Country Lines actually started 30 years ago this coming November. At the time, it was the youngest of 30-some publications across the country started by state electric co-op associations to help electric co-ops stay in touch with members. Some of those magazines were in business 40 years before Michigan co-ops saw the light. The goal of the magazines is to help members keep up with what’s going on in the utility they own, which is actually one of the golden rules of the cooperative form of business.

We know that if we were to fill these pages with only information about transformers, substations, rates and generator safety, we wouldn’t have many readers. And so we make room for other things that may interest you more, like gardening, recipes and the great outdoors. And Jim Hough’s column on this back page.

The sad thing, of course, is that Jim has packed away his large-print typewriter, upon which he created the warm-hearted stories about his friends in his beloved U.P. He delivered the columns to us on letter-sized sheets of newsprint strung together with tape into 6-foot long scrolls. He writes that way because he is legally blind and the large type allows him to read his own copy. Still, it often looked like we were getting an over-sized roll of toilet paper. And considering the columns he wrote about Engadine’s outhouse races and the toilet seat nailed to a tree announcing that his Paradise cabin was open for visitors, toilet paper would have been appropriate.

But Jim’s columns weren’t fluff. We wanted him to write stories that would draw you into the magazine, to help create a community of electric co-op readers across the state and beyond.
As proof, there are the many letters he’s received from well-wishing readers who just wanted to let Jim know how much they loved his column.

“We have enjoyed your articles in every issue,” wrote one reader.

“You don’t know me, but after reading your columns for a long time, I felt I had to let you know how much I enjoyed your writings,” wrote another.

“If it was not for your articles I probably wouldn’t even open the magazine,” wrote still another, frankly. (Do you know that studies show about half of the population starts reading magazines from the back?)

That so many of you would take time to write a letter to Jim Hough wishing him well after his farewell column in the January issue is testament to your connection to the magazine. We thank you, and we promise that we will work hard to keep your trust.

For those of you who fear they will miss Jim’s special connection with the U.P., I want you to know that I and my teacher wife, Barbara, were high school sweethearts in Ironwood, and have a special fondness for pasties, Sayklly’s chocolates, trout sreams, Marquette and Lake Superior. The title of this new column reflects the approach I hope to take in writing about the people and places along co-op lines, but it is also a tip of the hat to our now long-gone St. Ambrose High School, whose sports teams went by the name of “Ramblers.” You can take a kid out of the U.P., but you can’t take the Yooper out of the kid.

Our latest survey shows that our community of readers is as strong as ever, but also that we have work to do to keep your trust and build a stronger relationship with younger co-op members.

The survey was conducted online in November, with a follow-up random sample mail survey in December. It reveals that over 90 percent of co-op members read the magazine regularly and that 63 percent of you clip items from the magazine. We’re pleased that attention is being paid, because your co-op counts on the magazine to keep you informed and get you involved.

A surprising majority of readers who participated in the survey expressed a desire to see Country Lines printed on recycled paper. We are planning to do that in April, after we use up our current paper stock.

Finally, I’ve got to get something off my chest.

We get calls almost daily from readers who want to talk about something in ‘County Lines’. We do appreciate the calls. But, the name of this magazine is Michigan Country Lines. Notice the ‘r’ between the ‘t’ and the ‘y’ in Country. That ‘r’ is not silent and it’s always been there, but for some people it seems invisible. It’s been bugging the staff here for decades, and I promised I’d mention it. So there it is. Honestly, I don’t care what you call it (Country Lanes is another favorite) as long as you don’t stop reading—and calling.

Thanks for joining us.

Mike Buda is the founding editor of Country Lines and continues to work on the magazine, as well as other activities of the Michigan Electric Cooperative Association. He lives in Mason with Barbara. Their boys, Dan and Jon, have flown the coop.

Although I do not recommend using an open fireplace during cold weather, if you really do like the ambiance of a fire, close all the doors to that room, open a window and turn the furnace thermostat down. You will still lose some heated air up the chimney from the rest of the house, but hopefully most of the air is being drawn from the open window. The loss is not as severe during mild weather because outdoor air is not as cold.

