February 2012 - Insite Brazos Valley

Transcription

&
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February
January 2012
E
uid
AG
&
od
Fo
To
n
Fu
RODEO CULTURE
& COWBOY STYLE
plus
DOWn On ThE FaRm
Old Fashioned is
New Again
RED, WhiTE & BLUESEY
Don’t Miss Hospice
Happening 2012
BLESS YOUR hEaRT
From Heart Attack
to Heart Success
click www.insitebrazosvalley.com
1
2
INSITE February 2012
16
CoNTENTS
5
ATHOME
Fresh Ideas!
Home Products Show
Plus Home Innovations
Special Advertising Section
GETINVOLVED
10
Red, White & Bluesy
Hospice Happening:
Great time for a great cause
by Margaret Ann Thurmond
12
CoMMUNITYOUTREACH
Bless Your Heart
How a near heart attack
became a heart success story
by Rhonda Brinkmann
16
DoWNHOME
Cowboy Up!
Brazos Valley rocks
rodeo culture and cowboy style
25
LIFESTYLE
Old Fashioned is New Again
Farming that’s up close and personal
by Travis Lawson
Departments
PUbLIShEr’SDESk Moooove Over
page 4
WhAT’SHAppENINg Brazos Valley events
page 14
bUSINESSbRIEFS Notable business news
page 30
EATS
& TREATS Food & fun guide
INSITE Magazine is
published monthly by Insite
Printing & Graphic Services,
123 E. Wm. J. Bryan Pkwy.,
Bryan, Texas 77803. (979) 8235567 www.insitebrazosvalley.
com Volume 28, Number 9.
Publisher/Editor: Angelique
Gammon; Account Executive:
Myron King; Graphic
designer: Karen Green.
Editorial interns: Travis
Lawson, Margaret Ann
Thurmond; inSiTE Magazine
is a division of The insite
Group, LP. Reproduction
of any part without written
permission of the publisher is
prohibited. insite Printing &
Graphic Services Managing
Partners: Kyle DeWitt,
Angelique Gammon, Greg
Gammon. General Manager:
Carl Dixon; Pre-Press
Manager: Mari Brown; office
Manager: Wendy Seward;
Sales & Customer Service:
Molly Barton; Candi Burling;
Manda Jackson; Marie
Lindley; Kim Quinney; Barbara
Wyss; Production: Stephen
Beatty; Norris Carnes; Marilyn
Carey; Don Coburn; Jaimie
Colwell; Ricky Conchola;
Byron Lee; Margie Lowry;
Arthur Maldonado; Richard
Pearce; Brandon Prouse;
Frank Ramirez; Mike Seward;
Ruben Torres; Jimmy Welch;
Stephen Woodruff.
page 31
InsIte onlIne www.insitebrazosvalley.com
3
PUbLIShEr’SDESk
We called the small
spread where my sisters and I grew up
”the farm“ even though my engineer father only
ran a few head of cattle to keep the freezer stocked
and farmed only a small patch for winter hay. I
have fond memories of long hot days in the creek
and less fond memories of walking the mile-and-aquarter lane when it was too muddy to drive a car
to catch the school bus and hauling water from that
same creek when the well went out. It might mean
something that I lIve tWo blocks
from doWntoWn – even if it’s
downtown Caldwell – where everything from a gallon
of milk to our church is a much shorter walk than the
lane from my childhood.
That doesn’t mean I don’t admire and appreciate
everyone who chooses to stay on the farm, daily
preservIng the coWboy
Way of life in everything from large-scale food
production to barrel racing. We’re Texans: we need
our cowboys. And everyone needs the brazos Valley’s
thriving agribusiness industry, from cotton and beef
production to corn that ends
up In spark plugs (really). This
month’s cover feature taught me more than the fact
that corn shows up in places most people never
think of; it reminded me why we all owe a debt of
gratitude to the “real deal” who wears boots as
work gear instead of a fashion statement and who
just might crack the barest glimpse of a grin as he or
she reads about how the rest of us figure out how to
coWboy up!
– Angelique Gammon
Get in Touch
Sign Up! Wednesday’s Wake up to
the Weekend Possibilities e-newsletter
www.insitebrazosvalley.com
Angelique Gammon, Publisher
[email protected]
insite Magazine
4
Spring
is the perfect time to tackle home improvement
projects. With busy schedules, however, it’s often helpful to recruit the help of local
experts. The following are a handful of home product and relocation companies that can
help you get started and finish the things that you have put off. Also be sure to visit the
annual Home
Products Show held by the Bryan-College Station Home Builders
Association on February
25-26 at the Brazos County Expo for the latest home and
garden products. Visit www.bcsbuilders.org for more information.
6
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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
5
HOME SECTION
Zwernemann Flooring
Turning houses into homes
We are a full-service flooring company
that carries many major brands of tile,
wood, carpet, laminate, vinyl and commercial flooring products. Whether you
are looking for interior or exterior options, our professionals have choices
available that will complement any style.
With new home product innovations being developed at such a rapid pace, flooring options are almost limitless. Customers are finding that flooring choices can
really, now more than ever, reflect their
own personal style.
Our Goal is to make each customer’s
visit hassle and stress free. Our expertise will take you through every step of
the process from design to installation.
(979) 776-2800
www.zwernemannflooring.com
s
n
g
i
s
e
D
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e
h
p
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t
s
i
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C
rior
Inte
ns
lutio
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S
ign
Des
Chris Spang
(979) 218-0027
[email protected]
Christopher Designs
Expertise that Spans Decades
in the Brazos Valley
A fixture of local design since 1981.
Christopher Designs provides interior
solutions for your room planning, re-arrangement, downsizing, and new construction needs. Transform your home
office or commercial space with the help
of Chris Sprang. She’ll coordinate your
furnishings with your personal style to
make indoor or outdoor space a true reflection of you and your family.
