Issuu

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T H E M AGA Z I N E YO U C O M E H O M E TO

The sweetest season Maple tours offer taste of tradition

PLUS

Century of growth Thank you, George! Hard-working plants

Contents

FEBRUARY 2016 Vol. 51 • No. 2 Editor Peter A. Fitzgerald Senior Editor/Writer Katherine Hackleman Contributing Columnists Janette Hess Patrick Keegan George Weigel Layout & Design W. Douglas Shirk Advertising & Circulation Vonnie Kloss media & marketing specialist Michelle M. Smith

4 Keeping Current News from across the Commonwealth

6 Energy Matters

How the vast electric grid got ready for the digital age

cover: The sweetest season Maple tours offer taste of tradition

12 spotlight

50th Anniversary Contests

14 Smart circuits

Penn Lines (USPS 929-700), the newsmagazine of Pennsylvania’s electric cooperatives, is published monthly by the Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association, 212 Locust Street, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108-1266. Penn Lines helps 166,000 households of co-op consumer-members understand issues that affect the electric cooperative program, their local co-ops, and their quality of life. Electric co-ops are notfor-profit, consumer-owned, locally directed, and taxpaying electric utilities. Penn Lines is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts. The opinions expressed in Penn Lines do not necessarily reflect those of the editors, the Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association, or local electric distribution cooperatives.

14a Cooperative Connection Information and advice from your local electric cooperative

Subscriptions: Electric co-op members, $5.42 per year through their local electric distribution cooperative. Preferred Periodicals postage paid at Harrisburg, PA 17107 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes with mailing label to Penn Lines, 212 Locust Street, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108-1266.

19 power plants

Advertising: Display ad deadline is six weeks prior to month of issue. Ad rates upon request. Acceptance of advertising by Penn Lines does not imply endorsement of the product or services by the publisher or any electric cooperative. If you encounter a problem with any product or service advertised in Penn Lines, please contact: Advertising, Penn Lines, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108. Penn Lines reserves the right to refuse any advertising.

Keeping your pets (and your energy bill) comfortable

16 feature: Century of

growth Farm Show celebrates 100 years of agricultural heritage

Hard-working plants

20 COUNTRY KITCHEN

Thank you, George!

22 Classifieds 24 Time Lines Your newsmagazine through the years 25 TECH TRENDS

Residential lighting goes high-tech

26 Punch Lines

Food for thought

27 Rural Reflections Board officers and staff, Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association: Chairman, Leroy Walls; Vice Chairman, Tim Burkett; Secretary, Barbara Miller; Treasurer, Rick Shope; President & CEO, Frank M. Betley © 2016 Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.

Visit with us at Penn Lines Online, located at: www.prea.com/Content/ pennlines.asp. Penn Lines Online provides an email link to Penn Lines editorial staff, information on advertising rates, and an archive of past issues.

More favorite photos

ON THE COVER Area residents re-create a Currier and Ives print featuring making maple syrup at the Somerset Historical Center during the 2015 Somerset County Maple Weekend Taste and Tour Event. The event will be held this year on March 12 and 13. Photo by Kathy Hackleman

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keepingcurrent

News from across the Commonwealth

Susquehanna River North Branch honored Pennsylvania residents have voted, and they have selected the Susquehanna River North Branch as the 2016 Pennsylvania River of the Year, according to a recent announcement by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) and the Pennsylvania Organization for Waterways and Rivers (POWR). Using online voting, residents were asked to select among five finalist waterways. Other finalists are the Kis-

ki-Conemaugh River in the southwest, Lackawanna River in the northeast, Lehigh River in the east and Ohio River in the southwest. DCNR and POWR are working with the Endless Mountains Heritage Region (EMHR) to create a free, commemorative poster celebrating the Susquehanna River North Branch as the 2016 Pennsylvania River of the Year. EMHR, the applicant nominating the waterway in close cooperation with the Susquehanna Greenway Partnership, will receive a $10,000 Leadership Grant to help fund year-long River of the Year activities. The Susquehanna River North Branch flows from New York into Pennsylvania’s Northern Tier, and continues south to join the river’s West Branch at Shikellamy State Park in Northumberland

County. The Susquehanna River North Branch is a prominent regional feature, running through Susquehanna, Bradford, Wyoming, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Columbia, Montour, and Northumberland counties. Once a major transportation corridor, the entire waterway still is navigable by kayaks and canoes, even during dry seasons.

Task force to work with forest products industry A panel of forestry experts from private, public and academic sectors is analyzing current limitations to forest conservation and job growth. Following a series of public meetings to gather input, the Green Ribbon Task Force will develop an action plan to address objectives. The task force was called together following extended discussion between Gov. Tom Wolf and Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn on how Pennsylvania’s nearly 17 million acres of forestland could best play an active role in statewide job creation. “We envision the Green Ribbon Task Force as a catalyst to create new ideas, approaches and momentum for an industry and a landscape that need additional measures of protection and assistance,” Dunn says. The 30 members of the panel have formed individual work groups based on the following discussion areas: conservation; workforce development and jobs; economic development and products. Details on the Green Ribbon Task Force can be found at http://www.dcnr. state.pa.us/councils/Greenribbontaskforce/index.htm.

PGC works to increase pheasant population Sportsmen’s organizations that have

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approved propagation facilities can help increase the state’s population of ringnecked pheasants and increase localized hunting opportunities through a state stocking program. The Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) is offering free, day-old pheasant chicks to qualifying groups. Completed applications must be returned to the PGC by March 31. The PGC first began growing and releasing pheasants in 1915, and has been working to propagate pheasants on an extensive scale since 1929, when the agency established two game farms. Since then, additional farms have been placed into operation, and the day-old pheasant chick program was implemented. All pheasants raised through the program must be released on lands open to public hunting. To be eligible to receive pheasant chicks, a sportsmen’s club is required to have a minimum of 25 square feet of covered pen space available per bird. In addition, 72 square inches of floor space per chick is recommended in the brooder building. All feed and expenses incurred in the work of constructing covered pens and raising pheasants will be the responsibility of the club. Pheasant chicks can be raised at the cooperator’s facility or by a designated caretaker with the proper facilities. Chicks are hatched once a week during May, and the chicks for clubs are scheduled around those hatches. (continues on page 23)

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energymatters

How the vast electric grid got ready for the digital age By Paul Wesslund

he 211,000 miles of high-voltage transmission lines that are part of the network that brings electricity pretty much wherever and whenever you want it are going through a massive makeover to keep up with equally profound changes in the world of energy, environmental rules and digital technology. Annual spending to modernize the transmission system in the U.S. quintupled from 1997 to 2012. The financing structure for that increase of more than $11 billion has changed from one where electric utilities were in charge to one involving a variety of entrepreneurs. Reliability and security concerns have reshaped the gridâ€™s regulatory and operational structure, and renewable energy, environmental requirements, and new technology are changing the industry. Here are a few facts about the intricate electric grid: k The science of electricity is that it must be used at the same time itâ€™s created, requiring mind-boggling coordination between power plants that might be hundreds of miles from where you turn on your TV. k According to the U.S. Department of Energy, in addition to transmission lines, the grid is made up of 6.3 million miles of smaller distribution lines and more than 6,000 power plants. k That network delivers electricity to 159 million homes, businesses and industrial plants. Traditionally, the utilities that generated electricity and delivered it to homes and businesses also built the transmission lines that carried it from power plants to distribution wires. But a series of court cases and new deregulation rules allowed entrepreneurs to build, finance 6

and make money off those high-cost projects. Two other developments intersected with this reshaped landscape of electric transmission ownership. In 2003, a tree branch fell on a power line in a Cleveland suburb, triggering a series of shutdowns that swept through Canada to New England and New York City, cutting power to 50 million people. That event accelerated a regulatory process that by 2007 established mandatory reliability standards enforced by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation. Those standards cover everything from regional planning and coordination to tree trimming. The second development was a change in what was being expected of the grid. Instead of transmission lines carrying electricity from power plants to distribution lines, rising demand for electricity and the regional planning rules had electricity being routed around the nation in new ways. The grid also had to start accommodating more dispersed power plants that ran on natural gas, which offered more flexibility than coal in operating response, ease of construction and meeting environmental rules. Increases in solar and wind power meant more transmission lines to carry electricity from the windy prairies and sunny deserts to the places where people live and use electricity. Smart grid technology and distributed energy also added two-way flows of both electricity and digital information

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as customers with smaller solar and wind generators became interested in selling their electricity back to the utility. Utility experts warned that the grid was not built for these new uses and desperately needed upgrades to accommodate increasing numbers of intermittent resources. The U.S. Energy Information Administration reports that spending on new electricity transmission by major investors and privately owned companies increased from $2.7 billion in 1997 to $14.1 billion in 2012. l Paul Wesslund writes on cooperative issues for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the Arlington, Va.-based service arm of the nationâ€™s 900-plus consumer-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperatives.

