May 2011

E E R F he wind

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‘One Hell of a Life’

A native son tells the story of a Potter County soldier who lost his legs — but not his spirit — in the Civil War

By Donald Gilliland

Cool Corning, Hot Glass A Good Run for a Great Guy Antrim Church Resurrected

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Volume 6 Issue 4

5

A Soldier’s Story

The Last Great Place

By Donald Gilliland His legs destroyed by Civil War cannon fire, Michael Dunn returned to Potter County to make a life.

By Michael Capuzzo Mountain Home finds its niche in your home.

6

By the Mountain Home Staff Mountain Home and regional Reisling growers bring home the gold; fish for free!

13

Heart of the Mountain

Donnald Gilliland

Mountain Chatter

8

By Patricia Brown Davis The Universe gives back to our doubtful traveler.

By Sarah Bull Bob Bridgman was a giving Mansfield University professor and a dedicated runner. A 5K run in his honor continues the legacy.

18 22

The Better World

By John & Lynn Diamond-Nigh The Renaissance gave us The Prince, but also The Courtier, with it’s sprezzatura— effortless dignity.

Courtesy bridgman family

Reading Nature

By Tom Murphy Those pesky rodents at your bird feeder?

They’re less squirrely than you think.

14

Glittering GlassFest

Courtesy Elite Therapy

By Angela Cannon-Crothers Hot glass is back in Corning, in an entertainment-packed weekend.

Cover art by Tucker Worthington

Back In Motion

By Dawn Bilder Mansfield’s Elite Therapy restores mobility, one life at a time.

24

Top: Dunn family grave marker that replaced the original 1800’s headstone. Center: Bob Bridgman doing what he loved. Bottom: Elite Therapy offers a warm welcome.

Loving memory

20

32 Lettuce Celebrate

By Angela Cannon-Crothers The Finger Lakes’ Ambrosia Acres Family Farm grows great greens.

34 Finger Lakes Wine Review

By Holly Howell Muranda’s Dilly Girl loves Goose Watch’s Villard Blanc—and vice versa.

36 Rebirth

By Adam Mahonske Antrim’s Trinity Luthern Church looks forward to a bright future.

46 Shop Around the Corner

By Kevin Cummings Donna Grezsik and her labor of love: Pip’s Boutique.

50 Back of the Mountain

Tucker Worthington celebrates May Day.

Publisher Michael Capuzzo Editor-in-Chief Teresa Banik Capuzzo Associate Publisher George Bochetto, Esq. Dawn Bilder Managing Editor Matt Connor Copy Editor Pete Boal Cover Artist Tucker Worthington P r o d u c t i o n M a n a g e r / G r ap h i c D e s i g n e r Amanda Doan Butler Contributing Writers Sarah Bull, Angela Cannon-Crothers, Jennifer Cline, Barbara Coyle, Kevin Cummings, Georgiana DeCarlo, John & Lynne Diamond-Nigh, Patricia Brown Davis, Lori Duffy Foster, Donald Gilliland, Steve Hainsworth, Martha Horton, Holly Howell, David Ira Kagan, Adam Mahonske, Roberta McCulloch-Dews, Cindy Davis Meixel, Suzanne Meredith, Fred Metarko, Karen Meyers, Dave Milano, Tom Murphy, Mary Myers, Jim Obleski, Cornelius O’Donnell, Audrey Patterson, Gary Ranck, Kathleen Thompson, Joyce M. Tice, Linda Williams, Carol Youngs C o n t r i b u t i n g P h o t o g r ap h e r s Mia Lisa Anderson, Bill Crowell, Anne Davenport-Leete, Ann Kamzelski , Ken Meyer Advertising Director Todd Hill Sales Representatives Christopher Banik, Michele Duffy, Richard Widmeier Subscriptions Claire Lafferty Beagle Cosmo

Mountain Home is published monthly by Beagle Media LLC, 39 Water St., Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, 16901.

Copyright 2010 Beagle Media LLC. All rights reserved.

To advertise or subscribe e-mail info@mountainhomemag.com. To provide story ideas email editor@mountainhomemag.com. Reach us by phone at 570-724-3838. Each month copies of Mountain Home are available for free at hundreds of locations in Tioga, Potter, Bradford, Lycoming, Union, and Clinton counties in Pennsylvania; Steuben, Chemung, Schuyler, Yates, Seneca, Tioga, and Ontario counties in New York. Visit us at www.mountainhomemag.com.

Get Mountain Home at home. For a one-year subscription to Mountain Home (12 issues), send $24.95, payable to Beagle Media LLC, to 39 Water St., Wellsboro, PA 16901.

Look for Home & Real Estate magazine wherever Mountain Home magazine is found.

The Last Great Place

Champagne Season Michael Capuzzo

B

aby, it’s you. That’s spring’s wisdom once again.

The first sign came on the porch by the creek, house finches and robins nesting under the eaves.

Then Kelsey Creek roared up the banks, swollen with melted ice. A fisherman appeared out our window in a pirouette of waders and nets, scooping minnows.

For everything there is a season, and it was the season of champagne and kisses in the Mountain Home house.

“We won!” my wife shouted, jumping into my arms with joy, before sharing our glee with our writers. “We all won!”

She’d just opened the email from the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association (PNA) announcing we’d won nine Keystone Awards for the best writing, photography, and design in the state. That’s thirty-three of the prestigious awards in five years, along with recognition from journalists nationally, such as former New York Times Managing Editor Gene Roberts, as the best regional storytelling magazine in the country.

“And look at the competition,” Teresa said, flush with the news. “The best storytellers are right here in the Twin Tiers.”

Good point, hon. Our local writers, photographers, and artists from Wellsboro and the Finger Lakes, Elmira and Williamsport and Coudersport and towns in between beat the biggest weekly newspapers in the state, such as the Philadelphia City Paper and Philadelphia Business Journal. (See page 6 for award winners).

We won First Place for “Best Niche Publication” in the state of Pennsylvania. Our “niche” is life itself in The Last Great Place. You’ve taken us into your hearts as the monthly magazine for our beautiful region that stretches from the Finger Lakes to the Susquehanna Valley and across the ridges and valleys of northern Pennsylvania.

With 20,000 to 30,000 monthly copies at hundreds of distribution points across the region, Mountain Home, “Free as the Wind,” and our website, www.mountainhomemag.com, reach more readers in the region than any other print media.

Readers keep it on the coffee table all month long and read and cherish copies for months and years afterward. With that kind of pass-around, our advertisers estimate 100,000 people read the magazine each month.

I’ve written New York Times bestsellers (The Murder Room and Close to Shore); Teresa was credited with helping win See PNA on page 6

MOU N TA I N C h atter

PNA continued from page 5

the Pulitzer Prize Gold Medal at The Philadelphia Inquirer before we moved back to her hometown of Wellsboro. But it’s you, dear readers, writers, artists of all stripes, and advertisers, who get the credit for writing,

reading, and supporting us in a thousand ways—for showing us what a community regional magazine is all about, for carrying us along on a never-ending stream of short and tall and remarkable tales.

Soon another sign will come to the porches by field and lake and creek; all of

us will sit on blessedly warmer evenings, sharing stories.

A husband-and-wife team? She, I, we, us?

Not a chance.

Baby, it’s you. ~Michael Capuzzo

Matt Connor Amanda Doan Butler

Ann Kamzelski

Roger Kingsley, Mary W. Meyers, Laura Reindl, and Nora Strupp, and photography by Robert J. Blair, Bill Crowell, Anne DavenportLeete, James Fitzpatrick, Ann Kamzelski, Cindy Davis Meixel, Barbara Rathbun, and Ken VanSant.

Second Place, Feature Beat Reporting, Associate Publisher and writer Dawn Bilder for her stories, “A Hands-On Approach;” “Potter County’s Cuff Link;” “Inner Truth;” “And the Whole World Sings,” and “The House That George Built.”

First Place, Sports Story, Managing Editor Matt Connor for “Sports ReIllustrated.”

Honorable Mention, Business/ Consumer Story, Matt Connor for “Back in Business.”

Second Place, Page Design, Production Director Amanda DoanButler for “Sports Re-Illustrated.”

Second Place, Feature Photo, Photographer Ann Kamzelski for “Rust in Peace.”

Second Place, Photo Story, Ann Kamzelski for “Speaking of Silos.”

Honorable Mention, Feature Photo, writer and photographer Cindy Davis Meixel for “Conductor Will.” ~Michael Capuzzo

Cindy Davis Meixel

Tucker Worthington

Mountain Home’s readers, writers, and advertisers are reinventing magazine journalism. We know that because a whole community of writers and artists from the Northern Tier won nine 2011 Keystone Awards, given by the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association in recognition of journalism excellence statewide. (See Last Great Place on page 5). The following winners will be honored May 21 in State College at the annual Pennsylvania Press Conference: First Place, Niche Publication, Mountain Home staff.

They make us laugh, cry, think, stand back in awe. Our readers love Mountain Home’s covers and our columnists as much as we do.

It’s no surprise to any of us, really, but now there’s official recognition that our columnists pen the most compelling writing in the state.

In awarding Mountain Home First Place for the best “Niche Publication” in the state of Pennsylvania—including all Philadelphia and Pittsburgh weekly newspapers, specialty publications, and newspapers owned by giant Total Trib Media of Pittsburgh, the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association cited the excellence of the September, November, and December 2010 issues of Mountain Home. Those issues featured the talents of cover designer Tucker Worthington, our production manager Amanda Doan Butler, and our all-star lineup of columnists, including Patricia Brown Davis (Heart of the Mountain), John & Lynne Diamond-Nigh (The Better World), Holly Howell (Wine & Dine), Fred Metarko (The Lunker), Dave Milano (Someplace Like Home), Tom Murphy (Reading Nature), Cornelius O’Donnell (Read & Feed), Kathleen Thompson (Yogamama), and Joyce M. Tice (Looking Back).

The First Place award also encompassed articles in those issues by Larry Biddison, Dawn Bilder, Sarah Bull, Michael Capuzzo, Angela Cannon-Crothers, Jennifer Cline, Matt Connor, Donald Gilliland,

Dawn Bilder

Mountain Home Writers & Artists Win Big in State College

On the Finger Lakes, The Palm to Riesling Row If you’re looking for a light, effervescent Riesling to match a light, effervescent spring day, you’re living in the right place. Six Finger Lakes wineries—count ‘em, six—have been recognized for making some of the best Riesling in the world.

“Coincidentally,” notes Fi n g e r L a k e s W i n e . c o m , “four of the winning wineries—Anthony Road, Belhurst, Fox Run and Red Tail Ridge—lie within ten miles of each other on the northwestern end of Seneca Lake.”

We don’t think it’s a coindience at all. Riesling is “terroir-expressive”—it speaks of its origins, and the Finger Lakes is a magic place for this varietal.

In April at the prestigious Riesling

du Monde competition in Strasbourg, France, gold medals were won by Anthony Road Wine Co.’s 2009 Dry Riesling ($15.99), Belhurst Estate Winery’s 2009 Semi-Dry Riesling ($17.95), and Fox Run Vineyards’ 2008 Reserve Riesling ($30). Silver medals went to Keuka Lake Vineyards’ 2009 Dry Riesling, Evergreen Lek Vineyard ($20), and Red Tail Ridge Winery’s 2009 Semi-Dry Riesling ($15.95). No other U.S. wineries took home a medal.

Johannes Reinhardt, winemaker at Anthony Road, said that he was “very surprised” by his own winery’s gold medal because 2009 “was actually quite a challenge” for winemakers. The exceptionally cool growing season made it tricky for winemakers to “find the balance between…flavor and acidity,” he said.