(979)-218-0027
[email protected]
Binford Insect Control
Serving the Pest Control needs of
the Brazos Valley since 1947
For over 63 years, Binford Insect Control,
Inc. has been a leader in the local pest
control industry. Their goal is to provide
the highest quality pest control service
at an affordable price. This no-nonsense
approach to pest control is put to the test
every day since each home has its own
unique set of problems. That’s where the
6
HOME SECTION
7
HOME SECTION
expertise of Binford comes in since they
use the latest technology and trained
technicians to handle your pest control
needs.
(979) 822-5524
www.binfordinsectcontrol.com
By Design Interiors
Dealers Lighting
area for the last eleven years. We are
The Area’s Premier
Lightning Showroom
Offering excellent lighting and accessories for over 50 years. Customer service
is a top priority; our staff is trained to help
with all of your lightning needs. Dealers
Lightning is your local source for Craftmade ceiling fans, Kichler Lighting and
Lightolier track and recessed Lightning.
Many Other brands are available both for
the budget minded and for the customer
who wants a custom-built chandelier.
Dealers Lighting is an employee owned
company, we believe in the power of
community and encourage you to shop
locally FIRST.
(979) 775-1697
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Providing design services to
meet our client’s needs.
By Design, Inc. has been providing interior design services for the central Texas
able to create livable and inviting spaces.
By Design, Inc. offers residential and
commercial services which include:
Space Planning, Interior Finish Material Selection, Color Selection, Fabric/Furniture Selection, Cabinet Design, Lighting Design & Selection, Flooring Design
& Selection
Upholstery, Draperies, Bedding, Accessories and more...
Let our design team use their expertise and experience to help you live
and work in the spaces you’ve always
dreamed of.
(979) 764-2927
www.bydesigninteriorstexas.com
Hilco Metal Roofing
& Building Supply
Providing Personalized Service
to our Customers-The Best
Choice for your Metal Needs
Hilco Metal Building and Roofing supply
is locally owned in Navasota, TX. Whether you’re a builder or a home owner, Hilco is here to provide you with top quality
products and superior customer service.
We manufacture the product, from roof
panels to flashing, and provide a variety
of colors (including Galvalume) to choose
from. Metal roofs are durable and add to
the value of your building. Metal roofing
has very low cost of maintenance and
more design options when compared to
conventional roofing. From roof production and accessories to installation, we
make building easier and more affordable.
(936) 825-0500
www.hilcosupply.com
HOME SECTION
Papescapes
Beautifying Central Texas one client at a time.
Papescapes, located in Burton, TX offers both residential and
commercial design, as well as irrigation design and installation
and lawn maintenance; we focus on providing products of the
utmost quality and services that go above and beyond your expectations. Our owner / designer, Ryan Pape, has a Bachelor’s
of Landscape Architecture from Texas A&M University 01’,
and our company is highly qualified to meet the needs of any
questions or project you may have. Papescapes would like to
the opportunity to reveal the beauty of nature on your property
through a landscape filled with imagination, endless forms and
colors. We have been pushing the limits of our imagination and
evoking our creative energies for our customers since 2004.
We take great pride in creating balanced, unified, aesthetically
pleasing sustainable landscapes. It is vital that any design for
a landscape satisfies the needs of the client and all the future
uses of the space. Please contact us to set up a free consultation and discuss a fee schedule with our design team.
(979) 289-0436
www.papescapes.com
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GETINVOLVED
Whether it’s caring for an elderly community
member or simply lending a hand to a person in
need, the desire to serve can come in many forms.
The members of Hospice Brazos Valley understand
the different facets of service, and will honor
military personnel and veterans who will in turn
help benefit hospice patients.
H
ospice Happening is the annual fundraiser allows the community to
have fun while supporting the services Hospice Brazos Valley provide.
This year’s theme, “Red, White & Bluesy” will
pay tribute to military personnel, veterans,
the country and the Brazos Valley.
The Texas Blues Brothers, St. Joseph High
School
Concert
Choir and
the Texas
Tw i s t ers will
provide
entertainment during the
evening
of February
18.
After an introduction of Honorary Chairpersons John and Kay Duncum, a Live Auction will
be held. At its conclusion, the gaming tables will
open up in the Brazos Expo Center’s ballroom.
Attendees will enjoy a dinner, games and
a live auction, the funds raised will go towards
patient care. Hospice Brazos Valley staff serve
patients and their families in the comfort of
their home or in the HBV’s new inpatient facility opening this month in the north wing of the
St. Joseph Rehabilitation Center. The seven-bed
inpatient facility provides a comfortable, homelike environment that will serve patients with
needs that cannot be met at home.
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WHAT
Hospice Brazos Valley Hospice
Happening “Red, White & Bluesy”
WHEn
February 18, beginning at 6 p.m.
WHERE
Besides attending this year’s Hospice Happening fundraiser, there are other ways to get
involved with Hospice Brazos Valley during the
year.
Hospice Auxiliary is a non-profit organization benefiting Hospice Brazos Valley with the
goal of providing financial support as well as
promoting community awareness of the hospice
mission.
Hospice
Au x i l i a r y
provides
educational
p ro g r a m s ,
meetings
and social
gatherings
for its members.
Hospice Auxiliary programs and meetings are scheduled on the
fourth Wednesday of each month between September and October and January through May.
Meetings are held at the Pebble Creek Country
Club, and members can reserve a catered lunch.
Programs include a guest speaker followed by a
short business meeting.
The next Hospice Auxillary meeting is
scheduled for February 22 and will host Warren
L. Finch, director of George Bush Presidential
Museum. While an RSVP is required, the community is invited to attend all meetings and new
members are always welcomed. i
Brazos County Expo, Leonard Road,
Bryan
The fundraiser will pay tribute to
military personnel and veterans and
contribute funds to Hospice patients.
The Texas Blues Brothers will
entertain attendees during dinner,
with a performance by the St. Joseph
High School Concert Choir directed
by Roger Boening afterwards. Visit
www.hospicehappening.org for more
information or call (979) 821-2266 for
ticket reservations or sponsorships.
