greene county livingsome woodworking tools when i made the offer.” in addition to the kitchen...

www.iowalivingmagazines.com/greenecounty Greene County Living MARCH | 2015

LivingGreene Countymarch 2015

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MARCH | 2015 Greene County Living www.iowalivingmagazines.com/greenecounty

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LivingLivingIowaIowam a g a z i n e sm a g a z i n e s

Darren TromblayEditor515-953-4822 ext. [email protected]

Molly [email protected]

R eplaced a broken garage door opener. Installed new kitchen coun-tertops and sink. Put on a new storm door. I would like to call these my do-it-yourself projects, but I would be

fibbing, a bit. Yes, I was involved in these and many other projects in the homes my wife and I have lived in, but I can’t honestly say that I tackled them myself. Like many of you, I had a good helper — my dad. Dad grew up in a different era, a time when if you wanted something done, you did it yourself. He learned how to do electrical and plumbing work, how to lay carpet, how to pour concrete, how to shingle roofs and many other useful skills. He didn’t have the discretionary funds to hire others to do these tasks. And even if he did, I am not sure he would have. He saw these as fun challenges, and he often encouraged others to take on projects with his help. We took full advantage of

his talents, and the time that my dad and I spent together has provided memories I will certainly never forget. Weekends at our first home were spent on these projects. Dad would show up by 6 a.m. on Saturday mornings, after a 2.5-hour drive and a Thermos or two of coffee. He would bring a load of tools and an even greater load of know-how. We tore out concrete and installed a toilet in our basement. We painted our house from top to bottom. We put laminate flooring down in the bathroom. And on and on. On each of my birthdays and Christmas, Dad would buy me tools that I was missing for these and other projects — a toolbox, a circular saw, a level, a chainsaw, a socket set, wrenches and too many others to list. Twenty-two years and three houses later, I am not as courageous to take on as many DIY projects. While writing this column, I suddenly realized why — my father passed away about 13 years ago. Maybe as my own children purchase their first homes and need help, I may recall what I learned from him and help them with projects, too. Then they, too, may have the wonderful memories of these DIY projects that I do. I just need to somehow get my daughters excited about receiving circular saws for birthday gifts. One step at a time. Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy this month’s cover story about local residents and the many DIY projects they have taken on. Thanks for reading.

Shane GoodmanPublisher

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4 Greene County Living MARCH | 2015 www.iowalivingmagazines.com/greenecounty

F rom an entertainment center to kitchen cabinets, an 1870s horse-drawn corn planter to carvings of old seed sack imag-

es, two Greene County men have taken do-it-yourself projects into their own directions. Kent Bates, who lives in rural Greene County near Bagley, and Jerry Vincent of Jefferson took the time to share their do-it-yourself journeys, along with some wisdom

for beginners.

First projectsBoth Bates and Vincent smile and look a bit embarrassed when they talk about their first projects. And they remember what got them started in woodworking. Bates says about eight years after he and his wife, Marla, were married, they decided

they needed an entertainment center. “We saw what things cost but wanted an entertainment center. We just didn’t want to have to pay that much for it,” he remembers. About the same time, he and Marla were doing some logging, and they kept a log back to get wood from. A well-known local woodworker and retired shop teacher, Dan Benitz, was teach-

By Juli Probasco-Sowers

FEATURE

Jerry Vincent is working on several garden benches in the shop behind his house. Photo by Juli Probasco-Sowers.

AREA DO-IT-YOURSELFERS EXPLAIN WHY THEY LOVE WHAT THEY DO

D.I. WHY?


ing woodworking in an adult edu-cation class at the time, so the couple took a class from him. Marla says they still have the entertainment center, which they used for many years, but Kent noted that he probably wouldn’t use it again. “I made a lot of things after that and got to be good friends with Dan,” he says. Jerry Vincent took three years of shop in high school, then went on to serve in the mili-tary, own a feed store, construct industrial buildings, own a roller skating rink, and more before he retired. His first woodworking proj-ect was building a kitchen island in high school shop class. Since his retirement a few years ago, he spends uncounted hours in his shop working on projects not only for himself and his wife, Annie, but also for his adult chil-dren and others. “I came back around to woodworking when my son built a new house in Slater,” Jerry explains. “I volunteered to build his kitchen cabinets, and I was already in the process of buying some woodworking tools when I made the offer.” In addition to the kitchen cupboards, he built his son two big dressers, an armoire that goes all the way to the ceiling, and the mantel for his fireplace. And, of course, Jerry needed his own workshop, so he built that, too.

Jerry’s projects take offAnnie looked at the work her husband was doing for their son and made a decision. “I said, ‘If you are going to build him cabi-nets, you can build me cabinets.’” He built each piece of the cabinets in their home’s kitchen from his own design, including several cabinets with glass panels so the Dutch plates and plate sets his wife collects can be seen. “I designed and made the cabinets, including the ones with the glass. But I did hire a guy to install the glass panels,” Jerry says. He also says he did not —

and does not — install counter tops. “Counter tops have to be just right,” he says. To compliment the dishes in the cabinet and show off more of Annie’s collection, he also built three ornate dish racks that hang on the kitchen wall. “She’s Dutch, and she has collected these Dutch plates for a long time,” he says. “She need-ed a place to put them up where they could be seen.” The couple’s daughter also decided she needed a few things made for her house, so Jerry built her an island bar in the base-ment, an entry table and a coat and boot rack for their children. He drew up all the plans for the various pieces he built. Most of what Jerry works with is oak, occasionally using another wood if requested. He also has used cedar to make a cedar chest. Annie is glad Jerry is into woodworking. “He enjoys doing it, and he says he doesn’t want to retire,” she says with a shrug. His current projects include making garden benches for his