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DEAR CLOGGED AND SMELLY: As a reader of my column, I am sure you are aware that I have a great deal of experience in this particular field. You will be glad to know that there IS a septic solution that will solve your back-up and effectively restore your entire system from interior piping throughout the septic system and even unclog the drain field as well. SeptiCleanse® Shock and Maintenance Programs deliver your system the fast active bacteria and enzymes needed to liquefy solid waste and free the clogs causing your back-up.

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COLLECTING SAP: Eric Arnold demonstrates how Arnold’s Sugar Camp, Rockwood, Pa., collects sap using a tubing system. The sap is used to make maple syrup and related products the family company sells year-round.

The sweetest season Maple tours offer taste of tradition By Kathy Hackleman Senior Editor/Writer

hile many people think of chocolate when they think of February, some Pennsylvanians think of a different sweet: maple syrup. February is when maple syrup producers prepare for their busy season, which, depending on the weather, usually begins around the middle of the month.

This is typically the time of year when overnight temperatures can dip to 20 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. Combined with warm, sunny days that reach 40 or so, this provides the pressure and suction needed for the sap to run. The season lasts until overnight temperatures consistently stay above freezing. When Tioga County siblings Richard Patterson and Mary Lee Patterson Zechman gear up for maple syrup season, they are carrying on a tradition started by their grandparents, Oren

and Mabel Patterson. Back in 1920, Oren used a hand auger, wooden buckets and spiles (small, whittled spigots driven into a tree that allows sap to drip into holding containers), and horsedrawn collecting tanks. “My favorite childhood memory is sleeping over at the sugar camp,” Zechman remembers. “We didn’t have any electricity there, but it was warm with the fire (used to boil the sap) and it smelled wonderful.” Oren’s goal was to provide syrup and maple sugar for his family, but his son, Clifton, expanded when he took over in 1944, trading syrup and sugar for supplies at the local general store. What was not sold locally was shipped to New York City. As part of the expansion, he upgraded to galvanized buckets and replaced the horses with a tractor. Today, Patterson Farms, served by Tri-County Rural

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Electric Cooperative (REC), is the top maple syrup producer in Pennsylvania with 83,000 taps. Tools of the trade include electric drills, plastic spiles, vinyl tubing and stainless steel tanks. The roaring wood fire has been replaced by a fuel oil evaporator and reverse osmosis units.

Teaching tradition Using the internet, Patterson Farms, 119 Patterson Road, Westfield, Pa., sells to customers in more than 35 countries, but it’s important to Patterson and Zechman that they keep the family’s history alive locally. Participants on the annual Potter-Tioga Maple Syrup Producers Association Taste & Tour Weekend, scheduled for March 19 and 20, can see memorabilia from the family’s first forays into maple syrup production, and they are told about the traditional method of determining when it’s harvest time. Native Americans had a special maple sugaring calendar, and the third full moon of the year was known as the “Sugar Moon.” More often than not, that’s when the Pattersons get down to the work of serious syrup production. To communicate the story of how maple sap makes its way from tree to table, many producers annually open their sugar houses for public tours (see dates on page 10). David Raker and his mother, Clesta Raker, owners of Raker’s Sugar Bush, 1575 Raker Road, Liberty, Pa., also offer tour participants a traditional look at their family’s maple syrup history, which along with their home place, predates the Civil War. David Raker, an attorney, limits production to what he and a few volunteers can make from about 2,000 taps. Once the family and their helpers have enough for their own enjoyment, Raker sells the remaining syrup to a number of long-standing customers, as well as at area craft fairs, while his mother focuses on making maple cream and maple sugar candy. “We do it because it’s a tradition,” he explains. “We have done it every year since my great-greatgrandfather settled the farm in 1837, except for one year when they were busy building a barn. Most people back then made maple syrup to provide their own source of sugar, and we have continued it.” His enjoyment of the process is twofold: he likes being outside in the early spring and he loves maple syrup. “I make pancakes every morning for my youngest son and we eat them with maple syrup,” he says. The history of maple syrup production is a story that’s told across the state. Participants in the Somerset County Maple Weekend Taste and Tour Event,

scheduled for March 12 and 13, will also be able to tour several sites. At the Somerset Historical Center, 10649 Somerset Pike, Somerset, Pa., tour participants can proceed from an early 1800s sugar camp where sap is boiled in an open kettle to an 1860s sugar camp to a modern sugar camp. The center offers the modern sugar camp to anyone who is considering getting into syrup production, but wants to experiment first.

Educational tours The Baer Brothers Maple Camp, owned by Somerset REC members Mike and Sherry Lynch, is located at the aptly named 234 Sugar Cake Road, Somerset, Pa. While the Lynches give attendees a chance to see their 5,000-tap operation, they also promote their business of selling maple syrup production equipment and offer suggestions for people who want to try maple syrup production.

SYRUP GOES HIGH-TECH: Lowell Friedline, Walnutdale Maple Farms, Boswell, Pa., demonstrates how his family makes maple syrup. The Friedline family, with 1,200 taps and the latest equipment, allows maple tour attendees to tap trees the traditional way using a hand auger.

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Friedline says they are especially proud of a first place in the “very dark amber” class at the 56th annual meeting of the North American Maple Syrup Council Inc. and the International Maple Syrup Institute, held in October 2015. The Friedlines say their farm is the “Land of Milk and Maple,” as they have been milking dairy cows and boiling maple syrup for four generations. They have 1,200 taps with state-of-the-art equipment, but during the tour, visitors can still tap a tree the traditional way using a hand auger. And, in keeping with the event’s theme, there will be plenty of maple products to taste.

Pennsylvania maple tours Potter-Tioga Maple Syrup Producers Association Annual Maple Weekend – March 19 and 20 Somerset County Maple Weekend Taste and Tour – March 12 and 13 Northwest Pennsylvania Maple Syrup Producers Association Taste and Tour Weekend – March 19 and 20 Endless Mountains Maple Syrup Producers Association Maple Weekend – March 19 and 20 Northeastern Pennsylvania Maple Syrup Producers Association Open House Weekend – To be announced (For more information about all of the maple tours, click on “Tours” at www.pamapleassociation.org.)

Art and industry

“I have been doing this since I was a kid,” Mike Lynch explains. “It gets in your blood. I enjoy being outside this time of year, but nothing beats educating people about maple syrup. Some of what we do on the tour is pretty unique, including making spotza.” Spotza (a word meaning “spot on the snow”) involves boiling maple syrup to a “soft-ball” stage, then pouring it over crushed ice, or if available, fresh snow. Another Somerset County stop is the international awardwinning Walnutdale Maple Farms, 287 Walnutdale Lane, Boswell, Pa., owned by Carna and Lowell Friedline, a member of the Somerset REC board, and their sons, Joel and Jonathan. While the Friedlines have won numerous awards, Lowell

Moving north, the Hurry Hill Maple Farm Museum Association, 11424 Fry Road, Edinboro, Pa., will be open March 19 and 20 for the Northwest Pennsylvania Maple Syrup Producers Association Taste and Tour Weekend. Upon her retirement as a high school principal, Jan Woods decided to start a museum devoted to her lifelong interest in the maple syrup industry and “Miracles on Maple Hill,” a book by the late Virginia Sorensen. One museum section is dedicated to the book, which describes a sugar house between Edinboro and Cambridge Springs. The winner of the prestigious “John Newbery Medal” for children’s literature, the book explains FROM FATHER TO SON: Lynn Baer, the boiler at Paul Bunyan’s Maple Syrup, Rockwood, Pa., grew up helping out at sugar camps with his family. He says he learned everything he knows about making maple syrup from his father, Barry Baer, who retired from Somerset Rural Electric Cooperative in 2003 after 42 years as a lineman. Molly Enos is the owner of the company.

