Texas Co-op Power • April 2013 - CoServ.com

CoServ Electric MembersApril 2013Co-op Connections® Cardhelps Members save moneyon prescriptions, more … Page 21ALSO INSIDECURTIS TRIVITT: Solar promises and challenges (Weigh in to win a $ 100 bill credit!) 22NATURAL GAS SAFETY: Key decision could save your life 24COSERV IN THE COMMUNITY: $ 210,000 in grants to support 17 school districts 24PLAY BALL! Frisco RoughRiders’ Opening Day 27

FREE CARD, BIG SAVINGS!Since 2010, CoServ Electric Members have used the Co-op Connections®Card to save more than $ 514,000 on prescriptions. Today, the card offerseven more ways to save.Your Co-op Connections® Card:• Provides discounts between 10 and 85 percent on most prescriptions• Is accepted at more than 70 retail businesses in North Texas• Helps you support businesses in your community• Offers savings on dental, vision, hearing aids and moreFor participating retailers, turn to Pages 24A–24D.For participating pharmacies, visit CoServ.com and click on theConnections Card.Here is your new card. Let the savings begin!

CoServ in the community$210,000 IN GRANTS TO 17 EDUCATION FOUNDATIONS Frisco EducationFoundation— $ 35,000 Lewisville ISD EducationFoundation— $ 30,000 Northwest ISD EducationFoundation— $ 20,000 Sanger EducationFoundation— $ 10,000Education and concern for community are two of the sevencooperative principles. Both were in full effect in the first quarter ofthe year, when CoServ Electric presented $ 210,000 in grants to theeducation foundations that support 17 area school districts. Detailsinside on Page 24 and at Facebook.com/CoServEnergy.

CoServ Electric7701 S StemmonsCorinth, TX 76210-1842(940) 321-7800contact@coserv.com25,668 LIGHTNING STRIKES IN 1 HOURAbout 428 strikes per minute. More than seven per second. This is how many lightningstrikes were recorded during a recent thunderstorm in North Texas.Turn to Page 26 to see how CoServ Electric’s Power Quality and Reliabilityinitiative is using technology and social media to keep you informed aboutweather events and potential disruptions.Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter today for real-time alerts aboutweather events and updates about power disruptions and restorations.

COSERV ELECTRIC EDITION APRIL 2013Composting This BLT is A-OK Cotton Gin MuseumTexas at See Level• Paddling Boquillas Canyon• Butterflies in Mission• Utopia in Spring

Hay, weroll l money back toyouWe’retheansweer.C

Since 1944April 2013F A V O R I T E S37 Texas HistoryA Cowboy’s Unusual Dental WorkBy Lori Grossman39 RecipesGive Them a Hand43 Focus on TexasReflections44 Around TexasList of Local Events46 Hit the RoadTexas Cotton Gin MuseumBy Suzanne HabermanO N L I N ETexasCoopPower.comF E A T U R E SChange Your Perspective Break out of your cocoon and getclose-up looks at other parts of the state, starting with thesethree destinations By Suzanne Haberman, Ashley Clary-Carpenter and Suzi Sands8Texas USAAstros Make a MoveBy Rachel FreyObservationsHanging Out With MomBy Suzanne HabermanBackyard Paydirt Composting at home doesn’t have to becomplicated. Plus, it’s great for plants, your wallet and theplanet By Melissa Gaskill • Illustrations by Edd Patton16Around Texas: If you’re gonna play in Llano … there’ll be plenty of fiddles for the band.At least there will be April 5-7 during Fiddle Fest. 4416463943C O V E R P H O T O The Rio Grande meanders through Boquillas Canyon, sometimes not so gently. By Laurence ParentTEXAS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Ron Hughes, Chair, Sinton; Darryl Schriver, Vice Chair, Merkel; Jerry Boze, Secretary-Treasurer, Kaufman; Debra Cole, Itasca;Kyle Kuntz, Livingston; Randy Mahannah, Perryton; Bobby Waid, Bandera PRESIDENT/CEO: Mike Williams, Austin COMMUNICATIONS & MEMBER SERVICES COMMITTEE: BryanLightfoot, Bartlett; Billy Marricle, Bellville; Stan McClendon, Wellington; Blaine Warzecha, Victoria; Buff Whitten, Eldorado; Jerry Williams, Paris; Kathy Wood, Marshall COMMUNICATIONSSTAFF: Martin Bevins, Vice President, Communications & Member Services; Carol Moczygemba, Vice President, Executive Editor; Tom Widlowski, Associate Editor; Suzi Sands, Art Director; KarenNejtek, Production Manager; Ashley Clary-Carpenter, Field Editor; Andy Doughty, Production Designer/Web Content Manager; Sandra Forston, Communications Assistant; Suzanne Haberman, StaffWriter; Kevin Hargis, Food Editor; Blake Mitchell, Print Production Specialist; Ellen Stader, Proofreader; Brittany Lamas, Communications InternVIOLIN: MICHAL BOUBIN | BIGSTOCK.COMTexasCoopPower.com April 2013 Texas Co-op Power 3

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CURRENTSLetters, emails and posts from our readersHow Texas Laws Are MadeI applaud Texas Co-op Power forthe simplified flowchart explainingthe complex process of makinglaws in the Legislature [“How TexasLaws Are Made,” February 2013].Understanding this process isimportant to every adult citizen andto every student in school in Texas.WARREN D. TENNEY | PEDERNALES ECHer New ‘Must-Read’The February issue was the first I’ve seen, and Ienjoyed every article!La Prensa, the Spanish-language newspaperfrom San Antonio, was a must in our family backin the 1930s. As the only Mexican family inChandler, we children born in the U.S. had nocontact with Spanish-speaking people, but myfather ordered La Prensa by mail and would readit aloud to my grandmother and mother, and wewould listen. My sister (94 years old now)learned to read the comics when she was 5.Before the Depression, my father read wherebanks were closing and quickly withdrew hissavings from the bank—all $600 of it!LOCAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE EDITION FEBRUARY 2013Your Legislature Crockin’ Girls Presidio La BahíaBehind the Scenesat the Stock MarketThis is Main Street, not Wall Street, but theexcitement in the air is unmistakably bullish“The Cattle Call” reminded me of my dear husband. We both retired tosome acreage his father left him and raised cattle as a hobby until he diedeight years later. Cattle auctions were fun!As a former teacher, I say the graphic “How Texas Laws Are Made” shouldbe known by all Texans. I can’t wait for your next issue.CAMINA CHAVEZ | TRINITY VALLEY ECRecuerdosAs far back as I can remember, myfather was a subscriber of La Prensauntil it ceased publication in 1963.Thanks for bringing back anothergood memory from my past.MICKIE RENTERIA | WOOD COUNTY ECHey, Hey SmokeyI just wanted to tell Lori Grossmanhow much I enjoyed reading “Pauland Paula: Sweethearts of the ’60s”[February 2013].I didn't personally know RayHildebrand or Jill Jackson, but I didknow Marvin “Smokey” Montgomeryvery well. Smokey, as most fans andfriends called him, was the cofounderof the Dallas Banjo Band, ofwhich I have been a member foralmost 23 years. Even thoughSmokey had many other musicalcommitments, including the LightCrust Doughboys and the LeveeSingers, he made time to be theBanjo Band’s director until his deathin 2001.Smokey would often tell storiesabout helping write “Hey! Baby”with Bruce Channel and his time inEurope touring with Paul and Paula.GLENN SNYDER | FANNIN COUNTY ECChapels in the TreesThank you for the article “Enlightenmentat a Brush Arbor Revival” [February2013]. I’ve seen brush arborrevivals and wish everybody could.JIM WILLIAMS | FARMERS ECMeter ReaderMy old electric meter [“Meter Beaters,”February 2013] was turnedinto a functioning lamp. With athree-way bulb, the dial spins fasteras more wattage is being used.Glad I could recycle in another way.JAN SMITH | UNITED COOPERATIVE SERVICESHouston the SlaveJoshua Houston was not an importantmember of the Sam Houstonhousehold due to his quick mindand faithfulness [“The OtherRemarkable Houston,” January2013]. He was a slave and wasforced to be in the Houston household.Common sense and faithfulnesswere expected of him.The article is written as ifJoshua Houston had a choice to beor not to be the family’s blacksmith,wheelwright, carpenter and driver.He had no choice in his living situation.He simply existed in it until hewas emancipated.VAUGHN YOUNG | BARTLETT ECGET MORE TCP ATTexasCoopPower.comFind more letters online in the Table ofContents. Sign up for ourE-Newsletter formonthly updates,prize drawingsand more!WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!ONLINE: TexasCoopPower.com/shareEMAIL: letters@TexasCoopPower.comMAIL: Editor, Texas Co-op Power,1122 Colorado St., 24th Floor,Austin, TX 78701Please include your town and electric co-op.Letters may be edited for clarity and length.@TexasCoopPowerTEXAS CO-OP POWER VOLUME 69, NUMBER 10 (USPS 540-560). Texas Co-op Power is published monthly by Texas Electric Cooperatives (TEC). Periodical Postage Paid at Austin, TX and at additional offices. TEC is thestatewide association representing 76 electric cooperatives. Texas Co-op Power’s website is TexasCoopPower.com. Call (512) 454-0311 or email editor@TexasCoopPower.com. SUBSCRIPTION PRICE is $3.96 per year forindividual members of subscribing cooperatives. If you are not a member of a subscribing cooperative, you can purchase an annual subscription at the nonmember rate of $7.50. Individual copies and back issues areavailable for $3 each. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Texas Co-op Power (USPS 540-560), 1122 Colorado St., 24th Floor, Austin, TX 78701. Please enclose label from this copy of Texas Co-op Power showing oldaddress and key numbers. ADVERTISING: Advertisers interested in buying display ad space in Texas Co-op Power and/or in our 30 sister publications in other states, contact Martin Bevins at (512) 486-6249. Advertisementsin Texas Co-op Power are paid solicitations. The publisher neither endorses nor guarantees in any manner any product or company included in this publication. Product satisfaction and delivery responsibility lie solely withthe advertiser. Direct questions or comments about advertising to Martin Bevins, sales director.© Copyright 2013 Texas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. Reproduction of this issue or any portion of it is expressly prohibited without written permission.Willie Wiredhand © Copyright 2013 National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.TexasCoopPower.com April 2013 Texas Co-op Power 5

CURRENTSEnergy, innovation, people, places and events in TexasHouston Is Good Career MoveThe largest city in Texas is also the best place to look for a career in the UnitedStates. According to PayScale.com, a website that analyzes salary data, Houstonranks first among Best Cities for Your Career in 2013.Houston tied the second-place city, Dallas, in unemployment rate at 6.9 percentbut posted a higher wage growth margin at 3.9 percent. Its major oil andgas industry and leadership in the medical field helped solidify the top spot.PayScale factored wage growth within metro areas and analyzed the oiland gas, technology, and biomedical industries, which all are growing, todetermine which cities’ workforces would have the most opportunity andfinancial success.Katie Bardaro, director of analytics at PayScale said, “All three industriesare experiencing increased demand for their products and services, whichmeans they are hiring and paying accordingly.”ON THIS DATESam RayburnOne hundred years ago April 7, Sam Rayburn of Bonham took his oath of officeas a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. In 1940, Rayburn becamespeaker of the House, a position he held for a record 17 years. At the time of hisdeath in 1961, he was the longest-serving member in House history—48 years.(John Dingell of Michigan, who has been in the House since 1955, now holds therecord.) Rayburn served in Washington with eight presidents.Way SaltyThe folks in Grand Saline,between Dallas and Longviewnear Interstate 20, are aboutas close to being salt of theearth as you can get. Thesmall town sits atop thelargest salt mine in Texas,3.75 miles wide and 20,000feet deep.Owned by Morton Saltand the little girl with anumbrella, it’s said that GrandSaline’s mine containsenough salt to meet theworld’s needs for the next20,000 years. The word saline(pronounced SAY-leen) actuallymeans “containing salt,”so Grand Saline (suh-LEEN)is quite fitting. Many homesand businesses in the outlyingareas are members of WoodCounty Electric Cooperative.The main attraction in thetown with a little more than3,000 people is Salt Palace, abuilding constructed usingsalt blocks. Built in 1993, thisis the third Salt Palace in thetown. The previous two succumbedto the weather.(Everyone knows what happenswhen you mix salt andwater.)HOUSTON: JOHN MARGESON. RAYBURN: RICHARD BARTHOLOMEW. SALT SHAKER: VIFI | BIGSTOCK6 Texas Co-op Power April 2013TexasCoopPower.com

?WHO KNEW?Congrats!It’s a GirlAngelina County, seated inLufkin, is the only one of thestate’s 254 counties namedafter a woman—a girl, really.Each of the other 253 countiesis named for a man or ageographical landmark.Angelina was a Hainai Indiangirl who welcomed the firstSpanish explorers and prieststo East Texas in 1690. Theycalled her Angelina—“LittleAngel”—and she adopted thename. Angelina National Forestand the Angelina Riveralso bear her name. HoustonCounty, Jasper-Newton andSam Houston electric cooperativeshave members inAngelina County.HAPPENINGSFeeling Cooped Up?Head 50 Miles North of College Station to MarquezThe small town of Marquez boasts many a chickenfarmer, and raising chickens isn’t easy. You haveto think outside the bawks. So the locals atthe Chamber of Commerce hatched aplan. And, they’ve got one question:Ready to have a hensane good time?Head on out April 6 for the inauguralWing Ding Festival. This freeevent, from 9 a.m. till midnight,features a wing cook-off, a wingsauce competition and, for a $20entry fee, a hot wing eating contest.Work off those wings with a 5K run.There also will be arts and crafts,antiques, and food booths forthose looking to spread a littlechicken feed. And be sure to shakeyour tail feathers as the eveningwraps up with a street dance.FOR INFO: (903) 529-1419, MARQUEZTEXAS.COMFind morehappenings allacross the state atTexasCoopPower.comCHICKEN: JOHN MARGESON. WATER: MARKO BERIC | BIGSTOCKThat’s the size, in surface acres, of Sam Rayburn Reservoir, according to the Texas Almanac, making it thelargest lake that is contained totally in Texas. Amistad Reservoir along the border with Mexico and ToledoBend Reservoir along the Louisiana border are the only lakes with shorelines in Texas that are larger than SamRayburn. Sam Rayburn was formed by damming the Angelina River in 1965. At the start of construction, theproject was known as McGee Bend Dam and Reservoir, but it was renamed for the Texas congressman in 1963.TexasCoopPower.com April 2013 Texas Co-op Power 7

Change Your PerspectiveBreak out of your cocoon and get close-up looks at other parts of the state, starting with these three destinationsBOQUILLAS CANYONBOQUILLAS CANYONOur Curving, Carving BorderKAYAKERS VENTURE DOWNTHE RIO GRANDE, WHERE THE WORLDSHRINKS INTO BOQUILLAS CANYONWhile the majesty of Boquillas Canyon is indescribable, a waterproof field notebook is a greatway to record the sites and sounds encountered during a kayaking trip. On the final day, HerbNordmeyer, left in the snapshot, and Curt Pearson relished a leisurely morning on the shore of theRio Grande—until the group saw bear tracks in the mud.When Herb Nordmeyer goes on vacation,he packs light, depends only onsatellite, and then slides off the map. Inearly autumn, the 71-year-old kayakingguide embarks on a three-day paddlingtrip through Boquillas Canyon on the RioGrande, the wild and scenic river thatforms the slippery boundary betweenTexas and Mexico. For his 33-mile journey,Nordmeyer has invited two closefriends—experienced kayakers CurtPearson and Christie Smith. And me.On the first day, I, in a 14-foot kayak,am first on the water at Rio Grande VillageCampground in Big Bend NationalPark and promptly get stuck on a rock. Iget unstuck only to plow into a tangle ofgiant reeds curving over the river at thefirst rapid.The water is flowing a low 75 cubicfeet per second, carving an unpredictablecourse of narrow rapids, slow-movingpools and sandbars through the ChihuahuanDesert. This is our route, andnow that we’ve begun, the only way out isto finish the trip near La Linda, Mexico,at Heath Canyon Ranch, the major takeoutpoint between the river’s remoteUpper and Lower canyons. Next exitafter that: 84 miles downstream.For most of the first day, we four rowunder a cloudy sky and into the wind—and into whitecaps. With Texas on ourleft, Mexico on our right, we alternatelywalk sandbars—pulling our boats—andrun gentle rapids under the wary gaze ofstray horses and wild donkeys.About five miles in, what had looked likea mere mountain from a distance nowopens to the Rio Grande—the entrance toBoquillas Canyon. Centuries of strata andsediment of the Sierra del Caballo Muerto,BOQUILLAS CANYON: LAURENCE PARENT. KAYAKS: SUZANNE HABERMAN. NOTEBOOK: RITE IN THE RAIN8 Texas Co-op Power April 2013 TexasCoopPower.com

