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•••••JANUARY 10, 2024•••••
Problem Solved We are again at that time of year where we are running out of room in the freezer. This is not entirely a bad problem to have. It means there is plenty of food ready when we need it. There just is no room for any more. If my wife wants to make up a big batch of lasagna so we can eat half of it now and freeze the other half, we do not have that option. She likes to do this on occasion, so something is ready when neither of us feels like cooking, which is frequently. The problem has been caused by a sudden influx of deer meat. Each year, I like to process one deer for ourselves, mostly for jerky and steaks. It is not hard to eat one deer’s worth of meat in a year’s time. I prefer a nice fat doe which will yield about 75 pounds of packaged meat. Since I am lazy, I take my deer to a local processing plant. Most people have pork or beef fat added to their deer burger as it has very low-fat content. This is fine if a person plans to use the meat as a replacement for hamburger in recipes, but not for jerky. No fat is needed and will allow the ground meat to spoil more quickly. In a few days, the deer comes (Outdoors cont’d on pg 2)
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This recipe is for three pounds of ground back to us in neat little meat, no fat added: packages, frozen and 3 ½ teaspoon Tender labeled. This is usually Quick enough to top off our 1 teaspoon liquid deep freezer with some smoke over-flow in the refrig1 teaspoon whole erator freezer. Frying up mustard seed some loin steaks in but1 teaspoon fennel ter with garlic and mak(lightly crushed) ing a couple of batches 1/2 teaspoon anise of jerky will generally (lightly crushed) get the volume down 3 teaspoon franks hot below the crisis level. It sauce is then I become com1/2 teaspoon garlic placent and stop makpowder ing jerky until I need it. 1 1/2 teaspoon black If I were to make fifty pepper pounds of meat into jerky at one time, we If I am going to use would have plenty of the jerky gun to make freezer space, but I sticks, I add a half cup prefer to procrastinate. of cold water, mix well, I usually make three and immediately expounds of meat into trude my jerky sticks jerky at a time as that onto the smoker or deis what fits nicely on my hydrator because it will smoker or de-hydrator. quickly become sticky I like the taste of High as it cures. If I plan to Mountain Jerky Cure flatten the meat and cut but have found it to be it into strips, I will let it rather pricey when docure overnight in the ing large amounts of refrigerator. Smoke or jerky. Over the years, I de-hydrate to desired have developed my own texture. A few hours will recipe that has a similar make it soft and pliable. taste and is much less Eight hours or more will expensive. You may feel make it dry and stiff. I free to use my recipe prefer the drier jerky or modify it to suit your for the texture, and it own taste. I know some can ride around on the people prefer a sweeter dashboard of my truck flavor such as teriyaki for several days without or more smoke flavor. spoiling. If I want sweeter flavor, With a bit of perseverI add maple syrup or ance, I am eating my brown sugar. For more way through the probsmoke flavor, I smoke it lem of the “too full” deep on my pellet smoker or freezer and enjoying add more liquid smoke. every bit of it. (Outdoors cont’d from pg 1)
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JANUARY 10, 2024
JANUARY 10, 2024
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Ray’s Longbranch Homemade 1/2 lb. Tenderloins & Hamburgers Drakesville, IA • 722-3355
with duct tape. (Everyone uses goes on and on. knows that black electrical tape works better on water I wonder how many pieces Duct Tape and leaks.) of furniture, in offices and at home, were held togethSnickers I’ve used duct tape to fix er with duct tape when the my glasses when I didn’t fabric gave out? Duct tape I’ve heard it, and I’m sure have white medical tape. has been a big part of the you have, too. If you and Some paper towels and upholstery industry since I have both heard it, then duct tape are just what its invention. And how most likely everyone the doctor ordered, or a many boat, motorcycle, or knows it, and if everyone sliced finger on a worksnowmobile seats are duct knows it, it must be true: site. (Again, black electritaped at the seams? I’ve You can fix almost anycal tape works better; it’s seen people who wouldn’t thing with duct tape. more flexible on the finger, have windows in their car Duct tape has saved many but I didn’t have any.) or even a front seat to sit situations. I’ve repaired on if it wasn’t for duct tape. Duct tape has been the broken boxes and broken Duct tape can fix anything. windows. I have wrapped primary fabric in many A guy often parked his car duct tape around a blown- Halloween costumes. Although it doesn’t bend well on Main Street in Ottumout shoe. I attempted to at the elbow, wrist, knee, wa. If I remember correctseal the breach in my or waist, duct tape has ly, the car always looked britches until I could get wrapped many mummies. good to me; it was a blue to Toni’s Alterations on Chevelle about a ‘67 Market Street for an emer- (I wonder how they go to the bathroom.) Communimodel. The car had very gency repair. I’ve even ties have held races where distinct stripes on the side, known people to hem their boats had to be made of like a rainbow of different pants with duct tape. Alcolors in the shape of a Z though I have not done it, cardboard, or milk jugs that had to be fastened from the back to the front I’ve seen people attempt with duct tape. Its list of of the vehicle. It always reto stop a plumbing leak minded me of the band ZZ Top’s car. I wondered if the guy who drove the Chevelle was a ‘Sharp Dressed Specializing in Barn & Pole Barn Man?’ I digress. One day, I Repair and Restoration got close to the car.