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TOP PRODUCER: Richard Patterson, along with his sister, Mary Lee Patterson Zechman, operate Patterson Farms near Westfield, Pa. Patterson Farms, the top maple syrup producer in Pennsylvania, has 83,000 taps.

Photo by Jeff Fetzer

syrup, they also make the following maple products: mustard, barbecue, jelly, butter, cookies, sugar, whip, candy and salad dressing, which they sell at Blooming Valley Landscape and Supply under the name Howles Family Maple Products. The family has about 4,000 taps, including a few buckets just for fun so people can see how the sap has been collected for years, but the majority of their sap gathering is done with tubing. They use a large fire truck to haul the sap from the woods to their sugar house, where they use a new, computerized evaporator that keeps an eagle eye on the production. Dee Howles’ favorite part of the tour is watching people try new products. “Some people are afraid to try some of our maple products,” she explains. “I love watching their faces when they finally try it and they really like it.” U.S. production of maple syrup in the seven-state Northeastern Region in 2015 was 3.4 million gallons, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service (this region produces nearly 90 percent of the nation’s maple syrup yield). About 5 percent of that total (165,000 gallons) was produced in Pennsylvania. Vermont topped the list with 1.4 million gallons. l what Woods says is the “art” of making maple syrup, not just the science behind it. The medal is on display at the museum. Northwestern REC Chief Lineman Jim Reagles, a high school student when Woods was an assistant principal, began volunteering at the museum when he decided to learn more about making maple syrup. One thing led to another and soon he was providing details about how maple syrup is made to museum visitors. “I enjoy explaining to people who don’t understand the work involved in making a gallon of syrup,” he says. For example, it can require boiling 40 gallons or more of sap to get just one gallon of syrup, depending on the sap’s sugar content. “It’s a lot of work, a lot of effort and a lot of fun, too,” Reagles notes. This will be Reagles’ first year to have his 200-tap sugar camp, The Willows at Little Conneauttee, 24507 Highway 99, Cambridge Springs, Pa., open for the tour. On the other hand, Jason and Dee Howles, 27828 Patterson Road, Guys Mills, Pa., are tour veterans. Members of Northwestern REC, the Howles can trace their family’s syrup history back at least five generations. Not only do they produce SYRUP-MAKERS SINCE 1837: David Raker, of Raker’s Sugar Bush near Liberty, Pa., feeds the fire used in boiling maple syrup. Raker’s family has been making maple syrup on the same plot of land since his great-great-grandfather settled the land back before the Civil War.

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spotlight

50th Anniversary Contests Penn Lines staff

ere’s a big “thank you” to all of our readers who entered one of the five Penn Lines 50th Anniversary Contests. During the past several months, readers have entered dozens of letters and photos as part of the Penn Lines contests, and the entries are now closed. Throughout 2016 — our anniversary year — we will be printing winning entries, plus selected other entries. This month’s winning entry is for the “Oldest Penn Lines.” Ellen Mickey, an Adams Electric nn Lines Pe Cooperative (EC) member from Littlestown, Pa., sent a photo of herself holding years a July 1967 edition of Penn 19 6 6-2016 Lines. (The first edition of Penn Lines was printed in October 1966.) Mickey reports she kept this edition of the magazine because her photo is included on the front cover with WINNER: Ellen Mickey, Adams EC, is the winner of the “Oldest Penn Lines,” with July 1967. the Pennsylvania Youth Tour students.

Mickey represented Adams Electric Cooperative on the 1967 Youth Tour. For submitting the winning entry in this category, Mickey will receive a $50 gift card. Announcements later in 2016 will include the person who submitted a photo of himself or herself with a Penn Lines magazine at a location that is determined to be the most-distant from Harrisburg, Pa., and one winner in each of the following essay categories: “My Earliest Memory of Penn Lines,” “How Does Penn Lines Help you as a Cooperative Member,” and “What does Penn Lines Mean to Rural Pennsylvania?” One essay contest winner was drawn from each set of entries. All winners receive a $50 gift card.

Here are some of the essay entries: “My Earliest Memory of Penn Lines” One of my earliest memories of Penn Lines started when the power went out. I never really questioned why the light turned on when I flipped the switch, but the one time I came home with my family and the light didn’t turn on, I questioned that. My dad told me to look in some of his Penn Lines magazines to figure out how electricity worked. I did. I learned all about power lines, transformers, electricity measurements, etc. After that I looked online (when the power came back on) to learn more about electricity. I learned tons. I learned how electricity was found (which is actually a kind of funny story). I’m glad that my first memory/experience with Penn Lines is a good (and learning) one. It got me into the fascinating world of electricity. I have furthered my knowledge of electricity, and it’s all thanks to the Penn Lines magazine. Thank you, Penn Lines. Nick Collins, 13 — Warren Electric Cooperative “How Does Penn Lines Help you as a Cooperative Member?” Penn Lines has provided an excellent opportunity to follow what my rural electric cooperative is doing. When I first became a member of Northwestern Rural Electric Cooperative, it just astonished me to think that it was called rural electric. What did it mean to a young fellow from New Jersey who was educated at Edinboro College? In 1972, I was used to public service and my small town electric company, which in fact is still in operation in Milltown, N.J. So when I became a member, I was pleased to read about the other cooperative areas across the state and other states. I enjoyed hearing from our administrator who managed the local co-op. The publication also keeps me up to date on the new technologies that are being used. I was really intrigued when I saw a picture of the first Northwestern REC pole in the publication. Then I actually saw it in person below the Woodcock Dam. The photos of winter scenes and wildlife are very true to our native wildlife. A nice segment is that customers are allowed to submit pictures that they take as amateurs. In all, I’m pleased to receive my monthly publication, and I look forward to seeing what is new and what is happening. I have been a cooperative member for 45 years. Dick Astor — Northwestern Rural Electric Cooperative 12

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Attention High School Seniors At least five $1,000 Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association Scholarships in Memory of William F. Matson are available for the 2016-17 college year. fill out and mail this coupon

Who is eligible? The Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association Scholarship Trust Fund in Memory of William F. Matson is offering scholarships to sons and daughters of members and employees of electric cooperatives in Pennsylvania and New Jersey who belong to the Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association. Applicants must currently be high school seniors and be able to furnish necessary aptitude test scores and financial need information. At least five $1,000, one-time scholarships will be awarded.

Important dates to remember All applications and required information must be received no later than May 9, 2016. Finalists will be sent a follow-up questionnaire that must be returned by June 15, 2016. Scholarship awards will be announced at the Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association Summer Meeting in July 2016.

How to apply To receive an application, simply fill out and mail the accompanying coupon or contact your local electric cooperative office. If you would like to receive the application via email, please include your email address or visit our website, www.prea.com, for more information.

Applicant: To request a scholarship application, mail coupon to: The Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association Scholarship Trust Fund in Memory of William F. Matson P. O. Box 1266 Harrisburg, Pa. 17108-1266 Or visit www.prea.com/content/scholarship-opportunities.asp

Please send me an application for the 2016-17 Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association Scholarship Trust Fund in Memory of William F. Matson. I am a high school senior and the son or daughter of a member or employee of an electric cooperative in Pennsylvania and New Jersey who belongs to the Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association. ___________________________________________ Name ___________________________________________ Address ___________________________________________ Town or City ___________________________________________ State Zip ___________________________________________ Email address ___________________________________________ Name of Electric Cooperative

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smartcircuits

Keeping your pets (and your energy bill) comfortable By Patrick Keegan

ear Pat: I recently adopted a dog, but I work during the day. I want to make sure he stays comfortable without making my electrical bill go haywire. Can you offer any tips? – Annie Dear Annie: Congratulations on your new furry family member. I remember working with a homeowner concerned about his high energy bills and I discovered an uninsulated double garage was being heated to keep the dog warm. But keeping your pet comfortable and entertained when you’re away doesn’t have to take a bite out of your energy bill. Pet owners often assume their indoor pets want the same level of cooling and heating as the rest of the family. However, most dogs and cats can be comfortable with a wider range of temperatures. An exception might be an older pet or one with medical issues. Here are a few tips to keep your pet cozy without cranking up the heat: k M ake sure your indoor pet has a warm place to sleep, like a pet bed with a blanket. Consider providing sleeping options throughout your home in different temperature zones. k I f you have a very drafty home or an older pet who may appreciate more warmth, a heated pet bed or bed warmer will use far less energy than running your central heating on high all day. This solution can also be good for those who keep their pets in the garage and worry about them staying warm enough. Those with unique pets, like birds or lizards, may need to keep them in warmer environments. Consider moving these pets to a room that can be easily kept warm.

