greene county living - iowa living magazines | a family of ...y mother was the youngest in her...

www.iowalivingmagazines.com/greenecounty Greene County Living DECEMBER | 2013

LivingGreene Countydecember 2013

magazine

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LOCALS SHARE THEIR CHERISHED CHRISTMAS-TIME RECIPES AND TRADITIONS

HolidayLOCALS SHARE THEIRLOLOLOCAAALLSLS SHARE T RHEIRLOCALS SHARE THEIRLLOCAALLS SHARE THEIRHHEIR

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DECEMBER | 2013 Greene County Living www.iowalivingmagazines.com/greenecounty

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www.iowalivingmagazines.com/greenecounty DECEMBER | 2013 Greene County Living 3

welcome By Shane Goodman, [email protected]

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

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

Wendy [email protected]

Nothing says Christmas like Spamwiches

M y mother was the youngest in her family, as was my father in his. I, too, was the youngest in my family. It’s not all it’s cracked up to be.

Holiday memories for my older siblings consist of time at our grandparents’ or our aunts’ and uncles’ homes, spending time with cousins and enjoying the season — playing games, watching football and eating everything in sight. My brothers and sis-ter continue to share those recollections each time we all get together. And, of course, they ask me if I remember. And, of course, I don’t. I was 2 years old, for Pete’s sake. By the time I was old enough to recall the holidays, the extended family traditions were over. My grandparents had passed on by then, and my much older cousins were out of their homes and on their own. So growing up as the

youngest, I missed out on much of these family times. Ironically, my wife, Jolene, was raised in a similar way. So what do you do when you don’t have traditions to recall? You make them up, and that’s exactly what we have done. On Christmas Eve, Jolene cooks up what has become a tradition for us — Spamwiches. Yes, a sandwich consisting of the famous Hormel Foods canned meat. And, yes, I thought what you are thinking, but they are actually quite good. Diced up with cheese and baked on hamburger buns in the oven, this specialty with roots dating back to 1937 has become a nice complement to the potato and broccoli cheese soups we have before Santa shows up. Throw in a bottle or two of sparkling grape juice, and you have the Goodman Family Christmas Eve meal. And you thought we didn’t know how to celebrate. In fairness to my wife, who works diligently preparing the holiday meals, we also fill our bellies with the traditional ham on Christmas day with all the fixings, but this just doesn’t seem to stick out in my memory like the Spamwiches do. Give it a try, and enjoy the holiday season! And, as always, thanks for reading.

Shane GoodmanPublisher

GREENE COUNTY

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By Juli Probasco-Sowers

S pecial family recipes bring back memories any time of year, but during the holidays there is nothing more comforting than to

gather around, even help make, time-honored homemade food. Three women who are known for their baking and cooking — Dalieth Johnston of rural Grand Junction, Jodi Hoskins of rural Rippey and Traci Beger of Grand Junction — shared their favorite recipes and talked about their feelings about cooking and why their friends and families are sentimental about what they cook.

Sweet, sweet caramelsDalieth Johnston, the food service director at Greene County Elementary School in Grand Junction, is known for her cooking both in and outside of her job. She grew up around her grandmother and mother who cooked and baked at home. Her mother eventually went to work, and the children, including Dalieth, took over some of the cooking duties. “I guess I have never gotten away from it,” she says. Dalieth and her husband, Larry, have raised six children and although all grown and out of the house, they often gather for large fam-ily dinners, particularly at Thanksgiving and Christmas. “I have both the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinners. On Christmas Eve, we

would have different kinds of soups,” Dalieth says. One recipe that has become a favorite treat Dalieth makes specifically for the holiday seasons are caramels. It takes her about two hours to make a batch. She explained that it was a long process for her to perfect the caramel recipe she uses today. “There are lots of different recipes, and I tried five or six of them before I found just the right version,” she says. “My aunt had a recipe for drop caramels. They were good. I don’t know what happened to that recipe, but they

just didn’t taste the same when I made them.” She finally found a recipe in the newspaper, although she still doesn’t know what happened to the original one. She uses butter, corn syrup, heavy whipping cream and half and half. “It is important to use real butter, real cream, not short cuts,” she says. For a variation, she sprinkles one-third of a large cookie sheet with pecans, but some of her family members don’t like nuts, so most of her caramels are nut-free. Well before Thanksgiving, the Johnston

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4 Greene County Living DECEMBER | 2013 www.iowalivingmagazines.com/greenecounty

LOCALS SHARE THEIR CHERISHED CHRISTMAS-TIME RECIPES AND TRADITIONS

Holidayfeasting

Dalieth Johnston makes caramels for the holiday season each year.


family members were asking when she was going to make caramels. She’ll make up a num-ber of batches and wrap them in wax paper to give as gifts, as stocking stuffers and to place in gift baskets. “It’s a family deal. Several of the children come home, and we take turns stirring the mixture. It takes a lot of stirring,” Dalieth says. “The trick is to get them to the right temperature and as soon as you reach them temperature, turn the mixture off. Then you spread the mixture on the pan and allow to cool. Once cooled, she cuts the caramel slab into long strips with a pizza cutter and then trims them down to the small caramel pieces. Once finished and wrapped, she stores them in her refrigerator until she gives them away or brings them out for a meal. She gives enough to her children so that they can eat them all year around. “The kids associate ‘Mom’s caramels’ with a fun family time,” Dalieth says.

Dalieth’s Caramel recipe1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream1-1/2 cups half and half2 cups sugar, white1-3/4 cup white corn syrup3/4 cup butter

1 teaspoon vanillaChopped pecans, optionalMix cream and half and half together. Reserve one cup of the mixture Mix with the remain-ing ingredients except for the vanilla, nuts and reserved cup of cream mixture. Boil 30 minutes over a low to medium heat stirring constantly. After 30 minutes, slowly add in cream mixture so it doesn’t stop the mixture from boiling. Continue cooking stirring until it reaches 240 degrees, it will take about another hour and one-half. Turn off the heat just as soon as it reaches 240 degrees. If the mixture cooks too long, the caramel will not have the right consistency. Once the heat is turned off, add the vanilla. Pour the mixture onto a buttered 9-inch by 13-inch pan. If adding nuts, sprinkle the pan with nuts before pouring the caramel mixture. Allow caramel to cool for two to four hours. Once cooled, turn onto a cutting board and cut them into long strips and then squares. Finish by wrapping each caramel in wax paper.

