big bucks - bluebonnet electric cooperative - home electric lines are bare. overhead power lines and...

N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 6L O C A L E L E C T R I C C O O P E R A T I V E E D I T I O N

SalsaTexas Mailboxes

Hit the Road: San Angelo to Sonora

P L U S

The Business of BreedingTrophy Whitetail Bucks

BIGbucksbucksBIG

N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 6 T E X A S C O - O P P O W E R 3

T E X A S E L E C T R I C C O O P E R A T I V E S B O A R D O F D I R E C T O R S : John Herrera, Chair, Mercedes; Greg Jones, Vice Chair,Jacksonville; Ray Beavers, Secretary-Treasurer, Cleburne; James Calhoun, Franklin; Charles Castleberry, Tulia; Gary Nietsche, La Grange;William “Buff” Whitten, Eldorado

P R E S I D E N T / C E O : Mike Williams, Austin

S T R A T E G I C C O M M U N I C A T I O N S A D V I S O R Y C O M M I T T E E : Roland Witt, Chair, Coleman; Bill Harbin, Floydada; Kim Hooper,

Bluegrove; Gerald Lemons, Itasca; Robert A. Loth III, Fredericksburg; Larry Oefinger, Hondo; Melody Pinnell, Crockett

C O M M U N I C A T I O N S S T A F F : Peg Champion, Vice President, Communications/Publisher; Kaye Northcott, Editor; Carol Moczygemba,

Managing Editor; Suzi Sands, Art Director; Martin Bevins, Advertising Director; Andy Doughty, Production Designer; Sandra Forston,

Communications Assistant; Jo Johenning, Production Assistant; Karen Nejtek, Production Coordinator; Shannon Oelrich, Food Editor/Proofreader; Tracy Paccone, Communications Assistant; Alex Sargent, Production Artist; Ellen Stader, Proofreader; Cheryl Tucker, FieldEditor; Molly Fohn, Intern

F E A T U R E S

F A V O R I T E S

2 5

November 2006

Big BucksTHE BUSINESS OF BREEDINGTROPHY WHITETAIL BUCKS

By Jim AndersonPhotos by Russell Graves

Approximately 2,500 registeredwhitetail breeders in Texas arepinning their economic hopes onbig racks.

SalsaTHE CONDIMENT OF AZTEC KINGSCONQUERS NEW YORK CITY

By Jeff SiegelIllustrations by Larry McEntire

Salsa is not the original cowboycondiment, no matter what thefamous TV ads may imply.

V O L U M E 6 3 N U M B E R 5

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Texas Co-op Power is published by your

electric cooperative to enhance the qual-

ity of life of its member-customers in an

educational and entertaining format.

Footnotes By Judy Alter Gail Borden, Revolutionary Milkman 2 5

Recipe Roundup Orphans’ Thanksgiving 3 2

Focus on Texas Mailboxes 3 5

Around Texas Local Events Listings 3 6

Hit the Road By June Naylor San Angelo to Sonora 3 8

1 2

6

C O V E R P H O T O Premier Whitetail Ranch by Russell Graves

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AD

EMYP O W E R T A L KLOVE THAT WILLIE!

In September you featured WillieNelson as “Best Musician.”

Here’s a guy, an accom-plished musician, songwriter, aworld celebrity, with plenty ofmoney (if he’s recovered fromthe IRS thing), and look at him:Leaning up against his ’90ishDodge pickup that I bet has aCummins diesel engine in it, withWillie’s Biodiesel for fuel, that hegot at Carl’s Corner Truck Stopon I-35 between Waxahachieand Hillsboro. He’s in his biboveralls and checkered shirt,topped off with his straw hatand that Willie Nelson grin.

Now that guy knows what’simportant in life.

Love his down-to-earth music.MARK TOMEK

Fannin County Electric Cooperative

PASS IT ONPass on to your readers that it’sa good idea to use the clothes-line for sheets, jeans and workclothes. It saves your dryer andelectricity bill.

PAT AND WALLY WALTERSPedernales Electric Cooperative

HURRAH FOR SPAAfter reading “Best of Co-opCountry” in the Septemberissue, I am driven to bringanother more-than-worthy spato your attention. We have aworld-class spa in north Austin.Check out the CrossingsWellness Center and Spa.

KANDIS HILLPedernales Electric Cooperative

letters

We want to hear from our readers. Sendletters to: Editor, Texas Co-op Power, 2550S. IH-35, Austin, TX 78704, or e-mail us [email protected]. Please include thename of your town and electric co-op.Letters may be edited for clarity and lengthand will be printed as space allows.

SAFELIVINGElectricity 101True or false: It is safer to leave an

extension cord out in the openthan it is to run it under a rug.

True. If a cord runs under a rug,you cannot inspect it for dam-age, and an overheated cordcan ignite the floor covering.

True or false: Power lines areinsulated and safe to touch.

False. Most electric lines arebare. Overhead power linesand lines from a pole trans-former to your home may bepartially insulated, but eventhose are dangerous to touch.Stay away from them.

True or false: A car is a safe placeto be in an electrical stormbecause it has rubber tires.

False. Although an enclosedmetal car is a safe place to be,the tires do not protect you.They would have to be about amile thick and made of solidrubber to afford you adequateprotection. The metal that sur-rounds you affords the protec-tion. Lightning—like all formsof electricity—will travel onlyon the surface of enclosedmetal objects.

We receive many more lettersthan we can fit in the magazine.Visit www.texascooppower.comto read a sampling of those.

THIEVES PILFER WIRESome Texas electric cooperatives have started stampingtheir copper and aluminum wire with their identificationto deter theft. Soaring metal prices, including a 363 percent per-pound increase in the price of copper since2003, have prompted thefts across the state. Copper andaluminum are the primary components of electric distri-bution lines. Their theft translates into higher costs ofdoing business and could affect system reliability. Stolenwire is commonly brought to recycling centers andtraded for cash. While state law requires recycling cen-ters to keep records of transactions, enforcement can bedifficult. Without identifying marks, stolen wire is hardto track and is rarely recovered.

Thieves may not understand that they are risking theirlives by taking copper from substations, which step downhigh transmission voltage to a lower current for distribu-tion lines. All the lines have a potentially deadly charge.

If you have any information regarding stolen coopera-tive property, please call your local cooperative.

WHAT WOULD YOUR LIFE BE LIKE WITHOUT

E L E C T R I C I T Y ?

Seth Carson, 11, Perryton, North Plains Electric Cooperative Son of NPEC Member Services Specialist Bill Carson

“I don’t think I’d do anything. I couldn’tuse my computer, watch TV or playvideos. I’d be cold—I might freeze. I’d likeit in some ways. There wouldn’t be any airconditioning at school, and the teacherskeep it too cold. It would be cool to studyby candlelight, but it would be hard to doa lot of other stuff. Mom would have togrow our fruits and vegetables.”

4 T E X A S C O - O P P O W E R N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 6

E D D P A T T O N

THESE FOLKS ARENATIVE TEXANS

Actor Larry Hagman(1931) Fort Worth

Actor Mary Martin (Larry Hagman’s mom)(1913) Weatherford

Outlaw Bonnie Parker(1910) Rowena

Outlaw Clyde Barrow(1909) near Telico

Hollywood Producer Aaron Spelling(1923) Dallas

WHO KNEW?H A P P E N I N G SEvery year the Marine Military Academy in Harlingenholds a PARADE COMMEMORATING THE RAISINGOF THE AMERICAN FLAG AT IWO JIMA. One of themost famous war photos of all time (left) was taken aftermembers of the 3rd, 4th and 5th Marine Divisions stormedthe tiny Pacific island of Iwo Jima in February 1945. Theflag raising was captured by Associated Press photographerJoe Rosenthal, who passed away earlier this year. Later,sculptor Felix de Weldon made a larger-than-life model ofthe heroic moment. The bronze monument stands inArlington Cemetery but the Marine Military Academy hasthe mold of the original monument. Check out the monu-ment and the parade November 4 on the Marine MilitaryAcademy Parade Grounds, 320 Iwo Jima Blvd. inHarlingen, (956) 423-6006, extension 235.

Texas Co-op Power (USPS 540-560) is pub-lished monthly by Texas Electric Cooperatives(TEC). Periodical Postage Paid at Austin, TXand at additional offices. TEC is the statewideassociation representing 74 electric coopera-tives. Texas Co-op Power’s website is www. texascooppower.com. Call (512) 454-0311 or e-mail [email protected].

Subscription price is $3.84 per year for individ-ual members of subscribing cooperatives. If youare not a member of a subscribing cooperative,you can purchase an annual subscription at thenonmember rate of $7.50. Individual copies andback issues are available for $3 each.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to TexasCo-op Power (USPS 540-560), 2550 S. IH-35,Austin, TX 78704. Please enclose label fromthis copy of Texas Co-op Power showing oldaddress and key numbers.

ADVERTISING: Advertisers interested in buyingdisplay ad space in Texas Co-op Power and/orin our 30 sister publications in other states,contact Martin Bevins at (512) 486-6249.

Advertisements in Texas Co-op Power are paidsolicitations. The publisher neither endorsesnor guarantees in any manner any product orcompany included in this publication. Productsatisfaction and delivery responsibility lie solelywith the advertiser. Direct questions or com-ments about advertising to MartinBevins, Advertising Director.

© Copyright 2006 Texas Electric Cooperatives,Inc. Reproduction of this issue or any portion ofit is expressly prohibited without written per-mission. Willie Wiredhand © Copyright 2006National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

CONRAD SLEPT HERENew Mexico native Conrad Hilton originally came to Cisco, Texas, to buy a bank in 1919. He

wanted to cash in somehow on the booming Texas oil business. But the bank he wanted cost too

much, so he bought the Mobley Hotel, the first in his long career in the international hotel busi-

ness. The Dallas Hilton, which opened on August 2,

1925, was the first of many hotels to bear his name.

He formed the Hilton Hotel Corporation in 1946.

The company has expanded into credit cards, car

rentals and other travel services.

Hilton sold the Mobley Hotel to his mother in

1924. J.M. Radford of Cisco bought it in 1931. It was

vacant for many years until the Hilton Foundation

put up $1.2 million for restoration. The building,

shown at left, is now used as a museum and commu-

nity center for civic organizations.

SOUND THE ALARM!

More than 363 smoke detectors havebeen purchased and installed inhomes throughout Victoria County,thanks to the initiative of Christopherand Kelley Wood, son and daughterof South Texas Electric CooperativeChief System Operator Henry Wood.

A January fire in a Victoria home left a family, including fourchildren, dead. In a presentation toVictoria School District students,Victoria County Fire Marshall Stuart Sherman explained that thechildren’s deaths could have beenavoided if the family had owned afire detector. Christopher was sur-prised to learn there were familieswho could not afford to buy a smokedetector. Christopher (13) and Kelley(9) responded by starting Sound theAlarm! The program distributed 120CO

-OP

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LE smoke detectors from April through

June. The First English LutheranChurch began participating in July,adding another 243 to that total.

Christopher and Kelley receivedthe KAVU Channel 25 Home TownHeroes award. Christopher alsoearned the Victoria 4-H LeoAnderson Caring Heart award; theprogram is to be adopted by theTexas 4-H for statewide use this year.

Christopher (left) and Kelley Wood select

smoke detectors for Sound the Alarm!


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IIt was bound to happen. Ranchingand deer hunting have been twoessential elements of life in Texassince the days of longhorns and

long rifles. Combining the two into athriving industry seems as inevitable asgravy on biscuits.

Currently there are approximately2,500 registered scientific whitetailbreeders operating in the state. That’s alot of economic hopes hanging on thefuture of big racks.

And big racks are definitely the objec-

tive. Antlers that is, not horns, techni-cally speaking. Horns, as on cattle orbison, are grown from the same bodilymaterial as hooves and remain in placethroughout the life of the animal. Butantlers are grown from the same calciumand minerals as bones, and are shed andre-grown every year, gaining in mass andsize annually until reaching their fullsize, usually in the sixth or seventh year.

Biologists haven’t yet determinedprecisely why bucks have evolved toshed their antlers every year. Perhaps

the cumbersome headgear would be anextra liability during stressful late win-ter months, or maybe shedding allowsbucks to blend in with the herd in theoff season, improving their oddsagainst predators. Or maybe it simplygives them a break from the pressure ofcompeting for dominance.

In any case, antler material isamong the fastest-growing bone tissueknown in the animal kingdom. In turn,the amazingly strong tissue that holdsthe antlers to the animal’s skull deteri-

��BIG BUCKS

the BUSINESS ofBREEDING TROPHY

WHITETAIL BUCKS

B Y J I M A N D E R S O N • P H O T O S B Y R U S S E L L G R AV E S

BIG BUCKS


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orates very quickly when shedding timearrives in late winter.