Nice trick, Johannes. ~Michael Capuzzo

Go Fish For Free

May 30 is a special day on the sportsman’s calendar, and more so on the non-sportsman’s calendar. You can meander down to your local Pennsylvania trout stream, river, or lake, drop a line, and fish like folks once did— without The Man looking over your shoulder, without a state fishing license. Since 1984, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission has designated two “Fish for Free Days” a

year. After a “great deal of discussion,” the commission has picked May 30 and Sept.

5, 2011—Memorial Day and Labor Day. (Two weekends lessens the chance of a rainout). The idea is to hook another fisherman.

Even on license-free days, “All other fishing regulations still apply,” The Man cautions at www.fishandboat.com. ~Michael Capuzzo

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Courtesy marian Stilson Collection

Dunn family photo. L to R: Daughters Minnie and Margaret, son Stanton, daughter Edith, wife Sarah, daughter Glencora, mother-inlaw Mary Ellison, son George. A photo of Michael Dunn can be seen hanging on the outside of the house near the door to the left.

The Long Road Home Wounded Civil War soldier Michael Dunn made his way back to a hard-won life in Potter County

T

By Donald Gilliland

he rain fell hard on the young soldier sprawled on the ground in the Georgia dark.

His legs were a bloody mess.

He was nine hundred miles from home, and he knew he was going to die.

He’d seen what canister shot did to soldiers on both sides in this war. He’d fought in Gettysburg, at Antietam, Fredericksburg.

With canister loads, the cannon became great big turkey guns, except they blew iron balls the size of a man’s eye at you. A black cloud of them that shredded everything—and everyone—in their path.

The lucky ones died quick.

He wasn’t so lucky.

Both his legs were tattered.

The battle had taken place in the late afternoon in some godforsaken Georgia backwater north of Atlanta. He was part of General Sherman’s march to take the city. It had begun less than a month before, and they’d pushed the Rebel General Johnston back again and again from the Tennessee line down through northern Georgia, flanking him to the right each time. Somewhere close by was a town called Dallas, another called New Hope Church.

After the cannon took his legs from under him, the battle continued to boom all around. After a while—no telling how long in all that pain and noise—a couple of his fellow soldiers had run up, spread his wool blanket on the ground, hauled him onto it, grabbed the corners, and carried him off the field. Shot and shell were still flying like hail, and they hurried him half a mile or so. His ruined legs trailed on the ground, striking and bounding on every stone and stump.

But now he was safe, safe to die in some sort of peace. Safe to think for a while of his bride, Sarah, a Tennessee girl of nineteen he’d met guarding the railroad outside Decherd, married only four months back.

The rain fell hard in the dark as the young soldier felt himself slip into a deeper darkness, a sleep from which he knew he’d never wake.

If Michael Dunn dreamed that night, perhaps it was of the past. The recent past, of Sarah standing with him before Peter Wiley, the Justice of the Peace in Hawkerville about eight miles east of Decherd, her mother and brother there as witnesses, as she said, “I do.” Tennessee was warm in December, compared to home in northern Pennsylvania, in Potter County. The winters there could be brutal.

Perhaps the friends there were in the dream, the people he knew in Raymond and Coudersport, the men he’d signed on to fight with back at the beginning of September 1861. How little they knew then. Perhaps the dream went further back, to the men he’d worked with in the pine forests. Cutting those big old trees was hard, dangerous work. And further back, to leaving what family was left in Canada to strike out on his own, south to where the work was, south to the forests and fate. Perhaps there were even dim images from a very early childhood, in the inimitable green of Ireland.

Or perhaps, as some believe can happen, his dreams were more confused, populated with familiar folks and unfamiliar ones too, of young children yet unborn, of a farm by a brook, of walking strangely on his hands, of pain and doctors, but also of happiness—the deep happiness of having come close to death and lived.

Michael Dunn woke up. A surprise. His legs were still a bloody mess, and the pain was awful, but he was alive.

The soldier may have been in his midtwenties, or his early thirties. The existing records are contradictory. Michael Dunn himself may not have been absolutely sure. A census record from just before the war lists him as aged twenty, but so do his re-enlistment papers from 1863. Seven years later the census lists him aged thirtyfive. Family history says he was thirty-one when he was shot in 1864. Records before the war say he was born in Ireland. Army records say Canada. His father is said to have died when he was very young, and family tradition holds that he left home at an early age, apprenticed to a tinker until he was sixteen, then struck out on his own. The details of his birth may not have been a big priority for the young man. Most of history is lost in the dreamlike fog of forgetting. Today we know very little of Michael Dunn’s early life, and not very much more of his later life. What we know best—because he wrote it down just before he died thirteen years later—is what happened to him after he woke up that morning in Georgia, May 26, 1864.

“I aroused from my slumber, with much surprise and pain,” he wrote. “The boys then took me up and carried me along a mile to the hospital department, where I lay on my back in the hot sun four hours.

“Then I was laid on a table, and was soon under influence of chloroform, and when I came to, was minus a leg, the other was done up. I asked the doctors to take off the other, but they thought it might be saved.

“So they carried me into a tent, and laid me on a tick filled with green oak leaves.

“The next day my leg was mortified up above the knee, so I was carried out and laid on the table again, and was soon asleep, and when I came to I had no legs at all.

“Well, this did not end my sufferings, for a few days after, gangrene got into that stump, and then I was put to sleep again and when I awoke again, my nurse informed me that they had cut off a slice around my leg.

“We stayed there for some time, and fared as well as we could on hardtack and coffee, as the railroad bridges were all burnt, and we could not get supplies, and the army went on after the Rebels.

“In about ten days I was loaded into the ambulance and started for some church.

Don’t remember the name, but we traveled all day and night before reaching the place.

The road was very rough, so the ride was not very pleasant for me.

“During the day, the tents were pitched and the ticks filled with green leaves again.

“So I was laid on the bed again, with all the attention and care that could be rendered me, with hardtack and coffee for the main supplies for a number of days.

“Finally a man came into my tent, and the boys began to quiz him about chickens and vegetables. He said he had one rooster left, and he agreed to bring in the rooster and a pail of soup by noon the next day, but the time came and the soup did not come. But at three o’clock the old man came and said, the rooster was so old it took longer to cook him than he thought, but the soup was just as good as it would have been at noon.

“We stayed at this place for about two weeks, and during this time both of my stumps discharged freely, and then the blue fly came and left his deposits, and soon I was swarming all over with maggots. The wounds were filled with them and it was a sickly sight.

“In the meantime, my back was scalded and raw from lying on the green leaves.

“Up to this time, all the doctors and nurses were very kind, sparing no pains for my comfort.

“At length a freight train came up and a number of wounded were placed on board for Chattanooga, and at my request, I also was sent along.

“When I arrived they carried me on a stretcher to a large tent, where I stayed four weeks, and there is was where I was attacked with chronic diarrhoea, which never left me till I came to Shongo, N.Y. “While I was at Chattanooga I was under the charge of a German nurse, who used me like a brute; otherwise, I can speak well over every man that had any charge of me in every hospital I was in.

“At the end of this long four weeks, a sanitary train was loading for Nashville, and I begged the doctor to send me along, and he did, and the minute I was put on the car and released from that nurse, it seemed as though I was cut loose from the Evil One.” We know that after he escaped the nurse from hell he was taken to Nashville and then eventually on to Shongo, New York, where he spent six weeks and underwent another amputation because—as a newspaper account from the 1870s

Courtesy marian Stilson Collection

Michael Dunn and wife, Sarah.

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10

explained—“the bone of one stump was found to be so long that the flesh would not cover it.�

Dunn spent the winter of 1864 in the U.S. Hospital in Elmira, New York, and in the spring of 1865—after President Lincoln was assassinated—he was sent to New York City, arriving the day before the president’s funeral train.

At the military hospital in Central Park, the stump of Dunn’s left leg “was found to be so diseased that another operation was decided upon, and for the fifth time, he was ‘laid upon the table’ and the bone taken out to the hip.�

As he healed from his final surgery, the staff at the military hospital attempted to prepare Michael Dunn for life without legs.

Prosthetic limbs wouldn’t fit and wouldn’t work—his stumps were too short, and the left one never would heal right. A dog wagon and a hand carriage were no use, not to mention humiliating. In the end, Michael Dunn would leave New York using a “boot and blocks�—a padded “boot� around his lower torso and blocks in his hands that would allow him to lift himself up, swing himself forward and bump along where he needed to go. As he would later explain in a letter to the local pension commissioner, “My means of locomotion— the only way that I can help myself in that manner—is to sit down and walk or shove along on my hands.�

Michael Dunn was discharged from the hospital in New York on August 17,

1865, and he returned to Potter County and to Sarah, who would care for him the rest of his life.

Family tradition says Sarah was waiting for Michael at the train station in Shongo with a pair of horses and a wagon. She discovered he’d made the trip from New York City riding in a barrel stuffed with cotton. With help, she got him loaded into the wagon, and turned the team south, for the twelvemile journey home.

The adjustment to life at home had to be difficult. The big strapping man Sarah had married could barely go to the toilet by himself. Prospects were grim. His left stump would not heal. He could not work. Getting a pension from the government required a lawyer, sworn statements and time. The men of his old company donated the remainder of the company’s fund—$33—to him, saying “We recognize in him the gallant soldier and the true patriot; and in this hour of his misfortune, know no better way of showing our appreciation of the good man and the brave and dutiful soldier.�

Fine words, and finer sentiment, but one hell of a life.

Lesser men would have become a misery to everyone around them. Michael Dunn remembered a dark night in the Georgia rain when he thought it was over. He made the most of what he had left. “My avocation is a farmer and I have no other and I live on a farm.� Thus begins a letter he wrote to the commissioner of

pensions nine years later.

By that time, Michael Dunn had learned to make his way in life. “I keep a horse for to take me from place to place and wish to be and am A Bliged... to have the aid of a nother person for to help me in and out of the wagon and to harnes the horse and hich it. The same when in doors and wish to wash or wish a drink of water and at times when my bowels move I am compelled to use a chamber pot. In those things as many others, as it happens thru life I am obliged to have the assistance of another person. I cannot use artificial limbs of any kind as my stumps is only 9 inches long and one of them is not sound.”

Although he’d been unable to read or write before the war, he learned in the service so he could write home to friends.

Friends like William Brown and John Corey made a sworn statement at the same time buttressing his claim of disability. They recount his use of boot and blocks, his need for constant assistance, but a final line in their statement speaks to the man: “He is a strong energetic man and moves about much more than many people in his situation probably could do.”

Michael Dunn had not wasted his time.

Once he began getting his pension, he’d gone to Coudersport and, on February 19, 1866, renounced “all allegiance and fidelity” to the Queen of Great Britain, and became an American citizen.

The following June, Sarah gave birth to a son: George William. Five more children followed: Stanton in 1869, Margaret in 1872, Minnie in 1873, Glencora in 1875, and Edith May in 1876.

After his return from the war, he “acquired sufficient knowledge of figures” to be the tax collector for Allegany Township from 1870 to 1872.

The $50 a month pension was considered a good one, and Michael Dunn didn’t squander it.

He opened a small grocery store at Raymond, and he bought land. The year before he died, he owned 198 acres, a very good horse, a dog, and one cow. Of the 159 individual landowners on the township’s tax rolls in 1876, only ten of them owned more land than Michael Dunn.

But his stumps bothered him constantly, particularly the left one, which had never healed properly and would—in the words of his doctor, O. T. Ellison—break out in abscesses frequently and lay him up for months. He’d tell friends the stumps would “use me up yet.” And in the end, they did.

