August/September 2017 Pocono Living Magazine

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017

The Pocono Mountains' Magazine

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Pocono Living M A G A Z I N E

History of Quiet Valley Farm West End Fair Merwinsburg Hotel …and more

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Pocono Magazines August/September 2016

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GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Brian Hunter Chelsea McMahon

PHOTOGRAPHY & ART Veronica Murray Andrei Protsouk David Sandt Lisa Newberry James Chesnick James Smeltz Marlana Holsten Matt Siptroth William McKee Barbara Lewis Linda Zak Nancy Tully Maritza McFaline Vinzon Lee

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Roseanne Bottone Jamie Bowman Kimberly Blaker Kathy Dubin-Uhler Marty Wilson Amy Leiser Dave Pierce William M. Williams Kevin Conroy Janet Mishkin Suzanne McCool Chelsea McMahon INTERN Rebeca Sebring, Susquehanna University ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Kristen Sebring

THE PHOTOGRAPHY OF

DAVE SANDT

2 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017

The information published in this magazine is believed to be accurate, but in some instances, may represent opinion or judgment. The publication’s providers do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any information and shall not be held liable for any loss or damage, directly or indirectly, by or from the information. © 2016 Pocono Magazines. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the expressed written permission of the publisher.

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Contributors

August/September 2017 JANET MISHKIN

DAVID PIERCE

The History of Quiet Valley Farm / P. 6

Geotourism / P. 40

Janet Mishkin is curator and grant writer for Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm and adjunct Professor of History at East Stroudsburg University. As the former Executive Director of the Monroe County Historical Association, Janet developed her love of local history and has been researching Monroe County topics for more than 30 years.

David Pierce is writing a book on the creation of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. The Stroudsburg High School grad left the area for nearly 25 years before returning in 2000. His journalism career has included reporting for the Kodiak (Alaska) Daily Mirror, the Alaska Public Radio Network and the Pocono Record. He served 12 years as editor of the Springville Journal in suburban Buffalo. In 2004, Pierce received the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association’s “most prestigious honor,” the G. Richard Dew Award for journalistic service.

STEPHANIE SCHMITT The Merwinsburg Hotel / P. 18 Stephanie Schmitt is a recent graduate from the Catholic University of America with degrees in Politics and English. She grew up in the Pocono Mountains and now works as a Grant Writer for Chestnuthill Township in Monroe County. Her passions include traveling, brewing beer, and reading Jane Austen!

KEVIN CONROY Farmers Markets / P. 30 Born in New York but raised in Barrett Township, Kevin Conroy attended East Stroudsburg State College as a townie majoring in fine art. After college, Kevin served a two-year apprenticeship with the American Culinary Federation and studied advanced baking at Culinary Institute of America. Kevin is a chef, pastry chef, artisan baker, culinary arts instructor, writer, and business owner. He writes on a wide array of topics for newspapers, magazines, trade journals, and blogs.

MARTIN WILSON COTA: 39 Years of Music in the Gap / P. 34 Martin W. Wilson, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of History at East Stroudsburg University where he teaches courses in American History, Pennsylvania History, Urban American History, and the Revolutionary Era on both the undergraduate and graduate level. He lives in Delaware Water Gap with his wife Susan. He is the Curator at the Dutot Museum in Water Gap and a member of the Board of Directors of the Monroe County Historical Association.

WILLIAM M. WILLIAMS Long Pond Barrens Project / P. 44 William M. Williams is a Wildlife Conservation Officer and the Information and Education Supervisor for the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Northeast Region. “Bill” is responsible for administering the Hunter/Trapper Education program for the 13 county region and serving as both media and legislative liaison for the agency. Prior to working for the PA Game Commission, Bill served in the U.S. Navy as a Hospital Corpsman and worked as an Environmental Education Specialist for the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. He is an active member of the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association and Outdoor Writers Association of America. Bill lives near Benton and enjoys spending time on his hobby farm with his wife Michelle, Chesapeake Bay Retriever Rocco, alpacas, goats, and chickens.

KIMBERLY BLAKER Hiking / P. 48 Kimberly Blaker, of Michigan, is a realtor and an author and freelance writer. Her articles have appeared in more than 200 newspapers, parenting and women’s magazines, and other publications throughout the U.S.

August/September 2017

What’s Inside 6 The History of Quiet Valley Farm

by Janet Mishkn

18 The Merwinsburg Hotel

by Stephanie Schmitt

24 History of the West End Fair 28 7 Tips for Summer Gardening Success 30 Farmers Markets

by Kevin Conroy

34 COTA: 39 Years of Music in the Gap

by Marty Wilson

40 Geotourism

by David Pierce

44 Long Pond Barrens Project

by William M. Williams

48 Hiking, a Hands-on Experience

by Kimberly Blaker

55 In and Around the Poconos ON THE COVER: Our cover for this issue features a photo of the draft horse team at the Quiet Valley Farm.

PHOTO : DAVID TRAINER

QUIET VALLEY FARM

PHOTO : MARLANA HOLSTEN 6 POCONO POCONOLIVING LIVINGMAGAZINE MAGAZINE©© AUGUST/SEPTEMBER AUGUST/SEPTEMBER2017 2017

IN 1975

The History of

Quiet Valley Farm

A Local Treasure

By Janet Mishkin The early history of Monroe County can be told through the immigrant settlers that arrived in the 18th century, determined to make a new life for their families. Although Philadelphia, organized in 1682

by William Penn, was a leading colonial city by the time the area north of the Wind Gap became firmly established, frontier life was harsh and demanding. 

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER AUGUST/SEPTEMBER2017 2017 POCONO POCONOLIVING LIVINGMAGAZINE© MAGAZINE© 7

As a British colony, nonBritish men over the age of 16 were required to walk to the courthouse in Philadelphia to take the loyalty oath of King George III.

QUIET VALLEY FARM IN 1975

QUIET VALLEY FARM IN 1975

8 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017

T

he French and Indian War (1754 – 1763) brought conflict to the Pennsylvania frontier as the French played on the discontent of the Lenape tribes that were removed from the area by the Walking Purchase of 1737. Natives attacked local homesteads including the farm of Philip Bossert of Bossardsville, killing his son.

Attacks continued through 1757 and peace was declared in 1763, establishing the British as the colonial power in North America. By the time the Zepper family arrived in Philadelphia in 1765 the area north of the Blue Mountains was secure.

The original Quiet Valley family of Johannes Peter Zepper (Depper) migrated from the German states in 1765 on the ship Betsey under the command of John Osman from Rotterdam, Holland across the North Sea to Cowes in England and on to the New World. The ship landed in Philadelphia on September 19, 1765, two years after the end of the French and Indian War. On average, the journey from the German states to Pennsylvania could take up to six months, including the trek across Europe. As a British colony, non-British men over the age of 16 were required to walk to the courthouse in Philadelphia to take the loyalty oath of King George III. Although we do not know how long the family remained in Philadelphia, we do know they were in residence in Hamilton Township (then Northampton County) by 1770.

With the best farm lands in Chester, Berks and Lancaster counties already settled decades earlier, the land above the gaps was still available and affordable. While we know of William Penn’s desire to create a colony of peaceful coexistence with Native populations and religious freedom for all that settled in Penn’s Woods, there were several factors that led families to leave their homes in Europe for a new life. Certainly, many came to Pennsylvania for religious liberty, while others came to avoid conscription in the continuing European wars.

Perhaps the most significant attraction of the New World, however, was the possibility of land ownership. In Europe, land ownership was the exclusive right of the upper and merchant classes. The American colonies had land – and it was offered for settlement and sale to the new arrivals.

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Because William Penn required it, his heirs purchased the lands from Native tribes, first from the Lenni Lenape and later from the powerful Iroquois Confederation, overlords of the Lenape. The acquisition of 1749 opened up large tracts of land and included the present county of Monroe.

