Ardmore July/August 2013 Connection

The Ardmore

Connection Auction Action

Mickey Fowler still connecting buyers and sellers after 35 years

‘Coach Mitchell’ shapes young lives Ardmore Library using high-speed connection

July/august 2013

Industry News

Growth in the face of uncertainty FCC regulatory changes are creating challenges for rural telecommunications providers planning network expansions

By Stephen V. Smith, Editor

I

n the May/June issue of this magazine, Shirley Bloomfield talked about the newly unified NTCA, the association for which she serves as CEO. In a continuation of that interview, Bloomfield describes how changes in federal regulations are creating an atmosphere of uncertainty among rural telecommunications companies.

Smith: The telecommunications industry is in a state of transition. What challenges are rural providers facing?

Bloomfield: There are regulatory proceedings going on right now regarding Universal Service, which is regulated by the FCC. They have essentially turned on its head how this regulation works.

So far, they have cut and capped a lot of the support the rural telecommunications providers have been getting.

Smith: What is Universal Service, and how does it work?

Bloomfield: Universal Service allows carriers who provide service in rural, high-cost areas to essentially have support from the rest of the industry to keep their monthly subscription fees low.

Shirley Bloomfield NTCA CEO 2 | July/August 2013

Consumers in these rural markets benefit from this offset in terms of the actual cost of providing that service. It’s important to note that Universal Service is a support mechanism supported by other carriers. It is not a tax. It is not government support.

It is a fee that other carriers pay into the Universal Service Fund, or USF. Smith: How will rural telecommunications providers be affected by these cuts and caps to the USF dollars they depend on?

Bloomfield: It’s going to impact them in two ways. One, they are going to have a lot less money, and that’s going to mean a lot less investment. Two, the FCC wants to reassess every single year, which means providers won’t know until that next year if they are going to be able to recover any of their costs. Providers will be paralyzed, because the FCC has created this environment of regulatory uncertainty.

This is a capital-intensive industry. You can’t make investments if you don’t know if you can recover your costs.

Smith: Are we seeing this impact now in the industry?

Bloomfield: We are. In NTCA surveys, several rural telecommunications providers have told us they have actually cut back or eliminated an upgrade to their network or an investment in new construction that they had planned on making.

Smith: Why is it so important for providers to continually invest in improving and expanding their networks?

Bloomfield: Telecommunications networks are living, breathing operations.

You don’t just put broadband in and walk away, saying “job well done, now we have broadband.” There is so much more to consider. Maybe a provider offers DSL, but how do they get to a point where they can do fully interactive service? How do they provide enough bandwidth to allow rural hospitals to do diagnostics using fiber?

How can they support distance learning programs so schools can aggregate and share their resources? Broadband that was installed 5 to 10 years ago isn’t going to do the trick. Networks need constant upgrades and new deployment. And there are still people in some parts of rural America who don’t have access to broadband yet.

Smith: NTCA and its members work hard to strengthen and protect the rural telecommunications industry. Why are these providers so important to the rural markets they serve?

Bloomfield: I can’t stress enough the importance of local telecommunications providers and what a difference they make in their rural communities. They are so innovative and willing to try new things.

They are incredibly creative about the services they offer to their consumers. The people they serve are their neighbors and friends. The idea of customer service is important to them. For the consumer, it’s great to know you can pick up the phone and get help immediately, or sit down with folks who know you who can answer your questions as you look at new products. I can’t overemphasize what it means to be served by a locally owned and controlled telecommunications provider in this day and age, and what a driver that is for the rural economy. 

Digital Citizenship

Do you know the rules of the road?

By Carissa Swenson

W

e all know the Internet can connect us to the world, but do we really understand what that means? Understanding the power behind that connectivity is critical to becoming a safe, productive digital citizen.

What is digital citizenship? It is the “rules of the road” or guidelines we follow when interacting with others in the digital world.

The Internet is much like the roads we drive on every day. Each connection provides access to people, places and things all over the world. The devices we use to access the Internet, such as smartphones, tablets, computers and gaming units, are much like the cars we drive. Some are fancier with more buttons, but they all can get us to our destination.

Driving a car is a rite of passage that our youth anticipate and even study for.

They stay awake at night dreaming about the places they want to go and things they want to see. Meanwhile, parents stay up at night worrying about what their sons and daughters will do once they have that freedom: • What if they make poor choices while behind the wheel?

• What if their friends pressure them to do things we don’t approve of?

• How are we going to prepare our child to become a responsible driver?

Despite these concerns, teenagers are getting behind the wheel every day. Why do parents let their kids drive when there is so much risk? Because the rewards outweigh the risks.