Pet doors are popular, but they can also be a major air leak that drives up your energy use. When purchasing a pet door, make sure it has energy-efficient features, like thick construction, weather sealing and the ability to be closed off when not in use. Some people also leave their televisions or radios on while they’re away, thinking that the voices will keep their pets from being bored (and destroying their shoes). However, there are ways other than flipping a switch to keep your pooches and kitties entertained. Exercising your pet when you’re home and giving them a variety of toys or a nice perch to see out a window when you leave will be more entertaining and less energy intensive than a TV. We all love our furry family members, but remember, keeping them comfortable doesn’t mean you have to pay more. When summer comes, you don’t need to leave the air conditioning on full

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blast. Dogs and cats have higher body temperatures than humans, and they are comfortable with temperatures between 78 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit. Dogs and cats sweat differently than humans, so running fans will not have the same effect it has on you. Other ways to keep your indoor pets comfortable when it’s warm include: k Keep shades drawn and direct light filtered. Provide cool areas to rest, such as a basement or a tile floor. k Give them plenty of water, perhaps with ice, and cool treats. l Amy Wheeless of Collaborative Efficiency contributed to this article. Patrick Keegan writes on energy efficiency for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the Arlington, Va.-based service arm of the nation’s 900-plus consumer-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperatives.

Nowadays, some of us take electricity for granted. But no matter where you go, you expect it to follow. And it does. It’s there because your electric co-op is here. Learn more about the power of your co-op membership at TogetherWeSave.com.

YOU’RE EVERYWHERE THESE DAYS. SO IS YOUR POWER.

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Century of growth Farm Show celebrates 100 years of agricultural heritage By Kathy Hackleman Senior Editor/Writer

Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture

called “Guilty Pleasure.” n celebrating its 100th Starr is quoted in the book as anniversary in January saying, “We give out samples and 2016, the Pennsylvania we sell wine at the Farm Show. Farm Show told a story — It’s been good for business. The a story about people and Farm Show lets us market our agriculture, a Pennsylvania products to a diverse group of story. people.” “It’s an exciting time to The Brad and Berneta be in agriculture,” exclaimed Gable family, members of Pennsylvania Secretary of New Enterprise Rural Electric Agriculture Russell Redding Cooperative, are Bedford at the opening ceremony. County’s representatives in “People are increasingly the book. Aaron Gable is the interested in knowing where family’s sixth generation of show their food comes from. ANNIVERSARY MILKSHAKE FLAVOR: Pennsylvania Secretary of exhibitors, all of whom have (At this year’s Farm Show) Agriculture Russell Redding, a member of Adams Electric Cooperative, right, joins representatives of the Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association done well over the years. Berneta we’ve tried to illustrate the on Jan. 8 to unveil the new centennial milkshake flavor, strawberries and received her first blue ribbon connection between the cream, in honor of the 100th Pennsylvania Farm Show. at only 8 years old when her work of producers on the entry was named the top junior calf. The farm and the food we enjoy three times Pennsylvania Farm Show at 100,” printed family continues to do well, winning a day at the dinner table. That is a major by Intelligencer Printing Company, numerous ribbons through the years for theme of this year’s show.” Lancaster. their dairy cattle entries. For 100 years, the Farm Show has Klaus, who juggles three careers as a In the book, Aaron Gable calls the worked to establish that connection by writer, volunteer firefighter and hospice Farm Show “a place where we get showcasing Pennsylvania’s agricultural nurse, included event history, but she also agriculture out to the city. We want city heritage and bringing that farm filled the book with memories of Farm people to think highly of us, to drink our experience to visitors. Show exhibitors and attendees. milk and eat our cheese. Besides, it’s a “The theme, ‘Our Commonwealth’s “I love agriculture and the Farm time of the year where we meet up with Blue Ribbon Experience,’ highlights Show,” Klaus explains. “The show our friends.” what the Farm Show is,” noted belongs to all of us, so I decided to do The Starr and Gable stories are among Redding, a member of Adams Electric a profile of each county and zero in on dozens of recollections interspersed with Cooperative. “It’s an experience. One one Farm Show business or family in Farm Show history. filled with memories — individual and each county.” The first Farm Show was held Kenneth Starr, owner of Starr Hill collective memories.” in 1917, and while it was similar to Winery and Vineyard, Curwensville, In an effort to convey the essence of today’s celebration, there are also many represents Clearfield County in the the Farm Show and what it has meant differences. Back then, 41 percent of the history book. A member of United to the state over the past century, the Commonwealth’s residents were directly Electric Cooperative, Starr’s Farm Show Pennsylvania Farm Show Foundation involved in agriculture production. Today, history began in 2007 with its first wine hired Mary Klaus, a reporter who has only 2 percent of Pennsylvanians have booth. Saying he’s not sure how he was covered 37 years of the show for various that direct connection. selected to be featured in the book, Starr media outlets, to compile a history of the “The first show was held in a farm theorizes perhaps it’s because they won nation’s largest indoor agricultural event. implement building at 10th and Market the Governor’s Cup in 2015 with a wine The result is “Hold Your Horses! The

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RURAL ELECTRIFICATION: Staff from the Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association worked with staff from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture to create the “Pennsylvania Rural Electrification Wall” for the Farm Show. The wall tells the story of rural electrification from the days when rural Pennsylvanians did not have access to electricity through the construction of the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station and the Raystown Hydroelectric Project, both of which provide power to electric cooperative members today.

TRIBUTE TO AGRICULTURE: Created by Jim Victor and Marie Pelton, the Farm Show’s traditional butter sculpture — this year made from more than 1,000 pounds of butter donated by Land O’Lakes — pays tribute to the 100th Farm Show and the state’s agriculture industry. After the Farm Show, the sculpture was taken to a Juniata County dairy farm to be put through a methane digester, where it will be converted to renewable energy for the farm.

OPENING REMARKS: Gov. Tom Wolf opens the 100th Pennsylvania Farm Show on Jan. 9. Opening ceremonies included a parade of farm equipment, featuring early horse-drawn machines through the latest in modern farm tractors.

more than 10,000 competitive exhibits and nearly 300 commercial exhibitors in the Farm Show’s 11 halls and three arenas — a 24-acre area, all under roof. Attendance at the Farm Show is free, so it’s impossible to accurately determine the number of attendees, but officials usually estimate the crowd at around 500,000 for the eight-day event. “Hold Your Horses! The Pennsylvania Farm Show at 100” is full of interesting stories about the Farm Show, along with some obscure facts Klaus uncovered in her research. “My book is full of stories of regular people,” she says. “I wanted readers to smile. The Farm Show isn’t stuffy; it’s us, all of us.” Copies of the book can be purchased by going online at www. pafarmshowbook.com. l

Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture

streets in Harrisburg,” Klaus explains. “There were 44 farm machinery manufacturers and 440 competitive exhibits. Five thousand people came.” By the late 1920s, the Farm Show was so popular that it had expanded to multiple locations, including farms, schools and churches.

