tnconnections.com

spring 2011

connectionstn

Strawberry Fields Forever Springtime means strawberry season and pick-your-own fun

Marvelous MemphisMuseums, Elvis and much more sing the charm of this river city

CSA Is the WayLearn about the benefits of

community supported agriculture

An Official Publication of Your Locally Owned Municipal Electric System

Travel, tips and tidbits at a glancetn almanac

Get Jazzy With ItLive jazz music takes center stage at Murfreesboro’s

annual Main Street JazzFest May 6 and 7. Now in its 15th year, JazzFest attracts more than

15,000 people and features the music of area jazz bands and ensembles on two stages. The event is held on Murfreesboro’s historic square, and admission is free.

Musicians play Friday evening and all day Saturday, and performers include percussionists, vocal ensembles, big bands and more than a dozen middle and high school bands.

The fun-filled weekend also includes kids’ activities, a jazz clinic, garden market and food vendors.

While in town, explore some of Murfreesboro’s other attractions, such as the kid-friendly Discovery Center at Murfree Spring or the historic Stones River National Battlefield.

For more information, visit www.mainstreetjazzfest.com or call (615) 895-1887.

Brats, Anyone?In Johnson City, you can feast on authentic German cuisine

any day of the week without even boarding a plane. Freiberg’s German Restaurant (named for a little town in the Saxon region of Germany) is an unusual find in Tennessee with a charming downtown location and live music on weekends.

The eatery is most famous for bratwurst, and you can get it in original, smoked or cheddar varieties accompanied by sauerkraut, German potato salad and a roll. True brat lovers can order up the sample for a taste of all three flavors.

Potato lovers are also in seventh heaven at Freiberg’s – you can eat them mashed (Kartoffelbrei), pan-fried with onions and bacon (Bratkartoffeln), or try the Saxon potato skins (Kartoffelhaut aus Sachsen), which are stuffed with cream cheese and spinach dip, smothered with Swiss cheese and baked to a golden brown.

And did we mention the beer? It’s reason enough to visit – choose from German lager, English ale or Hefeweizen.

Stop and Smell the IrisesWhat began as a community Easter parade in Dresden

in 1980 has turned into one of Tennessee’s best-loved small-town festivals. Every April, Dresden hosts the highly anticipated Tennessee Iris Festival, a weeklong event that paints the town purple.

Now in its 31st year, the Iris Festival kicks off with an opening ceremony Saturday evening at the City Park of Dresden, including live entertainment, free food and fireworks.

Throughout the week, there’s a citywide yard sale, carnival, bingo games, a baking contest, community gospel sing-along, golf tournament, arts and crafts marketplace, quilt and needlework show, flower show, princess and queen pageants, music fest, 5K run, pet show and tractor pull. The festival culminates on the last day with the Tennessee Iris Festival Parade, which features around 100 colorful floats.

The 2011 festival is slated for April 30 through May 7. Find out more at www.tennesseeirisfestival.com.

Spring 2011 tnconnections.com | 1

Spring 2011 EditionManaging Editor Jessy YanceyContributing Writers Laura Hill, Roben Mounger, Jessica Mozo, Kelly PriceMarketing Creative Director Keith HarrisPhotography Director Jeffrey S. OttoMedia Technology Director Christina CardenSenior Photographers Jeff Adkins, Brian McCordStaff Photographers Todd Bennett, Antony BoshierSenior Graphic Designers Janine Maryland, Vikki WilliamsProofreading Manager Raven PettyContent Coordinators Blair Thomas, Jessica WalkerAd Production Manager Katie MiddendorfAd Traffic Assistants Krystin Lemmon, Patricia Moisan

Chairman Greg ThurmanPresident/Publisher Bob SchwartzmanExecutive Vice President Ray LangenSr. V.P./Sales Todd Potter, Carla ThurmanSr. V.P./Operations Casey HesterV.P./External Communications Teree CaruthersV.P./Custom Publishing Kim HolmbergV.P./Visual Content Mark ForesterV.P./Content Operations Natasha LorensController Chris DudleyAdvertising Sales Manager, Custom Division Tori HughesIntegrated Media Manager Robin RobertsonDistribution Director Gary SmithCustom/Travel Sales Support Rachael GoldsberryOffice Manager Shelly MillerReceptionist Linda Bishop

Tennessee Connections is published quarterly by Journal Communications Inc. for participating members of the Tennessee Municipal Electric Power Association. TMEPA represents 61 municipal power distributors in Tennessee, which serve more than 2 million customers. For advertising information or to direct questions or comments about the magazine, contact Journal Communications Inc., 725 Cool Springs Blvd., Suite 400, Franklin, TN 37067. Phone: 615-771-0080.E-mail: info@jnlcom.com.

