Harrisburg Magazine March/April 2021

A virtual photo exhibit goes live on our pages

Got fresh veggies?

We offer many ways to eat local

Looking for something to throw or smash?

We have some ideas

CONTENTS M A R C H / A P R I L 2 02 1

b enchmark Media, LLC.

10

18

April 2021 • Volume 27 No. 3

PRESIDENT/CEO Darwin Oordt doordt@benchmarkmediallc.com DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Christina Heintzelman cheintzelman@benchmarkmediallc.com EDITOR Deborah Lynch dlynch@harrisburgmagazine.com

INSIDE

20

ON THE COVER

4

SIMPLY THE BEST VOTING

6

EDITOR'S INTRO

8

BARTENDER'S CHOICE

10

PHOTOS FROM ONE LENS PROJECT

14

CSAS: THIS FOOD DOESN'T COME FROM THE GROCERY STORE

18

HUB FOR LOCAL FOOD

20

TAKE AIM AT TREND TO THROW THINGS

24

MOTOR ENTHUSIASTS MIGRATE TO CENTRAL PA

28

ARTFUL INSPIRATIONS: PAINT

30

ARTFUL INSPIRATIONS: WORDS

34

TASTE THIS FRIDAY

39

MARCH RESTAURANT SECTION

41 KOREALICIOUS 41

LOCAL RESTAURANTS

47

MARCH HEALTH & WELLNESS SECTION

52

BABY BOOM

56

HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW?

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE'S "SIMPLY THE BEST" 2019 CORPORATE SPONSORS: A virtual photo exhibit goes live on our pages

Got fresh veggies?

We offer many ways to eat local

Looking for something to throw or smash?

We have some ideas

Friends hang out in Reservoir Park in Harrisburg. To see more of the virtual One Lens: Sharing Our Common Threads exhibit, see page 10.

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Laura Reich lreich@benchmarkmediallc.com DIRECTOR OF SALES AND MARKETING Mike Jurosky mjurosky@harrisburgmagazine.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Jo Ann Shover jshover@benchmarkmediallc.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Don Bair dbair@harrisburgmagazine.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Christina Heintzelman Dimitri John Diekewicz

Visit us online at: HarrisburgMagazine.com

Harrisburg Magazine® is published monthly at 3400 N. Sixth St., Harrisburg, PA 17110. Phone: 717.233.0109; Fax: 717.232.6010; harrisburgmagazine.com. Subscriptions, $10.95 per year. Single copies, $3.75. Back Issues, $4.00 at office or $7.00 by mail (postage and handling included). Send change of address forms to Benchmark Group Media, 3400 N. Sixth St., Harrisburg, PA 17110. This issue or any part thereof may not be reproduced in any form without written permission from Harrisburg Magazine®, Inc. Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings, photographs and disks if they are to be returned, and no responsibility can be assumed for unsolicited materials. All rights in letters sent to Harrisburg Magazine® will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright purposes and as such are subject to a right to edit and comment editorially. Name and contents ©2020, Harrisburg Magazine, Inc. Printed by Freeport Press, Freeport, Oh.

2 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE APRIL 2021

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE APRIL 2021 3

THE NOMINATIONS ARE NOW OVER. While thousands were nominated, only THE BEST had enough votes to make it to the next round.

VOTING BEGINS APRIL 15, 2021 AT 12:01 A.M. HERE'S HOW TO VOTE: 1. If you voted before, you need to find the link 3. For each category, scroll through the list emailed to you to log in. until the bottom to ensure you see all the entrants. Entries are listed alphabetically.

If you can't find the link, go to the voting Most categories have 5 nominees. A few page and click on "Already registered" at the categories where the nomination count top of the ballot. This will resend you the link. was tied or very close, may have more than 5 nominees.

If you haven't voted before, you will need to register. You can do this by entering your 4. Choose the nominee you think is the best, email address when prompted after voting. then click on the green "Vote" button next Email address must be valid and belong to to it. the person casting the vote to be considered 5. If you haven't registered or logged in, it will valid. Invalid votes will not be counted. ask for your email address at this time. Enter 2. To start, navigate to the category by it and complete the registration process. selecting on the group button, then the category from the drop-down menu.

6. If you make a mistake, just click on "Change Vote" to fix it.

THAT'S IT! YOU MAY ONLY VOTE ONE TIME PER CATEGORY.

VOTING ENDS AT 11:59 P.M. ON JUNE 15, 2021.

4 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE APRIL 2021

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE APRIL 2021 5

Italian Lake Photo By Karen Commings

Spring into change

W

e lcome to the first issue of Harrisburg Magazine with me (Deborah Lynch) at the helm. I started here as editor in mid-February, and have been working with anticipation for this April issue that features special sections on Restaurants, and Health and Wellness, as well as articles on trends moving forward.

Given the timing in early spring and the focus on healthy eating, we will profile the farms that offer Community Supported Agriculture in the Harrisburg region. CSAs connect producers and consumers through shares that members buy in advance in return for harvest throughout the growing season. Offering CSAs allows many smaller farms to connect directly with customers.

My involvement with CSAs is long — and cold. More than 25 years ago, I lived in Burlington, VT, with my husband and two young children.

Burlington is home to one of the first CSA ventures at an area known as the Intervale along the Winooski River. It is a reclaimed dumping ground for tires, furniture, and other garbage that was turned into sustainable farming land by Will Rapp, the founder of Gardener’s Supply Company.

Members of the Intervale CSA were asked to participate at the farm in some way. I’ll never forget the bitter cold November day when I took my two toddlers into a field of rigid rows to dig into the rock hard ground to harvest carrots. Carrots never tasted so good.

Upon moving to the Harrisburg area 22 years ago, I was thrilled to discover CSAs here, too. In the beginning, my then-preteens bemoaned the mounds of kale that came in our shares. To put this into perspective, I need to preface this story with another story about my battle to serve my family healthy food. I always bought high fiber bread to use in my kids’ school lunches, and they complained, but I didn’t care. One time, my husband was coming into the kitchen and could hear the kids saying to one another, “Mom buys this high fiber bread, 6 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE APRIL 2021

but we don’t get any fiber because we don’t eat it.” Yeah, I occasionally started buying white bread after that.

Fortunately, my CSA included a newsletter in each share with recipes and tips, and we gradually learned to enjoy kale in forms we would never have imagined. My adult children now voluntarily buy kale and consume it regularly. I guess that speaks to the wisdom that people need to be allowed to develop their own tastes, maybe with a little help from mom.

In the past 20 years, these local farms have had their shares of ups and downs. Interest peaked in the late 2000s, but Covid helped to bring people back to cooking, and cooking local. Many local farms that offer CSA memberships also get their produce and goods out in other ways too — local farmers’ markets, groceries that stock local goods, and restaurants.

We’ll also feature one of the local shops that showcases local farmers and food purveyors with its selection of healthy local products. While Radish & Rye Food Hub at 1308 3rd St. in Harrisburg has been in existence since 2015 in the Broad Street Market, and open at the new location for curbside pickup, it finally opened the gleaming new location in early March.

When not up for cooking, whether takeout or dine-in, the Harrisburg region also offers a variety of great dining choices. In this issue, our staff samples from Korealicious and a new ghost kitchen opening in Harrisburg, Unreal Kitchen.

Just as the pandemic changed the way many people eat — more cooking, more takeout, and less indoor dining — it affected people in nearly all aspects of life across the state, country, and world. To chronicle our pandemic experience across Pennsylvania, first lady Frances Wolf headed the One Lens project in which people from across the state

were asked to submit photos. “When I see this mass of photographs, I’m so impressed by the magnitude of Pennsylvanians working to make an understanding, to take control of this. ... It gives me chills just looking through them,” Wolf said. We publish some of the eyecatching photos from this virtual exhibit.

Finally, we are bringing back a former feature in a new format in this issue. Our “Bartender’s Choice” column will profile a different local bartender in each issue, highlighting his or her specialties, and including a recipe for readers who want to concoct the drink at home. Our first bartender is Adam Dillon of Babe’s Grill House in Palmyra. We’d like readers to get involved, too. To nominate your favorite bartender for this column, write a brief paragraph about what makes the bartender great, including favorite drinks, and send it to dlynch@harrisburg.magazine.com We will start a new feature in the next issue.

“In My Neighborhood” will profile different neighborhoods in our coverage area. In May, we profile our office neighborhood of the northernmost part of uptown Harrisburg/ Susquehanna Township. Where should we go next? To nominate a neighborhood, see our website at https://harrisburgmagazine. com/ and complete the template at this link: https://benchmarkmedia.wufoo.com/forms/ welcome-to-my-hood/ Deborah Lynch - Editor I join the staff after 20 years working in education that followed my first career in journalism. My teaching and tutoring career at Harrisburg Area Community College, Penn State Harrisburg, and Nativity School of Harrisburg has helped me get to know the people and neighborhoods of the city in new ways. I bring my journalist’s curiosity and my love of Harrisburg and the region to my new post.

Don Bair - Account Executive Harrisburg Magazine also has a new account executive, Don Bair. Born in Allentown, Bair was raised in Mechanicsburg, where he still lives although he and his girlfriend are scouting properties on the East Shore. To see Bair is to know he is an athlete — he played left tackle for Mechanicsburg High School’s football team, and then right guard for four years at Susquehanna University, where he made first team All Conference for the Centennial Conference his junior and senior years. He graduated from Susquehanna in 2018 with a degree in Business Administration. Bair joins us after nearly two years working as a route sales representative for Dempsey Uniform and Linen Supply. 7

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE APRIL 2021 7

Bartender’s Choice

Babe’s bartender creates sensory experiences

By Deborah Lynch dlynch@harrisburgmagazine.com

I

n this issue, we introduce you to a new column that will feature area bartenders pouring advice on their favorite cocktails and how to prepare them at home. An informed drinker can order a better cocktail.

My family lovingly jokes about my fatherin-law who always orders a whiskey sour when he goes out. When asked what whiskey he wants, he proudly replies, “Bartender’s choice” because he doesn’t really know (or maybe even like) whiskey and maybe really just likes the sour mix. The drink he will be served probably will not compare in quality to the one ordered by someone who knows what they are ordering.

Our bartenders might offer you tips on whiskeys (or other spirits) to try and the nuances between them. They will share a drink recipe for you to try at home, too.

Each issue will feature a different bartender.

If you’d like to nominate someone you know who mixes memorable drinks, please send your nominations with contact information and a brief paragraph explaining why you think this bartender is the best to Harrisburg Magazine at dlynch@harrisburgmagazine.com. Here’s our first guest columnist. Thanks for sipping.

The Silver Fox Manhattan

Adam Dillon

Bartender Adam Dillon 8 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE APRIL 2021

Our first guest bartender is Adam Dillon, a bourbon aficionado who keeps bar at Babe’s at 312 E. Main St. in Palmyra on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 4 p.m. until close.

Although tending bar is his avocation — by day he is an executive recruiter for The Carlisle Group — Dillon has 20 years of experience behind the bar at bars, restaurants, joints, and country clubs in Baltimore and Central PA. Today, he only continues to tend bar because he has the opportunity to work alongside Dave and Kylie Deimler at Babe’s in Palymra.

Dillon says he could see himself continuing to tend bar when he retires. He enjoys spirits, learning more about them, and creating his own drinks. He takes his own advice to home mixologists, “Have fun! It’s not your job!”

Still, Dillion acknowledges that creating great drinks is both an art and a science, and does require some background or research. He suggests watching established bartenders on YouTube channels like “The Educated BarFly” or “Truffles on the Rocks.” He also advises home mixologists to get the proper bar equipment: julep strainer; Hawthorne strainer; fine mesh strainer; 28 oz. and 18 oz. tins; double jiggers of 1 oz. and 2 oz., and .5 oz. and .25 oz.; muddler; bar spoon; mixing glass. These supplies are relatively inexpensive and can be found easily on Amazon.

“Don’t be afraid to try different things … sometimes the things that don’t sound like they would pair well together do,” he said. Other tips: pay attention to details; express an orange for the oils; don’t overstir a drink to avoid diluting it; make precise pours (no showy free pours); and add ice after the drink is constructed.

Dillon’s Drink Dossier

Dillon's signature recipes:

Inspirations: New York City bars — Employee’s Only, The Dead Rabbit, Dante, Death & Company

Silver Fox Manhattan 2 oz. Bulleit bourbon .75 oz. Grand Marnier .75 oz. Carpano’s Antica sweet vermouth ⅛-¼ inch thick slice of orange peel

Favorite spirit straight: Henry McKenna 10-year bonded and Sam Houston 14-year

Add all ingredients to a mixing glass, then add ice, stir, and pour. Zest or express the orange peel slice over the cocktail. Twist it, then rub the peel on the rim of the glass, and drop the peel in the glass for garnish.

Try these bourbons: Four Roses, Bulleit, Woodford, Elijah Craig, Blanton’s, Basil Hayden, Angel’s Envy, Colonel E.H. Taylor, Eagle Rare, Henry McKenna 10-year-bonded, Weller Favorite drinks to mix: Pre-prohibition cocktails — Manhattan, Old Fashioned, Sazerac, Negroni, Boulevardier

Sticky Fingers Old Fashioned

The most commonly ordered drinks at your bar: Silver Fox Manhattan (Dillon’s creation), Campfire Old Fashioned, White Mirror Cosmo Philosophy on drinks: Drinks must be consistent, balanced, and delicious. They should be an experience and make an impression. The way to do this is first through the presentation, second through smell, and finally, by taste.

