Mountain Home, January 2019

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Your Barn or Mine?

Weddings Go Rustic, Retro, or Refined at Area Barns

By Jan Smith

The Hamilton Club’s Next Chapter Rails & Veils in Mifflinburg Whoopie Pies Are the New Cake

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Volume 14 Issue 1

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New Life for an Old Friend

By Beth Williams

Morris Run’s beloved Hamilton Club is reborn as a wedding venue.

Your Barn or Mine?

By Jan Smith

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Weddings go rustic, retro, or refined at area barns.

Rails to Veils

By Janet McCue

Rusty Rail Brewing Company crafts wedding magic.

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By Dave DeGolyer

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New Life at Newtown

Back of the Mountain

By Linda Stager

By Karey Solomon Why a battlefield makes a great wedding venue.

Mists of morning.

24 Making Whoopies

Cover by Tucker Worthington; cover photo courtesy Gratitude & Grace.

This page (top) courtesy Gratitude & Grace; (middle) by Tori Srnka; (bottom) courtesy Kurt’s Making Whoopie!

By Maggie Barnes From weddings to whatever, art teacher Kurt Priester has discovered that whoopie pie is the new cake.

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w w w. m o u n ta i n h o m e m ag . co m Editors & Publishers Teresa Banik Capuzzo Michael Capuzzo Associate Publisher George Bochetto, Esq. D i r e c t o r o f O pe r a t i o n s Gwen Button Managing Editor Gayle Morrow S a l e s R ep r e s e n t a t i v e s Robin Ingerick, Richard Trotta Gallery Manager/ Circulation Director Michael Banik Accounting Amy Packard D e s i g n & P h o t o g r ap h y Tucker Worthington, Cover Design Contributing Writers Maggie Barnes, Mike Cutillo, Dave DeGolyer, Elaine Farkas, Alison Fromme, Carrie Hagen, Paul Heimel, Lisa Howeler, Don Knaus, Nicole Landers, Janet McCue, Dave Milano, Cornelius O’Donnell, Brendan O’Meara, Peter Joffre Nye, Linda Roller, Jan Smith, Karey Solomon, Beth Williams, Dave Wonderlich C o n t r i b u t i n g P h o t o g r ap h e r s Bernadette Chiaramonte, Diane Cobourn, Bill Crowell, Bruce Dart, Fausel Imagery, Jan Keck, Nigel P. Kent, LaCoe Photography, Roger Kingsley, Tim McBride, Heather Mee, Linda Stager, Mary Sweely, Sue Vogler, Sarah Wagaman, Curt Weinhold, D i s t r i b u t i o n T eam Layne Conrad, Grapevine Distribution, Gary Hill, Duane Meixel, Linda Roller, Alyssa Strausser T h e B ea g l e Cosmo (1996-2014) • Yogi (2004-2018) ABOUT US: Mountain Home is the award-winning regional magazine of PA and NY with more than 100,000 readers. The magazine has been published monthly, since 2005, by Beagle Media, LLC, 871/2 Main Street, Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, 16901, and online at www.mountainhomemag.com. Copyright © 2019 Beagle Media, LLC. All rights reserved. E-mail story ideas to editorial@ mountainhomemag.com, or call (570) 724-3838.

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Your Barn or Mine Weddings Go Rustic, Retro, or Refined at Area Barns

By Jan Smith

Gratitude & Grace: besides the 3,000-square-foot renovated carriage barn, the 1870s property includes an in-ground stone swimming pool, a hot tub, and accommodations in a beautifully restored six-bedroom Victorian farmhouse.

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f you ask your family and friends when the custom of marriage first started, it’s a good bet everyone will give the same answer—since forever. And that’s about right, give or take a few centuries. Marriage is ancient, like out-of-the-mists old. But the ceremony that marks the occasion is a more recent development.

The American version of wedding has been shape-shifting ever since the ink dried on the Declaration of Independence. Two venerable traditions thought to have arrived with the Pilgrims, a church wedding followed by a reception, have changed dramatically just in the last sixty years.

Getting married in a church is of relatively recent origin. The church wedding only became the go-to venue after the Civil War, during America’s Gilded Age. In this era, wealthy families got in the spirit of setting themselves apart from the rest of the population through ever more elaborate rituals that involved complicated etiquette and expectations. Weddings were popular for this kind of ritual embellishment. But the contrived exclusivity was only as good as its visibility. A more open venue than the front parlor of the family mansion was required to showcase a family’s aristocratic aspirations. Voilà, the era of church weddings was established. But since the 1970s, church weddings have been trending downward, replaced by a cadre of other venue options.

Perhaps no aspect of wedding has undergone a more pronounced transformation than the reception. During the eighteenth and first half of the nineteenth centuries, American marriages were conducted in the home on a weekday. Clergy spent weekends preparing or conducting worship services, so they weren’t keen on using a Saturday to perform a wedding. Timing of the event has also changed. Often a wedding was performed in the morning or just before midday, with only a very small number of family and friends in attendance. Light refreshments were not uncommon after the ceremony, but there was no customary practice in effect. Cake-and-punch receptions only came into vogue during the twentieth century, though even this type of modest reception remained optional. It wasn’t until the 1960s that a post-nuptial celebration of food and drink for wedding guests became standard operating practice.

• The American wedding, once a private, swift affair held in the front parlor and carried out as a duty to family and community, has markedly shifted both in look and purpose. Writer Ariel Levy summed up the guiding principle that defines contemporary celebrations: “A wedding, a great wedding, is just a blast. A celebration of romance and community and love...What is unfun about that? Nothing.”

But the gap between the blast a couple may dream of and the celebration that unfolds requires—drum roll, please—a plan.

The process of creating a memorable event starts by answering a basic question: where should we hold this party?

The choice of venue dictates the shape, size, décor, dress, and ambience of the wedding day. One current trend that’s gained popularity over the past quarter century is the barn wedding, and with good reason. It’s a versatile venue that offers lots of dressup or dress-down possibilities, depending on a couple’s personal vision and resources.

