We - Michigan Country Lines Magazine

July/August 2012Vol. 32, No. 8EditorGail KnudtsonAssociate EditorDoug SnitgenDesign EditorCindy ZukerPublisherCraig Borr10 15Photo – Rita Henehan18Photo – 831 CreativeMichigan Country Lines, USPS-591-710, is published monthly,except August and December,with periodicals postage paidat Okemos, MI, and additionaloffices. It is the official publicationof the Michigan Electric CooperativeAssociation, 2859 W. Jolly Rd.,Okemos, MI 48864.Subscriptions are authorizedfor members of Alger Delta, Cherryland,Cloverland, Great Lakes,HomeWorks Tri-County, MidwestEnergy, Ontonagon, Presque Isle,and Thumb electric cooperativesby their boards of directors. Subscriptionsare $6 per year.Postmaster: send addresschanges to Country Lines, 2859W. Jolly Rd., Okemos, MI 48864.Letters to the editor should besent to the same address. Phone517-913-3531. Email: gknudtson@meca.coop.Association officers are TonyAnderson, Cherryland, chairman;Ken Swope, Midwest Energy, 1stvice chairman; Robert Schallip,Cloverland, 2nd vice chairman; EricBaker, Wolverine Power, secretarytreasurer;and Brian Burns, PIE&G,past chairman. Craig Borr is presidentand CEO.Unsolicited letters, photos andmanuscripts are welcome. CountryLines, however, will not be responsiblefor their safe keeping or return.The appearance of advertisingdoes not constitute an endorsementof the products or servicesadvertised.Display advertising:Doug Snitgen517-913-3535Change of Address: Please notifyyour electric cooperative. Seepage 4 for contact information.DEPARTMENTS6 Readers’ PagesLetters, mystery photo,Youth Tour review,scholarships18 Home CookingGarden freshChristin Russman &Our readers22 Wolverine Power*Clearing the way forelectric reliabilityNancy TannerYOUR CO-OPPages specific to yourelectric cooperative: 1,4-5, 8-9, 20-21, 24-25, 28*Not in all editionsCOLUMNS11 Comment*How the meters used byyour electric co-op workfor youGail Knudtson15 GardeningVisit trial gardensRita Henehan22 Family*Summer fitness forbodies and brainsLinda Wacyk23 House & HomeHot water can heat yourhomeJames Dulley26 RamblingsToo much stuffMike BudaOn the CoverAsian bighead (on display at Shedd Aquariumin Chicago) and silver carp are invasivefish that are threatening entry into LakeMichigan and the other Great Lakes. The carpare voracious eaters that are harmful to theLakes’ ecosystems and fishing industries.Photo – Kate GardinerFEATURESMichigan’s ElectricCooperativescountrylines.com10 Michigan-madeFirst mate organizerkeeps boats ship-shapeLinda Kotzian12 Cover StoriesMichigan on guardagainst Asian carpRobert Gwizdz13 Q & A with federalAsian carp directorJohn Goss16 Our EnergyCyber security patrolsMegan McKoy-NoeJuly/August 2012 | 3

MANAGER’S MESSAGE| Mark KapplerOSCEOLACLAREMECOSTAISABELLAMONTCALMIONIABARRYGRATIOTCLINTONEATON INGHAMGrowing Leaders Means A FutureBuilt Solidly On Our PastJACKSONBlanchard office:3681 Costabella AvenueBlanchard, MI 49310Open 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday-FridayPortland office:7973 E. Grand River AvenuePortland, MI 48875Open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-FridayElectric bill/account questions:517-647-7556 or 1-800-562-8232Pay by phone, anytime:1-877-999-3395Service questions/outages:517-647-7554 or 1-800-848-9333(24 hours for emergency calls)Tri-County Propane:1-877-574-2740High Speed Internet1-800-668-8413homeworks.orgEmail: tricoenergy@homeworks.orgfacebook.com/HomeWorks.orgBOARD OF DIRECTORSDistrict 1 — Philip Conklin5130 W. Gresham Hwy., Charlotte, MI 48813517-726-0127pconklin@homeworks.orgDistrict 2 — Wayne SwilerVice-Chairman11750 Ainsworth Rd., Lake Odessa, MI 48849616-374-3141wswiler@homeworks.orgDistrict 3 — Carl MortonChairman11280 Eden Trail, Eagle, MI 48822517-626-2258cmorton@homeworks.orgDistrict 4 — Laverne HansenSecretary-Treasurer1190 E. M-46 Hwy., Edmore, MI 48829989-427-5851lhansen@homeworks.orgDistrict 5 — Cara Evans10180 Roosevelt Rd., Bannister, MI 48807989-862-5590cevans@homeworks.orgDistrict 6 — Ed Oplinger10890 W. Weidman Road, Weidman, MI 48893989-644-3079eoplinger@homeworks.orgDistrict 7 — Dean Floria1163 Taft Rd., Remus, MI 49340989-382-5230dfloria@homeworks.orgEditor: Jayne Graham, CCCWe’re at the midpoint of the annual member meetingcycle right now—we’ve wrapped up the seven districtmembership meetings that were held in May, and we’replanning for the annual meeting of the delegates on Aug. 18.This year’s meeting themes were built on a foundation ofcelebrating our cooperative’s 75th anniversary, as well as 2012being the International Year of Cooperatives.There were a lot of good things to report about your co-op’soperations. We continue to work hard to make sure you havereliable power, at an affordable price.But a third priority, one that is essential to HomeWorks’success, is growing the cooperative’s future leadership, and we dothat in a number of ways.An active, informed membership helps us stay focused on our mission: To provide ourmembers and customers with energy, comfort, and communications solutions that willenhance their quality of life.This year, more of you chose to be active and informed. We registered 775 members atthe seven district meetings, nearly a hundred more than last year’s record of 682, or a 14percent increase. Whether it was the meal we offered, the good weather, a new meetinglocation, or the chance to visit with your neighbors, we appreciate getting to see so manyof you each night.On top of that, 130 kids aged five to 16 registered for a door prize, up from last year’s118. Those kids are learning the cooperative habit early!Involving kids, and teaching them about the cooperative way of doing business, is agreat way to grow leaders. We have several youth programs that reach out to high schoolstudents and to schools in our area.This year, all four Touchstone Energy Scholarship winners joined us at the meetingsto be recognized as outstanding students: Megan Benzing, Anna Makela, Lea Dean andTyler Nadeau. Becca Kirby and Blake Warchuck, who attended the Youth LeadershipSummit and the National Rural Electric Youth Tour, were also recognized for theirachievements.And our newest program, the Touchstone Energy Classroom Grants, was alsohighlighted. We are able to help teachers equip their classrooms with the technology andtools they need to help their students learn and prepare for the future.Leadership comes in many forms: we value the members who alert us to a potentialpower line problem or other issue, just as we value the members who serve as districtofficers.We are thankful for every one of you who has taken an active role, in one form oranother, to make HomeWorks stronger in the past 75 years. We look forward to hearingfrom many generations of member-leaders to come.4 | Michigan Country LinesMark KapplerGeneral Manager

eaders’ pages AND LETTERSLettersThe “Ramblings” column (Mike Buda) about Father’sDay, the U.S. Postal service, May Mystery Photo winner,scholarship winners, and the National Rural ElectricYouth Tour to D.C. It’s all here in your readers’ pages.“Family Man” ColumnJust wanted to comment onhow much I enjoyed yourCountry Lines column aboutyour Dad. You were lucky havinghim so long, I lost mine in1994. Like yours, mine was agreat and interesting guy.While your Dad was in Guam,mine was in Saipan. Amazinghow those young men justcame home victorious and setabout building families andlives. Like your Dad, minerarely talked about his experiencesthere. They truly were a“great generation.”By the way, the back pageis the first place I look everyissue. Hope you keep it up formany years.– Tim StockdaleI really enjoyed the articleabout your dad. Thank you fortelling part of your story, andhis. It is uplifting to read abouta man who put his familyfirst, who had a natural abilityto “keep things simple,” andwho enjoyed what he enjoyed!I’m ready for the book...hismemoir and yours!– Janine WinklerAs a 93-year-old WWIIVeteran and long-time readerof Country Lines, I justwanted you to know I enjoyedyour handling of this personalstory. It is “different” articleslike yours that mix well withthe usual “stuff” one finds inthis type of publication. Wehave had a summer home inMichigan for many years andare so thankful to be able tospend parts of many summerson Lake Skegemog. We addedour own 35-foot Lighthousein 2008, which enhancedthe attraction for us.– Wallace G. HoldsworthWow! I can relate to yourstory, as I believe many otherscan, too.Your story reminds me somuch of my dad, who passedaway in 2006. My dad servedin the navy aboard the U.S.S.Savo Island, a small escort carrier,and served in WWII inthe South Pacific.Once out of the service, hebecame a builder and carpenteruntil he retired. He wouldthen build lighthouses as ahobby out of cement moldsin his shop later in life. Theyreminded him of his servicedays in the Navy and to thisday many of them are in yardsand by streams and lakes in theKalamazoo area. Thanks forreminding us of our dads, andhow they worked hard to getwhere they wanted to be withtheir families. Enjoy readingyour ‘Ramblings’!– Larry WeststrateI was very pleased to see thearticle on America’s NationalParks and on behalf of theNorth Country National ScenicTrail, we thank you for thecomments describing the trail.The trail succeeds throughthe efforts of hundreds andhundreds of volunteers workingin cooperation with many agenciesat all levels of government,as well as private interests.Threading its way across ourlandscape, the trail links outstandingscenic, natural, recreational,historic and culturalareas in seven of our northernstates. Some portions of thetrail invite easy walking, whileothers provide challenge, buteverywhere the trail offersadventure.– Tim Hass, PresidentSuperior Shoreline ChapterNCTA, MunisingMystery PhotoThe May Mystery Photo is theMike Jylha Stadium in Alston,MI, on Hwy. M-38.I spent many a summer Sundaywatching the Alston Millersplay teams from Trout Creek,South Range Ontonagon, plusothers in the 1940s. The ballfield was made and bleachersbuilt in 1934. Right fieldfence was 440 feet from homeplate and only one home runwas hit over the fence—PaulMaki, catcher for L’Anse teamin 1952. It is reported to havetraveled over 500 feet. The ballwas found in the crotch of atree and displayed at Yawkey’sfor several years. Yawkeys wasan auto/truck repair and gas stationacross the road to the rightof the picture. It was ownedand run by my mother’s cousinAake Maki. Three of my cousinsplayed on the team. Mike Jylhagot the ball field started andwas manager for many years. Itwas reported that he even madebaseball bats during the Depressionyears at the Alston Sawmillwhere he worked.– Mary Ann Arvo, Suttons BayU.S. Postal ServiceMy name is Ron Eaton, mywife and “Best Friend” of over40 years is Karen. We reside inVicksburg, MI, and have beenco-op members since 1977.In your May 2012 issue ofCountry Lines you ran a smallcolumn about why you sendyour great magazine.Thank you for not onlysending the magazine but forusing the United States PostalService to deliver it.I am a retired letter carrier andam aware of the problems createdby people and businessesnot using the U.S.P.S. Not all ofus have access to the internet anddepend on the Postal Service tokeep us abreast of all the servicesthat you provide.Thank you again for a greatmagazine and for using theU.S. mail. Please: Buy-A-Stamp – Send-A-Letter—Helppreserve the Postal Service.– Ron Eaton, Vicksburgt DO YOU KNOW WHERE THIS IS?Every co-op member who identifies the correct location of the photo at left by August 10 willbe entered in a drawing for a $50 credit for electricity from their electric cooperative.We do not accept Mystery Photo guesses by phone! Email mysteryphoto@countrylines.com, or send by mail to Country Lines Mystery Photo, 2859 W. Jolly Rd., Okemos, 48864. Includeyour name, address, phone number and name of your co-op. Only those sending completeinformation will be entered in the drawing. The winner will beannounced in the September 2012 issue.The May contest winner is Jim Hoover of Mass City, whocorrectly identified the photo as the Mike Jylha Stadium onM-38 near Alston in Houghton County.May photo6 | Michigan Country Lines