Any thoughts about your cocktails: Let customers be a part of it — they love watching the process. Create an experience. No shortcuts. 7

Sticky Fingers Old Fashioned 2 oz. Knob Creek 1 oz. dark molasses/brown sugar simple syrup Barspoon of cherry juice (Lux cherry) Angostura orange bitters (a few shakes) Lux cherry ⅛-¼ inch thick slice of orange peel Add all ingredients to a mixing glass then add ice, stir, and pour. Zest or express the orange peel over the cocktail. Twist it, then rub the peel on the rim of the glass, and drop peel in glass for garnish. Add a cherry on a cocktail pick for added garnish.

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE APRIL 2021 9

One Lens: Sharing Our Common Views exhibit, ROBERT SHIPP

PHOTOS FRAME PANDEMIC LIFE

S

By Deborah Lynch

dlynch@harrisburgmagazine.com

ome day in the future when all current Pennsylvanians are “We have seen scenes that run over and over — how people drew no longer around, their stories will live on through One Lens: comfort to themselves,” Wolf said of the submissions. “They play out Sharing Our Common Views, a project that has been organized over and over again from so many photographs from all over the state. …

by First Lady Frances Wolf to help Pennsylvanians see their similarities people may recognize that someone in Erie has the same experience as and common goals, and to build stronger bonds between neighbors someone in Montgomery County; someone in Philadelphia did exactly and communities during the Covid-19 pandemic. Everyone in the the same thing as someone in Allegheny County. There are connections state, nation, and world experienced 2020 as a year of great challenge, and we can actually show the connections. I’m hoping that by doing struggle, strife — yet also as one that helped many to appreciate simple that, even though we are all in different places, we are absolutely a part pleasures, family, and friends. All of those emotions and experiences as citizens of Pennsylvania — we are still a community.” are illustrated in the One Lens exhibit.

Part of the project was to ensure that everyone was represented, The virtual project collected photo and audio submissions from so regional ambassadors were appointed to help promote it and then Pennsylvanians that covered Our Lives, Our Heroes, and Our to analyze it. As the ambassador for Central PA, Porcha Johnson — Communities from March 2020-March 2021. Nearly 900 photos founder and CEO of Black Girl Health and executive director of Black were submitted from 58 of the 67 Pennsylvania Girl Health Foundation, and former WGAL reporter counties; three audio chronicles were submitted — used her social media influencer role to galvanize in partnership with LAMP (Libraries of Accessible “This is a moment that the people of this region to document their lives.

Media for Pennsylvanians) to make this project “This is a moment that changed our lives,” she said of changed our lives,” accessible to everyone. The photos and audios will be the pandemic. “We remember when it happened. We — Porcha Johnson archived by the state library and the state archives to remember how it affected us and the people we love.

Regional Ambassador help record the pandemic experience forever.

We remember how it changed how we do things.”

“It doesn’t happen often that we have a chance to To partner with the One Lens photo exhibit, Wolf provide primary information, that we are creating a also set up a series of virtual conversations to take a primary source for historians,” Wolf said of the project. “... everyone deeper look into pandemic life that were recorded. This “Bigger Picture” has their own image or images that they have submitted, but en series includes conversations with experts on topics including mental masse they are creating a historical document of evidence — a body of health, small business, tourism and the outdoors, and healing in art. evidence of what Pennsylvanians did during the 2020 pandemic,” she “I was talking with people who had experience either personally or said. “This very much parallels the images of the 1918 pandemic that professionally in the roller coaster ride that we are all on. There was the state archives has.” encouragement — they promised there was going to be light at the end The idea for the project grew out of Wolf’s personal experience. She of the tunnel — that we could do this,” Wolf said. “I don’t know if this had just had an exhibition of her paintings open in Gettysburg, but is a Pennsylvania thing, but each in their own way were very intent on within a week, the pandemic had closed it down. She went to work moving to that light. In the midst of everything we’ve given up — time sewing masks, and then reaching out to her community of close friends with family, time with friends, losing a family member to Covid and and family through Zoom to help get through the start of the pandemic. the unbearable grief that follows -- still they talked about that despite She realized that everyone was suffering and began looking for ways to these hard times, we will still prevail. It was beyond encouraging.” bring comfort to the communities of Pennsylvania. Acknowledging that The virtual photo exhibit and “Bigger Picture” conversations will be many people communicate through visuals (such as social media) and accessible through the One Lens website at https://www.pa.gov/onethat most people have a phone that can take a photo, she decided to lens/ at least through the rest of the Wolf administration (until 2023). create a project based around the images of a life in lockdown.

The gallery will include more than 1,200 photos. 7 10 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE APRIL 2021

One Lens: Sharing Our Common Views exhibit, PUJA GELLERMAN

One Lens: Sharing Our Common Views exhibit, JENNIFER SANDS

One Lens: Sharing Our Common Views exhibit, KATIE MERRIT

One Lens: Sharing Our Common Views exhibit, MATTHEW KRUPP

One Lens: Sharing Our Common Views exhibit, LEON LAING

One Lens: Sharing Our Common Views exhibit, KATIE MERRITT

One Lens: Sharing Our Common Views exhibit, MARY BETH STRINGENT

One Lens: Sharing Our Common Views exhibit, CATHERINE STETLER

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE APRIL 2021 11

One Lens: Sharing Our Common Views exhibit, MATTHEW KRUPP

One Lens: Sharing Our Common Views exhibit, ROBERT SHIPP

One Lens: Sharing

One Lens: Sharing Our Common Views exhibit, STASIA BOYCE

One Lens: Sharing Our Common Views exhibit, CORINNE FOSTER

One Lens: Sharing

One Lens: Sharing Our Common Views exhibit, STEVEN WILLIAMS

One Lens: Sharing Our Common Views exhibit, COMMONWEALTH MEDIA SERVICES

One Lens: Sharing

One Lens: Sharing Our Common Views exhibit, EMILY BARGE

12 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE APRIL 2021

One Lens: Sharing Our Common Views exhibit, COMMONWEALTH MEDIA SERVICES

One Lens: Sharing Our Common Views exhibit, ADAM RAMSEY

Our Common Views exhibit, ALISON ATTEBERY

Our Common Views exhibit, CHI ILOCHI

g Our Common Views exhibit, JENNIFER SANDS

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE APRIL 2021 13

Deirdre Brownback stands inside one of the many greenhouses at Spiral Path Farm.

This food doesn’t come from the grocery store — CSA shares grow out of midstate soil Story and Photos By Deborah Lynch dlynch@harrisburgmagazine.com

“The more available local foods and regenerative farms, the better for the health of our entire region and ag industry.”

— Lucas Brownback

Johanna Carolus is part of the Spiral Path Farm greenhouse team.

14 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE APRIL 2021

I

magine not having to fight crowds in the most popular activity of the pandemic — grocery shopping. Imagine opening a box of surprises every week, then biting into a big juicy strawberry that was grown on a farm just down the road. This is more than a dream — it’s reality delivered in the form of a box of fresh produce from a local farm through a Community Supported Agriculture share.

While many businesses have suffered because of Covid-19, Community Supported Agriculture enjoyed a resurgence. CSAs started more than 30 years ago with the boom years coming between 2006-2008, but after years of decline, the pandemic brought consumers back to the CSA concept, which allows smaller local farmers to sell shares of their products to people in nearby communities.

One of the larger CSA farms serving the Harrisburg area, Spiral Path Farms of Loysville in Perry County, gained 500 new members in 2020, bringing the number of members they served to 1,800. Following national trends, Spiral Path membership peaked in 2007 at more than 2,500 members. Since then, except for last year’s pandemic boost, membership averages around 1,200.

“Covid has been a huge boost,” said Guillermo Payet, founder of LocalHarvest, a website dedicated to the nation’s local farms, “and I hope the consumer habits will ‘stick’ this time.”

CSAs offer boxes of fresh produce — and sometimes meats, dairy, eggs, breads, and flowers, too, but primarily produce — to members with different farms offering different plans. Some offer weekly boxes of varying sizes, while others offer shortterm memberships or biweekly shares, or opportunities to pick your own share. Just as types of memberships differ, so do prices and delivery or pickup policies. Many offer delivery to various pickup points around the Harrisburg area. Others require members to come to the farm, or for a fee, make home deliveries.

Many also offer their produce at local farmers’ markets and local produce venues.

For long-time members and those new to CSAs, the benefits can be many including locally grown food — from some farms, it is organic, too — newsletters with recipes and eating tips, market discounts, farm days for members, and the ease of pickup or delivery.

Some even accept EBT/SNAP cards and have community funds to help make their goods

CSA FARMS SERVING THE HARRISBURG AREA Spiral Path Farm 538 Spiral Path Lane, Loysville, PA 17047 (717) 789-4433 | www.spiralpathfarm.com How long has CSA existed: 28 years How many CSA members: 1,800 members (households) in 2020 in central PA Delivery points: More than 40 pickup locations in southcentral PA. Vegetables and fruits: Yes What sets CSA apart: One of the first to serve the Harrisburg area with a steady retention rate of 50 percent.

Other outlets: Silver Spring and Bethesda, MD, farmers markets. Also available at Wegman’s.

Organic: 100 percent certified organic Types of shares: Full (7-15 larger items feeds 4) or Medium (6-14 smaller items feeds 1-3). Total Season Share is 35 weeks from mid-April to mid-December ($857/full share; $612/medium share) and Summer Season Share is 20 weeks between June and mid-October ($560/full; $400/ medium); monthly sampler shares also available.

Newsletter: Weekly with recipes, storage information, updates from family Other: Holds open farm days for members Strite’s Orchard: 1000 Strites Road, Harrisburg, PA 17111 717-564-3130 | www.stritesorchard.com How long has CSA existed: Since 2011 How many CSA members: 275-500 (more last year due to Covid) Delivery points: 18, plus the farm market on Tuesdays/ Wednesdays/Thursdays Vegetables and fruits: yes What sets CSA apart: More fruit and a great variety of produce How long has farm existed: Strite family has been farming since 1843 with first fruit trees and vegetables planted in 1914 and first farm market in 1950 Type of farming: naturally grown, conventional, integrated pest management Types of shares: 6-8 produce items each week Newsletter: e-newsletter with tips on the produce in your box Cost: $468 May-November Other: Fruit offered and open-farm u-pick opportunities set it apart from other CSAs. Members get discounts on fruit picked and in the farm market.

RowenTree Farm 126 South Locust Point Road, Mechanicsburg, PA17055 (717) 448-2752 | rowantreefarm.com Farm store open daily 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

How long has CSA existed: 3 years How many CSA members: 35 members Delivery points: Carlisle, Mechanicsburg, Camp Hill, Harrisburg Vegetables and fruits: Only grows vegetables and herbs, but buys in fruit and mushrooms What sets CSA apart: Also offers chicken, lamb, and pork; CSA boxes are customizable, if no selection is made, it's the farmer's choice.

Farmers market stands: Farm store and online ordering; also sell at Dillsburg Farmers Market and Market on the Square in Carlisle Organic: Yes Types of shares: Season runs second week of May through last week of October; Veggie share — 25 weeks/$600; Egg share — 25 weeks/$100 or biweekly for $50. Boxes are customizable, but if no selections are made, get a farmer’s choice Other: Spots are still available for this year at this small, one-farmer operation; home delivery available for $5/ week charge Jade Family Farm 1424 Matamoras Road, Port Royal, PA 17082 717-527-4719 | www.jadefamilyfarm.com How long has CSA existed: Since 2006 How many CSA members: 180-200 Delivery points: Hershey, Paxtang, Midtown Harrisburg, New Cumberland, Colonial Park/Susquehanna Township, Linglestown area, Camp Hill Vegetables and fruits: Mostly veggies, but some fruits like strawberries and kiwi berries What sets CSA apart: Also has dairy goats, and allows members to customize shares Farmers market stands: Only in State College, but some produce available at Radish & Rye on 3rd St., Harrisburg Organic: Yes, certified Types of shares: Large (vegetable needs for 4) is $30.60/ week or $673.20 full season; medium (for two), $22.19/ HARRISBURG MAGAZINE APRIL 2021 15

Spiral Path Farm near Loysville in Perry County spreads across the hillsides.

Terra Brownback and her daughter-in-law, Deirdre.

"You don't need to wonder where your produce is coming from, as everything we put in our CSA boxes is grown locally and sustainably."

— Ben Langford, Strite's Orchard

16 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE APRIL 2021

available to everyone. As Ben Langford, the CSA/Farm Market Manager for Strite’s Orchard said, “ Being a member of our CSA program is a great way to ensure that you’re getting a variety of in-season, locally grown fruits and vegetables every week during our growing season. You don’t need to wonder where your produce is coming from, as everything we put in our CSA boxes is grown locally and sustainably.”

A great way to learn about local CSA farms anywhere in the United States is through the LocalHarvest website, which strives to bring farmers together in a single online directory.

Listings on the website are created and maintained by users (farmers). The company considers its directory to be the most exhaustive for data about farms and markets.

Those interested should check update dates for individual farms or call farms to find out if they are still active.

According to a blog on the website, “Back in the summer of 1999, a small group of software engineers, farm activists, and farmers from the Central Coast of California met to talk about how the Internet could contribute to a vibrant future for family farms.” Today, the page thrives as it works to connect family farmers with people who want great food.