BOY AND MAGNIFYING GLASS: NATIONAL BUTTERFLY CENTER. BUTTERFLY: JORDAN MCCULLOUGH | BIGSTOCKa subrange of the desert’s sweeping Sierradel Carmen, roll into the river on the Texasside. On the other, a limestone cliff with ateardrop-shaped cave rises from the water.“Scenes like this,” Pearson says. “Godknew what he was doing when he createdthis stuff.”That night, we camp at about mileseven on a sandbar of cracked mud. Thewind howls through the canyon withgusts that flatten our tents against ourheads as we sleep.Before launching on the second day,Nordmeyer asks if I’d been cold.“Because I have a tablecloth,” heannounces, explaining that I shoulddrape the blue plaid vinyl over my lap tokeep dry. It’s tacky and smells like onion,but I’m warm.As the morning sun highlights the topsof the canyon walls, some of which reachup nearly a quarter mile, we take in thedesert around us—whirlwinds of yellowbutterflies, mud nests of swallows on limestoneoverhangs, tree tobacco, salt cedar,prickly pear.Around mile 15, the current babblesagainst the Mexican shore, throughthorny brush and under a bluff. Pearsonflies beautifully around the curve butgrazes a rock, turns sideways and rolls.His head disappears under the sit-insidekayak.Smith, upstream, blows the shrill whistleattached to her lifejacket, and Nordmeyerprepares for a swift-water rescue.But Pearson surfaces and drifts to shore.“This river keeps you humble,” he says.At about mile 18, we come to anotherrapid, a series of S-shaped curves. There, Inotice donkeys saddled with blanketsroaming on the beach to my right, leadropes dangling. Another curve, and about20 animals stand saddled and ready. Not aperson in sight.A mile later, we hear dogs barking—and men yelling. Rounding a turn, twodogs burst from the reeds on the shore,nipping at the heels of wild donkeys. Twomen follow on foot, cheering aloud at theburros they’ve herded from the canyon.That evening, we camp on a sand shelfat mile 20 opposite a sheer cliff overwhich the full moon rises. Next morning,tracks in the mud suggest a Mexicanblack bear strolled by our tents duringthe night.On the third day, we glide out of themouth of Boquillas Canyon and sail intoopen desert—scrubby, sandy, sallow.Here, the water is wide and reflects thepeaks of two of Mexico’s distant mountains.The sun is warm, and I tuck awaymy tablecloth.Sensing the end of our journey, Ibrush my fingers against the last lowlimestone cliff and look back over myshoulder toward the mouth of BoquillasCanyon, now out of sight, as though themountain closed up behind us.Suzanne Haberman, staff writerOn TexasCoopPower.comA longer version of this story, tips for making sucha trip, plus a video and more photos.MISSIONGrand Central Stationfor ButterfliesMIGRATION MOVES HUNDREDS OFSPECIES THROUGH VALLEY TOWN(PLUS CLOSE-UP LOOKS AT CREEPYCRAWLERS CAN AROUSE THEBUTTERFLIES IN YOUR BELLY)The Rio Grande Valley sits at an ecologicalcrossroads where the Gulf Coast,Great Plains, Chihuahuan Desert and asubtropical climate converge. It is amecca for birders and butterfly watchersalike. They flock to destinations like theNational Butterfly Center and Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park in Missionwith hopes of spotting a new species. Thetwo destinations are part of a major bird(and bug) migration corridor. As MaxMuñoz, grounds manager for the NBCtold me, South Texas is a funnel: They allhave to come through here.I purposely wore a light color in hopesthat many butterflies would choose tolight on me, but those hopes were dashedwhen I arrived at the NBC and learnedthat because of the cool, gray skies, I’dlikely see much of nothing.After seeing only queens and a fewmonarchs, I made my way up to Muñoz,and voiced my disappointment. After acrash course in lepidopterology, Muñozurged me to come back on a sunny day.The NBC caters to many of the flutteringcreatures including those that like nectarNATIONAL BUTTERFLY CENTERThe National Butterfly Center in Mission is a part of the gateway into and out of Texas for migratinginsects, which gives visitors a great chance to study up close some of the 100 species of butterfliesthat could be flitting about.TexasCoopPower.com April 2013 Texas Co-op Power 9

Starting at just $6,000,it’s easy to find your AWAY.When you go RVing, AWAY is closer andmore affordable than you might think.FOLDING CAMPING TRAILERTRUCK CAMPERTRAVEL TRAILER“EXPANDABLE” TRAVEL TRAILER(with flowering plants), sap (lots of trees)and rotting fruit (logs filled with overripebananas, imported beer because it isn’tpasteurized and brown sugar).“That’s why you’ll find so manyspecies here every day, except for today,”Muñoz said. “Today, you may see 10 to 15different species. On a sunny day? Up to100. They have to have sun to warm anddry their wings before they take flight.”About 210 butterfly species have beenrecorded at the NBC, and a handful ofthem were recorded for the first time inTexas. Next trip, I’m checking the weatherand won’t be excited (like I was this time)when the forecast calls for gray skies.Just a stone’s throw from the butterflycenter sits Bentsen-Rio Grande ValleyState Park. I visited in the evening for theCreatures of the Night tram ride, whereJavier de Leon, park biologist, and parkhost Bill Winchester took about 20 of usinto the depths of the park to look fornocturnal creatures.The tram took off at sunset, a specialtime of day, de Leon said, because that’swhen the crepuscular animals—thosethat are active during dawn and dusk—make their appearance. As we pulled intothe park, de Leon imitated—perfectly—the screech owl and the common pauraque,two birds that like to come out atnight. Seconds after he did that, severalowls voiced their presence. Whooo!Whooo! After a brief conversation withthe birds, we were on our way.We came to a quiet stop near theresaca in the center of the park to huntfor bats. The cool night air hummed withthe sound of a million crickets. “Goodsign,” de Leon said. “Insects mean food.And food means animals.”After bat hunting proved to be mildlysuccessful (we heard a few on de Leon’sultrasonic bat detector), we went on ashort hike. And then he said it: “I’m goingto teach you guys how to hunt for spiders.”Surely at that moment everyone heardmy stomach drop to my knees, which buckled.“I can’t think of anything that wouldthrill me less,” I managed to whisper.Throughout the evening, de Leon hadbeen shining his flashlight down theroads and into the trees, looking for “eyeSPORT UTILITY RVBENTSEN-RIO GRANDE VALLEY STATE PARKFIFTH-WHEEL TRAVEL TRAILERTYPE B MOTORHOMETYPE C MOTORHOMETYPE A MOTORHOMESnap a photo of this tagwith your smartphoneto find an RV dealer,watch videos, and more.During the day, visitors to Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park can enjoy one of the best birdwatchingexperiences in the world. Bicycles and binoculars are available for rent. After sundown,park biologists are thrilled to shed some light on the night critters that lurk about.BENTSEN-RIO GRANDE STATE PARK: EARL NOTTINGHAM | TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENTTexasCoopPower.com

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shine,” which would signal a nearby critter.You can tell a critter by the color of itseye shine, de Leon said, and spiders hadan eye shine, too.“Here, take my flashlight,” he said,handing me the behemoth beam. “Hold itup to your temple, and shine it over thegrass.”A bit trepidatiously, I obliged. Andthere they were, dozens of creepy littlegreen diamonds in the weeds. And interestinglyenough, I wasn’t scared. I wasexhilarated. What else could we find?Well, scorpions love trees, apparently.“Take a look at this,” de Leon said,directing our attention to the groundwith a black light. And there it was, glowingin its venom-tastic glory. (Yep. Scorpionsglow an unnatural neon blue undera black light.) Awesome.While the trek ended up being a “slowevening,” we did catch a few raccoonsraiding a bird feeder and a couple of Easterncottontails hopping along the roadway.We heard a chorus of excited coyotesthat sounded like they had a successfulhunt. And at the end of the night, I furthererased my fear of all things crawlyand let a walking stick amble up my arm.Ashley Clary-Carpenter, field editorwe loaded up food to grill. A feast of veggiesawaited us in Farhaven’s garden.Proprietors Mark Hall and Nancy Rinnshare seasonal organic produce withtheir guests. No cellophane here, justveggies straight from the garden. Weused the provided grill to prepare asuper-fresh, super-easy, super-healthymeal of fish, mounds of fresh asparagus,baby carrots and chard. Superb.The next morning found us headingout to Lost Maples State Natural Area fora leisurely hike. Please note: We opted forthe leisurely hike, but the state park doeshave hikes for the more adventurous.Camping, picnicking, photography,swimming and bird-watching areenjoyed here by visitors from all over theworld. We shared part of our hike withstudents from Malaysia and two Koreansisters who, by the way, powered onahead to the rockier, steeper trail and leftus in the dust. Pick up a trail map and talkto the park rangers for an idea of whatyou want to tackle.The stunning limestone canyons andclear, aqua waters of the Sabinal RiverLOST MAPLES STATE PARKcan be enjoyed by everyone, as parts ofthe park are wheelchair accessible. Keepyour eyes open and you might get to seethe rare green kingfisher. Easier to spotare the maples, madrones, agaritas,native grasses and the wildflowers, allobligingly posing for their close-ups rightalong the well-marked trails. Tip: Bookearly if you want to see fall color.Our hosts at Farhaven suggested westop at the Lone Star Motorcycle Museumin Vanderpool to try an Aussie burger atthe Ace Café in the museum. Good tip!The large, juicy burgers topped withgrilled tomatoes and onions disappearedin the blink of an eye. We barely glanced atthe vintage motorcycles as we did not paythe museum fee. Gotta admit, though, Itook a couple of peeks. Beautifullyrestored motorcycles from around theworld, dating back to as early as 1910.A slow and meandering tour of Utopialed us to the picture-perfect, old-fashionedUtopia Park. The cool, clear river linedwith ancient cypress trees—even a ropeswing—is what a swimming hole should be.Additional classic park accoutrementsIF YOU GONational Butterfly Center: (956) 583-5400;nationalbutterflycenter.org.Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park:(956) 584-9156; tpwd.state.tx.us/stateparks/bentsen-rio-grande-valley.Where to stay: El Rocio Retreat is only threemiles from both attractions; (956) 584-7432,elrocioretreat.comUTOPIARugged, Refined and Totally TexasPLENTY TO SEE AND DO IN THIS PART OFTHE HILL COUNTRY—WHETHER YOU’REON FOOT, HORSEBACK OR MOTORCYCLELocated about an hour and a halfwest of San Antonio, Utopia is paradisefor those wanting to enjoy the outdoorsbut not quite wanting to rough it. Let’sleave out the “quite.” Ain’t nothin’ like agourmet meal and a comfy bed after a dayof hiking or kayaking.Once my friends and I booked a cabinat horse-friendly Farhaven, a B&B (bedand barn—no breakfast!) outside Utopia,The allures of Utopia and the surrounding area are many. Lost Maples State Natural Area is knownfor its stunning fall colors, but even dressed in green, it’s a sight to behold.LOST MAPLES: BRUCE LEMONS12 Texas Co-op Power April 2013TexasCoopPower.com

PRESIDENT LINCOLN’S HENRY RIFLEIS LOCKED AWAY IN A MUSEUMYOURS IS WAITING FOR YOU ATYOUR LOCAL GUN SHOPLincoln’s famous Henry rifle is a pricelessnational treasure. The one you can take home todayis considerably more affordable.Enthusiasts purchase Henry rifles becausethey are made in America with the same integrityas the one our 16th President owned. They have thesmoothest actions, perform with flawlessreliability and accuracy, and bear the legendaryHenry name.Henry Repeating Arms is a family-ownedbusiness and we stand behind every rifle that leavesour plant. You’ll find our award winning customerservice second to none, and we will do whatever ittakes to guarantee your complete satisfaction.We invite you to become part of the Henry familytoday. Please order our free catalog which includesinformation on all our rifles, a list of dealers in yourarea, and a free “Made in America or Not MadeAt All” decal.Henry Golden Boy.22 LR /.22 Mag / .17HMRHenry Golden Boy Engraved.22 LR /.22 Mag / .17HMRHenry Big Boy Engraved .44 MagnumHenry Acu-Bolt .22 LR / .22 Mag / .17 HMRHenry U.S. Survival .22 LR®The Rifles of theHenry Repeating ArmsCompanyMade in America or Not Made At AllFor a FREE color catalog visitwww.henryrifles.comor call Toll Free (866) 200-2354Made in America or Not Made at AllEst. 18622013

LAUREL TREE RESTAURANTFresh asparagus from the garden at Farhavenadded to a self-grilled meal. A five-course meal at the LaurelTree will dazzle your palate much the same way the welcome mat of poppies willyour eyes.include an outdoor dance area (wherethe dance scene for “Seven Days inUtopia” was filmed) and screened cabanaswith grills.We enjoyed the rugged and rambunctious.Next, for a taste of the refined, wetook our hungry selves to the Laurel Tree,where reservations are recommended.Just a couple of miles outside Utopia andset among huge oaks and gardens, theLaurel Tree serves Saturday lunch anddinner using fresh, seasonal herbs andvegetables, many from its own gardens.The five-course meal ($39), preparedunder the supervision of Laurel Waters,was love at the first bite of the goatcheese-stuffed pepper, right on throughto a tiramisu with raspberries and strawberries,garnished with mint.Hiking one of Texas’ premier parksfollowed by Cordon Bleu-inspired Texasfare. How perfect it that? Or should I say:How Utopian?Suzi Sands, art directorIF YOU GOGuide to Utopia: Information on area activities,including bat-watching, kayaking on the FrioRiver and the big tree tour at utopiatexas.infoLAUREL TREE: HATTIE BARHAM. ASPARAGUS: SUZI SANDSThe National Grass of Texasw w w . T U R F F A L O . c o mor 800-872-0522Bred in Texas to help save one of our most precious resources - water! Order from yournursery or direct from Turffalo online. Your lawn will be shipped to you in plugs that areeasy to install at one per square foot. Then get ready for a green lawn - in sun or in shade!14 Texas Co-op Power April 2013 TexasCoopPower.com