Experienceof a LifetimeMichigan students tourWashington, D.C.Seventeen high schoolstudents representingeight Michigan electric co-opsrecently joined more than1,500 other youth from acrossthe country at the NationalRural Electric Youth Tour toWashington, D.C.The experience is anextension of the MichiganYouth Leadership Summitheld in April, and is designedto give students a behind-thescenesleadership experience.The Michigan studentsvisited memorials, museumsand monuments, includingguided tours through ArlingtonNational Cemetery and theU.S. Capitol, stops at theWWII, Vietnam and KoreanWar Veterans’ memorials,several Smithsonian museums,a performance at the KennedyCenter, and a riverboat cruiseon the Potomac. The groupalso had personal visits withParticipants: Alger Delta – Annika Seaman; Cherryland Electric – Connor Bebb, Sam Surgalski; CloverlandElectric – Devin Livingston; Great Lakes Energy – Cassidy Bonar, Will Byl, Drew Graeber, Mackenzie Paulen, ElsaPuerner, Abbie Welch; HomeWorks – Becca Kirby, Blake Warchuck; Midwest Energy – Jeff Dickerson, MeaganRuff; PIE&G – Trent Goudy, John Belusar; Thumb Electric – Alyssa Tyrrell.Sen. Debbie Stabenow andU.S. Reps. Dan Benishek,Bill Huizenga, Justin Amash,the staff of Rep. CandiceMiller, and Ways and MeansCommittee chair, Rep. DaveCamp.At an election held in frontof the U.S. Capitol building,Drew Graber, a junior fromLake Isabella, earned thesupport of his peers to serveon the National Rural ElectricCooperative Association’sYouth Leadership Council.He will return to D.C. in Julyto attend a youth conferencethat strengthens leadership andpublic speaking skills.Youth Tour participants arechosen by their co-op, whosponsors them on the trip. Learnmore about co-op-sponsoredyouth programs at miYLS.com, and find more YouthTour photos on facebook.com/youthleadershipsummit.Scholarship Winners AnnouncedCharlotte Seeley andJordon VanPamelhave each won a $1,000scholarship from theMichigan ElectricCooperative Association(MECA).Charlotte, daughterof Cherryland Electricmembers Jim and AndreaSeeley, graduated fromSuttons Bay High Schoolas salutatorian of her class.Active in sports, band,clubs and volunteering,she also had artworkpublished in a student artmagazine. Charlotte will attendMichigan State Univerisity inthe fall to study package design.Jordon is the son of PresqueCharlotteSeeleyJordonVanPamelIsle Electric & GasCo-op members Scottand Bethany VanPameland graduated fromHillman High Schoolas valedictorian of hisclass. He received severalacademic recognitionsand sports awardsand was senior classpresident. Jordon plansto attend Saginaw ValleyState University andpursue a career in sportsmedicine.A total of 147scholarship applicationswere received by MECA,which publishes MichiganCountry Lines for the state’snine electric co-ops.Notice to Large Commercial andIndustrial MembersPublic Act 295 allows for large Commercial and Industrial(C&I) accounts to self-direct their own Energy Optimizationplans. For this year, a C&I member must have at least1 megawatt (MW) of annual peak demand in 2011 (or 5 MWin aggregate) to qualify.Details can be found at:michigan.gov/mpsc/0,4639,7-159-52495_54478---,00.htmlor call your electric co-op for more information.Need to change your Country Linesmailing address?Contact your electric co-op—they maintain the mailing list.See page 4 for your co-op’scontact information.July/August 2012 | 7

YOUR CO-OPTouchstoneEnergy AidsClassroomsfrom Winn toWoodlandAt right, Winn Elementary studentsjoin third grade teacher Mary Verhaarin celebrating a Touchstone EnergyClassroom Grant, which helped providea mobile iPad lab for the school.Below, fifth grade students at WoodlandElementary School show off theirnew laptops, purchased by teacherMary Jenks with a Classroom Grant. Thegrant helped provide a laptop for everytwo students in the classroom, givingthem access to accelerated programsin reading, math and robotics.8 | Michigan Country Lines

Attendance Up 14 Percentat Co-op District MeetingsFor the fifth year in a row, more members registered at the annualdistrict membership meetings, with 775 signed in. Overall attendancewas nearly 1,500 at the series of seven meetings, including 130 childrenunder the age of 16.Clockwise from above, Christina Pulling offers a HomeWorks gift toyoungsters who attended at Vestaburg; Jo Bengel provides ice creamcups as a sweet way to end supper at Eagle; members at Weidmanlisten to co-op updates; Dylan Curl won the iPod Touch for youngstersat Charlotte, and Chris VanSyclele was the winner at Remus; a view fromabove at the Fulton meeting.Photos – Neal Swain, Matt Miller, Tom Manting, Sara Urie, and Chris JensenJuly/August 2012 | 9

michigan-made | Linda KotzianFirst Mate Organizer KeepsBoats Ship-ShapeThe owners of a family business created a new product for boatersand helped keep some jobs in the process.Julie Irwin and her husband Todddiscovered recreational boating aboutfive years ago. As Great Lakes Energymembers, they own a cottage on TorchLake, where they caught boating fever.A self-confessed “neat freak,” Julie wasimmediately frustrated with the lack of storageon boats for personal items like keys, cellphones or sunglasses. A duffle bag or a simpleplastic bag works to bring supplies on-board,but many are neither compartmentalized oreasy to stow securely.Keeping her son’s prescription glasses in acup holder on the boat made her uneasy, soshe decided a container with pouches woulddo the trick—something to quickly, neatlyand securely pack and store recreationalsupplies or personal items. However, such aproduct didn’t seem to exist.The Irwins own the Delux Tents and Eventscompany in Belleville and Lansing. It’s athriving business started by Julie’s in-lawsin 1966 that provides one-stop rental itemssuch as tents, tables and chairs for family orcommercial events.Two years ago, they heard about a smallthird-generation manufacturing company inAnn Arbor that closed. Well known for tentsand awnings, they also produced canvas flags,boat covers and other custom canvas marineaccessories, and the building still held a largestock of those items. The closing also stressedthe company’s small workforce, who foundthemselves suddenly without jobs.Seeing the advantage in acquiring thecompany’s stock of materials, plus addinga sewing staff with 50 years’ experience inproducing and repairing canvas and marineproducts, the Irwins bought the companyand put three of the employees back to work.That’s when “everything just kind of fellinto our laps and ‘the flow’ started,” Julie says.She shared her boat organizer idea with thenew employees. Together, they brainstormeda design and developed six- and eight-pocketversions of what today is called the “FirstMate Organizer.”“So many of the items needed, such ascertain buckles and straps, they already hadin stock,” Julie explains. “It was a fun, funproduct to see unfold.”Crafted from 100 denier nylon with aurethane back coating and available in manycolors, First Mate Organizer is water repellent,quick drying, and resistant to abrasion,rot and mildew. Open pockets provide placesfor smaller items such as eyeglasses, keys,flashlights or suntan lotion. A larger twosectionpouch with a flap that snaps shutprovides dry, secure storage for cell phones,cameras or magazines.The design allows the organizer to be hungon a rail or fastened to a surface with clips orsuction cups. To take the organizer along, youcan simply fold it up, snap it together, attachthe strap, and throw it over your shoulderlike a tote bag.While the product was designed for peoplewho boat, Julie notes that others who findit useful now include campers, hunters andhorse and motor home owners. Personally,she also uses one in her car.The FirstMate is available online (seefirstmateorganizer.com or call 877-824-7946) for $34.99 (six-pocket) and $39.99(eight-pocket). To keep her employees busy,Julie explains, she purposely set the pricingso that people would want to buy. Sheemphasizes that the product helps fulfill apledge to employees who came from thecompany the Irwins acquired.“We told them we’d make work for them,”Julie says. “We’re trying our best to keep thiswonderful state’s economy moving forward.”Tell us about your favorite, or a unique, Michigan-made product. Email czuker@meca.coop or send to: Country Lines, 2859 W. Jolly Rd., Okemos, MI 48864.Be sure to share why you like it, or a unique story to go with it.10 | Michigan Country Lines

