Awesome - Kosciusko REMC

J U LY 2 0 1 4
KOSCIUSKO REMC
Y O U R I N D I A N A C O O P E R AT I V E C O M P A N I O N
‘Awesome’
The Indiana Youth Tour
to Washington, D.C.
Red, White and Blue Recipes
Serve up patriotism this Fourth
Unclaimed Capital Credits
Do we owe you money?
That Reminds Me
Volume 64 • Number 1
ISSN 0745-4651 • USPS 262-340
Phoning it in
Back in the s, when I moved
Published monthly by:
OUR ADDRESS: 720 N. High School
Road, Indianapolis, IN 46214
TEL: 317-487-2220 or 800-340-7362
EMAIL: [email protected]
WEBSITE: www.ElectricConsumer.org
Indiana Electric Cooperatives officers
Mark Evans PRESIDENT
Ron Arnholt VICE PRESIDENT
Gary Gerlach SECRETARY/TREASURER
Rick Coons CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Editorial Staff
Emily Schilling EDITOR
Richard George Biever SENIOR EDITOR
Holly Huffman, Mandy Kent
COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALISTS/
LOCAL PAGE COORDINATORS
ADVERTISING: National Country Market
Sales Cooperative, 800-NCM-1181;
www.nationalcountrymarket.com
Paid advertisements are not
endorsements by any electric cooperative
or this publication.
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Consumer may be reproduced without
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Indiana’s
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which quite frankly serves more as a text message and email relayer, camera, and conduit to
the Internet.
The reason I bring up smartphones is because
of something I read from a recent Touchstone
Energy survey which noted that smartphone
ownership has more than doubled over the last
two years — from 27 percent in 2011 to 55 percent in 2013. Among co-op members age 65 and
up, that percentage soared from 6 percent to 28
percent. Co-op members under 45 are also more
likely to own electronic tablets than desktop
computers. On-the-go access to information and
freedom to communicate in a variety of different ways wherever and whenever is increasingly
important to all age groups.
Electric Consumer communicates with you
through a variety of social media platforms
including Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.
Several co-ops offer flipbook versions of the magazine on their websites. Our flipbook is also available at electricconsumer.org. Please check us out
on your smartphones and other mobile devices.
EMILY SCHILLING
editor, [email protected]
J u ly 2 0 1 4 • Ta b l e o f c o n T e n T s
4 LOCAL CO-OP NEWS
6 KEEPING CURRENT
New heights
Touchstone Energy
Camp takes the camp
experience to new heights.
PHOTO BY RICHARD G. BIEVER
ELECTRIC CONSUMER is for and about
members of Indiana’s locally-owned,
not-for-profit electric cooperatives. It
helps consumers: use electricity safely
and efficiently; understand energy issues;
connect with their co-op; and celebrate
life in Indiana. Almost 235,000 residents
and businesses receive the magazine as
part of their electric co-op membership.
into my first apartment, getting
phone service also involved leasing a phone from good ol’ Ma Bell.
Those who know what “Ma Bell” is
(it’s an old nickname for the phone
company), will invariably remember similar experiences. You could
only get a phone — only a rotary dial in standard
beige or black — from the phone company.
I’m of the generation that also endured party
lines on which nosy neighbors could listen in to
each others’ phone conversations. Throughout
my lifetime, phone communications have
advanced dramatically, from touch tone dialing, to wireless, to those big ol’ first generation
cellular phones, to flip phones, to smartphones.
These advancements are, pardon the pun,
“phone-omenal”!
I joined the cell phone revolution rather
late and rather reluctantly, doing so only
because I thought it would be handy in case of
emergencies.
My phone apathy changed four years ago
when I bought my first smartphone. Almost overnight, I became dependent on this mobile device,
ON THE COVER
Which way to go? Indiana
Youth Tour participants Jeremy
Mersch, from left, Brett Beaman and Jake Marohn glance
over a wallet-sized map of
the Smithsonian museums to
decide which to visit first after
arriving at the mall behind the
U.S. Capitol. The three were
among the 72 high school seniors Indiana’s electric cooperatives took to Washington, D.C.,
in June for the annual tour.
7 KEEPING CURRENT
Remembering
The Beatles
Electric Consumer is
looking for readers to
share memories of the
Fab Four for our August
issue. Here are details.
8 HOOSIER HIGHLIGHTS
(not in all editions)
10 ENERGY NOW
TLC for your AC
James Dulley offers
tips for proper AC care,
including things you can
do, and what to look for
if you have to replace
one that conks out.
11 SMART CHOICES
Beat summer’s
‘groom swoon’
Tools to tame lawns and
gardens that growing
out of control.
12 CO-OP CONNECTION
Efficiency programs
Indiana’s cooperative
power suppliers, Wabash
Valley and Hoosier Energy,
continue to lead the way
with efficiency programs
to save you money.
14 COVER STORY
‘Something
Awesome!’
Indiana’s electric
cooperatives sent
72 “awesome” high
school seniors to
Washington, D.C.,
last month. Here’s a
look back at the trip.
20 FOOD FOCUS
Red, white and blue
Color your meals
with patriotism.
23 THE GREAT OUTDOORS
The crawdad hole
Jack Spaulding
remembers sharing the
joys of crawdad fishing
with his daughters.
24 GREEN THUMB
25 HOOSIER ENERGY/
WABASH VALLEY NEWS
26 HOOSIER HAPPENINGS
27 POWER KIDS
28 LOCAL CO-OP NEWS
30 ODDS ’N’ ENDS
Youth Power and
Hope Awards
If your child “dives” into
community service, have
we got an opportunity
for him or her.
ElectricConsumer.org • JulY 2014 • ElEctric consumEr
3
NEWS FROM YOUR COOPERATI
www.kremc.com
Tradition adds $$ in your pocket
CONTACT US
574-267-6331
TOLL FREE 800-790-REMC
LOCAL
EMAIL
[email protected]
OFFICE HOURS
8 a.m.– 5 p.m., Monday-Friday
ADDRESS
370 S. 250 E., Warsaw, IN 46582
SERVICE INTERRUPTIONS
To report a service interruption after
hours, please call 267-6331 or 800790-REMC.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
William Stump Jr., CHAIRMAN
Fred Powell, VICE CHAIRMAN
Terry Bouse, SECRETARY/TREASURER
Kim Buhrt
Tony Fleming
Pam Messmore
Steve Miner
Rick Parker
Dan Tucker
TIP OF THE MON TH
Be smart about power strips
Replacing your conventional power
strips with advanced power strips
(APS) can help reduce the electricity
wasted when electronic devices
are idle. These power strips are a
convenient and low-cost way to save.
— U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Fireworks, family picnics
and warm summer nights
are mainstays of the month
of July here in Indiana.
Kosciusko REMC members, though, enjoy another
July tradition — one that
could add some cash to their
BRUCE
pocketbooks.
GOSLEE
Each year at this time, we
publish the names of Kosciusko REMC
members who didn’t receive or cash their
capital credits checks from two years ago
(2012). This process is part of the cooperative business model and is included in
Kosciusko REMC’s bylaws. We make every
effort to ensure our members, past and
present, receive the capital credits due to
them.
Electric cooperatives aren’t like other
utilities — you, as a consumer and a
member, own a portion of the business.
And one benefit of that membership is the
allocation of excess revenue, called margins, in the form of capital credits.
Allocating and retiring excess revenue
to members helps distinguish cooperatives. We’re proud to support our communities by putting money back into the
local economy — and into the pockets
of those we serve. It makes our business
model special.
The retirement of capital credits
depends on the co-op’s financial status.
Like us on Facebook
www.facebook.com/kosciuskoremc
Follow us on Twitter
www.twitter.com/kosciuskoremc
4
ElEctric consumEr • JulY 2014 • ElectricConsumer.org
Kosciusko REMC holds onto allocated
capital credits to cover emergencies, such
as natural disasters and other unexpected
events, and to expand its electric system.
All these situations may require largescale construction of poles and wires. This
action decreases the need to raise rates or
borrow money to pay for the infrastructure. After a number of years, if financial
conditions permit, KREMC retires a set
amount of capital credits. Consumermembers are annually allocated capital
credits based on the amount of electricity
they consumed during a year.
Most years, typically in April,
Kosciusko REMC releases capital credits
to members as bill credits or checks. All
those undeliverable checks are returned
to us and we make a concerted effort to
find the rightful owners.
But we aren’t able to locate everyone.
So, we have included a list of those names
in this issue of Electric Consumer (see
pages 16A-16D) and on www.kremc.
com. If you know a person on the list
or, if you are relative of a person on the
list, please fill out the enclosed form and
return it to KREMC’s office or call to speak
with a customer service representative.
BRUCE GOSLEE is president and CEO at
Kosciusko REMC.
