Melding the Vintage and the Modern
The March 2010 edition of Texas Co-op Power, which featured the cover story “Seeds of Change: Farmer Finds Niche,” was especially meaningful to me. A Texas farmer with soil on his hands wearing jeans, a denim shirt, a gimme cap … and a cell phone. Just like with electrification in the ’30s, there is always a way to meld the modern world and the land, and the electric co-op does it every day!
Kelley Stalder, Farmers Electric Cooperative
Keep the History Coming
I always enjoy reading Texas Co-op Power, but the March 2010 issue was my favorite. Moses Rose by Clay Coppedge (Footnotes in Texas History, “Moses Rose Didn’t Budge”) was great! Texas has so much history and myth, it was nice to hear this story. I need more!
David Townsend, Mid-South Synergy
Take It Slow on River Road
The March 2010 Hit the Road article El Camino del Rio only began to describe FM 170. Drive Presidio to Lajitas, then Lajitas to Presidio, and you will believe it is two different roads. It is some of the most amazing scenery, and the road signs mean exactly what they say. That sharp curve and 15 mph sign mean exactly that. Take the time to go slow and soak in the majesty.
If time and daylight permit, consider driving FM 2810 through Pinto Canyon to/from Marfa to/from Ruidosa. I recommend a four-wheel drive, high-clearance vehicle. It is an unpaved, rugged road through private property, so travel is at your own risk. Another interesting point is the Chinati Hot Springs resort, not far from Ruidosa. It’s an oasis in the high Chihuahuan Desert.
Stella Lundy, Wood County Electric Cooperative
Praise the Lord, and Pass the Pimento Cheese!
I smiled when I read the “Spread the News” pimento cheese article by Juddi Morris in the March 2010 issue. In the South, it’s like having the family Bible on the coffee table. My pimento cheese is in the refrigerator with a jar of green olives in front. We put pimento cheese smack-dab in the middle of every celery stick. Praise the Lord, pass the pimento cheese celery sticks, please, and God bless Texas!
Kim Cordes, Little Elm
Editor’s note: This story did not appear in all editions of Texas Co-op Power.
Don’t Rely on Government
Your March 2010 article “Count Me In!” about the 2010 census illustrates all that has become wrong with this country. Its main focus is using the census to extract money from the federal government. Hardin County residents should have bought their own private insurance policies (for hurricane damage). Instead, they received federal disaster aid—in essence making the rest of us pay their claims. If signing the census makes me a parasite, count me out.
James Van Dyke, Pedernales Electric Cooperative
I Was a Mighty Mite
Thank you for printing the article covering the Masonic Widows and Orphans Home Mighty Mites (“The Mighty Mites: The Orphans Who Could,” December 2009). It struck me especially hard because I entered the home in March 1939, and I remember all of those pictured or mentioned in the article. I, along with all Masonic Home boys, was immediately immersed in the football culture. Upon advancing to high school age, we were then dubbed “Mighty Mites.” We did our best to deserve that title. Thanks also to the people at United Cooperative Services who located a few extra copies of the magazine for me, which I sent to ex-students throughout the state.
Richard W. Opperman, United Cooperative Services
Controversy is OK
A number of readers responded to a letter to the editor in the March 2010 issue taking us to task for printing the December 2009 story “Borderline” about the fence being built along the Texas/Mexico border:
It was very disturbing to read the criticism of printing the border fence article. If a reader wants to avoid controversy, he or she can always skip to the next article, having been forewarned by the first word of the piece. I seem to remember reading about some level of controversy surrounding the Rural Electrification Act that made our present-day electric co-ops possible.
As far as the article being one-sided, it looked to me like the author was factual. Those facts indicate that OUR government implemented a reactionary, simplistic and terribly expensive solution to a very complex set of circumstances that have been in the making for over 100 years. This “quick fix” approach has had negative effects on many of OUR friends and neighbors and on the landscape and economy of OUR state without making very much progress toward the intended goal of improving border security.
I applaud your occasional publication of any article outside the “feel good” realm that might make us more aware of the realities that affect OUR daily lives—keep up the good work!
Bob Free, Deep East Texas Electric Cooperative
Agarita Jelly Is Worth the Trouble
I just got the March 2010 issue and saw the blurb on page 5 about “The Aggressive Agarita.” Did you know that the berries make a fantastic jelly? At least everyone who has tried what I make has expressed that thought.
Joyce D. Schaefer, Port Lavaca
P.S. Agarita is an evergreen shrub. It is a low-growing native plant that can reach 8 feet in height. The shrub has small yellow flowers in early spring (or late winter if you live in South Texas) and produces red fruit. Warning: Do not confuse with holly berries, which are poisonous.
Electric Vehicles Too Costly
I read with interest the article “This Yellow Bus Runs Green” in the February 2010 issue. There is no doubt that electric or hybrid cars run cleaner, and maybe we need that. However, I was recently shocked when I found out what it cost to replace the batteries in one of these cars. I have heard from $4,000 to $10,000. Nowhere in this article did it mention this, and I have not read it in any other publication or advertisement. This type of vehicle is OK for a very rich and green person, but not the general public or schools. The best thing we can do is have people buy smaller and more efficient cars, drive less and slow down to 60 mph or below.
Patrick O. Reardon, Central Texas Electric Cooperative
Editor’s note: These are early days for electric buses and autos, but we thought readers would be interested in one of our member’s experiments.
