Ruralite
February 2025 • Volume 72, No. 2
CEO Michael Shepard
SENIOR VP OF CONTENT Leon Espinoza
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Chasity Anderson, CCC
DEPUTY EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Noble Sprayberry
SENIOR EDITOR Jennifer Paton, CCC
ASSISTANT EDITORS Victoria Hampton, CCC; David Herder, CCC; Sable Riley, CCC
ASSOCIATE EDITORS
Valeri Saldanha Rosa, Nina Todea
PUBLICATIONS PRODUCTION SR. MANAGER
Elizabeth Beatty
SENIOR PUBLICATIONS COORDINATOR
Alyssa McDougle
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Celebrating Community
February always has a chill to the air, but it’s also a month brimming with warmth and connection.
As we lean into the spirit of Valentine’s Day, our stories reflect the love and care that bind our communities together— from the joy of making music to the dedication of those nurturing the land and each other.
In a small, historic schoolhouse near Junction City, Oregon, the lively strains of fiddle music fill the air. Thanks to music teacher Amy Burrow, young musicians are discovering the joy of traditional jam sessions.
Amy’s quarterly gatherings, supported by grants, are more than just lessons. They are opportunities to build confidence, creativity and camaraderie. For 14-year-old Sapphire Rain, fiddle music is all about freedom and expression.
“You can do what you want with it,” she says. What better way to share the love of music than by passing it on to the next generation? You can read more on Page 10.
The idea of sharing knowledge and building connections extends to our feature on University Extension programs. Across the country, these programs empower individuals and strengthen communities.
From helping women in farming gain confidence through Annie’s Project in Idaho to saving lives through the Diabetes Prevention Program in Arizona, Extension offices focus on uplifting people in practical, meaningful ways. Read more on Page 12.
February is a time to embrace moments of connection. Whether it’s a warm meal shared with loved ones, planning a spring garden with a friend or learning something new and sharing that new skill, this month invites us to celebrate the ties that bind us.
Have an idea for a story we should share about your community? Reach me at editor@pioneer.coop.
Chasity Anderson Editorial Director
For supplemental and interactive content, search @Ruralite on your favorite social media sites.
Old School Fiddle Tunes
Up Close, Page 10
Extension Programs Empower Communities
From hands-on farming skills to diabetes prevention, initiatives help America innovate
Spotlight, Page 12
Eat More Greens
In The Kitchen, Page 16
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN
Youth Rally 2025
Each year, the Idaho Consumer-Owned Utilities Association hosts Youth Rally, a five-day leadership conference for high school students. Clearwater Power selects and sponsors six students to attend and join 75 to 80 other students chosen by electric cooperatives in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Nevada and Utah.
Clearwater Power is now accepting student applications from area communities. The top six students earn $6,500 in scholarships and attend the 2025 Youth Rally.
Students will join Brodee Casto, who was voted to be the Clearwater Power returning youth director. Brodee attended the 2024 Youth Rally and is a student at Asotin-Anatone High School.
“The entire conference was an experience like none other,” he says. “It is a wonderful opportunity to get to know others from rural areas. The amazing delegates had such an impact on my life. I encourage other students to apply to attend because it is a lifechanging experience.”
ICUA Youth Rally Overview
The 2025 ICUA Youth Rally leadership camp and scholarship program takes place July 7-11 on the campus of Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa.
Students from throughout the Northwest and Alaska learn about the electric utility industry, government and civics while developing leadership skills and tackling business challenges. Students also participate in activities such as a tour of the Idaho Capitol, a trip to Roaring Springs Waterpark, obstacle courses and more. n
OPPOSITE
LEFT: Clearwater Power delegate Abby Ausman, left, was half of the winning pair and met a delegate from another co-op in the cornhole tournament icebreaker.
FAR LEFT: Delegates take a group photo at the office of Gov. Brad Little during the Capitol tour.
PAGE: Delegates met students from nearby schools. Abby, left, is from Asotin-Anatone High School, and Kylie Heitstuman is from Potlatch High School. Both represented Clearwater Power at Youth Rally 2024.
Clearwater Power delegates stop for a photo on the Idaho State Capitol steps before they begin a tour. PHOTOS BY SAM SKINNER
4 Major Reasons for Increasing Demand
After decades of flat or declining electricity demand, the United States is in the midst of a boom in power use. Recent government data shows power consumption nationwide is set to increase by at least 38 gigawatts between now and 2029. This trend would ordinarily be great news for the power industry. But government policies aimed at shutting down fossil fuel-based generation and yearslong delays in permitting and siting for new transmission lines are turning this power boon into a capacity crisis. Here are the primary demand drivers:
Electrification
Electric vehicle adoption, electrification of home heating and industrial electrification are expected to increase overall U.S. energy consumption by 1% per year through 2026.
Data Centers
Driven by explosions in artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency and cloud computing, total U.S. data center load is projected to increase by 65% by 2050.
