Beth Cook, Mammoth Cave Transplants:
Getting the soil ready for your flowers and vegetables are important first steps in growing a successful garden. Time spent in preparation reduces the time you'll have to spend maintaining and weeding your garden over the course of the growing season.

Location, Location, Location. Vegetable gardens and most flowerbeds require at least 6 hours of full sun each day. Choose a level spot that has well-drained soil. Thick grass or vigorous weed growth usually indicate soil drainage and nutrient levels that will support healthy garden plants. If the area is grassy you will first need to remove the top layer of sod, any weeds, rocks, and debris.

Test the soil. To get the best results in your garden you should definitely do a soil test. Do-it-yourself soil test kits work best for detecting the soil pH, but give only a rough idea of the nutrient levels. Professional tests provide more thorough and accurate information and recommendations. Send a sample of garden soil to a private or cooperative extension office soil-testing lab for nutrient and pH analysis. Test results will tell you which minerals and pH amendments your soil needs to grow healthy vegetables and flowers.

Add amendments. Depending on your test results you may need to adjust the soil pH -- its measure of acidity or alkalinity -- by adding ground limestone or sulfur as recommended by the soil test results. To improve the soil fertility, clay soil drainage, and sandy soil water-holding capacity you can add organic material, such as compost, well-rotted livestock manure, or composted fir bark. Apply a 1 to 2 inch layer of organic material over the garden.

Turn the soil. Work the amendments into the top 6 to 12 inches of soil with a rototiller or garden fork. Break up large clods and remove rocks and roots. Work the soil only when it is dry enough to crumble easily after squeezing - never when it is saturated with water.

Below are some additional soil fixes and amendments depending on your soil condition.
SOIL FIXES

• If you have clay soil, add coarse sand (not beach sand), compost, and peat moss.
• If you have sandy soil, add humus or aged manure, peat moss, or sawdust with some extra nitrogen. Heavy, clay-rich soil can also be added to improve the soil.
• If you have silt soil, add coarse sand (not beach sand) or gravel and compost, or well-rotted horse manure mixed with fresh straw.

SOIL AMENDMENTS

• Bark, ground: made from various tree barks. Improves soil structure.
• Compost: excellent conditioner.
• Leaf mold: decomposed leaves that add nutrients and structure to soil.
• Lime: raises the pH of acid soil and helps loosen clay soil.
• Manure: best if composted. Good conditioner.
• Peat moss: conditioner that helps soil retain water.
• Sand: improves drainage in clay soil.
• Topsoil: usually used with another amendment. Replaces existing soil.

After you have made any amendments or fixes to your soil, let it sit for a couple of days before planting. You may wish to turn the soil daily but it is not necessary if you did so already. Ideally you should prepare your garden soil at least 1 or 2 seasons ahead for compost to break down and improve your soil.  Remember, getting a soil test done is the first step to a successful garden. Happy Gardening from Mammoth Cave Transplants!

​FOR SALE -- Great Condition 2012 16x80 3BR/2BA Single-Wide Trailer (10’x20’ porch, central HVAC, stairs & underpinning included) -- $29,500 OBO
Located in Cub Run Area -- Not far from Nolin Lake.
Great home!
 
Must be relocated. 
 

• 2012 Clayton Homes “Blue Ridge” Line
• 16x80 Single-wide
• Central HVAC
• 3 BR, 2 BA
• 8-foot ceilings throughout
• Large, open floor plan common rooms
• Kitchen with plenty of cabinetry
• Stove, dishwasher, and side-by-side refrigerator/freezer included
• Garden tub and oversize walk-in shower in private Master Bathroom
• Walk-in Closet in Master Bedroom
• Utility room with washer/dryer hookup
• Beautiful Wood-look paneling and “Tuscan” wall finish throughout
• “Barn Wood” vinyl flooring
• 6-panel doors
• 10-foot x 20-foot metal roof porch with stairs and railing – easy disassembly with star-bit screws
• Non-smoking, 2nd owners

Friday and Saturday will see all county offices closed today and Saturday, March 30-31, 2018 as they observe the Good Friday and Easter holidays.