Payet said the website typically gets about 400,000 unique visitors per month, but during March and April of 2020 saw a huge boost in activity, with 675,000 unique visitors in April. “This year, we’re seeing about the same traffic as pre-pandemic,” he said.

Interest in CSAs grew between 20062008 thanks to lots of media coverage, and consumers who “rushed to it, and then later realized that it is not for them. They dropped

out within a couple of years,” Payet said, noting that starting in 2015, CSAs had been going out of business left and right prior to Covid.

He blames some of the loss to competition from meal plans and other big businesses along with more widespread availability of locally grown produce in supermarkets, and just plain “novelty fatigue.” Lucas Brownback of Spiral Path Farm said the availability of local produce at the growing farmers’ market scene also contributed to fewer memberships.

The Harrisburg area is fortunate to have quite a few farms that have kept their CSAs alive — some as long as 28 years (Spiral Path Farms). Farms serving this area include Spiral Path of Loysville, Strite’s Orchard in Harrisburg, RowenTree Farm in Mechanicsburg, Jade Family Farm in Port Royal, Village Acres Farm and FoodShed near Mifflintown, Good Keeper Farm in Gardners, and Baken Creek Farm in Landisburg. Others listed on the LocalHarvest Farm, but not confirmed as active CSAs by Harrisburg Magazine include Yeehaw Farm in Duncannon and Oak Grove Farms in Mechanicsburg. All of these farms are listed on the LocalHarvest website. Other area farms also offer other types of share programs, such as for flowers, meats, cheeses, etc.

The farmers welcome the competition, which they say is good for the community. “The more available local foods and regenerative farms, the better for the health of our entire region and ag industry,” Brownback said, noting that Spiral Path has partnered with other farms to share local pick-up sites, too. 7

week or $488.18 full season; small (modest needs), $16.83/ week or $370.26 full season Season: May 25-Oct. 19 Other: Offer fresh tofu and cheese as add-ons; shares are fully customized — member’s stated preferences, and can swap out items they don’t want for ones they do at no additional cost.

Village Acres Farm and FoodShed 229 Cuba Mills Road, Mifflintown, PA 17059 717-436-9477 | www.villageacres.com How long has CSA existed: 22 years How many CSA members: About 125 Delivery points: Midtown Harrisburg, and on-farm in Mifflintown Vegetables and fruits: Veggies, some fruit, egg shares, flower bouquet shares What sets CSA apart: Sometimes offer nuts, flowers, canned/frozen/dehydrated items, eggs, and seasonally have chicken and lamb (including fleeces, yarn, and hats) Farmers market stands: PA Farm Show farmers market and Mifflintown Farmers Market; also sell products at Radish & Rye on 3rd St. Organic: Certified for nearly 30 years Types of shares: Farmer’s choice boxes with weekly, biweekly, monthly options (about $35-$75) -- option to add items; egg shares by the dozen ($4-$4.75/doz) or by the case; flower shares ($25/bouquet) weekly or biweekly or monthly. Offer items a la carte.

Other: Accept EBT/SNAP cards and also have a community fund to help make produce available to people who may experience financial challenges.

Good Keeper Farm 250 Old State Road, Gardners, PA 17324 443-995-4088 or 717-448-7694 www.goodkeeperfarm.com How long has CSA existed: 6 years How many CSA members: 100 people (60 households) No delivery now; must do farm pickup Tuesdays and Fridays 2-7 p.m.

What’s offered: Only PA farm offering a full diet CSA share — fruit, dairy, meat, bread, beans, vegetables, eggs in one membership What sets CSA apart: Free choice — members come to farm and take as much as they need of what they want each week; members sign an agreement for nine months Farmers market stands: Full-time vendors at Carlisle Farmers on the Square; also sell wholesale to Radish & Rye on 3rd St., Apple Valley Creamery, and a few restaurants and general stores Organic: Yes, certified Types of shares: Full Diet Cost: Price based on size of household (every member of household must be a member) Other: Members have access to large pick-your-own flowers, herbs, and native plants.

Baken Creek Farm 6196 Waggoner’s Gap Road, Landisburg, PA 17040 717-516-0223 bakencreekfarm.wixsite.com/home/bakenbucks How long has CSA existed: 2019 How many CSA members: About 25 Delivery points: Pickup Tuesdays 3-7 p.m. at farm or Wednesdays at drop point in Arcona neighborhood.

Vegetables and fruits: Mostly vegetables grown on farm; some berries or bonus items from other local farms including fruits or mushrooms What sets CSA apart: Weekly or biweekly egg shares; items from other local farms/businesses like locally roasted coffee, raw honey, Einkorn flower, flower bouquets and more. CSA members get 5 percent discount in store In-house farm market: one-room store open seasonally MayDecember, Tuesdays 3-7 p.m. and Saturdays 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Types of shares: Veggie subscription available for 2021; 18-week CSA weekly share ($360) or 9-week biweekly share ($185); 18-week egg share (1 doz/wk, $76.50), 9-week egg share ($36.25) Other: Customers can purchase store credit (rather than membership shares) called Baken Bucks that can be used in store to be used as they wish. Also offer lamb and chicken.

Oak Grove Farms 846 Fisher Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055 717-766-2216 | oakgrovefarmsinc.com/cms Yeehaw Farm 51 Rohrer Drive, Duncannon, PA 17020 717-834-9667 | yeehawfarm.webs.com HARRISBURG MAGAZINE APRIL 2021 17

Fresh produce lines the cases at the new Radish & Rye Food Hub. Below, Dusty James checks the shelves, and bottom, Julia James completes a sale.

Love sprouts into local food hub Story and Photos By Deborah Lynch dlynch@harrisburgmagazine.com

A

couple that buys beef together, stays together. That’s the saying, right? At least, it could be in the relationship of Julia and Dusty James, who met in 2009, dated for a couple of months, and then made their first purchase together — a side of beef from a local farm. Their passion grew — not only for each other, but for local foods — into Radish & Rye at 1308 N. 3rd Street in Harrisburg.

The locally sourced food hub, which formerly held down 500 square feet in the Brick Building of Broad Street Market, opened its freestanding store last summer for pickup only, but recently opened its shelves to inperson shopping. The new space also includes a commercial kitchen, where the couple along with chef Mike Bates, are creating their specialties to sell along with produce, meats, cheeses, breads, condiments, spices, and all varieties of locally produced food specialties.

“We were local food hobbyists when we met,” Julia James said of herself and her then husband-to-be of the inspiration behind Radish & Rye. “We would go to farmers markets, go directly to farms. … I joined my 18 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE APRIL 2021

first CSA [Community Supported Agriculture] in 2007. That farmer is someone that we work with now [Jade Family Farm].”

They loved Broad Street Market, which inspired a pipe dream of imagining things they wish the market had, but didn’t. It was more local food. “We said, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if there was a place that pulled together food from local farmers — those maybe too small to devote resources to a three-day-a-week stand?’

I was especially interested in getting our hands on local cheeses,” Julia recalls.

A friend asked for permission to use their idea to which they said, “Go for it! We want to shop there!” and opened Harvest in the market. After a year-and-a-half, he decided to move on and sold it to the Jameses in 2015, who expanded the footprint and added freezers to what became Radish & Rye. In 2018, they applied for and received a grant through the Local Food Promotion Program under the Agricultural Marketing wing of the USDA that allowed them to begin renovations on their freestanding store. What at first seemed as easy as “slapping a coat

“We said, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if there was a place that pulled together food from local farmers...’ ” — Julia James

of paint on the walls” turned into a much bigger project to meet zoning requirements.

Finally, early in 2020, they thought they were looking at a June opening. Then, Covid.

Their Broad Street Market stand remained open both in-person and online in the first days of Covid, but the online ordering system didn’t sync well with in-person inventory, so they had to decide to go with one or the other, and given the times, chose online. Despite hiccups with online inventory systems, they did brisk business.

Julia discovered that none of the online inventory systems for groceries work well to sync actual inventory, but she’s made it work as best she can — despite lots of extra manual work — and Radish & Rye plans to continue offering online ordering for curbside pickup forever. “The big trend in the industry is online ordering and curbside pickup,” she explained of the decision.

Noting that she and Dusty had been collecting ideas about foods they’d love to make with their products for years, Julia said that the products that most excite her in the store are those they are producing in their kitchen from the products on their shelves. “Slowly, but surely, we are preparing this line of foods from the same high quality ingredients that we sell,” she said. The first thing from their kitchen is a butternut and ginger soup (both grown locally). They will also always offer chicken and vegetable stock.

Some of R&R’s most important suppliers include Village Acres Farm in Mifflintown for vegetables and eggs; Rettland Farm in Gettysburg for pork and chicken; Apple Valley Creamery in East Berlin for milk; Three Springs Fruit Farm in Aspers for fruits; and Jade Family Farms in Port Royal, for produce they can’t find other places.

They also supply their shelves through two local organic cooperatives — Lancaster Farm Fresh and Franklin Sustainable Farms.

Radish & Rye is open Tuesdays-Saturdays, 8 a.m.-7 p.m. and Sundays 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; closed Mondays. Pickup is offered TuesdaysSaturdays 11 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sundays 11 a.m.4 p.m. Pickup appointments are scheduled with online checkout. Phone 717-979-7574.

To place an online order, click the Shop tab on their website at www.radishandryehbg.com. 7 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE APRIL 2021 19

Charlynn Robinson shows off some of the donated glassware that will be throwable and smashable items at Therapy Rage Room.

Whether the challenge of precision, the release of stress, or just plain fun, new businesses take aim at trend to THROW

THINGS

Story and Photos By Deborah Lynch dlynch@harrisburgmagazine.com

A

new business that opened in late March in Mechanicsburg offers an aggressive form of therapy and recycling all in one package. It’s a double feel good. Go throw or smash a few flat screen TVs, old computers, or mirrors, and know that it will be recycled properly or donated to artists for their mosaic projects. Even noncustomers can get involved — Therapy Rage Room accepts donations of old electronics, furniture, glassware and more. In this case, one man’s (or woman’s) trash is definitely another’s treasure.

Charlynn Robinson, a Navy veteran and part-time artist, moved from Charleston, SC, to Harrisburg where she had family days before the Covid-19 pandemic shut everything down in her new home. “The idea came from — like everyone else in the world has been frustrated by the pandemic in some way — me and my family not being able to commune and not get together,” Robinson explained. She said she and some adult nieces wanted to do a “girls’ thing” last summer, but didn’t want to go to a spa or get their nails done. They wanted something like a rage room where they could throw things, but found “nothing like this in our area.”

Meanwhile, as the idea was budding for Robinson, friends Cori and Grady Summers and Kati and Dan Dalton of North Annville also were looking for a way to have fun. “I wish we could say we did some big study and did our homework, but we went to the Stumpy’s [Hatchet House] in Lancaster with our husbands as a date night, and we had a great time,” Cori Summers said. “We said, we should do this in Hershey. We kind of laughed because they [their husbands] always have great ideas about what 20 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE APRIL 2021

they’re doing next. Before we knew it, we were talking to the franchise.”

The couples opened Stumpy’s Hatchet House at 515 Rear West Chocolate Ave., Hershey, in an old Hershey Company warehouse on Nov. 21 with a two-week soft opening. The grand opening was held Dec. 4, but they were shut down by Covid closures a week later. Since reopening in January, Cori Summers and Kati Dalton said business has been great. “Each week is better than the last,” Summers said.

As the name implies, Stumpy’s features axe throwing, and what has really helped this new business in tough times is its cavernous space. The building capacity is 550 people, but it features only 15 throwing pits, each with a limit of 10 people. Even at maximum occupancy, Stumpy’s would have only 150 customers. Axe throwing is also pretty natural social distancing.

Also in late 2020, the Autobahn Indoor Speedway at 1001 Bosler Avenue in Lemoyne added one axe throwing lane in the lobby area, a concept that nine of the 10 franchises now offer. People waiting to race cars can throw five times for free if the lane with two targets has

“This is just for fun and entertainment. We don’t encourage people to replace their mental health professionals with this.”

— Charlynn Robinson, Therapy Rage Room owner

openings. Of course, the goal is to hook the racers who might start coming in to throw axes as well. “They fall in love with it,” Nick Knox, head axe coach said.

Joe K’s Brewhouse jumped on the trend early, opening Generation Axe in 2018 inside the 3523 Union Deposit Road location. Unlike the other locations, Joe K’s is a full service restaurant and bar with a caged-in area of three throwing pits surrounded by dining tables. Joe K’s owner Ron Kamionka also briefly joined the rage room concept with an enclosed smash room (eye protection provided) at another establishment he owns, Taste Buffalo Wing It & Fling It on N. 2nd St. That was replaced by a different concept restaurant in mid-2020, Taste Key West. The rotating taste room concept became a pop-up Irish bar in March.

Since 2018, media outlets have reported the growing trends of both axe throwing and rage rooms. Rage rooms are also known as smash rooms, anger rooms, or break bars. They can range from rooms where participants can choose weapons (think crowbars, baseball bats, golf clubs, sledgehammers, etc.) or can simply “chuck” things. At Robinson’s Therapy Rage Room, plans include a room for throwing paint -- and customers can get a canvas that allows them to take their throwing masterpiece home. Initially it will feature two rage rooms and one paint room, each able to hold four people.

