change? The only way I can really fathom welcoming a change of such
significance in both her life and mine is to do just that, welcome it. We have spent the past year of her life reading. We started with The American Girl Doll series when she was 8 years old. Every time she had reading homework, she read it. On the way to church, ball games, the grocery store; she read it. We spent the last two years of her life preparing and “welcoming” the change that we knew would be inevitable. The communication between her and I is completely open. We have had numerous talks about “the talk” in ways that were both comfortable to her and myself. She asks the questions she wants answered, without fear. And I answer them, in that same boldness.
It is easy to sit back and let change happen around you. By the
WRITTEN BY ANDREA MILLAY
middle of fall, my drives look very different. I still blare my worship music and take in my surroundings. But this time, I don’t see the sprinkles of color. Color is all I see. Every tree has by now accepted its fate and jumped into its new season of boldness. I wonder how long they tried to hold on to their green leaves? How long did they try to hold onto “familiarity?” The truth is: it wasn’t an option for me. To sit back and watch the change happening around me and refuse to accept it. To try to avoid the inevitable. To watch as the world around her teaches her about herself and “changes” her. No, I refuse to sit back and allow change to intimidate me. My job as a mother is to protect my children, but only from the things I can. Unfortunately, the changing seasons in life are not something that
I have control over.
My advice to any parent or guardian dealing with the changes of the seasons around you and within your own children, is to stand bold. Just like the scattered colored trees along my drive, welcome the change as an opportunity. Open up the communication in your home to tackle all topics head on. Talk. About everything. Don’t allow the change to occur and not be a part of it. Take control and stand bold in the change. Remember, by the end of the season, every tree on my drive eventually had to shed its familiarity to make way for a new, brighter future. Just like those lone trees at the beginning of fall, standing bold in their beauty, accept change immediately, so its beauty lasts longer. OP
Andrea is an 8th grade Language Arts teacher and a mom of 5, who loves to spend her “spare time” fishing, worshiping or reading a good book.
Life on the Farm
As a little girl, I always imagined that it would be wonderful to live on a farm.
I could picture myself in the wide-open spaces, surrounded by nature and animals. In my imagination, I would rise and shine with the dawn, scattering feed to the chickens that bobbed playfully around the house on my way to the well, where I would draw water to fill the trough for the cattle and sheep.
Then I would make my way to the barn, breathing in the sweet aroma of hay spilling out from the loft, and would hitch up my horse to plow the fields, my faithful dog chasing rabbits in the background. Hawks circled lazily overhead in the bright blue sky that rained just as much as my crops needed, no more and no less, and somewhere off in the distance, a friendly coyote howled.
Obviously, I was a city girl.
My grandfather, however, really did live on a farm, out near Philpot in the delightfully named community of Pleasant Ridge.
A couple of times during my childhood, I had the opportunity to spend a few days on the farm, but the reality of those visits did not exactly match my vision.
I did wake up early, and wandered through the fields while my grandmother prepared breakfast in her cheery kitchen. No cereal here! Breakfast was bacon or sausage or maybe both, eggs and biscuits, orange juice for kids, coffee for grown-ups.
Then she shooed me outside
so she could clean up the breakfast dishes and get started on fixing lunch – I was just in the way – and I waved forlornly as Grandpa made his way to the barn, soon to disappear over the hill on his tractor, I guess to check on the corn in one field or the tobacco in another or the cows in the pastures behind the lake.
I walked rather desolately through the fields, and if there was a heavy dew, it soaked through my canvas sneakers. The farm dogs –Doxell and Shadow – had abandoned me to follow their one true master.
Occasionally, a pickup truck would rattle its way up the long, winding driveway, kicking up clouds of dust in its wake. It being summer, sometimes these visitors would have their own children in tow, but they were strangers to me and I to them, so we simply stared silently at one another while the adults talked, and then they went on their way.
Could those children have ever guessed that I was jealous of them?
The highlight of these weeklong visits to the farm was the opportunity to go swimming in the
cow pond. Mud (and who knows what else, but I can guess) squished between our toes as we waded tentatively out into the sun-warmed water, nervously moving away from any cows that approached the banks. We took along a cake of Ivory soap (it floats) and washed the stains from our feet as we limped out from the lake, first one foot, then the other.
Wednesday nights meant prayer meeting at the country church down the road, where Grandpa sometimes led the singing from the pulpit, his fine baritone voice ringing with authority as he extolled the virtues of bringing in the sheaves.
Only once a week was the television turned on. No “Mod Squad” or “Bewitched” here; instead, I sat silently as my grandparents chuckled at “Hee Haw.”
It was only years later that I realized my fanciful imagining of life on a farm had nothing to do with reality, but I was right about one thing: Kids who are blessed with knowing what farm life is – what it really is – are the luckiest kids in the world. OP
WRITTEN BY LORA WIMSATT Lora is a mother, grandmother and writer. She enjoys the everyday blessings and adventures of life, especially her family.