New antlers begin growth in earlyspring, shortly after the old ones areshed. They continue growing throughthe summer, developing inside a softcovering called velvet, a living sheathpacked with nourishing blood vessels.By early fall, the velvet’s purpose isdone; it withers and dries and isrubbed off as the buck polishes his newrack against saplings or branches.

The majestic results of that mysteri-

ous annual cycle are the inspiration fora multi-million dollar industry. (TheTexas Deer Association even sponsorscompetitions and presents awards forbiggest antlers.)

Deer breeding is currentlyin a boom phase and, likeany booming industry, theinevitable shake-out period

will come. But in contrast to previousshort-lived wildlife breeding trends,such as emus and ostriches, the deer

business promises to endure because itproduces a readily marketable prod-uct, target animals for huntingranches, in addition to breeding stockand semen. Bucks are sold to privatehunting ranches at handsome prices,ranging up to several thousand dollarsdepending on the size of the rack andits trophy rating. In the case of bucksfor sale, measurements are taken fromshed antlers. Once released into largehunting preserve habitats, bucksresume their full range of wild


instincts and are seldom easy targets.“The big thing is the big antlers,” says

Jeff Duebner, herd manager forDiamond D Whitetail Trophy Ranch inWest Texas’ Runnels County. “In order toget there, it takes you five to six years.You’ve got to keep them alive andhealthy. It’s not a very quick turnaround.”

Jeff and his wife, Aaron, oversee oneof the top scientific breeding and cus-tom hunting operations in the state.“You really can’t accurately judge theantler size earlier than age 3,” says Jeff.“If the antlers aren’t that great at 3,they probably won’t ever be that great.On the other hand, if it’s a spectacular3-year-old, he’s going to be even betteras a 5- or 6-year-old.”

Aaron Duebner, with a backgroundin veterinary technology, looks out forthe health of the animals, both physicaland, interestingly enough, mental. “Wepay attention to their mental health. Iknow it sounds silly, but they are wildanimals,” she says. “If we’re going tokeep them inside a fence, we’ll do ourbest to be good stewards.” Diamond Demployees work quietly, careful not tospook the animals, and they occasion-ally hang fresh fruit from tree branchesto help keep the deer contented andmentally engaged.

A serious health risk for all whitetaildeer, both managed and wild, is a dis-ease called Epizootic HemorrhagicDisease (EHD) caused by the bite of a

tiny midge fly. The disease often resultsin a fatal fever.

At 5P Farms, in East Texas nearJacksonville, where the does enjoy spa-cious pens carpeted with lush Bermudagrass, owner Billy Powell has designeda timer-regulated fogger system. Thesystem works by periodically spraying apesticide mist to control the midgeproblem. He has developed his ownvaccine against EHD, which is alsogreatly improving mortality rates. Andhis custom-designed electronic systemadds precise amounts of dietary sup-plements and beneficial digestive-tractbacteria to the animals’ drinking water.

Powell keeps prime breeder bucksinside a large, open greenhouse, also of


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In 1887, decades before he became the 26th U.S.President, Theodore Roosevelt founded the Booneand Crockett Club. An avid hunter and conserva-tionist, Roosevelt named the organization for twoof America’s most revered frontiersmen, DanielBoone and Davy Crockett.

The Boone and Crockett Club survives to thisday as an advocate of laws and land managementpractices that protect wildlife. Headquartered inMissoula, Montana, the nonprofit group has beeninstrumental in protecting Yellowstone, Glacier andDenali national parks from overdevelopment. It isthe oldest group in North America to advocate FairChase, which promotes pursuing and taking free-range wild game in a way that does not give thehunter an unfair advantage.

The National Collection of Heads and Horns atthe Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody, Wyoming,has been maintained by the club since the 1920s.

The Boone and Crockett Club is perhaps bestknown for establishing official standards to meas-ure and score game trophies. A version of the orig-inal standards, modified in 1950, is used in today’scompetitive scoring practices.

For more information about the Boone andCrockett Club, visit www.boone-crockett.org.

For scoring forms necessary with the complex

Boone and Crockett measuring system, go to

www.boone-crockett.org/bgrecords/bc_scoring.

Boone and Crockett ClubBoone and Crockett ClubOver a Century of Conservationand Sportsmanship

his own design, protecting them fromdisease while allowing the sunlight toplay its natural role in their hormonalcycles. The weather is about the onlything at 5P Farms left to chance, andinside the buck shelter, even that iscontrolled.

Powell has developed one of the fore-most buck lines in the state, but he hasa theory that the distaff, or female, sideof the equation bears 65 to 75 percent ofthe responsibility for producing trophybucks. “If I breed an outstanding buckto a typical wild doe, her genes will usu-ally dominate and the buck offspringtends to be ordinary,” he says. “But if Ido the opposite—breed an outstandingdoe to a run-of-the-mill buck—the buckoffspring are usually better than thesire.” If Powell can accumulate enoughevidence to support his theory, he willhave greatly enhanced the market valuefor select breeder does.

Most established breedersin Texas began with a com-bination of native Texaswhitetails and northern

whitetails, which are generally largerdeer. But state law now prohibits inter-state traffic in live deer, so artificialinsemination (AI) is currently the onlyway to introduce the northern genetics.AI is common practice in the business.Semen from top bucks sells for hun-

dreds of dollars per “straw,” the 1/4- or 1/2-cubic-centimeter container used forfrozen semen. Consequently, the busi-ness has evolved its own universe offamous bloodlines and famous sirenames, similar in principle to the breed-ing of thoroughbred horses.

Powell is proud of a high-scoringbuck ironically named “Shorty.” AmongDiamond D’s roster of big breederbucks are “Looking For Trouble,” “BillyWhite Shoes” and “Ghost.” A routineInternet search, using the phrase“whitetail deer breeding,” reveals awide world of such names, but moreinteresting are the photos of regalbucks with huge, elaborately branchedand curved racks. Some are shown invelvet and others are burnished likefine hardwood.

Like ancient hunters who decoratedtheir cave walls with pictographs honor-ing their antlered quarry, today’shunters covet a record-book rack for theden wall. Thanks to the burgeoning deerbreeding business, there will be plenty oftrophy bucks to go around. But the priv-ilege of sighting one in the crosshairs ofa rifle scope won’t come cheap.

Jim Anderson, a frequent contributorto Texas Co-op Power, divides his timebetween East Texas and Montana. He isa member of Lamar County ElectricCooperative.

J E N N Y H S I A O

1 0 T E X A S C O - O P P O W E R N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 6

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TEXAS STATE CAPITOL2006 ORNAMENT

Eleventh in the series of annualcollectible ornaments, the 2006Texas Capitol Ornament featuresthe Goddess of Liberty. The orna-ment sells for $18 plus tax andS&H.

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Rejuvenating herbal skin creams blend Texas aloe vera and concentrated herbal extracts.Dr. Wendy’s Wrinkle Warrior is a powerful moisturizer, andBalm Squad is an all-purposehealing salve. $10 each.

1-866-264-4932www.wendytheherbalist.com

HEARTLAND HAM COMPANY

Home of the “legendary” spiral-sliced honey-glazed ham. Hams,turkeys and smoked meatsshipped nationally! Holidayorders accepted now!

(903) 581-2802www.heartlandham.com

N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 6 T E X A S C O - O P P O W E R 1 1

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TEXAS SNOWMANCHRISTMAS ORNAMENT

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Treat your family and friends tothe most delicious pecans andcandies in Texas. Call for our gift catalog or visit our websitetoday and order online.

1-888-PECAN75www.rattlesnakeranchpecans.com

60 YEARS OF HOME COOKING

Six decades of Texas’ favorite foods, fads and facts. Full color, hard-bound with more than 600 recipes from 60 years of Texas Co-opPower. Makes a great gift!

Send coupon and $29.95 ($24.95 plus $5 tax, shipping and handling)for each cookbook to: Cookbook, 2550 S. IH-35, Austin, TX 78704.

Mail copies to:

NAME

ADDRESS

CITY STATE ZIP

PHONE

(512) 486-6251www.texascooppower.com

221 9 4 0

Side DishesVegetable Fritters

It may be the mark of a super-cook and a fine idea toavoid leftovers, but there are very few homemakers who arenot occasionally faced with this problem. It’s a well-knownfact that good things often taste better in their second cook-ing than they did in their first. For instance, here’s a dishthat makes delicious use of leftover cooked vegetables.1 3/4 cups sifted flour2 teaspoons baking powder1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg1 cup milk1 tablespoon melted fat or salad oil2 cups well-drained cooked or canned vegetables,diced

Fat for frying

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. In separatebowl, beat egg; add milk and melted fat or salad oil. Addto flour mixture; beat until smooth. Add vegetables. Dropby tablespoon into deep fat or salad oil heated to 375°.Fry for 4 minutes or until brown on all sides. Drain onabsorbent paper. Serves 6.

Spanish Rice

3/4 cup rice4 tablespoons shortening, melted1 small green pepper1 medium tomato

1 small onion1/4 teaspoon chopped garlic2 cups hot water

Salt and pepper

Wash and drain the rice, adding it to the melted short-ening. Brown rice, stirring lightly to keep color even.Chop and combine pepper, tomato, onion and garlic.Sauté with rice for about 5 minutes, or until rice is aneven medium-brown. Add salt, pepper and water. Coverand cook on a moderate-to-low heat for 20 minutes.After adding water, be sure not to stir lest the mixturebecomes pasty.

My mother, Lera Scott, received this recipe during World War II froma neighbor. It is an excellent way to use just 1 pound of hamburger.Meat was rationed at this time, but Mother always found a way to haveexcellent meals with what was available.

STEAKS

1 pound lean hamburger1 egg

1/2 cup flourSalt and pepper to taste

Mix hamburger with egg, flour, salt and pepper. May have to mix withhands to blend thoroughly. Roll out meat mixture on a lightly flouredboard. Cut into strips (about 3x5 inches). Brown meat in a lightlygreased skillet until brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels.

SAUCE

1 large can tomato juice2 ribs celery, chopped fine1 large onion, chopped fine

Garlic powder to taste1 bell pepper, chopped fine1/2 teaspoon chili powder (if you like)

Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Drop steaks intoboiling sauce a few at a time (like dumplings). Lower heat and simmerfor about 30 minutes. (Or cook in a 325° oven for about 30 minutes.)

Serve with rice, potatoes or noodles. Can use ground turkey ordeer. Be careful about salting the sauce until after you have cookedit with the meat. Some tomato juice has a lot of salt in it.Sarah Ammons, Wood County Electric Cooperative

Creole SteaksR E A D E R S R E M E M B E R

From the very beginning, recipes are an important component of the publication. Conservation is the overriding recipe theme during World War II. Sugar and meat are especially scarce due to rationing, introduced by the Office of Price Administration in 1942 to help the war effort. As a result, cakes and cookies are less sweet than those of today. The natural sweetness of fruit is used in desserts to help sugar go farther. Meatless dinners, or dinners where a small amount of meat is served over a starch, stretch limited resources: “A good

way to use the last precious bits of leftover meat is to combine them with macaroni in a smooth cream sauce. Top the casserole with buttered bread crumbs and bake in a moderate oven about 30 minutes.”

President Franklin D. Roosevelt encourages everyone to have a Victory Garden to produce fruits and vegetables for their families so that commercially grown produce can be used to feed the soldiers. This program is so successful that Victory Gardens put out almost half of all fruits and vegetables in the United States during one war year. The president also encourages people to can food at home or at canning centers. The recipes from this era don’t include many ideas for serving fruits and vegetables, presumably because families are eating what they have in the garden or have put up for the winter.

Supplies of food and other resources rebound after the war, and the nation’s post-war jubilation is mirrored in recipes. Sweet cakes with lots of frosting become a celebratory treat. Cooks begin experimenting with different flavors and new products, trends that will expand greatly in the Fifties. Because of the limited availability of packaged foods in rural areas, dishes made with cake mixes and the like don’t appear in the publication until the late Fifties.

The December 1944 issue of Texas Co-op Power reports: “Four million homes are cooking with electricity today. The trend to electric ranges, according to manufacturers, is shown by sales of 750,000 in 1941, compared with 450,000 in 1940. ...The war halted production in 1942.” But by 1946, manufacturers finally have the resources to begin producing new refrigerators, ranges and other appliances, which is big news at the electric cooperatives.

Behold! General Electric introduces the first two-door refrigerator/freezer in 1947.

Wartime Scarcity to Post-War Plenty As soon as it is founded in 1944, Texas Cooperative Electric Power (shortened to Texas Co-op Powerby the third issue) sets out to educate new electric consumers about the ways electricity can lighten their load, especially on the farm. Electricity “liberates the farmwife,” but only if she knows how to use that new oven. Thus, Texas Co-op Power devotes a whole section, It’s a Woman’s World—Electrically, to using electric ranges, refrigerators,freezers, food dehydrators, steam sterilizers, food grinders, roasters and electric skillets, as well as electric sewing machines, irons, clothes washers and more.