children and grandchildren. While he normally creates his own designs and patterns, he says he ordered a pattern to make the benches. He sat for a few minutes on one of the finished garden benches. Nearby was a table saw with a stack of unfinished garden bench legs. Woodworking isn’t always easy, Jerry explains. “You need to get good tools that stand up to use and last, not cheap ones,” he says. “You also need good saws.” He has a tabletop saw, a jigsaw, a router and much more. He admits he has about all the tools he needs, although occa-sionally one will break or just get worn out and he’ll need to replace it. Jerry’s advice to the novice who wants to get into wood-working is to buy good tools from the beginning. “You need a good table saw,” he says. “My skills as a wood-worker improved a lot when I bought that table saw.” A person doesn’t want to get in a big hurry with their projects, he says. They need to be patient

and take their time. And, he says, people will make mistakes, which is OK, too. They just have to do it over.

Winter to summerWhile Jerry’s woodworking proj-ects take up the winter months, his Farmall M tractor gets most of his attention as a DIY project in the summer. “I didn’t refurbish the trac-tor; I bought it,” he says. “It is exactly like the new one my dad bought in 1951.” His DIY talents take over in maintaining the tractor, which he takes on various tractor rides. He belongs to the Four County Tractor Club.

Kent Bates lets his creative side take overKent and his wife travel to Branson, Missouri, and while there they began looking for more of a challenge with wood. After admiring the many pieces made by woodcarvers in the Branson area, Kent took a semi-nar from a famous wood carver there. In fact, he took 10 semi-nars in woodcarving there over the years. “His artistic side came out, ” Marla notes. During one session on wood-carving, Kent asked an instructor what he thought of the piece Kent was working on. “He asked me where the nearest wood stove was,” Kent says. “That made me mad enough that I decided I was going to get as good as I possibly could.” Kent says he is still improv-ing. One look around his house and workshop shows tons of talent and a lot of creativity. A farmer for years, Kent uses farming, family, agricultural icons and more to recreate in wood carvings. Often he’ll use acrylic paint to bring the images in the carvings to life. Kent has a large collection of farm seed sacks, which are nearly always colorfully decorated, and he often reproduces those imag-es in his carvings. He also frames the old feed sacks to hang on the wall of his shop.

Kent Bates does much of his work in his shop on the farm where he lives. Photo by Juli Probasco-Sowers.

FEATURE


For an even greater challenge, Kent also carves people, including faces. “Faces are the most difficult things to carve,” he says. To improve his ability to carve faces, and to create better images, he began drawing the faces and transferring the image to the wood before carving it. Then he discovered Lee Hammond, a forensic sketch artist. He took classes from her on drawing people. “That helped out a lot,” he says. Images he has transformed into wood include a carving showing Elizabeth and Roswell Garst of the Garst Seed family near Coon Rapids. The couple, shown when they are much older, are standing outside their home. Another piece shows a relative who fought in the Civil War. The carving includes the image of his relative, along with a military document and a bridle from the same era. “I do a lot of projects during the win-ter,” he says. “I just get a lot of satisfaction from doing the wood carvings. There is a feeling of accomplishment.”

He also adds that there can be frustra-tion when projects don’t turn out like he expects them to. Kent’s works are good enough to sell or give to others, and he and his wife are donating several agricultural-related pieces to the College of the Ozarks in Missouri for their agricultural museum. He has another fun project he’s work-ing on now. He is restoring an 1870s two-man horse-drawn corn planter and is nearly done. “We bought it at a sale. It had belonged to my mother’s uncle,” he says. Before he began restoring the corn planter, he took detailed pictures of how it looks together. “I don’t think I could ever have gotten this back together if I hadn’t taken those pictures,” he says. “It is kind of compli-cated.” He used baking soda to blast-clean the wood portions of the plow and had the metal pieces blasted with glass beads. “I just get a lot of enjoyment out of doing these kinds of projects, the wood, the plow,” he says.

FEATURE

Kent Bates did a carving commemorating a relative who fought in the Civil War. Photo by Juli Probasco-Sowers.

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N o one works harder locally to bring people back to their roots than members

of The Greene County Genealogy Society. Cemetery records, obituaries, special certificates and assistance in figuring out the sometimes tangled roots of family history are just a few of the services offered by the soci-ety, says Shirley Ross of Jefferson. The society formed in 1978 and has been going strong ever since. Of course, the organization’s members would welcome new members, she says. “We have about 90 members, but a number of them aren’t active. We need new members with new ideas and energy,” she says. Ross was drawn to genealogy after uncovering the name and life of one of her own relatives — Littlepage Proctor. She heard the name from another relative and eventually went on a quest to find out more about him. To her sur-prise, she found out that he knew and, at one time traveled with, Daniel Boone. Proctor also lived in Boonesborough, Kentucky. “He fought in the American Revolution, and I was able to find his pension registration from the Revolutionary War,” Ross says. That first experience was enough to make her passionate about family history and what can be uncovered, as well as how to bring that ability to other people. A small room in the lower level of the Jefferson Public Library is home to many of the records the Genealogy Society has brought together. Although closed at the moment while an elevator is being installed, some of the records and books members have published are on the main level. The practice of society mem-bers staffing the genealogy room at the library every Wednesday afternoon and Saturday morning will resume on completion of the eleva-tor project this spring.