Get Involved With
Hospice Auxiliary
WHEN
February 22, beginning at 10:30 a.m.
WHERE
Pebble Creek Country Club, College
Station
Guest speaker will be Warren L.
Finch, director of the George Bush
Presidential Museum, followed by a
short business meeting. An optional
catered lunch begins at 12 noon for
$17. For reservations, call Susan
Childs at (979) 690-6373.
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CoMMUNITYOUTREACH
by Rhonda Brinkmann
bless your heart
Good Fortune
Turned a Near
Heart Attack into a Heart
You’re Invited
to the Heart Ball
The 2012 Brazos Valley Heart Ball addresses
affairs of the heart, both physical and
romantic. Proceeds benefit the American
Heart Association, which works to improve
cardiovascular health. Timing of the Ball
gives you a chance to celebrate romance for
Valentine’s Day. Bless your heart and that of
someone you love. Come to the Heart Ball!
WHAT
2012 Brazos Valley Heart Ball
WHEn
Friday, February 10 at Miramont Country Club
HOW
The Buckinghams will entertain guests with
their dynamic pop-rock sounds, along with
the popular Karen Chavis Band. Presenting
Sponsors for the event are Scott & White
Healthcare and Utility Fleet Sales. For
ticket reservations or sponsorships, call
(979) 268-0068 or visit www.facebook.com/
brazosvalleyheartball.
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L
Success
ess
ess than
than aa year
year ago,
ago, Mike
Mike Southerland
Southerland walked
walked
in
in to
to aa hospital
hospital emergency
emergency room
room expecting
expecting
doctors
doctors to
to adjust
adjust his
his medication
medication to
to get
get rid
rid
of
of the
the severe
severe dizzy
dizzy spells he had been having.
ing. Southerland,
Southerland, aa Bryan
Bryan City
City Council
Council member,
member,
thought
thought that
that the
the emergency
emergency room
room doctors
doctors would
would
simply
simply adjust
adjust his
his medication
medication and
and let
let him
him go.
go. He
He
was
was wrong.
wrong. The
The doctors
doctors immediately
immediately admitted
admitted him
him
to
to the
the hospital.
hospital. Within
Within aa week
week he
he was
was undergoing
undergoing
heart bypass surgery on four
blocked arteries and getting
a pacemaker. In observance
of American Heart Health
Month in February, Southerland agreed to share part of his
his
heart health success story.
Today Southerland is feelfeeling good, and conscious of
his fortunate timing. He had
had
no idea he was close to a heart
attack, and thankful he received medical attention bebefore it occurred. Sure, he’d had
some chest pains when he was
was
exercising – but you always
have pain when you exercise,
don’t you? Sure, he’d stopped
using the stairs and begun to
ride the elevator – but that’s
that’s
just getting older, right? Sure,
he’d had a few dizzy spells ––
but that could be blamed on
medication, couldn’t it? Nothing added up to ‘heart attack’
in Southerland’s mind.
“Looking back, I can’t believe how I
had closed down my activities little
by little. It sneaks up on you,” says
Southerland. “I was in good shape for so many
years – I was a runner, ate well, did all the right
things. But I gradually cut back on my activities
without even realizing it. I didn’t have typical
symptoms, so I didn’t connect them to heart
trouble.”
Southerland has made a few changes following his narrow escape. He has worked hard
to return to a full exercise regimen, maintain
healthy food choices, and reduce stress. Before
his surgery, he volunteered with lots of nonprofit
organizations, and now he’s added the American
Heart Association to his list. He took part in this
year’s Heart Walk sponsored by the American
Heart Association and plans to attend the Brazos
Valley Heart Ball, also benefitting the American
Heart Association, on February 10.
“I’m convinced my medical team are all
miracle workers. They gave me such personal
and excellent attention, and they seem to love
what they do. They are truly concerned about
every individual patient, and I’m very grateful to
them,” says Southerland.
Bryan/College Station is fast becoming a
healthcare destination, and residents are fortunate to have medical specialists of all fields locally available. Several facilities offer specialized
cardiovascular care including Scott & White
Healthcare, The Med, BCS Heart, Central Texas
Heart Center, St. Joseph Regional Health Center,
Physicians Centre and individual physicians.
“I’ve walked as much as six miles and I’m
building up to start running again,” Southerland
says. “I haven’t felt this good in over 10 years.
Now, in addition to the physical improvements,
I’ve got an improved attitude. I’m motivated and
look forward to doing everyday things again.
I’d advise anyone who is experiencing possible
heart problems to get things checked out thoroughly to catch any conditions early.” i
3 BUSINESS START-UPS
THINK OUTSIDE THE BOx
2011 SUmmER
PROfILES HOmE
SUCCESS SENSATIONS
JUST
UST IN TImE:
TIm
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GETINVOLVED
February 2-4, 9-11, and
16-18 from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.,
StageCenter Theatre in
downtown Bryan presents
neil Simon’s Last of the
Red Hot Lovers. The comedy
features a man in a mid-life crisis
who’s laughably unsuccessful
extra-marital affairs lead him to
seducing his wife. performances
begin at 7:30 p.m. Thursday
through Saturday, with a
romantic Valentine’s day
dinner Theatre on February
11. To purchase tickets, visit
www.stagecentertheatre.net.
February 3-4 from 6 p.m. to 9
p.m., The Children’s Museum
will hold their annual daddy
daughter dance. This year’s
them “Treasured” features an
underwater extravaganza. The
night will include dancing, crafts,
games, auctions, photographs
and a dessert bar. Friday is
for girls ages 6 and under and
Saturday is for girls ages 7 and
under. Tickets are $80 per couple
and $20 for additional guests.
visit http://www.cmbv.org/ for
more info.
February 4 from 6:30 p.m. to
11 p.m., St. Joseph will host
the 28th Annual Spring Fling
dance at the brazos Center. The
theme, “Mardi gras,” will include
dinner, dancing and music by the
Texas Twisters. There will be a
live and silent auction with the
traditional “Heads and Tails”
game with Msgr. John. Tickets
are $50 per person or $500 for
a table of 8. Sponsorships are
also available. Tickets can be
purchased through St. Joseph’s
School by calling (979) 822-6641
ext. 30 or by online registration at
www.stjosephschoolbcs.org.