Canned goodnessJodi Hoskins takes homemade cooking to a new level. Not only are all her recipes from scratch, nearly all of the ingredients comes from the food and animals she and her husband, Craig,

grow and raise at home and can or freeze. “I try growing everything at least once — peas, onions, green beans, tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, celery, green peppers, sweet corn and more,” she says. They have grape vines for juice and grape jelly and strawberries to make jam. They raise hogs, cattle and sheep. There are also potatoes and the beef and pork they have butchered fresh every year to put in their freezer. They fill three freezers every year with meat and other goods, such as pies. When Hoskins decides it’s time to make pie, figure on at least 40 to land in the freezer. Jodi watched her mother cook when she was growing up, but she didn’t really help her mother in the kitchen much. “Then we got married, and I had to cook and we grew a garden and canned because we couldn’t afford to go to the grocery store,” she says. Jodi even minces and dries her own home-grown onions. “I went to buy some minced onions, and it cost $16 and the container wasn’t even full. I can make my own for much less,” she says. And she still provides home-cooked meals for her four adult children and their families, which include five grandkids.


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“To me canning all of our food is an accomplishment,” she says. “I was always afraid of a pressure cooker, but then I learned how to use it and I’ve been using it ever since.” Her family members particu-larly appreciate how she uses her canned vegetables in the vegetable beef stew. Although Jodi will make the stew year-round, the family expects much more of it during the winter months. In addition to doing the majority of the cook-ing and canning with the help of other family members, Jodi works full time as a secretary at Greene County Elementary School. Other family favorites are a crab salad and homemade pizzas. When the children were younger, they would have a pizza night. Jodi would make five pizzas, but the kids would decide what kind. Even though all her children are adults and now have kids of their own, they like to come over once in a while for a “Pizza Night.” She’s never written down a recipe for the vegetable soup, but she can tell people how many quarts of the different vegetables she uses.

Jodi’s vegetable soupBeef roast1 quart potatoes1 quart green beans1 quart carrots1 quart sweet corn1 quart cherry tomatoes1 to 2 quarts tomato juice

First she bakes the beef roast in the oven for about four hours. Once done, she pours off the broth and places it in the freezer just until the fat separates and rises to the top. She then skims off the fat. In a large pot, she puts quart-con-tainers of home-canned potatoes, green beans, sweet corn, tomato juice, carrots, cherry tomatoes and the beef broth from the roast. She then cuts up the beef and places it in the soup to simmer for a while. “I never add salt to what I can or what I cook,” she said.

The best sugar cookies everTraci Beger, a reading teacher at East Greene Elementary school,

says she likes cooking, but she particularly likes baking. And she didn’t get the love of cooking from her mother, Roberta, she says. Her grandmother cooked a lot, but as a youngster in a home where both her parents worked — her father, the late Dennis Tassell, as a superintendent and a coach, and her mother as a secre-tary and later a teaching associate — they never ate supper together.

However, there is one baked good that gets made every year and gets handed down from gen-eration to generation — kringla. And, even though kringla is a tradi-tion, Beger says her big thing is cookies, particularly sugar cookies. She passed her love of cookies and baking on to two of her three boys. Two of the boys made baked goods that won ribbons at the county level and went on to win at

the state level. “My sons always had their friends over to our house because we lived so close to the school,” Traci says. “I would always bake cookies.” Traci looks at baking as being an outlet. “I could bake all day if my legs don’t give out,” she says. She is particularly pleased that her sons have learned how to bake. In fact, one of her sons, Tory, made some money baking batches of cookies for the holidays and also for special occasions such as graduations. Now baking cookies and small loaves of different types of bread to give away is a holiday tradition. In fact, the people who have been receiving plates of cookies from the Begers pretty much expect to get them every year. “Certain people would be upset if they didn’t get them. We deliver 15 or so on Christmas Eve,” Traci says with a laugh.

Sugar Cookies, often referred to as “Tory Cookies”2 cups sugar2 cups butter (softened)3 eggs1 teaspoon vanilla1 cup sour cream6 cups flour 2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoon baking soda1/4 teaspoon salt

Cream together sugar and but-ter. Add eggs, vanilla and sour cream until well combined. In separate bowl, stir together flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Slowly add this to the creamed mixture until well combined. Chill at least two hours. Once chilled roll out onto floured surface and cut into desired shapes. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes, depending on how thick you cut your cookies. (We like ours thick.) Remove and allow to cool. Frost and decorate with your favorite frosting and deco-rations. (We like cream cheese frosting or powdered sugar icing. And often our “go to” frosting is Betty Crocker Cream Cheese Frosting.)


Traci Beger loves to bake sugar cookies (below) and has passed that enjoyment on to two of her three boys.

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S tormy Fish puts the fun into learning for third and fourth grade students at the Greene

County Elementary School in Grand Junction. In her 17th year of teaching, Fish is as enthusiastic and ener-getic as she was from the very first year. Fish graduated from Des Moines Area Community College and finished her elemen-tary education degree with a spe-cialization in social studies at Iowa State University in Ames. She also worked full time at Hy-Vee in Perry while she went to college, and she still works for them doing training sessions. Her first two years after gradu-ation from college were spent as a teacher’s associate before landing the full-time job of teaching fourth grade. She also taught combined fourth and fifth grade classes for a few years, and this year is teaching combined third and fourth grades. “I’ve been at East Greene Elementary all this time,” she says. “Next year the name turns to Greene County Elementary.” Fish says she knew from first grade on she wanted to be a teach-er. She was particularly inspired by Marjean Gries, who was her junior high physical education teacher. “Mrs. Gries was always good with the students, and I could talk with her about anything,” Fish says. The same caring attitude has been brought forward by Fish. “Just watching the kids get

it — that ‘aha’ moment, makes teaching worthwhile,” she says. “I can be having the worst day and be in the worst mood ever, then come into class, and the students make me happy.” Even though Fish’s specializa-tion area was social studies, she likes to and does teach fourth grade science. “The students love science because it is so hands-on. The goal is to have the students come up with t heir own experiments,” she says. When the students first come into fourth grade science, they aren’t very excited, but after they have been in the classroom a week, they can’t wait to get back to the science class, she says. Fourth grade is also the grade when many students really find their love of reading, Fish says. And, of course, she adds with a flash of a smile, “I couldn’t do it all without my amazing support staff.”

education Submit story ideas to [email protected]

Stormy Fish teaches third and fourth grade at Greene County Elementary.