“We have cemetery records for Greene and quite a bit from surrounding counties,” Ross says. “We’ve walked the cemeteries in Greene County a number of times, and copied down (information from) all the stones.” The members, including anoth-er of the local society’s founders, Valerie Ogren of Jefferson, com-pared the information from the stones with obituaries and other information from area newspapers. Marriage records for Greene County go back to 1856 when the area became a county, and birth and death records begin in the 1880s. “People can find a lot on the Internet, but they need to be care-ful because not everything they find on the Internet is reliable,” Ross says. “A good indicator of whether genealogy information is correct is when you can find the same from three different sources.” Greene County Genealogical Society members do not need to live in Greene County. Dues are $7.50 per year for an individual; $10 for a family and $100 for a lifetime membership. For more information, contact Shirley Ross at [email protected] or Valerie Ogren at [email protected].

Shirley Ross with the Greene County Genealogical Society has published several genealogy books. She encourages people to make use of the records Society members have collected, as well as the experience of the members.

Greene County Genealogical offers servicesBy Juli Probasco-Sowers

Back to their rootsCOMMUNITY

G ospel Open Bible Church congregation member Denny Ross went on his

first mission trip to Jamaica in the early ’90s. He didn’t know what to expect heading into the trip, but he believes the experi-ence forever changed the way he viewed his world. Once he was home, Ross looked for ways to return to service. “I was exposed once, and it was an exciting opportunity,” he says. “I listened in at church, listened for people that always wished they could go on a mis-sion trip overseas, and my pas-sion for helping and connect-ing with others just grew from there.” Now Ross is part of Men of Vision Evangelize, or MOVE, an organization that sends a group of men from all over the country on short-term two-week mission trips around the world once a year. This spring, the men will travel to Tijuana, Mexico, from April 14-29 to help the Puente De Amistad ministry build its facilities. The group, consisting of 35 men from five states, will help to take the roof off two buildings and expand their second levels, adding additional living quarters for interns and volunteers. Ross says the group of men who go on the trip, including two

other men from Jefferson, always forge a deep and spiritual bond while they work. “It’s like getting back togeth-er with family members,” Ross says. “With some of the places we go, housing is never for sure. It’s a dorm-like environment sometimes. The men that go are able to truly connect on the trip and build a strong fellowship and open up and talk about things they normally wouldn’t.” Since his first mission trip to Jamaica, Ross has been on 15 mission trips, including six to Tijuana. There are a wide vari-ety of service opportunities for volunteers in the area, including building small houses, feeding the homeless and ministering to drug rehab groups. Ross encourages people from all denominations who are interested in serving others to consider a mission trip. “I believe everyone in the United States should spend time in a foreign culture,” he says. “It really helps you appreciate what you have here and helps you expand your view of the world.” If you are interested in mak-ing a donation to fund the MOVE group’s upcoming mission trip, please contact Gospel Open Bible Church in Jefferson at 515-386-2925, or via email at [email protected].

FAITH

Men’s group travels around the world to help

By Lucas McMillan

On a missionMembers of Men of Vision Evangelize on a previous Tijuana mission trip. (Photo courtesy of David Grandon.)


CALENDAR

Thursday March 12

VFW and Auxiliary Meeting,

7-9 p.m., Jefferson VFW

K-5 Program. We get together

every Wednesday. We offer different

activities that change every week. Also

new reading incentives are popping up

at different times during the year. So

make sure you come and check up on

all of the new things happening, 3:30-

4:30 p.m., Scranton Library

PCM 5th-12th grade vocal con-

cert, 7 p.m., PCM High School Gym

Friday March 13

PCM Track: Girls Varsity vs.

Pekin, TBD @ Central College

Saturday March 14

JS 7/8 Band Solo/Ensemble

Festival, 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., GCIS - Music

Area

Monday March 16

Blood Pressure Clinic

noon - 1:30 p.m., Public Health

No School - Spring Break, Payton

Churdan

Tuesday March 17

S.H.I.I.P (Senior Health Insurance

Information Program) 9 a.m. - noon,

Greene County Medical Center Main

Lobby


Churdan

Wednesday March 18

Weekly Immunization Clinic

8 a.m. - 4:15 p.m., Public Health

Afterschool program for kids,

preschool to 4th grade, 3 p.m., Grand

Junction Library


Churdan

Naked Ladies Garden Club,

Grand Junction Library

Parks & Rec. Board Meeting,

noon, Greene County Community

Center

Thursday March 19










Churdan

Friday March 20


Churdan

JS Track: Varsity vs. Storm Lake,

4/4:30 p.m., @ Storm Lake

Sunday March 22

St. Brigid’s Irish Stew in Grand

Junction. Free will donation. Come

and enjoy some Irish stew or chicken

and noodles, along with a salad bar

and dessert bar. 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Monday March 23



PCE PTO, 6:30 p.m., Prairie City

Elementary

PCM Board Meeting, 7 p.m.,

Prairie City Elementary

Tuesday March 24




Lobby

Jefferson City Council Meeting

6:45 p.m.

PCM Wrestling Banquet,

6 p.m., PCM High School Commons

Wednesday March 25

Weekly Immunization Clinic

8 a.m.- 4:15 p.m., Public Health



Junction Library

NHS Blood Drive, PCM High

School

Thursday March 26

K-5 Program, We get together








People for Animal Welfare

and Safety (PAWS), 7:30 p.m., City

Council Chambers

ME Family Math Night,

5:15-7:30 p.m., Monroe Elementary

GC Elem Music/P.E. Program,

1:30/7 p.m., GCMS - Gym

Friday March 27

State Solo/Ensemble Contest,

3-10 p.m., Entire Building - Greene

County High School

Saturday March 28

State Solo/Ensemble Contest,


Have a calendar entry for the next issue of Greene County Living? Send your information to: [email protected].

