Life in Our Foothills April 2022

life IN OUR

FOOTHILLS April 2022

Life in Our Foothills

A Foal's Friend Helps Springtime Weaning April 2022

Meet the Turquoise Cowgirl

Fresh Ink at Old Crows Tattoo Studio

Follow Your Nose to Foothills Canine Academy $4.95

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FROM THE EDITOR

A

Jeff Allison Manager

ON THE COVER

pril is here, and it is an exciting time to be in the Foothills! Spring is in full swing, and the weather and beautiful scenery of our area this time of year is hard to beat.

When I think of spring, I often think of new beginnings, or starting something new.

In this month’s edition, we share several features that might inspire our readers to try something new, or to appreciate the renewal and rejuvenation of life around us.

First we meet Heather Bland Gardner, also known as the Turquoise Cowgirl, who shares the story of how she has been rejuvenating the bodies and spirits of distressed equines for over 30 years. We’ll also visit with the folks over at Old Crows Custom Tattoo, a family owned tattoo studio in Lynn, where everyday folks in the community may decide to get some new ink. Next, we learn about Allison Andrews and Foothills Canine Academy, and how scent work training can unlock the natural instincts of our four-legged friends while forming a new bond with their humans. We also catch up with our favorite spokespony, Pebbles, and hear about Ming 6 and Bambi, two fresh foals who are weaning from their mothers.

You’ll find all of this and more in this month’s edition! We hope you enjoy what we’ve put together for you this month, and as I do each month, I encourage readers to reach out and help us share your story. Email me at jeff.allison@tryondailybulletin.com with any thoughts or ideas for upcoming issues. As always, thanks for reading!

Jeff Allison Manager

Springtime Weaning

By Pebbles

(Story on page 34)

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LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

STAFF Manager Jeff Allison Graphic Design Allison Dale Marketing Kevin Powell Ben Bouser Distribution Jamie Lewis Administration Sydney Wilkie

life IN OUR

FOOTHILLS Life in Our Foothills is published monthly by Tryon Newsmedia LLC. Life in Our Foothills is a registered trademark. All contents herein are the sole property of Tryon Newsmedia LLC. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Please address all correspondence (including, but not limited to, letters, story ideas and requests to reprint materials) to Editor, Life in Our Foothills, 16. N. Trade St., Tryon, NC 28782, or email to Jeff.allison@ tryondailybulletin.com. Life in Our Foothills is available free of charge at locations throughout Polk County and Upstate South Carolina, and online at www.tryondailybulletin.com. Subscriptions are available for $30 per year by calling 828-859-9151.

To advertise, call 828-859-9151.

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CONTRIBUTORS Mark Levin, Writer and Photographer

Mark is retired from a career in education. In addition to the classroom he has had a lifetime of experiences earning a buck as a photographer, videographer, author, musician and camp director. You can follow his blog about people and places in the foothills at www.FoothillsFaces. com or check out his new podcast he enjoys with a friend of 50 years at www.garyandmark.com.

Linda List, Writer and Photographer

Linda List’s career was spent in the food industry, often surrounded by chocolate and candy. Retirement and the Tryon Daily Bulletin have provided the opportunity for her to share her writing. Growing up in New York on the Canadian border, she lived most of her adult life at the foot of the Rockies in Golden, Colo. And is now enjoying life in Landrum the foot of the Smokies.

Macy Cochran, Writer and Photographer

Macy Cochran is a recent graduate from North Greenville University with a degree in English. She is a lover of books, coffee, hang gliding and binge watching sitcoms from the 90’s. As a creative writer, she often spends her time working on her novels, poetry and short stories.

Erin Boggs, Writer and Photographer

As a native of the Foothills, Erin has a life-long perspective of the people, culture and growth of our area. With a background in English, Anthropology and the Arts, she enjoys every aspect of the creation of a human-interest narrative. She is a lover of all things culinary, animals and lifetime learning.

Pebbles, Writer

Pebbles is the “spokespony” for HERD, or Helping Equines Regain Dignity, a local nonprofit that saves equines from dire conditions and in many cases slaughter. She dictates her monthly columns about her adventures, and what a rescue organization does, to Heather Freeman.

Pebbles and Heather can be reached through HerdRescue.org

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CONTENTS 11

The Power of Perception Meet the Turquoise Cowgirl

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Old Crows Custom Tattoo Creating Art in the Most Unlikely Places

26

Follow Your Nose

Meet Allison Andrews of Foothills Canine Academy

34

Appointments Springtime Weaning

42

5 Steps for Mastering Family Meal Planning

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44

Quick Bites Mouthwater Fish Dinner

45

Quick Bites Marinated Skirt Steak

47

Parting Glance

48

44

Marketplace

50

Advertiser Index

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THE POWER OF

Turquoise Cowgirl PERCEPTION

Rehabilitating Distressed Equines in the Landrum, Campobello and surrounding areas for over 30 years Story by Erin Boggs Photographs by Suzanne Camarata and courtesy of Helen Bland Gardner

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keen sense of perception or intuition is a gift that few of us have, but those who do can use it for extraordinary results when training and rehabilitating traumatized animals. That’s where Helen Bland Gardner thrives and has the most gifts to give. She has worked to rehabilitate distressed equines in the Landrum, Cambobello and surrounding communities for over three decades.