Vice reported that the first rage room opened in 2008 in Japan before the idea spread around the world. Following a year of constant conflict for most Americans, the time seems ripe for a rage room to offer some relief. When Robinson posted on Facebook that she was accepting donations for items to smash, not only did she get responses to donate goods, she also got feedback from eager potential customers saying they wished “Covid was an item to beat the … out of” and “just let me know when you’re open. I’m trying to be the first customer to smash a room up.”

Likewise, as early as 2018, Forbes reported that axe-throwing bars were trending across the country. Most locations are busy, so it’s best to reserve in advance for one- to two-hour sessions. A coach (sometimes called an axepert) will go over rules, then demonstrate at the pit (one-handed and two-handed throws are demonstrated). Throwing coaches can be involved as much or as little as patrons want, but they are always close by to help ward off injuries or problems, and to help with form.

At Stumpy’s, Summers and Dalton say that the franchise has found that handing off the hatchet is the most common accident, so they ask patrons to put the hatchet in the box for the next thrower to pick up. They’ve had no accidents since opening, and gave out only two bandaids — one for a splinter.

The combination of alcohol and throwing sharp objects seems a bit risky, but Stumpy’s HARRISBURG MAGAZINE APRIL 2021 21

Cori Summers and Kati Dalton opened Stumpy’s because they had so much fun at the one in Lancaster.

has a BYOB policy in which patrons check their drinks with staff when they arrive (only two per person over 21 in the group is allowed, and wine or beer only). Staff, all of whom are trained in responsibly delivering alcohol, delivers drinks to patrons. Stumpy’s also allows patrons to bring in their own food including takeout (they have just a light snack stand), or they offer catering for group events. For promotional events, they bring food trucks to the parking lot.

Axe throwing is more about precision than about power and throwing one’s hardest. Both Stumpy’s and Autobahn are hoping to get leagues started, which will definitely promote good clean throws that score points. Therapy Rage Room doesn’t have to be about precision, but it also doesn’t have to be about rage. “I just know that I have enjoyed unconventional entertainment and fun activities for myself and friends,” Robinson said.

“We aren’t an official or recognized form of therapy, nor do we replace an official therapist,” she said. “This is just for fun and entertainment.

We don’t encourage people to replace their mental health professionals with this.”

Kenneth J. Sutton, a licensed professional counselor with Anger Management Solution Services at 2843 N. Front St. in Harrisburg, says these activities can be a more emotional or mental aspect of anger management. “With throwing, it may be beneficial, but not one size fits all. For some people that may help, but to get to the root of the problem, I think it needs to be a combination of a cognitive approach.”

Basically, that means these new trends should be considered outlets for fun. To keep it fun, all of these businesses require participants to sign waivers, go over rules, and get some training before participating.

After that, it’s time to aim for the bullseye. 7

22 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE APRIL 2021

If you’re going Stumpy’s Hatchet House 515 Rear West Chocolate Avenue, Hershey, PA 17033 717-325-6902 Website: www.stumpyshh.com/hersheypa Hours: W-Th, 4-10 p.m.; F 4 p.m.-12 a.m.; Sat. 12 a.m.-12 p.m.; Sun. 2-8 p.m.; Closed M-T Age Minimum: All guests must be 18 and over except Sunday family day when those 13-and-over are permitted if with a supervising adult (family groups are in a separate area) Covid Protocols: Private pits (groups never combined); social distancing; sanitized Number of Pits: 15; private party area available for groups and events Costs: 1 hour (1-4 people), $25; 2 hours (5+ people), $40; non-thrower, $15+tax; family day 2 hours, $100/ family; 1 hour, $25/adult, $15/minor (13-17) Reservations: Accepted and recommended BYOB Games: Giant games available Leagues: Seeking interest for spring Therapy Rage Room 5231 Simpson Ferry Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17050 717-563-5100 Website: www.therapyrageroom.com Hours: Sun. 12-7 p.m.; W-Th 12-7 p.m.; F-Sat. 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; closed Monday, Tuesday Age Minimum: 12 for rage room and 8 for paint room; parental or guardian permission required, and must be present.

Covid Protocols: Masks are mandatory; no booking overlap with people waiting Number of rooms: two rage rooms; one paint room; expansion planned Costs: BYOB (bring your own breakables) -- $25 (15 min.); if you don’t bring your own items, $30 (15 min.) and $45 (30 min). Extra items can be added during time limits for a fee per item; no canvas painting, $20/person, small canvas $25/person, medium canvas $30/person, large canvas $35/person. All painting packages are 30 minutes.

Reservations: Will be able to book online; no walk-ins Food/beverage: Water, sports drinks available for purchase Gear: Participants supplied hard hats, jumpsuits, booties, goggles or face masks, gloves, and chest protection (upon request) Autobahn Indoor Speedway 1001 Bosler Avenue, Lemoyne, PA 17043 717-695-4000 Website: autobahnspeed.com/locations/harrisburgpa-indoor-go-karts Hours: M-Th 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; F 11 a.m.-midnight; Sat. 10 a.m.-midnight; Sun. 10 a.m.-10 p.m.

Age Minimum: 13, but anyone under 18 must be accompanied by an adult, who must also participate Covid Protocols: Face masks required; capacity is less than 25 percent for total space; sanitizing and social distancing Number of Pits: One lane with two targets; maximum of 12 people for one session Costs: $29.99/person for 1½ hour session; other price combos with racing available Reservations: Accepted and recommended Parties, catering available Games: Racing also onsite Leagues: Seeking interest for spring Generation Axe Joe K’s Brewhouse 3523 Union Deposit Road, Harrisburg, PA 17110 717-558-0710 Website: www.generationaxehbg.com Hours: W-F 5-11 p.m.; Sat. 3:30-11 p.m.; Sun. 5-11 p.m.; closed M-T Age Minimum: 21 Covid Protocols: Social distancing; masks Number of Pits: 3, but only 2 available due to social distancing Costs: $16/person for 1½ hours Reservations: Accepted and recommended Full service restaurant/bar Games: Pool and other games available in Joe K’s

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE APRIL 2021 23

Collectibles and relics are among the attractions at shows put on by Carlisle Events.

Enthusiasts migrate to Central Pennsylvania — the motor culture capital Story and Photos By Dimitri John Diekewicz

A

nyone living in Central Pennsylvania has no doubt seen the distinctively different shapes, shades of color, and sounds that pass through the area every April through September. These showpieces seem to appear from all directions, bringing a splash of reinvigorating change to the tedious scene of daily travel along the numerous roads and highways throughout the region. It’s a show of chrome, color, and horsepower all wrapped up on four wheels.

What brings them? It’s a drive-in date at one of the nation’s largest gatherings of post-World War II classic vehicle shows, better known as Carlisle Events.

America has always been a nation on the move and this attitude accelerated with the advent of the automobile. The now enginepowered public expanded its horizons and as the 20th Century moved on, motorized vehicles played an ever increasing pivotal role in people’s lives. The years following WWII witnessed an explosion of the nation’s highway system and ever more advanced machinery to course these routes with added luxury and plenty of power. Car culture accelerated and has yet to lift its foot off the gas.

As people began to reflect on their personal journeys and what had literally carried them down those roads, they also began to search for the cherished vehicles that helped them celebrate the past while also carrying it into the future. Seizing on this growing American auto culture, two ardent auto enthusiasts, Bill and Chip Miller (no relation) decided to establish an event where everyone with a passion for or passing interest in what is now regarded as the Golden Age of Automobiles could come together.

Bill Miller explains how he and Chip Miller got together. “It was late 1969 at what was the Collector Car Red Rose sale in Manheim. A friend asked, ‘Do you know that guy over there? He’s a Miller, too, and just as crazy about cars as you.’ Well, as we spent over the next 36 hours transporting vehicles, Chip and I talked about every aspect of cars -- the ones we had, the ones we wish we had, and everything else. We became instant buddies. Then, we started hitting the Hershey show every year.”

24 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE APRIL 2021

“We really try to hire car people and when they’re having fun, it’s a pretty good sign our audience is as well.”

— Bill Miller, Carlisle Events founder The Hershey show he referred to is one of the largest antique car shows, the Eastern Fall show of the Antique Automobile Club of America, which has its headquarters in Hershey. Although last year’s show was canceled

by Covid and this year’s calendar shows some cancellations, the Eastern Fall show is scheduled for Oct. 6-9 in Hershey. The event began in 1954, but it was in 1973 when the Millers attended the show that they resolved to create what became Carlisle Events.

The Millers and Richard Langworth, who has written many books on auto history, had a booth for the recently-formed Milestone Car Society at the Hershey show. “At the booth, we had parked an older Corvette and within a small amount of time someone from the AACA came up and said, ‘You’re not allowed to have that here — that’s not an antique; it’s a used car. You have to leave,” Bill Miller said with a laugh.

Realizing the need for a show for post-war car fans, the Millers decided to start their own. After considering a couple of sites, the Carlisle Fairgrounds emerged as the cheapest to rent ($600 in 1974), and with a central location off major highways (U.S. Rt. 11, I-81, and I-76), it proved to be convenient and popular.

“This was during a gas crisis and people told us no one would come,” Miller said. “Well, the next year, we held our first event, Post-War ’74, and 6,000 people attended. It was a hit. People would ask, ‘What do you call these cars?’ We coined the term ‘Collector Cars.’ ” The Millers’ exposition was all encompassing, featuring all makes and models — both foreign and domestic — cars for sale, exhibit cars, parts,

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE APRIL 2021 25

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Bill Miller

literature, supplies, and services in an environment that was supercharged with excitement. “I found it at Carlisle” would be heard so often that the phrase became a company slogan.

From this 0-60 launch, Carlisle accelerated in following years, building the event, and picking up even more passengers as the show grew in popularity. In 1975, it was officially designated as the Carlisle Car Show, and two years later, it became a biannual bash with a kickoff spring show — the event that still attracts the largest audience.

In 1981, Carlisle Events bought the fairgrounds and made improvements to the facilities. That allowed them to add

26 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE APRIL 2021

even more events — shows dedicated to Ford, General Motors, Chrysler, trucks, imports, and sports cars.

In 2012, Carlisle Auctions was added to the show schedule and together four annual classic vehicle sales average about $16 million in total sales each year. All this has helped Carlisle Events to reach new milestones and their events annually draw about 500,000 patrons from around the world. That means the planner carefully considers new attractions.

“We really try to hire car people and when they’re having fun, it’s a pretty good sign our audience is as well,” Miller said.

PR Director Garland echoes the sentiment, noting, “We have less than 30 full-time employees and we really are a family. I’m one of the new guys — and I started in 2011. …

When you come here, you’re not a stranger, just a friend we haven’t met yet.”

This multi-motor vehicle program in Carlisle and the close proximity to the AACA in Hershey has produced a mutually beneficial relationship that all enthusiasts enjoy. “The AACA is all about the future of the hobby,” said AACA CEO Steve Moskowitz. “We look at preservation and absolutely Carlisle Events are good supportive friends. Bill and Lance Miller are both AACA members and what they offer benefits everyone, especially in the autumn when their fall show runs just before our Eastern Fall Meet. It gives automotive fans two consecutive weeks to saturate their interests.”

While the AACA Hershey show focuses primarily on pre-WWII cars designated as “antique,” which in Pennsylvania means at least 25 years old, the event now also includes post-WWII vehicles. Carlisle, in contrast, hosts mainly post-war vehicles, including new special interest cars and trucks. “You have pockets of people who focus on the event they feel will satisfy their personal taste, but overall a large number attend both shows because together they create an intersection of interest that appeals to everybody,” Moskowitz said.

Although founder Chip Miller died in 2004, his influence is still felt. His son, Lance, continues to promote the high caliber events along with Bill Miller, who describes their philosophy as “We’re here for the older folks who have a passion for the cars of their age and the 19-year-old who just got his first Mustang.” One thing is certain, the Carlisle calendar of events will keep fans firing on all cylinders for the foreseeable future. 7

Car shows motor on in 2021 The Covid-19 pandemic forced Carlisle Events to prolong the start to its 2020 season, moving its popular spring event to the middle of June, but after consulting with officials and making a plan to move forward safely, the shows were on. Precautions included sanitizing stations across the 82-acre fairgrounds and eliminating some features to avoid concentrating too many people in one area. The shows went off without a hitch, which brought calls for advice from other event organizers across the nation. “We shared our safety protocol and in the process our brand has reached levels of exposure we couldn’t have imagined,” said Mike Garland, PR director for Carlisle Events. “Ultimately, we stood up for what we believe in and did so responsibly.”

A full slate of shows is scheduled for 2021 and 2022. “We plan to go into this season with the same health safety measures,” Garland said, adding that they will offer additional hand washing stations and sanitization stations throughout the grounds, and will regularly clean frequent touch points, encourage mask wearing and social distancing, and continue with directional traffic in food court areas and display buildings. “Any changes will be reflective of adjusted CDC guidelines,” he said. Guests can review health and safety measures at the “Covid-19 Know Before You Go” tab on their website (www. carlisleevents.com)

2021 Shows

Carlisle Fairgrounds 1000 Bryn Mawr Road, Carlisle Spring Carlisle, April 21-25 Carlisle Import & Performance Nationals, May 14-15 Carlisle Ford Nationals, June 4-6 Carlisle GM Nationals, June 25-26 Carlisle Chrysler Nationals, July 9-11 Carlisle Truck Nationals, Aug. 6-8 Corvettes at Carlisle, Aug. 26-28 Fall Carlisle, Sept. 28-Oct. 3

20201 Auctions

Carlisle Expo Center 100 K. Street, Carlisle Spring Carlisle Collector Car Auction, April 22-23 Carlisle Auctions Summer Sale, June 26 Fall Carlisle Collector Car Auction, Sept.