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It appeared to have rust holes that were covered with duct tape. Then, the whole car looked painted in blue latex house paint, probably with a roller! The stripes were made with colored duct tape! The guys did a great job; from across the street, it looked great. Another significant achievement for duct tape.
Welcome Nathan Nicholson, MD, FAAOS Pella Regional Health Center is pleased to welcome Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeon Nathan Nicholson, MD, FAAOS to the medical staff. Dr. Nicholson has more than six years experience specializing in orthopedic surgery, including hip, knee and shoulder replacements, fracture care, sports injuries, joint injections and more. “My passion is to improve the quality of life for my patients by treating their musculoskeletal pathologies through both nonsurgical and surgical interventions in the field of Orthopaedic Surgery” said Dr. Nicholson. “I believe in patient centered care and going above and beyond for my patients to get them the care that they need.” An Iowa native, Dr. Nicholson graduated from Ottumwa High School and went on to attend the University of Iowa where he completed his Bachelor of Science in Integrative Physiology. He obtained his medical degree at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine and performed his residency at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics Department of Orthopedic Surgery.
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Duct tape is quite possibly the greatest invention since aspirin and sliced bread, so of course, it was invented by a woman, Vesta Stoudt. Vesta was from Illinois, but I’ve seen a museum when passing through Avon, Ohio – the duct tape capital of the world.
hunger so you can handle things that don’t relate to hunger at all.” In fairness, I did not write that line; I found it on a Snickers website, but I could have easily written it. I love Snickers.
your break.” “Are you for real,” she asked. I assured her I was.
“Here,” I said, handing her my receipt. “You can have this to show your boss the Snickers was paid for.” Then I smiled, “I just I figure a SNICKERS bar want you to know that your is like duct tape for the good work is both noticed soul. Let me give you an For all its atand appreciated. Thank example: I was shopping tributes, duct at the Aldi grocery store you.” That’s when the girl tape cannot in Duluth. The young lady came flying around from fix everything. running the register looked the back side of the regisFor everyter. like she was having a thing else, rough day. So, I picked up “I just gotta give you a there are a SNICKERS bar at the hug, mister,” she said, Snickers bars. checkout lane. After she embracing me. “No one “Packed with rang up my groceries, I ever came through my line roasted pea- handed her the candy bar and thanked me for doing nuts, nougat, and said, “This is for you.” my job – let alone bought caramel, and She looked at me, someme a Snickers! I love what puzzled, then asked milk chocoSnickers!” The younger me why? “You’ve been late, Snickworking hard, and I figured ers Candy (Just the Other Day cont’d on handles your you deserve a treat on pg 4)
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(Just the Other Day cont’d from pg 3)
cashier, who was a few inches taller than me, continued to squeeze the stuffin’ outta me. Now, you can put the stuffing back in and patch the hole with duct tape, but to get the stuffing out – you’re going to need a Snickers bar. A similar situation happened just the other day at Target in Hermantown. Given the choice, I will take a live cashier over a self-check-out lane every time. That’s what I did at Target. I was the fourth person in line, but the cashier, Isabelle, was moving along, getting people checked out and on their way. The customer Isabelle was helping was meticulous in loading and rearranging her bags into her cart and then moving toward the front door. As she finished with one customer, Isabelle greeted the next, “Did you find everything okay? Will you need any plastic bags today?” Isabelle rang up a couple of items and went to put them in a bag when she noticed the previous customer had set one of her bags back on the counter and left without it. The cashier called out, “Ma’am, you forgot one of your bags.” The previous customer was a little older gal, but she moved as swiftly as I did and was near the door. Isabelle held up the bag, calling again, “Ma’am…” but the woman did not hear her. Isabelle grabbed the merchandise bag with cat-like