The German settlers, initially invited by William Penn in the 1680s, responded enthusiastically to emigrating to the colony of Pennsylvania and by the 1790 federal census, approximately 110,000 of the state’s 433,611 were German or of German descent. The German community of Hamilton Square was well established by the time the Depper family arrived.  AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© 9

QUIET VALLEY FARM

T

he Quiet Valley tract held several attractions for Johannes, his wife Susannah and daughter Katherine.

Water was readily available for the family well with springs and creeks close by. There were hardwood trees for fuel, building structures and food sources from those that produced nuts. Another feature favored by German settlers was the presence of limestone used for chinking in log home construction and as a “fertilizer” for fields. The German-speaking settlement at Hamilton Square offered the comfort of community and church. It is possible that the family settled the land as squatters and applied for the official warrant at a later date. The Pennsylvania proprietors generally recognized these established homesteads as legal ownership.

Following the end of the Revolutionary War, daughter Katherine married a former Hessian soldier, Johannes Ludwig Meyer, about 1780. During the Revolutionary War, Meyer had been wounded and taken prisoner at the famous Battle of Trenton by General George Washington’s troops, when the Americans surprised the Hessians after a day of Christmas celebrating, early in the morning of December 26, 1776. Like many of the mercenaries employed by King George III, Johannes Ludwig preferred to remain in Pennsylvania after the defeat of the British where there was a substantial German population. 

PHOTO: MARLANA HOLSTEN 10 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017

PHOTO: MARLANA HOLSTEN

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here is no indication of military service for Johannes Depper during the Revolutionary War, but he and his son-in-law both were part of the Northampton County Hamilton Township militia, serving under Captain Christopher Keller.

Connecticut and Pennsylvania vied for the northern third of state, primarily in Wyoming and Luzerne counties, known as the Yankee Pennamite Wars (1769-1794). As part of the third Pennamite War, “John Dieper” and Lewis Myer” served as privates during the Wyoming Campaign in the summer of 1784. The intermittent conflict finally ended by peaceful settlement in 1799, with Pennsylvania gaining the territory and the Connecticut settlers retaining their property titles.

Although the family was obviously in residence earlier, Pennsylvania land records recorded an early warrant for “John Depper” dated March 5, 1788 contained 126 acres.

Over the years the size of the farm varied as parcels were bought and sold. On December 18, 1789 a patent was awarded to John Depper by Pennsylvania Governor Thomas Mifflin for “Part of Land called Depperton”. This is the only mention of the title “Depperton”.

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A deed recorded in Northampton County indicated John and Susannah Depper sold 50 acres to Ludwig Meyer for 85 pounds on May 7, 1790. More than a year later, Ludwig sold 50 acres to Jacob Stroud for 175 pounds on November 17, 1791. Jacob Stroud owned extensive acreage throughout the area. Typically, tracts of land passed back and forth to different owners, usually when cash was needed to pay taxes. While caring for Katherine’s aging parents, Ludwig and Katherine raised their seven children on the land, passing along the farm to their son Johannes Simon. The land was given to the younger generation by the older generation during their lifetime.

Considered superior farmers to the English, German settlers were known for their hard work, thrifty practices and well-maintained farms. Germans typically provided covered shelter for their livestock, often before the homestead was completed. Before 1800, wheat was the main cash crop in colonial Pennsylvania, used as an export commodity. Rye was grown for roof thatching, beehives and breadbaskets. Germans farmers raised flax for linen, rope and oil production and while cotton was readily available after 1820, many continued to grow flax for the family clothing. Oats, corn, potatoes, hay and daily products increased after 1800. Red clover and grass pastures rotated as pasture lands to feed the hogs, sheep, horses and cows. Tobacco, used for rolled cigars, was grown primarily for home consumption. There was little variety in vegetables at first, although pole beans were popular.

Johannes Simon Depper married Susanna Shirley, daughter of John and Hannah (Trapp) Shirley of Bucks County at the 1st Reformed Church in Easton, Pennsylvania on November 14, 1813. Susanna is described as a “famous midwife” and wise woman known for cures by laying on of hands, which would suggest she was a powwow or healer. Simon and Susanna had six children of whom five survived to adulthood. Tragedy struck their third daughter, Leah, killed by lightning as she was cooking on the fireplace hearth August 11, 1838 during a thunderstorm in the cellar kitchen. She was preparing to be married. Leah’s funeral was held at Shafer School House cemetery with a large procession of mourners, described as a “100 wagons and people on foot” by a family account. Simon and Susanna were also buried at Shafer School House, Simon in 1871 and Susanna in 1878.

In typical fashion, Simon and Susanna deeded the farm on April 14, 1854 to Peter M. Marsh, husband of their daughter Hannah. Hannah and Peter

had been married on December 4, 1842.

By deeding the property before their deaths, Simon and Susanna avoided inheritance taxes. Peter and Hannah were then obligated by the deed to provide for their parents’ support.

Simon and Susanna were still living in the 1870 federal census; both were 80 years of age. Although the deed records Peter as the owner, it is clear by later records that Hannah played a major role in the farm management. In the 1880 agricultural census, she is listed as the owner of the farm. The 1870 census record indicated that Peter could read but not write; if this were the case, it may be that Hannah kept the farm receipts. One of the intriguing questions on the 1870 census concerns males over 21 “where rights to vote is denied on other grounds than rebellion or other crime”, a reminder that the Civil War had ended only 5 years previously.

During the Hannah and Peter Marsh tenure, the farm was productive. The Stormsville store ledger from the 1840s – 1850s indicated many transactions on the family account. 

PHOTO: DEB DIPASQUALE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© 13

ALICE WICKS SWEEPING THE HEARTH AT QUIET VALLEY FARM

The editor continued to explain that the unusually late strawberries “were grown of course on good Democratic soil” confirming the political leaning of the family.

Rural families continued to trade goods for needed supplies and the Marsh family frequently brought butter and eggs to the store. From the 1840s forward, farm technology dramatically improved. Inventions included better plow designs, the McCormick reaper, threshing machines, fanning mills and grain drills. The application of scientific research increased crop yields and decreased numbers of farm workers.

Farmers were encouraged to purchase costly equipment by partnering with their neighbors. Farming equipment left behind on the Quiet Valley farm included a mix of hand tools as well more modern pieces, such as a fanning mill, corn sheller and grain sweep.

The last family member to own the farm was Horace Marsh, the seventh and last child of Hannah and Peter.

Horace married Emma Hohenchildt of Easton in 1886. Hannah and Peter deeded sixty one acres and twenty one perches in November 1889 for the amount of one dollar “and other

14 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017

valuable considerations” to Horace and Emma. The valuable considerations listed in the deed included support and maintenance for Peter and Hannah as long as they lived, providing “…good and sufficient food and clothing and comfortable shelter and accommodations in sickness and in health…” Peter attained the old age of 90 and Hannah 84, so the length of care was considerable.

By the 1890s, the farm began to decline.

Much of the land in Monroe County, such as the Quiet Valley piece, was too rocky to be very productive. As cash crops such as wheat moved west to the Plains areas, local farmers turned to orchards and dairy production. The Pennsylvania Agricultural census 1880 indicated there were 100 apple trees on the farm. An article in the Monroe Democrat on Thursday, September 24, 1903 talked of H.A. Marsh “farmer and trucker” of near Stormsville stopping in at the newspaper office in town bringing “a box of strawberries as fine

Horace’s motive is unknown, but he and Emma sold the farm in 1913 to Thomas Hess. Horace and Emma moved into Stroudsburg, residing on West Main Street near the present Stroudsburg High School where they lived until their deaths in 1928. Family tradition suggests that Emma was never really happy living the life of a farmer’s wife and the move into town may support that theory. Certainly, by the early 1900s farming was no longer the main occupation of Monroe County residents and the value of the farm declined from the post-Civil War prosperity.

