San Marcos Daily Recordsanmarcosrecord.com

Spring 2013

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Fly fishing

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features....David Short, Randy Stevens, Richard Parrishcover photo...Paul Mueller fly fishing by Billy Woffordphotos....David Short, Richard Parrish and Billy Wofforddesign....Karen Ray, Farrah Hosein, Alfredo Sanchez

Advertise in our Discover magazine, 512.392.2458

Fly fishing is about sharing 4Tee up for some fun with friends 8Texas Cobras rolling back into town 10ErikoMaruyama - A dream come true 12Viva! Cinco deMayo & StateMenudo Cookoff 13Hatchery helps Texans get hooked on fishing 14Texas Green Home&Living Show 15Rainwater Harvesting: Old idea is new again 16Summer Recipes 20Restaurants 22

oouuttddoooorr iissssuueeSpring 2013

San Marcos Daily Recordsanmarcosrecord.com

Fly

or many, the allure, beauty and art of fly fishing firsttake hold when seeing the 1992 Robert Redford movie,“A River Runs Through It” starring Brad Pitt and Tom

Skerritt.And whenever it runs on TV, business picks up at local

stores selling gear as well as for local fly fishing guides.“You can always tell when the movie comes on, business

spikes,” Jason True, Cabela’s fly fishing manager and alocal guide, said.Cabela’s website, www.cabelas.com, is a good resource

for beginners with its Fly Fishing University, which hasseveral free instructional videos.Casting is an art, as well as tieing your own flies,”

Christopher Adams, of Gruene Outfitters and a long timeguide, said. “Everyone casts differently. It’s a matter offeeling the rod as an extension of your arm. And like golf,you can always get better.”Billy Wofford, president of the Central Texas Fly Fishing

Club, says there is a basic difference between fly fishing

and bait casting.“In bait casting you are throwing the weight, and the line

goes along for the ride,” Wofford said. “In fly fishing, theline itself is weighted and is graded and depends on theclassification of the rod. You’re really throwing the line,and the fly goes along for the ride.”“After it hits the water, then you kinda jiggle it around to

represent or imitate an insect to attract fish,” he said.And while you can just go to a sporting goods store to

buy a fly, part of the fun is in learning to tie your own, inessence creating your own lure from scratch, Wofford said.True started tieing his own when he became fascinated

with the art at about eight or nine years old, he said.“Within a month or so I got some patterns of my own,”

True said. “A common well known pattern is the ‘beathead-ed woolly bugger’ because it can look like a series of differ-ent things to the fish. With the flies, what we are doing is

BY DAVID SHORT

BillyWofford enjoys a day on the river. President of the Central Texas Fly Fishing Club,Wofford has been fly fishingaround the world and never tires of the sport.

fishing

4(Continued on page 5)

F

trying to match what fish are eating.”The Texas State alum says the sport is very international

and his favorite place outside Central Texas is Belizebecause “the saltwater experience there is unbelievable.”But he also hopes one day to take a float trip down theAmazon in South America and also go to “the middle ofCanada for cold water species.”Wofford has had the opportunity to fly fish around the

world, in part because the company he worked for sta-tioned him in foreign locations. Among them, Germany,where he practiced the art on numerous occasions with adeputy city mayor even though neither one spoke theother’s language and in Thailand where the villagers wereat first puzzled by his actions.“I was out in the water, catching fish and releasing

them,” Wofford said. “And several of the villagers wereupset because to them I was throwing away dinner. So Iasked if they wanted the fish and they’d send kids out toget them as I caught them. They were all so excited, Ibecame very popular in that village that day.”“To me, fly fishing is about sharing. Sharing your knowl-

edge, what you use, where you go. The catching of fish isincidental. It’s really about being out in nature, thescenery, the camaraderie of others,” Wofford said, echoingsimilar thoughts of Adams and True and their experiences.And you don’t need much equipment.“A rod, reel, some flies, a fly box, vest and perhaps some

hip waders, that’s all,” Adams said.Starter kits with all but the vest and hip waders can be

found for as little as $160-$200 or you can build your owncombination for not much more.“The first thing is learning how to cast,” Wofford said.

“Teaching that can vary from days to as little as 30 min-utes to learn to just throw the line 35 feet. And really,that’s all you need to do, as most fish will be caught within35 feet of where you are standing. You can even learn tocast in your yard. Then it’s just a matter of practice.”The Central Texas Fly Fishing Club has a couple of

meetings each month and is open to the public. For a com-plete schedule see the website at www.ctff.org.

JasonTrue (above),Texas State alum and fly fishing guide at Cabela’s, demonstrates the art of making flies while JessHuh (below) practices the craft. (Top photo by David Short, bottom by Bill Wofford)

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(Continued from page 4)

Matt Jennings (above and left) casts along the BlancoRiver. Cabela’s, along with Gruene Outfitters, carries flyfishing gear in all price ranges, with experts to guide thenovice and pro. (Top and left photos by BillyWofford,gear photo by David Short)

Fly Rod StorageRemove the fly reel from the fly rod. Wipe it clean with a

towel. Put it into its storage bag or case, but do not close ittightly. Allow air to reach the fly reel so any moistureremaining in and on it can evaporate.Take a careful, firm grip on the two sections of the fly rod

and pull the ferrules apart. If the ferrules become stuck,have your partner also take hold of each section as both ofyou pull the sections apart. Be particularly careful that youdo not bend or twist either section as you pull them apart.Use a towel or cloth to dry and clean the fly rod. A spray

window cleaner will safely remove any dirt or greasy film.After the fly rod has been wiped dry, place it, ferrules down,in the cloth bag. Do not get the bag wet. Now place the flyrod, inside its bag, into the rod case or tube.If you must store either a damp fly rod or damp bag,

remember to remove them from the case and allow them todry as soon as you can.