By 1877 there’s some indication that a few people may have begun to grouse about that $50 a month pension and his relative prosperity. And See Dunn on page 49

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Patricia Brown Davis

A

s a child, jewelry didn’t excite me much. But at some point, I began to look at, covet, contemplate, and acquire jewelry. Looking back, I’ve always been enchanted with objects of beauty.

One day at an antique store in Lewisburg, I was smitten with a large, unusual Art Deco brooch with an amethyst centered in its pewter endless knot carvings. Maybe it was because I was in a “purple phase,” but I had to have it. Dressing for something special, I’d reach for the brooch and then choose something to wear. It went with me on all my trips—I couldn’t leave it behind! We were attached at the clasp!

In the fall of 1993, I took a trip to Bali with a spiritual group through Omega Institute. We lived in huts with the Balinese and dressed in traditional Balinese clothes—a sarong, cummerbund, and a traditional longsleeved blouse—when visiting the temples.

We were to visit the most sacred baths of Bali, and I decided my lovely brooch would look great accenting my cummerbund. In the temple, the priest of the baths invited us to bathe in one of the baths used exclusively by their priests and other world religious leaders.

This practice included walking under various water spouts, each representing various desired attributes—purification of the mind and spirit, healing of the body, happiness, wealth, wisdom, longevity, etc. We were told only sarongs were to be worn. I didn’t realize that also meant “topless,” and my bathing suit wasn’t allowed.

Coming out of the water, I noticed two things: (1) I was only one of two women who went topless and (2) a busload of Japanese schoolboys were all leering through the wooden slatted gate, giggling hysterically, and talking excitedly to each other. I grabbed my belongings and darted toward the bathhouse,

pushing my way between the snickering boys.

But my brooch was gone. I dressed and retraced my steps, back through the throng of boys, searching to no avail. Had one of them pocketed my brooch? Would some mother receive a lovely gift from her son?

My fellow travelers tried to console me. A woman behind me on the bus offered, “You need to stop focusing on your loss; relax and enjoy your trip, and maybe someday the universe will send your brooch back to you!” Hah! From the other side of the world?

Fat chance!

A year later, she sent me a Philadelphia Inquirer clipping which mentioned that when traveling you should leave as much as you take from a place. I indeed had forgotten the lost brooch. Time had passed, and so had my attachment.

Two years later, preparing to go with some of those same people to Tibet, I got out my backpack and noticed the stitching at the top was unraveled. I asked a friend who sewed canvas awnings and sailing masts to restitch it.

As she did, she suddenly stopped and said, “Something’s here in the lining,” and she pulled out the amethyst brooch! I was shocked. In my hurry on the day I lost it, it must have slipped behind the lining. Then I remembered my fellow-traveler’s words: “Someday the universe may send it back to you.”

I still travel. Sometimes the brooch goes with me, along with its great lessons: (1) don’t be too attached to any one thing, (2) the Universe does work in mysterious ways, and (3) the person right behind you might just have the right answer.

Patricia Brown Davis is a professional musician and memoirist seeking stories about the Wellsboro glass factory. Contact her at patd@mountainhomemag.com.

G

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13

O U tdo O rs The Road All Runners Come

The Bob Bridgman 5K honors a life of dedication and kindness

By Sarah Bull

G

COURTESY Bridgman Family

azing out his front window, Bob Bridgman had seen the man coming towards his house. Something about the crunch, crunch, crunch of the grit beneath the man’s feet as he ran enlivened a spirit within Bob. He turned to his wife, Earlene. “You know, I could do that,” he said, with the kind of determination that made it a certainty.

Little did anyone know the impact that runner— Robert Maxson, after whom Mansfield University named their track—would make on Bob. Soon after, Bob began running in every race within a fifty mile radius of his home in Mansfield, Pennsylvania. His commitment to running quickly became as devout as his love of being a math professor at Mansfield University.

During the week, he would teach his courses with the same passion he had always brought to the classroom. “He had a wonderful reputation,” says Barb McConnell, a retired elementary school teacher and Bob Bridgman Memorial Race committeeperson. “He

14

…at the races everyone was equal, so you never knew if you were talking to the garbage man or a doctor.

And Bob loved that.

was the type of professor that always had an open door and was warm and caring. Students could always go to him if they needed something.”

On the weekends, he would pack up with Earlene and their son, Jeff, and head to a race somewhere within an hour or two of their home. Occasionally, Earlene would even race with her husband. “I wasn’t as into running as Bob, but I loved to go with him. I heard Bob say many times that the thing he loved most about the races was the people we met. We never talked about what we did for a living. At the races everyone was equal, so you never knew if you were talking to the garbage man or a doctor. And Bob loved that.”

After twenty-seven years of teaching at Mansfield University, Bob retired in 1991. But that didn’t stop him from continuing to attend as many Mansfield University sporting events as he could and volunteering his time to tutor the Mansfield students.

Tragically, in October of 2000, Bob’s amazing life was ended after he fell from a ladder while trimming tree branches. Soon after his death, Earlene was contacted by one of his former students who had been so greatly inspired by Bob that he wanted to establish something in his honor. Because of his love of running, the Bridgman family and the student decided to found a race in his memory—The Bob Bridgman 5K Memorial Run. Every year since then, a special committee has worked hard to put together this memorial run. The run takes place each year on Memorial Day at the Robert T. Maxson Track where the course begins and ends.

While discussing the possible charities the proceeds from the memorial run could go to, the committee members knew they wanted to donate to an organization that supported something Bob was passionate about. Because of his love of animals and devotion to teaching and encouraging young athletes, they decided to have the proceeds benefit the Second Chance Animal Sanctuaries, the Mansfield University cross-country team, the Southern Tioga High School cross-country team, and the Bob Bridgman Memorial Scholarship at Mansfield University.

“My dad was involved in many fund-raising activities and charitable organizations throughout his life See Runners on page 16

15

and he really supported all athletics at the university. This memorial run keeps his memory alive amongst his friends and in the community in a way that I think he would really appreciate,� Jeff says of his father.

The 11th Annual Bob Bridgman 5K Memorial Run, which will take place this year on May 30 at 8:30 a.m., welcomes runners of all ages. The runners will be competing in their appropriate age groups, with separate men’s and women’s divisions.

All runners are asked to bring a bag of dry cat or dog food that will be donated to needy animals in the community.

The first through third place finishers for each age group receive a unique prize each year—baked goods. Because Bob had received so many trophies at his races, baked goods were always his preferred prize for a race well run. So the committee decided to make them the award for his memorial race.

Each year, after all the runners have finished the race, Jeff conducts a ceremony to celebrate his father’s outstanding life.

“My favorite part of the race is getting to hear the comments from my dad’s friends who compete in the race. They always have wonderful things to say about him. My dad was a very kind-hearted guy and had lots of friends everywhere—particularly in the running world.�

Though the race serves as a wonderful opportunity to raise money for these local charities, to Bob’s family and friends it is also a way to keep his memory alive. “I don’t want people to forget that he was the type of person who not only cared for his family but for other humans and animals as well. He loved his work and loved his students,� Earlene says of her husband and best friend.

Unbeknownst to Robert Maxson, the crunch, crunch, crunch of his early morning jogs was the beginning of a passion that grew into a lifelong devotion for one exceptional man—Bob Bridgman.

Bob’s inspirational life has had an impact on the lives of many athletes and students of all ages in his community. Together on Memorial Day Weekend, they will once again have the opportunity to race in his

COURTESY Bridgman Family

Runners continued from page 14

Event: 11th Annual Bob Bridgman 5K Memorial Run For More Information: Call (570) 297-3271 When: Monday, May 30th at 8:30 AM Where: Robert T. Maxson Track at Carl Van Norman Field at Mansfield University Bring: One bag of dry cat or dog food, which will be donated to SCAS Registration Fee: Pre-Registration $15 (must be postmarked by May 21st), Registration on Day of Race $20 Detail: Insta-Results professional timing

honor on a track named after the man who started it all.

Mountain Home contributing writer Sarah Bull is a student at Mansfield University.

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17

Outdoors

Reading Nature

The Contented Squirrel Tom Murphy

I

walked into the kitchen early one morning and looked out the big windows at the bird feeder slightly downhill. A gray squirrel sitting on its roof looked happily back at me. The sight of a gray squirrel there, its front paws to its mouth working on the seeds it has gathered from hanging over the side of the feeder, is not unusual.

On this day, however, something in the squirrel’s attitude, such certainty that he or she was doing just the right thing for that moment, made me take notice.

Perhaps I was just projecting, wishing I could feel that lack of ambiguity. I also realized I did not know much about squirrels, their familiarity implying an unexceptional life. But I thought I would check. As I hopped around the Internet, accumulating more interesting bits, I decided I wanted a more coherent source, and after a little more research, I found Michael A. Steele and John L. Koprowski’s North American Tree Squirrels (Washington: Smithsonian Books, 2001) and bought it.

No wonder that squirrel looked contented.

I discovered that squirrels have been around for a long time. In the Southwestern United States, archeologists found the fossil remains of an animal that is clearly a tree squirrel from the Chadronian Period (thirty-four to thirty-eight million years ago). The physical structure of today’s squirrel has remained stable for about five million years. Five million years! Our genus, Homo, did not appear until about two and a half million years ago; Homo sapiens, a mere half million 18

years ago; and Homo sapiens sapiens (us), about two hundred thousand years ago.

Steele and Koprowski are scientists (the bibliography is forty pages long!), but their explanations of scientific studies are clear and nontechnical so that, in reading the book, you learn not only about squirrels but also about how the scientific method works when biologists study wildlife. They explain how they put out piles of pine cones with eight different colored pins in the ends based on the size of the pine cones and kept track of which sizes two different species of squirrel preferred.

Squirrels strip the bracts off the pine cones to get to the seeds.

The experiment showed they will ignore smaller cones that require more energy to get the seeds from than the seeds will provide. So squirrels do costbenefit analysis.

And squirrels plan ahead, increasing their body mass by thirty-five percent in the fall and creating caches of nuts for the winter so that they do not need to hibernate.

They have opposable thumbs on their feet (though not on their hands), and their ankles can swing around 180 degrees, which is why that squirrel can hang off the side of the feeder and chow down.

They are complicated and amazing creatures. And I have noticed that when I discover those squirrels on the bird feeder, they are never facing away from the window as they chew; they always seem to be looking back, perhaps trying to decide something about me.

Tom Murphy teaches nature writing at Mansfield University. You can contact him at readingnature@mountainhomemag.com.

Outdoors

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Poetry in Motion

Chris Jones and Marc Riley bring elite care to Tioga County

By Dawn Bilder

T

aynton Repard is a born sportsman. Since he was five, he has played soccer, football, basketball, baseball, and he loves snowboarding. A year and a half ago, pain started to develop in his pelvic area.

Each time his body turned with a hard kick towards the soccer net or a quick pass to a fellow basketball teammate, with every twist to catch a football or to elude a tackle, and every time he swung his bat in baseball—he experienced grinding pain.

He went to a doctor, and the doctor couldn’t find anything. So, Taynton endured.

If the option was to stop playing sports, then he would plow through the pain until it hopefully went away. He lived for sports. The world would have stopped if he had to give up his favorite thing in the world.

Finally, after another year, another fruitless visit to the doctor for help, more 20

X-rays, another MRI, an ultrasound, and another season of playing through his practices, games, and matches with increasing pain and suffering performances, he felt run-down. Even simply running was painful now. He wondered about his future in sports. Somewhere deep inside he knew that his sense of self was in jeopardy.

Would he have this pain forever? Would it keep getting worse and worse?

He was ten years old.