REAL LIFE WITH LORA WIMSATT
Out & About
8 Local Things to do THIS SEASON
1
Henderson Lions Club Arts & Crafts Festival
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4SUNDAY, OCTOBER 5
JOHN JAMES AUDUBON STATE PARK
A sure sign that fall has arrived in Henderson? Check out the annual Henderson Lions Club Arts and Crafts Festival! Stroll through rows and rows of regional artisans and makers, take in the crisp fall air and colorful fall foliage, and leave with special treasures made with love. For more information, please email hendersoncitylions@gmail.com.
2
Market on Main
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11 @ 10:00AM
DOWNTOWN HENDERSON - MAIN STREET
Enjoy a day of visiting booths of artisans and handcrafters on Main Street who represent a wide variety of media: antiques, handcrafted goods, food, good ole’ junk and more. For more information, please contact clay@ hendersonkychamber.com
3
Holy Name School Fall Festival
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24
@ 5:00 - 10:00PM AND SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25
@ 11:00AM - 10:00PM
HOLY NAME SCHOOL
Join Holy Name School for rides, games, good food, auctions, bingo, and a haunted house. All are welcome. For more information, please contact 270-827-3425.
4
Spooky Tails & Nighttime Trails
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25
@ 6:30 - 8:00PM
JOHN JAMES AUDUBON STATE PARK
Explore the great outdoors in Audubon State Park. Meet the park’s naturalist for an insightful hike and discover the beauty of the park while learning about its unique ecosystems. Don’t miss this chance to connect with nature! Bring a flashlight. For more information, please call 270-826-2247.
Art Hop
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1
@ 5:00 - 9:00PM
DOWNTOWN HENDERSON
Stroll the historic streets of downtown Henderson as regional artists showcase their artworks in boutiques-turnedgalleries. For more information, please call 270-844-4697.
Mrs. Bobbi’s Art Class Series COCOA PUP PAINTING
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18
@ 1:30 - 3:00PM
MRS. BOBBI’S STUDIO
National “Take-aHike Day” Family Hike
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 16
@ 1:00 - 2:30PM
JOHN JAMES AUDUBON STATE PARK
Explore the great outdoors in Audubon State Park. Meet the park’s naturalist for an insightful hike and discover the beauty of the park while learning about its unique ecosystems. Don’t miss this chance to connect with nature! Leashed pets welcome! For more information, please call 270-826-2247.
5 6 7
Winter Solstice Hike
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21
@ 1:00 - 2:30PM
JOHN JAMES AUDUBON STATE PARK
Explore the great outdoors in Audubon State Park. Meet the park’s naturalist for an insightful hike and discover the beauty of the park while learning about its unique ecosystems. Don’t miss this chance to connect with nature! For more information, please call 270-826-2247.
Enjoy a fun afternoon of painting at Mrs. Bobbi VanZant’s for a group art lesson. Kids will paint an 8x8 canvas. Cost $35. To register, please contact Mrs. Bobbi at bobbi1958@gmail.com
HALLOWEEN PAINTINGS
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25
@ 2:00 - 3:30PM
MRS. BOBBI’S STUDIO
Enjoy a fun afternoon of painting at Mrs. Bobbi VanZant’s for a group art lesson. Kids will paint an 8x8 canvas. Cost $35. To register, please contact Mrs. Bobbi at bobbi1958@gmail.com
FAMILY & FRIENDS THANKSGIVING PAINTING
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15
@ 1:30 - 3:30PM
MRS. BOBBI’S STUDIO
Enjoy a fun afternoon of painting at Mrs. Bobbi VanZant’s for a group art lesson. Students may choose one option: Thankful on 8x8 canvas or Charlie Brown “What If Today” on 8x8 canvas. Cost $35. To register, please contact Mrs. Bobbi at bobbi1958@ gmail.com.
FAMILY & FRIENDS
HOLIDAY PAINTING
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 29
@ 2:00 - 4:00PM
MRS. BOBBI’S STUDIO
Enjoy a fun afternoon of painting at Mrs. Bobbi VanZant’s for a group art lesson. Students may choose one option: Snoopy with striped hat on 8x8 canvas, Woodstock & Snoopy on 8x8 canvas, or Merry and Bright Christmas lights. To register, please contact Mrs. Bobbi at bobbi1958@gmail.com.
KIDS MEAL DEALS KIDS MEAL DEALS
SUNDAY
Tumbleweed
1 free kids meal for every adult entree
MONDAY
Rookies Sports Bar & Grill
Kids under 8 eat free with purchase of adult entree from 4-10pm (Dine-In Only)
TUESDAY
Fazoli’s
.99 kids meal with adult purchase 5-8pm
Wings Etc.
Kids eat free 5-8 with purchase of adult entree
SATURDAY
Tacoholics
1 free kids meal per adult entree (dine in ONLY)
Cancun Mexican Restaurant
Free kids meal with adult meal purchase.
ONGOING
Shoney’s
Kids under 4 eat free with adult purchase.
*The Kids Eat Free list is subject to change. Please contact restaurants to ensure their participation. Restaurants, please contact lyndi@tannerpublishing.com with additions or corrections.
Day of School!
A LOOK BACK AT
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