Rules and rewards

The Internet should be treated the same way — yet often we aren’t asking these same types of questions when giving our youth access to the world via the Internet.

We are buying Web-ready devices for our

kids, but are we making sure they know the rules? After all, there is no Internet “drivers ed” or test to pass.

Knowing the rules of digital citizenship will help young users reap the rewards of a connected world. Being a good digital citizen means you: • Understand the impact of your digital footprint and your future • Know the risks involved with cyberpredators, cyber-bullies, sexting and other high-risk behaviors • Discover ways to protect your identity when going online

raising digital citizens

As adults, it is our job to teach our young people the rules of the digital road.

They may be able to text under the table during dinner and customize an iPad in record time, but do they understand the ramifications of their digital behaviors?

As adults, we don’t need to know how all these pieces of technology work, we just need to make sure we are teaching and practicing good digital citizenship.

Yes, there are risks to accessing the digital world. And topics like cyberbullying, sexting, identity theft and other online risks can make a parent want to keep their child unplugged. The idea, however, is not to disconnect, but to be aware — and to raise responsible digital citizens.  In our next issue, Carissa will share ways to protect your reputation, because “you can’t take back what you post online.”

Carissa Swenson is the owner and technology specialist of TechTECS, a technology training, education, consulting and support company.

Lifeline ‹‹ Service When you need help paying for telephone service Is your annual household income at or below 135 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines for a household of its size?

Do you or someone in your household participate in any of the following lowincome government assistance programs?

If so, you may qualify for Lifeline Service.

• Medicaid • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) • Supplemental Security Income (SSI) • Section 8 Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA) • Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) • Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) • National School Lunch Program’s Free Lunch Program To find out whether you qualify for Lifeline assistance, customers must fill out standard forms, available at your local telephone company’s office, as mandated by the Federal and/or State government. Your telephone company is not responsible for determining who qualifies for these programs or who receives assistance. Customers must meet specific criteria in order to obtain assistance with their local telephone service, and qualifying is dependent upon government-established guidelines. To qualify for Lifeline credit, each customer must apply and provide proof that he/she, or a household member for whom he/she is financially responsible, participates in at least one of the programs listed above or that the customer meets the income-based requirements. Additional eligibility requirements may also apply. Customers must choose to apply the Lifeline discount to a landline or a wireless number, not both.

For more details about Lifeline Service and to apply for assistance, please contact your local telephone company.

July/August 2013 | 3

From the CEO

Time for FCC to count the cost Have you ever botched a job because you got in a hurry? Maybe you cut a 2-by-4 too short because you only measured once. Or perhaps you missed that big buck because you didn’t take time to aim.

“Haste makes waste” can be a hard lesson learned.

Sometimes you just need to slow down. And that’s the message hundreds of people who work in the telecommunications industry recently took to Washington, D.C. NTCA’s 2013 Legislative and Policy Conference was held toward the end of April. I attended the event, along with a delegation from our company. We joined some 500 other NTCA members from across rural America to take your concerns to Capitol Hill.

There are hundreds of companies like Ardmore Telephone in the United States that are working hard to bring advanced broadband services to rural areas — communities where the cost of providing service is much higher than in the larger cities. As you have read in these pages before, we are concerned that changes in regulations by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) are driving up the cost of delivering service to you. These changes are also making it difficult for companies like ours to predict how we will recover the cost of future investments in our networks.

In April, as we met with lawmakers and their staffs, we asked for their support in telling the FCC to slow down and count the cost. Specifically, we asked them to support a bipartisan bill that seeks greater analysis of the FCC’s 2011 Universal Service Fund (USF) reforms that are limiting support for many rural providers.

The bill, sponsored by Sens. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., and Mark Begich, D-Alaska, calls on the Government Accountability Office to study the effects of the FCC’s reforms, and to give us a clear idea of how broadband speeds and rates are being impacted. At times it feels like the FCC has taken a “Ready, Fire, Aim!” approach to reforming the telecommunications industry, and it is time for a comprehensive study to gauge the true effect of the agency’s actions.

YOUR VOICE HAS BEEN HEARD In early June, NTCA informed us that the federal government is indeed listening to your voice, and that our outreach campaign was effective. The Government Accountability Office has confirmed that it will begin a study to provide answers to the questions we are all asking. Are the changes being made by the FCC actually improving broadband service in rural America? Are broadband speeds increasing? Are consumers paying more, less or the same for service? The GAO plans to report on its findings later this year.