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Instructor puts the fun into learningBy Juli Probasco-Sowers

Meet Stormy Fish

What do you like most about your teacher?

Faith Alejendro: “She is funny. We get to play games and get to do fun things.”

Sadie Williams: She is always does fun science stuff. Bubbles and things like that.”

Anthony Clark: “She’s funny and nice and she helps us learn in a fun way.”

Kale Borgeson: “She’s nice. She is also pretty and a good teacher.”


Healthy PEOPLE. ENVIRONMENTS. ECONOMIES.

Visit www.extension.iastate.edu/greeneor contact Michael Cooley at 515 386-2138 or [email protected] for more information.

REGISTER WITH:GREENE COUNTY

Clover Kids meetings for K-3rd grades begin this spring Registration open now.

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Serving Central Iowa 24/7

Our Family Wishes you a

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Friday, Dec. 13 Bridge, all welcome, 12:30-3 p.m.,

Greene County Community Center.

Home State Bank Open House,

noon-4 p.m., 115 W State St., Jefferson.

Peoples Bank Open House, 1-4 p.m.,

116 West State St., Jefferson.

J-S 8 Boys Basketball at Perry,

4:15 p.m.

J-S 8 Girls Basketball vs. Perry,

4:15 p.m.

J-S JV Wrestling at Saydel, 5 p.m.

J-S V Girls/Boys Basketball vs.

Collins-Maxwell-Baxter, 6/7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 14 J-S V Wrestling at Ogden, 9 a.m.

J-S 9/JV/V Girls Basketball vs.

Perry, 1/2:30/4 p.m.

Monday, Dec. 16 Greene County Board of

Supervisors Meeting, 8:30 a.m., Greene

County Courthouse Board Room.

Blood Pressure Clinic, noon -

1:30 p.m., Public Health.

Tuesday, Dec. 17 Greene County Medical Center

Advanced Women’s Care Extended

Hours, 8 a.m.- 7 p.m.

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

Information Program), 9 a.m. - noon,

Greene County Medical Center Main

Lobby.

VFW Bingo, early bird 6:30 p.m.,

recreational 7:30 p.m., food is served,

109 N. Chestnut.

Tree of Life Memorial Service,

4 p.m., Public Health Education

Classroom.

J-S 7 Girls Basketball at Gilbert,

4:30 p.m.

J-S 7 Boys Basketball vs. Gilbert,

4:30 p.m.

J-S V Girls/Boys Basketball at

South Hamilton, 6/7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 18 Weekly Immunization Clinic, 8 a.m.-


Wine Time, Regency Park, 100

Ram Dr, Jefferson.

Jefferson Park and Recreation

Board Meeting, noon, Greene County

Community Center.

Thursday, Dec. 19 Alcoholics Anonymous, 8 p.m.,

Central Christian Church., Jefferson.

Evening Immunization Clinic,


J-S 8 Girls Basketball at Gilbert,

4:30 p.m.

J-S 8 Boys Basketball vs. Gilbert,

4:30 p.m.

J-S 9/JV Girls/Boys Basketball vs.

Gilbert, 6/7:30 p.m.

J-S JV/V Wrestling Meet, 6 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 20 Bridge, all welcome, 12:30-3 p.m.,


Community Coffee, 8-10 a.m.,

free coffee, Uptown Cafe.

J-S JV Wrestling at Roland-Story,

5 p.m.


Nevada, 6/7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 21 First day of winter

J-S 9/JV Girls Basketball vs.

Ogden, 9/10:30 a.m.

J-S 9 Boys Basketball at Ogden,

6 p.m.

Monday, Dec. 23 No school

Greene County Board of

Supervisors Meeting, 8:30 a.m., Greene

County Courthouse Board Room.



Foot Clinics, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Jefferson.

Resident Christmas Party, 1:30 p.m.,

Regency Park, 100 Ram Drive

Tuesday, Dec. 24 Christmas Eve

No school

Greene County Medical Center





109 N. Chestnut.

Wednesday, Dec. 25 Christmas Day

No school

Jefferson City Offices Closed

calendar Submit event information to [email protected]


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Jefferson Library Board Meeting,

8 p.m.

J-S 8 Girls Basketball at Nevada,

4:30 p.m.

J-S 8 Boys Basketball vs. Nevada,

4:30 p.m.

J-S 9/JV Boys Basketball vs. PCM,

6/7:30 p.m.

J-S 9/JV Girls Basketball at PCM,

6/7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 7 Greene County Medical Center



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

Information Program), 9 a.m. - noon,

Greene County Medical Center Main

Lobby.



109 N. Chestnut.

J-S 7 Girls Basketball at Nevada,

4:30 p.m.

J-S 7 Boys Basketball vs. Nevada,

4:30 p.m.

J-S V Girls/Boys Basketball vs.

North Polk, 6/7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 8 Weekly Immunization Clinic, 8 a.m.-


Life After Loss (Grief Support

Group), 2 p.m., Regency Park, 100

Ram Drive, Jefferson.

Thursday, Jan. 9 Wellness Screenings, 6-9 a.m.,


Laboratory.

VFW Meeting, 7 p.m., 109 N.

Chestnut, Jefferson.

J-S 7 Girls Basketball vs. Roland-

Story 4:30 p.m.

J-S 7 Boys Basketball at Roland-

Story, 4:30 p.m.

J-S V Wrestling at South

Hamilton, 6 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 10 J-S 8 Girls Basketball vs. Roland-

Story, 4:30 p.m.