For information about TMEPA, contact: Tennessee Municipal Electric Power AssociationPaddock 1, Suite C-13, 229 Ward Circle Brentwood, TN 37027Phone 615-373-5738, Fax 615-373-1901 tmepa.org

Executive Director Mike Vinson

©Copyright 2011 Journal Communications Inc. and Tennessee Municipal Electric Power Association. All rights reserved. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent.

ON THE COVER: Strawberries at Valley Home Farm in Wartrace Jeffrey S. Otto

tnconnectionscontents

4Features 4 Marvelous Memphis No matter when you visit, Memphis will win you over

9 Warming Trends Read our go-to guide for buying an outdoor fireplace

10 Strawberry Fields Forever Tennessee farms offer pick-your-own strawberries and family fun

12 CSA Is the Way Community Supported Agriculture is your toolkit for quality living

Departments 2 Municipal Power Perspective

3 Tennessee in Focus

14 Spring Activities in Tennessee

17 Connect to Tennessee Products

tnconnections.comDigital MagazineFlip through the pages of the magazine without leaving your laptop. Print and e-mail articles and instantly link to advertisers.

tnconnections.com

spring 2011

connectionstn

Strawberry Fields Forever Springtime means strawberry season and pick-your-own fun

Marvelous MemphisMuseums, Elvis and much more sing the charm of this river city

CSA Is the WayLearn about the benefits of

community supported agriculture

An Official Publication of Your Locally Owned Municipal Electric System

2 | tnconnections.com Tennessee Connections

We live in a most remarkable time. We have computers that make us more efficient, more productive and more accurate. We have the ability to communicate by phone, fax, radio and Internet with most of the world in a moment of time. We can travel to any location on planet Earth in a single day and watch on television major events worldwide, as they happen. Today’s technological marvels have changed the image we hold of ourselves and our business and unfortunately, removed that personal contact with our customers. So many businesses never even see their customer. They rely on telephone and Internet for all communications and have forgotten what it’s like to personally interact with those they serve. Have you ever tired of pushing button after button on the telephone when trying to get help or following page after page on the Internet to seek a simple solution to an issue? Customer service in today’s business climate would be much improved if every business returned to a more personal manner. The customer may not always be right or even understand the complexities of today’s businesses, but they are the customer and every concern or problem they have deserves a truthful and helpful answer.

Your Municipal Electric Providers know and understand this basic truth. Quality electric service and customer service are, by far, their primary goals. They

MembershipAlcoa Electric Department

Athens Utilities Board

Benton County Electric System

Bolivar Energy Authority

Bristol Tennessee Essential Services

Brownsville Utility Department

Carroll County Electrical Department

Electric Power Board of Chattanooga

CDE Lightband – Clarksville

Cleveland Utilities

Clinton Utilities Board

Columbia Power & Water System

Cookeville Department of Electricity

Covington Electric System

Dayton Electric Department

Dickson Electric System

Dyersburg Electric System

Elizabethton Electric Department

Erwin Utilities

Etowah Utilities Department

Gallatin Department of Electricity

Greeneville Light & Power System

Harriman Utility Board

Humboldt Utilities

Jackson Energy Authority

Jellico Electric & Water Systems

Johnson City Power Board

Knoxville Utilities Board

LaFollette Utilities

Lawrenceburg Utility Systems

Lenoir City Utilities Board

Lewisburg Electric System

Lexington Electric System

Loudon Utilities

City of Maryville Electric Department

McMinnville Electric System

Memphis Light, Gas & Water Division

Milan Department of Public Utilities

Morristown Utility Systems

Mount Pleasant Power System

Murfreesboro Electric Department

Nashville Electric Service

Newbern Electric Department

Newport Utilities

City of Oak Ridge Electric Department

Paris Board of Public Utilities

Pulaski Electric System

Ripley Power and Light Company

Rockwood Electric Utility

Sevier County Electric System

Shelbyville Power System

Smithville Electric System

Sparta Electric System

Springfield Electric Department

Sweetwater Utilities Board

Trenton Light & Water Department

Tullahoma Utilities Board

Union City Electric System

Weakley County Municipal Electric System

MIkE VINSONExecutive Director Tennessee Municipal Electric Power Association

municipal power perspective

Serving Our CustomersCustomer service is and always will be a public power foundation

strive to keep the customer at the forefront of all decisions and plans for future growth. You can walk in their offices in your own hometown and speak with someone face to face. You can also do it by telephone or Internet in most cases but you still have the option of talking to a “real person.” You’ll also find that they strive to serve you with integrity. Do they make mistakes? Yes, and when they do you’ll be surprised to find them doing their best to resolve the issue. Your municipal electric system doesn’t just bring electricity to your home. The managers, staff and employees live in your communities, go to the same churches their customers go to, are members of the same chambers of commerce, economic development and community organizations and in many cases, coach your children in youth sports.