Fortuitously someone recommended to his parents, Linnea and Rob, that they take Taynton to Elite Therapy in Mansfield, Pennsylvania, for physical therapy. Right away they diagnosed his injury as a loss of mobility of his pelvis caused by a running injury. Within two weeks, they restored his pelvic mobility using a muscle energy technique or, in other words, using his body muscles to restore the mobility.

Presently, he’s in baseball, pain free. He gets to be ten again, and his future is wide open.

Elite Therapy, owned by two physical therapists, Chris Jones, who treated Taynton, and Marc Riley, opened its doors three and a half years ago, and their facility has doubled in size since then, including a fourteen-foot-by-eight-foot pool that is four and a half feet deep. “We’re the only physical therapists in Tioga County that have their own on-site pool,” says Jones.

Thirty-eight-year-old Jones has been a physical therapist for fifteen years. He is board certified in both sports physical therapy and orthopedic physical therapy through the American Physical Therapy Association. Originally he wanted to be an engineer, but, when he got to college and decided not to pursue that path, his first thought was to be a physical therapist.

Body & soul

especially in the beginning, therapy can be uncomfortable, so we always try to be light and make our patients laugh.” It must work because they get a new patient through referral almost every day.

This doesn’t stop them, however, from continuing their education in physical therapy, and neither does the fact that they already own a successful business. Jones will soon be graduating with a doctor of physical therapy degree from Arcadia University in Philadelphia. And Riley is completing his fellowship in orthopedic manual physical therapy through Daemen College in Amherst, New York.

With their education, experience, and humor, they set a high standard for patient care. And they have many satisfied patients to prove it, including a ten-yearold boy who is probably out playing baseball somewhere right now. “What Elite Therapy has done for Taynton has made a huge difference in his life,” says Taynton’s mom. “He’s running and playing again, and he’s happy.”

courtesy Elite Therapy (3)

“When I was young, I played soccer, and I had to have knee surgery and physical therapy afterwards, and later also for my hip,” says Jones. “I knew the value of physical therapy, and I decided that’s what I wanted to do.

“But it’s funny,” continues Jones, “because I apply the engineering part of my mind to physical therapy all the time.

We do a lot of manual therapy, using our hands to restore normal biomechanics, as part of our orthopedic physical therapy.”

Thirty-six-year-old Riley has been a physical therapist for eight years. He is board certified in orthopedic therapy through the American Physical Therapy Association.

“I’ve always been interested in health,” he says. “I was an athletic trainer for four years before I became a physical therapist.”

Both men have a playful, schoolboy jubilance about them. During the interview, they joke with and rib each other good-naturedly many times. “Humor is a big part of our job,” says Riley. “People come to us in pain, and many times,

Marc Riley (top) and Chris Jones with patients at their facility in Mansfield, PA. Facing Page: Elite Therapy is the only physical therapy center in Tioga County that has their own pool.

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Body & soul

The Better World

The Best of Times John & Lynne Diamond-Nigh

W

e’ll count to three: name a golden age.

Chances are you said, The Renaissance.

Remarkably, the names attached to that hard-to-spell time are not those of warriors or statesmen, but of artists— Michelangelo, Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael. And just as unbelievable as that, the Renaissance arose in a city only twice the size of Elmira.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Galileo was verifying Copernicus’s theory that the Earth revolves around the sun. Modern banking was invented; a feisty, durable democracy staked itself against a checkerboard of feudal neighbors. Botticelli painted his flower-spilling paintings and Brunelleschi reared his breathtaking, cloudskimming dome.

On a darker note, fanatical clerics railed against the rise of this fresh, science- and philosophy-based humanism, founded more on Plato than on St. Paul. Things of earthly beauty and accomplishment were burned in great bonfires—books, paintings, fancy duds. One preacher took aim at the satanic vanity of glass window panes. Savonarola, the most frothlipped priest of all, put it squarely: burn everything for the love of Jesus.

The lords of banking went from benign patrons of Florence to undermining its democracy and taking power into their own ruthlessly greedy hands—a cautionary tale for the present.

Two books were written at almost the same time, The Prince and The Book of the Courtier. The Prince was a biting manual on how to gain and maintain power. It owed much to the bitter sermons of Savonarola. Burn everything, by subtle or savage means, that stands in the way of 22

absolute power.

The Courtier described the manners, decorum, and frame of mind appropriate to the freedom of the new humanist order. Man, refined by art, education, and instinctive decency, was the exhilarating new measure of things. More people went to school in Florence than anywhere else in Europe. Such a man should not shuffle around in dark robes like those deranged clerics: he should be a new, elegant, liberal priest of his own destiny.

Funny how liberty has been painted out of the word liberal. In Florence, it simply meant freedom for you, freedom for me. It still does. And it still defies rotten bankers and quarrelsome, windbag sectarians.

One principle from The Courtier is worth putting in your pocket: sprezzatura—lightness of spirit, lightness of touch; élan.

Or as an old prof of ours put it, I’m going home to drink some Chablis and enjoy the sunshine among my camellias.

John writes about art and design. Lynne’s website, aciviltongue.com, is dedicated to civility studies.

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courtesy Mike Melaro

A rts & L eisure

All That Glitters

GlassFest returns to Corning’s Gaffer District for a fun-filled weekend

By Angele Cannon-Crothers

G

“

lass is magic,” says Kurt Carlson, a demonstration glass blower at the Corning Museum of Glass. “Watch the light come through, see something made of molten glass: it says something about people—that we can do this.”

Making glass is a tradition that spans some thirty-five centuries. For nearly two centuries now, Corning, New York, has been evolving this tradition with such highlights as producing Thomas Edison’s first incandescent electric lights and developing Pyrex, CorningWare, optical fibers for communication, and even mirror blanks for the Hubble Telescope, just to name a few. The world famous Corning Museum of Glass, which this month celebrates its 60th anniversary, crowns the small city’s nickname as the Crystal City. Last year another tradition took shape—the inaugural four-day celebration of fire arts known as GlassFest. The now yearly event, presented

by Chemung Canal Trust Company, will 24

celebrate its second advent May 26 to 29.

“One of the best things about GlassFest is that there’s something for everyone,” says Mike Melaro, director of marketing and communications for Corning’s Gaffer District, which organizes the GlassFest.

“Whether you’re interested in the history of glass, want to see how it’s made, hear live entertainment, purchase fire arts, or enjoy our activities, you can bring the whole family; there’s no shortage of things to do.”

GlassFest features everything from narrated glass creation demonstrations surrounded by a wide display of fine fire arts, vendors along Market Street in the Gaffer District to terrific live music events, glass ID and clinic lectures, make-your-own–glass activities, and tours at the Corning Museum of Glass, other local gallery and museum events, and a spectacular neon and glass Light Up The Night show at the fountain in Riverfront Park on Friday and Saturday evenings. This year’s newest addition to GlassFest is the

FlameOff, being organized by World Glass of Corning.

“FlameOff is a live form challenge done in front of the public both Friday and Saturday,” says Melaro. “It will be judged by industry experts, including glass artist Paul Stankard, an internationally known glassblower whose work can be seen in galleries throughout the world. The artists will be competing for prizes, as well as for artistic recognition.”

Stankard is most famously known for his rare and unique paperweights.

Market Street in the Gaffer District will be closed to traffic Saturday and Sunday during the celebration, so visitors can meander beside the historic buildings to shop, eat from a variety of cafes and bistros, and peruse a wide selection of fire art vendors. Fire arts are creations where heat or open flame is used and, besides glass, include metals, ceramics, pottery, and jewelry. Weekend events also include local wine and craft beer tastings.

See Glitters on page 28

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arts & leisure

GlassFest 2011 kicks off with the traditional glass ribbon cutting at the Corning Museum of Glass on Thursday, May 26 at 5 p.m. The Corning Museum of Glass includes over 45,000 objects and the world-recognized glassmaking school, The Studio. The museum offers tours, glassmaking art and history, as well as a library, lectures, and classes.

Melaro said the kickoff takes place in conjunction with one of the museum’s annual 2300˚ events. Kurt Carlson is one of several glassblowers involved. “I love helping people learn and feel a part of it,” says Carlson, a glassblower for more than thirty years. He’s been with Corning Museum of Glass for over two years now.

Carlson is famous for his own artistic forms—especially sculptured faces on light sconces and vases and even glass heads. “I had cancer a couple years back,” Carlson said. “I made a glass head of my cancer during chemotherapy—then I blew it up!”

Carlson will be helping visitors Make-YourOwn Roman Bottles during the festivities.

“It’s a bit different than the FlameOff torch work,” said Carlson. “We’re doing soft glass as opposed to hard glass. Soft glass uses a big furnace or tank to melt sodalime glass, one of the most common types of glass in the world.” He added, “We’ll have over five hundred pounds of glass to play with.” Other glassmaking activities will include sculpture, glass ornaments, and glass flowers.

In an art and technology based town with such a luminous history of glass and glass making, it’s more than fitting for The Crystal City to host a GlassFest of this magnitude with something for the expert, collector, and enthusiast alike. Nothing could be clearer.

For more information and to see a schedule of events, visit www.glassfest.org.

Angela Cannon-Crothers is a freelance writer and outdoor educator living in the Finger Lakes region of New York.

Top: GlassFest along Market Street, Corning. Middle: Solo artist Virgil Cain.

Bottom: Neon sculpture featured during the Light Up the Night event.

“On the cutting edge of tradition”

Seriously good wine for those relaxed wine times.

Tasting & sales year ‘round: Mon-Sat 10am-5pm Sun noon-5pm 4 miles north of Watkins Glen on Route 14

www.lakewoodvineyards.com.

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courtesy Mike Melaro (3)

Glitters continued from page 24

arts & leisure

JUNE 11-12 2011

10am-5pm

Penn Yan Boat Launch Park Free Admisssion

Join us for...

• Artists & Artisans • Delicious Cuisine • Fine Wines & Microbrews • Entertainment for All Ages “Walk the waterways, enjoy the views, and tantalize your palate!”

Come by boat, bike, car.

Docking/parking available. www.keukaartsfestival.com 29

ADvertisement

The Big Chance

Drawing for $5,000, Harley, or Polaris

L

ooking for an opportunity to win big, have fun, and help the community?

The Galeton Chamber Raffle Fund Raiser, which is sponsored by the Galeton Area Chamber of Commerce in Galeton, Pennsylvania, is back again.

This year’s winner of the 2011 Galeton Chamber Raffle will get to choose between a 2011 Harley-Davidson Iron 883, 2011 Polaris Sportman 500 HO ATV, and $5,000 in cash. Tickets are $5 per raffle or 5 tickets for $20.

Dan Bailey of Westfield, Pennsylvania, won last year’s raffle. As winner of the raffle, Bailey got to choose between a 2010 Polaris Sportman 500 HO ATV, a 2010 Harley-Davidson Iron 883, or $5,000 in cash. He chose the $5,000.

When asked if he’s usually a lucky winner, Bailey laughs and says, “No Ma’am. I don’t win much at all. The money was a great help to us.”

The drawing is to be held September 24, 2011 at the Galeton Fall Festival.

The winner does not need to be present, but will be responsible for tags, tax, and title.

There are also two other opportunities to win something when you buy a ticket. Two early bird drawings will be held on June 7th and July 5th. The winners of these drawings will each win $100 and still be eligible for the main drawing on September 24th.

Proceeds for the raffle will go to scholarships, free events, such as the Fall Festival, Christmas in a Small Town, and more.

Galeton Chamber of Commerce Janet Dimon presents a check for $5,000. to Mr. and Mrs. Dan Bailey of Little Marsh. The Bailey’s were the luck winners of the Galeton Chamber of Commerce annual fund raffle held at the 2010 Gale Fest.