This is an important victory for the communities we serve, for two reasons. Not only do we need to know whether the FCC’s changes are good for consumers today, but we also need the facts to help lawmakers and regulators make better, more informed decisions in the future. Our grassroots efforts are paying off as we work through our national association, taking your concerns to Washington to ensure that your voice is heard. Trevor Bonnstetter Chief Executive Officer 4 | July/August 2013

is a hometown service provider delivering advanced telecommunications technology to the people of Giles and Lincoln counties in Tennessee and Limestone and Madison counties in Alabama. The company is managed

by Telecom Management Services and owned by Synergy Technology Partners.

Ardmore Office: 30190 Ardmore Ave. Ardmore, AL 35739 Mon. - Fri. 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

New Market Office: 1720 New Market Road New Market, AL 35761 Tues. and Thurs.

8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Visit our blog: www.ardmoreconnection.com

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The Ardmore

Vol. 1, NO. 4 July/August 2013

Connection is a bimonthly newsletter published by Ardmore Telephone Company, © 2013. It is distributed without charge to all customers of the company.

Ardmore Telephone Company P.O. Box 549 Ardmore, TN 38449 Telephone: 256-423-2131 or 800-830-9946 www.ardmore.net Produced for Ardmore Telephone by: www.WordSouth.com On the Cover: Mickey Fowler, with his ceremonial gavel, stands by a piece of equipment that will be sold at his auction house.

See story Page 12.

New remotes will boost Internet speeds Ardmore Telephone Company members in one community have new faster Internet options, and three more communities will soon have the same high-speed choices.

This spring, crews brought online a remote in the Stella community of Tennessee. Any member connected to that remote will now have access to speeds of up to 6 Mbps, which will make things like gaming, streaming movies and music downloads much faster.

Remotes serve as an Internet service hub, bringing stronger signals to areas that previously relied on weaker signals because they had to travel much farther to distant nodes.

In addition to Stella, two other remotes are set to be connected this summer. The two remotes, located in Limestone County, Ala., will serve customers around Sandlin Road and Pine Dale.

Crews will connect an additional Tennessee site, in Liberty Hill, within the next two months, enabling those members to enjoy the high-speed access.

The new remotes are part of Ardmore Telephone’s ongoing commitment to bring its members the high-speed access they need to stay connected.

Contractors Matt Ford (front) and Lee Jackson pull fiber through conduit near the Pine Dale remote.

Ardmore Telephone supports the marching band It’s still a long time until halftime at the season’s first Friday night football game, but the Ardmore High School Marching Band is already preparing to make music this fall.

And Ardmore Telephone is here to help.

Again this summer, the telephone company will provide steak sandwiches for lunch on one of the days of band camp. The band can’t practice on an empty stomach and Ardmore Telephone is happy to make sure they’ve got plenty to eat.

We believe in and support our local students and wish them luck in all of their studies and extracurricular activities this fall. Go Tigers!

➜

Security customer discount You may be entitled to a special discount with your insurance company.

If you are an Ardmore Telephone Security customer, be sure to notify your home insurance provider to see if you qualify to have your premium reduced. This applies to new and existing customers.

Visit our blog at www.ardmoreconnection.com and stay up to date on the latest news from Ardmore Telephone.

Ardmore Telephone Company

July/August 2013 | 5

Web-powered summer vacations

8 ways to use the Internet to create an awesome family vacation this summer

By Mariann Martin

D

oes the phrase “family vacation” bring back painful memories of long, boring drives, dozens of wrong turns and hotels with an advertised beachfront view that turned out to be a sandy parking lot? If those scenarios sound familiar, there is a solution — the Internet! Use websites for research and booking accommodations online to plan the details of your vacation before heading out for a relaxed, enjoyable trip with the family. Here are some tips:

1 Plan together

Get the entire family involved in planning your vacation with online exploration.

Most states, cities and parks have detailed websites that give an overview of available activities. Children can click through pictures, read about the destination points and pick out places of interest.

2 Be prepared

Find out what documents you will need by checking the websites of all the places you plan to visit. Make sure you have the right insurance cards, passports and travel documents before you head out the door. Also check the weather for your destination, so you can pack the proper clothing.

3 Book it

Hotels, car rentals and airline tickets can be purchased online, using various websites to find deals. Travel experts recommend searching at least three booking websites to find the best prices, which are frequently offered at the beginning of the week (especially on Tuesdays).

4 read Reviews

Even the most drab hotel can look good in a photo, so use the Internet to learn what other travelers think of the places you plan to visit. Websites such as TripAdvi-

6 | July/August 2013

sor include reviews from people who have visited the places, and can also offer useful tips and warnings.

stretching visit. Use GPS devices to skip all those wrong turns.

5 Save information

If your day trip to the water park gets rained out, use the Internet to quickly find the closest kids’ museum or other indoor activity. And if the wait is too long at the restaurant you planned to visit, get online to check nearby options.

