Yadkin Valley Magazine March-April 2021

March­April 2021

Spring

Home & Garden

American Healthcare Services, Inc. offers up to 24 hour care, 7 days a week Hourly Rate Does Not Change Regardless Time or Day of Service Providing In‐Home Aide Assistance

For the Following Programs:

PRIVATE DUTY SERVICES in Surry and Stokes Counties American Healthcare Services, Inc. offers sitting and companionship, meal preparation, light housekeeping, errands and personal care.

We sit privately in hospitals and nursing facilities. All caregivers provide socialization, a safe environment and support.

• MEDICAID PROGRAMS

CAP ­ PCS • WORKER’S COMP • FAMILY CARE GIVER VOUCHERS • HOME ­ COMMUNITY CARE BLOCK GRANT • EPSDT • LONGTERM CARE • PRIVATE INSURANCE

915 Rockford Street Mount Airy, NC 27030

336­789­2273 Through all the Seasons of the Year,

We’re In‐Home Care

www.americanhealthcare-services.com

American Healthcare Services, Inc. March/April 2021

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Tired of filling your pill boxes every week?

We can Help!

Introducing EZPak at Lewisville Drug Convenience Galore…

No more refill hassles

We work with your doctors to automatically manage your refills.

No medication sorting or confusion

Get your medication sorted by the dose and time into individual pouches.

Get a 30­day supply at once

Pick up at Lewisville Drug or we’ll deliver right to your door!

Easily take your meds on­the­go Tear off just what you need.

Take Back Your Sundays Spend time doing what you enjoy instead of filling up your pill box.

Taking Medication Should Be Simple.

Now it Can Be! 6715 Shallowford Road Lewisville, NC Mon­Fri: 9AM ­ 6PM Sat: 9AM ­ Noon (336) 946­0220 pharmacy@lewisvilledrug.com

at Ladies Upstairs 198 North Main Street Mount Airy, NC 336-786-6121 Free Alterations Free Gift Wrap • Free Shipping

March/April 2021

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For The Third Year!

Voted Best of Wilkes Women’s Boutique

Visit us, shop online, or on our new free App to find your next outfit.

www.shopsomethingspecialboutique.com

615 Cherry Street, North Wilkesboro 336.838.7177 Monday-Friday 10-5:30 somethingspecial_boutique

Saturday 10-2

Something Special Boutique

Apparel Sizes S ­3X Accessories Home Decor

classic • affordable • trendy

Talley’s Flower Shop 322 S. Main Street • King, NC

336­983­9265 www.talleysflorist.com Monday­Friday 9­5 • Saturday 9­3

Easter is Sunday, April 4 We offer a large selection of Easter flowers for your loved one’s grave.

Add just the perfect touch to your home or office with our beautiful Spring Flowers and Bonsai Trees Large selection of Willow Tree, All Occasion Gifts and Garden Flags

Remember that Special Mom Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 9

Remember why you are celebrating Easter The Resurrection of Our Lord & Savior.

He Has Risen! and “He’s Alive” to Live in Your Heart!

Delivery Available to East Bend, Pfafftown, Tobaccoville, W­S, King, Pinnacle, Rural Hall & Surrounding Area. Major Credit Cards Accepted 6

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Explore our beautiful showroom

Over 100 Different Flavors of Chocolate Truffles

165 North Main Street

Mount Airy

336-786-6602 Monday-Thursday 9-5 Friday 9-6 Saturday 8-6 • Sunday 9-3

Safely order your delicious homemade fudge online at: www.BEARCREEKCANDY.com

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March‐April 2021

contents Throughout this issue, you’ll find a wealth of fun discoveries to fill your Yadkin Valley Weekends.

Visit yadkinvalleymagazine.com and sign up to receive a free weekly email with suggestions for fun ways to visit a special event or make a special memory.

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Home & Garden 52 Shake Up Your Home for Spring 55 Home & Gardens for Bluebirds 58 Plant Care Q & A 61 Spring Cleaning 62 A New Garden Season 66 Be Your Own Style 68 Grow Bulbous Beets 70 Spring Ephemerals 72 Baptista-Build a Collection

TERMITE • PEST CONTROL AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT

People & Celebrations 50 Vada Johnson Educational Garden 65 my grandma memory 96 Amazing Carson Peters

Health & Wellness 82 Reduce Gardening Aches & Pains 84 Discipline and Special Needs Kids 86 Covid-19 Vaccine is Here!

Weekends 90 Visit Boone’s Cave Park 94 Yadkin Valley Wines 98 Green Shoots with Deep Roots

all about PETS 100 101 102 102 103 103

Importance of Flea/Tick Preventatives Adopt Don’t Shop Don’t Judge a Book by It’s Title!

New Horse Postal Stamp Peanut Butter Dog Treats Pet Pics

RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL ANTS • BEES • RATS • MICE • COCKROACHES MOISTURE CONTROL • AUTOMATIC FOUNDATION VENTS INSPECTION REPORT FOR BUYING, SELLING OR REFINANCING OUR TECHNICIANS ARE FULLY REGISTERED ASK ABOUT OUR SENIOR CITIZENS & MILITARY DISCOUNTS

Locally Owned & Operated by the Roberts Family We appreciate your business!

1-800-682-5901 WWW.RIDABUGINC.COM in every issue...

12 16 20 100 108 110 112

editor’s letter beginnings Our Recipe Box Business Section What Is That?

Collectors: Scotties Sandra’s closing devotion

Same­Day, Weekend & Evening Service Available

Trusted, Effective Pest Control Since 1973 WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO CHARGE FOR SERVICE CALLS

NC LICENSE # 678PW

March/April 2021

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We are pleased to present you with home furnishings of the highest quality provided by craftsmen of the Amish community. Rustic, traditional or even contemporary, you’re sure to find home furnishings to fit your lifestyle.

We offer solid wood furniture built from North American hardwoods with a wide variety of textures and finishes to choose from. Explore the variety of offerings on our website, or visit our showroom in King. If you don’t see exactly what you like, bring us your ideas and we can provide you with a custom piece to fit your needs.

607 S. Main Street, King, NC

336.985.8109

barnstar59@gmail.com www.barnstarnc.com Tuesday-Friday 10:00-5:00 Saturday 10:00-4:00 or by appt

Special Offer! Pay half down & remainder upon delivery We make it easy to own your dreams

foodsandflavors ™OUR RECIPE BOX...

April Fool’s Cupcakes April Fool’s Fries Asparagus with Egg Confetti Baked Lemon Custard Beans & Smoked Sausage BBQ Ribs Black-eyed Peas Buffalo Chicken Dip Bunny Bait Cabbage Salad Chattanooga Cheese Ball Chocolate Sheet Cake Deconstructed Apple Pie Green Pepper Dip

35 35 30 31 21 36 36 40 24 36 40 20 46 40

Ham/Okra Roll-ups Lemon Rosemary Roasted Spuds Muffin Pan Meatloaf Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cookies Orange Pound Cake Oven Roasted Vegetables Pecan Crusted Pork Chops Pecan Tarts Spoon Bread Sweet Potato Biscuits

40 48 35 44 22 34 26 36 36 42

21 Best Cooks: Baked Beans & Smoked Sausage 20 Best Cooks: Chocolate Sheet Cake

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For more information or to schedule a complimentary financial review, call or stop by today. www.edwardjones.com Member SIPC

Anyone can provide advice.

At Edward Jones, our goal is to provide advice and guidance tailored to your needs.

Retirement Plans Rollovers and Consolidation

That’s why we live and work in your community.

When it comes to your financial needs and goals, we believe you deserve face­to­face attention.

Individual Retirement Accounts

You talk, we listen, and we get to know you.

Frank H. Beals

Business Retirement Plans Education Savings Strategies Insurance

Portfolio and Retirement Plan Reviews

Doug Draughn, AAMS, CFP

Fixed Income Investments

Tanner Joyce

Financial Advisor 496 N. Main Street Mount Airy, NC 27030 336­789­1707 doug.draughn@edwardjones.com

Financial Advisor 136 W. Lebanon Street Mount Airy, NC 27030 336­789­6238 tanner.joyce@edwardjones.com

Paul J. Bunke, Sr., AAMS

Logan Draughn

Aaron L. Misenheimer

Financial Advisor 124 W. Kapp Street, Suite C PO Box 407 Dobson, NC 27017 336­386­0846 paul.bunke@edwardjones.com

Financial Advisor 492 N. Main Street Mount Airy, NC 27030 336­789­3323 logan.draughn@edwardjones.com

Audra Cox

Kody Easter, AAMS, CRPC

Financial Advisor 965 North Bridge Street Elkin, NC 28621 336­835­4411 frank.beals@edwardjones.com

Financial Advisor 124 W. Kapp Street, Suite C Dobson, NC 27017 336­386­0846 audra.cox@edwardjones.com

Financial Advisor 304 East Independence Blvd Mount Airy, NC 27030 336­789­2079 kody.easter@edwardjones.com

Andi Draughn Schnuck

Christopher L. Funk

Financial Advisor 496 N. Main Street Mount Airy, NC 27030 336­789­1707 andi.draughn@edwardjones.com

Dale Draughn, AAMS Financial Advisor 140 Franklin Street Mount Airy, NC 27030 336­789­0136 dale.draughn@edwardjones.com

Financial Advisor 128 South State Street PO Box 790 Yadkinville, NC 27055 336­679­2192 chris.funk@edwardjones.com

Financial Advisor 1530 NC Hwy 67, Suite A Jonesville, NC 28642 336­258­2821 aaron.misenheimer@edwardjones.com

Barry Revis, AAMS Financial Advisor 116 E. Market St., Elkin, NC 28621 336­835­1124 barry.revis@edwardjones.com

Mike Russell Financial Advisor 106­B South Depot Street, Pilot Mountain, NC 27041 336­368­2575 mike.t.russell@edwardjones.com

Tammy H. Joyce, AAMS

Michael Warren

Financial Advisor 136 W. Lebanon Street Mount Airy, NC 27030 336­789­6238 tammy.joyce@edwardjones.com

Financial Advisor 106­B South Depot Street, Pilot Mountain, NC 27041 336­368­2575 michael.warren@edwardjones.com

March/April 2021

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just a note from Barbara Spring is coming at Home and in the Garden with early bursts of color!

Spring has never been more desired in hopes for an exciting and inspirational fresh season. This is Yadkin Valley Magazine’s Home & Garden issue filled with decorating tips for your home, the bluebirds’ homes and lots of ideas for plantings.

Gardening, a continuation of your living space, can be an enjoyable experience whether you grow lovely blossoms or Big Boy tomatoes for a summer sandwich. Our expert guest writers share valuable gardening information. Though sometimes all the bending, kneeling, extending lifting can become painful, learn about products, gadgets and equipment help reduce that strain.

Blogger Emily Ley says, “Our homes have the potential to inspire and comfort us, but they can also drain or unnerve us. Physical clutter is mental clutter. With spring, how about a challenge of unrelenting declutterization at your home.” Let’s make your home a place of rest, revitalizing to GET THE LOOK! The beloved bluebird, “a great source of pest control in your garden,” also has a “home” or more appropriately, a proper nesting box.

As in every issue, our Yadkin Valley Magazine readers enjoy a plethora of Yadkin Valley cooks and kitchen tested recipes such as Dwaine’s Deconstructed Apple Pie, a new church cookbook collection from Sparta, Best Cooks, Chef Jim’s Pecan Encrusted Pork, and new nutritional guidelines to follow for healthy meals and much more.

Thanks to our regular YVM family contributors and please welcome Dr. Ashley Martin, DVM to the YVM family ...you have created a wonderfully packed issue of all your shared expertise. See you soon in the May/June magazine.

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staying in touch....

Our telephone number is: 336-699-2446 web address: yadkinvalleymagazine.com Email Directory: Editor- Barbara Norman: barbara@yadkinvalleymagazine.com Advertising- John Norman: john@yadkinvalleymagazine.com Weekends/Events Calendar submissions: weekends@yadkinvalleymagazine.com BEST Yadkin Valley COOKS recipes: bestcooks@yadkinvalleymagazine.com Share your pet photos: petpics@yadkinvalleymagazine.com

Yadkin Valley Magazine assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials.

Entire contents copyright © 2021 All rights reserved. Reproduction of our created advertising materials and design work are strictly prohibited. Yadkin Valley Living, Yadkin Valley Magazine, Yadkin Valley Weekends, Best Yadkin Valley Cooks, 52 Pounds and then some!, are trademarks of Cherry Street Media LLC, 413 Cherry St., East Bend, North Carolina 27018.

Proudly printed in the USA. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in the magazine. We assume no responsibility for changes in schedules, prices, hours or information.

Before traveling long distances, it is always wise to use the contact numbers included in the magazine to confirm that the events you wish to enjoy are still on schedule.

The contents of advertising and articles do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher.

The publishers assume no responsibility for errors or omissions of any advertisement beyond the actual cost of the advertisement. In no event shall the publishers be liable for any consequential damage or any damages in excess of the cost of the advertisement.

Ask about our Customer Loyalty Program Hours: M-F 10am-6pm, Sat. 10am-3pm

Shiloh General Store and Bakery Our foods are fresh & delicious, our household products filled with value.

BAKERY FRESH

Our Deli Case Features More Than 40 Troyer Meats & Delicious Cheeses Candy Trail Mixes Snacks Cookies Nuts Honey Jams & Jellies Pickles Chips Pretzels Gummies Crackers Dried Fruit Pimento Cheese Chicken Pie Butter Ice Cream & Milk Dried Soups Coffee and the list of delicious foods goes on

Sourdough Breads, Whoopie Pies, Coffee Cakes

E L L I V N TO

HAMP

5520 St. Paul Church Road, Hamptonville (336)468-4789

Enjoy our side dishes like: Beets, Bread & Butter Pickles, Apple Sauce, Okra, Old Fashion Sauerkraut, & Pickled Asparagus

Easter is Sunday, April 4.

Remember to place your Bakery orders early!

just

$

Pick up your copy of

1499

Shiloh’s Favorites COOKBOOK

March WINTER HOURS: Thur/Fri 9am–5pm, Sat 9am–4pm

Our Regular Hours, Tuesday - Saturday return April 1st www.ShilohGeneralStore.com

Enjoy our all-you-care-to eat Buffet Now serving: Monday thru Friday: Lunch 11a to 2p

Saturday Morning: Breakfast 7a to 11a

just $7.50 including tea or coffee

just $7.50 including tea or coffee

Tuesday Night: Breakfast 5p to 8p just $7.50 including tea or coffee

Saturday Night: Southern Favorites 5p to 8p

just $8.50 including tea or coffee

We offer a full menu of dining options for Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner!

Our Full Menu of delicious foods, cooked to order, is available for take­out.

Call us and we’ll have it ready and waiting for you.

Ask us about our delicious pizza!

Take­out only Mon­Sat 5am­8pm • Closed Sunday

Serving

LARGE sized Wings

in Buffalo • Hot Garlic Parmigiana Honey & BBQ Flavors 10 Wings just $999 25 Wings only $2250

7844 Highway 67 West, East Bend (336) 699­4293

Spring...time to brighten up your

yard with new plants and lots of color!

At Joe’s we carry… a large selection of trees and shrubs complete line of soil amendments pine needles, mulch and bark grass seed and fertilizers for yard and shrubbery beds Don’t miss our Encore Azaleas Family owned and operated

705 Lasley Road, Lewisville 336-766-6513 Monday­Friday 7:30­4:00 • Saturday 8:00­ 12:00 (April–June till 4:00) www.joeslandscapingandnursery.com March/April 2021

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Determined bluebells and valiant yellow crocuses piercing through frozen ground lifted my spirits in February. Their exuberant color in a frostbitten landscape were signs it wouldn’t be too much longer before dots of bright green would begin appearing everywhere.

This year’s vernal equinox occurs March 20th. On this astronomical first day of spring, the Northern Hemisphere begins tilting more toward the sun resulting in increasing daylight hours and warming temperatures triggering spring thaw. I can’t wait. Soon I will be stepping on fragrant squishy ground that is beginning to breathe again.

beginning s

with June Rollins Visit June’s website at: www.junerollins.com

Longing For Signs Of

Spring

March’s full moon with its many names is another welcome sign of spring.

Whether called (and these are only a few), Full Worm Moon, Full Sap Moon, Crow Moon, Storm Moon, Chaste Moon or Lenten Moon, it’s on March 28th this year. Roots will begin pushing up in softening ground. Trees will begin warming up enough for worms and grubs to reappear attracting robins and other birds to our yards. And buckets will be hanging from sugar maples, collecting sap later turned into maple syrup to be enjoyed year round.

As excited as I am with these signs of spring, I can’t pack away my winter clothes and pull on my Bermuda shorts just yet. Even though I’ll be skipping about outside on warm afternoons, I’ll still be waking up to sweater-weather, chilly mornings. Those of us living in the mountains know along with dogwoods blooming in mid-to-late April, comes dogwood winter’s heavy frost with one more frost to follow.

I’ve learned to hold on to my flower seed packets a few weeks longer because after dogwood winter comes blackberry winter, the last spring frost in early to mid-May. While more experienced gardeners are planting aboveground crops and belowground crops by the signs of the moon in March, I’ve lost more tender green beginnings from premature eagerness than I care to admit.

Instead, I subdue my escalating spring fever by pruning butterfly bushes and snipping spindly canes from climbing roses. I’ve learned to be content sprinkling fertilizer around irises, azaleas and hydrangeas like time-release fairy dust, knowing my efforts will bring forth a flush of buds and blooms when temperatures have consistently warmed.

On most pre-spring days I succeed in busying myself with rejuvenation pruning and fertilizing beds, but on other days, I stare motionless like a cow standing on icy ground waiting for a hay bale. It seems I’ve been too long in this frozen state of suspension.

Outside my studio window, bluebirds checking out a possible home catch my eye. Soon, I will see their beaks crammed with twigs and I will watch them urgently flying to and from their green house with the daisy on top, rebuilding their lives.

How Much Longer 16

Wishing all a spring blessed with renewed hope and rebuilt lives.

—June / yadk invalleym agazine.com

Rebuilding

JOIN US FOR OUR ANNUAL

SPRING OPEN HOUSE & FIELD DAY FRIDAY, March 19 • 8am-till

Financing Available

Family Owned & Operated

Since 1984

for qualified buyers see store for details

Handheld Equipment

SPECIAL PRICING SPECIAL INVENTORY Now stocking

plus see great products from

Garden Seeds Fertilizer ~ Mulch Hand Tools Everything you need for Spring lawn & garden

Knives from

Plus our knife selection also includes...

mowers MASTER Servicing small engine SERVICE and equipment from CENTER most major brands

1305 Lewisville-Clemmons Road • Lewisville • 336-766-9109

www.smithermanshardware.com

POWER FOR YOUR GREAT OUTDOORS! Offering Equipment Rental: Mini Excavators Skid Steer Loaders • Pluggers & more

March/April 2021

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STORY IDEAS. At Yadkin Valley Magazine we value the concerns, ideas and interests of our readers. We welcome all story ideas and suggestions, always keeping an open file and working them in when possible.

All story ideas should be submitted by mail to: 413 Cherry Street, East Bend, NC 27018.

WEEKENDS. Please submit information regarding fundraisers, gallery show openings, plays, readings, concerts or other performances at least two months in advance of an issue’s cover date.

Your heating system has just been through a tough, long, cold winter.

Give your system a little tender loving care now, so it will be ready to perform when that North Carolina Summer starts baking.

Schedule a BI­ANNUAL TUNE­UP for your heating and cooling system. It’s as easy as calling

K&V Heating and Air Conditioning today at 336­699­2088.

A little money spent in preventative tune­ups can save you big money and stress for emergency repairs when temperatures soar.

UV Lights

Our services Digital Thermostats also include: Air Filtering Systems Humidifiers

Duct Balancing Seal Ducts Carbon Monoxide Detectors

We’re really good at helping keep your family comfortable all year long

K V & Inc.

HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING

304 NC Hwy 67 East Bend, NC

(336) 699-2088 kvheatingair.com 24 Hours Emergency Service

FREE Estimates on Installation

Financing Available

Commercial • Residential • Manufactured Homes 18

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DISTRIBUTION. The magazine is available FREE at locations throughout the Yadkin Valley.

You will find a highlight listing of pick­up locations on our web site at www.yadkinvalleymagazine.com.

Not all locations will always have copies in stock. Mail subscriptions are available with a postal charge.

ADVERTISING. We view our advertisers as people providing a service who are genuinely interested in their customers.

These businesses make it possible for you to enjoy the magazine for free.

We hope that you’ll make them your first choice when you need the products and services they offer.

Be sure to share that you read about them in Yadkin Valley Magazine.

For advertising information, please call 336­699­2446.

Information about advertising is also available at: yadkinvalleymagazine.com/advertising Health and educational articles included in Yadkin Valley Magazine are for education purposes only.

Be sure to consult your personal physician before you begin any diet, medicine or course of treatment.

Yadkin Valley Magazine is a publication of Cherry Street Media,LLC. 413 Cherry Street East Bend, NC 27018 336­699­2446 March/April 2021 Volume 21 Number 4

Sometimes the Best Seat in the House

is not in the house at all.