The County Clerk, PVA, Judge Executive, County Attorney, Circuit Court Clerk, will all be closed Friday and Saturday. The Sheriff's Office will be closed but the Sheriff and deputies will remain on their regular patrolling shifts as normal.

During this week's fiscal court meeting, County Clerk Kevin Alexander explained the reasoning behind two-day closings, that are common.

"Our system, like most of the other county offices, works in conjunction with state offices," he said. "We rely on information in Frankfort so we schedule our holidays with state offices. We're very limited as to what we can do if the state offices are closed, so we follow suit."

Easter Sunday is April 1, 2018. All offices are scheduled to open at normal time on Monday, April 2nd.  

The following local churches have announced their 2018 church service and activity schedule for April 1, 2018:

Christian Home General Baptist Church in Bee Spring, has sunrise service at 6AM. Breakfast served after.

Fairview United Baptist will have Sunday School at 10am with worship service at 11am. An egg hunt is also scheduled (weather permitting).

Chalybeate United Baptist will have sunrise service beginning at 6am. Sunday School is set for 10am with an egg hunt to follow.

Pleasant Union United Baptist (Steep Hollow) will have sunrise service at 6am with Bro. Jerry Weedman scheduled to preach. Sunday School at 10am with an egg hunt to follow.

Hill Grove Missionary Baptist Church will meet Easter Sunday at 11am, all are welcome.

Otter Gap Missionary Baptist will have sunrise service at 6am with Sunday School and an egg hunt set for 10am.

Brownsville Missionary Baptist Church will have Sunday School on Easter Sunday at 10am with worship service at 11am.

South Union General Baptist will have worship service at 10:30am followed by dinner served and an egg hunt.

New Grove Missionary Baptist Church will have worship service at 11:00 am, everyone is welcome. 

​Bee Spring Missionary Baptist Church will have a Sunday School egg hunt at 10:00 AM and Church Services at 11:00 AM.  Everyone is welcome.

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The following students have been named to the Edmonson County Middle School Honor Roll for the third quarter:

​“A” Honor Roll
 
Macy Allen, Taylor Atwell, Zander Bass, Ty Brantley, Kayleigh Bratcher, Emilee Burklow, Benjamin Clemons, Glenna Crisp, Karina Dennison, Alyssa Doyle, Ethan Edwards, Bobbie Horton, Donavyn Hunt, Joann Hurst, Brody Johnson, Keri Johnson, Timothy Johnson, Ryley Jones, Emma Lashley, Camden Lich, Brandon Lindsey, Kaylee Lindsey, Wade Luttrell, Jace McCombs, Grant Merideth, Krish Patel, Jennifer Pierce, Garrett Rigdon, Muhammad Shahbaz, Caleb Smith, Kendra Sowders, James Talley, MaKaylee Thompson, Maura Vincent, Cadence Warthan, Callie Webb, Emma White, Ian White, Cameron Whitfill, Amber Williams, Alaina Alexander, Amelia Allen, Madison Atkins, Danyale Atwell, Hallie Cassady, Macy Cassady, Haley Coulter, Dalton Curtis, Taylor Dooley, Sara Embry, Meredith Hennion, Rachel Hennion, Derick Jaggers, Allison Johnson, Haleigh Lindsey, Morgan McWhorter, Dakota Meredith, Harley Meredith, Lilly Miller, Gavyn Minyard, Carter Morgan, Josilyn Morrison, Noah Parsley, Johnny Pedigo, Karrington Peger, Josiah Prewitt, Jarrett Prunty, Whitney Sanders, Maham Shahbaz, Jaedlyn Simon, Evan Stice, Catherine Vincent, Morgan Vincent, Sarah Vincent, Terri Williams, Grace Wilson, Paige Wolfe, McKenna Woosley
 