Use online resources such as Google Docs or Dropbox to plan your itinerary and budget your trip. If you are traveling with other families, Google Docs allows multiple users to share plans and add information. During your trip, you can access your stored trip details.

6 On the road

To avoid the infamous “are we there yet?” chorus, download apps and activities to a smartphone or tablet to entertain the kids.

Research historical sites along the way and stop for a quick educational and leg-

7 Changing plans

8 Savor the memories

Once you return home, create an album on Facebook or a photo sharing website to upload your favorite photos from the trip.

You can share the album with friends and family, or click through them on a dreary winter day when summer vacations are only a distant dream. 

➜ Places to visit, sights to see Summer memories are filled with blue swimming holes, dripping ice cream cones and family vacations. From beaches and mountains to historical downtowns and outer space exploration, the Southeast abounds in unique spots ideally suited for family trips. These days, a well-planned and researched family trip begins with a few mouse clicks and a quick review of the endless resources on the Internet. Then set out to make memories in one of these breathtaking locations.

First stop on your vacation: the Internet Preparation is the key to success when it comes to family vacations.

Here are some state tourism sites to help you plan your next getaway.

• • • •

www.tnvacation.com www.alabama.travel www.kentuckytourism.com www.discoversouthcarolina.com

Photo courtesy of Kentucky Derby Museum

Kentucky Kentucky Derby Museum • www.derbymuseum.org The Kentucky Derby Museum offers visitors a chance to explore Kentucky’s rich horse racing heritage within view of the famed racetrack.

The smell of leather and the sound of thundering hooves are recreated through thousands of books, photos, films and racing artifacts housed in the museum. Visitors can also take guided tours for a behind-the-scenes look at Churchill Downs.

Photo courtesy of South Carolina Botanical Garden

Photo courtesy of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center

Alabama The U.S. Space & Rocket Center • www.rocketcenter.com Visitors to Huntsville’s U.S. Space & Rocket Center trace the history of ventures into space and watch as potential future scientists and astronauts train at the home of America’s space program since the early 1950s.

Visitors can “be an astronaut for the day” as they explore a rocket park, education training center and theater. The museum includes space hardware from the first trip to the moon, along with information about the space race, the Apollo missions and the International Space Station.

South Carolina Botanical Garden • www.clemson.edu/public/scbg Take a day away from hectic life to explore beautiful gardens and hike nature trails at the South Carolina Botanical Garden in Clemson. The 295 acres of beauty feature an arboretum, woodlands, streams, managed meadows, turf and shrubs filled with birds, fish and other wildlife.

The garden features a geology museum and an art gallery, as well as one of the largest collections of nature-based sculptures in the country.

South Carolina

Photo courtesy of National Park Service

Tennessee Cades Cove • www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/cadescove.htm Whether you are a wildlife enthusiast, nature lover, photographer, hiker or history buff, Cades Cove should be at the top of your list of places to visit. Part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, this broad valley features an 11-mile loop road that presents travelers with stunning mountain vistas; sightings of white-tailed deer, black bear, turkey and more; and a number of hiking trails. You will encounter several 18th- and 19thcentury structures, including churches, barns, log cabins and a working grist mill.

July/August 2013 | 7

Coaching out of kindness Mitchell excels, whether wearing a hard hat or ball cap

W

ith 9-year-old ball players, it’s tough for coaches to explain how to throw a curveball, execute a pick and roll or run an option play.

So instead, the coaches — like Ardmore Telephone Company’s Eric Mitchell — are working on something much more important than that.

“You’re teaching them discipline and about life,” Mitchell says. “That’s the main thing. They’ve got to learn to win and lose.”

If Mitchell isn’t at work, where he supervises Ardmore Telephone’s security installations and acts as a liaison between engineering and construction, he’s probably on a field or court coaching. In the spring and summer he coaches baseball.

In the fall, it’s football. In the winter he heads inside to coach basketball. “It’s a lot of what I do,” he says.

For Mitchell, in addition to spending time with his son, coaching is a chance to give back. When he was a child, his parents divorced and his mom had to work

8 | July/August 2013

in order to pay the bills. The split left him with a lot of time on his hands and a lack of male influence on his life.

That’s where football and baseball coaches stepped in to provide role models and show him that he mattered. “You don’t realize all that stuff until you’re older,” he says. “I do what I do because of what people have done for me.”

He sees himself in a lot of the young players. “Some of them just want somebody to put their arm around them and tell them they did a good job,” he says. “A lot of the time they may not get that at home.”

In addition to coaching, Mitchell teaches a young adult Sunday school class, sings in the choir and leads a Wednesday night Awana class at church.