reflexes and sprinted to the front doors. The automatic doors were already open for the lady when Isabelle caught up to her. The older lady looked puzzled and checked her cart. Then she smiled, accepted the bag, and went on her way. Isabelle rushed back to her register. I’m sure she felt good about what she’d just done – I would have. “I’m sorry about that,” the cashier said to the waiting customer. But the customer seemed perturbed as if inconvenienced that she had to wait a moment. The expression one has after doing a good deed immediately left Isabelle’s face. The next customer said nothing about the situation, so I picked up a Snickers bar. Isabelle greeted me, “Did you find everything okay? Will you need any plastic bags today?” She rang up each of my items and then reached for the Snickers bar. I held the candy bar, “Can you ring this up separately, please?” After I paid my bill, Isabelle rang up the Snickers bar and handed it to me with the receipt. I handed the Snickers bar back to Isabelle. She took the candy bar, asking, “Did you want that in a bag, sir?” “No,” I said. “The Snickers bar is for you for doing such an outstanding job.” Isabelle looked confused. Maybe she thought I was poking fun at her, but I was not. “It didn’t bother me in the least bit to wait for sixty seconds while you ran that bag to the
front door for that other customer.”
bag...another item I kept since I was sure I would have use for it later.
My comment caught her off guard. “Are you seriThat particular day, I was ous,” she asked, looking at cooking for the assisted the Snickers. living home in Silver Bay. On my break, I went home “Absolutely. I’m glad you to look at the work I had did,” I said. “A lot of people completed in our kitchen. would have just tucked There sat that bag of bolts the bag under the counter on the counter. I began ‘in case’ the lady came debating with myself, and I back, but not Isabelle.” was answering! I smiled, “You went the extra distance, running the “Just throw them away; bag to the front door. The you’re never going to use way that lady’s face lit up, them,” I said. “I might I could tell you made her someday,” I replied. “They day, and that made my are worthless.” I reasoned. day, too. So the Snickers “But what if I need one is for you.” down the road?” I questioned. “You’ll lose them Isabelle gasped, holding before you use them; the Snickers bar in her throw them away,” I said, hands over her mouth. “Besides, they’re eight She tried to say somecents. You can afford to thing, but nothing came buy one if you ever have out. I think she was getting a need. Avoid the clutter teary-eyed, and I was too. and toss them.” I justified. “Okay, I will.” I decided Here, this kid was just and walked the little bag to doing her job; when somethe trash can. thing happened, she made a difference, making her As I lifted the lid, a light feel good. Then her spirits bulb appeared over my got knocked down, and head. I had a brilliant idea. then no one noticed. With I slammed the plastic lid, a simple Snickers bar, Isa- took the bag, ran to my belle’s emotions shot right car, then drove into town. back to the top – where she deserves to be. Need- I went into Julie’s Hardless to say, I left Target ware with the small bag feeling pretty swell. of bolts. Making my way to the back of the store, I I do the Snickers bar thing figured I would find Julie at checkout counters quite working in her office. I frequently, and this was picked up a specific item a good experience, but I along the way. have an even better story. Standing in her doorway, I You’ve heard stories asked, “Are you in charge where someone went to of negotiating deals toa garage sale, bought a day?” picture frame for a couple bucks, then went home She answered with a and found a million-dollar curious and understandpainting behind the ugly ably skeptical look, “I don’t picture in the front of the know. What did you need? frame. That kind of hapThat’s exactly what I pened to me but in a different way. I almost tossed wanted her to ask. I had something that turned out rehearsed my sales pitch while driving to the store. to be very valuable. I planned to move fast, When we don’t have making her an offer she immediate use for somecouldn’t refuse. thing, we tend to quickly “I have this bag of 6/32 deem it to be worthless bolts – ¾ inch long. They and throw it in the trash. came with the outlets I At least I do; it avoids bought for my kitchen, but clutter by doing so. Still, I since I installed ceramic hate throwing something tile, I needed longer bolts. away that might be