Fly Fishing Equipment StorageKeep both the fly rod and fly reel in a cool, dry, dark place

away from sunlight when possible. Be sure you do not sealeither the rod or reel case tightly during long storages. Whenstoring your fly reel and fly line for a few months, it's best toremove the line from the reel, clean it and store it in large,loose coils to extend its life. Fly lines have soft, flexible coat-ings or finishes that will deform if left tight on a fly reel forlong periods.Well-maintained fly fishing equipment is a joy to use and

less likely to fail when the fish of a lifetime is at the end ofyour line. Routine maintenance and care lets your fly fish-ing equipment give you the best service for your investment.

Courtesy of Fly Fisherman Magazine

6

egendary Austin golf instructor Harvey Penick said, “Ifyou play golf, then you are my friend.”And if you are a golfer in San Marcos looking for a

place to make new friends, or even reunite with long-timegolf buddies, it’s tough to beat Quail Creek Country Club.The course was built in the late 1960s as nine-hole

track, and while it is located next to the former site ofCamp Gary, it wasn’t built by the Air Force.Instead, the course was funded thanks in part to the

1964 Revenues for Recreation Act signed by LyndonBaines Johnson. Johnson wasn’t much of a golfer, but heunderstood the social importance of the game. Realizingsmaller towns throughout the nation didn’t have the civicrevenue needed to build golf courses, LBJ made low-inter-est loans available to groups of 100 or more that wouldhelp support the courses as members. Hence, the HaysCounty Recreation Association was formed and the land onthe east side of the Blanco River was purchased. Thecourse officially opened in 1969.In the 1970s the course added nine more holes, making

it San Marcos’ only 18-hole course.Quail Creek added a restaurant and event facility in

1996, and continues to expand under the current owner-ship group led by Mike Harrelson, the same investor whosparked the renovation of downtown San Marcos byremodeling three of the square’s most notable buildings(First National Bank, the Rogers Building and the Keaton-

Griffin Building) in the early 2000s.A graduate of Texas State University, Harrelson pur-

chased Quail Creek seven years ago with the intention ofproviding an affordable and well-conditioned 18-holecourse for local golfers. An avid golfer himself, Harrelsonunderstands what it means for a community like SanMarcos to have its own 18-hole course.“Golf is a game of fellowship and a way for community

members and leaders to develop strong relationships,”Harrelson said. “To me the secret to the game of golf is nothow well you can play, but having fun with friends. That’swhat it’s all about.”Numerous improvements have been made since

Harrelson purchased the course. A 19th-hole porch with afull-service bar and grill, and a new fountain and creekthat rolls in front of No. 18 are just the most notablechanges. Also, the land bordering the Blanco River hasbeen made more accessible and now plays as part of thepar-five No. 12, while a new tee box is under constructionto lengthen the par-four No. 7, the course’s signature hole.Future plans, according to Harrelson, could include

lighting the driving range and a portion of the course forthose golfers who can’t get out and practice during theday.The course is open seven days a week and also plays

host to numerous tournaments throughout the year. Formore information, call 353-1665.

8

TeeUpTeeUpL

BY RANDY STEVENS

...... ffoorr ssoommee ffuunn wwiitthh ffrriieennddss

9

... for some fun with friends

COBRATexas

Meet

he first weekend in April will onceagain be a buzz with the carmade famous by legendary autodesigner and racer Carroll Shelby

as more than 120 Cobras come to SanMarcos for the annual pilgrimageknown as “Texas Cobra Meet.”But not all the cars and 250 atten-

dees will be from Texas, as the eventcontinues to generate national acclaimand enthusiasm.“Last year we had attendees from

Louisiana, Oklahoma, New Mexico,Arizona, Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa,Missouri, Georgia and Florida as wellas Texas,” event organizer Ken Walkersaid.Not bad for a club that was loosely

organized just 10 years ago, has nomonthly dues and whose chaptershave monthly “get togethers usuallycentering around breakfast tacos,loaded nachos or some other redmeat,” Walker said.The Cobra enthusiasts come togeth-

er annually for the Texas Cobra Meet.Walker says there is a reason it'scalled a meet and not a car show.“At a show the cars are on display

with little activity. A meet, on theother hand, is where cars show upbut are not stationary at all. We drivethem all over the countryside. We takecruises to Fredericksburg andLukenbach, we drive to the Oasis onLake Travis and a few of us test ourtrack skills at Harris Hill Raceway.Every evening as the cars return tothe hotel they will be on display,”Walker said.“And the owners are more than

excited to talk to anyone who is

admiring the cars. We also tailgate inthe parking lot on Thursday andFriday night.”While they also have a fall show in

October held at various venues, SanMarcos has been so popular with thedrivers that it's become more or lessthe permanent site for the springevent, this year to be held April 4-7 atEmbassy Suites.“For many years the TCC Spring

Meet was held at various hotelsaround the Austin area. We outgrewmost of the venues and were fortunateenough to find the Embassy SuitesHotel here in 2009 and the rest is his-tory,” Walker said. “I think they are asexcited for us to come back eachspring as we are to come back. It is an

awesome facility and the staff goes outtheir way to make our stay with themas perfect as possible.”The Texas Cobra Meet is the second

or third largest gathering of the cars,according to Walker, who said some ofthe original Cobras have sold at auc-tion for more than $1 million.Originals Cobras were producedbetween 1962 and 1967.“There are over 350 known Shelby

Cobras, Daytona Coupe and GT-40replicas in Texas, each painstakinglyhand built by its owner and cus-tomized to the owner's own taste. Butsome are exact copies of the original,”Walker said.For more information, visit

www.texascobrameet.com/

BY DAVID SHORT

10

T

PROFILE

BY DAVID SHORT

orn and raised in Japan, Eriko Maruyama starteddreaming and planning in middle school to come tothe United States to attend college.“Being the baby in the family, it was hard for my

dad to understand,” Maruyama said. “I chose Texas due tothe weather because I didn’t want to freeze.”When the time came, Texas State University became her

choice and she joined the 300-400 international studentsthat come here each year. Some, like Maruyama, are herefor their undergraduate work while others come just forone year before going back to their home universities tograduate.“I’m so grateful. This was my first experience leaving