On top of the influences from the coaches, Mitchell credits the culture at Ardmore Telephone for helping shape him. He started with the company when he was 16, and says staying busy with the job and learning from older coworkers helped keep him on the straight and narrow

TOP: Coach Eric Mitchell talks with his players after a game.

BOTTOM: The coach works hard on the job, too. Mitchell supervises security installations and works with engineers. path in his late teen years.

Now, Mitchell is doing his part to be sure a new generation doesn’t fall off the path. He is providing them with a positive, team atmosphere. “If some of these kids aren’t playing ball, they may get in trouble,” he says. “I’m lucky the coaches got me before I became a hoodlum.”  Ardmore Telephone Company

T

he books at the Ardmore Library aren’t going anywhere.

But according to recent usage statistics, they aren’t the only reasons people are coming by — nearly 40 percent of visitors are coming for the computers.

“I’ve been surprised,” says Director Verlin Collins, who has been at the library for 18 years. “Ten years ago, I never would have seen this coming.”

And to its credit, the library has adapted, now offering computers, e-books, downloadable audio books and other digital services. “It looks different but we’re still providing the same services,” Collins says.

“Whether it’s a book or a tablet, people are still using them to learn.”

Patrons use the computers for a variety of reasons. Two years ago at the peak of the recession, two-thirds of the searches on library computers were job-related.

“You can study for the GED, you can study for the ACT,” Collins says. “Companies everywhere are asking for online applications.”

Years of experience have helped Collins predict when the computers are likely to see the most use. When it’s time for schools to hold a science fair or call for Black History month projects, the computers are full of students doing research.

In late March and early April, grownups are the main users as they e-file their tax returns. This year, there were as many as half a dozen people at a time in the library working on taxes.

Leisure time at the library

Providing patrons with access to education and career services is the primary purpose of these computers, but they are available for other uses. Some patrons stop by — even multiple times each day — to stay up to date with their social media accounts. “The computers can be fun, too,” Collins says. “They come in to check their Facebook.”

Plenty of patrons use the computers for online shopping, which is reflected by some of the most popular sites in the browser histories: Amazon, Craigslist and eBay. One musician, Collins says, stops Ardmore Telephone Company

Online at the

library

Patrons use Ardmore branch for job searches, research and fun

by to purchase and print guitar chords from sheet music publishers. Others order car parts, check Kelley Blue Book values on used vehicles, download recipes, find gardening tips and research genealogy.

None of it, however, would be possible without a 10 Mbps connection from Ardmore Telephone. “I don’t think we would have a tenth of the people coming in to use the computer if we were still on dial-up,” Collins says. “You probably wouldn’t be able to do a job application because they’re all timed and it would kick you out.” 

TOP: Dannie McMillan edits a draft of his book “Things Your Daddy Should Have Taught You” on the library’s computers.

BOTTOM: Director Verlin Collins (left) and assistant Terri Berry discuss a book’s status on the library’s network.

July/August 2013 | 9

Minor Attraction0 Stars of tomorrow and fan-friendly venues draw crowds

By Jeremy Wood

W

hen it comes to big-league rooting alliances, Southern baseball fans are mostly left listening to radio broadcasts of teams in faraway cities like Atlanta, St. Louis and Cincinnati. But the South has plenty of the next-best thing: the minor leagues.

The region’s rich baseball playing history and small-town style fit perfectly with the essence of minor league baseball, where teams send younger players to develop. The South boasts nearly 50 minor league teams, ranging in level from Rookie (just signed their first pro contract) to AAA (one step away from the big time).

Here are a few popular places to see a minor-league game in the South, along with their classification and big-league parent club. For a portal to every minor league team’s website, visit www.minorleaguebaseball.com.

Nashville Sounds

H Huntsville (Ala.) Stars (AA, Milwaukee Brewers) Tickets: $8 for adults, $5 for kids under 12 (all tickets are general admission and must be purchased at the ballpark).

At the park: An $8 ticket is a good deal for the upper minors and it allows you to pick from any seat at Joe Davis Stadium. Promotions this year include a bobblehead night on July 27, discounted drinks on Thirst-Aid Thursdays, fireworks and bingo games.

Watch for mascot Homer the Polecat, who was created in honor of a skunk that used to live behind the outfield wall.

While you’re in town: Take the money you save on baseball tickets and visit the U.S. Space and Rocket Center.

10 | July/August 2013

Photo courtesy of Nashville Sounds

(AAA, Milwaukee Brewers) Tickets: $15 day-of-game, $12 when purchased in advance. They also offer a family ticket bundle that includes seats, hot dogs and sodas for four at a cost of $56.