IVE
KREMC Rates
Schedule RF (Residential and farm service)
Service charge ................................................ $21 per month
Kilowatt-hour (kWh) charge .......................@$.0835 per kWh
*(Plus tracker charge listed below)
Schedule C (Commercial single phase and commercial three phase)
Service charge (single phase) ........................... $21 per month
(Multi-phase) ................................................$40 per month
Kilowatt-hour (kWh) charge ...................... @$.0909 per kWh
*(Plus tracker charge listed below)
Schedule LP (Large Power)
Service charge ............................................... $82 per month
Demand charge .................................................$9.20 per kw
Energy charge .............................................. $0.063 per kWh
Schedule SL (Security Lights)
100w HPS ...................................................$7.30 per month
200w HPS .................................................$11.20 per month
*Tracker charge .............................................$.0061 per kWh
KREMC Products/Services
REBATES
Electric water heaters 50 gallons or larger:
k Electric to electric replacement — $50
k Gas to electric replacement — $100
k New construction water heater — $100
k Second water heater — $25
Geothermal/heat pump:
• Geothermal system installation — $250
• Air-source heat pump system — $150
Guidelines:
Please visit www.kremc.com for complete guidelines and
restrictions. Additional rebates can be found at www.
powermoves.com.
Whitaker marks 10 years of
service to KREMC members
K
osciusko REMC lineman Mike Whitaker marked his 10th
year as a co-op employee on June 7. Whitaker started at the
electric cooperative in 2004.
During his time at KREMC, Whitaker has served as a meter
technician and an apprentice lineman, completing his journeyman
lineman training in 2011. During the training, he also completed
additional coursework to earn an associate of applied science
degree from Ivy Tech.
“My favorite part about the job is the problem solving,” said
Whitaker. “Each day brings something new and exciting. I am
really proud to be a lineman.”
Kosciusko REMC Manager of Engineering and Operations Kurt
Carver commented, “Marking 10 years of working in the heat, cold,
ice and snow, and at all hours of the day or night, is significant.
Mike has been a dedicated employee, working hard to serve our
members. We appreciate his work ethic and thank him for his dedication and service over the past 10 years and going forward.” …
Energy Audits
Energy audits are FREE for Kosciusko REMC members. To arrange
an energy audit, contact KREMC Energy Advisor Carol Ousley at
574-267-6331 or at [email protected].
Easy Pay and E-Billing
Sign up for our Easy Pay and E-Billing programs, and make your
life easier! You can register for both of these convenient services
by visiting www.kremc.com or by contacting a KREMC customer
service representative for more information at 574-267-6331.
KREMC lineman Mike Whitaker celebrated 10 years with the cooperative on
June 7.
The Kosciusko REMC office will
be closed on Friday, July 4, in
observance of the holiday.
We wish everyone a safe and
enjoyable holiday!
The Co-op Connections® Card is a
valuable benefit of being a Kosciusko
REMC member and it is FREE! The
card allows you to receive national
and local discounts on products and
services and includes a pharmacy
discount.
Go to www.connections.coop for a list of participants
and save!
ElectricConsumer.org • JulY 2014 • ElEctric consumEr
5
KREMC News
Save money today with an energy audit
Y
ou’ve probably heard the famous comedy routine
“You know you are a (insert your own label), when
you (list of funny things people do here).” But knowing when you need to schedule an energy audit could save
you more than just a couple laughs.
You know you need an energy audit when:
k You can see daylight through your front door.
k You feel a draft when sitting in your favorite chair.
k You have made no updates to your home in 10 years.
k Your heating and cooling unit hasn’t been updated in 20
years.
k You are NOT happy with your high electric bill.
Each year, Kosciusko REMC’s Energy Advisor Carol Ousley
audits homes, businesses and farms to help members save
money on their electric service. Most audits take a couple
hours where each room is viewed with an infrared camera,
pointing out spots that have varying temperatures. Ousley
then makes recommendations for some caulking here, some
insulation there, or a little spray foam. But, it doesn’t end
there. She also takes a look at your major appliances and
reviews energy-saving maintenance that might be needed.
“Now it seems we hear more about high-tech appliances
and gadgets that help with energy efficiency. What we don’t
hear very often is how simple improvements to your home
can save you money,” said Ousley. “That’s where the value in
your co-op membership comes in.”
KREMC not only wants to help save you money by offering FREE energy audits, we also want to help put money back
in your pocket by offering rebates and incentives for energy
2
ElEctric consumEr • JulY 2014 • ElectricConsumer.org
KREMC’s Energy Advisor Carol Ousley uses equipment, such as an
infrared camera, during an energy audit to detect areas in your home with
varying temperatures. Energy audits are free to KREMC members and can
help reduce your energy bills.
efficiency upgrades. Check out our current rebates/incentives
on page 5.
To schedule your FREE energy audit, call 574-267-6331
today. …
KREMC earns national awards
K
osciusko REMC employees Emily Cowan, manager of marketing
and customer service, and Katy Berger, communications specialist, recently received recognition as part of the 2014 “Spotlight on
Excellence” national awards program.
They worked together to design the KREMC energy advisor vehicle
wrap, which earned a silver award for “Best Graphic Design Illustration.”
Berger also designed the KREMC energy advisor cloth wipe which won a
gold award in the “Best Wild Card” category.
“I am very proud of Emily and Katy for winning two national awards. It’s
a great accomplishment,” said KREMC CEO and president Bruce Goslee.
The annual awards competition, sponsored by the Council of Rural
Electric Communicators and the National Rural Electric Cooperative
Association, recognizes the top-rated communication and marketing
efforts by electric cooperatives and related organizations. Electric cooperative communicators and marketing professionals submitted more than 680
entries in the Spotlight on Excellence program, now in its 26th year. …
KREMC’s Emily
Cowan, left, and
Katy Berger,
right, pose with
their Spotlight
on Excellence
awards. In the
background
is KREMC’s
energy advisor
vehicle which
received an
award for “Best
Graphic Design
Illustration.”
Donate school supplies
to support area youth
Tools for School provides over 1,500 Kosciusko
County students with the tools they need to receive
the education they deserve! Help support Tools for
School by donating any of the school supplies listed
below. Supplies can be dropped off at CCS-1195
Mariners Drive, Warsaw, or at the KREMC office. The
event will be held at the Kosciusko County Fairgrounds
Wednesday, Aug. 6, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
School supplies need list
k Backpacks
k Two-pocket folders
k Fiskar scissors (not plastic)
k Colored pencils
k Colored markers
k Compass and protractor
k Ruler (English or metric system)
k Spiral notebooks — college and wide rule
k Filler paper — college and wide rule
k Three-ring binders
k Large soft-rubber eraser
New Co-op Connections Card businesses
KREMC is happy to announce the addition of three new Co-op Connection Card businesses.
TG’s Frozen Yogurt
1991 N. Detroit St., Warsaw — 574-267-7033
15 percent off a single bowl of frozen yogurt. Some restrictions may apply.
Yogi’s Paddleboard
P.O. Box 802, Winona Lake — 503-779-3723 — www.facebook.com/yogispaddleboard
Receive 30 percent off all Yogi’s merchandise! Reserve one board, get one free (yoga classes only). Save 25 percent off board
rentals when renting two or more. Must present REMC Co-op Connections Card.
Wabash Electric
3910 Corridor Drive, Warsaw — 574-269-3838 — www.wabashelectric.com
25 percent off of accessories. No other discounts apply. Additional locations in Wabash, Bluffton, Angola and Fort Wayne.
For a full list of local and national discounts, visit www.connection.coop.
ElectricConsumer.org • JulY 2014 • ElEctric consumEr
2
Hoosier Highlights
See page 26 for more events
Pick or purchase produce
The summer harvest has already started
coming in. Here’s a look at some of the
rural places folks can reap the bounty.
C
•
m
C
C
• Downtown
Second Saturday, now until November, 8am-noon;
carrollcountyfarmersmarket.org.
m
•e
b
• 6721 W SR 10
Farmers’ market and U-pick. Blueberries and raspberries. July
1-Aug. 20, Monday-Saturday, 7am-6pm. 219-987-2424.
r
•
C
m
• Downtown
West side of courthouse. Mid-May-October, Saturday 8am-noon,
Wednesday 3-6pm. November-April, Saturday 9am-noon.
574-223-4227; contactrochester.org.
•g
o
i • 2620 N SR 827
Open in late July. Monday-Saturday 9am-5:30pm, Sunday
11am-5pm; 260-665-7607; [email protected].
e
•b
r b
• 67041 Beech
Road. Farmers’ market and U-pick. Blueberries and honey.
July-August, 7am-7pm. 219-633-4583.
b
m
•b
C
m
• Showers Common, 401 N. Morton St. April-November,
Saturday 8am-1pm and June-September, Tuesday 4-7pm.
812-349-3738; bloomington.in.gov/farmersmarket.
lp
lp
•g
o
m
• 5911 W 50 S. Farmers’ market and U-pick. April-December,
Daily 9am-6pm. 219-362-4385; garwoodorchard.com.
o
o
•o
C
h g
m
• West side of Congress Square Park. Mid-May-October, Saturday
8am-noon. 812-653-1047; orangecountyhomegrown.org.
o
•m
i • 5388 E. Gauger Road.
10am-7pm. 812-745-2807; melonacres.com.
SOURCE:
Indiana State Department of Agriculture
Reminisce vintage two-wheeled rides • July 19-21
The Vintage Motor Bike Show is the largest of its kind in the United
States. Join the Vintage Motor Bike Club for the 42nd year of the event
at the Jay County Fairgrounds in Portland to reminisce the Cushman,
Simplex, Mustang, Whizzer bikes and more! Admission charge.