Japan and it was a dream come true,” Maruyama said. “Iwas so excited and although I missed my family I wasnever homesick. All the deer and squirrels running looseeverywhere, it was so cool.”“I didn’t speak English at all when I came here, it was

tough to learn and I had to get out of my comfort zone,”she said. “I decided to hang out with native speakers, lis-ten to them talk. At first people thought I was shy becauseI wasn’t talking much.”With an outgoing personality and quickly picking up the

new language, Maruyama was a hit around the Texas Statecampus, not only in her work-study job at the LBJ StudentCenter but also for her musical talent.“I loved my job as a custodial assistant at the LBJ

Student Center, got to meet everyone as I went aroundpicking up the recycling. I had a blast and all the officestreated me like I was a daughter,” Maruyama said.Hand her a guitar and ask her to sing and Maruyama

can capture an audience’s attention for hours with herbeautiful voice.She performed during her undergrad years at various

venues including Wake the Dead, the Coffee Pot, the annu-al Japanese Cultural & Language clubs festival and win-ning in the ‘07 and ‘08 Hip Hop and Talent show.A songwriter, too, Maruyama has a YouTube Channel

http://www.youtube.com/user/marutoyou with some ofher work.“I haven’t made any songs recently, but I’m still singing

and even making a video for my brother, who is getting

married, because I can’t be there,” Maruyama said. “I’vethought about a music career once or twice but first Iwanted to study and get my master’s degree.”And that she did this past year. After graduating from

Texas State with an undergrad degree in social work,Maruyama set her sites on attending the University ofMichigan for her master’s at one of the premier social workschools in the United States. That goal was a success, asshe received her Masters In Social Work in August.“Michigan is a different world, the university is very big.

Other than the cold, which I hated, I loved the experience.I worked with teenagers, abused and neglected, and thatexperience was amazing,” Maruyama said. “Through myinternship I was able to enhance my skills.”Maruyama then came back to San Marcos and landed a

job at Texas State in the Rural Talent Search program.“I came back here because I loved Texas so much. It’s

like my second family, all my friends here,” Maruyamasaid. “This job at Texas State is great because I work withstudents at San Marcos High School. My caseload is 275kids and I help them with college applications, the SATand ACT, essays for college entrance and contactingadmissions officers as well as attending counseling meet-ings.”And while that caseload keeps her busy with seniors at

SMHS, she also finds time to work with 9th-11th gradersoffering workshops for them, grade monitoring and being amentor.Her plans for now are to remain in Texas at least a few

more years, but eventually Maruyama wants to work forUNICEF and hopefully be based in Tokyo and get to travelhelping children around the world.“I love who I am now, the confidence that I’ve built. I was

a little insecure before I came to Texas, but living here hashelped me,” Maruyama said. “My goal is to work withabused and neglected children and become a therapist andcase manager. I like working with people, especially chil-dren.”And based on the reception from friends and those who

hear her sing, music will no doubt also continue to play arole in her life.

Eriko Maruyama

Making music, helpingchildren at the heartof plans for the future

A dream come true

B

12

and good music

mong the major events in San Marcos this quarter isthe highly anticipated 2013 Viva! Cinco de Mayo &State Menudo Cook-off.

Held at the Hays County Civic Center, 1249 Civic CenterLoop, the event is actually held over two weekends.First up is the menudo kick-off party on Saturday, April

20. A gathering that promises food, fun and good music,doors open at 7 p.m. and the party lasts until 1 a.m.Music will be provided by DJ Lupe Vasquez and UltimateSound as well as live entertainment will be announcedcloser to the date. Check the San Marcos Daily Record forupdates. Tickets are $10 per person with children ages 10and under getting in free.Then on Friday, May 3, the two-day celebration begins at

7 p.m. with gates opening and crowds pouring in to visitfood booths, arts and crafts, live music performances byElida Y Avante and David Lee Garza Y Los Musicales aswell as DJ Lupe Vasquez of Ultimate Sound. Cost for thenight’s performances will be announced.

On Saturday, May 4, one of the largest parades of theyear begins downtown and winds past hundreds of specta-tors before disbanding and everyone heads back out to thecivic center for more festivities.Once again, food booths, arts and crafts and entertain-

ment will be ongoing throughout the day and into thenight. Other events planned for that day include perform-ances by Baile Folklorico, the Cinco de Mayo pageants, aJalapeno Eating contest, and State Menudo Cook-off. Costfrom 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. is $2 per person with children 10and under admitted free.Gates will again open at 7 p.m. for live music and danc-

ing that lasts until midnight. Bands and entrance costswere not available as of press time but will be announcedin the San Marcos Daily Record in the weeks before Cincode Mayo.

inco de Mayo

A& State Menudo Cook-off

Viva!

13

food, fun

Fish Hatchery

ver wonder what goes on at the largefish ponds on Staples Road justbehind Goodnight Middle School?