As a public power organization they are under no illusions concerning the importance of those they serve. Your local public power provider, its management team and each employee is committed to providing the reliable electric service and the best customer service possible. Should a need arise or question be posed, these public power professionals will strive and go to whatever length is necessary to solve the problem or resolve the issue.

On behalf of the municipal electric power providers of Tennessee, we sincerely appreciate the many understanding customers served by public power. It will always be our goal to do it right the first time … or keep on doing it until we get it right. We’re proud to serve you and hope you’re proud to have us as your partner.

Spring 2011 tnconnections.com | 3

tn in focus

Photo by Jeffrey S. Otto

African Violets at Holtkamp Greenhouses in Nashville

4 | tnconnections.com Tennessee Connections

feature

MEMPHISMarvelous

Spring 2011 tnconnections.com | 5

History and attractions sing the charm of this river city

story by Laura Hill

From world-class museums to Elvis memorabilia to a walk along the bluesy Beale Street, there’s a world of fun things

to do and sensational sights to see in Memphis.

Family Fun Kids of all ages will love

Mud Island River Park, open from mid-April to Oct. 31. You can bike through the park, hike, canoe or kayak in the harbor, wade along a half-mile-long model of the Mississippi, or explore the Mississippi River Museum.

Your friends won’t believe you went to Memphis if you don’t visit Graceland, considered sacred space by millions of Elvis Presley fans. In the mansion on the 14-acre grounds, you can see the legend’s clothes, gold records and other

memorabilia, and even hear an audio tour with tales from the King himself and daughter, Lisa Marie. Browse the all-Elvis shops and restaurants at Graceland Plaza.

Lions and tigers and bears, oh my. Not to mention elephants and red- billed blue magpies. One of only four zoos in the country exhibiting giant pandas, the Memphis Zoo also hosts a nocturnal animals exhibit, a 1900s farm and an aquarium.

Don’t forget the ducks. Stop by the historic Peabody Hotel and catch its resident, roof-dwelling ducks parading across the lobby every afternoon. Your kids will remember this for years.

Take a walk down Beale Street, where you can hear the Memphis blues all day long. And nearly next door, Peabody Place offers food, music, a 22-screen Muvico Theater

Right: A sculpture of Elvis Presley on Beale Street Opposite: Nightlife on Beale Street STAFF PHOTO BR

iAn

McC

OR

D

Clockwise from top right: Visitors to Memphis and world famous Beale Street can enjoy street musicians such as Rudy Williams or Richard Johnston. In addition to a rocking live music scene, Memphis is also known for barbecue, including the infamous Rendezvous ribs.

6 | tnconnections.com Tennessee Connections

complex and Jillian’s, a bustling entertainment center with a video café, billiards, dining and a bowling alley.

Food Finds Hungry? Well, Memphis is

a good eatin’ town. Start with barbecue. The internationally known Rendezvous barbecued ribs are justifiably prized, but the menu also includes sandwiches, chicken dishes, appetizers and a knockout Greek salad.

Barbecue aficionados also love Cozy Corner, a funky storefront eatery with a reasonably priced menu that includes its specialty Cornish game hen, as well as barbecued bologna, barbecued spaghetti, pork shoulder and, of course, ribs.

A visit to Stella in the historic Brodnax building is in order for contemporary cuisine with a Southern accent – like Savory Crawfish Cheesecake or Buttermilk Fried Oysters.

Cool Culture The Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum

celebrates the sounds that changed American music. Part of the FedEx Forum, it was designed by the Smithsonian Institution and traces Memphis music from field “hollers” through the 1960s and 1970s rock boom to today.

The Memphis Brooks Museum of Art is another must-see. The largest museum in the state of Tennessee, its permanent collection is rich in works from the Italian Renaissance and Baroque periods, British and French Impressionist painters, and 20th-century artists.