The six locations highlighted here are just a sampling of the many wedding barn venues scattered across the Twin Tiers. While there are similarities between properties, there are differences in

Courtsey The Creek Side Barn on Pine Creek (3)

feel. If weddings are signature events that carry the unique imprint of the couple, so are wedding barns. Every property visited had a distinct personality, a reflection of its history and owner.

• Walking into the barn at Silver Queen Farm, it’s impossible not to notice the ceiling—an immense, cross-gabled masterpiece of beautiful beams installed, solo, by the barn’s owner, Gordy Gallup.

Raised on a farm in the Albany area, Gordy was a builder of high-end private homes on Seneca and Cayuga lakes for three decades. The barn ceiling is a monument to his builder’s eye and skills. Though a successful contractor, Gordy never lost his love for “getting dirt under his fingernails.” When he had the opportunity, he purchased Silver Queen, and over the past ten years has developed three businesses on the property: a produce farm that supplies approximately twenty local farm-to-table restaurants, a popular u-pick strawberry operation, and rental of the barn for weddings and events. When it comes to a working barn on a working farm, it doesn’t get more authentic than Silver Queen.

Gordy, personable and easy to talk to, sees his role as strictly support. He’s mostly concerned with managing the care and maintenance of the facility and its infrastructure. He is not an events planner. But Gordy does meet with prospective CreekSide Barn: The owners want to clients to make sure couples have realistic expectations for make this property, the venue. He is happy to offer helpful hints and ideas for on land that sweeps what works in terms of staging, crowd flow, set-ups for food, down to Pine drink, and music, and recommendations on local vendors Creek, an adventure that he thinks do a great job. Silver Queen’s ambience is wedding destination. casual and unhurried. The tiled bathrooms are lovely. The The remodeled kitchen and staging area for food is spacious. Currently no barn includes an overnight accommodations are available on site. extensive covered When asked what’s the single most important element porch and a balcony seating area that for throwing a great wedding at Silver Queen, Gordy doesn’t overlooks the hesitate. Have a detailed set-up and decoration plan ready primary event space. to go on the day your wedding is scheduled, he says. And one more tip: once the event is underway, don’t worry if the napkin colors aren’t quite right. Enjoy being a star of your special celebration, surrounded by an audience of friends and family. For contact and other information relevant to holding a wedding at Silver Queen Farm, check out silverqueenfarmny.com.

• CreekSide Barn in Gaines, Pennsylvania, is a fine example of how to remodel a barn and farmhouse to accommodate destination weddings. Owned by Dixie West, a long-time resident of the area, much of the day-to-day operation and maintenance of the site is managed by Dixie’s daughter and son-in-law, Chad and Jess Zengerle.

Designed with guest comfort in mind, the barn is both functional and pleasing to the eye.

The barn features striking hardwood floors, an extensive covered porch, a lower-level staging area for food preparation, a separate dressing area for the bridal party, and a balcony seating area that overlooks the primary event space. A massive expanse of level, green lawn separates the barn and Pine Creek, which edges the property.

Couples have lots of options for where and how to stage their celebration. Weekend rentals include use of the renovated farmhouse that sits next door to the barn. The furnished house accommodates thirteen guests, and has a full kitchen and a dining area capable of handling a houseful of wedding-goers.

See Barns on page 10 9

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Barns continued from page 9

Chad, who holds a degree in outdoor education, and Jess, a certified yoga instructor, are outdoor enthusiasts. They’re working hard to promote CreekSide as an “adventure wedding” destination, and it’s easy to see why. The rural location is ideal for guests who enjoy hiking, rock climbing, paddleboarding, yoga, bicycling, and canoeing. Chad can arrange those and a host of other outdoor activities for which the area is known.

To begin planning a wedding at CreekSide Barn, visit pabarnweddings.com.

• Joe Sroba is convinced destiny played a hand in his acquisition of Pine Creek Farm. A resident of Richmond, Virginia, Joe grew up in Bucks County with a father who loved to hunt and fish in northern Pennsylvania. He cherished those adventures and fell in love with rugged countryside and pristine trout streams that are the hallmark features of Tioga County. After twenty years of searching for a property, a realtor showed Joe a 435-acre parcel near Gaines, just outside of Galeton. The site, once a working cattle ranch, included a three-quarter-mile stretch of frontage on Pine Creek, a full-size, intact barn, and a custom-built six-bedroom, four-bath “cabin” that offered sleeping accommodations for as many as fourteen people.

When he first stepped inside the elegant octagon cabin, Joe realized he’d been there before, forty years before, with a high school chum and his dad. They had gone for a weekend away. “I knew the minute I walked into that cabin,” Joe says, “that fate led me to the place. I was meant to buy it.” And he did. That was in 2013. As soon as Joe acquired the property, he and his wife, Maitland, began renting out the cabin. A couple of years later, Joe was contacted about using his barn for a wedding. “It wasn’t something I’d thought about doing, using the barn for events, but when I got the request, I thought about it and said, ‘Let me sweep it out for you.’” Joe realized upgrades to the barn were needed to make it a comfortable, viable event location. His first improvement? Beautiful, bluestone-tiled bathrooms. That was just the beginning. Joe has a running list of barn upgrades and improvements he wants to make as resources allow.

Surrounded by large, mowed fields and gorgeous vistas in all directions, Pine Creek Farm offers plenty of choice when it comes to staging a wedding. Joe has a local property manager. He’s also happy to talk with any couple interested in using the property as a wedding venue. Joe was clear that his space-only venue works best for couples who want to invest time and energy in creating and managing their celebration, and who appreciate the idea of hosting an event in concert with nature. More information on Pine Creek Farm is at pinecreekfarm.net and at vrbo.com/503155.

• The origin story of Gratitude and Grace, a wedding barn located between Ithaca and Watkins Glen, is compelling. The property—which includes an in-ground stone swimming pool, hot tub, a 3,000-square-foot renovated carriage barn, a beautifully restored six-bedroom, 1870s Victorian farmhouse flanked by tall pines, and a free-standing, one-room summer cottage nicknamed the Love Shack—was purchased in 2004 by Ron Riddle for his wife, Andrea.