Co-op Electric MetersAre DifferentThe meter your co-op uses to measurethe electricity you consume is differentfrom what other utilities use.For over eight years, Michiganelectric co-ops have used a leading technologycalled automated meter reading (AMR).Automated meters are different because theysend your electric use reading over the powerline instead of using radio transmission orwireless technology. Therefore, they do notproduce radiation or emit radio frequenciesthat some claim are a health concern.“Studies have shown that meters usingradio frequencies are safe, but co-ops do noteven use them, so there are no safety issueswith the AMR system,” explains Tom Harrell,general manager of Alger Delta Electric,Michigan’s second-smallest co-op (10,000+),in Gladstone.“The AMR system only records kilowatthoursconsumed, time and day, meter number,serial number and account number,”Harrell adds. Further, it doesn’t controlappliances and can’t send electric use data orprice signals instantly back to you.What Can Automated Meters Do?How then, do these units benefit you as aco-op owner and member?“There is no doubt that the AMR technologyused by the co-ops has revolutionizedtheir service and business for the better—thebenefits are real and numerous,” says EltonVeenstra, operations and engineering managerfor Michigan’s largest co-op (120,000+members), Great Lakes Energy.For one, you don’t have to trudge out toread the meter—especially in the snow. BeforeAMR, especially in the rural areas served byco-ops, manual meter reads really increasedcosts, and member readings or estimates oftenled to large bills when an actual meter readoccurred. “AMR solves all of these issues,”Veenstra says.“We invested in the AMR technologybecause it can accurately and securely transmitmeter readings to our office over the powerlines in a matter of seconds,” agrees ChrisJensen, a system engineer at HomeWorksTri-County Electric, a medium-sized co-op(over 22,000) headquartered in Portland.The AMR system reads the meters dailyand exports it into the billing system. “Thisimproves billing accuracy,” Jensen adds, “byeliminating estimated billing and the needto hand-key meter readings into the system.”Other BenefitsThe AMR system is an excellent example ofhow co-ops invest in technologies that controlcosts and improve service. Added AMRbenefits include offering members access totheir electric use history online; employee/public safety and environmental benefitsthrough reduced fuel and travel costs; easyaccount transfers; a decrease in meter tampering/energytheft that costs all members moremoney; more efficient work planning; andshorter outages.“This technology helps us identify the locationof an outage faster, which in turn speedsup restoration times,” Jensen says. Duringthe record-breaking March snowstorm thataffected five co-op service areas, automatedmeters helped restore power more quickly.“The co-op can send a signal to the automatedmeters in any given area that promptsthem to send a return signal,” Veenstraexplains. “Those that fail to reply are likely athomes without power, and these locations arerelayed to nearby crews who make the repairsbefore moving on to the next area.” Thishelps co-ops restore power to some homesbefore the owners are even aware of the outage.“Without AMR, restoration after thisstorm would’ve taken significantly longer,”Veenstra says.The system also provides voltage data thathelps engineers prioritize improvements andpredict where outages may occur.Take Control of Your Own DataUsing the detailed energy use data availablethrough automated meters, you can takecontrol of and make your energy informationwork for you. Some co-ops (not all havethis) can provide you with information aboutyour energy use at different times of the day.“Armed with a better understanding ofQuick Facts On Automated Meters:• You don’t have to ‘read the meter’• Can help save money & energy• Online access to electric history• Faster outage response• Shorter outage times• Accurate billing/no estimated billsGail Knudtson | commentBecky Beard, a HomeWorks Tri-County Electriccustomer service rep, uses AMR data to helpmembers understand their energy use.their energy use, members can make informeddecisions on how to optimize their electricityuse and reduce their bills,” Veenstra says.Help With High Bill ConcernsCo-op staff can use the data to help you checkon or resolve high bill problems, too. “Meterreadings available by the day or hour canpinpoint when most of the usage occurred,”Veenstra says, “and this information helpsdetermine what caused the higher usage.”Great Lakes Energy member RubyVanAlstine found out how much the AMRdata can help when her electric bill suddenlydoubled. “I’m 82-years-old and it’s not easypaying those kind of bills, but when I calledthe Great Lakes office, they were very goodabout it and looked at my electric bill andsaw it was true,” she says.By working with VanAlstine and studyinga graph of her 24-hour power use, a GLEtechnical support rep was able to determinethat her well pump was running continuously.“We had to call in a well man and they hadto dig up the pipes because our well had beenput in 35 years ago, and some rusty pipes werecausing the problem,” VanAlstine explains.VanAlstine’s well is working good now,and she says, “I really have to thank themat the [Great Lakes Energy] office because Iwouldn’t have known what the problem waswithout them.”Some co-ops even have AMR technologythat allows you to access your meter readinghistory online and check to see if your poweris out or has been restored after an outage.This is especially helpful for frequent travelersor seasonal residents.You can see why it’s good to know thetype of technology used to read your meter.Especially since some co-ops don’t have automatedmeters, and others don’t have all thefeatures noted here. Either way, we hope thisknowledge makes you proud that co-ops getan “A” for being different.Photo – Jayne GrahamJuly/August 2012 | 11

Cover storyMichigan On GuardAgainst Asian CarpBy Bob GwizdzThe threat of Asian carp entering theGreat Lakes involves so many differentjurisdictions that most observerspin their hopes on a federal solutionto avert an ecological nightmare. And whileMichigan natural resources officials continueto press for federal action, they are not sittingon their hands waiting; they’ve gone on theoffensive themselves.“We have a plan in place for the detectionand surveillance of Asian carp as wellas what our response would be if they weredetected,” explains Tammy Newcomb, whoTwo species of Asian carp—the silver andbighead—currently found in the Mississippi andIllinois rivers, are voracious eaters and grow fast.Silver carp (above) are also known to leap outof the water. Visit asiancarp.us to learn more.heads up research for the Department ofNatural Resources (DNR) Fisheries Division.“We’re doing everything we can to keep themout of here and if we do get them in here,we’re going to do everything we can to notonly prevent them from spreading, but toextirpate them.”Everyone’s main concern is that the carp,which are about 50 miles from Lake Michigan,will breach the electronic barriers inthe Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal andinvade the Great Lakes. But there are otherpossible vectors.“We are particularly concerned aboutbait fish,” Newcomb said. “The DNR [seemichigan.gov/dnr] has produced a brochureto help anglers tell Asian carp from othercommon bait fish, and we’re developing avideo to further that effort.”Newcomb’s concern about Asian carpbeing introduced through bait buckets seemsto be supported by the recent discovery of a12 | Michigan Country Linescouple of large Asian carp that were foundby Illinois Department of Natural Resourcesfisheries biologists in a Chicago park lagoonthat is separated from the Chicago canal.Officials believe the fish wound up in thelagoon because anglers used them for baityears before.Seizures of live Asian carp in January andFebruary by Canadian officials at the AmbassadorBridge in Windsor—more than 20,000pounds in three separate incidents - prove thatthe fish are being illegally transported throughMichigan. A traffic accident involving anyone of those trucks could have resulted infish entering Great Lakes waterways.Recently, Michigan conservation officersarrested fish farmers from Arkansas sellingillegal grass carp in Michigan. And whilethat’s a slightly different issue—grass carpwere on the prohibited species list manyyears before the other Asian carp specieswere added—it points to the potential of fishentering the Great Lakes through illegal trade.Observers are of two minds about theprogress of federal action.“As a member of the Asian carp coordinatingcommittee, I have been pleasantlysurprised by the amount of work being doneon the federal side in coordination with thestates,” said Patty Birkholz, a former statesenator who oversees the Michigan Departmentof Environmental Quality’s Office ofthe Great Lakes.But Erin McDonough, executive directorof Michigan United Conservation Clubs,says federal action is too slow.“This is an issue of immediacy,” saidMcDonough, who believes Asian carp deservethe attention of the candidates in the upcomingpresidential election. “We want to see theArmy Corps of Engineers put into effect aseparation of the watersheds in the GreatLakes Basin from the Mississippi River now.”McDonough praised recent bipartisanfederal legislation offered by Sen. DebbiePhoto – Great Lakes Fishery CommissionStabenow (D-Lansing) and Rep. Dave Camp(R-Midland) to speed up the process.The Stop Invasive Species Act wouldrequire a federal action plan to stop Asiancarp from entering the Great Lakes througha number of rivers and tributaries. If passed,the legislation would direct the Corps ofEngineers to develop a plan to permanentlyseparate Lake Michigan from the Chicagowaterway system.Said Camp: “This measure expedites thenecessary hydrological separation study inorder to protect the Great Lakes and thehundreds of thousands of jobs the GreatLakes support.”“It has become clear that Asian carp aremigrating throughout the Great Lakes region,and efforts to stop the spread of this invasivespecies must now address every possible pointof entry,” Stabenow said. “We can’t affordto wait.” Besides Michigan, media outletshave reported Asian carp in Minnesota andSouth Dakota.The bill also requires the Army Corps tosubmit a progress report to Congress andthe President within 90 days of the law’senactment. The full plan would need to becompleted within 18 months.As the federal plan takes shape, Michiganofficials continue working on their own initiatives.The DNR is adding an employee to helpimplement the strategic plan and coordinateefforts with other state and Canadian officials.“On the state side, we have some realpossible solutions that are forthcoming,”Birkholz says. “We are spending millions ofdollars to deal with this.”Although some pessimists say entry ofAsian carp in the Great Lakes is a foregoneconclusion, Newcomb says “they’re absolutelywrong.”“We have a plan,” Newcomb explains.“Anglers are a part of our plan. But hydrologicaland/or ecological separation from infectedwaters is the ultimate solution.”