41 60
6
Interact with bronze artwork • Through SepT. 28
Touch, photograph
and interact with 16
life-size, cast-bronze
sculptures by
world-renowned
American Sculptor
Seward Johnson in a
free “outdoor urban
gallery” in an exhibit
called “Walk-n-Wander Warsaw, The Art of Seward Johnson.” Many
of his bronze, painted figures portray people engaged in everyday
activities, reflecting his sense of humor and affection for people.
Warsaw is Johnson’s only exhibit in the Midwest this summer. Open
daily around Courthouse Square, 100 W. Center St.
00 00 60 0
Fair time in Indiana
4-H fairs around Indiana are off and running. Here’s a list of
those still to come … leading up the Indiana State Fair, Aug. 1-17.
A AMS • l 20-24
A N • l 22-27
BA O OM •
July 4-12
B N ON • l 23-28
B AC O • l 11-1
BOON • l 18-24
B O N • l 27-A g. 2
CA O • l 11-1
CASS • l 6-12
C A • l 11-1
C A • l 13-18
C IN ON • l 13-1
C A O • l 6-13
A I SS • l 11-18
(4-H Show, Washington)
CA U • l 10-17
A B • l 1 -23
(summer judging);
Sept. 22-27 (Fall Fair)
A A • l 7-16
(4-H Fair);
July 14-19 (County Fair)
UBOIS • l 15-21
A • l 18-26
A
• l 26 A g. 2
O • l 7-12
OUN AIN • l 11-17
AN IN • l 14-1
U ON • l 12-1
IBSON • l 6-12
N • l 11-1
AMI ON • l 17-22
A ISON • l 11-17
(4-H Fair);
July 13-19 (County Fair)
N IC S • l 13-1
N • l -1
O A • l 7-12
UN IN ON • l 11-25
AC SON • l 20-26
ASP • l 12-18
A • l 5-11 4- air ;
July 7-13 (County Fair)
SON • l 7-12
NNIN S • l 6-12
O NSON • l 13-1
NO • l 21-26
OSCIUS O • l 7-12
A AN • l 5-12
A • A g. 1-10
APO • l 6-12
A
NC • l 12-1
MA ISON • l 20-26
MA S A • l 13-1
MA IN • l 11-16
MON O • l 26-A g. 2
MON OM
• l 17-24
MO AN • l 25-A g. 2
N
ON • l 14-1
NOB • l 12-1
O AN • l 1 -25
O N • l 6-12
PA
• l 1 -26
P
• l -12
PI • l 20-25
PO
• l 17-26
POS • l 13-1
PU AS I • ro g
July 3
PU NAM • l 18-25
AN O P • l 1 -24
IP • l 20-26
S . OS P • ro g
July 5
SCO • l 13-1
S B • ro g l 5
SA
• l 12-1
S UB N • l 1 -25
SU I AN • l 12-1
S I
AN • l 14-1
IPP CANO • l 1 -26
SOURCE:
8
ElEctric consumEr • JulY 2014 • electricConsumer.org
IP ON • l 11-16
UNION • l 1 -24
AN BU
•
July 22-26
I O • l 6-12
ABAS • l 6-12
A IC • l 14-1
S • l 1 -24
I • l 1 -24
I
• l 11-17
The Indiana 4-H Youth Development
Energy Now
How to give your AC a little TLC
BY JAMES DULLEY
When my central air conditioner conks out, it is always on one
of the hottest days. What is the best way to pick a good repair
contractor? Is there any pre-season maintenance I can do myself?
A
n old central air conditioner
or heat pump will typically
“conk out” on the hottest days
because it is running almost nonstop
to keep the house cool. Also, its efficiency and cooling output drops as
the air temperature rises, putting even
more strain on the old compressor,
especially the bearings and valves.
Finding a good contractor to repair
or replace an old air conditioner is
important because you expect your
system to keep running for a long time
after its repairs. The refrigeration system in an air conditioner is a complicated piece of equipment. You have
no way to determine if things are set
properly, so you have to trust that the
contractor did it correctly.
When selecting a contractor, first
check with your relatives and friends
about who they have used and their
satisfaction. Also, when a contractor gives you a list of references, you
should call each one. People often are
afraid to offend a “nice guy” contractor,
so they do not tell them of problems.
They will, however, share any negative
experiences with you, which will help
you make your hiring decision.
If you do not have a source for
contractor names, check with the AirConditioning Contractors of America
(ACCA) and the Sheet Metal and AirConditioning Contractors’ National
Association (SMACNA). Most reputable contractors will belong to one or
both of these organizations, which can
give you a list of members in your area.
When installing a new system,
the contractor should do a thorough
analysis of your house and calculate
10
its cooling needs. This should involve
more than just measuring the outside
dimensions and then recommending
the same size unit of cooling as you
have now. Improper sizing will result
in higher utility bills and poor comfort.
A knowledgeable contractor should
ask if you currently have any heating and cooling problems, particularly
with various rooms. There may have to
be additional return air registers and
ducts installed. This can increase the
overall cost significantly, so the lowest estimate is not always the one you
should select.
If your system has just broken
down and you have at least three contractors to give you quotes, be wary of
ones who immediately want to replace
the system with a new one. They
should take the time to determine the
current problem and provide a quote
for repair.
Take your time to evaluate the
quotes and recommendations.
Although your family might be uncomfortably warm for several days, don’t
rush your decision. It is not as dire as
having your furnace go out during winter when your water pipes may freeze if
not fixed immediately.
There are several maintenance
tasks you can do each spring to keep
your air conditioner running efficiently, but don’t eliminate regular professional service. Heating and
cooling systems are no longer simple
devices. They are packed with electronic circuit boards and controls,
meaning you would have no way to
test them without specialized readouts
and training.
ElEctric consumEr • JulY 2014 • ElectricConsumer.org
Having adequate air flow through
the outdoor condenser coils is imperative for good efficiency and a long life.
This is where the hot refrigerant expels
its heat to the outdoor air. If the air
flow is impeded and reduced so the
refrigerant does not cool as designed, it
can throw off the entire functioning of
the system.
Make sure there is a foot or two of
clearance around the housing where
the coils are exposed to the outdoor
air. This may require trimming back a
few shrubs or not stacking things like
junk and garden tools against the outdoor unit.
If some of the heat transfer fins
on the coils are bent over and touching so air cannot flow between them,
separate them with the tip of a scraper.
Don’t flex them too much or they may
break off. They don’t have to look uniform to be effective. Make sure all the
screws on the housing are tight. This
ensures the air is being drawn through
the coils and fins.
Change the indoor filter regularly.
Switch off the electricity to the unit
and remove the cover over the indoor
blower unit. Clean dust off the blower
and any evaporator coils you can
reach with the vacuum brush attachment. Adequate indoor air flow is also
important for good efficiency. Seal any
leaking duct joints with aluminum or
duct tape and close the bypass damper
for the humidifier. …
JAMES DULLEY is a nationally
syndicated engineering
consultant based in Cincinnati.
If you have a question about
energy use or energy-efficient
products, send it to: James
Dulley, Electric Consumer, 6906 Royalgreen
Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45244;
or visit www.dulley.com.
Smart Choices
Beat summer’s
‘groom swoon’
BY BECKY BILLINGSLEY
When lush lawns and gardens start to grow a bit wild, tame
them with these quiet and lightweight electric garden tools.
QUIET WORK
MO’ POWER TO GET THE JOB DONE

The cordless Black & Decker SPCM1936 lawnmower
has a self-propel feature that makes it ultra easy to
use. With a 19-inch deck and 36 volts, it has the power
to quietly trim lawns up to a third of an acre with one
charge. $374.
800-697-3277; sears.com
EASY WEEDING
 GOOD
VIBRATIONS
Weary or arthritic arms will
appreciate the low-vibration handles
on the Electric Cult A Till from
Montgomery Ward. The 8.5-amp
motor will churn dirt 8.5 inches
deep and 11 inches wide, making
soil prep easy for flowers and
veggies. $200.
877-784-2836; montgomeryward.com
LIGHT LANDSCAPING
CAPING

Great for keeping gardens aerated
and weed-free, the 6.5-amp Sun
Joe TJ600E Electric Garden Tiller/
Cultivator weighs just 19 pounds.
It has push-button ignition (with a
safety feature) and tills a path 14
inches wide and 7 inches deep with
four angled, steel tines. $140.
NEIGHBOR FRIENDLY

So quiet your neighbors may not even notice it’s running,
the Stihl 200 C-BQ Electric Chainsaw is powerful enough
to cut through hardwoods up to a foot in diameter.
Simple to start — just squeeze the trigger and go. $380;
AP180 36 volt battery and charger sold separately.
800-467-8445; stihlusa.com
MULCH MACHINE

Quickly turn 10 bags of leaves, clippings
and small limbs into one bag of mulch or
compost fodder with a DuroStar Electric
EcoShredder Chipper. The 2.5-horsepower
motor has a three-cycle V-blade cutter, and
it’s on wheels so it easily goes where you
need it. $270.