J-S 8 Boys Basketball at Roland-

Story, 4:30 p.m.

J-S JV/V Girls Basketball at Saydel,

4:30/6 p.m.

J-S 9/JV/V Boys Basketball at

Saydel, 4:30/6/7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 26 Kwanzaa

No school

Alcoholics Anonymous, 8 p.m.,

Central Christian Church., Jefferson.

VFW Ladies Auxiliary Meeting, 7

p.m., 109 N Chestnut, Jefferson.

Friday, Dec. 27 No school

Bridge, all welcome, 12:30-3 p.m.,


Striking 12 the Musical, dinner

and show at 6 p.m., $22.50, call 370-

4306 for tickets and info, History Boy

Theatre Co., 115 S Wilson, Jefferson.

Saturday, Dec. 28 Striking 12 the Musical, dinner




Monday, Dec. 30 No school



Foot Clinics, 9 a.m. - noon,

Churdan.

Tuesday, Dec. 31 New Year’s Eve

No school



Hours, 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.



109 N. Chestnut.

Striking 12 the Musical, dinner




Wednesday, Jan. 1 New Year’s Day

No school

Jefferson City offices closed

Thursday, Jan. 2 No school

Free B/P Clinic. coffee and rolls,

8:30-9:30 a.m., Scranton Congregate

Meal Site (Methodist Church).

Friday, Jan. 3 No school

Free B/P Clinic, 11 a.m. - noon,

Greenwood Congregate Meal Site.


Gilbert, 6/7:30 p.m.

Monday, Jan. 6 Blood Pressure Clinic, noon -


calendar Submit event information to [email protected]

View events and happenings from this community and others at

www.iowalivingmagazines.com


John’sAppliance & TV

116 N. Wilson Jefferson 515-386-2358

John Bossard, Owner

HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Get a High Efficiency Appliance in time for Christmas!

See John for your

ChristmasWish List!

being good news in Greene County and in all the world

CHRISTMAS EVE CELEBRATION!

Connection through

TUESDAY, DEC. 24The event begins at 6pm

and will last one hour

Connection through Christmas Carols, Scripture

and Candlelight

306 S. Grimmell Road Jefferson, IA

O n Dec. 15 at 5 p.m., Central Christian Church will host its

annual Christmas pageant and Christmas meal.

The children and youth of the congregation will present the Christmas story in costume while singing and playing bells for the audience. Following the pageant, the church will host a special holi-day meal of turkey, potatoes and all the trimmings, as well as their spe-cial tradition of a candlelight wassail toast. Congregation members, their family and friends and the public are invited to attend this event. Central Christian has also added a second Christmas Eve worship service this year due to the popularity of the church’s candle Christmas Eve worship. Attendees can now come to either a 5 p.m. or 7 p.m. Christmas Eve worship service. Both services will be family friendly and will include the church’s traditional candle crèche, singing of favorite carols, presentation of the Holy Family, and special musical performances.

Central Christian Church would also like to encourage the Greene County community to learn more about the charitable efforts of Week of Compassion, the relief, refugee and development mis-sion fund of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United

States and Canada, as they respond to both the recent typhoon in the Philippines and the wave of storms that swept across the Midwest. To learn more about the group’s efforts or to donate to their cause, please visit weekofcompassion.org.

This December, First United Methodist Church in Jefferson will host a worship service every Sunday that celebrates a different aspect of the holiday season. On Sunday, Dec. 15, the church will host a Christmas cantata per-formance by the Chancel Choir called the “Festival of Carols.” On Dec. 22, the church will host a special worship service entitled “Blue Christmas.” Worshipers can light a candle and remember those for whom they grieve. The church will host two services on Christmas Eve. The Family Christmas Celebration will be held at 7 p.m. and will feature carols and candlelight. The 9 p.m. worship service, called Carols, Candlelight and Communion, will feature a worship called “Lessons and Carols.”

faith Submit story ideas to [email protected]

Central Christian Church will hold its annual Christmas pageant and Christmas meal on Dec. 15.

Churches schedule holiday servicesBy Lucas McMillan

Christmas events

Spread the WordHave an upcoming event or church news you would like to announce? Send information to [email protected].


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looking back Submit ideas to [email protected]

The author of this story, Ces Brunow, has been nominated to serve as president of the Greene County Historical Society during the year 2014. You can write her at [email protected].

A group of eighth grade vol-unteers is now leading the way with a new project

that is truly fulfilling the Greene County Historical Society’s mis-sion of keeping local history alive. The project, “Growing Up Greene,” highlights the fact that we all have stories to tell. It was the idea of the society’s Education Outreach Committee members Jan Durlam, Mary Weaver and Roger Aegerter, along with Greene County Schools teacher David Bohnet. The students are conduct-ing interviews with several histori-cal society members, using a list of questions to guide their conversa-tions. The short interviews are being videotaped at the museum in Jefferson and may be gathered into a final product for sharing. In the meantime, some snippets have been posted on the society’s Facebook page and have attracted many enthusiastic comments. “Growing Up Greene” will be the inspiration for gathering more stories from our members

throughout 2014. In past genera-tions many people kept journals or mailed letters to record their everyday lives, but today much communication is by phone or email and is forever lost. This means that future generations will have fewer clues to help them imagine what life was like for their parents, grandparents and great-grandparents in Greene County. To help fill in the gaps, we will invite members to tell their sto-ries, reminiscing each month through written accounts or tap-ings, about particular experiences of their youth. To begin the process, the April meeting will be an oppor-tunity to celebrate the arrival of spring — and the return of all our “snowbird” members — by asking people to recall a favorite “snow-storm” story from their youth. A short written account, or a ready anecdote for videotaping, will get the ball rolling for this year-long celebration of the stories we all have to tell.

Historical society’s new goal is having everybody share their stories

Eighth graders lead us into 2014

By Ces Brunow, Greene County Historical Society


out & about Submit photos to [email protected]

Happy holiday greetings from Chris Wheeler, Jen Lee and Rob Schultz with Pizza Ranch.

Happy holiday greetings from Rachel Hofbauer, Shannon Stephenson and Mike Early with The Gardens Assisted Living.