Economic Growth
Residential power consumption is expected to increase by 14% to 22% through 2050 due to increases in population and steady economic growth.
Manufacturing Growth/Onshoring
New, expanding and “onshored/reshored” manufacturing capacity driven by federal incentives is expected to increase industrial demand by 13,000 GWh per year. Key products: EVs, batteries, semiconductors, solar power components
Total Demand
Analysts predicted in 2023 that U.S. peak demand will increase by at least 38 GW over the next five years, nearly double the growth rate predicted in 2022.
Old-School Fiddle Tunes
Story and photos by Mike Teegarden
The distinctive ring of fiddle music fills the small, one-room 1888 schoolhouse near Junction City, Oregon, as musicians tune up and prepare to jam.
But before an outburst of jigs and reels gets toes tapping, a few preliminary instructions from organizer Amy Burrow are in order because this is a jam session lesson.
Amy, a music teacher and fiddler from nearby Eugene, used grants to fund a quarterly jam session for students ages 8 to 18. Her goal is to teach the next generation of fiddlers how to participate successfully in a traditional jam session.
“What I want is that kind of language of knowing 50 to 100 tunes that they can go sit in on a jam almost anywhere in Oregon and call a tune with confidence,” Amy says. “Start it at a tempo that they can manage. Get everybody to play along and know how to finish it.”
The 21/2-hour lesson and jam includes learning new tunes and practicing the etiquette surrounding playing with a group.
Students learn “Dry and Dusty” and “The Snake River Reel.”
The tunes are taught by ear. Amy plays a phrase, and the fiddlers do their best to play it back to her. Once they have a section
down, Amy moves on to the next until the music reaches their fingers.
The real fun begins once notes are memorized. Now, the musicians are free to add their own flair to the tune. They may slide certain notes or add staccatos—quickly played notes—or use other fiddle techniques that add character to the music.
Sapphire Rain, 14, from Monmouth, Oregon, has played fiddle for about two years. She loves fiddle music because the structure allows her to experiment.
“It’s the freedom,” she says. “You can do what you want with it. I have always wanted to play fiddle since I was 4 or 5.”
Tristan Lulay, 15, from Scio, Oregon, loves the feeling of a large group playing together.
“When everyone is playing, it all comes together,” he says. “Even if everyone isn’t a great player.”
Old-time fiddle music is perfect for dancing, so students set down their instruments and pair up for a circle dance as the adult musicians play. The simple circle dance uses moves common to square dancing to mix and move the dancers around the room. It ends with the dancers raising their hands in the center together with a loud whoop and big smiles. n
Jam session instructor Amy Burrow leads students through an old-time fiddle tune in a historic schoolhouse.
If you are interested in learning how to host your own old-time fiddle jam session, contact Amy Burrow at amyburrow@pacificu.edu.
FROM ABOVE: Sapphire Rain keeps a close eye on her instructor as she learns a new fiddle tune. Musicians take a break from playing to dance. From left, Nina Kuhl, Leo Kuhl and Tristan Lulay play along with the group. Anna Vane concentrates during class. Amy brings a lot of energy to the class as she teaches the students how to play in a jam session. The 1888 schoolhouse is a fitting setting for old-time fiddle music.
CLOCKWISE
Extension Programs Empower Communities
From hands-on farming skills to diabetes prevention, initiatives help America innovate
By Ginger Meurer
When Emily Black and her husband, Luke, started farming, they needed help.
“I went to the library and got every single farming book I could find, but that only takes you so far,” Emily says. “Then, there’s YouTube channels that you’re following, but they’re so generic. What about my area? What about my soil?”
To find those close-to-home answers, Emily turned to Annie’s Project at the University of Idaho Cooperative Extension.
Extensions services spread the mission of land-grant universities beyond campuses, reaching out to residents of all ages across America. Educational opportunities provided by extension services cover a wide range of topics, such as helping farmers grow crops and livestock, educating adults about gardening and health, and teaching youth hands-on skills.
University of Idaho Extension educator Colette DePhelps says Annie’s Project courses help women farm operators gain skills, manage risks and build professional networks. While participants have met in person in the past, recent sessions have been virtual—three hours weekly over 12 weeks.
Classes are structured to accommodate the realities of life.
“We know you are multitasking, and it’s fine,” Colette says. “It’s fine if your kids are on Zoom. It’s fine if you have to step away and come back. We totally understand. We’re a very welcoming class.”
Participants come from all scales of operations.
“Newer farmers are learning from farmers who have been farming for a long time,” Colette says. “But also, newer farmers have a different perspective, and they may be more comfortable with technology or direct marketing, so they have fresh ideas to share with more experienced farmers about reaching modern clientele.”
That was the case for Emily, who now teaches marketing strategy through the extension and offers one-on-one coaching through cultivatingyourmarket.com.
Annie’s Project is only one of a wide variety of courses offered through extensions. While 4-H youth development programs and
Emily Black feeds chickens at her Athol, Idaho, farm. The former student now teaches through the University of Idaho Extension.