“I adore my job. Especially when people are having really serious issues with their horses, because both the owner and or the horse can get hurt and I can see a wreck coming and I think I have to help these people!” says Helen On any given work day, Helen says if she had a videographer in tow, she would have her own YouTube Channel. Only a couple of weeks ago, Helen was training two wild and rascally donkeys 12

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

while potential clients looked on. Behind her, near the tree line, some chickens were walking along minding their own business when suddenly, a giant Hawk noisily swooped down from the trees and took one of the chickens airborne.

Helen screamed and then by very quick instinct clapped her gloved hands together to make a “gunshot” noise.

The hawk quickly dropped the poor chicken and went on its way. The clients were dumbfounded and impressed.

“They were like, you were just working with two donkeys and saved a chicken from a hawk all at the same time…?

You’re hired!” Helen laughs.

One of the donkeys is shy and afraid of everything, and the other one is very aggressive and mad at the world. Helen knows how to navigate through all of their difficult behavior issues.

Helen says “All of these

CONTACT You can contact The Turquoise Cowgirl, Helen Bland Gardner at (864) 590-6138 and on Facebook at https:// www.facebook.com/helen.

APRIL 2022 blandgardner

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things are human-induced. Because a donkey is born only knowing how to be a donkey, and a horse is born only knowing how to be a horse. And then a human comes into the picture and says I’m here to wreck the day. That’s where I come in!”

Helen’s family on both sides were hard-working farmers and instilled a very strong work ethic in her and her six siblings. She was adopted by her mother and father, who lived in Gaffney and the family then moved to Daytona Beach, Florida when she was very young. It was while they were in Florida that Helen was first introduced to and fell in love with horses. It was during this time that Helen really began to pay attention to how horses react to people and situations, reading their body language and movements and understanding how their minds work.

Much of her intuitive nature comes from observing human behaviors. She says being adopted and not having a frame of reference for her own mannerisms would cause her to closely watch her adopted family members. “A family reunion would fascinate me. I would just sit and watch and just take mental notes about how they interacted with one another,” Helen says. This is how she works so well with horses and other animals, by being an outsider looking in, and understanding what makes them tick.

Helen’s dear friend, who also owns a mule, sat down with her one day and said, “You know Helen, I’ve met a lot of horse people, and you are not just a horse person but also the most free-spirited person I’ve ever met in my life.” Helen says “I know how to bend and sway like the Chinese talk about. ‘Be like

ABOVE: A miniature horse trained for Helen’s client’s children LEFT: Helen with her client’s donkey and goat

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bamboo.’ A lot of people don’t end up being like bamboo, and they pop and break. They kind of get stuck in some places and that’s what actually also happens with horses or mules or donkeys. That’s what I call it, their feet get stuck.”

Helen trains in enclosed safe spaces such as arenas or a round pin. She uses items such as flags and sometimes even employs essential oils, treats and music to calm the animals she works with. She sets clear boundaries with the animals early on in the process. Helen is also very good with goats, birds and dogs. She even trained her dog Rocky to ride a horse.

Oftentimes an abused or traumatized animal gets the medical attention it needs, but not the trainer that it needs.

“If you don’t have a really good trainer in place and then the animal gets adopted back out, then the people who took the animal don’t

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ABOVE: Helen’s Dog Rocky, cool as a cucumber riding her client’s horse RIGHT: Helen kisses Batman the rescued horse

have a clue that the animal has been traumatized before the shelter or the sanctuary and then they begin to have to deal with serious behavior issues,” Helen says. On her farm that she once owned in Chesnee, Helen would rescue and rehab horses from dire situations.

The people who owned the horses she rescued “Helped me in realizing that you know what, more than likely these people have some sort of trauma as well. And I felt a lot of that,” Helen says. Developing these remarkable skills is the result of a lifetime of learning by working with horses, and you cannot just teach someone these skills without them being steeped in the experience of being around these animals for a lifetime. So - If you have a distressed equine in your life, Helen is the person you can call for help.

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Tattoo

Old Crows Custom

Creating Art in the Most Unlikely Places

I

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Story and photographs by Mark Levin

had never stepped foot into a tattoo parlor until recently. It never crossed my mind. Never! I guess “parlor” is a name I conjured up in my head, but Old Crows Custom Tattoo is obviously not that. That parlor moniker has long since been replaced with “studio,” and studio is exactly what this place is.

When you walk in, you’ll find a very open workspace with stations for several artists. And there’s no mistaking that each of the professionals in this place is a serious artist. Their work is impressive. While a

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

few people come looking for a simple design as a one-and-done, most people are coming for a second, third, fourth…and more of a piece of skin art.

