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Country Living July 2016 Butler
Citation preview
Official publication ofyour electric cooperative
JULY 2016
www.ohioec.org
Local co-op pages 19-22National Park Service turns 100 24Lake Erie islands 30Outhouse races 32
75 years of progress 4
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D E P A R T M E N T S
F E AT U R E S
4 THE POWER OF PEOPLE WORKING TOGETHER
Statewide association celebrates 75 years of service to Ohio’s electric cooperatives — and looks ahead to a bright future.
12 RIDE ’EM COWBOYBuckin’ Ohio offers rodeo-style entertainment —and that’s no bull!
23 AMERICA’S BEST IDEA The National Park Service celebrates 100 years.
26 CUYAHOGA VALLEY NATIONAL PARKCVNP is Ohio’s own natural treasure.
30 OFFSHORE ADVENTURES Explore the natural wonders of the Lake Erie islands.
32 TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS Race with outhouses. No magazines needed.
40 A VISIT TO WALLY (ROAD) WORLD Take a scenic drive along the Mohican River.
2 COOPERAT IVE CONNECT ION
4 POWER STAT ION
8 THE SEVEN COOPERATIVE PRINCIPLES
10 OHIO ICON
12 CO-OP PEOPLE
14 GARDENING LANDSCAPE
16 FOOD SCENE
23 WOODS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE
28 MEMBER INTERACTIVE
36 JULY CALENDAR
39 OHIO QUIZ
Next month...The work ofLoad Control
inside
32
4
23
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2 COUNTRY LIVING • JULY 2016
We hear about independence all the time in ourdaily lives — independent voters are a hot topic thisyear, and energy independence has been an impor-tant subject of late. Last month’s issue of CountryLiving featured autonomy and independence as pil-lars of the seven principles on which electric cooper-atives are founded. Independence is a powerful ideathat has fueled our country’s growth; that was bornof great intellect; and that has been paid for withblood, sweat, and tears.The path to independence is a study in contrast.
To achieve independence individually, our forefatherscame together cooperatively to achieve this elusivegoal. The last sentence of the Declaration of Inde-pendence states the reality quite clearly: “And for thesupport of this Declaration, with a firm reliance onthe protection of Divine Providence, we mutuallypledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and oursacred Honor.” That’s a real commitment to coopera-tion.Independence is not born of ignorance, either. It
requires an understanding of and agreement with the
principles involved. Inits more famous second sentence, the Declaration ofIndependence once again shines a light on the needfor unifying principles:“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all
men are created equal, that they are endowed bytheir Creator with certain unalienable Rights, thatamong these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit ofHappiness.”While the writers of our Declaration proclaim
“these truths to be self-evident,” the record indicatesthat it took a fair amount of discussion to come to aconsensual understanding of these root doctrines.Likewise, Ohio’s electric cooperatives strive to live outtheir own core principles. They formed a unifiedband 75 years ago and built an active, structured,statewide organization so that they might maintaintheir independence and provide you with safe, reli-able, clean, and affordable electric service then, andinto the future. So far, so good.Hope each of you enjoys a splendid Independence
Day. God bless America!
Cooperative Connection
Independence throughcooperation
PAT O’LOUGHLIN, PRESIDENT & CEO • OHIO RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES & BUCKEYE POWER
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JULY 2016 • COUNTRY LIVING 3
July 2016 Volume 58, No. 10
Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives
6677 Busch Blvd.Columbus, OH 43229
www.ohioec.org
Patrick O’Loughlin President & CEO
Patrick Higgins Dir. of Communications
Rich Warren Managing Editor
Magen Howard Associate Editor
Adam Specht Member Services &
Communications Consultant
Chris Hall Communications Specialist
Nikki Heath Communications Specialist
COUNTRY LIVING (ISSN 0747-0592)is the official public ation of Ohio RuralElec tric Co op eratives, Inc. With a paidcirculation of 294,359, it is the monthlycom mun ication link be tween the elec tricco operatives in Ohio and West Virginiaand their mem bers. Nothing in this pub-lication may be reproduced in any man-ner without specific written permissionfrom Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives,Inc. All rights reserved.
The fact that a product is advertised in Coun try Liv-ing should not be taken as an en dorse ment. If youfind an advertisement mis leading or a product un-satisfactory, please not ify us or the Ohio AttorneyGeneral’s Of fice, Consumer Protection Sec tion, 30E. Broad St., Col um bus, OH 43215, or call 1-800-282-0515.Periodicals postage paid at Colum bus, OHand at additional mailing offices.POSTMASTER: Send address changes to edi-torial and advertising offices at: 6677 BuschBoulevard, Columbus, OH 43229-1101
Cooperative members —Please report any change of
address to your local electric cooperative.
National advertising representatives:
NATIONAL COUNTRY MARKET,800-NCM-1181
State advertising representatives:
Sandy Woolard 614-403-1653Tim Dickes 614-855-5226
Alliance forAudited Media Member
Follow us on :
ohioec.orgCheck out the mobile-friendlywebsite and digital editionof Country Living, as well asother timely information fromOhio’s electric cooperatives.
Focus on pets
We offer a package of pet-related storiesthis month, on subjects ranging from animalsin art, a dog bakery in Massillon, and an ex-hibit of “Divine Felines” in Cincinnati. Underthe “Country Living” button, click on thecover of the current issue and go to page 19.
Ohio travel
Visit the John and Annie Glenn Historic Site,the boyhood home of the astronaut and senatorin New Concord. This story can be found under“Online Exclusives.”
Recipes
Check out the recipes for picnic or potluck fare submitted by CookingEditor Margie Wuebker and Nutrition Editor Diane Yoakam under the“Food Scene” button.
In addition
• Find out: “Is your ductwork delivering?”• Learn more about Greenville’s “Jackpot of July Jubilations.”
In this issue:
Indian Lake (p. 8)
Springfield (p. 10)
Burbank (p. 12)
Marengo (p. 14)Cuyahoga Valley (p. 26)
Lake Erie islands (p. 30)
Wally Road (p. 40)
Online exclusives
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4 COUNTRY LIVING • JULY 2016
Thepowerofpeople
BY NANCY GRANT
“WHAT CAN WE DO BETTER if we team up?”That simple question, asked by the leaders of ahandful of rural electric cooperatives in 1941, setin motion a commitment to serving Ohio’s ruralcommunities that continues today. Thatstatewide association, now known as Ohio’sElectric Cooperatives, strives to help member co-ops provide safe, reliable, affordable electricity— and a lot more.
Statewide association celebrates 75 years of service toOhio’s electric cooperatives — and looks ahead to a bright future
workingtogether
POWER STATION
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JULY 2016 • COUNTRY LIVING 5
In those early days at the end ofthe Great Depression, the men andwomen of the fledgling co-ops set upsimple offices, talked to their friendsand neighbors about the benefits ofrural electrification, then workedlong hours to build the network ofpoles and lines, transformers, andelectric meters.Pat O’Loughlin, president and
CEO of Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives,says, “As I travel around the state, Isee more than poles and wires — Isee the dedication of those earlyco-op leaders to improve the lives ofthe people in their communities. Ithank them for their courage andtheir vision. The association theyformed, based on the seven co-opprinciples, is flexible enough to meetchallenges they never dreamed of.Today, we continue our commitmentto listening to the concerns of ourmembers and working together toachieve new goals.”
Working for all co-op membersKen Keylor, who retired in 2015 as
vice president of statewide services,says, “When the association began, itsbiggest problem was buying whole-sale power. Individual co-ops had to take whatever was of-fered from other utilities. At first, theco-ops sat down to talk about howthey could negotiate better contractsto buy electricity. Then somethingelse happened, something really spe-cial. They began to have a vision forall the other things they could do bet-ter together instead of one by one.” Those early conversations began a
tradition of sharing ideas. Keylorsays, “As a statewide association,we’ve always seen the value of talk-
ing with our co-op managers. To doa good job, you’ve got to know what’sgoing on. So we made the effort tounderstand what’s happening on theground in their systems, find outwhat their boards are talking about,what their members are concernedabout, and listen to their challenges.We have always asked, ‘What can wedo better to help you?’”Over the decades, the statewide
association’s role and the services itprovides have expanded to include:
• Communications services, including digital and multimediaprojects
• Power and technical services• Government affairs• Safety and loss prevention• Scholarship and youth programs • Mutual aid and disaster recovery
Within each area, the focus hasshifted during seven-and-a-halfdecades as circumstances havechanged. The power and technicalservices area is a good example of responding to different needs andconcerns. In the late 1950s, instead ofpurchasing power from outsiders, theco-ops determined that building theirown generation and transmission co-operative, Buckeye Power, wouldmake better sense. In today’s world,as interest in renewable sources ofenergy production increases, BuckeyePower and the statewide group arecarefully studying the technical andfinancial details, monitoring each ad-dition to the mix of power sources todetermine which methods offer themost benefits to co-op members.
(Opposite page) Then and now: The original headquarters of Ohio’s Electric Cooperativeswas a small building in Columbus. Today’s building, constructed in 1974, is shared withBuckeye Power and the Rural Electric Supply Cooperative. (Above) The first pole financedby the Rural Electrification Administration was erected in Piqua in 1935. A historical markercommemorating this milestone stands outside the offices of Pioneer Electric Cooperative.
1955 Howard Cummins becomes executive manager of OREC.It’s a position he’ll hold until 1977.
1941 Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives, Inc., the statewide trade association, is formed.
(Continued on page 6)
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6 COUNTRY LIVING • JULY 2016
Sharing ideas and best practices
The statewide associationjumped into the communicationsrealm almost immediately, prepar-ing information packets and arti-cles during the 1940s to helpco-ops better serve their localmembers. In 1958, the statewidegroup began publishing CountryLiving magazine to help co-opmembers learn about the industry.Exchanging information and
finding the best ways to use newtechnology is a continuing themewithin the statewide group inevery area of service. Keylor says,“When something good happens,news travels fast. Bad news does,too, and we learn from each
other’s mistakes.” In face-to-facemeetings and online forums, thestatewide group provides manyopportunities for the co-ops to ex-change ideas, always looking forthe best practices. Several years ago, when many
co-ops expressed concern aboutworker accidents, the statewidegroup listened — and took action.Keylor says, “The local co-ops saidthey wanted to focus on safety, soat the statewide level we invested alot of manpower into new trainingprograms.” The statewide groupnow manages the Central OhioLineworker Training (COLT) pro-gram, which provides hands-ontraining and certification to newlineworkers, as well as ongoing
jour-
neyman training and certificationfor veteran lineworkers. Through-out the year, statewide employeesin the safety and loss control pro-gram host special safety sessions inColumbus, and travel throughoutthe state and West Virginia to helpindividual co-ops maintain consis-tently high safety standards.The list of services that the
statewide group provides is long,deep, and varied, including every-thing from coordinating mutual aidduring disaster recovery, managingthe annual Youth Tour, speaking upfor co-op members in Columbusand Washington, exploring newways to use computer technology,offering expert advice about energyefficiency, and member out-
The power of people working together (–continued from page 5)
1968 Cardinal Station Unit 2 becomesthe official property of Buckeye Power.
1963 The Cardinal StationAgreement is signed.
1958 The first issue of Country Living is published in October.
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JULY 2016 • COUNTRY LIVING 7
1941 Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives, Inc., thestatewide trade association, is formed.
1942 The National Rural Electric CooperativeAssociation is formed.
1952 The first permanent OREC offices open inColumbus.
1952 W. E. Stuckey becomes manager andserves until 1955.
1955 Howard Cummins becomes executivemanager of OREC. It’s a position he’ll holduntil 1977.
1958 The first issue of Country Living ispublished in October.
1959 Buckeye Power, Inc., is established.1961 The Rural Electric Supply Cooperative
(RESCO) is formed, allowing Ohio’scooperatives to take advantage of quantitydiscounts for purchasing equipment andmaterials.
1963 Cooperative and Ohio Power officialsannounce the signing of the CardinalStation Agreement.
1968 Cardinal Station Unit 2 becomes the officialproperty of Buckeye Power.
1972 Buckeye Power, Inc., and Ohio Power enteran agreement for construction of CardinalStation Unit 3.
1972 OREC establishes its safety and loss controldepartment.
1973 Buckeye Power, Inc., begins a loadmanagement program.
1975 OREC and BP move to their currentheadquarters.
1977 Cardinal Station Unit 3 is placed in service.1977 Robert Cleveland becomes president of
OREC and Buckeye Power.1981 Buckeye Power, Inc., purchases 2,100 acres
in Ross County for the site of a futuregenerating plant.
1981 Buckeye Power begins a marketingprogram with Dual Fuel system rebates.
1985 Ohio electric cooperatives observe the 50thanniversary of the Rural ElectrificationAdministration.
1989 Richard K. Byrne becomes president andCEO of OREC and Buckeye Power.
1991 In response to cooperatives’ needs forconsulting engineering services, BuckeyeMember Cooperative, Inc., becomesBuckeye Member Service Company.
