Saturday, September 13 ● 11 am to 3 pm (second Saturday in September)
Enjoy FREE Hot Dogs or Grilled Chicken Sandwiches
Chips ● Ice Cream ● Soft Drinks
Outdoor Furniture to enjoy for every season of the year, plus Quality Furniture for every room of your home.
Anyone can provide advice. At Edward Jones, our goal is to provide advice and guidance tailored to your needs. That’s why we live and work in your community. When it comes to your financial needs and goals, we believe you deserve face-to-face attention.
You talk, we listen, and we get to know you.
For more information or to schedule a complimentary financial review, call or stop by today.
www.edwardjones.com Member SIPC
FINANCIAL ADVISORS
Mount Airy
Paul J. Bunke, Sr., AAMS™, CFP® 124 W. Kapp Street, Suite C PO Box 407 Dobson, NC 27017 336-386-0846
paul.bunke@edwardjones.com
Audra Cox, ABFP ™ 715 S Main St, Suite B Dobson, NC 27017 336-569-7385 • 844-795-3462 audra.cox@edwardjones.com
Frank H. Beals
965 North Bridge Street Elkin, NC 28621 336-835-4411 frank.beals@edwardjones.com
Timothy Johnson
116 E. Market St.
Elkin, NC 28621
336-835-1124
timothy.johnson@edwardjones.com
Nathan Sturgill
116 E Market Street
Elkin, NC 28621
336-835-1124
nathan.sturgill@edwardjones.com
Aaron L. Misenheimer, CFP®, ChFC® 1530 NC Hwy 67, Suite A Jonesville, NC 28642
336-258-2821
aaron.misenheimer@edwardjones.com
Andi Draughn Schnuck 496 N. Main Street Mount Airy, NC 27030
336-789-1707 andi.schnuck@edwardjones.com
Dale Draughn, AAMS™ 140 Franklin Street
Mount Airy, NC 27030
336-789-0136
dale.draughn@edwardjones.com
Logan Draughn
492 N. Main Street
Mount Airy, NC 27030
336-789-3323
logan.draughn@edwardjones.com
Kody Easter, AAMS™, CRPC™, CFP® 304 East Independence Blvd Mount Airy, NC 27030
336-789-2079
kody.easter@edwardjones.com
Randy D. Joyce
136 W. Lebanon Street Mount Airy, NC 27030
336-789-6238
randy.joyce@edwardjones.com
Tammy H. Joyce, AAMS™ 136 W. Lebanon Street, Mount Airy, NC 27030 336-789-6238 tammy.joyce@edwardjones.com
Tanner Joyce 752 S. Andy Griffith Parkway, Suite 400 Mount Airy, NC 27030 336-245-9112 tanner.joyce@edwardjones.com
Mike Russell
106-B South Depot Street, Pilot Mountain, NC 27041
336-368-2575
mike.t.russell@edwardjones.com
Tiffany L. Smith
106-B South Depot Stree Pilot Mountain, NC 27041
336-368-2575
tiffany.l.smith@edwardjones.com
Michael Warren, WMCP®
101-D Shoals Road, Pilot Mountain, NC 27041
336-368-0782
michael.warren@edwardjones.com
Christopher L. Funk 128 South State Street • PO Box 790 Yadkinville, NC 27055 • 336-679-2192 chris.funk@edwardjones.com
foodsandflavors ™ Recipe Box
43 Blueberry Yum Yum
30 Cornbread
32 Curry Yogurt Dip
37 Fresh Peach Pound Cake
28 Granny’s Fruit Salad
43 Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake
33 Mini Fruit Pizzas
38 Peach Coconut Cake
28 Ranch Green Beans & Potatoes
25 Sauteed Squash & Onions
34 Strawberry Jell-O Pie
20 Vanilla Ice Cream
26 Veggie Egg Pasta Salad with Chickpeas
27 Veggie Egg Pops
People Helping People
(Non-Profit retail location coming soon!)
Ship/Mail/Deliver Donations to: 501 East Main Street, Yadkinville, NC 336-706-6857
CASHAPP: Anna83Ed
VENMO: Anna-Southern-1 (last 4 of #6857)
September 27, 2024: Hurricane Helene reaches the NC Mountains Summer 2025: Our mountain neighbors continue to need help and support!
From the coziness of your bedroom, to the library’s shelves filled with books, to the openness of our living room areas, to sit, talk and enjoy, or the gazebo for nature’s beauty, we share the comforts of home. Our Administrative Staff strives to create a family environment throughout our facility.
Kathy Sparks Dietary Manager
It’s 2,400 sq ft of helping patients reach their full potential with kitchen, bedroom & bath set-ups, 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 out-patients, our residents and all of the community.
Elizabeth Lockett Administrator
Alisha Kinsey, RN Director of Nursing
Candy Crissmon Household Supervisor
Elizabeth Pardue Social Worker
Johnathan Smouse Maintenance Supervisor
Tammy Johnson Office Manager
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: PO Box 2077, Yadkinville, NC 27055.
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. Sign up for our free weekly newsletter yadkinvalleyweekends.com/weekends
DISTRIBUTION
The magazine is FREE at locations throughout the Yadkin Valley. You will find a highlight listing of pick-up locations on our web site at www.yadkinvalleymagazine.com. Not all locations will always have copies in stock.
ADVERTISING
We view our advertisers as people providing a service or a product 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.
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Health and educational articles included in Yadkin Valley Magazine are for information 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 Crossroads Publishing, LLC.
PO Box 2077
Yadkinville, NC 27055
336-961-2620
july-August 2025
Volume 25 Number 6
PUBLISHER
Leah Wagoner Williams
ASSISTANT EDITORS
Victoria Williams
Rebecca Williams
ADVERTISING SALES
Leah Wagoner Williams
Ken & Denise Knight
Barbara Collins
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Barb Collins
Sara Drake
Scott Duckworth
Peggy Isenhour
Chelsea Johnson
Madaline Jones
Dr. Heather Kilbourne
Carmen Long
Sharee Parker
Christi Pate
Kellee Payne
Lisa Prince
June Rollins
Leslie Rose
Jessica Wall
Rebecca Williams
PHOTOGRAPHS & PHOTOGRAPHERS
Scott Duckworth
Peggy Isenhour
Chelsea Johnson
Madaline Jones
Carmen Long
Sharee Parker
Christi Pate
Kellee Payne
June Rollins
Leslie Rose
Leah Williams
Rebecca Williams
DISTRIBUTION
Gray & Amber Harris
Ken & Denise Knight
Michael Scott
Isaac Williams
Mark Williams
Rebecca Williams
a line from leah
Summer used to last forever, right? In my memory summer days stretched on and on. Maybe fall seemed farther away when we didn’t spend quite so much time in the air conditioned indoors. (No, I’m not older than air conditioning. But my mom did not like to close up the house, so the A/C was reserved for those miserably hot, humid nights when it was too hot to fall asleep without it.) Summers were for playing outside, screen doors slamming when you came back out to try to eat that popsicle before it melted.
We haven’t reached the first official day of summer as I write this, but as soon as this issue is off to be printed, I have a folder of fall topics and ads that need my attention. I am sure there will be some hot days soon when I am ready for fall to arrive, but at the moment, summertime’s callin’ me.
In this issue, I hope that you find some summertime inspiration. Maybe you can enjoy some new recipes for the fresh garden vegetables you are growing or might buy at a farmers market. Peaches and blueberries are ripening, and we’ve got those recipes. At my house fresh peaches mean homemade ice cream. Maybe a day trip will take you across the Yadkin Valley or beyond. If your travels take you to the North Carolina mountains, most places are open. If you are not sure, call ahead to check. Be sure to visit small businesses and restaurants that may be barely hanging on, even all these months after Helene.
Whatever summertime brings your way, stay cool and make lots of memories!
Vanilla Ice Cream
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 pint whipping cream
1/2 to 3/4 cup of sugar (or to taste)
3-4 teaspoons vanilla milk to finish filling the freezer canister
Mix the first four ingredients. You can mix by hand right in the canister, but for fluffier ice cream mix in a blender, with a hand mixer, or with an immersion blender. Fill the canister to the fill line with milk and stir again before churning.
If you want to add fruit, like strawberries or peaches, reduce the vanilla, sweeten your chopped fruit, and add with the first four ingredients.
Often, I receive many more photos than there is space for, so I have begun to add some of these photos to our website. You might even find a video now and then, or some extended content if space does not allow for printing it.
Our telephone number is 336-961-2620 web address: yadkinvalleymagazine.com
Please email the following: Advertising Inquiries Weekends/Events Calendar Submissions
BEST Yadkin Valley COOKS recipes Pet Photos to: yadkinvalleymagazine@gmail.com
Yadkin Valley Magazine assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials. Entire contents copyright 2024 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 Crossroads Publishing LLC, PO Box 2077, Yadkinville, NC 27055.
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 travelling 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 consequenstial damage or any damages in excess of the cost of the advertisement.
We offer solutions for: tough industrial applications commercial painting water fountains • concrete steps decks • car wash walls office buildings • homes concrete swimming pools garage floors painted AND sealed to withstand heat and water
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My consultation visit and estimate are FREE. —Mark Diachenko. Mark@PaintandCoatingsLTD.com
beginning s with June Rollins
Visit June’s website at: www.junerollins.com
Retirement Changes You
Someone recently told me it takes a year to adjust to being retired. She said the first few months all you do is sleep because your body can finally get the rest it needs.
I will be retired for one year on August 31st. Before retirement and for several months afterward, I had a cup of coffee after lunch to boost my energy. There was so much I needed to do when working and so much I wanted to do after retiring.
I suspected the afternoon coffee was contributing to my not sleeping well at night, but it was hard to give up. Not the caffeine. It was hard giving up not being as productive as I used to be.
The longer I was retired, the sleepier I became midday. It didn’t help that my husband and our little dog, Rosie, blissfully dozed most days after lunch in our stilled home that had also sighed into a deep silent slumber.
At work I had been surrounded with fellow staff resisting an afternoon slump. Together we had persevered. Now I was with loved ones languishing in guilt-free siestas in a sleeping house.
What was I fighting? Why was I pushing myself so hard? Were the goals I’d had in my forties still the same goals I had now, in my almost seventies?
I’d dreamt of being an artist since high school, but didn’t believe I had what it took. I didn’t begin painting until my mid-forties. Because of my late start, I’d been driven to
improve and determined to make up for all those lost years. Mind spinning, one early spring afternoon, I gave way and lay down with a book. I awoke two hours later.
My turning point came in April. I didn’t paint for six weeks. It wasn’t a choice. I woke up one morning in late March depleted. I’d hit a wall. Blocked? Burnt out? Depressed? Dark night of the soul? I don’t know what it was, but it was scary. If I wasn’t an artist, who was I? What was important to the now-retired, 69 year-old me?
My soul searching brought about some changes that are being lived out this summer. I joined a twice-weekly exercise class, planted a vegetable garden (which I am hopefully harvesting as you’re reading this), and I’m volunteering teaching watercolor in our retirement community.
I don’t catnap every day, but I am better at following my body’s cues to rest. I did stop the afternoon coffee and am now sleeping through most nights. Is it possible to do less and enjoy more? By, “doing less,” I mean, “being less driven.”
Here’s to letting go of outdated beliefs that no longer serve us and living into the new possibilities that come with retirement.
Sometimes you just need to take a nap and get over it.Maura Staurd, Age 8
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These types of injuries involve your soft tissue, which consists of nerves, muscles, tendons, ligaments and cartilage. Unlike broken bones, soft tissue injuries can take years to heal.
If your spine is out of alignment, it can cause tissue tears, irritation, inflammation and scar tissue. When ignored,this can lead to altered biomechanics, spinal degeneration and disabling osteoarthritis.
Chiropractic care can improve your joint range of mo- tion and break up scar tissue, increase your circulation and reduce inflammation for a faster more complete healing.
A Chiropractic adjustment is a controlled motion that can restore the alignment and function of your spine. The Open Rehabilitation Journal states controlled motion “can stimulate the repair and restoration of function.”
Everyday is More Fun When You Feel Fantastic!.
We see patients every day that come in struggling to walk, lift or turn their heads. Yet, after completing their program of Chiropractic care they have returned to their normal activities.
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We Appreciate Your Referrals!
foodsandflavors ™ ~
Carmen Long
WRITER & PHOTOS
Carmen Long
Family and Consumer Agent
N.C. Cooperative Extension Surry & Alleghany county centers.
Whistles, Jiggles and Pops
For many of us, the sound of a pressure canner boiling vigorously on the stove is music to our ears. The whistle of steam escaping was the signal my mom was going to be ready for me in about 10 minutes. As a child, one of my summer jobs was to sit on a stool in the steamy kitchen and watch the dial gauge on our pressure canner as a load of food was being processed. The dial had to stay steady, not moving too low or too high. For those who use a weighted gauge canner, your music is the jiggle the weight makes as it rocks back and forth.
Canning traditions are often passed down through the generations. Learning skills from our parents and grandparents help prepare us for life and leisure. Because food preservation is a science, it is a little more complicated than some of the other life skills we learn. We love family favorite recipes, but to ensure safe and successful food preservation, it is important to only use research-tested recipes. Recipes that Cooperative Extension can provide or recommend have been tested at a lab or by the United States Department of Agriculture. These recipes continue to change as we continue to learn. For example, it is now recommended that we can at 11 lbs. of pressure for altitudes above 1000 feet or use a 15 lb. weight for a weighted gauge.
