Indholdsfortegnelse for January/February 2021 i Country Living

Rachel Hardage Barrett EDITOR-IN-CHIEF @RACHELHARDAGEBARRETT A A Welcome from the Editor Happy 2021! Now that this century is officially old enough to drink, I’m celebrating with hot toddies (pg. 24). If there’s a toast-worthy takeaway from last year, it’s that 2020 reacquainted us with all the joys that country life has to offer: the unfussy appeal of alfresco entertaining; the quiet, reassuring calm of tending to your own patch of land—not to mention the feasibility of maintaining six feet of distance (or “one cow apart,” as I’ve heard some say). It’s like the whole world was finally let in on our little secret. If you’ve recently come around to this whole concept of country living, consider this issue one big “welcome.” (Also: We baked you a loaf of bread! See…

For Antique Heirlooms For a piece that is truly unique, turn to these three experts in museum-quality quilts: Stella Rubin (stellarubinantiques.com), Marie Miller (antiquequilts.com), and Laura Fisher (laurafisherquilts.com). For Everyday Treasures Sure, Instagram is rich with design inspiration, but did you know it’s also a great source for vintage quilts? Some favorites to follow: @catson quilt, @cindysantiquequilts, @featheredfarmquilts, and the hashtag #vintagequiltsforsale. And don’t miss thrifter Hannah Kelly (@stitchedandfound), who scours flea markets and secondhand stores collecting hundreds of quilts for her business (stitchedandfound.com). Tune in at 8 p.m. CST every Thursday to shop her latest finds. For Hidden Gems If you crave the thrill of the hunt, the best way to find a quilt bargain is to become a regular at local estate sales. Even the most drab quilts…

Make It Plant-Based Flavonoids are natural dietary compounds, which have long been associated with heart health benefits. Tea is one of the best sources of flavonoids in the diet—which makes it a smart beverage choice. Unsweetened Lipton Black Tea and Green Tea contain about 170 mg and 150 mg of flavonoids per serving, respectively. Be Active Regular physical activity is key to keeping your heart in top-notch shape. Whether you’re a runner, a swimmer, or a yogi, get up and get moving! Remember that staying hydrated is an important part of being active. Unsweetened tea is predominately water, which is needed to keep your body running at its best. Swap Out Sugar Choosing beverages with no added sugars in place of sugar-sweetened beverages can contribute to a healthy diet consistent…

OBJECT LESSON: Towle’s Log Cabin Syrup Tins WHAT TO KNOW: With partner Thomas F. McCormick, Minnesota grocer Patrick J. Towle launched his maple syrup company in 1888, naming his inaugural product Log Cabin Pure Maple Syrup as a nod to rustic sugaring camps. The earliest tins were hand-soldered and rectangular. About a decade later, an employee had the genius idea to play up the name and package the syrup in a log cabin–shaped tin. It was a huge hit—even awarded a first prize at the 1900 Paris Expo—that catapulted the brand into a household name. The first examples had red paper labels. Lithographed designs appeared around 1917, allowing for more interesting pictorial scenes. Lack of sugar and metal halted production of the tins during WWII, and, in the late 1950s, the…

MONITOR DIET Like many of us, dogs tend to get less exercise when the temperature drops. If your pooch is spending more hours snoozing by the fireplace and less time running around the yard, consult with your vet about the possibility of reducing their food intake by 10 to 20 percent for the season. Be on the lookout for weight changes anytime you lower the amount of food your pet is eating, and adjust accordingly. LAYER UP Some dog breeds are suited to freezing temperatures, while others wish they lived in Florida during the winter. Dogs with short, thin coats (like Chihuahuas, dachshunds, greyhounds, whippets, and even pit bulls) benefit from wearing a jacket or sweater. Regardless of coat, no dog should be left outdoors in freezing weather, especially damp…

Gothic Aka “rainbow roof,” it’s framed with curved rafters and wrapped with an extended roof. Gambrel The roof’s sloped sides maximize internal space and help keep snow from collecting. Monitor Ideal for farm equipment, the raised center area also scores high for conversion potential. Gable Thanks to its simple, versatile design, this is the most common and affordable barn style.…