February 8 from 11:30 a.m.
to 1p.m., Leading Women’s
Express network will host their
monthly meeting at Christopher’s
World grille. Networking will
begin at 11:30 a.m. followed
by a program ending at 1 p.m.
An RSVp is required by 10 a.m.
the Monday before the meeting
to Desarie Hobbs at desarie@
myjpmortgage.com. For more
information about the guest
speaker and topic, visit www.
abwalwen.org.
February 19 from 11 a.m. to
4p.m., come experience the
Brazos Valley Bridal Show
and Benefit at the Brazos
County Expo Center. Look
over 100 vendors and visit
Moulin Rouge
February 1
beginning at 7:30
p.m., MSC OpAS
presents the Royal
Winnipeg Ballet’s
Moulin Rouge
at Rudder Theatre
on the Texas A&M
campus. Enjoy
exciting can-can
girls perform at the
infamous paris hotspot at the turn of the century. Visit HYpERLINk “http://opas.tamu.
edu” http://opas.tamu.edu for tickets and more information.
MSC oPAS
John Tartaglia’s
iMAGinoCEAn
February 11 at 2
p.m. and 4 p.m.,
bring the whole
family to enjoy
John Tartaglia’s
IMAgINOCEAN,
a live undersea
musical adventure
presented by MSC
OpAS Jr. at Rudder
Theatre. The black light show will be sure to entertain all ages. Visit HYpERLINk
“http://opas.tamu.edu” http://opas.tamu.edu for tickets.
14
with professionals who can
make your wedding, reception
and honeymoon a relaxing
and memorable experience.
proceeds will benefit The brazos
Valley Chapter of the American
Red Cross. Tickets are $15 per
person in advance and $20 at
the door. Visit www.ido-ido.org
to purchase tickets and for more
info.
Bryan College Station
Chapter iAAP Chapter Meeting
February 21 from 5:30p.m. to
7p.m., guests are welcomed to
attend the bryan College Station
Chapter IAAp Chapter meeting at
the College Station Conference
Center. Visit www. iaap-bcs.org
for more info.
February 25 from 6:30 p.m. to 8
p.m., come and enjoy the sounds
of the Brazos Valley Chorale
in the Oakwood Room at the
College Station Hilton. Tickets
are $65 per person and include
dinner and the pops concert
fundraiser. pLAN AHEAD
March 10 from 1:30 p.m. to 7:30
p.m., Festival Hill will host the
8th Annual Guitar Festival
in Round Top. The event will
feature Marco Tamayo, bandiniChiacchiaretta Duo, the Canadian
guitar Quartet and the Round
Top philharmonia. There will be a
buffet dinner at 6p.m. Overnight
accommodations are available
on the Festival Hill Campus with
a complimentary breakfast.
Accommodations are $55-100
per person based on double
occupancy. Call (979) 249-3129
for more information. i
MSC oPAS A
Valentine From
Broadway
February 14-17
at 7:30 p.m., enjoy
a Cabaret starring
four-time Tony
nominee gregg
Edelman as MSC
OpAS presents A
Valentine From
boradway at
Miramont Country
Club. The four-night showing includes songs by Cy Coleman, Cole porter and The
gershwins and Johnny Mercer. Visit HYpERLINk “http://opas.tamu.edu” http://opas.
tamu.edu for tickets.
MSC oPAS Max
Raabe & The
Palast orchester
February 27 at
7:30 p.m., listen to
the sounds of Max
Raabe & The palast
Orchester presented
by MSC OpAS in
Rudder Theatre.
Music from the
1920s and 30s will be performed. Visit HYpERLINk “http://opas.tamu.edu” http://opas.
tamu.edu for tickets.
Think
Spring
Although the Texas weather can
be fickle, warm weather with sporadic showers will be here before
you know it, which means new
sprouts in the ground and perennials shaking off the winter frost.
The Brazos Valley Master Gardeners of Texas AgriLife Extension
have several events to help you
get a jump on a successful spring
of gardening.
SuCCESSFuL GARdEninG in
CHALLEnGinG CLiMATES
February 18 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the
Brazos Center, the Master Gardeners will host
an all-day seminar to provide gardeners with
insightful information to make your garden a
success despite the challenging climate in the
Brazos Valley including earth-kind methods
for landscape recovery and survival. It’s
time for gardeners to rethink, refurbish and
replant. Topics include improving soils, plant
selection, water conservation and how plants
respond to extreme weather. Preregistration
by February 13 is recommended.
Gardening-related vendors, refreshments
and a buffet are part the day’s activities.
Registration is $35 per person. For more
information, visit http://brazosmg.com.
SPRinG PLAnT SALE
Hosted by the Brazos County Master Gardeners of Texas AgriLife Extension, the event will
held March 24 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the
Brazos County Office of Texas AgriLife Extension in Bryan. Proceeds from the sale will
fund the community education programs of
the Brazos County Master Gardeners. Plant
selections will include heat and drought tolerant perennials selected to be grown in the
Brazos Valley’s growing conditions. There will
be a preview and discussion beginning at 8
a.m. and Master Gardeners will be available
for questions during the sale. Visit brazosmg.
com or call (979) 823-0129 for more information. i
15
DoWNHOME
Cowboy
From Boots and Rodeos to
the Agribusiness Industr y,
This is How Folks in the
Brazos Valley Cowboy Up!
16
Up!
True or False
The green industry ranks #5 among
agricultural commodities in Texas.
How
Ag Savvy
Are You?