Ron, a well-known musician and composer, and Andrea, founder and principal of the Elizabeth Ann Clune Montessori

©Fausel Imagery, courtsey Silver Queen Farm © LaCoe Photography

School of Ithaca, loved their property, and found great pleasure in hosting events for family and friends at their farmstead. But, in 2011, Andrea became fatally ill. After a long, challenging year that thrust Ron into the role of primary caregiver, Andrea succumbed to lung cancer. Ron decided to use their cherished property as a living homage to his wife. He couldn’t think of a finer way to honor her spirit than by creating an event space suitable for the kinds of gatherings, especially weddings, they had enjoyed hosting together.

When the barn doors are open at Gratitude and Grace, which is able to accommodate up to 200, guests are treated to splendid views of distant hills, close-by fields, and grassy meadows. Masterfully remodeled to create a functional, lovely event space, the barn’s integrity and authentic interior has been maintained.

The floor plan is a two-tiered design with a main level encircled by a generous upper balcony. The wooden interior glints under the light of a large and stunning cut crystal chandelier. Antique-style bulb string lights add another touch of charm to the overall lighting scheme. French doors above the balcony level can be opened, along with the ground floor barn doors on either side of the building, to keep the barn’s interior cool on the warmest days. There’s a prep kitchen on site complete with a commercial sink, refrigerator, freezer, and a separate entrance that can connect the kitchen to a catering tent just outside the barn. Fully wired, the building easily handles power demands. There are no bathrooms in the barn. Restroom rentals are required and can be coordinated through Gratitude and Grace. Use of the farmhouse bath facilities are limited to guests staying at the residence.

While it’s possible to rent just the barn on Sundays and weekdays, Ron encourages couples to take advantage of either the Friday through Saturday or the Friday through Sunday package that includes use of the barn, farmhouse, and other amenities.

For more information, photos, and a helpful FAQ page, visit gratitudeandgrace.net.

• The Painter sisters, Amy and Dorotha, are co-owners of The Barn at Hillsprings Farm, located just three miles north of Elkland and eight miles south of Addison, New York. They grew up on the familyowned farm, a beef and dairy operation.

Silver Queen Farm: This true working farm supplies local farm-to-table restaurants and u-pick strawberries.

The barn’s ceiling, a cross-gabled masterpiece of beautiful beams, was installed by the new owner.

Pine Creek Farm: a dream venue for couples who appreciate the idea of hosting an event in concert with nature, the site, once a working cattle ranch, includes a threequarter-mile stretch of frontage on Pine Creek.

See Barns on page 12 11

Courtesy The Barn at Hillsprings Farm

© LaCoe Photography

Barns continued from page 10

In addition to the rigors of maintaining a viable farming enterprise, their parents ran Painter Catering, popular at events all over central and western New York.

To celebrate their parents’ twenty-fifth wedding anniversary, the Painter siblings decided to throw a square dance in a suitable location—their barn. It is a 1940s “kit” building (probably of Sears & Roebuck origin) that replaced the farm’s original barn, which had been destroyed by fire. When their mother, Marie, saw firsthand how the building could be transformed into a party center, she knew her traveling days were over. Tired of being on the road, but in love with making great food, she realized she could host catered events at her own venue, and The Barn was born.

In 1997, The Barn hosted its first wedding and officially advertised as a wedding venue the following year. It’s been non-stop ever since. Averaging about twenty weddings per season, Dorotha estimated the venue has hosted over 400 weddings. Though neither she nor Amy call themselves wedding planners—they both have full-time careers outside of The Barn business—they have a wealth of experience to draw on when it comes to creating a successful celebration. Rental of The Barn requires use of their catering services—all food, linens, tables, The Barn at chairs, glassware, and place settings are Hillsprings Farm: provided by the venue. The only food Newlyweds Dakota that can be brought on the premises and Harley Ruef is a wedding cake. Three different (pictured below) pricing packages are available, there’s enjoy high ceilings, a choice of menus, and almost any wood-smoked catering, and a color scheme and theme can be beautiful country accommodated. Dorotha said The setting during their Barn has accommodated weddings special day. that run the style gamut from country rustic to urban flamboyant—a décor choice that included zebra print and hot pink feathers.

Dorotha and Amy focus on developing a relationship with the couples who select their venue. While some only use the space to host a reception, preferring to hold the marriage ceremony in a church, most of their clients elect to hold both the wedding and reception at The Barn. When asked what makes for a successful event, Dorotha was quick to say, “A plan. It’s easy to get lost and overwhelmed with all the wedding ideas presented on a site like Pinterest, but, See Barns on page 30

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Beth Williams

Something old, something new: Ray Montchal (left), with Portia and former Hamilton Club owner John Kaiser, has recreated the historic property as a setting for special events.

New Life for an Old Friend

Morris Run’s Beloved Hamilton Club is Reborn as a Wedding Venue

By Beth Williams

F

ive years ago, Ray Montchal was riding his bike on Wilkes Barre Avenue in Morris Run and noticed a sign that said Hamilton Club. He wondered what a private club was doing in the middle of nowhere and was intrigued.

Ray owns a home built in 1815 in Hershey, Pennsylvania, and has an eye for historic properties. A couple of years later, he rode by the Hamilton Club again and saw a For Sale sign, and the rest, as they say, is history.

The Hamilton Club had been a private club since the 1950s. By the time John and Lida Kaiser purchased the property in 1972 the club had 150 members, and the Kaisers kept it going and growing for the next forty-four years. The Hamilton Club had over 750 members when the Kaisers

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made the decision to close in December of 2016 due to Lida’s failing health.

Ray purchased the Hamilton Club at the end of 2017 and has been working on restoring it and outfitting it to reflect its historic age ever since. The house, built in 1865, was first occupied by Winfield Scott Nearing, the Morris Run Coal Company superintendent, and his wife Laura May. Nearing, as it happens, was also the grandfather of Scott Nearing, an early back-to-the land proponent who wrote, with his wife Helen, Living the Good Life: How to Live Sanely and Simply in a Troubled World.

