Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
After 11 years of living in different locations around the U.S., Eric and Heather Meyer found a permanent home in Colfax.
“Now we’re going to be living in Grandpa’s house, going to Colfax HS football games and working on Main Street,” said Eric who now runs the Farmers Insurance Group office in Colfax.
Heather Hochsprung grew up in Colfax. Her grandfather, Ed, opened the Modern Maid ice cream store on Canyon Street. Her parents ran a pizzeria in the Wheat and Barley Hotel which is now The Courtyard. Later her mother ran a fabric store. After graduating from Colfax, Heather attended Washington State University. She then moved to the Tri-Cities to teach which is where she met Eric. Eric grew up in the Tri-Cities and attended the University of Dayton in Ohio. He was in grad school when he met Heather.
The first 11 years of their marriage kept them hopping around the map as Eric was in pharmaceutical sales. They’ve moved north, south, east and west, moving about every two years. During that time they had four daughters, Regan, 11; Rosie, 9; Emilia, 5, and Elizabeth, 2.
“As our kids got older, we knew we needed to commit to them and settle down,” Heather said.
The girls have already lived in four states and attended seven different schools.
“Most people travel with a suitcase. We travel with a house,” Eric commented.
Eric had thought about being an insurance agent and talked to a lot of people in the industry. It was “divine intervention” that finally presented them the opportunity. While living in Vancouver, Washington, Regan’s basketball coach told the Meyers she knew that Donna Kincaid at the Farmers office in Colfax wanted to retire. They knew they wanted a small town and Colfax fit the bill. When Heather’s grandfather Ed passed away, they bought his house and started working on it. The family started to move over in phases.
Eric officially took over the business July 1. Where he used to fly over whole states, now the furthest he goes is Rosauers, and he is home every night for dinner.
The girls are excited to get involved at school and other activities, Heather added.
Despite the transient nature of their prior years, they would always dive in 100 percent when they moved to a new place. Eric coached girls’ soccer in Arizona and has also been an assistant basketball coach.
Music is another thing that has traveled with the family all these years. Eric, Regan and Rosie make up the band Old Man Sisters. Their group recently competed at the Lewiston Colgate Country Show Down. Regan sings lead while Rosie plays the violin and Eric plays guitar.
Heather has always been able to stay home with the girls. She enjoys cooking as well as sewing and quilting, skills she learned from her mother. She is now trying to pass on those quilting skills to her daughters.
“Mostly it’s been chasing kids and trying to remodel long distance,” she said of her hobbies. She’s not sure yet what she’ll do when they finally finish the house. The family has slowly been moving into the house bit by bit as each room is finished. They hope to have an open house by Christmas.
Recipes:
Meyer Family Marinade
1/3 c. red wine vinegar
1/3 c. red wine
1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. soy sauce
1/3 c. ketchup
2 tbsp Worcestershire
3 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
Combine all. Pour over favorite cut of beef and marinate up to 24 hours. Works well with flank steak, tri tip or London Broil.
CousCous Salad
1 1/2 cup couscous (10 oz box)
3/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 cup frozen peas
3 to 4 green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced on an angle
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 c. orange juice
2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
Freshly ground pepper
Stir the couscous, cranberries, curry powder, and frozen peas together in a heatproof bowl. Bring 2 cups water to a boil and pour it over the couscous. Cover the bowl tightly and let it stand until the water is absorbed and the couscous is tender, about 5 minutes.
Fluff the couscous with a fork. Add the onions, basil and garbanzo beans. Combine remaining ingredients in small bowl. Pour over couscous mixture. Serve at room temperature or chill before serving. May also add diced chicken, if desired.
Favorite Pasta Sauce
28 oz can diced tomatoes
1/4 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
chopped fresh basil, to your liking
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated
In a glass dish, combine all ingredients. Let sauce marinate for 4 hours. Add more basil and cheese when ready to serve with favorite pasta. Sauce may be served warmed or at room temperature.
Low-fat Butterscotch Blondies
2 cups all-purpose flour (about 9 ounces)
2 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoon unsalted butter
3/4 cup egg substitute
Cooking spray
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
Place butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook for 6 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Pour into a small bowl, and cool for 10 minutes. Combine butter and egg substitute, stirring with a whisk. Pour butter mixture over flour mixture; stir just until moistened. Spoon batter into a 13 x 9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray; smooth top with spatula. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into 48 squares.
Yield: 24 servings (serving size: 2 squares)
Apple Oatmeal Cookies
1/2 cup margarine, softened
1/2 cup honey
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup stone ground whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
1 apple, cored and chopped
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine, honey, egg and vanilla until smooth. Combine the whole wheat flour, baking soda and cinnamon; stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in oats and apple. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Jana Mathia is a reporter at the Whitman County Gazette.
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