14-17_40s intro.indd 1614-17_40s intro.indd 16

5/1/06 6:30:19 PM

1940 This was a great year for firsts, including the fi rst Dairy Queen in Illinois, York Peppermint

Patties and M&Ms.1941 No, Betty Crocker wasn’t a real person, but her cookbooks, starting with the Betty Crocker Cook

Book of All-Purpose Baking, teach generations how to cook.

1942 Home milk delivery begins (initially as a war conservation measure).The garbage disposal makes

life easier in the kitchen. Dannon yogurt enhances healthy living. And, on the other end of the food

spectrum, the corn dog is born at the Texas State Fair.

1943 Ignacio “Nacho” Anaya throws together an impromptu dish for Americans visiting the Victory Club

in Piedras Negras, across the river from Eagle Pass. The beloved snack—nachos—was subsequently

named in his honor. 1944 The Chiquita Banana jingle admonishes America: “You should never put bananas in the refrigerator.”

1946 Minute Maid frozen orange juice saves time in the kitchen, as does Mrs. Paul’s frozen food and

Ragu pasta sauce. Leftovers can be safely stored in Tupperware.

1947 Betty Crocker cake mix goes on the market. For the first time, you can enclose your treat with

aluminum foil. Raytheon demonstrates the world’s fi rst microwave oven, the RadarRange. The oven

weighs 750 pounds and costs $2,000 to $3,000. Still, it makes nifty popcorn. David Pace starts

bottling something he calls picante sauce in a rented room in the back of a San Antonio liquor

store. And the electric dishwasher arrives.1948 Despite the invention of the seedless watermelon, seed-spitting contests continue to this day. Two

great drinks—Nestlé’s Quik and V-8 juice—also come on the scene.

1949 Pillsbury holds its fi rst bake-off. All hail Jolly Rancher candy, Junior Mints and Minute Rice.

1940s1940s

Wartime Scarcity to Post-War Plenty

14-17_40s intro.indd 1514-17_40s intro.indd 15

5/1/06 6:30:13 PM

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Image to be somewhatlike this an Aztec.

Perhaps holding a chipsas referenced in copy.

Perhaps guy lounging onchair with TV in back-ground. With chip, too.


S A L S A C I R C A 1 3 5 4

S A L S A C I R C A 2 0 0 6

urton Gilliam has worked withPeter Bogdanovich and Mel Brooksand done a television series withBurt Reynolds. But ask the Dallasactor what people say when they

meet him, and it’s not a line from PaperMoon or Blazing Saddles or a questionabout Reynold’s legendary social life.

“It’s ‘New York City,’ ” says Gilliamwith a laugh, drawing the phrase outlike he did 20 years ago in the PacePicante Sauce commercial, when heplayed a cowboy who discovered thathis salsa wasn’t made in San Antonio.“That’s the one thing that everyonewants to talk about. Pace had donecommercials before, but nothing evertook off like that one did.”

And, with it, salsa. Today, whatseems like the most Texan of condi-ments is everywhere, even New YorkCity. By one measurement, it’s morepopular than ketchup; and there aresome 1,200 hot sauces and salsas avail-able in this state alone. Yet, beforePace’s commercial caught the public’sattention, salsa was mostly a regionalitem, even in Texas. In fact, it was pos-sible to grow up in the 1960s and ’70sand never see it on the dinner table orin a grocery store. And what might beeven more amazing to anyone weanedon Gilliam’s solution to less thanauthentic salsa (“Git a rope!”), its her-itage is more Mexican than cowboy,stretching back thousands of years topre-Aztec civilization.

The one constant? It has alwaystasted good.

The Condiment of Aztec Kings Conquers New York City


ON THE SIDEWhen the Spaniards landed in centralMexico in the first part of the 16th cen-tury, the Aztecs served them a condi-ment made with chile peppers andtomatoes, mixed with a mortar andpestle called a molcajete tejolote.According to Rhett Rushing, the folk-lorist for the Institute of TexanCultures in San Antonio, it was servedas an accompaniment to meat, fish andchicken, as well as by itself, often with aflat corn bread called tlaxcalli. TheAztecs also had wild onions, cilantroand garlic, and while there is no directevidence that they put them into thepepper-tomato mixture, they may wellhave done so, says Rushing.

But the Aztecs almost certainly werenot the first culture to eat salsa (which isthe Spanish name, appearing in 1571; noone seems to know what the Aztecscalled it). There is also evidence, saysRushing, that the two civilizations pre-ceding the Aztecs, the Toltecs and theOlmecs, likely combined peppers andtomatoes in much the same way. Bothwere advanced, highly sophisticated cul-tures with agriculture-based economies.

Much of what we know about salsacomes from a Spanish priest namedBernardino de Sahagún, who came toMexico shortly after the Conquest andchronicled many of the native customsand mores that were quickly disappear-ing under Spanish rule, compiling thefirst Spanish-Aztec dictionary in theprocess. The priest also recorded theuses of moles and avocadoes (appar-

ently, the Aztecs made something likeguacamole).

The Spanish had seen condiments.They date to the beginnings of recordedhistory, whether in Europe or Asia. TheRomans, for instance, used mustard,and the spice trade with China and theEast Indies (where Columbus washeaded, after all) was quite lucrative.But the Spanish had never seen any-thing quite like salsa. In fact, deSahagun was shocked and appalled thatthe Aztecs enjoyed their pepper-tomatoconcoction, since the Spanish thoughtthat the tomato was poisonous.

By the early 1700s, according toRushing, salsa had spread north andsouth from central Mexico, following theSpanish into South America (Chileanseat a tomato salsa with flat corn breadcalled chancho en piedra) and across theRio Grande into the ranchos of colonialTexas. Salsa was always served fresh,made daily, and appeared on the table atmealtime. This distinction, more thananything else, shows why salsa couldn’thave been a cowboy trail drive staple.The chuck wagon didn’t have refrigera-tion, so using fresh tomatoes and chilieswas out of the question.

MOVING INTO THE MAINSTREAMFast forward to modern times … 1947to be precise, when an ex-GI namedDavid Pace started bottling somethinghe called picante sauce in a rentedroom in the back of a San Antonioliquor store. Despite its success locally,Pace was sold in just five states by 1969

BY JEFF SIEGEL • ILLUSTRATIONS BY LARRY MCENTIRE

and would remain a regional brand formore than a decade. That meant salsawas still served mostly fresh and mostlyat Mexican restaurants.

It wasn’t unusual for people not toknow about salsa at all back then, saysTom Garbett, who runs Tex-MexGourmet, a company that bottles hotsauce, salsa and spaghetti sauce.Garbett’s family used to own severalMexican restaurants in Houston, towhich people from as far away asVictoria would regularly travel to get

chips and salsa. “Unless you were look-ing for salsa, it could be hard to find,”he says.

hen, in 1982, Pace sold the companyto his son-in-law, Kit Goldsbury.Dallas marketing executive DaveMullen says the ad campaign thatfollowed, which imprinted salsa

in the public consciousness, is one ofthe all-time classics.

“They made it quite clear that therewas no better place for salsa to come

from than the Southwest, and that’s abelievable proposition to consumers,”says Mullen, the managing director ofHawkeye/FFWD. “In fact, Pace took itone step further by stating that if a salsacomes from anywhere else, it’s a joke.”

It was no joke to Pace, which con-trolled more than one-quarter of theU.S. salsa market just 10 years later andwas sold to Campbell’s, the soup com-pany, in 1997 in a multi-billion-dollardeal. Lou Rasplicka, who worked forGoldsbury as plant manager and vicepresident of quality control research anddevelopment, explains that the credit forthe company’s success—and the ad cam-paign—belonged to Goldsbury and toMarketing Vice President Rod Sands.

“Kit saw Pace was in a great positionto get in on the Mexican food craze,which was just starting,” says Rasplicka,who worked for Pace from 1981 to 1995.“He also believed in promotional adver-tising, and the need to do all the thingsthat make a company grow. And in RodSands he had a great marketing guy.”

No one anticipated that the campaign,which ran for 12 years, would be so effec-tive. Gilliam, who was one of several hun-dred actors to audition for the part, saysthe ad executives who saw him readweren’t sure the cowboy should be soTexan, and told him to tone down his per-formance. Fortunately, the director dis-agreed with them, and the rest is history.

But a food craze does not survive ongreat marketing alone. This year, salsabecame the most popular condimentby sales because people liked the way ittasted, says Jack Gilmore, who runs 10Z’Tejas restaurants in Texas and theSouthwest. (Ketchup is still used moreoften, in about 3 percent of meals com-pared to 1 percent for salsa, accordingto the NPD Group.)

“People who had thought it was toospicy are now looking for spicy foods,”he says. “They are looking for some-thing that is fresh tasting and different.And chefs love it because you can do somuch with it. There are no boundarieswhen it comes to salsa.”

WHAT’S IN A NAME?Today, fruit salsas, like mango or rasp-berry-chipotle, are very trendy, as arebeyond-tomato salsas, like Maui onionsalsa. There are even seafood salsas, likethe one made by Carol Borge, who runsthe annual Houston Hot Sauce Festival.


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She makes her shrimp salsa with boiledshrimp, fresh tomatoes, garlic, onions,Cajun seasoning, cilantro, lime juiceand a little sugar.

Salsa seems to be everywhere thesedays. Al Wagner, a Texas A&M professorand expert on the salsa business, saysentrepreneurs are infatuated with theproduct. He gets hundreds of calls eachyear from people who want to start a salsacompany. Jacques Pepin, the classicallytrained chef who cooked for the presi-dents of France before immigrating to theUnited States, has two salsa recipes in hislatest cookbook. A California-based web-site, www.salsa2u.com, offers a salsa-of-the-month club.

“In the end, salsa just has more flavorand texture than ketchup or mustard ormayonnaise,” says Rushing. “It haschunks in it—tomatoes and onions—and it’s made with vegetables. Just forthat, it makes people feel better to eat it.”

till, people may not be sure whatto call it. Salsa goes by a variety ofnames, including pico de gallo orpicante sauce. There are no hardand fast rules, say the experts, but

typically salsa includes everything inthe category, while picante sauce isusually bottled, and may have smallerpieces of tomato and onion. Pico degallo, however, is always fresh andchunky. In fact, says Rushing, the dis-cussion should not center around whatsalsa is called but whether it’s fresh orcooked. Neither is worse or better, hesays—just different.

The other two key salsa questionsinvolve cilantro and spiciness. It’s amatter of taste given the passions sur-rounding cilantro, but there does seemto be a consensus that salsa should notbe hot just for the sake of searing yourtastebuds. After all, it’s not a hot sauce,says Nancy Howard of La Grange, whomakes four Howards Yummies salsas,including a peach-mango-habanerosalsa called “Jump Up & Kick Yo Butt.”“Flavor is the first thing,” she says, “andit’s all about adding flavor to whatyou’re eating. There’s a slow burn inour product, but it’s just a slow burn.”

Best of all, it’s not made in New York City.

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Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative has reached another milestone in our continuing effort to update our systems and processes, so we can better serve our members. Recently, Bluebonnet began using a new power-outage

management system called uaDispatch, created by software developer Utility Automation Integrators, Inc. Our new uaDispatch system lets Bluebonnet Control Center Operators:• see a graphic model of our electric distribution system as it relates to location;• see where power outages have happened;• more accurately predict which device has caused the outage (transformer fuse, tap fuse, recloser, etc.);• more efficiently dispatch crews to fix the troublemaking device; and• record power-outage information and statistics for each cooperative member.

Using uaDispatch, here’s what will happen whenever you experience a power outage:1. You call Bluebonnet’s power-outage number (800)949-4414, and the call is answered by PORCHE,

our Primary Outage-Response Call-Handling Equipment.2. The call-handling system recognizes your telephone number, or requests you enter your number

for identification.3. The call-handling system automatically sends your call to the uaDispatch system.4. uaDispatch uses your number to identify you within our database, and shows a Bluebonnet Call Center

Operator a graphic model of your location.5. uaDispatch launches an outage-prediction process for your call. If you’re the only power-outage call,

then uaDispatch will predict the problem is your transformer fuse. If other calls are received from your area, then uaDispatch will predict a common protective device is the problem.

For these two automated systems to work properly, the data within our system must be accurate, so please make sure Bluebonnet has your current and correct telephone numbers. If the system can’t identify you, then you could be put on hold in a queue for your situation to be assessed and dispatched by an operator.

Likewise, the model of the electric system must be accurate, so Bluebonnet employees will be out in the field over the next year or so, checking the connectivity of all the elements throughout our service area to make sure the model is a current and correct reflection of our power system.

AUTOMATING POWER-OUTAGE MANAGEMENT FOR BETTER RESPONSE

Help Us To Better Serve YouTo further our goal of increased member service, Bluebonnet utilizes several

automated systems to help reduce our outage response times. For these automated systems to work properly, we need your most current contact information. Of particular importance to Bluebonnet are your home and cellular telephone numbers. In an outage situation, our systems utilize your phone number to identify you, our member; pin-point your service location; and predict possible outage causes, thus allowing a crew to be more quickly and accurately dispatched to restore your power.