1998 Touchstone Energy is introduced, a
national alliance of local cooperatives providing high standards of service tomembers and communities.
2000 Ohio Gov. Bob Taft signs legislation thatwill restructure the state’s electric utilitymarketplace. Ohio’s electric cooperatives announce they will not immediately opt-in to competition.
2001 Customer choice comes to Ohio, but afterthe first six months, few consumers haveopted to change suppliers, and even ewerhave been approached by marketers.
2001 A decade-long construction project beginson new emissions control systemson Buckeye’s Cardinal generating units tomeet stricter EPA requirements.
2002 Tony Ahern becomes CEO of Ohio RuralElectric Cooperatives and Buckeye Power.
2002 Robert P. Mone Station, a 510-megawatt(MW) peaking plant, comes online.
2004 A lineworker training program begins as apartnership between OREC and MarionTechnical College. It is branded as COLT (Central Ohio Lineworker Training) in 2009.
2004 A subsidiary of Buckeye Power purchasesownership and rights at two generatingstations operated by the Ohio ValleyElectric Corporation.
2007 Buckeye Power purchases 30 MW of windgeneration from the Story County WindEnergy Center in Iowa.
2007 Buckeye Power purchases the GreenvillePeaking Plant (200 MW).
2008 Two biogas generation projects come online at Bridgewater Dairy (1.2 MW) and Wenning Poultry (1.8 MW).
2008 Plug-In 1, a plug-in hybrid electric Ford Escapethat’s a research and development project for Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives, hits the road.
2012 Country Living magazine wins the George W. Haggard Memorial Journalism Award, the highest national recognition among electric cooperative statewidepublications.
2013 Ohio’s cooperatives score an all-time high onthe American Customer Satisfaction Index. The score is surpassed the following year.
2015 Pat O’Loughlin becomes president and CEO of Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives and Buckeye Power.
75 years of progress
s .
reach.O’Loughlin says,
“Everything we do iscentered around better-ing the lives of co-opmembers and the ruralcommunities. The next75 years will be full ofopportunities — andwe’re ready for whatevercomes next.”
NANCY GRANT is amember of the Coopera-tive CommunicatorsAssociation and theAmerican Society ofJournalists and Authors.
2001 A decade-long project beginsof installing new emissions controls at the Cardinal generating units.
2015 Pat O’Loughlin becomes president and CEO of Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives and Buckeye Power.
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IN THIS SEVEN-PART SERIES, you’lllearn how the same principles thatguide cooperatives around theworld also govern your localelectric co-op, keeping you — a valued member-owner — theprimary focus. Principle 5, “Education, Training, and In-
formation,” reads as follows: “Cooperativesprovide education and training for theirmembers, elected representatives, managers,and employees, so that they can contributeeffectively to the development of their coop-eratives. They inform the general public,particularly young people and opinion lead-ers, about the nature and benefits of cooper-ation.”A closer look at a rural school district in
northwest Logan County provides a real-lifeexample of this principle in action.
The Laker motto: Educate, inspire, empowerImagine glass beakers, hand-drawn
graphs, and outdoor field trips where thewind blows away the status quo. For seventhgrade science teacher Erika Eley, her class-room is a portal — the place where studentsuse tangible experiments to break down abstract concepts into “aha” lessons.“I enjoy teaching science because it allows
me to show students that science is allaround them, and it affects their lives on a
daily basis,” the Indian Lake Middle Schoolteacher says. “I try to make them aware thatthey can make a difference for the world,even if it seems small and insignificant.” Eley isn’t alone in her passion for educa-
tion. The Indian Lake School District inLewistown serves nearly 1,800 K-12 stu-dents and proudly maintains high academicstandards with rigorous classes.Whether it’s the “Laker Zone” program
that instills confidence and compassion inelementary kids, the new middle school robotics team, or revamped high schoolwelding and 3-D printer courses, IndianLake Schools constantly examines the needsof its students and works to align with them.In the spring, the district even hosted thefirst-ever Logan County Workforce Expo,bringing in representatives from more than40 local companies seeking job applicants.
Living the principle Just as educating students is Indian Lake
Schools’ main priority, your electric coopera-tive also emphasizes educating its members,employees, and even the general publicabout the nature of co-ops, as well as energyefficiency and electric safety tips.In fact, this summer, Indian Lake High
School and Logan County Electric Co-opcelebrate a decade of partnership through awind turbine on the school’s front lawn forscience classes to study. The turbine is esti-mated to power one classroom for an entireyear and ensures that students learn first-
The SevenCooperative PrinciplesPrinciple 5: Education, Training, and Information
BY SAMANTHA RHODES
8 COUNTRY LIVING • JULY 2016
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hand about renewable energy.Informing and engaging today’s
youth is one of your electric co-op’smain priorities, as demonstratedby programs like the annual YouthTour trip to Washington, D.C.,school safety and high voltagedemonstrations, and the awardingof college scholarships.Information is also spread
through Country Living, co-opwebsite and social media pages, atannual member meetings, andthrough community events. Co-opemployees also receive trainingthrough online learning opportu-nities, conferences, or even contin-ued education funded by thecooperative. Of course, members
can always call or visit theirco-op to ask questions or re-ceive personalized advice forsaving money on their elec-tric bill.“When a cooperative is
involved in education, theyare doing what they shouldbe doing,” says Michael Wil-son, director of communi-cation at Logan CountyElectric Cooperative. “Theyhelp prepare the next gen-eration of leaders in Amer-ica and strive to provideinformation that empowerspeople to improve the quality oftheir lives.”
Be E3 Smart: Saving Ohio homes billions Throughout the past four years, Indian Lake Middle School students
have been bringing home unusual items: LED night lights, door sweeps,and shower heads — just to name a few. These giveaways are part of aprogram called Be E3 Smart, which teaches Ohio students ways toreduce energy demand and use.
“The students really enjoy the lessons,” says ILMS teacher ErikaEley. “The most exciting part was being able to bring the energy biketo the classroom and show students how energy is converted andused in small appliances. They were all able to take turns creatingelectricity, just by pedaling.”
Sponsored by Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives and implemented bynonprofit energy education group the Ohio Energy Project (OEP), theprogram is free to schools and promotes student leadership through its innovative school-to-home model.
In 2015, more than 42,000 energy saving kits were distributed to Ohio homes via students sharing what theylearned with their parents. The result? According to OEP, families saved nearly 103,000 megawatt hours and $9 million on utility bills.
Through the Be E3 Smart program, Ohio electric cooperatives empower students to become informed leadersof tomorrow’s energy-responsible society. To learn more about the program, visit www.ohioenergy.org.
JULY 2016 • COUNTRY LIVING 9
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Location: On the southwest side ofSpringfield.
Provenance: In 1932, at age 48,Harry George “Ben” Hartman waslaid off from his job as a molder at aSpringfield foundry. Rather thanremaining idle during the Great De-pression, Hartman began construct-ing a cement fishing pond in thebackyard of the little country housenear Springfield where he lived withhis wife, Mary, and their children.After completing the pond, Ben keptworking in the yard, constructingnumerous structures from hundredsof thousands of stones he dug out ofa nearby creek bed. He embellishedthe structures with handmade fig-urines, and Mary, who was an avidgardener, beautified his designs withextensive planting and flowerbeds.By the time Ben returned to work
in 1939, his unique and eclectic rockgarden displayed more than 50structures featuring themes from theBible, American history, andDepression-era pop culture. They
included miniature versions ofMount Vernon, Lincoln’s Tomb, theHoover Dam, and Noah’s Ark; a 14-foot-tall cathedral accented by Vir-gin Mary statuettes, and a renderingof Da Vinci’s famous painting TheLast Supper; and a 12-foot-tall cas-tle modeled after one in West Vir-ginia that had been pictured on apostcard Mary got in the mail.After Ben passed away in 1944,
Mary valiantly maintained their“garden of love” until her own deathin 1997. The neglected rock gardenfell into disrepair, but was rescuedand restored by Wisconsin’s KohlerFoundation. An organization calledthe Friends of the Hartman RockGarden acquired the site and re-opened the rock garden to the pub-lic in 2010.
Significance: The Hartman RockGarden is revered as a folk art mas-terpiece and considered an excep-tional example of “outsider” artcreated by a self-taught artist usingfound materials. “Ben had genius in
his hands and imagination in hishead,” says Rod Hatfield, a photog-rapher who is currently the garden’sartist-in-residence and caretaker.
Currently: People from around theworld journey to Springfield to seethe Hartman Rock Garden, whichhas been featured in numerousnewspapers and magazines, as wellas on travel and tourism websites.Throughout the year, visitors marvelat the picket fence that Ben craftedfrom concrete or the 20,000 stoneshe used for his Tree of Life sculp-ture, but the rock garden looks bestduring summer, when it’s chock-fullof colorful blossoms and Ben’s pondis once again alive with goldfish andwater lilies.
The Hartman Rock Garden, 1905 RussellAve., Springfield. Open daily, dawn todusk. Self-guided tours are free (donationsappreciated); guided group tours byappointment only for a fee. For moreinformation, call 937-325-7621 or visitwww.hartmanrockgarden.org.
Hartman Rock GardenSpringfieldBY DAMAINE VONADA
10 COUNTRY LIVING • JULY 2016
OHIO ICON
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12 COUNTRY LIVING • JULY 2016
CO-OP PEOPLE
ACE THORSELL may be only 6yearsold, but he’s already a rodeo showentertainer. Throughout the sum-mer, the first-grader puts on hiscowboy hat and fanciest boots,steps into the arena at CreekBend Ranch, and announces tothe audience, “Howdy, everyone,and welcome to Buckin’ Ohio!”The spectators, of course, heartilyapplaud.Buckin’ Ohio is a professional
bull-riding series that theThorsell family — parents Dennyand Eileen Thorsell, son Shawn,daughter Charis, and grandsonAce — present monthly from Maythrough September. The Lorain-Medina Rural Electric Coopera-tive members live on Creek BendRanch, where they breed andtrain registered bucking bulls thatgo to top-tier rodeos throughoutthe country. “We raise bulls, weshow bulls, and we compete withour bulls,” explains Denny.Located just off I-71 near Lodi,
the working ranch is one of
Ohio’s rare bucking bull opera-tions and provides an authenticvenue for Buckin’ Ohio. “Webring a taste of the West to theMidwest,” says Eileen, “with ourfacilities and events and family’slifestyle.” A traditional rodeosport, bull riding has swelled inpopularity in recent years, andBuckin’ Ohio annually attractsabout 25,000 people, who enjoyboth the ranch’s wholesome at-mosphere and the excitement ofwatching PBR (Professional BullRiders) cowboys trying to stay onrearing and kicking bulls. “Theheart of what we do is creatingmemories around Western-styleevents,” says Eileen. Although the Thorsells have
staged Buckin’ Ohio since 2001,the series actually took root morethan 50 years ago in Denny’shometown of Cleveland. A citykid, Denny developed his affinityfor animals when he got his firstjob — leading ponies at the zoo.His grandmother, who loved
Cleveland’s symphony, also in-sisted that Denny go to concertswith her. “While we waited forthe streetcar to Severance Hall,"he recalls, “I’d sneak into a drug-store and look at Western maga-zines.” One day Denny saw an article
about Pine Johnson, the quarterhorse trainer at the famous Wag-goner Ranch in Texas. He wrote aletter asking Johnson for a job.When Johnson replied with anoffer, Denny gave his parents anultimatum. “I told them,” he says,“that if they didn’t let me go toTexas, I’d run away.” His folks re-lented, and teenage Denny leftCleveland to learn about horses. Returning to northeast Ohio in
the 1960s, Denny married Eileenand built a successful insurancebusiness, but he always kept ahand in breeding quarter horsesand raising cattle. For more than40 years, Denny has been anAmerican Quarter Horse Associa-tion-approved judge and haspresided at equine competitionsin 33 countries. He also is tri-chairman of the American Quar-ter Horse Congress, the world’slargest single-breed horse show,which takes place in Columbusevery October. The Thorsells branched into
bucking bulls when Shawn was inhigh school and started ridingthem in rodeos. They initiallybought practice bulls for Shawn,and over time they’ve methodi-cally enlarged and improved theirherd. “Since bulls are judged onhow high they kick, it’s all abouthow much air they can get,” says
Ride ’emcowboy!Buckin’ Ohio offers rodeo-style entertainment — and that’s no bull!