888-452-8227; chippersdirect.com
866-766-9563; snowjoe.com
UNASSISTED TRIPLE
PLE PLAY
GET THE EDGE
GE
DIAL IT UP

Turn a dial up to tackle thick
growth, or power down for
routine trimming. As you adjust
the settings to suit your needs,
you can save battery life with a
Black & Decker LST136 40V
Lithium Cordless Trimmer/
Edger. It has an automatic
feed spool, so there’s no
bumping to advance
the line. $139.
866-577-0664;
cpobd.com
TRIM, EDGE AND CLEAN
TRI
AN UP

Knock out three yard-maintenance chores with
the lightweight GreenWorks 40-volt Trimmer/
Edger and Cordless Blower Kit. The trimmer
converts easily to an edger. And when
the trimming’s done, swap the
battery into the blower to
quietly and quickly clean
up. $190.
800-221-0516;
northerntool.com
BECKY BILLINGSLEY
BE
BILLINGS
is a freelance writer from Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Her monthly column also appears in South Carolina Living, the
statewide electric co-op magazine of the Palmetto state. Product
inclusion on this page does not imply endorsement; product
availability and prices are subject to change.
ElectricConsumer.org • JulY 2014 • ElEctric consumEr
11
PHOTOS AND TEXT BY RICHARD G. BIEVER
W
hen the assembled 1,600 high school seniors
on the 50th national electric cooperative Youth
Tour to Washington, D.C., last month were
asked to list on a sticky note ways each makes a mark in
his or her local community, Breanne Ward complied. She
listed church youth group, Students Against Drunk Drivers,
helping with tornado relief after the late winter 2012 storms
devastated her home county and more. But then in a
thought bubble, she punctuated her note with the words:
“Future: Something awesome!”
“I’d really like to find some way unique to benefit
everyone else around,” the Clark County REMC-sponsored
senior later said while explaining her note.
14
ElEctric consumEr • JulY 2014 • ElectricConsumer.org
But if you ask the chaperones and those who encoun
encountered the 72 Hoosier teens from all over Indiana along their
1,300-mile trek, they are already “something awesome.”
Left to them, our nation’s future will be in good hands.
For the week, June 12-19, they gathered, counted off,
and put their hands on history. They saw what our nation’s
freedom stands for and its price. They experienced how
our government is supposed to work and why it sometimes
doesn’t. They learned about camaraderie and cooperation.
Here’s a look back in photos of the remarkable trip and
the 72 remarkable Hoosier teens who will someday soon
make their own marks on history … as they each continue
being “something awesome.” …
PLEASE TURN
RICHARD
G. BIEVER
TO PAGEis16
senior editor of Electric Consumer.
Before leaving Indianapolis, students on the Indiana
Youth Tour to Washington, D.C., are greeted by
Indiana Lt. Gov. Sue Ellspermann, far left, at the
Indiana Statehouse. State Sen. Jim Merritt also met
with the group.
The first stop on the road, the Flight 93 National
Memorial near Shanksville, Pa., became the only
“wash out” of the week. A cloudburst caught
students as they reached the farthest point of
the memorial. Resigned to the drenching, Haleigh
Haining, left, and Jasmine Hiss, walk back to a
shelter. The memorial honors those who forced the
hijacked plane to crash there in a field on Sept. 11,
2001, instead of a target in Washington, D.C.
A tour of
the Civil
War battle
ground at
Gettysburg,
Pa., was
one of the
most popular
stops of
Youth Tour.
Battlefield
guide Phil
Lechak
points
out how
the battle
unfolded on
July 3, 1863,
from Little
Round Top.
A left, Nathan Day
At
D is fitted for a
Union soldier’s cap by Del Hilbert
at the Victorian Photography
Studio. Group photos in
authentic-looking Civil War-era
garb has become an annual part
of the Youth Tour experience.
Itinerary Highlights on the Youth Tour Trail:
k Thursday, June 12: Participants
arrive in Indianapolis for
orientation; visit Indiana
Statehouse; meet with Lt. Gov.
Sue Ellspermann and State
Sen. Jim Merritt in the Indiana
Supreme Court Room. Depart
Indianapolis.
k Friday, June 13: Tour the
Flight 93 National Memorial
near Shanksville, Pa.; arrive in
Gettysburg, Pa.
k Saturday, June 14: Take guided
tour of the Gettysburg National
Military Park Battlefield; visit
the national museum; are fitted
for Civil War-era uniforms
and dresses for Victorian
group photographs; arrive
in Washington area; check
into hotel at Arlington; tour
memorials including: Martin
Luther King Jr., Franklin D.
Roosevelt, Thomas Jefferson,
Air Force and the 9/11
Pentagon.
PLEASE TURN TO NEXT PAGE
ElectricConsumer.org • JulY 2014 • ElEctric consumEr
15
k Sunday, June 15: Tour
Arlington National
Cemetery — Changing
of the Guard at the
Tomb of the Unknowns,
graves of John and
Robert Kennedy; attend
a sunset dance/cruise on
the Potomac River.
k Monday, June 16: Attend
“Youth Rally” with 1,600 peers
from electric co-ops around
the nation; tour Smithsonian
museums; engage in the roleplaying game “Congressional
Insight.” Game offers real-world
issues that the students,
assuming the identity of a
fictional U.S. Representative,
have to address, and then see
who is “re-elected” based on
their decisions.
k Tuesday, June 17: Visit the
Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam,
Korean and World War II
memorials; meet with Indiana
16
legislators — Rep. Susan
Brooks, Rep. Luke Messer,
Rep. Todd Rokita, Rep. Todd
Young, Rep. Larry Bucshon, and
Sen. Dan Coats and Sen. Joe
Donnelly.
k Wednesday, June 18: Tour the
Newseum and the Marine Corps
Museum; attend an All-States
Dinner/Dance; depart for
all-night ride home to Indiana.
k Thursday, June 19: Arrive back
in Indianapolis.
High school juniors in the 2014-15
school year are encouraged to apply
for the 2015 Youth Tour. Look for
info and deadlines on your local
co-op page in Electric Consumer
later this year. Deadlines will be early
in 2015.
ElEctric consumEr • JulY 2014 • ElectricConsumer.org
At the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial, Tanner Baird (from left), Austin White, Kristin Waldkoetter,
Morgan Wells and Chad Lawrence check out at small spray of red, white and blue flowers at the
memorial bench of Darlene Flagg. The Virginia resident and her husband, Retired U.S. Navy Rear
Admiral Wilson Flagg, were aboard hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 which crashed into the Pentagon
Sept. 11, 2001. All 59 passengers and crew and 125 people in the Pentagon died in the terrorist attack.
The memorial features 184 cantilevered “benches” for each lost life. The Indiana Youth Tour visited the
site late in the evening after arriving in Washington Saturday, June 14.
Indiana’s Youth Tour group, in “Indiana gold” polo shirts, watch the solemn and precise
Changing of the Guard ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery.
At left, Sarah Weaver is introduced
as Indiana’s Youth Leadership
Council representative during the
“Youth Tour Rally.” The Monday
morning of the tour, all 1,600
participants gather in one room for
motivational and historical talks. As
Indiana’s YLC representative, Sarah
will return to Washington this month
for more in-depth leadership training
with YLC delegates from the other
states. Indiana’s alternate YLC rep is
Spencer Davidson. Both Sarah and
Spencer were sponsored on the trip
by Tipmont REMC.
At far left: Hannah Brown touches
the image of a soldier at the
Korean War memorial that she
said is her grandfather, Tommy
Martin, who lives near her home in
Rockport. Images depicting those
who served in the Korean War
etched upon the in-facing granite
wall of the memorial are based on
actual archival photographs. Youth
Tour students visited the Lincoln
Memorial, Vietnam (where they
took tracings of names of fallen
servicemen from their hometowns),
Korean and World War II memorials
on the Tuesday morning of the tour.
ElectricConsumer.org • JulY 2014 • ElEctric consumEr
17
“Capitol Hill Day” included a visit to the gallery
of the House of Representatives chamber and
then individual visits from Indiana legislators
who came to the group in a meeting room of the
Capitol Hill visitors center. Sen. Joe Donnelly,
above, and Rep. Susan Brooks, top right,
update the group on their various activities.
Also stopping by to speak to the group and
take questions were Sen. Dan Coats, Rep. Todd
Rokita, Rep. Luke Messer, Rep. Larry Bucshon
and Rep. Todd Young. Staff members from Rep.
Brooks and Rep. Jackie Walorski’s offices also
spoke to the group about working in D.C.
A role-playing game, “Congressional Insight,” put the Youth Tour members
in the shoes of a U.S. representative who must balance satisfying
constituents and dealing with the politics of Washington. Groups were
seated around seven round tables with each table representing one fictional
lawmaker from closely-contested districts based on the demographics of
actual congressional districts around the nation. Students were given their
representative’s bio and info about his or her district, and then a variety of
real-world issues they had to quickly address. A computer program kept
track of their responses. At the end of the night, the program calculates
and literally projects “election night” winners on a wall for all to see.