Update your information at any Bluebonnet Member Service Center, by phone at (800)842-7708, or email us at [email protected]. Please include your 911 address, home and cell phone numbers.

CONTACT US:

P.O. Box 240Giddings, Texas 78942

Member Services: [email protected]

Outages: 800-949-4414

N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 6 T E X A S C O - O P P O W E R 1 7B L U E B O N N E T E L E C T R I C C O O P E R A T I V E E D I T I O N

1 8 T E X A S C O - O P P O W E R N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 6 B L U E B O N N E T E L E C T R I C C O O P E R A T I V E E D I T I O N

Americans really take the peanut for granted. Peanuts are plentiful — in many forms — here in the U.S., lining our grocery store shelves with myriad choices of peanut butter, canned nuts, snack mixes and candies. Yet, as Jonathan Socha — owner and manager of the Lee County Peanut Company — might tell you, delivering high-quality peanuts and peanut prod-ucts is no simple task, and shouldn’t be underestimated.

The Lee County Peanut Company was founded in 1945 by Dorman Sell of Giddings and Herman Fricke of Lexington, Texas. Within a year, Fricke had moved his part of the busi-ness to Lexington and Fredericksburg, while Sell and his wife, Syble, con-tinued on with their peanut shelling and processing business in Giddings. Fast-forward 40 years: The Sells’ health was beginning to deteriorate, so their eldest daughter, Denise, and her husband, Jonathan Socha, decided to come to Giddings from Freeport to help out the aging couple.

“I was in the heavy-truck parts business, and my wife was a nurse,” Jonathan Socha explains. “We took a leave of absence from our jobs down in Freeport and came up to Giddings to help, and we just never left.”

The Sochas bought the Lee County Peanut Company from the Sells in 1990, and though Denise has passed away, Jonathan continues to run the 61-year-old business today, making it the oldest peanut sheller within the southwest region (Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico) still operating under its original name and family ownership.

If you’re not especially interested in peanut farming, then you would have fit in perfectly in pre-Civil War America. Before 1865, the peanut was

considered a strictly Southern food, usually for poor people, and peanut-growing and harvesting methods were slow and difficult. But peanut popu-larity grew quickly following the War, with the development of labor-saving equipment and processing techniques, as well as the renowned research done by George Washington Carver. At the turn of the twentieth century, the botanist proposed peanuts as a rota-tion crop with cotton. His work not only changed the nature of southern agri-culture, but also outlined more than 300 uses for peanuts.

Today, peanuts are the primary protein source for about a half-billion people world-wide, though nationwide, peanuts are grown within only nine states: Georgia (which grows almost half of all U.S. peanuts), Texas (which accounts for another 25% nationally), Alabama, North Carolina, Florida, Oklahoma, Virginia, South Carolina and New Mexico. There are four basic types of peanut: Runner, Spanish, Valencia and Virginia. Texas farmers produce mostly Runner and Spanish peanuts, which are both used for pea-nut butter, snacks and candies.

WORKING for

Peanut growers typically plant their crop following the last frost, around late Spring. The peanut plants require from 120 to 160 frost-free days with adequate moisture to grow a good crop. Once the crop is harvested, the farmer transports the peanuts to a sheller and processor like the Lee County Peanut Company. And that’s just the beginning.

“When the farmer brings in his peanuts, the first thing we do is weigh them and take a moisture sample,” says Socha. “The moisture content must be under 10.5% to sell to us or to the government. If the peanuts are too moist, then we artificially dry them by putting them into a trailer with a perforated floor. It takes about 12 to 24 hours to dry them to the right level. Then, the inspection begins.”

Peanut inspection and grading is performed by a Texas Cooperative Inspection Service inspector, who works on-site at the company during harvest. The inspector takes a sam-

pling of the peanut crop into a labora-tory, where he weighs and cleans the peanuts, double-checks moisture content, and determines the amount of meat content, damaged ker-nels, foreign material and overall quality of the peanuts.

Once the peanuts are graded, the whole crop begins the shelling pro-

cess. The peanuts are cleaned, elimi-nating soil, vine pieces, stones and other foreign material. The cleaned peanuts are moved by conveyor to shelling machines, where they’re de-hulled, and kernels and hulls are sep-arated, as are kernels and unshelled pods. The kernels then pass over various screens, where they’re sorted by size into market grades.

The edible peanuts are indi-vidually inspected with an elec-tric eye picking machine. The electric eye is a high-speed elec-tronic color sorter that examines the peanuts from six different angles as they roll down a chute, and kicks out discolored or dark peanuts with a puff of air. The Lee County Peanut Company was the first sheller within the south-west to use this leading-edge technology, which has become today’s industry standard.

Finally, the peanuts deemed wor-thy go to a bagging line, where they’re bagged into either 110-pound burlap bags, or 2,000-pound tote bags. That might sound like a lot of peanuts — and it is — but it’s a proverbial drop in the bucket when compared to the 1,500 - 4,000 tons (that’s between 3 and 8 million pounds) of peanuts the com-pany shells and processes every year.

An interesting side note about peanuts is that they produce no waste — every part of the peanut plant can be used.

“The peanut plant itself can be used as feed for cattle,” Socha elabo-rates. “Especially during a drought, if hay is short, then farmers can use peanut hay once they’ve harvested the peanuts. During the shelling process, about 25% of the actual peanuts is hulls; many people like to feed the hulls to cattle or use them in garden mulch, and we’ve also got a guy from Corsicana who uses peanut hulls in a

worm farm. The split kernels are nor-mally used for peanut butter, while the whole peanuts are used in the candy or confectionary trade. The small peanuts are used in either wild-bird feed or oil stock, and the meal generated by them

is also used in cattle feed.”In addition to its

regular peanut business, the Lee County Peanut Company is also a state-certified organic-peanut and peanut-seed pro-cessing facility, which means it custom-shells organically grown pea-nuts and certified peanut seed. Since both of these endeavors require an environment untainted by “regular” peanuts, certification is somewhat rare.

“There aren’t very many organic peanut shellers because there’s not a high volume of organic peanuts,” Socha says. “We’re small enough that we can shell and process smaller quan-tities of peanuts, and it doesn’t take much time in-between the peanuts for us to clean up the facility. The same holds true with processing seed.”

The truth is, there’s not as high a volume of any sort of peanuts as there once was. The federal gov-ernment used to have agricultural support programs to help pro-mote the production of important food crops like peanuts, but over the years, such programs have changed and farm-ers aren’t getting paid as much as they used to. Additionally, many younger generation

farmers are deciding agriculture is just too much work, and are choosing other career paths.

At the Lee County Peanut Company, ten full-time employees make up the current staff; the business has had

as many as 20 employees at a time, including at harvest. But among the remaining ten are several loyal, long-time workers — including a plant fore-man and sheller operator who have both been with the company over 30 years, and an office manager who’s been there for more than 20 years. It seems these folks genuinely enjoy their work, just as Jonathan Socha does.

“I love it,” effuses Socha. “I like the smell of fresh peanuts at harvest, and just handling a raw agricultural com-modity. Even though it’s a lot of hard work and long hours, it’s intriguing and always something different. The harvest seasons are always different. I enjoy seeing a bumper crop or large harvest with good-quality peanuts; the years peanuts are short aren’t quite as enjoyable. You know the peanuts aren’t as good as they can be.”

The Lee County Peanut Company is located at 136 South Caldwell in Giddings. The office sells fresh raw peanuts, along with salted, hot and spicy, and Cajun-style peanuts, which have become particularly popular purchases during the holiday season, for gifts or décor.

For more information about the Lee County Peanut Company, please call (979)542-3453.


FACING PAGE, TOP: The word “Peanuts,” painted on the side of the building, announces what’s inside the doors of the Lee County Peanut Company.FACING PAGE, BOTTOM: In this area of the plant, peanuts are taken in for inspection.THIS PAGE, LEFT: Peanuts of various sizes are shelled by this one piece of equipment.BELOW: The electric eye machine inspects every peanut from six different angles.BOTTOM: A sampling of raw peanuts stored in a burlap bag.


Ronnie Pflughaupt (pronounced FLU-hop) was born and raised in Fayetteville, Texas, about halfway between Austin and Houston, just five miles off of Highway 71. With a population of 261, more or less, Fayetteville may be considered small, but it definitely has a staying power envied by many fading rural Texas towns. And with Ronnie Pflughaupt’s election as Mayor nine years ago, things around Fayetteville really began to pick up.

Under Mayor Pflughaupt’s leadership, this teensy town has built a new fire station/EMS station/city offices, restored its historic courthouse to its original glory, revamped the town’s sewer plant and lines, paved all unpaved streets, and established construction codes and enforcements to make sure new development and restora-tion of older buildings is done right — which in Fayetteville, means doing it the old-fashioned way.

“Fayetteville looks about the same as it did 60 years ago,” Mayor Pflughaupt acknowledges. “Folks say it’s Texas like it used to be, and I agree wholeheartedly. People who come to visit find themselves in a safe, secure environment where they can walk down the street at any time of day, let go of the hustle-bustle of the big city, and just have an enjoyable time out in the country. It really is just like walking back in time.”

Indeed, Fayetteville seems to have discovered the rare

and somewhat contradictory balance between preservation and progress. For example, even as the town touts itself as cycling-friendly, hosting several bicycle trials, rides, races and clinics each year, Fayetteville is also in the process of trying to get on the National Register of Historic Places. In a city where even the sewer has a commemorative marker (the laying of the first sewer line in 1923), it’s not too surprising that town leaders feel Fayetteville deserves further historical recognition.

“Usually, the National Register accepts historic districts within a city,” explains Pflughaupt. “But we’ve got such a high density of homes that qualify for the Register, we believe the whole town qualifies. So the whole city will be under the National Register, and each historic home can also be chosen for the Register individually. It’s kind of an unusual situation.”

Fayetteville began in the early 1800s as a stagecoach stop along the Bastrop to San Felipe trail. By 1835, it had developed from a settlement into a township originally called Wadis Post Office, then Alexander’s Voting Place (for Jerome B. Alexander, a hero of the Texas Revolution who was from there), then Lick Skillet (or Lickskillet). But by 1844, it was being called Fayetteville, for the North Carolina birthplace of Philip J. Shaver, who had surveyed the com-

The old buildings lining the square, and the white wooden courthouse standing in the middle, are all reminders of a simpler way of life that can still be found in Fayetteville. Just because it is a small community doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of things to do. Some of the activities tourists may enjoy downtown are: visiting the Fayetteville Area Heritage Musuem or the Art Guild, eating at one of the local cafes, browsing the shops, strolling the flower-lined sidewalks or just relaxing near the courthouse and gazebo.

FayettevilleFayetteville

Walking Back in Time in Walking Back in Time in


munity, named the streets, and contributed generously toward the establishment of a school and church. The town was officially incorporated in 1882.

Fayetteville is known as the cradle of Czech immigra-tion to Texas; following the Civil War, almost all Czech immigrants to the Lone Star State went to Fayetteville first. Two of the first Czech insurance and fraternal organiza-tions within the U.S. were created by Fayetteville residents: the KJT and the SPJST (loosely translated as the Slavic Benevolent Order of the State of Texas). Today, the SPJST Lodge No. 1 — the first chapter of the group, chartered in 1897 — still stands and was recently refurbished in Fayetteville. Here is also where the first Czech band in Texas was formed; the Baca Family Band, founded in 1882 by Frank Baca. His 13 children made up the band, and became pioneers in the development of Czech-Tex music.

While Fayetteville has a col-orful history, what folks seem to be most strongly drawn to is its nostalgic appearance and feeling. The centerpiece of this nostalgic aura is Fayetteville’s Town Square and its crowning jewel — the quaint white wooden courthouse. The courthouse, built in 1860, is the only original pre-cinct courthouse remaining in Texas. The downstairs is the courtroom, while the upstairs holds a jury room and a two-cell jail, which, according to hearsay, was often filled Saturday nights with over-imbibing saloon patrons (during the 1950s, the square also hosted two liquor stores and more than four taverns). The court-house clock was added in 1934, thanks to funds raised by the women-only Do-Your-Duty Club. Recently restored to its original pendulum-and-weights system, the clock provides Fayetteville with the distinction of being the smallest town in America with an actively chiming clock on its square.

Fayetteville’s town square is complete on all four sides without gaps, rather a rarity in Texas. Several of the buildings retain their original storefronts, though today the saloons and mercantiles have been replaced by two restaurants, Jerry’s General Store (a family-owned business for about 80 years), the Country Place Hotel, a bank, a real-estate office, an art dealer and various antique shops. Also included on the square is a well-maintained bandstand, and several accom-panying benches with a fine view of the Town Square Oak. The preservation of the Oak — estimated to be as old as 200 years — has been a cause célèbre within recent years. Adopted by a succession of local groups, the tree’s increasingly modern surroundings (i.e., asphalt) inspired Fayetteville’s Save the Live Oak Tree Fund, which success-

fully funded the removal of the pavement around the oak, a heavy-duty mulching and professional trimming. Today, Mayor Pflughaupt reports that the tree is enjoying much improved health and growth, and has become the town’s sole entrée into the Tree in the Street Sorority, whose membership is made up of similarly small Texas towns, from Columbus to Goliad and out to Bigfoot and Uvalde.