BY DAMAINE VONADA
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Denny. “We aim for that ‘wow!’factor.”A bull riding champion in high
school, Shawn attended college inOklahoma on a rodeo scholarshipand later competed professionally.He now manages Creek BendRanch and produces bull ridingevents for the American QuarterHorse Congress and the MedinaCounty Fair. Buckin’ Ohio wasborn when Shawn brought in rid-ers to test the ranch’s stock. “Peo-ple carrying coolers just startedshowing up to watch the cow-boys,” says Denny, “and Eileen gotthe idea that we maybe could put
on bull riding events.” When 500people attended the first Buckin’Ohio, the Thorsells knew they
were on to something. Today, Buckin’ Ohio is carefully
choreographed, fast-paced, andfun. “We want each and everyevent to be spectacular,” notesShawn, who schedules the ridersand selects the bulls. Pre-eventactivities include ice-cream eatingcontests and stick horse races forkids, and the shows, which fea-ture barrel racing as well as bullriding, always begin with a prayerand the singing of the nationalanthem. Charis, a singer andsongwriter, also performs hercrowd-pleasing “Texas sound”music, and Ace displays his mut-ton bustin’ (sheep riding) skills.When the event is over, Dennyand Eileen personally thankeveryone for coming. “At Buckin’Ohio,” says Denny, “we put ourbest into what we do.”
DAMAINE VONADA is a freelancewriter from Xenia.
Buckin’ Ohio at Creek Bend Ranch,8154 Garman Rd., Burbank. Forinformation about upcoming shows onJuly 16, Aug. 20, and Sept. 17, call 330-624-7205 or visit www.buckinohio.com.
(Above) How long can he hold on? Find out at Buckin’ Ohio’s monthly shows. (Opposite page) The Thorsell family, owners of Creek Bend Ranch.
JULY 2016 • COUNTRY LIVING 13
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14 COUNTRY LIVING • JULY 2016
AS A LITTLE GIRL GROWING UP inMorrow County, Gale Martincould disappear for hours, mak-ing a study of and identifying theplant life that surrounded herparents’ farm. Often, her parentshad to send a hired hand with atractor to find her and bring herhome. These days, Martin haschanneled her childhood passioninto Natives in Harmony, herplant business dedicated to pre-serving Ohio’s native plants —some in danger of disappearingforever.Preserving the future by pre-
serving Ohio’s plant heritage is aperfect fit for Martin, who is alsothe executive director of the Mar-ion County Historical Society andof the Wyandot Popcorn Museumin Marion. Part of her historicalsociety job is to monitor theprairie remnant that’s part of theSandusky Plain. Prairie remnantsare the bits of what was once avast landscape of grass prairiesand burr oak savannahs. The Sandusky Plain, which
used to stretch for 200,000 acresfrom the Olentangy River to theeast and Tymochtee Creek to thewest, is now mostly found alongrailroad tracks, roadsides, and pioneer cemeteries in Marion,Crawford, and Wyandot counties.As Martin traveled from remnantto remnant, the plants capturedher attention. “I would see theselittle plants that were so lovely,”
she says, and she decided to takeaction to save them, thinking thatif something wasn’t done to pre-serve those lovely plants, they’dbe gone.“I collected seeds of the flow-
ers, propagated the plants, anddonated them to park districts.The goal was to try to get stateand county parks to use plantsthat were disappearing.”In addition, Martin now has
an entire section of prairie plantsat Natives in Harmony, which is amember of Consolidated ElectricCooperative.Martin started with the rare
Crawford County prairie sedgeand the delicate Bicknell’s sedge,which is high on the endangeredlist. The park gave her the seeds,and Martin grew the plants, butshe kept back a couple so shecould continue to harvest seeds togrow more plants. Her businessmodel was born. All of Natives inHarmony’s plants are now grownin containers from seeds or fromcuttings.By making sure that the
genetic material is native to Ohio,Martin’s aim is to help people create habitat for Ohio’s native insects and bird species. Theseeds of the endangered Bicknell’ssedge, for example, are food forthe red-legged grasshopper, thehorned lark, the snow bunting,and the Savannah sparrow,among others.
When Martin’s husband, DanGrau, built her the potting shedthat also serves as a showcase ofwhimsical yard ornaments andplanters, Martin didn’t expectthat Natives in Harmony wouldbecome robust so fast. Her firstthought was that she would de-velop a business for retirement,but her customers had a differentidea. Each weekend, from Aprilthrough September, new peoplearrive to load up a child’s wagonwith a bounty of possibility. Whether customers come with
specific plants in mind or haveabsolutely no idea which ones tobring home, Martin is happy tooffer her expertise and sugges-tions. “Why don’t we take a littlewalk, and I’ll give a tutorial?”seems to be a common response
GARDENING LANDSCAPE
Preserving Ohio’s heritage
one plant at a timeBY JAMIE RHEIN
GoldenrodColumbine Fire Pink
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JULY 2016 • COUNTRY LIVING 15
to customer inquiries. Martin ques-tions her customers about sunlightand soil quality, and finds out whatthe customer thinks would work inhis or her yard.The gardens that Martin has
cultivated on her property serve asidea generators and are palates ofcolors and textures that changewith the seasons. Browsing the tidyrows of container plants groupedby the ecosystems in which theynaturally grow is like a science andhistory lesson. Each plant is la-beled, and corresponding informa-tion cards explain the details ofeach. There’s the vibrant red of fire
pink that blooms on a woodlandedge in spring, the dusty pinkishcolumbine, and the lavender spi-derwort. In summer, the coneflow-ers, sundrops, and milkweed aremagnets for bees and butterflies,perfect for a prairie environment.Some plants grow in differentamounts of shade, sun, and mois-ture. Martin experiments to seewhat grows where, so she can giveher customers a variety of ideas ofwhat might work for them at theirown homes.For Martin, making customers
happy in their pursuit of growing
native plants is a win. “As long aspeople keep planting them, theplants will always be here,” shesays. The Bicknell’s sedge dependson it.
JAMIE RHEIN is a freelance writerfrom Columbus.
Natives in Harmony is located at 4652Township Rd 179, Marengo. It’s open onSundays from 12 to 6 p.m. and byappointment. Contact Martin [email protected] or call 419-688-9800. Species inventory varies byseason.
Gale Martin
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16 COUNTRY LIVING • JULY 2016
Susan Denten, a member of Tri-county Rural Electric Cooperative,decided to enter her “go-to” dish inCountry Living’s latest recipe con-test featuring favorite carry-indishes for picnics and potlucks. Itproved to be a good decision, asjudges selected her Kielbasa Kissesthe grand prize winner.The Swanton-area resident re-
ceives so many requests for therecipe that she keeps it on hercomputer for ready access. Herhusband, Dale, initially receivedthe recipe from a friend (BethHolly) nearly four decades ago.The original recipe specified
smoked kielbasa links, but theDentens prefer the flavor of Eck-rich smoked sausage. They also replaced cooking onions withsweet onions and used yellow orGolden Delicious apples instead of
other varieties. While the originalrecipe calls for 1 pound of brownsugar, Dale Denten prefers using 3pounds for a sweeter outcome. Hiswife prefers the lesser amount.“I do not typically eat processed
meat, but this dish is hard to refuse,” Susan Denten says. “Thesmoked sausage, baked with thesweet onions, apples, and brownsugar, is so flavorful it’s impossibleto pass up. It has a deliciouslysweet flavor that is so unique.”For optimal flavor, the Dentens
generally make the dish severaldays ahead of the scheduled serv-ing. However, it is equally goodmade just prior to a picnic, party,or carry-in.“This is the first time I entered
a recipe contest,” she said. “I knewI had a good recipe, and I reallywanted the KitchenAid® mixer
grandprize.”Runners-up
in the contest wereDiane Kortan of theWooster area, aHolmes-Wayne EC mem-ber, and Dianna Mace ofBainbridge, a member of SouthCentral Power.Kortan’s recipe for Hot German
Potato Salad came from a 1950s-era Betty Crocker Cookbook. How-ever, she made changes to yieldmore sauce. Mace contributed Coconut Crunch, a light dessertsandwiched between layers ofcrumb crust. She first tasted therecipe at a friend’s home.
To see other recipes received for thiscontest, visit www.ohioec.org. They willappear over the course of comingmonths.
Take aprizewinnerto your nextpotluck!Forget deviled eggs. Try one ofthese entries to our recipe contest.BY MARGIE WUEBKER
Our next recipe contest: ApplesCountry Living's October recipe contest featuresapples — the versatile fruit that stars in many dishesother than pie. We want to focus on that versatility,rather than receive dozens of pie recipes. Besure to include all ingredients, completedirections, and the number of servings.Also include your name, address,telephone number, and the name ofyour cooperative. You can sendup to three recipes to foodeditor Margie Wuebker incare of Country Living,6677 Busch Blvd.,Columbus, OH43229. Thedeadline is
August 1.
FOOD SCENE
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KIELBASA KISSES
6 smoked kielbasa or Eckrich smokedsausage links, each about 12 incheslong
2 medium sweet onions, sliced into1/2-inch chunks and separated
10 medium Golden Delicious apples,peeled and diced into 1/2-inchchunks
1 lb. brown sugar1/2 cup cornstarch 1/3 cup waterPlace three sausage links each into two13 x 9-inch baking dishes; cover withfoil. Bake grease out of sausage in aslow 275-degree oven for 60 minutes.Drain grease, pat dry with paper toweland cut links into bite-size pieces (1/4-to 1/3-inch thick). Return sausage tobaking dishes. Cover each dish evenlywith onions, apples, and brown sugar,pressing down slightly. Bake uncoveredin a slow oven (250 to 300 degrees) for2 to 3 hours, stirring every 30 minutesuntil apples are done. Dissolve corn-starch in water to thicken accumulatedliquid. Stir well for several minutes untilthickened; serve hot. Serves 25 to 30.
HOT GERMAN POTATOSALAD
6 medium potatoes, scrubbed and boiled in jackets
4 slices bacon3/4 cup chopped onion3 Tbsp. flour2 Tbsp. sugar1-3/4 tsp. salt3/4 tsp. celery seedsDash of pepper1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. water1/2 cup vinegarPeel cooked potatoes and slice thin. Frybacon slowly in skillet until crisp; re-move from skillet and drain on papertowel. Sauté onion in bacon fat untilgolden. Blend in flour, sugar, salt, celeryseeds, and pepper. Cook over low heat,stirring until smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat; stir in water andvinegar. Heat to boiling, stirring con-stantly. Boil 1 minute. Carefully stir inpotatoes and crumbled bacon. Removefrom heat, cover, and let stand untilready to serve. Serves 4 to 5.
COCONUT CRUNCH
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted1 cup all-purpose flour1-1/4 cups flaked coconut1/4 cup packed brown sugar1 cup sliced almonds1 package (3.4 oz.) instant coconut pudding mix
1 package (3.4 oz.) instant vanilla pudding mix
2-1/3 cups cold milk2 cups Cool Whip®Combine the first five ingredients; presslightly into a greased 9 x 13-inch (or a lit-tle smaller) baking dish. Bake at 350 de-grees for 25 to 30 minutes or untilgolden brown, stirring every 10 minutesto form coarse crumbs. Cool; dividecrumb mixture in half; press half into thesame baking dish and reserve the otherhalf. Mix dry puddings, add milk, and stiruntil thickened. Fold in Cool Whip andspoon mixture over crumb crust. Topwith remaining crumbs. Cover and refrig-erate overnight. Serves 8 to 10.
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18 COUNTRY LIVING • JULY 2016
Nutritious ways to feed a crowdBY DIANE YOAKAM, RD, LD
When presented with the challenge of feeding a crowd, it can be tempting to slide a family-size frozen lasagna in the oven andcall it good enough. Seek a better meal route by searching for dishes that are filled with nutrients. From the appetizers, to the maincourse, clear through to dessert, there’s nothing like sharing fun and memories around a nutritiously delicious meal.
Color is the key to a healthy dish. Choose foods from all spectrums for appeal and for more nutritional bang for your buck. Fruits,vegetables, beans, and grains add texture and color, producing a well-balanced meal that contains an abundance of vitamins,minerals, and phytonutrients.
Give your favorite go-to recipes a makeover. A few simple substitutions transform an ordinary dish into something much morenutritious. Be sneaky with the veggies and add a few finely diced varieties into potato and macaroni salad, for instance. Or, tryblending them into casseroles. Utilize natural sweetness by making fruit-based desserts. Ditch the fake-flavored beverages, opting forfruit-based beverages instead, like infused water.
Nutritious potluck-pleasing recipes, like roasted root vegetable salad, makeover macaroni salad, and watermelon-mint water, arejust a click away at www.ohioec.org.
FOOD SCENE
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At Butler Rural Electric Cooperative, we are always working to keep our in-house costs down and to hold down energy costs. At the same time, we continue to provide all of our members with safe, reliable, and affordable electric service. Because of these efforts, the cooperative is in a strong financial position, and the outlook for Butler
Rural Electric remains bright. At the Annual Meeting in April, we were happy to announce that there will be no rate increase in 2016. The cooperative has been able to reduce costs thanks to efficiencies gained by technology. Last year, we were able to eliminate the duplication of our billing process by changing the due date for all monthly bills. The change benefited all members by reducing the processing and preparation time of the bills, streamlining field activities for meter technicians, and aligning the kilowatt-hours that are purchased and sold each month.