Old Crows is owned by Jesse Arnold and Kelly Martin. Jesse is the head artist and Kelly handles the front desk including booking clients and serving as marketing guru. On the day I visited, two other artists were there: Chris Batson and Johnathan Underwood. All had clients coming in that day. This place has an outstanding reputation, and each artist has his own

BUSINESS INFO Old Crows Custom Tattoo is in Valley Plaza Suites (Suites 1 & 2) in the Lynn community between Columbus and Tryon.

Address is 2060 Lynn Road, Columbus, NC. Phone: 828/ 440-1502. The shop is open Monday by appointment only and opens Tuesday through Saturday at 11. Check their Facebook and Instagram pages for photos of their artwork and APRIL 2022 hours of operation.

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ABOVE: Of course, the shop has swag. Kelly Martin hands over an Old Crows t-shirt and hat to Melissa Underwood.

TOP RIGHT: Just a small portion of the supplies it takes to get ready for a tattoo.

RIGHT: A selection of inks and other supplies ready for the next job.

following that are devotees. The tattoo artists all have regional clients as well as from states far away. Of course, new would-be customers regularly step in ready for their first venture into this world.

If a new client doesn’t have an artist in mind, Kelly suggests they check out the shop’s Facebook and Instagram pages to see hundreds of examples by each artist. She posts photos of virtually every piece of art that leaves

that shop…be it on an arm, leg, face, or someplace else that might be a little bit intimate.

There are some reasons a client would be turned down. The first is being underaged. You must be over 18 years old even if parents are willing to give written permission. They do make sure the would-be human canvases don’t have a skin condition or are currently on blood thinners. And you can forget it if you walk in inebriated,

even if you plunk down the cash on the counter. All customers will sign a waiver before work begins.

A tattoo studio gets inspected by the local health department before the shop can open, and the individual artists get a visit from the inspector every year. Each artist must have a permit. Before an artist starts work, they do a thorough cleaning of their workspace. Things are cleaned and sanitized, gloves are worn, sharps are

They all loved art as kids. Owner Jesse, as a child, was apparently fond of drawing on the walls in the hallway of his house. His mom always knew he was going to do something with art.

Co-owner Jesse Arnold.

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ABOVE: Jacob Brown, from Spartanburg, is ready to add to his collection.

TOP RIGHT: Jesse Arnold shows off a tattoo of a favorite car model, a 1980 Corvette.

RIGHT: A crow greets visitors at the door, confirming they’re in the right place.

disposed of properly. You’d think you were in a doctor’s office with the exception that the wall art here is much more interesting.

In North Carolina, a would-be tattoo artist must apprentice with a licensed and established artist for over 1,000 hours before being able to get a permit. All the current Old Crows artists have been tattooing 22

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

for years. But for these artists, their training started way before that. They all loved art as kids. Owner Jesse, as a child, was apparently fond of drawing on the walls in the hallway of his house. His mom always knew he was going to do something with art.

The day I was there, a client walked in with an idea in mind and

left a couple of hours later proudly displaying his permanent piece of art. Some folks come in with nothing in mind but want a tattoo. And there’s a reason the word “custom” is in the shop’s name. If you can think of it, you can get it tattooed.

Some work might first be transferred with a stencil whereas other work is completely freehand. There is a $50

minimum charge, and the high end all depends on how large and how complex of a design is desired. Each artist sets his own price.

There is no typical client. Some people come in looking for their first one at age 80 and others the minute they legally can. Tattoo artist Chris Batson, as an 18-yearold, had no desire to get a tattoo. But a group of friends convinced him to join them for a little ride and ended up at a tattoo studio. He now considers that some positive peer pressure.

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It was a huge move and leap of faith for Jesse and Kelly to open Old Crows Custom Tattoo. Kelly had been working as a dog groomer in Landrum and Jesse was working at another shop. Both of their professions were considered “nonessential” during the early days of the pandemic. They spent a few months at home, and with all that time on their hands and with time to reflect, they started to think big and dream bigger. Why not take charge of their lives and open their own shop? They sold a car, sold a camper, signed a lease, and opened their doors in December 2020. They brainstormed a lot of possibilities for a shop name, but sitting outside the shop one day and hearing crows making an uproar gave them the idea. They both liked crows and in a way they “sometimes” consider themselves old crows.

Kelly says, “Each day we’re open we’re making new stories and new memories.” When a client walks out the door, they are carrying that story with them. And most will be back to add another chapter.

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LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

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LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

FOLLOW YOUR

NOSE Allison Andrews, Canine Scent Work Trainer At Foothills Canine Academy

D

Story by Erin Boggs Photographs by Erin Boggs, Allison Andrews and Pix2Go

id you know dogs have up to 300 million olfactory receptors in their noses, compared to about six million in humans, and the part of a dog’s brain that is dedicated to analyzing smells is about 40 times greater than ours?

Now imagine a sport that allows a dog to do what they are naturally best at doing: Following their nose.