If you spend a single dollar on food,
what percentage of the dollar spent
would go to the actual farmer?
a) 19%
b) 25%
c) 30%
d) 50%
What percentage of the American
population is involved in agriculture?
a) 10%
b) 40%
c) 31%
d) 17%
What agriculture commodity is used to
make a spark plug?
a) Soybeans
b) Corn
c) Cotton
d) Grapes
True: As one of the fastest growing sectors
of agriculture in the United States, Texas’
green industry includes wholesale nursery,
greenhouse and sod growers, landscape
architects, designers, garden and home
centers, and lawn/garden departments. Top 5
agricultural commodities in Texas: 1. Cattle 2.
Dairy products 3. Chickens. 4. Cotton 5. Green
Industry.
Pecans are a heart healthy food.
True: Naturally occurring antioxidants in
pecans may help contribute to heart health
and disease prevention. Research shows that
adding just a handful of pecans to your daily
diet may help inhibit unwanted oxidation of
blood lipids, helping prevent coronary heart
disease.
Texas uses more of its corn for ethanol
production than livestock feed.
False. While many of the states in the Midwest
are using corn to produce ethanol, Texas uses
approximately 96% of its corn for livestock
feed. Biofuel is the name of the game these
days in Texas as Texas AgriLife Research
scientists are developing a drought-tolerant,
high-biomass sorghum that can approach
20 feet in height under favorable conditions
and could produce more than 2,000 gallons of
ethanol per acre.
Answers: A; D; B
Pete Scarmardo founded Scarmardo Cattle Company in 1974. Scarmardo is the most
recent winner of the Ag Impact award from the B/CS Chamber of Commerce.
17
Rodeo Culture and
Cowboy Style
The smell of leather and manure
fill the air. Dirt is caked around the
crowd-goers’ boots, but their attention is diverted elsewhere. They watch
patiently, waiting for the resounding
“clang” of the gate as it swings open
and releases the storm of a horse, furiously trying to rid its back of the
rider whose steadfast grip and metal
spurs don’t show any sign of easing
up.
Everyone in Texas has an of
what it means to be a cowboy,
but attending a rodeo is the only
place where most people can see
the real deal in action. Rodeo
competitions separate the people who wear boots as a fashion
statement from those who wear
them with purpose the way a
trained cutting horse separates a
cow from the herd.
Shawn Branscum, a lifelong
rodeo attendee and competitor,
knows what it’s like to be in the
arena. “It’s like jumping out of
Top: Father-son duo Bryce and Shawn Branscum have
incorporated rodeo competition into their family lifestyle, often
traveling to competitions.
Right: Titanic, supplied by PRCA stock contractor Sammy
Catalena, tries to rid himself of excess baggage. Owner of
Catalena Hatters in Downtown Bryan, Sammy says cowboy
style follows trends: the “Gus” hat, above, became popular
after the movie Lonesome Dove was released.
Bottom left: Catalena Cowgirls.
18
an airplane,” he says. The competitors are cowboy thrill-seekers, and the rush keeps them
coming back for more. “It’s kind
of like riding a roller c o a s t e r :
you know the
thing is probably going to
make you sick,
but you’ll try the
next one anyway.”
Branscum competed bareback in his
twenties before taking a break to focus on family. “The rodeo lifestyle is hard on a family, especially when the kids start going to school,”
he says. Competing requires travelling over
long distances, and the family is sometimes left
behind. Today, Branscum and his children still
compete in and attend rodeos. Branscum participates in team roping with his son and his
twin daughters run barrels, pole bend and tie
goats. “My main accomplishment is helping my
kids,” he says.
The rodeo has undergone a few cultural changes since it began. The party scene
has transitioned into a family, God-centered
folevent. Rodeos will often fol
low a church service, and a
prayer is said at the bebe
ginning. “It has changed
quite a lot,” Branscum
says. “Or maybe we’re
just getting older and
we’re the ones who’ve
changed.”
SamSam
my Catalena
of
Catalena
Hatters has been in
the rodeo industry for
years. “We consider rodeo
our last tie to the old west,” he
says. Catalena started in high school
with his uncle’s rodeo business before joining
the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.
“Today it’s an entertainment business, just
like the movies,” Catalena says while noting the
changes surrounding the rodeo. The rodeo is
there to give a first-class performance and appeal to all ages. “The days of going just to go are
over,” he says.
Catalena is a PRCA Stock Contractor and
member of the Bryan Breakfast Lion’s Club Association. Stock contractors are responsible for
bringing in “rough stock” for the different areas
in the rodeo competition.
Catalena has not only seen changes in
the rodeo, but also in the cowboy style. There
is one thing that hasn’t changed: “All cowboys
wear hats,” he says. Catalena Hatters provides
custom-made hats that are shipped all over the
world, and the cowboy fashion is moving forward. The crease, brim and crown of the iconic
cowboy hat change depending on the time and
region. Cowboys adopted the hat styles worm
19
20
by the film stars in
the 1980 movie “Urban Cowboy” until
they switched to the
“Gus Hat” after the
television mini-series
“Lonesome
Dove”
premiered in 1989.
It’s hard for people not in the western wear industry to
determine who is a
“real cowboy” and
who is not by appearance, but in the arena,
it all becomes clear.
Most contestants have
known what it means
to be a cowboy their
entire life, choosing
to dedicate their time
and ability to rodeo
and the cowboy way
of life.
Rodeo
Rules!
Merchandise,
stats,
star players and divisions – it may sound
like basketball or football but it’s really a
horse of different color. Rodeo is a major sports
phenomenon that incorporates all the same
things surrounding any other popular sport except these athletes wear boots, and instead of
a 250-pound linebacker coming for you, it’s a
2000-pound bull.
Every rodeo is sanctioned by a specific organization with the Professional Rodeo CowLeft: Jacobs Crawley of the Texas A&M Rodeo team on Painted Valley at the College National
finals rodeo last June in Casper WY. Crawley won that go-round and went on to become the
national champion collegiate saddle bronc rider.
Top: Part of a rodeo family, Bailie Branscum barrel races.
Bottom: Shiloh Seale of the Texas A&M Rodeo team prepares to compete in the team roping at a
college rodeo last year in Kingsville.