Publisher/Editor Barbara Krenzer Norman Advertising Sales John Norman Sue Harrison Ken & Denise Knight Contributing Writers Ashley Beard, Kimberly Blaker, Mary Bohlen, Amie Thomas Brendle, Jim Collins,Caroline Donalson, Ryan Guthrie, Wendi Hartup, Amanda Joyner, Delores Kincer, Hannah Lepsch, Scott Lewis, Carmen Long, Dr. Ashley Martin, DVM, Cindy Martin, Laura Mathis, Sandra Miller, Judy Mitchell, ShaRee Parker, Gretta Parnell, J. Dwaine Phifer, Lisa Prince, Adrienne Roethling, June Rollins, Leslie Rose, Phyllis Smith, Jessica O. Wall, Vicki Yount.

Photographs & Photographers John & Barbara Norman, Cindy Martin, June Rollins, Carmen Long, Ryan Guthrie, Hannah Lepsch, Amanda Joyner, J. Dwaine Phifer, Lisa Prince, Phyllis Smith, Leslie Rose, Mary Bohlen, Mitchell’s Greenhouse & Nursery, Ashley Beard, Vicki Yount, Ciener Botanical Garden, Wendi Hartup.

Distribution Rebecca Cranfill Ken & Denise Knight

Shaker construction with no glue Comfortable contours and curves Made in North Carolina using Solid Oak & Ash Woods

Crafted from recycled plastics, CRP Products chairs are guaranteed not to rot, split, fade or crack. They are water resistant and available in a variety of colors.

See our collection of quality outdoor chairs and truly enjoy a Spring breath of Sunshine!

FREE Local Delivery

Test Kitchen Chef Amanda Joyner To inquire about advertising in Yadkin Valley Magazine (336) 699­2446 john@yadkinvalleymagazine.com

848 South Main Street • Mocksville, NC 27028 (336) 751­2492

“Courteous, Dependable Service for over 80 years” danielfurniturenc.com March/April 2021

19

DEBBIE SHECKLES calls all chocolate lovers with her sheet cake!

“This cake is chocolate through and through. My family enjoys this cake a lot. I have several nieces and nephews who call and ask when I’m going to fix them their favorite cake.

The recipe was originally my moms who passed her love of cooking to me.

When times were better, the cake was a big hit at family get-togethers, work parties and church functions.

Thanks for letting me pass along a recipe for all chocolate lovers that means a lot to me and my family.

Hope you enjoy my chocolate cake as much as my family does.”

Chocolate Sheet Cake 2 cups all purpose flour 2 cups sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup butter 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1 teaspoon white vinegar 2 large eggs

4 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 1 cup water 1/2 cup whole buttermilk 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray/flour a 13x9-inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, sift flour, sugar, salt.

In large sauté pan combine butter, oil, cocoa, water whisking until blended.

Bring just to a boil over medium heat.

Stir constantly until smooth.

Add chocolate mixture, buttermilk, soda, vinegar, vanilla, eggs to flour mixture.

Beat with a mixer until smooth.

Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 30 minutes or until tested done.

Punch holes in cake top with a fork.

Pour chocolate icing over HOT cake.

Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing

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Chocolate Icing 1/2 cup butter 4 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 6 Tablespoons whole milk 1 (16-ounce) box confectioners sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract In a saucepan combine butter, cocoa, milk.

Bring to a boil over medium heat.

Stir constantly.

Remove from heat & add sugar and vanilla Transfer mixture to a large bowl.

Beat at medium with mixer until smooth.

Pour over hot cake.

Let cool on wire rack before slicing.

Reader Favorite Sally Harman’s Baked Beans with Smoked Sausage 1 pound great northern beans 1 cup ketchup 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon pepper 1 Tablespoon dry mustard 1/4 teaspoon ginger 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 unpeeled tart apple, cored, sliced 1 1/2 pounds smoked sausage Wash beans, cover with water, soak overnight.

Drain beans and place in Dutch oven, cover with water; bring to a boil.

Skim off water foam, cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours or till skin begins to split.

Drain reserving 2 cups liquid. Place beans in a 4 1/2 quart casserole.

Stir in ketchup, sugar, salt, pepper, mustard, ginger, nutmeg and Worcestershire sauce.

Arrange sliced apple on top of beans.

Cut sausage diagonally into 1-inch slices; place on top of apples.

Cover and bake at 350°F for 1 hour.

Remove cover and add enough reserved liquid to barely cover beans.

Bake uncovered 30 minutes or till sausage is browned. Serves 8 to 10.

Sally Harman

Sally first shared her recipe with us in March/April of 2016.

Since then, we included it as one of our first 20 years Best Cooks Cookbook recipes.

It continues to be a reader favorite.

Join our Best Cooks by sharing a favorite recipe!

When we publish your recipe in our Best Cooks Series we’ll send you a cash prize along with Yadkin Valley Magazine gift items.

Tell us a bit about the recipe, and why it’s a favorite. Is it a handed down family treat or one shared by a friend?

Remember to include all the basics, from ingredients to dish sizes, baking times and temperatures. Thank you!

Send your recipe submission(s) to: bestcooks@yadkinvalleymagazines.com or mail to: Best Cooks, Yadkin Valley Magazine 413 Cherry Street, East Bend, NC 27018 Discover more delicious recipes in our Best Cooks Cookbook.

These are the best of the best down home Southern recipes.

All Color • 152 pages • paperback • just $16.95 purchase at: cherrystreetfarmhouse.com or visit yadkinvalleymagazine.com for a list of retail purchase locations March/April 2021

21

foodsandflavors~™ Vicki Yount

Vicki Yount

WRITER & PHOTOGRAPHER Vicki Yount

Orange Pound Cake

Have you ever had one of those days where everything you do turns upside down? I had planned to bake my Aunt Jenna's coconut cake for this issue of the magazine. It is a wonderful cake and I have made it many times.

The cake layers were soft and the icing was runny and it was a complete flop. It is in a bowl in my refrigerator!

It tastes great but I could not submit it for the magazine.

So, plan B. I decide to make my Orange Pound Cake. It is easy and delicious and perfect for a spring dessert. It stuck to the bundt pan!

At this point I am ready to have a good cry. I have been baking for 57 years and this is not my first disaster in the kitchen. My mother says that it happens to the best of us.

I put a lemon glaze on my cake, but you can do an orange glaze or a dusting of powdered sugar.

Good luck! Vicki

Orange Pound Cake Recipe Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour a 10" tube pan.

1 cup Crisco shortening 1/2 cup softened butter 5 eggs 3 cups plain flour 2 3/4 cups sugar 2 teaspoons orange extract 1 cup Sunkist orange soda

22

Cream shortening and butter with the sugar.

Add eggs one at a time.

Blend well.

Add flour, orange extract and orange soda.

Blend well.

(The orange soda makes the cake rise.)

Bake cake for one hour and 10 minutes.

Check for doneness.

It may take a little longer depending on your oven.

Cool cake 10 to 15 minutes before placing on your cake stand.

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A Local Favorite for Shopping & Dining Atkinson's Biscuit Mix with butter flakes makes the Best Biscuits ever!

Expanded Frozen Options such as Spinach Egg Frittata & Crab Cakes ­ Delicious, Gluten Free, Soy Free & Vegan!

Amazing Nature's Hollow Condiments ­ Sugar Free, Low Calorie, Xylitol & Erythritol Sweetened, & 56 Day Approved!

Huge Variety of

Coconut Oils All 56 Day Approved!

Huge Selection

RADA Utensils

Voted Best Deli and Best Health Foods!

Fresh Deli • Healthy Foods Old-Time Candy & Snacks Many Gluten-Free & 56Day Approved Selections Local Artisan Gifts Beautifully Designed Gift Baskets Handcrafted Amish Furniture Your Baking & Cooking HQ!

Flours ­ Almond Flours, Coconut Flour, Garbanzo bean Flour & High Protein Peanut Flour All 56 Day Approved!

Try One of Our Famous Deli Sandwiches or Wraps!

Local Family Owned • Made-In-USA Products!

541 West Pine Street, Mount Airy, NC 336‐755‐2340 millcreekgeneralstore.com Monday‐Saturday 9:30am‐6pm • Sunday: Closed March/April 2021

23

a busy Mom’s Kitchen

In a busy household like ours, the perfect dinner involves minimal dirty dishes and food prep!

Ryan Guthrie

WRITER/PHOTOGRAPHER Ryan Guthrie

Rough and Finished Lumber & Building Supplies family owned • serving since 1947

Yadkin Lumber Company, Inc.

If you are looking for a great movie night treat or snack mix for getting outside as a family, look no further than this Bunny Bait Snack Mix--No baking required!

This is fun to mix together with kids in the kitchen and makes a great appreciation gift for teachers or neighbors. Hitting every taste bud with crunchy-soft, salty-sweet combinations, this mix is so delicious.

It will go so fast, that you may want to double the recipe if you plan to have any left to share as gifts!

800 North State Street Yadkinville, NC (336) 679‐2432 Monday‐Friday 7:30‐4:30 Saturday 7:30‐12

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Mix 2 Cups of each in a large bowl: Cadbury Mini Eggs Peanut Butter Chex Mini pretzels Miniature marshmallows

We offer: Short Term Rehab • Respite Care Skilled Nursing – Long Term and Short Term • Assisted Living Independent Apartments • Offering in-patient & Out-patient therapy Now Open Our NEW Physical Therapy Wing

It’s 2,400 sq ft of helping patients reach their full potential with kitchen, bedroom & bath set­ups, so patients can practice preparing meals, bathing, getting in & out of bed... building the overall functional abilities they’ll need to return home, including speech therapy. Open for out­patients, our residents and all of the community.

Our Administrative Staff strives to create a family environment throughout our facility.

Julie Stafford Administrator

Elizabeth Lockett Director of Nursing

Kathy Sparks Candy Crissmon Dietary Manager Household Supervisor

Elizabeth Pardue Social Worker

David Lilly Tammy Johnson Maintenance Supervisor Office Manager

Where kind hearts welcome you Yadkin Nursing Care and Rehab Center 903 West Main Street • Yadkinville • (336) 679­8863 Call Crystal Watkins to schedule a visit.

Now a part of Wilmington, North Carolina’s Liberty Healthcare. This well known, well respected partner brings new resources and years of experience to providing our residents only the best in care.

March/Apri l 2021

25

foodsandflavors~™Jim Collins

Jim Collins

Jim lives in Winston­Salem.

He is a great cook who knows Yadkin Valley Wines and, his way around a kitchen!

This is a wonderful pork chop recipe to serve guests or just to have the family enjoy. It is a serving of Southern comfort and soothing to the stomach and soul.

It is very easy to prepare and makes six servings. All the equipment you will need is a blender or food processor, shallow bowl or pie pan and a broiler pan with a rack. Go for it and have fun.

Pecan-Crusted Pork Chops 6 pork rib chops, about 3/4 inch thick (about 2 pounds total) 3 Tablespoons Dijon mustard 3 Tablespoons Mayonnaise 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil 2 slices bread 1 cup chopped pecans 1 teaspoon sea salt 8 sprigs fresh parsley - Or - 2 Tablespoons parsley flakes Cut and discard most or the fat from the pork chops.

Mix mustard, mayonnaise and oil.

Tear bread into small pieces.

Place bread, pecans, salt, parsley in a blender or food processor.

Cover; blend on high, use quick on-and-off motions, for finely chopped pecans.

Place pecan mixture into a shallow bowl.

Move oven rack so chops will be 6 inches from broiler; set oven to broil.

Spread mustard mixture over all sides of each pork chop.

Then coat all sides with the pecan mixture.

Place chops evenly spaced on the rack in the broiler pan.

When the oven is preheated, place the pork chops under the broiler. Broil about 10 minutes or until brown.

Turn chops; broil 10 to 15 minutes longer or until pork is slightly pink when you cut into the center.

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Fresh Local Eggs

Your Pennsylvania Dutch Bulk Food Store

Stocking all your favorites

find all your favorites and

We’re excited to announce... We’re now stocking our very own

Yadkin Valley General Store products.

Only the best, most freshest ingredients make it into our jars.

All made and packaged in Amish kitchens, just for us.

baking supplies a variety of flours honey & molasses sauces • pickled items all your candy favorites including sugar-free candies and cookies • trail mixes gluten-free products Rada Knives Camino Bakery Fresh Breads & cookies Locally Owned by Jimmy and Amy Gardi who invite you to visit.

Hot Pepper Jelly • Hot Red Peper Relish • Southern Mild Chow Chow Mild Pickled Brussel Sprouts • Sweet Pickled Garlic • Mild Pickled Okra Tomato Jam • Raspberry Jalapeno Jelly & many more

Look for many more YVGS exclusives coming soon through out our store!

302 East Main St.,

Historic Elkin At the intersection of Main St. and Standard St.,

(336) 835-1426 On crackers, celery or a sandwich you’ll love our very own

HOMEMADE PIMENTO CHEESE Soooo good with just a little spicy bite!

Tuesday–Friday, 9am–5pm Saturday 10am–4pm follow us on We accept all major credit cards.

Lewis Furniture & Country Store Danny & Shirley Lewis, Owners Store 336­258­2700 Cell 843­902­5554

101 East End Blvd • Jonesville, NC Monday ­ Saturday 10 ­ 5:30

SHOP DISCOUNTED FAMOUS BRANDS up to 20% OFF Our Already LOW Prices on all In­Store Inventory Including

Lane, Catnapper, New Classic, Serta & Bernards, Leather Italia USA and more!

Quality Mattresses at LOW prices

SPECIAL IN-HOUSE DEALS...EVERYDAY There’s always a great reason to shop!

All In-stock

LAMPS 50% OFF

RECLINERS starting at

$299 All Major Credit Cards Accepted

Our Country Store features antiques & collectibles Special Orders No Problem!

We’re glad to help.

Need after hours shopping? Give us a call.

We’re happy to meet with customers anytime!

Serving for more than 50 years!

We’re Ready to Start up The Grill

We offer Vacuum Packaging

USDA PRIME and Choice Meats Inspected Daily

Quality without Question Wings, Steaks, Burgers, Pork, we offer the freshest cuts of meats fresh breads and sides for specials and updates!

133 Old Buck Shoals Road • Mount Airy 336-786-2023 Monday-Friday 9-6 Saturday 9-5 28

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baking tips Baking with Milk Q Will it make a difference if I substitute skim milk for whole milk or nonfat sour cream for full-fat sour cream in a recipe?

A Dairy products contain fat that contributes to a cake’s or cookie’s tenderness and moisture. Substituting a lover-fat version in some cases won’t be disastrous. Low-fat (1% or 2%) milk contains enough fat to adequately moisten a cake batter, although skim milk, which contains no fat, won’t work as well. In the case of sour cream or cream cheese, it is essential to use full-fat when specified, because baked goods rely on these ingredients for their fat content.

Q What is buttermilk?

Why is it so popular with bakers?

A Buttermilk is a cultured dairy product, like yogurt. Harmless bacteria are added to milk and then the milk is heated. in the process some of the milk’s sugars are converted into acids which give buttermilk its characteristic zing valued by bakers because it add a pleasantly tangy flavor to everything from pancakes and biscuits to chocolate cakes.

In this morning’s production meeting, the girls once again decided they would only produce the freshest, most delicious dairy products

Grass Fed Cow’s Milk Whole Cow’s Milk Butter Milk Butter Half & Half Heavy Cream Chocolate Milk

Goat’s Milk & Yogurt Flavored Yogurt Drinkable Yogurt Cherve Cheeses Kefir Ice Cream

Our farm fresh, Non-GMO dairy products are available at our farm store & at: Shiloh General Store, Hamptonville • Mill Creek General Store, Mount Airy Moffitt-Toolon Family Farm, Wilkesboro • Fair Share Farm, Pfafftown Troyers Country Market, Salisbury

Farm Fresh means Everything is Naturally Wholesome 6400 Windsor Road, Hamptonville 336-468-1520 Farm Store Open Monday-Saturday 9:00-5:00

Naturally

Wholesome Products

Ask about our Beef Shares. Know where your beef comes from!

Pastured, Non GMO Beef, Raised on our farm. Taste the Difference!

March/April 2021

29

foodsandflavors~™ Lisa Prince

Eggs and Easter Usher in Spring

Lisa Prince

WRITER & PHOTOS Lisa Prince,

Director, NC Egg Association

The average American eats 290 eggs a year, many of which are consumed on the ultimate egg holiday—Easter! However, eggs’ role goes beyond the Easter basket. With 6 grams of protein per large egg, they can help keep you feeling full, which can help minimize overindulging. Many consumers are confused by the options in the egg case.

From a nutrition perspective, the content of eggs is similar regardless of color (white or brown), grade (AA, A or B) or how they are raised (organic, free-range and conventional). While eggs are a natural nutrition powerhouse, feeding laying hens a diet enriched in specific nutrients like vitamin D or omega 3 can enhance that nutrient in eggs.

Due to higher production costs, such specialty eggs are usually more expensive than generic shell eggs. Any size, shape or color eggs add nutrition, flavor and texture to every meal.

Egg Tips:

ASPARAGUS with EGG CONFETTI Yield: 4 serving Steamed Asparagus: 1 pound fresh asparagus 2 large hard-cooked eggs French Vinaigrette: 1 cup olive oil 1/3 cup ketchup 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup white vinegar 1 Tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon dry mustard 1 teaspoon paprika 1 Tablespoon onion salt 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

-store hard-boiled eggs in the refrigerator for up to a week.

-steam eggs for easy peeling -find egg-citing ideas for Easter at www.ncegg.org/resources/easter

Steam or blanch asparagus to desired tenderness.

Combine all ingredients for the vinaigrette & shake well.

Refrigerate a few hours before serving; place asparagus on plate.

Drizzle with French Vinaigrette.

Push hard-cooked egg through a fine sieve over the asparagus.

Here are two easy to make delicious recipes perfect for Easter using the Incredible Edible Egg!

For more recipes using nutrient-packed, delicious, eggs, visit: www.ncegg.org

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Building & Restoring Family Heirlooms

SPRINGTIME BAKED LEMON CUSTARD

before

Yield: 4 servings 3 eggs, beaten 1/2 cup sugar 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 cups hot milk (about 1 to 2 minutes on HIGH in microwave) 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel 2 Tablespoons lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon vanilla In a medium bowl, beat together eggs, sugar, and salt until well blended.

Stir in hot milk, lemon peel, lemon juice and vanilla.

Blend well.

Place four (6-ounce) custard cups or ramekins in an 8x8-inch baking pan.

Pour about 1/4 egg mixture into each custard cup.

Place baking dish on center rack in a preheated 350ºF. oven.

Create a water bath by pouring hot water into baking dish so it comes within 1/2 inch of the top of the custard cups.

Bake until knife inserted in center comes out clean, or about 30 to 35 minutes.

Remove custard cups from hot water.

Cool on wire rack 5 to 10 minutes.

Serve warm or cold.

Refrigerate leftovers.

Lisa’s Notes: Do not let the milk boil when you are heating it. If the milk is steaming, add it gradually so you do not scramble the eggs.

This is light and refreshing.

Eggs create this rich and creamy dessert perfect for spring and summer!

To watch the video: https://www.wral.com/news/local/video/7721499/

after Custom Woodworking

Quality Craftsmanship… every step of the way Chair Caning, Wicker Repair, Lathe Work

S.H. WOODWORKING REFINISHING & REPAIR 1316 Travis Rd, Yadkinville 336-463-2885 Home 336-655-4344 Cell March/April 2021

31

foodsandflavors~™ Carmen Long Make Every Bite Count,

No Fooling WRITER & PHOTOS Carmen Long

Carmen Long

Recently the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans were released with the theme Make Every Bite Count.

This information has been developed to help us improve our health and this time, we aren’t fooling.

The new Guidelines challenge us to work toward achieving these four goals: Follow a healthy dietary pattern at every age and stage of life. Customize and enjoy nutrient-dense food and beverage choices to reflect personal preferences, cultural traditions, and budgetary considerations. Focus on meeting food group needs with nutrient-dense foods and beverages from five food groups— vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy and fortified soy alternatives, and proteins— while staying within calorie limits, limit foods and beverages higher in added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium and limit alcoholic beverages.

Sound familiar? I am always interested to see what changes occur every five years, from one set of Guidelines to the next. You may have heard similar recommendations from a healthcare provider, but with all the information out there, sometimes it is difficult to know what advice to follow. I am glad our Cooperative Extension information is on track. These current dietary goals go hand in hand with the information that Extension teaches. Good nutrition is important throughout the life cycle, from infants and toddlers, children and adolescents, adults, women who are 32

Love to play practical jokes on family, coworkers or friends?

April 1st, April Fool’s Day, may be a date you already have marked on your calendar. The possibilities for fun are endless. Sometimes the health information we hear or read about sounds too good to be true—more like an April Fool’s joke.

No worries. Help is here. pregnant or lactating and older adults.

Many of us could benefit from making some changes to our food and beverages. It may be as easy as making substitutions or modifications to foods we currently eat, or it may mean choosing nutrient-dense foods and beverages in place of less healthy options.

One of the newer terms is nutrient dense. According to the Guidelines, nutrient dense foods and beverages provide vitamins, minerals and other health-promoting components and have little added sugars, saturated fat and sodium. Foods in their natural form, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, seafood, eggs, beans, peas and lentils, unsalted nuts and seeds, fat-free and low-fat dairy products, and lean meats and poultry— when prepared with no or little added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium— are nutrient-dense foods Have you ever looked at a list of ingredients on a food label and found words you couldn’t pronounce or really did not know what an ingredient was?