Every efficient wood-burning fireplace or insert will have tight-sealing glass doors between the room and the chimney to block the loss of already heated room air. You may be able to operate some fireplace models with the glass doors open and just a screen covering the opening, but do not burn it this way very long. When burned properly, the efficiency of a good fireplace can be higher than an old furnace.

Burning firewood to heat your home—one of several forms of biomass heating—may qualify for a federal tax credit. Biomass sources include cord firewood, wood pellets, corn, switch grass, peanut shells, and even cherry pits, and can be burned in a variety of heating appliances. Fireplaces, wood stoves and pellet stoves are most common. I’ve even burned cherry pits in my wood pellet stove—they produce a lot of heat and burn cleanly.

The tax credit applies to any biomass heating appliance placed in service during 2009 and 2010. The credit is equivalent to 30 percent of the cost (including installation), up to a maximum of $1,500. To qualify, the appliance must have an efficiency rating of 75 percent or greater. Check the specifications because not all fireplaces or stoves are this efficient—generally, they range from 70 to 90 percent efficiency. Get a manufacturer’s statement certifying that the unit meets the efficiency requirements. For details, check energystar.gov/taxcredits.

When buying or upgrading a fireplace you’re faced with several options. Initially you must decide between a zero-clearance or masonry fireplace. If your old fireplace is large, you may be able to fit a new unit inside. If you plan to install a fireplace somewhere else, a zero-clearance model is easiest. It often uses a double-walled design with insulation so it can be safely placed against wood wall studs.

A heating-circulating fireplace provides the best efficiency and most heated air output. Many of these operate without a fan and rely on the natural flow of room air around a super-hot firebox. As the air gets hot, it loses density and naturally flows into the room through an upper vent. This pulls cooler air from the room in through a lower inlet to be heated.

If you want more heat output and better control of the flow of heated air, install a blower kit. Each manufacturer offers its own specially designed kit to mount on fireplaces. The better ones have thermostats and variable-speed controls for the best comfort. A blower kit can usually be added by the homeowner after installing the fireplace.

For the greatest efficiency and least amount of drafts indoors, install an outdoor combustion air kit with the fireplace. Make this decision before you install the fireplace because a duct has to be attached to bring in the outdoor air. It is often run under the floor to the front of the firebox.

Airtight fireplace inserts are often the most efficient design and provide the longest burn-time and maximum heat output from a load of firewood. They are not as stylish as a fireplace, but provide much better control over the heat output and combustion air used. For air quality considerations, select an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certified model. Pellet and catalytic cord firewood models typically produce the least particulate matter.

Despite great improvements in efficiency, keep in mind that some stoves and fireplace options use electricity and may not operate properly during an outage. The cost for efficient models can also be high, which makes qualifying for the federal tax credit that much more important.

The following companies offer efficient wood-burning fireplaces: Desa International, 866-672-6040; Fuego Flame, 800-445-1867; Jotul, 207-797-5912; Kozy Heat/Hussong, 800-253-4904; and Lennox Hearth Products, 800-953-6669.

Have a question for Jim? Send inquiries to: James Dulley, Michigan Country Lines, 6906 Royalgreen Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45244 or visit dulley.com.

For instance, check the Hales Best Cantaloupe, offered by Farmer Seed and Nursery out of Faribault, MN. They say it’s “unsurpassed in flavor and size.” Gardeners in central and lower Michigan should give this 83-day variety a try and let me know how it works out.

Then there are cucumbers that purportedly produce cukes all summer long. How can this be? They do this by being parthenocarpic (huh?). It simply means it doesn’t need pollinating, which results in more fruit (at least I think that’s the theory). After combing the catalogs, I found two varieties offered, both from Jung’s Seeds and Plants: the Diamont Hybrid pickler and a gourmet mini cuke from Germany called “Inik.”

For gardeners in the “mitt” and over the Big Mac, where the season is a little shorter and cooler, there are a few new varieties that catch the eye. Jung’s Canesi hybrid winter squash claims to be the “earliest butternut squash to date.” I’ve never had much luck growing the butternuts in my Zone 4 garden, but this 80-85 day variety may be worth a try. Some season-extending ideas may be necessary to get this to ripen here in the E.U.P., where we only get about 65 good growing days.