After hosting small events and Airbnb guests on their three-acre “farm-ette” near Boulder, Colorado, Margaret and Chris Shutze were ready for the next step, country wise. “We wanted a place we could live, host weddings and workshops, and have rooms for guests—oh, and waterfalls and ponds, too,” says Margaret. “I didn’t think we’d find it!” But after Googling things like “cutest towns,” the couple traveled to Highlands, NC. There they discovered a rolling 28.5-acre property and transformed it into their newly opened retreat, Flat Mountain Farm (@flatmountainfarm). “We so enjoy farm life and can’t wait to share it.”…

Designer Mikel Welch walks into Talmage Farm Agway in Riverhead, NY Hoop Log Holder I’m dying to use this log holder (talmagefarm.com) next to a beautiful fireplace. It looks like a piece of art! Wire Egg Basket This matte black basket by Miller Mfg. is just a moment on her own. Instead of its intended purpose, I would use it as a decorative object on a bookshelf. As a city dweller, I’m always striving for things that have rustic farmhouse appeal. Burlap by the Yard As a designer, I need my roll of burlap! It’s one of those simple go-tos that can be used for a variety of things: as a tablecloth runner, to upholster chairs, and as a filler inside baskets. The natural quality of it also makes it evergreen, so…

Sally Watkinson and Doug Posey were devoted Brooklynites, but when they were expecting their first child, they started thinking about leaving. “The question was, what would we do for work?” says Doug. The answer came in a listing for Audrey’s Farmhouse (@audreysfarmhouse), a dog-friendly B&B in Wallkill, NY. The couple packed up their pooches and jumped in. “Luckily we loved it. Interactions with city visitors eased the transition, and several guests have now become friends.” They’ve since opened a second B&B, The Greenhouses. “I never thought we’d be in the country full time,” Sally says. “Now I can’t imagine living anywhere else.”…

No 1 Kitchen Cookware “The Dutchess,” by Great Jones Co. WHY WE LOVE IT This enameled cast-iron vessel, which comes in seven colors, smartly doubles as a roasting pan (it’s oven-safe up to 500°F). It also sits quite prettily on the stovetop. $155; greatjonesgoods.com No 2 Ticking Stripe Mattresses by Country Living and Idle Sleep WHY WE LOVE IT Because nothing beats a country night’s sleep, we’re delivering it to you! The new Welcome Home collection by Country Living features three American-made styles sporting custom woven ticking-stripe detailing. Pricing starts at $899; sleepcountryliving.com No 3 Modern Chiminea by Terrain WHY WE LOVE IT At almost five feet tall, this stately steel structure, complete with a handy log holder, is the next best thing to a custom outdoor fireplace. $448; shopterrain.com…

FREE-RANGE REVELRY PAGE 24 Spicy-n-Sweet Snack Mix WORKING TIME 15 minutes TOTAL TIME 45 minutes (including cooling) MAKES about 4 cups Cooking spray 3 tablespoons unsalted butter¼ cup pure honey1 ½ tablespoons Sriracha1 ½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper1 teaspoon onion powder½ teaspoon garlic powder½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper1 cup sesame sticks1 cup mixed roasted nuts, such as peanuts, pistachios, cashews, and walnuts1 cup crunchy chickpeas2 teaspoons lemon zest1 tablespoon sugar1 teaspoon kosher salt 1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly grease a rimmed baking sheet. Cook butter, honey, Sriracha, Worcestershire, Aleppo pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring just until warm and butter is melted. Stir in sesame sticks, nuts, and chickpeas. Spread mixture on prepared baking sheet. 2. Bake, stirring halfway…