Above: Tanner Baird, Justin Kiel, Trevor Jones and Nathan Day react
with joy as they watch the returns come in and their congressman wins
re-election. The students did well; all but one of the teams won re-election.
Earlier, at right: Emily Maneke, (from left), Jasmine Hiss, Olivia Neese and
Breanne Ward discuss an issue for their man, “Rep. John Turner”.
18
ElEctric consumEr • JulY 2014 • ElectricConsumer.org
Above: Makenzie
Mehringer, from right,
adds a new state pin
to her collection on
her name badge pouch
while Joey Collins and
Nathan Clary exchange
stickers and pins with
Youth Tour participants
from Oklahoma (in the
green shirts) outside
the Ronald Reagan
Federal Office Building
where groups from
several states met for
lunch on the Sunday of
the tour. Collecting pins
and stickers from peers
from other states is a
favorite activity and
a way to meet those
from other states.
Some name badges,
like Austin White’s (on
top at left), are almost
totally covered by the
end of the trip.
On the Youth Tour trail
Indiana Electric Cooperatives’ Youth Tour to Washington,
D.C., ventured east last month with two motor coaches of
Indiana’s best and brightest high school-seniors-to-be. Here
are the 72 participants and their sponsoring cooperative.
Bartholomew County
remC • Elizabeth
Tedder, Emily Tedder
b
remC • Kelsey
Bragg, Abigail Brow,
Isaac Spillman,
Ted Stumpf
C
remC •
Trevor Jones
C C
remC •
Joey Collins,
Jacklyn Kahafer,
Chad Lawrence,
Breanne Ward
Daviess-Martin County
remC • Ashton
Allbright, Ashley Jones,
Audrey Sanders
Decatur County REMC
• Haleigh Haining,
Tara Ricke
reC •
Makenzie Mehringer
C
remC •
Josh Bake,
Sawyer Cripe
h
remC •
Hayley Hill,
Erin Patterson
h
p
•
Allie Ternet
Jackson County REMC
• Bonnie Prindle
C
remC •
Michelle Kent,
Jenna Musall
Johnson County
remC • Brett Beaman,
Kristin Waldkoetter
Kankakee Valley REMC
• Taylor Briel, Lizzie
Chesak, Justin Kiel
INDIANA
ANA
Kosciusko
OHIO
remC •
PENNSYLVANIA
Maryl Gerst, Indianapolis
Ariel
Flight 93 Memorial
Schoettmer
WEST
Gettysburg
VIRGINIA
LaGrange
C
remC •
Kymber Getz
MARYLAND
Washington
Marshall
NEW
C
remC •
JERSEY
VIRGINIA
Nathan Day,
DELAWARE
Jake Marohn,
Olivia Neese,
Spencer Southwell
ATLANTIC
OCEAN
m
C remC •
Southern
Emily Vance
Indiana
N
C
•
p
• Hannah
Jennifer Apple,
Brown, Emily Davis
Grace Perkins
Steuben County
N remC •
remC • Nathan Clary,
Emily Maneke,
Maria Clemens
Kyler Warble
t
remC •
N
remC •
Tanner Baird,
Jasmine Hiss,
Ashlynn Bennet,
James Reynolds
Fatima Bouftas,
Orange County REMC Spencer Davidson,
• Becca Lowe,
Elizabeth Egan,
Riley Lowe
Sarah Faulkner,
p C
remC • Katy Harrison,
Sarah Weaver,
Nathan Jent
Morgan Wells,
r
e
•
Austin White
Monica Dougherty,
u i remC •
Justin Platt,
Kayla Post
Jonathan Sweet,
Ben Swinford
u
remC •
South Central Indiana Kory Miller
remC • Carson
Whitewater Valley
Mulvehill, Seth Sears
remC •
Jeremy Mersch
Southeastern Indiana
remC • Ali Luers,
Katelyn Posey
MAP BY RICHARD G. BIEVER
ER
Kristin Waldkoetter
touches an actual
piece of the Berlin
Wall on display at the
Newseum. A large
portion of the wall
that was toppled in
1989 is on display. The
Newseum has become
a favorite Youth Tour
stop. The interactive
museum focuses
on news, the First
Amendment and the
media. Other exhibits
include a powerful
look back on Sept.
11, 2001, including a
section of the mangled
communications
antenna from atop one
of the towers, and past
Pulitzer Prize-winning
news photographs.
Chaperones: Darby O’Connor, director, and Matt Randall, Indiana Electric
Cooperatives; Darrick Collier, South Central Indiana REMC; Jaime Walker,
Steuben County REMC; Sasha Clements and Tracey Miller, Tipmont REMC.
ElectricConsumer.org • JulY 2014 • ElEctric consumEr
19
Food Focus
Hooray for the
Red, White, and Blue!
RED, WHITE, AND BLUE COOKIES
2 cups all-purpose flour
2½ cups oatmeal
1 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
½ t. salt
½ cup softened
shortening
½ cup softened butter or
margarine
¾ cup brown sugar
¾ cup white sugar
1 t. vanilla
2 large eggs
1 (5¼-oz.) bag mixed,
dried berries OR
¼ cup each dried
cherries, cranberries,
and blueberries
1 (11-oz.) package white
chocolate chips
½ cup chopped nuts
(optional)
Preheat oven to 375 F. Mix together flour, oatmeal, baking powder,
baking soda, and salt. Set aside. Cream together shortening,
butter or margarine, and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in
vanilla and eggs. Mix in dry ingredients, one-third at a time. Stir
in dried fruit, white chocolate chips, and nuts. Place golf ball-sized
portions about 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake
12-14 minutes until golden brown. Immediately remove from
baking sheet. Makes approximately 5 dozen cookies.
LINDA BERTKE, ST. MEINRAD, IND.
LIBERTY COBBLER
Linda Bertke’s “Red, White, and Blue Cookies”
20
ElEctric consumEr • JulY 2014 • ElectricConsumer.org
COOKIES PREPARED BY MANDY KENT/PHOTO BY RICHARD G. BIEVER
COBBLER:
1 cup flour
1¼ cups sugar, divided
1½ t. baking powder
½ cup water
2 cups sliced strawberries ½ t. salt
1 cup milk
½ cup butter
BLUEBERRY SAUCE:
¼ cup water
1 T. lemon juice
¼ cup sugar
Whipped cream
2 pints blueberries,
divided
To make cobbler, mix together ¼ cup sugar and water. Pour over
strawberries. While preheating oven to 350 F, melt butter in 9-by13-inch pan. Mix together flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in
milk and remaining sugar to make a batter. Pour into melted butter.
Spoon strawberries evenly over batter. Bake until batter is browned
and has risen up around fruit, about 30 minutes.
To make blueberry sauce, heat water and sugar to boiling. Coarsely
puree 1 pint blueberries. Add to sugar syrup with lemon juice and
bring back to a boil. Cook about 2 more minutes. Reserve a few blueberries for topping, then add remaining blueberries to puree. Serve
sauce over cobbler and top with whipped cream and blueberries.
LYNN WHITTYMORE, LEXINGTON, IND.
SANDWICHES PREPARED BY EMILY SCHILLING/PHOTO BY RICHARD G. BIEVER
POMEGRANATE JEWELED CHEESEBALL
6 oz. grated sharp white cheddar
cheese
½ cup sliced, toasted almonds
1 cup pomegranate arils
Crackers or cocktail bread for
serving
Heat a skillet over medium heat and add butter. Once sizzling, toss in sage leaves and
cook until crispy, flipping once and cooking about 1 minute per side. Remove sage leaves
and place them on a paper towel to crisp up a bit. Set butter aside.
In a bowl, combine cream cheese, mascarpone and cheddar cheese. Beat until combined,
then add in almonds, sage leaves, and remaining butter. Mix on low speed until combined,
scraping down the sides and the bottom if needed, about 1 minute. Take the cheese
mixture out of the bowl and mold it into a big ball as best you can. Roll it in plastic wrap
and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the arils on a paper towel and pat them completely dry. Let them sit
out while the cheese is chilling to remove as much liquid from them as possible. This will
keep the cheeseball pretty!
After 30 minutes, mold the cheese into more of a smooth ball. Add the arils to a plate
or baking sheet and roll the ball through them, using your hands to press arils into all the
cracks and crevices. You will need to gently press so the arils adhere to the cheese. At this
time, you can serve it immediately or keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve. If you
want to make it ahead of time, you can roll the ball 1 to 2 days beforehand. Serve with
crackers or cocktail bread.
Cook’s note: “I wait until the night before or morning of to add the pomegranate arils. You
may need to let the cheese come to room temperature a bit so it’s sticky enough.”
SALAD PREPARED BY EMILY SCHILLING/PHOTO BY RICHARD G. BIEVER
2 T. unsalted butter
10 fresh sage leaves
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
4 oz. mascarpone cheese,
softened
Patsy Frost’s
“Berry-Blue Cheese Salad”
BERRY-BLUE CHEESE SALAD
2 T. balsamic vinegar
1 T. blueberry preserves
1 t. Dijon mustard
1/8 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
SHARON DELUCA, HEBRON, IND.
FOOD TIPS AND TRICKS
Strawberries aren’t quite ripe?