 
“A/B” Honor Roll
 
Madison Agnew, Daren Alexander, William Alexander, Stephen Anderson, Ethan Arredondo, Kennady Ashley, Ambriah Barnett, Landon Baxter, David Brewer, Amanda Brooks, Raven Cast, Christina Compton, Jacob Cook, Patience Denison, Aeriel Gregg, Danielle Hartz, Emma-Grace Hayes, Hunter Hayes, Eva Hogan, Brylee Honeycutt, Kylee Houchin, Abigail Johnson, Claudia Johnson, Mia Jones, Peyton Keith, Bethany Keown, Katelyn Lewis, Abigayle Lindsey, Marlina Livingston, Emily Meredith, Maylea Meredith, Jonas Miller, Ashton Minyard, Kaylee Monroe, Dylan Pedigo, Aaron Pellett, Ava Phelps, Gabriel Priddy, Mary Riggs, Heather Sanders, Cameron Seabolt, Matthew Skaggs, Samuel Skaggs, Esperanza Sowders, Owen Still, Caden Swihart, Sierra Tinkham, Madison Treece, Keely Vincent, Tyler Vincent, Ryan Walker, Reannah Wilson, Alexander Woosley, Trey Woosley, Gage Abney, Katliyn Anderson, Kendra Basham, Logan Brooks, Emma Cena, James David Chapman, Tyler Cherry, Ian Clark, Clay Clemmons, Summer Clubb, Kadin Collins, Kaylee Davis, Logan Davis, Sierra Decker, Kayla Durbin, Victor Esparza, Dreidyn Hunt, Zachary Jacobs, Trinity Leach, Trista Majors, Gracie Masterson, Zachary McGuire, Samara Milam, Nathan Newton, Alanna Pardue, Savanah Porter, Katherine Ray, Allison Roof, Gabriel Saling, Olivia Starnes, Trace Taylor, Mason Thornhill, Colby Vincent, Savannah Vincent, Aries Walker

Darren Doyle, story:
Longtime local resident and insurance businessman Danny Hayes has announced his plans to retire from Hayes Insurance Agency, a family owned business for over 30 years, as he hands over the reins to another familiar face, Ryan Stice.

Hayes started the agency in Brownsville in 1985 with his father and mother, Charles and Marilyn Hayes. While his parents retired in the early 2000s, Danny and his wife Pat, who is a retired Edmonson County educator, continued the business and watched it grow into two other locations in Elizabethtown and Bowling Green.

Stice has managed the E-town branch for Hayes since 2013 and will officially take charge of the business on April 1, 2018. Since that day is Easter Sunday, Ryan will officially be in the office on the following Monday morning, April 2nd. Both men said the timing was right for the change to take place and they both spoke to the Edmonson Voice about the switch. While Stice is set to take control in a few days, Danny Hayes said he still plans on hanging around, for a little while anyway.

"I am not going away," he said. "I'm still a part of Edmonson County and plan to work with Ryan for a few more months during the transition. I also hope to play more golf, spend time with family, and travel with my wife, Pat."

Hayes said that he's confident Stice will continue the family orientation of the agency and is a great pick to head the business.

"I have known Ryan for years. He started with Hayes Insurance five years ago. His most recent position was management of our Elizabethtown location. He has been training and working hard during this time to become the primary agent." 

Hayes said what he's enjoyed the most from his work over the years are all the relationships he's developed with the people and businesses of Brownsville, Edmonson County, and surrounding counties. 

"Edmonson County has always supported Hayes Insurance and it is appreciated," he said. "I will miss working with the clients and the great staff at Hayes Insurance Agency."

Stice, who was raised in Edmonson County and graduated from ECHS, has been in the insurance business since 2007. He said he can't wait to work in Edmonson County again.