Fire, urban decay and neglect couldn’t destroy the Orpheum Theatre. The brilliantly restored theater hosts a year-round calendar of Broadway plays, concerts by big-name musical artists, and performances by the Memphis Ballet and the Memphis Opera.

One of the best ways to get an overview of all Memphis has to offer is by water. Board the Tunica

Mud island River Park www.mudisland.com

Elvis Presley’s Graceland www.elvis.com

Memphis Zoo www.memphiszoo.org

Peabody Hotel www.peabodymemphis.com

Rendezvous www.hogsfly.com

Cozy Corner Restaurant inc. www.cozycornerbbq.com

Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum www.memphisrocknsoul.org

Memphis Brooks Museum of Art www.brooksmuseum.org

Orpheum Theatre www.orpheum-memphis.com

Tunica Queen Riverboat www.tunicaqueen.com

Find more must-sees at www.memphistravel.com

Memphis Must-Sees

Queen Riverboat for a one-hour Sightseeing Cruise on the scenic Mississippi River, and you’ll hear the captain narrate about the river and local points of interest. You can even dine on board if you opt for the two-hour Dinner & Entertainment Cruise, and dinner includes prime rib, red beans and rice, and roasted turkey.

STA

FF P

HO

TO

STAFF PHOTOS

Spring 2011 tnconnections.com | 7

http://energyright.com/

10 | tnconnections.com Tennessee Connections

StrawberryTennessee farms offer pick-your-own

strawberries and family fun

story by kelly Price

Warm sunshine, good exercise and lots of sweet strawberries plucked right off the vine add up to a wonderful way for families to spend the day together.

“Anyone who can walk or crawl can pick,” says Nancy Potts Edwards, whose Valley Home Farm near Wartrace sells both pre-picked and pick-your-own berries 50 miles south of Nashville.

Valley Home is one of many pick-your-own farms that have sprung up across Tennessee in recent years. The industry is a growing one, thanks to the introduction of the plasticulture method of berry production, according to the Tennessee Department of Agriculture. Plasticulture requires a higher financial risk, but that’s offset by higher yields and higher quality – not to mention that it extends the season. While consumers once looked for local strawberries to arrive in mid-May, the plasticulture method produces berries as early as the third week of April.

Valley Home is part of that dramatic change and an example of a family farm successfully adapting to the changing times and market. Purchased by the Potts in 1958, generations of family members still live on and work the farm’s 350 acres, which include a traditional farming operation in beef cattle, broiler chickens and hay production – in addition to strawberries.

When her husband, Larry Edwards, passed away in 1998, Nancy searched for a way to make it economically feasible for her to stay on the farm.

She says she “looked under every rock for a way to make a living” and became intrigued by the idea of a pick-your-own strawberry operation.

“My grandmother and my brother, Bob, both raised strawberries at one time, so that was already familiar to me,” Edwards says. In fact, she has memories of Granny Potts still picking strawberries a few days before her death at age 93. “And strawberries were one of the few crops that I thought would provide enough revenue for me to stay on the farm.”

Encouraged by her family, she took several courses at North Carolina State University, studied everything she could find on the subject and turned herself into a strawberry farmer.

Plasticulture was the wave of the future, and Edwards adopted it, with Sweet Charlies and Chandler varieties planted in September and harvested the next spring. The Valley Home Pick-Your-Own Strawberry Farm became a reality with the first planting in the fall of 2000. In the spring of 2001, visitors were welcomed to three acres of “hospitality-style” farming, focused on providing positive farm experiences for families – as well as good berries.

The plasticulture planting system requires annual transplanting of young strawberry “plugs’’ into double rows on 8-inch raised beds covered with black plastic mulch.

Farmers have discovered that berries grown in these raised beds produce an impressive yield the first season,

cover story

Fields

JEFF

RE

Y S

. O

TTO

Spring 2011 tnconnections.com | 11

Strawberry and are easier to harvest than berries grown in the more traditional fashion. The berries stay clean and disease-free. Despite a greater initial investment than for matted-row production, and the fact that plasticulture limits the crop to only one fruiting season each year, many farmers find the new system merits the change, Edwards says.

Plasticulture calls for a dual irrigation system: an overhead sprinkler system for frost- or freeze-protection of the tender blossoms and buds, and a trickle irrigation system to supply water and fertilizer. Low temperatures are the greatest threat to the crop; beginning in early March, as the blossoms begin to set, Edwards spends part of each night in the field to monitor temperatures.