PHOTO BY ANNIE ZASADNY
Communities
Master Gardeners community gardening experts are well known, extensions across the country lead a host of other projects they’re excited about.
Inviting Kids Into the Kitchen
In Twin Falls County, Idaho, extension educator Siew Guan Lee leads Kids in the Kitchen, a live online cooking program co-launched with the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension in 2020.
“One of the goals is that kids are the chef, and they’re making the meal for the family that night,” Siew says.
She started out offering kid-trusted basics with healthy twists, such as baked chicken nuggets and mac and cheese with broccoli. Participants encouraged Siew to embrace diverse dishes, including offerings from Mexico, Japan, Hawaii, Thailand, Ireland and more. Inspired by a colleague in Georgia, Siew also offers Southern dishes.
“And, of course, we’re Idahoans,” she says. “So, potatoes. We have to have that featured.”
Though the program is intended for Idaho residents, Siew says children log in from Wyoming, Washington, Utah, Oregon, Colorado, California and even Canada. And they aren’t just learning nutrition and food prep skills. They’re bonding with their sous-chef parent assistants.
“Parents said in their feedback that it actually improved their family dynamics,” she says.
Sharing Nutrition Stories
Getting families involved in nutrition education was also one of the goals behind Washington State University-Chelan and Douglas Counties Extension’s Story Walk.
Extension director Margaret Viebrock says they teamed with Friends of the Library to select and dissect oversized nutritional picture books. They mounted pages on foamcore with English on one side and Spanish on the other, then took them on the road.
The first book was, “I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato,” which was set up at the Master Gardeners’ Tomato Gala, an annual sample fest where the community votes on which tomato varieties the Master Gardeners grow for the spring plant sale.
The story walk was a hit with families strolling through, reading and collecting prizes after a quiz at the end. The project won a regional award and has been duplicated in half a dozen other extension offices in the state.
The extension also teaches nutrition basics in schools so children “understand that food doesn’t come from the back of a grocery store,” Margaret says. “There’s actually a farmer out there who grows it.”
The mission continues in community gardens, where aspiring green thumbs of all ages can rent small plots for the summer with water, seeds and a few starter plants included.
Lessons get serious when it comes to food preservation. It’s not like baking cookies, Margaret explains. If you’re out of chocolate chips and you substitute raisins, it’s still a cookie.
“With canning and preserving food, you just can’t make a substitution and put it in a sealed jar and expect it to be safe,” she says. “Just because it’s on the internet doesn’t mean it’s right. It’s important to know the source of a recipe to make sure it’s safe to use.”
A family takes in nutrition education on the go during a cooperative extension story walk in Washington. PHOTO COURTESY OF WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION
Life on the Tundra
Hands-on education is so important to the Bering Strait Region Cooperative Extension that students are flown in three to four times a year for the High Latitude Range Management Program—an offering assistant professor Jackie Hrabok says is among the extension’s coolest.
The Western Alaska extension serves residents of Nome and 15 Alaska Native villages in the surrounding 36,000 square miles. Most of the area’s population is Inuit, living in villages off the road system across the Seward Peninsula.
Students learn to manage free-range reindeer that live alongside musk ox, caribou, arctic and red foxes and grizzly bears. They learn how many animals can survive on the rangeland, their preferred diets and how to prevent illness in the animals.
“Interactions between people and animals and the land is all part of the hands-on experience in the classroom and in the field doing field work and learning what type of techniques are used currently to monitor animals and the health of the land,” Jackie says.
The extension also taps the talents of community elders who take students out in the summer and prepare them to learn about plants by having them close their eyes.
“We will taste all the leaves of a variety of species of plants on the tundra,” Jackie says.
Food preservation lessons are also vital as communities deal with seasonal shortages. Jackie explains what changes in weather or delays in supply flights can mean.
“Your little village grocery store, quite often, might not be stocked with the nutrition that you seek,” she says. “So, you go on the land and in the waters, and you bring it home.”
Agricultural Technology
Unlike other extensions tied to a single land-grant college, the University of California’s system taps talent and resources across all 10 University of California campuses while operating as its own entity. Brent Hales, associate vice president for research and cooperative extension, says extension advisers are on the ground throughout the state engaging with local governments, businesses, nonprofits and communities.
The extension operates nine research farms stretching from its borders with Oregon to Mexico. Newer agriculture projects step into the future with drones and robotics.
“We’re investing a lot of time, effort and resources into technology transfer and working with growers and companies to develop cutting-edge technologies,” Brent says. “We’re working with different community colleges and universities to engage both college and high school students in robotics competitions specifically designed to do workforce development to help kids see that they have a great future in agriculture, and they may not touch the dirt at all other than walking on it.”
The extension is also part of a disaster preparedness and resilience team launched in October to face “fire, flood, drought, you name it, climate, heat, human pandemic, animal pandemic, a whole litany,” Brent says.