“What’s old is new” is apparently the case among many purveyors of vegetable seeds. Heirloom seeds, which are generally those that originate prior to WWII, are popping up in the new catalogs like radishes on a warm spring day. Gardeners are apparently shopping with their palettes as they long for the tastier fare of yesteryear, something that has been sacrificed in some newer varieties that aim for size, color and ability to keep longer at the expense of taste.

Pine Tree Garden Seed owner Richard Meiner has added many heirloom varieties to his new catalog in response to the demand from gardeners nationwide.

“It’s in response to people being interested in the older varieties, especially taste,” says Meiner. These heirlooms were passed down through the generations much like a hope chest, he adds, some which originated from companies that went out of business during the Depression. An example is Long Island Improved Brussels Sprouts, which date back to the 1890s, need about 85 days to mature, and cost just a little over $1 for 100 seeds.

The popular Burpee seed company is offering an interesting new tomato variety called Tye Dye. Recommended by a fellow gardener, it is actually a hybrid that boasts “heirloom flavor” and should also be a conversation piece when it turns from green to a bi-color gold-and-red. The 7-ounce fruits are nonacidic. Allow 78 days from seeding to a ripe, colorful, tasty tomato.

Have you ever been a little frustrated when your beans start like gangbusters and then just quit? The result is more beans than you can eat fresh. Burpee’s seems to have the answer with their new Bush Beans Beananza. This dwarf French bean will produce twice as long as your old bean fare if you keep them picked. Come on, give it a try!

I asked Susan Anderson, the Johnny’s Selected Seeds product manager in Maine, to help us northern gardeners with some new varieties for short-season zones. You know, those areas in the state where you just seem to run out of summer, leaving green tomatoes hanging on the vine. One new offering they are jumping up-and-down about is Sultan, a high-yielding, 7- to 8-inch seedless cucumber that requires only 56 days to mature.

“Home gardeners will just love this one,” Anderson says enthusiastically. She suggests waiting until the ground warms up to about 70 degrees before direct-seeding all cucumbers and other cucurbits.

Other new Johnny’s varieties include Cherokee, a tomato that ripens green. Anderson says it’s one of her favorites because of its “bold and acidic flavor.” It needs 72 days to mature and like all tomatoes, needs to start indoors about eight weeks before setting-out. She also gushes over Red Pearl, a 58-day grape tomato that’s a product of the company’s own breeding program. The few seeds it produces can be re-sown for next year’s crop.

One of my personal favorites is Stokes Seeds, an international company that caters to both commercial and home gardeners. I’ve grown their seed for years in a commercial greenhouse. Some of their notable new offerings include Hickock, a “longer lasting” dark green gourmet bean with good disease resistance, and Golden Beet, a novelty bright orange beet.

So, go ahead and try a few of these new veggie varieties—I promise you’ll be more excited than a leaf-hopper on a potato plant! Happy Gardening.

Visit Neil’s website at neilmoran.com.

Her boys, on the other hand, are dissecting mechanical trains and developing complex climbing systems to reach their cups or toys, and they understand the rules of every sporting event known to man.

Research shows that our little ones are following universal trends. As early as three hours of age, girls excel at imitation—a precursor to back-and-forth interaction. They’re more attuned to the sound of human voices than boys, and start using gestures like pointing or waving earlier. At 16 months, they produce as many as 100 words, while the average boy uses about 30.

Their brothers, on the other hand, express fear later than girls, and less often. One study found that when their moms made a fearful face when they approached a toy, 12-month-old boys went for it anyway, while girls slowed their path.

Boys end up in the ER more for injuries, their gross motor skills take off during preschool years, and they prefer watching mechanical motion over human interaction.They’re also ahead of their female friends when it comes to figuring out the laws of motion (if they push a train through a tunnel, it will pop out the other side, for example).

While chromosomes are at work when our babies learn to play early-on, our children are sweet and naughty, smart and challenged entirely in their own ways, no matter their sex. What’s important for parents to remember is that when we model behavior—good or bad—it’s imitated.