Canine scent work, also known as nose work, is a wonderful activity for owners and their dogs. Here the dog leads the

handler, using their own natural scent abilities to locate “hides,” which are usually cotton swabs soaked in essential oil, placed inside a container placed in various locations within the search area.

The essential oils used are novel smells to a dog, such as birch, anise and clove.

Unlike agility training, which can be physically demanding on both dog and owner alike, scent work is a quieter, more relaxed sport in which any dog and owner can participate. Another interesting fact

CLOCKWISE: Donna and Grace perform a vehicle search. Molly the Dachshund from Columbus, NC follows her nose. Chris Gray and her dog Derby, a champion Springer Spaniel. Allison debriefs with the class about the scent search area where they just practiced CENTER: Puppy training with a Vizsla

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is that you can also do scent work with cats, horses, pigs, rats and even chickens!

Often owners of dogs with behavior problems not solved by obedience training, treats or extra play time, find that scent work is exactly what the dog needs to overcome the behavior issues.

Because it allows the dog to do what they are naturally best at and gives them a sense of pride, purpose and confidence, scent work might be the one thing that helps.

Allison Andrews, of Foothills Canine Academy, says “Many times, obedience training is not really a solution for a high energy dog. It doesn’t really work if you have a dog with all of this extra energy and you don’t know how to get rid of it. So, nose work is actually even more effective than physical exercise because they are using their brain to solve the problems, and their olfactory is 6080% of their brain. It wears them out mentally. Then, they’re more satisfied and they can focus better and are calmer. Throwing a ball with a high energy dog usually just gets them

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TOP: A new student at the Foundations Nosework Class ABOVE: Allison works with a blind rescue at Haley Hill Sanctuary in Charleston, SC

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LEFT: Allison with her dog Millie, who got her started in Nose Work RIGHT: Darby Rayburn locates an elevated hide. Darby doesn’t like his paws touching anything!

FAR RIGHT: Donna and Grace perform a vehicle search

more worked up, and it doesn’t really satisfy them, they just get more and more energy.”

The truth about scent work is that there is actually not much training for the dog to do the work, because they already know how to do scent location.

Owners attend classes to teach themselves and the dogs how to navigate the scent search areas, and how to know when the dog is “signaling” that they’ve found a scent. Usually that signal is a head turn where they look up to the owner to say “I found it!”

Just like a smoke plume from a campfire, the dogs follow the scent “plume” back to the source.

Factors such as wind can move the plume and the dogs have to follow the plume to the source, and then let their owners know they located it.

The beginning of training for 30

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the human is learning how to read their dog. The owners learn to read their dog’s body language that indicates they are working a scent trail, and to recognize when they’ve gotten as close as possible. The training for the dog usually starts with items the dog would look for naturally, like food and toys. In fact, owners can reinforce scent training at home by using the dog’s toys. One of Allison’s clients even trained her dog to sniff out and find her lost keys! The second part of the human training is how to follow their dog, how to move or not move, how to handle the leash and how to stand, all in order to not disrupt the scent plume.

Later on, she moves to showing owners how to put out the hides to challenge their dogs.

Allison started out in Greenville working with a

“It’s amazing to see the transformation in the dogs.

When they start, most of them are a little confused. Most of them their whole lives are told “don’t sniff, just walk!” So when we finally tell them to go sniff, they’re like “are you sure?” Then they finally get it, and you can see the light bulb moment. For most of them it’s after week one.” Owners can then transition the dogs to doing scent work during specified times and learning to take walks with minimal sniffing. They learn “sniffing time” versus “exercise time.”

dog behavior consultant, in 2011, after moving to the area from Savannah. She had just started out in dog training and needed a mentor. They worked with very fearful and anxious dogs, and got into nose work to help the dogs build confidence and to help their owners bond with them.

“Most people, when they have a dog with problems, they’re very frustrated. Nose work allows the dog to show the human how incredible they are, that they have this skill that we don’t have and so it helps the human look at their dog differently.

It gives the dog a purpose and an activity they can do that is very safe,” she says.

“Canine scent work is an activity that became a sport. Most people know what drug dogs do, and it’s the exact same thing except that our dogs are searching for essential oils. It’s the same training, and it actually started with a group of professional canine officers in California about 15 years ago who were working with shelter dogs who had a lot of energy and needed more exercise. So, they were like, why don’t we do detection work with them? It uses their mind and their physical energy,” says Allison. The California shelter volunteers soon learned how much

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fun scent work was and talked the officers into doing classes for their own dogs. Slowly, the sport has made its way to the East and the South.

Most people are told to “give their dogs a job,” but to Allison “Nose work is not just a job, it gives the dog a purpose. When the dogs realize what we are asking them to do, you can just see them light up. They go at it with a purpose and they feel really important, like they’re on a mission.

They’re not just goofing off, they’re serious about it! It’s like the dog has found their life’s calling and they finally found their purpose.” When she started working with her own dogs and saw the positive impact it had, she became addicted to the sport.