Try eating more whole foods, foods in their natural forms that really don’t need a food label. The recipes in our Med Instead of Meds curriculum, https://medinsteadofmeds.com/ are based on this concept. Often, foods eaten in their whole forms are easier to prepare and require less ingredients.

This may cut down on prep time as well as food costs.

A benefit of eating according to the

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Dietary Guidelines rather than following a fad diet or one of the latest tabloid or infomercial diets is you get to decide what you like, how much you want to eat, what you have access to and what you can afford. This does put the responsibility on us, but we will be more successful in the long run if we develop healthy habits and find nutrient dense foods we like.

Meal replacement shakes or purchasing expensive pre-packaged frozen dinners (check out some of those food labels) may help you meet a weight loss goal for a while but are not a practical long-term solution. How many know of someone who may have lost some weight on one of these plans, but eventually gets tired of the shakes or frozen items, is still having to prepare other food for their families, can no longer afford the expensive “diet,” etc. and gains back all the weight they lost, plus some?

Sound familiar? Take control of your life and make a plan that works for you.

The Dietary Guidelines are full of information and have been designed to help. https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020 -2025.pdf Try to include foods from all the different food groups. Vegetables of all types—dark green; red and orange; beans, peas, and lentils; starchy and

other vegetables. Fruits, especially whole fruit. Grains, at least half of which are whole grain.

Dairy, including fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese and/or lactose-free versions and fortified soy beverages and yogurt as alternatives. Protein foods, including lean meats, poultry, and eggs; seafood; beans, peas, and lentils; and nuts, seeds, and soy products. Oils, including vegetable oils and oils in food, such as seafood and nuts.

These nutrient-dense foods provide the vitamins, minerals, and other health-promoting components we need for good health. If we made the majority of our food choices from the list above while staying within the recommend calorie limits for our age, gender and activity level, we really may not be hungry enough to eat many of the foods with lengthy ingredient lists on their food labels. The foods with long ingredient lists are more likely to include added sugars, sodium and saturated fats, which our bodies don’t need. Notice I said majority, that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy some “empty calorie” foods but strive to make most of your bites count towards good health.

With so many foods to choose from, hopefully you will find plenty that you like. Try new things and prepare foods in different ways. You may prefer a vegetable cooked rather than raw or the other way around. You won’t know until you try it and try, try, try again. It takes more than one time trying a new food to know if you really like it and sometimes our taste preferences change.

Encouraging children, and sometimes adults, to try new foods can be challenging. The CDC offers these Tips to Help Picky Eaters: Try again; wait a couple of days before offering the food again.

It can take more than 10 times before your toddler might like it. Mix it up: Mix new foods with foods you know your child likes. Be silly: Make funny faces with the foods on your child’s plate. It might help your child get excited to eat it. Me too: Try eating the food first to show your child you like it.

Then, let your child try it. Choices: Give your child a choice of different foods to try. Let your child decide which one to try today.

Greeting Spring with a Cup of Tea Introducing our new line of

Floral Teas and Pinky Up Teapots & Cups and enjoy Simpson and Vail Tea Company TeaDrops • Polish Pottery Kitch 'N' Stuff (LOCALLY MADE tea infusers)

225 North Main Street • Mount Airy, NC 336­648­8130 • Monday­Saturday 10­6

visit our easy­to­shop online store at www.farmhousespitsandspoons.com Gift Cards

continues on page 34

March/April 2021

33

From infants to older adults, we all can benefit from good food choices. It is never too early or too late to eat healthy. As with any goal, it is important to think about what you would like to achieve to improve your health. You don’t have to work on all of the goals, but just remember to make “every bite count.”

Source: Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025

Oven-Roasted Vegetables Eat a rainbow of colors with roasted vegetables. You really don’t need a recipe, but here are some recommendations for tasty combinations. Spices may vary based on your taste or just salt and pepper to taste. Make the most of your time and electricity and fill your oven so you will have some extra. Roasted vegetables make great ingredients to use on salads, in omelets or wraps so plan ahead.

Serves (depends on amount prepared) Serving Size: approximately 1 cup (as a side) Prep Time: Depends on vegetables, approximately 15 minutes Cook Time: Varies with vegetables, approximately 30 to 50 minutes Total Time: 45 minutes to 1 hour 5 minutes Combination Suggestions: Carrots, parsnips, turnips, sweet potatoes, and shallots—when done, top with a squeeze of orange and orange zest.

Broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots—this is great with ground cumin.

Asparagus, great topped with lemon zest.

Bell pepper and onions—great as an addition to sandwiches or most any entrée.

Toppings: 2 Tablespoons of olive oil, may need more depending on amount of vegetables.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Directions: Preheat oven to 375º F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper for easy clean up.

Cut chosen vegetables into 2-inch pieces.

Toss in olive oil on baking sheet.

Sprinkle chosen seasoning & toss vegetables to coat well.

Bake until fork tender. Time depends on vegetables chosen.

Nutrition Information per Serving: (Based on 1 cup of each: carrots, parsnips, turnips, sweet potatoes and shallots, with 1 teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons olive oil) • Serving Size: 1 cup (serves 6) • Vegetables: 1 cup • Fruits: 0 cups • Calories: 162 calories • Carbohydrates: 28 grams 34

• • • •

Fiber: 5 grams Protein: 3 grams Fat: 5 grams Sodium: 426 mg

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Source: Med Instead of Meds

April Fool’s Cupcakes

April Fool’s Fries

Trick your family with this April Fool’s main dish that looks like dessert.

Alleghany ECA member and former Out to Lunch program assistant Peggy Brady made a meatloaf and mashed potato cake for an Extension class many years ago. The Muffin Pan Meatloaf recipe makes the dish even easier when it is made in individual cupcake size portions.

For a fun April Fool’s treat, try these fries made from apples served with strawberry jam instead of ketchup.

Alleghany County Extension and Community Association member Yvonne Burdick made this treat for a county wide ECA meeting held on April Fool’s Day in 2019.

Muffin Pan Meatloaf Makes 6 servings | Serving Size: 2 meatloaf muffins 1 pound lean or extra-lean ground beef, ground turkey, or ground chicken 3/4 cups salsa 1 egg, lightly beaten 1/2 cup oatmeal 1/4 cup finely chopped onion 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon black pepper Non-stick cooking spray Heat oven to 350°F. Combine all ingredients.

Pat mixture into a rectangle on a sheet of wax paper or aluminum foil.

Divide by cutting 4 rows across by 3 rows down to make 12 equal portions.

Spray muffin pan with non-stick spray.

Pat mixture into each muffin cup.

Bake for 30 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160°F. for ground beef or 165°F. for ground turkey or chicken.

Top meat loaf muffins with mashed potatoes to look like butter cream frosted cupcakes.

Put mashed potatoes in a plastic bag, clip the corner off and pipe potatoes on like icing for an even more realistic look.

apples cinnamon sugar strawberry preserves (optional)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Peel apples; cut into sticks.

Use a crinkle cutter if you have one.

Toss with cinnamon and sugar.

Place on a lightly greased baking sheet.

Bake 8 to 12 minutes in a 400F. oven.

Serve with strawberry preserves (to look like ketchup) if desired.

Have fun fooling someone and enjoy these delicious fries!

The best Easter

Meals begin

with Sugar Cured Country Ham from

Ronnie’s Country Store

642 North Cherry Street • Winston-Salem • 336-724-5225 Thursday–Friday 7am–5:30pm • Saturday 7am–2pm

offering Only the freshest

Spring vegetables March/April 2021

35

Dinner for

There’s a lot to like about the tastiness of the South but Barbecued Ribs must be on the top of the list. Add Spoon Bread, Cabbage Salad, Black-eyed Peas and Pecan Tarts and that lovely accent is almost instantaneous!

Barbecued Ribs

Spoon Bread

Pecan Tarts

2 pounds of ribs, cut in serving pieces 1 lemon, sliced 1 medium onion, chopped 1/2 cup catsup 1 1/2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon salt Dash of Tabasco sauce 1/2 cup water

1 cup boiling water 2/3 cup corn meal 2 teaspoons butter 2 egg yolks 2/3 cup buttermilk or sour milk 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon sugar 3/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/8 teaspoon soda 2 egg whites

2 store-bought pie crusts Line 4-inch tart pans with pastry.

Heat oven to 375°F. Pour filling into pastry-lined pans.

Bake 40 to 50 minutes until set & pastry is browned.

Heat oven to 425°F. Place ribs in baking pan, meaty side up.

On each piece, put a slice of lemon.

Roast 30 minutes.

Combine remaining ingredients; pour over ribs.

Reduce heat to 350°F.; bake 2 more hours.

Baste 2 or 3 times.

Black-eyed Peas

Cabbage Salad

1/2 pound unshelled peas.

Shell like green peas.

Cook covered in 1/2 to 1-inch salted, boiling water With a ham hock, bacon drippings or salt pork AND add 1/2 teaspoon sugar.

Cook 30 to 40 minutes until tender.

36

1 egg 1/4 cup sugar 1/8 teaspoon salt Pour hot water over corn meal.

2 Tablespoons butter, melted Stir until cool.

1/4 cup +2 Tablespoons Add butter, yolks until blended. dark corn syrup Stir in buttermilk.

1/4 cup +2 Tablespoons Blend in salt, sugar, baking powder, soda. pecan halves Beat egg whites to soft peaks.

Fold into mixture.

Beat all ingredients together Pour into greased 1-quart baking dish. but pecans.

Bake 45 to 50 minutes until set.

Then mix in nuts.

Serve hot with butter!

1 1/2 cups finely chopped or shredded cabbage With a Creamy Boiled Dressing 1/2 cup sour cream 1 egg yolk 2 Tablespoons vinegar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar

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1/2 teaspoon dry mustard Dash of fresh ground pepper Pinch of dill seed, optional Combine ingredients in top of a double boiler.

Cook slowly over hot water until mixture begins to thicken.

Stir constantly. Cool.

Store in covered jar in refrigerator.

Spring Wreaths & Grave Arrangements New Spring Home Dēcor & Boutique

order now from

100% cotton imported Printed in USA available in 6 • 12 • 18 month sizes

www.cherrystreetfarmhouse.com

BOONVILLE FLOWER & DECOR 106 West Main Street, Boonville 336‐367‐7651

Mon, Tue, Th, Fri 9‐4:30 | Wed, Sat 9‐12 Follow us on Facebook for our weekly specials Serving all area funeral homes, East Bend • Yadkinville • Elkin

6th annual Helicopter Easter Egg Drop More than 20,000 plastic eggs will fall out of the sky on Friday, April 2 & Saturday, April 3 Pastor Kenny Pardue with Union Baptist Church will share the Easter story of resurrection before each egg hunt begins. Hi tech helicopters will be offering rides between drop times, (at an additional fee). Thumper the Easter Bunny will join us for pictures with the children.

Enjoy our 20­acre agritourism complex with the farm consisting of: Helicopter Egg Hunt, Corn Cob Express, Corn Box, Picnic Pavilion, See Saws, Tug of War, Animal Acres, Pipe World, Bounce Pillow, Corn Hole, Hayride, Local Vendors, Photo Opportunities and more On­site restaurant serves a delicious breakfast & lunch Gates open at 8am. The event is from 9am until 4pm.

There will be 4 egg drops each day: 9am, 11am, 1pm & 3pm.

Cost for the event is $12.00 per person.

Group rate of 20 or more is $10 a person.

Children 2 and under are free. Food is priced separately.

Check out our Facebook page, website: alphaomegacornmaze.com for posts & updates on special events. Call us at 336­466­5402

Alpha & Omega Corn Maze 1129 Cheek Road, Hamptonville, NC 27020 March/April 2021

37

Two Locations: King and Mt Airy Call or stop by Contact me today to get started.

David L. May, Jr. Insurance Agency 336‐983‐4371 King 336‐786‐4697 Mt. Airy

38

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Because You Should Want to See Your Dentist

Dr. Andrew Rivers, wife Katie, son Nolan and daughter Nora

336‐751‐6289 www.RiversFamilyDentistry.com Whitening • Tooth Colored Fillings • Crown & Bridges Extractions • Implant Restorations • Dentures Accepting most major insurances

Offering Discounts for Seniors

118 Hospital St.

Mocksville

Nestled between Sauratown Mountain and Hanging Rock State Park

Quiet, Serene Country Living

Mountain Valley Living Center, a small assisted living, serving a maximum of 26 residents with a quite homelike atmosphere, in the outskirts of King, NC. When you have to make a decision for assisted care, come see Mountain Valley and their beautiful views from the front porch. Choose a private room or room with a friend.

Call today, come meet our staff and tour...

Mountain Valley Living Center Your Home Away from Home

• Housekeeping & linen service • Dietary meals, including therapeutic diets • Social Interactions for our residents • Medical & Social Transportation All­inclusive rates

Now Hiring Smiling Faces

1135 Taylor Road, Westfield, NC 27053

336­994­2120 lmountainvalley@triad.rr.com March/April 2021

39

foodsandflavors~™ cookbook collector with Caroline Donalson Brenda Taylor let me know of a new cookbook: Recipes from Our Homes, a collection of recipes by First Baptist Church of Sparta, Embrace Women’s Ministry. If you think of a new cookbook for your cookbook collection, this 3-ringed book is perfect for spring and Easter baskets because of its bright, creative colors for the cover and the dividers inside... just what we need to jump into 2021—what a colorful joy! It’s only $15 for almost 200 pages of some very different recipes to try from our neighboring county. These cooks know from many congregational dinners which dishes guaranteed smiles and happy tummies. Just in time for your appetizer table for your Easter menu.

To purchase your own copy of Recipes from Our Homes call Brenda: 336-657-1260 or email fbc_sparta@skybest.com or POB 668, Sparta, NC 28675 if ordering by mail, add $3 to your check or money order for s/h and mailing directions.

Chattanooga Cheese Ball 1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese, softened 8 to 10 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded 1 (6-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained 4 slices bacon, fried & crumbled 1/4 cup chopped green pepper 1 small can pecans, chopped

Green Pepper Dip

Buffalo Chicken Dip

2 eggs 2 Tablespoons white vinegar 2 Tablespoons sugar 2 Tablespoons butter 1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese, softened Green pepper, chopped Green onion, chopped

1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese, softened 1 (10-ounce) can chunk white chicken, drained 1/2 cup buffalo wing sauce 1/2 cup ranch salad dressing 2 cups shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese Tortilla chips

Beat eggs.

Pour into a saucepan.

Add vinegar, sugar, butter.

Cook over medium heat until thick.

Allow to cool.

Add to cream cheese; mix well.

Add green pepper & onions to taste; mix well.

Refrigerate until serving.

40

Spread cream cheese into an uncreased shallow 1-quart baking dish.

Mix chicken, sauce, dressing & half cheese.

Layer on cream cheese.

Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.

Bake at 350°F. 20 to 25 minutes OR until cheese is melted.

Serve with tortilla chips.

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Blend cream cheese & cheddar, pineapple, bacon & green pepper.

Chill cheese mixture before shaping into a ball.

Shape into a ball.

Roll in chopped nuts.

Ham & Okra Roll-ups 1 (12-ounce) jar pickled okra 1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese, softened 1 (10-ounce) package thinly sliced cooked ham Cut stems off okra.

Spread a thin layer of cream cheese on ham.

Cut & arrange okra to fit width of ham.

Roll up jelly-roll style.

Place rolls seam side down.

Refrigerate at least 3 hours.

Slice into 1/2” slices.

When life gives you scraps–make a quilt!

What’s in Store!

NOW AVAILABLE 3rd edition release

...with even MORE pound cakes

Who would have thought there were even more pound cakes! But there are! Readers shared so many we took out the “other cakes recipe” section, replacing it with even more pound cakes, and then we still had to add pages to get them all in.

Spiral Bound 128 pages, more than 100 recipes black and white recipe pages and only $13.95

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foodsandflavors~™ Ashley Beard Biscuits, Biscuits, Biscuits

Ashley Beard

WRITER & PHOTOGRAPHER Ashley Beard Family and Consumer Sciences Agent, Yadkin County Ashley_beard@ncsu.edu Follow along on Facebook at Facebook: @YadkinFCS

One of my fondest memories as a child was when I would get to visit my long-distance grandparents and I would wake up to my grandma making homemade biscuits to go with her sausage gravy. If I was lucky enough, I would wake up right at the time to help her roll the dough and cut the biscuits. Even though my grandmother has since passed on, these sweet memories I carry with me today have contributed to my love of all things bread and biscuits.

A biscuit is something that can stand alone in a meal or compliment a dish very well. I have found many ways to use biscuits, canned or homemade, such as adding them to desserts and casseroles that have diminished the stigma that they are just a breakfast food. The pandemic has given me more time to try out new recipes and be hone in on my biscuit making skills. In any homemade biscuit, there are a couple of main components that we see: flour, leavening agents, milk, fat or shortening, salt and sometimes sugar and eggs. I love searching cookbooks and the internet for different recipes to try and find the ultimate biscuit recipe.

One biscuit that I love making is a sweet potato biscuit. With North Carolina being the top producer of sweet potatoes, we are not new to using this starchy vegetable in our recipes. I grew up in Southeast Virginia where sweet potato biscuits were a delicacy. Add a piece of thinly sliced piece of country ham and you have the perfect addition to bring to a family gathering, party, or function (when it is safe to do so again). It is an easy biscuit for those trying to find a fun new recipe. With the longest part roasting the sweet potato in the oven for the purée, which I suggest you do to really bring out the sweet flavor, this biscuit can come together in no time. The most important takeaway from this article is that you should not eat this sweet potato biscuit right out of the oven, it is best if you let it sit for 24 hours before slicing into them! Trust me, you will not regret waiting the extra time for this biscuit!

With any homemade baked goods, they are more prone to spoilage and mold growth compared to commercial breads that have the special preservatives. Once the homemade good is baked, wrap in moisture/oxygen resistant wraps such as food storage bags or aluminum foil and keep on the counter or in the pantry.

If not consumed within 1 to 2 days you can keep it wrapped in the refrigerator or freeze it to increase its shelf life. If frozen, it will start to suffer from quality issues such as texture and flavor within 2 to 3 months.

I hope you will try out one of my favorite biscuit recipes!

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Sweet Potato Biscuits with Country Ham Makes about 12 to 15 biscuits INGREDIENTS 2½ cups all-purpose flour 1 Tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon fine sea salt ¼ cup packed light brown sugar ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground ginger ½ teaspoon ground allspice ½ teaspoon ground mace or nutmeg ½ cup vegetable shortening 1 cup baked sweet potato purée (*drop down to see how to make) 1 cup heavy cream Additional all-purpose flour, for rolling Thinly sliced country ham for serving Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, mace in a bowl. I like to use fingers to mix in the shortening until it becomes crumbly.

Stir together purée and cream in another bowl.

Pour into flour mixture; stir only until the dough comes together and all is incorporated.

Pour dough onto a lightly floured surface.

Gently knead until smooth (about 8 turns).

Add more flour to hands and surface to help knead!

Roll or pat the dough to a 1/4-inch thickness.

Cut out the biscuits with a round cutter (or use the round lid of a mason jar). If the dough sticks, dip the cutter into some flour. Push the cutter straight down without twisting so biscuits can rise to their full potential.

Repeat with the scrapings.

Place the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake until the biscuits are firm and spring back when lightly touched on top, about 20 minutes.

Transfer from pan to allow to cool.

Put into an air-tight container overnight before serving.

Next day when ready to serve, cut biscuits in half and put a slice of country ham in between.

Keep in the refrigerator once country ham is added. *Making sweet potato puree: I used about two medium sweet potatoes to make a cup of purée. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Rinse potatoes under running water and use friction to get dirt off. Pat dry.

Using a fork, punch holes all around the potatoes and place on the baking sheet.

Bake for 45 to 55 minutes depending on the size of the potatoes. When done, take off peel and transfer to a blender, food processor or mixer.

Blend to desired consistency.

I put in a bit of water to thin out.

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March/April 2021

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foodsandflavors~™ in Amanda’s Kitchen Oh, my goodness, these are probably the best oatmeal cookies I have ever eaten. No offense to my Grandma who my Dad claims made the best oatmeal cookies ever, but I think these might have topped them. They are so soft but chewy at the same time; it’s hard to eat just one. I don’t put raisins in mine but you’re more than welcome to. I usually get 12 medium size cookies.

Hope you enjoy these as much as we have!

Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cookies

Amanda Joyner

WRITER & PHOTOGRAPHER Amanda Joyner owner Manny J’s Bakery Speciality cakes, desserts, wedding cakes Facebook: @mannyjsbakery amanda9joyner@gmail.com

1 cup all purpose flour 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup light brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 large egg 1 stick of room temperature butter 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 1/2 cups of 1-minute oats Cream together sugars and butter.

Add cinnamon, salt, baking soda and combine.

Add remaining ingredients.

Mix until all incorporated.

Roll batter into a ball.

Mash down with your hand on a baking pan.

Bake at 350°F. for 12 to 13 minutes until done.