“If you buy green strawberries or strawberries that are not ripe enough,
just add 2-3 T. of strawberry jelly or jam after you slice them. They have a
better flavor!”
— Lula June Ragon Scott, Claypool, Ind.
You could earn $5 for sharing a food tip or trick. Tell us how you
save time or money in the kitchen. How do you pinch a few pennies
when grocery shopping or speed up meal prep? Email us at ec@
ElectricConsumer.org or write to us at: Electric Consumer Food Tips, P.O.
Box 24517, Indianapolis, IN 46224.
2 T. snipped chives
10 cups baby spinach
12 oz. (2 cups) blueberries
12 oz. (2 cups) sliced strawberries
¾ cup walnuts, toasted and
roughly chopped
½ cup crumbled blue cheese
In a small bowl, stir together vinegar, blueberry preserves, mustard, salt, and pepper.
Slowly whisk in olive oil until well combined. Mix in chives. Set aside. Toss together
spinach, blueberries, strawberries, walnuts and blue cheese. Mix in dressing just before
eating or serve on the side.
PATSY FROST, CORYDON, IND.
WE PICKED A WINNER!
Congratulations to Jenna Sappenfield of Lanesville, Ind. She was randomly
selected as the winner of the smoothie gift set giveaway featured in the
June issue of Electric Consumer. She won a set of smoothie glasses and
reusable drinking straws. Thank you to all the readers who entered to win
the giveaway!
ElectricConsumer.org • JulY 2014 • ElEctric consumEr
21
Food Focus
Food Facts and Fancy
Food safety tips for warm weather
July is National Baked Bean Month
As temperatures rise, so do cases of foodborne illnesses. While
packing picnics and planning for backyard pitch-ins, remember a few
food safety smarts.
k Perishable food should not be left out more than an hour, and if it’s
90 F or warmer, it should be back in the fridge or cooler in one hour.
k If you’re grilling meat, have two platters handy — one for raw meat
and one for cooked meat.
k Consider packing two coolers: one for drinks and one for food.
People will probably come back for drinks frequently — opening and
closing the cooler often — which lets cold air escape.
k Keep coolers in a shady spot.
k If you’re eating away from home where
there might not be a clean water source,
bring a few extra bottles of water or pack
moist towelettes for cleaning surfaces
and hands.
Summer cookouts almost
always feature a side of
baked beans. Maybe that’s
why July is designated
as National Baked Bean
Month! Celebrate by
trying a new variation. For
example, you could use
molasses, maple syrup, or
apricot preserves instead
of brown sugar that a
traditional recipe calls for.
SOURCES: MayoClinic.org, USDA Food Safety and
SOUR
Inspection Service
Soup’s on ... in summer?
One word: gazpacho — a cold soup, traditionally made from
tomatoes and other vegetables and spices. It’s a popular
dish in Spain, Portugal and parts of Latin America. Modern
variations might omit the tomatoes and instead, use
ingredients like avocados, cucumbers, or watermelon. It’s
refreshing on a hot summer day and a great way to use extra
garden produce. Try this easy recipe from the Food Channel:
In a food processor or blender, combine 2 large ripe tomatoes,
1 seedless cucumber, 2 cloves garlic, 1 T.. sweet paprika,
1 cup bread cubes, ¾ cup almonds,
and 1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar.
Drizzle in ¾ cup olive oil and
combine until desired consistency.
Add salt and pepper to taste. Chill
2 hours before serving.
Keep cool in the kitchen
k Time heat-generating projects (baking, running
the dishwasher) for late in the evening or early in
the morning, when possible.
k Turn off the heated drying cycle of the
dishwasher and allow dishes to air dry.
k Let leftovers cool to room temperatures before
sticking them away in the refrigerator. This
reduces the amount of work the fridge has to do
to cool the food.
k Don’t peek in the oven or take the lid off
saucepans. This causes heat to escape into your
home.
k Cutting food into smaller pieces will reduce the
amount of time needed to have the stove or oven
creating heat.
k Keep the fridge and freezer stocked. You don’t
want to use energy to cool empty space.
k Use a slow cooker instead of preheating the
oven. Instead of hearty soups and stews, look for
lighter recipes that will satisfy a summer appetite.
On the Menu
SEPTEMBER
SEPTEM
Herbs
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme ... we want recipes with
these! If you use these herbs or others, like lavendar, mint
and oregano, in your kitchen, send us recipes by July 23.
Write
W to us at Electric Consumer Herb Recipes, P.O. Box
24517, Indianapolis, IN 46224 or via email at [email protected] with subject line “Herb
Recipes.”
“
22
ElEctric consumEr • JulY 2014 • ElectricConsumer.org
OCTOBER
Cupcakes
Which readers will take the cake in our October issue? Send us
your most delicious cupcake and frosting recipes by Aug. 20 for
your chance to win $10. If you’ve created a unique cake flavor or
found a fun way to decorate, we hope you’ll share your recipes
with us! Send them by mail to Electric Consumer Cupcake
Recipes or via email with subject line “Cupcake Recipes.”
The Great Outdoors
Down to the crawdad hole
BY JACK SPAULDING
O
ur daughters were raised in the
country and definitely couldn’t
be considered “cityfied” children. Not with Dad around! From the
time I was a little boy, I learned there
are a lot of good things coming from
the wild, and I set about exposing my
family to the gourmet tastes of the
great outdoors.
My wife, Chris, and the girls were
used to me coming home with squirrels, rabbits, snapping turtles, mushrooms, fish, frogs, and a host of other
outdoor fare. I can truly say, they never
suffered from “plate fright” and were
willing to try anything Dad would
clean and prepare for Mom to cook.
My wife agreed to the constant array of
foraged items as long as the wild fare
bounty came to the kitchen cleaned,
properly prepared and ready to be
cooked.
One foraging event brought to
mind was the great crawdad gathering. Making good on a promise to the
girls to go to the river, I loaded them
up along with a minnow seine and
some five-gallon buckets, and we went
“down to the crawdad hole.”
The crawdad hole on Big Flatrock
River is just about any stretch of river
you care to pick out. It is home to
the rusty-sided crawfish, Orconectes
rusticus, and the river is full of them.
The crawdads are so thick in some
places on the river, it is difficult to
fish with natural or live bait because
of the shear number of bait-stealing
crawdads.
The river was up from recent rains
and running muddy and murky — just
right for catching crawdads. The lack
of water clarity gave us a real advantage for driving crawdads into the net.
I picked out a quiet stretch with a rock
covered bottom in about three feet of
water, and we started seining.
Stretching out about six feet of net,
I had each of my daughters operate
the poles on either end of the net. My
job was to flip up rocks off the river
bottom, splash like an idiot, and drive
the critters into the net. On my command, the girls were to lift the net.
They did pretty well for a 6 and a 10
year old. The first couple of net raisings
were a little hesitant and somewhat
shaky, but they caught on quickly.
Each lifting of the net produced
from four to 10 large crayfish. Once
we scooped up the crawdads from
the area directly in front of the net, we
would advance eight or 10 feet and
start again. Even I was surprised at the
size and quantity we dumped into the
buckets.
In less than an hour, we rolled
up the net, combined the catch and
headed for the truck with almost a
five-gallon bucket full of crawdads.
Rather than go with the traditional
Southern method of a crayfish boil, I
opted for deep-frying the tails instead.
I showed each of the girls how to
handle a crawdad without running a
foul of the pinchers and showed them
how to shell out the tails. Soon, we had
a bowl full of snow-white, well-rinsed
crawdad tail meat ready to be drained,
dried with paper towel, breaded and
deep fried.
As I recall, deep fried crawdad tails
was one of the big hits of the summer.
The tails cook very quickly, and seem
to disappear about as fast! Imagine
miniature fried lobster tail, or what I
call Flatrock River langostino, and you
can understand how quickly they disappeared off the platter.
In later years, both daughters
schooled their future husbands on
how to clean fish, and how to cook
them. They came by it naturally. I can
still hear them hollering, “Mom, Dad’s
home and he’s got something in a fivegallon bucket!” …
JACK SPAULDING is a state
outdoors writer and a
consumer of RushShelby
Energy living along the Flatrock
River in Moscow. Readers with
questions or comments can
write to him in care of Electric Consumer,
P.O. Box 24517, Indianapolis, IN 46224; or
email [email protected].
ElectricConsumer.org • JulY 2014 • ElEctric consumEr
2
Green Thumb
Ask Rosie
Exercise in weeding
BY B. ROSIE LERNER
24
What causes white spots under
the skin of tomatoes? Is there a
way of preventing it?
— JIM AND JOAN BARRY,
VEVAY, IND.
N
o matter if the weather is cool or
hot or wet or dry, gardeners must
do battle with weeds. Between
torrential rains, heat waves and ravenous mosquitoes, I must confess to nearly
giving up on this important chore. But
I have renewed my efforts by putting
myself on a weeding “exercise” schedule.
That’s right, weeding is good exercise!
According to the AARP activity calculator, a 175-pound person can burn around
180 calories per half hour through activities such as raking, planting, weeding
and pruning. I think if I convince myself
to do just 30 minutes of weeding a day,
maybe I can at least make a slight dent
in preventing new weeds for next year.