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Backyard PaydirtComposting at home doesn’t have to be complicated,and it’s great for plants, your wallet and the planetBY MELISSA GASKILL • ILLUSTRATIONS BY EDD PATTONMade in pile, hole, bin or barrel,compost might be the garden ingredientthat puts the “beef” in a beefsteaktomato, the green in the collard or thesnap in a pea.And all it takes to make compost—converting food scraps and yard materialsinto rich, healthy soil—is a small spacein the yard or any one of the many typesof manufactured composting bins—plusa little effort on your part.Soil made from composting has manyadvantages over the soil in your garden oryard that might be depleted of nutrients:• You’ll water less—a nice benefit inthe midst of drought—because compostabsorbs and retains moisture.• You’ll use less fertilizer becausecompost is rich in nutrients.• Compost improves the structure ofheavy clay soils as well as loose sandysoils.• It makes plants healthier and thereforemore resistant to disease and pests,reducing the need for herbicides and pesticides.• Less watering, fertilizing and treatingsaves money.Between 15 and 20 percent of the foodsupply in this country ends up in thehousehold garbage can, according to NaturalResources Defense Council scientistDana Gunders. That adds up to the equivalentof $2,275 a year for a family of four,plus the cost of energy and water used toproduce, transport and prepare that food.Food waste is the largest componentof solid waste in landfills, Gunders says.There, it gets buried and breaks downmostly without oxygen to account for 23percent of all U.S. emissions of methane,a greenhouse gas about 20 times morepotent than carbon dioxide. In a compostpile, by contrast, food decomposes usingoxygen, producing far less methane.Composting reduces household trashvolume, which could eventually meanfewer garbage trucks hauling to the land-16 Texas Co-op Power April 2013TexasCoopPower.com

fill, lowering fuel use and emissions. Atypical trash truck consumes about 9,000gallons of diesel fuel per year, accordingto the Solid Waste Association of NorthAmerica. Suzanne Pundt, a biologyinstructor at The University of Texas atTyler who started composting becauseshe loves to garden, cut her householdtrash volume more than three-quarters.Texans send 5 million-plus tons oforganic yard materials to landfills eachyear, too, paying roughly $3 million forthe privilege, according to the TexasCommission on Environmental Quality.Bin or BarrelAlthough all that’s really neededto begin composting is a corner of theyard where you dispose of kitchen andyard waste in a pile or hole, Pundt chose arotating barrel-style bin with an aerationsystem. “I wanted to be able to turn iteasily, and I discovered that aerationhelps the process go faster, so I wanted asystem to do that,” she says. Alternately,McAllen resident and composter NancyMillar makes compost for her lush tropicallandscaping in a standing commercialbin because it takes up little space andisn’t noticeable.A kitchen container to hold materialsuntil you’re ready to take them outsidecomes in handy. This can be a jar or bucket,or something made specifically for collectingcompost—anything large enough tohold at least a meal’s worth of scraps butsmall enough to keep handy. It should alsobe easy to clean and have a lid.The Right MixLou Kellogg, a master gardener andcompost specialist with Texas A&MAgriLife Extension Service in BexarCounty, says the proper balance of nitrogen,or “green” units, and carbon, or“brown” ones, is key. This is where mostefforts go wrong, he adds.A good rule of thumb is about onethirdgreen and two-thirds brown by volume.Green, nitrogen-rich items includegrass clippings and food scraps. Brown,high-carbon items include dry leaves,newspaper and cardboard. (See sidebar.)Certain materials don’t lend themselvesto compost. Meat, fish and dairyproducts will compost but also, unfortunately,attract critters. Weeds or invasiveplants in your compost could spread theirundesirable seeds, and most hay containsa weed killer that passes through horsesunscathed, so hay in your compost couldkill the plants on which you use it. Cowand chicken manure are OK, but cat anddog waste contain harmful pathogens.Nonbiodegradable materials such as plasticand metal won’t break down.The right amount of moisture is alsoimportant: Too much can create odor, socompost that smells probably needsmore brown units; too little moistureslows down composting. Pundt fills herbin with dry leaves, adds water to moisten,then regularly adds vegetable matterfrom the kitchen. “I take the lid off andeyeball it. It needs to be nice and moist,not sloppy wet, but not too dry.”The microorganisms that break down• Container: An open box or closed bin orbarrel. It needs to be a minimum 3 and maximum5 feet across, says Lou Kellogg, a mastergardener and compost specialist with TexasA&M AgriLife Extension Service in BexarCounty.• Ingredients: A mix of one-third nitrogen,or “green” units, and two-thirds carbon, or“brown” ones. Green items include grass clippingsand food scraps such as apple cores,banana peels, spoiled vegetables and fruits,crushed eggshells, bread, pasta, cereal, cookies,and nuts. Brown items include dry leaves,Recipe for Compostbranches, dead flowers, toothpicks, paper bagsand napkins, tea bags, coffee grounds, newspaper,shredded paper, lint, cotton balls, wool,and cardboard, including torn-up pizza boxes.• No-nos: Don’t put these things in yourbin: meat, fish, dairy products, weeds, invasiveplants, horse manure, cat or dog waste, glossypaper or nonbiodegradable materials such asplastic and metal.• Microbes: These can come from a commercialstarter or simply a scoop of existingcompost or healthy soil.• Moisture: Too much moisture can createodor; too little slows down the process. If liquidleaks out of your container, mix in dry itemssuch as dead leaves or paper. If scraps are stillrecognizable after a few weeks, add water. Thepile should be moist but not wet.• Turning: Turning isn’t necessary butspeeds up the process, aerating compost andkeeping the pile from compacting. Turn whenthe compost is at 140 to 160 degrees (as measuredby a compost thermometer), or aboutonce a week to make useable compost in aboutthree months, or every other week for compostin four to six months.TexasCoopPower.com April 2013 Texas Co-op Power 17

materials and create new soil need plentyof surface area, so it helps to cut, break orshred components from the house or theyard before putting them in.PestsThose new to composting oftenworry about insects and other pests, butexperts say that if you do things right,compost won’t attract any more peststhan a typical yard or garden.Burying food scraps under a layer ofbrown material (dry leaves or paper) andkeeping the pile moist but not wet helpskeep undesirable insects out of the bin.Turning the compost to create highertemperatures also kills fly larvae andweed seeds. A bin with a lid and bottomhelps cut down on larger pests, such asopossums or raccoons.Turn on the HeatTurning compost isn’t necessary, butit adds air, breaks up clumps, and redistributesmoisture and heat, a natural byproductof organic decomposition. Methods forturning depend on the type of compostingsystem you’re using—a shovel, pitchfork orrake works for a pile, while some manufacturedunits have built-in mechanisms torotate the compost.The best time to turn, Kellogg says, iswhen the compost is 140 to 160 degrees.You can measure this with a compostthermometer, available at many gardeningsupply stores. Or you can turn aboutonce a week, says Daniela Ochoa Gonzalez,a planner with Austin’s ResourceRecovery Department. Turning morethan once a week disturbs the microorganismsand disrupts the process. If youDig, Drop and DoneComposting doesn’t get any easier than thisI would love to have a real compost pile. But, like so many people, I feel pressed for time andam reluctant to take on new projects.However, I have started doing something really, really simple: I dig a small hole, throw myfood scraps in and then fill the hole in with dirt. I call it hole-istic gardening.After all, how many of us remember the story of the Native American Squanto showing thenewly arrived Pilgrims how to plant? Remember him putting the fish in the bottom of the holedug for the corn? That is it.Save kitchen scraps such as fruit and vegetable peels, coffee grounds and eggshells, dig ahole about 12 inches deep, dump in the kitchen waste (no meat, grease or cheese, please) andthen cover. You are done. All you have to do is wait one to six months for Mother Nature to doher job. Smaller chunks mean faster composting.It’s cheap, easy, fast and fun, especially when one starts eating the results of a fertile garden.Suzi Sands, art directordon’t turn your compost at all, it will stillcompost, but it takes longer.“I know you’re supposed to turn yourcompost, but Mother Earth doesn’t, sowe just let it do its thing,” Millar says.Finished compost is dark brown orblack, has a crumbly texture and smellsearthy. Have realistic expectations abouthow long compost takes and its appearance,says longtime home composter KimCook, who owns Exaco, an Austin-basedcompany that sells compost bins and collectors.“Don’t be disappointed if itdoesn’t look like the bags of compost youbuy, which are manufactured,” she says.Compost is most effective when usedwithin six months, says Kellogg. Whenplanting a garden, mix 1 to 2 inches ofcompost into the top 6 inches of soil.Sprinkle a one-quarter- to one-half-inchlayer of compost on an established lawnor garden, and water. You can also usecompost as one-third of a potting soilmix. The organic content of compostedsoil also provides nutrients for beneficialmicrobes and worms, which in turn makeyour garden even healthier.Compost fans say the practice cantake a little getting used to, but the endresult—healthier plants and a healthierplanet—make it well worth the effort.Melissa Gaskill, frequent contributorOn TexasCoopPower.comMore composting tips, including:• Dealing with fruit flies• Online resources to help you get started18 Texas Co-op Power April 2013TexasCoopPower.com

If Central Texas Is Your Market,We’ve Got You Covered.Target customers close to home withthe new Central Texas advertising sectionof Texas Co-op Power.We know that now, more than ever, it makes sense totarget your audience with a trustworthy name—a namelike Texas Co-op Power, which creates more advertisingoptions for regional and local businesses like yours.Texas Co-op Power’s Central Texas advertising sectiontargets homeowners living in rural, small-town andsub urban Texas. With a regional circulation of 310,000and a readership of more than 775,000, Texas Co-op Powerdelivers a huge audience that’s loyal and responsive.CENTRAL TEXAS AUDIENCECirculation 310,000Readership 775,00038 CountiesBe part of a statewide magazine—without the statewidecost. Reach Central Texas customers with Texas Co-opPower. Call or email today.Call: (512) 486-6249Email: advertising@TexasCoopPower.comTexasCoopPower.com April 2013 Texas Co-op Power 19

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The pharmacywhereeverybodyknowsyour nameS&J employees know their customers andtheir medical histories.If you fill your prescriptions at a typical pharmacy, chances are you don’t knowthe pharmacist or techs by name. This isn’t the case at S&J Pharmacy, becausethe owners and employees strive to offer their customers quality service on apersonalized basis.“I like the one-on-one contact and having face-to-face relationships with ourcustomers,” said Vicki Woelfel, Pharmacist in Charge at the S&J locationin Argyle.The “S” and the “J” are owners Shannon and Jarrod Link, and they say theirbusiness model revolves around serving rural communities.“I think we provide better customer service, which positively impacts ourcustomers’ overall health,” Jarrod said. “The fact that we do compounding andoffer free delivery is also a big plus for them.”Compounding consists of making a drug that is no longer commerciallyavailable, changing a medication from pill form into a penetrating skin cream orpreparing a dye-free or preservative-free medication.S&J’s Compounding Tech Robin McMinn can also add flavors, usually for childor animal prescriptions when the patient isn’t too thrilled with the taste of themedication.“The most rewarding part of my job is really being able to focus on the personand in doing so, help treat their health issue,” Robin said.This kind of focus and attention to detail benefits S&J customers.“I think we’re more likely to catch drug interactions and mistakes, whereassometimes in larger pharmacies things get overlooked,” Vicki said.S&J Pharmacy cont’d on page 28 …It pays to havea card that savesAll five locations of S&J Pharmacyaccept the Co-op Connections®Card and help CoServ ElectricMembers save money on theirprescriptions.But S&J is not the only pharmacy inour service area that accepts the card.And savings aren’t limited toprescriptions, either, as more than70 area retailers honor the cardand provide discounts of at least 10percent on everyday expenses.By far, however, the biggest savingsfor Members in the past three yearshave come at pharmacies.Last year alone, Members whoused the card for prescriptionssaved $ 143,655.95, which putCoServ Electric in third place inyearly savings for all co-ops in Texasparticipating in this program.Since 2010, CoServ ElectricMembers have saved $ 514,145.27on prescriptions. In many cases,Members are finding that thediscount often outweighs theprescription co-pays!The Co-op Connections® Card is agood reminder that our commitmentto providing value for Membersextends beyond energy savings.We update our retail directoryquarterly (see pages 22A–22D). Fordetails about the Co-op Connections®Card, visit CoServ.com and click onthe Connections Card. We’re alwaysadding new businesses and services,so bookmark the site and check backoften to find new places where youcan save money.CoServ Electric CoServ.com Reliable • Safe • Local • TrustedApril 2013 COSERV ELECTRIC Texas Co-op Power 21

C TS SCURTIS TRIVITTSays SoCurtis Trivitt (CTSS),SVP—Energy ServicesTruth or Tale? Increasing distributedsolar generation on CoServ Electric’sload profile is a viable option thatdeserves research.Like other “renewable” forms of energy, solar power hasimmense promise. The cost of solar panels has declinedsignificantly in the past five years—from $ 3 per watt a fewyears ago to under $ 1 today. And, earlier this year, savvyinvestor Warren Buffett agreed to spend up to $ 2.5 billionto build two solar projects in California, so big money isinvolved, as well.But does this promise and potential add up to a viableoption for CoServ Electric to research?The short answer is “yes”—as the second-largestcooperative in Texas, CoServ Electric should investigate,evaluate and gain experience with solar power as an energysource. The long answer is more complicated, because thereare several challenges to overcome before we can or shouldmake a significant investment in solar generation.To illustrate, note the research conducted as part ofthe committee I chair for the Cooperative ResearchNetwork (CRN).Working with colleague Doug Danley, a CRN contractor,we used CoServ Electric system data from 2011: a peakload of 1,282 MW (megawatts), annual sales of 4.6 millionMWh (megawatt hours), and an average load of 526 MW.We assumed scenarios of both 15 percent and 30 percentsolar penetration, basing those percentages on energy, notdemand (kilowatt hours, not kilowatts).The first step, per Doug, was to determine what sizephotovoltaic (PV) system would be required to produce15 percent and 30 percent of the 4.6 million MWh of energy.Running the numbers through our model showed that466 MW of solar generation would be needed to meet the15 percent scenario, and this would serve 35 percent ofour peak load and 85 percent of our average load. In the30 percent scenario, 893 MW of solar generation would beneeded, and the energy generated would serve 59 percent ofour peak load and 143 percent of our average load.The 446 MW could come from a mix of residential andcommercial/utility systems. If 10 percent of CoServ’sMembers were to install 5 kW rooftop PV systems, thiswould add up to more than 80 MW, or about 20 percentof the 446 MW needed to generate 15 percent of CoServElectric’s energy. Commercial and private systems providingpower to CoServ according to Purchased Power AgreementsCoServ Electric CoServ.com Reliable • Safe • Local • Trusted22 Texas Co-op Power COSERV ELECTRIC April 2013

PROSPROS AND CONS OF SOLAR POWER Ability to harness electricity in remotelocations not linked to a national grid Initial investment can be high, but installationprices are dropping Less dependence on fossil fuels and noemissions of carbon dioxide, acid rain ormercury, which can occur in traditionalelectricity-generating methodsSources: clean-energy-ideas.com, Green Energy Efficient Homes, Curtis TrivittCONS Electricity is generated only duringdaylight hours Weather can affect the efficiency ofsolar panels For high penetration on the electric grid,the inability to store or control solar energyproduction could lead to the destabilization ofthe grid and lead to blackouts(PPAs) and utility-owned systems could make upthe balance.All of this sounds promising so far. But remember that allof this costs money, too.To give you an idea of how much 446 MW of solargeneration might cost, let’s start with the expenseof installing a residential rooftop system. Includingsolar panels, inverter, wiring, mounting hardware andinstallation, this comes out to more than $ 4 per watt. If weuse $ 4 per watt, the first 20 percent of the needed MW wouldrequire an investment of about $ 320 million.Commercial and utility owned solar systems can beinstalled for less, due mostly to economies of scale, so if theremaining 366 MW of the required solar generation couldbe constructed for $ 2 per watt, the additional investmentrequired would be $ 732 million.So does paying $ 1 billion to generate 15 percent ofyour energy seem cost-efficient to you?Also, at both the 15 percent and 30 percent levels, thereare times that the solar generation would exceed CoServ’sentire system load. This means that excess power would flowfrom CoServ onto the transmission system—i.e., we wouldbe a net producer of power instead of a net consumer ofpower during those periods.This may sound desirable, but if this is also occurring onevery other utility system in our region, there is more powerbeing produced than there is load to consume it (even ifwe shut down all of the conventional electric generation).Without the means to curtail or store the solar energy, theelectric grid would destabilize and result in blackouts.Rapidly changing energy storage and smart-gridtechnology could help manage and support high levels ofdistributed generation in a cost-efficient manner, but theseare longer-term solutions.For the short term, we will continue to monitor the pace ofinnovation that will help solar generation fulfill its promiseand potential and become a reality.Read more about our existing distributed generationpolicies at CoServ.com>Electric>CustomerService>Interconnecting Your Own Power.Curtis Trivitt is our resident energy expert. Continue the conversation about solar generation online with him at facebook.com/CoServEnergy. Members who “like” us and comment are entered in a drawing for a $ 100 credit on their next electric bill.CoServ Electric CoServ.com Reliable • Safe • Local • TrustedApril 2013 COSERV ELECTRIC Texas Co-op Power 23