The Quiet Valley farm continued to struggle through the first decades of the 20th century. Typical of the depression times in the Poconos, Thomas and Anne Hess opened Spring Run Farms, a bed and breakfast for the tourist trade. Their only son Alvin was forced to give up his bedroom in the farmhouse to provide space for the guests. Farm-fresh eggs were guaranteed for all! With the death of Thomas Hess in 1958, his widow Anne quickly agreed to the sale of the property to Alice and Wendell Wicks, the Monroe County agricultural agent.

Although the Wicks considered using the land for a housing development, the collections of artifacts left behind in the farmhouse and outbuildings prompted the concept of a farm museum. Along with Alice and Wendell, their daughter Sue and her husband Gary Oiler developed the concept for Quiet Valley. The farm first opened to the public for summer tours in July 1963.

The vision of the Wicks family continues today in the tours, programs and special events at Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm. Now in the 54th season, Quiet Valley preserves the legacy of the first enterprising colonial settlers as they opened the frontier for the future generations. P

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and luscious as any grown during the regular berry season”. The editor continued to explain that the unusually late strawberries “were grown of course on good Democratic soil” confirming the political leaning of the family.

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Historical Bonanza Hits Tobyhanna Township Sharing its rich history with the world, the community of Tobyhanna Township, Monroe County, PA has documented its most important historical topics through a series of 25 historical roadside markers.

Enjoying the beauty of the Pocono Plateau can now be coupled with a tour that documents the remarkable history of the region. Community founders and patriarchs such as Blakeslee, Wagner and Stauffer, business’ and industries of Ice Harvesting, Forest Products, Lumbering and Railroads, and the early Schools, Churches, Fire Company and Library tell of the fiber that built Tobyhanna Township.

From the first road built by the Continental Army, to the Battle of Locust Ridge, to the first soldier buried at Arlington National Cemetery, the historical accounts share the building of our nation. As the community grew in the 18th and 19th centuries, its story further evolves with the histories of summer camps, resorts and recreational facilities to accommodate the many seasonal visitors enjoying the splendor of the Poconos.

scanned with a smartphone or similar device, the viewer is immediately taken to that marker’s web page, where a volume of history can be enjoyed.

Featured as part of the tour are the beautiful natural areas and parks located in Tobyhanna Township on the Pocono Plateau.

Need a map to take the tour? Go to TobyhannaTwpHistory.org/Markers and download the driving tour map. A version of the map can be printed and each marker listed provides its GPS locators. Maps are also available at the Tobyhanna Township Government Center and the Clymer Library in Pocono Pines, as well as the US Post Offices in Pocono Pines, Pocono Lake and Blakeslee. P

Over the past two years, a group of volunteers worked hard to research the history and write the stories. Each marker was donated by community groups and individuals. A prominent marker manufacturer was selected, and as the historical markers arrived, each was dedicated and installed at an appropriate location for its topic.

The result: 25 historical roadside markers located throughout Tobyhanna Township.

And there are many bonuses. An extensive web site details considerable history, more than what will fit on the face of each marker. Each marker has a “QR” label attached to its pole. When

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© 17

The Merwinsburg Hotel ‌Once a treasured piece of Chestnuthill Township

By Stephanie Schmitt During these formational years, the hotel functioned as a stagecoach stop along the Easton/Wilkes-Barre Turnpike and gained its reputation as an excellent place for a good meal, some fine entertainment, or to conduct business.

18 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINEŠ AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017

I

n order to better understand the essence of the Pocono Mountains, one ought to consider the history that surrounds its current residents and attracts its visitors. Tourists generally flock to the area to experience the mountains’ harmonious combination of offering an escape from city life and the unmistakable tradition of communal hospitality. Over the years, this hospitality has changed a great deal; the years of mom-and-pop boarding houses have almost completely fallen out of American culture.

A once treasured piece of Chestnuthill Township (est.

1756), the Merwinsburg Hotel, now stands in disrepair.

At first glance, the house remains a mystery, a brokendown shadow of Chestnuthill’s past. However, since the Township’s purchase of the property in 2008, much has been uncovered about the stories hidden away on Merwinsburg Road. The now vacant rooms were once home to Chestnuthill’s founding residents and bustled with travelers, tourists, and the like.

Nearing the end of the American Revolutionary War, Jacob Merwine built a log cabin in close proximity to where the hotel now stands. Amidst farming, hunting, lumbering, and raising a family of 13 children, Jacob Merwine also managed to entertain and host guests.

One of the Merwine’s first guests was renowned ornithologist and poet, Alexander Wilson. He was so impressed by the welcome he received, he decided to dedicate an entire section of his narrative poem, “The Foresters: A Poem, Descriptive of a Pedestrian Journey to the Falls of Niagara in the Autumn of 1803”, to his stay at Merwine’s cabin. His depiction of the cabin emphasized its coziness tucked away among the wilderness, tended by the ever-friendly Peter Merwine, son of Jacob. Even though the structure atop the land was vastly different than the forthcoming hotel, the tradition of the Merwine’s hospitality held true over time. 

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© 19

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W

ith this mindset, the Merwinsburg Hotel was born. The first two floors were built in 1804, after Peter’s son, John, took over the estate. During these formational years, the hotel functioned as a stagecoach stop along the Easton/Wilkes-Barre Turnpike and gained its reputation as an excellent place for a good meal, some fine entertainment, or to conduct business. Over the span of that time, the Merwinsburg Hotel brought guests such as Karl Bodmer, John James Audubon, and Prince Alexander Philipp Maximilian to the quaint respite at the foot of the Pocono Mountains.

Throughout the hotel’s nearly 140-year run, the property had seen changes in management and also dabbled in providing an array of different resources to the community. Interestingly, the hotel acted as a Post Office for the surrounding community from 1837-1886. This was not simply a place for tourists to come and enjoy, but an integral part of early 19th century Chestnuthill Township. Within that timeframe, in 1875, the hotel switched hands to the Gould family when Emma Merwine married Alexander Gould and changed the name to Gould’s Meadow Farm Inn. The Gould family owned and ran the hotel as a summer resort up until its final days in the 1960’s, conducting several renovations such as the addition of a third floor and a pool. Under their ownership, the hotel expanded immensely.

On any given day, Gould’s Meadow Farm Inn may have housed up to 50 people, serving visitors vacationing at the foothills of the Pocono Mountains.

S [above] Prince Alexander Philipp Maximilian zu Wied-Neuwied was a German explorer, ethnologist and naturalist, who was the patron of Johann Carl Bodmer, a Swiss-French printmaker, etcher, lithographer, zinc engraver, draughtsman, painter, illustrator and hunter. [right]

ince Chestnuthill Township purchased the property, the Chestnuthill Township Historical Society has undertaken a slow-but-steady renovation of this historical landmark through the efforts of volunteers and donors. Through this process, historically significant artifacts of the Merwine and Gould families have been found, providing a window into the past. Items such as hand-crafted tables and chairs left in the dining room and a fully intact, period ice box still grace the building with its former life. Dozens of letters, books, and newspaper clippings found in the building’s nooks and crannys have helped piece together a small picture of what living in Chestnuthill Township in the 1800s might have actually looked like.

As can still be seen among the remnants of the hotel, these families kept always in the spirit of Jacob Merwine by opening up their home to share their love of the Pocono Mountains with the world. 

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© 21

THE MERWINSBURG HOTEL

Merwinsburg Hotel Timeline: 1775: Jacob Merwine purchases

land where the hotel now stands and builds a log cabin. The hotel’s first two stories are built and begin to function as a stagecoach stop along the Eastern/Wilkes-Barre Turnpike.

1807: American botanist Frederick

Prusch stayed at the hotel during one of his botanical explorations.

