Innehållsförteckning för August/September 2019 från Country

Greener Pastures Living in rural America is a lifestyle I love. Just a drive around our county affords many beautiful scenes for this photographer. Sheep ranching is prevelant in the northwestern area of Colorado where I live. While on a quiet drive one afternoon near Black Mountain, with the fall colors just starting to show, I captured this moment of peace in the mountains. Finding a herd of sheep nestled in this valley may be common to some, but to me it speaks volumes about the freedom we enjoy out West. We have lived in rural Colorado for most of our married life, and the landscapes here never bore me.…

IN THE MOUNTAINOUS Laurel Highlands of southwestern Pennsylvania lies Keystone State Park. Located in Derry Township, the 1,200-acre park is perfect for a day trip, but there are so many recreational activities and outdoor adventures, you’ll want to plan a longer stay. The park’s biggest attraction is Keystone Lake. At about 78 acres, it’s large enough for boating, kayaking, canoeing, swimming and paddleboarding. Anglers flock here to catch trout, perch, bass, black crappies, carp, muskies and catfish. The sandy beach invites readers to relax with a book. Hiking enthusiasts will find many trails, some open year-round, that offer beautiful scenic views and wildlife watching. You can also picnic along the trails. Campers looking for an extended stay have their pick of cabins, yurts, and tent or RV sites to rent.…

They say there’s no place like home—that place where you can be safe and feel comforted. And I know exactly what they mean. Our northwestern Oregon home is in the middle of three hayfields, and I think there is no better refuge. Our hay is a blessing and a haven. In springtime, the green hay is the first pop of color relief to my tired eyes, even before the earliest daffodils. It’s a sign of warmer temperatures, longer days—and hope. Each day, as the hay gets greener and taller, it transforms into a beautiful sea of swaying grasses and purple seed heads. It is as mesmerizing as gazing out at the ocean with my toes in the sand. Sometimes we drive our four-wheeler to a scenic lookout spot above our…

When I was a girl, the merry tunes of lively carnival rides and the aroma of cotton candy and caramel corn always lured me to the Calhoun County Fair in Marshall, Michigan, the state’s oldest fair. At that time, my future husband, Lloyd, was busy showing his dairy cows and his woodworking and gardening skills at the Barry County Fair in Hastings, Michigan. Once we married and our kids, Scott and Lisa, came along, we went back to the Marshall fair. Now it was the kids showing their rabbits, woodwork and baked goods. Scott won best of show for his woodwork, and Lisa won best of class for her baked goods. A few decades later found us at the Kalamazoo County Youth Fair, where three of our grandchildren, Morgan, Jacob…

1. FISHIN’S FINE At the bridge, the younger children like to follow the weedy path underneath to fish in the shade, where the sunnies and bass grab hold of your hook almost as soon as you put the worm in the water. REBECCA KOMPPA Sebeka, Minnesota 2. JUMP-START My daughter Autumn holds our beloved chickens. These friendly family members love to bounce on the trampoline with her during their “backyard free time.” CALLY GUSTAFSON Topeka, Kansas 3. REST STOP A butterfly alights on a bright black-eyed Susan in our backyard for a quick snack. I managed to snap a photo before it flew away. KERDALL REMBOLDT Rapid City, South Dakota 4. PEACEFUL PASTURE We enjoyed this pretty country scene on one of the farms during our tour of the Amish…

JUST OFF THE BEATEN PATH in South Georgia’s Brantley County, you’ll find the Produce Shack at the Home Grown Barn. Here, our family sells a variety of seasonal produce, cane syrup, farm-fresh eggs, handcrafted signs and other knickknacks. We think it’s a local treasure, but the real gem at this place is my son, Ethan Eunice. Though he’s just 9 years old, Ethan manages the shack, which is open every other Saturday through the growing season. It’s his job to water, pick the veggies, and feed the chickens, cows and goats. When we aren’t open, the fruits and veggies are out on a table with a mailbox for payment (it’s all on the honor system). Ethan collects and counts the money. This hands-on experience is good for him. He’s learning…

We moved our family from the city life of Columbus, Ohio, to the country life of Mount Sterling. I didn’t need any convincing to leave Columbus behind after our children graduated from high school. My only regret is that we didn’t move to the country sooner. Mount Sterling is a one-traffic-light town about 25 miles south of Columbus. It supports a few little shops and family restaurants, one of which has the best pizza in a 50-mile radius. This is a far cry from the city that had storefronts as far as the eye could see. The Sprague ranch backs up to the 4,220-acre Deer Creek Wildlife Area. Every summer our road bustles with campers, cars and boat trailers heading to Deer Creek Lake just down the road. The wildlife…