Quiet and serene with an occasional birdswooping down to steal a fish or two, the

A.E. Wood Fish Hatchery plays a major role in the econo-my of Texas not to mention contributing to fun times formillions of Texas residents and visitors each year.“Texas is second in the nation in total economic output

from fishing and has the most anglers of any state,” CarlKittel of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Inland FisheriesDivision said. “They generate $2.3 billion in retail saleseach year which in turn supports 51,000 jobs in the state.One in every six Americans 16 and older goes fishing.”Originally opened in 1948, the fish hatchery operated

until 1984 when it was closed for renovation. Four yearslater it reopened and today is said to be one of the mostmodern fish hatcheries in the country.“The fish hatchery produces fish for stocking in public

waters primarily for sport fish enhancement,” Kittel said.“The facility as a whole provides support for fisheriesthroughout the state. If we didn’t do that, we’d end up withunmanaged fishing. Not only would the record fish disap-pear but endangered fish would be impacted negatively.”Texas has more than 900 public reservoirs and 80,000

miles of rivers and streams, more than any other stateKittel said.A constant revolving system keeps the small staff of

roughly 20 quite busy. There are 50 ponds at the locationaccounting for 47 surface acres of water. And inside a33,000 square foot building, hatchery personnel have amodern incubation room, shipping and holding troughs aswell as production raceways. There is also a complete labo-ratory which handles fish disease diagnosis and treatment,genetic identification and law enforcement forensic capabil-ity which houses a separate staff.The number of fish produced annually from here is enor-

mous with more than 4.8 million Florida Largemouth Bass,

1.5 million Channel Catfish, 30 million Koi Carp, and sixmillion Striped Bass and their hybrids. Millions of RainbowTrout, Guadalupe Bass and Bluegill are also producedannually here.But before you pick up the phone or drop by, they can’t

supply the public with any of these fish.“We can spawn and harvest fish in as little as 30 days

but it’s more common to run about 45 days,” Kittel said.“However, different programs take varying amounts. Somecan take up to 18 months.”Support for the facility does not come from general state

tax money, but from the license fees paid each year byfishermen and hunters. And that money is matched by fed-eral funds on a 3-1 basis. In addition, taxes paid on boatfuel, fishing gear, ammo and other hunting and fishingitems goes to support the operations of this and otherTexas Parks & Wildlife programs involving the two sports.Cleaning the giant ponds is a year round activity and

important to keep disease from starting or spreadingamong the millions of fish.“Typically we let the ponds dry out after harvest and

then get in to clean them thoroughly. We also use the sunfor a day or two to help. The whole process takes aboutone week,” Kittel said, noting that with varying productionruns, some ponds might only be drained and cleaned oncea year while others could see the cycle as many as fourtimes.The vast amounts of water necessary for the entire oper-

ation comes from the San Marcos River.“We have a permit and will draw 2-3 million gallons per

day on average. It’s a pass-through system as the watercomes from the river to the ponds and then back again,”Kittel said.With their own state-of-the-art water treatment facility

on site, Kittel explained the water goes through a completetreatment prior to being reintroduced into the San MarcosRiver and is always as clean or cleaner than when original-ly taken out.

Rainbow Trout

Guadalupe Bass

BY DAVID SHORT

GetHHOOOOKKEEDD

Go FFIISSHH

Filling Texas watersto the gills with fun

14

E

TEXASPARKS &WILDLIFE

A.E. Wood

Chamber of CommerceTexasGreenHome& LivingShow

he San Marcos Area Chamber of Commerce's 4thAnnual Texas Green Home & Living Show is set totake place at the city of San Marcos Conference

Center at Embassy Suites San Marcos on Saturday,May 11 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The event will bring together hundreds of homeownersand business people for an informative day of exhibitsand demonstrations.

The showcase will focus on providing participantswith the necessary resources for moving toward a clean-er and greener future.

The Texas Green Home & Living Show is free andopen to the public. New for this year are outdoorexhibits, sand castle demonstrations from the SanMarcos Suns and free document shredding sponsoredby the city of San Marcos.

The scheduled exhibitors include: TXI, Amazing Siding& Windows, McCoy's Building Supply, the city of SanMarcos, Tanger Outlets of San Marcos and many more.

“We believe that the Green Show will provide residentsand businesses in our state with practical ways to incor-porate sustainability into their lifestyles. This event trulydemonstrates San Marcos' commitment to quality of lifeenhancements that will attract new residents and busi-nesses looking at the IH-35 Corridor,” Carolyn Gonzalez,co-chair of the Green Show Task Force, said.

For more information, call 393-5905 or visit the GreenLiving Showcase website at www.texasgreenshow.org.

T

4th AnnualTexas Green Home & Living Show

Set for May 11th

15

enjamin Franklin is credited with the saying “Whenthe well runs dry, we will know the worth of water.”As this current drought continues, more and more

Texans are realizing the true value of water. Cities andmunicipalities continue to place restrictions on the amountof water that an individual can use and when they can useit. Water wells have gone dry. Water rights that have beenin place for decades are being re-evaluated as the supply ofavailable water continues to decrease as the population ofthe state continues to increase. Is there anything that ahomeowner can do to help ensure that their well does notrun dry?It is time that we consider an old idea that is new again

– rainwater harvesting. Rainwater harvesting is the processof capturing, diverting and storing rainwater for later use.Archeologists have found evidence that people have beencollecting rainwater for the past 4,000 years, and the con-cept of rainwater harvesting in China may date back 6,000years. Ruins of cisterns built as early as 2,000 B.C. forstoring runoff water from hillsides for agricultural anddomestic purposes are still standing in Israel.Benefits Of Rainwater HarvestingWhile there are several benefits to rainwater harvesting,

it is important to keep in mind that capturing rainwater isjust one tool in the process of water conservation.Some of the benefits include:

• Saves money by reducing your water bills.• Reduces demand on the municipal water supply.• Makes efficient use of a valuable resource.• Reduces flooding, erosion and the contamination of

surface water with sediments, fertilizers and pesticides inrainfall run-off.How much water can truly be collected by rainwater har-

vesting? About 0.6 gallons of water falls on each squarefoot of roof area during a 1-inch rain. That means that a1,000 square foot roof could yield up to 600 gallons ofwater for each inch of rainfall. That is a lot of water.Uses For Collected RainwaterA rainwater harvesting system consists of the supply