1. INSTALL THE BASE. To get started, gather two pieces of 4'- by-8' plywood, a few two-by-fours, and a trusty drill. Bolt two-by-fours into studs of the desired wall, then top with plywood to create a large square. 2. MAP OUT THE DESIGN. Once the base is securely attached, it’s time to map out a geometric quilt pattern of your choice using painter’s tape. 3. PAINT YOUR PATTERN. Lara’s tip for saving money on paint is to buy small paint samples of multiple colors rather than quart-size cans. Use a combination of rollers and brushes to paint your taped design. Top with a weatherproof sealer for protection. 4. MAKE IT CLIMBABLE. Drill in a selection of climbing holds in various areas of the barn quilt. Atomik Climbing Holds (atomikclimbingholds.com) will…

Mark your calendars for our signature shopping event. (Oh, how we’ve missed seeing you all!) Prize Pickin’ Now more than ever, it’s time to support small businesses. Shop 200-plus dealers selling handcrafted treasures, cool antique and vintage finds, and more. Fun Programming Learn tricks of the trade (and hear behind-the-scenes scoops!) from editors, designers, authors, and TV personalities. Hands-On Demos Want to learn letterpress? Cross-stitch? Succulent gardening? Now’s your chance! Plus: Sign up for private cooking demos, bourbon tastings, and other culinary experiences. Fair Flavor Enjoy local eats (food trucks, farm dinners), kick up your boots at a country hoedown, and, yes, test your skills at an epic charity dunking booth featuring bold-faced names. Keep checking fair.countryliving.com for details and to shop all your favorite vendors at the virtual Country…

Five months after falling for her future husband at a party, Alissa Hessler left her corporate job in Seattle to move into a farmhouse with him in Camden, Maine. “There weren’t any decent-paying job prospects, so I knew I’d have to start my own business,” she says. Unable to find “truthful, accessible stories about others who had made the switch from city to country,” Alissa created Urban Exodus (@theurbanexodus), a collection of interviews, photography, and invaluable advice from rural small-business owners. A book by the same name followed, as well as a new Urban Exodus podcast. “It’s a resource for people who want to make the move, and I hope it will inspire them to do it. It’s hard work, but so fulfilling.”…

GEOMETRIC Laura Preston @vacilandoquilting Laura Preston’s contemporary quilt designs are inspired by the scenes admired during her years spent traveling across the U.S. in an Airstream. She now crafts her quilts, wall hangings, and coats in her Texas studio. Are you a crafter? Check out her designs in Simple Geometric Quilting. For Patterns and Quilts: vacilandoquilting.co SENTIMENTAL Blair Stocker @blairs Blair Stocker comes from a fashion background, so it’s no surprise that the first quilt she ever made was pieced together from patches of her daughter’s outgrown clothing. She continues to create using vintage and sentimental fabrics and shares her ideas in her book, Wise Craft Quilts. For Patterns: wisecrafthandmade.com BOLD Latifah Saafir @latifahsaafirstudios Latifah Saafir is known for quilts that are happy and vibrant. Most recently, she’s created a line of…

TRIED-AND-TRUE SHAKER-STYLE CABINETS Named after the Shakers, the religious community known for their craftsmanship of simple yet beautiful furniture, this never-wrong cabinet style is recognized by its squared edges and recessed center panels. The clean-lined door fronts (above, Benton; aristokraft.com) add just enough of a design statement without feeling fussy. SPLURGE VS. SAVE SHIP LIGHTS Originally found along the bulkheads of ships, these caged ceiling-mount fixtures do the work of recessed can lights but in a much warmer, patinaed package. HAVING A MOMENT WHITE APPLIANCES When electric appliances began to appear in kitchens in the early 1900s, white was the color of choice. Today, after a decades-long rein of stainless, white finishes are back en vogue and feeling fresher than ever. Powder-Coated White Range us.bertazzoni.com STYLING SECRETS “BEAUTILITARIAN” ACCESSORIES As a…