At the park: There are six Faith Night promotions throughout the season, featuring live Christian music prior to the game. Sticking with the religious theme, there will be two “Bible Series” bobblehead giveaway nights during the season. The featured statuettes? David and Goliath.

While you’re in town: The Tennessee State Museum has exhibits covering 15,000 years of human history in the state. Best of all, museum admission is free.

Chattanooga Lookouts (AA, Los Angeles Dodgers) Tickets: Range from $5 for adult general admission to $9 for lower box seats.

At the park: Sitting on the third-base side offers a better view of the nearby mountains and shade from the setting sun, while the first-base side treats you to cars going by on U.S. 27 outside the park.

While you’re in town: Have dinner at Big River Grille and Brewing Works for a family-friendly menu. It’s a two-block walk from the restaurant door to the front gate of AT&T Park. If you’re a baseball history buff, Engel Stadium (which is no longer used by the Lookouts) has been open since 1929 and is a must-see.

H Jackson (Tenn.)

Generals (AA, Seattle Mariners) Tickets: $10 reserved, $6 general admission.

At the park: If you can make it for any Dollar Thursday during the season, general admission seats are knocked down to a single greenback (as are hot dogs, popcorn, soft drinks and beer). Sarge, the Generals’ bulldog mascot, was named by a six-year-old in an online contest.

While you’re in town: It’s a good place for railroad fans, who can visit both the Casey Jones Village and the Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Railroad Museum and still make a night game.

H Charleston (S.C.) Riverdogs (A, New York Yankees) Tickets: $8 to $17 for Friday nights, cheaper by $1 for all other nights except July 4.

At the park: Joseph P. Riley park was designed by the same architectural firm that worked on several modern major league stadiums. It is one of the most picturesque locales in the minors.

While you’re in town: If you can’t find a great meal at one of Charleston’s more than 350 restaurants, you’re not really trying. Chefs at places from famous staples like Hyman’s Seafood to hot new restaurants like Macintosh serve up their take on shrimp and grits, barbecued ribs and more every day. For non-culinary exploration, your best bet is to ride the ferry to Fort Sumter for some Civil War history and watch for dolphins while you’re on the boat.

H

Tennessee Smokies (AA, Chicago Cubs) Tickets: $11/$10 for adults/children infield box seats; $6 for all ages on grass outfield berm.

At the park: Located in Kodak, Tenn., a few miles east of Knoxville, the Smokies enjoy one of the minors’ more creative promotional teams. Movie Mondays weave great baseball movies into the live game experience, while country music fans can hit Kenny Chesney night on July 19.

While you’re in town: The glitz of Dollywood and Gatlinburg and the wilderness of Great Smoky Mountains National Park are both just a short drive away.

H Rome Braves (A, Atlanta Braves) Tickets: Club seats are $10 apiece; cheapest is $4 lawn seating.

At the park: Romey and Roxie are two of the biggest, bluest mascots in the minors.

Rome also hosts Superhero Night on July 6; dressing up as your favorite superhero is encouraged and Captain America will be in attendance for pictures.

While you’re in town: Grab dinner at local institution Schroeder’s on Broad Street in downtown Rome. If you have time for sightseeing, visit the campus of nearby Berry College to check out the exquisite Frost Chapel and a vintage overshot wooden water wheel.

Lexington Legends (A, Kansas City Royals) Tickets: The cheapest reserved seats are $14 when purchased in advance (add $1 to all prices day-of-game).

At the park: Kids receive a voucher for a free ballpark meal on Monday night home games. Also, the Legends will have three George Brett bobblehead giveaways this season, honoring one of the Royals’ alltime greats.

While you’re in town: The Kentucky Horse Center is referred to as “Disneyland for horse lovers.” It features two theaters and two museums on the grounds.

H Bowling Green (Ky.) Hot Rods (A, Tampa Bay Rays) Tickets: Highest are $12 for premium box seats; cheapest are $7 for general admission.

At the park: The parent club, Tampa Bay, has one of the best reputations for developing minor league talent in the business, and some of the Rays’ top prospects figure to be in Bowling Green this summer.

While you’re in town: If you love cars, check out the National Corvette Museum.

If the great outdoors is more appealing, enjoy an underground boat tour at the Lost River Cave & Valley on the outskirts of town.  July/August 2013 | 11

Auction W action Farmer turned auctioneer uses broadband to be ready for the future

By Andy Johns

hen you meet auctioneer Mickey Fowler, he doesn’t seem to fit the high-strung, turbo-tongued stereotype of his profession.

That’s because he’s not.