In the early years of the cooperative, the billing cycle was determined by the location of the meter in the cooperative’s service territory. Determining the billing cycle by location made it easier for meter technicians to read meters without driving from the northern boundaries of the cooperative’s territory to the southern boundaries in the same day. The billing due date was changed to improve operating efficiency. Now, all residential bills are calculated around the 5th and are due around the 20th of each month. Incorporating new technologies into the operations of the cooperative is instrumental to controlling costs, increasing efficiency, and enhancing service to our members. A bright future is ahead of Butler Rural Electric Cooperative. We are committed to providing all of our members with safe, reliable, and affordable electric service, while improving the quality of life for you and your community.
No rate increase in 2016!Michael L. Sims, General Manager
Butler Rural Electric CooperativeLocal pages
Thomas HumbachAttorney
Office3888 Stillwell Beckett Rd.Oxford, OH 45056
513-867-4400800-255-2732
Access your electric use and pay your bill 24/7 through SmartHub at butlerrural.coop
RatesDistribution Energy Charge:5.02¢ per kWh
Distribution Base Charge: $38
Generation & Transmission Charge: Fluctuates monthly
General ManagerMichael L. Sims
Communications RepresentativeJade M. Guthrie
William Foster Jr. Ronald KolbTammy MannJames MeadorRobert SpaethMichael Tilton
TrusteesThomas McQuistonPresidentBob HoelleVice PresidentDavid EvansSecretary/Treasurer
Thomas HumbachAttorney
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Friday, July 1510 a.m. - 6 p.m.
FREE appreciation event for members & their families!
Butler Rural Electric Cooperative
20 COUNTRY LIVING • JULY 2016
New board officersDuring the monthly board meeting in May, board members voted for new officers. Tom McQuiston will continue to serve as president, Bob Hoelle is vice president, and Dave Evans will serve as the secretary and treasurer. Dave follows past board member Mary Beth Dorrel, who retired from the board of trustees in April. Mary Beth served as the secretary and treasurer for 19 years.
Excellent member satisfaction Each year, the American Customer Satisfaction Index score, or ACSI, is determined for Butler Rural Electric Cooperative. The index measures the satisfaction of consumers with the quality of products and services from many different companies and industries. The ACSI score is the only national cross-industry measure of consumer satisfaction in the United States. Overall satisfaction with Butler Rural Electric Cooperative was excellent, with an ACSI score of 89, which is higher than industry leaders. The cooperative is rated most positively for having friendly, courteous employees,
for being easy to reach, for having employees who are highly trained and professional, and for supporting the local community.
Preparing for the future Each June, board members approve a Power Requirement Study, which is used to forecast energy use. The study is a cornerstone for all other forecasts used by the cooperative. It allows Butler Rural Electric to prepare future workplans, create budgets, and plan construction, therefore allowing the cooperative to maintain low in-house costs.
What? When? Where?
EVENTS CALENDARMark your calendar to join us this summer!SUMMER
College Corner Fireworks
Hueston Woods Fireworks
Family Day
Butler County Fair
Preble County Junior Fair Exhibitor Picnic
July 4
July 5
July 15
July 24-30
July 29
Downtown College Corner
Hueston Woods Lodge
Butler Rural Electric Cooperative
Butler County Fairgrounds
Rotary Junction at the Preble County Fairgrounds
From the boardroom
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Friday, July 1510 a.m. - 6 p.m.
FREE appreciation event for members & their families!
Now in July!
Butler Rural Electric Cooperative
JULY 2016 • COUNTRY LIVING 20a
for being easy to reach, for having employees who are highly trained and professional, and for supporting the local community.
Preparing for the future Each June, board members approve a Power Requirement Study, which is used to forecast energy use. The study is a cornerstone for all other forecasts used by the cooperative. It allows Butler Rural Electric to prepare future workplans, create budgets, and plan construction, therefore allowing the cooperative to maintain low in-house costs.
Downtown College Corner
Hueston Woods Lodge
Butler Rural Electric Cooperative
Butler County Fairgrounds
Rotary Junction at the Preble County Fairgrounds
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Butler Rural Electric Cooperative
20b COUNTRY LIVING • JULY 2016
80th anniversary
FIXED INCOMEgot you down?
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Butler Rural Electric Cooperative
JULY 2016 • COUNTRY LIVING 20c
Know what to expect on your bill each month with
VARIABLE BILLING!Over the course of a year, your monthly electric bill goes up and down depending on the amount of electricity you use. In the summer and winter months, it’s usually higher because that is when your air-conditioning and heating systems are in use. With the variable billing plan, your electric bill will be more predictable all year long.
What is variable billing?Variable billing makes it easier to plan your monthly budget because it spreads out, or levels, your annual electricity costs.
How it worksVariable billing averages your current electric use and the past 11 months of your electric use. Your monthly
bill will be a result of this average and the current rates. Each month, a new average is calculated to determine your variable billing amount.
Do you qualify?To qualify for variable billing, your account must have a zero balance at the time you go on the plan.
Sign up now!Know what to expect when you get your electric bill each month by signing up for variable billing! To sign up, call Butler Rural Electric Cooperative at 513-867-4400 or 800-255-2732 or visit our website to enroll at butlerrural.coop/content/budget-billing-form.
In the example above, the variable billing payments only vary up to $4, while the actual billing payments vary up to $193.
Variable billing payment vs. regular billing payment
Jan.$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
Feb. March
Regular billing payment
Variable billing payment
April May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec.
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Butler Rural Electric Cooperative
Help control energy costs during Peak Alerts
What are Peak Alerts?A Peak Alert is a way to keep electric use down, which in turn keeps Butler Rural Electric Cooperative members’ rates lower. Peak Alerts are issued when the demand for electricity is at an all-time high and rising toward a new peak. They typically occur on hot summer days from about 2 to 7 p.m. We ask our members to reduce their energy consumption during this time in order to help avoid reaching a new peak. During peak demand times, it costs more for Buckeye Power, the cooperative’s power supplier, to generate the large amount of electricity being consumed. To meet the demand, Buckeye Power’s large coal-fired power plants are running at full capacity. Additional natural gas peaking plants, which cost more to run, are fired up and brought on-line to help supply enough electricity. If you have a radio-controlled switch on your water heater or a Cool Returns switch on your central air-conditioning system, it will be activated during summer Peak Alerts.
How do I know when a Peak Alert is in effect?The cooperative informs our highest energy users through an automated phone call and an e-mail. We also post Peak Alert notices on our Facebook page and on our website, butlerrural.coop.
20d COUNTRY LIVING • JULY 2016
Allen Loos Kenneth Betz Sr. Eugene Franchini Don Gibson John Mould Susan Rooney
BILL CREDIT WINNERSCongratulations to the May winners!
Did you attend the cooperative’s Annual Meeting in 2016? If you did, you could be the winner of a $50 bill credit! All Annual Meeting attendees who did not win a bill credit at the meeting are eligible to win. Names are drawn by the board of trustees.
Mary Beth DorrelDon NowlinPat CipolloneMary WilliamsMichael Cornett
$50 winners$80 winnersButler Rural Electric Cooperative is giving away $80 bill credits to 80 members this year to celebrate the cooperative’s 80th
anniversary. Six $80 bill credits will be drawn by the board of trustees each month. All members are eligible to win.
20d COUNTRY LIVING • JULY 2016
The cooperative’s office will be closed on Monday, July 4. From everyone at Butler Rural Electric Cooperative, have a safe and happy Fourth of July! If you experience an outage, please call the cooperative at 513-867-4400 or 800-255-2732 and report it to our after-hours call center. Outages can also be reported online using SmartHub. To access SmartHub, visit butlerrural.coop or download the app.
Office closed for Independence DayMonday, July 4
Preble County Junior Fair
EXHIBITORPICNIC
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JULY 2016 • COUNTRY LIVING 20e20d COUNTRY LIVING • JULY 2016
FRIDAY3-7 P.M.
JULY 2016 •• COUNTRY LIVINGCOUNTRY LIVING 20e
At the Rotary Junction next to Bruner Arena
JULY
FREE for all exhibitors & their families
COOKIES•DRINKS
HOT DOGS
29
Sponsored byButler Rural Electric Cooperative
&Darke Rural Electric Cooperative
Preble County Junior Fair
EXHIBITORPICNIC
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Butler Rural Electric Cooperative
20f COUNTRY LIVING • JULY 2016
Sycamore Farms Country Inn Bed & BreakfastAdventures on Four Mile CreekWhen the three-story sawmill on Lanes Mill Road fell in 2007, many assumed that was the beginning of the end for Manrod Farm. Two hundred years earlier, the farm’s grain mill and sawmill were considered the hub of the community. Since then, time had taken its toll, and the historic property was slowly settling into decay.
For 80 years, Manrod Farm was the home of Butler County school teacher Sarah Nichol and her brother, George Manrod. It was also a favorite childhood spot for their cousin, Cherryl Forte. Cherryl especially loved
the Manrods’ Shetland pony herd. While her family visited in the large farmhouse on the property, Cherryl would spend hours exploring every nook and cranny of the barn and the mill. Years later, the barn and the fond memories from her short time spent there were still slipping into Cherryl’s dreams. The future of the farm was eventually laid in Cherryl’s hands when she became an heir to a portion of the estate in 2013.
Although Cherryl and her husband, Toby, owned and operated a cattle ranch in Arkansas at the time,
To reserve your stay at Sycamore Farms Country Inn, visit sycamorefarmscountryinn.com.
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Butler Rural Electric Cooperative
JULY 2016 • COUNTRY LIVING 20g
Sycamore Farms Country Inn Bed & Breakfast
they decided to purchase the deteriorating 1830s farmhouse, rather than face the possibility of it being torn down. Toby and Cherryl set out to salvage the neglected house, barn, and corn crib, an endeavor they dubbed “The Forte’s Loose Screw Project.”
The Loose Screw ProjectCherryl and Toby wasted no time getting to work on the farmhouse. Between March 2013 and March 2014, the interior of the house was stripped to the studs, removing over a hundred years’ worth of falling plaster and neglect. The flooring and woodwork milled on the property was salvaged, and the original features shine in every room today.
A geothermal heating and cooling system was installed through Butler Rural Electric Cooperative, and all other systems were replaced to meet strict modern building codes. Moving to the demands of the 21st century, a two-story addition with three bathrooms was added in 2015, finalizing the extensive renovation and construction. Now, three of the five bedrooms in the home have an en-suite bathroom, quite a contrast to the 130 years that the home had no indoor plumbing.
A fascination with a barnEven as a child, Cherryl knew the 1853 barn on the property was unique. The historic barn, corn crib, and hen house were restored with just as much thought and effort as the farmhouse. Realizing how truly special their property is, Toby and Cherryl decided to make the house and the farm experience available to visitors.
Oxford’s newest bed-and-breakfastJust six minutes southeast of Miami University’s campus, Sycamore Farms Country Inn Bed & Breakfast offers a relaxing oasis. Nestled on 60 acres of rolling fields, the historic property is a haven for wildlife.The 1830s farmhouse is fully restored and is an example of casual elegance at its finest. The home boasts rich-hued Oriental rugs, crystal chandeliers, robust leather chairs, and down-filled cushions. Visitors can enjoy walks along the creek and a visit to the beautiful 160-year-old barn.
Toby and Cherryl envision the bed-and-breakfast as an opportunity for guests to experience a lifestyle that is rapidly vanishing: the lifestyle of the family farm. In 2016, Sycamore Farms was designated as an Ohio Century Farm, a recognition given by the Ohio Department of Agriculture. This April, Sycamore Farms hosted a restoration workshop as part of the Friends of Ohio Barns 2016 Barn Tour and Conference in Butler County.
‘Toby and I feel honored to live in a pre-Civil War home and to be able to provide a window to this lifestyle for our guests. We hope your visit to Sycamore Farms will be woven into fond memories of cozy comfort and great food shared with new friends and family.’
Cherryl ForteOwner of Sycamore Farms Country Inn Bed & Breakfast
To reserve your stay at Sycamore Farms Country Inn, visit sycamorefarmscountryinn.com.
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20h COUNTRY LIVING • JULY 2016
FRIDAY, JULY 1511 a.m. - 6 p.m.11 a.m., 12:30, 3, and 4 p.m.2 and 5 p.m.11 a.m. - 1 p.m.3 p.m. - 6 p.m.Every hour beginning at 11 a.m. 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.Winners announced every hourDrawing July 18Winners will be contacted by phone
Petting ZooPie-Eating ContestWatermelon-Eating ContestHueston Woods NaturalistCool Critters OutreachSafety DemonstrationsCaricaturistBookbag BonanzaBike Raffle
Funds from the Bookbag Bonanza raffle, bike raffle, and the dunk tank are donated to Butler Rural Community Connection. If you would like to purchase raffle tickets, cash is required. Family Day features a petting zoo and exotic critters. We want to keep all of these animals comfortable, so please do not bring your pets to the event. Thank you for your cooperation!