The Fayetteville Area Heritage Museum, which also holds a spot on the square, has been described as “the best little museum in Texas.” The Museum is a tourist favorite,

with a fascinating collection of exhibits including artifacts, photos, religious items, and pieces of Fayetteville’s unique history and culture — from a saber-toothed tiger skull to an autographed photo of Sissy Spacek, whose great-grandfa-ther lived in Fayetteville. The Museum also doubles as the headquarters of Fayetteville’s Chamber of Commerce.

Another not-to-be-missed sight in Fayetteville includes

the water tower, a classic small-town tower dating from the 1920s. The upkeep of the tower makes it one of the best examples of its type statewide, and has earned it a Class A rating from the Water Tower Appreciation Society. Folks who want to be on the water itself should check out the warm currents of 2,400-acre Lake Fayette, where fishing, boating and swimming happen all year long, and record catches are commonplace.

If you require some “official” excuse for visiting Fayetteville, then the town provides a variety of events throughout the year for you to get away to. Cycling enthu-siasts can participate in the MS150 Top 300 Bicycle Ride,

the Southwest Bicycle Clinic, the First Colony Stage Bicycle Race or the city’s Good Old Summertime Bicycle Classic, which hosts about 500 riders along an almost all-hill terrain (with homemade goodies at the rest stops), and has raised about $40K over the last eight year for the Fayetteville schools.

Art aficionados flock to the Fayetteville Art Walk every May, which features sanctioned artists and their work, along

with wine-tastings and authors out on the square. The event, sponsored by the Art Guild of Rural Texas, raises funds for the organization to help bring the same high quality of visual and performing arts to this rural area and its schools as is readily available to urban students.

The third Sunday of October is perhaps Fayetteville’s busiest, as about 2,000 visitors gather to celebrate Lickskillet Days. This unusual name allegedly comes from

with a fascinating collection

which hosts about 500 riders

FayettevilleFayetteville

Walking Back in Time in Walking Back in Time in

Continued on page 22.

´


P . O . B O X 2 4 0 ≠ G I D D I N G S , T E X A S 7 8 9 4 2 ≠ 8 0 0 - 8 4 2 - 7 7 0 8 ≠ W W W . B L U E B O N N E T E L E C T R I C . C O O PBluebonnet ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

B L U E B O N N E T E L E C T R I C C O O P E R A T I V E E D I T I O N

the potluck picnics of old, where folks who came too late and found all the food already consumed were cal-lously advised to “lick the skillet.” No worries, though — today’s Lickskillet Days fest comes complete with a parade, auction, street dance on the square, arts and crafts booths, and a wide range of edibles, practically guaranteed not to run out. The event’s proceeds go to the Chamber of Commerce to help pay for scholarships and town projects.

The final big-time event of the year for Fayetteville is its Country Christmas, which features historical homes tours and a select group of Texas authors signing books for holiday gifts, as well as live entertainment, a holiday lighting contest, pictures with Santa, carriage, wagon and hay rides, and plenty of Christmas shopping opportuni-ties at local boutiques and antique shops.

And while Fayetteville’s 30+ bed-and-breakfasts stay busy year-round, the town’s leadership does the same.

“Right now, we’re working on the old fire station on the square,” Pflughaupt reveals. “In 1999, we built a new fire and EMS station, joined with the first city offices we’ve ever had. So now, we’re using a grant we received from the Lower Colorado River Authority and Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative to turn the old station into a visitors’ center. It’ll have ADA accessible rest-rooms for the traveling public, so they can stop here and get information about what’s going on in the area.”

What’s happening in Fayetteville, it turns out, is the town itself — still small, but going strong, and showing the state how hip it can be to be square (and to have one).

“Yeah, we’ve got a lot goin’ on,” concurs Pflughaupt. “We’re doing our best to keep our town moving, keep it going in the right direction. The city council, whenever we’re finishing up a project, we’ve already got the next one scheduled. Raise the money, get it done and get on to the next one. We like to keep it busy.”

Fayetteville is located halfway between Austin and Houston, about five miles from Highway 71 on FM 955; it’s about a 1.5 hour drive from Austin, San Antonio or Houston. For more information about the town or its events, please visit www.fayettevilletx.com, or you can call toll-free at (888)575-4553.

PHOTOS, TOP TO BOTTOM: The Fayetteville Area Heritage Museum has been described as the “best little museum in Texas.” The Fayetteville Art Guild displays works by big-name artists, as well as projects done by local children, near a beautiful grand piano which was donated to the Guild. St. John the Baptist Catholic Church (just out of downtown) hosts rare, recovered and restored paintings by Ignaz Johann Berger, a Moravian painter born in 1822. Photographs and personal items from Fayetteville founders are on display in the Fayetteville Area Heritage Museum.

Fayetteville. . . Continued from page 21.

Take a shot at winning a unique prize by participating in Bluebonnet's “In The Neighborhood” photo ID contest. Each month we will publish a new photograph of something within the Bluebonnet service area and ask members to identify the par-ticular item or place. All correct entries will be entered into a monthly drawing for a prize. The winner's name, along with the information about the photo, will be printed two months following the submission deadline.

To qualify, entries must be made by Bluebonnet members and should include: the item and location shown in the photo, the member's name, mailing address, phone number/email address and Bluebonnet account number. Entries must be received by Bluebonnet no later than the 25th of each month to be included in the drawing.

Email entries to: [email protected], or send them by U.S. mail to“In The Neighborhood”Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative P.O. Box 240Giddings, Texas 78942

Bluebonnet member Sandra Hensley of Maxwell is the winner of our September contest drawing. Her name was drawn from entries correctly identifying the photo (right) of the entrance to the Pi Kappa Alpha Zeta Theta house on Highway 123, between San Marcos and Seguin. Ms. Hensley won a gift bag courtesy of the Pavestone Company.

[ In The \Neighborhood[ In The \Neighborhood

Correctly identify the subject/location of the photo above and enter to win a Bluebonnet gift basket.

BUILDING GOODCITIZENS FOR TEXAS

Compassion —Accepting the right of all to be treated with courtesy, dignity and respect.

Over the next several months, our Visa credit card program will be undergoing some changes due to Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative ending its relationship with the existing credit card issuer.

During that time, there will be no interruption in service and you may continue to use your credit card as usual.

We will keep you posted on any updates as they become available.

IMPORTANTCO-OP POWER PLUS

UPDATE

P.O. Box 240Giddings, Texas 78942

www.bluebonnetelectric.coop800-842-7708

Outages: 800-949-4414

BLUEBONNET ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE


Pay Your Electric Bill Online

Bluebonnet members may now view their bills and make payments online, anytime, at their own convenience.

Save yourself the cost of a stamp!

Visit www.bluebonnetelectric.coop for more information.

Bluebonnet’s offices

will be closed

Thursday and Friday,

November 23 and 24,

in observance of the

Thanksgiving Holidays.

Bluebonnet’s offices

will be closed

Thursday and Friday,

November 23 and 24,

in observance of the

Thanksgiving Holidays.


Bluebonnet ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE Market Square

ANTIQUE ROSE EMPORIUM’S 19th ANNUAL FALL FESTIVAL OF ROSES. Nov. 3-5, 9 am - 6 pm. FREE educational seminars. Nov. 3: Mike Shoup – Compost Tea Demonstration, Glenn Schroeter – Propagation, Dr. Malcolm Manners – “Who’s Your Daddy?” (Rose DNA). Nov. 4: Jim Johnson – “Fall Floral Follies”, Carol Reese – “Sex in the Garden”, Jim Turner – “Texas Tough: Best new plants for Texas”, Molly Glenzer –“Rose Legacies”. Nov. 5: Jon Meffert – “Charleston Chatter”, Ruth Knopf – “Noisettes, Naughty and Nice”, and Chris Wissenger – “Soil Nuts”. Free Growing Field Tours, Food and Drink vendors. 10,000 FM 50 in Independence, 12 miles north of Brenham. (979)836-5548 or visit our website at www.weAREroses.com.

HWY 290 TRADE DAYS; Nov. 3-5, Fri. and Sat. 9 am - 6 pm, Sun. 10 am - 5 pm. Antiques, Arts & Crafts, & more. 3 miles west of Burton. (979)357-2552 or (979)249-3501

ANNUAL TURKEY DINNER AND BAZAAR, Nov. 4, Manor Middle School Cafeteria, Dinner served from 5:30 - 7:30 pm, auction of crafts, baked items, gift items and quilts to follow. Event is sponsored by Manor United Methodist Church.

PAIGE COMMUNITY CENTER HOLIDAY Trade Days - Nov. 4, 8 am - 2 pm. Call for renting space (512)253-6607.

BASTROP VETERANS’ DAY CAR SHOW AND CONCERT, Nov. 11. CASH PRIZES. Trophies in all classes. Prize Drawing for early registra-tions postmarked by Nov. 1. Registration: $25 (includes 1 tee-shirt and 1 concert ticket). All day Sidewalk Sale-A-Bration: food, vendors, kid’s activities, antique military vehicles dis-played on downtown streets. 6 pm: Veterans’ Tribute and Awards Presentation. 8 pm: Street Dance featuring Johnny Dee and the Rocket 88’s ($10/Advance $12/Gate). Registration or info: www.visitbastrop.org or call Randy Cunningham at (512)303-0324 or(512)581-2023.

TEXAS GOURD SOCIETY’S 11TH ANNUAL Lone Star Gourd Festival. We’ve moved from Austin to Waco! 2 BIG DAYS: Sat. Nov. 11,9 am - 5 pm and Sun. Nov. 12, 10 am - 4 pm. Waco Convention Center, 100 Washington Street, Waco, Texas. (806)894-1711 or visitwww.texasgourdsociety.org.

5TH ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF TREES GALA, Benefiting the Family Crisis Center. Nov. 18, 6 pm at Lost Pines Hyatt Regency Resort and Spa. Decorated Christmas trees, wreaths, children’s playhouses, centerpieces and other festive holiday pieces will be live and silent auctioned the evening of the Gala. Tickets: $45 per person. Contact Peggy Colbert or Charlotte Pietsch at (512)321-7760.

“RINGING IN THE SEASONS ‘06” HANDBELL Concert – 3rd Annual Program of Thanksgiving and Christmas music presented by Washington County handbell choirs. Nov. 18, 7 pm. Brenham Presbyterian Church, 900 S. Jackson St., Brenham. Admission is free. For more info, call (979)277-9663.

CHRISTMAS MERRY MARKETPLACE - Sons of Hermann Hall in Giddings. Nov. 19. 10 am - 4 pm. Arts & Crafts, music, Santa, door prizes, food and drinks will be available. Hwy 77 South, on the east side of the highway. Sponsored by the Giddings Area Chamber of Commerce. (979)542-3455, [email protected], or see our website www.GiddingsTx.com.

“COUNTRY MUSIC MONDAY,” 1st Mon. of every month, 7:30 pm, Sons of Hermann Hall, Giddings, Rotary Club of Giddings. Tickets: $3.

LONE STAR COUNTRY MUSIC JAMBOREE,music show and dance. 2nd Mon. of every month, 7 pm. Seguin Coliseum, 810 Guadalupe St. 512-392-1545

MCDADE JAMBOREE, 2nd Mon. of every month, 7 pm, VFW Hall, Hwy. 290 one mile east of McDade. Tickets: $2. All the oldies! 273-2307

COUNTRY MUSIC JAMBOREE, 3rd Tues. of each month, 7 pm at Historic Baker Theater, 216 S. Main St., Lockhart. Sponsored by Lockhart Breakfast Lions Club.

BLUEBONNET MARKET SQUARE ADVERTISING SCHEDULE

All Market Square ads should be sent to Bluebonnet at least two months in advance. Information can be emailed to: [email protected] or mailed to: Magazine

c/o Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative P.O. Box 240, Giddings, Texas 78942

We reserve the right to refuse any ads due to space limitations or questionable content. Ads must be resubmitted each month. Please indicate “For Sale,” “Free,” or “Wanted.”

Area Events and ad informationfor the January 2007 issue

are due by November 15.

AREA EVENTS

PRODUCTS & SERVICES

FOR SALESPLIT OAK FIREWOOD.Call (979)884-2755.