The winner had a choice of a Harley Davison motorcycle, a 4-wheeler, or the cash prize.

The Harley-Davidson is being provided by Larry’s Sport Center, 1913 US Rte. 6 W. in Galeton (814-435-6548, www. larryssportcenter.com). Canyon Motorsports, located at 1572 Rte. 6 in Gaines, Pennsylvania (814-435-2878, www.canyonmotorsports. com), is providing the ATV. For more information and to purchase tickets, call the Galeton Area Chamber of Commerce (814-435-8737) or visit www.visitgaleton.com.

Or you may buy them at the Red Suspender Weekend in Galeton on July 1 & 2.

This page brought to you by these fine area businesses Brick House Deli & Café 4 W. Main St, Galeton, PA 814-435-2444 Deli, Café Homemade Food From Breakfast to Dinner. Casual Catering & Baked Goods Cimino Hardware & Automotive 16 West St, Galeton, PA 814 - 435-9911 or 814 - 435-7788 Your Hometown Hardware Store! www.truevalue.com Don Rohrbaugh HVAC/R 51 Pine St, Galeton, PA 814-519-3165 Heating Air Conditioning, Commercial Refrigeration Service, Maintenance & Installation Wm. R. Karschner & Sons Insurance 55 Germania St, Galeton, PA 814-435-6524 www.karschnerinsurance.com Galeton Drug 20 West St, Galeton, PA 814-435-6588 Pharmacy and Gifts

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Balsam Real Estate Settlement Co. 19 Crafton St, Wellsboro, PA 570-723-7200 www.balsamsettlement.com Title searches & Insurance, real estate closings, services for sellers, buyers, and lenders.

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John’s Sporting Goods 27 Whispering Pines Ln, Galeton PA 814-435-3544 Guns, Sporting Goods, Ammo, Scopes, Holsters and Supplies Klines Gift Shoppe 25 Kline Rd, Galeton, PA 814-435-2583 www.klinesgiftshoppe.com Largest selection of gifts & souvenirs in the Area. Oldest gift shop in Potter County

Lakeview Cinema & Starlight Video 11 Germania St, Galeton, PA 814 - 435 - 3513 Visit us on Facebook Lydia’s 14 East Main St, Galeton, PA 814-435-2411 Gift and Home Décor Shop Nob Hill Motel 289 Route 6 East, Galeton, PA 814-435-6738 www.nobhillmotel.com Motel & Cabins One & Two Bedroom Efficiency Units and Cabins Stevens Real Estate 2517 Rt 6 , Gaines, PA 814-435-6558 www.stevensrealetors.com Real Estate Company

Wonder Bar & Grill 22 Union St, Galeton, PA 814-435-3485 Clean Friendly Establishment Where You Can Stop In and Get a Cold Drink or Great Food. Open 365 Days a Year.

Entertainment every Friday and Saturday.

arts & leisure

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Energy efficient homes built from the ground up.

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MANSFIELD MODEL HOME At the intersection of Rt. 15 & Rt. 6 in Mansfield Mansfield, PA 570-662-7900

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Lettuce Man

Erik Peterson and his family make an organic dream come true.

By Angela Cannon-Crothers

E

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Angela Cannon-Crothers

rik Peterson, of Ambrosia Acres Family Farm, isn’t your typical farmer, but his passion for growing the finest organic gourmet lettuce mix varieties is unsurpassable and one hundred percent down-to-earth. Peterson, better known as The Lettuce Man, is a modern day tenant farmer growing specialty, fresh, organic produce he labels “authentic,” a term coined by organic farming guru Eliot Coleman. Most notable is Peterson’s resolve to make a dream come true—despite the odds.

Ambrosia Acres sprouted up without land and with only an organically driven dream: keep it simple. “Our philosophy,” says Peterson, “was to

create a one- or two-person operation using only hand tools to produce a desirable product we could sell directly to consumers.” Wanting more than a small farm stand, the Petersons began by creating a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). Erik’s wife, Daryl, says, “It turned out to be too much work. We were doing everything for our members—including driving long distances to deliver produce right to the buyer’s doorstep every week.”

They decided instead to take their hands-in-the-earth business and evolve it into growing primarily gourmet lettuce varieties. The final product is handpicked, hand washed, spun dried (in a washing machine) and bagged as a table ready lettuce mix of varied color, texture, and shape. Their lettuce varieties are primarily Tango, Parris Island, Black Jack, Oak Leaf, and a few others. The Petersons also grow a wide array of heirloom and unusual vegetable varieties. They market their lettuce and other produce at local supermarkets and local restaurants like Roots in Naples and The Brown Hound in Bristol, but most of their produce is sold at local New York farmers’ markets like Joseph’s Wayside Market in Naples and Canandaigua Farmer’s Market.

Their lettuce is also predominate at the many fine culinary restaurants in the Naples/Canandaigua region. They like to keep sales on a personal basis, and Eric says, “Our gourmet lettuce is our specialty product, and we’ve developed quite a few dedicated buyers over the past couple years.” He adds, “They get upset if we run out!”

Ambrosia Acres Family Farm

promotes its gourmet organic lettuce as being authentic. But the head gardener of the family doesn’t get too political about the controversies surrounding organic certification; he knows his lettuce is pesticide free and grown in healthy soil. If you define the meaning of authentic: one who does things for him or herself—it fits them well. The Petersons use hard work and determination to make their vision of a small, family-run farm a reality.

The lettuce sales business is doing incrementally better every year, and it’s still done primarily with hand tools and a few “hired hands” to help with picking during the busiest season. The Petersons began the lettuce farm with a one-acre rental agreement, and tools that included a stirrup hoe, hard rake, screen sifter, a 210-gallon poly tank (for hauling in water), and plenty of T-Tape drip irrigation hose.

“When I first began several years ago I would use a yardstick to mark my seed row. It would take me four hours to do a bed!” Erik says with a chuckle, adding, “I use a hand-seeder now—a four row pin point seeder—and now I seed more rows at a time in only ten minutes.” His best advice for someone wanting to do what he’s accomplished? “Don’t follow my example—intern at another farm for an entire season so you won’t make all the learning mistakes I made along the way.”

Erik suggests getting in contact with the local university cooperative extensions, other market gardeners, and website resources like ATTRA (Appropriate Technology Transfer for

Food & Drink

Rural Areas). His best recommendation for others interested in farmers’ market produce sales is to develop a niche crop with a couple of varieties. “Mostly,” he says, “you have to believe in your product and be able to sell yourself.”

Because the Petersons’ newest dream is to create an “off-season” supply of fresh, healthy crops of lettuce they’ve also purchased a large cold frame that will ideally get them growing from September through March. Right now they produce lettuce and other fresh vegetables from March through mid-November.

Growing a winter crop will be a challenge. Their tenant acre is located high up in the Bristol Hills Finger Lakes Region—an area well known for its cold and snowy winters. One winter, seventy mile-per-hour winds lifted their 200-square-foot cold frame and sent it spinning into the air. The greenhouse was a total loss. The Petersons replaced the greenhouse with a new 30-foot-by96-foot mobile cold frame. “But there are benefits to farming in the Finger Lake’s Bristol Hills,” Erik says. “Despite the rocks there’s high soil fertility—and amazing views.”

Ambrosia Acres customers wait patiently for a winter lettuce crop and the first greens of the season. This year Peterson planted as early as January 2 and despite a spring snow still on the ground in the hills, a first crop of lettuces and bok choy was ready in April.

“Being a tenant farmer has its pros and cons,” says Peterson. “One of the drawbacks is that it’s more difficult to monitor what’s going on with structures and crops on a moment-by-moment basis when you live away from your farm. And capital improvements like installing a well or planting perennial crops may not be cost-effective in the long run.” But a smile grows across his face as he gazes out at his garden. “On the flip side, renting an acre or two of land means you have a place to farm and a place to produce healthy and organic food for local customers. Best of all, it’s a piece of land in which to work your hands and plant your dreams.”

Angela Cannon-Crothers is a freelance writer and outdoor educator living in the Finger Lakes region of New York.

33

Food & Drink

Finger Lakes Wine Review

Dilly and Villy Holly Howell

34

The Murrays

Courtesy Muranda Cheese Company

Goose Wa tch Wine

ry

of fresh herbs—very similar to Sauvignon Blanc. On the palate, it is crisp and dry, with a mouthwatering and lingering finish. The 2009 vintage won a Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco International Wine Competition. This wine is rockin’! I immediately took out a hunk of Dilly Girl (which comes conveniently packaged in curds), and it was a match made in heaven. The two together are seamless, with the cheese softening the tartness of the wine, and the wine bringing out the fresh dill and garlic notes of the cheese. My friends all agreed, and the marriage was instantly named Dilly and Villy.

Both cheesery and winery are well worth visiting, but you can order their products on-line as well. Plus, Muranda Cheese is in twenty-three wineries, nine restaurants, and five stores. The company also attends farmers’ markets year-round.

Courtesy

I

love discovering new things. On a recent trip to the Finger Lakes, I paid a visit to Muranda Cheese Company in the town of Waterloo. Now, the dairy is not new at all. As a matter of fact, it received the Super Milk award for seventeen years, along with the Dairy of Distinction award and the Progressive Breeders Herd designation. However, the cheeses that come from these fabulous cows are new.

The Murray family, who run the dairy, decided in 2009 that cheese making would be a nice supplement to the farm income.

This was an excellent decision, especially for local cheese lovers like me! You can tell they love their cows, too. Check out the profile pictures of their beautiful Holsteins on their website at www.muranda.com.

Muranda specializes in cheddar. Really, really good cheddar. But my favorite find was the flavorful Dilly Girl. This incredible cheese is made from one hundred percent raw milk that is infused with garlic and dill, and then aged 120 days. Absolutely delicious and very attractive on a cheese platter, not to mention quite addictive.

I didn’t have to look far for a perfect wine to match. Goose Watch Winery (www.goosewatch.com) is just a few miles down the road. What grows together, goes together. Sister winery to Swedish Hill, Goose Watch has one of the best views of Cayuga Lake from the west side. I was surprised to find a new wine at the tasting bar that I had never tried. The Villard Blanc grape was developed in Southern France about a century ago by the same people who developed the Seyval Blanc grape (Seyve and Villard!). The grape has virtually disappeared from France, making this discovery an extra special one.

Just one sniff of the Goose Watch Villard Blanc ($12), and I knew I was in for a treat. Citrus, apple, pear, and hints

Holly is a CSW (Certified Specialist of Wine) through the Society of Wine Educators and a CS (Certified Sommelier) through the Master Court of Sommeliers in England; Contact her at wineanddine@mountainhomemag.com.

Food & Drink

35

Home & real estate A New Life

Antrim’s historic church plans a new future

By Adam Mahonske

A

s you round a sweeping uphill curve entering the village of Antrim in Tioga County, Pennsylvania, a small church comes into view, set dramatically on a small plateau. Trinity Episcopal Church, built in the 1880s, impresses far beyond its small scale.

Beginning with the rough-faced sandstone blocks, quarried from the local mountains, that rise to the eaves on all sides, you immediately sense substance not only of material, but also of design and flow. From a bird’seye view, the church is in the shape of a cross, the traditional cruciform. In the front gable and in the short belfry above the front entrance, the design of a clover (trefoil) penetrates the structure. Such elegant flourishes could only come from the mind of a skilled architect, and Trinity is significant in that it is the last remaining stone church designed by the prominent American architect Joseph Lyman Silsbee (1848-1913). Silsbee, the son of a Unitarian minister, practiced architecture for thirty-five years with offices in Buffalo, Syracuse, and Chicago. He was responsible for over 400 important public buildings and private homes in those regions that are highly prized to this day. He is also credited with influencing a generation of architects, most notably the group known as the Prairie School that included twentieth century America’s most famous and influential architect, Frank Lloyd Wright. His first job in the field was in Silsbee’s Chicago office.