"Edmonson County is home and that's why I wanted this opportunity so bad," he said. "I'm excited and looking forward to helping my people at home."

Hayes said he feels that Stice is ready to take on the job and is happy for him as he starts this new chapter.

"Ryan will be a great agent and will continue to provide Edmonson County along with the surrounding areas with excellent service and products," he said. "I wish him many years of success as owner of Hayes Insurance Agency." ​

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Edmonson Voice Staff Report:
On March 24, 2018, Edmonson County Boy Scout Troop 597 hosted the Lincoln Heritage Council, Wapiti District Pinewood Derby at the Edmonson County High School.  Wapiti District consists of 13 counties in South Central Kentucky.
 
The Pinewood Derby is an event where a Cub Scout and an adult build a race car out of a block of white pine to specific specifications and the race car is propelled by gravity.  46 Cub Scouts from all over the Wapiti District participated in the event.  The Cub Scouts that participate placed either first, second or third in their respective unit’s race. 
 
The Cub Scouts raced their cars in three heats.  At the end of the three heats the top 6 racers had a Championship Flight.  During the Championship Flight, the Cub Scouts again raced in three heats.  The racing was close, and two Cub Scouts tied for third place.  At the end of the Championship Flight, with a speed of over 200 mph, Edmonson County Cub Scout Pack 597, Tiger Scout Jaxson French placed second.
 
Troop 597 would like to thank Cee Bee Food Store, Dez Simcoe, Edmonson County High School, Edmonson County Board of Education, and the many other Scouting Volunteers that made this event a success.
 
Edmonson County Cub Scout Pack 597 and Edmonson County Boy Scout Troop 597 are both sponsored by the Edmonson County Lion’s Club.

Click the ad to apply, click the site listed, or email local personnel:

After clicking ad, type "Brownsville, KY" in the "Where Do You Want To Work" tab.

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FRANKFORT, Ky. (March 22, 2017) – This week, the Senate passed two bills sponsored and co-sponsored by Rep. Michael Meredith of Brownsville, sending them to the Governor’s desk to be signed into law.
 
HB 122 exempts volunteer fire departments from being required to file yearly reports with the Department for Local Government (DLG), and from incurring thousands of dollars in auditing fees from outside accounting firms. While still being required to file annual reports and still subject to audits, those matters would be handled by the Fire Commission, a process far less burdensome on the local fire departments.
 
Meredith is the primary sponsor of House Bill 122, and has long been an advocate for supporting volunteer fire departments across the Commonwealth, through both funding and regulatory relief.
 
“Our volunteer firefighters are selfless public servants who are invaluable to our communities, and it is critical that we let them focus more on their work and less on complying with burdensome regulations,” said Meredith. “I am grateful to the Senate for passing this vital measure, and look forward to seeing it signed into law.”
 
Meanwhile, House Bill 140 would increase the annual stipend given to participants in the Kentucky Law Enforcement Foundation Program Fund (KLEPF) from $3,100 to $4,000. The measure would also increase allocations to certain qualifying volunteer fire departments to $11,000 annually, in addition to increasing the annual supplement paid to firefighters.
 
“I was proud to co-sponsor this measure, which looks out for the heroes in our society: law enforcement and first responders,” Meredith added.
 
Both pieces of legislation passed with broad, bipartisan support, without a single dissenting vote in either chamber.

Edmonson Voice Staff Report:
Brody Johnson, a 7th grade student at ECMS finished 11th in the Kentucky Derby Festival Spelling Bee, presented by Ford Motor Company on March 17, 2018 in Louisville, KY.

Brody was the county district winner and was able to compete at the state level. More than 300 words were spelled over 11 different rounds. He was knocked out of competition after missing the word "papilionaceous."

He is the son of Brad and Jodi Johnson of Bee Spring.

Just show the coupon below to receive 20% off your purchase this weekend at Dick's Sporting Goods for their "Edmonson County League Appreciation" event Saturday and Sunday 3/24-25th. Some exclusions apply.

