By Nicole Thomas Located in central Indiana, Hancock County is a part of the National Road Heritage Trail, a project repurposing old railways into recreational paths across the state. The county’s Pennsy Trail follows the route of the former Pennsylvania Railroad, offering a scenic path for walkers, runners, and cyclists while honoring the county’s transportation… Continue reading.

By Jodi Borger Indiana boasts a rich literary heritage and is home to numerous authors who have contributed significantly to various genres and American literary history. These writers reflect the state’s evolving literary landscape, engaging readers of varying ages with their diverse writings. Many Indiana authors have also influenced broader American literature, specifically on identity,… Continue reading.

Roasting a turkey in the oven is still the most popular way to cook a bird for Thanksgiving. Here are some do’s and don’ts to take the fear out of this intimidating process.  Do’s and don’ts of roasting a whole turkey DON’T roast turkey in an oven temperature lower than 325 F. DON’T roast turkey… Continue reading.

Why brine a turkey? This process infuses turkey with moisture and produces a tender and juicy roasted turkey every time. Perdue Farms, which has turkey farms in Indiana, suggests wet or dry brining for a delicious oven-cooked turkey. WET BRINE Brine is a salt-water solution that may include woody herbs like rosemary and thyme, crushed… Continue reading.

TRADITIONAL METHOD Place the frozen turkey in a large food storage container, a pan with a high lip, or the roasting pan you will use to roast the turkey in the oven. Place the turkey in a refrigerator and let it defrost. A good rule of thumb is to allow five hours per pound of… Continue reading.

How much turkey do you need to feed family and friends? Plan on about half a pound of cooked turkey per guest (Thanksgiving dinner servings only) or 1 pound per guest (Thanksgiving dinner servings plus leftovers). Cooking a whole bird reduces the amount of edible meat by 25%, so check out this chart for the… Continue reading.

This month’s feature story on Bands of America made me feel nostalgic. Although I was never in marching band (I was a show choir kid, but that’s a story for another column), many of my high school friends were. Each summer, the friends who were not in band would make the drive to DePauw University… Continue reading.

By Natalie Derrickson Pigs are among the most intelligent yet misunderstood animals, and sadly, they are often left out of the traditional animal rescue circle.  It’s hard not to love a pig, but many pig adorers realize too late that pig ownership requires more training, patience, and preparedness than initially anticipated. That’s why rescues like… Continue reading.

By Nicole Thomas In the late 19th century, Wells County joined the Trenton Gas Field oil boom, contributing to Indiana’s expanding oil and natural gas industry during the 1880s and early 1900s. The county’s seat, Bluffton, Indiana, also hosts one of the state’s oldest and largest street fairs, dating back to 1898.  Bison and beyond… Continue reading.

By Brian D. Smith In 1984, Indianapolis opened a domed stadium and welcomed an NFL team. But the ex-Baltimore Colts weren’t the only out-of-state enterprise to find greener pastures in the Hoosier Dome’s (later called the RCA Dome) Astroturf. That November, the puffy-topped pigskin palace gained another major event when Illinois-based Bands of America (BOA)… Continue reading.

In 2018, high school junior Greg Jekel applied to participate in the Indiana Electric Cooperatives Youth Tour to Washington, D.C., and received the approval of his co-op, Clark County REMC, to join the 100-member Hoosier delegation that June. It wasn’t the last time Jekel would complete a successful IEC application. During his senior year, he… Continue reading.

Indiana’s electric cooperatives have been around for almost 90 years. Read on to learn more about Hoosier co-ops. Can you find the bolded words in the puzzle? ► The first successful U.S. cooperative was organized in 1752 by Benjamin Franklin. ► Electric cooperatives began in the 1930s because it was not cost-effective for investor-owned utilities… Continue reading.