“In 1928, then-Gov. John Fisher visited all of the locations, and then said this was something that needed to be held in one location, and he asked the state legislature to fund that location,” Klaus says. The current location at Cameron and Maclay streets in Harrisburg, previously the location for a Civil War training camp, a pasture for cattle owned by the state hospital and a county fair site, was selected because it was state-owned land, according to Klaus. The first show held there opened on Gov. Fisher’s final day in office in 1931. As World War II geared up, the military leased half of the complex for their purposes, holding classes and repairing planes there. The Farm Show was back in charge of the entire complex by 1947, and it has remained there with various additions through the years. While less of the population is directly connected to the agriculture industry than in 1917, the Farm Show has only grown in popularity. Often billed as the largest indoor agriculture event in America, today’s Farm Show features

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True blue

Showcasing talent at Farm Show By Kathy Hackleman It’s that time — the Pennsylvania Farm Show winners have been named and this year’s champs are entitled to an extra measure of fame. As one contestant put it, “Who wouldn’t want to win at the 100th Farm Show?” For some participants, winning a blue ribbon is so familiar, it’s almost expected. Tracy Peters, of Peters Orchards, Gardners, says her family’s business has been known to bring home several dozen first-place ribbons from one Farm Show, and 2016 was no exception. As usual, their highest placing entries were apples and pears, and this year, Peters Orchard won its first blue ribbon in the roadside display category. Peters Orchards, a member of Adams Electric Cooperative, has a number of orchards where the WINNERS: Representatives of Heart Felt Farms, from left, herdsman Kyle Fleener, owner family raises almost every fruit and vegetable that Annette Delaplaine, employee Ethan Whiteside and exhibitor Emilie Campbell, are regulars in will grow in Pennsylvania. In business since 1870, the winner’s circle at the Farm Show. This year, cattle bred at the Adams County farm capthey also operate retail and wholesale markets. tured one supreme championship, four grand championships and one class championship. Their trick to winning so many first-place ribbons? “It’s knowing what a perfect specimen looks like and holdeveryone looks forward to their first Farm Show blue ribbon ing those back in cold storage,” Peters explains. in a new category. Lori Sollenberger, owner/operator of HidAnnette Delaplaine, owner of Heart Felt Farms, Gettysburg, den Hills Dairy near Everett, has numerous Farm Show blue is another regular in the winner’s circle since she began exhibribbons for her dairy cattle, but her first blue ribbon in the iting about 20 years ago. Also a member of Adams Electric cheese competition was awarded in 2015. Cooperative, Heart Felt Farms entered During the Farm Show’s first cheese nine beef cattle in the 100th anniversary competition, she won a blue ribbon Farm Show. Cattle bred at the farm capfor her “Allegheny” in the “Swiss and tured one supreme championship (top Alpine style from cow’s milk” class. In honor), four grand championships and a 2016, the Bedford Rural Electric Coopclass championship. In addition to showerative member entered in two categoing cattle, Delaplaine also manned the ries, but this year’s competition proved Heart Felt Livestock Supply trailer in the too stiff to bring home a centennial blue Northwest Hall, selling show supplies for ribbon. the third year. “It’s not as exciting when you don’t As exciting as it is to stand in the winwin,” Sollenberger admits, “because it is ner’s circle, Delaplaine emphasizes that a nice marketing tool to be able to say it is just as exciting to be able to tell the that I have an award-winning cheese, story of Pennsylvania agriculture. especially with a new customer who “The Farm Show educates people may not be familiar with our cheeses. about where their meat comes from, But it’s also important to participate in and it is a live demonstration of how we the Farm Show as a way to support the take care of our livestock very well,” entire Pennsylvania cheese community Delaplaine explains. “It also brings in as we try to showcase our cheeses and people who never see farm animals anygrow our craft. The Farm Show is an Another FIRST: Although they are regular where else, so it’s an excellent agriculexcellent way to connect with consumFarm Show blue-ribbon winners in multiple fruit tural public relations effort.” ers and grow awareness of the increasing and vegetable categories, Peters Orchards, The Peters and Delaplaine families are Gardners, captured first place in the roadside availability and quality of Pennsylvaold hands at dominating their classes, but display category for the first time in 2016. nia-made cheeses.” l

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powerplants

Hard-working plants By George Weigel

That didn’t used to be high on most radars back when snow and ice blanketed the ground from December through March. But with stretches of non-white happening more often, winter barrenness is increasingly noticeable. A lot of yards also have boring spells during the growing season. One reason is that we tend to load up on “two-week wonders” that shine briefly, then go back to monotony the other 50 weeks. Especially popular are spring-peaking two-week wonders, such as forsythia, azalea, peony, rhododendron and lilac. Your average homeowner figures gardening is a spring thing, and since those are the plants that look best when we’re shopping, that’s what we buy. One antidote is to shop at different times. Go back to the garden center in summer, fall or any time your yard hits a dull zone to see what’s peaking. Or visit nearby public gardens or notice what garden-savvy neighbors have to get ideas. Just planting more plants in general will help. The added diversity will bring you more multi-season interest ... and benefit pollinators and wildlife as well. Another strategy is to use plants that peak over a longer period of time or that do more than one thing in one season, such as the native oakleaf hydrangea. This 6- to 8-foot flowering shrub starts out in spring with hand-sized, oakleaf-shaped leaves, then gets showy, cone-shaped white flowers that morph into rusty pink over a 2-month period in summer, then develops deep, blood-red fall foliage, then drops its leaves to expose peeling, cinnamon-colored stems all winter.

Photo by George Weigel

hen I ask people what’s important to them as they try to upgrade their lousy landscape, the No. 1 answer is making the yard look nice all year long.

four-season wonder: Oakleaf hydrangeas have something different to offer during every season.

That’s hard-working ... and a season’s worth of changing interest in a single plant. Here are 10 more horticultural hard-workers to consider: k Dogwood. Tree types flower beautifully in spring and get rich red fall foliage and red fall fruits. Kousa dogwoods have flaking bark for winter interest, and many shrub-type dogwoods have red or golden stems in winter. k Paperbark maple. A 30-foot, slow-growing maple tree that turns brilliant red in fall and shows off cinnamon-colored peeling bark in winter. k Korean and Japanese stewartias. Sleek, slow-growing, 20-foot trees with white summer flowers, bright multi-color fall foliage and Dalmation-like flaking bark. k Spirea Mellow Yellow (“Ogon”). A 5-foot flowering shrub with finely textured, willow-like golden foliage that turns coppery in fall. Gets dainty,

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snow-white flowers in early spring. kF othergilla. A slow-growing, trouble-free, under-used, 5- to 6-foot native shrub with early-spring, white, bottle-brush flowers and eye-popping red/gold/orange fall foliage. k Viburnum. A durable family of 6- to 10-foot flowering shrubs with white spring flower clusters, rich-red fall foliage and red, gold or blue fall fruits. k Ninebark. Dark-leaf versions of this 5- to 8-foot native shrub are especially popular. But ninebarks also offer white late-spring flower clusters, then red BB-sized seed heads, then maroon to coppery fall foliage, then peeling stems for winter. k Threadleaf bluestar. A bushy, nearly 4-foot-tall native flower with blue spring flowers, fine green foliage all summer, then burnt golden foliage in fall. k Foamflowers/coralbells/foamybells. Foamflowers are shade perennials with bottle-brush flowers and cross-shaped burgundy markings in the leaves. Coralbells are rounded perennials with dainty pink, white or red flowers atop wiry stems. Foamybells are a cross of those two. All offer leaves of varying colors on 12- to 18-inch-tall plants, and most hold their leaves through most winters. k Creeping sedum “Angelina.” A drought-tough succulent that makes a 4-inch-tall evergreen mat of gold all growing season, turning orange-red over winter. Yellow late-spring flowers are a bonus. l George Weigel is a Pennsylvania Certified Horticulturist, author of two books geared to gardening in Pennsylvania, and garden columnist for The Patriot-News/Pennlive.com in Harrisburg. His website is http:// georgeweigel.net.

countrykitchen

Thank you, George! By Janette Hess

ebruary and cherries are synonymous, thanks to our legendary first president, George Washington. If little boy George had not — allegedly — cut down that cherry tree, what would we be having for dessert in February? Leftover fruitcake from the holidays? If you don’t take the time to make a pie any other time of the year, make a pledge to do so this month. And by all means, do not use pre-fabricated filling, because the filling for February Cherry Pie comes together so easily. Once you’ve tried the filling and found it to be delicious, plan to repeat the filling recipe for Cherry Almond Cobbler. Also, just for fun, mix up a batch of pretty, pink Maraschino Cherry Cupcakes. Perfect all month but especially on Valentine’s Day, these made-from-scratch cupcakes are chock-full of intensely red, intensely tasty maraschino cherries. Surely George would approve. l

February Cherry Pie 2 14 1/2-ounce cans pitted red tart pie cherries (packed in water)* 1 1/3 cups sugar 1/3 cup flour 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of salt 1/4 teaspoon almond extract Pastry for two-crust, 9-inch pie 2 tablespoons butter Red sanding sugar

*For a fuller pie, add an additional 1/2 can of cherries, drained.