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Deconstructed Apple Pie WRITER & PHOTOGRAPHER

Dwaine Phifer

The Yadkin Valley's cold, often damp, drippy and dreary late winter days call for homey, comforting food. Hmm-mm? Could apple pie and baked apples be the same but different?

If one watches any of the myriad TV food shows, sooner or later, the word “deconstructed” gets bandied around. The term seemingly refers

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to using the ingredients of a regular recipe, changing the form—not the ingredients—of the dish, and making a to-do about it on TV. Preparing homemade pie dough, rolling it out, wrestling it into a pie dish, adding the filling, and then getting a top crust rolled and situated on the pie can be a magical, albeit frustrating,

•

labor of love: The emphasis is on “labor” for sure. Making a pie is hard work, messy and with no guarantee that something will not go wonky at any stage of the process. By “deconstructing” my cherished apple pie recipe, I may still be laboring but loving how easy a great homemade pie can be!

Deconstructed Apple Pie 1 stick butter, room temperature 7 to 9 large, firm baking apples (8 cups peeled & sliced) 1 1/2 cups plain flour 1/2 cup brown sugar and 3/4 cup white sugar, mixed* 1/2 teaspoon salt—divided 1 teaspoon commercial apple pie spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice) blend 1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring 2 Tablespoons cream sherry Decorative white sugar crystals, optional

Crumble 1/3rd of pastry crumbles over the apples.

Repeat layers, using 1/3rd apples, pastry crumbs, pie spice & sugar on each layer.

After the third layer, sprinkle remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt over top pastry crumbles.

Mix cream sherry & vanilla flavoring, drizzle over top crumb layer.

To add a fun, icy sparkle, sprinkle white decorating crystals over the top layer.

Bake for 45 minutes using lower third of oven.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 10x10-inch casserole dish with butter-flavored spray.

Set aside.

Add flour, soft butter, and 1/4 teaspoon salt together.

Use hands to mix butter with flour to form small, crumbles.

Pat 1/3rd of the flour mixture into the bottom of the casserole.

Bake on bottom rack for 15 minutes.

Pastry will be dry, a bit puffed. There should be no browning.

While bottom crust bakes, peel & slice apples into microwave-safe dish.

Cook apples on high for 5 minutes; add a layer of the apples on bottom crust.

Sprinkle with 1/3 teaspoon of apple pie spice.

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47

foodsandflavors ~™ Laura Mathis

Rosemary

&Roasted Veggies

Laura Mathis

LEMON ROSEMARY ROASTED POTATOES 2 pounds of small potatoes (your choice) 2 Tablespoons lemon juice 1 teaspoon dried rosemary a little extra if fresh 1 Tablespoon olive oil Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Preheat oven to 400°F. Wash potatoes and halve or quarter them.

(I like to leave the skins on!)

Place them in a medium bowl.

Add lemon juice, olive oil, rosemary, salt & pepper.

Toss until potatoes are well coated.

Add additional olive oil to your baking sheet, just enough to prevent sticking.

Place potatoes in a single layer on the baking sheet.

Bake 30 minutes or until lightly browned.

Try Mrs. Laura’s Herbal Shortbread!

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Made with: Non-GMO flour, real butter, pure flavorings, and dried herbs.

For more information check out

www.herbalaccents.net or call at (336) 998-1315.

48

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is a fragrant evergreen herb native to the Mediterranean. Its memorable flavor and unique health benefits makes it an indispensable herb for every kitchen. Its needlelike leaves have pronounced lemon-pine flavor that pairs well with chicken, lamb, pork, salmon and tuna dishes as well as many soups and sauces. Because of its strong flavor, a little goes a long way.

Herbs such as rosemary not only provide wonderful flavors, they provide health benefits. Some herbs have greater concentrations of antioxidants than common fruit or vegetables. Rosemary has been shown to increase the blood flow to the head and brain, improving concentration. It stimulates mental activity and can relieve some of the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. Inhaling rosemary oil can lift your spirits, making it a wonderful herb to treat symptoms of depression and mental fatigue. Rosemary also contains anti-inflammatory properties that may make it useful for reducing the severity of asthma attacks. Rosemary is often added to meat dishes such as lamb, beef and pork to aid in digestion and to prevent indigestion, flatulence and stomach cramps.

Whenever possible, choose fresh rosemary over the dried form since it is far superior in flavor. The springs of fresh rosemary should look fresh, be deep green in color, and free from yellow or dark spots. Fresh rosemary should be stored in the refrigerator wrapped in a slightly damp paper towel. As with other herbs, rosemary sprigs can be placed in ice cube trays covered with water and frozen to be added when preparing soups or stews. Dried rosemary should be kept in a tightly sealed container in a cool, dark and dry place where it will keep fresh for about six months.

Rosemary is a popular herb to grow as it grows well either in pots, in the garden or around the landscape. They are easiest to grow from cuttings, rather than planting seed, or you can pick one up at your local nursery. There are many varieties of rosemary, each with slightly different properties. Some grow very bushy and tall, while others tend to trail and they come with a range of purple, blue or white flowers. When planting, choose soil that drains well and they do not like too much acid. Small rocks can be added to soil to help create drainage. The more alkaline in the soil, the more fragrant the rosemary will be. Plant or place pot where it will get plenty of sun. When harvesting, pick sprigs of rosemary leaves as needed.

Choose young, tender sprigs of rosemary, and cut them in the morning after the plants are no longer wet with dew. Since rosemary is an evergreen, you can harvest it all year round. Pull the needle-like leaves off the stems if the recipe calls for chopped fresh rosemary. Either use your fingers to remove slender leaves or pull the stem through the tines of a fork and chop the leaves with a sharp knife on a cutting board. If the stems are very tender, the whole sprig can be chopped. Fresh rosemary can be easily dried by hanging sprigs tied in bundles with a rubber band in a warm, dry, dark place.

For more information on how to grow rosemary, visit our new YouTube channel- Herbal Accents.

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Shop on-line at cherrystreetfarmhouse.com Visit our farmhouse store Friday and Saturday 10-5 beginning Friday, March 12 (336) 699­6332 • 413 Cherry Street, East Bend, NC 27018

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March/April 2021

49

on the cover Your home and your garden, (your home outdoors), are healthy forms of pleasing exercise. Both places reflect you—your likes and preferences to be near.

It has taken over a year but Covid-19 has reached down to all of us in one way or another. Being confined inside your home gives you plenty of time to evaluate wall colors, window dressing, reupholstering the couch, you name it.

There are short cuts and money savers to sprucing up your home that won’t empty your wallet from Amie Thomas Brendle and no one knows accessory designs better than Gretta Parnell.That’s the fun part. Carmen shared some more practical tips on the joy of spring cleaning!

As you step outside, greet a momma bluebird and peer into a bluebird nest as Phyllis Smith advises of her love of this little bird and what it needs for a home and nesting place. “Remember bluebirds are a great source of pest control in your garden,” adds Phyllis.

No need to give up the pleasure of gardening if you notice more aches and pains than usual. There are tools and gadgets to offer some relief.

As usual in Yadkin Valley Magazine you’ll find an array of articles on planting information for flowers, pruning shrubs and creating garden rows of edibles for your table from Yadkin Valley folks who have the expertise and knowledge we rely on.

Vada Johnson Educational Garden WRITER & PHOTOGRAPHER Laura Mathis In the heart of Farmington, North Carolina is a beautiful 1892 home.

Hundreds of people drive up and down Farmington Road every day, and glancing over at the house one would think it is simply a quiet, little homeplace, just another historic structure along the strip that is a designated Historic District in the NC Register of Historic Places. What most can’t tell just from driving past it is that this homeplace is a treasure box of history that is just waiting to be discovered.

The house was built for James Millys Johnson and his wife, Rachel (Smith) Johnson. James was the half brother of George Wesley Johnson, founder of Farmington. After the death of Rachel, the house was passed down to their daughter, Vada Johnson (1889-1977). She was a member of the Farmington Methodist Church and a dedicated teacher for over 40 years in the Farmington School. Vada married her childhood sweetheart, Herbert Nicholson, in 1968, at the age of 79 and moved to Knoxville, Tennessee. When she passed away, she left the home in the loving care of her 50

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HOME & GARDEN

favorite nephew, Maj. Gen. George M. Johnson, who still owns the house today.

Plans are in the works to start a community educational garden on the property.

In honor of Vada’s many years of dedication to education and to the betterment of the Farmington community, the garden will be named the “Vada Johnson Educational Garden.” With the help of the Thimble & Thyme Homesteading 4-H Club, fencing has been moved, and four large 20’ x 20’ beds are being prepared, as well as a designated area for a wildflower meadow. Education has already begun in the garden as the 4-H group learns how to prepare and plan the garden. Planting will begin this spring.

The project is open to individuals or groups who are interested in organic gardening that reflects how gardens were grown historically. This is a great activity for home-schooling families, 4-H or Scout clubs, and for those who are retired and willing to share their skills. This garden project comes at a time when people are once again interested in learning how to start their own backyard garden and who are looking for ways to become healthier. Once the garden is established, it will be available to the public for educational classes, projects, and future field trip opportunities for local schools. Though the property is located in Davie County, it is easily accessed

by Yadkin and Forsyth County residents.

Future plans for the house include opening up a bakery and tea room which will offer artisan style breads and pastries, indoor and outdoor tea rooms, and a classroom for educational seminars. Vada’s bedroom will reTo learn more about getting involved with the main intact with her original furniture and colVada Johnson Educational Garden project, lection of school books. Visitors will be able contact Laura Mathis at herbalaccents@yahoo.com to learn more about the history of the Johnson or by calling (336) 998-1315. family and the Farmington community.

March/April 2021

51

Shake Up Your

Home for Spring WRITER Gretta Parnell, Dero’s

We have never looked forward to spring more than right now. After last spring was pretty much cancelled in many ways, this Spring can’t get here soon enough. Spring will bring new beginnings, regrowth and the opportunity to start fresh.The feeling of wanting to get out and enjoy life again has many of us ready to shake up our lives and homes for spring.

We have all seen the list. You know, the list of the top 20-100 things you should do in your home for spring. The list is pretty much the same with some modifications. Of the list, there are a few things that really Stan out as things that are worth repeating.

Starting in the bedroom is important. That is the one place you go to recharge your batteries, to get away and relax. Start with that room first, a well rested you always will be more productive and ready to tackle what lies ahead.Start with the windows. Take down any drapery or valances that you have hanging. Don’t be afraid to pop those drops into the dryer. Set your temperature to Air Dry, throw in a dryer sheet and let them tumble while you

clean the windows and window sills.

The dryer will p all out dust and you can rehang refreshed draperies. Repeat the process with your comforter and throw pillow as well. Now if also the time to pack up the heavy blankets and pull out lighter weight and also lighter colors to lighten up the look and feel for spring.

You can create an entirely new feel to your room with simple changes of blankets and pillows.

Spring is a great time to swap out the warm and cozy scents of the holidays and winter like cinnamon and sugar cookie and replace with lighter ones of citrus, soft florals. In the bedroom try scents with relaxing smells of lavender and your oasis will be complete. The smells of the ocean are nice for guest baths as an unexpected twist.

We have said it before and will say it again, Wallpaper, Wallpaper, Wallpaper! If you have to given wallpaper a try you are missing out on the fun. Embrace the fun and do it yourself with Peel and Stick versions of your favorite designs. Many companies now offer peel and stir wall coverings. Give it a try on a wall in that dark guest bathroom.

Choose a design with metallic finish and watch the light bounce off it and transform your dark room to an enlightened, dazzling space. The design options are growing and growing. Some of our favorite designers are now offering selections in peel and stick such as Candice Olson and Scalamandre.

After being stuck in our homes for most of the year, many of us have already decluttered and cleaned out. Let’s focus now on the small details that make a big difference. Add some fresh flowers to the kitchen counter. A new entry rug in a new color. Wallpaper that wall behind the television or around the fireplace Shake up your home for spring!

Dero’s has been helping customers turn houses into homes for over 40 years. Dero’s is here with all of your wallpaper needs, fabrics for drapes and pillows or new bedding and other home decor items that to help turn your house into a home. Dorothy said it best in “The Wizard of Oz,” “There is no place like home.”

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Bluebirds have a long history of living around people.

Accounts of Native Americans using dried gourds as nesting cavities are scattered among historical records.

These pre-Columbian farmers realized the benefits of having bluebirds around to consume cutworms, grasshoppers, and other crop-damaging pests. No doubt they also appreciated the beautiful tri-colored plumage of what was then one of the most common songbirds found in North America. Bright blue feathers along the upper head and back, contrasting with a rusty orange chest and a patch of white extending the length of the belly pair up to make the bluebird one of our more attractive avian residents.

The eastern bluebird, Sialia sialis, is a year-round inhabitant of North Carolina. A medium-sized member of the thrush family, females of the species display colors that are more subdued than that of males, a comparison that’s easily observed since mating pairs typically remain together throughout the nesting season. Modernday homeowners can likewise invite these feathered companions into lawns and gardens by installing a properly designed nest box.

I say “companions” because bluebirds are adaptable to human presence, a trait witnessed first-hand through many years of maintaining nest boxes. In fact, properly designed and monitored artificial nest boxes have become important to the success of bluebirds by serving as a replacement for traditional nesting sites that have been lost through habitat destruction and inter-species competition. Traditionally, bluebirds relied on abandoned woodpecker cavities, or trees that had sufficiently rotted to provide interior shelter to meet their cavity-dwelling requirements. After the arrival of European settlers, increased land clearing brought about a reduction in potential nesting sites, and competition for remaining sites was intensified by non-human arrivals.

European starlings, house sparrows, and even honey bees were all introductions that displaced bluebirds from their natural nesting cavities. By the beginning of the 20th century bluebird populations were in steady decline and it was clear that interactions between humans and bluebirds required some modifications.

Homes and Gardens

for Bluebirds WRITER & PHOT0GRAPHER Phyllis Baker Smith, Agent –

Natural Resources and Environmental Systems N.C. Cooperative Extension, Forsyth County Center

Populations continued to drop up through the mid1900s, but during the 1960s bird lovers and scientists embarked on collaborative efforts to design and install nest boxes that would not only mimic natural nest cavities, but eliminate some of the competition between bluebirds and non-native species. Bluebirds quickly accepted human-made nest boxes and the stage was set to reverse the trend of decline. Bluebird societies were launched and further led the charge by establishing networks of bluebird trails and promoting science-based research, support, and education. Most importantly, efforts proved that when equipped with the proper knowledge and materials, homeowners could restore March/April 2021

55

HOME & GARDEN

lost habitat by turning previously inhospitable lawns into bluebird sanctuaries.

Although a properly designed nest box is crucial to success, specific habitat preferences should also be met. Because bluebirds are primarily insectivorous during the growing season, the most successful nesting sites are usually in close proximity to open areas with short grass. Does this sound like your lawn? If the answer is “yes” then it might be tempting to install as many boxes as possible, but bluebirds are highly territorial.

When boxes are placed too close together males will spend more time fending off competition than collecting food for hungry chicks. Boxes, whether in a lawn or along a trail, should be situated at least 100 yards apart. Although open areas are preferred, scattered trees and shrubs provide protection from predators and a perching place for fledglings.

For additional protection, boxes should be mounted at least five feet high on metal poles equipped with predator guards. Never mount boxes on trees, wooden posts, or along fence lines, which only renders eggs and hatchlings more vulnerable to hungry raccoons, snakes, and a host of other predators!

Another important consideration is to mount nest boxes in areas that are not prone to pesticide treatments. Herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides can be highly toxic to birds. The best defense for most weeds, fungal diseases, and pests in the home landscape starts with a healthy lawn. Use your favorite search engine to access the NC State Extension publication Organic Lawn Care: A Guide to Organic Lawn Maintenance and Pest Management for North Carolina for advice on achieving a beautiful

lawn while providing a safe haven for birds. Also consider that bluebirds are year-round residents in North Carolina, and local populations may be joined by migrants from colder regions during the winter. As a result, resident bluebirds must alter their feeding habits in the winter to compensate not only for increased completion, but for a seasonal shortage of their preferred diet of in-

sects. This necessitates a switch to native fruits and berries. Landscaping suggestions to help meet this demand are available through NC State Extension’s Gardening website at https://gardening.ces.ncsu.edu/wildlife/bi rds/. Once at the site click on Managing Backyards for Birds and scroll to Table 1. Under the “Timing and Availability” column look for plants that provide “soft mast” during the fall and winter seasons.

For further advice on planting and maintaining the trees and shrubs listed in this publication contact your county’s N.C.

What’s coming in the May-June Magazine?

Health & Wellness

don’t miss a single story 56

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Cooperative Extension Center.

The good news is that bluebird numbers are currently on the rise, but persistent habitat loss and competition from introduced species will continue to necessitate human intervention. Scientists are also noticing potential climate change impacts on songbird populations, and bluebirds are no exception. According to the N.C. Bluebird Society, the first nesting cycle for local bluebirds typically falls between April and May, but during the 2020 nesting season the first clutch of bluebird eggs appeared in my nest box during a warm spell in the second week of March. By the time the eggs hatched winter weather had returned and insects were in short supply. I doubt the five hatchlings would have fledged had I not provided a steady supply of dried mealworms to nourish both parents and chicks.

Ordinarily, bluebird mate and site selection starts in February in North Carolina with the first nesting cycle beginning in March or April. A second, and occasionally a third cycle occurs as the season progresses, so boxes installed after the first window of opportunity still stand a chance of being used, and if not, they will already be in place for the following year. If your lawn meets the necessary habitat requirements, go ahead and make bluebird nest box installation your next landscaping project. Boxes designed especially for bluebirds are commercially available, or they can be constructed as a DIY project following plans for approved designs. For all the best advice on nest box design, placement, and monitoring go to https://www.ncbluebird.org/ and start planning your bluebird oasis today!

HOME & GARDEN

foodsandflavors~™

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March/April 2021

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HOME & GARDEN

GREAT Q & A For the Best in Plant care: WRITER Shannon Holden Shannon Holden

Associate Degree in Applied Animal Science Technology and Associate Degree in Horticulture Technology from Wilkes Community College

Q: How do I keep a thick, luscious lawn of grass (not weeds) and not spend a fortune?

What’s the best kind of fertilize to use to hardy up my yard grass for the winter in our area? After plugging and seeding recently is there a weed ‘n feed or does that hurt the good seed from growing?

A: If you want a good looking lawn without any weeds then turfgrass is the way to go. Unfortunately, you’d still spend a fortune. You can always do a soil test and contact your local agriculture extension office for help and information about the soil test. A soil test is key to knowing what your yard contains and needs.

You want to apply fertilizer when the soil is moist so a day after it rains when you won’t have rain again until a couple days later. Fertilizers like 8-16-24 & 8-12-24 are both really good for when seeding grass or just fertilizing it. It is important to know what type of grasses you have in your yard so you will be able to figure out its proper needs. Winter fertilizer is mainly about just keeping your grass healthy than about making your grass grow. It’s best to not apply weed and feed after you plugged and seeded your yard because the grass will not germinate as well. It is a good idea to apply a starter fertilizer after plugging and seeding your yard. If your soil test shows that your yard is too acidic then you’ll know to apply some lime. Applying lime can also help reduce with weeds growing that like acidic soil.

Q: When is the best time of year to cut back azaleas?

A: Usually you don’t have to prune back azaleas unless they get overgrown. They tend to look great with their natural shape and minimal pruning. After they bloom in the spring or early summer is the best time to prune, if needed. If you prune them back too late you will do harm to the plant by cutting off their new forming flower buds. If this happens, it will cause them not to bloom the next season.

Q: When is the best time to trim bushes? Don’t want to mess up their blooming.

A: The best time to prune and trim back bushes is in late winter or early spring. You won’t mess up their blooming if you make sure the plants are dormant. You want to avoid trimming when their new growth starts because you would be cutting off the new growth they produced such as shoots, buds, and blooms.

Q: Can you grow beautyberries from seed?

A: You can but it is much easier and quicker to take a cutting and start a new plant that way. You will want to take cuttings from the new growth in late spring or early summer. Be sure to make a clean cut and cut stems about 4 to 6 inches long at a 45 degree angle. You will want to remove the bottom lower leaves from your cutting but leave one or two leaves at the top. Fill your pots with a regular soil mix. Dip your beautyberry cuttings into the softwood powdered rooting hormone and then place it into your pot. Be sure to press it down into the soil good. You will want to make a greenhouse environment for it so putting a clear dome (like a clear plastic bag) over your pots should work great. Place your pots so it gets sunlight but not in direct sunlight. You should be able to transplant your beautyberry cuttings in 6 to 10 weeks.

Q: Why does my sage keep dying?

A: Sage is a perennial shrub but is used as an herb. Sage is a hardy perennial, meaning it can survive over the winter without protection. It is both cold and heat resistant. Sage grows well in hot, cool, dry environments. Sage does best in full sun but likes part shade too. For the best leaf flavor, full sun is needed. Sage can be planted and grown in average soil but likes well-drained soil. Don’t over water and have soggy soil because they like to be somewhat dry.

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Q: When is the best time to plant shrubs & trees?

A: Fall is the best time to plant any shrubs and trees. It’s just an ideal time.

Your hard work with gardening is winding down, the soil is still warm, before it gets too cold and the ground freezes. When you plant a shrub or tree, you want it to get off to a good start and produce new roots (be grounded). The best way to get roots established in the soil is having warm soil and cool air. You want the shrub or tree to produce good roots before the ground freezes.

