Rural Missouri - October 2011 - (Page 4)

C O M M E NT S Enjoying Missouri outdoors “Devoted to the rural way of life” October 2011 Volume 63 / Number 10 Jim McCarty, editor jmccarty@ruralmissouri.coop Jason Jenkins, managing editor jjenkins@ruralmissouri.coop Heather Berry, associate editor hberry@ruralmissouri.coop Kyle Spradley, field editor kspradley@ruralmissouri.coop Megan Schibi, editorial assistant mschibi@ruralmissouri.coop photos by Jason Jenkins I Governor’s float trip focuses attention on rural tourism t’s been said that even the worst day of fishing is better than the best day at work. So when your day at the office requires fishing along one of the state’s most scenic rivers, it’s hard to go wrong. On a sultry day in August, Gov. Jay Nixon, his wife, Georganne, and the couple’s eldest son, Jeremiah, traveled to Oregon County in southern Missouri to float the meandering Eleven Point River and fish for rainbow trout. The trip was intended to promote in-state tourism and encourage Missourians to take advantage of the state’s diverse outdoor recreational opportunities. State leaders in conservation, natural resources and rural development joined the governor on the trip, including Sara Parker Pauley, director of the Department of Natural Resources; Bob Ziehmer, director of the Department of Conservation; Bill Bryan, director of Missouri State Parks; Dave Murphy, executive director of the Conservation Federation of Missouri; and Barry Hart, executive vice president of the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives. The day began with a short hike to visit nearby Greer Spring, the state’s secondlargest spring gushing about 220 million gallons of water each day. After floating the Eleven Point’s Blue Ribbon Trout Area, the group visited the remnants of Turner Mill. Nixon said that as a child, he spent many summer days floating and fishing Joachim Creek and Big River near his home of De Soto. Camping and fishing were favorite activities for the family, and it’s a tradition he and Georganne have continued. The first lady recalled camping on a gravel bar when their sons were toddlers. “I think that it’s just a great way to plan family vacations to take advantage of all these resources we have in Mary Davis, production manager mdavis@ruralmissouri.coop Angie Jones-Gerber Dusty Weter Co-op page designers Above: Gov. Jay Nixon, left, visits with Tim and Kim Jinkerson, Ozark Border Electric Cooperative members from Ellsinore, while visiting Greer Spring in Oregon County as part of the annual governor’s float trip. Left: Rainbow trout thrive in the Eleven Point River’s spring-fed waters, making it a popular destination for anglers. Missouri and create new generations of conservationists who value these treasures,” she said. Added the governor: “After the hot summer we’ve seen, we’re trying to lengthen our tourism season, and we want all Missourians, all Midwesterners, to get outside. There are some lessons only nature can teach, and you have to get outside to learn them.” USPS 473-000 ISSN 0164-8578 Copyright 2011, Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives. Call for reprint rights. Rural Missouri is published monthly by the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives. Barry Hart, executive vice president. Individual subscription rate: $9 per year or $21 for three years, taxes and postage included. Group rate for members of participating RECs $3.99, taxes and postage included. Delivery as specified by subscriber. If not specified, delivery will be by periodical class mail at subscriber’s expense. Periodical Class postage paid at Jefferson City, MO, and additional mailing offices. Choice at the pump issourians will have more choices when it comes to fuel to power their vehicles thanks to an ambitious effort to install blender pumps around the state. In fact, Missouri leads the nation in the installation of the pumps that allow multiple blends of “homegrown” ethanol and gasoline. An official from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) visited the State Fair to recognize Missouri as the national leader in renewable energy. Through a USDA Rural Development program and a partnership with the Missouri Corn Merchandising Council, the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives and the Missouri Department of Agriculture, Missouri fuel retailers have been approved to install 26 biofuel pumps — more than any other state. “It’s the Show-Me State, and they’re showing us all right,” USDA Rural Development Business Program Administrator Judy Canales said at the fair. “It behooves Missouri because in the long run, this is going to be a locally grown product creating and keeping jobs in rural communities.” Platte-Clay Fuels, a subsidiary of the electric cooperative serving north of Kansas City, unveiled its blender pump on Aug. 17. The new pumps allow customers with flex-fuel vehicles to select a blend of E15, E30, E40 or E85 at the cooperative’s stations in Kearney and Platte City. www.ruralmissouri.coop Find us on www.facebook.com/ruralmissouri Postmasters: Send address changes to Rural Missouri, P.O. Box 1645, Jefferson City, MO 65102. Subscribers: Report change of address to your local cooperative. Do not send change of address to Rural Missouri. Advertising standards: Advertising published in Rural Missouri is accepted on the premise that the merchandise and services offered are accurately described and sold to customers at the advertised price. Rural Missouri and Missouri’s electric cooperatives do not endorse any products or services advertised herein. Advertising that does not conform to these standards or that is deceptive or misleading is never knowingly accepted by this publication. Advertising information: mdavis@ruralmissouri.coop 573-659-3400 National Advertising Representative: National Country Market; 611 S. Congress St., Suite 504; Austin, TX 78704 573-659-3400 Member, Missouri Association of Publications and Missouri Press Association P.O. Box 1645 Jefferson City, MO 65102 573-659-3423 info@ruralmissouri.coop Rural Missouri M Missouri leads nation in blender pump installs “We’re pleased to work with the USDA and the Missouri Corn Growers Association in rolling out the new ethanol blender pumps,” said Bill Estes, chief operating officer for Platte-Clay Fuels. “The new blender pumps let drivers choose their blend and their fuel price.” The blender pumps were installed because of increasing customer interest in ethanol, Estes said. Platte-Clay Fuels was the first recipient of a Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) grant, created by USDA to assist with renewable energy systems and energy efficient improvement projects in rural areas. The new blender pumps were among the first in Missouri. Besides the two at Platte-Clay Fuels, there are three more already installed in Jefferson City. By year’s end, that number should grow to 10, with more on the way in 2012. “Missouri’s unique team is leading the nation in applications, but more importantly, in actually making this work,” Canales said. “But this is not the end of a campaign. This is step one. Our goal is 10,000 blender pumps over the next five years. So, we’ve got to continue with this effort.” For more on blender pumps, visit www.ethanol.org or call 800-827-4181. You can learn more about Platte-Clay Fuels at www.pcec.coop/Affiliates/Platte-Clay-Fuels-LLC.html. 4 WWW.RURALMISSOURI.COOP http://www.ruralmissouri.coop http://www.facebook.com/ruralmissouri http://www.facebook.com/ruralmissouri http://www.ethanol.org http://www.pcec.coop/Affiliates/Platte-Clay-Fuels-LLC.html http://WWW.RURALMISSOURI.COOP

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Rural Missouri - October 2011

Rural Missouri - October 2011
Table of Contents
Comments
Columns
Dining on the tracks
Zagonyi’s Charge
Staying on target
Outdoors
Husking heritage
Painting memories
Out of the Way Eats
Hearth and Home
News Briefs
On the brink
Marketplace
Around Missouri
Neighbors
Just4Kids

Rural Missouri - October 2011