Jodie Withey, mom to two girls and two boys in Harbor Springs, doesn’t mind letting nurture give nature a little kick in the pants. “I believe I’m a better woman because I know how to run a lawn mower, fix a leaky pipe, build a swing set, wire a light and check the oil in the car,” she said, “so I do try to teach my daughters things that may fall into the ‘male’ category. At the same time, I have my sons help with the dishes or the preparation of food, because I know what that means to me as a wife when my husband helps me out. I believe that we pass on our views to these impressionable lives during the early years.”

It’s a concept many parents take to heart. Respect, compassion, confidence and kindness aren’t found on a DNA code—they’re taught at home. And whether a child is a tomboy or all boy, made of sugar and spice or snips and snails, it’s all about how they follow their passions in life that helps them become well-rounded adults.

Common Myths About Boys and Girls

• Boys bully more than girls: Girls actually bully as much as or more than boys. While physical assaults are more common among boys, girls bully using social aggression.
• Boys are better at math, computers and science: In the U.S., girls perform as well as boys on standardized math tests. Girls are now taking calculus in high school at the same rate as boys, and the percentage of U.S. doctorates in the mathematical sciences awarded to women has climbed to 30 percent in the 21st century, up from 5 percent in the 1950s.
• Girls have low self-esteem: Research says that fourth grade is the peak year for girls’ self-esteem, but in fifth grade it plummets. Ten-year-old girls report feeling image-obsessed and depressed because they don’t look like the models and actresses they see in the media. Between 20 and 40 percent of 10-year-olds diet, and 73 percent of girls between the ages of eight and 10 dress and talk like teenagers to “fit in.”
• Boys get in trouble more now than ever: Justice Department statistics show that the population of juvenile males in prison is only half of its historic high. The number of high school senior boys using illegal drugs has fallen by almost half compared with the 1980 rate, and the percentage of high school boys drinking heavily is now the lowest on record.

• Girls are the only sensitive sex: Not true, cry legions of parents. In fact, one researcher who studied babies during their first few months of life found that a higher proportion of girls could calm themselves when their mother’s face displayed a ‘stony expression,’ but the boys could not. More boys would get easily distressed, they cried more, and were unable to calm themselves.

But how do appliances get this rating, and why don’t all appliances have them? The answers may surprise you.

Computers and monitors were the first products to receive an efficiency rating from Energy Star, a program launched in 1992 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Energy. Since then, more than 60 product categories have been added, from dishwashers to windows and DVD players. According to the program, Energy Star-rated products deliver the same or better performance as comparable models while using less energy and saving money.

“We’re recognizing the top performers when it comes to energy efficiency,” explains Katharine Kaplan, Energy Star program manager. She notes the initiative works closely with folks in a wide variety of areas, including industry experts, governments, nonprofit organizations and utilities. “We agree on a fair way to test products. Manufacturers test products using that procedure, submit the data to us, and we say, ‘These are the top performers. This is how much energy you can use to be considered a leader by Energy Star.’ Generally, that means you’re in the top 25 percent.”

For example, qualified refrigerators must be at least 15 percent more efficient than the minimum federal standard. Energy Star-rated TVs consume 3 watts or less when switched off, compared to a standard TV, which consumes almost 6 watts on average. By pushing for the manufacture of more efficient products, Energy Star estimates the rating system saved businesses, organizations, and consumers $19 billion in 2008 alone.

Consumers are taking advantage of the program. A survey by the Consortium for Energy Efficiency—a group including members like the quasi-governmental Tennessee Valley Authority and Bonneville Power Administration, a federal power marketing administration in the Northwest—discovered 76 percent of American households recognize the Energy Star brand. Of these consumers, 73 percent purchased an Energy Star-labeled product within the last year.

But not all products are rated by Energy Star. The program gauges the average energy efficiency of different appliance technologies and evaluates whether there’s potential for increased efficiency—generally at least 25 percent higher than minimum standards. According to Energy Star, the most efficient electric resistance water heaters on the market have an Energy Factor of 0.95, about 5 percent more efficient than the minimum federal standard. Since there’s little room for improvement, Energy Star does not have a category for the product.