Extreme temperature changes, substandard circuits, and extra dirt can make the garage a less-than-ideal place to keep your old refrigerator.
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Butler Rural Electric Cooperative
JULY 2016 • COUNTRY LIVING 21
It’s convenient to have an extra refrigerator in the house for extra food storage during the holidays and for parties, but the garage isn’t the best place to keep it.
Unless your garage is air conditioned or insulated, it can get hot during the summer, and that can force the refrigerator to work overtime to keep the food cold. You will see the cost of that hard work on your electric bill.
If you must keep a refrigerator in the garage, keep a few things in mind:
▶ It’s not just the heat that stresses out a refrigerator in the garage. Manufacturers advise against placing one in any space where the temperature dips below 55 degrees in the winter. In an unheated garage, the fridge can actually warm up frozen food if the room temperature dips below freezing.
▶ Clean a refrigerator that’s in the garage more often than the one in the kitchen. The garage gets a lot dirtier than the house does, and older fridges often have loose seals.
▶ Don’t stack items around the outside of the refrigerator or lean anything against it. Like any appliance, it needs room to breathe or it won’t operate efficiently.
▶ If the refrigerator in your garage used to be in your kitchen, it’s probably pretty old and very inefficient. You’re better off buying a small, new refrigerator and recycling the old one so you won’t waste energy and unnecessarily run up your electric bill. Keeping that old fridge running in your garage for just a few cold drinks could cost you $150 per year, or more, depending on its energy efficiency.
Extreme temperature changes, substandard circuits, and extra dirt can make the garage a less-than-ideal place to keep your old refrigerator.
Ditch the fr idge
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Butler Rural Electric Cooperative
22 COUNTRY LIVING • JULY 2016
The letter above is from an anonymous member expressing her gratitude to board members who assisted her with car trouble in 1961. Today, Butler Rural Electric Cooperative remains steadfast and committed to our members with the same values and principles as those who paved our way.
Committed to the members we serve
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On Aug. 25, 2016, our National ParkService will mark its 100thanniversary. I’ve had the privilege oftraveling to more than a dozennational parks, and listed below areseveral of my favorites. Here’s hopingyou can visit at least one, if not more,of our 407 national parks sometimethis summer.
best idea
WOODS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE
STORY AND PHOTOS BY W. H. ‘CHIP’ GROSS
The National Park Service celebrates 100 years
Acadia National Park (Maine)
Most of this park is located on Mt.Desert Island, but in reality, the parkis anything but desert. Lush, mixedforests of spruce, fir, pine, and hard-woods cover much of the island, ris-ing from the water’s edge of therugged, rocky Maine seacoast. Acadiawas officially designated a U.S. national park in 1916, the first oneeast of the Mississippi.An excellent way to quickly be-
come familiar with the park is todrive the 27-mile Park Loop Road.Pick up a map and pay the park entrance fee at the Hulls Cove VisitorCenter. From there, proceed southalong the oceanfront to view some of
the most spectacular scenery foundanywhere along the Maine coast. Notto be missed are such places as SandBeach, Thunder Hole, and the granitecliffs at Otter Point. For visitors seek-ing a little culture to add to their out-door experience, tea and popovers areserved each afternoon at Jordan PondHouse.To experience Acadia at a slower,
more relaxed pace, 45 miles ofpacked-gravel carriage roads are opento hikers, bikers, equestrians, and,during the winter months, cross-country skiers. The carriage roadswere financed by John D. RockefellerJr. in the early 20th century, as a giftto the park.
JULY 2016 • COUNTRY LIVING 23
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24 COUNTRY LIVING • JULY 2016
Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks (Wyoming, Mon-tana, Idaho)
Yellowstone not only was Amer-ica’s first national park, designatedin 1872, but it’s also believed to bethe first national park so desig-nated anywhere in the world. Anicon of the National Park Serviceyet today, Yellowstone has it all:magnificent wildlife, stunningmountain scenery, and spectaculargeothermal activity. Half of the world’s geothermal
features are located in Yellowstone,one of the more famous and popu-lar being the geyser Old Faithful.Erupting about every hour, it isone of the most predictable geothermal features on earth,shooting water nearly 200 feetskyward.In addition to offering great
natural beauty, the park is also thelargest and most famous mega -
fauna site within the continentalU.S. — which means that you’ll seelarge wild animals. Grizzly andblack bears, wolf packs, and free-ranging herds of elk and bison livewithin the park, as do moose. Thebison herd is the largest and oldestpublic herd in the country. Just 10 miles south of Yellow-
stone is Grand Teton NationalPark, named for the tallest moun-tain peak in the 40-mile-longTeton Range. Snow-capped andsaw-toothed, Grand Teton juts up-ward some 7,000 feet from thevalley floor known as Jackson Holeand is one of the most photo -graphed vistas in all the AmericanWest. If you visit in winter, don’tmiss the National Elk Refuge,located immediately south ofGrand Teton National Park.
Denali National Park (Alaska)Located in the Alaskan interior,
just a two-hour drive from Fair-
banks, Denali National Park andPreserve is a staggering 6 millionacres in size, larger than the entirestate of New Hampshire. But sur-prisingly, even at that size, it’s notAmerica’s largest national park.That honor goes to Wrangell–St. Elias, also in Alaska, at morethan 13 million acres.Denali is a world-class travel
destination, attracting visitors fromaround the globe to its breath-taking mountain scenery and spec-tacular wildlife, such as grizzlybears, moose, and caribou. Thepark has only one road, but it’s 92miles long. Private vehicles are al-lowed on the first 15 miles, but, atthat point, visitors must ride a parkshuttle or tour bus to go farther.Denali Park Road eventually endsat Kantishna Roadhouse, once thelocation of a gold-rush town.The tallest mountain in North
America (20,320 feet) lies withinthe park. Early Native Americans
(Clockwise, from left) There’s a good reason they’re called the “Smoky” Mountains; bison herd by the hundreds at Yellowstone National Park; a humpback whale takes a dive at Haleakala National Park in Hawaii.
National Parks (–continued from page 23)
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JULY 2016 • COUNTRY LIVING 25
named it Denali, meaning “TheGreat One.” Those Americans whocame later called it Mt. McKinley,honoring our 25th president. Themountain’s name was recentlychanged once again to Denali.I suggest visiting this national
park in mid- to late-summer,keeping in mind that snow closesmost of the park’s visitor facilitiesby mid-September.
Great Smoky Mountains NationalPark (Tennessee, North Carolina)The most popular park in the
national park system, Great SmokyMountains hosts some 10 millionvisitors annually. The reason for itspopularity is two-fold: its centrallocation in the eastern U.S. andthe fact that the park does notcharge an entrance fee, as do mostother national parks. It gets itsname from the nearly constantmists that rise from moist valleys,making the mountains appearsmoky much of the time.The mountains are the oldest
on the continent, created beforedinosaurs roamed the earth. In the
hills and valleys are more varietiesof trees — more than 130 species— than are found in all of Europe,some the largest and oldest oftheir kinds. There are also plantsand animals (such as salamanders)that exist nowhere else on earth.In addition to a driving tour,
the best way to experience thepark is by hiking. Some 800 milesof marked trails spiderweb thearea, ranging from easy, levelwalks to strenuous, rocky climbs.The famous Appalachian Trail —70 miles of it — runs nearly theentire length of the park.
Haleakala National Park (Hawaii)The Hawaiian Islands, located
2,400 miles from the nearest con-tinent, are the most isolated majorisland group on earth. But eventhough this national park (pro-nounced Holly-awk-a-la) is in themiddle of the Pacific Ocean, it stillaverages nearly 1.5 million visitorsannually. The park is divided intotwo distinct sections, the SummitArea and the coastal KipahuluArea; more than half of its 33,265
acres are designated wilderness.The main attraction is
Haleakala, a dormant “shield” vol-cano — meaning gradually slopingsides — that last erupted sometimebetween 1480 and 1600 A.D. Thevolcano’s summit is stark, lunar-like,and made up of multicolored cindercones. Sunrise and sunset are popu-lar times to view the volcano’s crater.After dark, stargazing is outstand-ing, thanks to the absence of artifi-cial lights or air pollution.Located on the island of Maui,
the park makes for a good winter-time visit. Not only will such a tripgive you a break from Ohio’s coldand snow, but hundreds, if notthousands, of humpback whalessurround the Hawaiian Islands atthat time of year, their spoutingand aerial breaching nothing lessthan awe-inspiring.
Outdoors editor W. H. “CHIP” GROSS,a member of Consolidated ElectricCooperative, is interested in hearingfrom you about any outdoor storyidea you might like him toinvestigate. He can be reached by e-mail at [email protected];his website is www.chipgross.com.
Denali is now the name for the national park and the highest peak in North America, recently changed from Mt. McKinley.
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CuyahogaValley NationalPark: Ohio’s ownnatural treasure
IT DOESN’T HAVE snow-capped mountains, rock-strewnseashores, bison herds, or wolf packs, but Ohio’s nationalpark does have a certain uniqueness. Located betweenCleveland and Akron in northeast Ohio, Cuyahoga ValleyNational Park’s 33,000 acres straddle the Cuyahoga Riverand are a mosaic of both wildlife and human habitats.The park is a combination of deep forests, rolling hills,
and open farmlands. A number of “indicator’” wildlifespecies have returned in recent years — peregrine falcons,bald eagles, river otters, beavers, and others — demon-strating that the park is becoming a healthier habitat. Inaddition to natural history, the park also highlights thehuman and cultural history of the area, including industry,farming, and transportation, such as the Ohio and ErieCanal. The park came about when urban sprawl threatened the
grand beauty of the Cuyahoga Valley in the 1960s. Con-cerned citizens and public officials fought the tide of pollu-tion, commercial development, and environmental waste.Their efforts persuaded Congress to create the CuyahogaNational Recreation Area in 1974. The designationchanged to “national park” in October 2000, ensuring thevitality of this unique stretch of northeastern Ohio.A visit to the park offers many options. Take a leisurely
stroll or a bike ride on the Towpath Trail that follows thehistoric route of the Ohio and Erie Canal where mulesonce pulled canal boats laden with passengers and goods.Hike to the vista at Ledges Overlook or the cascadingwater of Brandywine Falls, or view nature’s splendor froma scenic railroad. The craggy gorges, marshes, meadows,and hills high enough for a ski resort embody the spiritand importance of the National Park system.For a park overview, stop in at the Boston Store Visitor
Center. Built around 1836 as a storage building, the centeralso houses a canal boat-building museum. Also, don’tmiss Beaver Marsh. The pristine wetland, once a junkyard,was cleaned up through community efforts that have al-lowed beavers once again to make their home here, whileat the same time creating a bird watching mecca. Morethan 240 species have been documented.On July 17, celebrate the National Park system at Blos-
som Music Center, located inside the national park, whenthe Cleveland Symphony Orchestra pays tribute in a spe-cial centennial concert. Come on Aug. 20 and 21 for theNational Park system’s official birthday celebration. Thanks to the farmers who lease land within Cuyahoga
Valley National Park, the Countryside Farmers Market atHowe Meadow in the town of Peninsula, also within thepark’s boundaries, is a bounty of fresh vegetables, fruit,baked goods, spreads, eggs, and handicrafts on Saturdaymornings through Oct. 29.
Check out the park website (www.nps.gov/cuva/index.htm) for aschedule of ranger-led hikes and other events throughout the year. Callthe Cultural Arts Hotline at 440-546-5998.
BY JAMIE RHEIN AND
W. H. ‘CHIP’ GROSS
26 COUNTRY LIVING • JULY 2016
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MEMBER INTERACTIVE
Everglades National Park is myfavorite for several reasons. Itwas the first national park I vis-ited. During my freshman year ofcollege, several students and pro-fessors crammed into a van anddrove nonstop, more than 20hours, to Flamingo at the south-ern point of the Everglades. Wecamped under the stars andawoke each morning to the soundof the ocean. At sunset, wewatched the curvature of theearth blend the horizon into thesea. During the day, we exploredevery part of the Everglades,watched alligators and otherwildlife, and even walked with apark ranger out into the swamphammocks. We celebrated NewYear’s Eve at the ButtonwoodLounge, the only watering holefor miles. The adventure en-hanced my love for the outdoorsand gave me a special apprecia-tion for our national parks.
Daniel Caron, BellaireSouth Central Power
My favorite national park is theGreat Sand Dunes. There is oneanimal that lives nowhere else inthe world except there. It is thesandy-colored kangaroo mouse.While on vacation to the duneslast summer, I was luckyenough to see one digging a holeto escape my sight. I also love thispark because it has endless sand,formed into enormous mountains,which are very fun to sled downeven in the middle of the sum-mer! At the base of the mountainsis a wide, shallow creek, where mysister and I sculpted a pool withwet sand. The park is an amazingplace; look one direction andthere are golden sand dunes, in
another there is vast open land,and in yet another direction are the Sangre de CristoMountains. I had a thrilling timethere.Michael Riley (age 10), Ostrander
Consolidated EC
For those familiar with the coastof Maine, Schoodic Point in Aca-dia National Park is a treasure.The surf beats constantly belowits rim, in shades of blues andgreens, systematically rising andfalling, with undulating currentsand swirling white crests of foam.Tumultuous waves crest over therocks’ edges, making thunderoussounds, thrusting high, violentlyfalling, collecting in puddles hewnin granite, for all to contemplate.Gray gulls feed upon the surfaceof the churning waves, while oth-ers swoop down to snatch offer-ings from outstretched hands. Allthat power displayed makes thismy favorite national park.