No 1 Oversize Quilt Square A large-scale piece of painted plywood lends graphic punch to any space. First, cut a piece of plywood to desired size (ours is four feet square). Draw a quilt block (here, Twin Star–style) on the wood with pencil, using a ruler or painter’s tape for straight lines, then paint with acrylic paint. Nail strips of ½-inch trim along the edges to finish. Lean or hang on the wall. No 2 Basket Art A bevy of baskets brings ample texture to a room. Using nails, hang a larger basket in the middle, then surround with smaller baskets in a circular or starburst pattern. No 3 Spoon Display Wooden spoons come in many sizes, shapes, and colors, making them the perfect ombre kitchen art. To assemble, cut…

MARSHA BEMKO ANTIQUES ROADSHOW Executive producer for the Emmy Award–nominated TV program MARSHA DIXEY HERITAGE AUCTIONS Manager of the world’s largest online auction house; expert in Americana collectibles HELAINE FENDELMAN Certified member of the Appraisers Association of America, Inc.; specialist in fine and decorative arts BENE RAIA RAIA AUCTIONEERS, INC. Owner of the Auction Marketplace; a generalist auctioneer and expert in dolls and toys PLUS Have something you’re convinced is valuable? Send a photo and description to wiiw@countryliving.com.…

SPINES OF THE TIMES Meet the Newest Micro-Influencers Hedgehogs have been bringing pint-sized doses of joy to Instagram feeds lately, but they’re more than just a prickly filtered face. Their diminutive size and sweet nature also make them excellent pets. Here, a few feeds that will inspire you to live life on the hedge. Quill You Be Mine? Dr. Tricia Earley on what to keep in mind before adopting a hedgehog They’re quite social. They love interaction, so be sure you’ll have plenty of time to socialize. They have short life spans. Pet hedgehogs usually live four to seven years. They require minimal space. An eight-square-foot enclosure will do, and an exercise wheel and a hiding spot, such as a log or a snuggle sack, are musts. Be prepared for…

“Many Americans are choosing to leave high-cost urban areas,” says Matt Frankel, the senior analyst for Millionacres (a real estate investing service by The Motley Fool). He also notes that the massive millennial generation is reaching its family-formation years, and the pandemic has accelerated the desire for more space. For those looking to make the leap, here are the sites to obsessively refresh. CIRCAOLDHOUSES.COM CL’s real estate columnist Elizabeth Finkelstein runs this treasure trove of cross-country listings. (The site is also the official host of listings from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.) Circa’s kid sister, cheapoldhouses.com, highlights properties less than $100K. AUCTIONZIP.COM In many rural areas, auctions are the preferred choice for a quick sale. You likely won’t find many of these gems on the big real estate sites.…

“If you’re new to vegetable gardening, start small, with a single four-by-eight-foot raised bed, until you have a season or two under your belt. Bush beans, lettuce, potatoes, cucumbers, and zucchini are easy-togrow crops ideal for beginners.”—NIKI JABBOUR, author of Growing Under Cover (Halifax, Nova Scotia) “My go-to farmhouse paint color is Benjamin Moore’s Decorator’s White. It’s timeless and pairs well with patterns and finds from the local antiques mall.”—HOLLY WILLIAMS, founder of White’s Mercantile and CL Contributor (Cornersville, TN) “Get comfortable giving out-of-town visitors a list of things they should bring you from Trader Joe’s.”—MOLLY YEH, Food Network personality, cookbook author, and blogger (East Grand Forks, MN) “If a long, cold winter starts to get you down, remember that spring in the country will be glorious. You’ll notice and appreciate every warm…

1 FROM THE FRONT PORCH Annie Jones, owner of Thomasville, GA, bookstore The Bookshelf, discusses small-business ownership, books, and life in the South. fromthefrontporchpodcast.com 2 GRAVY This biweekly podcast from the Southern Foodways Alliance dives into the rich culinary traditions of the South and explores how they’re evolving. southernfoodways.org/gravypodcast 3 FOLLOWING HARRIET Learn about the extraordinary life of Harriet Tubman in this four-episode podcast, which also examines the 19th-century African American experience, especially in Virginia. virginia.org/harriet 4 DOLLY PARTON’S AMERICA This Peabody Award–winning, nine-part podcast goes deep into the Dollyverse, from her childhood in Tennessee to the creation of Dollywood. wnycstudios.org/podcasts…