What About ThoseAsian Carp?Answers from John Goss, federal Asian Carp director,White House Council on Environmental Quality.Why is an Asian carp invasion such aQ: big deal? What economic, recreationaland environmental dangers does it presentto Michigan?The migration of Asian carp towardA: Lake Michigan is one of the most seriousinvasive species threats facing the GreatLakes today.Bighead and silver carp are voracious eaters,capable of eating 5 to 20 percent of their bodyweight daily. They consume plankton—algaeand other microscopic organisms—strippingthe food web of the key source of nutrientsfor small and big fish. Silver carp are knownfor leaping out of the water at the sound ofboat or jet-ski motors, causing physical harmto people and property. They pose a threatto the recreational and fishing economies ofthe Great Lakes states.Almost every Michigan electric co-opQ: service area touches at least one of theGreat Lakes. The irreparable harm an Asiancarp invasion would cause is of special interestto co-ops and their member-owners.As the Asian carp director, what is yourrole and best plan for handling this threat?As the White House Council on EnvironmentalQuality Asian carp directorA:and chair of the Asian Carp Regional CoordinatingCommittee (ACRCC), I lead theObama Administration’s work to create acohesive and comprehensive federal, stateand local strategy to make certain that Asiancarp do not become established within theGreat Lakes.Since 2010, the Administration hasinvested over $150 million to protect theGreat Lakes from Asian carp. The scale ofthis effort is unprecedented for invasive speciesprevention and unifies federal, state andlocal actions.The “2012 Asian Carp Control StrategyFramework” outlines the priority actionsplanned and under way to address thisthreat, including management actions toprevent introduction and establishment, andresearch to develop permanent controlson its populations. The Framework canbe found at asiancarp.us.Fishing by commercial crews andQ: biologists at spots below the existingChicago barrier have already removed25,736 Asian carp (asiancarp.us) in Marchand April 2012.Is there any evidence showing that anAsian carp population already exists inLake Michigan?There is no evidence that there is anA: Asian carp population established abovethe electric dispersal barriers or within LakeMichigan. All of the evidence shows we aresucceeding in keeping Asian carp out of theGreat Lakes. The ACRCC has been vigilantin monitoring the Chicago Area WaterwaySystem (CAWS) through extensive fishing,netting and environmental DNA testing forany sign they are advancing. Last year, wefound no live Asian carp in the CAWS abovethe barriers after more than 40,000 hours ofnetting, electrofishing and keen observationby experienced fisheries biologists.The Asian carp population front in theUpper Illinois River is over 80 miles fromLake Michigan. This front has not movedsince 2007, partially as a result of the intensiveremoval you just mentioned.Even though the Army Corps of Engineershas said they will reveal a fasterQ:action plan, many are concerned and confusedabout how long it’s taking the governmentto act on preventing the Asian carp fromentering the Great Lakes and why more actionisn’t being taken quickly.What is your response, so that people canunderstand?The Administration took early action toA: keep Asian carp from reaching the GreatLakes. We’ve invested over $150 million ina successful strategy for keeping them outof the Great Lakes while the Army Corpsstudies a long-term solution.The U.S. Geological Survey is also makingexceptional progress in developing andtesting physical controls such as water guns,chemical control tools like selective toxins,and pheromone attractants. Some of thesemay end up being extremely effective againstAsian carp.A recent Great Lakes Commission (GLC)Q: study says separating these waterwaysis feasible, will be a safeguard against migrationthrough Chicago’s waterway, and can bedone while preserving its benefits to Illinoisand Indiana.Can this plan work, and will the governmentuse the GLC report to help form decisions ona good battle plan? Can it help grease thedecision-making wheels?The Army Corps has said that hydrologicA: separation will be one of the options itevaluates, and they will incorporate informationgenerated by the GLC Study, asappropriate. It’s important to remember thathydrologic separation and permanent barriersare only one set of alternatives. While thisis an important alternative to consider, it isnot the only one that warrants evaluation.The GLC Study estimates the cost ofseparation to be between $3.9 and $9.5billion and take at least until 2029 tocomplete. Some of the technologies underreview through the Great Lakes MaritimeResearch Institute have the potential to beContinued uPhoto – Council on Environmental QualityJuly/August 2012 | 13

Asian Carp Q & A, continuedimplemented more quickly and in a costeffectivemanner.A recent power outage and equipmentQ: failure resulted in a 13-minute lapseduring which the existing electronic Asiancarp barrier (near Chicago) was inoperable.Has the investigation shown whether anyof these fish were present then? Does thisaccident make the issue more urgent, andcan electronic/existing barriers keep themout forever?Backup generators were activated at theA: affected barriers, as designed. However,a utility power surge prevented the generatorsfrom delivering power to the barriers. TheCorps is vigilant in monitoring the barriers,and when they noticed the issue, on-sitepersonnel manually reset the circuit breakerto allow generator power until utility powerwas restored.The Monitoring and Rapid Response WorkGroup (MRRWG), a subset of the ACRCC,is comprised of various state and federalagencies that monitor the CAWS for Asiancarp activity and make recommendationsfor fish suppression activities. The MWRRGconducted an assessment of fish presence atthe barriers the next day. The area is regularlymonitored for Asian carp, and we have noreason to believe there were any in the areaduring the brief outage. It is important toremember that the Asian carp populationis still quite a distance from Lake Michigan.Patty Birkholz, director of Michigan’sQ: Office of the Great Lakes, has endorsedthe “do-able solutions” presented by the GreatLakes Commission study.What is Michigan’s role in the Asian carpdilemma, and are you working with Birkholzor other officials on any specific plans?Resources & Maps:• Video of jumping Asian carp (GreatLakes Fisheries Commission):glfc.org (click “Multimedia” & “Videos”)• asiancarp.us• MI Dept. of Natural Resources:michigan.gov/dnr• Illinois Dept. of Natural Resources:dnr.state.il.us/fish/Photo – Great Lakes Fishery CommissionThis Mississippi River bighead carp shows howbig they can get. Averaging 30-40 pounds,some can grow to be over 100 pounds.Michigan is one of the eight GreatA: Lakes states on the Asian Carp RegionalCoordinating Committee. The ACRCCis the body charged with coordinating thefederal, state and local entities workingtogether to stop Asian carp from getting tothe Great Lakes. We work very closely withPatty Birkholz and she is great to work with.Patty and other Michigan Department ofEnvironmental Quality officials are activelyinvolved in all of the ACRCC actions.Some media reports say Illinois legislatorsand business owners do not favorQ:permanently separating the waterways.How much is politics a barrier to addressingthis issue quickly?I think everyone appreciates the urgencyA: of protecting the Great Lakes, and wehave a successful plan in place. It is true thatnot everyone agrees on what the long-termsolution is for Asian carp. That is why theQ:A:Photo – Dave Kenyon/MI DNRArmy Corps recently announced they aregoing to give Congress and the public thechance to review alternatives and choose asolution in 2013, much earlier than anticipated.They will release an assessment ofthe best options for keeping carp out of theGreat Lakes, including estimated costs andmitigation requirements for each option.So in 2013, we can all decide which optionto move forward with and get going with amore detailed project design and path forimplementation.Michigan has a $5 billion annual sportQ: fishing industry, and experts say tryingto control the Asian carp after it enters theGreat Lakes is nearly impossible and muchmore costly than the high price of prevention.Can you enlighten our readers on this?We know from experience that it isA:difficult and expensive to deal with aninvasive species after they have established.Right now, we have a unique opportunityto stop Asian carp from invading the GreatLakes through the coordinated federal, stateand local efforts. This effort is paying off. Allof the evidence is showing that our strategyis successful, and giving us the time necessaryto develop and implement a permanentsolution to controlling Asian carp and otheraquatic invasive species.As a fisherman, what is your personalQ: experience with Asian carp?I love to fish and have experiencedA:salmon, perch and walleye fishing atits finest in Lake Michigan and Lake Erie.In Indiana, Asian carp are threatening someof my favorite small mouth bass streams likeSugar Creek and Blue River.I am determined to protect our native fishpopulations from an Asian carp invasion.Is there anything regular citizens can do to help?Absolutely. Public involvement is essential to preventing the spread of Asian carp tothe Great Lakes. It is important to stay informed and participate in public meetingsand comment opportunities.The best way to stay on top of the latest information is to check asiancarp.us frequently.Here are some other ways you can help:u Make sure you don’t move live fish from one location to another.u Never use wild-caught bait fish in waters other than where they came from.u Learn the difference between juvenile Asian carp and juvenile gizzard shad, which looknearly identical (the Michigan DNR has a helpful brochure at michigan.gov/dnr).u Drain lake or river water from live wells and bilges before leaving any body of water.u Learn what to do if you find an Asian carp in the Great Lakes or its tributaries.u Spread the word.14 | Michigan Country Lines