Cherry Almond Cobbler 1 recipe “February Cherry Pie” filling 1/4 teaspoon almond extract 5 tablespoons cold butter, divided 1 cup flour 1 tablespoon sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup light cream (“half and half”) 1/4 cup (approximately 1 ounce) blanched almonds White sanding sugar

*If ramekins are not available, substitute an 8- by 8-inch baking dish.

Maraschino Cherry Cupcakes 1 10-ounce jar maraschino cherries (approximately 45 medium cherries in juice) 1 1/2 cups sugar 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened 2 cups (8 ounces) cake flour 2 teaspoons baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup milk 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 3 egg whites, beaten until stiff 24 cupcake liners Whipped topping or sweetened whipped cream

A trained journalist, Janette Hess focuses her writing on interesting people and interesting foods. She is a Master Food Volunteer with her local extension service and enjoys collecting, testing and sharing recipes.

Drain cherries in colander. Combine sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt in mixing bowl. Stir in well-drained cherries and almond extract. Pour into pastry-lined pie plate. Dot with butter. Cover with remaining pastry. Seal and crimp edges. Using sharp knife, cut steam slits. To prevent excessive browning of edges, cover pie with square of aluminum foil that has had a 6-inch circle cut out of the center. Lightly tuck edges of foil down over pie. Bake at 425 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes, or until crust is nicely browned. Remove foil during last 15 minutes of baking. At same time, lightly sprinkle with red sanding sugar. Serve warm or cold. Makes 8 servings. Add additional almond extract to filling. Lightly spray 8 6-ounce ramekins* or custard cups. Divide unbaked filling among ramekins. Divide 2 tablespoons butter into 8 pieces and dot each ramekin. Place ramekins on cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 5 minutes.While filling is heating, combine dry ingredients in mixing bowl. Using pastry blender or fork, cut remaining 3 tablespoons butter into dry ingredients until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add light cream; stir just until moistened. Drop by spoonfuls onto hot cherry filling. Sprinkle each spoonful of dough with almonds and coarse sanding sugar. Bake at 400 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm with ice cream, if desired. Makes 8 servings. Drain cherries, reserving juice. Count out 24 cherries, pat dry and set aside.Transfer remaining cherries to cutting board and chop fine. (This should result in approximately 1/4 cup chopped cherries.) Pat dry and set aside. In large mixing bowl, beat sugar and butter until smooth and creamy. In separate bowl, combine dry ingredients. In measuring cup, combine milk, vanilla extract and 1/4 cup maraschino cherry juice. Beat liquid ingredients and dry ingredients alternately into sugar mixture, ending with dry ingredients. In separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff. Using spatula, carefully fold egg whites and chopped cherries into batter. Spoon batter into lined cupcake tins. Press 1 maraschino cherry into batter of each cupcake. Bake at 350 degrees for 22 to 24 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center of cupcake comes out clean. (Check cupcakes during baking to make sure they are browning evenly. If not, switch racks.) Cool in tins. Just before serving, top with whipped topping or sweetened whipped cream that has been tinted pink with 1 or 2 teaspoons leftover maraschino cherry juice. Makes 24 regular-sized cupcakes.

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Attention Past Rural Electric Youth Tour Students At least two $1,000 scholarships in memory of Jody Loudenslager are available through the Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association Scholarship Trust Fund in Memory of William F. Matson for the 2016-17 college year. fill out and mail this coupon

Who is eligible? The scholarship is available to any college-bound or college student who participated in the Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association (PREA) Youth Tour. Applicants need to furnish necessary aptitude test scores, GPA and financial need information.

Dates to remember All applications and required information must be received no later than May 9, 2016. Finalists will be sent a follow-up questionnaire that must be returned by June 15, 2016. Scholarship awards will be announced at the PREA Summer Meeting in July 2016.

How to apply To receive an application, simply fill out and mail the accompanying coupon to: Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108-1266. Or visit www.prea.com/content/scholarship-opportunities.asp. If you would like to receive the application via email, please include your email address or visit our website, www.prea.com, for more information.

Jody Loudenslager, a 1995 Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association Youth Tour student from Trout Run, Pa., was among the 230 passengers killed July 17, 1996, when TWA Flight 800 exploded shortly after take-off from New York. Since Jody was committed to higher education, the scholarship was created to honor her and help Youth Tour participants with college costs.

________________________________________ Name ________________________________________ Address ________________________________________ City ________________________________________ State Zip ________________________________________ Email address ________________________________________ Name of your electric cooperative ________________________________________ Year on Youth Tour

Classified Advertisements

ISSUE MONTH AD DEADLINE April 2016 February 16 May 2016 March 18 June 2016 April 18

Penn Lines classiﬁed advertisements reach nearly 166,000 rural Pennsylvania households! Please note ads must be received by the due date to be included in the requested issue month. Ads received beyond the due date will run in the next available issue. Written notice of changes and cancellations must be received 30 days prior to the issue month. Classiﬁed ads will not be accepted by phone, fax or email. For more information please contact Vonnie Kloss at 717-233-5704. CLASSIFIED AD SUBMISSION/RATES

Please submit a clearly written or typed sheet with the following required information:

Electric co-op members: $20 per month for 30 words or less, plus 50¢ for each additional word.

o Cooperative members should please submit the mailing label from Penn Lines as proof of membership.

Non-members: $70 per month for 30 words or less, plus $1.50 for each additional word.

o Non-members should submit name, address, phone number, and email address, if applicable.

Ad in all CAPITAL letters: Add 20 percent to total cost.

o Month(s) in which the ad is to run. o Ad copy as it is to appear in the publication.

SPECIAL Headings: $5 for co-op members, $10 for non-members. Fee applies to any heading not listed under “FREE Headings”, even if the heading is already appearing in Penn Lines. For ads running a special heading in consecutive months, the fee is a onetime fee of either $5 or $10 for all consecutive insertions.

o Heading ad should appear under, or name of special heading (additional fee). See below for FREE heading options. FREE Headings: • Around the House • Business Opportunities • Employment Opportunities • Gift & Craft Ideas • Livestock & Pets • Miscellaneous

• Motor Vehicles & Boats • Nursery & Garden • Real Estate • Recipes & Food • Tools & Equipment • Vacations & Campsites • Wanted to Buy

AROUND THE HOUSE

SPECIAL OFFER — BOTH COOKBOOKS FOR $12. “Country Cooking” — $5, including postage. “Recipes Remembered” — $7, including postage. Both of these cookbooks are a collection of recipes from men and women of the electric co-ops of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Payable to: Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association, P. O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108. Write Attention: Cookbooks.

CLOCK REPAIR: If you have an antique grandfather clock, mantel clock or old pocket watch that needs restored, we can fix any timepiece. Macks Clock Repair: 814-421-7992. BUILDING SUPPLIES

STEEL ROOFING AND SIDING. Over 25 years in business. Several profiles - cut to length. 29 and 26 gauge best quality residential roofing – 40-year warranty. Also, seconds, heavy gauges, accessories, etc. Installation available. Located northwestern Pennsylvania. 814-398-4052.

FACTORY SECONDS of insulation, 4 x 8 sheets, foil back. R-Value 6.5 per inch. Great for pole buildings, garages, etc. Many thicknesses available. Also blue board insulation sheets. 814442-6032. BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

Residential and Commercial CLEANING BUSINESS FOR SALE. Over forty years in business in Central PA. Long-term clients. Over 500K gross per year. Net 100K per year. Contact www.onsiteadvertisers.com. CHURCH LIFT SYSTEMS

Make your church, business or home wheelchair accessible. We offer platform lifting systems, stair lifts, porch lifts and ramps. References. Free estimates. Get Up & Go Mobility Inc. 724-7460992 or 814-926-3622.

PAYMENT: Please make CHECK/MONEY ORDER payable to: PREA/Penn Lines. Insertion of classiﬁed ad serves as proof of publication; no proofs supplied. SEND COMPLETED AD COPY AND PAYMENT TO: Penn Lines Classiﬁeds • P.O. Box 1266 • Harrisburg, PA 17108

CONSULTING FORESTRY SERVICES

NOLL’S FORESTRY SERVICES, INC. performs Timber Marketing, Timber Appraisals, Forest Management Planning, and Forest Improvement Work. FREE Timber Land Recommendations. 30 years experience. Call 814-472-8560.

