Penn Lines March 2015

MARCH 2015

Seeking

Azilum Pennsylvania’s French connection

PLUS Efficient indoor lighting March favorites Not so mournful

HARBOR FREIGHT QUALITY TOOLS AT RIDICULOUSLY LOW PRICES

How Does Harbor Freight Sell GREAT QUALITY Tools at the LOWEST Prices?

SUPER COUPON

We have invested millions of dollars in our own state-of-the-art quality test labs and millions more in our factories, so our tools will go toe-to-toe with the top professional brands. And we can sell them for a fraction of the price because we cut out the middle man and pass the savings on to you. It’s just that simple! Come visit one of our 550 Stores Nationwide.

R !

PE ON SU UP CO

3 GALLON, 100 PSI OILLESS PANCAKE AIR COMPRESSOR Item 95275 shown

$

SAVE 50%

8750 PEAK/ 7000 RUNNING WATTS) 13 HP (420 CC Item 69671 shown GAS GENERATORS

7 FUNCTION DIGITAL MULTIMETER ITEM 90899 98025/69096

R !

PE ON SU UP CO

270

t be used with other discoun s last. calling 800-423-2567. Cannot or HarborFreight.com or bypurchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplie per day.

LIMIT 4 - Good at our stores one coupon per customer es after 30 days from original or coupon or prior purchascoupon must be presented. Valid through 7/15/15. Limit Non-transferable. Original

R !

PE ON SU UP CO

MOVER'S DOLLY

LOT NO. 93888/60497 61899/62399

• 1000 lb. Capacity

R !

PE ON SU UP CO

METRIC

YOUR CHOICE!

5

REG. $ 99 $14PRICE .99

LIMIT 9 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last.

Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 7/15/15. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

R !

PE ON SU UP CO

8

1.5 HP ELECTRIC POLE SAW

SAVE $35

SAVE

54%

$15 $

Includes one 18V NiCd battery and charger.

• Extends from 6 ft. to 8 ft. 10"

REG. PRICE $14.99

18 VOLT CORDLESS 3/8" DRILL/DRIVER WITH KEYLESS CHUCK

99

LOT NO. 68239/69651 Item 68239 shown

PRICE 99 REG.$34.9 9

22

t be used with other discoun s last. calling 800-423-2567. Cannot or HarborFreight.com or bypurchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplie per day.

LIMIT 5 - Good at our stores one coupon per customer es after 30 days from original or coupon or prior purchascoupon must be presented. Valid through 7/15/15. Limit l Origina le. nsferab Non-tra

• 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed • Over 25 Million Satisfied Customers

2

LOT NO. 42305/69044

$

64

REG. 99 PRICE $99.99

LIMIT 3 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last.

Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 7/15/15. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

R !

PE ON SU UP CO

SAVE $300

12,000 LB. ELECTRIC WINCH WITH REMOTE CONTROL AND AUTOMATIC BRAKE

299

REG. PRICE $599.99

LIMIT 3 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last.

Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 7/15/15. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

• No Hassle Return Policy • Lifetime Warranty On All Hand Tools

REG. PRICE $279.99

SAVE $85

Item

68048 RAPID PUMP® shown 3 TON HEAVY DUTY STEEL FLOOR JACK

$

7499

• Weighs 74 lbs.

REG. PRICE $159.99 LIMIT 3 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last.

Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 7/15/15. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

R !

PE ON SU UP CO SAVE $ 145

20 TON SHOP PRESS LOT NO. 32879 60603

• Pair of Arbor Plates Included

Item 60603 shown

$15499 199 $

99

REG. PRICE $299.99

t be used with other discoun s last. calling 800-423-2567. Cannot or HarborFreight.com or bypurchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplie per day.

LIMIT 3 - Good at our stores one coupon per customer es after 30 days from original or coupon or prior purchascoupon must be presented. Valid through 7/15/15. Limit l Origina le. nsferab Non-tra

R ! Not for PE ON overhead lifting.

SU UP CO

3/8" x 14 FT. GRADE 43 TOWING CHAIN Item 97711 shown

LOT NO. 97711/60658

19

Item 68142 shown

99

9999

R !

PE ON SU UP LOT NO. 68048/69227/62116 CO

LOT NO. 68142/61256 60813/61889

$

Item 95659 shown

• 580 lb. Capacity

LIMIT 5 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last.

Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 7/15/15. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

LOT NO. 68862

$ 99

LIMIT 6 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last.

Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 7/15/15. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

REG. SAVE $ 99 PRICE $180 $ $7.99

SAE

Item 42304 shown

Item 93888 shown

SAVE 40%

– Truckin' Magazine

LOT NO. 42304/69043

REG. PRICE $799.99

LOT NO. 95659 61634/61952

WINNER

Item 67227 shown

9 PIECE FULLY POLISHED COMBINATION WRENCH SETS

SAVE 60%

$52999 $59999

26", 4 DRAWER TOOL CART

69567/60566/62532

LIMIT 7 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last.

Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 7/15/15. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

R !

PE ON SU UP CO

LIMIT 1 - Cannot be used with other discount, coupon or prior purchase. Coupon good at our stores, HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Offer good while supplies last. Shipping & Handling charges may apply if not picked up in-store. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 7/15/15. Limit one FREE GIFT coupon per customer per day.

R !

PE ON SU UP LOT NO. 67227 CO

Requires three AAA batteries (included).

99

VALUE

27 LED PORTABLE WORKLIGHT/FLASHLIGHT

SAVE 62%

Item 90899 shown

$

ANY SINGLE ITEM

LIMIT 1 - Save 20% on any one item purchased at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. *Cannot be used with other discount, coupon, gift cards, Inside Track Club membership, extended service plans or on any of the following: compressors, generators, tool storage or carts, welders, floor jacks, Towable Ride-On Trencher, Saw Mill (Item 61712/62366/67138), Predator Gas Power Items, open box items, in-store event or parking lot sale items. Not valid on prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase date with original receipt. Non-transferable.

Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 7/15/15. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

LOT NO. 68530/69671 LOT NO. 68525/69677 CALIFORNIA ONLY

SAVE

$

WITH ANY PURCHASE

REG. PRICE $79.99

LIMIT 5 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last.

Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 7/15/15. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

R !

SUPERT QUIE PE ON U P S U Level Noise dB • 76 CO

FREE 20% OFF 14

LOT NO. 95275 60637/69486/61615

3999

SUPER COUPON

SAVE $ 99 55% REG. PRICE $44.99 • 5400 lb.

Capacity LIMIT 4 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last.

Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 7/15/15. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

• 550 Stores Nationwide • HarborFreight.com 800-423-2567

MARCH Vol. 50 • No. 3 Peter A. Fitzgerald ED I TO R

Katherine Hackleman S E NI O R E D I TO R / W R I TE R

James Dulley Janette Hess Barbara Martin Marcus Schneck

4

CO N T R I B U T I N G CO L U MN I S TS

6

KEEPING CURRENT News items from across the Commonwealth

W. Douglas Shirk

E N E R G Y M AT T E R S

Efficiency upgrades that make sense

L AY O UT & D ES I G N

Vonnie Kloss A DV E R T I S I NG & C I R CU L AT I O N

Michelle M. Smith M E D I A & M A R K E T I N G S PE CI A L I ST

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 consumermembers understand issues that affect the electric cooperative program, their local coops, and their quality of life. Electric co-ops are not-for-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.

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.

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.

8

8

F E AT U R E

Seeking Azilum Pennsylvania’s French connection

14

TIME LINES Your newsmagazine through the years

14A C O O P E R AT I V E

24

CO N N ECT I O N

Information and advice from your local electric cooperative

18

POWER PLANTS

Making my list and checking it twice 21

SMART CIRCUITS

Efficient indoor lighting for your home 22

CLASSIFIEDS

24

COUNTRY KITCHEN

25

March favorites 25

OUT D OOR A DV ENT UR ES

Not so mournful 26

PUNCH LINES

Thoughts from Earl Pitts– Uhmerikun!

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 © 2015 Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association.

All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.

Earl contemplates ways to die

27

RURAL REFLECTIONS

Is it spring yet?

27 O N T H E COV E R

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.

From the Marie Antoinette Scenic Overlook on Route 6 in Bradford County, visitors can see the entire 1,600-acre site originally planned in the late 1700s as French Azilum, a settlement for French refugees fleeing their country’s revolution.

Photo by Kathy Hackleman

MARCH 2015 • PENN

LINES

3

KEEPINGcurrent Somerset County maple producers are hosting a “Maple Weekend Taste & Tour” from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 14 and 15. The event will include free tours and samples of maple products. Maple products will be available for purchase.

The Somerset Historical Center, 10649 Somerset Pike, Somerset, Pa., will be open with maple exhibits and displays marking the history of Somerset County maple sugaring. Demonstrations will include tapping, collecting, boiling and making maple sugar products, along with costumed re-enactments of historical maple sugaring scenes, crafts, and special activities for kids.

Tour sites locations include: k Baer Bros. Maple Camp, 234 Sugar Cake Road, Somerset, Pa. k Walnutdale Maple Farms, 287 Walnutdale Lane, Boswell, Pa. k Buffalo Creek Sugar Camp, 584 Crossroad School Road, Garrett, Pa. k Holler-Hills Maple, 185 Faidley Road, Markleton, Pa.

PENNSYLVANIA GAME COMMISSION

Somerset County celebrates taste of maple

POPULAR PAIR: The Pennsylvania Game Commission is providing a live video stream from this bald eagle nest at Codorus State Park in York County with the hope that watchers will get to observe the pair of eagles raise a family this spring. A similar live stream of an eagle’s nest near Pittsburgh last year drew nearly 3 million viewers from around the world. To view the eagle cam, go to the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s website, www.pgc.state.pa.us, and click on the eagle cam icon near the top of the page.

k Emerick’s Pure Maple Products, 180 Ridge Road, Hyndman, Pa. k Sechler Sugar Shack, 7758 Kingwood Road, Confluence, Pa.

Penn Lines approaches 50 In 2016, Penn Lines will be observing its 50th anniversary. To celebrate the occasion, we plan to take a look back at the past half-century of your cooperative magazine — and we need your help.

We’d like to hear from you about Penn Lines. Please share your thoughts about the magazine, what it’s meant to you over the years, and what you’d like to see for the next 50 years. We invite your comments, memories of past favorite articles or photographs, or any suggestions you may have.

Please send your thoughts and suggestions by email to editor@prea.com or by mail to Penn Lines Editor, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108-1266.

THROUGH THE YEARS:

4

PENN

Penn Lines cover designs have evolved over the past five decades.

LINES • MARCH 2015

k Milroy Farms, 1724 River Road, Salisbury, Pa. k Paul Bunyan’s Maple Syrup, 793 Gebhart Road, Rockwood, Pa. k Hillegas Sugar Camp, 538 Dividing Ridge Road, Fairhope, Pa. k Arnold’s Sugar Camp, 3861 Waterlevel Road, Rockwood, Pa. k Lemmon Bros. Farms Sugar Camp, 242 Lemmon Road, Markleton, Pa. For more information about the Somerset County Maple Producers Association, check online at www.somersetcountymaple.org.

Private Forest Landowner Conference set The Center for Private Forests at Penn State University, along with a number of partners, has scheduled the second Pennsylvania Private Forest Landowner Conference to provide private woodland owners in Pennsylvania with resources that will help them care for their lands.

The conference is scheduled for 8 a.m. (continues on page 16)

N In ot St So or ld es

Sweet Nostalgia for Your Kitchen!

12 inches high!

Cookie Jar

Features the nostalgic imagery of Charles Freitag

Durable stoneware cookie jar is shaped like an old-fashioned milk pail

Genuine Farmall logo and a sculpted Farmall Model M tractor decorate the lift-off lid

Food-safe with freshness seal ©2014 Charles Freitag

© 2014 CNH America LLC

Shown smaller than actual size of 12"H x 6.25"W

Model “M” Goodness in a Farm Fresh Cookie Jar Very strong demand is expected for this sweetly nostalgic Farmall Cookie Jar shaped like an old time milk pail and featuring the classic artwork of Charles Freitag. Act now to obtain your limited edition in four convenient installments of $24.99, for a total issue price of $99.95*, backed by The Bradford Exchange 365-day money-back guarantee. Send no money now. Don’t risk disappointment. Return the Reservation Application today!

www.bradfordexchange.com/farmcookie ©2014 BGE

01-18774-001-BIU

RESERVATION APPLICATION

SEND NO MONEY NOW

9345 Milwaukee Avenue · Niles, IL 60714-1393

YES.

Please reserve the Farmall Cookie Jar for me as described in this announcement.

Limit: one per order.

Please Respond Promptly Mrs. Mr. Ms. Name (Please Print Clearly)

Address City State

Zip

01-18774-001-E66191 *Plus $14.99 shipping and service. Limited-edition presentation restricted to 95 firing days. Please allow 4-8 weeks after initial payment for shipment. Sales subject to product availability and order acceptance.

ENERGYmatters Efficiency upgrades that make sense

By B r i a n S l o b o da

WHEN IT comes to energy efficiency, there are two ways to measure improvements. The first is the payback period.

This is the amount of time that the improvement will pay for itself.

The second is comfort. Improvements can often increase the comfort level of a home. This is not easy to measure, but it is one of the driving forces behind home weatherization efforts. There are several areas of the home that can be improved easily, without breaking your budget.

Lighting In recent months, the price of LED lamps for residential consumers has steadily declined — 60-watt (W) LED lamps can be purchased at many big box retailers for $10 or less. LEDs can save 60 percent or more when compared to incandescent bulbs — and last for several years.

It should be noted that care should be taken when selecting a bulb for a fix-

As the research and development arm of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, CRN pursues innovative solutions that helQ 1FOOTZM WBOJB electric cooperatives deliver safe, reliable, and affordable power to their consumer-members.

6

PENN

LINES • MARCH 2015

ture that uses a dimmer, as not all dimmers will work with LED bulbs. There are also flickering issues with poorly made LEDs.

Heating and air conditioning The Energy Information Agency estimates that heating and air conditioning account for 22 percent of a typical home’s annual electric bill. Options such as an air-source heat pump or a ground-source heat pump can be 20 to 45 percent more efficient than the existing heating or cooling system in the average home. However, the upfront cost is often a barrier to adoption.

Simple solutions such as changing air filters at least every three months will increase air flow to rooms, increase the life of the HVAC unit’s motor and improve the air quality of the home.

Sealing and insulating ductwork can be completed in a weekend and result in energy savings of up to 20 percent.

By locating and correcting air leaks, you can lessen the amount of work that heating and cooling systems need to do.

To locate leaks, walk through your home on a cold day and feel for drafts around exterior doors and windows, electric outlets and entrance points for TV and telephone cables. In basements, target dryer vents, gas lines or any place with an opening in the wall. To fix leaks, apply caulk, spray foam or weather stripping to these areas.

Simple acts, such as cooking outdoors on a hot summer day and keeping curtains closed to keep out summer sun, will keep the interior of the home cooler and reduce the amount of time air conditioning units need to operate.

Appliances and electronics The appliances and gadgets that make life easier are also the largest users of electricity in our homes. When buying a new appliance, look for the Energy Star label. This simple act can

result in 10 to 15 percent more in energy consumption savings. Some states have adopted Energy Star holidays where the sales tax is waived on the purchase of qualifying Energy Star-rated appliances.

More simple household tips to boost energy efficiency include: k Cleaning lint traps on dryers and not over-drying clothes will save energy and extend the life of your clothes. k Replacing worn refrigerator gasket doors will stop cool air from leaking from the refrigerator. k Clean refrigerator coils and keep refrigerators away from heat-generating appliances such as an oven.

Home electronics, such as computers, TVs, DVD players and other modern devices, consume power even when turned off. This phenomenon is called parasitic load, and sometimes these devices are referred to by the more playful term, “energy vampire.� According to a study conducted by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the average home loses 8 percent of its monthly energy consumption to these energy vampires. A full 75 percent of the power used to run home electronics is consumed when those appliances are turned off, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Cutting off power by using a power strip or a smart strip is the best way to stop this senseless loss of energy.

The best energy efficiency improvements are often the easiest. Turning lights off when leaving a room, sealing windows and doors, and cleaning refrigerator coils isn’t as much fun as buying a shiny new appliance. But these simple jobs are proven ways to save energy and increase comfort. l Brian Sloboda is a program manager specializing in energy efficiency for the Cooperative Research Network, a service of the Arlington, Va.-based National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

Are you in love with your home... but afraid of your stairs?

Easy Climber® is the safe, dependable and affordable way for millions to stay safe, stay independent and stay in their home.

Surveys have shown that more and more people want to live as long as possible in the home where they’ve raised their children. The key to this new American Dream is to maintain independence and to live safely and securely.

For millions of these people, there is a barrier to the life they love… the staircase. As people age, they become less able to climb stairs safely.

Going up stairs is a strain on the heart and joints and going down can be even more dangerous.

Many of them are forced to spend the day in their bedroom or their night on the couch.

Either way, half of their home is off limits.

Whether you’re concerned about a dangerous fall from the stairs or simply need a little extra help getting up and down, Easy Climber® gives you access to your entire home again... safely and affordably. It’s made by a company that’s been making lifts for over 100 years, so they’ve thought of everything.

The Easy Climber Advantage

Don’t wait for a fall to call. Your home is most likely your largest investment. Get the most out of it with Easy Climber. Call now, knowledgeable product experts are standing by to answer any questions you have.

Safety and Security Soft-touch anti-slip armrest padding Higher weight capacity Power Swivel Seat and Footrest Limited Lifetime Warranty

Flexibility Adjustable seat-height range Lower Profile on staircase

Call now toll free to find out how you can get your own Easy Climber.

Please mention promotional code 59929.

For fastest service, call 24 hours a day.

1-855-365-7338 © 2015 Aging in the Home Remodelers Inc.

55777

Quality and Simplicity

PENNlines

Seeking Azilum Pennsylvania’s French connection

By K at h y H ac k l e m a n S e n i o r E d i t o r / Wr i t e r

ONE OF the first — if not the first — planned communities in Pennsylvania now exists only in historical documents and artifacts. The Marie Antoinette Scenic Overlook along Route 6 between Wysox and Wyalusing in Bradford County provides a breathtaking bird’s-eye view of an oxbow bend in the Susquehanna River, 1,600 acres of farmland and a few farmhouses. What can’t be seen from the overlook is the community that “could have been” — the city of French Azilum.

“To accommodate refugees fleeing from the French Revolution, a small group of Pennsylvanians who were sympathetic to the plight of the exiles, and a few other French citizens who fled Santo Domingo (now Haiti) to escape uprisings related to the revolution, formed a land company and bought 1,600 acres to

ORIGINAL DISHES: These dishes, now on display at the LaPorte House at French Azilum, are original to the community that was settled by French refugees in the late 1700s.

establish a community that would be a place of refuge,” explains Danielle Lambert, site manager for French Azilum, now a state-owned, 22-acre historical site.

Originally named Asylum in reference to a place of refuge for French exiles, it was later changed to French Azilum.

Some historians believe the change was made to avoid the negative connotation associated with early-day institutions known as “mental asylums.”

Expecting a large influx of French citizens — many of them exiled aristocrats — 8

PENN

LINES • MARCH 2015

community planners mapped out an entire community on about 300 acres, complete with a two-acre market square, a gridiron pattern of broad streets and 413 residential lots. The remaining land was set aside as farmland.

“Most of the early shops and residences were fairly crude compared to what the aristocrats were used to, but the residences were impressive for the area, as most had porches and windows, and were decorated inside with wallpaper,” Lambert says. “But, the most interesting of all was ‘La Grande Maison,’ a twostory, 84-foot-by-60-foot building that many of the residents believed would eventually be the home of Marie Antoinette, the queen of France.”

That was not to be, however, as the queen, the widow of King Louis XVI, was executed in the fall of 1793 — around the same time the first exiles arrived at French Azilum. Because news traveled slowly in those days, many of the community’s residents, unaware of the execution, continued to believe Marie Antoinette would join them in Pennsylvania.

“We don’t have any documents that prove (Marie Antoinette) was actually coming to live here, but we do know that many of her loyal subjects who lived at French Azilum believed she was coming, and they even began construction of a home for her,” Lambert adds.

Au revoir Many of the French who relocated to Pennsylvania became homesick, and within a decade or so, when the political upheaval in France had died down and the settlers were granted amnesty, they returned to their homeland. Others moved on to Charleston, S.C., Savannah, Ga., or New Orleans, La., where other French residents had settled. Only a few remained in northern Pennsylvania, and French Azilum eventually began to fall into ruin.

Today, with the exception of a number of underground foundations, nothing

remains of the more than 50 buildings constructed at the site in the late 1790s.

The majority of the original 1,600-acre site is now privately owned with most of it in farmland, although some natural gas wells have been drilled in recent years.

Several newer buildings remain on the 22-acre plot now occupied by the French Azilum Historic Site at 469 Queens Road, Towanda, Pa. The site, owned by the Commonwealth and managed by French Azilum, Inc., a non-profit corporation founded in 1954, is being discussed as one of several state-owned sites that will be transferred to their private management corporations within the next year or so. When that takes place, the ownership of the site will transfer to the local corporation, but few other changes are expected, Lambert reports.

The major structure onsite, known as the LaPorte House, was completed in

1836 by John LaPorte, son of an original French settler, Bartholomew LaPorte.

Now functioning as the site museum, the LaPorte House features items that date back to the 1790s through the early 20th century. A millstone just outside the house is believed to be the original one used at the French Azilum gristmill. Displays include dishes and a firebox brought from France when the settlers arrived, John LaPorte’s bed, which he is said to have slept in while seated, and a doll wearing a costume made from a dress originally worn by John LaPorte’s mother. One bedroom,

named the Charles Homet Room after the king’s steward who escaped from France to settle in French Azilum, holds items donated by the Homet family. The house itself is impressive — a two-and-one-halfstory French Colonial with pine woodwork stippled to resemble bird’s-eye maple. Its windows have wavy, blown-glass panes believed to have been shipped from Philadelphia and glazed with white lead.

Other buildings include the Welles Cabin, an authentic 1780s cabin donated by members of the Welles family of Wyalusing to French Azilum in 1962;

NOT ACCORDING TO PLAN: Instead of a planned community, the 1,600-acre site designed as a settlement for refugees fleeing the French Revolution now is dotted with private farms and natural gas well sites, along with the 22-acre historic site — all that is left of French Azilum. The inset, above, shows the original plan for the community. The photo at left is a historic marker overlooking the site.

a wine cellar from the original village (items recovered during the excavation of the cellar are displayed in the cabin); a garden where herbs common to the era of the settlers are grown; a blacksmith shop (the original LaPorte carriage house) where antique farm tools are displayed; the wagon house, constructed of beams believed to have been recovered from La Grande Maison when it was dismantled, which now holds spinning and weaving displays and other artifacts; and a gazebo built in 1992 in memory of Martha HerMARCH 2015 • PENN

LINES

9

PENNlines mann, curator of French Azilum from 1966 through 1985. A research library is available; it is open to the public when a staff member is available.

Preserving history It was the site’s emphasis on history and historical gardening that led Margaret “Marny” Gerhart, a member of Wysoxbased Claverack Rural Electric Cooperative (REC), to volunteer at French Azilum when she moved to Bradford County in 2002. Eventually, Gerhart, a former history teacher, joined the organization’s board, where she continues to serve.

“As (board members), we act as support for the major events,” she reports. “I have

Men work to restore the stone wall at French Azilum under the direction of Pennsylvania stone wall artisan Ken Ely. About 100 feet of stone wall is restored each fall at the annual workshop.

STONE WALL WORKSHOP:

done special programming on ‘candles as a light source’ and ‘tea as a beverage of choice for 18th-century residents,’ worn period clothing, written press releases.

Really, anything that needs to be done.”

‘Waiting for the Queen’ Novel brings French Azilum to life

By K at h y H ac k l e m a n

Writer Joanna Higgins made her first visit to French Azilum on a raw November day a few years back. A resident of New York who also has a home in Susquehanna County that is served by Claverack REC, Higgins says that spur-of-the-moment visit to the site on an oxbow bend along the Susquehanna River in Bradford County is what led her to write the novel, “Waiting for the Queen.”

“I felt the isolation,” she recalls. “It was overcast, cold and windy, and I began to imagine these French aristocrats arriving by boat, in the mist, coming from court life and mansions of their own in the early 1790s, realizing this is where they would be living. I was struck by the emotional response they would have had to this place. I imagined a young French girl coming and meeting an American girl here on the site. That was the seed of the story — a simple idea that developed over time.”

The combination of the remoteness of the site, the weather and the silence — except for the wind — is what drew Higgins into the drama that would become her novel.

“I could see it immediately,” she says. “The site became a stage and I could almost see the people in the clothing of the period. … I came back later the next spring, and that visit also worked itself into the novel, but I don’t know that I would have felt the spark to write the story if that was the first time I visited the site. It’s a beautiful spot in the summer.”

Once the idea for “Waiting for the Queen” struck Higgins, she went to the Bradford County Library and Historical Society, where she found what she describes as a treasure trove of information about French Azilum, including writings by residents’ descendants, as well as history of the area during the 1790s.

“It was fascinating to use historical facts such as the presence, at French Azilum, of plantation owners and their slaves and residents who were local craftsmen and carpenters and weave these elements together,” Higgins says. “It gave the book more emotional depth.”

While trying to be as historically accurate as possible within a

10

PENN

LINES • MARCH 2015

“French Azilum is a valuable historic site,” Gerhart adds. “Getting there is somewhat difficult, but it’s a lovely drive on paved roads surrounded by open fields. When you arrive, you have a true sense of history. Some of the families who have links to French Azilum have made donations and gifted us items over the years. This is certainly history that should be preserved.”

From her historical research of French Azilum, Gerhart has developed a special affinity for one former resident who settled there after her husband’s death.

“I refer to (Anne Maria Jeanne Sophie Augustine Berey de Sibert) as my favorite resident of the settlement,” Gerhart

broad framework, Higgins says she took some liberties with the story. Her version is told through the eyes of two teenagers who become friends against all odds: Eugenie de La Roque, who escaped the French Revolution with her family, whose goal was to reach the Pennsylvania community set up as a refuge for the aristocrats fleeing their French mansions, and Hannah Kimbrell, a young Quaker girl whose job it is to prepare the settlement for the French arrivals and then help serve them.

“Each draft became more complex and more involved,” she says. “I saw it as a young people’s story initially, but it grew to become something that adults enjoy as well.”

Higgins, a former English literature teacher who holds a doctorate from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Binghamton, N.Y., began writing short stories, which were comMAKING HISTORY: Author Joanna piled into a book, “The ImporHiggins describes her book about tance of High Places,” in the French Azilum, “Waiting for the 1980s. She published her first Queen,” as she sits in the gazebo at novel, “A Soldier’s Book,” the Bradford County historic site. based on the story of a Civil Higgins is a member of Claverack War prisoner of war, in 1998. It was followed by “Dead Center,” Rural Electric Cooperative. a fictionalized account of a murder and subsequent trial that took place near her Pennsylvania home, and “The Anarchist,” a fictionalized account based on historical documents pertaining to the assassination of President William McKinley in 1901. “The Fire,” a love story about two survivors of a 1908 Michigan wildfire, has recently been submitted for publication, and she’s hard at work on a World War I story with the working title, “Eclipse.”

“Waiting for the Queen” is published by Milkweed Editions, which also published Higgins’ first book of short stories. She has worked with another publisher on her other novels, and just recently sold the foreign rights of “The Anarchist” to a Turkish publisher.

RESTORATION: Danielle Lambert is the site manager for French Azilum. The log cabin in the background is an authentic 1780s cabin donated by members of the Welles family of Wyalusing to French Azilum in 1962. Visitors can see artifacts in the building, where a DVD explains to visitors what they will see while touring the historic site.

reports. “She came with apparently some degree of wealth because she was one of the largest property owners. There is documentation on site of where she had her plot of land. She had about eight acres of orchards, a spring house and a garden house, along with her residence. She was quite the woman of her time.”

Susquehanna stories While Gerhart arrived at her volunteer efforts from the historical perspective, French Azilum, Inc. board member

David Buck became affiliated with the organization due to his interest in the Susquehanna River. The owner of Endless Mountain Outfitters near Sugar Run, Pa., and also a member of Claverack REC, Buck originally mapped the river around the French Azilum site for the Endless Mountains Heritage Region about a decade ago. That work piqued his interest in the site itself and he joined the board a few years later.

Since then, he has organized the addition of a river access at French Azilum,

and established campsites with picnic tables and fire rings in an effort to encourage people to travel to the site by river, just as the early French settlers did.

“French Azilum is a camping site,” Buck says. “The Susquehanna is a National Recreation Trail and a National Historic Trail. There’s a fair amount of campers who are paddling the river and want a place to stay overnight, and the pavilion and restrooms are available to them.”

Buck and his wife, Melody, offer educational tips about the site to visitors when they rent kayaks and canoes. They also lead sojourns to the site located about 10 miles upriver from Sugar Run. “This area is one of the prettiest sections of the Susquehanna,” he says. “The river meanders back and forth. It’s a beautiful spot, and it’s easy for people to

NEW HOME: The LaPorte House, located at French Azilum, is the home of John LaPorte, son of Bartholomew LaPorte, an original French Azilum settler. Now the site’s museum, the elegant interior décor reflects the French influence. Several outbuildings from the LaPorte era also are open during the spring, summer and fall when the site is open to the public.

MARCH 2015 • PENN

LINES

11

PENNlines get on and off the river there. There’s even an active eagles’ nest at the site.”

One of the Bucks’ sojourns is highlighted in an upcoming documentary. The film, part of a Bucknell University project called “Stories of the Susquehanna Valley,” was filmed onsite at French Azilum and the historic Joseph Priestly House in Northumberland, Pa. Alfred Siewers, associate professor of English and affiliate faculty member in environmental studies at the private liberal arts college in Lewisburg, is coordinating the documentary, which is expected to be completed later this summer.

“The 20-minute documentary deals with the residents of French Azilum in relationship to Joseph Priestly,” Siewers explains. “All of them came to seek a new life in America with plans to form a better society than the one they had left. Both French refugees fleeing their country’s revolution in the late 1700s arrived at French Azilum by boat on the Susquehanna River. “Standing Stone,” left, marks the northwest boundary of French Azilum. The first known written description of the unusual rock is from 1779.

SUSQUEHANNA RIVER WATER TRAIL:

12

PENN

LINES • MARCH 2015

had a bit of a utopian aspect. Priestly hoped to attract progressive intellectuals to live in community with him and his family, while French Azilum folks were fleeing due to the French Revolution.”

While they had their similarities, the two communities had very different views of the French Revolution — the French settlers opposed it, while Priestly supported it.

“It was interesting to us as we were thinking about the documentary process and the cultural history of the river that two communities on opposite sides of the French Revolution would end up being neighbors,” Siewers adds. “Both were attracted to the Susquehanna River Valley because it was a blank slate where they could create a new society, and neither came to full fruition as the communities their founders had envisioned.”

French Azilum, which is open in the spring through fall, has seasonal hours. In addition to its public hours, the site also is available for rent for events. Special events scheduled in 2015 include: Family Fun Day, Northeastern Primitive Rendezvous and Heritage Day. In addition, a period clothing display, “What Antiques! What

DRESS WITH A HISTORY: This doll wears an outfit made from fabric from a dress worn by Elizabeth LaPorte, an original French Azilum settler and mother of John LaPorte, who built what is now called the LaPorte House. The doll’s dress is believed to have been constructed in the mid-1800s.

Folly — Fashions of the Fury,” coordinated by Lynn Symborski, a historic seamstress, is planned for the 2015 season.

For information about French Azilum, check online at www.frenchazilum.com or call 570-265-3376. For information about scheduled showings of the documentary, check online later this spring at www.susquehannastories.org. l

N EW

r d if e tte an y L Be d ter un at So r B e ng Lo

No t Contrac

“My friends all hate their cell phones… I love mine!”

Here’s why.

FREE Car Charge r

Say good-bye to everything you hate about cell phones. Say hello to Jitterbug.

“Cell phones have gotten so small, I can barely dial mine.” Not Jitterbug®, it features a larger keypad for easier dialing. It even has an oversized display so you can actually see it.

“I had to get my son to program it.” Your Jitterbug set-up process is simple. We’ll even pre-program it with your favorite numbers.

Monthly Minutes Monthly Rate

“I don’t need stock quotes, Internet sites or games on my phone, I just want to talk with my family and friends.” Life is complicated enough… Jitterbug is simple.

“What if I don’t remember a number?” Friendly, helpful Jitterbug operators are available 24 hours a day and will even greet you by name when you call.

“I’d like a cell phone to use in an emergency, but I don’t want a high monthly bill.” Jitterbug has a plan to fit your needs… and your budget.

“My cell phone company wants to lock me in on a two-year contract!” Not Jitterbug, there’s no contract to sign and no penalty if you discontinue your service.

Basic 19

50

was 100 NOW 200

$14.99

$19.99

Operator Assistance

24/7

24/7

911 Access

FREE

FREE

No add’l charge

No add’l charge

FREE

FREE

Long Distance Calls Voice Dial Nationwide Coverage Friendly Return Policy1

“I tried my sister’s cell phone… I couldn’t hear it.” Jitterbug is designed with an improved speaker. There’s an adjustable volume control, and Jitterbug is hearing-aid compatible.

Basic 14

YES

YES

30 days

30 days

More minute plans available. Ask your Jitterbug expert for details.

“I’ll be paying for minutes I’ll never use!”

Not with Jitterbug, unused minutes carry over to the next month, there’s no roaming fee and no additional charge for long distance.

“My phone’s battery only lasts a couple of days.” The Jitterbug’s battery lasts for up to 25 days on standby.

Enough talk. Isn’t it time you found out more about the cell phone that’s changing all the rules? Call now, Jitterbug product experts are standing by.

Available in Blue, Red (shown) and White.

Order now and receive a FREE Car Charger for your Jitterbug – a $24.99 value. Call now!

NEW Jitterbug5 Cell Phone Call toll free today to get your own Jitterbug5.

Please mention promotional code 59930.

1-877-451-1609 We proudly accept the following credit cards.

®

47618

www.jitterbugdirect.com

IMPORTANT CONSUMER INFORMATION: Jitterbug is owned by GreatCall, Inc. Your invoices will come from GreatCall. All rate plans and services require the purchase of a Jitterbug phone and a one-time set up fee of $35. Coverage and service is not available everywhere. Other charges and restrictions may apply. Screen images simulated. There are no additional fees to call Jitterbug’s 24-hour U.S. Based Customer Service. However, for calls to an Operator in which a service is completed, minutes will be deducted from your monthly balance equal to the length of the call and any call connected by the Operator, plus an additional 5 minutes. Monthly minutes carry over and are available for 60 days. If you exceed the minute balance on your account, you will be billed at 35¢ for each minute used over the balance. Monthly rate plans do not include government taxes or assessment surcharges. Prices and fees subject to change. 1We will refund the full price of the GreatCall phone and the activation fee (or set-up fee) if it is returned within 30 days of purchase in like-new condition. We will also refund your first monthly service charge if you have less than 30 minutes of usage. If you have more than 30 minutes of usage, a per minute charge of 35 cents will be deducted from your refund for each minute over 30 minutes. You will be charged a $10 restocking fee. The shipping charges are not refundable.

Jitterbug and GreatCall are registered trademarks of GreatCall, Inc. Samsung is a registered trademark of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. ©2015 Samsung Telecommunications America, LLC. ©2015 GreatCall, Inc. ©2015 firstSTREET for Boomers and Beyond, Inc.

TIMElines

Yo u r N e w s m a g a z i n e T h r o u g h t h e Y e a r s

1975 SAFETY — on the job and off — is an essential part of the everyday lives of everyone associated with a rural electric cooperative. In the early 1970s, Pennsylvania cooperatives began approaching the issue of safety with the same business-like attitude that is applied to other aspects of their service to cooperative members.

Safety to an employee means a better working environment. But having a good safety record also helps a cooperative keep operating costs down (the cost of insurance and other expenses incurred due to lost-time accidents affect every member).

Forty years ago, the Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association (PREA) appointed a Job Training & Safety (JT&S) Committee to set up a coordinated approach to the issue of employee safety, and suggested that each cooperative adopt a written policy on safety. Cooperative employees were encouraged to become involved in the safety program through the formation of an employee safety committee acting in an advisory capacity to local cooperative managers.

As part of the early 1970s focus on safety, PREA’s JT&S personnel designed and built a high-voltage safety display duplicating some of the cooperative’s rural lines and equipment to be used for safety demonstrations. Designed to be shown to people who work near high-voltage lines, such as first-responders and contractors, the demand for the demonstration was so great that it was made available to other community groups.

Today, JT&S staff members continue to provide ongoing employee training in an effort to eliminate injuries to both employees and members of the public from any potential electrical contact.

1985 Design and construction continue on a hydroelectric plant at Raystown Dam in Huntingdon County, which is scheduled to be available for commercial operation in 1988.

14

PENN

LINES • MARCH 2015

1995 Due to the decline in Pennsylvania’s wild

2005 About 21,000 cooperative members in

pheasant population, the Pennsylvania Game Commission is in the second year of a program to aid the ringneck’s comeback.

Pennsylvania live “at the end of the line” — a testament to the rural electrification mission of providing electricity to anyone.

TRUTH BE TOLD, YOUR ELECTRICITY COMES FROM PEOPLE POWER. Thankfully, there’s one energy source that co-op members can always depend on – the hard-working dedication and efficiency of your electric co-op linemen. Learn more about the power of your co-op membership at TogetherWeSave.com.

TOGETHERWESAVE.COM

KEEPINGcurrent (continued from page 4) to 7 p.m. March 20 and 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 21 at the Blair County Convention Center in Altoona, Pa. Registration is required and there is a fee to participate.

The conference will include nearly 100 educational seminars, general sessions and opportunities to network with forest stewardship services and resources providers. Field tours also are available. Topics will include such items as: resources for landowners, monarch decline and conservation methods, managing your forest for biodiversity, processing your own lumber, managing your pond/lake, firewood cutting, forest pests, financing your woodland purchase, and trail cameras.

To register online, go to http://ecosystems.psu/edu/private-forest-conference or call 877-778-2937.

Pennsylvania cities recognized The online blog, “Talent Tribune,” has named seven Pennsylvania cities to its “Top 10” list of “Best Places for Small Business in the Northeast.” Scoring was done by measuring net small business growth, net small business employee growth, and percentages of businesses in the community that are small businesses, and then creating a weighted overall score.

Cities listed are: 1. Auburn, N.Y. 2. Ithaca, N.Y. 3. Lock Haven, Pa. 4. St. Marys, Pa. 5. Meadville, Pa. 6. Sayre, Pa. 7. Lewisburg, Pa. 8. Huntingdon, Pa. 9. Pottsville, Pa 10. Hudson, N.Y.

Women becoming more visible on family farms The U.S. Department of Agriculture Census of Agriculture statistics show the average U.S. farmer is a white man in his late 50s. However, those statistics don’t tell the whole story of who is farming these days.

16

PENN

LINES • MARCH 2015

In 2012 (the most recent year in PFBC officials report that terms of data available), there were researchers use eDNA analysis to check 3.2 million farmers operating 2.1 million for early detection of the carp as the farms — a decrease of 4.3 percent of the findings indicate the presence of genetic number of farmers between 2007 and material such as scales, excrement or 2012. Forty-four percent of all farms mucous. The eDNA, however, does not reported having two operators and provide physical proof of the presence 7 percent reported having three or more of live Asian carp, and no Asian carp, operators involved in day-today decision making.

The primary operator is on average older, more likely to be male, more likely to consider farming their primary occupation, and more likely to have been on their current farm for 10 years or more.

Fourteen percent of primary farm operators are female (a total that has tripled in the past four decades), but 67 percent of second operators are women and 39 percent of third operators are women. Women ASIAN CARP: These are three of the seven species of Asian carp represent 30 percent of all that have been reported as invasive species in the U.S. Officials say operators. eDNA from both the silver and bighead carp has been found in According to the census, Pennsylvania waters. some areas of the United States have higher concentrations of women farmers than other alive or dead, have been reported in areas, including New England, Arizona, Pennsylvania’s portion of the Ohio Oregon and Washington.

River.

The report also showed 75 percent of Asian carp is an invasive species that the country’s 2.1 million farms sold less poses a serious threat because of their than $50,000 in agricultural products in voracious appetite and ability to quickly 2012 (57 percent had sales of less than reproduce, according to the PFBC $10,000). For 1.5 million farm housereport. Once in a waterway, they devour holds, less than 25 percent of household much of the microscopic algae and aniincome came from their farm. In 2012, mals that other species rely on for food.

61 percent of farm operators worked off This disrupts the aquatic ecosystem and the farm at least some days, and 40 percan harm local economies that rely on cent worked off the farm for 200 or revenue generated from sport fishing more days annually. and boating.

State officials are urging anglers and State confirms presence of boaters to help slow the spread of the Asian carp eDNA in Ohio River Asian carp by thoroughly cleaning their The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat gear and boats before entering new Commission (PFBC) has confirmed waters. Information on possible sightings environmental DNA (eDNA) from the of Asian carp is available at the PFBC invasive Asian carp has been found in website, http://fishandboat.com/aiswater samples collected from the Ohio reporting.htm. Additional information on River in 2014. In 2013, eDNA from the how to identify the Asian carp is availAsian carp was also found in the Pennable at http://asiancarp.us. l sylvania section of the river.

START BUILDING your own B U S I N E S S

DISCOVER HOW OWNING A WOOD-MIZER PORTABLE SAWMILL IS AN INVESTMENT THAT PAYS. Countless Wood-Mizer owners achieve success by turning their passion for wood into a profitable and satisfying profession. Choose any of Wood-Mizer’s industry leading line of 12 portable sawmill models and receive unmatched quality and performance plus legendary customer service. Call for a FREE catalog or visit woodmizer.com/biz. Start Building Your Own Business with Wood-Mizer.

800.553.0182

|

Pennsylvania: 814.259.9976 woodmizer.com/biz

KILL LAKE WEEDS

EV EVERY ERY M MEMBER EMBER HAS VOICE. EVEN THEE A VOIC E. EV EN TH ONES WHO ON ES W HO CAN’T SPEAK. YYET ET SP EAK. As an electric co-op member, your household has a voice in how the co-op is run. Learn more about the power of your co-op membership at TogetherWeSave.com.

Proven AQUACIDE PELLETS Marble size pellets. Works at any depth.

Before

After

10 lb. bag treats up to 4,000 sq.ft. $85.00.

50 lb. bag treats up to 20,000 sq.ft. $334.00.

FREE SHIPPING! Certified and approved for use by state agencies.

State permit may be required.

Registered with the Federal E. P. A.

Tows behind your ATV or Lawn Tractor!

Turn A Rough Driveway Into A Smooth Ride!

DR POWER GRADER ®

PATENTED DESIGN easily fills in potholes, smoothes washboard.

POWERED ACTUATOR controls grading depth with a remote control.

LOOSENS AND REDISTRIBUTES composite driveway surfaces without the need to haul, shovel, or rake new material.

CARBIDE-TIPPED SCARIFYING TEETH loosen the hardest surfaces.

86588X © 2015

© 2015 Wood-Mizer LLC

800-328-9350

FREE SHIPPING 6 MONTH TRIAL

KillLakeWeeds.com

Call for FREE DVD and Catalog!

Order today online, or request free information.

Our 60th year

AQUACIDE CO.

PO Box 10748, DEPT 343 White Bear Lake, MN 55110-0748

TOLL-FREE

888-213-2297 DRpowergrader.com

POWERplants

Making my list and checking it twice I AM spending the last month of winter drooling over plant and seed catalogs, still trying to make up my mind. On the one hand, I love anything that is colorful, easy and has a wonderful name. On the other hand, I appreciate diseaseresistance, reliability and overall vigor. But I do enjoy the new and unusual from time to time.

And who can resist an overthe-top catalog description? Do I set a strict budget and work up to that, or do I first draw up a wish list and prune it down until it feels justifiable?

What’s on your planting list this spring? Are you: Looking mainly at edibles or ornamentals, or a combination? Planning far ahead with fruit trees and rhubarb, or concentrating on long-lived trees and shrubs for the landscape? Leaning toward roses, or the quick color pops of annual flowers?

I answer “yes” to every one of those questions, so it’s diffiBARBARA MARTIN , who says she began gardening as a hobby “too many years ago to count,” currently works for the National Gardening Association as a horticulturist. A former member of Gettysburg-based Adams Elect ric Cooperative, her articles appear in magazines and on the internet.

18

PENN

by Barbara Martin

cult to prioritize my dreams and desires.

To help myself focus, I work with a dollar limit. Otherwise, besides emptying my bank account, I could easily descend into foolishness and order far beyond my capacity to plant, grow, and appreciate in one season. Yes, I have learned this the hard way.

Next, I set general guidelines based on the square footage available and the growing conditions in each area, along with some general vague ideas and a few strongly specific preferences. In other words, I begin juggling plants, space, needs, wants, whims and dollars.

For example, the vegetable patch is divided into quarters to facilitate crop rotation from year to year. This sets a firm space limit — all my vegetables should fit there unless I want to enlarge the vegetable garden, or perhaps add some raised beds for plants requiring special conditions.

When it comes to growing food, I select based on what we truly enjoy eating, such as Earliglow strawberries, Ambrosia melons and Yellow Pear tomatoes. These old standbys are still my personal favorites for home-grown flavor. You probably have your own favorites.

We eat a lot of fresh thyme, parsley and mint during the summer, so I routinely grow those herbs. Mint is invasive in the garden, so it is confined to a large pot set on concrete. I also love fresh rosemary and

LINES • MARCH 2015

bay leaf, but they are not winter hardy here, so I grow those as container plants and protect them indoors during winter. I reserve a handy space for them near the kitchen door.

In the ornamental landscape arena, we have an ongoing conundrum. Woody plants are relatively permanent. I try to choose wisely and work with what’s already there. Of course there are always more lovely plants I’d like to bring home. So I anticipate how conditions may change in terms of available space as the plants mature, how they may cast shade over their surroundings and how much root competition they will likely present. A forsythia bush, for instance, quickly reaches its mature size, while shade trees require decades. How to handle the in-between time is an everpresent question.

I monitor the changes and tuck in ground covers, flowering bulbs, annuals and perennials accordingly. These

It’s the time of year to decide what to plant in this year’s garden.

WHAT TO BUY?:

smaller plants can be transplanted or encouraged to spread (or occasionally, propagated) to suit the ever-evolving situation. And sometimes they die out. I find this fluid aspect of design the most challenging, but also the most exciting.

Luckily, I am willing to experiment. I study up, observe what’s happening in the landscape, make my best guess, plant what I can and then see what happens. This approach results in spectacular wins — and some equally spectacular failures.

With experience, the failures are less frequent, but honestly, plants continue to both mystify and impress me. Every year is a new opportunity. That’s what keeps me coming back, year in and year out. And that’s why my spring shopping list is always a thrill. l

UNLOADING OUR SECOND FRIDGE HELPED US STOCK UP ON GROCERIES.

Metal.

Done right. ; Consistent, craftsman-quality roofing and siding materials ; Fast quotes & delivery ; Accurate orders Find a distributor near you:

1-877-813-2111

Metal done right. www.centralstatesmfg.com

GROW

MOREL MUSHROOMS CREATE A MOREL GARDEN IN YOUR OWN BACK YARD

costing us money on our electric bill, so we kicked it to the curb for recycling.

Find out what you can do at TogetherWeSave.com.

GOURMET MUSHROOMS P. O. BOX 515 NC5 * GRATON, CA 95444

www.gmushrooms.org

EXPAND lawn areas.

OPEN UP fields and meadows.

BLAZE new trails.

REMOVE mowing hazards.

The DR® STUMP GRINDER uses carbide-tipped cutting teeth that take over 360 “bites” per second, pulverizing stumps into a pile of woodchips. Quickly and easily, you can grind any size tree stump below ground level.

Gone forever!

FREE SHIPPING 6 MONTH TRIAL

Call for FREE DVD and Catalog!

TOLL-FREE

TOGE T HERW E S AV E .COM

888-213-2297

DRstumpgrinder.com

86589X © 2015

That old, empty beast was

SPAWN GUARANTEED TO PRODUCE We provide the spawn and easy to use instructions for preparing a perenQial Morel Habitat. You just sow the seed, maintain the Morel Habitat, and pick & enjoy fresh Morel Mushrooms. $32.95 + $7.95 S/H ORDER (800) 789-9121

Stump Removal Fast and Easy!

Portable Generator Safety Tips As storm season approaches, take precautions for your safety and the safety of those working to restore your power Always k Read and follow all manufacturer’s operating instructions k Use your generator outdoors, away from open windows, vents or doors k Allow the generator engine to cool at least 2 minutes before refueling k Store the recommended type of fuel for the generator in an approved, properly

labeled safety can k Maintain your generator according to the manufacturer’s schedule k Have a battery-operated carbon monoxide alarm to check for deadly buildup k Start or stop the generator ONLY when no electrical loads are connected k Allow at least 4 feet of clearance on all sides of the generator when it is operating k Keep children away from generator at all times

Never k Never use a generator inside your home, garage, basement, crawl space or other

enclosed area, even with ventilation, as carbon monoxide buildup can kill k Never operate the generator near combustible materials k Never plug your generator directly into your home outlet as this presents an

electrocution risk to utility workers and neighbors served by the same utility transformer – have a qualified electrician install a power transfer switch instead k Never operate a generator under wet conditions or touch it with wet hands (put it

on a level, dry surface under an open, canopy-like structure) k Never overload the generator or connected appliances and components can be

damaged k Never cut corners when it comes to safety

SMARTcircuits

by James Dulley

Efficient indoor lighting for your home THE STANDARD high-wattage incandescent bulb technology (the traditional 60- or 100-watt bulbs) no longer meets the current energy efficiency standards.

Also, the bulb life is very short when compared to newer-technology standards, so the overall cost of using the older bulbs is high.

The wattage of a lightbulb refers to how much electricity it consumes, not how much light it produces. The amount of light is measured in units called lumens. A 60-watt incandescent lightbulb produces about 800 lumens of light and a 100-watt bulb about 1,600 lumens.

Today, your primary choices of bulbs are halogen, CFLs (compact fluorescent lights) and LEDs (light-emitting diodes), which I listed in the order of increasing efficiency. For many home applications, LEDs are the best choice even though they cost more initially.

Halogen bulbs are basically incandescent bulbs with halogen gas around the filament to improve efficiency enough to meet efficiency standards. CFLs are much more efficient, using only about 25 percent as much electricity as incandescent bulbs to produce the same amount of light — and they last 10 times longer.

Today’s CFLs have improved when compared to the original versions.

Instant-start models are available, and some are dimmable using a standard dimmer wall switch.

CFLs can produce true full-spectrum (simulates natural sunlight) light quality and can be purchased with warm white, cool white and daylight color temperatures.

LEDs are the newest and most efficient light source available and provide

an excellent payback. A 12-watt LED produces as much light as a 60-watt incandescent bulb. The LED bulb should also last a minimum of 20,000 hours. Most of them are dimmable, work well at cold temperatures and reach full brightness immediately.

LEDs gradually get dimmer over time.

When a LED is rated for 20,000 hours, its output will stay above 70 percent of its original brightness for that time.

If you have been using incandescent bulbs, you are probably accustomed to a yellowish light quality. This is called the “color temperature” of a bulb. Incandescent bulbs are in the 2,700-degree Kelvin (K) range. The whiter “daylight” LEDs and CFLs are in the 4,000- to 5,000-degree K range. Most people grow accustomed to the whiter light and prefer it. CRI (color rendering index) is another quality of the lightbulb to consider. A higher CRI makes objects in a room look more like they would look under natural sunlight. A CRI above 80 is considered adequate for homes, but 90 or above makes everything look better and doesn’t cost much more.

There are four general types of lighting uses — ambient, accent, decorative and task. Ambient lighting is for general illu-

mination with comfortable brightness.

Accent lighting can create a mood in the room or highlight areas or objects. Decorative lighting is when the light itself is the object, such as a chandelier. Task lighting is for reading or doing a specific activity.

The goal for lighting efficiency is to use as little lighting as needed. Where you do not have a wall switch, such as with a table lamp, install a three-way socket and use a new three-way LED. Add a four-bulb lighting kit to a ceiling fan with a switch to allow you to switch on fewer than all four lights.

Remember to turn off lights when you leave a room. A rule of thumb for CFLs is to switch them off if you plan to be out of the room for 15 minutes or more. Switching them on and off more often will shorten their life. Contrary to popular belief, with the new electronic ballasts, “switching” does not use a large amount of current each time they’re switched on. l Have a question for Jim? Send inquiries to JAMES DULLEY , Penn Lines, 6906 Royalgreen Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45244 or visit www.dulley.com.

MARCH 2015 • PENN

LINES

21

PENNLINESclassified ISSUE MONTH:

AD DEADLINE: 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.

May 2015 . . . . . . . . . . . March 19 June 2015 . . . . . . . . . . . April 20 July 2015 . . . . . . . . . . . . . May 19

CLASSIFIED AD SUBMISSION/RATES: Please use the form below or submit a separate sheet with required information.

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

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

Ad in all CAPITAL letters: Add 20 percent to total cost. Please print my ad in all CAPITAL letters.

PLACE AD IN THE MONTHS OF: .

WORD COUNT: I am an electric co-op member. Attached is my Penn Lines mailing label. Name/Address or Mailing Label Here: Enclosed is payment in the amount of $ .

I am a non-member. Address is noted or attached at right.

Enclosed is payment in the amount of $ .

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

.

Additional words; attach separate sheet if needed.

FREE Headings (Select One): Around the House Business Opportunities Employment Opportunities Gift and Craft Ideas Livestock and Pets Miscellaneous Motor Vehicles and Boats Nursery and Garden Real Estate Recipes and Food Tools and Equipment Vacations and Campsites Wanted to Buy SPECIAL HEADING: . SPECIAL HEADING FEE: $5 for co-op members, $10 for non-members. Applies even if heading is already appearing in Penn Lines. Insertion of classified ad serves as proof of publication; no proofs supplied. SEND FORM TO: Penn Lines Classifieds, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108. Please make CHECK/MONEY ORDER payable to: PREA/Penn Lines.

AROUND THE HOUSE

COMPOSTING TOILET

GIFT AND CRAFT IDEAS

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 coops of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Payable to: Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association, P. O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108. Write Attention: Cookbooks.

SUN-MAR DELUXE composting toilet, low watt, electric evaporation system, 12V exhaust fan. Other extras. Very good condition. $750, OBO. Ryot, PA. Call or text 724-331-6106.

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 coops of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Payable to: Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association, P. O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108. Write Attention: Cookbooks.

BUILDING SUPPLIES

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.

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.

CENTRE FOREST RESOURCES. Maximizing present and future timber values. Forest Management Services, Managing Timber Taxation, Timber Sales, Quality Deer Management. FREE Timber Consultation. College educated, professional, ethical 814-867-7052.

BUY FACTORY SECONDS of insulation, 4 x 8 sheets, foil back.

1/2-inch to 4-inch thick, 6.5 R value per inch of thickness. Also metal roofing. 814-267-5723 or 814-442-6032.

CRANE SERVICE

GUNS-MISCELLANEOUS PONSNESS-WARREN RELOADERS (2) – 12 gauge, duomatic 375 and sizeomatic 800B, with manuals. Also approximately 30 bags AA wads and hundreds of empty casings. Make offer.

Phone: 724-626-8049.

HAPPY CHILD BIG SMILES Buy directly from the source. Use this special buyer’s discount code CP18712 with your first purchase and receive a free gift, special offers, coupons and promotions. www.myfamouscharacters.com.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

NEED A LIFT? Crane service for all your lifting needs.

Experienced, fully insured, Owner-Operated and OSHA Certified. Precision Crane LLC, Linesville, PA 814-282-9133.

NEED RETIREMENT INCOME – Work an hour a day for your future. Make whatever you are willing to earn in residual income. Work from home with no limits. 570-368-3221.

FENCING

HEALTH AND NUTRITION

FREE Fence Guide/Catalog – High-tensile fence, horse fence, rotational grazing, twine, wire, electric netting – cattle, deer, garden, poultry. Kencove Farm Fence Supplies 800-536-2683. www.kencove.com.

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 800557-8477: ID#528390. 90-day money back on first time orders or call me 724-454-5586. www.mylegacyforlife.net/believeit.

WORK FROM HOME with one of America’s fastest growing wholesale catalogs of naturally-derived nutritional supplements, household products and latest scientific health and wellness information. Unlimited earnings potential. 703-975-6481.

TIRED of the Rat Race? Want to own your business? Low cost, high-end leadership company has open positions! 814-603-0231.

FINANCIAL FREEDOM FAILED MAKING MONEY From Home? You won’t now! Fail Proof System! Call for information, computer needed. 800-637-1396.

CHURCH LIFT SYSTEMS FREEDOM RV RENTALS 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. 724-746-0992 or 814-926-3622.

22

PENN

LINES • MARCH 2015

VALLEY RURAL MEMBERS save 10 percent on all one week or longer RV and camper rentals. 866-876-Rent (7368). www.Freedomrentals.com.

HEALTH INSURANCE DO YOU HAVE THE BLUES regarding your Health Insurance?

We cater to rural America's health insurance needs. For more information, call 800-628-7804 (PA). Call us regarding Medicare supplements, too.

PENNLINESclassified HUNTING

RECIPES AND FOOD

CUSTOM HAND MADE to order or in-stock wooden turkey calls of various woods and sizes. 814-267-5489 leave message for Precision Unlimited Inc., Berlin, PA.

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 coops of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Payable to: Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association, P. O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108. Write Attention: Cookbooks.

INFRARED SAUNAS Removes toxins, burns calories, relieves joint pain, relaxes muscles, increases flexibility, strengthens immune system.

Many more HEALTH BENEFITS with infrared radiant heat saunas. Economical to operate. Barron’s Furniture, Somerset, PA. 814-443-3115.

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.

BCS 9 HP TRACTOR, 20� rear-tine tiller, 30� brush hog, 40� sickle bar. Very good condition. Entire package $2,495 OBO. Implements priced on request. Quick-hitch hookup. Ryot, PA. Call, text 724-331-6106.

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.� 814-587-3449.

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. Chestnut boards, hardware, etc. Thirty years experience, fully insured. Call 814696-1379. 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.

MOTORCYCLE-SNOWMOBILE INSURANCE For the best INSURANCE RATES call R & R Insurance Associates from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 800-442-6832 (PA).

SAWMILLS 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

PENNSYLVANIA WHITETAIL HUNTING CYPHER TROPHY WHITETAIL – 1300 continuous acre hunting preserve. Affordable whitetail hunting. Mature bucks score from 150 to 200+. Trophy fee on any buck is $4,200.

Excellent lodging and accommodations. 814-448-4917. www.cyphertrophywhitetail.com.

¡ x ¡ x ¡ ¡ x ¡ x ¡ ¡ x ¡ x ¡ x ¡ x ¡ ¡ x ¡ x ¡

PRICES INCLUDE COLOR SIDES & GALVALUME ROOF

Arena Special (roof & frame) ¡ x ¡ x ¡ (Local codes may affect prices)

VISIT OUR WEBSITE

VISIT OUR WEBSITE

F a x : 9 4 0 - 4 8 4 - 6 7 4 6 e m a i l : info@rhinobldg.com Website: http://www.RHINOBLDG.COM

Toll Free

1-888-875-8233

3, 4,& 5 & 6 night cruises on the magnificent and historic

FOR SALE – 28 inch Craftsman snowblower with snow cab. $300. Call 814-372-4693.

Quebec City, Ottawa, Kingston Departures

TRACTOR PARTS – REPAIR/RESTORATION ARTHURS TRACTORS, specializing in vintage Ford tractors, 30years experience, online parts catalog/prices, Indiana, PA 15701.

Contact us at 877-254-FORD (3673) or www.arthurstractors.com.

VACATIONS AND CAMPSITES BEAUTIFUL LAKE ERIE COTTAGE – Enjoy swimming, fishing and sunsets at their finest. Sleeps eight, 20 miles west of Erie.

Available May to November. Call 814-333-9669. Visit our website at www.curleycottage.com.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Florida condo rental. Two bedrooms, two baths, pool. 200 yards from beach. $500 weekly, $1,800 monthly. NA January – February. Call 814-635-4020.

Pre-Assembled - Installs in Minutes!

CasCade 5000

&

Ele ga

Floating POND FOUNTAIN! WateImprovnce r Q ed ua Aerator ilit y Now Available Factory Direct!

MSRP ($1100) You Pay $698.95!

Complete with light & timer, 100 ft power cord, 1yr warranty!

Call 7days/week! FAST UPS shipping right to your door! www.fishpondaerator.com (608) 254-2735

PENN OAKS CAMPGROUND has 3 spaces available for 2015 season. Close to Cook Forest and Alleg. Natl. Forest. Wooded with all utilities. Cable and internet available. 814-744-8458.

LAKE RAYSTOWN VACATION HOUSE RENTAL. Sleeps 11, four bedrooms, dining table/12, central A/C, 2 satellite TVs, 2 flbaths, 2 hfbaths, linens/towels, large recreation room. Boat parking, close to boat launch. Minimum two nights. 814-9316562. www.laurelwoodsretreat.com.

PENNSYLVANIA HUNTING LAND WANTED Earn thousands on your land by leasing the hunting rights. Free evaluation and info packet. Liability coverage included. The experts at Base Camp Leasing have been bringing landowners and hunters together since 1999. Call: 866-309-1507. Email: info@basecampleasing.com. www.BaseCampLeasing.com.

Farm ‡ Industrial ‡ Commercial 25 Year Warranty on Roof & Walls; Prices F.O.B. Mfg. Plants; Seal Stamped Blue Prints; Easy Bolt Together Design.

WANTED TO BUY CARBIDE – Paying cash/lb. – Some examples of items that have carbide pieces at their tips for cutting or drilling are: coal mining machinery – roof bits – road bits – gas/oil/water well drill bits – machining inserts as well as many others. We will pick up your materials containing carbide pieces. We will extract the carbide item from the part in which it is held in most cases. 814-395-0415.

0DUFK DQG %ODLU &RXQW\ &RQYHQWLRQ &HQWHU $OWRRQD 3$ KWWS HFRV\VWHPV SVX HGX SULYDWH IRUHVW FRQIHUHQFH RU FDOO

+RVWHG E\

REAL ESTATE

7KH &HQWHU IRU 3ULYDWH )RUHVWV DW 3HQQ 6WDWH

7KH )XWXUH RI 3HQQÂśV :RRGV

REAL ESTATE for sale. 85 acres wooded, septic tested. Perfect for hunting, secluded getaway or permanent home. Bedford County PA. $245,000. Call Rick 814-635-4020.

3ULYDWH )RUHVW /DQGRZQHU &RQIHUHQFH

CAMMAL, LYCOMING COUNTY – Immaculate 3 bedroom home adjacent to the Pine Creek Rail Trail. Large rear deck, level yard. $140,000 or will consider offers. For pictures and information, email lisa.a.linn@gmail.com.

See what a difference it makes‌

SOUTHERN HUNTINGDON COUNTY 5BR, 2BA, 4000 sq. ft. stone house, stone fireplaces, 13 wooded acres, small guest cottage, move in condition, low taxes, new roof, boiler, water softener. $239,000. 717-372-9724.

CLASSIFIEDS

Reach nearly 166,000 rural Pennsylvania households!

Advertise in Penn Lines. For more information, please visit our website at www.prea.com/Content/ pennlines.asp or call 717.233.5704

MARCH 2015 • PENN

LINES

23

COUNTRYkitchen

by Janette He ss

March favorites LIKE CLOCKWORK, March brings supermarket sales on cabbage and corned beef. Whether or not you plan to observe St. Patrick’s Day with green clothing and beverages, you can always experiment with new ways to prepare the traditional holiday favorites.

Few foods are tastier than lean, perfectly tender corned beef, but sometimes that result is difficult to achieve. While package instructions usually offer a stove-top method for cooking corned beef, the slow cooker method is easier and more dependable. For best results, always start with a uniformly flat cut of beef with exterior fat, not interior fat.

This month’s recipe for Braised Cabbage elevates mundane cabbage to a savory, gourmet treat. It is an excellent side dish for corned beef, as well as roasted pork or smoked sausage.

Corned Beef Potato Salad offers an interesting take on Hot German Potato Salad. It might just become a new favorite, if, in fact, you even have any leftover corned beef to add to it! l 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.

CORNED BEEF POTATO SALA D 2 pounds russet potatoes (approximately 4 potatoes, depending on size) 2 strips bacon, diced Approximately 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 medium onion, chopped 1 tablespoon flour 1/3 cup cider vinegar 2/3 cup water 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 generous tablespoon grainy brown must ard 1 cup shredded and chopped corned beef Freshly ground pepper

Wash potatoes, place in large pan and cove r with water. Boil until tender, approximately 25 minutes. Drain. Set aside to cool. In medium skillet, slowly fry diced bacon until crisp. Remove baco n from pan and set aside. Measure bacon fat and add enough vegetable oil to total 2 tablespoons. Heat fat and oil in skillet; add onions. Cook over medium-low to medium heat until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in flour. Add vinegar and water. Cook and stir until bubbly and thickened. Add sugar, salt, mustard and bacon.

Peel potatoes and cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch cubes. Combine with sauce and corned beef. Season with generous amou nt of freshly ground pepper.

Serve warm. Makes 8 generous servings.

24

PENN

LINES • MARCH 2015

BRAISED CABBAGE 1/2 head cabbage 1 tablespoon butter 1 to 2 teaspoons olive oil 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram 1/4 teaspoon dried basil 2 slices raw bacon 1/2 cup white wine (or equivalent amount of chicken broth) 1/2 cup chicken broth 2 tablespoons sour cream or redu ced-fat sour cream Cut cabbage into 4 wedges and slice off center core. Melt butter in oven safe skillet or pan. Add enough olive oil to completely coat bottom of pan.

Over medium-high heat, brown cabb age wedges on both sides, cooking approximately 3 minutes per side . Remove from heat. Cut bacon strip s in half and drape 1/2 slice over each wedge of cabbage. Sprinkle all seas onings over wedges. Pour liquids into bottom of pan. Cover and transfer pan to 350-degree oven. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until cabbage is soft.

Remove from oven and discard baco n. To make sauce, stir sour cream into pan drippings. Spoon sauce over cabbage. Makes 4 servings. Recipe easily may be doubled.

SLOW-COOKED CORNED BEEF BRISKET 1 3- to 4-pound flat-cut corned beef brisket 1 tablespoon grainy brown mustard 1 tablespoon brown sugar 3/4 cup pineapple juice Corned beef spices, if included with brisket

score “fat cap” Place brisket, fat side up, in large slow cooker. Deeply spread over sugar; brown and with sharp knife. Mix together mustard and cook on Cover t. briske of sides around juice ple brisket. Pour pineap Do not fork. with apart pulls low for 10 to 12 hours, or until meat easily h to enoug cool when and, board cutting to t briske r rush process. Transfe Thinly tissue. ctive conne and fat handle, remove and discard all visible glaze. slice across grain. Place on serving dish and drizzle with GLAZE FOR CORNED BEEF 1 tablespoon pan juices 1/4 cup pineapple juice 2 tablespoons cider vinegar 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 teaspoon dry mustard saucepan. Cook Whisk together all ingredients and bring to boil in small liquid. cup 1/4 y imatel approx until reduced to

OUTDOORadventures

by Marcus Schneck

Not so mournful

ANY DAY now I’ll spot it, my

is is outdoor and nature writer at PennLive.com, the website of The Harrisburg, Pa., PatriotNews. He also writes for a range of magazines and websites, and has written more than two dozen books. For more of his writing, visit www.marcusschneck.com.

MARCUS SCHNECK

first courting pair of mourning cloak butterflies of spring.

They’ll flutter about and circle one another, relishing each spot of sunlit warmth they encounter.

More reliable harbingers of spring than any flock of robins or northward-bound V of geese, mourning cloaks hibernate in their adult form and then emerge in late winter to mate and lay eggs.

Often, there will be patches of snow on the ground below the mourning cloaks, that coarse, granular snow that skiers refer to as corn snow or spring snow.

The top layer melts in the light and heat of day, and then refreezes overnight, producing a very slick, if spotty, coating of snow.

The mourning cloaks are a

welcome sight every year, even more so at the end a winter like we’ve seen this year in my neck of the woods.

Sure, they’re big, beautiful butterflies, with wingspans of as much as four inches and those rows of iridescent blue spots along the edges of their wings. But, it’s really that whole end-of-winter thing that earns the insects a special place in my estimation.

Soon after emerging, mating will occur and the female will lay eggs circling twigs of host plants, including aspen, birch, elm, hackberry and willow. The caterpillars that hatch will live communally in a single web, twitching convulsively when threatened in what appears to be a predator-avoidance mechanism.

They will pupate and the next generation of adults will

WAITING FOR A SIGN: The first seasonal sighting of a mourning cloak butterfly is a sign spring is sure to follow.

emerge in June or July. They’ll feed on tree sap, rotting fruit and nectar, and then spend a couple months in a dormant state. In fall they’ll re-emerge, feed to build reserves of energy and then go into hibernation until the following late winter.

Soon after the mourning cloaks have done their thing in late winter or early spring, some of the first cabbage whites will begin fluttering over the lawn. They’re every bit as reliable a gauge of the approaching spring as the morning cloak, but they’re a non-native, invasive species and that cuts into the grandeur of the whole thing.l

MARCH 2015 • PENN

LINES

25

PUNCHlines

Thoughts from Earl Pitts, UHMERIKUN! Earl contemplates ways to die A while back, I was working on my reverse bucket list. That’s a list of things I DON’T want to do before I die.

Like, if I die having never played Uno again, I will die a happy man.

And now I just keep comin’ up with stuff I don’t want to do. Not sure what that says about me, but here goes. There’s all that stuff professional drivers on closed courses do on TV commercials or trained professional stunt-people do that they keep warning us not to try at home.

Like I remember one time I seen that

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: WANB-FM 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.

26

PENN

LINES • MARCH 2015

Nic Wallenda guy on television and he was walkin’ across the Grand Canyon on a tightrope. But they told everybody that this guy was a trained professional and we should not attempt that at home.

Thank you for the heads-up, Discovery Channel, but as it happens, I wasn’t gonna try that anyway. I have been known to fall over walkin’ on the floor.

Besides, you got to have some kind of monkey toes or spider legs to grab on that wire. I have not been blessed.

Have you seen that commercial where there’s a couple in a tent, and the camera pulls back a little bit, and you can see that the tent is hanging from the side of a 3,000-foot-tall cliff. Yeah, they’re campin’ in mid-air. I am not going to do that neither. I ain’t that scared of heights, but I have been known to sleep-walk.

Have you seen that commercial where this woman is climbing up some rocks?

And then she hoists herself up and she’s standing on a tiny little ledge about the size of a bathroom scale 5,000 feet in the air? I’m gonna pass on that, too. Shoot, I get a little dizzy just watchin’ the commercials.

Basically, they show us people doing all sorts of stupid things, and then tell us not to be stupid, too. And how? By celebrating the stupid people.

Wake up, America! Worry about the idiots, the drunks and the dare-devils.

Don’t worry about me; I have grown cautious in my later years. If it looks like I could die doing something, there’s a good chance you don’t have to warn me not to do it.

I think most of you know by now that I got two major pet peeves in this world.

The first being people who put clothes on dogs. And the second one is when people call other people “lucky” when those people are obviously not lucky.

You know, like when some poor idiot accidentally shoots a nail through their brain with a nail-gun and survives, and

the doctors say, “He was lucky.”

Really? How does shooting a 4-inch nail through your skull qualify you as lucky? Stupid, I get. Butter-fingers? Probably. But NOT lucky.

Well, now I found another pet peeve.

When people die doing a sport or an adventure, and the widder goes, “Well, Buddy died doing what he loved.”

Lady, I got a hunch he was clutching his chest and fighting for air.

Lemme ask you something. Is that the way you want to go? Doing something you love? That sounds like a cruel joke to me. The Almighty is up there watching you work your behind to the bone. He’s watching your family ride your back like a circus pony. He’s watching you struggle to make ends meet and keep the wolf away from the door. Then you slip on some bowling shoes, and He punches your ticket.

So if it’s OK with God, here’s a list of times I do not want to go. That would include when I’m bowlin’, fishin’, huntin’, drinkin’, watchin’ NASCAR, watchin’ football, hangin’ at the Duck Inn or campin’.

Now, I would not mind kickin’ the bucket at work, standin’ in line at the DMV, visitin’ at one of my old lady’s family reunions or takin’ in a high school band concert.

Then at my funeral, my better half, Pearl, could tell visitors, “Well, at least Earl died doing what he hated.”

And they could look down on me in the coffin and think, “Earl, you lucky son of a pup.”

Wake Up, America! I don’t want to die doing what I love. I would rather have my wife telling people, “Earl died at work, but the nice thing is that the company paid for the whole eight hours.”

I’m Earl Pitts, Uhmerikun. Check out my YouTube channel Earl Pitts — by Earl Pitts. Like me on Facebook. And you can catch my new blog at earlpittsamerican.com. l

RURALreflections Is it spring yet?

MARCH IS an interesting month — its days can be cold and snowy, or warm and sunny. Either can be the backdrop for great photos, so it’s time for all of you amateur photographers to get out there and start shooting some new photos for the 2015 Rural Reflections contest. Entries in all categories — artistic, landscape, human subject and animal subject — are needed.

Winning photos will receive a $75 prize and honorable mentions in each category will receive a $25 prize.

To be eligible for the 2015 contest prizes, send your photos (no digital files, please) to: Penn Lines Photos, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg PA 17108-1266. On the back of each photo, include your name, address, phone number and the name of the electric cooperative that serves your home, business or seasonal residence.

Our publication deadlines require that we work ahead, so send your seasonal photos in early. We need summer photos before mid-May; fall photos before mid-July and winter photos before mid-September (keep your spring photos to enter in the 2016 contest).

Photos that don’t reflect a season may be sent at any time. Please note: 2015 photos will be returned in early 2016 if you include a self-addressed, selfstamped envelope. l

Linda Schiel REA Energy

Sarah Lenker Adams EC

John Kulbatsky United EC Margie Martin Northwestern REC MARCH 2015 • PENN

LINES

27