And maybe earn an extra cookie in my
lunchbox!
The best weapons for the home garden and landscape include tools such
as the hoe and rototiller. There are quite
a few different designs for weeding
tools, including different handle lengths,
pointed arrow-shaped blades, winged
blades and scuffle hoes, which have a
twin-blade action. For larger areas, shallow cultivation with a rototiller a few times
during the season can do wonders.
Mulching around plants will go a long
way toward reducing the ability of weeds
to take over. Organic mulches tend to cool
the soil, as well as conserve soil moisture
and reduce weed germination. Materials
such as chipped or shredded bark, straw,
hay, grass clippings or pine needles
should be applied 2-4 inches deep and
replenished as needed. Plastic mulch
tends to warm the soil and is best used on
warm-season vegetables, such as tomatoes, melons, squash and peppers. If soil
gets too hot in mid-summer, you might
want to put a shallow layer of organic
mulch on top of the plastic.
Don’t underestimate the power of
your bare hands (well, make that glovedhands)! Young weeds can be very easy to
Seeing spots
pull, especially during or just after a rain.
You want to prevent the weeds from going
to seed, as that will bring many more
future battles. For example, a single dandelion plant can produce 15,000 seeds in
one year, and each seed is capable of surviving for up to six years in the soil. Each
purslane plant can produce more than
52,000 seeds, and these seeds can survive
up to 30 years in the soil. So, it is in your
best interest to stay ahead of the weeds!
Though a dizzying number of herbicides (pesticides designed to kill plants)
approved by the EPA are available, only a
relatively limited number of them come
in small homeowner-sized packages.
Generally speaking, herbicides are low in
risk to people and animals when they are
used according to the label. But there is
a risk of doing damage to the very plants
you are trying to protect.
If you choose to use an herbicide, be
sure to read and follow all of the label
instructions before you apply. And, if you
use sprayers and other equipment for
herbicide application, make sure you label
them for that use and have a different set
to use for other types of pesticides.
For more information on weed control in the yard and garden, take a look
at Purdue Extension publication HO-217
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/
HO-217.pdf. …
ElEctric consumEr • JulY 2014 • ElectricConsumer.org
White spots under the skin of the tomato
could be caused by a number of factors,
including weather conditions, insect
pests or plant disease. So the control or
prevention strategies depend on accurate
diagnosis.
Feeding by stink bugs results in cloudy
white or yellow blotches in the tissue just
under the skin, usually a bit spongy or
corky in texture.
Similar internal white tissue can be seen
with a physiological disorder called yellow
shoulder, which is associated with adverse
weather, poor nutrition and/or high soil pH.
Some diseases such as bacterial speck
and bacterial spot can result in yellowish
or whitish spots on the outside of the fruit
and are more likely to occur in wet weather
or in gardens that have overhead irrigation.
Bacterial canker disease causes tiny
black spots on the outside of the skin
accompanied by whitish halos and is a very
serious, non-treatable disease of tomatoes.
Plants with this disease should be pulled
from the garden and should NOT be
composted.
If you continue to see these symptoms
in your tomato patch, you need to get an
accurate diagnosis. You can take samples
of your plants to Purdue Extension office
in your county (see the county directory for
contact information: https://extension.
purdue.edu/pages/countyoffices.aspx).
Or, you can submit a sample to the Purdue
Plant and Pest Diagnostic Lab (http://
www.ppdl.purdue.edu/ppdl/index.html)
either by live sample or digital images.
B. ROSIE LERNER is the
Purdue Extension
consumer horticulturist
and a consumer of
Tipmont REMC. Questions
about gardening issues
may be sent to: “Ask Rosie,” Electric
Consumer, P.O. Box 24517, Indianapolis, IN
46224, or [email protected].
Hoosier Happenings
N O RT H
T
ou
se T 2 • WALK-N-
WANDER: THE ART OF SEWARD
JOHNSON, Warsaw (Kosciusko) —
Courthouse Square. 800-8006090, www.warsaw.in.gov.
on o n • LOGANSPORT
FARMERS MARKET, Logansport
(Cass) — Fourth and Market
streets. Wed: 3-6pm; Sat:
8am-1pm. 574-699-6971.
July 4 • SUMMER FESTIVAL,
Wolcott (White) — Historic Wolcott
House and grounds. Free. 219279-2946; wolcottfestival.com.
July 4 • TWELVE MILE 500,
Twelve Mile (Cass) — Plank Hill
Park. Admission charge. 574-7534856; twelvemile500.com.
July 4 • ALL-AMERICAN
FEST, Valparaiso (Porter)
— Taltree Gardens. 219462-0025; Taltree.org.
July 4 • FREEDOM FEST,
Walkerton (St. Joseph) — Hesters
Farm Museum. 574-910-2105.
July • BIRD-ANIMAL SWAP
MEET & FLEA MARKET, Ligonier
(Noble) — Wolf’s Swap Grounds,
6397 W. Albion Road. 6am-1pm.
Admission charge. 260-635-2356.
July • PROUD TO BE AN
AMERICAN PATRIOTIC BOAT
PARADE AND CELEBRATION,
Monticello (White) — Lake
Freeman/City Park. Free. 574583-9784; boats4vets.com.
July
• CANAL DAYS, Delphi
(Carroll) — Canal Park. Free. 765564-2870; wabashanderiecanal.org.
July 11 12 • ANGOLA BALLOONS
ALOFT, Angola (Steuben)
— Tri-State Steuben County
Airport. Free. 260-316-8577;
angolaballoonsaloft.com.
July 11 1 • ANTIQUE TRACTOR
AND FARM SHOW, Crown Point
(Lake) — Fairgrounds. Admission
charge. 219-662-9204; slcahs.org.
July 11 1 • THREE RIVERS
FESTIVAL, Fort Wayne (Allen)
— Headwaters Park. Free. 260426-5556; threeriversfestival.org.
July 12 • LUCKEY HOSPITAL
MUSEUM BIRTHDAY BASH, Wolf
Lake (Noble) — SR 109 & US 33.
Noon-4 pm. Admission charge
for tours. 260-635-2490; www.
luckeyhospitalmuseum.org.
July 12 • MUSICFEST, Fremont
(Steuben) — Downtown. Free. 260495-9010; fremontchamber.org
July 12 • SAND SCULPTURE
CONTEST, Chesterton (Porter) —
Indiana Dunes State Park. 9am-1pm.
Park gate fee. 219-926-1390; www.
in.gov/dnr/parklake/2980.htm.
July 12 • SMOKEY BEAR’S
BIRTHDAY BASH, Peru (Miami)
— Mississinewa Reservoir. 260468-2127; www.dnr.IN.gov/uwis.
July 12 1 • CIRCUS CITY
FESTIVAL, Peru (Miami) — First
Bank of Berne Circus City Center.
Admission charge. 765-4723918; perucircus.com.
26
July 1 20 • POWER FROM
THE PAST ANTIQUE POWER
SHOW & FLEA MARKET,
Winamac (Pulaski) — Fairgrounds.
Admission charge. 574-946-3712;
winamacpowershow.com.
July 1 1 • REMINISCE
DAYS, Shipshewana (LaGrange)
— Downtown. Free. 260768-3030. www.sahs.org.
July 1 20 • CULVER LAKE
FEST, Culver (Marshall) — Culver
Town Park. Free. 574-8428830; culverlakefest.com
July 1 • NATIONAL DAY OF THE
COWBOY, Wolcottville (LaGrange)
— David Rogers Memorial Park.
Noon-4pm. Free. 260-854-2225;
www.visitlagrangecounty.org
July 1 • NEWBURY SQUARE
SWAP MEET & FLEA MARKET,
Shipshewana (LaGrange) — Newbury
Square. 6am-1pm. Free. 260-4631150. www.visitlagrangecounty.org
July 1 au
• FOUNTAIN
PARK CHAUTAUQUA FESTIVAL,
Remington (Jasper) — 6244
W 1600 S. Admission charge.
219-866-5811; fountain-park.org.
July 1 2 • RAILWAY GARDEN
BEHIND-THE-SCENES TOUR,
Valparaiso (Porter) — Taltree
Gardens. 1:30-3:30pm. Registration
charge. 219-462-0025; Taltree.org.
July 20 • PIERCETON OPEN
HOUSE, Pierceton (Kosciusko)
— Community Center. 2-4pm.
Free. 574-268-4860;
Piercetonchamber.com.
July 2 • MAIN STREET TOUR,
Monticello (White) — Downtown
square. Free. 574-583-3668;
enjoywhitecounty.com.
July 2 2 • BERNE SWISS DAYS,
Berne (Adams) — Downtown. Free.
260-589-8080; bernein.com.
July 2 2 • BASS LAKE
FESTIVAL, Bass Lake (Starke) . Free.
219-314-2030; basslakefest.com.
July 2 2 • BROADWAY ART
SHOW, Monticello (White) — Public
Library. Fri: 5-9pm; Sat: 9am-5pm;
Sun: 11am-4pm. 574-583-2665.