“You don’t have to worry about keeping up with me,” Fowler says calmly. “When you’re selling a million-dollar piece of property, you want everybody to know where they’re at.”

Working out of Toney, Ala., southeast of Ardmore, Fowler should know — he’s had his hand on the gavel for about 35 years.

And just because Fowler doesn’t rattle out bid amounts like at a cattle auction, that doesn’t mean there’s not drama. “Sometimes you have to think fast,” says Jimmy Newby, a farmer who won one of Fowler’s first auctions and bought 126 more acres at an auction in April.

Most of Fowler’s auctions are for real estate, but four times a year he runs an open consignment auction where sellers can put almost anything up on the block. “We’ve sold anything from airplanes to bulldozers to horses and mules,” Fowler says.

Over the years, bidders have come to Fowler before auctions and discussed secret signals for their bids. Sometimes, it’s a subtle thumbs up motion. Other times, a bidder may give a slight tug on his or her right ear. One bidder, told Fowler that he was in on the bidding as long as he had his pen out of his shirt pocket.

Mickey Fowler (center), discusses a piece of land with its new owners, Jerry (left) and Jimmy Newby.

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Ardmore Telephone Company

When he put the pen back in his shirt, he was out.

The secrecy comes from bidders’ fear that if other bidders know who is in on a property, it could make them more likely to jump into the action and raise the price.

For example, if a bidder with a reputation for finding good value is going after a property, others may bid on it thinking it’s another deal. “That does happen,” Fowler says.

But after 35 years in the business, Fowler says he barely needs the signals. Most of the time he can tell by body language and facial expressions who is going to bid.

“You learn to read people,” he says. “I can tell when they’re wanting to bid.”

Those people he’s trying to read are a big part of why he does what he does. “My work has never been a job for me,” Fowler says. “I always look forward to going to work.”

He says he’s lucky he fell into the auction business after a career change that took him from broke to broker. In the mid1970s, Fowler was a cotton and soybean farmer who was “about to go bust.” To make some money, he began selling farm equipment for surrounding farmers. After brokering a few successful deals, he began traveling longer distances to buy and sell equipment and finally decided to get out of farming and go into the auction business full-time. “It’s been the best thing I’ve ever done,” Fowler says.

Deals going digital

Ardmore Telephone Company

“The way the market’s been lately, the property could sit there for three years,” he says.

Jerry Allen Newby, Jimmy’s nephew, says an auction is a great way to determine the value of a piece of property. “You feel like you get a fair market price at an auction.”

As eBay and other online auction companies have proven, buyers are just as capable of finding that market price over the Internet as in person. Auctioneers like Fowler have noticed. Using his broadband connection from Ardmore Telephone Company, Fowler has begun selling items — from tractor seats to baseball cards to coffee makers — in online auctions. “It’s pretty nice,” Fowler says. “You can go online and bid from your house.”

In the auctions, Fowler is able to provide photos and descriptions of the items and has had bidders from as far away as Minnesota. “Never in my life did I think we would be doing auctions on the com-

puter,” Fowler says. “Now, I see us doing more online auctions to keep up.”

Ardmore Telephone Company CEO Trevor Bonnstetter says Fowler’s auctions are good examples of an Internet provider helping a local business move forward.

“The online auctions exemplify a big part of our mission at Ardmore Telephone,” he says. “Over the decades, the Fowlers have built a company that creates jobs and helps our local economy. When they needed to expand to stay current with the marketplace, we were happy to be here and provide the technology for them to do that.” 

➜

For area residents who prefer to buy and sell through auctions, they’re in the right place. “North Alabama is known for auctions,” Fowler says. “You’ve probably got more auctioneers north of the Tennessee River than you do in the entire rest of the state.”

Fowler says there are a number of reasons people might choose to auction property rather than more conventional selling. The most common reason is speed.

Most of the real estate Fowler puts on the block are auctioned off 30 days after the seller contacts him.

That’s a time frame that sellers could only dream about in most real estate deals.

Fowler has items in his warehouse that are up for auction online, a new option he wouldn’t have without Ardmore Telephone.

Check out Mickey Fowler’s latest auctions at www.fowlerauction.com July/August 2013 | 13

Southern Kitchens

Every time I bite into a peach, the memories come flooding back.

My mother loved Anne P. Braly peaches, but her Food Editor favorite variety was one you don’t see very often these days: Georgia Belle. We had a summer home in the North Carolina mountains, and there was one roadside stand we passed every time we made the drive. When the sign went up saying Georgia Belles were in season, Momma would make a quick turn into the open-air market along Highway 64.