“I have a frost alarm in the house that I preset, and my brother does, too,” she says. When the air temperature reaches 35 or 36 degrees, the alarm sounds and sends the pair out to the fields, where they monitor the temperatures of the delicate blossoms carefully.

If the temperature drops too low, they activate the overhead sprinkler system. “Just the amount of heat

released when that liquid water turns to ice is enough to keep the blossoms from freezing,” Edwards says.

The operation expanded to include a fall season for pumpkins and mums in its second year. The strawberry plants are mowed down and destroyed in June, and pumpkins are “second-cropped” in the same beds in July for the fall season. Each year the planting is rotated and part of the fields allowed to rest to provide for natural insect and disease control.

Valley Home Farm, www.valleyhomefarm.com, is open to the public from mid-April through mid-June for spring strawberries; made-from-scratch strawberry cakes, breads and pies; and strawberry, peach and wild blackberry jams. The farm reopens in mid-September though the end of October for fall pumpkins and mums. And Valley Home will soon add blueberries to its offerings – blueberry crops planted in 2010 will be in partial production by the summer of 2012.

For a complete list of strawberry farms in Tennessee, visit www.picktnproducts.org.

Valley Home Farm in Wartrace is one of many pick-your-own strawberry farms in Tennessee. Besides agritourism, they also can their own jam.

12 | tnconnections.com Tennessee Connections

Community Supported Agriculture is your toolkit for quality living

taste of tn

About the Author

Roben Mounger, known as Ms. Cook, has a

penchant for searching out locally produced

ingredients for her family’s meals. For some 15 years, she

has eaten year round by way of CSAs and

farmers markets. In 2009, she began an

organic farm internship with Arugula’s Star of

Neal Family Farms. Roben writes a weekly column about food and

people for The Columbia Daily Herald and blogs about eating locally at

www.mscookstable.com.

CSAIs the Way

Spring 2011 tnconnections.com | 13

story by Roben Mounger

Call me sentimental, but I love to eat. Fresh food by way of a local farmer is choice. Tender lettuce mixes that could never survive a cross-country ride, as well as forgotten bean

and tomato varieties that thrive only in carefully managed settings, are accessible today. Shopping for such specialties calls for joining a CSA.

The origin of the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) is credited to Japanese women, who in the 1960s became concerned about the quality of their food. They called the ensuing method of grocery collection “teikei,” which translates as “food with the farmer’s face on it.” The current CSA concept of dispensing careful crops ultimately came to a farm in Massachusetts in the 1980s by successful instruction from a Swiss farmer. Today, similar programs cover the earth.

The CSA relationship is based on the grower and the consumer. The consumer registers with a CSA farm and becomes a member by paying a subscription fee to the farm, in exchange for a winter or summer season of food raised. Having spent a growing season as an intern on such a farm, I learned that quality food – both delicious and diverse – is available to anyone longing to eat a flavorfully enriched meal.

Since CSA produce is harvested just hours before delivery, all that is needed in preparation is an iron skillet or roasting pan, olive oil and a quick chop. The beauty of the CSA personal delivery requires nary a recipe or trip to the store. When your share is delivered, you are loaded with the seasonal goods to launch a sensible and tasty habit.

This means of gathering can teach you and your people about the origin of meals, while reducing your use of fossil fuel. CSA practices, including use of heritage seeds and a heightened soil ministry, can guard against monotonous eating and advance best farming practices. The survival of local farmland also keeps money in the community.

As Paula Peck, author of the classic The Art of Good Cooking, states, “the basic philosophy of seeking out quality and the unusual can be applied wherever you live. The important thing is to be adventurous and to care about your ingredients.” The small details of a not-so-small part of life can be enhanced this season by meeting a CSA farmer.

A lasting advantage I found from a decade of CSA produce use, whether vegetables, eggs, milk, cheese, honey or bread, was that my children were observing the process. Those patterns now influence the health of subsequent generations. Though I am practical about the caliber of my food, when our CSA farmer recently asked about my seed preferences – visions of a vegetable stew danced gloriously in my head.

Polenta

2 ½ cups water

2 ½ cups milk

1 cup stone-ground cornmeal

Sea salt

Stew

6 ounces green beans, trimmed

Sea salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 bunch green onions, roots and tops trimmed and cut into short lengths

2 peppers, cored, seeded and cut into ½-inch squares

1 basket of small pear or cherry tomatoes, any color

¾ cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese

Coarsely ground black pepper

A handful of basil leaves

To make polenta, bring water to a boil and mix the milk and cornmeal together in a small bowl. Slowly pour mixture into the boiling water, whisking continuously. Add salt and whisk polenta until it returns to a boil and starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. Whisk occasionally for the next 40 minutes, and then more often during the next 10 minutes. During the final 10 minutes of cooking, stir until the polenta mounds on the whisk but is still pourable.