1829: Ornithologist and painter

John James Audubon is a guest at the hotel, later commenting that he was “pleasantly entertained”.

1837-1886: A US Post Office

operates out of the hotel. Initially, known as Mount Pocono, the name changed to Merwinsburg in 1848.

1875: Jacob’s great granddaughter

Emma marries Alexander Gould, and the hotel becomes a summer resort known as Gould’s Meadow Farm Inn.

1890: A third floor is added to the main section of the house.

1927: A fire strikes in the back of

the hotel. It is rebuilt within the year, marking the last major reconstruction made on the home.

1964: Ownership is tranferred to

the Shiffers, and the hotel becomes a private residence.

2008: Chestnuthill Township

purchases the property to protect this historically significant structure.

2011: The Chestnuthill Township Historical Society is formed and obtains 501.C.3 Non-Profit Status.

2011-Present: Multiple

renovations (replaced roof, porches, and heating system).

22 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017

I

n the words of Steven Berry, “A concerted effort to preserve our heritage is a vital link to our cultural, educational, aesthetic, inspirational, and economic legacies-all of the things that quite literally make us who we are”. The Merwinsburg Hotel represents something much greater than a historical structure that provided lodging in the distant past; its history encapsulates the heart of the Poconos. Even as the world advances, the tradition of hospitality in this area is kept very much alive. By restoring the Merwinsburg Hotel into a space for the community’s organizations to gather, learn, and grow, the Chestnuthill Township Historical Society is nodding to its roots and holding its defining traditions forever dear.

For more information about the Merwinsburg Hotel or how you can get involved, please visit http://www.chestnuthilltwppa.gov/historical-society or to make a donation visit https:// www.gofundme.com/SaveMerwinsburg . P

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AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© 23

HISTORY OF THE

WEST END

FAIR

24 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017

T

HE WEST END FAIR, originally named the Monroe County Agricultural Society, was first held at Weir Lake on Thursday, September 2, 1920. It came about at the monthly meeting of Weir Lake Development Company in 1919 when Frank Koehler came up with the idea of holding an annual display of farming products.

He donated $100 towards this endeavor and stated that he would solicit $150 of advertising as long as the company would match his amount. Five hundred dollars was raised and the West End Fair was born. Nearly four thousand people attended this early event. Then Eldred, Chestnuthill, Polk, Hamilton, Ross, Jackson, and Tunkhannock were the seven townships involved in organizing the fair. Tunkhannock, no longer part of the organization, broke away in 1925. Today there are six directors from each of these townships. It was in the second year of the fair that the name was changed to the West End Agricultural Society, thereby establishing our own identity.

The date was also permanently established. The fair would always be held on the last Wednesday in August which is still in effect today.

In 1947 Mrs. Arlington Smith dished out one hundred gallons of homemade sauerkraut in one day.

In 1927 the directors and officers bought their own plot of ground and the West End Fair in Gilbert was officially created. One of the best features of our fair then as well as today is the fairground itself. Many articles have been written about our stately oaks and majestic hemlocks shading the grove. Even when temperatures rise into the 90’s, there is still a cool breeze blowing to the delight of the fairgoers.

The West End Fair in the 1920’s displayed historical exhibitions such as: Indian arrowheads and tomahawks found locally, two hundred year old bread baskets and quilts, old German coins, a Civil War canteen, a Revolutionary War fork and corn huskers made by a Civil War veteran while convalescing, wooden shoes, an old lock from a house in Mahoning Valley that had been burned and the occupants kidnapped

by Indians. 

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© 25

THE WEST END FAIR

L

ocal bands from nearby towns such as McMichaels, Gilbert, Kunkletown, Wind Gap and Palmerton as well as minstrel and vaudeville acts performed at the fair. Cakewalks, fat men’s races, women’s nail driving contests, children’s shoe lacing contests, tugs of war, horseshoe pitching, parades of people dressed in “ridiculous” clothes, and parades of people “walking funny,” egg and potato relay races, young men on horseback relay races, and auto retiring races were all part of the early days of entertainment at the West End Fair.

26 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017

Senior Citizen Day began in 1930 when prizes were given to the oldest man and lady. Now Senior Citizen Day has become a tradition at the West End Fair. On Wednesday there is a reduced senior admission price, afternoon entertainment selected with them in mind, and special prizes awarded in different categories. The association often gives flowers to the ladies.

The 1940s were a difficult decade for the West End Fair since World War II was in full force. Because of the war obligations no fair was held in 1942 and 1943. In the 1940’s the fair association ran the “kitchen.” The women were famous for the generous helpings of pork and sauerkraut served to the hungry customers. In 1947 Mrs. Arlington Smith dished out one hundred gallons of homemade sauerkraut in one day. The homemade pies were also a favorite of the fairgoers. Even though the kitchen is no longer manned by the fair association, sauerkraut and mashed potatoes is still a traditional dish served at the fair.

Many changes occurred in the 1970’s. The fair went from a one-day event in the 1920’s to a six-day event in 1975. A new two-story fair office was erected which was expanded in 1994.

Ten-tiered bleachers were built to hold many more interested 4 wheel drive and tractor pull fans. On Wednesday, August 30, 1978, at 5:30 a.m., fire hit the West End Fair and destroyed the entire main commercial exhibition building and all of its contents. Hundreds of thousands of dollars of electric organs, motorcycles, furniture, shoes and other saleable items were lost. The fire raged with such intense heat that it melted the roof of a nearby tractor. A somber director said with emotion that it was one of our best old buildings with a slate roof that had been built the old-fashioned way. A year later a new block building for commercial exhibits was erected in its place, but no construction could replace the fine old building that had shared so many fairs with the West End visitors. In 1979 two new entrance gates were erected and a year later a third gate was installed at the east entrance of the fairgrounds.

In 1986 the fair association purchased thirteen acres of land to alleviate the parking problem. During the summer of 1987 a company from King of Prussia began building a new grandstand.

It was completed in the fall when the roof was added.

The arena now had room for 3,371 more spectators.

It could now seat a total of 4,211 people. The fair had its first “big” star at the arena in 1989 when Charley Pride entertained crowds of fairgoers.

In 1994 the main stage got a face life thanks to the generosity of a director and his wife who donated the beautiful fair logo.

This thoughtful gesture displays another example of the dedication and love the directors have for their fair. In the 1990’s a new section was added for concessionaires. The grounds can now accommodate 200 concessions. In 1996 the old fair office became the new museum which was created for the fair’s 75th anniversary. It contained fair memorabilia and local antiques. There continues to be a changing theme each year, from quilts to tools to parlor to Christmas in August. The museum

has now expanded to a 50’ by 100’ building as room was needed for the many donations acquired.

Over the years the West End Fair has seen many changes.

It has gone from 3000 people in attendance to over 180,000. Now we have many innovations, but no matter how much our fair changes, the philosophy remains the same. The original West End Fair premium book contained a statement of the goal of the fair, which hasn’t changed.

“The object of the fair is: to promote a healthy interest in the West End of Monroe County in the raising of thoroughbred horses, cattle, sheep, swine, and poultry; to increase the quality and quantity of grains, fruits, and vegetables; to assist in the social uplift of the West End by bringing all classes of rural life together to vie with each other in exhibiting the best that the West End can produce; finally to afford a day of recreation and pleasure.” We continue to keep these traditions as we preserve the past by developing the future. P This feature has been provided Courtesy of the West End Fair and The West End Fair.com.

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Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

7 Tips for Summer Gardening Success

W

CHECK EQUIPMENT.

hen temperatures peak and the summer sun shines for long hours throughout the day, it can put a burden on your garden and the plants growing in it. Some steps may be easier to take than others, but there are ways to keep your greenery thriving even in relentlessly scorching heat.

Before getting carried away with digging, tilling or watering, be sure that all of the tools for these jobs and others are ready for use. Inspect hoses and spigots for leaks and holes, ensure that hand tools are sturdy and monitor your inventory of important items like soil to make sure you have enough for the tasks ahead.