During testing, researchers determine how several factors interact to affect the final time and temperature needed for the inside of the jar to reach the temperature required for safety and quality. For high acid foods like fruits, jams and jellies, pickled products, and acidified tomatoes, 212°F is the recommended temperature. These foods can be safely processed in a boiling water bath canner. Meats, poultry, vegetables, and combination products like soups are low acid foods and pose more risks. These foods need to be processed in a pressure canner at 240°F which is the temperature needed to kill potentially deadly Clostridium botulinum spores. Only a pressure canner can reach 240°F. Even if you let a food process in a boiling water canner for several hours, the temperature never goes above boiling which is around 212°F.
In addition to time, temperature and pressure, recipes are standardized during the research so everyone will have a safe and successful canning experience. Research includes:
✧exact measurement of each ingredient
✧ size of food pieces
✧ thickness of the food product
✧ much water the food contains
✧ of the acidity
✧the size of the jars,
✧ distance from the food to the top of the jar – headspace
✧ well the heat penetrates the jar
✧ method – hot pack vs raw pack
✧canning at different altitudes
The most welcome noise after canning is the sound of the jar lids popping when sealed. To make sure you have the most up to date food preservation information, visit https://foodsafety.ces.ncsu.edu/pressure-canning/. For local information on food preservation including scheduling an appointment to have your dial gauge pressure canner checked for accuracy, up to date recipes, or to find a tested recipe similar to a family favorite, contact your county center of NC Cooperative Extension. The Alleghany County number is 336-372-5597. In Surry County, the number is 336-401-8025 or visit the North Carolina Cooperative Extension website at https://www.ces.ncsu.edu/ to find the number for your local office.
Carmen Long
One vegetable that is no longer recommended to be canned is summer squash. Unfortunately, pressure canning any variety of summer squash is not safe. The heat required to can squash results in the squash flesh turning into mush and sinking to the bottom of the canning jar. The compacted flesh will not heat evenly. Therefore, all process times and temperatures are unsafe. To enjoy the abundance of fresh squash this summer, make some sauteed squash with onions.
Sauteed Squash and Onions
Serves 8
Serving Size: 1 cup
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large bunch green onions, chopped 1-pound yellow squash, cut in medium dice
1-pound zucchini, cut in medium dice
Salt and pepper to taste (go heavy on the pepper)
Directions
Heat a large skillet or stir fry pan. Add the olive oil and heat slightly. Add the onions and sauté 3-4 minutes. Add the yellow squash and zucchini and cook, stirring frequently until the vegetables softens. Add salt and pepper, start with ½ teaspoon of each. Cook until desired doneness. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. You can use all yellow squash or half and half zucchini and yellow squash. This recipe calls for green onions, but white onions will work as well. You can make this ahead of time, refrigerate and heat up what you need in a sauté pan when you are ready to eat.
Source: Med Instead of Meds
Lisa Prince
WRITER & PHOTOS
Lisa Prince, Director, NC Egg Association
Eggs Are Healthy!
Good news, eggs are healthy! We at NC Eggs already knew that but now it is official. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) confirms that eggs meet the agency’s updated definition of “healthy”.
Eggs are an all-around nutrient powerhouse, with only 70 calories per one large egg, six grams of high-quality protein—plus all nine essential amino acids. Eggs are also an excellent source of vitamin B12, biotin, iodine, selenium and choline. From the heart to the brain, bone, muscle and eye, and even weight management, eggs are a smart choice to support your health.
As you continue to include eggs in your healthy eating habits, remember: Don’t skip the yolk! Nearly half of an egg’s protein and most of its vitamins and minerals are found in the yolk.
Let’s get cracking with two healthy recipes perfect for summer!
1 15-oz can No-salt added Chickpeas (about 1 3/4 cup cooked)
2 cups Grape Tomatoes, halved
2 cups Cucumbers, halved
1 cup Orange Bell Pepper, diced
1/2 cup Red Onion, finely diced
1/4 cup Fresh Parsley, chopped
4 Hard Boiled Eggs, chopped
1/4 cup Italian Vinaigrette
Instructions
Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook pasta according to package instructions. Once done, drain and rinse under cold water.
While the pasta cooks, add the chickpeas, grape tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, fresh parsley, and boiled eggs to a large bowl. Stir to combine. When the pasta is done, add it to the bowl with the vegetables and eggs. Toss gently. Add the dressing and mix until everything is well-coated.
Divide into 4 bowls and serve.
Note: The USDA recommends cooking eggs until the yolks and whites are firm.
VEGGIE EGG POPS
https://ncegg.org/recipes/veggie-egg-pops-2/
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients
3 carrots
1 stalk celery
6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
1/2 cup of desired prepared dips (such as guacamole, hummus, tzatziki sauce or ranch dressing)
Instructions
Cut and peel carrots. Cut in half lengthwise. Cut into 4-inch length strips.
Cut celery stalk in half lengthwise; Trim into 4-inch lengths.
Insert celery or carrot sticks into the wide end of each egg.
Dip into desired choice of dips.
Pro Tips
Serve with assorted crudités, such as red pepper sticks, steamed broccoli florets, steamed asparagus or cherry tomatoes.
Garnish with a sprinkle of paprika, black pepper, or everything seasoning if desired.
This recipe is an excellent source of vitamin A and choline and a good source of protein and folate.
Mt. Airy Meat Center has what you need for Summertime Grilling!
without Question
foodsandflavors ™ ~
Gluten Free with Peggy Isenhour
July and August are the peak months of summer in most areas of our country. We enjoy long days, warmer weather and outdoor activities like swimming, picnics, and vacation time. Vacations welcome a sense of freedom, relaxation and time to enjoy leisure activities. We also think about school vacations coming to an end in August, so lots of fun activities are planned for those last few weeks before school begins.
We remember the beginnings of our country on July 4th. This is another time we celebrate special family times with freedom, liberty and democracy being at the heart of the holiday.
I enjoy visiting farmer’s markets in the heat of summer. My favorite is the Piedmont Triad Farmer’s Market on Sandy Ridge Road in Colfax. There are so many fresh fruits, vegetables, plants and flowers on display from area farmers. Food just naturally tastes sweeter when it is locally grown. This month’s recipes are Granny’s Fruit salad, and Ranch Green Beans & Potatoes. My mother-in-law was a wonderful cook. She always made this fruit salad at holiday gatherings. She would double the recipe to feed our big family. The Ranch Green Bean recipe is so good with the ranch seasoning and bacon flavor. If you are cooking gluten free, these are easy recipes to convert. I have included the gluten free brands that I use and recommend. Other brands may be gluten free, but the results may be different.
Happy 4th of July! Blessings
Granny’s Fruit Salad
1 can fruit cocktail, drained
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
1 small can pineapple tidbits, drained
8 ounces of sour cream
1 cup coconut
1 ½ cups miniature marshmallows
Cherries for garnish, optional
Fold all ingredients together. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Garnish with maraschino cherries if desired. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
Ranch Green Beans & Potatoes
1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
1 ½ lbs baby Yukon gold potatoes halved or quartered
6 slices bacon cooked & crumbled (Smithfield Original, Hormel Black Label & Great Value are all gluten free)
1 packet ranch seasoning (Hidden Valley is gluten free)
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt & pepper to taste
In a large pot, cook green beans for 5-7 minutes or longer if you want softer green beans. I cook mine in an Instant Pot for 8 minutes on high pressure. Drain and set aside. Bring salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook for 10-12 minutes or until fork tender. Drain and set aside. While veggies are cooking, fry the bacon in a skillet until crispy. Remove the bacon, drain, and crumble it. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease in the skillet. In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, ranch seasoning, and minced garlic. In the skillet with the reserved bacon grease, toss the cooked potatoes, green beans and crumbled bacon. Pour the ranch butter mixture over everything and gently toss to coat. Season with salt & pepper. Serve warm.
ShaRee H. Parker
ShaRee H. Parker
WRITER & PHOTO
ShaRee H. Parker
Cornbread
1 ½ cups self-rising cornmeal
1 cup self-rising flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup buttermilk (or to make your own buttermilk, combine 1 cup milk with 1 tablespoon white vinegar and let sit for 5-10 minutes)
1/2 cup vegetable oil, heated – very hot Additional oil for greasing pan
Using 2 cast iron wedge pans, drizzle approximately 1 teaspoon vegetable oil into each of the 8 wedges of each pan. Place pans into the oven and heat for approximately 20 minutes at 400 degrees. While the pans are heating, combine self-rising cornmeal, self-rising flour, baking powder, and sugar in a large bowl. Stir in beaten eggs and buttermilk. Let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes. Place ½ cup of vegetable oil into a 2-cup glass measuring cup and microwave on high for approximately 2 minutes. Carefully pour hot oil into batter and stir until combined. Using a 2-inch cookie scoop, place batter in each of the 8 divided sections of the 2 cast iron wedge pans. Bake approximately 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter, if desired.
My husband, Terry, and I really like this cornbread because it’s crunchy on all sides. His favorite meal is pintos, greens, and cornbread. Whenever we get home from a trip, this is the meal that he always wants. I have submitted a lot of “fancy” recipes over the years, but thought readers might enjoy this cornbread recipe because it is good any season of the year.
foodsandflavors ™ ~
Elisa Phillips
WRITER & PHOTOS
Elisa Phillips
Family and Consumer Sciences Agent
NC Cooperative Extension Wilkes County
Curry Yogurt Dip
Recipe developed by Catherine Hill, Registered Dietician & Nutrition Programs Manager at NC State University
It’s spring in North Carolina and that means an abundance of delicious, local vegetables! Even so, I am sometimes guilty of allowing beautiful produce to spoil on my refrigerator shelf. To avoid this, I enjoy pre-cutting my veggies and keeping a favorite dip on hand to pull out when I’m in need of a quick snack. This curry yogurt dip is an all-time favorite of mine. Curry Powder is a spice blend of turmeric, cumin, black pepper, and ginger. Some also contain cinnamon and garlic. This pungent spice blend blooms when added to hot oil, creating a depth of flavor that is unmatched. This dip is perfect for cool, crisp vegetables such as carrots and celery or as a spread for sandwiches.
Serves: 10
Serving size: 2 Tablespoons
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small shallot, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons curry powder
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ cup plain, nonfat Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons cilantro, minced
2 tablespoons lime juice
½ teaspoon kosher sal
2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup
Serve with cut up vegetables
Directions
Heat oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add shallot and cook until softened. Stir in curry powder, red pepper flakes, and garlic cooking until fragrant, about 1 minute
Remove from heat, and stir in remaining ingredients.
Cool and then refrigerate for a few hours. Serve as a dip with carrots, celery or cucumber.
Mini Fruit Pizzas
4-H Senior- Katey Swaim
Ingredients
¼ cup butter
¾ cup sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
1 1/3 cup flour
1 cup heavy whipping cream
8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup powdered sugar
Various fruits
Melted white chocolate for drizzling
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Cream first two ingredients
3. Add vanilla, egg, salt, baking powder, & flour
4. Mix until combined
5. Press firmly together, roll out the dough, & cut out circles
6. Place circles on a greased pan, & bake for 15-18 minutes (or until golden brown)
7. After removing from pan, chill in refrigerator for 30-40 minutes
8. Whip heavy whipping cream until fluffy, chill for 10-15 minutes
9. Beat cream cheese until smooth
10. Add vanilla & powdered sugar
11. Mix until combined
12. Add in whipped cream
13. Spread the whipped topping mixture onto the cooled crust
14. Chill for an hour
15. Arrange fruits in desired pattern onto pizza
Christi Pate
The Sweet Shack Bakery
111 West Main Street
Boonville, NC
336-467-0963
I grew up in Surry County, Dobson specifically. In the 8th grade, we took a day trip and visited all the local historical locations, such as the low water bridge in Rockford (best candy selection ever), Eng and Chang Bunker gravesite in White Plains and the Pig Shin that was located behind Surry Community College. Ah the memories.
We always had a garden that included fruit trees and bushes. I remember picking, shelling and breaking beans, shucking corn, digging up potatoes and learning to love eggplant and squash. But my favorite thing was picking fruit. We had apple trees, peach trees, blackberry bushes, blueberry bushes and multiple grape vines. We dried and canned a lot of our fruit, which brought summer sweetness to the long winter months.
I’ve been baking for as long as I can remember. My mom and grandmas were phenomenal cooks and I learned so much from them. There was always something sweet to snack on and I guess that’s where my love for baking started.
No matter where you grew up, take a step back and enjoy life. We’re only here for a short time. Take those day trips and make memories of your own. Pack a picnic lunch and head up to the Parkway or visit some of the Yadkin Valley’s amazing vineyards.
During the summer, I tend to gravitate to no-bake desserts. I especially love anything with strawberries in it. Here is one of my go to recipes:
Strawberry Jello Pie
Ingredients
1-3 ounce package of strawberry Jello
⅔ cup boiling water
1 cup ice water
1-8 oz package of whipped topping (Cool Whip), thawed
2 cups strawberries, diced 1 premade graham cracker crust (10 in.) additional whipped topping/strawberries for topping
Instructions
Add Jello mix and boiling water to a large bowl. Whisk together for 2 minutes or until dissolved. Add ice water; stirring well until all ice has melted. Allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes to allow the gelatin to thicken. Whisk in whipped topping. Fold in 1 ½ cup of the diced strawberries.