Meanwhile, blanch the green beans in salted water until tender and crisp. Drain and spread on a paper towel. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan; add green onion and sauté for a few minutes. Add bell peppers and sea salt, and sauté until tender. Finally, add the tomatoes. Cook until the tomato juices begin to flow, and then add the green beans. Add salt to taste.

Pour polenta into mound and spoon the stew and its juices around it. Top with grated cheese, a sprinkling of black pepper and torn basil leaves.

Tennessee Resources CSAs: www.tnfarmfresh.com Stone-ground cornmeal: www.fallsmill.com

Vegetable Stew With Polenta

14 | tnconnections.com Tennessee Connections

MarchTitanic’s First Annual Irish Celebration – March 1-31, Pigeon ForgeEverybody is Irish in March, and Titanic’s the place to be for the wearin’ of the green and high spirited shenanigans. Come, enjoy the music, song and stories that honor the memory of the Irish men and women who built and sailed history’s most famous ship. CONTACT: 800-381-7670, titanicpigeonforge.com

22nd Annual Lawn and Garden Show – March 3-6, NashvilleTennessee’s premier horticultural event, the Nashville Lawn & Garden Show attracts more than 22,000 people annually and is one of the largest gardening shows in the South. Centerpiece of the Nashville Lawn & Garden Show is a naturalized presentation of more than 20 outstanding live gardens created by professional landscape designers. Most of the gardens include water features, ranging from small fountains to large waterfalls, and

Spring in TennesseeFestivals, celebrations, activities and more

events

Mule Day, which began 170 years ago, will take place March 31-April 3, 2011, in Columbia.

This listing includes a selection of events of statewide interest scheduled in March, April and May as provided by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development. Events are subject to date change or cancellation; please call the contact listed before traveling long distances to attend.

Due to space limitations, additional information and events can be found online through the department’s Web site, www.tnvacation.com.

elaborate structures such as rock walls, terraces, pergolas, and gazebos. A series of 20 free lectures is presented throughout the 4 day show by expert horticulturists and garden designers. The show also includes 250 exhibit booths of horticultural products, services, and equipment for show and sale; in 2008, vendors from 12 states participated in the event. The show’s spectacular floral design gallery features the work of more than 25 of the best designers in the mid-south region. CONTACT: 615-876-7680, nashvillelawnandgardenshow.com

Maple Syrup Festival & Exhibit Open House – March 5, Johnson CityA family-oriented event showing the process of making syrup from the sap of maple trees and open house for the new permanent exhibit, “O Beautiful Land of the Mountains.” CONTACT: 423-926-3631, tipton-haynes.org

Smoky Mountain Orchid Society Show & Sale – March 5-6, knoxvilleSee the beauty and variety of the orchids exhibited by various orchid societies from the southeast. Orchid growers will be present to give tips on growing orchids in your home and orchid vendors will offer plants for sale. Orchids on exhibit will be judged by the American Orchid Society. CONTACT: 865-828-8055, smokymtnorchidsociety.com

Cousin Jake Memorial Bluegrass Festival – March 12, Historic Gem Theater, EtowahThis festival of bluegrass music, named in honor of Cousin Jake Tullock. Jake grew up in Etowah, where he learned to make music with his family. After leaving home to make a career as a musician he landed a job with Flatt and Scruggs, playing bass and telling jokes. He traveled with Flatt and Scruggs for 20 years. Jake retired from the music scene and moved back to Etowah, where he served as a police dispatcher until his death. Come hear the music that Jake loved played, and bring your instrument along. Between sets, pick up bargains at the many antique shops and outlets located in the downtown. CONTACT: 423-263-2228, etowahcoc.org

Mule Day – March 31-April 3, ColumbiaOne of the world’s biggest mule celebrations. Events include mule sale, mule pulling, mule shows, pancake breakfast, flea market, and parade. CONTACT: 931-381-9557, muleday.com

JEFF

RE

Y S

. O

TTO

Spring 2011 tnconnections.com | 15

APRIL51st Annual Dogwood Arts Festival – April 1-30, knoxvilleMore than 60 miles of trails feature some of the most spectacular dogwood trees of all kinds and colors. CONTACT: 865-637-4561, dogwoodarts.com