Edmonson County Parks & Rec has announced that the upcoming Pitch, Hit, and Run Competition scheduled for Sat, March 24th has been postponed due heavy rain in the forecast. 

The date has been rescheduled for Saturday, April 21 at the same time. Check out the flyer for more info.

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Win a $25 gift card from Mis Amigos Mexican Grill in Brownsville by entering this contest from JB Electric! Just click the ad for all the details.

Darren Doyle, story:
This isn't a commercial. It's my real-life story that might motivate someone else to take action before they're staring down obesity and other health problems. Simply put: I lost 40 pounds in two months by doing nothing but changing my rotten eating habits. I love food. Bad food. If I can change, so can you.

Nearly everyone experiences a slower metabolism as they grow older, but it seems that mine slowed down to nearly nothing once I hit age 40. I have some bad health in my genetics and I had some really bad eating habits. When added together, there is serious weight gain in short amount of time. In less than three years, I gained more than 30 pounds with eating habits that had been the same nearly all my life.

I had a January 9th doctor's appointment, only because my blood pressure medication prescription was out of refills. I couldn't get it filled without a new checkup. 

January 9th came and the first thing I did at the doctor's office after I was called back was hit the scales. I weighed 251 pounds, the heaviest I'd ever been. Being 6'5", I was able to hide the weight better than most, simply because there's more places for the weight to go,  but this was not good.

The first thing my doctor said to me was "Let's talk about your weight gain." He began to lecture me about my family history which included hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, fibromyalgia, and it seemed like it went on for 15 more minutes. I'm pretty sure he also discussed distemper, scurvy, tuberculosis, and the mange, but I was so depressed at this point it didn't matter.

After my blood work came back, which doomed me for certain death, he said "I want you to buy this book: Living With Pre-Diabetes."

WUT? "I ain't buyin' no book," I said. "What's my other option?"

He told me to stop eating junk food, fast food, sodas and sugary drinks, and pretty much everything I loved. "It's not going to be easy, but you can do it if you want to bad enough," he said. That day I agreed that I'd be changing my diet and I'd prove to him I could do it.

Prior to that appointment, my diet consisted of Little Debbie cakes, Oreos, powdered donuts, biscuits and gravy, fast food, more fast food, and some more fast food. Every. Day. It was washed down with Coke, sweet tea, chocolate milk, and some diet drinks. On January 9, 2018, all that stopped. 

I loaded up on broccoli, cauliflower, sweet and hot peppers, carrots, tomatoes, chicken breasts, and turkey. I ate when I was hungry, but without junk. I'd grab a handful of carrots or a low-fat cheese stick. I mixed my own vegetable dip using low fat sour cream and Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning packets, (Fiesta Ranch was my favorite). I began to see results immediately and I averaged losing about one pound per day.

The hardest part was convincing myself that I wasn't hungry when I simply wanted food, but I did. I drank a little more coffee, chewed a little more gum. I stayed away from potatoes completely and white bread. After a couple weeks and almost 15 pounds gone, I could see that this was really working and it motivated me even more, but this wasn't some crash diet that you do for three days or three weeks. It was cutting out ALL the horrible things I had put into my body for years. I guess I was fortunate to not have been featured on "My 600 Pound Life," according to my awful habits. 

My goal was to lose 30 pounds and I did. Once I hit 30 I decided that 40 wasn't that far away and I shot for that. I hit it on March 10th.  At most, I'd lost a total of 43lbs but that has seemed to even out at around 37-38lbs.

Some of you "health experts" are probably going to say the rapid loss isn't healthy, that I'm starving myself, or I should've done it another way. Maybe you're right, but all I knew to do was to turn bad habits into good ones, and I never went around hungry. Here are the lists of foods I eat and a list of the ones I don't. You can decide if this might work for you, and I've also included my limited "cheat list."