21
boys Association being the largest. The National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association, which is
divided into regions, is for college participants
who want to compete and gain experience before moving on to the big leagues. “Going from
college rodeo to the PRCA is like going from
the NCAA to the NFL,” says Sammy Catalena,
PRCA stock contractor, says.
Texas holds a number of rodeos every year
with the Brazos Valley hosting many of those
events. The Brazos Valley Expo Center is where
the majority of the rodeos in the area are held.
Dr. Al Wagner, Texas A&M rodeo team coach,
produces two rodeos each year under the NIRA.
This year’s Intercollegiate Rodeo will be
March 23-24 at the Brazos Expo Center and
will draw in schools from all over the region.
Participants must be a member of the PRCA
and attend on of the 15 participating schools.
Tickets are available at Cavenender’s Boot City
($8 in advance; $10 at the gate; $6 for student
tickets with ID).
The All Aggie Rodeo held in September
is for current and former Texas A&M students
and participants are not required to be PRCA
members to compete. The event draws some
250 participants and brings in alumni from all
over for the competition.
Catalena is a member of the Bryan Breakfast Lion’s Club Association which holds a
rodeo every year at the Brazos County Expo
Center. Coming in April, the three-night event
draws around 300 cowboys from all over to attend and compete. The event features family
entertainment, specialty acts and the Catalena
Cowgirls. Tickets are $10 and $8 for children.
Even city slickers have heard of the Houston Livestock Show and the Brazos Valley has
been sending livestock to the Houston Livestock show for a few years now. Members of
the community 4-H Club have the option of
showing their stock during the Houston show
or sending the animal there to enter the food
chain, says to Eric Zimmerman, Texas AgriLife
Extension Service agent for Brazos County.
Eats ‘n Feats – Ag Business
and the Economy
Ever look down at the leafy greens or roasted
chicken sitting on your plate and wonder where
it came from? If your answer is “the grocery
store” you need to move a little lower on the
food chain. Those involved in the agribusiness
world understand that food production starts
long before you pull that frozen chicken from
the freezer section and they spend their days
making sure the grocery store shelves are always
stocked.
Agriculture influences all industries –
from the fiber produced to make the shirt
you’re wearing down to the corn that’s grown
for ethanol.
“Agribusiness is big business for Brazos
County,” says Dr. Jim Mazurkiewicz, chair of
Agriculture Committee for the B/CS Chamber and head of communications for AgriLife
Extension at Texas A&M. “Not only is it the
4H Clubs offer even city kids the opportunity to learn about the ag industry.
22
second largest industry in Texas, it makes up a
significant economy in the Brazos Valley.”
The agriculture industry provides some
$760 million a year to the Brazos Valley, according to an Agriculture Economic Impact Study
undertaken 15 years ago. That figure is estimated to be close to $1 billion today, Mazurkiewicz says. “[The Brazos Valley] is considered a
regional hub for ag business here,” he says.
Most people who get involved in world
of agriculture start early, and the 4-H club is a
positive way for children to see the impact of
agriculture in all aspects of the community.
“[4-H kids] understand the production of
agriculture starts at the farm and ranch instead
of the grocery store, and without it we wouldn’t
have the most abundant, cheapest food source
in the world,” Eric Zimmerman, Texas AgriLife Extension Service agent for Brazos County,
says. “It teaches them where food comes from at
the grassroots level.”
The 4-H Club also teaches children the
economic impact of agribusiness. The meat
and goat sale held at the Expo Center brings in
livestock prospects for upcoming shows. People from all over the state attend and purchase
livestock for the next season, Zimmerman says.
The event draws outside dollars into the community that’s spent on meals, hotels and purchasing the animals.
Agribusiness Business Award
Recognizing that it’s the individual businesses involved in the agriculture industry that
make the Brazos Valley an agribusiness hub for
the state, the Bryan/College Station Chamber
of Commerce recognizes outstanding local
businesses each year for their
contributions to agribusiness.
This year, Gooseneck Trailer
and Scarmardo Cattle Company
were recognized at the Chamber’s annual Ag Breakfast, a
yearly event that brings producers and consumers together for a
farm-fresh breakfast cooked by
local farmers.
The Agribusiness Award
and the Agricultural Impact
Award have been presented by
the Chamber since 1982 in recognition of the fact that more
than 375 agribusinesses employ
more than 8,000 local residents
and contributes to an economic
impact of more than $1 billion.
The purpose of the Agribusiness Award is to recognize
an ag producer or agribusiness
that significantly contributes to
Saturday, February 18, 2012
6 to 11 p.m.
Brazos County Expo
Championship Sponsors
Sponsorships start at $250.
Tickets are $60 and are on sale now.
Get a Step Ahead on
Your Family Break!
23
Pete Scarmardo, Scarmardo Cattle Company
the economic vitality of the food and fiber industry in the Bryan/College Station and Brazos
County Community. Brazos Valley residents
know the local company and its nationally recognized “brand” as “Gooseneck Trailer MFG.
Co., Inc.” or simply as “Gooseneck.” The brand
name that has become a household name.
David and Mark Carrabba, owners of Gooseneck Trailer MFG. Co.,
Inc., have been building
Gooseneck Trailers in
Bryan for almost
50 years and
the company is
known for their
Gooseneck Trailer owners durable and deDavid and Mark Carrabba
pendable heavyand the company’s revolu- duty trailers.
tionary trailer design were
“My
dad
this year’s Agribusiness
Gooseneck
Award winners.
Trailer owners
David and Mark
Carrabba and their revolutionary trailer design were recognized as this year’s Agribusiness
Award winners. was in the business of custom
harvesting and cotton pickers and he noticed a
lot of farmers needed cotton trailers, and no one
around here was making them,” David says.
The community was satisfied with Carrabba’s work and asked if he could produce a
gooseneck trailer. The cotton trailers phased
out and the Carrabbas have produced gooseneck trailers ever since. “Probably about 95
percent of our business is outside a 100-mile
radius of Bryan, so we’re bringing in a lot of
money to the local economy,” Carrabba says.