10th Annual Tennessee Governors One Shot Turkey Hunt – April 9, PulaskiThe annual Jeanette Rudy Invitational will again be held in beautiful southern Middle Tennessee and benefit sportsmen and women and the outdoors.The hunt coincides with the annual Gobbler’s Gala Festival on the Square, which is the location of the official TWRF check-in station for the hunt. Throughout the day there will be food, crafts, and activities for everyone to enjoy! CONTACT: 931-424-4044, www.tngovernorsoneshot.com

Vally Fest – April 16-17, DunlapThis festival is the first of what the committee hopes to be many. The theme is celebration of our community and its diversity. We will have food, music, arts, crafts and dance from as many of our represented cultures as possible. There will be at least two stages for major entertainers as well as roving groups with designated areas for children activities. CONTACT: 423-949-7608, sequatchie.com

Trenton Teapot Festival – April 24-30, TrentonThis week long festival kicks-off with a ceremonial Lighting of the Teapots and culminates in the Annual Grand Parade. Luncheons, block parties, carnivals, tractor pulls, fireworks are also enjoyed by all! CONTACT: 731-855-2013

World’s Biggest Fish Fry – April 25-May 1, ParisOver five tons of catfish on order to serve thousands of visitors. Includes IPRA rodeo, parade, catfish races, and more. CONTACT: 731-644-1143, worldsbiggestfishfry.com

Memphis In May International Festival – April 29-May 1, MemphisEvents at this month-long celebration include the Beale Street Music Festival, International Salute to Belgium, World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, and Sunset Symphony. CONTACT: 901-525-4611, memphisinmay.org

National Cornbread Festival – April 30-May 1, South PittsburgThis festival honors cornbread and features cornbread alley, live entertainment, juried arts, and National Cornbread Cook-Off. CONTACT: 423-837-0022, nationalcornbread.com

MAYWest Tennessee Strawberry Festival – May 1-7, HumboldtIn its 74th year, this festival includes parades, live entertainment, barbecue cook-off, concerts, fireworks, and more. CONTACT: 731-784-1842, wtsf.org

Townsend Spring Festival and Old Timers Day – May 6-7, TownsendA fun celebration of bluegrass music, arts and crafts, BBQ, Appalachian skills, and the Many spring festivals feature bluegrass music.

STA

FF P

HO

TO

beauty of the Smokies in the springtime. CONTACT: 865-448-6134, smokymountains.org

Winchester’s International Dogwood Festival – May 6-8, WinchesterFeatures two stages of entertainment featuring the Burning Las Vegas Show, Arron Tippin and the Road Hammers, gigantic kidz zone, evening parade, dog show, Youthfest

16 | tnconnections.com Tennessee Connections

Battle of the Bands, cruise in, car show, and more. CONTACT: 866-967-2532, winchesterdogwoodfestival.com

Spring on the Mountain Dogwood Festival – May 7, MontereyAn excursion train arrives from the Tennessee Central Railway Museum out of Nashville. Train Rides from Downtown Monterey to the Crawford Branch and back will be on sale. Craft and Food vendors and a car show will line downtown’s Commercial Ave. CONTACT: 931-239-3318, montereytn.com

Blooms Days – May 7-8, UT Gardens, knoxvilleUnique garden goods, dozens of workshops, live musical performances, children’s activities and more make Blooms Days a great destination for more than just gardeners. The event will run Saturday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Admission is $6 for adults, free for children 12 and under. CONTACT: 865-974-8265, http://utgardens.tennessee.edu

37th Annual Festival of British & Appalachian Culture – May 14-15, RugbyJoin us in celebration of our British Isles and Appalachian Heritage. Music &

dancing, traditional arts and crafts, artisan demonstrations and selling their wares. Storytelling, historic building tours and delicious food. CONTACT: 888-214-3400, historicrugby.org

7th Annual Gatlinburg Fine Arts Festival – May 14-15, GatlinburgThis outdoor family event features quality artists from around the country along with Appalachian music from the area. Free admission. CONTACT: 865-436-7484, gfaf.net

Sevierville’s Bloomin’ BBQ & Bluegrass – May 20-21, SeviervilleThe largest event in Sevierville! Tennessee State Championship Barbeque Cook-Off, FREE bluegrass concerts from rising stars and bluegrass legends, kids games, great food and authentic mountain crafts. Admission is free. CONTACT: 888-889-7415, BloominBBQ.com

Sheriff Buford Pusser Memorial Festival – May 25-28, AdamsvilleThis annual festival honors “Walking Tall’s” famous sheriff and features good music,

1 Carpool whenever possible to reduce your carbon footprint – and

you’ll also spend less money on gas.