Happy holiday greetings from Steve Strunk, Tammy Smith and Kent Minnihan with Shadran Industries.

Happy holiday greetings from Suzanne Sievers and Teresa Hunpal with The Stitch.

See more photos online at www.iowalivingmagazines.com

Samantha Hardaway and Haley Hall interview Curly Eason.

health Q&A recipe Submit ideas to [email protected]

12 Greene County Living DECEMBER | 2013 www.iowalivingmagazines.com/greenecountyKris Tracy is originally from Iowa and lives in Highlands Ranch, Colo.

T his cheesecake is full of Christmas flavors and is a dramatic ending to the big

dinner. I love the smooth textures, and the sweet tartness of the cranber-ries. The filling is borrowed from Rose Levy Beranbaum’s “The Cake Bible.” We like black walnuts in the crust, but pecans are wonderful too. Likewise, the brandy in the cran-berry topping is optional.

Cranberry cheesecake

Directions:In a food processor, crush the walnuts and graham crackers. Add the sugar and cinnamon. Transfer all into a medium bowl, drizzle in the melted butter. Mix until the crumbs look like damp sand. Line a spring form pan with parchment paper. Lightly butter the paper so it stays in place on the bottom of the pan. Pour the crumb mixture in the bottom of the pan and press lightly to make an even layer. To mix the filling, use the whisk attachment on your mixer. Starting with the cream cheese and sugar, whisk until blended. Add the corn starch and salt. Blend and then add the eggs one at a time until the filling is smooth and no clumps show. Add the lemon juice and vanilla and mix again. Mix in the sour cream until it is a light creamy color and smooth texture. Pour the filling into the spring form pan you have prepared with the crumb crust. In a large, deep baking pan (like a turkey roaster) center the spring form pan. Carefully pour hot water around the outside of the spring form pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. DO NOT open the oven, but turn it off and allow the cheesecake to stay in the oven for an additional hour. At the end of that hour, set the cheesecake on the counter top for one hour longer. Then the cheesecake should be refrigerated. For the topping, put the cranberries, water, sugar and brandy into a heavy saucepan. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the colored part of the orange rind and julienne into tiny strips. Mince the peel into fine pieces. Peel and slice the rest of the orange and add it and the peel to the saucepan. Cover and bring the mixture to a boil slowly. Stir the mixture from time to time. After 15 minutes, most of the cranberries will have burst and the mixture will look like loose jelly. Pour into a covered container and refrigerate several hours. The mixture will thicken as it cools. Spoon onto cheesecake to serve. Serves 16.

Holiday dessert delights with texture and taste

Cranberry cheesecakeBy Kris Ellis Tracy

Crust:1 sleeve graham crackers, crushed1/3 cup sugar1 teaspoon cinnamon1 cup toasted walnuts4 Tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:Two 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened1 cup sugar1 Tablespoon corn starch

3 large eggs1 teaspoon vanilla3 Tablespoons lemon juice3 cups sour cream1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping:3 cups of cranberries1 cup sugar1 cup water1/4 cup of brandy1 whole orange

Q: What are common types of relief for dry mouth? A: There are many ways to relieve dry mouth including products that you can purchase over the counter. Some things you can do to pro-vide relief are to sip room temperature water. Chew sugar-free gum or suck on sugar-free candies. This stimulates saliva flow and provides moisture. You can also use a night-time humidi-fier. Things to avoid are sugared and carbonated beverages. These can by drying to the mouth. Beverages with caffeine can also inhibit saliva flow and should only be used occasionally. Smoking and using alcoholic beverages are both drying and can increase the risk of gum disease. There are many over-the-counter products that can be purchased at your local pharmacy. Biotene is a very popular product. It is available in gum, mints, sprays, gels, rinses and toothpastes. All products can be used several times daily. ACT for dry mouth is a rinse that can be used to relieve dry mouth and provide the benefit of fluoride to reduce the risk of cavities. Cavities often increase with dry mouth due to lack of saliva as a buffer. Always make sure to contact your dental professional if you think that you have dry mouth, and make sure to get regular checkups.

Information provided by Dr. Rob Swanson, Swanson Dental, 2423 Willis Ave., Perry, 515-465-5170.

Dr. Rob Swanson, D.D.S.

We WELCOME New Patients!Rob Swanson DDS Jessica Swanson DDS Deborah Dietrich DDS Jody Peters RDH

2423 Willis Avenue Perry

515.465.5170www.swansonfamilydental.com

MONDAY–THURSDAY 9am–5pm

health Q&A

Q: Why are more children seeing chiropractors? A: The answer is simple: whether we have a large or small spine, if that spine is creating nerve irritation then our bodies won’t work properly. The nervous system controls our entire body, and if it is unable to communicate properly, this results in many problems. For children, these problems are colic, inability to breastfeed, poor sleep, developmental delays, digestion issues, asthma, behavioral/concentration problems, headaches, etc... While chiropractic is able to help with many health issues, the focus is not treating ailments; it is ensuring the nervous system is functioning effectively. Nerve irritations (subluxations) occur as a part of normal daily life. They may result from things such as bad/prolonged postures, stomach sleeping, falls, poor food choices, dehydration, exposure to chemicals/toxins, stress and anxiety. Research suggests even before these stressors have an impact, subluxations may occur in the uterus from awkward positioning, restricted movement and exposure to toxins. Subluxations may also occur from birth complications such as long labors, fast labors, forceps or caesarean delivery. This is why children of all ages benefit from regular chiropractic check-ups. Ten reasons to take children to see a chiropractor: encourage good brain and nerve development, supports overall health and wellbeing, strengthens immunity and potentially reduce incidence of colds, earaches, and other illnesses, assists with colic, helps with asthma and allergies, encourages good spinal posture, improves child’s ability to concentrate, assists with behavioral disorders, helps alleviate digestive problems and assists with bed-wetting and sleep issues.