CoServ in thecommunity$210,000 IN GRANTS TOEDUCATION FOUNDATIONS Denton Public SchoolFoundation— $ 20,000The key to fireplace gas safetyMany fireplaces in North Texas come equipped with a natural gas power sourcethat is controlled by a metal key on a valve.Usually located on the fireplace itself or nearby, the valve is convenient forgetting a fire started in a hurry.But its position also makes the valve vulnerable to a bump from a child ordog, which, along with not completely turning it off, could result in natural gascontinuing to emit from the source.CoServ Gas encountered a serious example of this in 2011 after a Customer whosmelled gas outside his home contacted us.The CoServ Gas technician who visited the scene confirmed that natural gas wasindeed emitting from a home … two doors down and a block over!The home’s natural gas fireplace valve still had the key in it, turned to the “on”position with no flame, and the fireplace doors were closed. Natural gas wasventing directly out the chimney, and the odor was being smelled throughout theneighborhood.Natural gas escaping, either outdoors or inside the home, presents a hazard inseveral ways. Any sort of spark or flame could potentially result in a dangeroussituation.To prevent these types of hazards, here are some tips to practice fireplace valvesafety in your home: After using the fireplace, make sure the key is always turned as far as it can goto the “OFF” position (usually to the right). When not in use, remove the key from the valve and store in a location out ofthe reach of children. Never leave the key in the valve. When turning on the valve, have an appropriate lighting source at the ready. Ifyou are slow to light the natural gas, it will build up and cause a large flare-up(much like a propane grill). Never use a butane lighter or paper product that requires you to reach yourhand and arm into the fireplace. Doing so could result in burns once thenatural gas ignites.For more information on natural gas safety, please visit the Safety page underthe Gas>Resources section on CoServ.com. Argyle ISD EducationFoundation— $ 10,000 Era ISD EducationFoundation— $ 5,000 Frisco EducationFoundation— $ 35,000 Lewisville ISD EducationFoundation— $ 30,000 Little Elm AwardsFoundation— $ 20,000 Northwest ISD EducationFoundation— $ 20,000 Aubrey EducationFoundation— $ 10,000 McKinney EducationFoundation— $ 10,000 Prosper OpenFoundation— $ 10,000 Sanger EducationFoundation— $ 10,000 Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISDEducation Foundation— $ 5,000 Foundation for AllenSchools— $ 5,000 Krum ISD EducationFoundation— $ 5,000 Lake Cities EducationFoundation— $ 5,000 Pilot Point EducationalFoundation— $ 5,000 Ponder EducationFoundation— $ 5,000CoServ Electric CoServ.com Reliable • Safe • Local • Trusted24 Texas Co-op Power COSERV ELECTRIC April 2013

Co-op Connections ® CardRetail DirectoryApril 2013The Co-op Connections Card is accepted at hundreds of area pharmacies and the local retailerslisted in the following pages. Since CoServ Electric launched the program in 2010, pharmacies haveprocessed more than 33,000 transactions of CoServ Electric Members using the cards for a totalsavings of more than $ 514,000.Visit CoServ.com today to locate a pharmacy in your area. Look through the Connections Card RetailDirectory on the following pages to find local retailers in our service area that offer discounts forMembers who present the Co-op Connections Card.April 2013 COSERV ELECTRIC Connections Card Directory 24A

Co-op Connections ® Card Discount DirectoryMore ways to save on everyday purchasesAs a card-carrying Member, use your Co-op Connections Card at participating businesses to receivediscounts at restaurants and retail shops, hair salons, dental offices, and much more. Visit CoServ.com tolocate a participating pharmacy in your area.Participating retail businesses3% Real Estate Co.2560 King Arthur Blvd., Ste. 140Lewisville, TX 75056214-533-7522www.burlblue.com50% off 6% commission or 25% off 6%commission for sellers. Discount determined bythe program the seller chooses.A Denton RV Storage Place6256 Green Valley Cir., Aubrey, TX 76227940-220-6000www.adentonrvstorageplace.com10% off storage.A. John Reinhard, DDS PA1111 W Frankford Rd., Ste. 101Carrollton, TX 75007972-245-3395www.drreinhard.com8% off with payment at time of appointment.Accent Dental8300 Gaylord Pkwy., Ste. 15, Frisco, TX 75034972-335-7666www.accentdentalfrisco.com20% off for non-insured patients (cannot becombined with any other promotional offers).Adventures in PrintingP.O. Box 35, Prosper, TX 75078972-547-4304www.adventuresinprinting.comFree setup charge ($25 value).AirPlus4720 Dozier Rd., Carrollton, TX 75010214-483-9600goairplus.com20% off any service.Albritton Insulation419 Surrey Ln., Argyle, TX 76226940-464-3007$1 off each bag of mineral Rockwool insulation.All Star Self Storage9696 W Virginia Pkwy., McKinney, TX 75071972-346-3900www.allstarselfstoragetexas.com10% off any size storage unit or parking space.New rentals only.Ameristall Structures2824 Milam Rd., Sanger, TX 76266940-381-0191www.ameristall.net5% off building components and 10% off horsebarn or metal building packages.Amschler & Hacker P.C.16801 Addison Rd., Ste. 124, Addison, TX 75001972-380-5630www.jrhpc.comFree consultation. 20% off regular fees.Animal Hospital on Milam Rd.2490 Milam Rd. E, Sanger, TX 76266940-382-1202www.animalhospitalonmilamroad.vetsuite.com10% discount for first-time clients.Blimpie8300 Gaylord Pkwy., Ste. 14, Frisco, TX 75034972-668-8118www.blimpie.com25% off regular meal purchases.Brotherton Law Firm2340 FM 407, Ste. 200, Highland Village, TX 75077972-317-8700www.brothertonlaw.comFirst half hour consultation free.Brotherton Real Estate Group, L.L.C.2340 FM 407, Ste. 200, Highland Village, TX 75077972-317-8700www.brothertonlaw.comOne month’s free rent with two-year lease signed.Bullitt Chiropractic7151 Preston Rd., Ste. 111-A, Frisco, TX 75034214-387-4321www.bullittchiropractic.comFree initial exam/consultation.Candy World Stonebriar Centre2601 Preston Rd., Ste. 1150, Frisco, TX 75034469-252-9918www.candyworld.info10% off of entire purchase.Centennial Family Dentistry6449 Coit Rd., Ste. 104, Frisco, TX 75053214-436-4600smilesinfrisco.com$59 exam and X-rays. 15% discount onall treatments.CK Salon Elegant1500 W Hebron Pkwy., Carrollton, TX 75010972-395-0905www.cksalonelegant.com20% off services.Clark Financial Group6898 Lebanon Rd. Ste. 101, Frisco, TX 75034888-647-1936drbillclark.comOne complimentary “Found Money” report.Includes review of taxes, legal documentsand investments.Clear Creek Animal Hospital, Inc.10621 FM 2450, Sanger, TX 76266940-458-405810% discount on services for new clients.Corbett Dentistry6800 Windhaven Pkwy., Ste. 135The Colony, TX 75056972-306-0743www.corbettdentistry.net$25 off first treatment procedure of a new patient.Craig Connections—Satellite, HomeTheatre, Cabling525 Fort Worth Dr., Denton, TX 76201940-484-6700www.craigconnections.comDISH Network®—$15 off monthly bill forone year.Creekside at Northlake Apartments8299 Small Block Rd., Roanoke, TX 76262817-854-0011www.creeksideatnorthlake.com5% off market rate.Dermatology & Skin Surgery Instituteof North Texas7044 Lebanon Rd., Ste. 102, Frisco, TX 75034972-712-5100www.dermntx.com10% off cosmetic services.Frisco Dental Care3245 Main St., Ste. 271, Frisco, TX 75034972-712-0500www.friscodentalcare.com20% off for non-insurance patients.FriscoTaxi.com15139 Royal Oak Ln., Frisco, TX 75035214-392-1804www.friscotaxi.com20% off regular price.Great Days Pre-K2432 Breanna Way, Little Elm, TX 75068972-821-1848No registration fee when signing afull-time contract.24B Connections Card Directory COSERV ELECTRIC April 2013

Green Meadows Design and Landscape724 Holford’s Prairie Rd., Lewisville, TX 75056972-492-5495www.greenmeadowslandscaping.comFree estimates and 5% discount on all newlandscaping.Health Kick Nutrition Center3634 Long Prairie Rd., Ste. 128Flower Mound, TX 75028972-874-8477www.healthkickonline.com20% off everyday purchases.It’s All About The Flag10312 Countryside Dr., Denton, TX 76207940-765-2788www.itsallabouttheflag.us10% off total purchase.Jingde Porcelain240 Legacy Dr., Ste. 214, Plano, TX 75023972-816-6488www.jingdeporcelain.com60% of all vases. $5 off all tea sets.Just What I Wanted6101 Long Prairie Rd., Ste. 736Flower Mound, TX 75022972-539-GIFTwww.personalizeyourgifts.com20% off any one item in the store. Cannot becombined with any other offer.Konnections4695 N Colony Blvd., Ste. 103, The Colony, TX 75056972-294-3862www.cfdynamics.com10% off new shared hosting accounts.Kwik Kar Lube & Auto Care Lantana7100 FM 407, Lantana, TX 76226940-584-0852www.kwikkarlantana.com10% off total ticket.Liberty Tax Service5201 S Colony Blvd., Ste. 745, The Colony, TX 75056972-370-1040www.libertytax.com10% off tax preparation at the two locations inThe Colony.Michael D. Lawrence, Jr., Inc.—CertifiedPublic Accountant190 Civic Cir., Ste. 150, Lewisville, TX 75067972-219-6832michaellawrencejrcpa.com10% off initial tax preparation or accountingservices.Montessori Country Day School7400 Hawk Rd., Flower Mound, TX 75022817-430-8340www.montessoricds.com$50 off new family enrollment/registration.Mr. Jim’s Pizza (#99)928 S Hwy. 377, Ste. 110, Aubrey, TX 76227940-365-4100Buy one pizza and get the second of equal or lesservalue 1/2 price.Nab’em Security, LLC10363 Fieldlark Ln., Sanger, TX 76266940-458-7378www.nabemsecurity.com15% BuyBoard discount on all web site items(includes free shipping and 2-year warranty).Newton Realty3624 Long Prairie Rd., Ste. 209Flower Mound, TX 75022817-455-8811www.ricknewtonrealty.com$1,000 rebate at closing of home purchase/sale.Orthodontic Associates of North Texas, PA515 Londonderry Ln., Denton, TX 76205940-381-1988www.dentonorthodontics.com$100 off full treatment.Palio’s Pizza and Cafe228 Long Prairie Rd., Ste. 103Flower Mound, TX 75028972-899-440010% off order.Payless Cleaners1210 E Parker Rd., Ste. 600, Plano, TX 75074972-516-0894www.paylesscleaners.netMen’s shirts—$.89; dry cleaning—$2.59 pergarment. Some restrictions apply.PerAm RealtyP.O. Box 50593, Denton, TX 76206940-536-1274www.peramrealty.com$3,000 off house or mobile home purchase;discount lots on average sale $1,500; lease to own15% off first month rent.People’s Choice RealtyMcKinney, TX 75070972-588-8534www.buyorsellincollincounty.com1% off full service listing fee. 2% off full servicelisting fee if you purchase a new or pre-ownedhome within 60 days from People’s Choice Realty.PharmNet6449 Coit Rd., Ste. 116, Frisco, TX 75035972-712-0649www.pharmnet.comUp to $10 off any transferred prescription(not using insurance).POParella’s Gourmet Popcorn and Treats!8873 Coleman Blvd., Frisco, TX 75034214-705-9666www.poparellas.comFree 2-POP size original popcorn with singlepurchase of $10 or more ($2.49 value).Rag Mops Cleaning Service720 Valley Ridge Cir., Ste. 18, Lewisville, TX 75057972-219-0353www.ragmops.net10% off all services.Renaissance Plastic Surgery6105 Windcom Ct., Ste. 150, Plano, TX 75093972-378-3870www.renaissanceplasticsurgerytx.com10% off all skincare, free cosmetic consultationsand $11 per unit for BOTOX®.Riverchase Financial Planning401 E Corporate Dr., Ste. 100, Lewisville, TX 75057469-948-4881www.riverchasefinancialplanning.comFree initial consultation; 10% discount on contractedservice.Russell K. Bass, DDS220 S Denton Tap Rd., Ste. 101, Coppell, TX 75019972-393-6880Free consultation; 10% off all services.Sierra Shred6136 Frisco Square Blvd., Ste. 400, Frisco, TX 75034469-252-1125www.sierrashred.comRequest regular monthly service and receive thefirst service free, or receive 10% off any singleshred service.Skinner Plumbing7512 Main St., Ste. 201, The Colony, TX 75056972-625-380010% off service call.Solar Screens Plus1421 Knottingham Dr., Little Elm, TX 75026972-200-1712www.solarscreensplus.net25% off for all services over $350.Smart Energy Loan Program4200 W Plano Pkwy., Plano, TX 75093972-769-4335www.smartenergyloans.comPlano homeowners receive approximately 2%below market unsecured loan rates.Sparkle Brite Pool Store1500 W Hebron Pkwy., Ste. 100, Carrollton, TX 75010972-394-7665www.sparklebritecarrollton.com10% off regular priced merchandise.Stonebriar Spa1221 Legacy Dr., Frisco, TX 75034972-668-6108www.stonebriarspa.com20% off any single retail item (non-salemerchandise only).April 2013 COSERV ELECTRIC Connections Card Directory 24C

Co-op Connections ® Card Discount DirectorySwirl Bakery—Café and Bakery3634 Long Prairie Rd., Ste. 100Flower Mound, TX 75022214-513-1334www.swirlbakery.com15% off total bill (excluding Thanksgiving orChristmas orders and Mother’s Day orEaster brunch).Tadpole Pool Service4211 Charles St., Carrollton, TX 75010214-695-8717www.tadpolepoolservice.com10% off monthly service; 15% off repairs.Texas State Optical1124 W Main St., Lewisville, TX 75067972-221-2561www.lewisvilletso.com/10% off complete bill.The Behavior Exchange6105 Windcom Ct., Ste. 400, Plano, TX 75093972-312-8733www.behaviorexchange.com10% off initial consultation.The Enchanted Artist2540 King Arthur Blvd., Ste. 105Lewisville, TX 75056972-899-2627www.theenchantedartist.com10% off regular priced merchandise.The Gent’s Place6975 Lebanon Rd., Ste. 303, Frisco, TX 75034469-579-4417www.thegentsplace.com10% off all products (excludes services).The Grotto2300 Highland Village Rd.Highland Village, TX 75077972-318-0515www.thegrottotonight.com10% off.The Paddocks Stables4001 Historic Ln., Crossroads, TX 76227214-616-8459www.paddocksinc.com10% off lessons.The Salad Stop3685 Preston Rd., Ste. 185, Frisco, TX 75034972-377-7867www.thesaladstoptexas.com15% off.Toothacres Pet Care Center1639 Parker Rd., Carrollton, TX 75010972-492-3711www.toothacres.com15% off dog boarding.Tri-Tex GrassP.O. Box 440, Tioga, TX 76271940-437-9911www.tritexgrass.com10% discount.Zip It Postal Center2701 Little Elm Pkwy., Ste. 100Little Elm, TX 75068469-362-9355www.zipitcenter.com$2 off UPS® or FedEx® ground and $5 off UPSor FedEx overnight shipping.Zuri Furniture4880 Alpha Rd., Dallas, TX 75244972-716-9874www.zurifurniture.com10% off all regular priced items(excludes clearance).This information is provided by CoServ Electric on an informational basis only. CoServ Electric does not endorse, examine, or warrant any business listed and makes norepresentation or warranties of any kind, express or implied as to the operation of the business or the quality of their services. This advertisement shall not be construedas the establishment of a joint venture, partnership, agency, franchise, or employment relationship among Touchstone Energy, any Co-op and Business. Neither TouchstoneEnergy nor any Co-op will be liable for products or services or for any inaccuracy in related marketing materials.Free advertising for your businessWe have an exciting opportunity for your business—free advertising! We’d like to invite you to join us in aMember benefi ts initiative—the Co-op Connections ® program. CoServ Electric, in conjunction with otherTouchstone Energy ® cooperatives around the country, uses the Co-op Connections program to deliver more valueto Members and assist participating businesses in increasing traffi c and sales. This program gives your businessexposure to our 145,000+ Members (and millions more served by our fellow Touchstone Energy cooperatives).This program is already in use with hundreds of pharmacies across our service area, and since we began theprogram in 2010, our Members have used the card more than 33,000 times.On a retail level, this program gives you the opportunity to offer our cooperative Members valuable discounts. Inexchange for your participation, we promote your business and discount offers to our Members at no cost to you.Find the details on CoServ.com>Membership Benefits>Connections Card>Sign Up Your Business. Or, youcan contact Jennifer Ebert via e-mail at jebert@coserv.com or at (940) 321-7800 (x7656).24D Connections Card Directory COSERV ELECTRIC April 2013

