House Of Worship

Joanne Ranck Dirks, assistant manager of farm and gardens at Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum, loves to tell the stories of the heirloom seeds she and her manager, Joe Schott, have preserved as part of the organization’s Heirloom Seed Project. “What makes our program unique is that it’s about preservation and commitment to our community in preserving these treasures,” said Dirks, who noted that seed packets bear the names of the donors and as much history as can fit on the label.

Plants grown from preserved seeds will be available at the Herb & Garden Faire to be held at the museum, 2451 Kissel Hill Road, Lancaster, on Friday, May 6, and Saturday, May 7, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. “For the Herb & Garden Faire, we want vegetables, herbs, perennials, and annuals,” said Dirks. According to the museum, many longtime vendors will return for this year’s fair. The event was not held in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions.

One story Dirks likes to share is that of Anna Lee Ault, a 95year-old resident of Bluffton, Ind., who sent an envelope of tomato seeds to the project in September of 2018. Ault wrote that she had been growing the tomatoes for 50 years and that they were the best tasting she had ever had, but she could not remember the original name. She said she got them from her neighbor Martha Linn. “We grew them out the next year, and they were good, and then COVID hit, and we shut down,” said Dirks, who sent Ault a few packages of Anna Lee Ault tomato seeds. She was quickly contacted by a Bluffton weekly newspaper doing a story on Ault’s seeds. The story ran in the Feb. 18, 2021, issue, and Dirks was soon besieged with requests for the seeds from Ault’s relatives and friends. “The story went live on Friday morning, and by noon, I was getting orders online,” recalled Dirks, who has sold 160 packages of Ault’s seeds, which breaks all project records.

Dirks, who got involved in the project in 2014, said that the museum has been collecting heirloom seeds since 1986. “The commitment is to preserve seeds that have been donated to us by especially local people of Pennsylvania German heritage, but not just Lancaster County,” said Dirks, who noted that heirloom vegetables have a taste advantage. “We have so many different kinds, and they are wonderful,” she said. Plants are grown in three large nursery buildings plus two kitchen gardens on site at the museum. The seed project catalog features more than 25 types of tomato seeds and about 10 types of beans, along with beets, corn, cucumbers, lettuce, peppers, popcorn, melon, special white pear-shaped pumpkins, and squash, among others.

Seeds received by the project are preserved in accordance with recommendations from Seed Savers Exchange based in Iowa. “(The organization) tells us how many we need to grow to capture all the biodiversity within that seed,” noted Dirks. The Heirloom Seed Catalog is now online at www.landisvalley museum.org/explore/heirloom -seed-project.

Joanne Ranck Dirks holds some of the plants being grown at Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum. Heirloom tomatoes (inset photo) are a specialty of the Heirloom Seed Project.

Historical Society Plans Display At Museum

The Perkiomen Railroad Historical Society will hold a National Train Day event at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, 300 Gap Road, Strasburg. The event will take place on Saturday, May 7, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The historical society will display artifacts, documents, merchandise and more.

Quarryville VFW Post 3575

1653 Holtwood Rd., Holtwood First CHICKEN BBQ

of the Season!

Sunday, May 8th • 10am - Sold Out

Chicken Only or Meals

R083600

MAY 14 TH- 8:00AM-NOON

R083458

Your one stop shop for Youronestopshopfor Mother’s Day Flowers!

Hanging Baskets • Bedding Plants H Hang n i in ng g B Ba a k sk t ets s • • B Beddi ing g Plan a t ts Vegetable Plants • Perennials • Planters t bl Pl t P i l Pl t Potting Soil • Herbs (Lots of Choices) Succulents • Decorative Containers 4½ Geraniums & Gerbera Daises

LANDISVILLE GREENHOUSE GREENHOUSE

Cash or Personal Checks Only! Thank You

the 1852 herr family homestead

authentically depicting life on a 19th century lancaster county farm

RE-OPENING ON SATURDAY, MAY 14TH

*Open 2nd & 4th Saturdays of the month

guided tours of house, guided tours of house grounds & barn tours are from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., last tour begins at 3:15 p.m. - GROUP TOURS AVAILABLE -

1756 nissley rd., lancaster

(5 MILES WEST OF LANCASTER CITY) CALL (717) 898-8822 FOR MORE INFO WWW.HERRHOMESTEAD.ORG

ASCENSION LUTHERAN CHURCH: 600 E. Penn Grant Rd., (Mailing: P.O. Box 635, Willow Street, 17584) 717-464-5683 Pastor: The Rev. Maureen L. Seifried

Worship w/Holy Communion: Saturday

Eve. 6 pm & Sunday 9:30 am. Livestreaming Visit: www.ascensionws.org

BETHEL CHURCH: 3716 Main Street, Conestoga. Sunday worship at 10:15 AM. Pastoral Team: Paul Weitzel, Kevin Kumher, and Jake Farnham. For more information, call 717-872-6755.

BREAKOUT MINISTRIES: SeniorPastors

Ron & Mary Buch; Sundays at 10am.

Contemporary worship & messages of freedom, healing, deliverance and discipleship. Children’s ministry includes nursery through Sr. High. Wednesday

Night Prayer Meeting 7-8pm; 3rd Friday night Home Bible Study 7-8:30p.; JA

Jesus based recovery meeting Saturday 7-8:30p. Men and Women groups meet monthly. Family Fun Night bi-monthly 6:30-9:00, Jr. and Sr. High youth group meets alternating months. Local and

International outreaches. Visit us on the web at www.brekaoutministries.org or

Call for details 2400 Anita Court, Leola

PA 17540 (717)656-8366

FAITH BIBLE FELLOWSHIP CHURCH: 151 Donnerville Rd., Lancaster (one block south of Columbia Avenue). Pastor: Keith M. Long. 8:45 am Sunday School (with nursery and classes for children, youth and adults); 10:15 a.m. SundayWorship Service (with nursery and children’s church). Wed.: 6:30 p.m. AWANA Clubs (K-6); Wed.: 6:30 pm Youth Group 717-285-1900. www.faithbfc.com

GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH OF MILLERSVILLE

121 Walnut Hill Rd., Millersville. Sunday

Worship at 8:15 am & 10:45 am. Sunday

School for all ages at 9:45 am. Phone: 717872-4581 Online: www.findgracehere.org

GRACE COMMUNITY CHURCH OF WIL-

LOW STREET: 212 Peach Bottom Rd.,

Willow Street. Pastor- Mike Sigman.

Weekend Worship: 6pm Saturday, Contemporary; Sunday Worship: 8 a.m.

Traditional; 9:15am & 11am Contemporary. Sunday Schl from infant-5th grade, meets simultaneously with 9:15 am & 11am Worship Services. GCC

Young Adults - Tues. 7 pm. Youth Ministry- Wed. 6:30 pm . Numerous Small

Groups. 717-464-5333 www.gccws.net info@gccws.net

MARTICVILLE UMC:Located at 641 Marticville Rd. (Rt. 324) between New

Danville & Pequea. Pastor Kevin Kresge. Bible Study at 9am, 10:30am worship service. Casual dress. Nursery, handicap access. MarticvilleUMC.org | info@marticvilleumc.org

MILLERSVILLE COMMUNITY UM CHURCH

We are learning to live, love & lead like

Jesus. Join us Sundays at 9:00 AM for

Traditional Worship at Grace Campus, 163 W Frederick St or at 10:30 AM for

Contemporary Worship at Hope Campus, 242 Bender Rd. A children’s message will be offered at both campuses.

On-line worship is offered at our website: MCchurch.net