Rita Henehan | gardeningVisiting Trial Gardens CanHelp You Choose PlantsTired of using the same old plants inyour garden and containers everyyear? Tired of buying plants thatlook great at the garden center butperform poorly at home? Well, thinkabout taking a ride to a trial orDiscoverexciting newplants that willthrive in yourgarden.display garden in your area.Several steps take place whena new plant variety is developed,and before it’s available for purchase.Once a plant breeder hasa stable new variety, they sell itto a plant propagator who growslarge quantities of it. These small plantsare in turn sold to a grower who transplantsthem into cell packs or individual pots andgrows them. Then the grower sells them toplant wholesalers, retailers and mail-orderhouses where you are able to buy the plant.Along the way, a plant breeder or propagatorwants to make sure that their newvariety is fit for your garden. This is wheretrial gardens enter the picture.Michigan State University (MSU) hasextensive trial gardens for annuals, vegetables,native plants and herbaceous perennials.Being located in USDA Zone 5 puts theirgardens in the same growing zone as mostof the state, which is good news for homegardeners. Over 500 different cultivars aresubmitted by breeders, seed companies andnurseries to be tested in the MSU gardens.“We test plants that are suitable to grow inMichigan and evaluate these plants usinga five-point system,” says Katie McCarver,MSU trial garden manager. “One means theplant died, and five means the plant is awesomein terms of producing nice blooms, pestresistance, and being true to habit.”Evaluation starts two weeks after the plantsare put in, around May 15-20. Then, theyare evaluated every two weeks until the lastfrost. Each evaluation takes a whole day forMcCarver and Art Cameron, MSU gardendirector, to assess all the varieties. Plant performanceis dependent on a number of factors,including soil and weather conditions.“Companies are looking for honest evaluations,”McCarver explains. “I have to determinewhether it’s a failure in our growingconditions or breeding that causes a plantTop: View hundreds of container plants on trial at the MSU annual plant trial garden.Bottom: Michigan State University (MSU), in East Lansing, has one of the largest trial gardensin the state that is open to the public.to die. Some plants just don’t perform well.”Michigan State is also an All-AmericanSelections (AAS) Trial Garden. “Think ofAll-American Selections as the Good Housekeepingseal of approval for plant varieties,”comments AAS board member, Jenny Kuhn.AAS has trial gardens throughout the stateand the country, and “Tested Nationally andProven Locally” is their new tagline. Kuhn isalso product specialist at C. Raker and Sons,a plant propagator in Litchfield, MI, whichalso opens its trial gardens to the public.“Often, big-box stores sell plants that arebred to look well on their shelves to attractbuyers,” Kuhn adds. “But these plants donot necessarily do well in your garden. InAAS trial gardens, we are looking for plantsthat look well at retail but also perform inpeoples’ gardens.” The AAS website offersboth lists of its winners and trial gardensthroughout the state.In Michigan, plants are starting to looktheir best by mid-summer, so mid-Julythrough mid-August are the best times to visitthese test gardens. While you’re there, Kuhnrecommends making notes of variety namesthat appeal to you, since most local gardencenters are happy to order them for you.For more information on visiting MSU’sgardens, see hrt.msu.edu./our-gardens. Thereis a good brochure and map you can pick upat the information booth (open June throughAugust) near the garden visitor parking lot.If you can’t visit the MSU gardens, don’tworry—Katie McCarver posts early favoriteson the web in mid-July, and a full report inOctober. You can also find last year’s top-ratedplants at gardens.hrt.msu.edu/ by clicking“Top Performers” in the left sidebar.Rita C. Henehan is an author,freelance writer and photographer.For a complete list ofpublic display and trial gardensthroughout Michigan, and othergardening information, visit herwebsite at michigangardenerscompanion.com.July/August 2012 | 15Photos – Rita Henehan

our energy | Megan McKoy-NoeCyber Security PatrolsElectric co-ops enhance efforts to protect their members’ personal dataand the reliability and security of their electric distribution systems.Your home probably has severalsecurity features—door locks,bolts, and an alarm system. Whenit comes to cyber security, electricco-ops follow the same principle—buildingand reinforcing multiple layers of protectionto safeguard your personal data from attacks.Securing digital data on an electric distributionsystem isn’t a “once and done” job. It’s acontinual process of evaluating and addressingrisks, tightening measures, planning, andevaluating again. While it’s difficult to thwarta determined computer hacker, with constantvigilance electric co-ops can significantlyminimize the possibilities.“Keeping our members’ information secureis a top priority,” explains Tom Manting,manager of finance and information technologyat HomeWorks Tri-County ElectricCooperative in Portland, MI. “Technologyconstantly changes, requiring a ‘continuouslyimproving’ approach towards cyber hazards.”HomeWorks Tri-County has over 22,000members, and represents a national trendof cooperatives bulking up cyber security16 | Michigan Country Lineswith tools from the Cooperative ResearchNetwork (CRN), the research arm of theNational Rural Electric Cooperative Association(NRECA). CRN’s “Guide to Developinga Risk Mitigation and Cyber Security Plan,”and supporting documents released in 2011with funding support from the Departmentof Energy (DOE), help utilities of all typesdevelop a process to shore up cyber defenses.“Electric cooperatives have made substantialprogress in cyber security withoutadditional regulation because they owe it totheir members to protect system reliabilityand prevent unauthorized access to personalinformation,” explains Glenn English,NRECA’s CEO.Manting agrees, and at HomeWorks specialprecautions are taken to protect members’information in several ways. “Members arerequired to positively identify themselveswhen calling us, and we’ve completelypurged our files of all credit card information,”he explains. “Social Security numbersare also encrypted.” And, members whowish to pay their energy bill with a creditPhoto – Sandia National LabsCyber security specialists from one of the U.S.Department of Energy’s national labs condutresearch on an electric utility SupervisoryControl and Data Acquisition system.card are required to use one of the self-serveoptions, including online, entering paymentinformation themselves through theautomated phone system, or using paymentkiosks in the co-op’s lobbies.Computers rarely get hacked, Mantingsays, but instead people are often trickedinto revealing personal information. “So,by removing our people from the transaction,we’ve greatly reduced the potential forcriminals to access our systems.”Of note is that none of Michigan’s electricco-ops sell member information to others,and many are updating or creating cybersecurity plans. And, while all the co-ops takeprecautions to protect their members’ information,not all use the CRN plan.For example, at Cherryland Electric Cooperative(over 34,000 members) in Grawn, ITAdministrator Steve Weaver says, “In additionto the standard best practices of anti-virusand anti-Spyware installed on computers,encryption of members’ data, and enterpriseclass firewalls installed, we use a service thatmonitors all inbound and outbound trafficlooking for and blocking suspicious activity.”At Midwest Energy Cooperative in Cassopolis(over 30,000 members), they are currentlydoing a major information technology(IT) risk audit that will result in somesignificant changes. “We always want to besure we’re doing all we can to protect ourmembers’ information against identify theftand other threats that can result from ourdependence on technology,” says CandyRiem, member services manager. “The auditis intended to evaluate and improve thesecurity of personal information and reviewall internal and external processes, systemsand staff that impact daily operations. Thisaction will help us identify risks and deficiencies,so that we are well-positioned toserve our members.” Riem expects a formalstrategic plan by the end of the year.“At this time, we do have a firewall that istested on a regular basis for potential threats,”Riem adds. “We also encrypt certain pieces ofour members’ information in the system tohelp prevent identify theft if someone wereto breach the system.”Great Lakes Energy, with over 101,000members, uses plans from several sources,says Mike Youngs, director of informationsecurity and business continuity. “We use avariety of processes and technology, including