Spoon filling into graham cracker pie crust. Sprinkle with remaining diced strawberries. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or until set (I like to let it chill overnight).
Slice and serve. Top slices with whipped topping and/or additional strawberries, if desired.
My customers also love Yum-Yums. We carry at least 6-8 different flavors of yum-yum at the bakery. A popular one is Blueberry Yum Yum, and you can find that recipe on page 43.
Georgia may be called the “Peach State”, but the Yadkin Valley produces some pretty tasty peaches, too. Nick Doub of Yadkin County first learned about growing peaches when he was in high school. Hired during the fall and winter to help Grover McPherson at his small peach orchard in the Flint Hill community, Nick first learned how to prune the trees. Continuing into the spring, he learned about spraying. Though the orchard was primarily a pickyour-own operation, Nick did pick peaches that summer for some of the customers who couldn’t pick their own, so he went through a full year of peach production, then stayed another year to do it all again.
Having grown up farming tobacco and row crops, Nick already knew that farmers have to wait for any returns on their investments. Crops are typically planted in the spring and harvested in late summer or fall. Sometimes that is a tough wait, with many chances for something to limit or destroy the harvest. With peaches, though, the wait is even longer. Young trees need to grow three or four years before peaches can be harvested. Nick convinced his dad that peaches were worth the investment-and the wait-and planted his first trees in 2011. He started with 200 young trees. Grover McPherson’s orchard had about seventy-five trees. When Grover saw Nick’s young trees, he said, “You’ll never get rid of all those peaches.”
Nick has proven him wrong. Nick’s Peaches are
something that my family looks forward to each summer, as do many others. Besides those first 200 trees which now bear fruit, Nick has planted about 300 more. When they are mature, those five acres of peach trees will produce a harvest that will lasthopefully-a month or so each summer.
Between now and then is the hard part. During that long wait to harvest the fruit, deer tend to help themselves to the tasty young peach trees. Nick had to re-plant about a third of the newest ones due to deer eating them. (He says deer will also eat any ripe peaches they can reach, but they only take a bite of them.) They will also rub their antlers against the trees in the fall. It doesn’t usually harm mature trees, but young trees can be damaged.
Like any crop, weather can be a challenge with peaches. A late freeze can wipe out a crop for the year, and some years Nick has had significant losses. Planting multiple varieties of peaches helps, so that bloom times are staggered.
While all of Nick’s Peaches are delicious, he says that by far the most popular variety is the Contender. His regular customers get excited when these are available! Developed at NC State, these peaches are great for freezing and preserving because they resist turning brown. He also grows a white peach, China Pearl, which many customers love. It is the last variety to ripen, so I know when those are ready peach season is winding down.
Fortunately, Nick expects a great crop of peaches from his orchard in the Forbush community this year. If you are interested in some, you can follow Nick’s Peaches on Facebook for updates on availability.
Peaches ripening
Nick and his wife, Tori, with their daughters against delicate peach blossoms.
The newest member of the Doub family will have to wait a bit to enjoy those delicious peaches!
Fresh Peach Pound Cake
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 1/4 cups sugar
4 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon lemon flavoring
3 cups all purpose flour, divided
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups chopped fresh peaches
1/4 teaspoon nutmet
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Dash ginger
Grease tube pan with 2 tablespoons butter, sprinkle pan with 1/4 cup sugar. Cream remaining butter and gradually add remaining sugar; beat well. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Add flavoring and mix well. Combine 2 3/4 cup flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add to creamed mixture, beating until well blended. Dredge peaches with remaining 1/4 cup flour, cinnamonn, nutmeg and ginger; fold into batter. Pour into prepared pan and bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Remove from pan and coll completely.
On the Cover
I hope those peaches taste as good as they look. Thanks, Nick, for sharing the cover photo for this issue!
Nick’s Peaches are available only at his farm stand in the Forbush community. When they’re ready, be sure to try his favorite Fresh Peach Pound Cake.
Peach Coconut Cake
Author: Chef Belinda
(See additional information on page 39.)
Coconut cake was my mother’s favorite, but she only made it once a year—and that was on her birthday. I would sit and watch intensely as she cracked open the coconut, reserved the coconut milk to add to the cake, and then take what seemed like forever grating the fresh coconut flesh to finish off the cake frosting. The finished cake was a thing of beauty and truly a labor of love. Now, every year, I make a coconut cake in memory of my mother. And although I do take a few shortcuts, it’s still a labor of my love for her!
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
Filling
3 peaches, peeled and diced
1⁄4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 1⁄2 tablespoons peach brandy or schnapps
Cake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 2 (9-inch) or 3 (8-inch) cake pans with nonstick baking spray and insert parchment sheets. Mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. In a measuring cup, combine the milk and vanilla. Set both aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter until it turns pale yellow. Add the sugar and continue beating until thoroughly mixed. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, 1 cup at a time, alternating with the milk. Scrape down sides again. Pour into prepared pans. Bake for 30–35 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 20 minutes; then invert onto wire racks and let cool completely. Remove parchment sheets.
Filling
Combine the peaches, sugar, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat, and let simmer for 15 minutes. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and brandy. Add to peaches, stir, and simmer until thick. Let cool.
Frosting
Add the butter and vanilla into the bowl of a stand mixer; cream until thoroughly combined and pale yellow. Lower speed and slowly add the sugar until incorporated. Increase mixer speed and beat until smooth. At this point, the frosting may appear a little stiff or dry. Add milk, a little at a time, until frosting is at the proper spreading consistency. To assemble the cake, use a serrated knife to cut off any domes or humps on your cooled cakes. Put 1 layer on a cake plate and spread with filling, staying about 1⁄2 inch from the edges of the cake. If you have 3 layers, repeat with a second layer and more filling, topping with the third layer. Do not put filling on the top layer. Frost the top of the cake and then the sides. Finish the cake by covering top and sides with shredded coconut. Garnish with additional sliced peaches if desired
Tip:
To prevent the peach filling from spilling over the side of the cake, I use a piping bag fitted with a number 12 piping tip filled with enough of the frosting to pipe a bead around the edge of each filling layer.
If you attended the finale of the Writers Road Show at Pages Books in Mount Airy, you had a chance to meet Belinda Smith-Sullivan. She had shared a recipe for the March-April issue of Yadkin Valley Magazine, and when I shared a copy of that issue with her, she offered another recipe. Knowing that peaches were going to be featured in the JulyAugust issue, I was thrilled when she shared a recipe from her cookbook, Just Peachy.
BELINDA SMITH-SULLIVAN is a chef, food writer, spice blends entrepreneur, and commercially rated pilot. She has a culinary arts degree from Johnson & Wales University, and is a monthly food columnist for South Carolina Living Magazine. She also is featured on South Carolina Living’s website with monthly how-to videos. Smith-Sullivan is an active member of the Southern Foodways Alliance, International Association of Culinary Professionals, the International Food Wine and Travel Writers Association, American Culinary Federation, and Les Dames d’Escoffier. She lives in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
foodsandflavors ™ ~
Chelsea Johnson
WRITER & PHOTOS
Chelsea Johnson
Family and Consumer Agent
N.C. Cooperative Extension Yadkin County Cooperative Extension Chelsea_Johnson@ncsu.edu
Follow along on Facebook @YadkinCountyFCS
Written by: More In My Basket
Adapted
by
Chelsea Johnson, FCS Agent, Yadkin County
Quick and Healthy Meals
Everyone knows that a healthy meal is important. What sometimes becomes an issue is finding time and creativity in the middle of a busy week to create different and nutritious recipes. Life can get pretty busy, especially if you have small children at home.
If this is something you go through, know that you are not alone. And today we are going to explore a few ways that can help you prepare the best meals for your family without sacrificing too much of your time.
All of the food items mentioned in this article are SNAP-eligible. SNAP is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program which is commonly known as Food Stamps. To learn more about SNAP or to apply for the program, contact the More In My Basket program by calling their toll free phone 1-855-240-1451 or visit their website at morefood.org.
Precooked Whole Grains
Precooked whole grains are a tasty side that can be mixed with vegetables or meat for a complete meal. These food items increase your fiber intake and lower your risk for colon cancer, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Some examples of whole grains are brown rice and quinoa.
The great thing about pre-cooked whole grains is that it does not take a long time to cook. They can be found frozen or in ready-to-microwave pouches. Just watch out for added sodium on the packaging. Look for brands that have lower sodium content.
Frozen Vegetables
Speaking of frozen items, frozen veggies are another great way to consume healthy food without for long periods of time. Frozen produce, such as green beans, corn and carrots, maintain the same nutrients frozen as they do fresh.
Another perk is that frozen vegetables that are not packed in a sauce typically have zero milligrams of sodium. Read the nutrition label on the back of a frozen vegetable package and compare the sodium with its canned counterpart. Frozen vegetables are great in salads, added to canned soups or served with rice.
Whole Chicken
Another great idea is to buy a whole chicken, break it down, and freeze the different parts. You can use all the parts of the chicken to create a variety of meals. Pull different parts out the freezer to add to a chicken noodle soup, make a sandwich with other ingredients or have a piece or two with rice and vegetables.
Chicken bones are also great to use for homemade broths which can also save a lot of money down the line when you make soups and chili.
Lower-Sodium Soups and Broths
Canned soup is a great and usually cheaper option if you are running out of time during the week to cook. Although it is true that even “healthy” soups have a lot of salt, there are plenty of options out there that boast less sodium nowadays.
You can also add veggies, rice and proteins to make your soup more flavorful and balanced.
Another great way to start a base to soups, chili and to add flavor to dishes is using chicken and vegetable broths. They are also shelf stable so easy to keep in the pantry until ready to use and typically even lower in sodium than some canned soups.
Frozen Fruits
Similar to frozen vegetables, frozen fruits also retain the same nutritional value as their fresh counterparts. Frozen fruit can be thrown into a smoothie or added to a lunch box with yogurt. Another option is dried fruits, which can make for a great snack on their own or added to salads and trail mixes for even more fiber and antioxidants in meals.
At the end of the day, find what fits better with your and your family’s schedule and do your best to get creative with not only these items but whatever else you may have at home.
Preparing a shopping list before leaving your home to go to the grocery store is always a great idea and can help you in saving time as well.
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Let our baristas help out by preparing one of their favorite drinks. Books & Brew offers delicious beverages, intriguing books, and great friendships.
Home & Garden
Kellee Payne
WRITER/PHOTOS
Kellee Payne
Commercial and Consumer
Horticulture Agent
N.C. Cooperative Extension
Yadkin County Center
kellee_payne@ncsu.edu
Facebook @YadkinCountyHorticulture
Blue Skies, Blueberries: North Carolina's
Sweet Summer Treasure
As summer approaches in North Carolina, the sun warms the fields and vibrant blue begins to emerge signaling the arrival of one of the state’s most beloved fruits: the blueberry. Our state is a haven for these antioxidant-packed powerhouses which offers a delightful bounty for both growers and consumers. According to the 2022 Census of Agriculture, “North Carolina ranks seventh nationally in blueberry production, making up 8.5% of all U.S. production.” The rabbiteye species is cultivated in North Carolina's Foothills and Piedmont, as it's best suited for the region's specific soil types and elevations.
While grocery stores offer blueberries year-round, there's nothing quite like the taste of a fresh-picked, sun-ripened North Carolina berry. The season typically kicks off in late May and peaks in June, continuing strong through July with some late-blooming varieties extending into early August. This long season offers ample opportunity to experience the joy of the harvest firsthand. If you are seeking a hand-on farm experience, there is a plethora of U-pick blueberry farms in the region and across the state. For the best picking experience, select berries that feel firm and plump, are dry to the touch, and have a consistent size and a characteristic dusty coating. You can refrigerate berries for up to two weeks, and they're also simple to freeze for future use.
Thinking of growing your own blueberries? They make excellent landscape additions, whether as hedges for privacy, in cluster plantings, or as individual specimen plants. Blueberries add year-round beauty to your yard: enjoy white or pink flowers in spring, vibrant sky-blue fruit in summer, and striking red foliage in the fall. When it comes to planting blueberries, site selection is crucial. Unlike many other small fruit crops, blueberries thrive in a more acidic environment, requiring a lower pH of 4.5, so always conduct a soil test first. For the best possible harvest, choose a full sun location. While they can tolerate up to 50% shade, remember that more shade means fewer berries. Finally, excellent soil drainage is vital. Be sure to avoid planting in low, concave areas that drain poorly, and prepare for proper drainage before you get started. Well-suited Rabbiteye varieties for the Foothills and Piedmont regions are 'Climax', 'Premier', 'Centurion', 'Columbus', 'Ira', 'Tifblue', 'Powderblue', and 'Onslow'. Late winter, specifically February to March, is the ideal window for planting bare-root blueberry plants. Space plants 5-6 feet apart in the row and 10-12 feet between the rows. To establish your new blueberry plants, prune approximately two-thirds of the top growth from bare-root plants. It's also crucial to pinch off any flower buds (the plump, rounded ones) so the plant focuses its energy on root development rather than flowering in its first year.