30-Oct. 1 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE APRIL 2021 27

Artful Inspirations Around Us

PHOTOS SUBMITTED

A sampling of Ted Walke’s work lines the walls.

A Walke on the Wild Side

By Christina Heintzelman

In this issue of Harrisburg Magazine, we will give you some ways of thinking about what art “is.” How about a playwright, director, and actor or a lowbrow painting?

Would you normally think about these things as art?

If not, we are prepared to change your mind.

28 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE APRIL 2021

W

cheintzelman@benchmarkmediallc.com

ell known throughout the city as the owner and operator of Gallery@ Second, which operated for eight years in the early 2000s, Ted Walke didn’t go dark when the gallery did. Even though some, including himself, might describe his paintings as dark surrealism and his self-named website is called DarkTed, Walke continues to light up the local art scene with his work and has plans to reopen the gallery.

The gallery showcased the best artists in Central Pennsylvania and was a meeting place for the public during monthly Third in TheBurg events in the city. The two-story 1839 Federal-style house showcased a new exhibit every few months on the first floor and featured an ever-changing space upstairs for artists to hang pieces available for immediate purchase.

“My wife, Linda, and I still own the building and we were preparing for a new resurgence when COVID struck and the re-opening could not happen then,” Walke said. “In the future I hope to reopen Gallery@Second as my personal studio and gallery with an option to

occasionally host other artists with the same genre of art/style as mine. I am committed to continuing to be a Harrisburg artist (with in-person interactions) as we all emerge from and live with the cloud of COVID.” Walke’s art is now available for public consumption in the tasting room at Zeroday in their new Third Street location. An upcoming show will be at the Art Association of Harrisburg when the Nothing Pretty Collective, of which he is a member, has a group exhibition scheduled for October 2021.

The Nothing Pretty Art collective was cofounded in 2017 by Walke and Sean Arce to celebrate the appreciation of contemporary art style of pop surrealism or lowbrow art.

Pop surrealism is a populist art movement with cultural roots in comics, tattoo art, graffiti, and cartoons. Lowbrow art has a sense of humor that is sometimes gleeful and often contains sarcastic commentary.

Walke describes his style as a combination of both along with dark surrealism. “I am not a fan of categories and genres as I do not want to fall into a particular niche. I am growing

and changing with every series and when I am finished one series I like to pick up with a new style and medium for the next.”

As a teenager, Walke worked in the paper mill to earn money to attend HACC. “I was a student back in the day when a full course load was only $335.00 per semester,” he said. “I focused on art in industry and later became a Ted Walke works on the details of a new creation. commercial artist working in commercial illustration The “Servi” exhibit can be closely linked for forty years, being the clients’ eyes and to another later exhibit, “You Are What hands for their vision.”

You Eat,” which showed at 3rd Street In that time-period, up until the late Studio-Fine Arts Gallery in 2016. The trio ’70s, this type of commercial art was hand of line work with saturated color painted Not even a self portrait is safe from Walke’s brush. applied. It was only in the early ’80s that on wood made a correlation between computer graphics became a popular way of satisfying cravings for food and satisfying creating graphic design. His fine art now is one’s desire for companionship and lust. This better challenge than being told ‘you can’t do the antithesis of the commercial conformity links to another series titled “Ethics Over it.’ You can do it; you just need to clearly see he had to apply during his working years. “I Excess,” which represented the wastefulness your own vision.”

Walke does commission work in addition to like leaving conformity behind to see what of excessive use of animals and the moral happens with a merging of planned and conundrum of the carnivorous lifestyle selling prints of some of his original pieces. He can be reached through his Facebook page: @ accidental in my personal art,” Walke said. promoted by the factory farm system. lowbrowbears, Instagram account: @munkybearhell, Walke entered local art shows in the late Walke’s words for young artists trying to ’70s and early ’80s while he was starting his make it in the time of social media is this, and his website: www.DarkTed.com. 7 career in graphic design. A high point was “Self confidence in being an artist has no a one man show at the Doshi in 1981. His exhibit was markedly different from his work now as the art was done in line work pen and ink and acrylic. The exhibit was entitled “Servi” and was highly representational and heavy in content. Servi is a Latin word with the dual meaning of to serve in its verb tense and as a noun meaning servant. He associated this word with animal rights using the Latin word as a double entendre linking it with the practice of animal vivisection thereby making the animal subservient to man. “My concept was making a statement first with no thought of salability.”

“I am not a fan of categories and genres as I do not want to fall into a particular niche.”

— Ted Walke, painter; mixed media artist In 2009, Walke decided to produce a mixedmedia piece of art for the Art Associations of Harrisburg’s annual membership show "Figuratively Speaking.” His piece was awarded first place, which spurred him to enter the 2010 and 2012 Art of the State prestigious yearly exhibition putting his work alongside that of artists from across Pennsylvania.

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE APRIL 2021 29

Artful Inspirations Around Us

Hood’s flexibility covers a variety of writing genres

By Christina Heintzelman

cheintzelman@benchmarkmediallc.com

P

aul Hood is a local playwright, writer of novellas, and an actor, teacher, and director in his spare time. Born in Birmingham, Alabama, but raised on the East Shore of Harrisburg, and attended Capital Area School for the Arts (CASA) back in the days when it was called Harrisburg Arts Magnet School. He began by studying dance his first year before moving into movies and then television. Those moves helped to transport him to his current path.

“This is where I met a lot of great people working in film and television and I decided that cinematography would be my first choice. I then started writing short themes on very personal things,” Hood said. “All my writings are very personal and examine the human condition. It also tends to be philosophical in nature.”

He admires author Chuck Palahniuk whose book Fight Club was later turned into a movie starring Brad Pitt and Edward Norton. “Chuck is a hip Kurt Vonnegut and writes in a style called transgressional fiction,” Hood explained, adding that it is a genre of literature that focuses on characters who feel confined by norms and expectations of society and who break free of those confines in unusual or illicit ways.

Hood places his writing in this genre, too, and also in terms of urban surrealism and realism. “I love the urban environment, so my settings are often urban settings. I am a huge fan of city life because of its diversity both in people and happenings. I find this all hugely invigorating.”

Hood’s drama I, Journeyman, presented as a staged reading at Little Theatre of Mechanicsburg (LTM) in 2018, is a horror story about a city couple who mostly stays to themselves. During a violent storm, a stranger knocks on their door seeking shelter. It’s difficult to determine whether the stranger is a trickster or fiend, or even if he’s real. His purpose is to force the couple to confront why they isolate themselves from the world.

The play attracted a review by Marakay Rogers of Broadway World, who wrote, “Little Theatre of Mechanicsburg has been staging a comeback that’s anchored in many ways by its Original Play Workshop. The honoring of area playwrights by putting their works on stage is an important act of recognition – not that Paul Hood has not been recognized before. But I, Journeyman, the staged reading put on by LTM this past weekend, is a bit of a departure for Hood from the more realistic into psychological (and quite possibly supernatural) terror.

For what he admits is a work in progress, it is a noble start.”

Hood has more than a start with several published and produced works. Paths: The Diary of Baine Adams is available through Amazon. It is a story of a mysterious man named Cyrano who helps Baine write to a woman he meets one day on the New York City subway. Things are not as they 30 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE APRIL 2021

PHOTOS SUBMITTED

Paul Hood is a practiced, writer, actor, teacher, and interviewee.

appear with Baine and Cyrano, something made clear upon the arrival of a psychologist. Comments in response to the book on Amazon include “A roller coaster of a story” and “A literary crawlspace into the psyche of its main character, Baine Adams” among others.

My Electric Life was presented in Theater of the Seventh Sister in Lancaster and also was reviewed by Rogers, who wrote, “This is the story of Ari, Manny, and William who don’t know each other at the beginning of the play but will know each other very well by the time they have been placed in group addiction therapy. Each cannot live without the internet, but each has wildly different reasons for falling under its spell. My Electric Life is insightful and a highly original work and one that tackles a subject greatly overlooked in current drama.” It was also performed in a staged reading at Gamut Theatre in 2015.

Hood is also a member of Narcisse Theatre Company, Harrisburg. Narcisse is a community-based, non-profit organization dedicated to uniting the local arts community and developing artists from outside the mainstream. Not only are they committed to showcasing thought-provoking revivals, but half of their productions are original plays from Harrisburg playwrights. Hood serves as a playwright, director, and actor for this group, which was founded by Frank Henley, Jr., who is the artistic director, actor, director, playwright, poet, and musician.

Paul Hood gets inside a character.

“All my writings are very personal and examine the human condition. It also tends to be philosophical in nature.”

— Paul Hood, writer Despite Covid, 2020 was kind to Hood.

Three of his plays were workshopped by Harrisburg-based Bare Bones Theatre Ensemble – The Sequin Royale, Pieces, and Happy Hour. Caitlin Graci Tran, artistic director and founder of the traveling troupe, has a motto, “Theatre that makes you think.”

“Take away stage lights, sets, costumes and glitter, and what you have is the ability to get into characters you are watching and feel their emotions — up close and personal.

We want to present material that makes our audiences sit back and ponder what they have just experienced,” Tran says.

Hood was commissioned to do a series of audio monologues on Paetreon — which is an online membership platform for more than 200,000 creators who sell subscriptions to their channels — for Epic Theatre out of Cranston, RI. The monologues are entitled “Deadly Things: Monologues for Sinners.”

Four of them are featured on “Midnight Monologues” for Epic Theatre in February, in addition to the Patreon recording of the entire set of monologues.

He has also done creative writing workshops in Kent Place School in Summit, NJ, and The Cotuit Library in Sandwich, MA, and next month he will be teaching a course on playwriting at CASA. He also has lectured at Harrisburg University on film philosophy.

Despite this proliferation of works, writing is Hood’s avocation. Since 2008, he has worked in Special Education/Autism with Susquehanna Township School District. Last summer he started working with Hope Springs Farm, a farm specializing in working with adults with intellectual disabilities and autism.

Hood’s books can be found at Good Brothas Book Café, 1419 N 3rd St. in Harrisburg and on Amazon. Contact Hood on Facebook or by email at phwroteit.com. 7

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE APRIL 2021 31

the future of your sm

Dr. Tad Glossner

Dr. Patrick McElwee

DON'T FORGET TO VOTE

BEST DENTAL HYGIENIST Mary Anderson

BEST DENTIST Patrick McElwee

BEST DENTAL HYGIENIST Teresa Cleckner

BEST DENTIST Tad Glossner

BEST DENTAL ASSISTANT Tiffany Belker

BEST DENTAL HYGIENIST Jenna Funk

BEST DENTAL ASSISTANT Tonya White

Tonya White

19 S. 22nd St. • Camp Hill • 717-

ile lies in our hands

Tiffany Belker

Teresa Cleckner

Mary Anderson

Jenna Funk

GENERAL DENTIST (WEST SHORE) Glossner and McElwee Comprehensive Dental Care Of Camp Hill/Enola "On behalf of all of us at Glossner and McElwee Comprehensive Dental Care, we would like to sincerely thank everybody who took the time to recognize Dr. Glossner and our practice as Harrisburg Magazine’s Simply the Best 2020. It is our number one priority to provide our patients with top notch dental care while maintaining your trust and confidence with every visit. Equally, we would like to thank every one of our team members for their outstanding customer service, exquisite attention to detail on a daily basis, and ability to treat each patient as if they are family. Our patients, family and friends have recognized our practice, and with that, they have recognized each of you as well. Thank you for your unwavering dedication and support."

https://gmdentalcare.net/ 737-7422 | 525 N Enola Rd. • Enola • 717-732-2550

Michael DiSante

Uncle Clucker's Unreal Chicken Sammy

Believe it — Unreal Kitchen is the real deal Story and Photos By Deborah Lynch

G

dlynch@harrisburgmagazine.com

hosts do much more than jump out and yell “boo” in today’s online pandemic world. People can be ghosted, cut off from communication — either virtual or in person -without any warning, and products can appear from seemingly nowhere. Michael DiSante hopes to exploit the far-from-scary latter concept with Unreal Kitchen, which opened in late February in the kitchen of a catering business on Market St. Road near Harrisburg High’s John Harris campus.

He’s jumping on a trend that took off in 2020 — crafting delivery-only restaurant concepts that are created in one commercial kitchen. According to Eater online magazine, virtual brands, ghost kitchens, and deliveryonly concepts have skyrocketed since the start of Covid-19, and could become $1 trillion 34 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE APRIL 2021

businesses by 2030. Restaurants are copying the model that’s been successful with other companies — the direct-to-consumer model used by mattress companies like Saatva and Casper, toothbrush fulfillment companies like Quip, and even meal kit plans.

DiSante, a Lewisberry native who now lives in Lancaster, grew up working for the caterer at his new Penbrook location, but he has been in the restaurant franchise business for a while. He owns Philly Pretzel Factory franchises (Camp Hill, Lititz, and Clipper Magazine Stadium in Lancaster) as well as a SoBol, a bowl/smoothie/soup franchise that he opened in Lancaster. Through SoBol, he met Angelina Perry from Long Island, who is partnering with him on Unreal Kitchen.