2 ACRES IN ROBERTSON COUNTY, $15,000 OBO. (512)587-9082

RETRIEVER TRAINING : AKC Hunt Test/Gun Dog/ All Breed Obedience. Stellar Retrievers, Giddings Texas. (979)366-9313. Jack and Laura Morris. www.stellarretrievers.com

BUFFALO U - GIDDINGS ISD COMMUNITY EDUCATION. A new and different learning opportunity, offered by Giddings ISD. Over 300 interesting programs to choose from; offering a wide range of highly interactive courses that can be take entirely over the Internet. Classes offered to anyone interested--not just Giddings ISD residents. Register online or in person. For more information visit www.ed2go.com/buffu or contact Alonzo Wood, Director of Community Education, 2249 N. Main or P.O. Box 389, Giddings, TX 78942 or at (979)542-3661.

WANTEDBIKERS AGAINST CHILD ABUSE, Lost Pines Chapter is looking for members who like to ride and believe that no child deserves to live in fear. The Lost Pines Chapter is based out of Smithville and serves Bastrop, Lee and Fayette Counties. For more infor-mation, email [email protected], call (512)914-9663 or check them out on the web at www.bacausa.com.

LIVE MUSIC EVERY TUESDAY, Country-western and golden oldies by the “Kitchen Pickers,” 6:30 – 8:30 pm, Bastrop Senior Center, all ages welcome, open to the public.No admission fee. Call (512)360-5025.

FRIENDS OF BLUEBONNET OPRY, 3rd Thurs. of each month, 7:30 pm. Silver Wings Ballroom, 4100 Hwy. 105, Brenham. For more information call (979)830-1961.

COUNTRY MUSIC, 3RD FRIDAY of every month, 7 pm, at the Blue Volunteer Fire Department located at CR 309 and FM 696.

“KARAOKE” 2ND & 4TH SATURDAY each month, 7 - 10 pm at Chriesman Citizen Center. (979)567-0573 or visit our website atwww.chriesmancc.org.

“COUNTRY MUSIC SATURDAY,” 3rd Saturday of each month, Rimshot plays, 7 - 9:30 pm at Chriesman Citizen Center. For more informa-tion, call (979)567-0573 or visit our website at www.chriesmancc.org.


E

Gail Borden, Revolutionary Milkman

lsie the Cow a Texas symbol? Sort of. Gail Borden Jr., the inventor of condensed milk, lived in Galveston when heexperimented with ways to extract water from milk, which is87 percent water. Some say he stumbled onto condensedmilk because he left a pot of milk on the stove until it turnedinto a thick, sticky substance. Others say he wanted toremove the water to preserve milk for children making longjourneys on ships or wagon trains. He tried various conden-sation methods and finally patented a process involving vac-uum pans in 1856.

Borden, who played a key role in Texas’ independence,was known as an eccentric—a tall, thin, stooped man withenormous energy who liked causes, gadgets and inventionsthat rarely worked. While living in Galveston, he invented acure for yellow fever that involved lowering patients’ bodytemperatures; by the time his huge refrigerators arrived, hehad moved on to the terraqueous (literally “land and water”)machine, which could travel on land or water. On its trialrun, it reached a good speed on land but dumped its passen-gers in the Gulf when it hit water.

The meat biscuit was next. Borden thought travelers tothe gold fields, people on sailing ships, and so forth, couldsafely use a dried-meat cake. He boiled meat until heextracted heavy syrup, mixed that with flour, and baked it.The biscuits, which could be fried, baked or made into pud-ding, were never a success in the United States, though theyattracted international attention. Borden lost $60,000 onmeat biscuits, although he eventually produced a beefextract that was the forerunner of today’s bouillon cubes. Butit was condensed milk that made his fame and fortune.

It also took Borden out of Texas. He established plants inConnecticut and bought a horse and wagon to sell his milk inNew York City. The New York Condensed Milk Companyeventually became Borden Inc., which today includes BordenChemical, producer of high performance resins, adhesives andcoatings. But the Borden Company is still best known for dairyproducts. And who doesn’t know Elsie the Cow? This brownJersey has been mascot of the Borden Company since 1947.

The road to international success took Borden a long wayfrom his Ohio farm boyhood. He first moved to Louisiana insearch of a better climate for his weak lungs. He served as ateacher there and found a wife. They moved to Stephen F.Austin’s Texas colony in 1830, near others of Borden’s family.When he failed at farming, his brother, Tom, surveyor for thecolony, appointed Gail a deputy.

Gail Borden became a hero of the Texas Revolution almostin spite of himself. In the early 1830s, when Texians sent peti-

tions to Mexico City urgingthe government to declareTexas a separate province,Borden helped write theproposed constitution foran independent state.When Austin was held ina Mexican jail for twoyears, Borden took over hisduties governing the colony.

But Borden’s most impor-tant contribution came in 1835when he and Tom established anewspaper, the Telegraph and TexasRegisters. The newspaper kept Texiansinformed about the war.

When General Sam Houston led his troops east, awayfrom Mexican General Antonio López de Santa Anna, theBorden brothers hauled their press from San Felipe toHarrisburg. Issue No. 22 was to appear April 14, 1836, butthe brothers fled the oncoming Mexican army. Three print-ers stayed behind and issued six copies of the paper. Nobodyknows the fate of the printers, but those copies survived tobecome important historical documents. After the Texianscaptured Santa Anna at the Battle of San Jacinto, theBordens reactivated their newspaper but consistently lostmoney and finally sold it.

During Sam Houston’s two terms as president of theRepublic of Texas, Gail Borden was tax collector for the portof Galveston. In his second term, he disagreed with Houstonand resigned, but stayed in Galveston. It was then that heinvented condensed milk.

After he moved east and developed his milk business,Borden missed Texas and his family. He returned in 1867,reuniting with his children, meeting his grandchildren, andvisiting friends. In his last years, he summered in the Catskillsand wintered in Texas. He died at Borden, Texas, January 11,1874, and is buried in New York City. His grave marker reads:

I tried and failed,I tried again and again, and succeeded.

The town of Borden, west of Houston, where Gail Bordenestablished the Borden Meat Preserving Company, is a ghosttown today. Borden County in the Panhandle honors hiswork during the Texas Revolution. The county seat is Gail.

Novelist Judy Alter of Fort Worth is a frequent contributorto Texas Co-op Power.

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$21,995 or $333/mo.†

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Nothing Runs Like A Deere™

Statement of Ownership,Management,

and Circulation(Required by 39 USC 3685)

1. Publication Title 2. Publication Number 3. Filing DateTexas Co-op Power 0540-560 October 1, 20064. Issue Frequency 5. Number of Issues Published Annually 6. Annual Subscription PriceMonthly Twelve $7.507. Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication (Street, city, county, state, and ZIP+4)2550 South IH-35, Austin, TX 787048. Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or General Business Office of Publisher2550 South IH-35, Austin, TX 787049. Full Names and Complete Mailing Addresses of Publisher, Editor, and Managing EditorPublisherPeg Champion, 2550 South IH-35, Austin, TX 78704EditorKaye Northcott, 2550 South IH-35, Austin, TX 78704Managing EditorCarol Moczygemba, 2550 South IH-35, Austin, TX 7870410. OwnerFull Name Complete Mailing ListTexas Electric Cooperatives, Inc.,is a nonprofit association of rural electriccooperatives organized as a cooperative membership corporation underArticle 1528b, Texas Civil Statutes. Its members are: Bailey County ElectricCooperative Association, Muleshoe; Bandera Electric Cooperative,Bandera; Bartlett Electric Cooperative, Bartlett; Belfalls ElectricCooperative, Rosebud; Big County Electric Cooperative, Roby; BluebonnetElectric Cooperative, Giddings; Bowie-Cass Electric Cooperative,Douglassville; Brazos Electric Cooperative, Waco; Bryan Texas Utilities,Bryan; Central Texas Electric Cooperative, Fredericksburg; CherokeeCounty Electric Cooperative Association, Rusk; Coleman County ElectricCooperative, Coleman; Comanche County Electric CooperativeAssociation, Comanche; Concho Valley Electric Cooperative, San Angelo;Cooke County Electric Cooperative Association, Muenster; CoServ ElectricCooperative, Corinth; Deaf Smith Electric Cooperative, Hereford; DeepEast Texas Electric Cooperative, San Augustine; East Texas ElectricCooperative, Nacogdoches; Fannin County Electric Cooperative, Bonham;FEC Electric Cooperative, Greenville; Fayette Electric Cooperative,LaGrange; Fort Belknap Electric Cooperative, Olney; Golden SpreadElectric Cooperative, Amarillo; Grayson-Collin Electric Cooperative, VanAlstyne; Greenbelt Electric Cooperative, Wellington; Guadalupe ValleyElectric Cooperative, Gonzales; Hamilton County Electric CooperativeAssociation, Hamilton; Harmon Electric Association, Hollis, Oklahoma;HILCO Electric Cooperative, Itasca; Houston County Electric Cooperative,Crockett; J-A-C Electric Cooperative, Bluegrove; Jackson ElectricCooperative, Edna; Jasper-Newton Electric Cooperative, Kirbyville; JCECElectric Cooperative, Cleburne; Karnes Electric Cooperative, Karnes City;Lamar County Electric Cooperative Association, Paris; Lamb CountyElectric Cooperative, Littlefield; Lea County Electric Cooperative, Lovington,New Mexico; Lighthouse Electric Cooperative, Floydada; Lower ColoradoRiver Authority, Austin; Lyntegar Electric Cooperative, Tahoka; Magic ValleyElectric Cooperative, Mercedes; Medina Electric Cooperative, Hondo; Mid-South Synergy, Navasota; Mid-Tex Electric Cooperative, Roby; NavarroCounty Electric Cooperative, Corsicana; Navasota Valley ElectricCooperative, Franklin; North Plains Electric Cooperative, Perryton;Northeast Texas Electric Cooperative, Longview; Nueces ElectricCooperative, Robstown; Panola-Harrison Electric Cooperative, Marshall;Pedernales Electric Cooperative, Johnson City; Rayburn Country ElectricCooperative, Rockwall; Rita Blanca Electric Cooperative, Dalhart; RuskCounty Electric Cooperative, Henderson; Sam Houston ElectricCooperative, Livingston; Sam Rayburn Dam G&T Electric Cooperative,Nacogdoches; Sam Rayburn Dam EC, Kirbyville; San Bernard ElectricCooperative, Bellville; San Miguel Electric Cooperative, Jourdanton; SanPatricio Electric Cooperative, Sinton; South Plains Electric Cooperative,Lubbock; South Texas Electric Cooperative, Victoria; Southwest RuralElectric Association, Tipton, Oklahoma; Southwest Texas ElectricCooperative, Eldorado; Swisher Electric Cooperative, Tulia; Taylor ElectricCooperative, Merkel; Tex-La Electric Cooperative of Texas, Nacogdoches;Tri-County Electric Cooperative, Azle; Trinity Valley Electric Cooperative,Kaufman United Cooperative Services, Cleburne; Upshur-Rural ElectricCooperative, Gilmer; Victoria Electric Cooperative Company, Victoria;Wharton County Electric Cooperative, El Campo; Wise ElectricCooperative, Decatur; Wood County Electric Cooperative, Quitman.

11. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees, and Other Security Holders ⌧ None

12. Tax Status ⌧ Has Not Changed During Preceding 12 Months13. Publication Title 14. Issue Date for Circulation Data BelowTexas Co-op Power October 1, 200515. Average No. Copies Each Issue Actual No. Copies of Single IssueExtent and Nature of Circulation During Preceding 12 Months Published Nearest to Filing Date

a. Total Number of Copies 1,097,730 1,112,534b. Paid and/or 1,070,319 1,088,414

RequestedCirculation none none

c. Total Paid and/or Requested 1,070,319 1,088,414d. Free Distribution by Mail

e. Free Distribution Outside the Mail none nonef. Total Free Distribution 4,106 4,079g. Total Distribution 1,074,425 1,092,493h. Copies not Distributed 23,305 20,041i. Total 1,097,730 1,112,534Percent Paid and/or Requested 99.62% 99.63%16. Publication of Statement of Ownership

⌧ Publication required. Will be printed in the November 2006 issue of this publication.

Signature and Title of Editor, Publisher, Business Manager, or Owner Date

Carol Moczygemba, Managing Editor October 1, 2006

(1) Paid/Requested OutsideCounty Mail Subscriptions

(2-4) In County, Sales ThroughDealers and Carriers, Othermailed

(1) Outside County(2-3) In Countyand other

4,106 4,079none none


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Cook’s Quip: BarbaraBaronas, member of CentralTexas Electric Cooperative,sent us a funny story aboutdressing: “While I won’tinclude a recipe for the stuffyou put in the turkey, I thoughtyou might like to hear what mygrandfather, Owen Yoder,always said about it: ‘If youhave one helping, it’s calleddressing. Your second helpingis called filling, and your thirdhelping is called stuffing!’”