Pipelines in yourcommunityCoServ Gas transports natural gas every day througha network of pipelines. According to statistics from theNational Transportation Safety Board, pipelines are thesafest and most reliable method of transporting natural gas.We are committed to safe and reliable operation of ourpipelines in your community. Once designed, tested andinstalled, we operate and maintain our pipelines accordingto all federal and state requirements. We also conductcontinuous inspections and maintenance to ensure we areproviding the safest delivery of natural gas to your home orbusiness.Where the pipelines are:Since pipelines are located underground and are notvisible to the eye, CoServ Gas uses line markers to identifythe proximity of the pipeline. The markers are placed to helpyou, our Customer, as well as any individual or companyplanning to excavate. The marker will typically providethe name of the gas company, the contents of the pipelineand an emergency phone number. While markers play animportant role in identifying pipelines, they are not usedto give depth or exact locations. The only way to ensurethe location of a pipeline is to practice the “call before youdig” rule. (See below). Pipeline markers are important forthe safety of the general public. It is a federal crime for anyperson to willfully deface, remove or destroy any pipelinesign or marker.Call before you dig:Before you dig or excavate 16 inches or deeper, state lawrequires you to contact the National One-Call Center, 811.Please call 48 hours (two business days) before you startyour project, whether it’s landscaping, building fences ormajor construction. CoServ Gas will mark the lines at nocost to you. If the pipeline is damaged in any way—even if itappears to be minor—call 911 and immediately notify CoServGas at (940) 321-7800 or (800) 274-4014 so that we canconduct a thorough inspection and make necessary repairs.Do NOT attempt to make any repairs yourself.How to recognize gas leaks:Pipeline emergencies include damaged pipelines, a fireor explosion near or directly involving a pipeline, a naturaldisaster affecting the pipeline, a leaking pipeline or leakingpipes in your house or building.Here are some tips to help you recognize a gas leak:Look—Persistent bubbling in standing water ordiscolored vegetation are signs of a possible leak around thepipeline.Listen—Note any unusual noise like a hissing or roaringsound.Smell—Odor is an easy way to identify the release ofnatural gas. Natural gas in its original state is odorless.An additive is injected into the gas supply to help ourCustomers smell and identify the release of natural gas. Thatadditive smells like rotten eggs.What to do when a leak occurs:1. Immediately leave the area.2. Abandon any equipmentbeing used in or near the suspected leak.3. From a safe location, call 911and immediately notify CoServ Gas at (940) 321-7800or (800) 274-4014. Give your name, phone number,description of the leak, and its location.4. Warn others to stay away when possible.What NOT to do:1. Do NOT touch, breathe, or make contact with theleaking gas. Stay upwind.2. Do NOT light a match, start an engine, use atelephone, operate light switches or do anything thatmay create a spark.3. Do NOT attempt to extinguish any pipeline fire thatmay start.4. Do NOT drive into a leak or vapor cloud area.Automobile engines may ignite the vapors.What CoServ Gas will do during an emergency:CoServ Gas will immediately dispatch trained personnelupon notification of an emergency. We will provideinformation to public safety officials to aid in their response.We will also take the necessary operational steps tominimize the impact of the emergency.Contact information:To report an emergency, call 911 and immediately notifyCoServ Gas at (940) 321-7800 or (800) 274-4014.For more safety tips, visit our website at CoServ.com>Gas>Resources>Safety. Please do NOT report gasemergencies (including leaks) via the Web.CoServ Electric CoServ.com Reliable • Safe • Local • TrustedApril 2013 COSERV ELECTRIC Texas Co-op Power 25

Here’s what 25,668 lightning strikes look like on radar. CoServ usesweather technology to warn Members of potential outages and helppinpoint damage (right) caused by lightning.Lightning strikes twice?Try 25,668 times!Most CoServ Electric Members are probably sleepingat 2 a.m. on a Sunday, but not all CoServ Employees are—especially those tracking thunderstorms that can strike atany hour.Using a licensed weather-radar system, CoServ staffersmonitor the progress of storms as they roll throughNorth Texas.One recent example involves a storm that rumbled throughour service area Feb. 10. From midnight to 5 a.m., the systemtracked nearly 60,000 lightning strikes. At the height of thestorm, between 2 and 3 a.m., 25,668 strikes were recorded!How does this affect you, as a CoServ Electric Member? Inthis particular case, it didn’t. As a result of a well-designed,soundly built and well-maintained system, only a few minorpower disruptions were reported as a result of the winterlight show.When outages are investigated, CoServ’s OperationsEmployees can compare the timing of the disruption to thetiming and location of lightning strikes to determine whetherlightning was the culprit.In addition, you have three go-to options via smartphone ortablet to get a status update on the disruption and monitor theprogress of its restoration:1. Our Facebook page at facebook.com/CoServEnergy2. Our Twitter feed at twitter.com/CoServ_Energy3. Our Contact Us page at CoServ.com>Contact Us.Also, be sure to update your phone number using your onlineaccount, since this will allow you to report outages faster usingour Outage Management System (OMS).These enhanced communication efforts and the weatherradar are part of CoServ’s Power Quality and Reliability(PQ&R) initiative, which consists of many components,including regular maintenance of lines and vegetationmanagement, and is designed to increase public safety andsavings for Members.CoServ takes its responsibility to keep the lights onseriously. Find out more about our PQ&R initiative atCoServ.com>Electric>Reliability.Stay tuned for more information about upcoming automatedoutage communications tools, because CoServ is in the processof reviewing new technology to integrate an online outage map.Advanced meter deployment is nearing completion in May,and this milestone opens the door for the project to integratethe Meter Data Management System with our OMS.This technology will bring a new level of sophistication,automation and customer service to the reliability and powerrestoration process. In the not-too-distant future, calling in tonotify us of an outage will become a thing of the past with theseadvancements, and it’s all part of our commitment to meetyour expectations for reliable, cost-efficient power delivery.CoServ Electric CoServ.com Reliable • Safe • Local • Trusted26 Texas Co-op Power COSERV ELECTRIC April 2013

Go. See. Do.FRISCOROUGHRIDERSThursday, April 11, atDr Pepper Ballpark inFrisco. Opening Day forthe Texas Rangers’ ClassAA team. Catch the firstpitch at 7 p.m. as the RoughRiders take on the ArkansasTravelers. ridersbaseball.com14th ANNUAL FATHER/DAUGHTER PROMApril 13, 6 to 9 p.m. Dancing, food and fun for dads andtheir daughters, ages 4 through 13. Sponsored by Town ofFlower Mound. DFW Lakes Hilton, Grapevine.flower-mound.comFAMILY CAMPOUTApril 13, 2:30 p.m., toApril 14, 11 a.m. at PilotKnoll Park Campground,Highland Village. Activitiesinclude a tent-decoratingcontest, s’mores, a naturehunt and a late-night movie.highlandvillage.orgLANTANA COMMUNITY GARAGE SALEApril 20, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Spring event in 2,300-homedevelopment. (940) 728-2000.PAPER SHREDDING IN HIGHLAND VILLAGEApril 20, 2 to 5 p.m., at the Highland Village MunicipalComplex parking lot, 1000 Highland Village Road.highlandvillage.orgRELAY FOR LIFE OF MCKINNEYApril 26, 7 p.m. Raise funds, awareness to save lives atAmerican Cancer Society event. The Ballfields at CraigRanch, 6151 Alma Road, McKinney. tinyurl.com/McKinneyRelayForLifeLEGOMANIA IN LEWISVILLEApril 28, 2 to 3 p.m., Lewisville Public Library’s BennettProgram Room, 1197 Main St., Lewisville. (972) 219-3570.Win tickets to seethe Frisco RoughRidersAll Members are eligible to win a nightof family fun, but you can’t win if you don’tenter! Find out how at CoServ.com>Community>RoughRiders.Winners will receive: Four Founder’s Membership tickets Dinner, drinks and dessert Two VIP parking passes Early entrance into Dr Pepper BallparkDeadline to enter is Aug. 1.JIMMY BUFFETT AND JACKSON BROWNEMay 4, 7 p.m., FC Dallas Stadium, Frisco; groundsopen May 3 at 9 a.m. for fans who want to camp out.Parrotheads, rejoice! fcdallasstadium.comCoServ Electric CoServ.com Reliable • Safe • Local • TrustedApril 2013 COSERV ELECTRIC Texas Co-op Power 27

Familiar sights at S&J Pharmacy: Pills are counted (left) and capsules prepared (right).S&J Pharmacy cont’d from page 21 …“I worked at a grocery store and larger chain pharmacies where it’s almost likean assembly line,” she added. “Here we know our customers, what’s going on intheir lives and with their family, and we know their medical histories.”In addition to Argyle, S&J Pharmacy has locations in Denton, Sanger, Krum,Decatur and Alvord, and they all offer discounts on certain prescriptions toCoServ Electric Members who display the Co-op Connections® card.The Argyle location fills roughly 100 prescriptions per day, with about half thebusiness coming from residents of nearby Robson Ranch.“The people at Robson Ranch really like this kind of pharmacy. It’s what they’reused to,” Jarrod said. Each S&J location also sells gifts, candles and assortedtrinkets, as well as snacks and soft drinks.“We’re a throwback to the old days where the pharmacy had more than justmedicine, and customer service was the first priority.”Conservation Tip:Reverse Your FansReduce your energycost and prepare forsummer by setting yourceiling fans to spincounterclockwise. Doingso pulls cooler air up anddistributes it throughoutthe room, while alsocooling warmer air nearthe ceiling.CoServ Vision StatementTo be trusted to safely and consistentlyexceed Members’ and Customers’expectations for reliability, service,value and community support.Contact InformationCoServ.comcontact@coserv.com(940) 321-7800Open Monday—Friday8 a.m. to 5 p.m.Telephones answered24 hours a dayBoard of DirectorsClyde GeerChairmanMcKinney, District 3Anne VadenVice ChairmanArgyle, District 5Richard MuirSecretary/TreasurerSanger, District 1Leon PelzelPilot Point, District 2Jerry CobbFrisco, District 4Bill RagsdaleFlower Mound,District 6Curtis TallyJustin, District 7CoServ Electric CoServ.com Reliable • Safe • Local • Trusted28 Texas Co-op Power COSERV ELECTRIC April 2013

Swiss technologyproven 100x brighterthan traditionalphosphorescence!Limited to the first2,000 ordersfrom this ad onlyAmerican Military Secret For SaleOnce used exclusively by the U.S. government’s most covert operatives, the top-secret tacticaltechnology of the Stauer Recon Tritium Watch is finally available to the general publicYou have a mission. Get to the drop point immediately. Your man leavesthe country in four hours. “Now or never,” he tells you. So you agreeon a swap. You skip the underground parking garage and do your businessin broad daylight. Two men. One black box. And a firm handshake to sealthe deal. “Watch your back,” he says. “This is a serious piece of hardwareand plenty of people are going to come looking for it.”The secret is out. Not long ago, a timepiece like the Stauer Recon TritiumWatch was restricted to America’s most elite fighting forces. If you wantedto wear one, you literally had to earn it. But now, the formerly classified tacticaltechnology inside the Recon has been cleared for civilian service. Andtoday you can put one on your wrist for three covert payments of only $99!Self-powered micro-gas lightsdon't need to be "charged" byan external light source. Evenafter days in the field, theface stays remarkably bright.Darkness doesn’t stand a chance. Poweredby a precision Swiss quartz movement, theRecon is like no watch you’ve ever wornbefore. The GTLS (gaseous tritium lightsource) technology inside was used inadvanced military equipment and watchesfor years, making it almost impossible to findfor civilian use. Even though it’s more availabletoday, you rarely find quality for under$600. Only Stauer can deliver a tritiumwatch for this price without compromising amillimeter on the integrity.A military classic in black and white.Designed for stealth operations, the highcontrastmarkers are bound to attract attention. The easy-to-read dial alsofeatures a rotating bezel, with a light source at the 12 o’clock spot. Its lightweightpolycarbonate case is crafted from a nearly unbreakable acrylicused in bulletproof glass. The Stauer Recon secures with a textured blacksilicone band and is water-resistant to 10 ATM.Your satisfaction is 100% GUARANTEED. Bring home the StauerRecon Tritium for 30 days and if it doesn’t measure up, send it back for afull refund of your purchase price. Stylish in the daylight, Always lit in utterdarkness, The best kept secret of military timekeeping is out!WATCH SPECS: GTLS technology on board - Lightweight polycarbonate case- Textured black silicone band fits wrists 7 1 /4"–9 1 /4" - Water-resistant to 10 ATMStauer Exclusive—Not In StoresStauer Recon Tritium WatchYou pay 3 credit card payments of only$99 each +S&PCall now to take advantage of this extremely limited offer.1-800-973-3047Promotional Code RTW114-01Please mention this code when you call.Stauer ®Smart Luxuries—Surprising Prices—Independently Appraised at $650*Rating of A+14101 Southcross Drive W., Dept. RTW114-01Burnsville, Minnesota 55337 www.stauer.com* For more information concerning the appraisal process,visit http://www.stauer.com/appraisedvalues.asp.

Meet the Beautyin the BeastDiscover this spectacular 6½-carat greentreasure from Mount St. Helens!For almost a hundred years it lay dormant. Silently building strength. At10,000 feet high, it was truly a sleeping giant. Until May 18, 1980, whenthe beast awoke with violent force and revealed its greatest secret. Mount St.Helens erupted, sending up a 80,000-foot column of ash and smoke. Fromthat chaos, something beautiful emerged… our spectacular Helenite Necklace.EXCLUSIVEFREEHelenite Earrings-a $129 valuewithpurchase ofHelenite NecklaceHelenite is produced from the heated volcanicrock of Mount St. Helens and the brilliantgreen creation has captured the eye of jewelrydesigners worldwide. Today you can wear thismassive 6½-carat stunner for only $149!Make your emeralds jealous. Our HeleniteNecklace puts the green stone center stage,with a faceted pear-cut set in .925 sterling silverfinished in luxurious gold. The explosiveorigins of the stone are echoed in theflashes of light that radiate as thepiece swings gracefully from its18" luxurious gold-finishedsterling silver chain. Todaythe volcano sits quiet, butthis unique piece ofAmerican natural historycontinues to erupt withgorgeous green fire.Necklaceenlarged toshow luxuriouscolor.Your satisfaction is guaranteed. Bring homethe Helenite Necklace and see for yourself. If youare not completely blown away by the rare beautyof this exceptional stone, simply return the necklacewithin 30 days for a full refund of your purchase price.JEWELRY SPECS:- 6 ½ ctw Helenite in gold-finished sterling silver setting- 18" gold-finished sterling silver chainLimited to the first 2200 ordersfrom this ad onlyHelenite Necklace (6 ½ ctw).................Only $149 +S&PHelenite Stud Earrings (1 ctw) .....................$129 +S&PHelenite Set $278....Call-in price only $149 +S&P(Set includes necklace and earrings)Call now to take advantage of this extremely limited offer.1-800-859-1979Promotional Code HEL381-04Please mention this code when you call.Rating of A+Stauer ®14101 Southcross Drive W., Dept. HEL381-04,Burnsville, Minnesota 55337 www.stauer.com“My wife received morecompliments on this stoneon the first day she wore itthan any other piece of jewelryI’ve ever given her.”Smart Luxuries—Surprising Prices- J. from Orlando, FLStauer ClientScan to view thegorgeous HeleniteNecklace in all itsradiant beauty.