The business employs up to 200 hundred people and has continued to thrive since it was incorporated in 1965.
The development of the gooseneck style
trailers revolutionized the ranching and farming industry by allowing the individual farmer
24
and rancher the flexibility of larger loads and
more efficient and expedient transport of their
livestock and agricultural products using their
same trucks, which hadn’t been possible in prior years with the limitations of the old bumper
pull style trailers. In addition, Gooseneck Trailers makes various industrial and specialty types
of trailers, as well as frac tanks for the oil and gas
industry. David and Mark Carrabba have literally grown up in this family business, working
continuously to ensure that each year the hallmark of their Gooseneck Trailer, “Built stronger
to last longer” remains the byword for the many
thousands of loyal Gooseneck customers.
David and Mark Carrabba are also major
contributors to the economic growth through
their ownership and operation of a number of
other businesses in the community including
Carrabba Industrial Park, Austins Colony Subdivision and other residential developments,
GSI Oil & Gas, and Carrabba Brothers Partnership Farm.
Also following in the family tradition of
philanthropy and strong support of their community as they have done since the Carrabba
family first settled in this area in the 1900s, David and Mark continue to be major contributors to local youth through their decades of
support for 4H and FFA, as well as their strong
support of local hospice programs, St Joseph
Regional Health Center Foundation and St.
Anthony’s Catholic Church.
AGRICULTURAL
IMPACT AWARD
This award recognizes a local business, contributor or volunteer who has impacted the Bryan/
College Station Community and/or Brazos
County agriculture programs through leadership, donations and personal volunteer efforts.
Pete A. Scarmardo and his wife Jo and their family have been lifelong residents of the Brazos Valley. Married for 38 years, they have three sons:
Scott, Craig and Ty. In addition, Pete and Jo have
2 grandchildren and one on the way. Pete and
his family have beenlifelong members of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Bryan and Pete was a
member of theArmy Reserves for six years.
Pete founded Scarmardo Cattle Company
in 1974 and is nationally recognized as one of
the top cattle order buyers and cattlemen in
the United States. He is respected as a man of
integrity throughout the cattle industry. Scarmardo’s love of agriculture began more than
40 years ago when his father ran cows and
was a row-crop farmer. Pete preferred cattle
to farming and Scarmardo Cattle Company is
the result. Pete’s cattle operation has expanded
over the years to include ranches in Robertson,
Brazos, Burleson and Milam counties. In 1991,
Pete purchased Lone Star Grain Company and
has owned and operated Brazos Valley Livestock since 1998.
Outside of his business responsibilities, Pete serves on the board of directors for
the Texas Cattle Feeders Association and is a
member of the Houston Livestock Show Commercial Steer Committee. Also, Pete serves as
the Livestock Superintendent for the Burleson
County Youth Livestock Show, is a member of
the Texas A&M Agriculture Council for Texas
A&M AgriLifeand has supported the “Taste of
the Brazos Valley” Chamber of Commerce Ag
Breakfast for several years.
Pete has been recognized by his peers for
his contribution within the community and he
has received the Bryan/College Station Chamber of Commerce Ag Business Award in 2004,
the Louisiana’s horseman of the Year award
in 2010 and the Friend of 4-H award for Outstanding Service from the Brazos County 4-H
program in 2011. i
LIFESTYLE
by Travis Lawson
Farming
Up Close
Personal
&
At Sand Creek
Farm, the old Way
is New Again
25
IN ThE SMALL ToWN oF CAMEroN, 57 M
UNIqUE WINDoW INTo ThE PAST ThAT Th
As
soon as you get out of your car the
smells, sounds, and visual beauty of
the farm overwhelms your senses
Cows graze out on the pasture; pigs trot around
amongst the clucking chickens and crowing
roosters. The Godfrey’s family dog chases the
hogs from one side of the pastor to the other,
while children clip clop past on horseback.
Sand Creek Farm is a place where doing
things the “old fashioned way” is also the new way
to farm by sustainably producing high-quality
organic produce, meat and dairy products.
However, Sand Creek Farm is
more than just a farm offering
“My wife was a city girl
events, tours and classes for
so I enticed her out into
people of all ages.
Owner Ben Godfrey had
the country with a bigger
always wanted to raise his
house.”
children in the country, but
there was just one problem:
his wife was more cosmopolitan than cowgirl
and he knew getting her to move to the country
would require some effort.
26
MILES NorThWEST oF b/CS, IS A
hE WhoLE FAMILY CAN ENjoY.
“My wife was a city girl so I enticed her out into the country with a
bigger house,” Ben says. “We got out there and she fell in love with the
farm life.”
“There’s a lot of people who come out to
the farm who have never seen a pig before,
so when they walk out amongst the pigs
and scratch one on its back, you can see
that look they have.”
Ben admits he did not realize the farm would grow into what it has
today. The family started with only a couple of milk cows.
“We thought we would do some homesteading things like milk
cows and make our own cheese and butter, really a sustainable lifestyle is
what we were shooting for,” Ben says.
Soon Ben was producing more than enough dairy products for
his family. He decided it was time to start selling the extra milk he was
getting from the cows on the market. For that, he would need a license to
sell the milk. A milk license is not cheap, and Ben realized he would have
to buy more cows to make enough milk to cover the license.