John and Lida Kaiser read Living the Good Life, which led them to purchase the Hamilton Club in 1972, unaware of the

Nearing connection.

That Nearing connection to the property is incredibly strong. Antiquing in Adamstown, Ray found two portraits that he thought would look good in the Hamilton Club. He purchased them and was then amazed to discover that the portraits were of Winfield Scott Nearing and his wife. The portraits now grace the wall of the parlor/living room above an impeccably restored working hand-crank phonograph player.

One of Ray’s favorite features in the house is a chandelier that hangs in the dining area. He believes the chandelier is a fixture that has been in the house from the beginning. “It used to be lit by oil, and then See Hamilton on page 17

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Hamilton continued from page 14

when electricity came to the area, it was electrified, but you can still see the oil receptacles.”

In early December, he hosted an open house/tree trimming for former Hamilton Club members so they could see what he was doing with the space. John Kaiser put the word out and many former members attended, as did John Kaiser himself. The members that attended were moved to be in the club again and overwhelmingly felt that Ray was doing right by the property.

One of the striking features of the Hamilton Club is its long bar, behind which members would leave bottles of their favorite drink, labelled with their names. The impressive array of unclaimed bottles is still there lining the wall, and Ray is leaving the bar intact. “It is a part of this place,” he says. “It is part of its essence.”

And although it is no longer a private club, these rooms will continue to play host to crowds, as the property reopens as a venue for weddings, graduations, family reunions, and other special events. One of the upstairs bedrooms has been decorated to serve as a dressing room for a bride, complete with a miniature mannequin in full bridal regalia.

Ray is keeping the name the Hamilton Club. “That is what it has always been known as,” he says. “You can’t change that. It would be like trying to give Lassie a new name!”

Speaking of animals, Ray has a fluffy white Maltese dog named Portia who was quite the host at the open house. He also inherited a cat named Aztec, who was Lida’s cat and was distressed when she died. Ray had to pass a test of sorts in order to be deemed a suitable replacement as Aztec’s new person. Evidently, he passed, as Aztec continues to live happily at the Hamilton Club.

Since Ray lives and works in Hershey four days a week, where his day job is investment advising, and only returns to Morris Run for the balance of the week, he has enlisted the help of two local women to take care of some of the day-to-day operations.

He first hired Bronwynne Katulka, the owner of an industrial cleaning company, to clean the home from top to bottom and to restore the landscaping and gardens, which had become overgrown after Lida’s passing. Bronwynne worked all summer to get the herb beds and ornamentals back to their usual pristine shape.

Bronwynne is also the property caretaker and stays on site during the week. “It is a very calming, magical place,” she says.

Laura Chase is the event planner and contact person for anyone interested in having a wedding or other event on the property. She is in the process of creating a website, but, for now, anyone interested can contact her either by phone, at (570) 404-9658, or by e-mailing hamiltonclub1865@gmail.com to get more information.

Ray is excited about the potential that this most recent incarnation of the Hamilton Club holds. “The bones of this home are really good. My aim is to preserve the property, maintain it, and keep it historically intact. I am just the current steward, and hopefully I will be able to keep it in good shape for the next incarnation, whatever that may be.”

Beth Williams lives in the wilds of Steuben County, New York, works in the wonders of the library at Mansfield University, and is perpetually writing a novel.

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Courtesy Rusty Rail Brewing Company

Classic ceremony: the Great room offers an elegant space boasting large mirrors, exposed brick, and a one-of-a-kind stained glass window.

Rails to Veils

Rusty Rail Brewing Company Crafts Wedding Magic

By Janet McCue

T

he handsome red-brick building— formerly a factory that made buggies, gears, axles, and wooden truck bodies—sat vacant in the center of Mifflinburg, in Union County, Pennsylvania. But brothers Paul and Eric John saw something new in the old building: a brewery serving hand-crafted beers, a pub featuring everything from flatbread pizza to venison meatballs, and a wedding venue that could accommodate an intimate gathering of thirty or an elegant affair for 300.

Refurbishing and restoring the building was a labor of love. The John family established the Legacy Crafted

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Cabinets production facility in the north building in 2009 and six years later opened the Rusty Rail Brewing Company in the south building. The craftsmanship shows.

Carpenters, masons, and other artisans incorporated industrial elements into the design—utilizing old assembly-line chains for the railing balusters, shaping and polishing loading dock doors into gleaming bar surfaces, forging railroad spikes into door handles. A lovingly restored Model T and 1917 Ford Huckster, manufactured by the Mifflinburg Body Company whose factory once hummed in this building, occupy places of honor. Hand-painted murals by a local artist, Jef McGreevy, line

the walls of the lounge—one of the many ways the building is “a tribute to the hard-working men and women who built the Mifflinburg community,” asserts Rich Schrader, RRBC’s general manager. The result is timeless, or, as one couple declared, “a beautiful venue with character galore.”

The brewery inhabits the basement, the brewpub enlivens the first floor, but wedding parties rule the second and third floors. In the first three years of operations, Rusty Rail Brewing has hosted over 100 weddings for couples from thirteen different states, some from nearby towns including Lewistown and State College, but others See Dressed Up on page 20

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Ceremony choices: along with great ceremony spaces, the Rusty Rail provides the bride and groom with premier overnight lodging, like the Diamond Suite (pictured).

Dressed Up continued from page 18

Notable nuptials: the Pardee room provides uniqueness to any celebration with its hand-painted murals from the surrounding community.

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hailing from Nevada, Colorado, and Hawaii. Reception, wedding service, dinner, and dancing take place in one or both rooms on the second floor while the suites on the second and third floor can be used by the wedding party for preparations or overnight accommodations for the bridal party.

Weddings take place in two large rooms on the second floor with the Pardee Room accommodating 150 and the Great Room twice that. In addition, Rusty Rail offers an outdoor wedding venue at nearby Black Walnut Farm, which includes a historic barn and pond as a backdrop for the ceremony with reception, dinner, and dancing back at the Rusty Rail.