Set New Boundaries. While some dogs will naturally stay close to home even with a move to open land, others will run to the next county within the first hour. When fencing is impractical, I recommend a professionally installed Invisible Fence. A bit of training using visual barriers to establish a perimeter is essential, and most dogs will learn their boundaries fairly quickly. Watch Their Weight. Your pet is bound to burn more calories in their much-enlarged country playground (imagine getting off the couch and suddenly running a 5K every day), so be sure to monitor their weight after you move. If they start to shed pounds, gradually increase their daily food intake until they’re back within a healthy range. Establish an “Outhouse.” Even when you have more space around…

currently craving COUPE GLASSES There’s no better way to toast the New Year than with this glassware beloved by French nobility in the 1700s (here’s to you, Marie Antoinette). The wide, shallow saucer was designed to minimize bubbles and hold just enough Champagne to drink in one big celebratory sip. Vintage versions from American glass companies like Fostoria and Imperial evoke extravagance without being a buzzkill to your budget. Glasses start at just $8 each at replacements.com. Cheers to that!…

TEST KITCHEN TIP SALT SUB The salty, sweet topping is made with butter and salted peanuts, but if you only have unsalted nuts on hand, simply add ½ teaspoon kosher salt to the streusel mix. TEST KITCHEN TIP CHOP, CHOP You may be tempted to buy prechopped garlic for the ¼ cup called for in the recipe, but Food Director Charlyne Mattox insists freshly chopped cloves are worth the effort. TEST KITCHEN TIP SIMPLE DRIZZLE A two-ingredient glaze of confectioners’ sugar and sour cream gives these mini breads that classic carrot-cake flavor. TEST KITCHEN TIP FREEZER FIX Most recipes using frozen spinach instruct that it be thawed, but in this case, it’s better to add the chopped spinach while it’s still frozen. Doing so prevents it from getting soggy in…

Wild for… PAGE 16 (TOP TO BOTTOM) Designer Phoebe Howard; @phoebehoward_decorator, phoebehoward.net. Designer Anthony Baratta; @tony baratta, anthonybaratta.com. Designer Max Humphrey; @maxwhumphrey, maxhumphrey.com. Habitats PAGE 21 Designer Heather Chadduck Hillegas; @heatherchadduck, heatherchadduck.com. Custom cabinets Canebrake Cabinet Company; canebrakecabinets.com. “Ephram” cabinet hardware; restorationhardware.com. “Earth” poured concrete countertops; wegrowconcrete.com. Maker’s Dozen PAGE 29 Spindle lamp; ballarddesigns.com. Ticking stripe wallpaper; yorkwallcoverings.com. Pink chair; safavieh.com. Rosewater curtain fabric; fabricut.com. “Zazu” pillow fabric; kathrynireland.com. Sheepskin slippers; overland.com. PAGE 30 Pink butter dish and sugar dish; kissthatfrog.com. French stripe wallpaper; yorkwallcoverings.com. “Millbrook” bench; serenaandlily.com. “Kanta” and “Visada” throw pillows; johnrobshaw.com. Vintage Sivas rug; jaysonhome.com. PAGE 31 “Filbert” writing desk; safavieh.com. “Circle Line” table lamp; originalbtc.com. “Copenhagen” bench; shop.designideas.net. Blockprint bench cushion; anthropologie.com. Quilted jacket; filson.com. Vintage Turkish runner; revivalrugs.com. “Chelsea” boots; blundstone.com. Gold Euro shams; lesindiennes.com. Cast-iron headboard; brassbedofva.com. PAGE 32 Japanese towels; rikumo.com. Dust pan; behrensmfg.com. Storage hamper set; connectedgoods.com. PAGE 34 Wooden dachshund pull toy and truck; little-poland-gallery.myshopify.com. “Benedict the Chicken” and “Lucille the Duck” dolls; blablakids.com. “Lewis Toad”…