“The technology doesn’t qualify for the Energy Star program—not because it’s not efficient, but because it’s already as efficient as possible,” says Steve Koep, a regional manager for RHEEM/Marathon Water Heaters. “When it comes to purchasing an electric water heater, consumers should consider durability and energy factor [EF], a mandatory evaluation done on all water heaters regardless of fuel source. EF takes into account fuel use, standby energy loss, and insulation under simulated actual conditions.”

Last October The New York Times revealed some manufacturers of household appliances were testing products for Energy Star-certification internally instead of using independent laboratories. In response, Energy Star ramped up oversight of product ratings and by the end of the year had revoked the Energy Star label for some refrigerators while raising the bar for the efficiency expected from TVs.

Energy Star remains a driving force not just in the United States, but in other counties, such as Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Taiwan, and the European Union. Federal energy efficiency tax credits for appliances and home heating and air systems typically require qualifying products to be Energy Star-rated.

If you’re in the market for an appliance and have questions about which product might be best for you, feel free to contact your electric cooperative. To learn more about the Energy Star program, visit energystar.gov.

An “energy vampire,” also called a phantom or parasitic load, is any device that consumes electricity when it’s turned “off.” These electronic devices provide the modern-day conveniences we love, but they also waste energy and cost us money.

Vampire loads can be found in almost every room, but a favorite spot is the entertainment center. When the TV is turned off, it isn’t really off. It’s sitting there, waiting patiently for someone to press the “on” button on the remote—and waiting uses energy. TVs also use energy to remember channel line-ups, language preferences, and the time. VCRs, DVD players, DVRs, and cable or satellite boxes also use energy when they’re off.

The problem is significant. According to a study by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the average home loses 8 percent of its monthly energy consumption to these energy vampires. A full 75 percent of the power used to run home electronics is consumed when those appliances are turned off, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

According to the Arlington, VA-based National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the average electric co-op residential member consumes roughly 13,900 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year. If 8 percent of this power is consumed when electronics are turned off, the average home wastes 1,112 kilowatt hours annually. Assuming a cost of $0.10 per kWh, the average household spends $111 per year to pay for these vampire loads.

The good news is that a sharp stake isn’t necessary to kill these vampires. To eliminate the power consumption of an energy vampire, simply unplug the device or plug it into a power strip and use the power strip’s switch to kill the electricity to everything plugged into it. Power strips work like an extension of the wall outlet, and they cut all power to plugs completely when they are switched off.

Of course, there’s always a catch. Some devices use standby power to make life more convenient. If you unplug your TV or cable/satellite receiver box, what happens? When plugged back in, the TV or set top box usually will have to run its initial setup program. Depending on the particular device, it could take up to 20 minutes for channels to be recognized or for the user to reset preferences, which isn’t something most are willing to do every day.

But there are numerous devices in the home that can be unplugged easily and safely, or plugged into a power strip without causing any inconvenience. Computer equipment, such as printers, scanners, desktop computers and broadband modems, can be “unplugged” without harm. Cell phone, tool and other battery chargers should also be unplugged when not in use. Even though the charger is not charging anything, it is still drawing power.

A new device called the “smart” strip is beginning to find its way onto store shelves. Smart power strips allow you to plug devices into a specially marked section of the strip so they will still have power when turned off. Other devices that can be turned off safely are plugged into the rest of the strip. This allows you to turn off parts of a home entertainment system, such as the stereo, DVD player, or home theater audio system, without losing the ability to record programs to a DVR or having to reprogram the TV every time you want to watch a show.

For devices that cannot be turned off, consumers should look for those with that are Energy Star® certified or ask the salesperson about the device’s standby power consumption. There can be big differences in power consumption between manufacturers, and sometimes even between models from the same manufacturer.

As in the movies, it is impossible to kill off all of the energy vampires in your home—but every one that’s vanquished will mean that much less of a bite out of your wallet.

Brian Sloboda is a program manger specializing in energy efficiency for the Cooperative Research Network, which evaluates and applies technologies that help electric cooperatives control costs, increase productivity, and enhance service to their consumers.