“We got a couple more cows to average out the expense of getting
27
a license and the next thing you know we were
farm who have never seen a pig before, so when
in dairy,” Ben says. “Then I sold my company
they walk out amongst the pigs and scratch one
and became a fulltime farmer, and that’s how it
on its back, you can see that look they have,” Ben
evolved.”
says. “The other side of it is a lot of older people
Today, Sand Creek Farm sells everything
come out who grew up this way and they relate
from produce to homemade yogurt. A visit to
to it and you can just see the memories flowing
Sand Creek Farm offers
through their minds.”
a chance to not only
The farm is also
The farm is also for
see how chicken and
for people who want to
pork are processed,
buy high quality organic
people who want to buy
but also the handsfood. Ben says most of the
high quality organic food. customers who buy meat,
on
experience
of
processing a chicken
dairy or produce from
and milking a cow.
the farm are those people who are looking for
Farm Days, which occur at least once a
grass-fed cows, soy-free products or completely
month other than July and August because of the
organic produce. The farm provides people with
heat, provide families with the chance to picnic,
what Ben calls an “untypical” American diet.
make butter and collect eggs. These activities
“So many people don’t know where their
give people an opportunity to re-live their past
food comes from anymore,” Ben says. “They
or experience something they have never done
think chicken comes boneless and they think
before.
milk comes from a jug.”
“There’s a lot of people who come out to the
One of the events families enjoy is the
28
wagon ride. Ben says the wagon ride is so popular
because families not only get to show their kids
how things were once done, but it also gives
families a chance to bond and do something
together.
“Getting out and about and getting right
in there amongst the farm animals is a great
experience,” Ben says. “A lot of families have
never taken a wagon ride around a farm so it
gives them something to do that is fairly unique.”
Beyond farming, Sand Creek Farm provides
area for many outdoor activities such as camping,
hog hunting and trapping. Hog hunting actually
benefits the farm because they tear up the fields
at night. Soap making classes are also offered for
families and individuals looking to learn a new
trade.
For more information about Sand Creek
Farm visit www.sandcreekfarm.net where an
events, class and Farm Day schedule is listed.
To schedule a private tour, contact Ben at ben@
sandcreekfarm.com. i
29
bUSINESSbRIEFS
denise Fries, owner of
Fries Financial Services,
was selected for Research
Magazine’s Hall of Fame
published in the December
issue. Fries was selected for
the magazine’s 21st annual
recognition of leaders in the
financial services industry
who demonstrate superior
client service and community
involvement.
The number of Texas A&M university and Blinn
College students who visited the George Bush
Presidential Library and Museum rose by nearly 20
percent in 2011 over the previous year, according to new
attendance numbers from the bush Library and Museum.
In 2011 there were 4,978 Texas A&M and blinn
right perspective on things
and look for the bright side.”
If you know someone who
would like to join the Bryan
Citizens Police Academy
now is the time to join. Twice
a year citizens have a chance
Fries began her financial
to partner with the bryan
planning career while serving police Department to see the
in the U.S. Army Reserve
inner workings of their police
in 1984. Today, she has the
department through the
largest retirement assets
Citizen’s police Academy. The
under management in the
program is free; the 10-week
Texas A&M University system course meets one night each
for professors, faculty and
week from 6:30 p.m. until
staff.
9:30 p.m. Classes are held at
In addition to being a
the bryan police Department.
top producer at independent An application may be
broker-dealer Securities
obtained from the bryan
America, Fries owns two
police Department website at
other businesses: Taylor
www.bryantxpolice.com or at
Made gluten Free bakery
the police Department lobby.
and a property management
company. Among her
The Better Business
businesses, she devotes
Bureau is soliciting
at least two days a week
nominations for the
to charities and lends
BBB Torch Award for
her management and
Marketplace Ethics. The
organizational skills to local
Torch Award is the highest
non-profits.
honor the bbb can give to
“She has a bright spot
a deserving business. It is
perspective,” says Janine
an award that crosses all
Wertheim, president of
industry and product lines
Securities America Advisors. and centers solely on ethical
“She knows how to put the
behavior in the marketplace.
30
The bbb’s Torch Award looks
for businesses with high
ethical standards in dealing
with customers, employees,
and suppliers; effective,
straight-forward advertising;
friendly, helpful employees;
or simply a good reputation
built by a history of solid
business practices within the
students who visited the bush Library and Museum,
a 19.18 percent increase over the 4,177 total in 2010.
Texas A&M and blinn students represented one of the
fastest growing populations of visitors to the library and
museum last year.
“Student engagement and involvement is part of
our mission to promote civic literacy and one of the
main reasons president bush chose to build his library
on a university campus, and especially here at Texas
A&M,” says Warren Finch, director of the bush Library
and Museum.
The bush Library and Museum offers free
admission to all Texas A&M University System and
blinn College students (with ID) all the time; for more
information go to bushlibrary.tamu.edu/students.
President’s Circle Award
Ceremony, which took
place during keep America
beautiful’s 58th annual
National Conference in New
Orleans, LA. The president’s
Circle Award recognizes
exemplary performance
made by certified affiliates
of the national nonprofit to
In January, Music director and
Conductor Marcelo Bussiki and the
Brazos Valley Symphony musicians
presented the Annual Children’s Concerts.
community. A nomination
form is available on the bbb
website, www.bryan.bbb.org,
or by calling (979) 260-2222.
Deadline for submission is
February 22.
Keep Brazos Beautiful
received the Keep America
Beautiful President’s
Circle Award at the
The leaders of the Brazos
Valley Food Bank’s
Because Hunger Won’t
Wait Capital Campaign
are dedicated to addressing
the problem of hunger in the
brazos Valley. Kroger has
stepped forward to donate
$100,000 to kick off the
campaign, recognizing that
In two performances to packed Rudder
Auditorium audiences, the symphony
performed live symphonic music for more
than 3,000 area children. The brazos
Valley Symphony season traditionally
includes a unique experience for 4th
and 5th grade students in the brazos
Valley. This program was recognized for
excellence by the Texas Association of
Symphony Orchestras and presented with
the 2010 Education grand Winner Award.
reduce litter, minimize waste,
and beautify and improve
their local communities.
The mission of keep
brazos beautiful (kbb) is to
educate and engage brazos
County citizens to keep our
community clean, green and
beautiful.
if people are hungry, they
cannot work, they cannot
do well in school, and they
cannot properly care for their
families. To find out how
to help with the because
Hunger Won’t Wait Capital
Campaign, call (979) 779-3663
or visit http://www.bvfb.org/
donate.html i
31
32

February 2012 - Insite Brazos Valley

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