Daniel Winer, NovaLorain-Medina REC
Our family has visited GreatSmoky Mountains National Parknumerous times, enjoying thescent of pine and campfires. Itsdiversity of Appalachian history,split-rail fences, and dulcimermusic is amazing. The mountainlaurel, rhododendron, and azaleasin the hills along the scenic BlueRidge Parkway in the spring aremagnificent. Beautiful lights,music, and holiday festivities inGatlinburg or at the Biltmore inAsheville get you into the Christ-mas spirit. When they wereyounger, our girls enjoyed camp-ing in the Smokies. One likedhorseback riding, the other swim-
ming. We have often seen blackbear cubs near Cades Cove andalways visit the Apple House inPigeon Forge. My favorite visitwas an autumn trip with my sisterand her husband. We shared acondo, complete with hot tub.The fall vista of maples and oakswas spectacular.
Sheran Cherrington, CirclevilleSouth Central Power
Our 10,000-mile round trip toKenai Fjords National Park inAlaska was an adventure, espe-cially our visit to Exit Glacier in-side the park. Remains of oldsnow, tumbling waterfalls, rushingstreams, and distant snow-cappedmountains greeted us upon ourarrival. Storm clouds and snowsqualls contributed to the spectac-ular view. From the ranger sta-tion, we walked on a woodenramp toward the glacier. Up thehill, we climbed over rocks andlooked down on the breath-tak-ing, crackling blue ice. A MotherNature wonderland surroundedus. The storm clouds parted andsun rays illuminated the area.Every mountain around us wasglowing, creating a panorama ofmajestic scenery.
Jaunita Joyce, AshvilleSouth Central Power
My most memorable visit was tothe Grand Canyon. Twenty-some-thing and hale, my hubby and Idecided to hike a trail on theNorth Rim. We started early, withrefillable water containers andsnacks. It was a perfect fall day.The signs posted warned us howeasy it was to descend into thecanyon. But unlike climbing amountain, the ascent comes last.
My favorite national park
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JULY 2016 • COUNTRY LIVING 29
We practically ran down the nar-row trail, stopping several timesto allow mule tours to pass.Nearly four hours later, we ar-rived at the springs, rested, re-plenished our water, and beganthe steep climb back up. It wasslow going. The sun set. A quar-ter moon rose to light our way.Alone with bats and coyotes, weremained undaunted. Thepainted rocks and canyon shad-ows were hauntingly beautiful.We felt a supernatural presence.Like two great explorers, we tri-umphantly crested the rimaround 11 p.m.
Maryanne Moore, New RiegelNorth Central EC
The summer of 2012 that I spentworking in Yellowstone NationalPark was one of the single great-est experiences of my life. InJune 2012, I headed west as ashy kid who just needed a job.Fifteen unforgettable weeks ofwork and fun followed as Ishared a backyard with bisonand elk, ascended the peak of a10,500-foot mountain, andplayed games of Frisbee withnew friends from all over theworld. By September, this shykid was molded into a strongand hearty individual, with a de-termination to live life to thefullest and a deep love for theAmerican West. Even four yearslater, I can still smell the sage-brush and sometimes expect tosee the Rocky Mountains loom-ing on the horizon. That’s whyYellowstone isn’t only my favoritenational park — it’s home.
Haley Bourne, LeesburgSouth Central Power
An editorial endorsementYellowstone and beyondBY RICH WARREN
Editor’s note: I made my own first trip to Yellowstone last year and canheartily endorse the accolades everyone else bestows on it. We saw hundreds ofbison walking down the highway, as if they owned it. At Old Faithful, we weresurprised to see several other not-as-predictable geysers erupting nearby, whilewe waited to see Old Faithful do its thing a second time. Of course, we stoppedand had a “God Bless America” moment at Yellowstone Falls.
We stayed at the completely renovated Lake Yellowstone Hotel, built in1891 and so incredibly romantic that its dining room with sweeping views is apopular place for marriage proposals. We also toured the Old Faithful Inn, builtwith gnarled and twisted logs. The 76-foot-high lobby has a huge roughstonefireplace and overhanging balconies. We also saw two brand-new lodges thatopened in 2015 to replace 300 aging cabins built in the 1950s and ’60s.
But here’s another tip: The entire area surrounding Yellowstone in bothWyoming and Montana is almost as beautiful as the park itself. Considerstaying in the hyper-Western town of Cody, Montana, only 54 miles from thepark and filled with many attractions of its own. A full day is warranted in thehuge, world-class Buffalo Bill Center of the West — actually five museums inone, covering Plains Indians, Western art, firearms, natural history, and BuffaloBill himself. There’s a popular nightly rodeo in Cody and Old Trail Town, acollection of historic cabins gathered from all over Wyoming. Near Cody, you’llfind dude ranches, whitewater rafting, wild mustang tours, and the soberingbut fascinating Heart Mountain World War II Japanese-American Relocation site.
If you use Cody as your base to explore Yellowstone, consider taking aloop into the park via the Buffalo Bill Highway, and its spectacular rockformations with colorful names like Laughing Pig, Snoopy the Dog, 4 Men on aToboggan, and (my favorite) Henry Ford in an Edsel Chased by a Grizzly Bear.Come back to Cody on the also-beautiful Chief Joseph Highway with vistas ofcanyons and mountains.
Yellowstone and the Wild West. It’s a complete vacation!
The vistas don’t end at Yellowstone’s borders. The photo at the top of the pagewas taken on the nearby Chief Joseph Highway. Great blue herons make theirhomes nearby.
— Woody Woodson
— Chip Gross
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NOBODY WOULD SUGGEST that you ignore Valravn,Cedar Point amusement park’s newest, wickedly fastroller coaster. Or that you shouldn’t soak up theAfrican ambiance at Kalahari Waterpark Resort. Norwould they suggest you skip the venerable Marble-head Lighthouse. Those mainland places certainly are popular ele-
ments of any visit to Lake Erie. Yet just a ferry rideaway on Ohio’s archipelago of islands, you’ll find at-tractions that offer eco-friendly alternatives to typicaltourist activities. “Many people are surprised by howmuch green space we have on the islands and by howbeautiful their nature preserves are,” says Lake ErieIslands Conservancy Chairperson Lisa Brohl. “Theyjust don’t know about them.” Indeed, the islands’ green destinations afford a
respite from the lake’s summertime bustle and deliverenjoyable experiences that help everyone appreciatewhy Lake Erie truly is a Great Lake. Want to spendsome down-to-earth time on the islands? Check outand enjoy these natural wonders.
Kelleys IslandNot only is Kelleys Ohio’s largest island, but the en-
tire island — where quarries and vineyards once flour-ished — is on the National Register of Historic Places.The island is served by Hancock-Wood Electric Coop-erative, and on West Lakeshore Road, Hancock-Wood’sscenic overlook includes an observationdeck and “welcome” sign that’s a prime spotfor selfies. While the south-facing overlookhas stunning water views, you’ll want to goto the island’s north side to see GlacialGrooves Geological Pre-serve, a National NaturalLandmark that reveals howglaciers shaped the islandsand lake. Formed by mas-sive ice sheets that gashedKelley’s limestone bedrock,the 400-foot-long groovesare a world-class example ofglacial striations.
Nearby Kelleys Island State Park possesses one ofLake Erie’s loveliest beaches and multi-use trailswhere you might encounter the remarkable Lake Eriewater snake, which lives only on the islands. The parkalso includes North Pond Nature Preserve, a water-fowl-rich wetland with a boardwalk trail and observa-tion deck, and North Shore Alvar Nature Preserve,where rock formations foster rare plants such as thenorthern bog violet. Elsewhere on Kelleys Island, Scheele Preserve is a
Cleveland Museum of Natural History site wheremeadow and forest habitats harbor bluebirds, butter-flies, and state-threatened rock elms.
North Bass IslandRemote and rustic, this island is accessible only by
airplane or personal watercraft. The state of Ohiopermits only primitive camping at North Bass StatePark, which has meager visitor amenities but abun-dant woods and marshlands for sighting waterfowl,shorebirds, and snakes.
Middle Bass IslandAlthoughMiddle Bass Island State Park is a
boaters’ haven, birders flock to the island’s side-by-sidepreserves — Petersen Woods, where bald eagles roost,andKuehnle Wildlife Area, a wetland at whichCarolina wrens, dragonflies, and water lilies delight visi-
tors. On the island’s tip, EastPoint Preserve is a birding hotspot with an osprey nestingplatform.
OffshoreadventuresExplore the natural wonders of the Lake Erie islandsSTORY AND PHOTOS BY DAMAINE VONADA
30 COUNTRY LIVING • JULY 2016
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South Bass Island
Though South Bass is a lively summer play-ground, many families time their vacations totake advantage of natural science opportunities atits two unique facilities — the Lake Erie IslandsNature and Wildlife Center, which boasts sur-prisingly diverse exhibits of North American ani-mals, and the Aquatic Visitors Center, whichlends kids bait and tackle so that they can fishfrom its pier. The Nature and Wildlife Center’s butterfly gar-
den doubles as a monarch waystation, and insidethe center, you can examine monarch wingsunder a microscope. Besides supporting “WildTuesday!” events featuring wildlife activities, thecenter sponsors nature camps. This summer’stheme is “Birds and Trees,” during which, says ed-ucation coordinator Jackie Taylor, “We take kidsoutside, where they’ll experience things they’renot normally exposed to.” A joint Ohio Sea Grant and Ohio Department
of Natural Resources wildlife project, the AquaticVisitors Center has live fish displays highlightingLake Erie species. Saturday children’s programsfocus on ecosystem topics, such as plankton,bugs, birds, and water snakes. “The center,” noteseducation and outreach coordinator Kristin Stan-ford, “is one of the few free things on the islands,and a place where you’ll learn about the lakeyou’re visiting and how to protect this wonderfulnatural resource.”
DAMAINE VONADA is a freelance writerfrom Xenia.
JULY 2016 • COUNTRY LIVING 31
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32 COUNTRY LIVING • JULY 2016
OUTHOUSE RACES have been held inOhio at least as far back as 1981,when the Good Old Days OuthouseRace was first held in Avon. An out-of-control careening outhouse almosthit a police cruiser and eventuallybrought the races there to an end,
but the idea spread toother parts of the state,where it has seemed togain in popularity over recent years.Participants like to joke that you
don’t want to be number two in theouthouse races. It’s all in good fun,with the races typically helping tosupport the 4-H junior fair or localtourism. Some races are for youthsonly, but others have added adultcompetitions.
Usually two to four pushers pro-pel the outhouse and a single passen-ger a relatively short distance, from100 to 300 feet. In addition to hon-oring the fastest team, many of theevents also judge teams on their out-house artwork and team name cre-ativity. At the Ross County Fair, therehave been 150 participants in thepreliminary races, and 18 teams at fi-nals. They’ve been hosting the out-house races there for more than 20years.
Outhouse races in OhioHere’s a sampling of where you can see
outhouse races this summer and fall.Tues., Aug. 9 — Ross County Fair
(Junior Fair Night festivities, starting at 7p.m.). http://rosscountyfair.com/fair/daily-schedule.htm
Sat., Sept. 5 — Millersport Sweet CornFestival, 3 p.m. Two age categories, teamsof 3 persons. http://sweetcornfest.com/SCFFestivalSchedule.html
Sat., Oct. 1 — Van Wert OuthouseRaces, 9 a.m. Adult outhouse racing, kids’games, chili cookoff. www.mainstreet -vanwert.org
Additionally, the Jackson County Fair(July 15-23) and the Noble County Fair (Aug.30-Sept. 4) are also likely to have racesagain this year, but dates weren’t confirmedas of press time. Check their websites formore information: www.jacksoncofair.comand www.noblecountyfair.net/fair/schedule.
Taking care ofbusiness
Outhouse trivia• Historically, an outhouse with acrescent moon on the door meant itwas reserved for women, while onewith a sun was for men.
• Thomas Jefferson personally designedtwo octagonal brick outhouses for hisvacation home.
• In Delaware Water Gap, Pennsylvania,the National Park Service once spenta third of a million dollars on a two-seater outhouse.
• As a student at Whittier College,Richard Nixon procured a multi-seatouthouse to burn atop a huge campusbonfire.
• During the last week of February, theworld’s largest outhouse race is heldat Trenary, Michigan, with more than3,000 folks converging on the town inthe dead of winter.