MARKETPLACEB U Y • S E L L • T R A D E • A C R O S S T O W N • A C R O S S T E X A SFLOATING FISHING PIEROn your pond or lake, with or without roof.All sizes—installation available.45 YEARS’ EXPERIENCECall for Free Information • 1-800-310-1425www.ellisonmarine.com • Ellison Marine, Franklin, TX.SKID STEER MOUNTED SHEAR• 1 /2" to 6" diameter trees and brush.• Perfect for cedar, shin oak, persimmon, mesquite.(512) 263-6830 • www.brushshark.comTEXAS MEDICAL PLANSMEDICARE INSURANCE QUOTES: 1-888-888-6698WATERPROBLEMS ??NO MOREIRON!NO MOREHARDNESS!NO MORE SANDNO MORESULFUR!NO MOREBACTERIA!PROBLEMS SOLVED WITHNO SALT & NO CHEMICALSFREE BROCHURE~1-800-392-8882MONEY BACK GUARANTEE!www.waterproblems.net40 x 50 x 10 = $8,637.0040 x 60 x 12 = $10,362.0050 x 75 x 12 = $14,376.0060 x 80 x 14 = $18,153.00100 x 150 x 14 (M-1) = $46,824.00ALL SIZES MINI-STORAGE! 1-800-509-4949www.accessiblebuildings.comDUCTLESS A/C HP SYSTEMS• Eliminate those noisy inefficient window units!• Replace that old dirty central A/C system!• Energy efficient up to 20+ SEER• Save up to 30% or more on your electric bill• Improved Air Quality/Extremely Quiet• Cools and Heats – No Furnace Required• Affordable / Financing Available (w.a.c.)Discover what the rest of the world has knownfor years; all the advantages of ductless splitsystems. Call us today for a free estimate.Call Toll Free 800-228-1265www.atlanticservice.com6525 Baker Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76118W.D. Metal BuildingsSteel shops, agriculture barns, RV buildings,airplane hangars, barndominium homes.Erection included. Concrete slabs available.Instant Quotes Online: www.wdmb.comTIRED OF SPRAYING?for over 36 yearsQUALITY CONSTRUCTION100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEED!• Kills tree by cutting roots6" to 8" underground• Effective on mesquite,juniper, cedar, huisach andother brush problems• 3-point category I, II or IIIwith reversible blade forclearing fence rowsDeliveredBlade Width Cat HP WT Price18" I 20-40 230 lb. $ 88027" II 40-80 285 lb. $ 1,08030" II or III 80-110 380 lb. $ 1,40536" II or III 110-180 390 lb. $ 1,41016" Skid-Steer Universal 380 lb. $ 1,595JONES MACHINEMachining, welding, fabricating, manufacturing since 1944.(800) 919-4949 • Fax: (940) 552-6362P.O. Box 1577, Vernon, Texas 76385 • www.dallasweb.com/jonesSOLID WOOD CABINSQuality Materials • Superior WorkmanshipHunting Cabin • Guest Home • Lake HouseMother-in-law Suite • Ranch Hand Bunkhouse1-888-727-0626sales@ulrichcabins.comwww.ulrichcabins.comTexasCoopPower.com April 2013 Texas Co-op Power 31

LOWCOSTMobile Home InsuranceComple ete coverageSuperior serviceEasy payment plans(Including the option of Credit Cards)Low deductiblesFree & easy onlinequoteswww.stdins.comww.stdCall For A Custom Quote800-522-0146-0146Start SavinggMobilewners961A D V E R T I S E M E N TClogged, Backed—up Septic System…Can anything Restore It?DearDEAR DARRYL: My homeis about 10 years old, and sois my septic system. I havealways taken pride in keepingmy home and property in topDarrylshape. In fact, my neighborsand I are always kidding eachother about who keeps their home and yard nicest. Lately, however, I havehad a horrible smell in my yard, and also in one of my bathrooms, comingfrom the shower drain. My grass is muddy and all the drains in my homeare very slow.My wife is on my back to make the bathroom stop smelling and as you canimagine, my neighbors are having a field day, kidding me about the mudpit and sewage stench in my yard. It’s humiliating. I called a plumberbuddy of mine, who recommended pumping (and maybe even replacing)my septic system. But at the potential cost of thousands of dollars, I hateto explore that option.I tried the store bought, so called, Septic treatments out there, and they didNothing to clear up my problem. Is there anything on the market I canpour or flush into my system that will restore it to normal, and keep itmaintained?Clogged and Smelly – San Antonio, TXDEAR CLOGGED AND SMELLY: As a reader of my column, I amsure you are aware that I have a great deal of experience in this particularfield. You will be glad to know that there IS a septic solution that willsolve your back-up and effectively restore your entire system from interiorpiping throughout the septic system and even unclog the drain field aswell. SeptiCleanse® Shock and Maintenance Programs deliver yoursystem the fast active bacteria and enzymes needed to liquefy solid wasteand free the clogs causing your back-up.This fast-acting bacteria multiplies within minutes of application and isspecifically designed to withstand many of today’s anti-bacterial cleaners,soaps and detergents. It comes in dissolvable plastic packs, that you justflush down your toilets. It’s so cool. Plus, they actually Guarantee that itrestores ANY system, no matter how bad the problem is.SeptiCleanse® Shock and Maintenance Programs are designed towork on any septic system regardless of design or age. From modern daysystems to sand mounds, and systems installed generations ago, I havepersonally seen SeptiCleanse unclog and restore these systems in a matterof weeks. I highly recommend that you try it before spending any moneyon repairs. SeptiCleanse products are available online atwww.septicleanse.com or you can order or learn more by calling toll freeat 1-888-899-8345. If you use the promo code “DARTX4”, you can geta free shock treatment, added to your order, which normally costs $169.So, make sure you use that code when you call or buy online.32 Texas Co-op Power April 2013TexasCoopPower.com

CUSTOM, SITE-BUILTDETACHED ONE- AND TWO-STORYGARAGES AND HORSE BARNSFor a catalog and price guide or a free on-siteestimate, call us toll-free or visit our website.1-877-669-4040www.ulrichgarages.com“Building Solutions”...with..with integrity! As Seen On1-800-582-BARN(2276)Full Service Post-Frame Design& Construction Since 1992Serving 27 States and Over10,000 Customers• No Money Down• Licensed, Bonded & Fully Insured• All Major Credit Cards AcceptedFAX: 1-866-582-1400E-mail: sales@nationalbarn.comWORLD’S 1 STSELF-FEEDINGCHIPPERFOR HOMEOWNERS!Just load a DR ® RAPID-FEED CHIPPER, step back, and watchit chip branches up to 5½" thick!SELF-FEEDING saves time andenergy. Most branches can bedropped into the hopper andwill self-feed, instead of youhaving to force-feed them.CHIP BRANCHESUP TO 5-1/2"THICK with powerfulengines up to 18 HP.PRO-SPEC CHIPPER KNIFEis made of forged alloy steel,making it exceptionallystrong with an excellentedge-holding ability.TRACTOR OWNERS!3-Point Hitch, tractormountedmodels alsoavailable.Call for a FREE DVD and Catalog!TOLL-FREE877-201-5551DRchipper.com.comFREESHIPPINGFor a Limited Time78231X © 2013TexasCoopPower.com April 2013 Texas Co-op Power 33

FACTORY DIRECTTO YOU!How does Harbor Freight Tools sellhigh quality tools at such ridiculouslylow prices? We buy direct from thefactories who also supply the majorbrands and sell direct to you. It's justthat simple! See for yourself at one ofour 400 Stores Nationwide and use this20% Off Coupon on one of our 7,000products*, plus pick up a Free pair ofSplit Leather Work Gloves. We stockShop Equipment, Hand Tools, Tarps,Compressors, Air & Power Tools,Woodworking Tools, Welders, ToolBoxes, Generators, and much more.• Over 20 Million Satisfied Customers!• 1 Year Competitor's Low Price Guarantee• No Hassle Return Policy!• 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed!• Over 400 Stores NationwideNobody Beats Our Quality, Service and Price!SUPERCOUPON!Item93068shownSAVE56%SUPERCOUPON!SUPERCOUPON!SAVE$70Item 67847shownSUPERCOUPON!2.5 HP, 21 GALLON,125 PSI VERTICALAIR COMPRESSORLOT NO. 67847 /69091$149 99HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLSQuality Tools at Ridiculously Low PricesWIRELESS DRIVEWAYALERT SYSTEMRequires one 9 volt and threeC batteries (sold separately).REG.PRICE$219 .99LOT NO. 93068/69590$12 99REG. PRICE $29.99LIMIT 6 - Good at our stores or website or by phone. Cannot be used with otherdiscount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase withoriginal receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original couponmust be presented. Valid through 8/1/13. Limit one coupon per customer per day.YOUR CHOICE!$9 99REG. PRICE $34 .99LIMIT 7 - Good at our stores or website or by phone. Cannot be used with otherdiscount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase withoriginal receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original couponmust be presented. Valid through 8/1/13. Limit one coupon per customer per day.LIMIT 3 - Good at our stores or website or by phone. Cannot be used with otherdiscount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase withoriginal receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original couponmust be presented. Valid through 8/1/13. Limit one coupon per customer per day.SAVE$60ACCURACYWITHIN ±4%Item 68887shownTORQUE WRENCHESSAVE71%1/4" DRIVELOT NO. 26963/8" DRIVELOT NO. 8071/2" DRIVELOT NO. 23990 AMP FLUXWIRE WELDERLOT NO. 68887/61207NO GASREQUIRED!$89 99REG. PRICE $149.99LIMIT 3 - Good at our stores or website or by phone. Cannot be used with otherdiscount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase withoriginal receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original couponmust be presented. Valid through 8/1/13. Limit one coupon per customer per day.SUPERCOUPON!Item97115shownSUPERCOUPON!SAVE61%SUPERCOUPON!Item 95578shownSUPERCOUPON!SUPERCOUPON!SUPERCOUPON!SAVE50%FREE!AUTOMATICBATTERY FLOATCHARGERItem42292shown$4LIMIT 8 - Good at our stores or website or by phone. Cannot be used with otherdiscount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase withoriginal receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original couponmust be presented. Valid through 8/1/13. Limit one coupon per customer per day.4-1/2" ANGLE GRINDERLOT NO.95578/69645 /60625$9 99LOT NO. 42292 /69594/69955REG.99 PRICE$12 .99REG.PRICE$19.99LIMIT 6 - Good at our stores or website or by phone. Cannot be used with otherdiscount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase withoriginal receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original couponmust be presented. Valid through 8/1/13. Limit one coupon per customer per day.• Low ProfileSAVE$62SAVE$70RAPID PUMP ®2.5 TON HEAVY DUTYSTEEL FLOOR JACKREG.PRICE$149 .99WEIGHS77 LBS.Item68049shown$69 991.5 CUBIC FT.ELECTRONICDIGITAL SAFELOT NO. 91006Electronic keypad usesfour C batteries (included).$87 99LIMIT 3 - Good at our stores or website or by phone. Cannot be used with otherdiscount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase withoriginal receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original couponmust be presented. Valid through 8/1/13. Limit one coupon per customer per day.LIMIT 5 - Good at our stores or website or by phone. Cannot be used with otherdiscount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase withoriginal receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original couponmust be presented. Valid through 8/1/13. Limit one coupon per customer per day.SUPERCOUPON!20%OFFSUPERCOUPON!SUPERCOUPON!SUPERCOUPON!SUPERCOUPON!LIFETIME WARRANTYON ALL HAND TOOLS!ANYSINGLEITEM!LIMIT 1 - Save 20% on any one item purchased at our stores or website orby phone. *Cannot be used with other discount, coupon, gift cards, InsideTrack Club membership, extended service plans or on any of the following:compressors, generators, tool storage or carts, welders, floor jacks, TowableRide-on Trencher (Item 65162), open box items, in-store event or parkinglot sale items. Not valid on prior purchases after 30 days from originalpurchase date with original receipt. Non-transferrable. Original coupon mustbe presented. Valid through 8/1/13. Limit one coupon per customer per day.SAVE60% $ 9LIMIT 5 - Good at our stores or website or by phone. Cannot be used with otherdiscount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase withoriginal receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original couponmust be presented. Valid through 8/1/13. Limit one coupon per customer per day.SAVE$130 LOT NO. 95659REG.99 PRICE$229 .99LIMIT 5 - Good at our stores or website or by phone. Cannot be used with otherdiscount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase withoriginal receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original couponmust be presented. Valid through 8/1/13. Limit one coupon per customer per day.LIMIT 6 - Good at our stores or website or by phone. Cannot be used with otherdiscount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase withoriginal receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original couponmust be presented. Valid through 8/1/13. Limit one coupon per customer per day.SUPERCOUPON!29 PIECE TITANIUMNITRIDE COATEDDRILL BIT SETLOT NO. 5889REG.99 PRICE$24 .99580 LB. CAPACITYFOUR DRAWERTOOL CART$99$24 99PROPANE TORCH WITHPUSH BUTTON IGNITERLOT NO. 9103712" RATCHETBAR CLAMP/SPREADERLOT NO. 46807 /68975/69221/69222SAVE66%45 WATT SOLAR PANEL KITSAVE$110$1SAVE37%LOT NO. 68049/60688REG.PRICEREG. PRICE $39.99$139 .99LIMIT 5 - Good at our stores or website or by phone. Cannot be used with other LIMIT 5 - Good at our stores or website or by phone. Cannot be used with otherdiscount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase withoriginal receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original couponmust be presented. Valid through 8/1/13. Limit one coupon per customer per day. must be presented. Valid through 8/1/13. Limit one coupon per customer per day.SAVE46%Includes one18V NiCdbattery and charger.18 VOLT CORDLESS3/8" DRILL/DRIVERWITH KEYLESS CHUCKItem 68239shownWITH MINIMUM PURCHASE OF $9.99LOT NO. 68239 /6965199 PRICEREG.$29 .99$15SPLIT LEATHERWORK GLOVES1 PAIRITEM 97115/67440/69455LIMIT 1 - Only available with qualifying minimum purchase (excludes gift value).Coupon good at our stores or website or by phone. Cannot be used with other discount,coupon or prior purchase. Offer good while supplies last. Shipping & Handlingcharges may apply if not picked up in-store. Original coupon must be presented.Non-transferable. Valid through 8/1/13. Limit one coupon per customer per day.Item 46807shown99 PRICEREG.$5.9 9LOT NO.68751/90599Item 68751shown$139 99REG. PRICE $249.99LIMIT 4 - Good at our stores or website or by phone. Cannot be used with otherdiscount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase withoriginal receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original couponmust be presented. Valid through 8/1/13. Limit one coupon per customer per day.34 Texas Co-op Power April 2013TexasCoopPower.com