Send us your listing

CALENDAR

6:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m., Entire Building -

Greene County High School

Monday March 30



Horizons Meeting, Anyone is

welcome to come to the meetings, 5

p.m., Grand Junction Library

Book Discussion, Grand Junction

Library

Tuesday March 31




Lobby

PCM Parent Teacher

Conferences, 1 hour early out

PCM Track: Girls Varsity Meet,

5 p.m., @ PCM

Wednesday April 1



Junction Library

Chamber Board of Directors

Meeting, 12-1 p.m.,

NHS Blood Drive, PCM High

School

Thursday April 2









PCM Parent Teacher

Conferences, 1 hour early out

PCM Track: JV/V Quadrangular,

5 p.m., @ Roland-Story

PCM Soccer: Boys JV/V vs. Pella

Christian, 5:30/7 p.m., @ PCM

Friday April 3

No School - Spring Break,

Jefferson-Scranton

No School, Payton Churdan

Saturday April 4

PCM Soccer: Boys JV/V vs

Newton, 9 a.m., @ Newton

Monday April 6

Library Board Meeting, 8 p.m.

No School - Spring Break,

Jefferson-Scranton

JS Golf: Boys JV/V vs. Carroll,

4 p.m., @ Carroll

JS Golf: Girls JV/V vs. Carroll,

4 p.m., @ Greene County HS

Tuesday April 7

Jefferson City Council Meeting

6:45 p.m.

PCM Golf: Girls Varsity vs.

Oskaloosa, 4 p.m., @ Oskaloosa

PCM Golf: Boys Varsity vs.

Lynville-Sully, 4:15 p.m., @ Lynville

PCM Track: Varsity Coed vs.

North Polk, 5 p.m., @ PCM

PCM Soccer: Girls JV/V vs. Des

Moines Hoover, 6/7:30 p.m., @

Hoover

JS Golf: JV/V vs. Panorama,

4:30 p.m., @ Panora

JS Golf: Girls JV/V vs. Gilbert,

4 p.m., @ Ames Country Club

Wednesday April 8



Junction Library

2 Hour Early Out, Payton

Churdan

Thursday April 9









PCM Golf: Boys Varsity vs. Pella,

4:15 p.m., @ Pella

PCM Track: Girls Varsity vs.

Eddyville-Blakesburg, 4:30 p.m., @

Eddyville

PCM Soccer: Girls JV/V vs.

Collins-Maxwell-Baxter, 5:30/7 p.m.,

@ Collins-Maxwell

PCM Soccer: Boys JV/V vs.

Chariton, 5:30/7 p.m., @ PCM

JS Jazz Orchestra - Sue

Richardson, 7 a.m. - 10 p.m., GCMS -

Gym

JS Golf: Boys Varsity vs. Des

Moines Christian/Perry, 4 p.m., @

GCHS

JS Golf: Girls Varsity vs. Des

Moines Christian, 4 p.m., @ Perry

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ENVIRONMENT

Information provided by Payton Mayor Bradley Robey.

T here are plenty of facts out there on why recycling is important. The world

population is growing, not shrink-ing, and currently each human being adds significant waste to the planet over his or her lifetime. In New York alone, people produce enough trash in one day to fill the entire Empire State building. The frustrating thing is, in most developed countries it’s not all too difficult to make a difference. And what a difference we can make. If everyone repurposed their copy of a single edition of The New York Times, we could save 75,000 trees. Recycling helps extend the life and usefulness of something that has already served its initial pur-pose by producing something that is useable. Recycling has a lot of benefits and importance, not only to us humans but especially to our planet. Almost everything we see around us can be recycled.

Different materials require dif-ferent techniques when recycled. Recyclable materials commonly include batteries, biodegradable waste, clothing, electronics, gar-ments, glass, metals, paper, plas-tics and a lot more. It takes less energy to pro-cess recycled materials than to process virgin materials. For example, it takes a lot less energy to recycle paper than to cre-ate new paper from trees. The energy from transporting virgin materials from the source is also saved. Saving energy also has its own benefits, such as decreasing pollution. This creates less stress on own health and our economy. As the population of the world increases, recycling is becoming increasingly more important. Our technologically advanced societies are creating more and products and packaging that look good and are indestructible, but can take centuries to break down.

Energy and resources can be saved

The importance of recyclingBy Bradley Robey

As the population of the world increases, recycling is becoming increasingly more important.

Greene CountyRecycling CenterKeep Greene County GREEN!

2015 A Year of RecyclingGo

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W hitney Hoyle, 24, faces each day with her sixth-graders

at Greene County Intermediate School with energy and a great smile. She went into teaching because she enjoyed being around children and helping them. “Then I went to Iowa State and found out there’s a lot more to teaching than just being around children,” she says. Hoyle graduated from Ballard High School in 2008. She attend-ed Iowa State University and she graduated in 2011 with a degree in elementary education. She went on to earn her reading endorsement online from Morningside College in Sioux City and is now working on her master’s degree via Internet classes, also at Morningside. She taught second grade for two years in the Greene County School District. This is her first year teaching literacy and social studies to sixth graders in the district at the school building in Grand Junction. The literacy program includes reading, vocabulary and compre-hension. “I let them choose the books they want to read from the test books in bins on the shelves,” Hoyle says, indicating one corner of the classroom. “I have them separated by genre, and I have the students do the five-finger test on the books.” Hoyle explains that students are to open any book they choose to a random page. As they are reading, they are to raise a fin-ger for every word they can’t pronounce or don’t recognize. If they end up with five fingers, they shouldn’t read that book just yet. Four fingers might be iffy. “I do help them with words they are struggling with, and they keep a word diary,” she says. “Honestly, most students at this age are able to read about anything

that is age appropriate.” Hoyle also has students play vocabulary games, such as having four or five students at one table work through the meanings of a list of words without looking the words up. “The words are all ones that have been used in what we are studying,” she says. On the social study side, stu-dents concentrate on current events and how the events relate to their own lives. The students have just started a unit on eco-nomics that focuses on interde-pendence and trade in the United States. “I try to relate everything to the student’s lives. I think that’s important,” Hoyle says. “I also work at integrating reading into everything they study.” Hoyle says she believes in encouraging her students. “My students are the No. 1 reason I come to work every day. I want them to become lifelong learners,” she says.