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Owner Karen Rayburn attends Allison’s classes with her dogs Darby and Tango and says “She has given my dogs so much confidence and helped me build a wonderful bond with them. It’s so fun seeing the dogs learn they get rewarded for using their instincts and communicating with us.” Indeed, how confident the dogs become when they get to do something they are naturally good at.

“It’s amazing to see the transformation in the dogs,” Allison says. “When they start, most of them are a little confused. Most of them their whole lives are told “don’t sniff, just walk!” So when we finally tell them to go sniff, they’re like “are you sure?” Then they finally get it, and you can see the light bulb moment.

For most of them it’s after week one.”

Owners can then transition the dogs to doing scent work during specified times and learning to take walks with minimal sniffing. They learn “sniffing time” versus “exercise time.”

Allison’s Campobello location is central to all of her clients, who come from as far south as Greenville County, Pickens and Spartanburg, all the way up to North Asheville.

Her training center has indoor and outdoor spaces. Each class has six students and lasts about an hour and half. Once the AKC added scent work competition, Allison says most of her clients now come to train for competition but she does offer Foundations Scent work classes for beginners as well.

ABOVE: Chris Gray and her dog Derby, a champion Springer Spaniel LEFT: Cindy’s dog Nosey, at Roper Mountain Science Center, at the moment when she won a title

In scent work competitions, there are five elements: Interiors/buildings, exteriors, containers (such as luggage), vehicles and buried items. Out of the thousands of dogs Allison has met and worked with, only a couple were uninterested. It’s her goal that everyone does scent work with their dogs. Competitions are frequently held in the Charlotte, Atlanta, Brevard, Durham and Winston Salem areas, as well as Union SC and at the Spartanburg Fairgrounds. The club local to our area is called the Upstate South Carolina Scent Work Club.

Any dog - blind or deaf dogs, missing limbs, aged out of agility competition, old, young and any breed – can enjoy scent work. Haven Meeks, a 17 year old retired Elite 3 nose work champion, has lost her hearing, but many times remains the fastest and most accurate dog in the class.

If you are interested in trying out scent work with your dog, you can visit http://foothillscanineacademy.com, contact Allison Andrews at 864-376-8254, or email her at http://foothillscanineacademy.com/contact APRIL 2022

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APPOINTMENTS

SPRINGTIME

WEANING

By Pebbles

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W

Tickets on Sale Now!

mim adkins photography

eaning, the act of separating a mother from her baby, is a stressful time. Especially for young equines under the protection of their devoted moms. There are two ways to go about this process with horses, gradually or abruptly. This spring we experienced both methods. Each was a tad tearful. I had the assignment of babysitting the first mare, Navajo, over the fence, during her weaning ordeal. It took a week of her pacing our shared property line, until she calmed down, resolved that her foal was not returning to her side. Today, I am currently watching over the pretty buckskin mare, Mist, as she pines the separation from her baby, Bambi.

Two foals, the handsome colt Ming 6, and stunning little filly, Bambi, are so like me - postcard ready in the looks department. Both horses have perfect builds and soulful, soft eyes. Ming was born here in our rescue, Helping Equines Gain Dignity, (HERD). Volunteer Bill McClelland entered mare Navajo’s paddock to deliver her breakfast, and alas there were eight legs visible in the shed, not the typical four. Just like his beautiful mother, Ming is jet black with hind socks and a perfectly formed number 6 in the middle of his delicate head, complementing the white snip on his nose.

Unlike other young mares who have raised their foals with us, Navajo did not welcome us around her newborn. This was her second colt. Her first

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ABOVE: Polaris, Ming’s pasture buddy at weaning time LEFT: Bambi with volunteer Bill McClelland

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Filly Bambi, with her weaning pal Liberty, and volunteer Bill McLelland

Six months is the commonly recommended age for weaning a horse, as foals can eat on their own at this age and are further along in proper stages of development. At this turning point, mother’s milk must be supplemented with more feed to substance the growing equine.

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had been taken from her at age four months and sold separately at the livestock auction. This trauma had been devastating for her. He was pulled from her side by a lasso rope around his neck.

Six months is the commonly recommended age for weaning a horse, as foals can eat on their own at this age and are further along in proper stages of development. At this turning point, mother’s milk must be supplemented with more feed to substance the growing equine.

Now that Navajo had birthed a new companion, she was not about to let any of us near Ming. She pinned her ears in warning and came charging at us when we walked into her pasture to remove the afterbirth. This

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practice is important to ward off predators from entering their domain. We also had to be sure the birthing sack was intact, so the mare was not harboring anything that could cause an infection. Navajo was so fierce that it was all Bill could do to fend off the anxious mare and collect the placenta to remove it.

With each day, Navajo greeted us with utter contempt for entering her realm and disturbing her motherhood.

Although she softened over time, the mare made the task of imprinting with Ming next to impossible for us. Luckily, he was healthy and curious. Ming took every opportunity he could to come smell Bill’s hands and ask for a back scratch over the fence until his mother intervened. There is no better, more protective mother than Navajo. She endured

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Ming 6 the day he was born in HERD

Ming’s playful antics of jumping on her back. The two galloped around their field in joyous play. Navajo prevailed in the sizzling summer sun for hours as Ming always decided to nap in the unsheltered west corner of his pasture. Of course, she provided the shade to keep him comfortable.