Orphans’ Thanksgiving

R E C I P E R O U N D U P

B Y S H A N N O N O E L R I C H The phenomenon of “Orphans’ Thanksgiving” usedto be the province of university towns like Austin, where lots of people are awayfrom their families during holidays. But as our society becomes more nomadic,the idea is becoming more widespread, and the new traditions more familiar:Those who can’t be “home for the holidays”—whether for work, school or otherreasons—gather at a friend’s house for a potluck. Some are huge, come-one-come-all affairs, and others are small, intimate gatherings. For a small gatheringof friends, a turkey might be too much meat and too much trouble, so considerroast duck instead. I chose a recipe for duck and a great accompanying stuffingfrom our new cookbook, 60 Years of Home Cooking, to share with you.

To use the Gala Glaze for Roast Duck, first preheat your oven to 425 degrees.Next, prepare a 5- to 6-pound duck by washing it, cutting off the excess fat, andpricking the skin all over with the tip of a knife. Season duck liberally, inside andout, with salt and pepper. Place in a shallow roasting pan with a rack and cookfor 30 minutes. Take it out of the oven and drain the fat, if necessary. Turn ovendown to 300 degrees and continue to cook for 1 hour (add 20 minutes if duck iscloser to 6 pounds or is stuffed). Internal temperature should reach 165 degreeson a meat thermometer.

G A L A G L A Z E F O R R O A S T D U C K1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon caraway seeds1/4 teaspoon salt1 bottle (7 ounces) 7-Up1 cup halved, seedless white grapes

Thoroughly mix brown sugar, car-away seeds, salt and 7-Up in a saucepan.Stir in grapes. About half an hour beforemeat has finished baking, spoon on theglaze. Baste meat once or twice withsauce as it finishes baking. Serves 4 to 6.

Serving size: 2 small slices. Per serving: 174 calories,17 g protein, 6 g fat, 10 g carbohydrates, 87 mg sodium,58 mg cholesterol

P E C A N S T U F F I N G F O R W I L D D U C K1 cup finely chopped celery1 cup finely chopped onion1 cup seedless raisins1 cup pecan meats, chopped

1/2 cup cooked crumbled baconFresh ground pepper

4 cups soft bread crumbs1/2 cup milk, scalded2 eggs, beatenMix together all but milk and eggs.

Add hot milk to the beaten eggs andthen to the dry mixture. Toss lightly.Bake with fowl or in separate greasedbaking dish at 325 degrees for about 1 hour. Serves 6 to 8.

Serving size: 1 large serving spoonful. Per serving:290 calories, 8 g protein, 16 g fat, 31 g carbohydrates,270 mg sodium, 55 mg cholesterol

A R O A S T D U C K I S P E R F E C T F O R AS M A L L T H A N K S G I V I N G G AT H E R I N G .A R O A S T D U C K I S P E R F E C T F O R AS M A L L T H A N K S G I V I N G G AT H E R I N G .

P H O T O S B Y W I L L V A N O V E R B E E K

R E C I P E C O N T E S T

1 can 99% fat-free chicken broth1/2 cup melted margarine

1 tablespoon chicken bouillon granulesBreak cornbread into pieces in very

large bowl. Add croutons, vegetables andfruits. Distribute seasonings over thebread mixture. Add eggs, broth and mar-garine by distributing liquids over breadmixture. Bouillon can be added dry ormixed with a little water. With largespoon, mix all ingredients well, turningdressing over so that seasonings and liq-uids become evenly distributed.

Pile loosely into greased baking pan(s);gently press down the top layer to make asemi-smooth surface. Bake at 400 degreesfor 45 minutes or until top is goldenbrown. Note: Small amount of chickenbroth may be added during baking ifdressing becomes too dry. Serves 12 to 14.

C O R N B R E A D1 cup flour1 cup yellow cornmeal

3 tablespoons sugar4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt1 cup skim milk1 egg

1/4 cup canola oilMix dry ingredients together. Add

milk, egg and oil; stir to mix. Pour intogreased skillet or pan. Bake at 425degrees for 25 minutes or until top isgolden brown.

CAROL CARPENTER

Pedernales Electric Cooperative

Serving size: 1 large serving spoonful. Per serving: 259calories, 6 g protein, 12 g fat, 32 g carbohydrates, 506mg sodium, 40 mg cholesterol

C O R N B R E A D S T U F F I N G12 cups cubed day-old cornbread

(1 large pan about 1-inch thick)4 tablespoons olive oil (divided)2 tablespoons dried thyme

Salt and pepper to taste2 pounds bulk sausage4 cups chopped onions4 cups chopped celery2 tablespoons finely minced garlic2 tablespoons dried sage leaves,

crumbled2 tart apples, coarsely chopped1 cup dried cherries or cranberries1 cup pitted prunes, halved

2 cups chicken brothIn large bowl, toss cornbread, 2 table-

spoons olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper.Put on baking sheets in single layer andtoast in 350-degree oven for 15 minutes.

Brown sausage in pot over mediumheat, breaking up clumps; remove tobowl using slotted spoon. Blot excessgrease from sausage with paper towels.

Place remaining olive oil in pot; cookonions, celery, garlic and sage overmedium-low heat for 20 minutes. Inlarge bowl, combine cornbread, sausage,cooked vegetables and fruits. Drizzle withbroth to moisten as desired; toss well.

Let cool before stuffing turkey. Tocook separately, put stuffing in pan,cover, and bake in preheated 350-degreeoven until heated through, about 20 to30 minutes. Serves 10 to 12.

PATRICIA GARRETT

Pedernales Electric Cooperative



C R O C K P O T D R E S S I N G1 package cornbread mix

8 slices toast1 cup chopped onion1 cup chopped celery

4 eggs1 teaspoon pepper1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sage2 cans chicken broth2 cans cream of chicken soupMix all ingredients in crock pot. Cook

for 2 hours on high or 4 hours on low.Serves 8.


C O R N B R E A D D R E S S I N G1 pan cornbread (see below)

4 cups croutons from toasted bread(6 slices)

1 cup chopped celery1 medium onion, chopped

2 oranges, sectioned, chopped2 apples, cored, pared, chopped

3/4 cup dried cranberries (or raisins)1/4 cup parsley2 teaspoons sage2 teaspoons fresh marjoram leaves

(or 1 dried)1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves1/4 teaspoon black pepper1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves1/4 teaspoon nutmeg2 eggs, slightly beaten

H O M E C O O K I N G

MARY JO MCCARTY Grayson-Collin Electric CooperativePrize-winning recipe: Crock Pot Dressing

This month’s winning recipe is very, very tasty, and incredibly easy to prepare. As longas your Thanksgiving crowd can live without the crusty corners you get from cookingyour dressing in a pan, then this simple Crock Pot Dressing is a time-saving wonder.

1st

February’s recipe topic is DARK CHOCOLATE—a fitting tribute to the month of Valen-

tines because not only is it a delicious treat for your beloved, it’s good for the heart!

Send in recipes that use dark chocolate as an ingredient to Home Cooking, 2550 S. IH-35,

Austin,TX 78704.You may also fax them to (512) 486-6254 or e-mail them to recipes@

texas-ec.org. Please include your name, address and phone number, as well as the

name of your electric co-op.The deadline is November 10. The top winner will receive

a tin filled with Pioneer products. Runners-up will also receive a prize.

Back in 1933, the single most importantwatch ever built was engineered for aquiet millionaire collector named Henry

Graves. It took over three years and the mostadvanced horological technique to create themultifunction masterpiece. This one-of-a-kindwatch was to become the most coveted piece in the collection of the Museum of Time nearChicago. Recently this ultra-rare innovation was auctioned off for the record price of$11,030,000 by Sotheby’s to a secretive anonymous collector. Now the watch is lockedaway in a private vault in an unknown location. We believe that a classic like thisshould be available to true watchaficionados, so Stauer replicatedthe exact Graves design in the limited edition Graves ‘33.

The antique enameled face andBruguet hands are true to the original. But the real beauty of this watch is on the inside. Wereplicated an extremely complicatedautomatic movement with 27 jewels and seven hands. There are over 210 individual parts that

are assembled entirely by hand and then testedfor over 15 days on Swiss calibrators to ensure accuracy. The watches are then reinspected in the United States upon their arrival.

What makes rare watches rare?

Business Week states it best…“It’s the complica-tions that can have the biggest impact on price.”(Business Week, July, 2003). The four interiorcomplications on our Graves™ watch display the month, day, date and the 24 hour clockgraphically depicts the sun and the moon. Theinnovative engine for this timepiece is poweredby the movement of the body as the automatic

rotor winds the mainspring. It neverneeds batteries and never needs to bemanually wound. The precisioncrafted gears are “lubricated” by 27rubies that give the hands a smoothsweeping movement. And the watch is tough enough to stay water resistantto 5 atmospheres. The movement iscovered by a 2-year warranty.

Not only have we emulated thisstunning watch of the 1930s but justas surprising, we’ve been able to buildthis luxury timepiece for a spectacular

price. Many fine 27-jewel auto-matics that are on the markettoday are usually priced wellover $2,000 dollars, but youcan enter the rarified world offine watch collecting for under$100. You can now wear a millionaire’s watch but still keep your millions in your vestpocket. Try the handsome Graves ‘33 timepiecerisk free for 30 days. If you are not thrilled withthe quality and rare design, please send it backfor a full refund of the purchase price.

World’s Most ValuableTimepiece DisappearsWorld’s Most ValuableTimepiece Disappears

Not Available in StoresCall now to take advantage of this limited offer.Stauer Graves™ ‘33 WristwatchThree Payments of $33 +S&H

800-859-1736Promotional Code GRV437-04Please mention this when you call.To order by mail, please call for details.

For fastest service, call toll-free 24 hours a day 800-859-1736Visit us online at www.Stauer.com for the complete line of Stauer Watches, Jewelry and Collectibles

27 jewels and 210hand-assembled parts drive this

classic masterpiece.

14101 Southcross Drive W.,Dept. GRV437-04Burnsville, Minnesota 55337

The face of theoriginal 1930 s

Graves timepiecefrom the

Museum of Time.

7 In the ’80s, the Harrises hid a remote camera in their mailbox and

got this great photo of Jimmy Harris checking his mail. If you look

closely, you may be able to see that Texas Co-op Power is on top of the

stack of mail; back then the publication was a black-and-white

newsprint tabloid. Jimmy and Doris Harris belong to San Bernard EC.

NEITHER RAIN, NOR WIND, NOR SLEET ...

As a kid growing up on a farm, the mailbox and telephone were my connections to

the “real” world, and I made great friends with our mail carrier—but not so much

with the five families who shared our telephone party line. Now that I’m a city

dweller, I wax nostalgic about those days and wonder if mailboxes still hold that

magical association for others. With today’s e-mails and text messages, there’s seldom

a letter in my parents’ old mailbox—but always plenty of bills! Many of our readers’

mailboxes are special in other ways, as you’ll see in these photos. —CHERYL TUCKER

F O C U S O N T E X A S

Upcoming in Focus on Texas

ISSUE SUBJECT DEADLINE

Jan Extreme Weather Nov 10

Feb Gates Dec 10

Mar Snapshots Jan 10

Apr Inspirational Feb 10

May Barbecues Mar 10

June Inventions Apr 10

EXTREME WEATHER is the topic for our January2007 issue. Send your photo—along with your name,address, daytime phone, co-op affiliation and a briefdescription—to Extreme Weather, Focus on Texas,2550 S. IH-35, Austin, TX 78704, before November10. A stamped, self-addressed envelope must beincluded if you want your entry returned (approxi-mately six weeks). Please do not submit irreplaceablephotographs—send a copy or duplicate. We regretthat Texas Co-op Power cannot be responsible forphotos that are lost in the mail or not received by thedeadline. Please note that we cannot provide individ-ual critiques of submitted photos. If you use a digitalcamera, e-mail your highest-resolution images [email protected]. (If you have questions aboutyour camera’s capabilities and settings, please referto the operating manual.)

3 “You never know what you will

find—or where—on a farm,” says

Mable Wilke. After putting up a

larger mailbox, this one was

moved to a post near her front

garden gate. “Last year it became

a bird’s nest, and this spring, we

heard a kitten meowing, but

couldn’t find it until we looked

inside the mailbox,” the Central

Texas EC member said.

1 Comanche County EC member

Donah Stricklin is a mail carrier

and likes to take photos of unu-

sual mailboxes. The Stricklins

found this hammer-shaped

mailbox (would that make it a

“toolbox”?) on Galveston Island.

7 Glen and Carolyn George’s 3-year-old granddaughter, Jorja

Bessonett, asks so many questions, they joke that they need to mail

her to someone who knows the answers. Their grandson, Nathan

George, 10, took this photo as a 4-H photography project and placed

first in district competition. The Georges belong to Farmers EC.

1 No, it’s not pony express! “Sixgun Sallie can do it all,” says

Bluebonnet EC member Denise Fleming. “She’s a show horse, reiner

and even checks the mail for the occasional prize check.”

1 Jackson EC members LeRoy and

Anna Cessor get plenty of looks

with their high-flying “mailbox.”