Whitney Hoyle teaches social studies and literacy at Greene County Intermediate School in Grand Junction. Photo by Juli Probasco-Sowers.

EDUCATION

Teacher hopes to create lifelong learners

By Juli Probasco-Sowers

Meet Whitney Hoyle

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I n some ways, an old cookbook is like a walk through history, with the past coming alive not

only through recipes, but also in advertisements of long-gone busi-nesses and in antiquated house-hold hints. The Greene County Historical Museum has gathered a number of local cookbooks through the years and is planning to put them on display in early May. The museum also would like to include books that are not now in the collection, and residents are invited to give or loan their personal copies for the exhibit. Local churches’ cook-books are well represented in the collection, including WSCS of Cooper Methodist Church’s “Recipe Roundup” (1954), St. Joseph Catholic Church’s “Good Cooking” (’60s), the U.P.W. “Salad Bar Luncheon Recipes” (1982) and the “Victory Cookbook” by the Farlin Baptist Ladies Aid from the war years. Many local organizations have compiled recipes to commemo-rate a special day or to earn funds for a special project. One of the earliest books in the cur-rent collection is the “Culture Club Cookbook of 1900,” from which the proceeds were desig-nated for the public library. This volume was reprinted in 2014 by Raspberry Ridge Publishing of Jefferson, with proceeds shared by the public libraries of Greene County. The museum has copies of each publication. The Jefferson Women’s Club compiled a cookbook in 1964, honoring the club’s golden anniversary. It’s fun recognizing names from the past. Although the recipes were shared and pre-pared by women only, almost all were identified by their husband’s name, the custom then. One of the frustrations with

the collection is that many were printed with no date of publica-tion. However, the businesses advertising in them give some clues. Wording of ads is different from today, and some products are no longer a part of our lives. There is an ad from Gambles Clothing Store, a “Safe Place to Trade, selling a dollar’s worth for 100 cents.” Harrington and Milligan boast, “In order to have the most complete success with your cooking, you need Good Coal — we have it!” Among other business names are Cain, Oliver, Bucks, Brown, Wilson, Shuey, Wagner, Head, Grimmell, Bofink, Gallup, Tolliver, McGregor, Arnold and more. The “Household Hints” sec-tion included in many cookbooks can teach us new tricks in the kitchen even today. For instance, dipping a feather in kerosene and painting the outside and inside door seals around the refrigera-tor will keep ants out. As varied as the present col-lection is, there are many local cookbooks that are missing. If you have one we should see, please contact me at [email protected] or leave a message at the museum, (515) 386-8544.

LOOKING BACK

Historic collections sought for May exhibitBy Ces Brunow, president, Greene County Historical Society

Local cookbooks

Jean Burk hands off to Ces Brunow as president of the Greene County Historical Society.

MAY | 2012 Greene County Living www.iowalivingmagazines.com/greenecounty

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Coordinating Care for Greene County

New Clinic Opening 2015


EXTENSION AND OUTREACH

G reene County Extension will celebrate ISU Extension and Outreach

Week on Thursday, March 26 with a public open house scheduled for 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the Greene County Extension office. During the event, visitors can enjoy free pork burgers grilled by the Greene County Pork Producers, along with chips and other refresh-ments, while also learning more about programs available through Extension. Door prizes will also be given away at the event. “I am excited to be the newest member of this dynamic team,” says Lori Mannel, County Extension coordinator for Greene County Extension. “We have a strong and engaged extension council, amazing volunteers and a dedicated staff. Whether we are serving young people with the 4-H program, con-tinuing education for agriculture professionals and childcare provid-ers or providing resources for the elderly, Greene County Extension is here to meet the needs of our community. Our open house will help showcase that.” According to Mannel, staff and Extension council members will be around throughout the open house time to share what Greene County Extension does for the people of Greene County. Significant program accom-plishments for Greene County Extension in 2014 included Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, Babysitting Basics, Mid Life and Beyond, county resource directory, pesticide and manure applicator training, Master Gardeners, Ogden Ag Marketing, Expanding Entrepreneurs, crop

fair, farm leasing meeting, child care provider trainings, KIDS With a Connection, Family Storyteller, Powerful Tools for Caregivers, Money Talk, 2014 Farm Bill infor-mation sessions and, of course, the 4-H program. Greene County is proud of its 4-H program, with nearly 200 youth enrolled. Additionally, the Clover Kids program for youth in grades kindergarten through third, has an annual participation of near-ly 30 kids in that age category. 4-H members of all ages showcase their project accomplishments each year at the Greene County Fair. Youth are supported by several business-es and organizations, including the Greene County 4-H Foundation, which contributed around $4,700 last year in the form of scholarships to help dozens of Greene County 4-H’ers participate in camps, trips, and conferences. Additionally, Greene County Extension provides administrative assistance to several community organizations, including the Greene County Community Foundation, Greene County Cattlemen, Greene County Pork Producers and the Greene Lamb Producers. The current Extension Council serving Greene County Extension consists of chairperson Loel Larson, vice-chairperson Tom Heater, sec-retary Shari Minnehan, treasurer Marilyn Parker, and treasurer pro-tem Pam Olerich. Other coun-cil members are Amber Lawton, Jacob Bohnet, Joe Gannon, and Andy McGinn. For more information about Greene County Extension and Outreach, visit www.extension.iastate.edu/greene.