encryption, access control, malware protectionand monitoring,” Youngs says.Security SweepElectric co-ops have been working with theDOE, North American Electric ReliabilityCorporation (NERC), Federal Energy RegulatoryCommission (FERC), U.S. Departmentof Homeland Security, the Obamaadministration, and the electric utility industryto strengthen cyber security. An assault ona co-op, for example, could be a prelude to,or part of, a coordinated cyber strike on thecountry’s power grid as a whole that couldimpact electric reliability. Last year, NERC,the nation’s electricity reliability watchdog,conducted an exercise dubbed “GridEx” toidentify cyber security concerns and encourageutilities and government agencies to worktogether to resolve the issues uncovered.“GridEx provided a realistic environmentfor organizations to assess their cyber responsecapabilities,” observes Brian Harrell, NERC’smanager of critical infrastructure protectionstandards. “Through the interaction, participantsforged relationships across the cybersecurity community.”A report on the test notes most utilitieshave adequate response plans in place, butmore training and updated guidelines weresuggested. Communication difficulties werealso identified—a problem NERC will confrontby developing outreach strategies forsecure information sharing.To further pinpoint cyber vulnerabilities,a seven-year utility system security study wasconducted by the DOE’s Idaho NationalLaboratory (INL). Poor “patch management”was cited as the biggest utility weakness—patches fix publicly-known security problems.To prevent would-be hackers from discoveringsecurity lapses, teams of grid guardiansroutinely scour electric distribution systemsto find and fix weak spots.“I look for vulnerabilities in control systemsoftware,” remarks May Chaffin, an INLcyber security researcher. “I try to get themrepaired before someone takes advantage.”Lessons learned from the GridEx activityand researchers like Chaffin have been incorporatedinto CRN’s cyber security toolkit.Based on best practices developed by theNational Institute of Standards and Technology(NIST) and other industry groups, theguide focuses on procedures co-ops shouldadopt to continuously monitor cyber threatsand enhance risk preparedness.“CRN’s cyber security resources are wellroundedtools that helped make our existingsecurity plan more complete and serve asPhoto – Sandia National Labreferences for future projects,” Manting adds.Andy Bochman, an energy security leadfor IBM, praises CRN’s efforts. “While the[IT] community is waiting for [practical]implementation guides from NIST, CRN’soffering breaks things down into actionable,prioritized parts. It allows co-ops to traveldown a well-marked path toward better cybersecurity and risk mitigation planning in theage of the smart grid.”Regulating SecurityThe possibility of cyber mischief underminingthe automated digital technologies usedby utilities has Congress, the White House,and regulators considering the right balanceof security and emergency response initiatives.“There is no question that there will besome kind of legislation,” predicts English.“It’s important that policymakers make a distinctionbetween what’s appropriate securityfor bulk power versus distribution systems.The question is whether what’s put forwardmakes sense, if it will be overly burdensome,and if it will make electricity less affordablefor our members.”In 2010, the U.S. House considered theGrid Reliability and Infrastructure DefenseAct. A similar measure, the Cyber SecurityAct of 2012, was introduced to the Senatein February. Both bills would provide thefederal government with more power todraft cyber security standards, but wouldweaken the NERC/FERC partnership thatallows industry stakeholders to help ensurestandards are technically sound and able tobe properly implemented. Cyber securityexperts at NRECA believe any legislationshould focus on encouraging federal agenciesto routinely provide actionable, timelyintelligence about cyber threats and vulnerabilitiesto utility industry experts.“Hackers are getting smarter, and for some,much of the fun is the challenge of beatingyour system,” observes Maurice Martin,CRN’s program manager. “Co-ops understandcyber security isn’t a one-time thing.Improved communications about potentialtrouble remains key to this effort.”Electric co-ops are building cyber barricadesand robust plans for addressing currentand future dangers. But in a rapidly evolvingcyber environment, there’s no such thing asperfect security.Sandia National Laboratories computer scientists Ron Minnich (foreground) and Don Rudishhave successfully run over 1 million Linux kernels as virtual machines, an achievement thatwill allow cyber security researchers to more effectively observe behavior found in maliciousbotnets (a collection of compromised computers, each of which is connected to theinternet). They used Sandia’s Thunderbird supercomputing cluster for this demonstration.July/August 2012 | 17

HOME COOKING | Christin RussmanRhubarb Custard Pie (“Mom Style”)4 c. rhubarb, sliced into 1/2-inch slices1½ c. sugar3 T. flour1/2 t. nutmeg1 T. butter, room temperature2 eggs, beaten well9-inch unbaked pie crustPreheat oven to 450°. Mix butter and 1 cupsugar until creamy. Blend in nutmeg andflour. Blend in eggs and set aside. Place rhubarbinto pie crust. Pour mixture evenly overrhubarb. Bake for 10 minutes, then drop ovento 350° for 30 minutes or till lightly brown.Serve cold or room temp with whipped toppingor ice cream.Karen Richards, WaylandLasagna Primavera2 10-oz. pkgs. chopped, frozen spinach15 ozs. ricotta cheese8 ozs. lasagna noodles1 26-oz. jar spaghetti sauce with mushrooms3 carrots, sliced 1/4-inch thick1 zucchini squash, sliced 1/4-inch thick1 summer squash, sliced 1/4-inch thick1 c. broccoli florets12 ozs. mozzarella cheese1/2 c. parmesan cheeseRhubarb Custard PieIt’s that time of year—when fruits and vegetables are looking and tastingtheir best. Whether you have your own garden, or shop at a local farmmarket, these recipes will inspire you to make the most of your produce.Thaw and drain spinach, mix with ricottaand set aside. Bring noodles to boil and cook5 minutes, add carrots and cook 2 moreminutes; add remaining vegetables and cookanother 2 minutes or until noodles are done.Drain all. Spread 1/3 of sauce in bottom of9 x 13-inch pan. Layer half the noodles, halfcooked vegetables, half spinach mixture thenhalf the mozzarella. Repeat with remainingnoodles, vegetables, spinach mix andmozzarella, then top with remaining sauce.Sprinkle with parmesan and bake at 400°for 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes beforecutting. If you prepare ahead and refrigerate,bake for 1 hour at 350°. Serves 10.Victoria Nelson, Grand RapidsZucchini BreadZucchini Bread3 large eggs1 c. vegetable oil2 c. brown sugar1 t. vanilla2 c. grated zucchini squash1/4 c. grated carrots3 c. flour1/2 t. salt3 t. cinnamon1¼ t. baking powder1½ t. baking soda1 c. chopped nutsSet oven to 350°. Spray two 9 x 5-inch loafpans and set aside. In a large bowl, mix eggs,oil, sugar and vanilla. Add zucchini andcarrots to mixture. Sift flour, salt, cinnamon,baking powder, and baking soda togetherin separate bowl and add dry mixture tozucchini mixture. Stir in nuts. Pour in sprayedpans. Bake 1 hour or until done. Cool 3hours before slicing.Deborah Black, SanduskyDill & Red Onion Vinaigrette1/2 c. vegetable oil1/4 c. red-wine vinegar1/4 c. red onion, minced1½ T. fresh dill, chopped1 T. fresh parsley, chopped1 t. dijon mustardsalt and freshly ground pepper to tasteCombine ingredients in jar or bottle thatcan be tightly sealed. Shake well before eachuse. Will keep for several weeks refrigerated.Bonnie Bourn, ConstantineSummer Bread SaladBread:1 T. olive oil1 T. buttersalt and fresh ground pepper, to taste1-2 cloves garlic, minced5-6 slices of bread, 1/2- to1-inch cubesHeat olive oil and butter in skillet. Add salt,pepper and garlic and stir for about 1 minute,until garlic is soft and fragrant. Add breadcubes and toss. Transfer to a small pan andbake at 300° for about 10 minutes, or untillightly toasted and browned.Salad:3 T. white balsamic vinegar1/4 c. olive oil1 small onion, minced1/2 lb. green beans, trimmed to 1-inch pieces,steamed 2 minutes and cooled2 small each zucchini and yellow summersquash, sliced, steamed 3 minutes and cooledPhotography by: 831 Creative18 | Michigan Country Lines

YOUR CO-OPThanks for Buying Energy-Saving Tools!It was a pleasure to speak with so manyof you at our district member meetingsin May.Even better, a lot of you took advantageof our Energy Optimization special offers:we sold 69 smart power strips, 298 CFLs,190 LED night lights, and 22 water aeratorkits at the seven meetings.All four products are still available atour Blanchard and Portland offices, ifyou’re interested. Below left are the prices,how much you’ll save with your instantrebates, and the total each member canpurchase.Members at the Remus meeting discussthe energy-saving products withMissy Robson (far right) and me.Your price Save (ea.) LimitCFL bulb (13W) $.50 $ 1.50 12Smart power strip $5.00 $20.00 2LED night light $1.00 $ 1.00 4Aerator kit $5.00 $10.00 2Nick Rusnellis HomeWorksTri-County ElectricCooperative’s EnergyAdvisorA Sunny Forecast for Propane PricesLooking at the price of propane issomething like looking at a weatherforecast… we’re coming out of a periodof stormy weather, and there’s a little bit ofsunshine on the horizon. That’s not to saythere won’t be a storm or two along the way,though!Over the past few years, the volatile pricesfor propane have caused a lot of uncertainty.Homeowners weren’t willing to commit toa heating source that wasn’t reliable andeconomic.But there is good news. With the newnatural gas reserves being found acrossAmerica, including the Marcellus Shale inthe eastern U.S. and the Bakken reserve inNorth Dakota, this uncertainty may becomea distant memory.Going forward, it’s predicted we will seean abundance of propane supply at favorablepricing. In fact, some current forecastsindicate that with current developments ofinfrastructure such as pipelines, we will havea glut of propane by 2020.What does this mean for you? It’s goodnews for propane consumers.If you’re happy with your service from HomeWorks Tri-CountyPropane, tell your friends! We’ll give you $75, honoring Tri-CountyElectric Cooperative’s 75th anniversary in 2012, for each new customer yourefer to us, when they sign up for our auto-fill or metered service.With these new reserves being tapped,there appears to be a plentiful supply ofnatural gas for years to come. Propane pricesused to follow the ups and downs of crudeoil, but since most supply now comes fromthese natural gas reserves, it’s more likely thatprices will follow those of natural gas.Rural consumers with limited heatingoptions, such as fuel oil or wood-burners,will appreciate the lower prices that are beingpredicted.At HomeWorks Tri-County Propane,prices for 2012-13 will be set by Aug. 1, socall us for the details. We believe they shouldbe 15-20 percent less than this past year. Butwe’re already seeing contracts for 2013-14that are just as favorable.Bottom line: those dark clouds of uncertainsupply and volatile pricing are passing. Theskies are clearing in the long-term propaneforecast.We’ve been looking out for your interestssince we started, with a no-fee cappedprice, and your money stays right here inmid-Michigan.These are good reasons to look at usfor your propane service. We want yourbusiness.Randy Halsteadis the Propane Managerat HomeWorksTri-County Propane, awholly-owned subsidiaryof HomeWorks Tri-CountyElectric CooperativeJuly/August 2012 | 21