(rainfall), the demand (water needed by plants) and a sys-tem for collecting water and moving it to the plants.Captured rainwater can be used on landscapes and gar-dens, and for pets, wildlife and livestock. Rainwater can befiltered, disinfected and used in homes and businesses inplace of other sources of water. This process can be simpleand often less expensive than drilling a well.In the landscape, drip irrigation is the most practical

way to use rainwater. It can be applied by gravity alone orused in combination with mechanical equipment.Water guzzlers are rainwater collection systems built in

remote areas to provide water for wildlife. A roof, storage

BY RICHARD PARRISHHAYS COUNTY EXTENSION AGENT

Rainwater Harvesting: Old idea is new again

B

16

(Continued on page 17)

Photos courtesy Richard Parrish

tank and watering device are the only items needed.Rainfall also can be collected off existing barns, deer blindsor other structures.One horse or cow can

consume 7 to 18 gallons ofwater per day; collectingenough rainwater fromroof surfaces for largeherds of livestock wouldbe difficult. But rainwatercan be used for livestockin addition to a low-waterproduction well and largeexisting storage tank.Smaller herds, individualanimals or pets could ben-efit from collected rainwa-ter.Rainwater supplies

many homes worldwideand is becoming morecommon for homes inTexas. The storage capaci-ty of a rainwater harvest-ing system must be largeenough to provide severalmonths' supply of water.Components OfA Rainwater Harvesting SystemRainwater collection does not have to be expensive or

complex. It can be as simple as putting a bucket or barrelunder a down spout to collect water or as complex asinstalling several large tanks and filtration systems.Regardless of the complexity of your system or what howyou will be using collected rainwater, there are severalcomponents that are similar to each rainwater collectionsystem.Before you even begin the construction of a rainwater

collection system, there are several things to take into con-sideration.• Where will you be collecting the water from?• Once the water is collected, where will it need to go?• Do I have enough room for a collection tank?• Can I run a hose and gravity feed the water to where it

needs to go, can I carry the water in buckets, or do I needto invest in a pump to get the water where it needs to go?• What type of filtration system will I need?• How much do I want to invest, realizing that it might

be several years before I get my investment returned?Rainwater harvesting systems include catchments, con-

veyance systems (connecting catchments to storage con-tainers), storage, and distribution systems (directing waterwhere it is needed). Catchments are surfaces that rainwa-ter lands on. In regards to rainwater collection, the catch-ment would usually be a roof. Other examples of catch-ments would include concrete, asphalt or brick paving,bare soil and areas with plants. The amount of water or“yield” that a catchment provides depends on its size andsurface texture. The smoother, more impervious the catch-ment, the higher the yield of collected water.Conveyance systems direct water from catchments to

storage containers. Conveyance systems would be itemssuch as gutters and down spouts. Gravity is usually usedto move rainwater through a conveyance system. It isimportant to make sure that the conveyance system is of asize large enough to accommodate the amount of waterthat could be coming off a catchment. At a minimum, gut-ters should be at least 5 inches wide. There should be atleast one square inch of down spout area for every 100square feet of catchment area. For example, a 2-inch by 3-inch down spout will accommodate 600 to 700 square feet;a 3-inch by 4-inch down spout will accommodate up to1,200 square feet.Before water is stored, is should be filtered to remove

particles and debris. Filtration can be done through a vari-ety of different methods. It can be done through a series of

screens leading into the storage unit, leaf screens placedover the gutters, or through what is known as a first flushdiverter. A first flush diverter is connected to the gutterdown spout. The first rain that falls ends up in the firstflush diverter, taking debris and other organic material

along with it and prevent-ing it from ending up in thestorage unit.Storage containers may

be made of polyethylene,fiberglass, wood, concreteor metal. Undergroundcontainers cost more toexcavate, to maintain or toremove, and the need topump water out of themadds to their cost. Costs forinstallation of above-ground storage containersdepend on the type ofcatchment and conveyancesystem, the degree of filtra-tion and the distancebetween the container andthe area to be irrigated.Examples of containersthat can be used for above-ground storage include 55-gallon plastic or steel

drums, barrels, tanks, and cisterns. Look under “Tanks,”“Barrels,” “Feed Dealers,” or “Septic Tanks” in a telephonebook to find sources of storage containers. Make sure thatyou only use containers that are free of toxic residues. Ifyou purchase a barrel to make a rain barrel, make surethat it is a food grade quality barrel.

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(Continued from page 16)

Some tips for storage container placement and use:• Elevate above-ground storage containers to take

advantage of gravity flow.• Put storage containers near plants and near or at the

end of down spouts.• Hide unsightly containers in an unobtrusive place or

behind a structure, screen and/or plants.• Because smaller cisterns are easy to handle and cam-

ouflage, place several of them near the irrigated site.• For large landscaped areas, connect several tanks to

increase storage capacity.• If rainfall exceeds storage capacity, provide alternative

storage for the excess or allow it to spill out.The distribution system channels water to plants from

storage containers using garden hoses, constructed chan-nels, solid or perforated pipes or manual drip systems. Ifyour system is gravity-fed, you will need to install somesort of manual valve on your storage container in order toregulate the distribution of rainwater. If your system is notgravity-fed, connect an electric pump to a garden hose totransport water to the irrigation site.If you will be using your rainwater harvesting system to

provide water for in-home use and human consumption, itis important to have a filtration system included in the dis-tribution system that will filter the water for human con-sumption.