CENTRE FOREST RESOURCES. Forest Management Services, Wildlife Habitat Management, Timber Sales, Appraisals. College educated, professional, ethical foresters working for you. FREE Timber Consultation. 814-5717130. CRANE SERVICE

NEED A LIFT? Crane service for all your lifting needs. Experienced, fully insured, OwnerOperated and OSHA Certified. Precision Crane LLC, Linesville, PA 814-282-9133. ELECTRIC MOTORS

FARM, COMMERICAL, INDUSTRIAL, NEW AND USED MOTOR SALES. Complete repair facility with over 30 years experience. Most sizes in stock. Emergency repair available. Ludwig Electric LLC. 814-948-4471. FINANCIAL FREEDOM

DO YOU NEED CASH NOW? No buying - No selling - No boss. Computer needed. Jim Vargo 314-614-6039. www.smileyougotcash.com. FISHING SHOW

1st Annual FISHING SHOW/FLEA MARKET. Heidlersburg Fire Company, Gettysburg, Pa. February 27-28, 2016. Accepting vendors. Fresh/ salt water gear, displays, charters. Call Earl 717253-4175 or Donna 717-528-7018.

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GIFT AND CRAFT IDEAS

Tired of all those medicines — Still not feeling better? Do you want to feel better, have more energy, better digestion, less joint stiffness, healthier heart/circulation and cholesterol levels? Find out how to empower your own immune system — start 1-26 today! It’s safe, affordable, and it works. Call 800-557-8477: ID#528390. 90-day money back on first time orders or call me 724-454-5586. www.mylegacyforlife.net/believeit. HEALTH INSURANCE

DO YOU HAVE THE BLUES regarding your Health Insurance? We cater to rural America’s health insurance needs. For more information, call 844-591-2797 (PA). Call us regarding Medicare supplements, too. LAWN AND GARDEN EQUIPMENT

HARRINGTONS EQUIPMENT COMPANY, 475 Orchard Rd., Fairfield, PA 17320. 717-642-6001 or 410-756-2506. Lawn & Garden equipment, Sales – Service – Parts. www.HarringtonsEquipment.com. LIVESTOCK AND PETS

PEMBROKE WELSH CORGI Puppies — AKC, adorable, intelligent, highly trainable. Excellent family choice. Reputable licensed breeder guaranteed “Last breed you’ll ever own.” 814587-3449.

Classified Advertisements Classified Advertisements BEAUTIFUL ALPACA and also agora goat yarn. Some wool added. Various weights and colors. All from our own animals. No synthetics. Call Sue Graver at 717-487-0785.

NIGERIAN DWARF GOATS. These are small dairy goats. Beautiful and friendly. Now taking reservations for 2016 babies, both doelings and bucklings. Please call Sue Graver at 717-4870785. LOG CABIN RESTORATIONS

VILLAGE RESTORATIONS & CONSULTING specializes in 17th and 18th century log, stone and timber structures. We dismantle, move, re-erect, restore, construct and consult all over the country. Period building materials available. Thirty years experience, fully insured. Call 814-6961379. www.villagerestorations.com. MISCELLANEOUS

BECOME AN ORDAINED MINISTER — Correspondence Study. The harvest truly is great, the laborers are few, Luke 10:2. Free information. Ministers for Christ Outreach, 7558 West Thunderbird Rd., Ste. 1 - #114, Peoria, Arizona 85381. www.ordination.org.

RECIPES AND FOOD

USED PORTABLE Sawmills and COMMERCIAL Sawmill equipment! Buy/Sell. Call Sawmill Exchange 800-459-2148. USA and Canada. www.sawmillexchange.com. SHAKLEE

FREE SAMPLE Shaklee’s Energy Tea. Combination red, green and white teas that are natural, delicious, refreshing, safe. For sample or more information on tea or other Shaklee Nutrition/ Weight Loss Products: 800-403-3381 or www.sbarton.myshaklee.com. TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

FOR SALE: Buckets, forks, thumbs, grapple buckets and pallet forks for skid loaders, backhoes and excavators. Tires for backhoes, rubber tire loaders and excavators also. Call 814-329-0118.

FOR SALE: Like new Erskine Rotary Snow Blower. Front mounted Quick-A-Tach needs 65+hp tractor $7,500. Call 724-331-1512.

MOTORCYCLE-SNOWMOBILE INSURANCE

TRACTOR PARTS – REPAIR/RESTORATION

For the best INSURANCE RATES call R & R Insurance Associates from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 800442-6832 (PA).

ARTHURS TRACTORS, specializing in vintage Ford tractors, 30-years experience, online parts catalog/ prices, Indiana, PA 15701. Contact us at 877254-FORD (3673) or www.arthurstractors.com.

PENNSYLVANIA HUNTING LAND WANTED

OUR HUNTERS WILL PAY TOP $$$ to hunt your land. Call for a free base camp leasing info packet and quote. 866-309-1507. www.BaseCampLeasing.com. REAL ESTATE

BEAUTIFUL LODGE WITH 78 ACRES next to Blue Knob State Park. Two bedroom, great hunting, near ski area. Five miles from interstate 99. Call 814404-4662 or email: bknisel@comcast.net. HUSTONTOWN, PA - Two bedroom, one bath house with detached garage on TEN ACRES. Ideal starter home (Forbes Road School District) or hunting cabin. Wildlife is abundant plus PA game lands minutes away. A little TLC is needed. For more information, call 717-658-7835.

VACATIONS AND CAMPSITES

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Florida condo rental. Two bedrooms, two baths, pool, 200 yards from beach. NA February. No pets. $500 weekly, $1,800 monthly. Call 814-635-4020. HUNTING/SNOWMOBILE Camp in Tioga County near Watrous includes one acre of land. Drive Snowmobile directly from camp to hundreds of miles of trails. Close to Grand Canyon. $45,000. Call 814-515-7578 Roland.

RAYSTOWN VACATION House Rental. Sleeps 11, four bedrooms, table for 12, 2 Satellite TVs, 2 flbaths, 2 hfbaths, linens/towels provided, boat parking. Mile from boat launch. Call 814-9316562. Visit www.laurelwoodsretreat.com.

TIOGA COUNTY, Gaines Township, 3.902 acres mountain property, 1 1/2 story home, 1,713 sf, glass front, 468.38 sf deck, cathedral ceilings, balcony, LR/DR, kitchen, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, laundry area, 4 LP heaters, wood stove, 4-car garage, security system, water cond., 52” crawl space, tool/wood shed, heated work shop 16x24, attached bay 44x24, $195,000, 814-435-3547, shooting range. PEACEFUL PLACE in the country — Lake and gamelands access, 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths, 3-car garage. Year round or seasonal. Highland Lake, Warren Center, PA. 570-637-1459 Patricia Them.

NEARLY NEW Home for sale, Custards, PA. All stainless steel kitchen appliances, many extras, low utilities, very good condition. Telephone 863-4505380 or 863-430-4613.

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Keeping Current (continued from page 4) Information and applications to participate can be downloaded from the agency’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us), by putting your cursor over “Hunt/Trap” in the menu bar at the top of the homepage, then clicking on “Hunting” in the drop-down menu listing, then selecting “Pheasant” in the “Small Game” listing, and then clicking on “Cooperating Sportsmen’s Clubs Pheasant Chick Program.”

Organizations to survey farm operators about watershed protection Working together, several agricultural and governmental organizations have developed a survey that will ask farm operators to document their conservation practices relating to water quality and soil health in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. More than half of the state’s land area drains to the bay, and the Susquehanna River is the bay’s largest tributary. “Pennsylvania agriculture has done much to improve water quality in our local rivers and streams and the Chesapeake Bay,” says Matthew Royer, director of the Agriculture and Environment Center in Penn State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences. “Yet that positive story often is not told. We want to give farmers in the bay watershed a chance to tell that story.” The survey will be administered by the Penn State Survey Research Center, which is mailing a letter to farmers in the watershed seeking their participation. Penn State University College of Agricultural Sciences researchers will analyze the survey responses, and cumulative results will be provided to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to document the practices farmers have adopted to conserve soil and water and to protect water quality. Survey responses will be kept confidential and will not be associated with farm operators’ names or locations. Results will be provided in summary form. Participants are asked to submit their responses by April 30. l 23

timelines

Your Newsmagazine Through the Years

1986

The federal government offers tax credits to consumers who make their homes more energy efficient.

enn Lines presents a special report on radon, a naturally occurring, clear, odorless, radioactive gas that can infiltrate homes and other structures through cracks in basements, around concrete slabs or through water discharged from faucets and showerheads. Exposure to the gas, which you canâ€™t see or smell, can cause lung cancer. Radon testing is the only way to determine if the gas is present in a structure. Pennsylvaniaâ€™s two U.S. senators, along with six other senators representing both Republicans and Democrats, formed a Radon Task Force to study radon contamination in homes. The group obtained a $3 million grant to research indoor air pollution, with half of that directed at radon research. The task force is charged with analyzing the extent of the radon problem in Pennsylvania and elsewhere, and providing homeowners with federal guidelines to determine the safety and wisdom of remaining in their homes if they have radon infiltration. To illustrate the scope of the problem, Pennsylvaniaâ€™s U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter visits a home in Boyertown, Pa., that recorded the highest indoor level of radon to date.