July is National Blueberry Month which means the perfect time to embrace the opportunity to savor North Carolina's sweet blue treasure. Whether you're picking your own, grabbing a carton at a local market, or enjoying a blueberry-infused treat, you'll be experiencing a true taste of the Tar Heel State.
For more information on growing blueberries, visit: https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/growing-blueberries-inthe-home-garden
Our office is an equal opportunity provider, so if you have any questions related to horticulture, please contact Kellee Payne at kellee_payne@ncsu.edu or 336849-7908.
Here is another recipe from Christi Pate at The Sweet Shack Bakery.
Blueberry Yum Yum
2 cups crushed graham crackers (about 14 large graham crackers)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
10 tablespoons butter, melted
1 - 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 - 16 oz tub Cool Whip, thawed and divided
2 - 21 oz cans blueberry pie filling additional graham cracker crumbs for garnish
Instructions
In a medium bowl, stir well to combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter. Press evenly into the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to chill. Using a stand or hand mixer, beat well to combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and 1/2 of the tub of Cool Whip. Spread mixture evenly over crust.
Add the blueberry pie filling, spreading it evenly over the cream cheese layer.
Top with remaining Cool Whip. Sprinkle with additional graham cracker crumbs, if desired. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
**You can use any fruit in the yum-yum**
Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake
1/2 pound butter, softened
3 cups sugar
6 eggs
1/2 pint sour cream
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 (3 ounce) box Jell-O instant lemon pudding mix
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon extract
2 lemons, zest of 1 lemon, juice of
1 1/2 cups blueberries coated with 1 tablespoon flour
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Spray a Bundt pan with nonstick spray and set aside. Cream together softened butter and sugar.
Add eggs, one at a time and beat, then add sour cream.
Need fresh blueberries for these great recipes? Check out Hutchens Blueberries in Yadkin County! 2809 Indian Heaps Road East Bend, NC 336-961-7201 336-829-8268
kidsx4mama@yahoo.com Follow on Facebook
Sift flour and soda together and add next along with the instant pudding. Last add vanilla, lemon extract, juice and zest, mixing until batter is light and fluffy.
Pour into the sprayed Bundt pan and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Warning! Some oven temperatures may vary so keep an eye on this one! Serve with a lemon glaze or just sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Joyce Hutchens Helton, Hutchens Blueberries, East Bend
Madaline Jones
WRITER/PHOTOS
Madaline Jones 4-H Agent Yadkin County madaline_jones@ncsu.edu
4-H AIRE: Application, Interview, Resume, Essay
Our teenagers often hear the phrase, “Career Ready.” But how do they get there? There are not many opportunities available to help our young people with this significant task without overwhelming them. Stepping confidently into the professional world begins with cultivating career readiness; so how do we achieve that? 4-H offers an answer to that question with a program called “AIRE,” and it comes with the possibility of winning trips in the process.
AIRE (Application, Interview, Resume, and Essay) is a program where youth gain real-life experience with these elements of career readiness without having to apply for a job first. 4-H’ers ages 14-18 are welcome to take part in this competition. Youth who wish to participate in this competition must complete the four elements listed above. Participants can compete at the County level only, but the State Level offers amazing trip opportunities. Youth participating in the State Level of this competition are eligible to be selected to attend one of the three national 4-H events such as National Congress, National Conference, and National Leadership Conference. These trips are worth thousands of dollars! Room, board, conference fees, most meals, and more are completely paid for.
What to Expect When Competing in the AIRE Program
If you wish to compete in this competition, the elements of this project are due in May every year. Make sure to contact your local 4-H office before this time to determine their specific deadlines. Next, by visiting the North Carolina State 4-H website at https://go.ncsu.edu/4-h_aire, you can find information on AIRE, including the “AIRE Packet.” Before you do this, though, make sure to check out this "what to expect" list to help guide you through the process.
Application: The application is straightforward, requesting basic information from applicants regarding their name, contact information, and so forth. The application also inquires about their interests and what they feel comfortable representing. For example, if a 4-H’er has primarily been involved in plant-related activities, they would select the Plant Science category as an area they are very knowledgeable about. Then, they would pick two more categories in which they feel confident. These categories will not only allow the interviewers later on to tailor their questions to these topics but also enable the interviewers to select a diverse group of applicants for the trips.
Interview: Over the years, the interview has taken the form of in-person or virtual formats. This year, interviews will be conducted in person in Raleigh at one of NC State’s facilities. This information will be relayed to you once you sign up for the program, but regardless of the interview method, the structure remains the same. A panel of 2-4 interviewers will be in the room with the participant, and the participant will be expected to answer questions. Within the AIRE Packet, there are several example questions to help you with this process. Some are traditional interview questions, such as “What are your biggest strengths and weaknesses?” and some are more critical thinking questions. One example of these questions is, “Currently, 13% of NC students drop out of high school. What do you
Yadkin County 4-H’er, Bryson Helton, at the Georgia Aquarium during his National Trip won through AIRE.
think should be done by administrators, parents, and communities to reduce this alarming number?” The great thing about this program is that it helps prepare you with example questions. Since these questions are provided, we highly recommend that you review each of them and practice your responses before your interview.
Resume: The resume is arguably the most important part of this process because it is the first thing potential employers will see that represents you. But where do you start? Thankfully, the AIRE packet includes a layout for writing a resume. Also, 4-H agents have access to example resumes if applicants wish to use one as a guide. The AIRE program encourages its participants to use one of three types of resumes:
Functional Resume: A functional resume focuses on your skills and experiences rather than your chronological 4-H history. It is most often used by youth involved in various 4-H programs, youth with less than five years of 4-H experience, or youth who wish to emphasize their experiences and skills over leadership positions and previous accomplishments.
Chronological Resume: A chronological resume starts by listing your 4-H history, with the most recent position listed first. Your leadership positions are listed in reverse chronological order, with your current or most recent position first. This type of resume works well for youth with a strong, established 4-H history.
Combination Resume: A combination resume lists your skills and experience first, followed by your 4-H history. With this type of resume, you can highlight the skills you have that are relevant to the 4-H trip you are applying for and also provide the chronological 4-H history that reviewers prefer.
Essay: The essay always has at least one prompt for students to choose from. The prompt this year was, “Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?” Within the AIRE Packet, examples are provided on ways to brainstorm and break down this question into more manageable segments. The rules are as follows:
Essays should be between 525 and 650 words (650-word maximum).
Essay Specifics: Font Size: 12-14; 1.5 Line Spacing. Essays should engage the reader, answer the prompt question(s) concisely, and reflect the participant's character and personality. Essays cannot be generated by AI.
The essay portion is straightforward in nature but is a great way to practice and gain valuable writing skills.
For more information on the AIRE program, please visit our North Carolina 4-H website at https://go.ncsu.edu/4h_aire. There you can find the categories we offer, score sheets, rules, and more. If you are interested in completing the AIRE program, make sure to contact your Cooperative Extension 4-H Development Agent. NC Cooperative Extension is an equal opportunity provider and welcomes all to learn about our programs. Visit ces.ncsu.edu to learn more about NC Cooperative Extension by clicking on the “County Centers” tab and selecting your home county. For more information about Yadkin County 4-H, please contact Madaline Jones at madaline_jones@ncsu.edu or by calling 336-849-7908.
Yadkin and Surry County 4-H’er, Sydney Tucker, during her virtual interview for AIRE.
because A River Runs Through It
Continuing the Yadkin River series, the signifcance of the river on Wilkes County historically as well as currently is evident on the next few pages. Lisa Brewer writes about how the river and surrounding areas provide recreation opportunities, and Jason Duncan shares a historical story about how the river interfered with one gentleman’s court appearance. In addition, enjoy some photos from the area on this page.
The Yadkin River feeds W Kerr Scott Reservoir, which in turn supplies water for Wilkesboro and North Wilkesboro. Completed in 1962, the dam helps with flood control while also providing recreation opportunities on and around the reservoir.
The Yadkin River State Trail is a paddle trail that begins just below the W Kerr Scott Dam. For information about access points along the 163 mile trail, visit https://trails.nc.gov/state-trails/yadkin-river-state-trail
If you enjoy some history with your hiking, try the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail along the Kerr Scott Reservoir.
“Get on the River!”
Welcome, summer! Freedom, fun, and fresh air just seem to go together. Is there any better place to enjoy all three than along the Yadkin River in Wilkes County, North Carolina?
Call me biased, but I think not.
Since 1988, whether in uptown North Wilkesboro or Historic Downtown Wilkesboro, I have lived a short walk from a segment of the Yadkin River Greenway. It’s always been easy to find solitude there, walking and jogging along the Cub Creek trails or enjoying a peaceful picnic for two. It’s been equally easy to participate in more boisterous fun: celebrating those opening days at Smoot Park Pool, enjoying spirited play with BooneDoggie or Biscuit at Hidden Oaks Dog Park, and watching those talented skateboarders at the county’s only skate park. The Yadkin River’s public spaces offer plenty of opportunities for the best of quiet and not-so-quiet moments.
As the state’s second-largest basin, it is the principal source of water for the central Carolina region, providing critical drinking and agricultural water supplies according to the Yadkin Riverkeeper’s website.
It is also a valuable resource in the highly competitive category of tourism. Whether guests are camping, hiking, fishing, or riding the river in a tube, tub, kayak, or canoe, the Yadkin River offers something for everyone’s skill levels and interests.
Recently, a group of visitors from Mt. Holly, NC came to town for the NASCAR All-Star Race at the historic North Wilkesboro Speedway. They used some free time to explore bike-friendly trails running through both the two Boros.
And that’s exactly what Daniel Isom, Vice-Chairman of
the Wilkes County Tourism Development Authority and a leader in the hotel industry, likes to see.
“I want to give those who visit our area the same experience that I look for when I travel with my family,” said the father of four and Spectrum Hospitality Management President recently. “When a tourist stays in one of our hotels or visits one of our area attractions or events, it’s my goal that they experience a safe, clean, welcoming and family friendly environment.
“We have like-minded folks here in Wilkes on this idea and I feel we as a community do a great job of putting this foot forward.”
Along the River, the Greenway offers effortless biking while nearby trails and roads offer something much more challenging. The Reservoir website promises miles of “scenic and challenging singletrack” for skilled riders.
Bike trail maps are conveniently located on signs posted throughout the Greenway, at the Kerr Scott spillway, and on related websites, including Cook’s Sports & Outfitters. Company President Mark Cook is an active and respected leader in the outdoor tourism industry and community.
“I know how important this is to the health of the community and economy,” he said in a telephone interview.
Historian, musician, and Yadkin River Greenway Executive Director Ray Absher concurs.
“The Greenway contributes to the outdoor economy in a number of ways,” Absher said. “Visitors to Wilkes County increase their ‘length of stay’ which multiplies the positive visitor impact on the local economy….The area YMCA, youth organizations and community parks partner with the Greenway to benefit the public and increase positive visitor impacts.
“The Yadkin
Lashawnda Oliver (left) and Rochella Glenn enjoy a walk on the Yadkin River Greenway.
Kate LeaShomb fishes at the Historic Jefferson Turnpike section of the Greenway on the Reddies River, a tributary of the Yadkin River.
Photo by David Brewer
Valley Heritage Corridor has identified the Yadkin River Greenway as a major factor in increased growth in outdoor recreation,” Absher said.
Formerly with the Army Corps of Engineers, he worked with the Brushy Mountain Cyclist Club to construct approximately 40 miles of mountain bike trails.
“Trails are a lifelong passion of mine,” Absher said in an e-mail.
Thomas Nicholson, Operations Project Manager at W. Kerr Scott Dam and Reservoir, notes that the “trails system is still highly recognized in the mountain biking community, and folks come from all over the world to bike here.”
Visit the reservoir website at https://www.saw.usace.army.mil/Locations/District-Lakesand-Dams/W-Kerr-Scott/Recreation/Trails/ or the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WKerrScott for the latest updates on events, conditions, and trail closures due to weather.
According to the US Army Corps of Engineers Recreation 2023 Lake Report (the most recent one available), a whopping 630,245 recreational visits were made at W. Kerr WScott Dam and Reservoir! Total spending within 30 miles of the site was estimated at more than $33,277,000.00 dollars.
One can see clearly how important the 56 shoreline miles and 41 trail miles are to the area economy, as well as individual health and wellness.
September, 2024’s Hurricane Helene did some damage to the Reservoir and Yadkin River shores, but government, non-profit, and citizen efforts restored the area to readiness for this summer’s visitors.
The Yadkin River’s immediate future and long-range visions look promising in Wilkes County.
Yadkin Riverkeeper Ward Swann has been teaching and guiding visitors along the river for 35 years. He views the Yadkin as “this area’s most valuable asset for economic development” but is passionate about keeping it safe and clean.
“It’s easy to paddle on the Yadkin on long stretches and not see buildings at all,” Swann wrote recently. “The wilderness-like experience of a river in a state east of the Mississippi is frequently commented on.”
Swann has “a few projects that I am keeping an eye on in Wilkes County” that include finding and improving local river accesses and further extending the Yadkin River Trail for recreational use.
Daniel Isom also referred to the River District concept, a Wilkes Outdoor Economy plan for shopping and visiting that could elevate the tourist experience in Wilkes.