July 2 2 • NEW CARLISLE
HOMETOWN DAYS, New Carlisle
(St. Joseph) — Memorial Park. Free.
574-276-8962; hometowndays.net.
July 2 • DIXIE DAYS FESTIVAL
& ART FAIR, North Webster
(Kosciusko) — Downtown and
fairgrounds. Free. 574-8347076; northwebster.com.
July 2 • IDAVILLE TRUCK
& TRACTOR PULL, Monticello
(White) — Idaville Volunteer
Fire Dept. Admission charge.
574-943-3415; Facebook.com.
July 2 2 • VERMONT
SETTLEMENT FESTIVAL, Orland
(Steuben) — Town Park. Free.
260-829-6411; orlandchamber.net.
July 1 au
• AMISH ACRES
ARTS & CRAFTS FESTIVAL,
Nappanee (Elkhart) — Amish Acres.
Admission charge. 574-7734188; www.amishacres.com.
ElEctric consumEr • JulY 2014 • ElectricConsumer.org
EVENTS JULY 1-AUGUST 4
July 2 • SUMMER FEST,
Albion (Noble) — Black Pine
Animal Sanctuary. 260-6367383; www.blackpine.org.
au 2 • WARBIRD CRUISE IN,
Bunker Hill (Miami) — Grissom
Air Museum. Gates open:
8am. 574-398-1451; www.
grissomairmuseum.com.
au 2 • CHESTERTON ART FAIR,
Chesterton (Porter) — Hawthorne
Park, 405 Waverly Road. 10am-5pm.
Admission charge. 219-926-4711.
CENTRAL
July 4 • COVINGTON
FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION,
Covington (Fountain) — City
Park. Free. 765-793-4220;
covingtonfourthofjuly.org.
July
• HAYNESAPPERSON FESTIVAL, Kokomo
(Howard) — Downtown, Foster
Park. Free. 765-854-1234;
haynesappersonfestival.org.
July • FIRST KOKOMO
FIRE MUSTER, Kokomo
(Howard) — Kokomo Event
Center & Automotive Museum.
8am-9pm. 765-454-9999.
July 11 12 • LAPEL VILLAGE FAIR,
Lapel (Madison) — Main St. Free.
765-534-4432; lapelvillagefair.com.
July 12 • WABASH RIVERFEST,
West Lafayette (Tippecanoe) —
Tapawingo Park. Free. 765-4208505; wabashriverfest.com.
July 1 1 • ALOHA
INTERNATIONAL STEEL GUITAR
CONVENTION, Winchester
(Randolph) — Town Square
Community Center. Admission
charge. 574-382-3985.
July 1 20 • ANTIQUE POWER
ASSOCIATION EXHIBITION,
Rainsville (Warren) — Club show
grounds, east of US 41 on CR 650 N
(Briscoe Road). Fri-Sat: 8am-6pm;
Sun: 8am-4pm. Admission charge.
765-363-5106, 765-762-2009;
www.illianaantiquepower.com.
July 1 • DANCING IN THE
STREETS, Lafayette (Tippecanoe) —
Downtown. Admission charge. 765742-4044; dancinginthestreets.net.
July 1 21 • 42ND VINTAGE
MOTOR BIKE SHOW, Portland
(Jay) — Fairgrounds. Admission
charge. 419-605-5336;
vintagemotorbikeclub.org.
T
ou
July 2 2 • FRANKFORT
HOT DOG FESTIVAL, Frankfort
(Clinton) — Downtown square. Free.
765-654-4081; accs.net/mainstreet.
July 2 2 • “ON THE
BANKS OF THE WABASH”
COMMUNITY BAND FESTIVAL,
Terre Haute (Vigo) — Fairbanks
Park. Free. 812-535-6440;
terrehautecommunityband.org.
July 2 • KOKOMO AIR SHOW,
Kokomo (Howard) — Municipal
Airport. 1pm. Free. www.
KokomoWingsAndWheels.net.
July 0 au 2 • STATE LINE
HERITAGE DAYS, Union City
(Randolph) — Downtown.
Free. 765-748-3662;
statelineheritagedays.com.
July 1 au 2 • TIPPECANOE
STEAM & GAS POWER SHOW,
West Lafayette (Tippecanoe)
— Tippecanoe Amphitheater.
8am-8pm. Free. 219-9845936; www.tsgpai.org.
au 1 • PERRYSVILLE FUN
DAYS, Perrysville (Vermillion) —
City Park. Free. 217-799-6076;
perrysvillefundays.com.
au 1 • RUSSIAVILLE SUMMER
FEST, Russiaville (Howard) —
Downtown. Free. 765-883-5739.
au 1 • COLT WORLD SERIES,
Lafayette (Tippecanoe) — Bert E.
Loeb Stadium. Admission charge.
765-807-1514; coltworldseries.com.
au 1 1 • INDIANA STATE FAIR,
Indianapolis (Marion) — Indiana
State Fairgrounds. Admission charge.
317-927-7500; indianastatefair.com.
au 2 • SUMMERFEST, Carthage
(Rush) — Blue River Community
Harvest, Inc. Free. 765-565-6798;
bluerivercommunityharvest.org.
SOUTH
July • LINTON
FREEDOM FESTIVAL, Linton
(Greene) — Humphrey’s
Park. Free. 812-847-4846;
lintonfreedomfestival.org.
T ou
July 12 • FORM, NOT
FUNCTION: QUILT ART AT THE
CARNEGIE EXHIBIT, New Albany
(Floyd) — The Carnegie Center
for Art and History, 201 E. Spring
St. Tues-Sat: 10am-5:30pm.
Free. www.carnegiecenter.org.
July 2 • CATFISH FESTIVAL,
Shoals (Martin) — Main Street,
ball park and museum (Old
Courthouse). Free. 812-6311329; visitmartincounty.org/
catfish_festival.htm.
T
ou
July
• FOURTH OF JULY
CELEBRATION, New Pekin
(Washington) — Pekin Park.
Parade is on the 4th at 10am. Free.
812-216-3300; pcbo.webs.com.
July 4 • ABRAHAM LINCOLN
FREEDOM FESTIVAL, Rockport
(Spencer) — City Park. Free. 812649-9147; lincolnpioneervillage.com.
July 4 • LIMESTONE HERITAGE
FESTIVAL, Bedford (Lawrence)
— Various. Free. 812-2784343; bedfordchamber.com.
July • WASHINGTON
CONSERVATION 3D ARCHERY
BOW SHOOT, Washington (Daviess)
— 350W 150S. 812-610-2490.
July 12 1 • CORYDON: ON
THE EVE OF BATTLE, Corydon
(Harrison) — Downtown
square. Free. 888-7382137; thisisindiana.org.
July 1 • ST. PAUL AFRICAN
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH
ANNIVERSARY, Corydon (Harrison)
— Church grounds. 11am-1pm. Pitch
in dinner: 1:30pm. 812-267-7193.
July 1 1 • OLDENBURG
FREUDENFEST, Oldenburg
(Franklin) — Town Hall. Free.
812-934-3826; freudenfest.com.
July 1 • CLUB SUMMER
FESTIVAL, Montgomery (Daviess)
— Montgomery Ruritan. 2pm-?.
July 24 2 • GOSPEL JUBILEE,
Bean Blossom (Brown) — Bill
Monroe’s Music Park & Campground.
10am-10pm. Admission charge.
812-988-642, 800-414-4677;
www.beanblossom.us.
July 2 • CAR SHOW WITH
ROUTE 50 CRUISERS/
MUSTERING ELM PARK GROUP,
Shoals (Martin) — Along Ind.
450 in Trinity Springs. 4-7pm.
812-388-6649, 812-2768822. (Rain date: July 27).
July 1 au
• JASPER
STRASSENFEST, Jasper (Dubois) —
Downtown and citywide. Free. 812482-6866; jasperstrassenfest.org.
au 2 • KNOX COUNTY
WATERMELON FESTIVAL,
Vincennes (Knox) — Patrick Henry
Square, downtown. Free. 812-8826440; knoxcountychamber.com.
au 2 • 100 MEN WHO COOK,
Vincennes (Knox) — Old National
Bank. 6pm. 812-895-4220 or
[email protected].
au
• ST. JAMES SUMMER
SOCIAL, Haubstadt (Gibson)
— St. James Catholic Church.
10:30am. 812-867-5175.
ELECTRIC CONSUMER PUBLISHES EVENT LISTINGS AS SPACE ALLOWS,
GIVING PREFERENCE TO THOSE IN AND AROUND AREAS SERVED BY
SUBSCRIBING REMCS/RECS. INFORMATION CAN CHANGE. ELECTRIC
CONSUMER ADVISES USING CONTACT PHONE NUMBERS OR INTERNET
SITES TO CHECK TIMES AND DATES OF EVENTS BEFORE MAKING
PLANS.
TO ADD EVENTS TO HOOSIER HAPPENINGS, PLEASE SEND
INFORMATION TWO MONTHS BEFORE THE DATE OF THE EVENT
TO: HOOSIER HAPPENINGS, ELECTRIC CONSUMER, P.O. BOX 24517,
INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46224; OR E-MAIL (PLEASE NOTE NEW ADDRESS):
[email protected].