UnReal Kitchen will be the umbrella

Unreal Kitchen

Website: www.unrealkitchen.com Address: 2805A Market St. Road, Harrisburg Phone: 717-412-7161 Open: Monday-Sunday, 3-10 p.m.

Delivery and curbside pickup only Covid-19 Updates: All proper safety protocols in place Years in service: Soft opening late February Busiest Times: 5 - 8 p.m.

Chef: Michael DiSante Most popular dishes: Korean Chili Burger, Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich Price range: $3-$15 No alcohol Owner: Michael DiSante

company for separate restaurant concepts. The first two are up and running — Unreal Chicken and Bubba’s Burger Bar. Next on the list is Home Dogz Hot Dogs and a Chicago deep-dish pizza restaurant to be called Dō Bros. DiSante said he hopes to have as many as 10 different concepts through Unreal Kitchen. All of the businesses are his — he creates the concept, the menu, and all the recipes for each one. All can be ordered through the Unreal Kitchen website, and the best part, according to DiSante, is that customers can mix and match foods from different concept menus in one order.

“We did create all concepts from scratch,” he said. “We worked with chefs from US Foods in order to perfect our menu ideas and create certain sauces and such that we wanted.”

US Foods also helped him to recognize that the chicken sandwich craze at fast food restaurants didn’t really have good local competition.

“There was a void, for sure,” he said. “There was not a lot of chicken in Harrisburg, in terms of Nashville hot.” Enter Unreal Chicken.

“I would love to go head-to-head with anything like that,” DiSante said. “Everyone has their own twist on chicken sandwiches, but I don’t think anyone is doing what we’re doing, so with the ordering and delivery I don’t think anyone can stand up to us.”

UnReal Kitchen will only ever be a delivery-based and curbside pickup restaurant. Right now, DiSante is using established delivery services like GrubHub, Uber Eats and soon Door Dash, but he hopes to partner with more local delivery services in the future.

He also is continuing the catering part of the business with Strictly Catering, which he bought along with the commercial kitchen.

Previous owner Chris Raptapolus continues to work together with DiSante in the catering business, which he says they are refreshing to focus more on individual meals, boxed lunches, and some of the menu from the ghost kitchen concepts, all Covid safe for employee meetings and appreciation. 7

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE APRIL 2021 35

Could a homemade chicken sandwich get in on the action?

By Deborah Lynch dlynch@harrisburgmagazine.com

M

ichael DiSante offers readers the chance to compete not only with one of his Unreal Chicken specialties, the Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich, but maybe even those getting all the press from Chickfil-A, Wendy’s, McDonald’s, and Popeyes.

Although he’s willing to share the basic recipe, the clincher is his secret sauce. Home chefs will either have to come up with their own sauce, find a substitute, or buy the sauce from him, which he said he will gladly sell them.

Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich INGREDIENTS: Boneless, skinless chicken thigh

BREADING: Flour Salt Pepper Bread crumbs or panko, etc. to taste Beaten egg for dipping Vegetable oil for deep frying Nashville hot sauce Cole slaw Dill pickle chips Mayonnaise Butter Brioche bun First, bread the chicken thigh. Dip each thigh into flour, shaking off excess. Dip thigh thoroughly in beaten egg to coat it lightly (let excess drip into bowl). Then, lay each thigh in the bread crumbs, turn it over, and press into the breading to coat. Deep fry breaded chicken thighs to perfection. Dip the thigh in hot sauce.

Place on a buttered brioche bun. Add mayonnaise, then a generous scoop of homemade slaw. Top with dill pickle chips.

Famous Homemade Nachos

Harrisburg Magazine staff reviews of Unreal Kitchen “I was pleasantly surprised at how much the meatless chicken (plant-based) tasted like real chicken. It was very tasty. I wouldn’t have known the difference if it hadn’t been labeled. Being Catholic, this will help me survive Fridays.” — Mike Jurosky, Director of Sales and Marketing “The Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich was crispy, fiery, and so full of flavor and textures.

The Korean chicken sandwich flavors meshed so well, even the pickled veggies, which I have to admit I was a bit afraid to try since I don’t like pickles. Everyone could find something unique that fits their tastes here.”

— Deborah Lynch, Editor “I had never heard of fried pickle chips before. The breading really cuts down the tartness of the pickle and gives it a crunchy texture. The Korean Chicken Sandwich was my favorite. The combination of sweet and spicy sauce was a nice surprise. The most interesting nachos I’ve ever had — the roasted corn, onion, and pepper medley was a surprising change from ordinary nacho topping and then add in the Korean sweet chili sauce and you have a flavor surprise.

I would definitely call this casual dining with a flair.” — Christina Heintzelman, Director of Operations “The buffalo cauliflower was a nice spicy treat. I enjoyed the classic burger and fries as well as the fried pickle chips and buffalo cauliflower. Unreal Kitchen is a great concept and I think it will do very well.” — Darwin Oordt, President/CEO

Bubba's Classic Burger

Cheese Curds

Fried Pickle Chips

“The flavors of Uncle Clucker’s Unreal Chicken Sammy combined together with the cole slaw and chicken was delicious. The chicken had a nice crisp to it and the coleslaw was a mix of juicy mayo with fresh vegetables. Unreal Kitchen offers something for everyone, especially since they offered us some vegetarian options.” — Laura Reich, Graphic Designer

Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich 36 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE APRIL 2021

“The nachos with vegetables and cheese were spicy and delicious. I loved the mixtures of vegetables mixed in. The fried pickles were zesty. The classic chicken sandwich was breaded perfectly and was very tasty.” — Jo Ann Shover, Account Executive

NOMINATE A BARTENDER

B

artenders are known as listeners in the community. They craft a great cocktail or pour a beer or glass of wine while they listen to their customers. We are interested in both their stories and their mixologist skills. Nominate a favorite bartender who mixes memorable drinks by submitting contact information and a brief paragraph explaining why this bartender is one of the best and submit to Harrisburg Magazine at dlynch@harrisburgmagazine.com.

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE APRIL 2021 37

38 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE APRIL 2021

b enchmark Media, LLC. March 2021 • Volume 27 No. 2

PRESIDENT/CEO Darwin Oordt doordt@benchmarkmediallc.com DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Christina Heintzelman cheintzelman@benchmarkmediallc.com EDITOR Deborah Lynch dlynch@harrisburgmagazine.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER Laura Reich lreich@benchmarkmediallc.com DIRECTOR OF SALES AND MARKETING Mike Jurosky mjurosky@harrisburgmagazine.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Jo Ann Shover jshover@benchmarkmediallc.com

Visit us online at www.harrisburgmagazine.com

Harrisburg Magazine® is published monthly at 3400 N. Sixth St., Harrisburg, PA 17110. Phone: 717.233.0109; Fax: 717.232.6010; harrisburgmagazine. com. Subscriptions, $10.95 per year. Single copies, $3.75. Back Issues, $4.00 at office or $7.00 by mail (postage and handling included). Send change of address forms to Benchmark Group Media, 3400 N. Sixth St., Harrisburg, PA 17110. This issue or any part thereof may not be reproduced in any form without written permission from Harrisburg Magazine®, Inc. Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings, photographs and disks if they are to be returned, and no responsibility can be assumed for unsolicited materials. All rights in letters sent to Harrisburg Magazine® will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright purposes and as such are subject to a right to edit and comment editorially. Name and contents ©2021, Harrisburg Magazine, Inc. Printed by Freeport Press, Freeport, Oh.

2 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

Pork Belly

Michelle Werner stands between her daughters Bretagne and Steph, the chefs at Korealicious.

Photo by Deborah Lynch

Soy sauce, garlic, and sesame create flavors that are … Korealicious

I

By Deborah Lynch

dlynch@harrisburgmagazine.com

n a time when supporting local businesses has never been more important, dining at Korealicious in Lemoyne also supports four members of an entire family, each of whom is pouring his and her specialities and soul into the restaurant. Sisters Steph and Bretagne Werner are co-owners/operators along with their parents Stephen and Michelle Werner. “We all do a little bit of everything from top to bottom,” Steph said.

Steph and Bretagne run the kitchen, Michelle takes care of customers, phone, orders, and money, and Stephen does the accounting. Together, they found a balance in the 2½ years they have owned the popular restaurant that Steph discovered when it first opened seven years ago.

“It was one of my favorite restaurants. I started going once in a while, then my parents started going. We became friends with the owners. Koreans flock together. … When their son went to college, they were looking for someone to take it over.”

Steph had the kitchen background after starting as a teenager at a Sheetz in Hummelstown and working for years in the kitchens of multiple different chain restaurants in the area. The variety of styles have carried over into her creations for Korealicious, where she turned her burrito-making skills from days at Neato Burrito into a fusion with Korean food -- the Bibimbap Burrito, which features the Bibimbap ingredients of rice, veggies, marinated beef, and fried egg wrapped into a package that Steph brags is “aesthetically pretty to look at.”

The Werners serve some traditional dishes that date back centuries. Bibimbap is an ancient dish that is made in a stone bowl, then heated over an open flame. “It sizzles. It crackles when we serve it,” Steph said, adding that it is a perfectly balanced meal with kale, zucchini, carrots, sprouts, and the Korean spicy cabbage -- kimchi -- along with the rice, meat and egg. They also serve the popular bulgogi, which is a sweet marinated beef.

The Werner family has ties to that ancient history as Michelle has traced her lineage to Royal heritage that goes back centuries. She and Stephen, who hailed from Harrisburg, met in Seoul when he was traveling in Korea. He surprised her doubting family when he returned to bring her back with him to Central Pennsylvania. In turn, she has brought her country’s cuisine along with her and gifted it to her children.

“Korean food is like soul food,” Steph said, saying that just describing it was making her hungry.

Central Pennsylvania diners raised on a more bland Pennsylvania Dutch diet don’t have to fear the exoticness of Korean cuisine. “The common misconception about Asian food is that

Kimchi Pancakes

Korealicious

Website: www.korealiciousfusion.com Address: 829 State St., Lemoyne Phone: 717-317-9015 Open: Tuesday-Saturday 11:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m.

Takeout encouraged Covid-19 updates: Indoor dining room seating available at 25 percent capacity; dining room regularly sanitized; social distancing enforced.

Years in service: 7, but 2½ under current owners Busiest times: Thursdays for chicken wings, which are first-come, firstserved; Friday and Saturday nights Chefs: Steph Werner and Bretagne Werner Most popular dishes: Bibimbap, pork belly, bulgogi, deep fried dumplings Price range: Entrees range from $10-$20 Alcohol: BYOB Owners: The Werner family — Stephen, Michelle, Steph, and Bretagne

Dukbokki HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MARCH 2021 3

Korean cooking at home can spice up weeknights

M

By Deborah Lynch dlynch@harrisburgmagazine.com

any chefs protect their secret recipes. Years ago, one of my Swedish exchange students shared her family’s secret Dream cookie recipe with us. It became my family’s favorite Christmas cookie. Two years later, we hosted a different Swedish student for a year, but she was a friend of the first one, so they kept in touch with one another. Soon after we baked the Dream cookies, I got an email from the first student saying I shouldn’t share the Dream cookie recipe with other Swedes. I think she was kidding, but was she?

Similarly, Michelle Werner wants to keep the Korealicious recipes in her family and restaurant — maybe to create the mystique that keeps customers coming back. I wanted to share a Korean recipe with readers though, to show that Korean food can be as spicy or not as individuals want and that it doesn’t have to be difficult to create in the home kitchen.

I turned to a Korean friend of my daughter for help. Miyong Kwon, who attended Wilson College in Chambersburg, PA, as an international student from a sister college in Seoul for the 2013-2014 college year, shared her recipe for bulgogi, which she described as being easy. Miyong studied economics while at Wilson College, and today is pursuing her master’s in economics at a university in Korea while also teaching English at an academy there. She has fond memories of her days in Pennsylvania, especially of making local friends, and visiting places like Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Hershey.

My daughter, who was visiting for the weekend from Philadelphia, helped me to prepare the bulgogi for our dinner recently. It was easy — and was quite delicious. We used Miyong’s recipe and adapted it a bit to our tastes. We like it spicier, so we added the Korean chili paste called gochujang, but that can easily be left out.

Bulgogi

SERVES 2 INGREDIENTS: FOR THE MARINADE: 2 Tbsp. sugar 1 Tbsp. red cooking wine 1 Tbsp. anchovy paste (or one anchovy chopped with a dash of the oil) 1½ Tbsp. sesame oil 3 Tbsp. soy sauce 2 Tsp. minced garlic 2 Tbsp. sesame seeds 1 Tbsp. gochujang (Korean chili paste) Ground black pepper to taste TO STIR FRY: 10½ ounces beef chuck roast, sliced thin ¼ cup green onions, chopped on a bias Half an onion, chopped Half a red pepper, chopped Make the marinade first. Slice the fat from the roast, then slice into thin, small pieces. Pour the marinade over the beef, cover, and refrigerate for an hour to overnight.

When ready to make the bulgogi, first add a tablespoon of olive oil to a skillet, then add the green onions and stir fry for a few minutes. Add the beef mixture and the other vegetables. Stir fry to your desired doneness. Serve over rice.

