Get your fiesta on with these Mexican-inspired dishes Baja Fish Taco Bowls 2 bags tri-color quinoa 2 tablespoons olive oil 4 white-fleshed fish fillets (5 to 6 ounces each) 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning 1/2 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt 1 tablespoon lime zest 1 teaspoon lime juice 1/4 teaspoon cumin, ground 4 cups baby kale, packed 1 ripe avocado, thinly sliced Prepare quinoa according to package directions. In large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Season fish with Cajun seasoning and salt. Cook 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until fish is lightly browned and starts to flake. S ..read more

Tips to make your Missouri State Park photos stand out It’s easier than ever to capture that perfect moment or scene while you’re out with your family. Nearly everyone has a readily available camera with them in their pocket or purse. Not surprisingly, in last year’s Missouri Snapshots Photo Contest sponsored by Missouri State Parks and Rural Missouri, nearly half of the winning photos were shot with a smartphone. The annual contest is open to amateur photographers who always showcase all that there is to love about connecting with nature and history in one of Missouri’s state parks or histor ..read more

Beaufort couple brings aluminum canoes back to Missouri They set out looking for more kayaks for their float business. They ended up bringing a storied canoe company back to Missouri. The path that led Jennifer and Scott Paulsen to where they are today is almost as full of twists and turns as the Bourbeuse River, Missouri’s most crooked float stream, where these Crawford Electric Cooperative members operate a float business. The story begins with Osagian, which began building iconic aluminum canoes in Lebanon in 1976. It was a logical location for one of many companies that earned Lebanon th ..read more

Former hospital transformed into memorial park The idea started as an individual statue on a soon-to-be vacant lot. Joe Davis, Jeff Clements and other community members in Lamar wanted to honor veterans and community members on the 3.2 acres that once housed the community’s memorial hospital. They quickly learned that with the unwavering support of their community, a sole statue would just be the tip of the iceberg. More than $450,000 and countless volunteer hours later, a testament to courage and sacrifice occupies the site on the north side of Lamar. The Barton County Memorial Park was ded ..read more

Three Missourians recognized for dedication to higher education The electric cooperatives of Missouri have always had strong ties with the University of Missouri. In fact, the first meeting to form what we now know as the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives (AMEC) was held in Mumford Hall on Mizzou’s campus on Feb. 11, 1937. Fast forward nearly 90 years and that tie of support is just as strong. Earlier this year Caleb Jones, executive vice president and CEO of today’s Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives, was honored by the Mizzou Alumni Association with its prestigious Gey ..read more

New Haven painter brings big-scale art to walls across Missouri When artist Ray Harvey sees a blank wall in a small town, he has a big goal. He wants to paint a mural so memorable it becomes as iconic as the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. “Every small town needs an Arch,” Ray says. “You want something that makes people proud of their town.” For three decades, Ray has been transforming blank walls into tourist destinations. His murals capture historical moments, noteworthy people, beautiful scenery and more — the one common dominator is the size. “I do big, bold stuff,” he says. “If I’m going to pa ..read more

Delicious Mexican food and more are on the menu in an inviting historical building photos by Paul Newton  |  pnewton@ruralmissouri.coop What do you get when you combine a Missouri farm girl with Mexican heritage and fine-dining experience, a former police officer who can mix the perfect margarita and a pristine building built in 1894? The memorable and worth-the-drive dining experience of Mama Loca’s Cafe & Cantina. The menu at this funky restaurant offers something for everyone who visits the 14-year mainstay on Main Street in Ash Grove. “Our goal is to meet and exceed our cust ..read more

Missouri school districts take advantage of electric buses Walking around his district’s newest school buses, Jake Kloss notes there’s no noticeable differences between these five buses and the other 26 in the parking lot. They’re all yellow, marked with “Cassville R-IV School District” on the side and the controls inside are similarly located. Open the hood, however, and the similarities end. The new buses are powered by electricity, not diesel. “I’ve put some of these buses on longer routes — like 100 miles per day — just to see how they perform and how we can use these effectively going f ..read more

​Luray farmer breathes new life into family relics Every tractor has a story. Mike Schantz has heard his fair share of those tractor’s stories over the past four decades. The stories are less about the nuts and bolts of the tractor and more about the who and why. Mike recalls when he was contacted about fixing up an old family tractor that had been building up dust and wear for years. “The family was surprising one of the brothers on Memorial Day weekend, which was a year away,” Mike says. “I worked on it for a year and come the holiday, I just drove right up and delivered it to him with his ..read more

A day in the life of a lineman The second Monday in April is set by state statute as Lineworker Appreciation Day in Missouri. To see just what these dedicated workers do to deserve our respect, we spent a day with an electric cooperative lineman. Join us on the job with Laclede Electric Cooperative journeyman lineman Charley Moore. 7:20 a.m., Laclede Electric Cooperative Operations Building, Lebanon: It’s 40 minutes before his workday officially begins, but Charley Moore and most of the other linemen who work for the co-op are already at the office. Charley downs a can of Monster Energy and ..read more