Along the River, the towns of Wilkesboro and North Wilkesboro offer a star-studded summer line-up filled with outdoor concerts and events, and a variety of shopping and eating spots.
Past, present, and future, the Yadkin River offers a great deal in Wilkes County. But don’t just read about it. Get on the river!
“The Greenway dream began, not on some planner's desk, but in the fertile imagination of radiologist Dr. Phil Carlson. After canoeing down the Yadkin with his son Ian, Dr. Carlson was struck by the beauty of the river that winds through the middle of our county's largest towns. Dr. Carlson shared his vision of a greenway with Dr. Tom Frazer, Dr. Larry Bennett and the late Becky Comer Mann. That canoe trip spawned the genesis of the Greenway's effort in 1994 and the first phase of the Greenway became a reality and opened May 18, 2002.”
From https://www.yadkinrivergreenway.com/history https://www.wilkescountytourism.com This website will help you plan your trip to the Yadkin River in Wilkes, covering everything from lodging to dining to entertaining special events. Please call ahead to confirm event information.
https://wilkesboronc.org/visitors/concerts-in-the-commons A listing of fun, free concerts just off of the Yadkin River Greenway.
https://foothillsoutdooradventures.com/ Outfitter Chris Johnson has garnered rave reviews for his services. Paddle independently or hire a guide for a two-hour tour or more.
https://www.yadkinriverkeeper.org/yadkin-river-access Visit this site for excellent river access maps.
https://www.iwr.usace.army.mil/Missions/Value-to-the-Nation/ Great website for kids to learn more about our nation’s water resources.
Want to learn more about W. Kerr Scott Dam and Reservoir? This link will provide you with lots of facts!
Lisa Brewer is Executive Director of Carolina Bible Camp Bluegrass Festival located in Mocksville, NC. She lives near the Yadkin River with her husband, attorney Greg Brewer, and their rescue dog, Biscuit.
Photo page 12: David Brewer and Melissa King ride the Yadkin River Greenway.
Chris McClanahan rides every day
Alfred Simmons vs. The Yadkin River
Alfred Simmons had a lot on his mind in the Spring of 1842. In January, he and Cleveland Carroll were charged with failure to pay a $20 debt to John Norris. Then in February, John Norris and three others assaulted him and imprisoned him for ten hours. Perhaps the assault was in retaliation for not paying the debt. Both of these cases would soon be dealt with in court.
But on April 14, Simmons was focused on getting to the courthouse for his scheduled appearance as a witness in a Superior Court case involving his neighbor Luke Triplett. He wanted to avoid any further trouble with the court, so it was important that he be there on time. He had left home the day before, and he was sure he had given himself plenty of time to get there.
Unfortunately, he lived about as far away as he possibly could and still be a resident of Wilkes County. Alfred Simmons lived along Elk Creek in the Darby community at the extreme western edge of the county. It was a 25-mile trip from his home to the courthouse, and he arrived on foot at Holman’s Ford on the Yadkin River before 9am on the day of the case. This popular ford of the river was located at the mouth of Lewis Fork, and today it is underneath the W. Kerr Scott Reservoir. This was still nine miles away from the courthouse, but after he crossed the river, his plan was to get a ride with someone who was traveling in that direction. He could travel twice as fast if he was able to ride in someone’s wagon.
But first things first. At the ford, he asked the ferry manager to take him across, but the man told him no. Simmons would have to pay to ride the ferry across the river. He told the man that he didn’t have any money, but it was no use. There were no free ferry rides being offered that day.
There were also no bridges crossing this part of the Yadkin River at that time. Simmons’ only other option was to swim across, but there had been heavy rains recently. The river’s current was fast, and the water was high. At 24 years old, he was in good physical shape, but he would be exhausted and soaked if he were to swim across the river. He decided to wait.
By the afternoon, he had waited as long as he could. The water had started to go down, and he decided to take the plunge. He stripped off his clothes, packed them in a sack, and waded into the river. After reaching the other side, he put his clothes back on and started walking east toward the courthouse.
Perhaps he was able to catch a ride into town, because he arrived at the courthouse about 3:00 that afternoon. He quickly walked inside and inquired about his case. He was informed that his case had been called a half hour earlier. Despite his two-day effort, he was late.
Superior Court occurred twice a year in those days, and Alfred Simmons found himself back in court the following October. This time, he was the defendant in a case brought by the State for his failure to appear at the previous court session. The fine for his offense was $40. He explained his ordeal in a letter to the judge at the Fall 1842 term of court. Perhaps striving to garner a bit more sympathy from the judge, the last sentence of his letter says, “affiant has been sick”. He signed the letter with his mark because he was unable to read and write.
Perhaps Alfred Simmons was able to avoid the court’s fine. There is no entry in the Superior Court Minute Docket showing that he was found guilty of missing his court appearance. It’s possible that his letter to the judge caused the case to be dropped.
We’re left to wonder how Simmons crossed the Yadkin River for his October court date. Presumably he put a few pennies in his pocket before he left home so that he could pay the ferry manager if necessary. The Yadkin River can be cold in October, and he couldn’t afford to be late to court a second time.
Court documents regarding Alfred Simmons
Jason Duncan, Research Specialist, Wilkes Heritage Museum
Living Low Waste with
Did you know that around 90% of all plastic created is still floating around in the world, maybe in a different form, probably broken down into microplastics? There are different phrases thrown around in the sustainability world, such as “low-waste,” “zero-waste,” and “plastic-free.” My personal goal is to one day be able to throw away nothing and live what sustainability considers “plastic-free.” But living completely without plastic is hard. I have successfully reduced my plastic waste, but I still throw a lot of trash away. Enter Refill Carolina, my mobile refillery business, servicing the Yadkin Valley.
I graduated from UNC Wilmington in 2023 with an environmental sciences degree and a minor in sustainability. I spent a semester working with a sustainable brewery in Wilmington and learning how this brewery is working to reduce its plastic waste, use cleaner energy sources, and help keep Wilmington the beautiful beach town it is.
A refillery works to reduce plastic waste. Lots of people use glass jars and aluminum bottles to fill with bulk pro-
Looking to live plastic-free?
Check out Refill Carolina!
Bring your own containers-Mason jars, salsa jars, pickle jars, or that bottle of body wash you just finished. If it can be reused, it can be refilled!
Rebecca Williams Refill Carolina
ducts. These materials have a longer life than plastic and are infinitely more recyclable than plastic. Glass and aluminum are one hundred percent recyclable. Recycling plastic has not historically been effective.
If you bring your container to a refillery, you can ‘refill’ it with whatever you want. The empty container will be weighed, then filled with as much or as little product as you want, then reweighed. The price is determined by the weight of the product. Less toxic ingredients are a bonus!
Maybe you have a pretty hand soap container at your bathroom sink (mine is a frog with a bowtie). Then, you get to use that pretty container again and again.
There are lots of cool things that make living low-waste possible, but the most sustainable thing you can do is to use up what you already have!
Refill Carolina’s goal is to bring sustainable products to customers who seek to reduce their plastic waste.
This is how a refillery works!
Yadkin Valley’s NEW Mobile Refillery
Common refill products we will have available:
Liquid Laundry Detergent
Powder Laundry Detergent
Dish Soap
Automatic Dishwasher Powder
Lots of Purpose Cleaner
Body Wash
Hand Soap
Other items to help you live low waste:
Pint/Quart Mason jars
Pint jar w/pump
Pint jar w/sip lid
Mason jar scoop
Natural dish scrubber
Unplug: The Garden Dimension
In a modern world buzzing with digital demands and relentless schedules, stepping into the garden is like slipping into another dimension, one where ancient, natural rules prevail. Witness the silent, coordinated design: roots reaching, cells precisely dividing, nutrients strategically distributed. These silent living construction projects we call plants are performing amazing feats, easily taken for granted. The sheer energy within a single garden bed – a ladybug hunting aphids, a vine slowly climbing towards the sun – offers a universe for the mind to explore, a true escape from the modern grind. All the activity and life force resulting in something so simple yet complex. It's just life itself, unfolding gracefully, teaching patience, resilience, and the grateful nature of simply existing.
To escape the incessant dinging of my phone, the weight of endless expectations, and the relentless 'go, go, go,’ I retreat to my garden. Even here, it's tempting to bring the noise with us, perhaps with headphones to play music. But to truly unplug, I’ve learned to leave them behind. Amidst the unfiltered bird songs and the buzzing bees, life feels refreshingly unmanufactured. While the bright screens vie for attention with gimmicks, a tiny seed pushing through the soil lives on a different code altogether – an organic, natural rhythm, unconcerned with algorithms or analytics. It’s a quiet reminder of a profound, inherent order.
Life is not forced; it's unfolding. Success is not about profit; it's about persistence and simply existing. This is the breath of fresh air, a vital reminder that there's a whole other way to exist that is more in line with the Earth.
The digital landscape bombards us with an endless clamor for attention, a barrage of schemes and pitches
implying we're not doing enough, or buying enough. It's just fake and exhausting. When I visit the gardens amidst our growing community, there's this whole other dimension of existence happening.... life is just living. No agenda, no performance, just the pure, unadulterated business of being alive, even a small container garden on a balcony can offer a sanctuary for the mind. It’s like a secret society, operating on ancient principles, completely independent of all the manufactured urgency people create, the garden operates on a different time scale altogether.
Seeking a return to nature doesn't mean rejecting all modern advancements. In fact, some, like breakthroughs in lighting, allow us to deepen our connection with the plant world, bringing its magic indoors. We can extend daylight hours in the winter and supplement light to grow where it wasn’t possible before, like a north facing room or one without windows. It's about perspective and thoughtfully integrating these tools to create a reality that aligns more closely with the natural rhythms we crave.
For generations upon generations, growing things was an essential act of survival. Our ancestors understood the deep connection between the soil and their sustainability. I believe we can revisit those roots, recapture that intrinsic understanding of our ancestors, and thoughtfully integrate modern advancements. The goal? A more sustainable and fulfilling future, characterized by natural production rather than forced consumption.
Outside the digital void, this subtle, persistent, and beautiful earth exists, even in the smallest cultivated space. It offers a much-needed dose of perspective. Step into a garden, breathe in the earthy smells, listen to its quiet wisdom. You might be surprised at the peace you find.
Wellness Social Wellness
WRITER Jessica O. Wall, MPH
Director, Yadkin County Human Services Agency Medical Clinic and Wic
jwall@yadkincountync.gov 336.849.7588
There are eight dimensions, or areas, of wellness. People commonly think of physical or emotional wellness. Another area that is equally important is social wellness. According to Northwestern University, social wellness is “developing a sense of connection, belonging, and a well-developed support system”. Having good social wellness impacts other areas such as physical or emotional wellness. Good social wellness protects against chronic conditions or could help you get better sleep. It may also help manage things like anxiety or depression. Having poor social wellness or social connectedness could lead to social isolation or loneliness. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), social isolation can threaten our physical or mental health. The CDC shares that 1 in 3 adults in the US report feeling lonely and 1 in 4 report not having social or emotional support. It’s important to note that certain conditions could increase the risk of social isolation such as any chronic conditions you may have, where you live, your access to transportation, communication barriers, age or income.
Something you can do to better your social wellness is to expand your social connectedness. This can be done in a variety of areas and ways. You could attend a local church, join a civic group or volunteer with a non-profit organization in your area. Local libraries are a good place for social connectedness due to the variety of programming they have across all age groups. Maybe you have a hobby or activity you like to participate in. For example: if you like to sew, knit or read, there could be local sewing or knitting groups or book clubs you could join. Or if you like to participate in a sporting activity, there may be local clubs you could join. Local parks and recreation departments are good places to call and check on sports clubs or groups. Local YMCAs are excellent opportunities to get active and involved! Monitor and regulate the amount of time you are spending devices and social media sites. They are a good tool to stay informed and keep in touch with faraway friends and family, but overuse can worsen social isolation. Many people need to care for others. Per-
haps you have an aging parent or you have small children. Constantly giving and taking care of others doesn’t leave time to care for yourself. Self-care includes forming and keeping relationships outside of your immediate family. Be intentional with maintaining your relationships by making time on your schedule and keeping those social appointments for yourself.
Parents should pay attention to the social connectedness of their children also. Parents should model healthy social relationships and community involvement for their children. Work to bond with your children through activities, sharing with one another and active listening. Children learn about healthy relationships at home and will seek those for themselves if given this model. Parents should create and encourage opportunities for children to have engagement with their peers and their community. This could be through sports activities, hobbies, or other extracurricular activities including volunteering. There can be negative aspects that come from engaging with peers such as bullying or peer pressure. Pay close attention that your child has social connectedness but that they are positive influences for your child. With teens, be sure to look for signs of loneliness. This could include changes in their sleep or energy levels. Other sings are not wanting to hang out with people they used to or do things they used to enjoy.
Even the smallest action can help. You can identify a few people that you reach out to regularly to check in with and share with them what’s going on with you. Even those small connections matter. When working to build and maintain relationships, the National Institute for Health (NIH) recommends considering being honest with others but not being judgmental or placing blame. If you are going to disagree with others, do it in a respectful way. Try avoiding being overly critical, as that could drive others away. Look for opportunities to compromise. All that being said, know when to recognize a negative or abusive relationship. You will need to have, and maintain, boundaries in your relationships to keep them healthy. The goal is to have good social connections and a solid support system that you can engage with and lean on in times of need. Social connectedness and good social wellbeing are not about the number of friends you have, but the quality of those relationships.