Q: What does pulmonary rehabilitation include?A: Those who have been diagnosed with chronic lung disease and have ongoing breathing and quality of life issues may benefit from a pulmo-nary rehabilitation program. A comprehensive pulmonary rehabilitation program consists of a full respiratory assessment, which might include a pulmonary function test if one hasn’t been done in the past 12 months. Other components include a six minute walk test (before and after the program); nutritional assessment with a dietitian; psychosocial assess-ment; a monitored exercise program with specialized equipment; and a home exercise program. Many educational topics are covered during the rehabilitation pro-gram. These can include anatomy and physiology, bronchial hygiene, medications, breathing retraining, nutritional counseling, stress reduc-tion, relaxation, panic control techniques, oxygen therapy and signs and symptoms of lung disorders. The combination of education and exercise will improve a patient’s personal care abilities and the exercise will improve breathing and functional ability. The emotional support and encouragement of staff will be helpful during all stages of the program. The pulmonary rehabilitation program is designed to enhance quality of life to the highest possible level, maintain or improve exercise toler-ance, decrease hospital days, increase each person’s independence and increase understanding of the individual’s pulmonary dysfunction.

Information provided by Jefferson Family Chiropractic, 216 N. Wilson Ave., 515-386-3747.


Information provided by Greene County Medical Center, 515-386-2114, Jefferson.

Raise a Healthy and Happy Family

withChiropractic

Care!

JEFFERSON FAMILY CHIROPRACTIC

Dr. Chad Schwander

DC

Monday–Thursday 8am–5:30pm

216 N. Wilson Avenue in Jefferson 515.386.3747 www.jeffersonfamilychiropractic.com

Adjustments/Manipulation Acupuncture Nutrition

Therapeutic Exercises

Custom Foot Orthotics

Electrical Muscle Stimulation

Dr. Ashley Schwander

DC, FIAMA

We tailor a specific plan of action to meet your needs, goals and unique medical and physical condition

Jefferson Family

Chiropractic

health Q&A

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

Q: What can I do for nursing home residents this holiday season?A: The holidays are quickly approaching us, and I’ve heard several people asking what they can do for the residents of nursing homes and/or what gifts they could purchase someone. First, I would recommend scheduling a visit with the activities depart-ment to do some caroling, make cards, crafts or play games. Residents enjoy being able to just sit and visit with people and love seeing children and pets. If you are looking to purchase gifts for your loved ones, we recom-mend taking stock of anything they need or want to make their room more enjoyable. For example: new outfits or maybe new undergarments? Perhaps they’d enjoy a new comforter for their bed. We are encourag-ing families to make family scrapbooks for their loved ones filled with memories and handwritten notes. These uplift their spirits and they are a great way for staff to connect and share with the residents. These can be done by hand or online by using programs such as Shutterfly or Blurb. Additional gift ideas are soap and shampoo/conditioner sets in their favorite scents. (We recommend: lighter scented items, due to other residents’ sensitivity to smells or health issues.) When purchasing any food items, be aware of their dietary needs and restrictions by visiting with their nurse first. Residents may also enjoy a bird feeder outside of their room window during the cold winter months, along with black oil sunflower seeds.


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

Q: Does the color of meat matter?A: Are you eyeing a slice of pink-tinged turkey with suspicion? Wondering if it’s safe? While you shouldn’t rely on the color alone to tell, pink poultry does not automatically mean it’s undercooked. The only way to tell for sure, though, is to check the internal temperature with a food thermometer. Turkey (and all poultry) should be cooked to a temperature of 165˚F (74˚C).

red or pink hue in meat. The more myoglobin in a piece of meat, the red-der it is. Poultry has much less myoglobin than beef, for example. Myoglobin concentrates in muscles used for movement, like walking or flying. Chemical changes during cooking cause the pinkish color. According to the USDA, safely cooked poultry can range from white to pink to tan.

USDA lowered the recommended internal temperature for whole cuts of pork from 160°F (71°C) to 145°F (63°C). The agency also recommends letting pork sit for three minutes before eating.

safe temperature is to use a meat thermometer. Taking a turkey’s tempera-ture can be tricky. When cooking a whole turkey, check the temperature of the innermost parts of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast. If you have questions, call the USDA’s Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-674-6854 to talk with an expert.

Be a Santa to a Senior

400 N. Elm Street Jefferson515-386-2164

Toll Free 1-877-486-2164www.medicapjefferson.com

Bill Monroe, R. Ph

MONDAY–FRIDAY 8:30am–5:30pm SATURDAY 8:30am–1:00pm

Important Dates for Medicare!

November 15 - December 31Annual Enrollment Period for beneficiaries, option to

switch plans during this time period.

January 1New coverage begins on

changes during open enrollment period.

GET THE ANSWERS YOU NEED AT

WWW.MEDICARE.GOV

or contact your local Medicap

Pharmacist and staff to assist you

“MAKE SURE THAT THE PLAN YOU CHOOSE...ALLOWS YOU TO USE THE PHARMACY OF YOURCHOICE & THAT YOU’RE COMFORTABLE WITH!”

E rin Daniel of Jefferson remem-bers sitting in the driver’s seat of her grandfather’s 1938

American Bantam pickup when she was 12 or 13. It was her favorite out of all the numerous cars and trucks her late grandfather, Mort Stagg Jr., collected during the years. “I liked it probably because it was small,” she says. “When Grandpa died, he left everyone in the family a car or truck from his collection. I got the Bantam because he knew it was my favorite.” She related the story her grand-father told her about the knob on the steering wheel called the sweet-heart knob because a guy could steer with one hand by holding onto the knob while he had one arm around his girl. Erin and her husband, Nick Daniel. tinker with the mini-truck now and again, and Nick has plans to do some work on the vehicle so they can drive it in area parades such as the annual Bell Festival parade. Nick, who is a mechanical engi-neer at Scranton Manufacturing, says he knows something about engines. The Bantam engine is differ-ent than most. It has no fuel pump and no water pump. The fuel tank sits above the engine so the gasoline can run down into the engine. Bantam pickup trucks were pro-

duced and promoted as the new economy vehicle in the 1930s, Nick explains, showing an advertise-ment touting the truck for sale for $484.50, with the promise of more than 50 miles per gallon. The problem for Nick, at six feet tall, is he has to take the seat out to drive the little truck. When he sits on the seat, his knees come up on either side of the steering wheel. The truck is currently housed in the garage of Erin’s parents, Peg and Mike Semske, of rural Grand Junction. Soon, however, as Erin and Nick take ownership of an acreage in rural Jefferson, they plan to place the truck in their own garage, which will make it easier to work on the Bantam. In 1998 the Ertle Toy Co. came to Erin’s grandpa’s farm to examine, measure and photograph his little truck. The company then used the information from their visit to cre-ate replicas for the toy company. Afterward, they sent her grandpa an exact toy model of his truck with a letter thanking him for having them out to his farm. Peg listened to Erin and Nick talk about the truck and added, “I can just imagine my dad smiling to know that someone appreciates it as much as he did.”

what’s in your garage?