No doubt about it, she earned a 38

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

score of 10 on the motherhood scale of perfection.

When it came time to wean Ming from Navajo, we decided a quick abrupt approach was going to be the best for all parties, including the safety of our volunteer helpers.

We gave this mare and foal a full seven months together, but it was

time to make the move. After eating breakfast, Navajo was confined to her feeding station. A halter was placed on her head, and we led her out the gate through the front of the feeding pen, leaving Ming behind in the pasture. While Navajo was guided across the farm to the field next to me, young gelding Polaris

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ABOVE: Young Ming in halter training TOP RIGHT: Volunteer Kathy Milroy with Mist

was taken into Ming’s pasture.

We picked Polaris for his gentle, friendly nature. At age two, he was not too formidable for a confident Ming. He was rescued as a yearling as part of a neglect case. His growth was stunted from poor nutrition, but in HERD, he is blossoming and growing into a handsome young 40

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

horse. Polaris’ most striking features are his eyes, which are half blue and half brown, and his blaze and tall white stockings, which contrast his dark gray coat. While gentle with Ming, Polaris was quick to establish the rules in the paddock of who gets to take the first feed bucket, and the best spot in the shade

of the oak trees. Not as tolerant as Navajo, this is just what Ming needed at this stage of his adolescence.

With Ming in good standing, now it was time for Mist to say goodbye to Bambi, her chestnut-colored baby, with plenty of chrome. In this case, Mist had always been tolerant of

us having contact with Bambi. So, we separated them over a matter of days within the same pasture, using a round pen paddock to contain Mist. Next, Mist was haltered and led to a small paddock with a shelter just across from my pasture.

Bambi was alone for only a minute before she received a young palomino mare, Liberty, as her new pasture mate. This was an instant success. The two fillies became friends quickly, galloping around the field and sharing a flake of alfalfa hay. Bambi only demonstrated her concern, with heartfelt cries seeking her mother, during the first hour of the new living arrangement.

Mist on the other hand took the separation harder, pacing and only nibbling at her feed for 48 hours.

As an observer, I have to say that it is the mothers that have the harder time letting go, no matter if the separation is abrupt or gradual.

In HERD, these are the nail-biting steps we endured for springtime weaning 2022.

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QUICK BITES

5 STEPS FOR MASTERING FAMILY MEAL PLANNING

Work together. Before heading to the store or heating up the oven, sit down with your loved ones and make a list of easy-to-make recipes you all enjoy. Each time you discover a new favorite, add it to the list so you’ll have a reference guide when it’s time to plan a week’s worth of meals.

Stick to a schedule. Set a day and time each week your family can meet and plan out dinners. This also offers an opportunity to bring to light any newfound favorites or fresh ideas while 42 LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

bringing everyone to the same room for quality time together.

Plan time-saving processes. Think ahead while planning meals and consider the equipment you’ll need. Saving time while cooking can be as easy as sticking to recipes that call for hands-off appliances like a slow cooker or pressure cooker and using a food processor rather than a knife and cutting board.

Schedule a “leftovers night.”

When you prep dinners that call for

crossover ingredients, it’s easier to turn one meal into two. For example, buying sweet onions and chicken breast to make Chicken Apple Enchiladas means you’ll have those ingredients on hand for Greek Chicken Bowls later in the week.

Make a list. Once you’ve decided on recipes for the week, create a list of all the ingredients you’ll need. While you’re at the store, stick to your plan and avoid impulse buys to help stay on track while getting in and out quicker.

Chicken Apple Enchiladas INGREDIENTS 1/2 sweet onion, diced 1 jalapeno, diced 1 Envy or Jazz apple, diced 2 cups cooked shredded chicken 8 flour tortillas 6 ounces shredded Mexican blend cheese, divided 1 can red enchilada sauce cilantro (optional) DIRECTIONS Heat oven to 350 F. In skillet, cook onions until translucent. Add jalapeno and apple; saute 2-3 minutes.

Add cooked chicken and mix well. Remove from heat.

Lay out tortillas and sprinkle cheese on each. Add chicken mixture and roll. Place in baking dish and cover with enchilada sauce.

Bake 20 minutes, or until heated throughout.

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QUICK BITES

A MOUTHWATERING

FISH DINNER D

uring the spring months, fish can be a popular food for at-home meals.

It’s a perfect nutritious option during Lent, and it’s flaky and delicious for seafood lovers and families of all kinds throughout the year.

This Cheesy Basil Cod has a light crust and a glistening center, which creates a delicious bite of texture. Serve it with rice and vegetables to complete a better-foryou dinner that’s packed with nutrients as well as flavor.