Q: What is the best way to plant lilac bushes? They are hard to keep living and thriving?

A: A good rule of thumb when planting a shrub or tree is to make the hole size about twice as wide as the rootball. You want your hole just deep enough so the top of the rootball is level with the topsoil. Lilacs like to have at least 6 hours of sunlight each day. They may not bloom if they are in too much shade. They like the soil to be moist but well-drained. It’s best to plant lilacs in late fall while the ground is still warm and before the ground freezes. You only need to fertilize lilacs within the first two years of planting.

Bone meal is a great fertilizer to use since it’s a natural plant food.

Q: My Christmas cactus hasn’t bloomed in years. How do I get it to bloom for Christmas each year? How often do I water and when am I supposed to fertilize?

A: Christmas cactus like more morning sun than the hot evening sun. Check your root system and make sure it isn’t root bound in the pot. If so, then transplant very carefully. You should water very lightly once a week or once every two or even three weeks. I’ve heard some people say they like for the cactus to go dormant during the month of September. They skip watering it for that whole month so it will bloom around Christmas time. You can fertilize it with Jobe’s fertilizer spikes.

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Q: What about planting and caring for mums?

A: Mums are very popular each year because their bloom time is long. They can be used as an annual or a perennial. They will need plenty of space for their root system. If you have them in a pot or container, they seem to get rootbound quick.

Be sure to have drainage holes in the bottom of your pot. Mums like their soil to be moist but not too wet because it will cause root rot. Also, when you water mums be sure to just water the soil around it and don’t get the foliage wet because it can cause fungi. You can help your mums have a longer bloom time by deadheading, meaning removing the old, wilted blooms. If you want to overwinter them then prune them back about an inch from the ground and mulch it.

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Q: After hostas bloom, can you plant the pods and grow new plants?

A: Yes, but few hostas are going to be true from seed, meaning they won’t turn out looking like the parent plant. A good example of this would be if you take seeds off a variegated hosta plant and plant them, then more than likely they will not grow as variegated hostas.

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Q: Best things to plant throughout the year that are low maintenance and look great?

A: One of my favorites is Lantana because it seems like they bloom forever and last a long time- through a couple frosts. Some of the perennials that I think are beautiful and are low maintenance are coneflower, black-eyed Susan, coreopsis, dahlias, daylily, ferns, marigolds, shasta daisy, hosta, and sedum. I believe even herbs like basil, rosemary, lavender, thyme, and mint look great. Just be careful with certain mints because it can spread and take over. A wise lady once told me, “Don’t plant it where you don’t want it.” Also, a few annuals that are low maintenance and last are zinnias, petunias, coleus, sweet potato vine, and canna.

Mums are also a good choice to use as an annual or overwinter them to be a perennial. Even some ornamental grasses are low maintenance and look neat like zebra grass, purple fountain grass, blue fescue, black mondo. Switchgrass is a good perennial grass.

Find your copy at 52pounds.com 60

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SPRING CLEANING PLANS FROM THE AMERICAN CLEANING INSTITUTE Courtesy of Carmen Long For spring cleaning, plan your work, then work your plan. You can tackle your spring cleaning in even the smallest chunks of time. Each of the tasks on our list takes just a few minutes, so you can decide how many you can squeeze into your already busy day.

A IS FOR ASTHMA AND ALLERGY TRIGGERS: During this challenging winter, many of us were snowed in with our pets whose dander is one of the most common triggers. Compound that with a few months of everyday dust and the

B IS FOR BACTERIA: From the front door knob to kitchen counters, the telephone and remote control, ACI recommends giving every surface in your home the thorough cleaning it needs with the goal of reducing the likelihood bacteria sticks around for spring. Prevent mold and mildew from accumulating in the bathroom by using a daily shower cleaner. Mold and mildew remover products are effective if you have to use them. Use a disinfectant to kill the mold and mildew. If you’re in the kitchen, give the surfaces a good cleaning and disinfecting. Make sure you allow enough time for the germ kill, per the product label instructions.

Prep: Inventory your supplies and add what’s missing to your grocery list.

Make a to-do list for what you want to clean, then divide it up by task or room.

Window Blinds/Curtains: If you try to clean all the blinds in one day, chances are that you may not be as through on the later ones.

Pace yourself and only clean one or two windows (or one room) a day.

Take down curtains to wash or take to the cleaners or vacuum them and use a fabric refresher to neutralize any odors.

C IS FOR CLUTTER: Sort it out. Take everything out of the closet, dressers, shelves, under the bed and off the furniture. Put stuff in separate piles. Separate out what you don’t need anymore and donate if you can. Keep similar items together so children know where to find things.

Put items inside drawers, closets, covered boxes or plastic containers so dust can’t collect on them. While the furniture surface is clear, use an electrostatic dust sheet.

Walls: Use a vacuum with a soft brush attachment on the hose to clean up any cobwebs in the corners Ceiling fans: Wipe or vacuum the blades first to get any loose dust, then spray your cleaning cloth to keep any cleaning product from staining your ceiling.

Upholstered furniture: Vacuum the cushions and under them.

Use a fabric refresher to neutralize any odors.

ABC’S OF SPRING CLEANING However long it takes you, American Cleaning Institute, (ACI) has a few suggestions for addressing the ABCs of spring cleaning.

and curtains. Dust surfaces and vacuum the carpet clean the window sills and frames. Wet mop floors.

ACI also has extensive online information on removing asthma and allergy triggers.

tiniest unwelcome guests who seek shelter in our homes during cold weather, and it’s time to do away with the "A." Have an allergen control plan.

Clean one room at a time, starting with where an asthma or allergy sufferer sleeps. Wash their bedding

March/April 2021

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Buttercrunch Lettuce

A New Gardening Season

WRITERS & PHOTOGRAPHS

Delores Kincer & Judy Mitchell

Viola Yellow Jumpups

Violas 62

Have you noticed when you step outside how much the light is changing?

How fresh the air seems now? It is quite a spell that the first signs of spring cast over our senses. Mother Nature begins to paint us a brand new picture for yet another growing season.

Everyone who gardens knows this is the perfect time to get excited. For those who don’t garden, most will admit this time of year does make them think about it. The past year has been so heavy with gloomy emotions and uncertainty the coming season should bring with it a chance to think positively and fill ourselves with hope and promise by planting a garden. Whether you are more enticed by flowers or maybe vegetables, or trees, shrubs and perennials, it doesn’t really matter. Gardening brings beauty and a sense of renewal and purpose to life, not to mention the pay-off.

Bright colors scattered across our landscapes and vegetables feeding our families, what more could you ask for?

Early March is a good time to cut back roses and summer flowering shrubs if they need it. Also cut back ornamental grasses and lirope or monkey grass now.

The dead tops of last year’s hostas and daylilies may be just pulled off now if you haven’t already, before they put out new growth. Do not cut back spring flowering shrubs now or you will be cutting off their flowers.

In the first part of March, it still may be just a bit early for some things to be planted. Plant pansies and violas now — they don’t mind the frost. Here in zone 7, don’t usually begin to plant warm season seedlings until late April or early May. However, make no mistake beautiful gardens are not just limited to annuals. March is still a great time to consider your whole landscape, borders, smaller gardens and beds. Perennials are safe to plant as well as most trees and shrubs. In fact, March is about the time they begin to come out of dormancy, so if you will give them a shot of fertilizer after planting, you will have them off to a healthy start.

If you are eager and just really want to be doing something, starting some of your own seeds indoor in the beginning of March is a viable plan. You can easily start kale, lettuce and spinach in a sunny spot outside in March, as they like cooler

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weather. Broccoli and cabbage may be transplanted into the garden now. Carrots and beets may be sowed directly into the garden. As they are root crops, they do not like to be transplanted. Tomatoes and peppers may be started inside in a warm, sunny spot. However, unless you take the time to carry them outdoors and back inside on cool nights, you probably are going to end up with very fragile and leggy plants. This is really not a good way to start them off when you put them in to the ground. I recommend a trip to your nearest garden center or plant nursery to purchase plant plugs or seedling plants. They have had a better start in life and generally will yield a stronger, more disease and pest resistant plant. If you choose to do the latter, you can plant the plants mentioned before straight into the ground starting in mid-April.

While you still can sow seed directly now, the ground is still a bit cool to promote healthy germination times of the seed. Squash, cucumber and bean seeds or plants may be planted into the garden in mid-April if the weather stays warm enough.

While you are waiting, go ahead and clear out all debris that is left over from last year and remove any coverings you may have put over your existing perennials. Condition your soil and prep your beds—it won’t be long now and the world will burst into bloom and the world will smile again. At least we hope so anyway.

Don’t forget, to fertilize your shrubs, perennials, berries and fruit trees!

Follow your heart, right outside into the spaces where joy is soon to grow.

Breathe in the fresh air and take a trip to your local garden center, browse and plan. In no time, you will be the queen or king of your garden kingdom.

Happy Gardening!

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A special feature coming in our July/August magazine.

my grandma memory

Above right: My Grandma, Caroline Myers

enjoy “my” grandma memory Aunt Carrie…that was most of my father’s brother and daughter-in-laws called my Grandmother Caroline Myers.

She was born in rural New York though her parents came from Europe. I had a bachelor uncle who saved my grandfather’s leather suitcase containing my grandmother’s rosary, several religious medals, a Last Rites wooden Crucifix Cross packed with what was called a Sick Call Set, a few holy cards marking passages in her red, then faded to a rosy pink velvet missal printed in German. The same uncle saved her china for me…made in Austria.

When she was alive and even after she developed cancer, it was totally understood by all that Sunday afternoons were reserved for visiting her. Even at three, I could remember being lifted up to her bedridden arms for a smooch for “her baby.” AND you did not smoke in front of Gramma…daughters-in-law had to smoke outside the house!

During WWII my father, mother and I lived with my grandmother. My grandfather, gone when my dad was only two, built the big saltbox house on a knoll facing the Genessee River. It still stands today. I have b/w photos of threshing teams working the farm’s fields and vividly recall my mother with all the other women in the family making meals for the traveling men. The kitchen was packed with lunch and those wonderful pies…there was a patch of rhubarb on the bank at the front of the homeplace and there were some super delicious rhubarb pies made in that kitchen.

P.S. We’ve received quite a few entries already! Some a paragraph or two, some a page or two. Some with photos and some without.

Remember, it’s not a contest, and there’s no right or wrong, It’s simply sharing and enjoying a special memory honoring your grandma.

We’d welcome your grandma memory! We’ll publish your memories in our July-August magazine. We’d need your memories by May 1, 2021.

We’d welcome a copy of a photograph of your grandma, together with you would be great, but no photo is required! email to: barabara@yadkinvalleymagazine.com Mail to: Barbara Norman Yadkin Valley Magazine 413 Cherry Street, East Bend, NC 27018

As a thank you, every memory submitted will receive a Keepsake, Commemorative “Grandma’s Kitchen” Pot Holder celebrating this special issue of Yadkin Valley Magazine.

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Homestyle Basics:

“Be Your Own Style” WRITER Amie Thomas Brendle

A Discovery of the Old and the New...You can find your own personal style and aesthetic with just a little bit of practice and patience. Just remember, you have to live in it, see it every day and feel comfortable, so chose items and a décor you like and will enjoy, and the rest will come. No one says you must do everything all at once.

Working in stages can be better…

Allow yourself to acclimate in your surroundings, especially if you are moving into a new home. Change can be gradual. Your home should be a reflection of YOU and your Family, no matter the style. An idea can be implemented in a one room studio or a multi-level house.

There are literally limitless possibilities.

Always enjoy the transitions, if you are stressing, you may be trying too hard and perhaps forcing project ideas and selections. If you are second guessing yourself, that item or theme may not be for you. Do not force something to “speak” to you. Allow yourself to come through naturally in the project. Never

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STYLE...Style can be defined as: A distinctive manner of Expression.

We all want to express ourselves, some more quiet some loudly, but perhaps the most important reflection is our living space… the place we call HOME. In the Upcoming Months we will go on a journey of sorts, visiting different opportunities and hopefully, assisting in creating ideas and choices. What we may discover is all things will not work for all individuals but can be used as a springboard for all sorts of beginnings and alternatives.

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settle or purchase an item just to check something off your list.

A big misconception concerns mixing styles. In the South we are very proud of our generational history.

Family heirlooms and furniture are a large part of that. We often mix styles anyway, either because of love of our past or necessity or a little bit of both.

A modern more minimalistic or even utilitarian concept looks wonderful with antiquities and generational pieces.

Another point to ponder is Niceties vs. Necessities. It is wise to set a budget.

The more DIY the project can be, the better. Do not sell yourself short, you can do more than you think, there are no prerequisites, just a willingness to allow yourself to be creative and have fun. Most people find this very therapeutic and then a sense of accomplishment and pride.

Starting small. It may sound trivial, but believe me starting too many projects in too many rooms at one time is overwhelming. Decluttering: Clean a

room and declutter before you start any project. If there are items you know you will absolutely never use, donate them to a local charity so someone else may benefit from them.

Here are some ideas to try. And the first one does not even require spending money. Simply move items around in your home. From one room to another just mix it up, knick knacks to small pieces of furniture. I love doing this, and then living with the results for a few days, continue until the spaces feel refreshed. Also, take a look in your storage places, garage, attic and basement, possibly seeing something that can now be used and enjoyed. Perhaps just cleaning an old piece up, leaving it rustic, or painting it a different color to update it.

Maybe it just needs a little Fru-Fru (my favorite phrase) to come back to life.

Any Room: A fresh coat of paint always uplifts any room instantly. And even though it is easier to go with neutrals, some may like and enjoy bolder colors. Please be aware of the difference in oil and latex paints (especially if there is existing paint) and which sheen would be better suited for a particular room and your own taste. Wallpaper, especially the easy-to-use peel and stick, or borders can add a nice touch as well.

Window treatment: Invest in a new valance, use your existing hardware or simply paint the existing one to better match. A more expensive alternative is investing in wooden blinds, but this can take the place of all window treatments in the foreseeable future.

Switch Plates: Replace, use wallpaper, decoupage or again, simply paint the existing ones (Do not forget about the screws) Always paint in a well-ventilated area!

Electrical Outlets: Many more types and colors now including USB outlets.

ONLY professionals should change out and work with outlets.

Dining Room: Reviving can be as simple as some new chair covers, new chair cushions and/or a new tablecloth and centerpiece. Centerpieces can be freshened by replacing the contents and keeping the Vase/Container.

Amy Thomas Brendle Kitchen: Change out the pulls. Too expensive? Mix a few special ones in, OR spray paint the old ones after cleaning them good first. Paint the hardware and screws at the same time.

TIP: Use recycled cardboard or Styrofoam—sticking the screws in it.

This way they are not lost and much easier to spray.

Den/Bedroom: New throw pillows or even pillow covers and throw blankets can add a nice pop of color to a chair, couch, or bed. Change out a lamp shade instead of buying a new fixture or of course, just paint (fabric paint may be needed depending on the type of shade).

Covers to use on chairs/couches are much more economical than purchasing new ones.

Replacing a duvet, comforter or bedspread is ideal, just be aware once you begin, there may be more pieces you would like such as shams, decorative pillows, etc. Try to search for inclusive sets.

This past year has changed how many of us shop. More people are of course ordering online. As with any purchase, whether in store or online, make sure you can return the item if it does not work. The exception could be specialorder items.

These are some general ideas and information to start and hopefully to motivate. I know most of us are still a little stir crazy and this is the perfect time to focus on freshening up your home. Believe me…it will make you feel better and smile when you are finished, whether a big or a small project.

Bathroom: Mix and match in a few new towels. Use a basket(s) or any type of container to display towels and hand towels by simply rolling them or arranging in a fan shape. Wicker or metal is nice, just remember to put a protective coating on the basket/container due to humidity. Battery candles are wonderful as decoration or with a relaxing bath.

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HOME & GARDEN

Hannah Lepsch For those who have more questions please contact N.C. Cooperative Extension – Yadkin County Center at 336.849.7908 or by email at hannah_lepsch@ncsu.edu.

Bulls Blood beets for greens. Photo: Pam Dawling, Sustainable Market Farming Blog

Successful Edibles Series

Grow Bulbous Beets

Your fall vegetable stores have dwindled, and six months have elapsed since fat tomatoes and zucchini (never thought you’d miss them) proliferated the kitchen counter. Extend your harvest into the early spring “shoulder” season with a cool season crop like beets. Growing a “shoulder vegetable” is an opportunity to renew fresh harvests before summer crops are even planted.

Garden beets (Beta vulgaris ssp. vulgaris), also called a beetroot or table beet, is a cold hardy biennial (requiring two seasons to set seed) grown as an annual for its edible root. It is a member of the amaranth family that includes swiss chard, spinach, and quinoa (and pigweed). Domestication enlarged the upper storage chamber of the root, resulting in the bulbous beetroot we eat. Beyond its tasty flavor (beets have highest sugar content of any vegetable), several scientific studies have shown beets help prevent heart disease and lower blood pressure. Beet roots are high vitamin C content to boost the immune system, a pertinent need this spring.

Not only do beets grow best under cool temps, but they’re actually sweeter and have a better color. Like other root vegetables, they are quite cold hardy and survive a freeze and much colder temperatures, 20°F. and below, without protection. Varieties include storage, bunching and specialty types, ranging in color from classic “beet red” to gold to red with white stripes. Ruby queen, red ace and bulls blood (for greens) are varieties that do well in our area. Lutz and Winterkeeper are excellent varieties for longer storing times that hold for months in the refrigerator. Commonly grown heirlooms are Chioggia, notable for its red and white striped interior and Cylindra, an elongated, slicing beet that is easy to chop for pickling or on salads.

Planting begins 4 to 6 weeks before the last spring frost— March 1 through mid-April in USDA hardiness zone 7 which is most of the Yadkin Valley. Most varieties mature in 50 to 68

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60 days for harvest in May to June. Late planting is a frequent problem with beets pushing into hotter weather having underdeveloped, poor quality roots with lower sugar content.

Fall beets should be sown 8 to 10 weeks before killing frost in late July through mid-August. While a fall planting may be sweeter growing into cold weather, plant establishment is more reliable with spring planting because beet seeds do not germinate/survive well in hot soil.

Beets are heavy feeders, requiring adequate nitrogen and phosphorus and loose soil to form a sizeable root. Be sure to apply a nitrogen source in a complete fertilizer or a nitrogenrich organic amendment like high quality compost or bloodmeal. Routine compost application opens up heavy clay soil and over time builds “fluffy” (or friable) soil needed to form a sizeable root. Take a soil test for accurate lime and fertilizer rates for your garden soil. In the absence of a soil test, apply 1 cup of general fertilizer such as 10-10-10 fertilizer per 10’ of row. Apply 50% before seeding in a 1 to 2’ wide band, and sidedress plants with the remainder at 4 and 6 weeks after planting. Boron is an important micronutrient for beets, causing a black spot to develop at the root center where deficient.

Side dress a small amount (6 to 7 Tablespoons of per 1000 sf) of household borax, or even dissolve 1 Tablespoon of borax in 3 gallons of water and apply with a watering can over a 100’ row.

Prepare soil for planting by loosening with a spade, then follow with a rake to form a smooth, even seedbed of fine soil.

Direct sow beet seeds ½ to 1” deep in rows spaced 15 to 20,” wide enough to keep weeds hoed between rows (beets do not compete well with weeds, so keep up with hand pulling weeds when they emerge). Gently tamp the soil or water in after planting. Beets, like other root crops, are not usually transplanted as disturbing roots can stunt their growth. Damping-off, caused by pythium spp and other soil-borne fungi, is common in cool, wet soils and shows up as rotting of seedling stems at the soil line. To prevent, grow on a raised bed or planting area to encourage good drainage.

Careful thinning is critical to get large, well-formed beetroots. I have seen several stunted or malformed beet crops where overcrowding was the likely culprit. The beet “seed” is technically a tiny fruit or seed ball with about 6 individual seeds. When planted, several seedlings will come up together to form a tight cluster. Shortly after germination, reduce the thickest of the clumps to one individual. Thin plants to 2 to 3” spacing after the plants have developed true leaves. Or wait until they are a little larger, and thin via destructive harvesting, whereby the harvested plants are also eaten. Eat beet tops or thinnings prepared like other greens such as collards. When very tender, greens can be eaten raw mixed with other salad greens. Their taste is similar to swiss chard but with a distinctive “earthy” flavor.

Consistent watering is also important especially during early establishment and root development. A uniform moisture supply will promote even, non-cracking root expansion. Aim to water deeply to 6” subsoil depth to maintain supply during dry periods and encourage deeper rooting. Straw or hay

Chioggia Beet Photo: Suzies Farm

Deformed beetroot from overcrowding.

Take home message, thin ruthlessly!

mulch can be easily spread, and maintains even moisture and will insulate root tops in the event of a hard freeze.

Harvest by pulling every second beet in the row to give extra space to remaining plants. When harvesting, break the tops off so the greens don’t regrow and suck nutrients out of the roots. Rinse off dirt before storing. Store in the crisper or fridge for best shelf life. Beets should be good for 2 plus months. Plan to wrap up your harvest by the end of June (perfect timing for rotating to a late summer or fall crop).