Better Food Items I Regularly Eat:

• ​not a big breakfast eater but two tablespoons of plain peanut butter around 10am (or)
• two eggs, scrambled in a coffee cup, placed in the microwave for 1:30. Spray cup with Pam, no butter, no oil. Salt and pepper to taste or add a little salsa
• (Lunch) noon - 2pm: sliced packaged turkey breast from Sam's (comes in different flavor varieties: peppered, hickory smoked, seasoned pastrami--all low fat, low cal. Low fat cheese stick, various raw vegetables
• Dinner: 1. different variations of grilled chicken (cooked on George Foreman) tossed salad with low-cal or low-fat dressing, (look for low sugars/carbs) a little shredded cheese. 2. Stir-fry veggies: broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, and peppers sprayed with Pam, coated with steak or burger seasonings. Sprinkle in a little shredded cheese, cut up some pieces of ham or turkey, eat like a salad but it's a warm meal.
• Some lunch and dinner meals also consisted of two low fat, all-beef hot dogs wrapped in a tortilla with peppers and mustard. Add salsa to dishes instead of fatty/sugary dressings or dips.

Foods Avoided: THIS WAS REALLY DIFFICULT AT FIRST

• Sugary snacks, including: cakes, pies, desserts,  snack cakes, ice cream, etc.
• Chips and crackers
• Most all bread and rolls (this unfortunately means biscuits and gravy)
• Bacon, sausage, pork (extremely high fat content)
• Sodas, sweet tea
• Fast food (occasional stops are ok, but I'd order a grilled chicken sandwich with no fries)
• Potatoes of all kinds

Cheating: I can no longer regularly eat foods that are high fat and/or high sugar regularly to maintain a healthy weight. That means I have to eat these food sparingly and in small quantities. If I eat half of a chocolate cake (done it many times) there will be consequences; however, maybe a slice once or twice a week isn't so bad. 

I've ordered big, fatty steaks three different times in two months, but I replaced the loaded baked potato or fries with grilled vegetables or a salad. I've woofed down some cake and desserts here and there, but never two days in a row.  I've also enjoyed pizza a few times, but instead of eating the entire pizza (done it many times) I was stuffed after three pieces.

My choices were simple: eat junk and be overweight and unhealthy, (or) replace that stuff with good foods and feel 100% better.

Since dropping the weight, my joints are in much better shape, I sleep better than ever, my snoring problem has all but stopped, and my back aches are gone. My terrible heartburn? Gone. I'm wearing sizes I haven't worn in 10 years, including a pair of jeans that I've had since 1997.

I will likely add more bread products back into my diet (slowly), but they'll be limited. I also plan on exercising more. The first couple weeks were tough, but after that, my new habits became more of the norm everyday. Now that I feel good again, my desire to gorge on rotten stuff is gone, at least for now. That junk doesn't interest me anymore, and I really, really loved all that stuff a few months ago. I have no idea how difficult it will be going forward, but so far, so good.

If you have bad habits that you'd like to change, you can. I don't ever plan on buying books entitled "Living With _______." Instead, I'll do my best to write my own story, if at all humanly possible. Hopefully, you'll be inspired to do the same.

​DISCLAIMER and other disadvantages:
If you are on the go, you'll have to pack healthy foods in order to stay away from fast-food combo meals. It will also be difficult if you regularly have lunch or food meetings with others not watching their diet. Ordering healthy restaurant foods can be difficult and more expensive.

Also, not everyone can lose 40lbs in two months. If your eating habits weren't as bad as mine, you'll not likely see the same results so quickly. I'm not a doctor, and I don't play one on the Edmonson Voice. I'm not a diet or health expert, and I don't know what will or won't work for you. I haven't been to a gym in 15 years and I haven't gone on some crazy exercise regimen. This article is not intended to treat or cure any health condition; it's for information only. I'm only telling you what happened to me.