Antrim shares in the rich coal history of Tioga County, and the church owes its existence to a bequest of John Magee Jr., son of the coal operator who founded Antrim, and an officer in the Fall Brook Coal Company.

Magee, who died in

1873, left $50,000 for the construction of five Episcopal churches in the region. Trinity was the first to be built for the princely sum of $13,000.

The cornerstone was laid in 1880, and the church was consecrated on a warm summer day in June 1882. In addition to the Trinity, Magee’s Irish heritage may have inspired Silsbee in using the clover-shaped elements mentioned above that continue inside in the design of the side panels of the pews and some of the windows. For its first sixty years, the church enjoyed a large congregation, Christmas plays, lots of children, and the writing of cookbooks. In later years, a smaller cadre of adults looked after the Antrim children sent by their parents, many of whom did not attend themselves. The church sponsored Mansfield attorney Rudy van der Heil to attend seminary; he became the church’s final regular celebrant.

No church can thrive without faithful, caring stewards.

During the 130-year history of Trinity Episcopal, no one deserves more credit for its care than Ruth Zuchowski and her son Randy, both lifelong residents of Antrim. Ruth grew See New Life on page 45

Church architect, Joseph Lyman Silsbee

36

Adam Mahonske

Real estate

37

Real estate

Historic Building Chris Gilbert - Realtor 570-404-1268 or chris.gilbert@yahoo.com

HISTORIC BUILDING – 2.41+/- ACRES Located close to the heart of downtown Wellsboro this building is zoned commercial.

Mainly open floor plan offers 2750 sq ft making the possibilities endless. Building needs some TLC. CALL TODAY TO SEE THIS GREAT HISTORIC BUILDING! Asking $175,000 120714-M

The Real Estaters of Mansfield

38

1671 South Main St, Mansfield, PA 16933 Office 570-662-2138 Chris: 570-404-1268

#1001 NEW ON THE MARKET – This is a nice business you can also live at. The Costello Store will let you live the American Dream. Own your own business located on Rte 872. NEW PRICE $95,000.00

#202 THIS IS A MUST SEE PROPERTY IN THE BORO OF PORT ALLEGANY – A custom built Cape Cod with all the amenities. Over 1,600 sf of living space, a full basement and 2 car garage. Within walking distance of the downtown. $150,000.00

#200 MANY POSSIBILITIES COME WITH THIS REMODELED FARMETTE ON 10 ACRES – 36 x 60 barn (4 box stall plus training area) approximately 4 miles outside of Port Allegany.

2 BR, 1 BA, approximately 1,774 sf, newer metal roof, large great room w/ stone fireplace,on a maintained township road. BORDERS STATE GAME LANDS! NEW PRICE $148,500

#114 WOODED LOT WITH A LARGE TWO STORY HOUSE – full basement, attached garage, three full baths. 2,600 sf Eulalia Township, Coudersport School District. $225,000.00

List with me today!

Real estate

Chris Gilbert - Realtor 570-404-1268 or chris.gilbert@yahoo.com

ENJOY THE VIEWS & SUNSET!! Great mountain home in Jackson Twp Finished walk out basement, wrap-around deck, pool, and horse barn on nearly 5 acres. Great open floor plan. Just $349,900 119028-M

MAKE THIS YOUR HOME OR CAMP!! Bradford County 5.79 Acres - 2 bedroom mobile home with two additions, new windows, central air and a new well. This would make a great starter home or use for recreation. OIL & GAS RIGHTS CONVEY!! ONLY $89,900 120197 – M

GORGEOUS PARK LIKE SETTING!!

RICHMOND TWP Majestic home offers master suite, unbelievable decking, huge open kitchen, attached oversized 2 car garage, 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, & fireplace. Just minutes from town yet private. Just $449,000 120392 – M

100% OGMS CONVEY!! 3 bedroom, 2 bath home on 56+ acres. Eat-in kitchen plus dinning room, spacious living room with fireplace.

Veal barn, 3 bay pole barn, plenty of pasture, some woods, small pond and creek. COME TAKE A LOOK! $650,000 120622-M

188 ACRE FARM & OGMS!!! Near Canton on RTE 14 offers nice 3 BR home, bank barn and large pole building. 184 Acres of OGMS, frontage on 3 roads, small private gravel pit, and subdivision for the investor. Mix of open/ woods. ONLY $1,380,000 119982 -W

114+ Acre farm in Lycoming County- located in the country near ski-slopes, state forest land, and Pine Creek Valley. Includes 2 bank barns and trout hatchery . Don’t miss out, call today!! ONLY $650,000 120188 – M

Beautiful views, level to rolling. Less than 10 minutes to Rt 15. Property offers short commute to Corning or Elmira NY. This property is perc approved for a pressure dose sand mound with electric & phone available on lot. Come build your dream home, cabin, or weekend getaway!!

ONLY $149,900 119656-M

106+ AC – RUTLAND TWP. Million-dollar views & wildlife galore! 3 approved lots – perc approved. Seasonal stream, mix of woods & open. JUST $259,900 119654 – M

5.74+/- AC – UNION TWP Mix of grown over fields and woods. Small shed/barn included.

State lands nearby, nice country setting.

Perfect to build your new home, a must see!!!

Only $35,000 119646 - M

46.95+/- ACRES – UNION TWP Beautiful parcel of land accompanies this cozy cottage for your residence or retreat, some woods, small pond in Roaring Branch. JUST $225,000 119645 – M

BEAUTIFUL RANCH HOME – WELLSBORO 5.49+/- Acres only minutes from town. Oak trim and hardwood floors accent this home.

Large finished family room in the basement, 2-car attached garage, 40x96’ steel building on lot. Come check out his view!! ONLY $359,900 120651-M

GREAT HOME NEAR RTE 15 EXIT IN LAWRENCEVILLE 4 bedrooms, partially finished basement, attached two car garage, and nice rear deck. All this on an oversized lot with public water and sewer. Just minutes from Corning and Painted Post with an easy commute to Mansfield or the Cowanesque Valley area as well. JUST $129,000 120367-M

SPACIOUS WELL BUILT BOREL HOME between Laceyville & Wyalusing. Over 4+ Acres. Close to RTE 6 with easy commute to Proctor & Gamble. This Ranch home offers a great floor plan, 4 BRS, 21/2 baths, sunroom w/ hot tub, oversized 2 car garage, 3 bay pole garage, and plenty of storage. OGMS convey!!

JUST $299,900 120410-M

ONE OF A KIND!! OGMS INCLUDED!!

Just outside of Mansfield 3 BR, 2 bath farm house and operating dairy farm. Barns & outbuildings all impeccably maintained, great rolling cropland. Road frontage on two roads, possible access to public sewer, subdivision possibilities, blueberry bushes and other fruit trees on the property as well as a private airstrip. ONLY $995,000 120362-M

GRAND ESTATE!! 169+ ACRES WITH ALL THE OGMS!!!! Close to PA Grand Canyon, features two homes, multiple barns, high tensile fencing, & mountain stream. Main house offers open floor plan, granite counter tops, fireplace, and spectacular master suite.

Huge loft area sleeping quarters and large family room on second floor. Second home with 3 BRS and 3 baths is set up as a bed and breakfast. ONLY $2,999,000 120184-M

COUNTRY ROAD TAKE ME HOME!! 10.8+/Acres – Potter County - Come see this beautiful 2 bedroom, 1 bath, spacious kitchen offers tile countertops and plenty of cupboard space, tongue & groove ceiling and walls throughout, oversized 2-car detached garage.

Other out buildings include 3 storage sheds and a 2-story barn. DON’T MISS OUT CALL TODAY!!! ONLY $116,900 120240-M

The Real Estaters of Mansfield 1671 South Main St, Mansfield, PA 16933 Office 570-662-2138 Chris: 570-404-1268

39

Call the office at 570-723-8484 114 Tioga Street (Rt. 6 across from Pizza Hut) Wellsboro, Pa. 16901

www.mountainvalleyrealtyllc.com Come hunt, fish, play, live ...

40

New Construction-2.11 acres- Custom home just about completed. Complete to suit your taste and decor. Home features 3 bedrooms, 2.75 baths, large deck with views of the countryside, 2 car attached garage and many other features. Short drive to Rt. 15/I-99, Mansfield, Williamsport, or Wellsboro. $159,900. #120865

Ranch home, 4.4 ac, beautiful views, and pond!

Ranch home with cherry stained maple cabinets, granite counter tops, ceramic tiled floor and stainless steel appliances in the kitchen, 13’ cathedral ceiling in great room, central air and much more. Seller is a licensed real estate agent. $369,500 #120843

CAMP/HOME ON PINE CREEK! This camp was totally remodeled 2004, including new forced hot air furnace, central air, new metal roof, electrical system. Large windows in living room to sit and view the beautiful Pine Creek, water fowl,and wildlife.$228,500 #120823

BREATHTAKING MOUNTAIN VIEWS...over the meadows & beyond! Meticulously maintained Lindel cedar log multi-level home. Raised basement for add’l living space. Elegant & rustic w/open flr plan. A/C, Harmon coal stove, lg. new garage, new well & spring, 22.54 ac open & wooded land. Corner property with long frontage. $399,000 #119956

EFFICIENT HOME-10.9+/- ACRES - Great setting for this 3 bdrm efficient cottage. Adorable refinished interior. New appliances. Sunroom offers long valley views. EZ drive to NY, Rt. 15/I99, Mansfield or Wellsboro. Land across road has been perced and offers public water hookup.

OGMs and price negotiable. $159,000. #120773

Intown home with many updates! Affordable 2 story home in Blossburg! Home has many great features including: new kitchen, new carpet in several rooms,nice layout, corner lot and many new renovations. Hurry up and make an appt! $89,000. #120759

Home and Commerical Business Opportunity!

Beautifully restored farmhouse, refinished hardwood flooring thoughout, substantial closet space, on 3.42 ac corner level lot. Offers a well established easy to manage, low stress storage business on property with open level land for expansion or other commercial endeavors. $449,000. #120758

Home on 7.59 acres in Coudersport - Custom built Cedar sided home with great views located on 7.5 acres. The home has 5 bedrooms, 2 3/4 baths, beautiful stone fireplace in the great room, full finished basement. Two Story barn has a shop area, wood stove, and 2 garage doors $346,500. #120732

Beautiful home in Wellsboro borough! In-town home close to all amenities. Many updates make this home move-in ready! Hardwood floors thoughout the home, bright bedrooms, 5 walk-in closets provide plenty of storage. Fenced back yard perfect for children and pets. $165,000. #120735,

Ranch home on 1.04 acre in Mansfield - Beautiful ranch in the highly desirable Smoke Rise development just minutes from Mansfield. Bright spacious rooms and neutral interior makes this property move-in ready. Kitchens has floor to ceiling windows. Finished walk-out basement.

Mature landscaping surrounds home. $269,900. #120737

ATTRACTIVE RUSTIC INTERIOR-4-5 BDRMS! Home features Tongue-N-Groove walls/ceilings, open floor plan with vaulted ceilings and new carpet. 2.96 acres! with awesome views. Priced to sell. Make your appointment right away!!

OGM’s transfer with property.$139,000. #120361

ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES FOR THIS 2 UNIT! Endless possibilities for this property-currently set up as a 2 unit with 2 kitchens, 2 baths, 2 hot water heaters and gas meters. Original single family home had 4 bedrooms and a newer roof and windows, 200 amp electrical service. Backs up to Pine Creek. $72,000. #120542

CAMP OR FULL TIME RESIDENCE...in good condition on almost 7+/- acres that are partially wooded. New metal roof on camp. This property would be great for a camp or full-time residence.