Roots that maturing in hot weather (above 80-85°F.) become woody, fibrous and small. Timely planting so you can harvest prior to the onset of summer heat is key growing high quality and sweet beets.

Before and After Visit LTD and Learn how to Control Weeds in your Yard 1073 Meadowbrook Drive, King www.ltdfarmandgarden.com 336-983-4331 M-F 7:30-5:30 • Sat 7:30-1 Clemmons Milling Co. 4010 Hampton Road, Clemmons 336-766-6871

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March/April 2021

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Spring Ephemerals Native Plant Showstoppers WRITER & PHOTOGRAPHER

LESLIE ROSE Horticulture Agent, N.C. Cooperative Extension, Forsyth County Center, Director of the Arboretum, Tanglewood Park

Growing plants in the shade is a common challenge for gardeners in our area. Large trees provide a variety of benefits and beauty, but limit the availability of sunshine for plants growing below them. In shady spots, many gardeners rely on foliage plants for year-round interest. Some common choices are Hosta, Helleborus (Lenten rose or hellebore), and Heuchera (coral bells). These traditional choices generally feature unique foliage that offers interest throughout the year in the form of color and texture.

In addition to traditional plant choices for shade, native spring ephemerals offer interest in shady areas. Spring ephemerals get their name from their short-lived blooms. They are typically low-growing plants found in the understory of the forest floor. If you’re lucky enough to catch these plants in bloom during a walk or hike, you are in for a treat. A variety of spring ephemerals can be found growing in the Wildflower Garden at the Arboretum and Gardens at Tanglewood Park in Clemmons. Typically, this garden is at its most colorful during early spring, usually beginning in late March and continuing through early May (depending on the weather). The colors of the blooming spring ephemerals stand out in the shade on any spring day.

Another reason to appreciate spring ephemerals is they are native plants, meaning they have naturally evolved in our area. A growing number of gardeners are adding native plants to their yards. Native plants possess a number of advantages over non-native plants. In general, native plants are adapted to the conditions in our area; when planted in the proper place, native plants are well-positioned to thrive. In addition, native plants provide resources for native pollinators and 70

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Top left: Trillium Erectum Insert: Mertensia Virginica Above: Tiarella Cordifolia

other wildlife. These plants can provide food in the form of pollen, nectar, fruit, and seeds, as well as shelter for many native insects and other wildlife. While you can enjoy these plants in their natural habitat, you should avoid removing them from the wild. Some spring ephemerals are rare and face the threats of habitat loss and fragmentation.

Though the blooms of spring ephemerals are fleeting, many of these plants maintain unique foliage that adds interest to the garden throughout the year. In addition, spring ephemerals are perennial plants that will return year after year.

Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) features bold, lobed leaves resembling the shape of a hand. In the spring, the blooms of bloodroot are bright white and stand out in the shade.

Another spring ephemeral featuring white flowers is foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia). The flower spikes appear in clusters, resembling clouds of foam. Some varieties of foamflower also have variegated leaves.

In addition to white, the flowers of spring ephemerals bring a variety of other colors. Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica) have blue flowers, a rarity in most gardens. Green and gold (Chrysogonum virginianum) is a groundcover with yellow flowers. The foliage forms a mat at the surface of the ground and remains evergreen through the winter. Trillium can be identified by their leaves that occur in threes. A variety of trillium species bloom in various colors, including pink, red and white.

Spring ephemerals are a special treat for anyone looking forward to the promise of spring in the garden. I hope you are able to enjoy these spectacular blooms on a shady, springtime walk.

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Cherries Jubilee

Chocolate Chip

Baptisia Building a Collection!

Have you ever just looked a group of related plants and thought I need to have them all? Baptisia is one of those plants that growing one variety, cultivar or species just won’t do. Our current collection displays 15 different varieties but that hasn’t begun to reach the diversity within this plant group.

Baptisia is a large group of plants native to the United States. Commonly known as false indigo, it resembles the indigo plant that produces a dye but with much larger flowers. Belonging to the pea family, new growth emerges in spring, almost like spears of asparagus that give rise to blue-grey leaves followed by spikes of pea-like flowers.

Most species have spikes of flowers,

WRITER Adrienne Roethling, Director of Curation & Mission Delivery, Ciener Botanical Gardens

some have flowers that cascade below the leaves and some have a single flower borne in the axil of the leaf. Most bloom in spring, while some bloom in summer. It’s an easy plant to grow, does best in full to part sun, grows in poor soils and should be staple plant in every garden. They range in size from 12” tall and wide to 4’ tall and 6’ wide and are possibly deer resistant.

A few species have stood out as mainstream but in recent years, hybrids offering a grand color palette and superior habits have taken the market by storm. Thanks for some nature hanky panky as well as experts in our industry for making incredible plants. Tony Avent, owner of Plant Delights Nursery

Paul J. Ciener Botanical Garden, 215 South Main Street, Kernersville, NC 27284 Open Mon-Fri Dawn to dusk Free online newsletter available - cienerbotanicalgarden.org For more information or to schedule a tour: 336-996-7888 72

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in Raleigh, NC has dubbed Baptisia as the redneck lupine. Because lupines do not like the heat and humidity but has found Baptisia to be the best alternative.

If you would like some extra reading, visit their website and read the article on “Baptisia, Revenge of the Redneck Lupines” nothing like the previous ones mentioned. This indigo is known as the wooly indigo and with a name like arachnifera, you know it’s something special. The stems are grey with white hairy leaves. Growing to just 2’ tall and

wide, and flowers in summer with yellow flowers held close to the stems and leaves. Our specimen has been growing in our scree beds since 2009. This plant is currently listed on the federally endangered list. Thanks to the works of

Plant Delights Nursery, they found a way to grow seedlings making it available to you.

Visit the gardens throughout the months of April and May to find a lot more of false indigos in bloom. You can

say that I’m in my Baptisia stage and rightfully so. It’s native, tough as nails and performs well in the garden, need I say more?

I also wanted to share some unusual false indigos.

Baptisia arachnifera (photo left) is nothing like the previous ones mentioned. This indigo is known as the wooly indigo and with a name like arachnifera, you know it’s something special. The stems are grey with white hairy leaves. Growing to just 2’ tall and wide, and flowers in summer with yellow flowers held close to the stems and leaves. Our specimen has been growing in our scree beds since 2009. This plant is currently listed on the federally endangered list.

Thanks to the works of Plant Delights Nursery, they found a way to grow seedlings making it available to you.

Baptisia Arachnifera

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Health & Wellness

Gardening Products

To Reduce Strain, Prevent Pain and Overcome Barriers Caused by Physical Impairments

WRITER Kimberly Blaker Gardening offers many excellent mental and physical health benefits.

It's a healthy form of exercise because you're moving around. At the same time, it boosts your emotional health by spending time outdoors while tending to your plants' needs as they grow. Unfortunately, as you age, or if you have any physical impairments or conditions, all the bending, extending, kneeling, lifting and other gardening aspects can become painful or difficult. If you find gardening is taking a toll on your body, there are many handy products out there. Particular gardening gadgets and equipment can reduce strain and support you through various challenges to make the experience possible and enjoyable!

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Arthritic hands can make it difficult to grip and maneuver traditional gardening tools that put your hands and wrists in uncomfortable positions. But there are a few great alternative tools. In particular, is the Radius Garden 5 piece tool set or the Bear Paws Cultivator Claw, explicitly made to be lighter weight with a more ergonomic design.

When your knees or back are prone to pain, the constant bending and kneeling required for gardening may seem impossible to keep up with. Still, there are ways to reduce discomfort or eliminate the need to kneel and bend as often, if at all. If you struggle to put pressure on your knees for extended periods, many products can reduce the stress of kneeling on the hard ground. You might want to try the Abcosport deep-seat garden kneeler. It can be used as a garden seat or kneeling pad. There's also the AMES Buddly Lawn and Garden Cart, which doubles as an easy-to-pull wagon and a sturdy seat from which to garden.

A bad back makes it hard to bend over to pull weeds to keep them from taking over your garden. With Grampa’s Weeder, a stand-up weed puller means you can remove these invasive plants from the root without ever having to bend down.

Do you struggle with limited reach because of mobility issues or wheelchair use? If so, there are tools to make it easier to tend to your plants from farther away. With the Ymachray Long Handled Planter, you can easily plant your bulbs and seedlings in the ground without having to kneel down and reach into the garden. You can also bring the garden up to your level with the Keter Easy Grow Raised Garden Bed you can use while standing. There are many other types of raised beds of various heights and sizes to fit your specific needs.

Gardening involves a lot of moving around, standing up, squatting, pulling plants out of the ground and carting around heavy plant debris, soil and all manner of tools. But suppose you struggle with balance problems or limited strength. Gardening can put you in a dangerous position, increasing your risk of falling or sustaining an injury. So cart tools around safely with a rolling mobile tool storage system like the Vertex Super-Duty Yard & Garden Cart. This will reduce heavy lifting and carrying gardening tools around.

Watering with a hose or heavy watering can throw off your balance and be difficult to lift. To avoid this, install a drip system like

the Raindrip Automatic Watering Kit. It automatically delivers an efficient amount of water to your hanging plants and containers.

Plants can be particularly rough on thinning skin, especially when dealing with rose thorns or spiky weeds, which can quickly tear your skin up. This can make gardening painful and even lead to infections. When you have more delicate skin, you want to make sure it's protected. Think about investing in thorn proof rose pruning gloves that extend farther up your arms to protect yourself as you reach into thick growth.

Traditional gardening takes place outdoors since plants need sunlight to grow. So it's vital to keep your skin protected from too much sun exposure, which can lead to sunburn and increased skin cancer risk. A Lenikis sun hat with a wide-brim and neck cover keeps you protected from UV rays.

You might also consider an indoor gardening system, like the Smart Garden hydroponics growing system, if you need to stay entirely out of the sun.

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83

Health & Wellness

Special Needs Kids Often Don't Respond to Tried-and-True Discipline Methods Try This Token System for Positive Behavioral Change in the Difficult Child Finding healthy, effective approaches to gaining children's cooperation, and improving their behavior isn't always easy.

The tried and true methods often turn out to be true but temporary at best, especially for children with behavior problems stemming from attention deficit disorder or other behavior disorders.

One approach that works well is a token system. With this method, children earn tokens for a variety of good behaviors and lose tokens for misbehavior. Then they purchase rewards or privileges with the tokens they’ve accumulated.

Benefits of the token system: The token system has several advantages over other forms of discipline and behavior management plans. First, it can be carried out at any time and in any place. Children often act up in stores or public places, leaving parents with few options for immediately settling the problem. But with the token system, you and your child will carry a supply of tokens everywhere you go. Before you head out, just remind your child that good behavior will be rewarded and that inappropriate behavior will result in immediate loss of tokens.

The second advantage is the token system teaches children how to save, budget and plan expenditures because tokens are used similarly to money.

Next, this system prevents inappropriate or useless measures parents often utilize in the heat of the moment. The token system makes empty threats a thing of the past. Because your child is aware of the consequences and your ability to administer them immediately, he's less likely to act up.

Fourth, the token system is a positive approach. It eliminates criticism, yelling, arguing, and other unhealthy and ineffective ways parents often get caught up in dealing with 84

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WRITER

Kimberly Blaker

problem behavior.

Finally, the token system can be altered regularly to keep kids’ interest and thereby increase its effectiveness. The token system, or one of its variations, can be used from about the age of three on into the preteen years, depending on your child’s level of maturity.

Getting started: Make a list of the behaviors you'd like to work on with your child. This should include positive behaviors you'd like your child to improve on, such as using good table manners or putting dirty clothes in the hamper. If your child is five or older, also make a separate list of problem behaviors you'd like to reduce, such as name-calling or hitting.

For children under five, the token system should be used only for reinforcing positive behavior. The frustration caused by losing tokens for poor behavior will not be helpful to the preschooler. That said, when a preschooler misbehaves, you can simply tell your child she will not be receiving any tokens as a result of the bad behavior.

Next, go through each list and prioritize and choose only four or five behaviors to work on at a time. Once your child has improved on a particular behavior, remove it from the list and add a new one.

Then determine how many tokens to reward your child or to confiscate for specific behaviors. Your list might look similar to the one below. Keep in mind the number of tokens assigned to a particular behavior should fit the severity or difficulty of the behavior relative to the other behaviors on which you are working: Hang up their book bag and jacket—Earn 3 tokens Eat supper without complaining—Earn 2 tokens Say please and thank you—Earn 1 token

Complete homework—Earn 6 tokens Hitting—Lose 5 tokens Tattling—Lose 2 token Also, try to estimate the number of tokens your child is likely to earn and lose in a week. Your child should be able to earn enough tokens to pay for problem behaviors. It's not a good idea for your child to go into debt. If this becomes a problem, adjust the distribution of tokens accordingly.

You’ll also need to choose rewards your child can purchase with the tokens. Determine what will be most enticing to your child. While a trip to rent a DVD might be a real winner with some kids, others won’t be fazed by it.

As you plan the rewards, include privileges your child asks for or does regularly and would be devastating if the opportunity were lost. Those rewards will be the strongest motivators. To make such rewards effective, you'll need to place limits on those privileges unless your child has earned and purchased it.

Be sure to set guidelines for rewards that require your time or attention. For example, a trip to the apple orchard might require a two-day notice. While for a board game, you might agree you'll play within four hours of the request.

Set a variety of values to the rewards. That way, your child has the option to either make frequent purchases or to save for something big. Small children require frequent opportunities to purchase rewards to maintain their interest.

Poker chips make good tokens. For older kids, assign different point values to each color.

Finally, when handing out tokens, always verbally praise your child. Say you’re proud of his actions or appreciate her thoughtfulness. When your child is no longer earning tokens for the behavior, continued use of praise will reinforce it.

Variations: If your child struggles to complete schoolwork and turn in assignments, use the token system for this alone. Ask your child’s teacher to send home a daily report of what your child has completed and turned in, then reward your child’s efforts. Use grade rewards only if your child is capable of achieving high marks without too much difficulty.

As your child approaches the teen years, tokens may be perceived as childish. If your preteen still struggles behaviorally and with completing tasks, offer a checkbook ledger for tallying points instead. When points are earned, your preteen should fill in the ledger with the specific behavior or task and the number of points earned. Then immediately initial to show you've approved the points.

Fun rewards for gaining your child’s cooperation a trip to the ice cream parlor

favorite fast food

an hour of TV

a DVD or video game rental

play a board game with Mom or Dad

a packet of colorful modeling clay

collector cards

a new book

bowling or roller skating

gel pen

a pass to stay up late

a treat from the ice cream truck

a trip to the park

a friend overnight

a favorite meal for supper March/April 2021

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The COVID-19 Vaccine is Here!

WRITER Jessica O. Wall, MPH

Assistant Director, Yadkin County Human Services Agency Medical Clinic and Wic jwall@yadkincountync.gov 336.849.7588

As everyone is probably well aware by now, North Carolina has been receiving shipments of the two approved COVID-19 vaccines since December. These two vaccines, Pfizer and Moderna, were approved for use by the FDA via an Emergency Use Authorization or EUA. According to the FDA, the EUA process was put in place so that needed medical countermeasures (medications, vaccines, etc.) are available for use in a public health emergency. Although both messenger RNA, or mRNA, vaccines, there are some small differences.

The Pfizer vaccine must be stored at ultra-low cold temperatures until time for use, where it is then thawed and diluted.

The Pfizer vaccine is given in a two dose series, 21 days apart.

The Moderna vaccine can be stored at traditional freezer temperatures and does not have to be diluted. The Moderna vaccine is also a two dose series, but is given 28 days apart.

According to the Moderna EUA, side effects that have been reported include injection site reactions such as pain, tenderness and swelling of the lymph nodes in the same arm of the injection, swelling (hardness), and redness. General side effects are fatigue, headache, muscle pain, joint pain, chills, nausea and vomiting, and fever. Side effects that have been reported with the Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine include: injection site pain, tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, fever, injection site swelling, injection site redness, nausea, feeling unwell, swollen lymph nodes (lymphadenopathy).

Many people wonder about mRNA vaccines like what they are, or how they work. The trick the body into making a protein, or a part of a protein, that can trigger an immune response in the body. The body’s immune system will see part of something that doesn’t belong and being to make antibodies. This is what helps fight off future infections when

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someone is exposed. The current COVID-19 vaccines do not contain live virus and cannot give you COVID-19. Also, they do not enter the nucleus of the cell where our DNA is kept.

This technology has been studied for years, including for diseases such as flu, zika and rabies. No vaccine is 100% effective. However, getting a vaccine betters your chances of not getting sick or having a less severe response if you do get sick.

It’s important to continue to practice things like washing your hands often, wearing a mask when around people you don’t live with and you are within 6 feet, and keeping your distance.

The state initially began vaccine distribution to hospital systems and local health departments so that health care workers at high risk could begin their series. Hospitals, local health departments and other enrolled providers are following the CDC and North Carolina prioritization plan for distributing the vaccine. This plan is broken down into four phases.

The initial phase is further broken down into Phase 1A and Phase 1B, with some aspects being broken down into groups.

The plan is as follows: Phase 1A includes those healthcare workers caring for positive COVID patients and staff and residents of long term care facilities.

Phase 1B includes adults at highest risk of severe illness (group 1) and those at highest risk of exposure that are not included in Phase 1A (group 2 and 3) Phase 1B, group 1 are those 65 years old and older Phase 1B, group 2 are front line and essential workers that are 50 and older, such as fire fighters, police, school personnel, food workers, manufacturers, etc.

Phase 1B, group 3 are front line and essential workers that are younger than 50

Can bring low back pain Every season brings unique activities requiring us to perform some physical activity we may not want to do but have no choice. In the winter, shoveling snow comes to mind while spring, summer and fall may include yard clean up, mowing, and raking. All these seasonal activities are "I have to" activities of daily living, (ADLs). Let's talk about gardening, digging a hole or some other yard related shoveling activity.

First, a few facts to help us appreciate why back pain is so common.

1. When we bend over, approximately two-thirds of our body weight is being lifted in addition to what we're lifting. So a 180-pound person lifts 120 pounds of body weight every time he/she bends over.

2. A five-pound weight equals 50 pounds to our back when it is held out in front of us. Consider the 10 to 20 pound weight on the end of a shovel.

3. Our legs are much stronger than our back and arms. If a person bench presses 300 pounds, they can usually leg press 500 pounds, almost two times more weight.

Yet, most of us use our arms, not our legs when shoveling.

4. Most of us bend over using poor technique, lifting with the arms and back rather than the legs and rapidly extend and twist the back when emptying the shovel.

5. When this faulty action is repeated many, many times and it is not something we're used to doing, we're not physically adapted or "in shape," it's no wonder we often can barely move after an hour of digging in the garden.

So what can we do? We can't change the fact most of our body's weight lies above our waist so we're stuck with that and, we're not going to lose weight in time for yielding the shovel. But we can certainly put less material on the shovel so the load on our back is less. It's important to squat down using our strong leg muscles while keeping our back as vertical/straight as possible, DO NOT BEND OVER! Try sticking out your posterior to keep an inward curve in your back; lift the load of material straight up with your legs, maintaining that arched back/posterior out position. Keep your arms/elbows straight and walk the shovel load to the dumping spot, don't try to throw the dirt by twisting your body. Take multiple breaks and switch sides so you don't "beat up" the same muscle groups repeatedly.

If you do hurt your back, using an analogy of a skin cut, avoid picking at the cut so it can heal. Use ice/rest followed by gentle stretching and modified activities, DON’T go back outside to work again. Some wise considerations include warming up before starting your gardening routine, staying "in shape" by regular exercise throughout the year, maintaining a good nutritional diet and getting enough sleep. **Please mention coupons when making your appointment. Insurance accepted.

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Health & Wellness

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Call: (336) 679-8500 for an appointment www.yadkindoctor.com

We Appreciate Your Referrals!

Office Hours: Monday 8-12 & 2-6 • Tuesday 9-12 Wednesday 8-12 & 2-6 • Thursday 9-12 & 2-6

If you or someone you know suffers from headaches, neck, back, arm, wrist or leg pain, please let them know we would be happy to help them!

March/April 2021

87

Health & Wellness You’ll find a complete version of our March/April Magazine on­line at:

yadkinvalleymagazine.com brought to you by:

Phase 2 includes adults at high risk of exposure and at increased risk of severe illness Phase 2, group 1 those 16-64 years old with high-risk medical conditions that increase risk of severe disease from COVID-19 such as cancer, COPD, serious heart conditions, sickle cell disease, Type 2 diabetes, among others, regardless of living situation Phase 2, group 2 those incarcerate or living in a congregate setting not already vaccinated Phase 2, group 3 those essential workers not yet vaccinated Phase 3 includes college and university students and K-12 students that are 16 and older At this time, there is not an approved vaccine for those under the age of 16.

Phase 4 all others interested in the vaccine not previously included in the other phases Each county health department is responsible for planning and executing their own vaccine distribution. If you are

curious about where you fall in the phases, where and how you might receive your vaccine, start by either visiting the NC DHHS website or the website of your local health department. Many also have a hotline or call center where you can call and get more information. Some health departments are doing vaccine by appointments, others are calling in groups at a time. Some are conducing them inside, others are doing drivethrough clinics. At this time, each entity that is enrolled as a COVID-19 provider is being allotted a shipment of vaccine that has been pre-determined by the state. Where a facility is at in vaccination depends on the number of people interested in each phase, the amount of vaccine on hand and where the state is at in their inventory of vaccine and stages of the phased plan. Vaccine distribution will get better and stronger over time, as we work to better our communication and distribution methods, as well as increase the locations where residents can get their vaccine.