Cooperative extensions provide practical resources and education, helping communities solve real-world challenges. Whether teaching kids to cook, supporting farmers or preserving local traditions, these programs build stronger, more resilient communities for the future. n
Visit extension.org/find-cooperative-extension-in-your-state to find the cooperative extension in your state.
Origins of Extensions
Latin, Greek, rhetoric, history and mountains of memorization were all elements of the classical university education available to only an elite few Americans before the Civil War. Then, the nation’s education mission expanded on a path that resulted in the cooperative extension network.
X The Land-Grant College Act of 1862, called the Morrill Act for its sponsor, U.S. Rep. Justin Smith Morrill of Vermont, granted each state 30,000 acres of western land for each of its congressional seats to expand access to college education.
X In 1890, the second Morrill Act expanded the land-grant university funding system to the southern states. Native American tribal colleges were added with the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994.
X In 1914, Congress passed the Smith-Lever Act, which established the Cooperative Extension Service. At the time the act was signed, more than 50% of the U.S. population lived in rural areas, and 30% of the workforce was engaged in farming, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.
X Today, roughly 17% of Americans live in rural areas. University extensions have offices in or near most of the country’s approximately 3,000 counties.
University of Alaska Cooperative Extension Ecology Explorer program students unbox dissecting and compound microscopes, awarded from the UAF undergraduate research grant. PHOTO COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
Books/Magazines
Free to an appreciative home. Almostcomplete sets of “Idaho Magazine” years 2018-24. Pick up at my address in Idaho or by arrangement in Netarts, Oregon. Will ship by UPS if prepaid.
Jim Fazio 1049 Colt Road Moscow, ID 83843
Crafts/Hobbies
Looking for used postcards featuring the greater Bend/Central Oregon area with writing on the back. These likely would have been from people visiting the area and mailing postcards to friends or family in other parts of Oregon or other states. Thank you.
J. Stephens 19110 Buck Drive Bend, OR 97703
Please help with a legacy artwork of black and white photography portraits for my art project. I will email you a photo of the final. I don’t have any photos of family, so anything will be appreciated. I’m a hobbyist, not a professional photographer.
NJ Bittick
1009 Orchard St. Susanville, CA 96130
I have many used greeting and Christmas cards and a surplus of wrapping paper. If anyone would like to have some of these for a project, I will help with shipping.
Tam Judy 456714 Highway 95 Careywood, ID 83809 jslashbrand@gmail.com
Milestones
Our father, Marvin, will celebrate his 89th birthday in February. When he was in his 20s, he was stationed with the Air Force in Alaska and never left. He has been in Alaska for over 65 years, worked for the FAA, owned a construction company and enjoyed years of wilderness adventures. Please send to, Marvin Hassebroek, 518 Slater Drive, Fairbanks, AK 99701
Melanie Hinzman Fairbanks, Alaska
Our wonderful grandmother Marian celebrates 100 years in February. Longtime residents of Brookings-Harbor will remember her beautiful smile and gracious presence working at her in-laws mercantile, Hanscam's Store, following her move to Oregon from Kentucky with her Fort Knox soldier after the war. She still attends mass and bakes a terrific cookie. If you care to send a card, poem, cookie or bar recipe, recollection, postcard, etc., to her c/o of me, I'll be sure to deliver them on her birthday. Thank you in advance for sending cheer.
Marian, c/o Cora Rose P.O. Box 490 Brookings, OR 97415
My father-in-law, Elisardo “Alex” Camarillo, will turn 100 in February. Alex was raised in Southern California and served in World War II as a Private First Class from 1942-1945. After the war, he returned to Southern California working on some of the large ranches, such as the Rancho Santa Margarita. He learned to train horses and also worked as a farrier. He moved to Oregon in 1948 and raised his family near Carlton. He continued to work as a farrier until he was 80 years old. It would be wonderful if he could receive cards from you for this special event. Please send cards to Elisardo “Alex” Camarillo, 400 Frank Gilliam Drive, Apt. #15, Heppner, OR 97836.
Sharon Camarillo Heppner, Oregon
Recipes
I'm looking for new dinner recipes to add to my family's collection. I would love meals that can be prepared in advance and frozen for later use. If you have a favorite family recipe, please share it with me by email or mail. Thank you.
Stefanie Steward P.O. Box 566 Susanville, CA 96130 stefsteward@gmail.com
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(Continued from previous page)
vice is available whether you’re out watering the garden, driving in a car, at church or even hundreds of miles away on a tour or at a casino. You are never alone. With just a single push of the One-Touch E Button you instantly get connected to free unlimited help nationwide with no monthly bills ever,” said Jack Lawrence, Executive Director of Product Development for U.S. based Universal Physicians.
“We’ve never seen anything like it. Consumers absolutely love the sleek new modern design and most of all, the instant rebate that practically pays for it and no monthly bills ever,” Lawrence said.
FastHelp is the sleek new medical alert device with the best of combinations: a quality, high-tech engineered device that’s also an extremely great value because there are no monthly bills ever.