Information provided by Greene County Extension, 104 W. Washington St., Jefferson, 515-386-2138.

Visit on March 26 during Outreach Week

By Greene County Extension staff

Open house at Extension office

GREENE COUNTY

Healthy PEOPLE. ENVIRONMENTS. ECONOMIES.

FOR MORE INFORMATION & UPCOMING EVENTS:

Visit www.extension.iastate.edu/greene

or contact Laura D. Ballard at 515-386-2138 or [email protected]

OPERATION RELEAF RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM

Alliant Energy’s Operation ReLeaf is a program to help Alliant Energy customers save energy in their homes using trees to provide shade in the

summer and create wind breaks during the winter.

Trees must be picked up on 4/18/2015 between 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM

at Greene County Fairgrounds located at 509 East Lincoln Way, Jefferson.

Contact Laura Ballard at 515.386.2138 or email [email protected] for more informaton.

Applications must be submitted by 4/10/2015 with checks for $25 (one tree)

or $50 (two trees) made payable to Green County Extension. No

Credit Card or cash orders, please.

Alliant Energy customers are eligible to purchase up to two trees

for $25 eachAdvance purchase is recommended.


D orothy Adamson is a bit of a celebrity around Jefferson and Ever Green Ridge,

where she now lives. Residents know her well for the delicious pies, cake, cinnamon rolls and oatmeal bread she bakes. At 94, she still walks straight as an arrow without a cane. “I’m thankful to the Lord I can still walk without a cane, and I still have my mind,” she says. Adamson attends tea time several times a week at Ever Green Ridge. Several times a month she bakes treats to take to her friends who attend the tea, to potlucks and occasionally for people who simply want something delicious to take home or to their office. “The hearing aid man comes by every Tuesday for a pie that I make for him, and the Edward Jones man comes by once a month to pick up cinnamon rolls,” she says with a broad smile. Adamson says the pies she bakes are almost exclusively fruit ones, except for the occasional pumpkin pie she makes for holiday dinners. “Let’s see, I make apple, cherry, apricot, blueberry and strawberry,” she says. “I get lots of compliments on my crust.” Even now, after years of making pies, she won’t give up the secret ingredients she uses to make her pie crust so delicious. Adamson and her husband farmed in Greene County for years. They eventually moved to a condo in Jefferson. Adamson used to bake pies and sell them at the local farmer’s market. “I made 25 pies early one morn-ing and sold all of them,” she says. Adamson’s husband died about eight years ago, and just three years ago she moved to Ever Green Ridge in Jefferson. Now, even though she bakes lots of pies and cinnamon rolls, her

favorite recipe is still her oatmeal bread. “Everyone loves my oatmeal bread,” Adamson says. And while she holds her pie crust recipe close to the vest, she is more than happy to share the hap-piness of her oatmeal bread recipe.

Oatmeal breadBoil two cups of water. To the boiling water add one cup of quick oatmeal, three tablespoons of but-ter, two teaspoons of salt and one-fourth cup of packed brown sugar. Allow the mixture to cool. Separately, add two packages of yeast to one-half cup of warm water and mix. Then add the yeast and water mixture to the cooled mixture, along with two whole eggs. Add five cups white flour; the exact amount dependent on the con-sistency of the dough. Allow the dough to rise, then split between two bread pans and allow the dough to rise one more time in the pans. Bake in a 350-degree oven for about 40 minutes. “I just like to spread a little but-ter on a slice and eat it like that,” she says. “Some people like to toast it first.”

Dorothy Adamson, 94, is known as the a great baker around her apartment complex, Ever Greene Ridge, and around Jefferson. Photo by Juli Probasco-Sowers.

Contact Darren Tromblay at 953-4822 ext. 304 or [email protected] to be featured in a future “Where We Live” column.

Just don’t ask Adamson for her pie crust secret

Celebrity bakerBy Juli Probasco-Sowers

NEIGHBORHOOD

A fter a cold, snowy winter, we’re ready to see green grass and flowers, aren’t

we? Soon it will be time to till up the dirt, make a furrow and plant some seeds. There is something deeply satisfying about nurturing the soil, gentle rains, seeing the first green sprouts, pulling errant weeds, picking the first crop and savoring the goodness and unique flavor of homegrown vegetables. When we share the joy of read-ing with children, we are plant-ing the seed for lifelong learning. Reading will enrich them throughout their life, making their world come alive and deepening their desire for knowledge. How can you grow a reader? Read, read, and read some more. The No. 1 way to grow readers is to read to them every day, begin-ning with day one for babies. Model reading — children need to see others reading. Take your child to storytime at the library. Let children read to a pet, sibling or neighbor to practice their reading. Let them pick out their own books, and encour-age them to find a just-right reading spot. Share books with out-of-town relatives through Skype. Take books in the car. Encourage relatives to give books as gifts for holidays and birthdays. Limit TV and gaming time so there is more time for reading. Praise your child’s effort in becom-ing a reader. Let them stay up late to read a good book. Encourage children to write their own books. Reluctant and/or older readers may prefer reading on an electronic device. Don’t take a vacation from reading — sign your child up for the library’s summer reading program.

Once you’ve planted the seeds, your reader will grow. With all the books we read from childhood through adulthood, each of us are growing our own per-sonal reading garden. What books are growing in your reading garden?