N O V E M B E R03 DRIPPING SPRINGS

Knights of Columbus FishFry, (512) 894-4470

HUNTSVILLE [3–5]

Church Bazaar, (936) 295-8159

WHEELOCK [3–4]

100 Years of Quilts, (979) 828-3721

04 DEVINE Fall Festival(830) 663-2739,www.devinecoc.org

ELDORADOGame Dinner & Drawing,(325) 650-9559

HARLINGEN Iwo JimaParade, (956) 423-6006,ext. 235

HEBBRONVILLEVaquero Festival, (361)227-4481, www.jimhoggcountyvaquerofestival.com

AROUNDTEXASAROUNDTEXAS04 LIVINGSTON Christmas

Bazaar, (936) 327-4468

MARSHALL [4–5]

Model Train Show, (903) 934-8687

MONTGOMERYFarmer’s Market, (936)597-4566, www.historicmontgomerytexas.com

ONALASKA First United Methodist ChurchBazaar, (936) 646-5859

PALACIOS [4–5] SeafoodFestival & MotorcycleRally, 1-800-611-4567,www.texasfishermensfestival.com

PEARL Ole Time Music,(254) 865-6013,www.pearlbluegrass.com

ROSEBUD 100+ GarageSales, (254) 583-7979

SAN ANGELOWiener Dog Races, (325) 949-1475

04 UTOPIAArts & Crafts Guild FallFair, (830) 966-3359

06 WALBURG Wurstbraten,(512) 863-3065,www.zionwalburg.org

10 FREDERICKSBURG[10–12] Art Past Dark, 1-888-997-3600,www.fredericksburg-texas.com

LONE CAMP [10–11] FallBazaar, (940) 659-2141

WIMBERLEY [10–11]

Art League Holiday Show,(512) 847-3510

11 AUSTONIO Fire Dept.Fish Fry, (936) 624-2079

BRIARCLIFF FundraiserPoker Tournament, (512) 264-7367

BUCHANAN DAMArts & Crafts Fall Show,(512) 793-2858

11 BURNET Arts & CraftShow, (512) 756-0834

COLLEGE STATIONHoliday Market, (979) 690-0613

DAYTON Holiday CraftFair, (936) 258-8231

HAMILTON Anvil Shoot,(254) 386-5407

HENDERSONHeritage Syrup Festival,(903) 657-4303

HONDO Wild GameDinner, (830) 426-3037

KINGSLAND [11–12]

House of Arts & Crafts Fall Show, (325) 388-6159,www.kinglandcrafts.com

MANCHACA [11–12] CraftShow, (512) 282-7274

SAN MARCOS WW IIVeterans Day Dinner &Dance, (512) 396-1943,www.realtime.net/centex

*United HealthCare Insurance Company pays a fee to AARP and its affiliate for use of the AARP trademarkand other services. Amounts paid are used for the general purposes of AARP and its members.AARP Health Care Options is the name of AARP’s health insurance and service program. It is not the insurer. Plansare insured by United HealthCare Insurance Company, Fort Washington, PA. Policy Form Number GRP 79171 GPS-1(G36000-5). These plans may not be available in your state/area. AARP Medical Advantage Plans provide supplemental health insurance benefits and are not Medicare supplement or major medical plans. Call for completeinformation, including benefits, costs, limitations, exclusions, and eligibility requirements.

For a Free Information Kit, call us toll-free: 1-866-438-1543, ext. 2AP.

AS613 (7/06) www.aarphealthcare.com/MAP1

Need health coverage?Call AARP now for an affordable solution.The AARP Medical Advantage Insurance Plan. If you have limited or no coverage, this supplemental plan, insured by United HealthCare InsuranceCompany,* can help you bridge a coverage gap until you get a primary plan or Medicare. It offers:

• Fixed cash benefits for covered hospital stays, doctor’s visits, and more• Competitively priced plans• No health exams or lab tests needed to qualify

Get the added protection you need to feel more secure. Call today.


AROUNDTEXASAROUNDTEXAS

Event information can bemailed to Around Texas, 2550 S. IH-35, Austin, TX78704, faxed to (512) 486-6254 or e-mailed [email protected]. Pleasesubmit events for January byNovember 10. Events arelisted according to spaceavailable; see the full listing at www.texascooppower.com.We appreciate photos withcredits but regret that theycannot be returned.

11 SCHULENBURG BanjoFest, (979) 743-4388

SHEPHERD FiddleContest, (713) 503-9632

12 MCALLEN Old CarFestival & Benefit, (956) 618-3844

16 BEEVILLEHoliday Extravaganza,(361) 358-1550

HICO [16–18] Art Walk,(254) 796-4251

18 BANDERA Trail Ride & Silent Auction, (830) 589-2400,www.horseadoption.net

KERRVILLE HolidayLighted Parade, (830)792-8395, www.kerrville.org/mainstreet

LAKEHILLS ChristmasBazaar, (830) 612-2817

MARBLE FALLS [18–1/1]

Walkway of Lights,www.marblefalls.org

18 NORTH ZULCHHomecoming Festival,(936) 399-3501

RED ROCKHoliday Arts & CraftsFair, (512) 923-7845

VANDERPOOL St. Mary’sCatholic Church Festival,(830) 966-2165

22 MARSHALLWonderland of Lights,(903) 935-7868

24 BOERNE [24–25]

A Hill Country Christmas,(830) 816-2176,www.ahillcountrychristmas.com

ELM MOTT [24–26]

Homestead Craft Fair,(254) 754-9600, www.homesteadcraftfair.com

FREDERICKSBURG [24–26]

Knife & TomahawkCompetition &Thanksgiving Celebration,(830) 997-9895

24 GAIL Lighting of theStar, (806) 756-4391

JEFFERSON ChristmasLighting Ceremony, (903) 665-2672,www.jefferson-texas.com

25 ANDERSONHoliday in HistoricAnderson Festival, (936) 825-6600

HICO Christmas CraftMarket, 1-800-361-HICO

KIRBYVILLEChristmas in the Park,(409) 423-1599

LEXINGTON ChristmasBazaar, (512) 273-2551

30 PEP ThanksgivingFestival, (806) 933-4696

POTTSBORO [30–12/03]

Birding & Nature Festival,1-888-893-1198,www.redriverbirding.com

D E C E M B E R01 TABLE ROCK [1,2,8,9]

A Christmas Carol, (254) 947-9205

02 SHELBY NighttimeLighted ChristmasParade, (936) 598-3377

07 JEFFERSON ChristmasParade [7] and CandlelightTour of Homes [7–9]

(903) 665-7064,www.jefferson-texas.com

Capture the spirit of theholidaysat the18thannual HolidayLightingFestivalonNovember30th,on Denton’sHistoricCourthouseSquare,110W.Hickory, from5:30pmto9:00pm. Sip secret family recipesof HolidayWassail asyoubrowsegift andspecialty shops around the square. Denton’sowngrammy-award winnersBraveCombowill fill theairwithholiday soundsand funkybeats, highlightingavarietyof performancesandholidaydisplays inside andoutside theCourthouse-on-the-SquareMuseum. Andkeepyour eyespeeled...Santamightjust stopby, too!

Discover Denton...andall that jazz!

T’isajolly,jinglefest.

Denton,TX 76201888/381-1818 www.discoverdenton.com

Convention & Visitors Bureau

3 8 T E X A S C O - O P P O W E R N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 6 M A P I L L U S T R A T I O N B Y G I L A D A M S

Chamber of Commerce sponsors theannual April Fool’s Day Elgoatarod, aspoof of the Alaskan Iditarod. Goatsdon’t exactly mush like huskies; they

have to be pulled down the street. The X Bar Ranch (1-888-853-

2688) is a nature retreat with cab-ins that indulges your every whimfor mountain biking, hiking, bird-watching and star-gazing. At themain lodge, there’s a swimmingpool and seasonal barbecue par-ties with entertainment by singersand cowboy poets.

Some 30 miles east, just offU.S. Highway 190, historic FortMcKavett is another cavalry-erafort that begs exploration. Sittingover the headwaters of the SanSaba River, its tableau includes amix of restored and stabilized ruins.

SONORA Most everyone comingto this Sutton County hamlet doesso for the magnificent Caverns ofSonora, described by some expertsas the world’s most beautiful. Youcan see the exquisite undergroundworld, which is 71 degrees year-round, on walking tours through-out the day. Just don’t overlook theEaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuary,

with its cactus landscape and aban-doned rock quarry, nor town sites likethe lovingly restored county courthouseand timeworn but handsome rock

school and jail. In summer, make plansto chow down at the Covered WagonDinner Theater, where entertainmentincludes cowboy poet Biscuits O’Bryan.

June Naylor wrote Texas: Off theBeaten Path.

Caverns of Sonora,

(325) 387-3105,

www.cavernsof

sonora.com4

A lonely area in near West Texas, thesouthwestern corner of the Texas FortsTrail commands respect. When youwander this solitary route, you can’t help

but admire those frontier familieswho toughed out adversities ofman and nature in order to forge alife here. Not only does this rough-edged, sparsely populated part ofthe world offer excellent opportu-nities for history lessons, it’s a ter-rific place to get doses of NativeAmerican heritage, secludedscenery, wildlife, ranch life, under-ground magic and delicious beef.

Begin in San Angelo, head-quarters of Concho Valley ElectricCooperative, and wind up inSonora, barely 65 miles away.You’ll follow U.S. Highway 277south from San Angelo toChristoval and Eldorado andSonora, making the optional sidetrip along the way.

SAN ANGELO Fort ConchoNational Historic Site is where res-ident ghosts are said to inhabitsome of the beautifully restoredbuildings. If one of the living his-tory programs is offered duringyour visit, take advantage of therare opportunity to visit with a buffalosoldier, as Fort Concho was one of thepremier homes of these valiant warriors.

Take a side trip eastward on U.S.Highway 67, then south to ConchoCounty to eat a sensational steak at thevintage Lowake Steak House and to takea boat tour on the Concho River to seeprehistoric pictographs near Paint Rock.

CHRISTOVAL Head south from SanAngelo on U.S. 277 about 18 miles to

SAN ANGELOto SONORA

Take in the history, nature, food and

foolishness along this month’s trail.

BY JUNE NAYLOR

Fort Concho National

Historic Landmark, San

Angelo, (325) 481-2646,

www.fortconcho.com1Contact the Eldorado

Chamber of Commerce

for details on the

Elgoatarod and

other local events,

(325) 650-9553,

www.eldoradotx.com.3

Brown Ranch,

Christoval,

(325) 255-2254,

www.hummerhouse-

texasgems.com2

H I T T H E R O A D

the Brown Ranch, a popular summer-time residence among black-chinnedhummingbirds. Thousands of theseminiature creatures come to breed onthe South Concho River. Once thebabies are flying, they feast on thesugar water that Dan and Cathy Brownprovide in feeders. Stay a spell in one ofthe Browns’ three private cottages, ortake a picnic on your trip south to enjoyat a lovely roadside park just outside ofChristoval. It’s one of the surviving 41parks of the original 674 built by theWPA during the Depression.

ELDORADO This sheep- and goat-ranching town in Schleicher County isheadquarters for Southwest TexasElectric Cooperative. The Eldorado

HO

WA

RD

CH

EEK

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Home illustration may include additions, options or modifications not part of our standard offerings. Shrubs and landscaping have been added for effect. Specifications and plans subject to change and elimination. ©2006 Jim Walter Homes, Inc. Copyright strictly enforced.

AUSTIN (Pflugerville), TX15505 North I-H 35

800-289-1129

BEAUMONT, TX8056 Eastex Freeway

Lawrence Dr. Exit 800-945-1119

BRYAN, TX1740 N. Earl Rudder

East Bypass Highway 6North of Highway 21

800-933-2119

CLEVELAND, TX1641 U.S. Hwy. 59 N.

800-592-4607

CORPUS CHRISTI (Rostown), TX3310 Hwy. 77 North

866-371-9109

DECATUR, TX3936 S. Hwy. 287

866-721-4038

FORT WORTH, TX10305 S. Freeway

(Garden Acres Exit) 800-944-1604

HOUSTON, TX10030 I-45 North (N. Freeway)

Take West Rd. Exit800-477-1108

LUFKIN, TX2500 N. Medford Dr. Loop 287 N.E.

800-477-4313

ROSENBERG (Beasley), TX12425 I-59 South

800-866-1828

SAN ANTONIO (Selma), TX15333 I-35 North (Selma Exit)

866-202-2822

SHERMAN, TX8111 S. Hwy. 75 866-365-7026

DALLAS (Terrell), TX1250 E. I-20

866-583-2299

TEXARKANA (Nash), TX107 I-30 E. Baily Rd.

800-477-0620

TYLER, TX500 N. NE Loop 323

800-944-0737

WACO (Elm Mott), TX651 N. Connally I-35 North (at Elm

Mott) Across from Heart of Texas Speedway

800-477-1499

www.jimwalterhomes.com

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