The key to a successful wedding is top-notch event coordination. Providing “a carefree day for the couple,” is the goal, says Event Director Roxanne Koplecheck. If online reviews on the Knot and WeddingWire are an indication of satisfaction, she and her co-workers have succeeded. Couples consistently credit Roxanne and Elyssa Reitz, wedding planner, Shannon Bolig, event planner, JoLynn Weikel, suite concierge, and Chef John Roskowski for their organizational skills, thoughtfulness, responsiveness, culinary delights, and agile choreography. Since each wedding is unique, reflecting the couple’s distinctive flair, that nimbleness is appreciated. It might not be a world record (maybe it is), but it is a fact that the team can convert a room used for a couple’s wedding ceremony (i.e. chairs aligned in rows, raised dais for the ceremony, etc.) into a stunning dining room complete with color-coordinated table settings, floral arrangements, and bridal party table in under fifty-eight minutes, all the magic occurring while the guests enjoy hors d’oeuvre in the adjoining reception area.

The tagline of the wedding service is “The Right Track to Get you Down the Aisle.” Paying homage to the railroad that ran by the old factory—now converted into the Buffalo Valley Rail Trail, a nine mile hike and bike path between Lewisburg

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We offer any occasion catering—on/off site. and Mifflinburg—the RRBC wedding services offer a variety of wedding packages as well as à la carte options. No matter which package the couple selects—Romance, Elegance, or Forever—the table settings, china, glassware, chairs, tables, and wedding planner to help with all the details are included, as is use of the wedding suite and wedding party suite on the second floor, a sound system, and set-up and take-down service. Wedding tastings and beer tastings are available for the couple.

There are many thoughtful gestures that the wedding team offers to the bride and groom, but one of the best surprises is a $50 gift card on their first anniversary. Many couples—some with new babies in tow—come back to the Rusty Rail for that special celebration—a testimony to the bond that develops with the wedding planning team and the newlyweds.

Stop by and enjoy the brews or the fare, even if you’re not planning, or part of, a wedding. Rusty Rail Brewing Company recently won a national award, the 2017 Best of Craft Beer Award, for two of their beers. They’re also a stop on the River Rat Brew Trail, a fifty-mile trail along the Susquehanna. After a day of paddling, try a pub burger or an Atlantic Haddock Po’ Boy at the Brewery. For dessert, try a Fool’s Gold Float, featuring a house-churned vanilla bean and Butterfinger gelato, flooded with Fool’s Gold beer and topped with whipped cream, bittersweet chocolate, and Butterfinger morsels. It might put you in the mood for matrimony.

Get a preview of all Rusty Rail Brewing Company has to offer at rustyrailbrewing.com, or call (570) 966-7878.

Janet McCue is a freelance writer, avid hiker, and chair of the Seneca Lake Scenic Byway Committee. She’s currently at work on a biography of Horace Kephart, dean of American campers, who, like Nessmuk, believed you don’t go into the woods to rough it but to smooth it.

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Four Fights Distilling

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here are a number of reasons why Corning was named “Most Fun Small Town in America” by Rand McNally a few years back. While the Corning Museum of Glass (the world’s largest museum devoted to glass art and artifacts) brings in nearly half-a-million visitors each year to this town of about 11,000 residents, the charming downtown is home to over 100 galleries, studios, boutiques, and restaurants, making it a hub of eclectic activity. And, somehow, Corning gets better year after year. One small local business contributing to that success is Corning’s oldest distillery, Four Fights Distilling.

Don’t feel bad if you get the name wrong at first. Most people do. Once they learn the story behind the name and the joke about the age, and once they taste the exceptional spirits being produced, however, they have no trouble remembering. Owners Matthew and Donna Bowers (above) will tell you the name comes from a tradition around the number of fights you were going to get into after drinking a pint of moonshine. “Bottom of the barrel rated one, while the cleanest and strongest shines were rated at four,” they say.

So, in keeping with tradition, while representing their dedication to crafting quality spirits, and also revealing their sense of humor, they decided on Four Fights.

Matthew and Donna’s deep sense of local connection and commitment comes through in their participation in, or hosting of, events throughout the year, their support of local businesses and charities, and, especially, through their seven delicious products crafted using locally-sourced ingredients. While their Crystal City Vodka may have put them on the map, you’ll want to sample everything. If you’re a bourbon lover, for instance, perhaps shaking your head whenever you hear about folks outside of Kentucky trying their hand at this special spirit, do yourself a favor and try the Four Fights take on traditional bourbon. We’re not saying it will taste like any you’ve had before. That’s the point. Once you’ve tried it, don’t be surprised if your opinion of what makes a great bourbon doesn’t just expand a bit.

Four Fights offers an intimate and relaxed setting for tastings or for enjoying a delicious cocktail. Everything Four Fights makes is a modern twist on classic spirits. A farm distillery, Four Fights sources the best New York State ingredients and uses an all-natural process without any filtering to create their spirits. ~Dave DeGolyer

23

Tori Srnka

Monumental matrimony: couples can enjoy a stroll past General Sullivan’s monument while enjoying their special day.

New Life At Newtown

Why a Battlefield Makes a Great Wedding Venue

By Karey Solomon

S

pring, summer, and fall, the glorious views and hues provided by the natural environment create the perfect setting for a rustic wedding. It’s part of why Newtown Battlefield State Park, at the Wellsburg exit of Interstate 86 and New York State Route 17, hosts so many weddings and other memorable events through the warmer months, with the colorful foliage days of fall a particularly popular time. And for the hands-on couple who want a spectacular backdrop to their

24

special day, a state park can be a wonderfully affordable alternative to the formality of an indoor occasion.

Despite being the former scene of a decisive battle in General John Sullivan’s campaign, regularly re-enacted by Revolutionary War aficionados, no couple has admitted to choosing the park as their wedding venue for its historic significance.

Rather, they’re attracted by the amenities the park has to offer, including plenty of parking, gently rolling lawns, a lodge

with tables and chairs for eighty, onsite accommodation for tent and RV camping, cabins available for rental—and that amazing view of the Chemung River Valley.