WOLVERINE POWER COOPERATIVE | Nancy TannerClearing the WayFor Electric ReliabilityWolverine Power Cooperative istargeting 315 miles for rightof-waydanger tree removalsand trimming in 2012 on theco-op’s transmission system and another 230miles for herbicide application on lines thatwere re-cleared in 2010 and 2011.Re-clearing work is complete in theBaldwin, Weidman and Grawn areas andis planned for line sections near Copemish,Kalkaska, Hersey, Marion and Newaygo.Herbicide application is scheduled frommid-June through September on sectionsof the system near Boyne City, Elmira, Alba,Cheboygan, Tower, Atlanta, LeRoy, Scottville,Hersey, Altona and Vestaburg.Wolverine has implemented a five-yearcycle for re-clearing its 1,600-mile system.Brush that compromises access along theright-of-way corridor is cut or mowed andhazard trees that could fall into the powerlines are cut down. One or two years afterre-clearing, herbicide is hand-applied tocontrol the regrowth of trees and certainwoody shrubs.“We follow the North American ElectricReliability Corporation’s recommendedstandards for maintaining our rights-of-way,”says Joe Hughes, land management supervisor.“We are also a certified member of theEnergy for Wildlife program sponsored bythe National Wild Turkey Federation, whichpromotes a balanced vegetation managementpractice with wildlife habitat benefits.”The Federation helps Wolverine ensuresafe and reliable delivery of electricity toits member distribution cooperatives andimprove wildlife food, nesting and coverhabitats. By controlling the trees and invasivewoody shrubs with a selective herbicidetreatment, grasses dominate the corridor,which in turn helps minimize tree seedlingregrowth and reduce the need for future workto re-clear the corridor.Wolverine works with two contractors tomaintain the vegetation on its rights-of-way.Crews from Trees, Inc., perform the tree andbrush cutting, and Owen Tree Service appliesthe herbicide.Top: Wolverine Power Cooperative uses balanced vegetation managementpractices that promote delivery of safe, reliable electricity to member cooperativesand also benefit wildlife habitat. Bottom: Members of Wolverine’sland management department include Joe Hughes, Joe Hazewinkel andRon Sneller.Wolverine has also begun to trim overhangingtree canopies on the edges of someright-of-way corridors. While the goal ofroutine re-clearing is to prevent trees fromfalling or growing into the power lines, sidetree-trimming increases the horizontal treeclearance to the wires. The work is beingdone on lines that were rebuilt or are plannedfor rebuilding to prevent damage from treecontacts to upgraded sections of the system.“We are trimming tree limbs that couldcome in contact with our lines during highwinds or heavy snow,” Hughes explains. “Insome forested areas, the tree crowns were only15 feet from the wires, but the tree trunkswere outside the cleared corridor.Wolverine notifies landowners who havevegetation management work scheduled intheir areas. Letters are mailed two to fourweeks before work begins. Co-op memberswith questions may contact Wolverine’s landmanagement department at 231-775-5700.22 | Michigan Country Lines

James Dulley | HOUSE & HOMEHot Water Can Heat HomesUsing a reverse cycle chiller with your home’s heat pump can be a lesscostly alternative to supplemental resistance heating.have an old, inefficient electric resistance furnace. I have heard thereare some new types of heat pumps that use a big water tank and don’t needQ:Webackup heat. How do these systems work, and are they efficient?A:Although electric resistance heatingcan be relatively expensive chiller is it transfers heat to an insulated waterThe primary advantage of a reverse cycleto operate, it is 100 percent effi-tank. This allows you to install a heat pumpcient—that means all the electricity you payfor ends up heating your house. With a gas oroil furnace, you lose some heat out the flue.The problem with electric resistance heatingis that it costs more to produce 1 Btu fromelectricity than it does by burning fossil fuels.A heat pump can produce 3 Btu of heat foryour house for each 1 Btu on your electricbill. This is because the heat pump does notcreate heat directly. It uses a compressor, coilsand other equipment to draw heat from theoutdoor air and pump it into your house.The heat pump system you asked aboutis called a reverse cycle chiller. It basicallyuses a standard high-efficiency heat pumpto produce heat during winter and cool airin the summer. A typical air-source heatpump heats or cools a refrigerant that flowsdirectly through an indoor coil. Air blowsover the coil to heat or cool your house. Areverse cycle chiller heats or cools water in asmall (20- to 40-gallon) insulated tank. Thewater then flows through the indoor coil.The entire system will cost 15 percent to 20percent more to install than a standard heatpump/electric furnace combination.The output capacity of a typical heat pumpis sized for the cooling Btu requirements ofthe house. In most parts of the U.S., the heatingBtu requirements are greater. To makeup the difference, a backup electric resistancefurnace is required during very cold periods.As the outdoor temperature drops, the heatoutput of the heat pump also drops just asthe heating needs of your house increase.You might think you could install a largercapacity heat pump to provide enough heatfor your house even on very cold days. Thiswould be possible with an air-source heatpump, but it would not work well in theair-conditioning mode. An oversized air conditionerresults in short cycles, indoor temperatureswings, and poor dehumidification.with an extra large capacity for adequate heatingeven in cold weather without the associatedsummertime cooling issues. Many of themajor HVAC manufacturers’ heat pumps canbe used with a reverse cycle chiller system.During summer, this large heat pump coolingcapacity chills the water in the insulatedtank to 40 degrees or so. The chilled wateris run through a coil in the blower system,which cools and dehumidifies indoor air justlike a standard heat pump. The heat pumpcan cycle on and off as needed to chill thewater in the tank independently of the indoorblower. Therefore the blower can run as longas needed to provide comfort and efficiency.Another key advantage of having theheated water tank is its wintertime defrostmode. A heat pump regularly switches tothe cooling mode to defrost ice that collectson the outdoor condenser coils. During thistime, expensive electric resistance heat comeson or chilly air blows out the registers.With a reverse cycle chiller, the heat todefrost the coils comes from the heatedThe following companies offer reversecycle chiller systems:Aqua Products800-840-4264 • aquaproducts.usMultiaqua864-850-8990 • multiaqua.comUnico System800-527-0896 • unicosystem.comIf you have a question for Jim, pleaseemail jdulley@countrylines.com, or mailto James Dulley, Michigan Country Lines,2859 W. Jolly Rd., Okemos, MI 48864. Besure to let us know which electric co-opyou receive service from.Visit dulley.com for more homeimprovement and do-it-yourself tips.Source – Aqua ProductsThis reverse cycle system compressor unit ismounted on top of the heat exchanger totransfer heat to the water.water tank so warm air continues to blowout the registers. During regular operation,the temperature of the air coming out theregisters is also warmer than with a typicalair-source heat pump.In addition to eliminating or greatly reducingthe use of backup resistance heating, areverse cycle chiller provides options forefficient heating. Because the heat is comingfrom the insulated water tank, you can selectdifferent types of heating for different rooms.The hot water can be piped through a heatexchanger (fan coil) and typical ductwork toproduce heated air.It may be more efficient and comfortablein some rooms to use radiant floor heating.For this heating method, the hot water flowsthrough pipes in the floor. This is one ofthe most efficient heating methods becauseyou can feel comfortable at a lower room airtemperature. This option is more feasiblefor new construction, but it can be used ifyou have a basement providing access to theunderside of the floor above.During summer, an optional refrigerationheat reclaimer (similar to a geothermal desuperheater)can be used. Instead of the heatpump exhausting the heat to the outdoor airin the cooling mode, it can be used to heatyour domestic hot water for free.During winter, the heat pump can be usedto heat your domestic hot water in additionto the house.James Dulley is a nationallyrecognized mechanical engineerwriting about home energyissues for the National RuralElectric Cooperative Association.July/August 2012 | 23

SAFETYBuilding, Planting or Playing?Stay Clear of Power LinesElectric utility workers see some newhomes and other structures built in oddplaces—a home with the roof less than8 feet from an existing power line; a swimmingpool or barn right underneath a line.“When you think about a builder haulingin materials and working in those areas,and then folks using the pool or getting tooclose to the roof, it’s pretty scary,” says JoeMcElroy, safety director for the MichiganElectric Cooperative Association.So, whether you’re a contractor or a do-ityourselfer,use extra caution while workingnear overhead lines (never get closer than10 feet), and consider their location in yourplanning. Also, call HomeWorks Tri-County(517-647-7554 or 1-800-848-9333) to letthem know when you’re planning to workwithin 10 feet of power lines.“Electricity flows through metal, wood,water and many other conducting materials,including human beings—all in aneffort to reach the ground,” McElroy adds.“Small birds can sit on power lines unhurtbecause they don’t create a pathto the ground, but you and yourladder do.”Further, a power line doesn’thave to be touched to be dangerous.Unless you are qualifiedto work around power lines, youshould stay at least 10 feet away, ormore. Since overhead lines are not insulated,touching a line or an object in contact withit can result in serious injury, or even death.Stay away, and contact your electric co-op.The U.S. Occupational Safety and HealthAdministration advises that the best protectionis lots of space. Don’t operate equipmentaround overhead lines unless you areauthorized and trained to do so. Other safetytips include:u Use a nonconductive fiberglass ladder.u If objects (scaffolds, cranes) must bemoved near the lines, appoint a worker whoseonly job is to observe the clearance betweenthe lines and the object and warn others ifthat distance is not maintained.A powerline doesn’thave to betouched to bedangerous.u Never touch any downedpower line, and never assumefallen lines are dead.If you are in a vehicle that contactswith a power line, don’t leave thevehicle. As long as you stay inside and avoidtouching outside metal, you should avoidan electrical hazard. If you need to exit tosummon help or because of fire, jump outwithout touching any wires or the exterior,keep your feet together, and hop to safety.Photo – iStockphoto.comWhat do yard sale signs, basketball hoops, satellite dishesand birdhouses have in common? They’re often foundillegally attached to utility poles. But this isn’t just a crimeof inconvenience. Safety issues caused by unapprovedpole attachments put the lives of lineworkers and thepublic in peril.Your local electric co-op line crews climb utility polesat all hours of the day and night, in the worst conditions,so anything attached to them can create serious hazards.Sharp objects like nails, bolts, tacks, staples or barbed wirecan also puncture rubber gloves and other safety equipment,making lineworkers vulnerable to electrocution.Co-op lineworkers have even reported poles used assupport legs for deer stands, lights and carports. Anyperson placing items on poles also comes dangerouslyclose to energized power lines with thousands of voltsof energy pulsing overhead.Unauthorized pole attachments also violate theNational Electrical Safety Code. Utilities strictly followthis code, so please help keep lineworkers—and members of your community andfamily—safe. Don’t attach any of these dangerous items to utility poles.Fixtures not belonging to the co-op or another utility will be removed by linepersonnel, and the co-op is not responsible for any losses if an item is damagedor destroyed during removal.Teach Kids Safety, TooKids often don’t understand the outdoordangers of electricity, but making themaware of overhead lines and these rulescan help:p Never play or climb trees near powerlines.p Never climb a utility pole or tower.p Never fly kites or model planes neartrees and overhead lines. If a toy gets stuckin a tree near the lines, don’t climb toget it. Call your local electric co-op orutility for help.p Don’t play on or around pad-mountedelectrical equipment (usually green boxes).p Never go into an electric substation—not even to rescue a pet or retrieve a toy.Substations contain deadly, high-voltageequipment. Call your electric co-op orarea utility instead.p Use caution before plugging in a radioor electrical gadgets outdoors. Keep allelectrical appliances at least 10 feet awayfrom hot tubs, pools, ponds, puddlesand wet surfaces.24 | Michigan Country Lines