My reading garden started with Edith and Mr. Bear, Dick and Jane and Misty of Chincoteague. Later, I added Grace Livingston Hill and “The Hobbit.” One row in my garden is filled with suspenseful Patricia Cornwell books, anoth-er with romance authors and yet another row contains books on Norway. Several rows in my book garden are filled with my favorite authors like Kristin Hannah and Luanne Rice. There is room to grow in my garden, for I am sure I will add many more rows as I enjoy a lifetime of reading. I look forward to planting new seeds for authors I want to read but haven’t had time, new sub-jects I want to learn more about and books that are yet to be written. All of these will grow in my reading garden from the seeds I sowed as a child when I learned to read. Help a child plant the seeds in his or her own reading garden.

LIBRARY NEWS

Jefferson Public Library200 West Lincoln Way386-2835 Adult Dept.386-4415 Children’s Dept.Mon. and Wed: 1-8 p.m.Tues. and Thurs.: 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.Friday: 1-5:30 p.m.Saturday: 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.Sunday: Closed

Grow your reading garden at the libraryBy Jane Millard, director

Planting the seeds


RECIPE

I was looking for a side dish that is a little different from the usual potato or rice dishes. As I was pondering my pantry, my eye fell upon a bag of red quinoa I had purchased some time ago with the intent to try out

this superfood. A friend of mine writes a wonderful blog called “Nosh and Nourish,” wherein she often provides recipes for quinoa. If you have time, check out some of her offerings. What I really wanted was something fried. I know that is not very healthy, but sometimes you just have to have a good indulgence. Besides, I reasoned, I would only use a bit of butter and then the healthier olive oil. And quinoa is a whole grain. My conscience finally appeased, I pro-ceeded to make quinoa and kale cakes. They are a bit like potato cakes, but full of yummy veggies. The baby kale is subtle, not all bitter or sharp. If kale is not to your taste, use some baby spinach instead. This makes a nice lunch, paired with some good mustard and a slice of crusty bread. Or a side salad, a quinoa cake and a grilled portion of salmon would make an elegant meal.

Quinoa and kale cakesIngredients1 cup red quinoa2 cups water½ teaspoon salt4 green onions, sliced thin1 cup minced baby kale1 rib celery, minced2/3 cup flour1 beaten egg1 teaspoon salt½ teaspoon pepper1 tablespoon butter2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions1. In a saucepan, bring the water and ½ tsp. salt to a boil, add the quinoa and simmer until the water is absorbed and the quinoa germ spirals outward. Cool. 2. In a separate bowl, mix the minced kale and celery, flour, seasonings and beaten egg. Add the cooled quinoa. 3. In a frying pan, melt the butter with the olive oil. Spoon the quinoa mixture into the hot pan by large spoonsful. Flatten the mixture out slightly so that each cake is of an even depth. I used about 1/3 cup for each cake. Brown the cakes on both sides and drain on paper towels. Serve.

Healthy indulgence can be a side or lunch

By Kris Ellis Tracy

Quinoa and kale cakes

NEWS BRIEFS

The Class of 2016 welcomes students to the exciting times of “The Roaring ’20s” at this year’s 2015 junior-senior prom, which will take place on Saturday, April 11. The evening will start with a smooth jazz setting at the Methodist Church in Jefferson where dinner will be served. The Ram Restaurant will cater the meal and will make a variety of fancy cupcakes which will be placed at each individual’s table. Valet parking will once again be provided for the students. Colors for the “All That Jazz” banquet are black, white and gold. Decorations are influenced by the 1920s era with silhouettes of flapper dancers in the windows and centerpieces adorned with ostrich plumes and pearls in vases all aglow.

The community is invited to view the Grand March from 7:30- 8:15 p.m. as students stroll from the Greene County Community Center to the Elks Lodge. Cars of the 1920s era will line the streets to add to the experience. This event will be moved inside to the community center if weather prevents the outside stroll.

The prom dance will be held at the Elks Lodge from 8-11:30 p.m. Students will have photo opportunities next to a classy “Roaring 20s” limousine and inside the Bonnie and Clyde photo box. Tall lampposts will create a luxurious atmosphere for the party. Brick columns will create a fun dance space. A pool with a water fountain will decorate one corner of the ballroom.

The “Party at Gatsby’s” mansion theme will make for lots of fun, food and activities at the after-prom party located in the Greene County Middle School. A hypnotist, jousting and obstacle course inflatables, Game On Iowa Truck and games including bowling are on the itinerary of fun. It would not be a grand party without the hotel buffet, which will be open all night long. Prizes for the privileged guests will conclude the evening at the mansion.

The public is invited to view all the 1920s décor at the Methodist Church, Elks and Greene County Middle School on Saturday from 3:30-4:30 p.m. This is free to all and allows pictures to be taken before “The Roaring ’20s” party begins.

‘The Roaring ’20s,’ junior-senior prom 2015

On Monday, Feb. 9, the Greene County High School Jazz Choir, Jazzatonics, traveled to Winterset High School to participate in the Iowa High School Music Association State Jazz Choir Festival. The group received a I rating from all three judges. They performed “Smack Dab in the Middle,” “For All We Know” and “Chattanooga Choo Choo.” Photo by Kim Christensen

Jazzatonics receive I rating at festival


Information provided by Bill Monroe R. Ph., Medicap Pharmacy, 400 N. Elm St., Jefferson, 515-386-2164.