It’s also a child-friendly space where a whole family can feel welcome.

Park Supervisor Tori Srnka formerly worked at a wedding facility in Colorado, so she’s experienced in the details of what goes into such a special day. And because park staff has to remain around when events See Newtown on page 26

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Cabin combinations: Couples looking for a small, rustic, cozy ceremony can opt for the Lodge alone or add a tent for more guests.

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Newtown continued from page 24

are taking place, she’s seen a lot of them.

They’ve ranged from surprisingly formal to fun-and-casual, styles as individual as the couples themselves. “It’s the full gamut,” she says. “People who really like the space and want to go all out on everything else, and people who want to stay low key and put together a chicken barbecue.”

A couple planning for a park wedding should expect to put in a lot of advance planning, including consideration for contingencies if the weather doesn’t cooperate. A smaller wedding party could easily be comfortable moving all the festivities to the lodge, its vintage appeal enhanced by tables and chairs built almost a hundred years ago by members of the Civilian Conservation Corps.

A larger group might need the additional shelter of a tent. Walking the park’s terrain can help a couple visualize the flow of events and how they can work with the space. For instance, the pavilion overlooking the Chemung River offers magnificent scenery most easily visible to those on their feet—seated guests would find the railing at eye level. It might also

be used as a great backdrop for pictures.

A permit is needed before arranging for a tent—and if the wedding site is rented for only one day, it’s got to be put up and taken down the same day. Permits are also needed before alcohol is served, music is amplified, or garbage deposited in the park’s dumpster. The bride and groom who wish to arrive in the glamour of a horse-drawn carriage need to obtain a permit for that—and the horse’s owner needs to submit proof of equine vaccinations.

Srnka and her staff can help the bridal party consider their options and guide them to the permits they might need.

“We all turn into pseudo wedding planners talking about this!” she jokes.

Some families have rented the park for three days, giving themselves a day to set up, a day for the wedding, and a day to take down/clean up, as well as offering camping accommodations for everyone who wants to hang out, help, and visit. Decorations might be minimal—the park’s expanses of sloping lawns and stately trees make their own natural statement—but some couples will add their own touches, like signs directing guests through the festivities, table centerpieces, additional flowers, garlands hung from trees, a temporary gazebo or chuppah for the vows.

Then too, there are a host of more personal considerations for an outdoor wedding. The bride might want to choose a dress with a slightly shorter hemline and forget the trailing train to accommodate the outdoors; and shoes with broader-than-stiletto heels are simply more practical. Having a fresh-air wedding can mean clothing that’s more comfortable than fancy. While Srnka’s seen tuxes, she’s also seen a lot of grooms enjoying their day without benefit of ties. Stumped on the question of wedding favors? Consider paper fans, bug spray, sunscreen, or water bottles—depending on the weather and time of day, some or all of these might be useful and welcome.

Where will the bride and groom get dressed? They can use the park bathrooms, but they’re sharing these with other park visitors. Some prepare elsewhere, particularly if they’re having the ceremony in a church and the reception in the park. Some have the ceremony in the park and the reception at another location.

Many do their whole wedding and reception at the park and use one of the cabins for pre-wedding preparations.

Because the park is a carry-in/carry-out facility with only rudimentary cooking equipment, the menu will largely depend on what can be prepared in advance. And while being showered with bubbles or birdseed is fine, rice (hazard to birds) and flower petals (which take longer than most people would guess to break down) are not to be used in the park. Amplified music has a time limit, usually 9 p.m. But by then, it’s getting dark. Where else but in a park could you enjoy a post-wedding campfire? And s’mores might be the perfect ending to an amazing day.

Park rental reservations are taken as far in advance as eleven months and one day before the time requested—as of this writing, September 2019 has been completely booked for weddings, although there is the occasional cancellation, Srnka says. Call (607) 732-6067, (607) 732-6287, or visit parks.ny.gov.

Karey Solomon has planned weddings for other people and loves being a guest. She always packs a handkerchief but—so far—has managed to never cry at a wedding.

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Courtesy Kurt’s Making Whoopie!

Life of pie: Athens art teacher Kurt Priester has discovered the infinite varieties—and seemingly infinite demand—for whoopie pies.

Making Whoopies

From Weddings to Whatever, Art Teacher Kurt Priester Has Discovered That Whoopie Pie is the New Cake

By Maggie Barnes

H

e was first known as the son of his teacher parents. Then he was a teacher in his own right, handling art classes in the Athens school district. But these days, Kurt Priester gets a different reaction when he goes anywhere.

“Hey! It’s the whoopie pie guy!”

“I guess that’s a promotion of some sort,” Kurt laughs as he bustles around his kitchen.

On a recent winter night, in the small space at the back of his house warmed by commercial ovens, Kurt was preparing another batch of the whoopie pies that have made him somewhat famous.

You’ve probably seen a table of “Kurt’s Making Whoopie” pies at community events. Kurt sells his baked delights at farmer’s markets, festivals and fairs, and special happenings throughout the Twin

28

Tiers. And, like so many people he talks to, you might remember whoopie pies from your youth when the standard combination was chocolate cake with vanilla filling.

Thanks to Kurt, the menu of options is much larger now.

“More peppermint,” he instructs, handing the taste test spoon back to one of his staff. “Staff” might be too formal a word for the ladies who measure and mix in the complicated ballet that is the process of producing the spongy cake treats filled with an endless variety of creams. Kurt’s assistants are usually family and fellow teachers who show up three or four nights a week to meet whoopie pie orders or bake a large quantity for an upcoming show.

Kurt began baking beside his father and the two of them reveled in trying new combinations of flavors. Many of the

goodies would end up going to school with Kurt, where the faculty embraced them like the last day of the semester.

People kept requesting large quantities of Kurt’s pies, and it became apparent that he had a potential business on his hands.

So, he did the research on home industries and, six years ago, built a commercial-grade kitchen over the sixteen-by-twenty-four deck at the rear of the house across from Sayre High School.