“Up here in the Northern part of Michigan we just recovered from a Historic event—- may I even say a “Weather Event” of “Biblical Proportions”—- with a historic blizzard of up to 44” inches of snow and winds to 90 MPH that broke trees in half, knocked down utility poles, stranded hundreds of motorists in lethal snow banks, closed ALL roads, isolated scores of communities and cut power to 10’s of thousands. And guess what; no one howled for the government. FEMA was not called on to send assistance. Our Mayor’s did not blame the President or anyone else. Our Governor did not blame anyone either. CNN, ABC, CBS, FOX, or NBC did not visit – or even report on this category 5 snow storm. 

“No one looted. Nobody – I mean Nobody demanded the government do something. Nope, we just melted the snow for water. Sent out caravans of SUV’s to pluck people out of snow-engulfed cars. The truck drivers pulled people out of snow banks and didn’t ask for a penny.”

The email story included amazing photos of snow drifts so high they towered over road crews working to clear the way. It turns out that although some of the “facts” in the email were true, the story was not. It seems various versions of the story have been circulating on the internet for several years. Like many of the forwarded emails we get, the mixing of some “facts” and a compelling story makes for good reading, takes on a life of its own, and is often changed to meet the readers’ or sender’s needs. I am sure if I lived in North Dakota the “weather bulletin” would have been printed in the Bismarck Tribune.

The “facts” are that the weather report did not come from Northern Michigan nor was it reported in the Marquette Mining Journal, and it does not appear that it ever was a real weather report. The “report” can be traced back to an October 2005 snowstorm that hit the Dakotas, Montana and Wyoming. A National Weather Service report said the storm had been the earliest on record to hit the area. And, a request did in fact go to FEMA seeking assistance. As for hearty citizens plucking stranded motorists from their cars, I am sure that did happen, although the bulk of the digging fell to police, emergency workers and the National Guard, which were mobilized to help, as is often the case following serious weather events. As for the pictures, it turns out they were from the opening of the Trans Labrador Highway in Northeastern Canada and were going around the internet in 2004.

What this story does show me is that often you have to take most every “story” with a grain of salt and work to separate the “facts” from the “truth.” For example, there was recently a report on the status of net metering (an incentive where owners of small renewable energy systems get retail credit for at least part of the electricity they generate) in Michigan. The report cited several conclusions that caused me to dig in a little deeper, and here’s what I found:

Claim: Solar PV (photovoltaic energy) is approaching price parity, in other words, the cost of generating electricity by solar devices is becoming competitive with other sources of electricity.

Fact: Actual data (teammidwest.com/documents/EconomicAnalysisJan-Oct.pdf) from Midwest Energy’s renewable energy park in Cassopolis shows that the cost of generation from their 4-kilowatt solar installation for the period January through October 2009 was $.88 per kilowatt hour (kWh) generated. Larger solar installations (for example, a 500-kilowatt flat roof mounted system, not including back-up) are closer to $.20 per kWh in sunny climates. However, in cloudy climates the same system would have a generation cost of about $.43 per kWh, according to industry sources (solarbuzz.com/SolarPrices).
Electricity from conventional sources is about 5 to 7 cents per kWh.

Claim: “The number of net metering customers in Michigan has doubled, which demonstrates the high interest electric customers have in generating renewable electricity at home and selling back excess power to their electric utility. 

Fact: Yes, the number of net metering customers has doubled each year. In real numbers, the state had fewer than 50 net metering projects statewide in 2007 and we are now up to about 250. Considering there are approximately 4.5 million electric customers statewide, I might question the statement that this demonstrates a “high interest” among electric customers in producing electricity at their homes and businesses with renewable energy.

As with the story of the winter weather report, you sometimes have to look past the interesting parts and dig into the facts. Although the “facts” may be true, the conclusions drawn from those facts may not be the whole story.

The Rug Works, a member of Great Lakes Energy Cooperative, is an exciting newcomer to the tiny community of Cross Village, nestled about 20 miles north of Harbor Springs, at the end of the scenic “Tunnel of Trees” drive on M-119. It’s housed in a unique log-and-stone building crafted by the builder of Legs Inn, a historic restaurant just across the street.

“It kind of takes your breath away when you first walk in the door,” says Rug Works gallery manager, Ellen VanderZee. “It’s amazing, really.”

The shop offers an array of woolen products, including rug wool and knitting yarns, warm shawls, felted wool goods, and woven and pictorial rugs. The vividly-dyed yarns, detailed original designs, and weighty heft of these artworks demonstrate a high level of craftsmanship.