Discover Your Best Self at Aesthetix Laser and Medspa
At Aesthetix Laser and Medspa , we believe in the power of self-care and transformation. Our mission is to help you look and feel your absolute best through cutting-edge treatments, personalized care, and a luxurious experience that rejuvenates both body and mind.
Our team of licensed medical professionals offers a variety of customized services including:
●Neurotoxin and Dermal Fillers
●Laser Hair Removal
●IPL - photofacials
●Frax
●Microneedling
●RF Microneedling
●Hair Restoration
● Anteage and Revision skin care products
● Hydration
A Transformation Awaits
When you visit Aesthetix Laser and Medspa you’re not just receiving treatments—you’re embarking on a journey to enhanced confidence and well-being. Whether you’re looking to refresh, tighten or tone your skin, or simply relax, we’re here to make it happen.
Ready to start your journey? Consultations are complimentary!
Contact us at 336-409-0241 or visit our website www.aesthetixlaserandmedspa.com to schedule your appointment. Follow us on @aesthetixlaserandmedspa_pllc for the latest updates, tips, and specials.
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Aesthetix Laser and Medspa: Where Beauty Meets Science, and Confidence Comes Naturally.
Dr. Andrew Rivers, along with Dr. Christopher Ioan and their staff are pleased to announce their new location in Mocksville.
Utilizing the the most up-to-date technology, our new facility was designed with patient comfort in mind for the care you have come to expect. With two providers, Rivers Family & Cosmetic Dentistry offers expanded services and treatment options for established and new patients. Schedule your
Dr. Andrew Rivers & Dr. Christopher Ioan
Carolina Freedom Farm
Carolina Freedom Farm, LLC is a farm-to-table business owned by my husband, Noah Hudler. The farm, established in Taylorsville, NC specializes in growing and selling local produce. The name Carolina Freedom Farm comes from the local aspect, and the Freedom found in Jesus Christ, in America, and in my potential farm products. Our farm’s mission is to cultivate healthy produce for our local customers and encourage our communities to consume fresh, natural foods. Fresh produce is healthy and doesn’t require as many preservatives, if any. Additionally, fresh produce and God’s natural ingredients are more nutritious than most processed foods we typically consume each and every day.
The main crops grown at Carolina Freedom Farm are many different varieties of microgreens. Our microgreens are grown organically without any use of pesticides or fertilizers. Noah takes pride in keeping things environment friendly and is passionate about pure, pesticide-free growth to ensure the greens boost your meals and health the right way.
What are microgreens? Microgreens are young edible seedlings harvested after their first true set of leaves have developed. You can grow most leafy greens and herbs as a microgreen where you harvest and eat the seedling itself. They will taste distinctly like the original variety of seed, and in some cases even more flavorful. Other vegetables such as broccoli and corn, and fruits, such as cantaloupe, can be grown as a microgreen. Microgreens, in general, are tasty and very nutritious, even more nutritious than the mature plants/fruit. They can be grown in soil or hydroponically. Noah has chose to grow all of his microgreens in a greenhouse with hydroponic systems that he built.
A hydroponic system is when you grow plants without using soil and instead use water filled with the nutrients
Noah Hudler: Owner/Founder & CEO
Phone: (828) 503-5265
Email: noah@carolinafreedomfarm.com
Website: https://www.carolinafreedomfarm.com
the plants need. In this case, Carolina Freedom Farm does still use a soil medium for most microgreen varieties, but he uses bottom watering in the hydroponic system. Other varieties prefer to be sown on mats such as jute mats. Whether using soil or mats, with the right environment and nutrients, the roots of the plants will still grow deep into the water with healthy, white roots.
Microgreens have many purposes, from being used as a garnish on steaks, fish (especially salmon, oysters, scallops, and sushi), tacos, pasta, pizza, burgers and added into salads and smoothies. They can be used in cooking with casseroles or any other kinds of foods you would like to try them on. Also, pesto can be made with microgreens as one of the main ingredients.
Some of the microgreen varieties that Carolina Freedom Farm grows are arugula, broccoli, chervil, cilantro, corn, kale, nasturtium, onion, peas, pea tendrils, purple radish, sunflower, and mixed. Noah’s mixed variety contains arugula, broccoli, cabbage, kale, radish, and amaranth all mixed together. It is the most popular microgreens sold for color and flavor. My personal favorites are mixed and sunflower. His personal favorite is nasturtium for the peppery but still fruity flavor and radish for its nutritional value.
All microgreens are very healthy for us, but some stand out as more nutritious or known for their use medicinally. Broccoli microgreens contain high amounts of sulforaphane, which is beneficial in many ways including: antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, helps brain function, and slows cognitive decline. Broccoli microgreens are also great for eye health with high amounts of lutein and zeaxanthin, weight management, blood sugar regulation, cardiovascular health, and much more. Cilantro microgreens contain high amounts of Vitamins A, C, E, K, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, antioxidants, antiinflammatory properties, beta-carotene, and can help in heavy-metal detoxification. Nasturtium microgreens contain high amounts of Beta-carotene, Vitamin A, manganese, and iron, along with one of the highest amounts of
lutein of any edible plant (which is important for eye health). Nasturtium is also very anti-inflammatory and rich in antioxidants. Radish microgreens contain high amount of Vitamins A, C, E, and K, along with folate, calcium, and potassium. All other varieties have health benefits as well, but broccoli, cilantro, nasturtium, and radish are a few of the top most nutritious microgreens that Carolina Freedom Farm specializes in.
Along with microgreens, Carolina Freedom Farm also grows lots of other crops during the summer including tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, zucchini, okra, peppers, and edible flowers. Some of the edible flowers grown are borage, nasturtium, pansies, and violas. Additionally, he also sells live wheatgrass trays that can be used as a decoration using the whole tray for special occasions, banquets, and dessert tables. While microgreens are the main crop grown at Carolina Freedom Farm, Noah loves growing the produce and always looks to expand his knowledge by experimenting and learning about new crops.
Carolina Freedom Farm currently sells and delivers to Taylorsville, Hickory, Statesville, Mooresville, Davidson, Cornelius, Huntersville, Charlotte, Fort Mill (SC), Wilkesboro, and Yadkinville. Noah currently sells microgreens in clamshell produce containers. He says, “It’s a goal of mine to keep expanding clientele to more businesses, restaurants, and individuals. My farm’s main objective is to provide fresh healthy produce to local communities of the Western & Piedmont areas of North Carolina.”
Noah states, “I would like to thank my high school agricultural teacher for mentoring & guiding me into the direction of growing microgreens as he knew how much I love gardening and growing produce. Also, I’d like to thank my
Shannon Holden Hudler
parents and brother for helping me build my first greenhouse and helping me get my first restaurant clients. They have been there for me from the beginning. I certainly can’t go without thanking my beautiful wife, Shannon Hudler, for helping me out on the side with any greenhouse or garden work. Her support and work ethic are extraordinary! Most of all, I’d like to thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for saving me, always guiding me along the way, and for blessing me with a career in agriculture of growing produce and having a passion for gardening.”
I had a great time interviewing my husband about his business and sharing his passion with others. I enjoy watching him live out his farm dreams and being there to support and help him. Feel free to reach out to Carolina Freedom Farm through phone or email when you are ready to add healthy microgreens or other local produce to your plate!
Building & Restoring
Associate Degree in Applied Animal Science
Technology and Associate Degree in Horticuture Technology from Wilkes Community College
Home & Garden
Leslie Rose
WRITER/PHOTOS
Leslie Rose
Extension Horticulture Agent Director of the Arboretum at Tanglewood Park
leslie_rose@ncsu.edu
North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Forsyth County Center
Newly Redesigned
White Garden Shines in All Seasons
Gertrude Jekyll said, “A garden is a grand teacher.” The Arboretum at Tanglewood Park is a public garden in Clemmons, North Carolina, that has many lessons to teach. Within the Arboretum are numerous small gardens with distinct themes. One such garden, which has been recently redesigned, is the White Garden. The White Garden,located near the Arboretum’s main entrance across from the Manor House in Tanglewood Park, showcases plants with foliage and flowers in shades of white. The White Garden provides a backdrop for many weddings and events that occur in the upper area of the Arboretum. Recently, NC State Extension Master Gardener volunteers Art Kelley and Kathy Johnson teamed up to rethink the space and the plants growing there. In past years, the White Garden has included white-flowered annuals with a backdrop of some green perennials and small shrubs. While volunteering at the Arboretum, Art Kelley noticed that there were periods where nothing was blooming in the White Garden and other plants were beginning to outgrow the space. Art approached fellow volunteer Kathy Johnson, who has previous experience as a landscape designer, and asked for help with a new design for the White Garden. “I wanted the garden to match the joy inherent in a wedding,” Kelley said. In creating a new design, Kelley and Johnson looked for plants that could provide blooms throughout the majority of the year, along with evergreens to provide year-round structure. The new plants incorporate a variety of leaf textures, some native plants, and have eliminated other
weedy and problematic plants that previously occupied the garden.
“Some of my favorite plants are the Annabelle hydrangeas, with their extravagant blooms, and the Autumn Joy heuchera with the large, almost chartreuse leaves and late summer blooms which differentiate it from many other heucheras,” said Johnson. “Both are native cultivars.” Kelley said, “The guara with its wands of white flowers and the native hydrangeas are favorites.”
After being redesigned and planted in 2024, the White Garden is a showstopper this season. Visitors can come to enjoy the garden and see a variety of plants and blooms this year. “I hope that visitors gain an appreciation of the design of the garden–that it is not just a hodgepodge of plants. It has symmetry without being formal and demonstrates that a "one color" garden can be beautiful.” Kelley said. Johnson hopes visitors will begin to understand that structure, such as the evergreen yaupon hollies (Ilex vomitoria), are the key to making a garden work year round.
While the White Garden maintains its interest in all seasons, Kelley says, “I have not figured out how to keep weeds from growing.” So you may find him working in the garden next time you walk through.
Spring...time to brighten up your yard with new plants and lots of color! At Joe’s we carry... a large selection of tree and shrubs... a 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!
Our next issue: September-October 2025 features....
Your advertising message is included in long shelf life print copies plus our digital edition offering with in stores beginning 1st week September Deadline for advertising in September-October YV Magazine is Friday, August 1
Regional Reach Local Impact
Distribution Counties near Yadkin River in Northwest North Carolina Western Forsyth • Davie • Surry Stokes • Northern Davidson Wilkes • Yadkin (core distribution highlighted)
If you’d like to learn more about advertising with us contact: Leah Williams 336-961-2620 yadkinvalleymagazine@gmail.com
Need Hay?
NC Extension Offers New Online Hay Listing Service
NC State Extension, with the generous financial support of NC Farm Bureau, has launched a new tool for connecting those needing hay with those who have hay to sell. The newly launched website, https://www.nchayfinder.com, allows you to search for hay by your zip code. You can then sort by distance, type of hay, or price. If you have hay for sale, you can create a listing by creating an account.
For livestock production, forage is the primary source of feed and nutrition. Simply, forages are the plant material that animals eat, whether the animal harvests it themselves through grazing or it is harvested mechanically (hay, sileage, baleage) by the farmer. Feed is the most expensive cost of a livestock enterprise. Farms that can extend their grazing season through management (rotational grazing, improved pastures, etc) can help reduce this cost. Even with the best management practices, there is still a need for feeding stored forages (hay, baleage, silage).
In 2023, 119 million tons of dry hay was produced nationally. Based on the 2022 Census of Agriculture, North Carolina harvested over 1.2 million tons of dry hay. Many variables affect the quality of hay. These include, but are not limited to: the species of hay (fescue, orchardgrass, alfalfa, etc), stage of maturity of the plant at harvest, amount of weeds in the forage, and how the hay is stored. There are visual inspections that you can make to help assess the quality of the hay. However, the best way to assess the hay is to have the forage analyzed.
Your forage analysis results are only as good as the sample you submit. Be sure to collect a representative sample of the hay you want analyzed and keep the sample clean from contaminants. Sample each unique lot of hay, or hay from the same field and same cutting. If possible, use a core sampler to obtain your sample from various bales from the lot. Always sample from the end of square bales or the round side of a round bale. It is best to remove the outer half inch of the bale before sampling to help limit contamination. Mix the samples in a clean plastic bucket. Typically, a gallon-size portion is needed.
You can send your sample to the NC Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services Feed & Forage Laboratory or you can choose a commercial lab for testing. For more information about the NC Hay Finder website or how to collect a forage sample, contact your local livestock agenthttps://www.ces.ncsu.edu/directory/
https://davidson.ces.ncsu.edu
Elkin September 27, 2025 Yadkinville October 18, 2025
Northwest Piedmont Purple Heart Foundation
Mission of the Foundation
Locate Purple Heart recipients, widows, orphans, and Gold Star families in the Northwest Piedmont of North Carolina. Uplift them as a group for their sacrifices by citizens of a grateful nation.