His first thought was an online-based operation where he would fill individual orders and do an occasional party. He started coming up with flavors for each season and holiday on the calendar. Having no real marketing budget and wanting to get the word out about his product, he attended a couple of events with a table, a sign, and a tray of whoopie pies. What he

welcome to didn’t count on was the response. Folks went nuts for the things.

Even with purchases of two or three at a time, Kurt goes through sixty dozen at a gathering like the Friday Farmer’s Market in Sayre.

“Kurt’s Making Whoopie has been a huge asset to our Farmer’s Market,” says Eleanor Hill, Executive Director of the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce. “He has regular customers that frequent the market just to pick up their whoopie pies.”

Kurt was also surprised the first time he was approached by a bridal couple planning the menu for their big day.

“Whoopie pies? At a wedding?” Kurt loves the things but didn’t think they were formal enough.

Turns out that for non-traditional couples, country-themed nuptials, or those having a second wedding, the fun bakery treats are just the ticket to add sweetness to their event.

Whoopies come in three sizes: standard; something larger, known as A Whole Lotta Whoopie; and Quickies, which are one or two bites. (Yes, Kurt gets a giggle out of the slightly naughty innuendo of his business name, but you can’t argue with its memorability.)

Couples will often get a large pie to have something to cut, and then have the smaller versions at each table for guests. Or they use packaged whoopies as favors, complete with specialty labels.

Like all aspects of a truly personalized wedding, the newlyweds can ask Kurt to invent a flavor that is meaningful to them.

“Maybe they had a blueberry dessert on their first date, or they have an inside joke about lemons,” Kurt says, rotating a tray in the oven. “If they can dream up a flavor, I’ll take a swing at making it.”

Social media even gets in on the act, as couples will create on online survey of potential flavor combinations and let their friends vote on their preferences.

Kurt and his band of bakers make everything from scratch and as authentic as possible. “We use real fruit, real lemons, peppermint oil, whatever we need to make the flavor pop.”

Friends in New York City urge Kurt to move downstate and sell his “gourmet whoopie pies” on street corners, telling him there is nothing like it in the Big Apple. But the Valley is home, and Kurt has a plan.

“Actually, I made a fifteen-year business plan. Figured by then, I would be ready to retire from teaching and this would be a nice side business. Problem is, we are on year five in actual time, but year twelve in business growth.”

Kurt is still teaching full time and does his baking during four-hour sessions three or four nights a week. He’s tired, but he’s happy.

“I have a silly sense of humor, but people seem to really enjoy what I do, so I will keep on doing it.”

But, don’t forget, folks, that’s what you get, folks, when Kurt’s makin’ whoopie!

Check out kurtsmakingwhoopie.com for a list of available flavors and a calendar of where Kurt will be next. You can like Kurt’s Making Whoopie on Facebook, where you can send him a message if you want to talk wedding whoopie!

Maggie Barnes has won several IRMAs and Keystone Press Awards.

She lives in Waverly, New York.

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Barns continued from page 12

at some point, a couple needs to sever the Pinterest cord and make decisions. We can help guide that process.” To gain a better idea of the surrounding countryside and space available at The Barn at Hillsprings Farm, visit academycornersblues.com.

• The Treman Center, just a ten-minute drive from downtown Ithaca, and bordering Robert Treman State Park, is owned and operated by artist Leslie Carrere and her husband, Kevin Reilly.

From the moment a visitor turns into the drive, there’s a distinct sense that this wedding venue is extraordinary.

A master stonemason, Kevin’s artistry is evident in the stone walls, Tuscan courtyards, stone reflecting pool, and fire pit surrounded by a large stone circle, all enlivening the grounds.

The superb, 6,000-square-foot building that serves as the focal point for this transformational gathering place was painstakingly constructed out of the stone and wood Kevin salvaged from a decrepit, nineteenth century threshing barn down the road in Newfield. The process of dismantling, transporting, and reassembling the barn pieces on a new stone foundation at the present location took Kevin and a team of experts months to accomplish. How the Treman Center looks today took The Treman over a decade to create, and utilized the skills of more than Center: boasting fifty local craftsmen, artisans, and tradespeople. It’s still a three stories work in progress. and inspirational The structure that emerged from the saved remains of grounds, the that Newfield barn is a three-story wonder completed using 6,000-squareauthentic mortise and tenon/post and beam construction. foot building was constructed Noteworthy interior features include four enormous out of the stone fireplaces, each with a unique design and 3,000-pound and wood hearthstone, and a ground floor assembled out of 200-yearsalvaged from a old, hand-cut stones. Thanks to Leslie’s imaginative use of local nineteenth colors, furnishings, and art, each floor has a different look century threshing but all carry a similar message: this is a place that invites barn. calm reflection and joy. It’s a seductive interior that gently pushes guests to relax and savor the moment.

Leslie works closely with couples that choose the Treman Center for their wedding. Over her professional career, she’s coordinated dozens of events. Depending on a couple’s wishes, she tailors her involvement in the planning process. Though always on site for the wedding celebration, she sees her role as a combination of discrete troubleshooter, choreographer, and event coordinator—if needed. “My job,” Leslie says, “is to support the couple in whatever way they require to make their dream celebration come alive.”

To get a complete picture of what the Treman Center offers as a venue, visit tremancenter.com. It’s loaded with pictures, videos, and wedding-relevant information.

• For every bride or groom who may be feeling stressed-out, overwhelmed, or grumpy about getting married, you’re not alone.

As comedian Niecy Nash said, “Falling in love was the easy part; planning a wedding—yikes!”

Jan Smith, a freelance writer from Ithaca, New York, has written for numerous national and regional publications including Smithsonian Air&Space, History Magazine, and Life in the Finger Lakes.

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welcome to

BRADFORD CO.

Dine, Stay or Just Get Away 35 Rooms Restaurant

(Traditional American)

Catering

Wyalusing Hotel

Great Rates, Great Food, Great Attractions 54 Main Street, Wyalusing, PA

570-746-1204

www.wyalusinghotel.com

Stop and Visit our Showroom & Design Center Meet with our kitchen & bath designers.