A Few Points To Keep In MindThere are several things to keep in mind regarding a

rainwater harvesting system. Use a dark colored storageunit rather than a white or light colored unit. Any lightthat gets into the storage tank can lead to the growth ofalgae. Algae growth can turn fresh rainwater into greenrainwater.It is also important to make sure that your storage unit

is designed in such a way to keep out insects and animalsout. The water inside your storage unit would be the idealbreeding ground for mosquitoes. The initial filtration sys-tem might help to serve as an exclusion device for insectsand animal. Make sure that the overflow is also equippedwith some sort of exclusion device. There would be nothingworse than having to dump your rainwater supply becausea small animal found its way into the storage tank anddied, thus contaminating your water supply.It is important to make sure that on storage units that

are not supplying water for in-home use are labeled asnon-potable water. It is not a bad idea to label those stor-age tanks for in-home use with a non-potable water label,since the water is not technically potable until it has beenfiltered prior to entering the home.If you will be using your rainwater collection system for

landscaping purposes, make sure it is close to where youwill need it. Having to transport water buckets and get oldand heavy quick. Make your water source as convenient aspossible. Don't be afraid to decorate or dress up your stor-age tank. Add some color to your landscape with your dec-orated storage unit!Developing a water harvesting system is actually an

ongoing process to be improved and expanded over time.For example, you may discover additional areas wherewater can be harvested or channeled. Inspect your waterharvesting system before each rainy season (and, ideally,after every rainfall) to keep the system operating optimally.To keep your system in top condition, here is a mainte-

nance checklist you might follow:• Keep debris out of holding areas.• Control and prevent erosion; block erosion trails.• Keep debris out of gutters and down spouts.• Flush debris from storage container bottoms.•Clean and maintain filters.There are also incentive programs to encourage rainwa-

ter harvesting. Both the city of San Marcos and HaysCounty have incentive and rebate programs regarding rain-water harvesting. To find out about these programs, youcan contact Jan Klein with the City of San Marcos at 393-8310 or the Hays County Development ServicesDepartment at 393-2150.If you are wanting more information about how to get

started with rainwater harvesting or how to design yourown system, you can download free resources from theTexas A&M AgriLife Extension Rainwater Harvesting webpage at http://rainwaterharvesting.tamu.edu/. You canalso find educational resources on the web page of theAmerican Rainwater Catchment Systems Association athttp://www.arcsa.org/.By doing one's part to help conserve our water

resources, we can get through these current drought con-ditions and ensure that there is enough water to supplythe needs for the future of Texas. Rainwater harvesting isone piece of that conservation effort. Let's not let the wellrun dry.

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Directions1. Cook bacon over medium high heat until evenly

brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.2. Combine pineapple juice, red wine vinegar, oil, pepper

and salt in a cruet. Shake well.3. In a large bowl, toss together the lettuce, pineapple,

macadamia nuts, and bacon. Pour dressing over salad andtoss. Garnish with toasted coconut.

Ingredients6 slices bacon1/4 cup pineapple juice3 tablespoons red wine vinegar1/4 cup olive oilground black pepper and salt to taste1 (10 ounce) package chopped romaine lettuce1 cup diced fresh pineapple1/2 cup chopped and toasted macadamia nuts1/4 cup flaked coconut, toasted

Dressing:3 tablespoons white wine vinegar3 tablespoons Dijon mustard2 tablespoons honey1/2 cup olive oilsalt and black pepper to taste

Tropical SaladCashew Salad

CHICKENPICCATA

8 ounces lowfat plain yogurt4 boned and skinned chicken breast halves1/2 cup all-purpose flour1 teaspoon paprikasalt and pepper to taste1 tablespoon olive oil1 teaspoon margarine1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice1 cup white vermouth2 cloves garlic, minced1/2 cup lemon juice1/2 cup water2 tablespoons capers

Light

Directions1. Coat chicken with yogurt, cover, and refrigerate at least 2

hours, preferably overnight.2. Rinse chicken, and pat dry with paper towels.3. In a bowl, stir together flour, paprika, salt, and pepper.4. Heat oil, margarine, and 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice in

skillet over medium heat. Dredge chicken in flour mixture.Place chicken in skillet; cook, turning to brown both sides,about 15 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate, and keep warm.

5. Pour vermouth into skillet, and scrape brown bits with awooden spoon. Stir in garlic, 1/4 cup lemon juice, water, andcapers. Cook until reduced by half.

6. Return chicken to the pan, and simmer 3 minutes.

Directions1. Toast cashews over medium-high heat untilgolden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove cashewsto a dish to cool slightly.2. Return skillet to medium-high heat, cook

bacon strips until crisp on both sides, about 7minutes. Remove bacon and soak up grease with apaper towel. Coarsely chop bacon, and set aside.3. In a medium bowl, stir together butter, rose-

mary, curry powder, brown sugar, salt, cayennepepper, and toasted cashews. Set aside.4. In a small bowl, stir together white wine vine-

gar, mustard, and honey. Slowly whisk in olive oil,and sprinkle with salt and pepper.5. In a large salad bowl, toss dressing with

greens, pear slices, grapes, and bacon, and sprin-kle with nut mixture.

Ingredients3/4 cup cashew halves4 slices bacon, coarsely chopped1 tablespoon melted butter1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary1 teaspoon curry powder1 tablespoon brown sugar1/2 teaspoon kosher salt1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Salad:1 (10 ounce) package salad greens1/2 medium Bosc pear, thinly sliced1/2 cup halved seedless red grapes

20

Summer Fruit PieIngredients2 1/2 cups flour, plus more forthe work surface1 teaspoon kosher salt1/2 cup shortening, chilled1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 4 table-spoons unsalted butter, chilledand cut into small cubes1 large egg1 tablespoon white vinegar6 peaches, cut into 8 wedges1 pint strawberries, halved1/4 cup instant tapioca3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoonsgranulated sugarDirections

1. In a food processor, combine theflour, salt, shortening, and ½ cup of thebutter until the mixture forms pea-sizecrumbs. Break the egg into a measur-ing cup and beat lightly; add the vine-gar and enough cold water to measure½ cup. Slowly add the egg mixture tothe flour mixture, pulsing until a softdough forms.