Of course, having the right tools and a personal commitment to gardening are a couple of the first and most important rules, but these tips can serve as simple, helpful ways to keep your garden growing strong.

KNOW WHAT TO GROW.

28 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINEŠ AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017

Instead of gardening on a hunch and wasting water or other precious resources on plants that simply don’t grow well or bloom in the summer, research which flowers, plants and bushes will succeed. Local experts who sell seeds and bulbs can likely help guide you while you shop for your next plant.

TURFMASTERS TIPS

WATER EARLY.

By watering in the morning, you can achieve multiple objectives. First, you won’t be stuck sweating it out when the sun is directly overhead during the day while trying to hydrate your plants. Second, soaking the soil early can help plants stay hydrated throughout the hottest parts of the day, rather than allowing them to dry out in the heat and attempting to rehydrate them later.

MIX NUTRIENTS WITH WATER.

Adding fertilizer to water can help balance out deficiencies in certain minerals, depending on the quality of your soil, especially if you aren’t able to water frequently.

KEEP POTTED PLANTS COOL.

When sitting in the sun, certain types of pots may absorb heat, sometimes causing the plants within to dry out and become overheated. Lightly mulching the pots can help, as can placing the pot in a saucer full of moist sand.

ADD SHADE.

WHITE GRUBS Lawn grubs, are often called white grubs. They are the immature form of different scarab beetles, such as Japanese beetles. These C-shaped insects have very soft bodies. The adult beetles differ considerably in color markings, shape and size. They have a brownish and green body The cycle is as follows: SPRING: Grubs awaken from the cold winter move up in soil and begin feeding until they become mature.

SUMMER: The Pupae turn into beetles including Japanese beetles lays its eggs in the ground. Beetles are active at night.

Another way to keep potted plants, and all other plants for that matter, cool is to set up a canopy or shade cloth. Especially if your garden is subject to nearly all-day sunlight, it’s helpful to give it some shade at the hottest parts of the day with a canopy directly above.

LATE SUMMER EARLY FALL: The eggs will hatch into young grubs about 2 weeks after being laid. They will feed very heavy on the grass roots. In the fall season the damage is usually the worst. The grubs will feed until the cold weather drives them deep into the soil.

PROTECT AGAINST PESTS.

WINTER: Once the grubs dig down into the soil to below the frost line they will hibernate till spring.

While it can be difficult, keeping pests and insects out of your garden can help keep both you and your plants healthy. Repellants are an obvious option, but some may negatively affect the growth of plants.

Instead, practice habits like maintaining healthy soil and getting rid of standing water (which can attract mosquitoes) to actively deter insects.

By staying committed and following these tips among others, you can keep your garden lush and growing even during the summer’s hottest days.

Courtesy of Family Features

DAMAGE: Grubs can destroy your grass roots. Evidence of Grub damage, is lots of brown dead areas in your lawn. If your lawn starts to turn brown and you can roll it back like peeling off an orange, the chances are real good you have grubs. Some of the key signs to look for are skunk, moles and crows causing damage to the lawn.

CONTROL: Most professionals in the lawn industry will tell you treat your lawn in late spring with a contact insecticide known as a curative which will kill on contact such as Dylox. During the summer months a preventative which will have residual through the fall should be applied like Aloft or Merit. If you have a bad grub problem you might want to call a state licensed applicator so they can apply a more concentrated dose of chemical to your lawn. Cut your grass 1inch higher during the months of July-August which not only keeps your lawn greener but makes it harder for beetles to lay eggs.

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AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© 29

Farmers Markets A Growing Pocono Tradition

By Kevin Conroy

30 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017

Do you love fresh fruit & vegetables?

T

he age-old tradition of outdoor farmer’s markets has taken on a life of its own in the Poconos. From 1977 ‘till 2014, only one farmer’s market existed in Monroe County, but things have changed since then! Interest in fresh produce has cultivated personal loyalty between many of us and growers, leading to the rise in popularity of these open-air venues.

Open Daily 9am - 6pm (570) 992-5615 • www.gouldsproduce.com 829 Frable Rd, Brodheadsville, PA 18322

Here are some of the farmer’s markets in our area:

STROUDSBURG OLD TIME FARMERS MARKET, held on Saturday mornings from May through October, is located on Ann Street in Stroudsburg. It has unlimited free parking and easy access to farm stands.

The Old Time Market is all about local farming. Proud of their hard work and accomplishment in a time when hard work may not always be appreciated, the farmers here grow everything for sale in their own fields, and goods like honey come from the hives of the beekeeper.

Of course, there is far more than produce here. There are free-range chicken and pork, all hormone and antibiotic free. Sweet baked goods and artisan breads are available, along with brown eggs, and even duck eggs. This names only a few. The selection doesn’t end there. 8 St Sarah Monroe Co. Courthouse

← Monroe St

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STROUDSBURG

(570) 460.1452 or (570) 236.8456 Saturdays • April - October • 8am - Noon www.stroudsburgoldtimefarmersmarket.com 925 Ann Street • Stroudsburg PA, 18360

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S 7th St

S 8th St

S 9th St

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Stroudsburg Old Time Farmers Market is dedicated to offering an extensive variety of farm fresh goods, as well as other locally grown and created items.

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Main St

From our local farms to your families table!

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Ann

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Time S troudsburg Old Farmers Market

Ann Street Park Lenox Ave

Find the Summer 2017 edition of Pocono Living’s map featuring where to Shop, Dine, Play & Stay in the vicinity of Stroudsburg & East Stroudsburg at our advertisers’ locations.

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AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© 31

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sket T he FAvae rmer’s Ba ac Wiz

St th

Albertson Park

N5

★

F nue Ave E nue Ave

Creekview Park

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STROUDSBURG

THE FARMER’S BASKET, open seven days spring, summer and fall, is a four-season market located at 1309 N. 5th Street, Stroudsburg. Their supplying farmers are dedicated to stewardship and committed to quality. Those of us who value fresh food can support local farmers by buying here.

They carry everything from plants and herbs in the springtime to produce and hanging baskets in summer, local cider and apples in the fall, and holiday trees, wreaths and poinsettias in winter.

The Farmer’s Basket receives farm deliveries every day, which means their produce is fresher than a supermarket’s. It is tastier and more nutritious as well.

And it helps keep family farms in business.

32 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017

THE DANSBURY FARMERS MARKET is up and running Wednesday mornings from 8:30 ‘till 12:30 through October so we can stay fresh all week. Just off Crystal Street in East Stroudsburg, PA, the farmers from Stroudsburg Old Time Market sell a variety of fresh produce, from ten varieties of tomatoes to thirty varieties of apples.

They also offer eggs, chicken, pork, and baked goods, plus honey and honey soaps, maple syrup, jerky and doggie treats.

St stler N Ki

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St → tland

S Cour

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←

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St

Ransb

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★

S Kistler St

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Dansbury Park

ink St

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Prospect St

N Courtla nd St

Ever had crabapple sauce? They have it, and elderberry preserves for the family table. They have cider. They make their own strawberry butter. Spruce up for fall with hay bales, corn stalks, gourds and pumpkins, too.

Dansbury Farmers Market Penn St

EAST STROUDSBURG

There are many important reasons why we should buy from local farmer’s markets. The fewer people that handle food, and the less time it sits in a truck being transported, the better it is. Also, government figures show farm markets are a proven asset to the economic health of local agriculture and to other businesses in their vicinity.

Saturday, September 2, 2017 9am - 4pm • The Potting Shed • American Ribbon • Earthlight Natural Foods This year’s event hosts 75 artists with creations that include pottery, woodworking, framed and unframed oil, watercolor and pencil drawings, quilted, felted and mixed media textile creations, as well as photography, jewelry and repurposed goods. Local honey, maple syrup, Greek specialty foods, a local Schisler Museum of winery and restaurant will also be on sight.