Better still, it comes with no contracts, no deposits and no monthly bills ever – which makes FastHelp a great choice for seniors, students and professionals because it connects to one of the largest nationwide networks everywhere cell service is available for free.
And here’s the best part. All those who already have an old style monitored medical alert button can immediately eliminate those monthly bills, which is why Universal Physicians is widely advertising this announcement nationwide.
“So if you’ve ever felt a medical alert device was too complicated or expensive, you’ll want to get FastHelp, the sleek new medical alert device with no monthly bills,” said Lawrence.
The medical alert device slugfest was dominated by two main combatants who both offer old style monitored help buttons that come with a hefty bill every month. But now Universal Physicians, the U.S. based heavyweight, just delivered a knockout blow sending the top rated contenders to the mat with the unveiling of FastHelp. It’s the sleek new cellular
embedded medical alert device that cuts out the middleman by instantly connecting you directly to highly trained 911 operators all across the U.S. There’s absolutely nothing to hook-up or install. You don’t need a land line and you don’t need a cell phone. Everything is done for you.
“FastHelp is a state of the art medical alert device designed to make you look important, not
old. Old style monitored help buttons you wear around your neck, or require expensive base station equipment or a landline are the equivalent of a horse and buggy,” Lawrence says. “It’s just outdated.”
Millions of seniors fall every year and spend hours lying on the floor helpless and all alone with no help. But seniors who fall and get immediate help
HOW TO GET IT:
IF BORN BEFORE 1961:
IF
are much more likely to avoid getting sent to a nursing home and get to STAY living in their own home independently.
Yet millions of seniors are still risking their safety by not having a medical alert device. That’s because seniors just can’t afford to pay the monthly bills that come with old style medical alert devices.
That’s why seniors born before 1961 are rush-
ing to cash in the whopping $150 instant rebate before the 21 day deadline ends.
So there’s no need to wait for FastHelp to hit store shelves later this year because seniors born before 1961 can get it now just by using the $150 instant rebate coupon printed in today’s newspaper before the 21 day deadline ends. If lines are busy keep trying, all calls will be answered. ■
Use the rebate coupon below and call this Toll-Free Hotline: 1-800-330-4294 DEPT. HELP8438
BORN AFTER 1961: You cannot use the rebate coupon below and must pay $299 Call: 1-800-330-9423 DEPT. HELP8438
THE BOTTOM LINE: You don’t need to shop around. We’ve done all the leg work, this deal is too good to pass up. FastHelp with the instant rebate is a real steal at just $149 and shipping and there are no monthly bills ever.
PROS: It’s the sleek new medical alert device that comes with the exclusive FastHelp One-Touch E 911 Button that instantly connects you to free unlimited nationwide help everywhere cell service is available with no contracts or deposits. It connects you to the vast available network of cellular towers for free and saves seniors a ton of money because there are no monthly bills ever making this deal irresistible. Plus it’s the only medical alert device that makes seniors look important, not old.
CONS: Consumers can’t get FastHelp in stores until later this year. That’s why it’s so important for seniors born before 1961 to call the National Rebate Center Hotline within the next 21 days. For those who miss that deadline, the sleek little medical alert device will set you back over $300 bucks.
The Power of Contrast
By Dave LaBelle
Without darkness, I would never know light. I have heard variations of this truth since my youth.
Though we often speak about contrast—the degree of difference between the darkest and lightest parts of an image—there is another form of contrast that emphasizes the variances between subjects in a composition. And while, generally, we want a photograph to have good tonal range, compositionally, contrasting subjects can also be important for storytelling impact.
For instance, positioning someone tall next to someone short in the same frame helps show the height differential. The same goes for the contrast of a man dressed in an expensive, tailored suit passing by a man partially clothed in soiled rags, communicating the different place in life each occupies.
Henry Cartier-Bresson’s photographs of children playing in war-torn ruins or children pushing a steel hoop down the street as a hearse passes behind them and Margaret BourkeWhite’s 1937 Great Depression image of hungry people in a breadline as a billboard behind
them shows a smiling family in a nice car are examples of iconic photographs employing the concept of contrast.
Of the tools in a writer’s and photographer’s toolbox, the use of contrast can be a powerful and effective device to quickly communicate ideas and concepts. n
Renowned author, photographer and lecturer
Dave LaBelle has captured special moments for more than half a century. For more of his writings, visit davidlabelle.com and bridgesandangels.wordpress.com.
Reader Challenge
See if you can capture or make a photograph that tells a story by using a contrast of subjects. Consider a still-life composition of objects, such as your child’s baby shoes arranged next to their grown-up shoes. It’s a way of revealing time passed. Or illustrate aging with a photograph of a frisky new puppy crawling over a tired, old dog.
Email your best image (just one, please) with caption information, including an explanation of how it affects you, to gph@pioneer.coop. We may share submissions on our website and social media channels.