2. Divide the dough in half. Shapeeach half into a flat disk. Wrap in plas-tic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

3. On a lightly floured surface, rollout 1 disk into a 14-inch circle. Placein a 2-inch-deep 9-inch pie plate.

4. In a medium bowl, gently toss thepeaches, strawberries, tapioca, lemonjuice, and ½ cup of the sugar. Spoonthe fruit mixture into the pie plate anddot with the remaining 4 tablespoons ofbutter; refrigerate.

5. Roll out the second disk of doughinto a 14-inch circle. Drape it over thepie and trim the edge to a ½-inch over-hang. Fold under, pressing to seal.Crimp the edge, if desired. Refrigeratefor at least 30 minutes.

6. Heat oven to 425° F. Lightly brushthe top crust with cold water and sprin-kle with the remaining sugar. Cut sev-eral slashes into the top crust. Bakeuntil golden, 18 to 22 minutes. Reduceheat to 375° F and continue to bake 30to 40 minutes more.

7. Transfer to a rack and cool for 2hours before serving. Serves 8.

Blueberry Cobbler

Apple Crisp

Blueberry Tart Caramel-AlmondIce Cream Torte Ingredients

2 pints blueberries1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup sugar1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoonall-purpose flour2 teaspoons baking powder1/4 teaspoon kosher salt1 teaspoon grated lemon zest6 tablespoons cold unsaltedbutter, cut into pieces2 cups heavy creamDirections

1. Heat oven to 375° F. In a shallow 11/2-quart baking dish or a 9-inch pieplate, toss the blueberries, 1/3 cupsugar, and 1 tablespoon flour.

2. In a medium bowl, combine thebaking powder, salt, lemon zest, andthe remaining flour and sugar.

3. Add the butter and blend with yourfingers or 2 knives until coarse crumbsform. Add 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoonscream and mix until dough forms.

4. Drop mounds of dough over theblueberry mixture. Bake 35 to 40 min-utes. Serve with the remaining creamfor drizzling, if desired. Serves 6.

Ingredients1/2 gallon Vanilla ice cream1 cup caramel sauce1/2 cup toasted almonds

Directions1. Press ½ gallon (4 pints) softened

vanilla ice cream into a 9-inch spring-form pan. Freeze until slightly firm, 10to 15 minutes.

2. Top with 1 cup caramel sauce(slightly warmed, if too thick) and ½cup toasted sliced almonds. Freezeuntil firm, at least 1 hour and up to 2days. To serve, remove from pan andslice. Serves 12.

Ingredientsflour for the work surface1 8-ounce sheet frozen puffpastry, thawed1 large egg, beaten1 tablespoon granulated sugar4 ounces cream cheese,softened1/4 cup heavy cream1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest3 tablespoons confectioners'sugar2 cups blueberries

Directions1. Heat oven to 375° F. On a lightly

floured surface, unfold the sheet of pas-try and roll it into a 10-by-12-inch rec-tangle. Transfer to a parchment-linedbaking sheet.

2. Using the tip of a knife, score a 1-inch border around the pastry withoutcutting all the way through. Brush theborder with the egg and sprinkle withthe granulated sugar. Bake until goldenand puffed, 18 to 22 minutes.

3. Using the tip of a knife, rescore theborder of the cooked pastry withoutcutting all the way through. Gentlypress down on the center of the pastrysheet to flatten it. Let cool to room tem-perature, 15 to 20 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, with an electric mixer,beat the cream cheese until smooth.Add the cream, lemon zest, and 2 table-spoons of the confectioners’ sugar andbeat until smooth. Spread the creamcheese mixture evenly within the bor-ders of the pastry.

5. Arrange the blueberries in a singlelayer over the filling and sprinkle withthe remaining tablespoon of confec-tioners’ sugar. Serves 8.

Ingredients3 pounds apples - peeled, cored,and sliced1 tablespoon butter, cut into smallpieces2 tablespoons lemon juice1 cup all-purpose flour1 cup rolled oats1 1/2 cups brown sugar1 1/2 teaspoons groundcinnamon1 teaspoon salt1/2 cup butter

Directions1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

(190 degrees C). Butter a 9x13-inchbaking dish.

2. Spread apple slices into preparedbaking pan. Dot with 1 tablespoon but-ter pieces and sprinkle with lemonjuice. Mix flour, rolled oats, brownsugar, cinnamon, and salt together in abowl. Cut butter into oat mixture untilthe mixture resembles coarse crumbs;spread over apples.

3. Bake in the preheated oven untiltopping is browned and apples are softand tender, about 30 minutes. Top withice cream.