Seattle Washington: A clinical study on a leading acid reflux pill shows that its key ingredient relieves digestive symptoms while suppressing the inflammation that contributes to premature aging in men and women. And, if consumer sales are any indication of a product’s effectiveness, this ‘acid reflux pill turned anti-aging phenomenon’ is nothing short of a miracle. Sold under the brand name AloeCure, it was already backed by clinical data documenting its ability to provide all day and night relief from heartburn, acid reflux, constipation, irritable bowel, gas, bloating, and more. But soon doctors started reporting some incredible results… “With AloeCure, my patients started reporting less joint pain, more energy, better sleep, stronger immune systems… even less stress and better skin, hair, and nails” explains Dr. Liza Leal; a leading integrative…

A warm smile and a cup of coffee before services welcome Sunday-morning parishioners and visitors to St. James Evangelical Congregational Church in Dixon, Illinois. It was founded by area farm families in 1871 as St. James Evangelical Lutheran Church, and its members joined the Evangelical Congregational Church in 1939. For generations, the altar here has been the place where many have found new life, spoken their marriage vows, dedicated their children and shared the Lord’s Supper together. The little country church is a charming landmark that to this day is still surrounded by farm homes and fields. While worship services remain traditional, updates to the building suit modern worshippers just fine. The stunning kerosene chandelier presented in 1896 is now wired for electricity. A new ceiling and walls outfitted with…

In theory, every backyard needs a proper place where the gardener can relax and admire a job well done. But in practice, we gardeners take infinitely more pleasure in digging, planting, pruning and clipping ping than we do in sitting still. My favorite spot to sit is in a rustic gazebo here on our century farm. It’s filled with wildflowers and plants grown from slips that friends and neighbors have given me. I enjoy the morning melody of birds visiting the feeders scattered about. I listen for the song of the red-winged blackbirds in the trees and nearby meadows, and the call of the cheerful robins. Wrens, brown thrashers, song sparrows, cardinals, finches and many other native birds entertain me as they approach my garden. And when I spot the…

Your photo could be worth $1,000! Enter your best digital snapshots in Country’s annual COUNTRY LIFE PHOTO CONTEST for a chance to win the $1,000 grand prize! You may submit as many images as you’d like in each of the four categories: Animals, Scenery, People, Kids The winner of each category will receive $100 and go on to compete for the grand prize! Submit your entries online by NOV. 15, 2019. Visit country-magazine.com/contests and follow the instructions for a chance to win cash for your photos!…

PEACH & BLUEBERRY TRIFLE Raymonde Bourgeois Swastika, Ontario PREP: 45 min. COOK: 15 min. + chilling MAKES: 16 servings 1 cup sugar2 Tbsp. cornstarch¼ tsp. salt3 cups 2% milk6 large egg yolks2 tsp. grated orange zest2 tsp. vanilla extract1 loaf (16 oz.) frozen pound cake, thawed and cut into 1-in. cubes¼ cup orange liqueur4-6 cups sliced peeled peaches or frozen unsweetened sliced peaches2-4 cups fresh blueberries½ cup sliced almonds, toastedSweetened whipped creamAdditional sliced peeled peaches and fresh blueberries 1. In a large saucepan, mix sugar, cornstarch and salt. Whisk in milk. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat to low; cook and stir 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. 2. In a small bowl, whisk a small amount of hot mixture into egg…

Though descended from farmers, Leah Penniman did not grow up on a farm, like so many who work the land. Farming found this daughter of “an inconsistent gardener” a bit accidentally, and she knew what she wanted to do with her life from the first time she harvested cilantro and got its scent under her fingernails. “I was hooked,” she says of the summer she worked at the Food Project, a Boston-based farming program. “It was an ‘aha!’ moment, that this was a place of belonging and sanctuary and meaning in an otherwise tumultuous and confusing adolescence.” Leah interned on several other farms before she and her husband, Jonah Vitale-Wolff, bought 72 acres in Grafton, New York, in 2006. They had experience in reclaiming contaminated urban soils, and were interested…

While the photo above speaks volumes on its own, it has a special story to go along with it. During a week of hiking with friends in Colorado, I photographed many wildflowers. But on the day I took this picture, God spoke to me through the image. It was Aug. 13, 2015, the day my daughter Julia would have turned 27. She passed away 5½ years earlier. She had lived a life full of laughter, love, dance, music and more. Losing her tore my heart apart. When I bent down to take a shot of the fireweed, I couldn’t see very well through the lens. But I did make sure the flower was centered in the bright sun. Later, I looked at the image and saw this bright purple ray…

NATION- Several of the major drug companies behind popular pain relievers may take a financial hit as manufacturing of a new pill is now complete. Using a new technology, the pill could be safer and more effective than many store bought brands. The pill, VeraFlex, was developed in May of this year by a private company in Seattle. Functioning primarily as an immune modulator, the pill targets the body’s immune system which can decrease pain in the body. The Science Behind Relief Research shows that the joint stiffness, soreness and discomfort associated with arthritis is caused by inflammation which attacks healthy cartilage and protective tissue. And according to leading medical scientists, this inflammation is caused by two inflammatory enzymes released by the body’s immune system. Remarkably, the active ingredients in…