Energy Star ® Products Can Bring Outthe Best in Your HomeRemember your grandparents’ kitchenand living room? Now picture yourcurrent home. What differences cometo mind? Lime green and turquoise applianceshave given way to black, white and stainlesssteel. Console TVs have become flat screens.And, energy use is more important than eversince more appliances and electronic devicesare part of today’s homes.Energy efficient merchandise offers convenienceand helps you manage your energyuse. Energy Star® products provide the samefeatures that you’re already used to, but canuse up to 75 percent less energy than standardmodels.What is Energy Star?Energy Star began 20 years ago as a joint effortbetween the U.S. Department of Energy andthe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.This voluntary labeling program promotesenergy efficient products. Computers andmonitors were the first products to earn theEnergy Star label.Today, there are 60 Energy Star productcategories—from lightbulbs to refrigerators—and over 300 million qualified products aresold each year. In addition, 2,200 privateemployers manufacture these products,providing jobs and helping customers saveenergy.To use the Energy Star label, a product must:l Contribute significant energy savings.l Deliver features and performance thatcustomers demand.l Back up energy savings claims withtesting.In short, Energy Star is a trusted brandfor quality products that use lessenergy. Energy efficiency productsare among the few products on themarket that pay you back over time.RebatesWhile Energy Star-qualified productsoften cost more than standardversions, the initial investment isalmost always recouped by the longtermsavings that result. Rebatescan also help offset the up-frontcost. HomeWorks Tri-County ElectricCooperative offers cash-backrebates on qualifying efficiency products,including Energy Star.Learn more at michigan-energy.org.Shop OnIf a lightbulb burns out or your fridge is onthe fritz, give Energy Star a chance. For moreways to save energy, check out HomeWorkTri-County’s other Energy Optimizationprograms.Online: michigan-energy.orgCall: 877-296-4319Sample Energy Efficiency ProductsRebateCFLs, LEDs, LED Holiday Lights In-store discountCFL or LED Light Fixtures $15-20Smart Power Strip $20Room Air Conditioner $20Dehumidifier $20Refrigerator $20Clothes Dryer $25Dishwasher $20Clothes Washer $50Low Flow Aerator Kits $10ENERGY STAR ® appliances: Feel-good purchasesDishwasher on the fritz? Need a new refrigerator?Dryer not working? Take advantage of $10–$50Energy Optimization rebates on qualifying energyefficient appliances. View incentives online.ENERGY TIP: Use up to 75% less energywith ENERGY STAR products.Online: michigan-energy.org Phone: 877.296.4319Energy Optimization programs and incentives are applicable to Michigan service locations only.Other restrictions may apply. For a complete list of participating utilities, visit michigan-energy.org.July/August 2012 | 25

RAMBLINGS| Mike BudaToo Much StuffIs it time for a garage sale?My wife Barb and I have asked eachother that question for the last 10 yearsand though we’ve agreed we need toget rid of a lot of stuff, we haven’t pulledthe trigger. So, stuff keeps piling up. (No,we’re not hoarders—yet.)We’ve got to clean out the basement.And the garage.And the attic above the garage.And the garden shed.And the closets.I took a quick inventory of stuff that weshould get rid of but may disagree about.Cedar-lined hope chests, large and small,inherited from parents and family friends.An 18-speed Fuji bicycle bought in 1978—heavy by today’s standards but still a nicebike (I should take it for a spin).Piles of wood in several places: 2x4s,4x4s, plywood, treated planks, oak trimwith nail holes (I wonder if I should put itback up?), lattice for the deck.Metal tubing used on a kids’ play gymthat I tore down long ago, a door for a1991 Mazda RX-7, old windows, and oneof those tiny spare tires.Stationary and portable table saws (Idon’t know which one to keep), a doublebedheadboard and frame, several woodenscreen doors meant to be a simple meansof creating a screened-in porch (seemedlike a good idea at the time).A chain saw with a bent bar, a gas-powered,broken leaf shredder and wood chipper,several speaker sets for various musicsystems, a couple of large plate mirrors (Idon’t dare break them up), several somewhatbroken bird feeders, an old sumppump that probably still works.Various insulation panels, aluminumsiding panels and vinyl trim, shinglesleft over from roofing projects, extra raingutters.A set of old golf clubs, badminton andcroquet sets, He-Man © toys (apparentlywe’re supposed to keep these), playthingsfor a pool we no longer have, cross-countryskis (the long, narrow kind) with boots.A set of painted end tables designed forthe ‘70s.And then, there are clothes, mostly minefrom my work life: suits and ties I’ll neverwear again. Life sure is easier when youonly wear jeans, or shorts and polo andt-shirts.Stuff has been piling up in those spacesfor 35 years. It’s been passed on by parentsand aunts who wanted us to have it. Leftby kids who moved on. Accumulated byus, kept because we might need it someday-orhaven’t used it enough to justifygetting rid of it, if that makes any sense.If we had moved a few times in the past35 years, we probably would have ditchedsome things with each move, but didn’tand haven’t, so it keeps piling up. I worrythat our sons will have to deal with all thisstuff if we don’t do something about it.A friend is wondering what to do withall of his mother’s china, passed downthrough generations, which no one in thefamily wants.Every time my parents moved, fromIronwood to Mason to Minneapolis andto assisted living, they got rid of stuff. So,now there’s not much left for their kids toworry about.Believe me, none of this stuff is goingto make it to Antiques Roadshow. Maybepeople from the American Pickers TVshow will come and buy it all, but I’m notholding my breath.Usually, when we want to get rid ofsomething that really has no value, we putit next to the road and tape a “FREE” signon it. Sometimes, we don’t even botherwith the sign. People take it anyway. Idon’t know if that’s considered theft. We’vegotten rid of broken lawnmowers andsnowblowers, a 30-year-old TV, old windowsand doors, lawn and inside furniture,a broken shop vacuum.We play a game to guess how long it willtake for someone to haul it away. I don’tthink any of those free things has lastedlonger than a couple of hours out front.The record is 20 minutes. I’m glad someonecan use this stuff.If we lived a little further south, wecould join Michigan’s Longest Garage Sale,which stretches along the entire routeof U.S.-12 from Detroit to Coldwaterto New Buffalo, from Lake Erie to LakeMichigan. This year it runs from Aug.10-12. (Get a map at us12heritagetrail.org.) Hundreds of homes, farms and businessesalong the mostly country road willbe selling everything from antiques, collectibles,furniture and dishware to freshgarden produce and homemade jams andjellies. There will be live entertainmentalong the way. Maybe even more interestingthan the “junk” are the people you’llmeet along the drive.The U.S.-12 Heritage Trail has beenused since prehistoric times. Near Salineand parallel to the highway, paleontologistsfrom the University of Michigan haveexcavated portions of the longest mastodontrailway ever found, suggesting thatgame animals were using the corridor over10,000 years ago. The indigenous peopleof Michigan who hunted the animalsfollowed.In 1825, the U.S. government appropriated$3,000 for a federal highway, thesecond in the nation, which was laid outalong an ancient Indian trail. Maintainedby federal, state and local governments,the highway has been used ever since.Some of the stuff in the garage sale may beas old as the highway.But we don’t live there, so we will resortto other means. Some things will go toGoodwill, some we’ll put on Craigslist, therest will wait for a garage sale. Whenever.Mike Buda is editoremeritus of Country Lines.Email Mike at mbuda@countrylines.com or commenton his columns atcountrylines.com/column/ramblingsPhoto – Dreamstime.com

AmericanEnergy?It’s right under your feet.Bosch Geothermal systems use the energy from the earth to efficientlyand cost effectively heat and cool your home. You can save up to70% on energy bills and with a 30% Federal Tax Credit, it’s moreaffordable than ever. Now, when you register your Bosch GeothermalHeat Pump online, you’re eligible to win a free Bosch ENERGY STAR® rated dishwasher!Visit www.geothermalenergymi.com.Copyright © 2012 Bosch Thermotechnology Corp. All rights reserved.