Offering computer designs and onsite visits.

HOOVER HARDWARE 816 Canton Street, Troy, PA

570-297-3445 • 1-800-251-2156 Hours: Mon-Sat 7-5

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REAL ESTATE Quality

Experience

BOTH AT THE RIGHT PRICE!

Don’t Assume Your Best Deal Comes From The Big Home Center...

CRAIG A. BERDANIER BUILDERS • 717-856-2171

Homes • Commercial • Churches • Logs

— www.BardenBP.com — Evergreen

1,240 SQ. FT. 2 BEDROOMS 1.5 BATHROOMS

CALL TODAY 716-995-6500 • 800-945-9400 WWW. BARDE NBUI L DI NG S YS TE MS .CO M

OFFERED AT

477 Tioga Street Wellsboro, PA Office: 570-723-8484 Fax: 570-723-8604

$

305,000

EXQUISITE HOME IN THE HEART OF WELLSBORO with 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, 2 fireplaces, stunning foyer with open floor plan to large family room and dining room. Gorgeous kitchen with tons of cupboard space, sunroom, laundry & powder rooms. Hardwood floors mostly throughout, crown molding, large windows and lots of natural light. Basement with den and access to exterior. Sits on .52 acres with a 2 car detached garage.

MLS R132094A

www.mvrwellsboro.com

BUILDING YOUR DREAM HOME? Let us do your project for you from start to finish!

North Country Woodworking

Come see your local cabinet makers!

We are a family business with over 25 years experience manufacturing custom cabinets, doors, moldings, and furniture.

We also offer countertops in Laminate, Corian, Zodiaq, and Granite.

~ northcountrywoodworking.com ~

570-549-8105

Modular and Manufactured Homes Rt 6, 4 miles east of Wellsboro PA 570-724-2161 • www.Lewis-Homes.net 32

570-404-1156 - Cell

Come visit our showroom just 6 miles North of Mansfield, off Route 549.

Our showroom is open Thursday-Saturday 10am-4pm or call for an appointment any time.

Ask for Pete McLelland or Pete McLelland, Jr.

Custom Designs, Repairs Supplies, Glass, and Classes CLASSES AVAILABLE: Intro • Beginning • Advanced Call today to schedule!

519 Pine Street • Williamsport, PA

BEST EXCAVATING Driveways • Basements • Septic Systems Retaining Walls • Patios Stone • Gravel

814-367-5682

Westfield Pa WWW.BESTEXCAVATING.COM

You could promote your business here!

Call (570)724-3838 today!

570-980-1554

WhiteselStainedGlass@gmail.com

WhiteselStainedGlass.com

SHOPPING

SERVICE DIRECTORY SHOPPING

Mountain Home

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Liberty book Shop 1 East Park St., Avis, PA 17721 • 570-753-5201 www.TheLibertyBookShop.com

Used, Rare and Out-of-Print Books.

Your source for unusual books on any subject.

Browse our in-stock selection of over 40,000 hardcover books and paperbacks.

Spend the night in a bookshop!

See listings on Airbnb.com.

HOURS: Thurs & Fri 10-6; Sat 10-3

(or by appointment, feel free to just call)

Ne

Tying the knot?

w& Im pro

Create your Gift Registry on our Website!

ved hi Ve cle Lis tin gs!

Visit our Website at

www.matthewsmotorcompany.com

25 Main St. Wellsboro, PA 570-723-4263 www.popscultureshoppe.com

Matthews Motor Company is a family owned and operated full service car dealership. We have an on-site NAPA Service Center and a AAA Approved Body Shop. We also have the largest Car Rental Fleet in Tioga County. County.

You could promote your business here!

Hauber ’s Jewelry • Diamonds & Quality Jewelry • Bulova & Seiko Watches and Clocks • Fenton, Charms, Trophies and Engraving “We do watch batteries!”

Call (570)724-3838 today!

Janet’s Floral “Creative Designs for the Creative Mind”

1718 Four Mile Drive Williamsport, PA 17701

Daily Deliveries Monday - Saturday

We Do Weddings The Way You Want Them!

570-326-7393

www.janetsfloral.com

North East tradE Co. Muzzleloading & Trapping Supplies

Builders Parts • Custom Ramrods Service & Repairs • Old Trapper’s Products

1980 John Brady Drive • Muncy, PA (570) 546-2061 • www.northeasttradeco.com

Morris Chair Shop .com 54 Windsor Ln., Morris, PA 16938

(570) 353-2735

The Finest in Hand-Crafted Furniture

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B A C K O F T H E M O U N TA I N

Mists of Morning

By Linda Stager

W

hen I looked out the window before sunrise I knew that it would be a good day to venture to the countryside.

It had snowed overnight and all of the new snow was clinging to the trees. It was a winter wonderland! And as the sun rose, the weather kept changing. It snowed off and on. The fog rolled in. And the skies were full of watercolor pastels. Coming down the road here, I hopped out of the car to take in the scene. And to snap this picture.

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Proudly serving Tioga, Potter, Bradford & Lycoming Counties

HOMES • LAND CABINS • FARMS COMMERCIAL

570-723-8484 477 Tioga Street Wellsboro, PA

Convenient Onsite Parking

REAL ESTATE CLOSINGS REFINANCE CLOSINGS NO CLOSING FEE QUICK TURNAROUNDS At Six West Settlements, Inc. we are, with excellence and integrity, dedicated to creating exceptional closing experiences for our customers.

477 Tioga Street Wellsboro, PA

570-948-9166 MVRWELLSBORO.COM

SIXWESTSETTLEMENTS.COM

“I’m proud to join this team of highly trained specialists and bring advanced urologic care to this community.”

JEFFREY ALAN RANTA, MD Urologist

Dr. Ranta provides advanced urologic treatments for conditions like kidney stones, prostate cancer, bladder control, infertility, and more.

Dr. Ranta is now accepting new patients in Wellsboro.

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570-724-3636 l UPMCSusquehanna.org/Urology