Race with outhouses. No magazines needed.
BY DANIEL WOODARD
— Photos courtesy of Ross
County Extension
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34 COUNTRY LIVING • JULY 2016
ANY BUG with big, bulging eyes, alarge body, and clear wings withorange veins looks scary, but infact, the 17-year cicada, whichemerged this spring and infestedeastern and southern Ohio, isharmless. After spending 17 yearsunderground drinking the juicesof plant roots, it’s the point in thecicadas’ life cycle for them tocome above ground to spend afew weeks looking for a mate.They’re generally just a nuisanceto humans, especially given theirsheer numbers, but cicadas willstrip new or weak trees of theirleaves if given a chance, and theirclumsiness with flying can makefor awkward encounters. What most people will remem-
ber after a cicada infestation is thenoise. It’s the males making thehigh-pitched sound most com-
monly associated with cicadas, butfemale cicadas flick their wings,making a softer sound, to respondto the males. In places where they’ve emerged
in the tens of thousands, the soundcan be almost deafening. In 2004,when a brood of cicadas emergedin central Ohio during the annual Memorial Tournament, their“songs” were so loud they drownedout the cheers for Tiger Woods.But they’ll be gone two to fourweeks after they emerge, and thequiet will last for another 17 years.Ohio has broods of cicadas that
emerge in different years in otherparts of the state, so their turn iscoming. There’s also a 13-year ci-cada. Every 221 years, they emergeat the same time as the 17-year ci-cadas. Now, that’s something toworry about!
The invasion has started!BY MAURA GALLAGHER
Photo by John Halleyof the Athens Messenger
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JULY 2016 • COUNTRY LIVING 35
Member interactive:Send us yourphotos and stories!
If we use your photo, you’ll get a Country Living tumbler:
If we use youressay, you’ll get:
$25For September, send us by July 15,photos of “Sports superstars.”
For October, send us by Aug. 15, photosof “My best Halloween costume ever.”
Guidelines:1. Stories no longer than 150 words2. Digital photos should be a minimum of 300 dpi3. One entry per household per month4. Send a self-addressed stamped envelope if you
want anything returned5. Include your name, mailing address, and the name
of your electric co-op6. E-mail: [email protected]
By U.S. mail: Editor, Country Living, 6677 BuschBlvd., Columbus, OH 43229
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NORTHWESTTHROUGH NOV. 23 – “Fighting for
Freedom: WWII in Fulton County,”
Fulton Co. Museum, 229 Monroe St.,
Wauseon, Tues.–Sat. 12–5 p.m. Exhibit
shows how everyday life was affected
by the war. 419-337-7922 or
www.fultoncountyoh.com.
JUL. 4 – Star Spangled Spectacular,Faurot Park, Lima, 3–11 p.m. Kids’ activities, car show, food, music, fire-works, and a restored 1944 M4-A3Sherman Tank on display. 419-879-3502 or http://lima4th.com.
JUL. 8-10 – Lagrange Street PolishFestival, 3106 Lagrange St., Toledo,Fri. 5–11 p.m., Sat. noon–11 p.m., Sun.noon–7 p.m. $5. Polish food, drinks,and entertainment. 419-255-8406 orwww.polishfestival.org.
JUL. 8–10 – Huron River Fest, HuronBoat Basin, 330 N. Main St., Huron.Free. Competitions, parades, entertain-ment, games, car show, fireworks. 419-433-4848 or www.huronriverfest.com.
JUL. 9, 10 – Toledo LighthouseWaterfront Festival, Maumee BayState Park, Sat. 10 a.m.–7 p.m., Sun. 11a.m.–5 p.m. Lighthouse boat rides,weather permitting. Live entertain-ment, kids’ activities, and food. 419-691-3788 or www.toledolight house - festival.com.
JUL. 10 – Paddle Palooza, MaumeeBay Inland Lake, Maumee Bay StatePark, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Free. Great opportunity for the whole family totest drive canoes and kayaks andlearn how to stand-up paddleboard.419-836-6003.
JUL. 15 – 1940s WWII-Era Big BandHangar Dance, Liberty AviationMuseum, 3515 E. State Rd., PortClinton. $40 advance, $45 at the door,$75/couple. 419-732-0234 or www.libertyaviationmuseum.org.
JUL. 15–17 – Kite Flyers Weekend,Maumee Bay State Park, 1400 StatePark Rd., Oregon. http://parks.ohio -dnr.gov/maumeebay.
JUL. 15–17 – Flag City Daylily Tour.Fri–Sat. 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sun. noon–6p.m. Tour six daylily gardens in andaround Findlay. Free. 419-889-8827 [email protected].
JUL. 16 – Malinta Festival, MonroeTwp. Fire Station, Road K-2, Malinta.Flea market, BBQ, entertainment, kids’area, auction. 419-966-2392 or 419-966-0880.
JUL. 17 – Lakeside Wooden Boat Showand Plein Air Art Festival, HotelLakeside Grounds and Lakeside Dock,Lakeside, 12-4 p.m. More than 50wooden boats will be featured. Also, 30plein air artists from across the Midwest.Artwork sold on Sunday. 866-952-5374or www.lakesideohio.com.
JUL. 22, 23 – Pizza Palooza, Cen te nnial Terrace, 5773 CentennialRd., Sylvania, 5 p.m.–midnight. $5, C.$3. 419-885-7106 or www.sylvani-achamber.org.
NORTHEASTTHROUGH AUG. 11 – Chagrin FallsSummer Concert Series, downtownChagrin Falls, every Thur. 7–9 p.m.Free. 440-247-6607.
JUL. 1-4 – Rib, White, and Blue, Lock3, 200 S. Main St., Akron, 11 a.m.–11p.m. Rib vendors from all over thestate, music, and fireworks. 330-375-2877 or http://lock3live.com.
JUL. 2 – Car Show, downtownLoudonville, 131 W. Main St.,Loudonville, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. More than500 cars from all decades and eras.419-994-4789 or www.discovermohi-can.com.
JUL. 8, 9 – Ashland Co. Yester yearMachinery Clubs Annual Show,Ashland Co.-West Holmes Career Ctr.,1783 St. Rte. 60 S., Ashland. Free. Livemusic 4 p.m. 419-651-4109.
JUL. 8-10 – Great Mohican IndianPow-Wow, 23270 Wally Rd.,Loudonville, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. $8, C. $4.Two- and three-day passes $14/$6,$21/$9. Native American live music,dancing, and drum competitions; storytelling. 800-766-2267 orwww.mohicanpowwow.com.
JUL. 9 – Beginning Blacksmithing,Zoar Village, 198 Main St., Zoar, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. $100. Advance registra-tion required. 800-262-6195 orhttp://historiczoarvillage.com.
JUL. 9 – Love Fest, Chardon Square,Short Court St., Chardon, 2–10 p.m.Local, up-and-coming stars of the nextgeneration of music. 724-259-2066 orhttp://chardonlovefest.weebly.com.
JUL. 9, 10 – Summer Festival of theArts, Youngstown University, 1University Plaza, Youngstown, Sat. 10a.m.–6 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.–5 p.m. 330-941-2307 or http://web.ysu.edu/sfa.
JUL. 14–16 – Olde Canal DaysFestival, 123 Tuscarawas St., CanalFulton, Thur./Fri. 5–11 p.m., Sat. 11a.m.–11 p.m. Ride a canal boat, tourhistorical sites. 330-854-9095 orwww.discovercanalfulton.com.
JUL. 15-17 – IslandFest, MemorialPark, 112 Division St., Kelleys Island,Fri. 5–11 p.m., Sat. 11 a.m.–9 p.m.,Sun. 11 a.m.–5 p.m. A variety of familyentertainment. 419-746-2360 orwww.kelleysislandchamber.com.
JUL. 16, 17 – F.A.R.M.® TractorShow, New London Rec. Park, NewLondon. Donation. FeaturingCockshutts and CO-OP tractors andequipment. 419-929-0502.
JUL. 21-23 –Doughty Valley SteamDays, 5025 St. Rte. 557, Millersburg.Antique farm machinery, tractors, andsteam engines. Horse pull Thur., antique tractor pull Fri. 330-763-0303.
JUL. 29, 30 – The Summer Market,Veterans Memorial Park, 32756 LakeRd., Avon Lake, Fri. 3–9 p.m., Sat. 9a.m.–6 p.m. Vendors, food from localrestaurants, live music.www.thesummer market.com.
JUL. 29, 30 –Wild West Fest,Pleasant Hill State Park, Perrysville.Wild West–themed events and con-tests, Outlaw Cowboy shooting show,horseshoe pitching. 419-938-7884 orwww.mwcd.org.
CENTRALTHROUGH SEPT. – “Blooms andButterflies,” Franklin ParkConservatory, 1777 E. Broad St.,Columbus, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. $13. 614-715-8000 or www.fpconserv atory.org.
THROUGH OCT. – “CelebratingVictoria, the First Woman to Run forPresident,” Victoria Woodhull exhibit,Robbins Hunter Museum, 221 E.Broadway, Granville, Wed.–Sat. 1–4p.m. 740-587-0430 or www.robbins-hunter.org.
JUL. 1 – Red, White and BOOM!,downtown riverfront and the ArenaDistrict, Columbus, 11 a.m.–midnight.Ohio’s largest fireworks display. 614-299-9221 or www.redwhiteand-boom.org.
JUL. 1, 5, 7, 9, 11, 14–16, 19, 21, 25,26, 30 – Trumpet in the Land,Schoenbrunn Amphitheatre, 1600Trumpet Dr. NE, New Philadelphia,8:30 p.m. $18/$20, Srs./Stds.$18, C.(3–12) $8/$10. Ohio's longest-runningoutdoor theater production. 330-339-1132 or www.trumpetintheland.com.
JUL. 2 – Barn Dance, Malabar FarmState Park, 4050 Bromfield Rd., Lucas,7–10 p.m. $1, free for kids under 12.Round and square dancing with callerand live music. 419-892-2784 orwww.malabarfarm.org.
JUL. 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 – “OralHistories: Life on the Ohio River,”Ohio History Ctr., 800 E. 17th Ave.,Columbus, open noon–5 p.m. 614-297-2300, 800-686-6124, orwww.ohiohistory.org.
JUL. 4 – Central Ohio SymphonyJuly 4th Concert, Philips Glen, 61 S.Sandusky St. Includes 1812 Overturewith cannon and fireworks. Free. 740-362-1799 or www.centralohiosym-phony.org.
JUL. 4 – Civil War Memorial, OldMethodist cemetery, corner of WalnutSt. and Anderson Ave., Frankfort, 9 a.m. The oldest Civil War Memorialin Ross Co. 740-998-4315.
JUL. 8-10 – North Market Ohio WineFestival, North Market, 59 Spruce St.,Columbus, Fri. 7 –10 p.m., Sat. noon–9 p.m., Sun. noon–5 p.m. 614-463-9664 or www.northmarket.com.
JUL. 9 – Car Show, Lancaster CountryClub, 3100 Country Club Rd. SW, regis-tration 10 a.m., trophies 4 p.m. 740-407-1532.
JUL. 14-17 – Miami Valley SteamThreshers Assn. Annual Show andReunion, Pastime Park, Plain City,horse pulls Thur. 7 p.m., grand parade Fri. 6 p.m., tractor pulls Sat.and Sun. 614-270-0007 or www.miamivalleysteamshow.org.
JUL. 15, 16 – Harding Symposium:“The American PresidentialCandidate: Reality vs. Illusion,” OSUMarion, 1465 Mt. Vernon Ave., Marion.Registration deadline Jul. 8. 740-725-6253 or www.osumarion.osu.edu/ini-tiatives/outreach/harding-symposium.
JUL. 16 – Catfish Tournament, A. W. Marion State Park, 7317 WarnerHuffer Rd., Circleville. 740-869-3124 orhttp://parks.ohio dnr.gov/awmarion.
JUL. 20-30 – Lancaster Festival, various venues in Lancaster. Music,art, and more. 740-687-4808 orwww.lancasterfestival.org.
JULY 2016 CALENDAR
36 COUNTRY LIVING • JULY 2016
PLEASENOTE• Country Living strives for ac -curacy but strongly urges readers to confirmdates and times before traveling long dis-tances to events. Submit listings AT LEAST90 DAYS prior to the event bywriting toCountry Living, 6677 Busch Blvd.,Columbus, OH 43229 [email protected]. Country Livingwill notpublish listings that don’t include a completeaddress of where the event takes place or anumber to call formore information.
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JUL. 22, 23 – Whispering Sun Musicand Arts Festival, Frontier Ranch,8836 York Rd. SW, Pataskala. $70–$85. A variety of music genres at thisoutdoor site. 937-407-9522 orwww.whisperingsunsummerjam.com.
JUL. 22–24 – Jazz and Ribs Fest,downtown Columbus riverfront,Fri./Sat. 11 a.m.–11 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.–8:30 p.m. Free. 614-645-7995 orwww.hotribscooljazz.org.