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Love that healthy smile!

help keep your teeth happy with these tips WRITER Dr. Andrew Rivers Rinse out your mouth with mouthwash or at least water after every meal to help kill germs.

Using a hard bristled brush with an aggressive brushing techniques can cause irreversible damage to your teeth and surrounding tissue. Use a soft brush and avoid bearing down on your teeth and gums.

Dr. Andrew Rivers

Hard crunchy foods such as apples and carrots can help clean your teeth naturally.

Dental Tips are provided by: Dr. Andrew Rivers Rivers Family & Cosmetic Dentistry 118 Hospital St., Mocksville 336-751-6289 RiversFamilyDentistry.com

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Health & Wellness

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Take a Break at Boone’s Cave Park WRITER & PHOTOGRAPHER Mary Bohlen PHOTOS COURTESY DAVIDSON COUNTY PARKS & RECREATION www.co.davidson.nc.us/Facilities/Facility/Details/Boones-Cave-Park-10

The park’s Jim Monroe

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Need to get outdoors, go for a walk, have a picnic, stretch your body and rest your spirit? A day trip to one of the Piedmont's most scenic spots along the Yadkin River near Lexington might be your answer. Boone’s Cave Park is so named because legend has it Daniel Boone and his family lived here when they first arrived from Pennsylvania in the 1750s. It is most probable Boone hunted this area and camped, or hid out in the bluff caves. Although there is no historical documentation to prove this, many believe it to be true based on local tradition. The hundred year old park offers a variety of activities for young and old.

Park’s grounds keeper, Jim Monroe says, “There are a lot of things to do for a lot of people.” Earlier this year I met Jim for a tour of the park via his Cub Cadet.

The entrance to the park picnic pavilion and parking is on a high bluff overlooking the Yadkin River and where my introduction to the park began.

Jim noted the 100 plus acre park has over seven miles of trails. Some short easy treks and others a little tougher. Better wear good walking shoes and ones that won’t matter if they get a little muddy or wet.

Our first stop was the Kayak/Canoe trail. A new amenity for the river travelers is the road that has been established so one can drive down to the river put-in at Baptism Rock and load and unload.

Looking out over the massive flat rock, Jim explained, “This place has been used for many, many years for baptism services. It still is by special permission from Park Management.” Jim believes this place may also have been used as a ford at one time because the rock bed goes way out into the river which would have provided a desirable crossing.

Moving along the trails we passed through wetlands areas, mixed hardwoods, rolling slopes and flood plains. Some trails are raised to overcome wet spots but being so close to the river sometimes makes that a challenge. Jim reminded me this is a natural setting, largely undisturbed. In spring and summer there is an abundance of wildflowers and mushrooms in the park. Many of the flora are normally found in the Appalachian Mountains. Examples are Catawba Rhododendron and Mountain Laurel. Visitors can kayak or canoe the river, hike, fish, picnic, play disc golf, ride bikes or just set on a bench, listen for birds and breath in fresh air.

Camping is both primitive and semi-primitive. The difference? One site is near the restrooms and one is not! Firewood is available for purchase. There are also tent pads down at the river edge for boaters to overnight camp.

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The park’s massive Eastern Cottonwood.

A river front cave.

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Mary at the Boone marker.

Charm & Tranquility

The list of wildlife sometimes seen at the park include Pileated Woodpecker, Yellow Rumped Warble, Owls, Cedar Waxings, turtles, reptiles, salamanders, rabbits, deer, coyotes, brown bats, hawks, fox, bob cats and deer. Jim says, “There are times we see eagles or osprey come up the river from High Rock Lake. It is really a sight. From day to day, you don’t know what you might see.”

The park’s massive Eastern Cottonwood is amazing. It is said to be the third oldest of its kind in the state with a 16-foot circumference at the base. The canopy spread is over 100 feet and reaches 169 feet into the sky. This is the kind of forest trees Daniel Boone would have seen when he explored here. The whole park is a natural woodland including 46 acres protected as a Natural Heritage Site.

One of my favorite sections of the park is the Riverfront Trail and caves—beautiful spot to view the Yadkin. The caves are small and not high enough to stand in but I did go in and take a look. It is easy to imagine the days of long ago when First Americans were on this river that bear their name. The Saponi were here, too as well as others. Then, there were hunters and explorers like Daniel Boone. It is good therapy to sit on one of the big rocks, rest a while and watch the river below. No need to rush.

One of the last places Jim showed me on our tour is where the new playground is being installed. It is on the spot some believe may have been the Boone cabin homesite.

This is one of those high places overlooking the river.

When planning your outing consider the weather and dress accordingly including good walking shoes, a walking stick, bottled water and in the warmer months, bug repellent. There are picnic tables and a large pavilion that can be rented and there are clean bathrooms.

One of the assets of the park is that it is out of the way, no commercial intrusions. With that in mind bring what you need for a picnic or afternoon snack. Those who use strollers and wheelchairs will probably want to stay up top on the bluff at the pavilion area.

The little town of Tyro is about 12 minutes from the park on Highway 150. There you will find a grocery store, Stamey’s BBQ, Murano’s Italian Restaurant and a pizza/sandwich shop.

A daytrip to the river, a walk through secluded hardwoods, exploring some ancient caves and discovering native flora and wildlife may be just what you or your family need.

A great getaway.

Boone’s Cave Park is located on Boone Cave Road about 3 ½ miles off NC Highway 150 at The park is open daily except for New Years, Thanksgiving and Christmas from 8 a.m. to 8 pm

102 E. Dalton Road, Downtown King, NC

For more information contact Davidson County Parks and Recreation at 336.242 2285 or 336.7522322. Log on to www.co.davidson.nc.us Also book your Loft stay through:

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foodsandflavors ~™ Yadkin Valley Wines Yadkin Vaey Wine Region Sees Continued Growth WRITERS Carrie & John Byrd

photo: Pilot Mountain Vineyards photo: hazegrayvineyards.com With 2020 being a tough year for everyone, it was nice to see growth in the Yadkin Valley Wine Region. Several new vineyards came onto the scene last year and we want to welcome them to this beautiful area. We have visited these spots ourselves on our "Wine Research" trips. If you have not yet had a chance, hop in the car and go give these folks a try.

You'll be glad you did.

Although they actually opened their tasting room in December 2019, Haze Gray is among the new vineyards. Owned

by Deane and Becky Muhlenberg, Haze Gray has an 85-acre farm property. Deane makes the nine varieties of wine they produce while Becky manages the tasting room. In addition to their wines, Becky often has wine slushees and mulled wine (in the cold months) available for purchase. Both Deane and Becky have military backgrounds, which is reflected in the tasting room. Make a stop to see them soon and do a tasting or share a bottle with some friends in their spacious but inviting tasting room. Haze Gray is located at 761 Stony Knoll Rd. Dobson.

Very nearby is the new Hidden Vineyards. Owned by the Longenette family and located at 125 Hidden Vines Ln., Dobson. Hidden Vineyards has nine acres of property. They currently have five wines to try in a flight. They have a large tasting room, an event space for private parties and plenty of outdoor space to enjoy. Be sure to take a walk through the vineyards and check out their view of Pilot Mountain while you are there.

Speaking of Pilot Mountain...Pilot Mountain Vineyards is now open as well. Mark and Kari Barbar have 31 rolling acres of property. They currently have eight varieties of wine from which to choose. Be sure to take a moment to appreciate their view of Pilot Mountain as well. The tasting room is positioned perfectly for taking in the view while enjoying your 94

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wine. Pilot Mountain Vineyards also has an Airbnb on site should you choose to make a weekend of your trip. Located at 1162 Bradley Rd, Pinnacle, Mark and Kari host frequent events at their tasting room. Check their website to see their events page and plan your trip.

New to Mount Airy is Serre Vineyards. Owned by Christian and Melissa, Serre features a large tasting room and lots of outdoor space with a beautiful view of the mountains beyond. They also have walking trails and a creek on the property, if you are feeling like a little exercise with your wine.

They are located at 364 Beast Trail, Mt. Airy. With several wines to choose from, you are sure to find something to sip while taking in the views and the beauty of their property.

The newest, most-recently opened vineyard is Golden Road Vineyard located at 542 Golden Road, State Road.

Owners Chad and Crista Guebert originally planned to sell grapes to other area vineyards by Bill and Sue Harmon. The Gueberts purchased the property in 2017 and decided to begin keeping some of their grapes to produce their own wines. They currently have 25 total acres of property with five planted in vines. They are producing five varieties of wine presently. Also hosting frequent events stop by to see them and enjoy some wine in their outdoor space.

To learn more:

John & Carrie Byrd Yadkin Valley Wine Tours yadkinwinetours.com 336-408-3394

Alpha & Omega Corn maze will host their 6th annual Helicopter Easter Egg Drop. More than 20,000 plastic eggs will fall out of the sky on Friday, April 2nd & Saturday, April 3rd. The children will move through the grass like vacuum cleaners on legs! As the crowd of children descend on areas designated for individual age groups, their movements mimick an organized stampede.

Pastor Kenny Pardue with Union Baptist Church will share the Easter story of resurrection before each egg hunt begins. Hi tech helicopters will be offering helicopter rides between drop times, at an additional fee. Thumper the Easter Bunny will join us for pictures with the children.

Explore this 20-acre agritourism complex with the farm consisting of: Helicopter Egg Hunt, Corn Cob Express, Corn Box, Picnic Pavilion, See Saws, Tug of War, Animal Acres, Pipe World, Bounce Pillow, Corn Hole, Hayride, Local Vendors, Photo Opportunities and more.

An on-site restaurant serves a delicious breakfast & lunch menu. Breakfast items include famous bunny pancakes, sausage biscuits, soft drinks, coffee, and hot chocolate. For lunch they’ll be serving their famous burgers along with the traditional corn maze menu.

Customer’s post they are drawn to the farm as they search

6th annual Helicopter Easter Egg Drop at Alpha & Omega Corn Maze

for a wholesome and unique outdoor activity for their whole family. It is a great value when you consider the recreational aspect relative to other competing attractions, such as movies and malls."

Gates open at 8am. The event is from 9am until 4pm.

There will be 4 egg drops each day: 9am, 11am, 1pm & 3pm.

Cost for the event is $12.00 per person.

Group rate of 20 or more is $10 a person.

Children 2 and under are free. Food is priced separately.

The complex is located at 1129 Cheek Road, Hamptonville, NC 27020

To learn more: visit alphaomegacornmaze.com, Facebook or call 336-466-5402

Honda of Winston-Salem

6209 Ramada Dr. • Clemmons, NC 27012 (336) 765-0330 • www.hondaws.com

March/April 2021

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Ya d k i n • Va l l e y

PEOPLE

The Amazing Carson Peters WRITER

ShaRee H. Parker

Although the multi-talented 17-year-old musician and singer, Carson Peters, is from Piney Flats, Tennessee, he has numerous ties with our region.

On April 29, 2017 Carson and his band, Iron Mountain, performed on the stage of the Willingham Theater at the Yadkin Cultural Arts Center in Yadkinville for mine and my husband Terry’s 60th birthday celebration. Over 100 of our family and friends, including Yadkin Valley Magazine’s publishers/editors, Barbara and John Norman, were in attendance for the delicious meal and wonderful concert of bluegrass and gospel music.

Terry and I met Carson for the first time on September 11, 2015 at the Rex Theater in Galax, Virginia and were very impressed with this talented and personable young man. Carson started playing the fiddle at the ripe old age of 3. By 4 he was playing in fiddle competitions and jamming at music festivals.

Carson has had the honor of performing on national TV as a guest on NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Little Big Shots with Steve Harvey. Carson started his first band, the 96

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October 19, 2019 – Horne Creek Corn Shucking Frolic, Pinnacle, NC – Left to right: Austin Tate, Ben Marshall, Carson Peters, Eric Marshall, ShaRee Parker, and Jamie Peters. Photo by Terry Parker

Fiddlin’ Carson Peters Band, in 2011, which consisted of his father, Jamie Peters, on rhythm guitar, husband and wife musicians Tom and Bobbie Dier. In 2016, Carson’s band, Iron Mountain, was formed when the Dier’s decided to retire.

Two of Carson Peters & Iron Mountain’s band members are from Mt. Airy, NC, the father/son duo of Eric and Ben Marshall. Eric plays banjo and guitar and is a very talented singer and songwriter. When Eric was in his 20s he started playing banjo with his brother, Steve, in the Marshall Brothers and Highroad Band. Ben first started playing music when he was 8 years old and plays bass, sings with Iron Mountain and with Highroad. Eric and Ben are employed with Omega Construction.

Carson Peters & Iron Mountain are a fan favorite at the annual Horne Creek Corn Shucking Frolic in Pinnacle, NC normally held annually on the third Saturday in October. In October 2019, Austin Tate of Marion, Virginia, who plays mandolin and sings with the band proposed to his girlfriend, Amanda, in front of the crowd at Horne Creek. They married

in the spring of 2020 and have a precious baby boy, Ryman Paul Tate. The band has also performed on numerous occasions at the Historic Earle Theater in downtown Mt. Airy as well as at several churches in Surry County and at the Cowboy Church in Wilkes County.

Carson is also friends with the phenomenal 16-year-old musician from Wilkes County, Presley Barker. Carson and Presley performed together with Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder on June 11, 2016 at Houstonfest in Galax, Virginia and have also won awards together in the youth band competition category at the Galax Fiddler’s Convention My husband and I enjoyed the June 11, 2019 concert by Carson and Presley for the Mountains of Music Homecoming at the prestigious McGlothlin Center for the Arts at Emory & Henry College in Emory, Virginia. They were joined for the second half of the concert

by Carson’s band members Ben Marshall, Austin Tate and Clay Russell of ShadowGrass.

On March 28, 2014, Carson’s dream of playing on The Grand Ole Opry stage was realized when he was invited by Ricky Skaggs to perform with him and his band, Kentucky Thunder.

Carson and his bands have since performed on numerous occasions at The Grand Ole Opry.

Carson was thrilled when Ricky Skaggs invited him to perform at the Country Music Association’s Award Show on November 14, 2018.

Besides playing the fiddle, Carson also plays guitar, mandolin and piano.

He enjoys using his God-given talents to make people smile.

Carson is an avid golfer and has played since he was about 7 years old.

He likes the mental part of the game and is one of the top players on his golf team at Elizabethton High School. Carson has even played in Vince Gill’s tournament, The Vinny Invitational Golf Tournament. This is a world-class golf and music event that brings together friends, celebrities, professionals and junior golfers to raise funds that positively impact the lives of young people and communities in Tennessee through golf and its life-enhancing values. Carson also enjoys playing baseball and is very involved in his church.

Left to right: Jamie Peters, Ben Marshall, Carson Peters, Austin Tate, and Eric Marshall.

Photo by Sarah Tweed

Carson at Stony Knoll United Methodist Church, Dobson, – Photo by ShaRee H. Parker Carson is a rising senior at Elizabethton High School and plans to pursue a college degree as a backup plan, but his first love will always be music. He lives in a beautiful log home in Piney Flats, Tennessee with his parents Jamie and Robin Peters.

Needless to say the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic rocked the world in 2020.

Carson’s band usually has approximately 70 shows per year including performances at Dollywood’s Bluegrass & BBQ, Bristol Rhythm and Roots, Song of the Mountains, Big Lick Bluegrass Festival, Carter Family Fold, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver Festival, Houstonfest, Bluegrass & BBQ Festival in Branson, Missouri, Galop Canal Bluegrass Festival in Canada, etc. In 2020, they had less than 10 shows. Let’s all pray 2021 will get back to some semblance of “normal.” I know I sure did miss live music events in 2020! Check out Carson’s music schedule on his Facebook page or his website: carsonandironmt.com and go see him and Iron Mountain the next time they are in our area. I guarantee you Carson will put a smile on your face!

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Green Shoots With Deep Roots...

WRITER Wendi Hartup Over the last 15 years I've worked with lots of people who live along the creek that really want to see it. I get it as I too love to see and play in the water.

Many people, not understanding how turbulent water can be after a flashy storm, cut all the vegetation down and put in grass they mow. Then with dismay they begin to see their land washing away; sometimes in large chunks. This is because without all those green shoots to slow the flow and deep roots to hold the soil, the water can rip away loose soil as well as saturate the soil. This saturated soil can get so heavy it just drops off into the creek. Some people try smothering the streambank with riff raff (actually the proper term for this large chunky rock is riprap). Eventually water will go under the rock and erode away soil so that over time more riprap has to be added. Think about if a person can lift it, a large surge of water going through a creek can move it too. Rock does not hold soil but it can be a good bandaid for a time because we often install a lot. There are other methods that 98

get even more expensive.

So how can you compromise with nature so you can see the water but not have all your land erode away? Many times if your streambanks haven't become steep cliffs yet, the simple answer is vegetation with deep roots. I know you may be saying to yourself, 'wait I just got rid of all that vegetation.' You can plant low growing herbaceous plants, limb up trees/shrubs, select trees and shrubs that have a more open feel to them or just prune out more of the limbs. There is a way to have lovely, flowering plants along a stream and it be more stable than just grass or riprap, however, you'll need to do your research.

But there is a benefit to using vegetation...it costs way less than rock.

I've been so lucky over the years to know some true 'green thumbs' as well as some stream restoration gurus that have shared their amazing knowledge with me. I've also read A LOT about plants that live and thrive along creek banks. If you've been reading my articles, you already know I love all things water and

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my son is just as excited as I am to get outside in nature. I also love to find solutions for erosion and other ways to improve the environment when on a budget. Plants are truly amazing. There are so many plants that just keep giving.

Some will spread so you can split them up and transplant. Some will drop baby plants nearby. Some things like maples and poplars will spread so much seed, you may actually find them annoying in your landscape as they sprout everywhere. Some of my favorite plants, however, do not require you to transplant.

You can actually take cuttings at certain times of the year, put them in the ground and they will start to grow. This is called propagation. And no, you don't have to be a 'green thumb' or sing like Snow White for these plants to do their thing; you just have to learn what makes them happiest for growing conditions as well as which ones like a little abuse to jump start growth.

Since I love creeks and really want to stop erosion, I discovered there are some great shrubs and trees that you can take cuttings or livestakes and plant along the stream. The more vegetation you have growing along a stream, the more you can hold the soil on the bank.

Deep, fibrous roots are key. Some plants have one giant root, called a tap root. This may go deep but it won't hold a lot of surrounding soil. I like variety along a creek but if I had to pick one type of plant to put along the creek, I'd start with livestakes. Livestakes are woody cuttings about one inch in diameter and two to three feet long. They are called livestakes because they are alive, although dormant typically and shaped like a skinny stake. You can cut from plants you own or order from nurseries within North Carolina.

While there are many plants that will work, the most commonly used along creeks are Silky Willow (Salix sericea), Silky Dogwood (Cornus amomum), Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis), Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis), and Ninebark (Physocarpos opulifolius).

What else is great about many of these shrubs? They hold the soil but also bend with the flow. That's right, these shrubs do calisthenics on a regular basis so they can withstand high velocities caused by flashy storms. There are many more that can work but research has shown the

most successful shrub with lots of deep, fibrous roots and the highest survival rate is Silky Dogwood.

Do you have a kid like I do that is a little obsessed with hammers? Livestakes are fun to install. It helps to have a pilot hole starter. This could be a piece of smooth rebar or like I had one day, any piece of metal that can take a beating from a mallet. Mine happened to be part of an old lamp. All you do is pound your metal piece perpendicular to the bank about a foot above the water line. Pull it out and insert the livestake. Sometimes you have to pound the livestake a bit to get it 3/4 of the way into the ground. Yes, if your livestake is two feet long, you need that much of it in the ground so it will focus the first year on growing roots.

Cut off the damaged end of the tip that is sticking out of the ground. Make sure that you know which way is the way it will grow because you don't want these installed in backwards. When I cut mine, I always do an angled cut for the bottom, like a stake, measure about two feet and then do a flat cut. Plant them at least one foot apart but you can do farther as they will grow five feet wide. Then all you have to do is wait for nature to help it

grow. In about two years you'll start to see it looking more like a shrub and the next year you can cut to spread more or give to your friends.

Forsyth Creek Week, March 20th-28th will have some planting parties, socially distanced of course, where you can help out in local parks along with all kinds of other great activities. Or just Google your county name with 'creek week' to see if more activities are being offered

where you live. More counties have organized to plan activities throughout April and on into the summer.

You can learn more about ways to fix a creek with NC State Extension's Backyard Stream Repair program (https://www.bae.ncsu.edu/workshopsconferences/sbr/). Under 'Resources' check out the publication called, "Small-scale Solutions to Eroding Streambanks."