Recognition at an annual banquet is one way that the Northwest Piedmont Purple Heart Foundation pays tribute to these veterans or their family members if the veteran is deceased. This year, the tenth such banquet will be held on Saturday, August 16 at the Richard Childress Racing Campus in Welcome. At the 2024 banquet, there were more than 100 living Purple Heart recipients present, including three veterans of World War II. The families of fifty deceased recipients represented their loved ones. The remainder of the approximately 700 banquet guests were family members or community members.
The Purple Heart Medal is a Decoration awarded by the Department of Defense for wounds inflicted by enemy forces during combat action.
Get Involved
●If you are a Purple Heart recipient, or the family member of a deceased Purple Heart recipient, make sure that the Northwest Piedmont Purple Heart Foundation has your contact information so that they can include you in banquet plans.
●Support the Foundation, either with a donation or with your time as a volunteer. There are opportunities to assist with fundraising as well as with the annual banquet. Any amount can be donated, but sponsorships begin with $100 donations.
●Attend the 2025 Northwest Piedmont Purple Heart Foundation banquet to celebrate and honor Purple Heart recipients with their families and the community.
Ken Davis - One Soldier’s Story
Ken Davis of Forsyth County is one of many volunteers with the Northwest Piedmont Purple Heart Foundation. An Army veteran, he served in the US Army during the Vietnam War. His Purple Heart was awarded following shrapnel injuries sustained from a grenade.
Ken says that his service in the Army was an “interesting experience” that made him grow up fast. He was drafted after graduating from Guilford College, so at 23 years old he was a few years older than most of his fellow soldiers. But he says he was still clueless. “Being in combat teaches you religion,” he told me. He understands why many veterans find it difficult to talk about their experiences. Ken admitted that he would not have been able to chat with me about it thirty years ago, but that he has come to be able to tell others about what he experienced in country during his service.
“It was an experience I didn’t want, but an experience I don’t regret,” Ken said.
The Northwest Piedmont Purple Heart Foundation and annual banquet are important to Ken because he knows that many veterans feel isolated. Only about ten percent of North Carolina veterans use VA benefits. Organizations like the Foundation give veterans a network of support in addition to honoring them at the annual banquet. He encourages any veteran to seek assistance through their local VA, VFW, or American Legion if they need help signing up for benefits. Ken is also working to form a local chapter of Vietnam Veterans of America.
Photos pages 74-75, as well as the bugler/flag on page 12, compliments of Paul MacKenzie.
August 2, 2025
Sign up starts at 9 am, VFW Post #9010 4675 Hampton Rd., Clemmons, NC Kick Stands up at 10:30 am
1st
FOUNDATION
$20 per Biker and $5 for Rider Breakfast Available Free Hotdog Lunch for Everyone After The Ride 50/50 Drawing and Door Prizes
$200 Prize For The Best Hand * $100 Prize For The Worst Hand
$50 Prize For The Oldest Biker * $50 Prize For The Youngest Biker
Tables Available For Club Booths (Free)/Business Booths ($25)
Ken Davis at the 2024 Northwest Piedmont Purple Heart Foundation Banquet.
Age is just a number...
The North Carolina Senior Games began in 1983 to promote wellness education and year-round health for adults fifty-five years and older. That first year, there were three local senior games scattered across the state. In 1984, the number of local games grew to seventeen. The following year there were twenty-two local games, as well as the first North Carolina State Senior Games. Silver Arts competition was added in 1986, giving seniors an opportunity to also compete in visual, literary, performing, and heritage arts. This year, fifty-four local games served all 100 counties in the state, and is open to adults fifty years and older who reside in North Carolina at least three months of the year.
In 2025, of the 175 registered participants in the local Yadkin Valley Senior Games, about forty were new to the senior games, while the rest had participated previously. Many events are individual, but some require a partner or team, so there are family and friend groups who register to compete together. Participants are grouped by age, beginning with the 50-54 group. This year, the four oldest participants were in the 85-89 bracket, and they competed in events from bowling to dance. You can participate in one event, or as many as you would like. A gentleman in the 80-84 age group signed up for 37 events!
For each event, the first, second, and third place winners are eligible to advance to the fall North Carolina State Senior Games and Silver Arts competition. Most events are held in the Raleigh area, and competition is from all fifty-four local events around the state. The National Senior Games are held every other year. This year’s competition will be held in Des Moines, Iowa this summer, including qualifying participants from the 2023 and 2024 NC Senior Games.
How Can I Participate?
Registration for the 2026 Yadkin Valley Senior Games and Silver Arts will open in March, with events held in May and June. Cost is $12, plus additional fees for some events like golf. Participants can register online or at these local sites.
Surry County Parks and Recreation
Armfield Civic and Recreation Center
East Bend Senior Center
Elkin Recreation and Parks Department
Mount Airy Parks and Rec. Department
Northern Wellness and Fitness
Senior Centers of Surry County
Yadkin County Senior Center
Yadkin Valley Senior Center
Yadkin County YMCA
Yadkin Cultural Arts Center
Winners showing off their medals following the horseshoe competition.
Would you like to support the Yadkin Valley Senior Games and Silver Arts? Donations are welcome and business sponsors will be featured on the t-shirts that participants receive. Volunteers are also needed to help with events. Contact Bradley Key, Yadkin Valley Senior Games Coordinator at Surry County Parks and Recreation, 336-401-8235.
Senior Games participants prepare to compete in a track event at Elkin High School.
Silver Arts event group dance, at the Willingham Theater in Yadkinville.
The Book Club for Troublesome Women
With a cover that shouted 1960’s in Avocado Green and Harvest Gold, I was introduced to The Book Club for Troublesome Women, the latest novel from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Marie Bostwick. The back cover describes the book as, “a humorous, thought-provoking, and nostalgic romp through one pivotal and tumultuous American year – as well as an ode to self-discovery, persistence, and the power of sisterhood.” I had memories of those years, and the ones after. Marie was coming to Pages Books & Coffee on April 28, and I was ready for a nostalgic romp in advance of her visit.
Pages was fortunate to snag the second spot on Bostwick’s multi-state tour and Marie arrived at the bookstore to be greeted by a lively group, many remembering this period of women’s history with their own stories. Bostwick said the inspiration for the book was her mother’s stories of that period in history and the women who lived it. Best known for her witty and uplifting stories
of friendship, family and places we call home, Marie says there is something different about this new book. “I’m hearing from readers not familiar with my other novels. It tends to be an older audience, readers who remember the 1960’s and closely relate to the four main characters and their challenges.”
As the novel opens, we meet Margaret, Charlotte, Bitsy and Viv, all from different backgrounds, nothing in common except their place as transplants into the newest and most picturesque of the Northern Virginia suburbs in 1960. It’s Margaret’s idea to start a book club, and Charlotte only agrees to be a part if she can pick the book. Their first book: The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan.
As their book discussion begins, lubricated by Charlotte’s signature Truth Serum cocktails, barriers begin to fall, and all admit they are starting to question the “American Dream” they’ve been sold by society. The club continues to read, adding more books to the reading list and more drinks to the menu. As the insights from their reading come up against situations in their daily lives, the women pull together, and their friendship bond strengthens.
Marie acknowledged the major changes that have taken place since that period in history but pointed out that, “today’s women have new struggles. They share many of the same frustrations but from different causes.” She encouraged conversation between the generations to build the type of communities needed today.
Marie Bostwick was a dynamic speaker and she’s written an enlightening book. Pages Books & Coffee has The Book Club for Troublesome Women in stock. Get a copy and get Troublesome! Also available as audiobook or eBook from your local library through Hoopla.
Want to read like the Betty’s?
Check out Betty’s Booklist below, and don’t miss the recipe for Truth Serum on page 79.
Betty’s Book List
The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan
Herland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Dearly Beloved by Anne Morrow Lindbergh
A Room of One’s Own by Viginia Woolf
The Group by Mary McCarthy
A Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh
Books about historical figures highlighted in the story
Personal History: A Memoir by Katherine Graham
Camera Girl: The Coming of Age of Jackie Bouvier Kennedy by Carl Sferrazza
Anthony
All are available through Pages Books & Coffee.
All are available on Audible audiobooks.
Some are available from Libro.fm audiobooks, (supporting Pages) or online through Hoopla or Libby (available with your NWRL library card.)
Barb, (Babs) Collins is a happily retired writer and marketing professional. She loves mountaintop life and introducing authors to the region through book events like the Writers Road Show Author Tour, sponsored by the Northwestern Regional Library System.
Feeding Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia
History aficionados are glad to hear renowned N.C. historian/author and historic interpreter Michael C. Hardy has added a new title to his accumulation of over two dozen books, articles and popular blog posts.
Feeding Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia is not a cookbook filled with delicious Southern recipes but a researched work covering the life of the Confederate soldier “boots to cap,” how he fried his bacon, baked his biscuits and made his coffee.
How the army was fed and the daily eating habits took more than 300 sets of letters and diaries for Hardy’s study. For any branch of the military sustenance needed for surviving day-to-day life fare came from Army issued food, food sent from home and food carried, collected and eaten during campaigns.
Confederate General McLaws recorded, “If our armies can be fed, there is every reason to believe that victory will once more crown our efforts.”
Documentation says that often the food was poor and the rationsinadequate. War can claim complicated theories but the restricted flair of supplies…that’s another hard weapon for the soldiers to endure. War hospitals and food is an entirely different story…important forpopular nutrition of the wounded, their care and recovery as well as troop morale.
Enjoy 129 pages of dedicated study, two appendices, a bibliography and index.
After a well-deserved break from Yadkin Valley Magazine, thanks to Barbara Norman for sharing this book review!
“I am grateful for the opportunity to preserve the history of brave men who were often hungry, the cooks who struggled to feed the troops and families who longed to have them well-fed and home.”
Michael C. Hardy, Award-Winning Author
Truth Serum
The bright green cocktail Charlotte serves is a classic Vodka Stinger.
2 oz vodka
1 oz crème de menthe
Pour vodka and crème de menthe into an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously, pour into cocktail glasses. Serve immediately.
Recipe and photo from Marie Bostwick, The Book Club for Troublesome Women
Yadkin Valley Writers
Jill Evans is president of the Atlanta Writers Club and a trustee of the Carnegie Library in Newnan, Georgia. She strives to bring excellence in education to the writing community and great books to readers. She loves art, architecture and history and writes fiction, both contemporary and historical. www.jillevans.com
Ditch the Driver’s License
As writers we strive to give our settings accurate and interesting details. What do our characters see, taste, touch, hear, and smell? Research can be used for that, but let’s go further and expand on techniques and resources that enhance every aspect of story: setting, plot and character.
Here’s an example for character. Skip the driver’s license description – height, weight, hair and eye color - to explore traits that reveal inner struggles and external goals. Does a scar hide a secret? Does a hunched posture admit defeat? A ramrod straight back determination?
While you’re using Google and Instagram to find reference photos, examine facial expressions. Watch YouTube videos for body language. Carry a journal or use a notes app to capture unique behaviors or features you see in person.
One great book on body language is What Every BODY is Saying: An Ex-FBI Agent’s Guide to Speed-Reading People by Joe Navarro. Another is The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi. This book contains 130 entries of emotions with examples of behaviors and body language as well as internal sensations, power verbs and more.
When we avoid cliché and write characters using authenticity, imagination and research, our stories will leap off the page, hopefully into the hearts of readers. (photo attached)
What Every BODY is Saying: An Ex-FBI Agent’s Guide to Speed-Reading People by Joe Navarro.
Available as audiobook from your local library through Hoopla Purchase from Pages Books & Coffee or Libro.fm audiobooks
An Act of Wild Discovery
Writing is an act of wild discovery, not careful precision, whether you are crafting a short story or writing in a personal journal. To write well, you must first take risks— be willing to write badly. Let pen and paper or keyboard and screen take you to surprising places AS YOU WRITE. Start with a concrete prompt (pine floor, lawnmower, rhododendron), set a timer for 20 minutes, use the prompt in the first, second, or third sentence, don’t stop writing until the timer goes off, even if you think you are done. If you can’t think of anything to say, write, “What next? What next?”
Darnell Arnoult, is an awardwinning author of poetry and prose. She teaches writing from her home in Mebane, NC. Learn more at darnellarnoult.net.
Her debut novel, Sufficient Grace, and her latest poetry collection, Incantations, are both available on Hoopla through your local library. Both are available for purchase at Pages Books & Coffee.
Readers Around the Yadkin Valley
Jennifer Rogers from the Jonesville branch reports their “big circulators” are cozy mysteries, dark romance/romantasy, and thrillers. Plus, a book club favorite that will soon be a Netflix movie!
Thriller/Mystery: The Tenant by Freida McFadden just came out and is circulating well.
General romance: Say You’ll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez, and Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry are both spring releases on the rise in popularity.
Romantasy: The Empyrean series is a fantasy-romance saga by Rebecca Yarros. Onyx Storm, the third installment, was released last January. All books in the series are now trending upwards.
General Fiction: Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt is back on the rise. The novel spent over a year on the New York Times Best Seller list and Netflix announced it will release the movie adaptation soon starring Sally Field as the main character, Tova.
Gretchen Parker from the King branch shared the summer reading list from their book clubs.
General Library Book Club
Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
All the Colors of the Dark by Chirs Whitaker
How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley
Summer Nights Adult Book Club (spicy)
Book Lovers by Emily Henry
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
Butcher and Blackbird by Brynne Weaver
What are you reading?