This recipe, rich with cheese and seafood delight, serves four but is easy to double for a larger crowd. It requires just a few kitchen utensils and bakes for less than 15 minutes for a quick meal that’s easy to clean up.

For more seafood recipes, visit Culinary. net.

Cheesy Basil Cod Servings: 4

3 cod fillets (12 ounces each) 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese 1 tablespoon parsley flakes 2 tablespoons basil leaves 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/4teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper rice, for serving (optional) steamed vegetables, for serving (optional) Preheat oven to 450 F.

Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Place fish fillets on baking sheet and set aside.

In small bowl, stir mayonnaise with cheese, parsley, basil, garlic, salt and pepper. Spread evenly over fillets. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until fish starts looking flaky.

Switch oven to broil and brown tops of fish until lightly golden. Remove from oven; cool 3-5 minutes.

Serve with rice and fresh steamed vegetables, if desired.

MARINATED SKIRT STEAK Vinaigrette: 1/4 cup oil 1/4 cup fish sauce 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar 1/4 cup water 2 tablespoons raw sugar 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro 1 lime, juice only 1 clove garlic, minced 1 small Thai bird chile or serrano chile, chopped 1/4 head finely shaved green cabbage 1/4 head finely shaved purple cabbage 2 carrots, thinly julienned

Skirt steak: 1 1/2 pounds trimmed skirt steak 1/2 cup coconut milk 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons lime juice 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 2 tablespoons sriracha salt, to taste 3 cups cooked brown rice 1/2 cup crushed peanuts 1 lime, quartered, for garnish To make vinaigrette: In large bowl, mix oil, fish sauce, rice wine vinegar, water, sugar, cilantro, lime

juice, garlic and chile. Toss cabbage and carrots in vinaigrette; refrigerate until ready to serve.

To make skirt steak: Marinate steak in coconut milk, garlic, lime juice, cilantro, sriracha and salt, to taste, at least 1 hour, or up to 24 hours.

Heat grill to high.

Grill 3-4 minutes each side until medium rare.

Let rest 3 minutes.

Thinly slice steaks against grain and serve with vinaigrette, rice and crushed peanuts; garnish with lime wedges.

APRIL 2022

45

WORKING HARDER to Keep You Healthier

HHHHH STRENGTHEN YOUR IMMUNE DEFENSE Strengthening your family immune defenses from the dangers of viruses is the right thing to do. Vaccines have safely and effectively primed the defense systems in millions of Americans for more than sixty years. As a result, we have significantly reduced and nearly eliminated many diseases that once maimed or killed people of all ages.

Keep Your Family Healthier with vaccines from Foothills Medical Associates or Saluda Family Medicine.

46

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

Foothills Medical Associates

(828) 894-5627 130 Forest Glen Road, Suite B Columbus, NC 28722

Saluda Family Medicine

(828) 749-0149 1347 Ozone Dr., Suite 2 Saluda, NC 28773

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PARTING GLANCE Ishmael Lord’s mural of Lil’ Herc on the side of Mill Spring Agricultural Center, in Mill Spring. The mural reminds us to spread love, because it is those that show us love and kindness that we remember.

Photo by Storme Smith

Marketplace Foothills Magazine • 828.859.9151

C.N.A $1,000 Sign-On Bonus 2nd $2 shift diff 3rd shift $1 shift diff RN/LPN $2000 Sign-On Bonus 7p-7a FT PT 3p-11p and 11p-7a C.N.A II PT Weekends. Please apply in person at Autumn Care of Saluda 501 Esseola St. Saluda, NC 28773.

Bill the painter for all your painting needs!

Also do drywall repair and wood repair! 32 years experience. Like Bill the Pinter on Facebook 828-899-2647 Days Inn is Hiring for Housekeeping and front desk.

Apply in person: 626 W. Mills St. Columbus, NC 828-894-3303 $10 Off Winter Preventative Maintenance (Reg $75) Rutherford Heating and Air 828-287-2240

48

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

•Builders’ Hardware •Postal Specialties.

Visit us at: www.bommer. com.

Bommer Industries, 19810 Asheville Hwy, Landrum, SC, or online: www.bommer. com Dill Plumbing.

Specializing in small repairs, Water Heaters, Well Pumps.

Serving Polk County for 34 years. Licensed and insured.

N.C. & S.C. 828-817-1327.

Epperson’s Tree Service • Complete Tree Service •Dangerous removals •View Cutting •Lot Clearing •Tree Trimming •Crane Removals Serving NC for 25yrs Fully Insured ISA Certified Arborist (828)606-4980

ERIKA BRADLEY, REALTOR® 828.702.5970 YOUR LOCAL REALTOR HELPING YOU BUY/ SELL IN WNC! ERIKAB@C21ML. COM CENTURY 21 MOUNTAIN LIFESTYLES 640 GREENVILLE HWY, HENDERSONVILLE, NC 28792

GOOD BY STUMPS Stump Removal Quantity Discounts on 50+ Stumps! As low as $10 each!

Call for pricing.