21

BarbecueBRANDING IRON3939 IH-35 South #F6San Marcos396-7004

FUSCHAK'S1701 IH-35 NorthSan Marcos353-2712

HAYS COUNTY BBQ2601 Hunter RoadSan Marcos392-6000

KIP’S BARBECUE690 Centerpoint PlazaSan Marcos392-4424

CafesCAFE ON THE SQUARE126 N. LBJ Dr.San Marcos396-9999

CEDARS220 N. Edward GarySan Marcos754-8358

COOL MINT CAFE415 BurlesonSan Marcos396-2665

COTTAGE KITCHEN308 E. HopkinsSan Marcos392-4295

COTTONSEED CAFE & DELI17033 Highway 80Martindale357-2450

PRICE CENTER TEA ROOM222 W. San AntonioSan Marcos392-3114

Chinese/ThaiIMPERIAL GARDEN1104-L Thorpe LaneSan Marcos353-3355

ROSE GARDEN700 N. LBJ Ste. 114San Marcos805-0880

TASTE OF CHINA1721 IH-35 SouthSan Marcos392-5898

THAI THAI CAFE829 N. LBJ, Suite 101San Marcos395-8424

WOK & ROLL812 S. GuadalupeSan Marcos392-5665

Coffee/Donuts/DessertsDIXIE CREAM DONUTS201 S. LBJ Dr.San Marcos392-5551

JO ON THE GO312-B University DriveSan Marcos353-4880

KRISPY CREME121 IH-35 NorthSan Marcos392-1128

MOCHAS & JAVAS700 N. LBJ Dr., Ste.103ASan Marcos396-5282

PHOENIX RISING BAKERY1904 Ranch Road 12 Ste. 116San Marcos392-7473

SHIPLEY’S DONUTS401 W. HopkinsSan Marcos393-5011

TANTRA COFFEEHOUSE217 W. HopkinsSan Marcos558-CAFE

THE COFFEE POT129 E. Hopkins, Ste. 100San Marcos392-3080

THE STRATOSPHERE2358 N. LBJ Dr.San Marcos393-5001

YO SO COOLFROZEN YOGURT350 N. Guadalupe St.San Marcos667-6720

SandwichesALVIN ORD’S204 University Dr.San Marcos353-8042

BIKINIS1437 IH-35 NorthSan Marcos396-2337

CENTERPOINT STATION3946 IH-35 SouthSan Marcos392-1103

CHICK-FIL-A2213 IH-35 NorthSan Marcos392-5771

CHILI’S102 IH-35 NorthSan Marcos754-7420

CHIMY’S CERVECERIA217 E. HopkinsSan Marcos216-6175

GIL’S BROILER328 N. LBJSan Marcos392-4595

GILL'S FRIED CHICKEN714 E. HopkinsSan Marcos353-3911

GRINS RESTAURANT802 N. LBJ Dr.San Marcos396-0909

JASON’S DELI901-A Hwy. 80San Marcos393-3354

RAILYARD BAR & GRILL116 S. Edward GarySan Marcos392-7555

RIVER PUB & GRILL701 Cheatham StreetSan Marcos353-3747

ROOT CELLAR CAFE215 N. LBJ Dr.San Marcos392-5158

SPUD RANCH1330 Aquarena Springs Dr.San Marcos805-7783

MexicanANCHO GRILL2050 IH-35 SouthSan Marcos396-3690

CASA MARIA706 S. Guadalupe St.San Marcos392-9302

EL GOLFO DE MEXICO900 IH-35 NorthSan Marcos805-8530

EL PRIMO TACOS1310 Alamo St.San Marcos353-2323

GARCIA'S403 S. LBJ Dr.San Marcos353-0099

HERBERT’S TACO HUT419 RiversideSan Marcos353-7440

JL MEXICAN307 W. MLK Dr.San Marcos878-1184

LOLITA’S CAFE1501 Aquarena SpringsSan Marcos392-3441

LOS CUCOS1617 Aquarena Springs Dr.San Marcos805-2444

Local Restaurant ListingsDINING SPOTS IN AND AROUND SAN MARCOS

22

M&M TACO CORNER1303 HopkinsSan Marcos392-9308

MAMACITA’S1400 Aquarena Springs Dr.San Marcos353-0070

MANA’S807 Alabama St.San Marcos392-4068

ROGELIO’S RESTAURANT625 S. LBJ Dr.San Marcos392-4141

TAQUIERA LA FONDA1204 IH-35 SouthSan Marcos392-8363

TAQUIERA MAZATLAN1210 IH-35 SouthSan Marcos754-2155

TRES HERMANAS2550 Hunter Rd.San Marcos353-3470

Italian/PizzaCARINO’S ITALIAN1207 IH-35 SouthSan Marcos393-5060

CRAIG O’S PIZZA690 Centerpoint #209San Marcos558-2220

D’BLAZIOS1904 Ranch Road 12San Marcos392-5234

ITALIAN GARDEN415 N. LBJ Dr.San Marcos392-8730

NOPALITO’S206 W. San AntonioSan Marcos392-3449

PIZZA CLASSICS205 UniversitySan Marcos392-6005

SUNNY’S PIZZA507 Craddock AvenueSan Marcos392-7437

VILLA ITALIA3939 IH-35 SouthSan Marcos392-2279

ZENS PIZZA BISTRO700 N. LBJ Dr.San Marcos396-7445

Seafoodand SteaksKOBE JAPANESESTEAKHOUSE515 Springtown WaySan Marcos396-7200

PALMER’S218 Moore St.San Marcos353-3500

SALTGRASSSTEAK HOUSE221 SessomSan Marcos396-5255

23

Ingredients4 tablespoons Premium 100% Italian ExtraVirgin Olive Oil4 cloves garlic, minced2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary1 1/2 teaspoons coarse sea salt or kosher salt1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper1 (2 pound) center-cut beef tenderloin roast1/2 cup sour cream3 tablespoons prepared horseradishDirections1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine 2

tablespoons of olive oil, garlic, thyme, rose-mary, 1 teaspoon of the salt and pepper; setaside.2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large oven-

proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add roast;cook 2 to 3 minutes or until well browned. Turnroast over; turn off heat. Spread garlic andherb mixture evenly over top and sides of

roast.3. For that

matter, youcould spreadthis mixtureon just about anything. Meat. Bread. Veggies.Bacon.4. Transfer skillet to oven; bake 25 to 30 min-

utes or until internal temperature reaches 125degrees F. Transfer roast to a carving board;tent with foil and let stand 10 minutes. (Internaltemperature will rise to 130 degrees F formedium-rare).5. Meanwhile, combine remaining 1 table-

spoon oil, sour cream, horseradish and remain-ing 1/2 teaspoon salt; chill until serving time.6. Carve roast crosswise into 1/2-inch thick

slices; place on warmed serving plates. Servewith sauce. Watch your hard work vanish inminutes as family and friends devour. Thenbask in the glow of their approval.

Herb and Garlic Roast Tenderloinwith Creamy Horseradish Sauce