2 Staying overnight? Unplug major appliances to save energy and

lower your electric bill.

3 Support Tennessee’s sustainable tourism. Find green lodging, dining and

attractions at tnvacation.com/green.

Green Travel Tips

food, and family fun. CONTACT: 731-632-4080, bufordpussermuseum.com

Granville Heritage Day – May 28, GranvilleAntique car, tractor and engine show; bluegrass festival; civil war re-enactment, storytelling; arts festival; craftsmen demonstrations; crafts; children’s rides and great food. CONTACT: 931-653-4151, granvillemuseum.com

Spring 2011

connect to tn products

Statewide roundup of favorite findsChew on This

When Mike Quaranta’s two dogs, Rocco and Chico, needed a diet change from traditional puppy chow for health reasons, Quaranta started looking for all-natural, nutritious food for his canine friends. After researching canine nutrition and consulting veterinarians, he decided he could make his dogs a healthy treat from scratch.

Quaranta partnered with fellow dog-lover Marston Maddox, and the two Nashville men created Granola Barks, handmade, bite-sized dog treats that are all-natural, made with human-grade white meat chicken and old-fashioned rolled oats.

Moms and dads of dogs can order a free sample of Granola Barks at www.twogooddogs.com. The treats are available in 4-ounce bags or 12-ounce tubs.

Granola With a CauseThe Blue Chair Bakery & Coffee Shop in Sewanee makes it possible to enjoy

healthy, delicious granola and support women in need at the same time. The whimsical bakery (named for a blue and yellow polka-dotted chair in its seating area) provides workforce training for courageous women recovering from troubled backgrounds such as addiction or abuse, and one product they make is Homemade Blue Chair Granola.

The granola is chock-full of tasty, good-for-you stuff, including rolled oats, dried cranberries, organic coconut, organic canola oil, molasses and sea salt. Tucked inside each 12-ounce bag is a photo of the woman who baked it with her unique story on the back.

You can buy the granola at specialty markets and restaurants in Nashville, Chattanooga, Monteagle and Sewanee. The Blue Chair also sells the granola, locally roasted coffee, decorated cakes and gift baskets through its online store at www.thebluechair.com.

Not Your Average Cup of TeaCliff and Angelique Greer of Clarksville have been known

to turn coffee drinkers into tea lovers. The couple owns Natural Choices Botanica, a hand-blended gourmet tea company and the parent company of Legacy Tea Blends, sold on the shelves of Whole Foods Markets and specialty stores across the country.

Legacy Tea Blends come in 20 varieties and have names as colorful as their ingredients. For example, Fairies, Ladybugs & Butterflies Tea, combines papaya leaf, peppermint, lemongrass, strawberry leaf and peach leaf. Learn more by calling (931) 906-2792 or visiting www.naturalchoicesbotanica.com.

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDLebanon Junction,KY 40150

Permit no. 222

JOURnAL COMMUniCATiOnS725 COOL SPRinGS BLvD., SUiTE 400FRAnKLin, Tn 37067

Refrigerator:

• Your fridge is responsible for up to 11 percent of your household’s energy usage.

• Make sure the condenser coils in your fridge are free of dust and pet hair. Clean coils allow air to circulate more freely, using less electricity.

• Pay attention to the seals on your fridge’s door. They should be clean and tight.

Cooling:

• instead of replacing a faulty air conditioner, consider an attic ventilator. it can provide as much comfort as your air conditioner at a lower price. The ventilator brings cool air up through your home – all you have to do is pump in cool air in the evenings.

• Whether you have an air conditioner or attic ventilator, keep doors and windows shut tightly during the day to keep cool air from escaping.

kitchen:

• Use an exhaust fan to get rid of hot air when you’re cooking.

• Give your stove and oven a break, and use your microwave and countertop appliances to prepare food.

• install a ceiling fan in your kitchen to keep air circulating.

Bathroom:

• install a water saving showerhead, reducing your hot water use without cutting down on time in the shower.

• Don’t keep hot water running nonstop while washing your face or shaving.

• Take a shorter shower to avoid sending money down the drain. no purchase necessary!

Following these steps can save you money this seasonEnergy-Saving Tips for Spring