used later. Especially something I already bought the new bolts from you, but I don’t brand new. That was the want these bolts to go to dilemma I faced one day. Bear with me as I explain waste.” I took a big breath, then rushed back into my how this happened. spiel. When we remodeled our “There are thirty-five bolts home several years ago, in this bag. You sell this we put tile on the kitchen identical bolt for eight walls behind the counter. cents a piece, making this The additional ¼ inch thickness of the tile meant bag of bolts worth two the ¾ inch bolts that come dollars and eighty cents with an outlet would not be retail.” long enough. I would have I was talking fast, so she to buy new one-inch bolts, couldn’t say no...yet. I held and so I did. up the item I picked up along the way. “On your When installing the outlets, I couldn’t bring myself shelf, you have these to throw away the original snack bags of bite-size bolts. Gosh, they’re brand Snicker’s bars, regularly priced at $1.79, currently new, I thought to myself. on sale for just 79 cents. I So, I put them all in a am prepared to trade you small True Value paper
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this bag of bolts for one bag of Snicker’s Bitesize candy bars.” I finally stopped talking, awaiting her response. Still puzzled, Julie looked at me, then reached into the bag, pulling out a bolt to inspect it. “They’re all brand new, ma’am; never had a screwdriver on them,” I assured her, then went for the textbook style close. “I’m sure you can see this is a very attractive offer financially. What do you say? Do we have a deal?” After briefly examining the bolts, Julie looked at me and said, “Why not? Let’s call it a deal.” I thanked her, left her with the bag of bolts, took my bag of Snickers, and headed toward the front of the store. Passing the sale shelf, I picked up two more bags of bite-size Snickers. For just 79 cents each, I couldn’t resist. At the front counter, I told the cashier I needed to pay her for two bags of candy. “What about the third bag?” Jesse asked.
Inside, I offered a Snickers to the boss, co-workers, and residents. Most of them gladly accepted resulting in lots of smiles. When just one tasty morsel was left in the bag, I asked the staff nurse if a particular resident could have one. “Sure.” She said, “If she wants one, there isn’t any reason she can’t have one.” I offered the last piece of candy to the lady. “What is it?” She wanted to know. “A little Snicker’s bar,” I answered. “A Snicker’s bar? For me,” She asked in a chipper voice. “Yep. It’s for you,” I said. She smiled as she took the last piece from the bag. “Thank you!” She said, “I like Snickers.” Her beautiful smile blossomed from ear to ear when she put the candy in her mouth. It was very touching.
I don’t know if you’ve ever had the pleasure of seeing a 101-year-old woman smile that big, especially “Oh, I traded Julie a bag of over something so simple, bolts for that bag of Snickbut let me tell you...it was ers. It was a good deal for a million-dollar smile if I’ve both of us.” I explained, ever seen one. adding, “You can call and ask her if you want.” Come to think of it, everyone who took a piece “That’s okay, I believe of that candy returned a you,” Jesse replied. I paid million-dollar smile. her for my candy and left. About sixteen pieces of On the way to my car, I candy were in my bag of was snickering to myself. bite-sized Snicker bars. (pun intended) I was going That means my little bag to throw those bolts away. of bolts was not worthInstead, I used them to net less...in fact, it was worth a bag of delicious bite-size about $16 million. I cercandy bars - not just cantainly got the better end of dy bars - Snickers bars! I that deal, and you won’t patted myself on the back get that kind of smilage for a job well done. from a roll of duct tape. I drove back to the asBy the way, Vesta Stoudt, sisted living home. Two a woman, invented duct residents were sitting with tape. Although I don’t guests, enjoying the nice know who created the weather. I approached Snickers Bar, it must have them, opened the packbeen a man. There’s a age, and extended it book called Women Are toward them, asking, from Venus and Men Are “Snicker’s bar?” from Mars; Snickers Bars “Oh wow, Snickers!” Said come from Mars, and I the first, reaching into the think Snickers has done more for humanity than bag. “I’ll have one.” Said duct tape. another. “Yes, please.” Said the third. “No, thank you.” Said the fourth, explaining, “I can’t have peanuts.” BAM! Three big smiles, just that easy.