Contact Darren at 953-4822 ext. 304 or [email protected] to recom-mend someone for an upcoming issue of “What’s In Your Garage?”

Erin and Nick Daniel, along with the oldest of their two sons, Lucas, show off the American Bantam pickup truck Erin was bequeathed by her grandfather.

Daniel receives grandfather’s Bantam TruckBy Juli Probasco-Sowers

Small inheritancePh

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news briefs Submit briefs to | [email protected]

Wednesday afternoons of community fellowship, entertainment and information about our community are being held at Trinity Lutheran on Lincolnway in Jefferson. All ages are invited to participate in the activities. The doors open at 3 p.m. for a social time, speakers begin around 4 p.m. and there will be a light supper at 5:30 p.m. Come when you can stay as long as you like. Come learn the facts — not a rumor — about what is happening in Greene County. All the speakers are involved in various community activities. The Dec. 18 program is about decorating the Rose Parade floats Please come for an interesting social time, a chance to learn, ask questions, food and drink. Is there a speaker you would like to hear, or a subject that you would like to learn about? Call, Lois Rae Brant 515-386-5249 or email [email protected].

Public invited to Wednesday fellowship

Justin Stream, Logan Woodruff and Sadie Reedy are all new Greene County 4-H members. They are pictured enjoying the 4-H New Member Night that was held on Nov. 8 to teach youth and parents interested in 4-H about the program and what is

expected.

New 4-H members

For the third year in a row, Greene County Rams brought home a gold medal at Special Olympics’ State bowling. This was junior Rylie Breheny’s first year bowling, and she demonstrated that she has talent. Breheny was among the 836 Special Olympics Iowa (SOIA) bowlers who competed on Saturday, Nov. 23. Her (16-21) female division bowled at Bowlarama in Des Moines. Breheny was cheered on by her dad, Jon; stepmother, Jodi; grandfather, Bill; and her Uncle Nick. Friends Makayla Murray and Nicole Burton came to support her, too. Coaches Deb Rogers, Mona Weltz, Sue Lansman, and volunteer Bob Rogers came to complete Breheny’s cheering section.

Volunteer Nicole Burton, Rylie Breheny and Makayla Murray .

Rams bring home gold medal at state bowling

D o you have a book lover on your Christmas list? Then you can do your

Christmas shopping at the library this year. The Friends of the Library are sponsoring a used book sale throughout December. Stop in the adult department and browse through the bargains on the book sale table. There will be a selec-tion of children’s books as well as fiction and non-fiction for adults. According to Santa, “a book is a present you can open again and again.” Christmas brings visions of sugar plums and packages tied up with bows. Stop by and see the two beautiful Christmas trees that have been decorated by the Friday Study Club. With a special theme each year for the children’s tree and another for the adult tree, this is the 20th year the Friday Study Club has decorated the library Christmas trees as their annual community service project. Thank you to the club for making the library festive for everyone to enjoy each year. Christmas is a special time of year when family and friends gather, a time for reminiscing and making new memories. You can make this Christmas extra special with ideas from books you check out from the library. Whether it’s a new scrumptious recipe you’re looking for, holiday decorating tips or ideas for handmade gifts or scrapbooking pages for those pre-cious Christmas photos, you can

find a book to help with all of your holiday projects at the library. You’ll also find a large selection of Christmas fiction and Christmas movies to get you in the Christmas mood or to relax with when your holiday celebrations are over and the house is quiet again.

Are your grandchildren com-ing to visit for the holidays? Think of the library as your one stop shop for entertainment. Check out the great selection of books, mov-ies, puzzles, puppets and games you can find in the Children’s Department and holiday story books that bring the magic of Christmas to life. While you’re at the library, you can enter the Christmas prize drawings. And don’t forget — the library can help you with your New Year’s Eve celebrations, too. The library will be closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Happy holidays from the Jefferson Public Library Staff.

library By Jane Millard, library director

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

Check off your Christmas list at the library

Season’s readings!By Jane Millard, library director


Thomas Jefferson Gardens are under construction

By Juli Probasco-Sowers

Tribute

T homas Jefferson Gardens, now under construction, will pay tribute to the com-

munity’s namesake where it is being built, as well as the history of agriculture and the greater Greene County community. Don Orris took a break from helping lay brick and doing other work at the site on the south-east corner of the Jefferson town square on a recent cold day with sleet raining down. He is one of the dedicated volunteers who have worked on the project from the beginning, more than a year ago. “We want to get the brick work done before the ground freezes,” Orris says. The bricks are being laid in a herringbone design, just like the brick work at Thomas Jefferson’s home in Monticello. Much of what is being done will mimic Jefferson’s home, which has been preserved as a museum at Charlottesville, Va. The project began with Greene County residents Tom Polking and Wallace Teagarden. They wanted to honor Thomas Jefferson because of his involvement in agriculture and for his being Jefferson’s name-sake. A group of volunteers formed a non-profit organization to sup-port Thomas Jefferson Gardens. Eventually the two owners of the old buildings agreed to sell them and were torn down to make way for the new gardens. A third build-ing on the site has been left in place to make a visitor center for the gar-

dens, the community and Greene County The pavilion was recently built with the help of the Rotary Club, which donated four years worth of money raised during four years totaling $25,000. The gardens group also was awarded a Vision Iowa grant of up to $70,000 which requires local matches of dona-tions, labor and/or materials. “This project will cost between $300,000 and $400,000 by the time we are done,” he says. The gardens will be divided into five separate areas. Gardens will consist of prairie grasses, a farmer’s garden which contains grain from 1917, the year the courthouse was built, and the current grains used so visitors can make comparisons; a vegetable garden modeled after the one that would have been planted at Monticello; a garden planted with the same types of plants brought back by explorers Louis and Clark and the small children’s garden. Iowa State University horticul-ture students are helping plan the gardens, and the staff at Monticello has agreed to provide plans of the existing gardens and some seed and plants as well. A wrought iron fence will sur-round the gardens and the prop-erty, and eventually there a stat-ue of Thomas Jefferson will be added. Orris says the garden will be a place people can find out more about the history of the area, Thomas Jefferson, the community and Greene County.

community

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The pavilion at Thomas Jefferson Gardens was built with the help of the Rotary Club.