While working on a story about a vaquero who rode bulls, horses and roped until he was 91, I shot this picture of Bob Yanez, 98, with his 4-month-old great-grandson, John, who was visiting from another country. It is a way of showing and connecting the cowboy’s legacy.
PHOTO BY DAVE LABELLE
NIKON
Tears From a Volcano
Uniquely
Onstone ignites romance
May 18, 1980, the once-slumbering Mount St. Helens erupted in the Paci c Northwest. It was the most impressive display of nature’s power in North America’s recorded history. But even more impressive is what emerged from the chaos... a spectacular new creation born of ancient minerals named Helenite. Its lush, vivid color and amazing story instantly captured the attention of jewelry connoisseurs worldwide. You can now have four carats of the world’s newest stone for an absolutely unbelievable price.
Known as America’s emerald, Helenite makes it possible to give her a stone that’s brighter and has more re than any emerald without paying the exorbitant price. In fact, this many carats of an emerald that looks this perfect and glows this green would cost you upwards of $80,000. Your more beautiful and much more a ordable option features a perfect teardrop of Helenite set in gold-covered sterling silver suspended from a chain accented with even more verdant Helenite.
Helenite Earrings -a $129 valuewith purchase of Helenite Necklace
Limited Reserves. As one of the largest gemstone dealers in the world, we buy more carats of Helenite than anyone, which lets us give you a great price. However, this much gorgeous green for this price won’t last long. Don’t miss out. Helenite is only found in one section of Washington State, so call today! Romance guaranteed or your money back. Experience the scintillating beauty of the Helenite Teardrop Necklace for 30 days and if she isn’t completely in love with it send it back for a full refund of the item price. You can even keep the stud earrings as our thank you for giving us a try.
Stud Earrings (1 ctw)
¼ ctw)
Necklace enlarged to show luxurious color
MARKETPLACE
Agriculture
4x5 round bales, Meadow Foxtail Orchard Grass. 4x4 Timothy, small square. 208-4354637 or 208-435-4002; nas@cpcinternet.com. 1225
Reinforced custom-sized pond liners (39 cents/sqft). Hay covers, greenhouse covers, any width and length. Truck tarps and more. High puncture and tear strength. Best price guaranteed. Celebrating 43 years in business. www.btlliners.com. 541-447-0712. 0425 Antiques and Collectibles
Buying antiques and collectibles: advertising signs, porcelain signs, gas pumps, beer signs, antique toys, cast-iron coin banks, neon signs and more. Jason, 503-310-3321 or tjabaughman@yahoo.com. 0325
Buying American Indian collectibles, Navajo blankets and rugs, baskets, beadwork, etc. Also, quality paintings of the early Southwest and Americas. Call 760-409-3117 or send photos to amer.ind.baskets@gmail.com. 0225 Books, Magazines and Videos
Book restoration. Bibles, cookbooks, cherished family heirlooms. Beautiful work. We give renewed life, more durable than original, to last for generations. 775-537-7066; salacanstudio@gmail.com. 0225AR Business Opportunities
For sale: successful Northeast Oregon drive-in diner. Union, OR. Owner wishes to retire after 28 years. RMLS #24493530. Walt BrookshireBroker, Oregon Trail Realty, 541-805-8689. $185K. 0325
Tremendous opportunity to own restaurant, bar, liquor store with pull tabs and lotto sales near Fairbanks, AK. Located near university, airport and musk ox farm. Ivory Jacks since 1975. $1.4M; 5.9 acres. Dick: home, 907-455-6666; cell, 907-888-6668; dickells74@gmail.com. ivoryjacksrestaurant.com. 0225
Community Events
Celestial Resonance by Darcy Dolge. Feb. 7March 29, 2025. Art Center East, La Grande, OR. A multisensory exhibit combining art and sound. artcentereast.org. 0225
Equipment and Tools
Fireproof combination lock safe, $300. DR multi trimmer, $300. Kubota tow rototiller, $1.75K. Land pride 4-ft. mower, $800. Ted, 458-910-3727. 0225
Quick, Affordable: How to Place an Ad
Ads 25 words or fewer are $35 a month. An extended ad of up to 35 words is $50 a month. Contact information is included in the word count. Phone numbers and emails count as one word.
Longer ads may be placed. Contact 503-357-2105 or info@pioneer.coop for pricing information.
Ads are for customers of member co-ops, public utility districts and municipals only. Subscribers and nonmembers may inquire about pricing at 503-357-2105 or info@pioneer.coop.
Ads must be direct and in first person, and are subject to approval and editing.
Closing deadlines (in our office): April issue—Feb. 28, 2025.
If submitting ad by mail, send appropriate payment with your name, address, email, phone number and the name of the electric utility that provides your magazine to: Marketplace, P.O. Box 1306, North Plains, OR 97133. Make check or money order payable to Ruralite.
We accept credit card payments for ads submitted by email. Send ad to info@pioneer.coop. Call 503-357-2105 to pay by credit card.