Great views for miles! Eulalia Township, Potter County. $75,000 #119026

WATROUS VILLAGE NEAR PINE CREEK 4 bdrm, 1.75 bath 2 story home offers 2 lots Previously used as camp and includes all furnishings if you desire them. Offers 14’x 22’ refurbished garage with upper level. Walk to Pine Creek. Close to State woods and snowmobiling! $79,000. #120205

AFFORDABLE 3 BEDROOM HOME. Make this affordable 3 bedroom ranch home yours! This home was built in 1997 and has 3 bdrms, 2 baths, and is just east of downtown Wellsboro on an owned lot. Conveniently located to Rt. 6 and easy drive to Mansfield.#120381 Make your appt today! $79,000.

WARMTH, STYLE, CHARM and GREAT PRICE - Enjoy this lovely 3 bdrm home with a beautiful open kitchen & dining room. Conveniently located. Walking distance to all town amenities.

This home is ready for you to move in! Make your appointment today!Affordable! $86,000 #120239

GREAT AFFORDABLE OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE RIGHT INTO...this 4 bedroom, 2 bath home located halfway between Wellsboro, Mansfield and Blossburg. Home has 200 amp electric, new windows, doors and has been completely remodeled. Would make a great home for firsttime homebuyers! $92,500 #119594

JUST A SWEET FULL-TIME or SEASONAL HOME, 1.75 AC and detached oversized 2 car garage. Offering new roof and kitchen, this 3 bdrm. home has hardwood floors throughout!

Comfortable, cozy, efficient in a beautiful Country setting, an easy drive to Coudersport in Potter County. $129,900 Motivated seller says make offer! #119270

COMPLETELY RENOVATED RANCH HOME... on 1.38 acres with OGMs conveying. This home is like a brand new home with new kitchen, ceramic tile, roof, windows, etc... All high quality craftmanship brands. Take a look at it right away! $149,900 #119624

Wellsboro Property with many possiblities! Are you looking for an office building or home with office space offering 4 or more bedrooms?

Located on Rt. 287 just south of Wellsboro this property offers spacious quarters, attached 2 car garage and room for business! Formerly owner occupied sub shop and gas station! $155,000. #120698

THIS PRIVATE SETTING OFFERS A MIX... of woods and open mountain views. Like being on vacation year-round, this efficient, rustic cottage offers a sunroom, several decks, porch, & skylights that make it very unique. 100% OGMs convey; not yet leased. All this, about 6 miles to downtown Wellsboro. $174,000 #119985

AWESOME VACATION GETAWAY HOME ON 3.79 AC close to Kettle Creek State Park & Creek.

This newly constructed, log-sided two-story cabin is waiting for you! Enjoy the peaceful tranquility from the deck, nestled on a mountainside in the woods. Call today for details. $199,500.

MLS#120482

FISH, HUNT, KAYAK, HIKE, SNOWMOBILE, RELAX! This 3 bdrm log sided home is walking distance to State Lands & Pine Creek! Cabin is meticulously kept. 1.45 acres in priate setting.

Features 2-car detached garage. Located near Rexford Village. Ride snowmobiles from property to the PA. Grand Canyon. Make your appointment today! $199,000 #120261

CHARMING VICTORIAN IN BLOSSBURG! Distinctive elegant home offers 5 plus bdrms each with closet,telephone & tv jacks. Two baths and laundry on the second flr and laundry rm on the first flr. Beautiful oak doors and trim throughout,& hardwood flrs. Close to Rt.15/I-99, Mansfield and EZ to WIlliamsport. #120382 $250,000.

PRIVATE SETTING OVER PINE CREEK Distinctive Pine Creek cottage w/multi-level decks leading right to the creek. Lg screened porch for entertaining & dining. This home is one of a kind!

Not just a camp, this is a special, secluded setting on the Creek! Bring the Kayak, canoe, fishing rod, snowmobile and 4 wheeler. $289,000 #119806

GREAT EXPOSURE, CONVENIENTLY LOCATED! Two-story corner property with building offers two lots and ample parking.

Convenient and only one block from Main Street or Route 6, Wellsboro, Pa. In the heart of the Marcellus Shale Gas Exploration Maintenancefree exterior & great exposure! For offices or retail. Has 2nd flr apt. $290,000 #119976

COMMERCIAL BUILDING RT 6, TIOGA COUNTY - Great exposure along busy Route 6 between Wellsboro % Mansfield. Ample parking & room for more. Attractive bldg blt in 2005 offers unique custom crafted wood amenities for your offices or retail business. Radiant flr heat & C/A. Efficient!Come grow with our area Business Boom.#120411 $349,000.00

IDEAL COUNTRY SETTING CLOSE TO WELLSBORO - Seeking large family! This spacious home with formal fireplace and open floor plan offers 4-6 bedrooms and 3 baths.

Portion of home used as apartment. Substantial outbldgs. for farmette or self employed. OGM’s transfer to buyer. 15.19 +/- acs just 3 miles to Wellsboro, Pa.$355,000. #120342

RUSTIC, UNIQUE, STONE-FACED 3 BEDROOM HOME...on 3.3 ac between Wellsboro & Morris.

Very private setting! Make this beautiful home your retreat with roomy floor plan & rustic charm.

Features new roof, windows, doors, flooring,2 new QuadraFire stoves, 2 fireplaces, cathedral ceilings,& 36’x41’ pole barn.Unique home! $325,000 #120194

30.25 AC NEWER HOME CLOSE TO WELLSBORO - Lg stocked pond, 2-car garage, 2-story barn & 30.25 beautiful ac. Custom features! Breakfast nook w/built-in seating, bay window in dining room, & fireplace in living room.

Backup generator, whole-house fan, & choice of coal or propane heat. $399,000 #119992

HIGHLY ESTABLISHED BED AND BREAKFAST! This established Wellsboro Bed & Breakfast can now be yours! This elegant 5 bedroom B&B also features Innkeeper’s living quarters on premises, 2.5 acres, 2 car garage, parking availability, established clientele lists, lovely furnishings and a lot of history! $425,000. #120493

LUCRATIVE TAVERN ON BUSY RT. 287/OLD BUSINESS RT. 15...near the I-99/Rt. 15 onramp between Tioga & Lawrenceville. Business offers excellent track record on paper. Turn-key operation with substantial regular customers.

Bring your expertise and foresight.Commercial kitchemn,all current equipment up to regulations.

Only serious inquiries $579,000 #120185

100% OMGs- YOUR CASTLE IN THE WOODS ON 65 AC - Indescribable detail in this custom home w/unique post & beam design,open floorplan, cathedral ceilings,lg windows & double glass doors throughout.Access the lg deck from 4 rooms. Custom amenities including lavish master bathroom.65+/- acs offer future timber potential & 100% OGM rights. $785,000.

INCOMPARABLE VIEWS BEYOND THE NEW BARN...from this comfortable country home.

Ideal equestrian use farm or barn would make outstanding hunting lodge or large home. This property is an extremely large opportunity for large acreage and gas rights! 100% of seller’s owned OGM’s will convey to buyers. Property has prime hunting and substantial wooded acreage along with pastures for your food plots! Make your appointment today! $875,000 #1120003

SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY... with this 124+ gently rolling acres very close to the Borough of Wellsboro. Property offers 2 homes, a pond, a stream, phenomenal views and sits in a quality country setting. 100% of the Oil, Gas & Mineral Rights convey with the property in the heart of the Marcellus Shale Exploration. $1,500,000

94+/- AC IN BORO OF WELLSBORO - A substantial opportunity for development potential within the Borough of Wellsboro. Further & pertinent info is available. Access to Public sewer and water. $1,500,000 #120040

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Real estate Charming Home Chris Gilbert - Realtor 570-404-1268 or chris.gilbert@yahoo.com

CHARMING 60’S RANCH HOME – WELLSBORO Located in a quiet neighborhood sitting on a large lot at the edge of town. This Bright and cheery home features a blue stone fireplace in a spacious living room, gorgeous maple wood floors throughout the home and wood cabinets line the kitchen walls. Sliding glass doors in the dining room lead to a flag stone patio where you can watch deer & turkey in the back lawn. Home includes 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, full basement, and 2-car attached garage. WONDERFUL HOME! ONLY $275,000 120703-M

The Real Estaters of Mansfield

1671 South Main St, Mansfield, PA 16933 Office 570-662-2138 Chris: 570-404-1268

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Real estate

DUPLEX #1 IN SMALL TOWN, TIOGA, PA - This is a 2 unit that has a two bedroom apartment up stairs ($425 per month)and a three bedroom down ($450 per month). The down stairs is rented but the upstairs needs a little work. Live in the down stairs and rent the upstairs to help pay the morgage. Buy all six units and get a reduced price. REF#10190 $62,000

FARMHOUSE ON 3.66 ACRES IN BRADFORD COUNTY - Nice 5 bedroom, older farmhouse on 3.66 acres with mostly hardwood floors throughout.

Perfect for a large family. Close to Athens, Towanda & Troy. OGMs negotiable. REF#10201 $174,900

CLASSIC TURN OF THE CENTURY HOTEL, BAR & RESTAURANT - Classic re-done, turn of the century hotel, bar, & restaurant. Hotel features 5 rooms, 6 apartments, lots of storage, and thee areas ready to be finished for future rental space. The large building also has three rental spaces for additional income. This is a must see for any investor. REF#10263 $475,000

COZY HOME CLOSE TO LAKE, SCHOOL AND DOWNTOWN - Cozy 3 BR home close to lake. See the famous Galeton fireworks from your very own deck! Large kitchen/dinning with oak cabinetry. Large yard, plenty of parking. Combine low maintenance, taxes and a location close to everything in town makes this home a real find for the money. REF#10271 $75,000

LAND TO BUILD ON WITH FAULOUS VIEW - Need a place to build that is close to town yet out of town with a fabulous view? 40 acres that includes 14 wooded and perc. This is the property for you! Close to Route 15 for a commute to Williamsport or Elmira.

No OGM’s will transfer; some owner financing MAY be possible REF#10214 $165,000

FULL FINISHED BASEMENT ADDS SQUARE FOOTAGE - Best kept secret in Wellsboro! This house offers a professionaly finished basement so keep adding those square feet up! 4bedroom, 2 bathroom, open floor plan with new carpeting. The basement offers laminate wood flooring, gas fireplace, den, family room and a bedroom. This is a must see call now for showing! REF#10265 $159,900

RANCH HOME IN NICE DEVELOPMENT OUT OF TOWN - Country living in a nice development outside of Coudersport! This raised ranch home has a full finished basement with a woodstove. A spacious deck overlooks the back yard. There is an attached 2 car garage and a storage shed. This country home is close to State Game lands, skiing and snowmobiling. REF#10246 $129,900

BEAUTIFUL COLONIAL HOME W/IN GROUND POOL - Beautiful Colonial home. Featuring a large eat in kichen, ceramic tile floor and an island. An elegant dining room and living room. The main entrance has a vaulted ceiling. The basement has more usable space as a recreation room and there is also a large sunroom that looks out over the deck and pool! Also the driveway is paved. REF#10261 $389,900

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Real estate

www.pennoakrealty.com

65 Main Street, Wellsboro, PA 16901 l (570) 724-8000 We proudly support and contribute to “Goodies For Our Troops”

Ordinary People Providing Extraordinary Service!

1,500 feet of road frontage on South Main Street (Business Route 15), south of Mansfield with easy access to Route 15 / I-99 Corridor.