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2006

1996 A rural electric cooperative employee is ready to perform an energy audit for a cooperative member.

A member of several covered bridge societies compiles an album with photos of thousands of the historic structures.

1976

techtrends

Residential lighting goes high-tech By Brian Sloboda

ntil recently, homes were lit with a single technology — incandescent lamps. This is the bulb that generations of Americans learned by, lived by — and even ate by. But those days are long gone.

Over the past 20 years, electric co-ops have promoted efficient lighting by adding CFLs to the mix. In 2012, about 30 percent of U.S. residential sockets were filled with CFLs, with incandescents making up the remaining 70 percent. Today, LED bulbs and fixtures are increasingly preferred in many residential and commercial applications for their efficiency, quality of light and compatibility with automatic controls. Changes to federal lighting standards went into effect for incandescent bulbs in 2007, when Congress passed and President George W. Bush signed the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA), which included provisions to reduce the energy use of everyday lightbulbs. At the same time, through industry efforts and government investment, LEDs dramatically improved in performance and dropped in price, making them appealing options for many applications. In the first quarter of 2015, traditional incandescents accounted for just 9 percent of the market share in household lighting. EISA-compliant halogen incandescent replacements made up more than 44 percent of the market, with CFLs at 40 percent. And although the percentage of LED sales has increased dramatically over the last year, they made up just over 6 percent of the market share in the first quarter of 2015.

LED USE INCREASES: Sales of LED bulbs increased dramatically in 2015, and they now make up over 6 percent of the market share of household lighting.

LEDs offer features beyond energy efficiency. Some LEDs are part of a system that allows the user to turn off lamps — or even change their color — via a smartphone app. This makes the LED lamp more of a consumer electronic than just a lightbulb. LEDs are essentially computer chips, so they are more difficult to produce than incandescent bulbs. This is one product where cheaper versions often produce a life span and color that is not what the consumer

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wants. Higher quality LEDs from reputable brands — such as GE, Philips, Cree and Sylvania to name a few — have tested well. However, some fixtures inside the home do not work well with LEDs. Consumers with older dimmer switches often find that they must purchase newer switches to work with the LEDs. Consumers should pick LED lamps that come with a solid warranty in case there is a problem with quality. What’s next? While LEDs are still on the cusp of becoming our everyday lighting, there are other technologies in development. Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLEDs) are similar to LEDs in that they are solid-state devices that produce light when current passes through them. But unlike LEDs, they are made up of multiple, organic semi-conductive layers that produce diffused light. OLEDs are extremely thin and flexible, which has enabled them to be effectively used in displays, like mobile phone screens and TVs. Manufacturers are developing OLED lighting as well — primarily for decorative architectural panels at this point, although some OLED lamps are available today. It appears that the age of the LED has begun. They are shatter resistant and have a long life. And yes, some even come with their own app. l Brian Sloboda is a program manager specializing in energy efficiency for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. Laura Moorefield contributed to this article. She consults for utilities, state and federal governments, and non-profits on energy efficiency, renewables, and program design. Moorefield also founded the Moorefield Research & Consulting, LLC firm in 2013.

punchlines

Food for thought By Earl Pitts, American

oday I want to talk about eating. First off, let’s talk about proper redneck manners at the all-you-can-eat buffet. I got to thinking about this because I heard some people talking about how they freak out if their food touches — touches another food on their own plate!

I thought that was pretty funny. And I also thought that sounds like a skinny person’s problem to me. Us rednecks, we spend enough time at buffets, church socials and tailgates, that having our food touching each other ain’t a problem for us. OK, here’s the thing. I don’t know if anybody else noticed this, but them allyou-can-eat buffet places, they got little plates. Their advertising says “all-youcan-eat,” but their plates say, “that ain’t gonna happen.” So right away, your all-you-can-eat customer has got three choices. Eat less than all-you-can-eat. Make several trips through the buffet line. Or stack up. Rednecks like to stack up. You know you’re behind a redneck in line when he’s holding his plate with two hands ‘cause it’s top-heavy. Here’s another all-you-can-eat buffet place trick. They promise you all-youcan-eat, but you got to pass the salad section first. Which is empty calories in my book. I mean, there’s spare ribs and fried chicken somewhere down the line with my name on them, and I aim to get to them. Now here’s the red-blooded, regular American stack-up trick to getting a well-balanced meal at the buffet. You do the buffet line in reverse direction — like

a salmon swimming upstream to spawn. First, you put down a layer of meat loaf, spare ribs and fried chicken. Then your second layer is your taters. Then your gravy and your corn and beans. Then you put the salad on top of that. When you do this, the salad is light so the plate ain’t top-heavy. And when you start eating, your salad’s on top. You eat that first, like a proper meal. One cubic foot of food. Wake up, America. The last time we went to the buffet, Pearl says, “Earl, are your mashed taters bleeding?” And I go, “No, my beets were sitting on top of them.” It’s an interesting flavor.

ast weekend was gonna be our covered dish brunch after Sunday services, and my better half, Pearl, thought she would bring pudding in a cloud. On account of, get this, to her, the cloud is kind of like heaven, and the pudding is kind of like all the good people up there. I had no idea, but pudding in a cloud is apparently a very religious dessert. Anyways, come Sunday morning, she realizes she forgot to buy the boxes of pudding. Duh! Yeah, pudding is also my nickname for her brain. So we ended up stopping and getting donuts and milk. All they had was a gallon of whole milk.

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Not that 2 percent stuff I have been drinking for more than 40 years. Actual vitamin D whole milk. Wow! And let me just say, ladies and gentlemen, this is the Cadillac of your milks. It pours thicker than Dutch Boy paint, and smoother than Don Williams’ voice. This is milk that will tenderly caress every corn flake in your bowl. This is milk that will dance with your coffee. This is milk the way cows intended. Suddenly drinking whole milk is like switching from bargain brand to quilted toilet paper. It’s like you spent your whole life denying yourself a luxurious experience. So that’s the story of my life. I have decided I am old enough that I’m not cutting back on luxury no more. I’m buying the good toilet paper, the good razors and the good milk. I figure why drink 2 percent milk when they sell 100 percent? The way I look at it is, that’s 98 percent more milk in the same-sized jug. Or maybe it just tastes like it. l Social commentary from Earl Pitts — a.k.a. Gary Bur bank, a nationally syndicated radio personality — can be heard on the following radio stations that cover electric cooperative service territories in Pennsylvania: WANBFM 103.1 Pittsburgh; WARM-AM 590 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton; WIOO-AM 1000 Carlisle; WEEO-AM 1480 Shippensburg; WMTZ-FM 96.5 Johnstown; WQBR-FM 99.9/92.7 McElhattan; WLMI-FM 103.9 Kane; and WVNW-FM 96.7 Burnham-Lewistown. You can also find him at earlpittsamerican.com.

ruralreflections

earer Mary Lou Sh REA Energy

John Watson United EC Molly Deneen Bedford REC

More favorite photos

W das James R. Mad EC R t se er m o S

e featured winners of the 2015 Rural Reflections contest in January and awarded each of the photographers $75. This month, we present the 2015 runners-up, each of whom wins $25. Amateur photographers are encouraged to send photos to Penn Lines Photos, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg PA 17108-1266. Include name, address, phone number and the name of your electric cooperative. Winners will be named in five categories: artistic, landscape, human, animal, and editorâ€™s choice. Please send spring photos by March; summer photos by May; fall photos by July and winter photos by September. 2016 photos will be returned in early 2017 if you include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. l

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