“They’re really heirloom pieces,” explains Cheryl Reed, one of the Rug Works’ organizers. The pictorial rugs are created by area artisans using punch-needle tapestry with regionally harvested wool that is dyed and custom designed on-site.

Reed recites a list of yarn blends that includes the spun wool of rare sheep breeds, such as the blue-faced Leicester, Lincoln long-wool, and Cotswold (direct descendants of the flock brought over by Henry Ford to Greenfield Village in the 1920s). These heirloom sheep varieties are nurtured locally by some of the Rug Works’ members in order to propagate and preserve the unique qualities of their wool. “We want the yarn we use to have a very high degree of strength and sheen,” says Reed. “We want a luster, and jewel-toned colors.” They mix in a medium grade, shorter-fibered wool from the sixth generation Matchett family sheep farm near Charlevoix, to also give the rugs “a resiliency; a ‘spring’ under your foot,” Reed continues.

The Rug Works group is made up of committed people with a larger vision. In 2007, at Reed’s kitchen table, she and MaryAnn VanLokeren became excited by the possibilities of establishing a cottage industry that would bring an economic boost to Cross Village. They incorporated as a nonprofit organization and rely partially on donations to meet their operating costs. Their goal is to become self-sufficient within the next two to three years. Reed points to the erratic employment options of this rural area after tourism quiets down each autumn. “We wanted to find something—a skill set—that would be a real craft that they could work in their homes,” Reed says. To date, Rug Works has trained over 20 people in the rug-making craft.

Ties to the local community are a crucial component of “our bigger mission of education,” says Reed. They’ve forged an informal partnership with North Central Michigan College in Petoskey through art instructor Shanna Robinson, who developed classes in dyeing and weaving. Several Rug Works members have enrolled in Robinson’s fiber courses in order to take those skills back to the workshop.

“People don’t realize how much this place is affecting the people up here in the village,” adds VanderZee. As an area native, she sees the ripple effect of Rug Works’ activities. Besides the 25 people actively working, she points to several local farms, the people who process the wool, and the many satisfied customers among those who are benefiting. Using quality materials, new skills and integrity, these dedicated rural residents are helping themselves while producing truly regional works of art.

“When you see what an impact it [Rug Works] has on the people around you…it’s inspiring, really,” says VanderZee.

There were tears on the keys of my typewriter as I wrote this in late October, looking out on Whitefish Bay.

Leaving Paradise, after nearly 25 years of retirement bliss, will be very hard for both of us. But the time has come and we look at it all as another chapter in our lives. At 77 and 76, and 55 years of marriage, we promised our family to move into the future with all the grace we can muster.

While I felt it important to share all this news with so many readers who have been special to us, I do not want it all to sound like an end or a funeral. Let me show you some of the “other side of the coin.”

We completed a 30-year newspaper career in Lansing that got me into several halls of fame and Darl did as much as a successful school teacher in Lansing.

Perhaps more important is that we have enjoyed nearly 25 years of great retirement in Paradise. What’s more, Darl has hauled me all over the United States in our travel trailer. She should have been an 18-wheeler driver.

For more than 25 years, I have also written this “Right At Home’ column in Michigan Country Lines magazine and developed a relationship with some very special readers. So many letters and phone calls have put me in tears as you helped me battle cancer, and other low spots in our lives. I am glad I never got around to quitting Country Lines earlier because it kept me from getting brain-dead, and readers have vastly enriched our lives.

So, what’s next for us? We’ve moved to a two-bedroom retirement apartment, Independence Village, 2530 Marfitt Road, Apt. 319, East Lansing, 48823. With two sisters, a brother, two kids, five grown grandkids and Darl’s brother living in the area, we are in good hands.

At a time when it is most difficult to sell a home, we lucked out to get a good deal from two of our special friends, Steve and Fran Findley of Oshkosh, WI. They and their two teenage children, Steven and Elizabeth are excited, and we know that our home has a great future with them.