Public utilities available - 64.98 acres.

MTH 120145 $2,800,000

Top of Denton Hill - dream home w/excellent views from this 3 BR, 2 bath raised ranch on almost 2 acres in the country, yet only 5 minutes from Route 6. 2 car garage in walk-out lower level with 1/2 bath; security system installed; beautifully landscaped and maintained, short walk to State Forest.

Covered front porch and large rear deck, situated on 4-wheel/snowmobile trails.

MTH 120179 $189,900

Spacious ranch located on the edge of Wellsboro overlooks a very private backyard.

3 - 4 BRs, 2 baths, large kitchen, hardwood floors, additional living space (approx 900 sqft) in full, mostly finished basement w/ ground level walkout. 2 car attached garage and large peaceful deck off the back with views across the valley - almost one acre.

MTH 120671 $185,900

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Are you ready to own this busy turnkey business?

The business is booming and the price is right.

Well established tavern serves a nice mix of good company, social and legal beverages, good home cooked food and weekend entertainment in the evening hours. Situated on 1.25 acres in the Boro of Wellsboro.

MTH 120329 $499,000

53 Acre parcel w/nice mix of tillable, open, and wooded acreage that includes a home site with well, septic and mobile home. Located close to the approach to the PA Grand Canyon, older mobile home is in good repair and is tucked in the woods to provide privacy. OGM were sold generations ago, are not included.

MTH 118734 $230,000

Don’t miss this opportunity to own this wonderful Wellsboro home! Spacious 4 BR, 2.5 bath home sits on .43 acres and close to all amenities. Enjoy the sunroom w/radiant heated floors leading to a deck and meticulously manicured yard. Attached oversized 2 car garage lends itself to ample storage space above, or turn into extra living quarters, studio or workshop. Perfect in-town property to relax, entertain and enjoy family.

MTH 120762 $339,000

Minutes from historic Wellsboro, Sundance Ridge subdivision has nice mix of open and wooded acreage. This newly constructed timber frame home is a union of reclaimed old growth timbers, native stone and current amenities such as radiant heat and luxury grade appliances; short drive from the Tyoga Country Club, Wellsboro Johnston Airport and PA Grand Canyon, on 4+ acres - OGM rights transfer.

MTH 120275 $649,000

100 primitive acres located deep in the Susquehannock Forest in a private gated subdivision - quintessential hunting land! State groomed snowmobile trails nearby, township road into this property is designated for joint use with snowmobiles for year ‘round access.

South of Route 6 and north of I-80 - enjoy fly fishing in pristine waterway known as Kettle Creek, hunt big game, hike/bike or horse ride hundreds of miles on State Forest roads. OGM rights were retained by a prior owner.

MTH 119861 $349,900

Spotless, neat as a pin, maintenance free vacation home/camp on almost 4 acres.

Features new roof and siding, views, tiny stream on a moderately wooded lot, newer sunroom addition, full length covered porch with views and 4-wheeler/snowmobile access.

MTH 119664 $79,000

Beautiful remodeled 5 BR farmhouse w/ newer addition on 88 acres - enjoy the large stone fireplace in the Great Room, beautifully landscaped grounds with 6 picture perfect out buildings in excellent condition, 1st floor BR and bath w/laundry. Borders State Forest, some fencing. Excellent horse property or commercial possibilities; some timber value.

OGM leased but may be negotiated.

MTH 119077 $449,000

18th century style Williamsburg Dutch Colonial with landscaped sitting gardens, oak floors, 2 woodburning fireplaces with brick hearths, traditional color woodwork and a downstairs 1/2 bath. Master suite includes 2 BRs, full bath and can be closed off from the other 3 BRs with 2 more baths - potential for 5 BRs; minor modifications would make this property suitable for a B&B. Enclosed sunroom is cheery, bright and overlooks a wonderful, private yard.

MTH 118565 $299,900

New Life continued from page 36

up in the church, learning (from her Sunday school teacher) how to take care of the office and furnace at age twelve. The old coal furnace needed to be stoked every three to four hours in the cold weather. By fifteen, she was teaching Bible study in the Sunday school. Over the years, many others contributed generously to maintain the church, including Lenora Ellison, Lucy Taylor (her dog Foxy attended services), Leah Crooks, Charlotte Swanson, Agnes Heatley, Jenny Crooks, Edith Frawley, Elizabeth James, Mary Mattison, Gertrude Ellison, Linda Morseman, Linda VanOrder, Linda Campbell, and Frances Gillen. The last service at Trinity Episcopal was a wedding in the summer of 2010. The church was deconsecrated in mid-April of this year.

While it creates genuine melancholy when a church closes after 130 years, there is a silver lining here. The church was recently sold to Pete Gorda of Wellsboro. Pete loves old buildings and is very pleased to have acquired this important architectural gem in Antrim. (An article in the October 2010 issue of Mountain Home highlighted Pete’s

Adam Mahonske

resurrection of the historic Victoria Theater in Blossburg.) Pete is uncertain about the precise future of Trinity, but foresees it continuing as a site for weddings and a possible venue for music events; the acoustics of the church are excellent. Whatever the future holds, the old

church could not be in more capable and caring Earthly hands.

Mountain Home contributing writer Adam Mahonske, a Blossburg native, is a professor and doctor of musical arts in Baltimore.

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Courtesy Donna Grzesik

M ar k et P lace

Shop Around the Corner

Dressed for Success

By Kevin Cummings

D

onna Grzesik never intended to own a business.

So, in that curious way things work, she is doing just that, as owner of Pip’s Boutique in Corning’s Gaffer District.

Donna, fifty-six, first started working for the store part-time in 1987. “My two kids were getting older and I wanted spending money, so that’s how I came to work here,” she says. One of the two owners became ill in 1998, so they decided to sell. Donna’s husband, Paul, suggested she buy it, which she did in 1999.

“It was never a lifelong passion to own my own business, but I really love what I do,” Donna says. Pip’s celebrated its thirtieth anniversary on April 1.

The store carries women’s clothing, shoes, and accessories (purses, jewelry, scarves, and more), mainly middle to high-end items. The boutique has items for women of all ages, “from teens 46

to women of ninety,” says Donna. Styles range from the youthful Kensie line to brands like Tribal. Since it is boutique clothing, it’s pretty exclusive, and you won’t find it in malls, which means you won’t see twenty other women wearing it. “I don’t carry the same thing every season, so there is always something fresh and new,” Donna says. And then there’s the personal touch; Pip’s offers free alterations, gift-wrapping, and layaway, and Donna stands by the quality of her clothing. Though admittedly not a techie, she has even braved the cyber world to e-mail newsletters to customers, and Pip’s is on Facebook.

She also supports other area businesses by carrying locally made items, including purses, jewelry, and, as one of the members of Corning’s Chocolate Trail, even a dark See Dressed on page 48

marketplace

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marketplace

Dressed continued from page 46

chocolate high-heeled pump packaged in a frosted pink purse, custom made for Pip’s. Keeping up with current trends and helping the environment are important as well, so Pip’s carries organic clothing, like the Echo Verde line, and recycled jewelry.

Donna didn’t know anything about running a business when she took over Pip’s, and she admits she still tends to do things the “old-fashioned” way. She never went to college or took business courses. At first she relied on her sales reps to tell her how much to buy and spend, but she soon became comfortable in that role. “Overcoming the scariness of having my own business was hard, but it’s worked and I’m proud of that. I took an established business and kept it going,” she says. But “I always tell my employees, if you want a career in the retail world, go to college and take business classes.”

“I have great employees and great customers, and that’s why I’ve been successful,” Donna says. “It’s my local

customers that keep me going, and I’m good to them.” Her husband is also very supportive. “In order to be successful you have to have a family behind you.

You miss birthday parties, and vacations revolve around when your employees can cover for you. There is a struggle, but I love the work.

“These are tough economic times, and the recession has hit most businesses to some extent. It’s not always easy, but I have a really good local following. They love Pip’s and Market Street in general and will shop here before going elsewhere,” Donna says.

“But there are no guarantees. When gas prices are high, people may not need clothes for vacation. However, when people stay home, they often spend locally,” she adds. “I’m very appreciative of my local clientele, and I feel very fortunate to have my business in the Gaffer District.”

Kevin Cummings is a professional musician and a stay-at-home dad. This is his first article for Mountain Home.

Shop: Pip’s Boutique Owner: Donna Grzesik Address: 89 E. Market St, Corning, NY Phone: (607) 962-6301 Store Hours: Mon-Fri 9:308, Sat 9:30-6, Sun 11:30-4 E-mail: pips@stny.rr.com Website: www.pipsboutique.com

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Marketplace Dunn continued from page 11

perhaps he’d never really spoken much about the details of what had happened to him in Georgia. Perhaps he sensed he was nearing the end. For whatever reason, Michael Dunn began to write about what happened to him in the war. He did so with frankness and subtle humor. When he finished recounting his escape from that cursed German nurse in Chattanooga, he laid the pen down and took to his bed.

Thirteen years after he drifted off to sleep in the rain of a Georgia night never expecting to see sunlight again, Michael Dunn was laid up by his stump for the last time.

His doctor would later recall that he “had been a great sufferer ever since his discharge in 1865,” and that the left stump where the bone had been taken out to the hip never healed. “The cause of his death was necrosis of said left stump,” said Dr. Ellison, “followed by mortification of the soft parts.”

Michael Dunn died October 23, 1877. Depending on which account of his age is used, he was between 34 and 44 years old. He was buried in the cemetery at Raymond.

Sarah sold seventy-four acres and the horse the following year to settle the estate. It would take her another two years to get her widow’s pension and an allowance for the children. No record had been made of their marriage that December day in Tennessee during the war. She eventually had to get sworn statements from her mother and brother that they had been witnesses to the nuptial as well as sworn statements from the midwives who had helped at the births of her children. But the pension did eventually come.

Michael Dunn didn’t know any of that when he died, but he certainly knew the value of another chance at life; he knew he would be remembered and that his name would carry on through his children.

Michael Dunn’s descendants still live in Allegany Township, as well as throughout Pennsylvania and the nation. There are hundreds of them. They have many different names now.

Just a few include: Stilson, Turton, Easton, Freeman, Flynn, Storey, Snyder, Smith, Hamilton, Torrey, Glassmire, Perkins, Calhoun, Kiel, Thompson, Kibbe, Gill, Close, and Hyde.

Today Michael Dunn’s farm at Seven Bridges, near Raymond, is owned by his great grandson, Roger Dunn.

Roger, trained in science and a teacher for years, abandoned the classroom for the family homestead. Like his ancestor, his avocation is a farmer, he has no other and he lives on a farm.

The preceding story was based on articles in the Potter County Journal 1863-1877; History of Potter County by Victor Beebe 1934; pension, census and genealogy records at the Potter County Historical Society; Alleghany township assessment records at the Potter County courthouse annex; Dunn family history/genealogy; private papers and photos of Marian Stilson.

Special thanks to Leo Dunn, Marian Stilson, Jeannette Buck, and David Castano for generous assistance with the research.

Potter County native Donald Gilliland is a reporter for the Harrisburg Patriot-News.

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B ac k of t h e M ountain

Hanging Out On a sunny May first in the early 1970s, Tucker Worthington was driving north on Route 15 between Blossburg and Covington, Pennsylvania. “I saw out of the corner of my eye a woman hanging a flowerpot on her porch. I thought ‘Damn, that really says a lot about hope and what a spring day means to you, how it hits you when it actually stops raining and you see the first sun and things are growing. It’s a very hopeful time.” The result was the painting May Day, later sold to a Mansfield, Pennsylvania, teacher, decades before Tucker turned his talents to Mountain Home covers.

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