HEALTH

Q: Is it true that carrots are good for my eyes?A: Yes. Protecting your eyes starts with the food on your plate. Nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, lutein, zinc and vitamin C and E might help ward off age-related vision problems such as macular degen-eration and cataracts. Beta-carotene, a type of Vitamin A that gives these foods their orange hue, helps the retina and other parts of the eye to function smoothly. Eating your way to good eyesight isn’t only about beta-carotene. Though their connection to vision isn’t as well known, several other vitamins and minerals are essential for healthy eyes and regularly eating these foods help lead to good eye health: Green, leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, and collards; salmon, tuna and other oily fish; eggs, nuts, beans and other non-meat protein sources; oranges and other citrus fruits or juices. Eating a well-balanced diet also helps you maintain a healthy weight, which makes you less likely to get obesity-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in adults. Besides the food that goes into your mouth, other measures you can take for your ocular health are to quit smoking, wear sunglasses, use safety eyewear, avoid excessive computer screen time and visit your eye doctor regularly. March is also known as “Save your Vision Month.” You can find more information about this on the website for the American Optometric Association. And jeepers! Take these steps to keep your peepers a priority.

A: Your heart has the task of pushing blood through 60,000 miles of blood vessels. Still, your heart doesn’t do the job alone. It gets an impor-tant assist from your body’s other muscles, especially those in the legs, which play an important role. Your body has two basic types of blood vessels: arteries and veins. Arteries are thick-walled vessels that carry oxygenated blood to your muscles and organs under pressure supplied by the heart. Veins carry blood back from the muscles and organs to the heart and have much thinner and less muscular walls and work under much less pressure.

Veins are easily compressed. Because blood flows through veins under low pressure, the veins are easily compressed by even the smallest muscular contractions. This assistance is especially important in the legs, where blood must fight gravity to get back to the heart. In addition, a series of thin, membranous valves spaced at short intervals along the way keeps blood from backing up. It’s the alternate compression and relax-ation of the veins that provides a squeezing motion similar to that of the heart.

Don’t sit for long periods. It’s also why you should get up and walk around every so often. The simple act of sitting for hours can cause blood to pool in your veins and cause clots. Clots often have no symptoms, but they can break free and travel until they get stuck in vessels of the lungs that are too small to let them pass. This is known as a pulmonary embo-lism. Symptoms include chest pain, shortness of breath and rapid heart rate. Some pulmonary embolisms can be fatal if the clot is large enough to close a major artery in the lungs or if the clots are numerous.

Information provided by Toni Linberg, director of marketing, Regency Park Nursing and Rehab, 100 Ram Drive, Jefferson, (515) 386-4107.

Q: How do my legs aid my heart in pumping blood?

Bill MonroeR. Ph

400 N. Elm Jefferson515-386-2164Toll-Free 877-486-2164

MON–FRI 8:30am–5:30pmSAT 8:30am–1:00pm

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OUT AND ABOUT

The Chamber’s ribbon cutting for the new Jefferson Hy-Vee.

Don Ihnken and Robin Hernandez Jessica Higgins, Ken Monthei and Deb Monthei Omega Sang and Chris Henning

Mayor Craig Berry and Randy Kruse, district vice president of Hy-Vee

Lori Subbert and Kim Coffin Brandon and Laura Rieks

Kathy Olson and Jody Voss Jessi Dane Viglee and Joe Agosta Ashley Gardalen and Erica Wisecup

The Chamber of Commerce held a rib-bon cutting ceremony for Jefferson’s new Hy-Vee store on Feb. 24.

Helpful smiles


OUT AND ABOUT

The Greene County Chamber held a ground breaking for the new Cobblestone Hotel and Suites in Jefferson on Feb. 25.

Pete Loew and Alex Kaufman at the Chamber’s ribbon cutting for the new Jefferson Hy-Vee on Feb. 24.

Kenneth Arbuckle, Joni Ernst and Dan Ihnken at the Jefferson VFW meet and greet on Feb. 25.

Tracie Perez and Dan Ihnken at Joni Ernst’s visit to the Jefferson VFW on Feb. 17.

Dave Muhr and Kenneth Arbuckle at Joni Ernst’s visit to the Jefferson VFW on Feb. 17.

Dr. Elvin Thompson and Glenn Carstensen at Joni Ernst’s visit to the Jefferson VFW on Feb. 17.

Chris Henning and Jim Andrews at Joni Ernst’s visit to the Jefferson VFW on Feb. 17.

Craig Berry and John Muir at Joni Ernst’s visit to the Jefferson VFW on Feb. 17.

Jennifer Christensen and Barbara Labate at Joni Ernst’s visit to the Jefferson VFW on Feb. 17.

Loren Turner, Duane Mosher and Coltrane Carlson at Joni Ernst’s visit to the Jefferson VFW on Feb. 17.

Mark Pomerchke and John Porior at the ground breaking for the new Cobblestone Hotel and Suites in Jefferson on Feb. 25.

www.iowalivingmagazines.com/greenecounty Greene County Living MARCH | 2015

MARCH | 2015 Greene County Living www.iowalivingmagazines.com/greenecounty

1000 W. Lincoln Way, Jefferson, IA (515) 386-2114 gcmchealth.com

(515) 386-0286

(515) 386-2114

- Occupational therapy

- Orthopedic and sports injury evaluation and treatment

- Pre and post -surgical rehabilitation

- Speech therapy

- Work-related injuries

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- Vestibular rehabilitation

(515) 386-2114

- Colonoscopies

- Orthopedic surgery

- Specialty surgery (ENT, Urology)

- OB/GYN surgery

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Dr. Marc Miller, DO Dr. Josh A. Smith, DO Dr. Ronald A. Cheney, DO (515) 386-2114

The physicians of Western Iowa Surgery offer a variety of general surgical services to Greene County Medical Center patients.

The average length of time spent in our lab is five minutes.

Results from over 100 tests done at Greene County Medical Center are available to your physician the same day of the test.

For your convenience, our lab opens at 7 a.m. on weekdays and Saturday mornings from 7:30 a.m. noon.

Results can be viewed by other physicians within the UnityPoint Health system and by other providers and medical center departments including ER, in case of an emergency.

- Patient comment on a satisfaction survey

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