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Most important, though, they allow us to feed our families from the beautiful, nutritious bounty of the earth and sun.

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AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© 33

COTA

PHOTO: GARTH WOODS (COTAJAZZ.ORG)

Thirty Nine Years (and Counting) of Music in the Gap

By Marty Wilson

34 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017

F

OR EACH OF THE LAST THIRTY-NINE YEARS jazz fans from near and far have flocked to the borough of Delaware Water Gap the weekend after Labor Day to listen to musicians ply their craft at the Celebration of the Arts (COTA) jazz festival. Over three days local musicians, many with international reputations, gather to play the music they, and their audience, love. From humble beginnings COTA has grown into an institution in the tiny borough of Delaware Water Gap, and its musical influence is felt throughout northeast Pennsylvania.

The COTA jazz festival was never just about the music, however. The music is primary, but COTA is also about education, community, and volunteerism. In fact, Bob Lehr, former owner of the Deer Head Inn, educator, and early COTA board member, thought that the event would improve the quality of life in Delaware Water Gap and in the surrounding area.

The festival grew from a conversation three Water Gap residents, Phil Woods, Ed Joubert, and Rick Chamberlain, had in late 1978 while sitting at the back corner of the bar in the Deer Head Inn. John Coates was at the piano and, according to Phil, there were more horn players in the bar waiting to sit in with Coates than there were customers.

Noting the large number of great musicians living in the Poconos and the vibrant music scene at the Deer Head, Rick turned to the other two and said “Hey, guys, we ought to move this thing outside and have a festival.”

From that remark grew COTA. Phil, Ed, and Rick brought their significant talents to bear to make their dream a reality. Phil was an internationally known alto saxophone player who had already won 2 Grammy awards and was later named a 2007 National Endowment of the Arts Jazz Master. Quincy Jones called Phil the best alto player in the world. Ed owned a bar down the street from the Deer Head called the Bottom O’ the Fox and had a reputation as a person who could get things done. Rick, while only in his mid-twenties at the time, was a member of the borough council and an accomplished trombone player (eventually he became the principal trombonist for the New York City Ballet Orchestra). Rick knew a lot of people in town and he used those connections to get the event rolling. He prevailed upon Fred Waring, owner of the Castle Inn, to allow them to use the street in front of the Inn as a stage.

Then he got permission from the National Park Service, the Delaware River Joint Bridge Commission, and the Delaware Water Gap borough council to use land each entity owned for the festival site. The Delaware Water Gap Chamber of Commerce, the borough’s Lion Club and the Antoine Dutot Museum all sponsored the first festival. 8 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© 35

“

Noting the large number of great musicians living in the Poconos and the vibrant music scene at the Deer Head, Rick turned to the other two and said ‘Hey, guys, we ought to move this thing outside and have a festival.’

”

A crowd of around 500 people enjoying the first festival in 1978. Appearing on the riser set up in the street are Phil Woods and Al Cohn. photo: cotajazz.org

Woodwind trio Calliope performing at the artists’ reception for the Music Motif show at the Dutot Museum.

PHOTO: GARTH WOODS, (COTAJAZZ.ORG)

36 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017

COTA: 39 YEARS OF JAZZ IN THE GAP

O

rganizers selected the Labor Day weekend for the event. However, when it became clear that two of the area’s leading and most visible musicians, Phil Woods and Al Cohn, could not make that date because of an annual commitment each had made on the Labor Day weekend to the Gibson Jazz Party in Colorado, organizers moved the festival to the weekend after Labor Day. The first festival was a one-day event and took place on September 10, 1978.

A riser was set up in the middle of the street in front of the Castle Inn to serve as a stage. Musicians donated their time and talents. A crowd of around five hundred people, each of whom paid one dollar for admission, attended the first event.

Since then the festival has grown enormously. In 1979 it expanded to two days, and then eventually to three (even four in some years). In 1980 a COTA Board of Directors was formed and the organization became its own, non-profit entity. Participation in the event was opened to artists other than musicians. A musical motif art show, and dance and theatrical performances, have been a part of the festival since 1981. Local artisans display their work. In 1994 a new, permanent stage complete with a cover was built in front of the Castle Inn for $10,000. Various local radio stations have broadcast the festival live, an LP of music from the festival was released in 1981, and a two-hour documentary on the festival was aired on television in 1984. Crowds have grown into the thousands and the event’s budget has surpassed the $50,000 mark.

From its inception the festival has been closely intertwined with the borough of Delaware Water Gap and its residents. For the first two years of its existence it was administered by the borough’s Chamber of Commerce.

When there is money left over after bills have been paid the non-profit

COTA organization donates it to the borough of Delaware Water Gap and to various borough entities.

COTA money helped to rehabilitate Water Gap’s Shull Park. The Water Gap Fire Department, the Church of the Mountain Community Music Fund, and the Antoine Dutot School and Museum all received financial support from the festival. In addition, non-profit community service organizations are invited to sell food at the COTA festival in order to raise money. COTA celebrated the borough’s 100th anniversary of its incorporation in 1989, and it dedicated the 1993 festival to the 200th anniversary of the borough’s founding. COTA has even expanded its venues to other parts of the town. The Church of the Mountain, the Dutot Museum, the Castle Inn, and Brownies restaurant (today’s Sycamore Grill) have, at times, supplemented the main stage area.

Once Phil and Rick realized that their creation was gaining momentum (Ed was killed in an unsolved murder in 1981) they decided to expand the impact of the festival to the broader Pocono community. Both men were committed to jazz education. In 1981 Phil sent a letter to twentysix high school band directors in the area asking for their help in forming a student jazz orchestra to perform at the festival. Phil and other professional musicians volunteered to teach and to rehearse the students.

Only one band director, Patrick Dorian of the East Stroudsburg Area School District, responded. Yet that effort produced the COTA Cats, a band dedicated to teaching young musicians how to play jazz. The COTA Cats play original music at every festival. In 1983 a COTA Cats scholarship was established. Several former COTA Cats have gone on to become professional musicians, and many have come back to the festival to help nurture new generations of musicians. 8

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AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© 37

COTA: 39 YEARS OF JAZZ IN THE GAP

W

hile the COTA Cats have been a huge success, in 2006 Rick came up with another idea to spread the gospel of jazz: CampJazz. Rick and Phil had first met at a jazz camp in 1964. Rick was a student and Phil was the resident artist. Rick wanted to offer to young people the opportunity he had enjoyed of studying music in an intense, one-week camp environment with seasoned professionals. Since 2007, a weeklong instructional camp has operated under the auspices of COTA in which students from the ages of 12 to 18 get personalized instruction from local professional musicians.

At the end of the week the students get to show off what they learned in a free public concert.

COTA organizers acknowledged the spiritual connection to the music from the beginning. Each Sunday morning of the festival weekend the gates to the stage area are opened to allow people to attend a jazz mass. The mass blends original music and scripture into an ecumenical service.

The first jazz mass was performed in 1978 at the Church of the Mountain just before the first festival began. Thereafter performed on the festival stage, it has been an integral part of COTA ever since.

“

And all musicians receive the same modest, daily honorarium, no matter how many times they play or how well known they are.

COTA CATS ON STAGE, PHOTOS: GARTH WOODS, (COTAJAZZ.ORG)

COTA has always been a non-profit organization. And, until this year it has remained independent of corporate sponsorship. It exists because hundreds of volunteers contribute their time, talents, and energy to it each year. A spirit of community and volunteerism has been a defining characteristic of the festival since its inception. All of the festival’s musicians and artists are either local or have local connections. And all musicians receive the same modest, daily honorarium, no matter how many times they play or how well known they are.