Advertisements are accepted in good faith. Pioneer Utility Resources is not liable for interactions between buyers and sellers.
For Rent, Lease
NE, OR. 1 bd, 1 ba, bonus room. Nice smaller home. Water/sewer/garbage paid. $650 month/plus deposit. 55-plus preferred. Phone calls only. 541-519-3400. 0225
Free Items
Free materials—church, government uniting, suppressing “religious liberty,” enforcing National Sunday Law. Be informed. Need mailing address only. TBS, P.O. Box 374, Ellijay, GA 30540. tbsmads@yahoo.com; 888-211-1715. 0325AR
Livestock, Supplies
28th annual Oft Angus Bull Sale. March 20. Producers sale yard, Vale. Selling 90 fall and 2-year-old bulls. Terry, 208-741-0824, or Colleen, 208-202-8352. 0325
Miscellaneous
Foster parents needed to care for teen youth in Wasco and Hood River counties. Agency provides on-call support, training, $2.1K/youth monthly reimbursement, 2 days off/month. Fosterinfo@nextdoorinc.org; 541-308-2207. 0625
Looking for that special knife? I hand make custom hunting and fishing knives. I also make other metal and woodcrafts. 559-212-0693; Buckeyeknives.com. 0225
Local commercial fisherman sells summer catch of preserved freshness by blast freezing at sea, gourmet canned tuna on internet. Sept.June. 100% guaranteed the best canned tuna you ever tasted. Original, jalapeno and garlic flavors available. To order: twofisherstuna.com or 206-799-1082. 0225
Granite cemetery markers at affordable prices. Will ship to most places. For more info: Joe, highdesertmemorials@gmail.com or 541-815-8906; www.highdesertmemorials.com.
Pets and Supplies
Border collie/McNab puppies. The best dog you will ever have. Males and females, $450 each. Colton, OR. 503-314-0145. 0225 Real Estate
$180K. 160 acres, proven gold claims. 131 miles north of Fairbanks, AK. 50-yard-per-hour shaker plan. Complete water system. Text, 907-223-3036. 0225
Let me help you buy or sell ranch, farm and recreation property in OR. Fourthgeneration Oregonian, prior ranch owner. For sale: Klamath Marsh, OR. 173.65 acres. $2.5M. Guest Ranch Overlay. John Gill, 541-480-9161; johngill@landandwildlife.com. Land And Wildlife brokerage. 0225
Dale store. Live/work in a recreational enthusiast’s location, store, fuel, post office, home, game cooler. $325K. Duke Warner Realty, 541-987-2363, ddwr@ortelco.net. 0225
3 beautiful 1.01-acre lots in Pahrump, NV. Awesome mountain view in nice area. No HOA. $30K each or two for $55K. Easy access to off-roading. Horses OK. Also 10-acre lot with water rights and underground utilities. pkcfitness@hotmail.com. 775-209-2830. 0225
320 acres east of Adel, OR. Borders Hart Mountain views, Steens Mountain and Beaty Butte. Landowner tags, very rural. $263K. For maps, contact: 541-659-1573; thejugglingman3@gmail.com. 0225
Recreational Rentals
Bed and Birds; a guesthouse. Wet meadows, range, forest, dark sky. Beds for 9. Lakeview, OR. Explore or ride? Near ski hill. Reasonable. 541-219-2044. 0425
Bend country cabin. Very clean and fully furnished cabin on private ranch. Close to recreation areas. Very nice. $95/night. 541-382-3050; bendcountrycabins@gmail.com. 0325
Wavecatcher: oceanfront cottage. Central Oregon Coast. $175/night (plus cleaning/tax). Open April through Oct. Holds up to 6-plus kids and pets. Wavecatcherbeachrentals.com. Reservations: 541-740-2846. 0325
Dry cabin and bunkhouse rental near Freeman Creek on Dworshak. Fully furnished. Outhouse and outdoor shower. Sleeps 6. No animals. April through Oct. Reservations: DebbieL1213@gmail.com. 0225
Cabin rental in Eagle Lake, CA. 3 bd, $175; summer rate. Memorial weekend-Oct. Winter months: Nov.-Feb.; $225. 3 miles to marina. Reservations, 530-310-5320. 0225
Recreational Vehicles
Thor A.C.E model 27.2, 2017 motor home. Excellent condition. 14K miles, 2 slides. Sleeps 6, 2 TVs, always covered. $60K. debutler1947@icloud.com; 541-953-0295. 0225
24-ft. Sunseeker RV Mercedes. Diesel, 8-ft. slide out with 4-person dinette, sleeps 6. 60K miles, 2016. $48.5K. Ted, 458-910-3727. 0225
2008 Lance truck camper with slide, model number 1181. Fully loaded; excellent condition. Onan generator, solar panel, wooden interior. $15K. Pahrump, NV. 775-990-0028. 0225
Services
Dawn Till Dusk Masonry. Brick, block, stone and pavers. Small jobs and repairs welcome. dawntillduskconstructionmasonry.com. 541-388-7605; 541-410-6945. License #245760 bonded and insured. La Pine, OR. 0225