Because it is just too hard to say goodbye to you readers, I won’t do it. My long-time friend, Mike Buda, current executive editor of this magazine and the guy who hired me to do this column so many years ago, has insisted that I will have space in this magazine any time I want it. Mike is a great writer, so I have been urging him to personally take over this column for now.

As we so reluctantly leave our beloved Upper Peninsula, each of you need to know how much we treasure all the memories you gave us.

P.S. I have signed books for you to order from the Country Lines Store. All proceeds go to scholarships for rural kids.

So maybe I’m not a smart shopper, but even I know enough to charge only what I can pay back in January. Not all families can say that.

Even if you don’t face a stack of unpaid statements, January might be a perfect time for the whole family to brush up on financial literacy skills.

Financial Literacy Important At Any Age
According to the Harmony Financial Network, financial literacy is the knowledge, skills, and ability to make wise decisions about financial matters—how to earn, save, spend and invest money. It is about making informed, thoughtful decisions about finances that will lead to success, security and self-sufficiency.

The Michigan Jump$tart Coalition, among others, believes that increased financial literacy among our citizens is the key to preventing a repeat of today’s national financial crisis—a crisis they believe was caused in large part by our citizens making unwise decisions with regard to credit cards, mortgage debt, savings and investments.

The Coalition also believes that the best time to teach financial literacy is during childhood. They are working toward ensuring that all our kids have access to personal finance education in order to develop the necessary skills to be financially competent when they graduate from high school. They are making some progress, too.

In December 2008 they helped pass a law that allows for a semester of financial literacy to count as one credit of math toward high school graduation. Now, the Michigan Jump$tart Coalition is supporting legislative efforts to make such courses mandatory or to allow them to count towards meeting the state’s Michigan Merit Curriculum.

Put Money In Its Place
Arun Abey, a former investment strategist and author of the book “How Much is Enough?” believes that teaching kids to be smart about finances early will help protect them now and in the future. To that end, he offers some basic tips for families.
 
Don’t Let Money Be Invisible – Working-class families during the Great Depression routinely set jars out in full view of the family marked “Rent,” “Food,” “Clothes,” and so on, showing everyone where the money went. Today, money comes out of ATMs, and is spent via debit cards and credit cards – invisible to kids as to where it comes from and where it goes.

Give Kids Responsibility for Spending – Place children in charge of their optional spending. If they receive an allowance, require them to map out the money they have coming and also where it goes. Seeing it on paper or in a computer chart will give them a sense of reality about their money, and also build healthy financial habits.
 
Teach the Power of Investment – Help children set up a savings or investment account, but don’t stop there. Spell out the value of their investment. For example, a simple investment of $100 in a basic savings account can result in a balance of $12,000 after 20 years. If they invest that same $100 in a bond or a stock that returns merely 6 percent a year, that balance grows to $42,000-plus.

For Love or Money? – Many families try to direct their children toward high-earning or high-status careers, such as medicine, law or business management. However, there is an alternative method, which directs children toward career paths that stress what they love to do. Ask your kids what they are passionate about and what they are good at. The answers to those questions will lead to a better quality of life than one centered on the pursuit of wealth.
 
“It’s not easy to say that money isn’t everything in a recession, but it isn’t,” Abey said. “If we leave out the part about lasting fulfillment, we’re shortchanging them.”

Abey’s last point makes me feel better about paying the bill for my singing Winnie-the-Pooh. How do you measure the value of wide-eyed wonder? What price do you put on the motivational power it leveraged? (“We’ll make Pooh sing after your nap!”)

Maybe a little toddler kitsch is worth the memories it makes. And maybe I’m a smart shopper, after all.

Resources That Can Help
Michigan Jump$tart’s Monthly Newsletter – Helps educators promote financial literacy among youth. Subscribe or read issues at mijumpstartcoalition.org.

“How Much is Enough?”, by Arun Abey, Greenleaf Book Group Press (2009, howmuchisenough.net). Guides readers through a holistic approach to financial planning, based on money being only one element in the overall chemistry of a happy life. An online quiz helps viewers discover, “Can money make you happy?”

“Tips for Parenting in a Commercial Culture,” by New American Dream. Call 877-68-DREAM or visit newdream.org. A 32-page booklet packed with tips and resources to help parents deal with the effects of advertising and marketing on children.