SUPERCOUPON!Item 2707shown8 FT. 4" x 11 FT. 6"FARM QUALITY TARPLOT NO. 2707 /60457/69197SAVE41%$6 99REG. PRICE $11 .99SUPERCOUPON!1000 LB.CAPACITYLOT NO. 93888 /60497Item 93888shownMOVER'S DOLLY$7SAVE46%REG.99 PRICE$14.99SUPERCOUPON!SAVE55%Tools soldseparately.19"40"LOW-PROFILECREEPERLOT NO.2745/69094Item 2745shown$17 99300 LB.CAPACITYREG.PRICE$39 .99LIMIT 8 - Good at our stores or website or by phone. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or priorpurchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Nontransferable.Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 8/1/13. Limit one coupon per customer per day.SUPERCOUPON!$9LIMIT 5 - Good at our stores or website or by phone. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or priorpurchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Nontransferable.Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 8/1/13. Limit one coupon per customer per day.SUPERCOUPON!SAVE52%LIMIT 6 - Good at our stores or website or by phone. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or priorpurchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Nontransferable.Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 8/1/13. Limit one coupon per customer per day.SUPERCOUPON!LIMIT 5 - Good at our stores or website or by phone. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or priorpurchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Nontransferable.Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 8/1/13. Limit one coupon per customer per day.SUPERCOUPON!Item93897shown99 PRICEREG.$29 .99Item90984shown3 PIECE DECORATIVE SOLARLED LIGHTSItem95588shownLOT NO.95588/69462 /60561SAVE66%Includes three AA NiCdrechargeable batteries (one foreach fixture).4 PIECE 1" x 15 FT.RATCHETING TIE DOWN SETLOT NO. 90984/60405$7 99REG. PRICE $16 .99AUTO-DARKENINGWELDING HELMETWITH BLUE FLAMEDESIGNSAVE50%LIMIT 5 - Good at our stores or website or by phone. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or priorpurchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Nontransferable.Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 8/1/13. Limit one coupon per customer per day.LIMIT 5 - Good at our stores or website or by phone. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or priorpurchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Nontransferable.Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 8/1/13. Limit one coupon per customer per day.SUPERCOUPON!$19 99REG. PRICE $39 .99LIMIT 6 - Good at our stores or website or by phone. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or priorpurchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Nontransferable.Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 8/1/13. Limit one coupon per customer per day.SUPERCOUPON!REG. PRICE $229 .99LIMIT 3 - Good at our stores or website or by phone. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or priorpurchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Nontransferable.Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 8/1/13. Limit one coupon per customer per day.SUPERCOUPON!LIMIT 8 - Good at our stores or website or by phone. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or priorpurchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Nontransferable.Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 8/1/13. Limit one coupon per customer per day.SUPERCOUPON!SAVE50%SAVE$90RECIPROCATING SAWWITH ROTATING HANDLEItem65497shownLOT NO.6557060" WORKBENCH WITHFOUR DRAWERSLOT NO.93454 /69054Item 93454shown$139 99SAVELOT NO. 9121450%$39 99REG. PRICE $79 .99RETRACTABLEAIR/WATER HOSE REELWITH 3/8" x 50 FT. HOSESAVE$40LOT NO.93897/69265$59 99REG. PRICE $99 .99SAVE53%17 PIECE AIR TOOLACCESSORY KIT$4LOT NO. 68236REG.99 PRICE$9 .998-IN-1 SOCKET WRENCHES$6LIMIT 7 - Good at our stores or website or by phone. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or priorpurchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Nontransferable.Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 8/1/13. Limit one coupon per customer per day.STORELOCATIONSMETRICLOT NO.65497/68029SAELOT NO.65498/60830YOUR CHOICE!REG.99 PRICE$14 .99DallasDentonLIMIT 5 - Good at our stores or website or by phone. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or priorpurchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Nontransferable.Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 8/1/13. Limit one coupon per customer per day.SUPERCOUPON!Item90018shownLIMIT 4 - Good at our stores or website or by phone. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or priorpurchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Nontransferable.Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 8/1/13. Limit one coupon per customer per day.SUPERCOUPON!LIMIT 5 - Good at our stores or website or by phone. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or priorpurchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Nontransferable.Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 8/1/13. Limit one coupon per customer per day.SUPERCOUPON!SAVE$55LIMIT 5 - Good at our stores or website or by phone. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or priorpurchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Nontransferable.Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 8/1/13. Limit one coupon per customer per day.SUPERCOUPON! !1500 LB.CAPACITYItem 92655 shown• 70 dB Noise LevelSUPER SUPERQUIET! QUIET!SUPER-WIDE TRI-FOLDLOADING RAMPSAVE$150SAVE$65LOT NO.90018/69595/60334$79 99REG. PRICE $144 .99500 LB. CAPACITYALUMINUM CARGO CARRIER17 FT. TYPE 1AMULTI-TASKLADDER$114300 LB. CAPACITY23 CONFIGURATIONSLOT NO.6764699 PRICEREG.$169 .993200 RATED WATTS/4000 MAX. WATTSPORTABLE GENERATOR S(212 CC)$299LOT NO.92655/69688/60771SAVE$60$REG.PRICE69 99$129 .99LOT NO. 68528 /69676/69729LOT NO. 68527/69675/69728,CALIFORNIA ONLYItem 68528 shown99 PRICEREG.$449 .99LIMIT 5 - Good at our stores or website or by phone. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or priorpurchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Nontransferable.Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 8/1/13. Limit one coupon per customer per day.El Paso WestHouston-FederalLufkinPearlandSan AntonioSouth ArlingtonTexasCoopPower.com April 2013 Texas Co-op Power 35

A Cowboy’s Unusual Dental WorkThe 101 Ranch, near Guthrie, Oklahoma, was a beehive of activity on June11, 1905. Thousands of excited rodeo fans arrived on foot, in wagons or insmart buggies. Storm clouds threatening the afternoon’s performancedidn’t dampen their enthusiasm. They came to see Bill Pickett—“the DuskyDemon from Texas”—the cowboy who could down a steer using only hishands and teeth.BY LORI GROSSMANTexas HistoryPRIVATE COLLECTION | PETER NEWARK WESTERN AMERICANA | THE BRIDGEMAN ART LIBRARYPickett got this idea when, as an 11-year-old, he saw a cattle dog hold a cowmotionless by biting down on its upperlip—a maneuver called bulldogging.Strangely enough, Pickett wanted to tryit, so he approached a calf, grabbed itsears, chomped on its upper lip, let go ofits ears and fell backward. Subdued bythe pain, the dogie flopped over.Richard Zelade’s book Central Texas(Taylor Trade Publishing, 2011) recountsPickett’s first public bulldogging exhibitionin Austin. Pickett, watching someLittlefield Cattle Company cowboysstruggling with feisty calves, offered hisnewfound bite-’em technique. The cowboysstopped laughing when Pickett bitdown on a calf’s upper lip, immobilizingit while they applied the searing brandingiron. The amazed cowboys spread thenews across Austin.It was a watershed moment for a sonof former slaves. Willie M. “Bill” Pickettis believed to have been born on December5, 1870, in Jenks-Branch Communityin Williamson County—one of 13 children.He quit school at 15 and became aworking cowboy on area ranches. In1900, Pickett started entertaining atrodeos across the West.Bulldogging was dangerous, but Pickettloved the applause. He hit the big timein 1903 when glib-tongued promoterDave McClure billed him as “BulldogPickett: the Dusky Demon—the MostDaring Cowboy Alive!” The term “dusky”was intended to disguise Pickett’s ethnicitywhenever white cowboys shied fromappearing on the same program as anAfrican-American man. The spectators,however, didn’t seem to mind.In 1905, Pickett took another step onhis path to fame when he met ZackMiller, who, with his brothers, owned the101 Ranch. Miller hired him to appear inhis June show. The extravaganza,described in Cecil Johnson’s book Guts:Legendary Black Rodeo Cowboy Bill Pickett(Summit Publishing Group, 1994), alsofeatured Geronimo shooting a buffalofrom the back of a moving car and a frighteninglyrealistic attack on a wagon train.An estimated 60,000 spectators gavePickett’s bulldogging a roaring ovation.He was such a sensation that he signed onwith the 101 Ranch Wild West Show in1907.After performing in Brownsville in1908, the Millers took the show to MexicoCity. Joe Miller started a war of wordsin the newspapers with some Mexicanbullfighters who bragged that they coulddo whatever Pickett could. Joe Millerchallenged them and questioned theirbravery—partly to get publicity for theshow. This insult to the national sportoutraged the locals. Either Miller or thebullfighters (sources differ) bet 5,000pesos over whether Pickett could stay incontact with a bull for five minutes.And so in December 1908, Pickettentered the El Toro arena mounted on hisbeloved horse, Spradley. The bull, FrijoliChiquita, turned so quickly that the horsecouldn’t get close enough unless Pickettcould keep him from sidestepping.Spradley could not evade one of the bull’scharges and was gored. Pickett dismountedand grabbed the bull’s horns. Hehung on more than five minutes, althoughthe bull repeatedly slammed him againstthe wall and the crowd began pelting himwith all sorts of objects—knives, fruit,rocks. An angry spectator threw a fullbeer bottle, hitting Pickett in the ribs andcausing him to finally lose his grip.After another cowboy lured FrijoliChiquita away, Pickett hurried to hisBill Pickettbadly injured horse. An elderly Mexicanoffered a strange cure: two red bananas.He peeled them and thrust them into thehorse’s gaping wounds. Surprisingly,Spradley healed quickly.After World War I, the glory days ofWild West shows had passed. In 1931, the101 show closed. Pickett died on April 2,1932, after a horse kicked him in thehead. The inventor of bulldogging wasvoted into the Rodeo Hall of Fame and, in1989, was enshrined in the Pro RodeoHall of Fame.Rodeos today feature an event calledsteer wrestling. A cowboy chases down asteer, jumps off his horse then wrestlesthe steer to the ground by twisting itshorns.Some call that bulldogging. But it’s notthe way the Dusky Demon used to do it.He would probably say that calling itbulldogging is just lip service.Lori Grossman is a Dallas writer.TexasCoopPower.com April 2013 Texas Co-op Power 37

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RecipesGive Them a Hand I am an unapologetic turophile. For those of you who don’t know, thatmeans cheese-lover. I also love bacon. And I am definitely not alone with my enthusiasm for cured pork belly. Andcombining the two in one sandwich, for me, yields up some pretty tasty eating.One of my favorite sandwiches, especially in the summer, is the humble BLT, or bacon, lettuce and tomato, thestaple of many a diner menu. Just the thought of salty bacon, crunchy lettuce and garden-ripe tomatoes—with justa dab of creamy mayonnaise—is enough to set my salivary glands into overdrive.But why stop there? I enjoy playing around with old favorites, seeing if I can introduce new flavors to keepthings interesting. I made a BLT, substituting blue cheese salad dressing for the mayonnaise. That worked prettywell, but I like my cheese best when it’s warm and melted.So I worked on this recipe, the BBLT (blue cheese, bacon, lettuce and tomato). Now, this recipe is not lowcalorie,so I wouldn’t eat it every day. But as an occasional lunch or supper, I think it’s worthwhile. KEVIN HARGISBBLT Sandwiches1 large, ripe tomatoSalt8 slices thick-cut bacon2 ounces blue cheese (crumbles or thin slices)4 slices sourdough bread2 tablespoons mayonnaise4 leaves romaine lettuceRICK PATRICK› Remove stem end from tomato and a thin slice off thebottom. Cut tomato into four equal slices and lay themon a paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle all with a pinch ofsalt. (This will help flavor the tomato and remove excesswater, which can make your sandwich soggy.)› Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Arrange baconslices on sheet so they are not overlapping. Place in coldoven and set temperature to 400 degrees. Depending onhow fast your oven heats, the bacon should be doneabout 20 minutes after you turn your oven on. The firsttime you do this, watch bacon carefully after about 15minutes.› When bacon turns a nice golden brown, carefullyremove baking sheet from oven, place bacon on anotherpaper towel-lined plate and allow to cool slightly. Closeoven door to preserve heat and turn oven off.› Drain grease off baking sheet. Arrange cooked bacon onfoil in two groups of four parallel slices, about the samewidth as the bread. Place 1 ounce of blue cheese on eachgroup and return sheet to hot oven.› Meanwhile, toast bread to your desired setting. Spreadwith about 1 tablespoon or more of mayonnaise andplace a lettuce leaf on each slice.› When cheese has melted, remove baking sheet fromoven. Using a spatula, slide each four-slice group onto aslice of bread. Top bacon with two slices of tomato, twolettuce leaves and the other slice of bread.› Slice in half on a diagonal and serve.Servings: 2. Serving size: 1 sandwich. Per serving: 720 calories, 34.8 gprotein, 26 g fat, 82.3 g carbohydrates, 5.3 g dietary fiber, 1,931 mgsodium, 7.4 g sugars, 60 mg cholesterolCook’s Tip: You can cook a whole pound of bacon at a time with thisoven method and save the extra for other uses. To ensure even cooking,make sure bacon slices are separated.TexasCoopPower.com April 2013 Texas Co-op Power 39

RecipesALI ALLIE | COSERV ELECTRICNot all sandwiches come with two slices of bread.Tortillas, for example, can make a perfect platformfor a handheld meal. And toasting them onthe griddle with cheese in the middle—well, yum!This month’s winning recipe brings several flavors togetherto make a satisfying whole.Mango, Chicken and Chorizo Quesadillas1 link (4 ounces) Spanish chorizo, diced1¼ cups shredded cooked chicken breast4 8-inch flour tortillas¾ cup shredded reduced-fat Mexican blend cheese½ cup chopped, peeled mango4 teaspoons chopped cilantro, plus additional forgarnish (optional)Cooking spray or butter½ cup salsa¼ cup sour cream› Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-highheat. Add sausage and sauté 1 minute. Stir inchicken; sauté 2 minutes longer or until heatedthrough.› Remove sausage mixture from pan and set aside.Wipe pan with a paper towel.› Sprinkle half of each tortilla with cheese and topwith ¼ cup of sausage mixture, 2 tablespoonsmango and 1 teaspoon of cilantro.› Fold tortillas in half, pressing gently to seal.› Return pan to medium heat. Coat with cookingspray or butter. Add two filled tortillas to pan andcook for 2 minutes on each side or until lightlybrowned.› Repeat with more spray and remaining tortillas.› Top each with 2 tablespoons of salsa and a tablespoonof sour cream. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, ifdesired.Servings: 4. Serving size: 1 quesadilla. Per serving: 414 calories,27.4 g protein, 17.2 g fat, 31 g carbohydrates, 0.7 g dietary fiber,973 mg sodium, 3.7 g sugars, 71 mg cholesterolCook’s Tip: Spanish chorizo is different from its Mexican counterpart inthat it’s spiced with pimentón, a smoky paprika. You can substitute theMexican version if desired.$100 RECIPE CONTESTWhether off to work or back to school, what do you like to find in yourlunchbox when mealtime rolls around? Send in your best brown bagrecipes for August’s contest, Lunchbox Favorites. The deadline is April 10.There are three ways to enter: ONLINE at TexasCoopPower.com (under the Submit and Share tab);MAIL to 1122 Colorado St., 24th Floor, Austin, TX 78701; FAX to (512) 763-3408. Include your name,address and phone number, plus your co-op.Open-Faced Shaved Ham Sandwiches withSavory Olive-Cheese Sauce1 loaf (approximately 12 inches long) French bread4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil2 pounds shaved cooked ham3 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and sliced2 tablespoons butter1 tablespoon flour1 cup half-and-half1 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon ground mustard1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese½ cup sliced pimento-stuffed olives1 tablespoon coarse-ground black pepper› Preheat broiler on high. Cut loaf of bread in half lengthwise,then slice each length into thirds. Arrange breadslices on a baking sheet. Divide olive oil among breadslices, brushing one side of each. Broil 2 minutes, oruntil toasted.› Divide ham among toasted bread slices, layering asneeded. Place tomato slices on top of ham.› Melt butter in saucepan over medium-high heat. Whiskflour into melted butter and cook, stirring, 1 minute.Slowly add half-and-half, stirring constantly. Whisk insalt, mustard and cheese. Stir until cheese has melted,then remove from heat.› Divide cheese sauce among sandwiches on baking sheet,pouring sauce over each. Sprinkle each with olives andpepper.› Return baking sheet to broiler for 5 minutes, or untilcheese sauce bubbles.Servings: 6. Serving size: 1 sandwich. Per serving: 643 calories, 41.8 gprotein, 29.5 g fat, 54.7 g carbohydrates, 3.2 g dietary fiber, 2,298 mgsodium, 4.3 g sugars, 77 mg cholesterolBETSY KUEBLER | FARMERS ECMelt-in-Your-Mouth Roast Beef Sandwiches¾ cup dark brown sugar¾ cup light soy sauce2 tablespoons lemon juice1 large onion, minced3 cloves garlic, minced1½ teaspoons ground ginger4 pounds beef rump roast or bottom round roast2 tablespoons cornstarch12 sandwich rolls› In a gallon-size resealable plastic bag, combine sugar,soy sauce, lemon juice, onion, garlic, ginger and 1 ½cups of warm water. Seal and shake well to dissolvesugar. Add roast to bag, pushing out as much air as possible,seal and turn to coat.› Refrigerate 6 hours or overnight, turning occasionally tocoat all surfaces. Transfer roast and marinade to a slow40 Texas Co-op Power April 2013TexasCoopPower.com