COTA’s lasting influence was acknowledged in 2008 when the state of Pennsylvania awarded Phil Woods and the COTA festival with the Governor’s Creative Community Award given for helping to make Northeast Pennsylvania “a destination for jazz lovers around the globe.” COTA was described as “a community success story and a moving example of the impact of artists on the places they live.”

FOUNDER PHIL WOODS CONDUCTING

This year will mark the fortieth COTA festival.

Unfortunately, its founders will not be in attendance.

In 2015 both Rick Chamberlain and Phil Woods passed away. The current COTA board, however, vows to continue to hold the annual festival. An idea that sprang from a conversation between three friends has blossomed into an institution that has outlived them. P The author wishes to thank Jill Goodwin, widow of Phil Woods, and Bill Goodwin, producer and drummer, for their help with this article.

SUNDAY MORNING JAZZ MASS 38 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017

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GEOTOURISM

By Dave Pierce

What do key parts of the Pocono Mountains, New Jersey Skylands, Lehigh Valley and the Catskills have in common?

Start with an evolving wider identity as the “Scenic, Wild Delaware River,” anchored by a national recreation area and other unique natural, cultural and aesthetic attractions that are defined as geotourism.

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© 41

GEOTOURISM

Some organizations and businesses provide links from the Scenic, Wild Delaware River website to their own sites.

“And people have been regularly updating their content, which is a good thing,” said Bryon Cope, Northampton County’s open space coordinator and a member of the stewardship council’s coordinating committee.

“One thing we’re trying to do is to get the partners to promote the website through social media,” said Archie of Harbinger.

PHOTO : DWGNRA

Geotravelers get beyond the surface and have rich, life-changing travel experiences.

N

urture it with a diverse travel guide website featuring the voices of people who live here, coordinated by National Geographic Maps. Create a stewardship council that is pursuing self-sustaining economic development strategies promoting unusual destinations, inns and restaurants unlike those typically found in a national-franchise, cookiecutter world.

For the first time, tourism stakeholders in the three-state, nine-county region are working together.

The nine-county promotional effort was sparked by the National Parks Conservation Association, a private, non-profit organization that promotes funding and protection for the nation’s 407 national park units. NPCA commissioned a study by Harbinger – released in April 2015 – on how to strengthen the identity of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, which encompasses 70,000 acres in five counties, on both sides of the Delaware River.

“Go light, stay local, learn about the local cultures and traditions, help sustain what makes this a special place,” says one entry at delawareriver. natgeotourism.com. “Geotravelers get beyond the surface and have rich, life-changing travel experiences.”

“We’re promoting little places to stay, not just a national motel,” explained Michele Archie of the Harbinger Consulting Group, which manages the website today.

“We’re really oriented to the unique stories – what makes this region special.”

There have been more than 700 entries on the Scenic, Wild Delaware River website since it was launched little more than a year ago. This includes descriptions and directions to waterfalls, hiking trails, high vistas, historic sites, restaurants and lodging. The site also features details on the times and location of upcoming events and festivals.

Site visitors can conduct searches based on a location or type of attractions. The searches produce site descriptions and suggested itineraries.

42 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017

PHOTO : PMVB

The final report authored by Archie – based partly on focus group sessions featuring dozens of regional political, cultural and business leaders – determined the DWGNRA provided local economic benefits but lacked a strong local identity as a National Park Service unit.

The National Parks Conservation Association found a lack of collaboration between Pennsylvania and New Jersey residents near the national recreation area, NPCA Senior Director Joy Oakes recalled. The Scenic, Wild Delaware River promotional effort is working to improve ties across Monroe, Northampton, Pike and Wayne counties, Pennsylvania; Warren and Sussex counties, New Jersey; and Orange and Sullivan counties, New York.

#PoconoMtns PoconoMountains.com

“Everybody is very proud of their own place,” Oakes said. “What this initiative tries to do is knit those places together. There are more and more connections among the park and community.

“It’s not just about travel,” Oakes said. “It’s also about sustaining and enhancing the place.”

The Wild, Scenic Delaware River initiative will sponsor a conference Sept. 28 at Woodloch Resort, near Hawley. People are being surveyed now about what workshop topics are most in demand. Details will be posted on the geotourism website.

“It’s very economic development oriented,” Tourism Sales Manager Ann Pilcher of the Pocono Mountain Visitors Bureau said of the overall effort. “It’s representing the unique character of the Delaware River region. It’s about place-based tourism.” P

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AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© 43

Long Pond Barrens Project Benefitting Wildlife

Controlled burns helping save unique habitat

by William M. Williams PHOTO : G. GRESS

Unique habitat in Northeastern Pennsylvania The Pocono mesic till barrens are a unique group of fire-maintained shrub communities that support a variety of wild birds, mammals, and rare plants. One of the state’s largest mesic till barrens can be found in an area of the Pocono Plateau near Long Pond, stretching across portions of State Game Lands (SGL) 38, State Game Lands 129, Bethlehem Water Authority (BWA) property, and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) Long Pond Preserve, in Monroe County.

The landscape, known collectively as the Long Pond Barrens, is dominated by scrub oak, pitch pine, and blueberry, interspersed with swamps, bogs, marshes, boreal forests, and grasslands. The area is home to a diversity of wildlife including deer, bear, turkey, ruffed grouse, snowshoe hare, whip-poor-will, golden-winged warbler, and timber rattlesnake.

Fire is vital to barrens survival The specialized ecology of scrub oak barrens was maintained for thousands of years by lightning-induced and native-set fires that promoted blueberry production and oak regeneration. Statewide suppression instituted in the 1960s ended fire’s influence on barrens habitats and trees that were minor components in healthy barrens began expanding and changing habitat structure from an early successional to a closed canopy forest.

Scrub oak barrens depend on frequent disturbance (especially fire) to maintain their unique habitat structure. This oak is adapted to fire and requires disturbance to remove other plant species so that it can receive sunlight. It sprouts prolifically after fire burns away its above ground parts.

44 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017

Management of barrens habitat in Pennsylvania involves restoration of the oak component and maintenance of early successional habitat through the use of controlled burns that restore wildlife populations dependent on this habitat type. The use of controlled burning has been the primary management tool for barrens habitat in PA since 2007.

Scrub oak communities provide essential requirements The scrub oak (also called bear oak) is a small shrubby tree native to the eastern United States, extends from Maine to North Carolina, and provides food and shelter for many animal species. Whitetailed deer eat the acorns, stems, and foliage.

Bears feed heavily on the acorns, especially when preparing for hibernation. Wild turkey prefer scrub oak acorns over other types of available food.

Insectivorous birds such as the Golden-wing warbler rely on insect species that live on the tree.

The use of controlled burns is instrumental in preserving barrens habitat

Funding aims at benefiting wildlife and hunters Both the BWA and TNC partnered with the Game Commission in the Volunteer Public Access and Habitat Improvement Program (VPA-HIP). The VPAHIP program helps state agencies increase public access to private lands for wildlife dependent recreation such as hunting through a competitive grant program and is administered by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service.

VPA-HIP has helped the Game Commission’s NE Region increase public access and improve wildlife habitat on over 9,000 acres of private land owned

by BWA and TNC in Tunkhannock and Tobyhanna Townships, Monroe County.

Controlled burn crews assemble at TNC Long Pond Preserve

Private lands become open to the public and habitat work begins The Bethlehem Water Authority enrolled their Tunkhannock Property of 8,588 acres into the VPAHIP program in 2003. In 2011, the BWA agreed to landscape-level prescribed burning in an effort to restore almost 2,000 acres of barrens habitat. This property is bordered to the east and southeast by SGL 38.

The Nature Conservancy enrolled their 1,070 acre Long Pond Preserve complex into the Game Commission’s public access program in 2007.