4 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

Korean Wings

Japchae (clear noodle stirfry)

people think it’s spicy -- I would say it is sweet and savory. There’s a lot of garlic, teriyaki/soy sauce flavor, fruits in marinades [like pears], and sesame oil, which is a big component.” Her mother also makes gochujang, a red chili paste that has been growing in popularity with chefs.

“There was a time when I wished I could eat Korean food every day.

Now, I’m living that dream,” Steph said. 7

Harrisburg Magazine staff reviews of Korealicious:

“I loved the pork belly. It was like nothing I ever had before. The lettuce wraps were delicious. The kimchi was fresh and perfect.” —Mike Jurosky, Director of Sales and Marketing “Although this might be an unfamiliar cuisine to many, Korealicious serves food to meet every taste, from spicy rice cakes (dukbokki) to sweet potato noodles (japchae) to lettuce wraps. The sticky, crunchy, and peppery chicken wings made a believer out of me, and I don’t like wings!” — Deborah Lynch, Editor

Dumplings

“Where do I start? The pork belly is crunchy with a fantastic spicy sauce. Wings are sweet yet spicy -- absolutely delicious. My favorite is mandu, the deep fried dumpling with various fillings and sweet sauce. My first ever kimchi pancake — I’ll certainly have them again.” —Christina Heintzelman, Director of Operations

Bibimbap

“Korean food is something I haven’t tried, but man it was good. I tried the noodles, pork belly and spicy rice cakes (dukbokki) and I really enjoyed it.” —Darwin Oordt, President/CEO “I never had Korean food before, but it was delicious! I loved the wings (the best wings); they were super delicious. Also, the noodles (japchae), rice cake, and the dumplings were all the best dishes! I would definitely order from them again!” —Laura Reich, Graphic Designer “Korealicious provided Harrisburg Magazine with a delicious lunch. My favorite was the kimchi pancake. I will be visiting there soon!” —Jo Ann Shover, Account Executive

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MARCH 2021 5

6 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MARCH 2021 7

8 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

b enchmark Media, LLC. March 2021 • Volume 27 No. 2

PRESIDENT/CEO Darwin Oordt doordt@benchmarkmediallc.com DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Christina Heintzelman cheintzelman@benchmarkmediallc.com EDITOR Deborah Lynch dlynch@harrisburgmagazine.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER Laura Reich lreich@benchmarkmediallc.com DIRECTOR OF SALES AND MARKETING Mike Jurosky mjurosky@harrisburgmagazine.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Jo Ann Shover jshover@benchmarkmediallc.com

Visit us online at www.harrisburgmagazine.com

Harrisburg Magazine® is published monthly at 3400 N. Sixth St., Harrisburg, PA 17110. Phone: 717.233.0109; Fax: 717.232.6010; harrisburgmagazine.com. Subscriptions, $10.95 per year. Single copies, $3.75. Back Issues, $4.00 at office or $7.00 by mail (postage and handling included). Send change of address forms to Benchmark Group Media, 3400 N. Sixth St., Harrisburg, PA 17110. This issue or any part thereof may not be reproduced in any form without written permission from Harrisburg Magazine®, Inc. Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings, photographs and disks if they are to be returned, and no responsibility can be assumed for unsolicited materials. All rights in letters sent to Harrisburg Magazine® will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright purposes and as such are subject to a right to edit and comment editorially. Name and contents ©2021, Harrisburg Magazine, Inc. Printed by Freeport Press, Freeport, Oh.

2 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MARCH 2021 3

If you want a perfect smile that's guaranteed for life, look no further than ISOIMPLANTS™.

Why Implants?

Implants are the safest and most effective treatment for missing or broken teeth, with a 96% thirty year survival rate. In the past, providers tried to do everything possible to try and save a compromised tooth.

But, more times than not, this approach means weakening other teeth requiring additional treatments or procedures in later years. In today’s world, that is just not necessary. Technology has led us to better, stronger and safer solutions. With implants, we can keep a one tooth problem – a one tooth solution.

What is an implant system?

Every implant is comprised of three parts; the fixture, the abutment and the crown. The fixture and the abutment are the most critical. The fixture is the anchor that is embedded in the jawbone; the new root if you will. The abutment screws into the fixture and creates the base for the crown to be attached. The abutment holds the crown in place.

The crown is the most visible part of an implant but endures the least amount of stress among the three components. The fixture and the abutment take on the most force and that is why it is so important that these components are made by the same manufacturers so the fit and stability can be assured and guaranteed for life.

Are there different types of implants?

Yes - 90% of dental implants done today restore the tooth using parts that may not work well together and cause problems down the road. That is why the ISOIMPLANT™ quality assurance certification process is so valuable. ISOIMPLANT™ certified implants are guaranteed for life because the components are milled to the highest standards. This certification provides quality and assurance and puts the PATIENT FIRST. ISOIMPLANT™ dental implants are manufactured by two of the most respected and largest implant manufacturers in the world: Noble Biocare and Astra Tech.

What happens if my provider uses knock-off components for my implant surgery?

Unfortunately, there are many knock-off implants and components on the market today. These implants are less safe, less durable and can lead to significant issues including bone damage, fractures and

infections. The ISOIMPLANT™ quality assurance certification was created by professionals who had treated hundreds of patients whose implants were failing and needed to be replaced. No patient should have to endure the discomfort and the financial cost of a second surgery due to faulty parts.

Is implant surgery more expensive than other options, such as bridge work or a root canal?

No. In fact, over a patient’s life, implant surgery is much more cost effective. It is important to note that insurance plans and options vary, but the bottom line is that an ISOIMPLANT™ is the most cost-effective option available. A single ISOIMPLANT™ solution; implant, abutment, and crown that is guaranteed for life, can cost about $3,000 while a bridge can cost anywhere from $2,400 to $3,000 and a root canal with crown build up and crown on a single tooth can cost as much as $2,700.

Crowns and bridges will also require additional treatments in future years and additional costs. A bridge, for instance, typically lasts on average 7.2 years.

How can I determine if my provider is ISOIMPLANT™ approved?

Check www.ISOIMPLANTS.com to see who is ISOIMPLANT™ approved in your area. Make sure they guarantee that they use an ISOIMPLANT™ certified lab – where your implant will be designed – as well as an ISOIMPLANT™ implant manufacturer. This way you will be guaranteeing your investment in your oral health.

About ISOIMPLANTS™?

Dr. Robert Myers pioneered the ISOIMPLANT™ in early 2018 from his practice, Wood & Myers OMS, in Central Pennsylvania.

The ISOIMPLANT™ trumps other dental implants that are less durable and that create underlying issues such as bone damage, fractures and infections.

ISOIMPLANT™ certification guarantees the dental implant and restoration for life, because all our partners, including the manufacturers, your dentist and other providers and the dental labs have earned the ISOIMPLANT™ approval.

With ISOIMPLANT™ dental implants, all the parts are guaranteed to work together for flawless, durable performance.

When you use ISO-certified implants, everybody becomes part of the warranty equation – patient, surgical specialist, and dental lab Quite simply, ISOIMPLANTS™ provide the best quality and value in dental implants today.

When problems arise, secure your smile by insisting on an ISOIMPLANT™ and an ISOIMPLANT™ certified professional.

WWW.ISOIMPLANTS.COM.

BABY BOOM: Fertility specialists’ high success rates offer patients hope in becoming parents

By Deborah Lynch

dlynch@harrisburgmagazine.com

F

orty-two years ago, the world was transfixed by science. The birth of the world’s first “test-tube baby” in England seemed like something out of an H.G. Wells novel or an old sci-fi movie. On July 25, 1978, Louise Brown gained worldwide fame as the first child born who was conceived by in vitro fertilization (IVF). People were astounded that a baby could be produced outside the human body. What next, they wondered? Four years later, her parents used in vitro fertilization treatments to conceive her sister Natalie, then the world’s 40th IVF baby. When Louise turned 40 in 2018, more than 8 million babies had been conceived through IVF treatments.

Dr. Matthew Connell, a fertility specialist at Shady Grove Fertility (SGF) in Mechanicsburg, met Louise Brown at a medical conference, where she recounted her experiences from the book she wrote on the occasion of her 40th birthday. Today, Dr. Connell is helping men and women locally to achieve parenthood through a variety of assisted reproductive technology treatments and protocols. With infertility rates as high as one in eight couples, his clinical expertise and success rates are in high demand.

For every couple that walks in through the door for a fertility evaluation, Dr. Connell said that infertility can be attributed to a male factor 40 percent of the time, a female factor 40 percent of the time, and to either both or unexplained 20 percent of the time.

Since Dr. Connell joined SGF in late 2019, he estimates that he has helped achieve 30 to 40 pregnancies among couples, and single men and women.

“I kind of feel like every time someone gets pregnant and we get to graduate them, that’s a victory,” he said. “So, it is very special every time.”

Since SGF first opened its doors in 1991 with its flagship Rockville, MD, office — which is located on Shady Grove Road — more than 85,000 babies have been born, averaging 12 babies every day. The milestone has been made possible with SGF’s expanding offices, including 37 practices along the East Coast, of which 18 offer full-service fertility care.

Pennsylvania residents do not have to search far for care with SGF’s five locations across the state. Dr. Connell currently sees patients 6 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

Connor Weigand and Clairen Percival knew from day one that having children would be a long fertility journey — after four years, they are due to have their first child in June.

Photo by Mary Elizabeth Carson for Clairen Percival

at SGF’s Lancaster and Mechanicsburg (fullservice) locations. In Mechanicsburg, providers see patients from around the state including patients from State College and Pittsburgh.

“... every time someone gets pregnant and we get to graduate them, that’s a victory.”

– Dr. Matthew Connell, Shady Grove Fertility physician A State College area couple, Clairen Percival and Connor Weigand, both in their 30s, knew from the onset that if they wanted children, they would either need to adopt or seek the help of a fertility clinic. In 2009, Percival was 22 and attending graduate school at the University of British Columbia when she got a bad case of strep throat that would not go away despite being on antibiotics. Finally, she went to the hospital where a bone marrow biopsy revealed she had Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. After a long road to recovery

that included chemotherapy and cranial radiation, it was discovered that she also had a chromosome abnormality, which put her at high risk of relapse. The best treatment was a stem cell transplant, so when her brother Ryland matched, she got his stem cells in March 2010.

Percival’s infertility was a result of the chemotherapy. “My fertility was not something that was discussed at the onset of my treatment… possibly out of necessity to begin treatment immediately,” she noted.

“After the induction phase of chemotherapy, I did seek treatment from a fertility clinic in Toronto, but at that point, it was too late.”

Percival and Weigand first started their fertility journey four years ago. After consulting multiple health-care providers, Shady Grove emerged as a good fit for the couple, who decided to seek an egg donor. SGF’s Donor Egg Program is the largest in the nation and is one of only a few centers that recruits, selects, and medically, psychologically, and genetically prescreens its own ready-to-cycle egg donors prior to making them available on their donor egg registry.

As part of SGF’s Donor Egg Program, patients have the choice to elect a shared egg donor, which is the method Percival and Weigand chose. This helps to make the treatment more affordable by offering patients the opportunity to split a cycle of eggs from a single donor between two to three anonymous recipients.

“Choosing an egg donor was a strange process for us,” Percival said. “Shady Grove had a wonderful database of candidates, but for us, it felt kind of like we were on a dating app…

Shady Grove also does a genetic screening to look for possible high-risk pairings. It took us some time to figure out what we were looking at for a donor, but we are happy with the decision we made and are excited for the future.”

Percival and Weigand conceived and their baby is due in June.

Years earlier, a Harrisburg-area couple turned to Shady Grove for treatments after going through six IVF treatments at a Baltimore clinic that never offered them other options. This woman had started fertility treatments when she was 33, but wasn’t able to conceive until she found SGF, which agreed that her eggs were the root of her infertility, and that a donor egg was the solution. At 39, she finally conceived.

All egg and sperm donors are de-identified.

This means that while prospective parents can see a few photos and review family medical history and background such as educational history about donors, they don’t get birth dates and other specific identifying details.

Today, however, total anonymity no longer exists with the advent of Ancestry.com, 23andMe, and other genetic testing labs that have made it possible for donor-conceived people to find both their donors and possible half-siblings. A Donor Sibling Registry also can connect people by donor number.

“We picked a donor who looked like me when I was 5,” the Harrisburg-area mother said of getting to see photos of potential egg donors from when they were 5 years old. She conceived on the first try, she said, but unfortunately, miscarried at five weeks. They had frozen eggs from the first donation to try again. This time she conceived and bore her son, and later a daughter through the same donor batch.

Even though she lost the first baby, the experience at Shady Grove gave her hope. It was the first time she’d ever been able to get pregnant.

“I had no problems going back. When we switched [from Baltimore to SGF], it was a much better outcome and more positive… . Shady Grove was more open to different treatments. They knew what we had gone through,” she said.

“Having a single miscarriage is rather common,” said Dr. Connell, who researched recurrent pregnancy loss during his fellowship in Endocrinology and Infertility at the National Institutes for Health. “... up to 20 percent of patients have multiple pregnancy loss.

“The number of tries are different for everybody,” Dr. Connell said of the treatment

process. “Almost everyone can be successful, but sometimes that road to success is going to be different than what we intended it to be.”

The cost of fertility Cost is still the biggest barrier to fertility treatments. That’s why Percival and Weigand’s fertility journey took four years — first they had to save for it. The average cost of a single IVF cycle is $10,500 plus cost of medications, and many must pay that fully out of pocket.