JOSEPH GOUGH | BIGSTOCK.COMcooker. Cover and cook 6-8 hours or until meat is tenderand falling apart.› Remove beef to a separate container and shred with afork. Dissolve cornstarch in ¼ cup water. Add to panjuices and allow to thicken to gravy consistency.› Fold shredded beef into gravy. Serve on rolls.Servings: 12. Serving size: 1 sandwich. Per serving: 368 calories, 38.9 gprotein, 7.1 g fat, 34.3 g carbohydrates, 1.3 g dietary fiber, 1,196 mgsodium, 12.4 g sugars, 92 mg cholesterolMelt-in-Your-Mouth Roast Beef SandwichDENISE CRUMRINE | COSERV ELECTRICReuben Quesadillas½ cup Thousand Island dressing4 burrito-size flour tortillas12 ounces corned beef, sliced thin1 cup shredded Swiss cheese2 cups sauerkraut, drained½ teaspoon black pepper, optional› Spread 2 tablespoons of dressing on one side of each tortilla.Divide corned beef equally between two tortillas,then sprinkle each with half of the cheese. Top each withhalf of the sauerkraut and pepper, if using, then placetortilla on top of each.› Heat a griddle over medium heat. Use cooking spray ifneeded, and grill the filled tortillas, one at a time, for4 minutes on one side, then flip and grill for 4 minuteslonger.› When quesadillas are done, cut each one into six pieces.Servings: 4. Serving size: 3 pieces. Per serving: 590 calories, 29.8 g protein,26.4 g fat, 49.9 g carbohydrates, 5.1 g dietary fiber, 1,883 mgsodium, 8.4 g sugars, 109 mg cholesterolANN BAKER | BOWIE-CASS ECOn TexasCoopPower.comFind close to 400 published recipes going back to 2007 in our archive.9TH ANNUAL HOLIDAY RECIPE CONTEST$5,000 in Prizes!5 Winners! $3,000 Grand Prizewinner!$500 Best Appetizer Recipe. $500 Best Main Recipe.$500 Best Side Dish Recipe. $500 Best Dessert Recipe.Texas pecans make thisCoconut Pecan-CrustedChicken main dish even better.COCONUT PECAN-CRUSTED CHICKEN COURTESY KARISTASKITCHEN.COMCan Texas pecans be a delicious part of your entire meal?Of COURSE, They peCAN!Send us your best original Texas pecan recipes. (These are recipes you develop,not ones copied from a friend or found in a book or magazine.) Show us how youuse Texas pecans to create dishes that cover every part of a meal. All recipes mustinclude pecans (Texas pecans are our favorite). Winners will be featured in ourDecember 2013 issue. Enter by August 10, 2013, at TexasCoopPower.com. Go toTexasCoopPower.com for details and official rules.SPONSORED BYTEXAS PECAN BOARDvisit TexasPecans.orgfor a list of Texas pecan retailersEnter online at TexasCoopPower.com. Each entry MUST include your name, address and phone number, plus the name of your Texas electriccooperative, or it will be disqualified. Specify which category you are entering, Appetizer, Main Dish, Side Dish or Dessert, on each recipe. Send entriesto: Texas Co-op Power/Holiday Recipe Contest, 1122 Colorado St., 24th Floor, Austin, TX 78701. You can fax recipes to (512) 763-3408. Up to three entriesare allowed per co-op membership. Each should be submitted on a separate piece of paper if mailed or faxed. Mailed entries can all be in one envelope.No email entries will be accepted. For official rules, visit TexasCoopPower.com. Entry deadline: August 10, 2013.TexasCoopPower.com April 2013 Texas Co-op Power 41

GET BACK IN THE WATER SAFELY: A SAFE STEP TO COMFORT AND INDEPENDENCEThe MOST DANGEROUS roomin your home... the bathroomAccording to The New York Times*, thebathroom can be the most dangerous roomin the home. Hundreds of thousands of fallsand accidents happen each year.FACT: 1 in 3 adults 65+ fall each year, and falls arethe leading cause of injury death as well asthe most common cause of nonfatal injuriesand hospital admissions for trauma.*** BAKALAR, NICHOLAS. “Watch Your Step While Washing Up.” New York Times 16, Aug. 2011,New York Edition ed., Section D sec.: D7. Web **CDC - Center for Disease Control and PreventionSAFETY NEVER FELT SO GOOD. ASafe Step Walk-In Tubwill offer independenceto those seeking a safe andeasy way to bathe right inthe convenience andcomfort of your own home.Constructed and built righthere in America for safetyand durability from theground up. Plus with morestandard features than anyother tub:low step-inseat for stability16 air streams and10 water jetsLIFETIMELIMITED WARRANTYtub and door sealA Safe Step Walk-In Tubalso offers life changingtherapeutic relief fromall kinds of aches andpains. Featuring carefullyengineered dual hydrowww.safesteptub.commassage and air bubblejets—both strategicallyplaced to target soremuscles and joints in yourlegs and back.These tubs are designedtub space without a fullSafe Step Tubs have received theEase-of-Use Commendation fromthe Arthritis Foundationremodel. Installation isincluded in the packageand our installers arewalk-in tub installation- allwork is 100% guaranteed.quality and servicewhile maintaining a lowaffordable price, there juston the market.towards feeling great andstay in the home you love.Call now toll-free1-888-639-4589for your FREE information kit andDVD, and our Senior Discounts.Financing available with approved credit.$750 OFFwhen you mention this adfor a limited time onlyCall Toll-Free 1-888-639-4589

Focus on TexasReflections ‘Did you ever wonder if the person inthe puddle is real, and you’re just a reflection of him?’— Bill Watterson, creator of the comic strip ‘Calvin and Hobbes’We received well over 300 entries for this month’s categorycovering a broad spectrum of reflected images—from many seemingly stacked skies to a dog’s ownerreflected in the window to its soul. ASHLEY CLARY-CARPENTEROn TexasCoopPower.comUpon a moment of reflection, we selected many more of our favorites toshare online.o Christine Heimsoth, BluebonnetEC, shot this picture whilesitting on a jetty in Port Aransaswith her dog, Sasha.On the nature trail at Rio GrandeVillage in Big Bend National Park,it appears as if two worlds reston top of each other in this shotby David Lund, Bryan TexasUtilities. aSam Georgeson, Pedernales EC,spotted this pool along OnionCreek between Driftwood andKyle. do Rob Bellomy, Grayson-Collin EC,captured his neighbor’s house ina water droplet using an ollocliplens on his iPhone 4S.A whitetail buck pauses for some water—and a moment of reflection.Sharon Draker, Bandera EC, sent this in. aUpcoming ContestsJune Issue: Underwater Deadline: April 10July: VintageAugust: Let’s Eat!Send your photo for the June contest—along with your name, address, daytime phone, co-op affiliation and abrief description—to Underwater, Focus on Texas, 1122 Colorado St., 24th Floor, Austin, TX 78701, before April 10. Astamped, self-addressed envelope must be included if you want your entry returned (approximately six weeks).Please do not submit irreplaceable photographs—send a copy or duplicate. If using a digital camera, submit yourhighest-resolution images at TexasCoopPower.com/contests. We regret that Texas Co-op Power cannot beresponsible for photos that are lost in the mail or not received by the deadline.TexasCoopPower.com

Around TexasGet Going >This is just a sampling of the eventsPick of the MonthFrühlingsfest!Comfort [April 6] (830) 995-3131,comfortchamberofcommerce.comComfort celebrates its German heritage andthe coming of wildflowers at Frühlingsfest!Enjoy arts and crafts booths, live music fromthe Polkamatics and the Boerne Village Band,and photo opportunities with comics Heidi HoHo and Schnitzel.April05Blanco [5–6] Wild Woman Weekend,(512) 750-6263, wildwomanweekend.orgLlano [5–7] Llano Fiddle Fest,(325) 247-5354, llanofiddlefest.com06Kingsland [6–7] Arts & Crafts Show/Wildflower Festival, (325) 388-5693,kingslandcrafts.comLivingston [6–7] Show Us Your StitchesQuilt Show, (936) 329-3660, lpqgtexas.org12Jewett [12–13] Flea Festival,(903) 626-4202, jewetttexas.orgPoteet [12–14] Strawberry Festival,(830) 742-8144, strawberryfestival.com13Athens Eggfest, (903) 676-2277,athenseggfest.wordpress.comApril 12PoteetStrawberryFestival13Burnet Bluebonnet Airshow, (512) 756-2226,bluebonnetairshow.comJasper Dam to Dam Bike Ride,(409) 384-2762, jaspercoc.orgNew Braunfels Kindermasken Parade,(830) 629-6504, nbheritagevillage.comRockdale Milam County Nature Festival,(254) 697-7045, txmn.org/elcamino/naturefestSpicewood Spaghetti Dinner,(512) 296-6092, spicewoodvfd.comChappell Hill [13–14] Official BluebonnetFestival of Texas, 1-888-273-6426,chappellhillmuseum.orgACCORDION PLAYER: JAMES STEIDL | BIGSTOCK.COM. STRAWBERRY: WONG SZEFEI | BIGSTOCK.COMGAS UP AND GO!TexasCoopPower.comFairs, festivals, food andfamily fun! It’s all listed underthe Events tab on our website.Pick your region. Pick your month.Pick your event. With hundreds ofevents throughout Texas listedevery month,TexasCoopPower.comhas something for everyone.44 Texas Co-op Power April 2013TexasCoopPower.com

and festivals around Texas. For a complete listing, please visit TexasCoopPower.com/events.19Burton [19–20] Cotton Gin Festival,(979) 289-3378, cottonginmuseum.orgDel Rio [19–20] Battle on the Border BBQ &Chili Cook-Off and Spring Fling,(830) 775-3551, drchamber.com20Alba Wild Hog Cook-Off, (903) 765-3473.albawildhog.comApril 27MortonCochran County CancerCake-A-ThonCAKE: MARIA GRITSAI | BIGSTOCK.COM. HAWK: R R PHOTOGRAPHY | BIGSTOCK.COM20Rocksprings Run/Walk/Bike the Devil’sSinkhole, (830) 683-2287,devilssinkhole.org26Lamesa [26–28] Chicken-Fried SteakFestival, (806) 872-4322, ci.lamesa.tx.us27Morton Cochran County CancerCake-A-Thon, (806) 543-4988Tatum Pecan Pie Festival, (706) 325-2348,tatumpecanpiefestival.comMay03Salado [3–4] Gospel Festival,(254) 634-4658Brenham [3–5] Maifest, 1-888-273-6426,maifest.orgSherman [3–5] BirdFest Texoma,(903) 786-2826, birdfesttexoma.org04Tomball [4–5] Rails & Tails Mudbug Festival,(281) 222-4775, tomballtx.gov09Decatur [9–12] Askey Farm Festival,(940) 393-3273May 3ShermanBirdFest TexomaSubmit Your Event!We pick events for the magazine directly fromTexasCoopPower.com. Submit your event forJune by April 10, and it just might befeatured in this calendar!The women who shaped Texas have worn every kind of shoe – and boot.When you learn what they accomplished, you’ll have something newto brag about – and – you might just hear a jingle on your shoe.Discover Women Shaping Texas, on exhibit December 8, 2012-May 19, 2013.Start your visit at TheSTORYof TEXAS.comBULLOCKTEXASSTATE HISTORYMUSEUMTexasCoopPower.com April 2013 Texas Co-op Power 45

Hit the RoadBurtonTexas Cotton Gin Museum offers vivid reminders that a life labeled 100 percent cotton was 100 percent hard workfor producers of state’s major cropBY SUZANNE HABERMANWorking as a hired hand on a Texascotton farm in the 1920s, you’d be luckyto make a few cents a pound to pick cotton;if you were a family member, youworked for your supper. “If you were oldenough to walk, you were old enough topick cotton,” says Jerry Moore, curator ofthe TEXAS COTTON GIN MUSEUM.He’s describing work on a turn-of-thecenturycotton farm while giving a tour ofthe Burton Farmers Gin, the oldest operatingcotton gin in the United States atthe heart of Burton, a town of about 350snuggled in the rolling hills betweenAustin and Houston.Built in 1914 by members of a farmers’cooperative, the gin operated for 60 yearsand then fell into disuse after the demiseof Burton’s cotton industry. More than adecade later, the community restored andpreserved the historic landmark as amuseum for the “love and honor for thehistory of cotton,” says Linda Russell,museum director.On a summer afternoon, Moore guidesabout 10 sightseers, including Karen Prestonof Leon County, on a tour of thecypress and corrugated tin complex anddescribes the labor of cotton baling asthough it were 1925.Preston nods at Moore’s description.She grew up on a farm in Northeast Texas,where her great-great-grandfather builtthe community’s first cotton gin. “Itbrings back a lot of memories of being onthe farm, and families,” she says. “Andtheir work ethic.”For work it was. Starting in the field,pickers hand-plucked bolls and stuffedcotton into sacks. Moore unfurls a 12-foot-long cotton-picker’s sack and says achild would fill a pillowcase or flour sack.The contents then were emptied into ahorse-drawn wooden wagon that, oncefull at about 1,500 pounds, the farmerdrove to the gin to be weighed. The familykept on picking.Outside the gin, above the weigh station,Moore points to a metal tube—the“grand vacuum cleaner”—that the farmerused to pipe cotton up to the second story.There, five gin stands separated lint fromseed—a task Russell compares to “gettinga sticker out of a puppy dog’s fur.”Inside, Moore introduces the musclebehind the process: a 16-ton, 125-horsepower1925 Bessemer engine. The “LadyB,” which takes up an entire room andsmells like burnt diesel, powered the ginbetween 1925 and 1963 and still runs duringthe annual BURTON COTTON GIN FESTIVAL.After ginning, the cotton fibers areready to bale. Russell hands a puff ofginned cotton to Houston resident AlanNash during the tour. “Handle it like it’s adiamond … or a little baby,” she says in asingsong voice. Nash cups it with upturnedpalms, blinking with amazement. “It’s justas soft as a cloud,” he says. “It’s so soft.”To bale those soft fibers, a bale presscompacted the fluff into a 500-poundrectangle sandwiched in jute andsecured with six metal straps. Over thegin’s lifetime, the managers weighed,tagged and documented every bale producedthere.As the tour concludes, Preston lingersin the museum lobby to chitchat withRussell about the cotton, farms and family.Before Preston leaves, Russell steals ahug and tells her she’s precious.That’s the point of the museum andthe exhibits, Russell says, “It gets themtalking and remembering.”Suzanne Haberman, staff writerThe 2013 Burton Cotton Gin Festival is April 19-20 and features cotton baling using the historicequipment, folk-life demonstrations and familyactivities; (979) 289-3378, cottonginmuseum.org.FABRIC OF THE PAST The Burton Farmers Gin, nearly a century old, is listed on the National Register ofHistoric Places and is a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark.HOn TexasCoopPower.comTexas Cotton Gin Museum slideshowKEVIN VANDIVIER46 Texas Co-op Power April 2013TexasCoopPower.com

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