Momma’s gone now, Georgia Belles aren’t so easy to find anymore, and the last time I drove past, the fruit stand had closed. But farmers are now growing other good peaches, and they’re readily available this time of year. Here’s one of my favorite ways to use peaches on grilled chicken. For the best taste, make it the night before, put it in a sealed container and allow the flavors to marry.

Fresh Peach Salsa 3-4 1/4 2 2

1

1

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peeled peaches, diced cup fresh lime juice teaspoons honey tablespoons diced red bell pepper tablespoon minced jalapeno pepper tablespoon chopped cilantro clove garlic, minced tablespoons chopped red onion

Combine ingredients; refrigerate until serving time. Makes 1-1/2 to 2 cups.

Email Anne Braly at apbraly@gmail.com.

14 | July/August 2013

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A passion for peaches

“After the 5-1/2-hour drive to Arkansas, we got back in the car and drove another 50 miles just to pick peaches from an orchard that Ronda Hays’ recipe was well-known for for her mom’s peach its beautiful and sweet pie brings back fruit,” she says. “There childhood memories. were acres and acres of peach trees loaded with ripe, luscious fruit ready for picking.”

After picking their fill — several bushels, Hays recalls — they got back in their car, having rearranged their luggage so that the peaches would have a protected place to travel.

“When the visit was over, our trip home was a constant reminder by the ever-present smell of fresh peaches and the thoughts of delicious treats to come,” she says. “Once home, Mom and Dad began the process of preserving the tasty peaches for us to enjoy during the cold winter months.”

Her love of peaches has never diminished, only bloomed. And though Hays prefers freestone peaches over any other — the pits are easier to remove and there’s less waste, she says — she really doesn’t have a preference about what specific variety she uses.

“I usually just buy the freshest-smelling the grocery store offers,” she says. “The same goes when I go to the local farmers’ markets in the summer.”

If it looks like a peach and smells like a peach, she bags it.

Though she uses frozen peaches when good fresh ones are not available, Hays’ favorite peach dessert is never made until this time of year when peaches are at their best. Her mother’s peach pie is special to her because it brings back such good memories.

“I remember her making it when my brother and I were children,” she says. “We could hardly wait for a slice of it every time she made it.”

So she, like you, has to wait no longer. Peaches are in their prime, right in time to please your peachy palate. Here are two of Hays’ favorite recipes. 

Photo by Thomas Jackson

The perfect peach

onda Hays of Cunningham, Ky., has a passion for peaches that goes all the way back to her childhood. She remembers a trip to visit family in Arkansas when she was about 10 years old, and on the way back to her home in Missouri the smell of peaches filled the car.

Peaches: The fresh taste of summer Peach-Blueberry Bread eggs cups sugar cup vegetable oil teaspoons vanilla extract cups all-purpose flour teaspoon baking powder teaspoon baking soda teaspoon salt teaspoons cinnamon cups diced peaches cup blueberries cup walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease and flour two 8-by-4-inch loaf pans.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs lightly.

Blend in the sugar, oil and vanilla. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; mix just to combine, but do not overwork the batter. Stir in the peaches, blueberries, and nuts. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake for about 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool in loaf pans for 10 minutes. Turn the bread out onto the wire rack to completely cool. Serve with softened cream cheese or your favorite flavored butter.

Note: Frozen blueberries may also be used.

If frozen fruit is used, thaw and drain excess moisture prior to use.

Photo by Thomas Jackson

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One of Ronda Hays’ favorite peach desserts is her mom’s peach pie.

Mom’s Peach Pie 3-4 2 1 2 1 1 1

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peaches, peeled, pits removed graham cracker crusts cup water tablespoons cornstarch cup sugar (3-ounce) package peach gelatin (8-ounce) container whipped topping, thawed cup powdered sugar (3-ounce) package cream cheese

Slice peaches into crusts. In a small saucepan, add water, sugar and cornstarch, stirring and cooking until sugar is dissolved and mixture is clear. Add peach gelatin and stir to dissolve. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Pour mixture over peaches; place pies in refrigerator until they are set. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, blend whipped topping, powdered sugar and cream cheese. Remove pies from refrigerator, spread with cream cheese mixture, slice and serve. Store any leftovers, covered, in refrigerator.

Dessert, Decor and More Ronda Hays of Cunningham, Ky., has a knack for domestic creativity. In 2011, Hays turned her passion for home arts into All Things Home Related, a blog in which she shares favorite recipes and photo updates about life on the farm, as well as arts and crafts projects around her home. The recipe index makes finding just the right dish quick and easy. Hays’ recipes have been featured in various cookbooks and publications, all of which are listed on her website.

For more information or to contact Hays, visit her blog:

www.allthingshomerelated.com July/August 2013 | 15

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