While insurances might cover the full cost in some states, Pennsylvania is not a mandated state, which means that some people, depending on their employers, might get full coverage, but many others won’t. This is why

SGF acknowledges that the fertility journey is expensive and takes the philosophy that it is important to offer patients some type of financial program.

Those programs include its Shared Risk 100% Refund Program, which is offered to qualified self-pay patients without insurance coverage. Women must be 40 upon completion of the IVF cycles to participate in the refund program although women 41 and older can participate if using donor eggs. The program includes up to six fresh IVF or donor egg cycles (and unlimited frozen embryo transfer cycles from those fresh cycles) — patients take home a baby or receive a refund. The SGF website claims that 82 percent of participants

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MARCH 2021 7

What causes infertility and how can it be treated?

By Deborah Lynch

dlynch@harrisburgmagazine.com

A variety of factors can affect fertility.

Causes of infertility include hormonal and thyroid issues (including among men, causing sperm issues), polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and endometriosis. PCOS causes higher-than-normal amounts of male hormones in a woman, which in turn causes missed menstrual periods.

It means a woman doesn’t release an egg in a predictable fashion. It can be treated with a pill to release an egg. Endometriosis can affect the tubes and ovaries or uterus, and can require surgery or hormonal management to fix.

An infertility diagnosis is likely for a couple when a woman is 35 or younger and having regular unprotected intercourse for a year without achieving a pregnancy. If a woman is 35-39, that time frame drops to six months without success, and for women over 40, a consultation is recommended immediately. If infertility also includes other problems, such as a woman who is not menstruating or those who suffered two or more miscarriages, for example, doctors recommend seeking a fertility evaluation sooner.

Although treatment success is less likely for a woman over 40 using her own eggs, some treatment options still exist. Women produce all of their eggs before they are even born, and over time, their reserve decreases in quantity along with the quality of the eggs. Similarly, although men continue to produce sperm, the quality also drops with age. Shady Grove Fertility will not use donor eggs for patients over 50.

SGF offers a variety of treatments. The basic treatments include timed intercourse, ovulation induction, and intrauterine insemination (IUI). Advanced treatments include in vitro fertilization and donor egg treatment, and egg freezing (fertility preservation). Other services include andrology services for male fertility issues, financial counseling, LGBTQ+ family building, and more.

Part of a fertility consultation includes discussion of family medical history and patient history for high blood pressure, diabetes, and weight concerns. These must all be under control before treatments can begin, and SGF's Dr. Matthew Connell says they often work together with other specialists to help patients achieve this. A fertility evaluation starts with a detailed history of the patient(s) looking for any potential causes of infertility. Doctors look at egg issues, uterus or tube issues, and sperm.

“About 30 percent of the time, a couple will fall into unexplained,” Dr. Connell said, which means “we’ve done all the testing and haven’t found any abnormalities. With unexplained infertility, we talk about different treatments.”

Connell explains that SGF always uses a stair-step approach to treatment. That means they try more low-tech or basic treatments before progressing to higher tech or advanced treatments. The basic treatments of ovulation induction (trying to help a woman release two or three eggs a month rather than the usual one), intrauterine insemination (placing sperm into the uterus), and timed intercourse work 50 percent of the time, Dr. Connell said.

“If that’s not successful -- we step up to the next treatment, which would be IVF. From there, we would look at a donor egg or donor sperm,” he said. IVF involves giving female patients medications to help them produce eggs. Then, an egg retrieval is done and the eggs are fertilized in the lab with sperm to make embryos, which are then placed back in the uterus (think Louise Brown). 7

8 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

using their own eggs take home a baby, and 85 percent of patients using a donor egg take home a baby. The rest receive a refund. SGF also offers discount programs (such as a military discount), egg-freezing programs, medication discounts, financing, grants, and clinical trial programs.

“At other clinics, it’s pay as you go, so you keep paying more. Once in our guaranteed program, you are in and it helps people who otherwise might not be able to do treatment,” Dr. Connell said, noting that the Mechanicsburg office sees a diverse clientele with people originally from all over the world coming to them for help.

A popular media story about fertility procedures features those of multiple births from IVF like with Central Pennsylvania’s former reality star Kate Gosselin (Jon & Kate Plus 8 and Kate Plus 8) and the Octomom, Nadya Suleman, who gave birth to octuplets in January 2009. Those are rare cases, and another thing that sets SGF apart – along with being the nation’s largest fertility practice network – is its low rate of multiple births.

“We’re very proud of our twin rate with IVF – it is in the single digits percentage-wise,” Dr. Connell said. “We pride ourselves on very high pregnancy rates, and very low twin and triplet rates.”

That’s because SGF generally uses a single embryo transfer. SGF has been given a distinction as a Center of Excellence not only for high success rates, but also for low multiple birth rates.

SGF also offers counseling and psychological services and makes a psychological consult a requirement for all third-party services, meaning the use of donor egg, sperm, embryo, or gestational surrogacy. Percival and Weigand feel they could use more guidance, but wonder if Covid affected that for them since their process was ramping up just as Covid hit.

All of that comes back to initial consultations and a philosophy of patient autonomy. “My approach to patients is very collaborative, meaning that I’m really here to figure out what’s going on.

I really just want to give them the information to help guide them with their choices,” Dr. Connell said. “I like to give them options and pick how we best move forward. I really like to work together to find what best suits patients.”

“Once in our guaranteed program, you are in and it helps people who otherwise might not be able to do treatment.”

– Dr. Matthew Connell, Shady Grove Fertility physician SGF is also the preferred fertility provider for UPMC Pinnacle. Other fertility clinics in central Pennsylvania include Penn Fertility at Lancaster General Health in Lancaster, The Fertility Center of Lancaster and York, Geisinger in State College, and Penn State Health. 7

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MARCH 2021 9

How does your garden grow?

Master Gardeners plant seeds of knowledge for novices and pros alike

By Christina Heintzelman

cheintzelman@benchmarkmediallc.com

S

pring is in the air, buds are beginning to pop, and crocuses and snowdrops are peeking their tiny heads out of the dark earth eager to pay homage to the returning warmth of the sun. Here in Pennsylvania, gardeners are also beginning to plan their gardens of flowers, herbs, fruits, and vegetables with an eye toward a new year of outdoor gardening activity, which is great for the wallet, health, and happiness.

Whether someone is brand new to gardening or has several cultivating years under the belt, Dauphin County Master Gardeners Program can help with gardening plans. This program is part of the Outreach Program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which funds State Departments of Agriculture throughout the country. The Pennsylvania State Department of Agriculture then funds the Pennsylvania Land Grant University, which is Penn State University.

Catherine Scott, Extension Educator/Horticulture Master Gardener Coordinator, is the head of the program for Dauphin County through the Penn State Extension Program. “This is a way for home gardeners to get expert advice,” she said, adding she’s had questions ranging from “why are there weevils in my bathroom?” to “why are my spruce trees dying?” to “why are there no goldfinches in my backyard? I guess you could say we handle everything from bathtubs to birds.”

10 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

This crew of experienced master gardeners is equipped to make recommendations for garden design, provide conifer identification to home gardeners, and assist with seasonal garden tips. They also can aid community gardens and other community gardening projects. In addition to their in-person assistance, they offer a garden question hotline, and an email

Office Gardens Photo by Shawna Raymond

site to assist with plants and insect samples for identification and diagnosis.

The Dauphin County Master Gardeners Program is peripherally involved with many local projects. One is The Five Senses Gardens, located on the Capital Area Green Belt in Harrisburg, designed to enhance all of the senses. A personal connection to nature and a sense of tranquility is fostered by visiting this garden with its many different types of flowers, trees, sculptures, and butterflies. Visitors can sit on one of the many benches and take in nature while relaxing. Master Gardeners have been maintaining the garden with the help of many volunteers from surrounding communities. During this time of social distancing, working in this beautiful garden has been both safe and therapeutic for the volunteers.

In addition, the Master Gardener Program has aided The Harrisburg Cemetery, the oldest and largest in the city and the final resting place of noted individuals of national, state, and local importance, such as war dead from all American wars including the Revolutionary War and Civil War. The Master Gardeners joined with Mayor Eric Papenfuse and volunteers from the board and staff of Harrisburg Cemetery to plant tree seedlings to begin the creation of a beautiful arboretum during the 2015 Earth Day celebration. The plans for this started more than five years earlier while the gardeners were volunteering with a clean-up of the cemetery and noticed that many of the trees and various plants were not healthy. They began thinking about new plantings emphasizing native species. Now the cemetery is a beautiful historic place with an astonishing variety of plantings and the feel of a lovely suburban park.

The Master Gardener Program has also assisted with the Hershey Community Garden on the campus of Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, which offers a venue for community networking on 234 plots, 220 for community residents to garden, and 14 to raise produce to donate to organizations that distribute it to those in need. In 2020, more than 3,000 pounds of produce were donated to local groups like Hershey Food Bank, Palmyra Food Bank, Middletown Food Bank, and CocoaPacks, benefiting more than 1,000 families. The garden was completed in 2014 with 123 plots, but expanded in 2018.

Generally, about 50 community members are on a waitlist for plots. Gardeners do not have to live in Derry Township to be eligible for a plot.

Other features of the Hershey garden are sections allocated for children with hands-

Hunger Garden midseason Photo by Shawna Raymond

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MARCH 2021 11

Five Senses Garden bike trail

"... the garden serves as a tangible reminder to those who walk by it to do business in the Capitol that some of our neighbors experience food insecurity every day.”

— Sen. Elder Vogel who leads Hunger Garden project

Harrisburg Cemetery 12 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

on educational programs and several raised garden plots that are designed for those who cannot bend to ground level.

Hershey Community Garden is also taking part in a study sponsored by Penn State Health with collaboration from Dauphin County and two adjoining counties, Lebanon and Lancaster. The study is being conducted by dietitian Susan Veldheer, DEd, RD, who is an assistant professor for Family and Community Medicine and Public Health Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine. The goal of the study is to introduce new gardeners to starting and tending a garden throughout the season while realizing another goal by introducing them to the link between healthy eating and gardening, which can result in improved health.

“Gardening is the fourth most common physical activity in the country, so the idea is to go with that momentum and link it to a great way to access fresh and healthy fruits and vegetables while improving one's physical and mental health, and helping the environment,” Veldheer said. She also noted that gardening has increased in popularity during COVID. The study will be done online because of potential health uncertainties this spring due to COVID. There will be links to videos and online materials timed to what should be happening in the garden in real time.

Also, Zoom meetings will be held with a Master Gardener presenting information on a gardening topic. Participants will have homework to do in their garden and will be able to present their questions or concerns to the Master Gardener at the end of the Zoom presentations.

In addition to the Hershey Garden project, the Dauphin County Master Gardener Program has aided the Capitol Hunger Garden in Harrisburg. This 1,000-square-foot garden first broke ground in an area between the Main Capitol Building and the Ryan Office Building in 2008 with the goals of creating a garden that would provide healthy food for those in need and serving as a valuable tool to raise awareness of hunger issues in Pennsylvania.

Since its inception, the garden annually yields nearly 800 pounds of produce for local food banks, pantries, and soup kitchens. It is maintained by volunteer master gardeners — and sometimes lawmakers.

“Since 2008 the Legislative Hunger Garden has served as an ever-present reminder of the struggle many face each day just to put fresh food on the table,” Senate President Pro Tempore, Jake Corman (R-34) said. “In the midst of a global pandemic that caused all-time highs in unemployment, it is even more

important to highlight the importance of working together to ensure that not one Pennsylvania resident goes without food.

I am pleased Senator Vogel [Senate Deputy President Pro Tempore Elder Vogel (R-47)] has agreed to spearhead this effort for us this year.”

A fourth-generation dairy farmer, Vogel agreed that “[i]t is important that we carry on the mission of the Hunger Garden because of the fresh, nutritious foods it provides to Pennsylvanians. At the same time, the garden serves as a tangible reminder to those who walk by it to do business in the Capitol that some of our neighbors experience food insecurity every day.”

For those who already are comfortable with their gardening skills, studying to become a Master Gardener volunteer is an option. Scott recommends it as a pastime for people who love dealing with new people and enjoy learning new things. “And while we are learning, we realize just how much more we have to learn,” she said.

The Penn State Extension Master Gardener basic training program is open to individuals interested in becoming volunteers and sharing gardening knowledge with the public through community outreach. The horticultural training is taught by Penn State Extension educators and university professors. Master Gardener trainees are required to participate in a minimum of 40 hours of classroom training, score 80 percent on the final exam, and fulfill 50 hours of volunteer service. The training class schedules are varied based on location within the state and include the following topics: botany, plant propagation, soil health and fertilizer management, composting, controlling pests safely, entomology, plant diseases, indoor plants, vegetables, lawn care, pruning, woody ornamentals, herbaceous plants, native plants, weeds, and invasive plants.

Those interested in studying to become a Master Gardener can contact the county Extension office in their area for an updated schedule of classes and program cost.

Financial aid may be available through the local Extension office. Basic training for Master Gardeners is not offered annually in every county. You can also visit the website: https://extension.psu.edu/programs/mastergardener/join.

For assistance or questions regarding a home garden, or assistance wwith a community project, call the extension helpline at 717-921-8803, or send an email to dauphinmg@psu.edu. 7

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MARCH 2021 13

14 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MARCH 2021