Writing and grammar coach with 35 years experience teaches students 12 and older. Local hybrid in Manzanita, OR, or all online. $100/class. writingtutor22@gmail.com; Louisapeck.com. 0225
All types of roofing and repairs, family business since 1956 where integrity prevails. Dave, 541-852-2816. Josh, 541-255-6031. 0425
Sporting/Exercise
Grandsons want Damon Howatt bow’s and arrows for target and or hunting. Bill Howat, text pictures of equipment: 509-837-8695. Swaps and Trades
Private horse ranch in Sisters, OR, offers an RV spot for your RV living in trade for light horse feeding and cleaning. TK, 541-504-1234. 0225
Want to Buy
Old carpenter tools, planes (wood/metal), levels, chisels, slicks, adzes, axes, hatchets, handsaws, old rulers, spoke shaves, wrenches, shipwright tools, old tool chests. 503-659-0009; 971-666-0659. 0225
Gold, silver, coins/currency, buy, sell. Collections wanted. Fair prices paid. 44 years in retail store. Baker City, OR. 800-556-2133; garrymclin@aol.com. 1025
Buying American Indian collectibles, Navajo blankets and rugs, baskets, beadwork, etc. Also, quality paintings of the early Southwest and Americas. Call 760-409-3117 or send photos to amer.ind.baskets@gmail.com. 0225
Cash paid for old gas station and oil company signs, pumps, globes, metal oil cans. Good condition. Discreet cash settlement. Clifton Jones, collector. 512-413-4459. 0225
Everybody’s Favorites Cookbook
Nothing brings family together like food, but what are our readers’ favorite dishes? Check out nearly 300 recipes for appetizers, drinks, main dishes and desserts from our 2013 contest. The book is $10 (includes postage).
TO ORDER BY MAIL: Submit payment with cookbook title, your name, address and number of cookbooks wanted to: Ruralite Cookbooks P.O. Box 1306 North Plains, OR 97133
TO PAY BY PHONE: Call 503-357-2105 for credit card payments with Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express.
TO ORDER ONLINE: Visit www.ruralite.com.
Please allow two to three weeks for delivery.
Eatonville United Methodist Church A Spiritual Base Camp On The Way To Paradise. Mashell Avenue North P.O. Box 205 Eatonville, WA 98328 360-832-4021 Home: 360-832-4562 Pastor Bernard Preston Ritchea Cell: 361-330-9666
Facebook: Eatonville United Methodist Church of Washington OPEN HEARTS OPEN MINDS OPEN DOORS OPEN TABLE WORSHIP SERVICE BEGINS AT 10:30 a.m.
PHOTO BY MIKE TEEGARDEN
Unexpected Friends
After seeing the photo we published in September of a fawn and cat, Ron Kopp decided to photograph similar events in his own backyard between a cat and a young buck.
“On our family ranch, south of Pilot Rock, Oregon, it is not unusual for deer to be in the yard—or cats, for that matter,” Ron says. “It is unusual for them to interact, however, especially on the sidewalk that leads to the ranch house’s front door.”
To submit your photo, email a JPEG file to photos@pioneer.coop. Include “Before You Go” in the subject line. Please share a bit about what inspired you to make your photo. n
A cat named Cat lies on a sidewalk as a curious buck leans down to lick it. As Cat placed his paw on the buck’s nose, neither seemed to mind the interaction. PHOTO COURTESY OF RON KOPP
Soup, Stews and Chowders
Get more than 220 recipes in a perfect-bound 8½-by-11-inch indexed book for $10, postage included.
of cookbooks wanted, along with your name and address, to Ruralite Cookbooks, P.O. Box 1306, North Plains, OR 97133. BY PHONE: with Visa, MasterCard, Discover card or American Express.
Guaranteed
Cooking for Two
P rotective S leeves
The 2008 contest cookbook contains more than 180 recipes—most with a side dish and dessert, too. Included are the heartfelt and entertaining stories that accompany the recipes. The 8½-by-11-inch indexed book is $8 (includes postage).
TO ORDER BY MAIL:
Submit payment with cookbook title, your name, address and number of cookbooks wanted to:
Ruralite Cookbooks P.O. Box 1306 North Plains, OR 97133
TO PAY BY PHONE: Call 503-357-2105 for credit card payments with Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express.
TO ORDER ONLINE: Visit www.ruralite.com.
Please allow two to three weeks for delivery.
The 2008 contains recipes—most and dessert, the heartfelt stories recipes. indexed postage).
TO ORDER Submit your
cookbooks
4230 Hatwai Road
Lewiston, ID 83501
208-743-1501
208-798-5220 (Propane) clearwaterpower.com
Board of Directors
Thomas Hutchinson, Craigmont, Idaho President
Rally Leadership Camp & Scholarship Program