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your pet’s

Good Health

The Importance of Flea & Tick Preventions WRITER Dr. Ashley Martin DVM, Yadkin Veterinary Hospital

To learn more or to make an appointment with Yadkin Veterinary Hospital 5532 US Hwy 601 Yadkinville,NC 336-679-8832 100

One of the things that get sent home with our clients on a regular basis is flea and tick preventatives. Nexgard is the main one that we send home for dogs and Advantage for cats, but we also have Frontline and Advantix. Many of our clients are eager to give their pets flea and tick preventatives on a regular basis. However, there are some who seem hesitant about purchasing these products because they are not sure if their pet truly needs them. The greatest reason as to why these products are important for your pet’s overall health and well-being is that fleas and ticks spread life-threatening diseases. Fleas and ticks are blood-sucking parasites, so they can cause your pet to become anemic if they are left to feed for too long.

There are many diseases that can be spread by fleas and ticks, but the three that I have chosen to focus on are Ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, and Anaplasmosis. These are the three diseases that we will also test for when we perform a heartworm test on your dog.

The organism most commonly responsible for Erhlichiosis, a rickettsial bacteria known as Ehrlichia canis, is carried by the brown dog tick. This disease has three stages: Acute, Sub-clinical, and Clinical or Chronic. During the acute stage your dog may have a fever, swollen lymph nodes, breathing difficulty, weight loss, spontaneous bleeding, and occasionally neurologic disturbances. If your dog’s immune system is not able to eliminate the bacteria, then it will progress to the sub-clinical stage in which the bacterial organism is still present but there are no outward signs of disease. If your dog is not able to eliminate the organism at this stage, then it will progress to the clinical or chronic stage. During this stage your dog may experience anemia, bleeding episodes, lameness, swollen limbs, eye problems, neurological problems, and bone marrow failure. Once a dog progresses to the clinical stage its prognosis is much lower.

The organism responsible for Lyme disease, a bacteria known as Borrelia burgdorferi, is carried by the deer tick (AKA black-legged tick). Unlike humans, the characteristic bulls-eye rash does not occur in dogs or cats. Some signs that you might see instead include generalized pain, limping, swollen joints, not eating, and high fever. This bacterial organism can also spread to the kidneys. Signs that this may be happening include vomiting, lethargy, decreased appetite, and weight loss.

The kidney form of Lyme disease is less common, but often fatal.

The organism most commonly responsible for Anaplasmosis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, is carried by the deer tick and the western black-legged tick. Pets with this disease show many of the same symptoms as with Lyme disease, and it is actually not uncommon for them to have both diseases at the same time. Infection is less common in cats, but they show similar signs when they are. Some other less common signs of Anaplasmosis are vomiting, diarrhea, coughing, labored breathing, and rarely seizures. Like Ehrlichiosis and Lyme disease, Anaplasmosis can cause uncontrolled bleeding, which can be fatal.

My hope is that anyone with reservations about having their pet on flea and tick preventatives will have a greater understanding of the possible health and welfare consequences of not using these products after reading this article. I recommend that dogs and cats be on preventatives year-round as I am still seeing fleas on some of my patients here in January. It doesn’t typically get cold enough here in the south to completely eliminate all fleas and ticks. Even indoor pets need to be on preventatives because owners can inadvertently bring fleas and ticks into their home from the outdoors. It is best to buy preventatives directly from your veterinarian or from an online pharmacy using a prescription from your veterinarian as these products are much more effective and safer than many over the counter products.

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Adopt Don’t Shop Up to 30% of Christmas puppies arrive at animal shelters by March 1 every year!

Adopt a shelter pet. Changing that one life - could change your life forever!

Abraham

Anna Belle

Baxter

Blaine & Lonnie

Chloe

Cooper

Cow Cow

Gabbie Mae & Lily Ann

Gracie Lou

Jake

Luna

Moe

Pickles

ShawTee

Toby

Please spay or neuter your pets.

Low or no cost spay neuter programs are more than likely available in your area.

Consult your local animal shelter for details.

Contact your local animal shelter to save a life that might change yours!

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May 17: A New Postal Stamp!

What do you know about the American Cream Draft horse?

Fell in love with a new postal stamp of a mare and her colt of the American Cream Draft horse.

Totally ignorant of this breed all the draft horses we know this is the only breed that can claim to be a truly American native to the U.S.A. started in the early 1900s.

Currently there are only 400 of this breed registered in the American Cream Draft Horse Association.

(ACDHA). Known for their versatility, calm and willing personalities, their coloring is unique. Born with blue eyes that change to amber or yellow, their skin is pink with a cream colored coat.

Manes and tails are normally white as are any markings on the face.

Weighing in from 1600 to 2000 pounds, coats can often look like a palomino.

Don’t Judge a Book

by Its Title!

Best-selling author, W. Bruce Cameron known for 11 youth books with a canine as the main character and seven adult books.When I saw the ad for the new A Dog’s Perfect Christmas, I asked Santa for the feel-good gift by Cameron.

There isn’t a dog as the main character but a major family drama evolves as the family starts to disintegrate. A lost, full of personality puppy is rescued and ultimately so is the family dynamics.

Trust. me you won’t feel cheated at all but will find A Dog’s Perfect Christmas a book you won’t want to put down until the last page.

“You’ll find love and tears and laughter—the ideal read."

Spring into Action with...

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petpics@yadkinvalleymagazine.com In Cookbook Collector’s Recipes From Our Homes, First Baptist Church of Sparta, NC, Kimberly Edwards contributed a Peanut Butter Dog Treat recipe your canine will love and your kitchen will smell heavenly, too!

2 cups whole wheat flour 1 Tablespoon baking powder 1/2 cup oatmeal 1 cup peanut butter 1 cup milk Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease baking pan.

In medium mixing bowl combine: flour, baking powder, oatmeal.

Add in peanut butter & milk making a dough.

Turn dough out on lightly floured surface.

Knead.

Roll out to 1/4” thick.

Cut bone shaped cookies.

Bake about 20 minutes or golden brown.

Cool completely.

Store in airtight container.

Tiffany sent us several really great photos of her pets.

We wanted to share another Livie Grace.

Thank you Tiffany!

Our grandson’s cat Stella is a different breed! Most cats are “I’ll let you touch me, maybe,” this cat loves to snuggle her little boy and loves to be pushed around the house in his toy grocery cart.

Terry and ShaRee’s Angel, a dog with great taste in prenap reading.

Thanks for sharing your pet photos! Send them to: petpics@yadkinvalleymagazine.com March/April 2021

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What IS That? presents:

What IS That?

Send in your quess and if you’re the first correct entry drawn from all the correct guesses, you’ll win $100 The next two correct entries drawn win a copy our One Last Sweet Bite Cookbook.

Enter by postcard, letter or email, be sure to include your:

name, physical mailing address & guess.

And if you’d like, tell us about your

experiences using or collecting this item.

Entries must be received no later than 4/2/21, Winner will be drawn 4/3/21.

The winners will be notified by U.S. mail and announced in the May-June issue.

All entries become the property of Yadkin Valley Magazine.

Mail your guess to:

If your guess is the first correct entry drawn

WIN $10000

“What is That Contest” Yadkin Valley Magazine 413 Cherry St, East Bend, NC 27018 or e-mail: barbara@yadkinvalleymagazine.com

You can also enter on-line at: yadkinvalleymagazine.com, then click on “The What Is That” page.

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In the JanuaryFebruary Contest...

If only the gramps, dads and uncles knew so many of their folks were thinking of them as they guessed the item from J/F was a shaving brush.

The photo shows my father’s brush…everyone’s guess reminded me of my late Poppa…thanks!

Donna Smith from the Wallburg Community was the first correct guess drawn and is the winner of $100. Betty Steele of Clemmons and Leon Cheek of Kernersville were winning draws for a Yadkin Valley Magazine cookbook: One Last Sweet Bite.

Almost all our guessers recalled a father using a brush like this one.

Donna’s husband of 57 years still uses a brush like this one every day.

She notes it is getting harder to find the soap used in the shaving mug but knows anything is possible from online sources!

Mr. Smith’s mug was a graduation gift from high school.

Who would have thought? Leon Cheek of Kernersville is also still shaving with a lathered brush.

Leon has won a cookbook.

Betty Steele of Clemmons has her husband’s dad’s shaving brush kit displayed on the wall in their bathroom. She described that it had a hanger for the brush and a dish for the soap and a mirror all in one unit. Betty also gets a cookbook.

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Collectibles

SCOTTIE COLLECTIBLES WRITER CINDY MARTIN

PHOTOGRAPHS ELLA ROMAN

Collecting Scottish terrier memorabilia has been described by some as a disease. One case in point is my sister Ella. For nearly 20 years, she has been in pursuit of all things Scottie.

And her house reflects this. No room escapes a Scottie display or gallery wall of some variety and no visitor escapes the tour.

“It’s addictive,” she’ll say and then speculates about building on an addition.

Ella receives SCOTTIE ALERTS from her family and friends when they spot a new cookie jar at Cracker Barrel or Target launches a Scottie-themed clothing line or is having a sale on Scottie pajamas. Ah, the joys of ebay and Etsy, where one can find vintage items or special handmade gifts for the avid collector. Ella feels the most important alerts come from estate sales, resale shops and antique stores. That’s where she gets the best tips.

Scottie collectibles come in all shapes and sizes and in a variety of price ranges. There’s everything from figurines, paintings, framed prints, salt and pepper shakers, and banks to

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clothing, calendars, Scotch whiskey bottles, and cast iron doorstops featuring this furry friend. Some are functional while others are purely decorative. For decades, Scotties have been used in advertising. Images of Scotties served as logos for gas stations, men’s shirts, greeting cards and more. Back in the day, Scottie figurines were popular with florists as embellishments for flower arrangements. The list is endless, as is the serious collector’s quest for the Ultimate Scottie Collectible.

Scottish terriers became all the rage in the 1930s and 40s when celebrities like Shirley Temple, Humphrey Bogart and Zsa Zsa Gabor had Scotties as pets. Fala, the most well-known Scottie of all, was owned by President Franklin Roosevelt. Fala slept at the foot of his master’s bed and often accompanied the President in his travels. So beloved was Fala by the American people, he was honored with his own statue in the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in Washington D.C. Ella is actually a Scottish terrier owner, too. Her current pet, Gatsby, is such a gentle soul. In the past, Ella and her fel-

low Scottie enthusiasts have attended the Mistyglen Reunion, a gathering of Scottish terrier owners from all over the country who come together for fun, food, fellowship and to become the next winner of the annual costume contest for the best dressed dog. Because of their love and devotion to the Scottie breed, the attendees would bring Scottie collectibles to be auctioned off at the end of the day to raise money for Scottie health research at Purdue University. Indeed, this is a close-knit group who has formed lasting friendships.

It is little wonder Scottie dogs are cherished by dog lovers and the Scottie motif has charmed its way onto a vast array of household objects and advertising memorabilia. The original Monopoly game even has a Scottie as one its game pieces, which has stood the test of time and remains a game piece to this day. Artists Morgan Dennis, Lucy Dawson and Marguerite Kirmse often featured Scotties in their etchings and paintings.

Scotties also frequently appear in contemporary artist/author/illustrator Mary Englebreit’s work. Hubley is famous for his cast iron pieces. Pottery companies like Royal Haeger, McCoy, Shawnee, Hull, Metlox, Hummel, Goebel, Rosemade and others made numerous Scottie items, such as ceramic planters and figures with Scottie images, before and after WWII. Many of the prized collectibles came from occupied Japan. Later, similar items were produced in China, as well as Canada, the UK, Germany and other countries around the world.

Perhaps you would like to begin your own Scottie collection. Check out the numerous sources online or visit your local library. One must read is a three book set titled A Treasury of Scottie Dog Collectibles—Identification and Values. by Candace Sten Davis and Patricia J. Baugh.

Join a Scottie Collectors’ Group or attend a Scottie Collectors’ Convention.

The possibilities are endless. Regardless of the size, shape, maker or price, Scottie dogs can’t help but find a special place in your heart. Happy hunting!

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The Business Section How Can Women Overcome Obstacles to Financial Security?

On March 8, we observe International Women’s Day, a celebration of the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. Of course, women still tend to encounter more obstacles than men in the pursuit of financial security. Let’s consider a few of them.

To begin with, women are still more likely to leave the workforce, at least temporarily, to raise children, resulting in lower contributions to employer-sponsored retirement plans such as 401(k)s. And women are often the ones who become fulltime caregivers of aging parents or other relatives. Caregiving duties can exact a big financial toll: The lost wages, pensions (including 401(k)s and similar plans) and Social Security benefits that a woman loses to become a full-time caregiver amount to more than $300,000 over her lifetime, according to the National Academy of Sciences.

Women also may be more susceptible to financial downturns. Consider the COVID-19 pandemic: Just a few months ago, in December, women lost 156,000 jobs, while men gained 16,000, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which also reported that women accounted for 54% of the jobs lost from the pandemic in 2020.

And women are not unaware of their circumstances and outlook. Just 41% of women are confident about retirement, compared with 56% of men, according to a survey by Edward Jones and Age Wave. But if you’re a woman, you can take steps to help improve your financial outlook.

Here are a few suggestions: Take full advantage of retirement plans If you are still working and your employer offers a 401(k) or similar retirement plan, take full advantage of it. Put in as much as you can afford each year and increase your contributions when your salary goes up. Also, within your plan, you’ll want to choose the mix of investments that can help provide the most growth potential, given your individual risk tolerance. Also, even if you contribute to a 401(k) or similar plan, you may also be eligible to fund an IRA, which gives you even more investment choices.

Evaluate your Social Security options You can typically start taking Social Security benefits when you’re 62, but your monthly checks will be much larger if you wait until your “full” retirement age, which will likely be between 66 and 67. You might also consider whether you’d be better off by taking spousal benefits, if you’re married and your spouse earned more money than you. You’re generally even eligible for spousal benefits if you are divorced, as long as you were married at least 10 years and you haven’t remarried.

Look for unexpected income opportunities Even after you’ve formally retired, you may still find ways to receive some earned income. Perhaps you can work part time or do some consulting. And if you’re a caregiver, you might be able to receive some compensation for your work.

Many local governments pay non-spouse caregivers who act as personal attendants, although the rules vary greatly by state and county.

These certainly aren’t the only ways you can improve your financial status, but they may prove useful to you. In any case, be aware of the challenges facing you and do whatever you can to brighten your future.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC Edward Jones, its employees and financial advisors are not estate planners and cannot provide tax or legal advice. You should consult your estate-planning attorney or qualified tax advisor regarding your situation.

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Frank H. Beals Financial Advisor 965 North Bridge Street, Elkin, NC 28621 336­835­4411 frank.beals@edwardjones.com

Paul J. Bunke, Sr., AAMS Financial Advisor 124 W. Kapp Street, Suite C, PO Box 407 Dobson, NC 27017 336­386­0846 paul.bunke@edwardjones.com

Audra Cox Financial Advisor 124 W. Kapp Street, Suite C Dobson, NC 27017 336­386­0846 audra.cox@edwardjones.com

Dale Draughn, AAMS Financial Advisor 140 Franklin Street Mount Airy, NC 27030 336­789­0136 dale.draughn@edwardjones.com

Christopher L. Funk Financial Advisor 128 South State Street PO Box 790 Yadkinville, NC 27055 336­679­2192 chris.funk@edwardjones.com

Doug Draughn, AAMS, CFP Financial Advisor 496 N. Main Street Mount Airy, NC 27030 336­789­1707 doug.draughn@edwardjones.com

Tammy H. Joyce, AAMS Financial Advisor

136 W. Lebanon Street Mount Airy, NC 27030 336­789­6238 tammy.joyce@edwardjones.com

Logan Draughn Financial Advisor 496 N. Main Street Mount Airy, NC 27030 336­789­1707 logan.draughn@edwardjones.com

Tanner Joyce Financial Advisor

136 W. Lebanon Street Mount Airy, NC 27030 336­789­6238 tanner.joyce@edwardjones.com

Kody Easter Financial Advisor 304 East Independence Blvd Mount Airy, NC 27030 336­789­2079 kody.easter@edwardjones.com

Aaron L. Misenheimer Financial Advisor 1530 NC Hwy 67, Suite A Jonesville, NC 28642 336­258­2821 aaron.misenheimer@edwardjones.com

Andi Schnuck

Barry Revis

Mike Russell

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Financial Advisor 496 N. Main Street Mount Airy, NC 27030 336­789­1707 andi.schnuck@edwardjones.com

Financial Advisor 116 East Market Street Elkin, NC 28621 336­835­1124 barry.revis@edwardjones.com

Financial Advisor 106­B South Depot Street, Pilot Mountain, NC 27041 336­368­2575 mike.t.russell@edwardjones.com

Financial Advisor 106­B South Depot Street, Pilot Mountain, NC 27041 336­368­2575 michael.warren@edwardjones.com

March/April 2021

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Left to right: Whitney Barker, Zeth Davidson, Steven Howard, Chris Barker, Rose Speece

NORTH IREDELL RECORDS, INC. Accounting, Tax Preparation & Bookkeeping PO Box 40 • 152 Indian Hill Rd. Union Grove, NC 28689

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March/April 2021

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WHERE IS YOUR BIBLE?

Closing Devotions WRITER Sandra Miller

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From where I’m sitting in my living room, I can count 5, maybe 6 Bibles, belonging to family members and myself. I’m a stickler for not putting just anything on my Bible. It’s precious to me and I respect it because it is God’s word. But here in the Bible Belt, I wonder how many homes revere their Bibles as they should. A lesson on its origin might help us all: In the Garden of Eden God communicated by actually meeting with Adam and Eve. Imagine what it must have been like to literally hear God’s voice! When the first couple sinned, they were expelled from the Garden and God ceased His face-to-face communication with them. Prayer was initiated in Gen. 4:26, when mankind began to call on the name of the Lord. After Noah’s flood, his sons began to repopulate the earth. (Thank God for second chances).

During the ages from Adam to Abraham, God revealed His word and will through visions, dreams, and angelic visitations. There was no written word until Moses pinned the Torah (the first five books of the Bible), during his forty-year journey with the Israelites in the wilderness. God spoke directly to Moses, but the other prophets heard from God through dreams, visions, angels, or had the word of God rise in their spirits. After the Ark of the Covenant was instituted, Moses was able to approach the Mercy Seat to hear God’s voice. The books following the Torah, Joshua through Chronicles, give the history of Israel and the tribes, and were pinned by scribes who kept records. 2 Pet. 1:21 reminds us that “holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” Information was passed down through the generations and preserved by God. The original text was written by hand on parchment by either the author or a personal scribe. The Old Testament (OT) was written in Hebrew, with portions of Ezra and Daniel in Aramaic. The New Testament was originally written in the Koine Greek language. Seventy-two elders translated the Hebrew to Greek between the third and first centuries BC. This first translation is called the Septuagint, meaning “the translation of the 70 interpreters.”

The Septuagint translation was used in Christ’s time.

Most early Christians spoke Greek.

In a monastery in the fifth century, Jerome—one of the foremost biblical scholars of his time—revised the Old Latin translation of the Septuagint to the Vulgate translation using texts and manuscripts of the OT available from the Hebrew, with the exception of Psalms, which he translated from the Greek. By the thirteenth century, the Vulgate was the official version of the Catholic Church.

Interestingly, the Dead Sea Scrolls (dated from 150 BC to AD 75) were discovered in 1948 at the Qumran caves in Israel and have been translated. The scrolls, and a large scroll of the book of Isaiah is on display at the “Shrine of the Book” museum in Jerusalem. Most of the Dead Sea Scrolls are classified to be in the Masoretic text.

Jewish scribes have gone to great lengths to ensure the accuracy of the Torah. Requirements were: (1) It had to be copied directly from another scroll, (2) Every word had to be spoken aloud before writing, (3) If it were incorrectly written, it had to be corrected or hidden within 30 days, (4) Every word and letter had to be counted, (5) They were written without vowels, as in ancient times, (6) A scribe was not allowed to look up while writing, (7)

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When writing God’s name, the scribe had to wash and clean his pen, write, then wash again.

Preparing a Torah Scroll also had numerous restrictions. The parchment had to be from the skin of a kosher animal, usually a cow or sheep. The scribe soaked the skin to remove the hairs; then he stretched the skin over a wood frame to dry, scraped the skin, then sanded it. A Torah Scroll had eighty individual skins, with 248 columns on each scroll, each section held three to four columns. Each column had three inches at the top and four inches at the bottom, with two inches between columns. A quill pen from a kosher bird (usually a goose) was used.

I won’t go into how the ink was prepared, but once the ink on a scroll became unreadable, the scroll was never to be destroyed. It was classified “non-kosher” and placed in a special room. The aged scroll was considered to be a living thing. IT STILL IS! Errors had to be scraped off and rewritten. But once God’s name had been written, it could not be erased. That parchment was removed and buried in a special place. Scripts were verified by two other scribes three times before the page was confirmed as accurate. When a Jewish scroll was completed, it was decorated and placed in a synagogue.

We are privileged in America to print and purchase Bibles. Sadly, I don’t think it is treated with the respect it should have. It is not the leather and pages that saves us; only faith in the gospel message it holds can do that. But we certainly could take a lesson from early Christians and Jews as how to treat it.

So, where’s your Bible?

Sandra welcomes you to contact her if you need prayer for salvation.

You can also order her book “When Mountains Move” and music CDs at sandram4324@gmail.com. or 4324 Mt. Bethel Ch. Rd., East Bend, NC 27018. Phone: 336-699-3757

Gentry Family Funeral Service is a family owned and operated full service funeral home, that was established in 1994.

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