JUL. 23 – Blast from the Past Cruise-in,downtown Delaware, sunrise to sunset.740-815-8328 or 740-816-1178.
JUL. 27–AUG. 7 – Ohio State Fair,Ohio State Fgds., 717 E. 17th Ave.,Columbus, daily 9 a.m.–10 p.m. $10,Srs./C. (5–12) $8, free for kids under5. $5 parking. “Ride-All-Day” wrist-band vouchers available. 888-646-3976 or www.ohio state fair.com.
JUL. 29, 30 – Lorena SternwheelerCivil War Re-enactment andEncampment, Zane’s Landing Parkand Riverside Park, Zanesville. Onecruise Fri. night, four on Saturday.Reservations required. 800-743-2303or www.visit zanesville.com.
JUL. 31 – “Sunday Drive” Car Show,Malabar Farm State Park, 4050Bromfield Rd., Lucas, 12–4 p.m. Freeadmission; entrance fee for those en-tering a car. Take a Sunday drive to abygone era to enjoy the cars, music,and old-fashioned foods. 419-892-2784 or www.malabarfarm.org.
SOUTHEASTJUL. 1 – Marietta’s Red, White, andBrews Festival, Lafayette Hotel, 101Front St., Marietta, doors open at 5p.m. $10. 740-885-8194 or www.mari-ettamainstreet.org/red-white-and-brews-festival.
JUL. 2 –Mound Cemetery Tour:Patriot Edition, beginning at Fifth andScammel Sts., Marietta, 10 a.m. $5. Astroll through Marietta’s historic ceme-tery to learn the stories ofRevolutionary War soldiers. 740-373-5178 or www.mariettaohio.org.
JUL. 2, 3 – Monroe IndependenceDay Pow Wow, River’s Edge ActivityCtr. and Campgrounds, 34396 St. Rte.7, Sardis. 740-472-4800.
JUL. 6–9 – Ohio Hills Folk Festival,Fair and South Sts., Quaker City, 10a.m.–11 p.m. Parades, car show, coun-try store, pageant, flea market. 740-679-2704.
JUL. 8–10 – Lilyfest, BishopEducational Gardens, 13200 LittleCola Road, Rockbridge, Fri. 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. 10a.m.–4 p.m. A celebration of arts,crafts, music, and gardens in theHocking Hills. 740-969-2873 orwww.lilyfest.com.
JUL. 9–12 – Cowgirl Boot Camp,Smoke Rise Ranch, 6751 HunterdonRd., Glouster. $20 (to camp) to $175(for a cabin). 740-767-2624 orwww.smokeriseranch.com.
JUL. 14–17 – Jamboree in the Hills,43510 National Rd., Belmont. Single-day ticket $75, multi-day passes$150–$235. The nation’s longest-run-ning country music festival. 800-594-8499 or www.jamboreeinthehills.com.
JUL. 15, 16 – Sweet Corn Festival,300 block of Front St., downtownMarietta, Fri. 5–9 p.m., Sat. 11 a.m.–8p.m. See antique tractors and gas engines or take part in the pedal trac-tor pull, corn hole tournament, andcorn eating contest. www.mariet-tasweetcorn.com.
JUL. 15–23 – Ohio Brew Week,Athens. Sample more than 176 craftbrews in 33 venues. www.ohio-brewweek.com.
JUL. 16 – Romantic MoonlightCanoe Trip, 7–10:30 p.m. 31251Chieftain Dr., Logan. $45 per canoe.800-686-0386 or www.hockinghills-canoeing.com.
JUL. 16 – Railroad DaysRendezvous, Pike Lake State Park,1847 Pike Lake Rd., Bainbridge (RossCo.), 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Free. Displays ofmodel railroads, collectibles, memora-bilia, exhibits, and model train dis-plays. 740-947-5409 or www.pike -travel.com.
JUL. 29-31 – International SunflowerFestival, Frankfort, Fri. 5–9 p.m., Sat.8 a.m.–8:30 p.m., Sun. 8 a.m.–2:30p.m. Free. www.sunflowerfestival.net.
JUL. 30 – Adams Co. Prairie Tour,Shawnee State Park, 9 a.m.–3 p.m.Tour four separate preserves. 740-858-6652 or http://stateparks.com/shawnee_state_park_in_ohio.html.
JUL. 30 – Ohio River FerryboatFestival, Fly, OH, and Sisterville, WV, 9a.m.–9 p.m. Come celebrate the nearly200-year ferryboat connection be-tween the states. Festival takes placeon both sides of the river. 304-771-8835 or www.facebook.com/events/1034876283214645.
JUL. 30 – Gateway to the HockingHills Trade Faire, Tarlton Town Hall,105 S. Harrison St., Tarlton, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Local artisans, crafts, produceand community yard sale. 740-477-8696.
JUL. 30, 31 – Harmar Days Festival,Harmar Village, Marietta. Celebratethe historic Harmar Bridge, our coun-try's oldest operating railroad swingbridge, circa 1880. Food, music, andentertainment. 740-373-5178 or [email protected]
SOUTHWESTJUL. 4 – Americana Festival, down-town Centerville, East Franklin St.,Centerville, 7:30 a.m.–11 p.m. Parade,fireworks, concert, and 300 craft andfood booths. 937-433-5898 orwww.americanafestival.org.
JUL. 4 – Red, White and Blue Ash,Summit Park, Blue Ash, 4–10:35 p.m.Fireworks, entertainment, music, foodand drink, and family fun. Featuredband is Styx. http://blueash -events.com.
JUL. 7–10 – Greenville Farm Powerof the Past, Darke Co. Fgds.,Greenville. $5, free for kids under 12.Annual tractor, gas engine, and hot airengine show. Car show on Sunday.937-547-1845 or www.greenvillefarm-power.org.
JUL. 7–10 – Summer SkatingCompetition, Hobart Arena, 255Adams St., Troy. Figure and freestylecompetitions with 300 participantsfrom across the country. 937-339-8521or www.troyskatingclub.org.
JUL. 8 – Quilts of Highland County,,Hillsboro High School, 550 U.S. 62,Hillsboro. 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. $5. 937-393-3031.
JUL. 8, 9 – Ohio Challenge Hot AirBalloon Festival, MiddletownRegional Airport, Smith Park,Middletown. $4, free for kids under13. Parking fee. Balloon rides (includ-ing tethered rides), biplane rides, carshow. 513-435-6361 or www.ohiochal-lenge.com.
JUL. 9 – Fire in Your Mouth, Fire inthe Sky, Hannon’s Camp, 8501Camden College Corner Rd., CollegeCorner, 4 p.m.–midnight. $5 parking.Spicy food, music, fireworks. 513-798-2794 or www.hannonscamp -america.com.
JUL. 13-16 – Hamilton County 4-HCommunity Fair, Stricker’s Grove,11490 Hamilton-Cleves Rd., Hamilton.513-305-9445 or www.hc4hcommuni-tyfair.org.
JUL. 13–17 – USRowing ClubNational Championship Regatta,East Fork State Park, Harsha Lake,Bethel. www.usrowing.org.
JUL. 15, 16 – Sock Hop ’50s, ’60s,and ’70s, Hueston Woods State Park,College Corner. Prizes for bestdressed and an ice cream social. 513-523-1060.
JUL. 16 – Buckeye Bourbon and BBQFestival, Miami Valley Gaming, 6000St. Rte. 63, Lebanon, 1–11 p.m. Morethan 60 bourbons for tasting, plus craftbeers, BBQ, and food booths. Livemusic. 513-932-1817 or www.wchs -museum.org/events/events-10.
JUL. 22, 23 – Cincinnati MusicFestival, Paul Brown Stadium. Jazz,soul, and R&B performers. Ticketsstarting at $55. 800-452-3132 orwww.cincymusicfestival.com.
JUL. 23 – Rock ‘n’ Green TomatoFestival, Riverfront Park, 3 NorthMiami Ave., Miamisburg, noon–11 p.m.Food, vendors, contests, corn holetournaments, live music. 937-847-2442 or www.rockngreentomato.com.
JUL. 26–30 – Annie Oakley Festival,York Woods, 6129 Reed Rd.,Versailles. Shooting contests, bullwhipexhibitions. Parade Sat. 10 a.m. indowntown Greenville. www.annieoak-leyfestival.org.
JUL. 28–30 – Annie OakleySidewalk Sales, S. Broadway, down-town Greenville. 937-548-4998 orwww.mainstreet greenville.org.
JUL. 29, 30 – Miami Valley MusicFest, Eagles Campground, 2252 Troy-Urbana Rd., Troy. 937-371-7228 orwww.miamivalleymusicfest.com.
JUL. 30, 31 – Gathering at Garst,205 N. Broadway, Greenville, Sat. 10a.m.–9 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.–4 p.m.Living history encampment with re-en-actors representing eras ranging fromthe French and Indian War to theAmerican Civil War. 937-548-5250 orwww.gatheringatgarst.com.
WEST VIRGINIAJUL. 2–4 – 4th of July Celebration atOglebay, Wheeling, Sat. 8 a.m.–Mon.5 p.m. Live music, crafts, and food.Fireworks at Schenk Lake on Jul. 3.800-624-6988.
U
1. Canoe2. Kokosing River3. Great Miami River Watershed River
Trail4. The Great Miami, Mad, and Stillwater
water trails5. Mad River Water Trail6. East Sandusky Bay Water Trail7. Mahoning River Water Trail8. Mohican River Water Trail9. Vermilion-Lorain Water Trail10. Mohican River Water Trail11. Lake Erie Islands12. Kokosing, Mohican, and Stillwater
rivers
Ohio Quiz(Answers from page 39)
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OHIO MARKETPLACE
***ADVERTISE HERE***ONLY $310 FOR 3 MONTHS!
Largest circulation of any Ohio rural magazine.COUNTRY LIVING
Rich Warren 614-846-5757 [email protected]
38 COUNTRY LIVING • JULY 2016
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OHIO QUIZ
Buckeye ‘blueways’
This month’s quiz features Ohio’s water trails, recreational routesalong or across bodies of water where the public can usenonmotorized watercraft to enjoy natural and cultural resources.We’ll provide clues about these “blueways,” and you provide theanswers. For example, if the clue is “Although Ohio communitiestypically initiate them, what agency officially designates the state’swater trails?,” the answer would be “Ohio Department of NaturalResources.”
CLUES1. What kind of boat is featured on Ohio’s water trails logo?2. What stream was named Ohio’s first water trail in 2005?3. Totaling 265 miles, what is Ohio’s largest water trail system?
4. What three blueways comprise Ohio’s largest water trailsystem?
5. Which water trail has one of the state’s best trout streams? 6. What was the first Ohio blueway on a Lake Erie bay? 7. Which water trail includes the Newton Falls Covered Bridgeand vestiges of the Pennsylvania and Ohio Canal?
8. Traversing heavily wooded valleys, which water trail has awilderness-like landscape?
9. Which blueway follows both a river and Lake Erie’s shoreline?
10. Which water trail encompasses the longest navigable riverlocated entirely within Ohio?
11. What proposed Ohio water trail will be located largelyoffshore?
12. Which three blueway streams also boast the state’s “scenic”designation?
ANSWERS ON PAGE 37
JULY 2016 • COUNTRY LIVING 39
OHIO MARKETPLACE
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40 COUNTRY LIVING • JULY 2016
FANS OF THE 1983 FILM NationalLampoon’s Vacation will recall howthe bumbling Griswold family droveacross the country to visit WalleyWorld, a fictional amusement park,that ended up being closed whenthe Griswolds arrived. Ohio has asimilarly named vacation mecca,one that’s never closed. The 10-mile-long Wally Road traversesalongside the Mohican Riverthrough segments of Ashland,Holmes, and Knox counties. Be-cause of its natural beauty, it’s anofficial Ohio Scenic Byway. Plus, it’sgot a lot to offer vacationers!
Several liveries along the Mohican Riveroffer rentals of canoes or kayaks for timeperiods as short as half an hour or as longas several days. Alternately, you can justleisurely float down this peaceful river on aninner tube.
The Great Mohican Pow-Wow is one of thelargest gatherings in the state and featuresNative American dance and drum competi-tions, craftspeople and artisans, and music.Held twice a year in July and September, thepow-wow this month will be July 8–10.
Zip lining can be found throughout Ohio, butTree Frog Canopy Tours is one of the mostscenic, with its longest 1,100-foot line offer-ing a breathtaking view of the Mohican Val-ley. You might just hit a speed of 50 mph!
Sleep in a treehouse! Alternately, stay in oneof the Amish-built rustic cabins at The Mohi-cans, a quiet forest-surrounded venue that’salso popular as a location for weddings andother events. Both The Mohicans and thenearby Tree Frog Canopy Tours are mem-bers of Licking Rural Electrification.
A visit toWally (Road) WorldTake a scenic drive along the Mohican RiverBY RICH WARREN
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