Fully insured. Free Quotes! Call Ron at 828-447-8775

Pavillon Recovery Technician • Full-Time, Evening & TRADEMARK Overnight BUILDING Positions SUPPLY. 343 • Mill Spring, NC E Mills St. • This position Columbus, NC monitors the 28722. activities of 828-229-3160. patients to From DeWalt ensure optimal Tools to Exterior safety, support, Products, call or structure and visit Trademark crisis intervention. for all of your Requirements: remodeling and High School building needs.

Diploma/GED Equivalent or Gary W. Corn Current Counselor CHHPS Realtor/ Intern, 12Broker Step Recovery 828-817-2580 Knowledge. Great garywcorn@gmail. Hourly Rate! $500 com First Real Sign-On Bonus.

Estate, Inc Excellent Benefits: 2512 Lynn Road PTO, 401k with Tryon, NC 28782 Match, Medical, www.TryonReal Dental, Vision & Estate.com Life Insurance, Chef-prepared

shift meals. View full description and. apply at WWW.PAVILLON. ORG About> Employment> Apply Here PAVILLON Private residential treatment facility in Mill Spring NC now hiring: PRN NURSES Day, Evening, and Night Shifts $500 SignOn Bonuses & Excellent Benefits!

Background check & drug test required. Apply online: www. pavillon.org/ careers Email: HumanResources SupportTeam@ Pavillon.org -EOEPrivate residential treatment facility now hiring: FULL-TIME DISHWASHERS •Weekends required. $500 Sign-On Bonuses & Excellent Benefits!

Background check & drug test required. Apply online: www.

pavillon.org/ careers Email: HumanResources SupportTeam@ Pavillon.org -EOEPhilco’s Pressure Washing Get all the Mold, Mildew, & Oxidation off your house!

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Phil Tolleson 864-599-1978 or 864-304-8463 DIXON AC & HEATING • Your HVAC Service & Repair Expert • Serving the Tryon area for 30+ years. Call (828)863-0555

•Food Service Aide Substitute $8.28/ hour Visit: www.polkschools. org/employment Call: 828-894-1001 Skipper’s Tree Service Free Estimates 25% Senior Discount References Upon Request Now Accepting Visa/

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POLK COUNTY SCHOOLS •Full-Time Custodian/Bus Driver Tryon Elementary School •Afterschool Group Leaders/All Schools-$10.00/ hour •Bus Drivers-$13.74/ hour-$14/hour •Substitute Bus Monitors-$11/hour

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ADVERTISER INDEX ACTS Tryon Estates Brunson’s Furniture Carolina Storage Solutions Carruths Furniture Cason Builders Claussen Walters Congregational Church of Tryon Dr. Jonathan Lowry, DDS Elegance Beauty Salon Henson’s Building Materials Hospice Carolina Foothills Hypnotic Massage Sleep Boutique JB Trees Joseph Hurwitz Law Lake Pointe Landing McFarland’s Funeral Home New View Kathy Toomey Parkside Dental Parsec Financial

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LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

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Partnership for Children Penny Insurance Polk County Transportation Red Bell Run REMAX Bonnie Lingerfelt ServiceMaster SG Power & Equipment Southside Smokehouse St Luke’s Foundation St Luke’s Hospital Strauss Attorneys Tryon Builders Tryon Concert Association Tryon Fine Arts Center Tryon Garden Club Tryon International Equestrian Center Tryon Presbyterian Church Turquoise Cowgirl Horse Trainer White Oak Retirement

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our agents are ready to help you enjoy...

The Foothills Lifestyle

Our agency consists of agents who either grew up in the area and elected to stay here or agents who grew up somewhere else and selected to move here. Whether by election or selection, it is their love for this area that makes our agents excited about helping buyers or sellers experience that same feeling and enjoy the foothills lifestyle.

KATHY TOOMEY

BROKER/OWNER BARBARA BRICKER • ALEX FRAZIER KIRK GOLLWITZER • JOHN TOOMEY • TIM WRIGHT Experienced agents licensed in both NC & SC

285 N. Trade St. • Tryon • 828-817-0942 • Info@NewViewRealtyLLC.com

NewViewRealtyLLC.com

Active members of the community & sponsors of Foothills Humane Society, Tryon International Film Festival, Tryon Beer Fest, Steps to Hope, APRIL 2022 51 Summer Tracks, Tryon Painters & Sculptors, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Tryon Arts & Crafts School and Tryon Little Theatre

What Does Thriving Mean to You? Financial security is more than successfully managing day-to-day finances. It’s a thoughtful process that impacts the long-term emotional, physical and mental well-being of people and their loved ones. Everyone deserves the ease-of-mind that comes from attaining and maintaining financial security. Once this level of financial freedom is achieved, that’s when people truly thrive.

Thriving is: •Doing what you love •Planning for the unknown •Learning and growing •Ensuring your loved ones are taken care of

Let Michael help you thrive.

Michael Baughman, CFP® Senior Financial Advisor 828-859-7001 parsecfinancial.com/offices/tryon 52

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS