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

Fire alarm Rural communities struggle to maintain volunteer fire companies

PLUS

Pennsylvania pastime Is your ductwork delivering Just peachy

Contents

AUGUST 2016 Vol. 51 • No. 8 Editor Peter A. Fitzgerald Senior Editor/Writer Katherine Hackleman Associate Editor Michael T. Crawford Layout & Design W. Douglas Shirk production coordinator Michelle M. Smith Contributing Columnists Janette Hess Pat Keegan George Weigel 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. 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.

4 Keeping Current News from across the Commonwealth 6 E nergy Matters Seeking to make coal more environmentally friendly 8 COVER: Fire alarm Rural communities struggle to maintain volunteer fire companies 12

spotlight 50th Anniversary Contests

14 Time Lines Your newsmagazine through the years 14a Cooperative

Smart circuits Is your ductwork delivering?

EATURE: Pennsylvania F pastime Local teams make big impression at Little League World Series

Classifieds

24 COUNTRY KITCHEN

Just peachy

power plants How to make your own new plants

Punch Lines “I swear that jar filled up fast”

Rural Reflections Sunny days

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

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.

Connection Information and advice from your local electric cooperative

ON THE COVER Frank Bollock, a trustee of the Germania Volunteer Fire Company in Potter County who spent many years as a firefighter there, demonstrates use of a fire hose outside the fire hall in Galeton. Photo by Michael T. Crawford

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keepingcurrent

News from across the Commonwealth

Penn Lines columnist wins national award

Flight 93 National Memorial to observe 15th anniversary The Flight 93 National Memorial in Somerset County is planning a ceremony at 10:03 a.m. Sept. 11 in observance of the 15th anniversary of the four coordinated terrorist attacks on the United States. Nearly 3,000 people died as a result of the Sept. 11, 2001, airplane crashes in Somerset County, New York City and Washington, D.C. The event, scheduled to begin at the time of the Pennsylvania crash, will include a reading of the names of the 40

passengers and crew members who died in the attempt to thwart an attack on the U.S. Capitol. More details about the anniversary ceremony — and additional events scheduled throughout the year — will be released on the National Park Service website at www.nps.gov/flni.

Rural Pennsylvania skywalk listed on travel site The skywalk and observation deck at Kinzua Bridge State Park was recently listed by the United Kingdom travel website, theculturetrip.com, as one of the “10 Most Beautiful Skywalks and Viewpoints in the World.” The site, located just off Route 6 in McKean County between areas served by Warren Electric Cooperative and Tri-County Rural Electric Cooperative, is one of only three U.S. sites listed. The others are the Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower) in Chicago and the Grand Canyon Skywalk. The skywalk is part of the Kinzua Viaduct, a 2,053-foot-long, 301-foothigh railroad structure that was partially destroyed in a tornado in 2003. The structure has been reinvented as a pedestrian walkway. Visitors can walk 600 feet out on the remaining support towers where they can look down into the Kinzua Gorge through a glass platform.

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Penn Lines garden columnist George Weigel has been named the winner of a 2016 Award of Excellence from the National Garden Clubs Inc. The honor, presented to three recipients at the group’s annual conference in Grand Rapids, Mich., is the highest achievement award given to non-club members. Weigel, a Pennsylvania certified horticulturist, began writing garden columns for Penn Lines in 2015 (see his column on Page 25 in this month’s magazine). He has written garden columns, tips, features and best-plant profiles for the Patriot-News and PennLive since 1993. He also offers advice and designs for gardening do-it-yourselfers

photo provided by george weigel

A Pennsylvania cooperative has reported receiving a call from a person claiming to have a “$25 Penn Lines rebate” for the member to cover subscription costs. This is an apparent scam, as local cooperatives provide members with Penn Lines magazine as part of their membership with no subscription required. In this case, the cooperative member recognized the call was a scam, hung up and called the local cooperative. Cooperative staff verified there is no “Penn Lines rebate.” It is assumed that if the member had been receptive to the call, the caller would have asked for banking information so the “rebate” could be deposited directly into the member’s account. Scammers are always looking for new ways to get information from unsuspecting people, and cooperative members are advised to be alert for unusual calls, especially those relating to financial information. Members are encouraged to contact their local cooperative office any time they wish to verify a caller claiming to be from the cooperative is actually working on behalf of the cooperative.

NPS/Brenda Schwartz

Be alert for potential scams

through his Garden House-Calls service, helped plan the 1-acre Children’s Garden at Hershey Gardens, and has written a pair of gardening books: the “Pennsylvania Getting Started Garden Guide” and “Pennsylvania Month-byMonth Gardening.” l

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energymatters

Seeking to make coal more environmentally friendly Innovation could put coal use in a whole new light By Paul Wesslund

ince coal generated more than half the nation’s electricity as recently as 10 years ago, that share has fallen to one-third as of last year. The decline of coal generation will continue as new environmental rules are set in place and prices for natural gas remain relatively low. So it’s curtains for coal, right? Not so fast. The Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan still calls for more than one-fifth of our electricity to come from coal by its 2030 target date. Even President Barack Obama’s energy secretary sees a future for coal. “We are talking about a progressively lower-carbon future, but we have not abandoned coal as part of that future,” Secretary Ernest Moniz said in April. “Coal can play a major role in a low-carbon economy.” A role for coal is important, says Daniel Walsh, senior program manager for generation, environment and carbon at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). Citing the huge coal supply in the U.S., Walsh sees coal as a key to energy security. Achieving that brighter future for coal could depend on improvements to carbon capture technology. Carbon capture seeks to solve a top environmental complaint about coal, which is that burning it releases carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that has been linked to climate change. Grabbing the carbon dioxide before it leaves the power plant would keep it out of the atmosphere. Carbon capture is still a developing technology, with 15 test plants in the

world and seven more coming on-line by 2017. One of the main holdups to that development is that the technology is expensive to build and operate. Really expensive. However, Moniz cites $6 billion spent on carbon capture research by the Department of Energy as proof of his optimism. NRECA’s Walsh also believes in the power of researchers to make carbon capture costs competitive. One reason for that sunny outlook comes from a 35-year trend of finding cleaner and more efficient ways to burn coal. Since 1970, electric utilities in the U.S. have reduced pollution regulated by the federal Clean Air Act by more than 60 percent. Techniques have ranged from washing coal with water, to burning it at lower temperatures to release less harmful chemicals, to large and expensive flue gas desulfurization equipment, also called scrubbers. Electric co-ops held an April groundbreaking for the Integrated Test Center in Wyoming. Operation is scheduled for summer 2017. The state of Wyoming is funding $15 million of the center, which will be built at the site of the existing Dry Fork Station, a coal plant owned by Basin Electric Cooperative, a regional cooperative based in North Dakota. Another $5 million of support will come from another regional cooperative, Denver-based Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, and

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$1 million from NRECA. The test center aims to advance carbon capture research by focusing on a looming question about the technology — once you capture the carbon dioxide, what do you do with it? The idea is that one way to make carbon capture more cost-effective would be to find commercial or other uses for the carbon dioxide that produces a better return on investment than burying it underground. Researchers at the test center will be able to use carbon dioxide from the Dry Fork Station to run tests. Among the first researchers, the test center will host teams competing for part of $20 million in X Prizes on ways to use carbon dioxide at power plants. The X Prize Foundation supports innovation in several areas, and its recent call for entries reads, “Do you have what it takes to turn carbon dioxide emissions into valuable products?” There’s reason to believe that lofty challenge might succeed at the test center, says NRECA Communications Manager John Pulley. He describes the plans as bringing researchers in to develop their ideas in the “real-world” setting of a power plant. “Once you have a facility like this in place that will allow people to test their great ideas, the sky’s the limit,” he says. “People might look at coal in an entirely new light.” l Paul Wesslund writes on cooperative issues 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.

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Fire alarm

Rural communities struggle to maintain volunteer fire companies By Michael T. Crawford

Associate Editor

ires, wrecks, fallen trees and downed power lines — as a longtime volunteer firefighter for New Centerville & Rural Volunteer Fire Company, Jim Brocht, vice president of the Somerset Rural Electric Cooperative (REC) Board of Directors, has seen it all. Serving the fire company in a variety of roles from firefighter to fire chief, Brocht has never lost his passion for helping others. “I wanted to do something in my community that will help somebody,” recalls Brocht, former fire chief of New Centerville & Rural Volunteer Fire Company (VFC). “Being in for 55 years, you either have to be a kid who never grew up, or crazy. And I think it’s a little of each. When the whistle blows, go. I hope I never lose it.” While the spirit of a determined firefighter remains in Brocht, that fire may be dying down across much of rural Pennsylvania. The Center for Rural Pennsylvania reports there are 1,210 rural VFCs across the state. That number is dwindling according to the Governor’s Center for Local Government Services, as an estimated 150 to 200 mergers for fire, rescue, emergen-

cy management and EMS programs have occurred in the past 10 years.

Expensive effort In addition to mergers, VFCs — 60 percent of which operate on annual budgets of less than $100,000 — cite a lack of money as a primary reason for a change in status. “We have a very aggressive fundraising program, and that’s what it takes to keep the doors open,” says Michael Spielman, fire chief of Buchanan Valley Volunteer Fire Department in Adams County, which is served by Adams Electric Cooperative. “We’re getting ready to buy a new fire engine; that alone costs $750,000 … compared to 20 years ago when you were buying

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READY TO GO: Brandon Alleman, firefighter and emergency medical responder at Shavers Creek Volunteer Fire Company in Huntingdon County, stands in full turn-out gear beside the company’s newest fire engine.

one for $300,000, so they’ve more than doubled, but profits from fundraising have not.” It’s not just the big purchases a volunteer fire company has to worry about; basic gear for a single firefighter can cost up to $2,600, and self-contained breathing apparatus can cost up to $5,000 alone. To keep up with costs, Spielman says the 30-year-old department — which has 40 responders — hosts 40 to 50 fundraisers a year, many of which revolve around the department’s 15-year-old dining hall. He adds, “You have to have a longrange plan — a 5-year, 10-year, 20year plan — and you have to stick to it because you can’t do everything today, and you can’t put everything off until tomorrow. We knew when we decid-

ed to build the dining hall, we knew we didn’t want to go small. We had a goal: we wanted to build a big enough building that we could draw a crowd, but we knew what our budget was.” Even with a plan and a budget, fundraising alone often isn’t enough. Grants are available, but securing them is another story. “The last federal grant we got was 2004, so we enlisted the help of a professional grant writer,” says Diane Yutzy, fire chief of Stone Creek Valley Community VFC in Huntingdon County. “It was an extra cost, but we felt we needed it to get the money to make the necessary changes.” The $104,000 Stone Creek Valley Community VFC received certainly justified the added cost, but for some fire companies, the services of a professional grant writer — which can range from as low as $500 to as high as $15,000 and often requires payment in full and in advance — are simply out of reach. Fortunately, big federal dollars aren’t the only grants available, and smaller grants can still make a big impact on VFCs. Stone Creek Valley Community VFC and Shavers Creek VFC in Huntingdon County, both of which are served by Valley REC, each received $1,000 this year from the cooperative’s new Community Service Grant Program. Shavers Creek VFC has received the grant twice, allowing it to install traction chains on the fire company’s engines in 2015 and buy a new fire hose in 2016. “It’s a huge help to us,” says Galen Baney, president of Shavers Creek VFC and a member of Valley REC. “We’re currently housed in a former one-room schoolhouse. We’re saving money and watching for big grants because we’d like to build a new station to house our equipment. We’re doing a lot of fundraising. So when we can get a grant like that the past two years, that gives us a little more fuel toward our building program.”

All hands Many volunteer fire companies in rural Pennsylvania see the need for a new station, as they are operating out

of repurposed buildings too small to house modern firefighting equipment. Grants and fundraisers help, but just like the firefighting itself, building the fire halls often requires volunteer effort to make construction a reality. “We just replaced a 100-year-old building; at cost, it would have cost us well over $1 million,” says Chuck Inzana, fire chief of Potter County’s Genesee VFC, which serves territory areas where Tri-County REC members live. “We’ve saved by the guys volunteering to do anything from the dirt work to painting to block work. That was the only way we could do any of it.” Whether operating in a new fire hall or an old schoolhouse, maintaining

volunteer fire company. “Whatever you can put into the puzzle,” he says. “You might not have time to come in and help at every fundraiser, but you’ve got time to sell tickets. Each person can do their own little thing. You might not be interested in selling tickets, but you can paint or you might have access to a machine shop, so you can help fabricate things for the fire truck.” Yutzy, a member of Valley REC who has been involved with the Stone Creek Valley Community VFC since 1992, seconds the notion. “There’s lots of ways to help in the fire service,” says Yutzy, an emergency medical technician turned firefighter.

the building and equipment within takes time and effort, which Spielman, an Adams Electric Cooperative member, points out as an often overlooked but equally important element of a

STARTING YOUNG: Zoe Spielman, treasurer of junior firefighters for Buchanan Valley Volunteer Fire Department in Adams County, inspects equipment on a fire engine for deficiencies prior to a department exhibit at a recent fundraising event.

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“You don’t have to drive a fire truck or put a fire out. You can help serve dinner sometime, or help with bingo. Being a part of a fire company isn’t just about putting fires out or helping sick people; there’s a whole lot more that people can do, so we encourage people to help where they can.” All those volunteer hours begin to take a toll on the people striving to keep the doors open. The number of volunteer firefighters in Pennsylvania has declined from more than 300,000 in the 1970s to approximately 50,000 in 2012 (the latest data available), according to a study by the University of Pittsburgh. The decline in volunteers can be attributed to a variety of reasons, such as moving from the area, family commitments, job commitments and loss of interest. “Retention is the hardest,” says Inzana. “There’s a lot of training anymore … they want us to do pretty much TRAINING TIME: Members of the Stone Creek Valley Community Volunteer Fire Company in Huntingdon County stand in front of one of their fire engines during a training session in their fire hall. From left are: Noah Yutzy, fire captain; Linda Wilson, emergency medical services captain; Diane Yutzy, fire chief; and Jake Confer, deputy fire chief.

what the paid guys do, which can take more time than you want. To get guys interested and to keep them interested is the hardest thing.” While Pennsylvania does not have a minimum requirement for training, most volunteer fire companies push their volunteers through some intense basic training. In 1990, Tony Rachiele, fire chief of Germania VFC in Potter County, recalls needing just 48 hours to complete the basic essentials course for firefighting. Today, that same course requires 238 hours to complete. “You’re donating 16 to 20 hours a week to get your certification,” says Rachiele, a lineman for Tri-County REC. “I’ve got guys who have been doing it for some time, but with work and families, it’s hard to do it. I have a job, a wife and four kids. It’s hard to juggle everything.”

Keeping young The juggle has proven difficult for younger generations too, as the average age of firefighters in volunteer fire companies continues to climb. “I see some young people even now, which I’m grateful for, but I don’t think you see as many because that’s a lot of responsibility and a lot of time

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required,” explains Lowell Geiser, chairman of the Tri-County REC Board of Directors and former president of the Germania VFC. “We see the pressure of so much training required to stay certified … raising families, living in rural America, where sometimes your yearly incidents could well be under 100. It’s asking a lot for volunteers.” Even without the many pressures of certification and time, younger people simply seem to get bored with the idea of being a volunteer firefighter. “We have 15 junior members,” says Spielman. “Juniors are ages 13-17 … we teach them firefighting and EMS, but also teach them life skills. Unfortunately, you get 15 junior firefighters and by the time everything washes out, you end up with two or three. It’s just how it works out, and that’s everywhere. “We know straight from the start that some of them are just looking for something to do,” he adds. “Buchanan Valley is a small community. We don’t have a YWCA … or a community park for sporting. Around here, it’s the fire station, so they hear the whistle blow, they see the fire trucks as they’re growing up, we get them pulled in and we see what we can do.” For those who do stay in, it’s not just something to do. Tanner Rhodamer, a junior firefighter at the New Centerville & Rural VFC, remembers when he felt the call to volunteer. “My brother and I were staying over with my uncle — both he and my cousin are firemen — and they got a call,” Rhodamer recalls. “We watched a truck go up the road, and we were just inspired by that. We actually filled out our applications two or three days later.” Two years after he and his brother, Brandon, put in their applications, Rhodamer has no regrets. “I’m glad I joined early,” he says. “I love learning

GENERATIONS OF FIREFIGHTERS: Jim Brocht, center, a Somerset REC director who has been affiliated for many years with the New Centerville & Rural Volunteer Fire Company in Somerset County, stands with a new generation of volunteer firefighters, from left: Brandon Rhodamer, Tell Kincaid, Jordan Stevanus, Ian Benford and Tanner Rhodamer.

VFC) was only half as big as it is now. We didn’t have any money. We sold bricks, and in one week … we were at $145,000. We needed $135,000. When you have people like that, whenever

those people see what you’re doing and stick with you, and push and shove and collect money, it’s good. If you don’t have the moral support, you have nothing.” l

from all the other guys, so whenever I become a senior member, I’ll know what to do. When it comes time to go into a house or pull somebody when they’re trapped in a car, I’ll be able to remember the day I was watching, and I’ll be able to know exactly what I am doing.” While he still feels the same adrenaline rush when he responds to a call as he did that night, Rhodamer isn’t in it for the thrill. “We’re just neighbors helping neighbors,” Rhodamer says. “It's a great environment out in New Centerville. People really appreciate when you help them.” Ultimately, despite manpower and financial crunches, it is community involvement that keeps volunteer fire companies alive and viable. “Our people stick by us,” declares Brocht. “(The New Centerville & Rural

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spotlight

50th Anniversary Contests Penn Lines staff

enn Lines is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. As part of the newsmagazine’s anniversary celebration, we asked readers to participate in a number of contests, including photo contests for the “Oldest Penn Lines” and the “Most Well-Traveled Penn Lines.” There were also three essay contests, where readers were asked to answer one of the following questions: “What does Penn Lines mean to rural Pennsylvania?” “How does Penn Lines help me as a cooperative member?” and “What is your earliest memory of Penn Lines?” The winning entries have all been printed and a $50 gift certificate has been presented to each of the five winners, but we plan to continue publishing other entries throughout the remaining months of the anniversary celebration year.

nn Lines Pe

years

19 6 6-2016

Here are some of those entries: “What is your earliest memory of Penn Lines?” “I remember thinking about danger when I saw the lady going down the steps with a basket in her hands (the February 2014 issue of Penn Lines, page 14). That reminded me of a contest you had years ago. We were to write captions for pictures on safety. I entered, and my caption entry was, ‘Though you may be gifted with utmost grace, use the hand railing just in case.’ The winner said, ‘Though Susie is upright, she may end up perpendicular.’” — Irene Rasdorf, United Electric Cooperative “How does Penn Lines help you as a cooperative member?” “I want you to know how much we have appreciated Penn Lines down through the years since 1990, when the cooperative was so helpful when we built our cabin in north central Pennsyl-

PUNTA CANA: Tiffany Shenkle Lenkerd, a member of DuBoisbased United Electric Cooperative, submits this photo in the “Most Well-Traveled Penn Lines” category. She was traveling in Punta Cana, which is located in La Altagracia Province in the eastern part of the Dominican Republic.

vania. You have been so very helpful every time we needed you, especially supplying our poles for electricity. We do object to ground-cutting of beautiful trees that take so many years for God to grow, and we think the Penn Lines article about the American chestnut is very valuable. “More personally, we have all benefitted from the thorough research on Lyme disease done a few years ago. The writer interviewed me personally as a victim of it for the past 17 years, and her accurate statistics are vital. “I think the recipes made from scratch are the best as I am a graduate of Penn State University (School of Home Economics). “Keep up the good work.” — P.R. Fanus, Tri-County Rural Electric Cooperative

ARKANSAS: Marie Plummer, a member of Indiana-based REA Energy Cooperative, submits this photo in the “Most Well-Traveled Penn Lines” category. She was traveling in Arkansas.

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timelines

Your Newsmagazine Through the Years

1996

Declining numbers of volunteers and time-consuming training take a toll on volunteer rural fire companies (see an update on pages 8-11).

n the 1980s and 1990s, development was eating up Pennsylvania farmland at an alarming pace. Between 1982 and 1996, more than 1 million acres of the state’s most fertile and productive soil was lost forever, replaced with housing complexes and parking lots. State voters in 1987 approved a $100 million bond for farmland preservation to get the preservation program going. By 1996, Pennsylvania ranked second in the nation in terms of acres preserved. The program works by having farmers voluntarily sell the development rights of their farms to the county or state on the condition that the land is used for agricultural production for at least 25 years (most farmers sell their rights “in perpetuity,” or forever). The county or state subtracts the farm’s appraised value as agricultural land from its actual market value and pays the farmer the difference. Twenty years later, Pennsylvania leads the nation in the number of farms (nearly 5,000) and number of acres (more than 500,000) permanently preserved for agricultural production.

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2006

1986 Former Rural Electric Youth Tour students look back on what they learned and the friends they made during the trip to Washington, D.C.

Thirty months into construction, the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, a nuclear power plant near Berwick, is about 25 percent complete.

1976

techtrends

Improving energy performance of new homes By Brian Sloboda

urchasing a newly constructed home is an exciting process and a major milestone. Whether you are building a custom home or buying a spec home, you will be making dozens of important decisions before moving in –– from purchasing the perfect kitchen countertops to selecting a home financing package. The decisions you make about the energy efficiency of your new home will have lasting consequences. These energy-related decisions, such as how you heat, cool, light and insulate your home, are often overlooked. The first step to maximizing energy efficiency is to select a properly sized home that meets your family’s needs. America is known for its sizeable homes, but after hitting a peak of 2,268 square feet in 2006, the median size of new single-family homes started to trend down. According to a recent report by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, “as square footage increases, the burden on heating and cooling equipment rises, lighting requirements increase and the likelihood that the household uses more than one refrigerator increases. Square footage typically stays fixed over the life of a home, and it is a characteristic that is expensive, even impractical, to alter to reduce energy consumption.” According to the Department of Energy, appliances account for about 13 percent of the average household’s energy use. Clothes dryers, refrigerators/freezers, computers, microwaves, dishwashers and washing machines tend to use the most energy in a typical American home. Every appliance you purchase has an operating cost (i.e., the cost of the energy needed to power that appliance). To facilitate more informed

shopping, the federal government requires many appliances to include an EnergyGuide label stating the approximate energy consumption and operating cost of the appliance. Appliances with an Energy Star label use 10 to 50 percent less energy than standard appliances. Some owners of new homes are interested in solar energy. If you are considering solar, make sure your home is as energy efficient as possible. This will enable a smaller, less expensive solar system to provide a substantial portion of your energy needs. Prices for solar panels have dropped considerably over the last decade, and there are many financing models and incentives available to residential customers. Another efficient option is a residential geothermal system. While they do not generate electricity, geothermal systems save energy by using heat from the earth to replace conventional heating and cooling systems. Throughout the year, the earth remains a constant, moderate temperature (i.e., 50 degrees Fahrenheit) just below the ground. Geothermal heating and cooling systems, also known as ground source systems, make use of this constant underground temperature by circulating water in a loop to exchange heat between your home, the ground source heat pump and the earth –– providing highly efficient heating, cooling and hot water.

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SOLAR OR GEOTHERMAL?: Consider options before committing to an energy-saving system.

Installing an easy-to-use programmable thermostat is also a great way to efficiently operate your home. Energy Star estimates a typical household can annually save $180 by properly using a programmable thermostat. Regardless of the number of energy efficiency features in your home, occupant behavior is still a major factor in how much energy your household consumes. From unplugging appliances you rarely use, like a mostly empty second refrigerator, to making sure you run full loads in the washing machine, dryer and dishwasher, to turning out the lights –– it all adds up in energy savings. l Brian Sloboda is a technical research analyst specializing in energy efficiency and renewable energy for the Business Technology Strategies (BTS), a service of the Arlington, Va.-based National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

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$497

159

2.5 HP, 21 GALLON 125 PSI VERTICAL AIR COMPRESSOR

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LOT 69091/67847 shown 61454/61693 62803

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LOT 90018 shown 69595/60334

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LOT 60363/69730

6.5 HP (212 CC) OHV HORIZONTAL SHAFT GAS ENGINES

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2500 LB. ELECTRIC WINCH WITH WIRELESS REMOTE CONTROL LOT 61258 shown

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99 99 13999 $14 $19

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LOT 69684 shown 61969/61970

12" SLIDING COMPOUND DOUBLE-BEVEL MITER SAW WITH LASER GUIDE

R SUPER-WIDE TRI-FOLD PERON 3 PIECE PE ON SU UP ALUMINUM LOADING RAMP SUOUP O C • 1500 lb. capacity C Customer Rating

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2199

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99 $

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RAPID PUMP® 1.5 TON ALUMINUM RACING JACK

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calling 800-423-2567. Cannot or HarborFreight.com or by original LIMIT 4 - Good at our storesor coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from Original LIMIT 5 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. per day. be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original r purchase with original receipt. . Limit one coupon per custome 12/15/16 purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original through Valid d. coupon must be presente coupon must be presented. Valid through 12/15/16. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

$4499 $5499

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LOT 61592/67255 shown

14" ELECTRIC CHAIN SAW

SUPER COUPON

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METRIC

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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 650+ Stores Nationwide.

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Includes 6V, 900 mAh NiCd battery pack.

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179

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20 TON SHOP PRESS

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LOT 69030/69031 shown

VALUE

$ 97

1" x 25 FT. TAPE MEASURE

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19 comp at 99$57.37

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TILTING FLAT PANEL TV MOUNT

LOT 42292 shown 69594/69955

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comp at $ 99 $34.99

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Not for highway use.

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LOT 69385/62388/62409 62698/30900 shown

10" PNEUMATIC TIRE

• HarborFreight.com • 800-423-2567

$135

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LOT 69387/62744/63271 68784 shown

INDUSTRIAL QUALITYT ROLLER CABINE

SAVE $660 • Weighs 245 lbs.

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COUPON WOW SUPER 44" , 13 DRAWER

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89 comp at

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R PE ON SU UP CO

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comp at

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WE CARRY A FULL LINE OF WELDING WIRE AND ACCESSORIES

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LOT 61888 68885 shown

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$29.98

1999 comp at

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LOT 61939/62250 62884/62890/69580 shown

3/8" x 50 FT. HEAVY DUTY RUBBER AIR HOSE

MOVER'S DOLLY

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LOT 60497/93888 shown 61899/62399/63095/63096 63098/63097

comp at $ 99 $19.97

R lb. PE ON • 1000 capacity SU UP O C Customer Rating

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• 5400 lb. capacity Not for overhead lifting.

LOT 60658 97711 shown

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R 3/8" x 14 FT. GRADE 43 PE ON TOWING CHAIN SU UP Customer Rating O C

1500 LB. CAPACITY MOTORCYCLE LIFT Customer Rating

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AUTOMATIC UP PO BATTERY FLOAT SCOU CHARGER

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R PE ON SU UP CO

smartcircuits

Is your ductwork delivering? By Pat Keegan and Amy Wheeless

ear Pat: I recently moved from a home with wall-mounted heaters to one with central heat and air, and a duct system. How can I ensure my ducts are working efficiently? — Carla Dear Carla: Homes with central forced-air heating and cooling systems, like furnaces, central air conditioners and heat pumps, use air ducts to deliver the conditioned (heated or cooled) air through the home. Ducts are often concealed in walls or in areas of your home you don’t go to often, like a crawlspace, so many people do not immediately think of them as an area to save energy. You may have received flyers in the mail with offers for air-duct cleaning and claims that doing so will improve the air quality and efficiency of your home. However, duct cleaning may not always be necessary for air quality, and there is no indication that just cleaning your air ducts will improve your system’s efficiency. Duct cleaning may be necessary if: kT here is visible mold in your duct system or there was a recent flood that caused mold or mildew. here is something in the ductwork kT impeding airflow, like debris or an infestation. Major renovations or new construction can put debris into the duct system, so that is an ideal time to consider duct cleaning. our heating registers are releasing kY dust into the air. ome residents have allergies or kH asthma problems. While duct cleaning may not always be necessary, regularly changing your air filters can help your heating and 18

cooling system work more efficiently. How often you change them depends on how much your system runs, whether you have pets and whether you periodically vacuum your air filters. For the average home, air filters should be changed four to six times a year. Duct sealing is important for saving energy and lowering utility costs, particularly if your ducts are in unconditioned spaces, like a crawlspace or an uninsulated attic. In a typical home, 20 to 30 percent of heated or cooled air escapes through unsealed gaps in the duct system, which can cost you money and make your home less comfortable. The best way to assess the condition of your home’s ductwork is to have it tested by a professional home energy auditor. If you can easily access your ducts, you might get by with a visual inspection, which will identify the larger holes and disconnections. Where ducts meet or where they connect to a heating register are common places to find leaks.

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A professional trained in ductwork can help you identify and fix the gaps and leaks you may not be able to see. Once gaps and leaks have been identified, you can work to seal your ducts. Small duct leaks can be sealed with mastic, a type of caulk. Larger duct leaks and disconnections may require additional lengths of duct, mechanical fasteners or special heat-resistant tape. Do not use duct tape — ironically, it is not designed to adhere well to ducts. If you have ducts in unconditioned areas, like an attic or crawlspace, your ducts could be wasting energy by heating or cooling the surrounding air, even if there are no leaks in the ductwork. Insulation around the ducts can help reduce this energy loss. l This column was co-written by Pat Keegan and Amy Wheeless of Collaborative Efficiency. For more information on how to test and seal your ductwork, please visit: www.collaborativeefficiency. com/energytips.

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Pennsylvania pastime Local teams make big impression at Little League World Series By Michael T. Crawford Associate Editor

ennsylvania is home to the annual Little League World Series, as well as the World of Little League Peter J. McGovern Museum, both headquartered in Williamsport. And thanks to the Red Land Little League of Lewisberry, a Pennsylvania team holds the most recent title of U.S. Little League Champion, taking its place in the record books at the Williamsport museum. A new team will be crowned after the 2016 series, scheduled for Aug. 18-28. Before the Red Land team excelled in 2015, it had been 25 years since a Pennsylvania team earned the U.S. title. That group of 10- to 12-year-olds — the Shippensburg Little League Team — won the 1990 U.S. Little League Championship before losing in the Little League World Series title game 7-0 against the San Hua Little League of Tainan, Chinese Taipei (Taiwan). Even though it’s been a quarter of a century, the incredible journey continues to stand out in the memories of players and coaches. “When we first started coaching we did not ever even

think about (being at the Little League World Series),” recalls Gregg Mellott, former coach of the 1990 Shippensburg Little League World Series team. “It was quite a thrill just to get to the (Little League) World Series. Once we got there and saw all the people, the kids were making comments like ‘Wow, I knew there’d be a lot of people but I didn’t think there’d be this many!’ We were all in awe.” Fast forward 25 years to 2015 and a similar situation with a nearby Pennsylvania team: Red Land Little League of Lewisberry, victors of the 2015 U.S. Little League Championship, faced off against the Tokyo Kitasuna Little League, which won the world title with a final score of 18–11, the most total runs scored in any final game. “I think the hardest part (of losing in the world title game) was for the coaches,” says Tom Peifer, manager of the 2015 Red Land Little League championship team, with a laugh. “The kids were pretty relaxed. They’re buddies — all those boys have grown up together. You’d think they were just going to play a game in their backyard, not at the world-series

2015 U.S. CHAMPIONS: Members of the 2015 Red Land Little League All-Star team stand in front of the Howard J. Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport prior to the 2015 Little League World Series.

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Courtesy of Little League Baseball and Softball

1990 U.S. CHAMPIONS: Members of the 1990 Shippensburg Little League All-Star team stand in front of the Howard J. Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport prior to the 1990 Little League World Series.

level. I think that’s why they were so successful, because they were able to handle the pressure. As coaches and parents, we’re just real proud as to how they handled the whole thing and were a class act the whole way through.”

Courtesy of Little League Baseball and Softball

Pennsylvania pride Mellott, an Adams Electric Cooperative member, thinks the same thing, both of his 1990 team and the 2015 Red Land team. “From what I saw, both teams handled the pressure they had on them for playing ball like true champions,” remarks Mellott. “They didn’t fold under pressure, they kept their heads about themselves, didn’t show a bunch of arrogance. I ran into one little fella from Red Land at a concert after the season and … he was just like any other kid.” With the championship season behind them, the Red Land team has moved onward and upward. Several of the players from last year’s championship team now participate in traveling tournament teams, which involves two weeks on the road playing one game after the next. Naturally, it can be tough for adults holding down a job to be gone for two weeks, so team parents unable to work remotely often come and go in shifts to make sure their children can keep playing, explains Larry Bixler, an Adams Electric Cooperative member who is affiliated with the Red Land Little League board. “The kids have a blast,” says Bixler. “We cut expenses by grilling every night after the games. Kids have a good bond together. Families all spent two weeks with each other — did each other’s laundry, cooked meals for each other, and it’s good bonding for the parents as well. It’s a lot of fun for all of us.” Moving out of Little League into the traveling tournaments also means adjusting to a much larger playing field. “It was a tough adjustment,” says Peifer during an evening practice behind the Red Land High School. “Balls that were flying over fences before are now fly balls in the outfield. They were playing tournaments on this size field a month after the Little League World Series, and that was real tough. As we moved into the summer, they’re doing much better with it.”

Life lessons Even without championships, the parents and coaches agree that Little League plays an important part in growing children’s lives. “Anybody would tell you baseball teaches you a lot about life,” says Peifer, secretary of the Red Land Little League board. “There are a lot of struggles in baseball that parallel life in general. It teaches them to enjoy the good times, but also teaches them there will be times when things aren’t going so well, and you’ve got to push through them. It’s important for a lot of kids to try, even if they’re not playing at this level or the level these boys did, to give them a chance to learn those life lessons.” At the local level, Little League relies on a devoted legion of adult volunteers to help ensure the organization remains structured and runs smoothly. Bixler, a Red Land Little League board member in charge of field maintenance, encourages parents to take part in the program. “I believe it’s important to have the parents involved who have children in the program,” says Bixler. “I’ve coached on and off over the years. In years I didn’t coach, I got onto the board because I think it’s a good cause. Red Land coaches have about 450 to 500 kids year to year. We’ve got a project now where we’re trying to build new fields. We got some land donated to us from Newberry Township. We have a lot going on.” He encourages other adults to volunteer with Little Leagues in their communities. “I like to see the kids excel and do their best,” he says. “Probably the biggest thing we all hope that they get out of it ... is that they learn that through hard work, whether it’s baseball or an academic endeavor, they can show improvement. They can get better at something just by applying themselves.” l

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT: Cole Wagner, a member of the 2015 Red Land Little League All-Star team, readies himself to swing at an incoming baseball during practice behind Red Land Area High School.

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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 Michelle M. Smith at 717-233-5704.

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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. 814-571-7130. 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, COMMERCIAL, 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. GIFT AND CRAFT IDEAS

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. 724746-0992 or 814-926-3622.

HEALTH AND NUTRITION

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 I-26 today! It’s safe, affordable, and it works. Call 800-557-8477: ID#528390. 90-day money back on firsttime 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. 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.

SAWDUST DELIVERED IN NORTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA: Dry sawdust available in 32-yard walking floor. Call Charlie at 814-7200288. Green sawdust 100-yard walking floor. Call David at 814-425-2500, ext. 221.

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Classified Advertisements KUNEKUNE PASTURE PIGLETS — Gentle & friendly! Love human interaction. Great with pets and livestock. Mature less than half the size of typical farm pig. Boars $500. Gilts $700. 814515-4251.

BEAGLE PUPPIES — AKC REGISTERED. Will make great hunters or loyal, loving pets. $250. My boy Zeke also has a litter of Bluetick UKC coonhound puppies. $250. We hunt what we sell. Call John. 724-463-7485. 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 814696-1379. www.villagerestorations.com. MISCELLANEOUS

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. MOTOR VEHICLES & BOATS

1954 430 Case tractor; 1984 Smoker Craft boat with 20-hp Mercury and Tee Nee trailer; MEC Jr. 12-gauge Reloader; 6 feet of 33.3 LP records. Phone 814-658-0074. 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). 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

INDIAN LAKE WATERFRONT: Carefree brick ranch style, 3 bedroom/2 bath, full basement, attached and two-car detached garage. 1.1 acres, level to lake, double-slip boathouse with private drive and boat ramp. $475,000. Email: val. mcclatchey@outlook.com or call: 814-442-1315. SW WARREN COUNTY Tidioute area — 37 acres with timber. OGM negotiable. Completely remodeled house with large garage, other outbuildings. Access to PA game lands. Allegheny River nearby. Call 814-484-3941.

RECIPES AND FOOD

ALLEGHENY FRONT LOG CABIN RENTAL. New, fully furnished, linens, kitchenware provided. Three bedrooms, one and 1/2 bath. Great room, million-dollar view. Bedford County. www.alleghenyfrontexperience.com, 814-7544512.

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: 800-4033381 or www.sbarton.myshaklee.com. STUMP GRINDING

Farms are part of our electric cooperative.

DEAN’S STUMP REMOVAL — Free estimates. 814-694-5053. TRACTOR PARTS — REPAIR/RESTORATION

ARTHURS TRACTORS, specializing in vintage Ford tractors, 30 years experience, online parts catalog/prices, Indiana, PA 15701. Contact us at 877-254-FORD (3673) or www.arthurstractors.com.

See what a difference it makes…

TROUT FISHING

TROUT FISHERMAN. Large selection of professionally tied flies; 300+ patterns available. Reasonably priced, outstanding service; all flies personally tied, no imports. For catalog, email emerickflies@centurylink.net or call 814-8423571.

Classifieds

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. RAYSTOWN CAMPSITE, Yearly lease, 1 mile from Weaver Fall launch. Cottage with kitchen, 2 beds and loft, shower house, $400 weekly. Linen/ towels option. Four Leaf Clover Campground. Call 814-356-3314.

66 ACRES IN JEFFERSON COUNTY — Near Brockway. Nice wooded get-away near I-80. Stocked creek with small hunting lodge. $239,000. Call Ray, 412-364-6927.

CHAMBERSBURG, PA — Spacious ranch vacation house rental. Sleeps 9. Four bedrooms, 2 full baths, linens, towels provided. Seating for 18. Dish TV, internet. Situated on a working farm. Email: pappysgetaway@gmail.com or call 717263-3328.

FOR SALE — 15.25 ACRES, Fort Hill, Somerset County, Pa. Top of the mountain. Spring water, some timber. 800 ft. private access from paved road. Easy access from Maryland and West Virginia via I-68. 814-395-0415.

THINK PSU FOOTBALL! 50-minute drive to stadium. House rental. Sleeps 11, 4 bedrooms, large dining table, 2 TVs, 2 flbaths, 2 hfbaths, linens/towels provided. $230/night. Visit www. laurelwoodsretreat.com. Call 814-931-6562.

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countrykitchen

Just peachy By Janette Hess

s there any better summertime treat than a perfectly ripened peach? Some A trained journalist, Janette Hess would say you havenâ€™t lived until youâ€™ve eaten one whole, like an apple, with focuses her writing on interestthe juice running down your chin and arms. But as amazing as a solo peach ing people and interesting foods. may taste, embellishments are sometimes in order. She is a Master Food Volunteer with her local extension service Peaches, of course, make magnificent pies. The recipe for Pecan Peach Pie calls and enjoys collecting, testing for traditional peach filling to be nestled between layers of pecan streusel. The and sharing recipes. combination is hard to resist. Surprisingly, peaches also blend well with vegetables. In Fresh Peach Salsa, peaches stand in for tomatoes. The resulting concoction is sweet, hot and delicious. Summer Peach and Tomato Salad goes one step further by pairing peaches with tomatoes. When topped with savory cheese, the salad is exceptional in looks as well as taste. Take note that the easiest way to peel a ripe peach is to score it on the bottom, place it in boiling water for 10 to 20 seconds, and then transfer it into ice water for quick cooling. The skin should slip right off! This method works well for tomatoes, too.

Pecan Peach Pie 1 unbaked, 9-inch pie crust Pecan streusel: 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup flour 1/4 cup butter 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Peach filling: 4 cups peeled, sliced fresh peaches 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup flour 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon almond extract Dash of salt

Fresh Peach Salsa 2 tablespoons canola oil 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 2 medium peaches, peeled, pitted and diced 1/2 red or yellow bell

pepper, seeded and diced 1 jalapeno pepper (ribs and seeds removed), diced 2 tablespoons diced red onion 2 generous tablespoons minced fresh cilantro Freshly ground pepper to taste

Summer Peach and Tomato Salad 3 large peaches, peeled, pitted and cut into wedges 3 tomatoes, peeled and cut into wedges 1/2 red or yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips 1/4 red onion, cut vertically into strips

6 tablespoons canola oil 3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon honey 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 cup crumbled gorgonzola, blue or feta cheese Freshly ground pepper to taste

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Using pastry blender or fork, combine brown sugar, flour and butter until crumbly. Using fingertips, work pecans into crumb mixture to create pecan streusel. Sprinkle half of streusel into bottom of unbaked pie crust. Combine filling ingredients and spoon into crust. Sprinkle with remaining streusel. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Lower heat to 325 degrees and continue baking for 25 minutes, or until filling is set. If crust browns too quickly, cover with crust shield or strips of aluminum foil. Serve with ice cream, whipped cream or whipped topping, if desired. Makes 6 to 8 servings. Combine all ingredients. Cover and chill at least 1 hour. Makes approximately 1 1/2 to 2 cups salsa, depending on size of peaches. Serve as a dip for chips or as a garnish for grilled chicken, pork or fish.

Place peaches and vegetables in large salad bowl. In separate container, whisk together oil, white balsamic vinegar, honey and salt. Pour over peach-vegetable mixture and toss lightly. Top with crumbled cheese and freshly ground pepper. Makes 6 large servings.

powerplants

How to make your own new plants By George Weigel

Unless we do something soon, the eventual arrival of frost will turn our tender plants — the ones we paid a bundle of money for in the spring — into blobs of brown mush. Fortunately, you may be able to save at least some of them by creating “babies” from cuttings. This is easier than you might think. Many plants have the ability to send out roots from 4- to 6-inch cuttings taken off of the ends of branches. Stuck in moistened potting mix or even water, these cuttings send out roots within a few weeks from the nodes — the sections on the stems where leaves emerge. Once tip cuttings have roots, they’re essentially new plants that can be grown like a seedling or any other young plant. This works for a surprising number of plants — without a greenhouse, special lighting, rooting hormones or any other complicated stuff. Just snip 6-inch tips from the ends of plants you’d like to keep. Pinch off the lower sets of leaves until you’re left with a bare-legged stick with one or two sets of small leaves at the top. Next, stick the cuttings into small pots filled with a good-quality, lightweight potting mix. Some people dip the lower parts of the cuttings into a rooting hormone such as Rootone first, but I’ve found that most plants root just fine without it. The idea is to get one — and ideally two — sets of nodes under the ground. Two sets doubles your rooting odds over one set. Keep the soil damp at all times. It may take several weeks, but if it’s

photo by george weigel

s summer meanders into fall, now’s the time to think about salvaging some of this year’s landscape.

GROW YOUR OWN: Follow a few easy tips and you will have a supply of free plants.

going to work, roots will start growing. Once that happens, you’ve crossed the line from cutting to new baby plant. Move your cuttings inside once nighttime temperatures start dipping into the 40s. You’ll know your cuttings worked when the exposed tips start growing new sets of leaves. You can also try lightly tugging on the cutting. If it’s rooted, you’ll feel resistance. If not, the cutting will slide out of the mix. At this point, it’s a matter of keeping the young plants alive in winter. I place mine under ordinary fluorescent workshop lights or next to my brightest windows. The plants may get “leggy” and look somewhat anemic by mid-winter.

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That’s OK. The point is to keep the roots alive. By late winter, I take new cuttings from the saved plants to make even more babies. These go in 4-inch pots, and my favorites go under the lights. Once they root (which most do), I end up in May with a fine collection of new plants. Keep them damp and start giving them a little diluted balanced fertilizer at that point. I move these “toddlers” outside gradually in early May to get them used to more and more light and wind each day over a 7- to 10-day period. Then they’re ready for a new season in the ground or pots. Some of the best plants for starting from cuttings: coleus, Persian shield, alternanthera, flowering maple, fuchsia, geranium, helichrysum, hibiscus, iresine, plectranthus, salvia and some begonias. One thing to keep in mind — watch for patented varieties. Patent protection means that you really shouldn’t make unauthorized copies of a plant, even if you have no intention of selling your babies. Once you get the hang of this, try starting cuttings with any species. It also works with many woody plants, although some root better from June cuttings than late-summer ones. Really, you have nothing to lose but a little time and some potting mix. But when it does work, you have free plants. 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.

punchlines

‘I swear that jar filled up fast’ By Earl Pitts, American

ast night, ol’ Runt Wilson come into the Duck Inn and tells everybody we got to go outside and see his new toys. And we’re thinkin’, “Oh, boy, there he goes again. He got hisself a new motorcycle.”

So me and the boys go out there, and if I am lyin’, I am dyin’ cause here is a new, 34-foot, Class C motor home looks like it just rolled off the factory floor. And behind the RV there’s a trailer haulin’ two brand new jet skis. Me and Dub Meeker look at each other and Dub goes, “What did you do, Runt? Did you hit the lott’ry?” And Runt goes, “No, the swear jar.” He says his better half put a swear jar in their kitchen and he had to put two bucks in it every time he cut loose with a cuss word. And then after a year, she said they would spend the money on something fun. And I go, “But Runt — all this?” And he kind of smiles and kicks at the gravel and he goes, “I watch a lot of television news.” So we made a decision to set up a swear jar at the Duck Inn. At least until we can afford a new big screen and maybe one of them mechanical ridin’ bulls. And let me tell you, this is not as easy as it sounds. On account of, if you set up a swear jar, you will all have to agree on what constitutes a swear word. For a sample, to speed up our money collection, I suggested we include “near swear words” like “fudge” and “son of a pup.” I says they’re kinda swear words, but not real swear words. And Junior Meeker goes, “Maybe you could still put money in the swear jar, but you could use Canadian

money. Because that’s not real money.” Then Dub says swear words are only swear words if a female is present. It’s like a tree fallin’ in the woods. No harm, no foul. No lady, no cussin’. Wake up, America! Anyway — first night for the Duck Inn swear jar, we took in $146.

y buddy Dub Meeker all the time gets these crazy ideas on how we can get rich. Indoor umbrellas in case you’re in a buildin’ where the fire sprinklers go off. That was his idea. Anyways — this time he tells me this story about the unique Cheeto. It turns out the Cheetos Museum is runnin’ a contest through Aug. 15. You send them a picture of a unique-lookin’ Cheeto, and the people that send in the 10 most unique-lookin’ Cheeto pictures win money. And we’re talkin’ big money. $150,000 split by 10 people with 10 unique Cheetos. So far — they got a Abraham Lincoln Cheeto, a Loch Ness Monster Cheeto and a giraffe Cheeto, not to mention a bunch of others. So ol’ Dub, he brings in two bags of Cheetos to the Duck Inn last night. And I ain’t kiddin’ you, we wasn’t two handfuls into the bag and Dub gets excited. He goes, “Look Earl, a unique-lookin’ Cheeto.” I go, “What you got?” And he goes, “It looks like

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an American bald eagle flyin’ over a lake with his wings outstretched with a fish in his claws.” And I go, “Let me see that. … Dub, it looks like some woman slappin’ a small child.” He goes, “Turn it around, Earl.” Oh yeah. Yeah. And he goes, “Put that one aside.” And I go, “Look at this one. This looks like two flyin’ squirrels fightin’ in mid-air.” And Dub goes, “Put it aside.” Honestly, I don’t know if we got America’s most creative bag of Cheetos, or maybe we were a little too drunk for the task at hand, but it wasn’t more than a half hour before we had a handful of potential money-makin’ Cheetos. Dub goes, “Let’s go in the office and look on your computer where we send these pictures. And then we’ll start countin’ our money.” Wake up, America! If you’re going to join the competition, here’s Rule No. 1. Never hold your prize-winnin’, unique Cheetos in a bowl on a bar in a redneck establishment. Yeah, we got to get another bag tonight. I ain’t givin’ up. l Social commentary from Earl Pitts — a.k.a. Gary Burbank, 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 BurnhamLewistown. You can also find him at earlpittsamerican.com.

ruralreflections

‘T

Sunny days

is the season (to be outdoors), so remember to take some photos to share with Penn Lines readers. Amateur photographers are encouraged to send photos to Penn Lines Photos, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108-1266. Include your name, address, phone number and the name of your electric cooperative. 2016 winners in each of five categories — artistic, landscape, human, animal, and editor’s choice — will receive $75 and runners-up will receive $25. Please send winter photos by mid-September (hint: save your spring, summer and fall photos for next year’s contest). We will return 2016 photos in early 2017 if you include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. l

Donald Hollingshead Somerset REC

John Painter C Sullivan County RE

Jaime Fialcowitz Claverack REC Amy Tobolski Warren EC

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