Share your group reading list, thoughts about reading, and book reviews in a future issue of Yadkin Valley Magazine. Find out more about how to submit articles. Contact YadkinValleyMagazine@gmail.com
What IS That?
The next two correct entries drawn win a copy of one of our Yadkin Valley Magazine cookbooks.
Enter by postcard, letter or email, be sure to include your: name, PHYSICAL MAILING ADDRESS and guess. And if you’d like, tell us about your experiences using or collecting this item. Entries must be received no later than 8/14/25, Winner will be drawn 8/15/25. The winners will be notified by mail and announced in the September/October 2025 issue. All entries become the property of Yadkin Valley Magazine. Turn to page 90 to read about the May/June contest.
Mail your guess to: “What is That Contest” Yadkin Valley Magazine PO Box 2077 • Yadkinville, NC 27055 or e-mail: yadkinvalleymagazine@gmail.com. You can also enter on-line at: yadkinvalleymagazine.com
an heirloom that will last a lifetime
Bulova • Hermle
Howard Miller
Why should you buy your new Grandfather Clock from Oldtown Clock Shop & Repair?
Our clocks are under factory warranty and we do the warranty work
We deliver your new clock for FREE
We “set up” your clock in your home or business
We offer a full service department
And even after offering all those extras that others don’t…
Our prices are very competitive!
March-April 2025 Winner
There were a few readers who remember using one of these themselves, but many readers who remember their grandparents using similar Brown & Williamson Cigarette Rollers. Several people recalled that it was much cheaper than buying cigarettes already rolled.
Winners for this item are: Lori Frye of Germanton was the first drawn for a prize of $100, and she recalled watching her great-grandpa use one of these. A copy of a Yadkin Valley Magazine cookbook for the second and third drawn names goes to Judy Lemming of Winston-Salem and Gail Mickey of Tobaccoville. Congratulations! We carry Howard Cleaning ProductsGreat for clocks and around the house, too!
Please be sure to include your name and physical mailing address with your entries. You cannot be the winner if I don’t know how to send a prize to you!
John Sechrist, Yadkin Valley Artist
“Every now and then one paints a picture that seems to have opened a door and serves as a stepping stone to other things.”
~ Pablo Picasso
When John Sechrist of Stokes County earned his Fine Arts Degree in 2022, he wasn’t sure exactly what he would do to earn a living. At the prompting of his dog’s groomer, he painted a portrait of her dog, Melody. Thus began his artistic career of painting pet portraits.
John remembers that he loved to doodle on his schoolwork when he was really young. Being homeschooled, his mom laughed and remembered all of the sketches and doodling on his math papers. He used whatever was in his hand at the time, a pencil or colored pencils or pen and ink. His classes at Rockingham Community College exposed him to other paint media such as acrylics and oil, but he prefers watercolors. He also took classes in sculpting and pottery, but painting is his love.
For his commisioned works, he has painted mostly dogs, but cats and horses have been requested, too. Some portraits are of living animals, but often they are commisioned as gifts for someone who has lost a beloved pet. He uses a photograph since getting them to pose can be difficult, to say the
least. Living on a small farm has provided chickens and sheep as subjects of his watercolor paintings, too. He is currently working on a series of birds to feature on notecards.
You might see John at local fairs and festivals, with samples of his work for those who may want to order a pet portrait of their own. He is also branching out by offering some prints for sale. A favorite is one of his sheep in front of an old barn. Even if you don’t need a pet portrait, be sure to stop by and say hello!
You can reach John Sechrist by email or through Instagram if you would like to discuss having your pet’s portrait painted
John’s first pet portrait.
send your pet pic to: yadkinvalleymagazine@gmail.com
See your cat, dog, bunny, horse, or hamster in the pages of Yadkin Valley Magazine. Send a photo to yadkinvallymagazine@gmail.com
Cinna
Darcy
Beau
Miss Hazel
Rose
Brody
Ozzy & Little Poo
Buddy, Lucy & Rudy
The Business Section
Should you trust a ‘finfluencer’?
In the age of social media, it’s easy to find advice on just about anything — including how to manage your money. Content creators known as “finfluencers” — short for financial influencers — use platforms like TikTok, YouTube and Instagram to share their takes on investing, budgeting and building wealth. Many of them are charismatic and relatable, and they often speak from personal experience. But while their content may be engaging, taking financial advice from a finfluencer without digging deeper can come with significant risks. While some finfluencers may have formal training or credentials, many do not. Instead, their influence stems from their popularity rather than professional experience. But popular advice may not necessarily be good advice. A 2025 study by the Swiss Finance Institute even found that unskilled finfluencers typically have larger followings than skilled ones.
Why be cautious?
For young or new investors, social media can make finance feel accessible. In fact, a 2022 FINRA study says that more than 60% of Americans younger than 35 get investing information from these platforms. But social media isn’t regulated the same way traditional financial advising is, so anyone, qualified or not, can offer financial tips.
Unlike traditional financial advisors, finfluencers don’t know your unique goals, financial situation or risk tolerance. And likely, they're not licensed (you can check here: Check Out Your Investment Professional | Investor.gov). Even well-meaning guidance might lead you down a risky path if it’s not tailored to your needs. And unfortunately, some finfluencers have exploited the trust they build with followers to promote questionable investments or outright frauds. Warning signs to watch for Here are a few signs that a finfluencer’s advice may be worth avoiding:
into $50,000 in a year,” are highly improbable and may indicate a scam.
Hurry, hurry: Be wary of advice that pressures you to act fast or plays on fear of missing out. Important financial decisions shouldn’t come with a countdown clock.
Flashy displays of wealth: Images of luxury cars, watches or cash can be more about generating views than offering sound advice. If a finfluencer is trying that hard to convince you to take an action, it often means they will profit — perhaps they’ll get paid to promote a product or service, or earn a fee for referring you, or are trying to boost clicks and followers to earn more.
What you can do
Do your own homework. Don’t take finfluencers’ advice at face value. Cross-check it with reliable sources. The finfluencer may even be under investigation by a federal or state securities regulator. Talking to a licensed financial advisor you trust can help you discern good advice from the bad.
Recognize conflicts of interest. If a finfluencer promotes a product or service, find out if they’re being paid to do so. And remember, online personalities make money by generating high viewership, not because their advice has a track record of success.
Use common sense. When something sounds too good to be true, it usually is. And of course, never disclose your bank or brokerage account numbers to a finfluencer, and never send money.
Finfluencers can make financial topics more engaging and accessible. But when it comes to your money, a social media video from someone who doesn’t know you is no substitute for informed, personalized guidance. Take the time to verify, research and, when in doubt, seek advice from a professional.
This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.
Paul J. Bunke, Sr., AAMS™, CFP®
Financial Advisor
124 W. Kapp Street, Suite C PO Box 407 Dobson, NC 27017
336-386-0846
paul.bunke@edwardjones.com
Audra Cox, ABFP ™
Financial Advisor
715 S Main St, Suite B Dobson, NC 27017
336-569-7385 • 844-795-3462
audra.cox@edwardjones.com
Frank H. Beals
Financial Advisor 965 North Bridge Street Elkin, NC 28621
336-835-4411
frank.beals@edwardjones.com
Timothy Johnson
Financial Advisor
116 E. Market St. Elkin, NC 28621
336-835-1124
timothy.johnson@edwardjones.com
Nathan Sturgill
Financial Advisor
116 E Market Street
Elkin, NC 28621
336-835-1124
nathan.sturgill@edwardjones.com
Aaron L. Misenheimer, CFP®, ChFC®
Financial Advisor
1530 NC Hwy 67, Suite A
Jonesville, NC 28642
336-258-2821
aaron.misenheimer@edwardjones.com
Andi Draughn Schnuck
Financial Advisor
496 N. Main Street Mount Airy, NC 27030
336-789-1707
andi.schnuck@edwardjones.com
Dale Draughn, AAMS™
Financial Advisor
140 Franklin Street Mount Airy, NC 27030
336-789-0136
dale.draughn@edwardjones.com
Logan Draughn
Financial Advisor
492 N. Main Street Mount Airy, NC 27030
336-789-3323
logan.draughn@edwardjones.com
Kody Easter, AAMS™, CRPC™, CFP®
Financial Advisor
304 East Independence Blvd Mount Airy, NC 27030
336-789-2079
kody.easter@edwardjones.com
Randy D. Joyce
Financial Advisor
136 W. Lebanon Street Mount Airy, NC 27030
336-789-6238
randy.joyce@edwardjones.com
Tammy H. Joyce, AAMS™ Financial Advisor
136 W. Lebanon Street, Mount Airy, NC 27030
336-789-6238
tammy.joyce@edwardjones.com
Tanner Joyce
Financial Advisor
752 S. Andy Griffith Pkwy, Suite 400 Mount Airy, NC 27030
336-245-9112
tanner.joyce@edwardjones.com
Mike Russell
Financial Advisor
106-B South Depot Street, Pilot Mountain, NC 27041 336-368-2575
mike.t.russell@edwardjones.com
Tiffany L. Smith
106-B South Depot Stree Pilot Mountain, NC 27041 336-368-2575
tiffany.l.smith@edwardjones.com
Michael Warren, WMCP®
Financial Advisor
101-D Shoals Road, Pilot Mountain, NC 27041
336-368-0782
michael.warren@edwardjones.com
Christopher L. Funk
Financial Advisor
128 South State Street • PO Box 790 Yadkinville, NC 27055 • 336-679-2192
chris.funk@edwardjones.com
Left to right: Tanner Joyce, Paul Bunke, Logan Draughn, Andi Draughn Schunck, Frank Beals, Christopher Funk, Tiffany Smith, Dale Draughn, Nathan Sturgill, Michael Warren, Aaron Misenheimer, Kody Easter, Tim Johnson, Audra Cox and Randy Joyce Not Pictured: Tammy Joyce
Closing Devotions
Scars
If we live long enough, we all have a few scars to show for our adventures and tribulations. I have a scar on my forehead above my eyebrow that came from jumping on the bed when I was three years old. I don’t remember the event, but my body added it to my permanent file. Scars tell stories of childhood mishaps in a tree or riding a bike. Scars can also be a painful reminder of a horrific accident or serious surgery. They can remind mothers of what came before the joy of childbirth. They can be mile markers on this bumpy journey of life. Scars become part of us and remind us that we are survivors.
Scars are imperfections which make us who we are today. So it is surprising that Jesus, who was perfect, also carried scars. In John 20:24 – 29, we encounter the disciples sharing their joyful stories of seeing the resurrected Lord. The disciple Thomas does not initially believe that Jesus has returned from the dead. He said he must see the nail marks in Jesus’ hand before he would believe he was resurrected. A week later Jesus pops by for a howdy. Jesus shows his scars and allows Thomas to touch the nail marks in his hands and touch the wound in his side. It was by his scars that Thomas recognized the Lord.
Jesus’ wounds were fresh and still visible to Thomas. However, some of our most powerful scars are not visible. These are remnants of pain written in our heart and head. We sometimes spend our entire lives overcoming these scars. I believe there is a path to heal this trauma because I am working on it in my own head and heart. I am learning to turn scars from despair into signs of hope. Do you have a few invisi-
ble scars on your heart too? They remind us of challenges that we thought were going to permanently break us, that felt overwhelming at the time, but we overcame. They remind us of how powerful we are and that we have the strength to face the next challenge.
Jesus’ scars are a reminder of our hope and the promise of the resurrection.
Regardless of the powers of government and the wealthy of this world, God is still in control.
Regardless of the pain and suffering of this world, God is still at work.
Regardless of the certainty of death, God always gets the last word.
Regardless of whether we believe or not, God is still pursuing us.
That is the hope that separates followers of Jesus from many others. We live in the constant shining light of the resurrection and face challenges knowing how the story will end. It is through our scars and Jesus’ scars that we are healed.
Rev. Dr. Heather Kilbourne spends her days helping rural churches dream God-sized dreams for their communities. She is the founder and Director of Faith in Rural Communities at the NC Rural Center. She is an ordained minister in the United Methodist Church and served churches in Yadkin and Burke Counties. She can be reached at hkilbourne@ncruralcenter.org.
Care South, Inc. is a locally owned and respected agency that has provided more than 20 years of In-Home Aide Care to individuals who require assistance with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs).
To inquire about services for you or a family member or employment opportunities for:
In-Home Aides, Certified Nursing Assistants (C.N.A), and Personal Care Assistants (P.C.A), please contact us at:
Mission
To deliver exceptional Personal Care Services (PCS), allowing the client to live safely and comfortably in their own home and to provide leadership in which employees have faith and confidence.
What Programs are Provided through the Agency?
• Community Alternative Program for adults (CAP/DA)
• Personal Care Services (PCS)
• Veterans Administration (VA)
• Temporary or Long-term Care
• Chore Respite
• Private pay
Summary of the Service Provided:
• Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) (i.e., eating, bathing, dressing, toileting, mobility, and grooming)
• Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (iADLs) (i.e., light housekeeping, meal prep)
Practices and Staff:
• Licensed and bonded in North Carolina.
• RN Supervisor conducts quarterly visits to the home.
• CPR Instructor
• Staffing Coordinators provide 24/7 On-Call Services.
• Caregivers complete monthly in-services, maintain C.P.R., and perform skills competency verification by the R.N.
• Comprehensive background investigation of all caregivers (i.e., criminal background)