Information provided by Timothy J. Heisterkamp, CFP®, Investment Centers of America, 115 W. State St. Jefferson; 515-386-2570.

finance By Timothy J. Heisterkamp, CFP®

Handling your employer-based retirement plan

By Timothy J. Heisterkamp, CFP®, Investment Centers of America

The rollover

I n today’s day and age of work place benefits, there are two benefits that are important to

employees: health insurance and retirement plans. Although health insurance is certainly the hot topic in the news, I want to discuss your employer-based retirement plan. Depending on where you work, you may have access to a 401k plan, a 403b plan, a 457 plan, a SIMPLE or a SEP. Whatever plan you have, when you leave that employer, either by retirement or by starting a new job, you generally have the right to take your retire-ment plan with you via a rollover. The main reason a person may do a rollover is control. When your funds are invested in the employer-based plan, someone else is determining your investment choices, and if they have done their due diligence, those investment options may be OK. However, in the investment world, there are literally thousands of investment options, which may be available to you under your own IRA. In addi-tion to mutual funds, you may want to invest in an individual stock, bond or exchange traded fund. Or you may want to invest in an alter-native investment, such as a real estate investment trust, precious metals or some other commodity. In some cases, having a portion of your funds invested in a bank CD may be appropriate. CDs are FDIC insured, whereas these other investments are not.

Taxation of an early withdrawalIt is important to point out if you withdraw your funds from an IRA or employer retirement plan prior to age 59½ you may be subject to a 10 percent penalty, in addition to federal and state income taxes. So before you make such a move, please consult your tax advisor

first. There are some exceptions to the 10 percent penalty; again con-sult your tax professional first, to see if an exception applies to you and a rollover fits your situation.

Required minimumdistributionsFinally, all retirement plans will require you to start taking distri-butions the year you turn 70½. This withdrawal is required every year after you turn 70½. It is based on your age: the older you are, the more you have to with-draw. There is one exception: if you have a 401(k) plan and you are still working, you can put off the required minimum distribution until you quit working. There is a lot to take in when discussing the rollover, so if you have any ques-tions, please give me a call. Investment Centers of America, Inc. (ICA), member FINRA/SIPC and a Registered Investment Advisor, is not affiliated with Home State Bank. Securities, advisory services and insur-ance products offered through ICA and affiliated insurance agencies are *not insured by the FDIC or any other Federal Government agency *not a deposit or other obligation of, or guar-anteed by any bank or their affiliates *subject to risks including the possible loss of principal amount invested. ICA does not give tax advice. Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certifica-tion marks CFP®, Certified Financial Planner™ and CFP® in the U.S. Securities, advisory services and insurance products

are offered through Investment Centers of America, Inc. Member FINRA, SIPC, a Registered investment advisor

and affiliated insurance agencies.

Located atHome State Bank115 W. State Street

P.O. Box 351

Jefferson, IA 50129

ph: (515) 386-2570fx: (515) 386-8513

[email protected]

www.planwithtim.com

Timothy J. Heisterkamp, CFP®CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM

1

Jefferson, Iowa

We have two locations to serve YOU & Greene County!JEFFERSON110 E. State Street

515-386-8185888-686-8185

SCRANTON 1117 Main Street712-652-3344800-383-5182

Wishing you a

Merry Christmas and a safe, healthy

Happy New Year!


out & about Submit your photos and captions to [email protected]

Happy holiday greetings from Laura Ballard and Michael Cooley with the Greene County Extension

Office.

Happy holiday greetings from Caleb Delzell and Doug Monaghan with Fareway.

Happy holiday greetings from Jolene Anderson and Delaney Gibson with Fareway.

Happy holiday greetings from Amanda Prescott, Renee Dunne and Hollie Roberts with Greene

County Medical Center.

Happy holiday greetings from Lois Stogsdill and Nancy Wessling with Greene County Medical

Center.

Emma Acton visited Santa and Mrs. Claus at Jefferson Telecom on Nov. 29.

Happy holiday greetings from Heather Wuebker and Rachelle Smith with Jefferson Family

Chiropractic.

Happy holiday greetings from Tim Heisterkamp and Kim Bendickson with Investments Center of

America at Home State Bank.

Cody Gilbertson and Sadie Gilbertson visited Santa and Mrs. Claus at Jefferson Telecom on Nov. 29.

Kody Hickman, Joseph Oyres, Cassandra Oyre and Julia Oyres visited Santa and Mrs. Claus at Jefferson Telecom on Nov. 29.

See more photos online at www.iowalivingmagazines.com

Phot

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Alexa Villalobus and Christopher Villalobus visited Santa and Mrs. Claus at Jefferson Telecom on

Nov. 29.

www.iowalivingmagazines.com/greenecounty Greene County Living DECEMBER | 2013

1000 W. Washington St.Jefferson

515-386-2555www.jeffersongardenlifestyles.com

Three Meals a Day 1–2 Bedroom or Studio Apts. Kitchenette & Private Bath Housekeeping &

Laundry Services

Emergency Call Alert System 24-Hour Assistance Social Activities & Day Trips Safe & Secure Environment No Buy-in Fees

The Gardens

DECEMBER | 2013 Greene County Living www.iowalivingmagazines.com/greenecounty

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

Happy Holidays

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