Recently, TNC has taken advantage of the 8

Game Commission and The Nature Conservancy personnel

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© 45

LONG POND BARRENS PROJECT

habitat improvement opportunities for preservation of the mesic till barrens which harbor rare butterflies moths, and birds that are declining throughout most of Pennsylvania. The Long Pond Preserve borders SGL 129, SGL 38, and Bethlehem Water Authority.

Long Pond Barrens acreage treated 2007 188 acres burned on TNC Long Pond Preserve 2009 42 acres burned on SGL 38 2012 474 acres burned on BWA 2013 596 acres burned on BWA and SGL 38 2014 368 acres burned on BWA and SGL 38 2015 20 acres burned on TNC Long Pond Preserve 2017 Planting of 13 acres of native warm season grasses on BWA. Additional acreage on TNC Long Pond Preserve is planned to be treated with controlled burns in fall, 2017

Adjacent state game lands treated with fire State Game Lands 38 is located between Big Pocono State Park, Bethlehem Water Authority lands, and portions of TNC’s Long Pond Preserve. In 2009, the Game Commission began managing scrub oak and pitch pine barrens habitats on SGL 38 through controlled burns using Pittman Robertson funding. In 2018 and beyond, additional restoration work utilizing controlled burns will continue.

Benefits for wildlife and hunters VPA-HIP funds and cooperation between the Game Commission and private partners have been keys to success for this valuable project. Without envisioning a “landscape-scale” preservation effort, the Long Pond Barrens would have slowly reverted into a more typical closed canopy forest, and the populations of many wildlife species would likely become diminished or extirpated in this area. Three separate organizations working in concert toward a common goal is helping preserve this unique wildlife habitat while keeping these lands open to public hunting. The use of VPA-HIP funding has, and will continue to be, instrumental for its ongoing success. P Federal funding is critical in helping the PGC reach controlled burn goals

46 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017

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Photo courtesy of Pixabay

Hiking

A HANDS ON EXPERIENCE: FAMILY HIKING ADVENTURES

What better way to spend quality time with your family and get in touch with nature than a fresh, invigorating walk in the woods, along a river, or the beach? What’s more, family hikes make for fun learning opportunities for kids and parents alike. So try some of these hiking activities with your youngsters.

A stone is a stone is a…mineral?

Go on an excursion to learn about rocks and minerals.

Shorelines offer a variety of stones. Before you go, learn which rocks and minerals are abundant in the area, and have each family member choose several to scout for. Take along a small plastic container with dividers, a descriptive rock and mineral guide, and a magnifying glass for viewing the colors, layers, and details. As you identify stones and minerals, discuss their uses and other neat facts.

48 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017

By: Kimberly Blaker

Wander through a forest and listen carefully for a variety of bird and animal sounds. Before you go, visit your library for a video or audio cassette of birds and wild animal calls. Carry an audio cassette player on your hike, and record some of the sounds you hear. Listen to the recording again at home and play a game of detective to determine the source of the sounds you can’t make out. Search the Internet, encyclopedias, and books to discover the makers of the mystery calls.

Photo adventure Capture nature’s splendor. Hiking trails provide plenty of photo opportunities, and kids will love snapping the shots.

Discuss in advance what each family member wants to catch on film such as a huge oak tree, a monarch butterfly, deer tracks, or a close-up of a nibbling squirrel. Assist your child in managing his or her shots so the fun won’t be over in the first stretch of the trip. And carry extra film just in case. At home, create a nature scrapbook with the photos.

" Hiking trails provide plenty of

photo opportunities, and kids will love snapping the shots."

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Sounds of nature

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Tree tales These giants of nature are not only intriguing because of their sometimes-massive size but also because of the variety and history behind them. Borrow some books on trees from your library that describe the unique features of trees and that offer history on them. Use clues such as the shape of the tree’s leaves, the texture of its bark, and even its size to determine the kind of tree.

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Roam the countryside and teach your children directional skills such as how to read a map and use a compass or the sun to determine direction. Before setting out choose a trail system that provides maps, or make up your own. Take a trail that branches off several times, allowing for plenty of skill building opportunities. For even more fun, turn the excursion into a treasure hunt. Hide a small prize just off the trail under a bush or pile of leaves, mark the location on your map, and let the journey begin. 8

570-421-1821 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© 49

Photo courtesy of Pixabay

Animals all around

Plant life - old and new

Take a quiet hike in a wooded area with grassy clearings, and see how many animals you meet. Watch for snakes, turtles, and geese if there’s a nearby lake or stream. Also, look for chipmunks and squirrels playing chase or gathering food; birds of prey circling overhead; or grazing rabbits and deer. Discuss the animal’s unique features and how those qualities help or hinder the animal. Talk about what the animals eat, their shelters, and species they are related to. Also, keep eyes peeled for animal tracks to identify and determine how recently they were made.

Discover with your kids the amazing diversity of plant life.

Before you head out, review some books on plants to spark your children’s interest. On each hiking trip, choose a different trail or area and see what plants grow in certain types of soil, climates, and in different seasons. As you inspect plants look for their seeds and discover the variations. Talk about how seeds travel by blowing in the wind or catching on the fur of animals. Carefully brush away ground covering and look for seeds that have sprouted their roots that will soon develop into a new plant or tree. Learn how certain plants have evolved natural defenses to protect against creatures that would otherwise devour them.

Creepy crawly things Scouting for insects is an all-time favorite among kids, and the variety of creepy crawly creatures in the woods is remarkable. Carry an insect book, clear container, tweezers, and a magnifying glass for close examination of insects’ fascinating features. Bring a journal and track the types of insects you find. Read about insects’ defense behaviors and characteristics such as colors that indicate danger to predators.

50 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017

" Hide a small prize just off the trail

under a bush or pile of leaves, mark the location on your map, and let the journey begin."

Where to find trails You might be surprised to discover nearby trails that you never knew existed. Check with city, county, and state parks and for trails along rivers or near lake shores and beaches.

There are also national forests and parks across the United States with extensive trail systems. If you have access to a wooded area near you that isn’t too dense, a trail may not be necessary. When hiking off trails, use safety precautions to protect against tripping, poison ivy, or other hazards.

Before you go Plan your activities before you leave so you’ll arrive prepared. For your comfort and convenience, carry a small daypack, extra clothing for cool air along trails, and don’t forget hiking boots. For your protection, bring along hats, sunglasses, sun block, and insect repellant. Be prepared for emergencies by carrying a small flashlight and batteries, watch, map, bandages, and don’t forget plenty of water and snacks. Finally, make the most of your nature quest by carrying binoculars, a magnifying glass, and small camera. P

Wildlife exhibits and planetarium shows for explorers of all ages!

Trekkin’ tips for tykes When hiking with children, keep these suggestions in mind.

Allow small legs plenty of time for breaks and making the journey and know your child’s limitations.

Be familiar with potential dangers in the area in which you’ll explore and teach your children trail and animal safety.

Before you set out prepare your children by informing them that there may be rules against bringing their nature finds home.

Summer 2017 Hours Tuesday– Saturday, 10 a.m.– 4 p.m.

Adults $6, Children (3–17) $4, Seniors 60+ $4

Children under 3, Members, and ESU students admitted free

Hoeffner Science & Technology Center Normal Street & Ransberry Avenue East Stroudsburg, PA 18301 570.422.2705

www.esu.edu/museum AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© 51

Hiking with the Brodhead Watershed Association About the BWA Brodhead Watershed Association’s Get Outdoors Poconos series celebrates preserved lands that protect water quality in the Brodhead watershed. BWA, founded in 1989, is dedicated to preserving and protecting our creeks, streams, and drinking water, as well as the land they depend on. Please join this good work! Become a member of BWA at brodheadwatershed.org. More information about other hikes in the series is also available on the website.

A.T. BLAKESLEE PRESERVE Protects the waters of Tobyhanna Creek and Lehigh River

AUSTIN T. BLAKESLE

TOBYHANNA TWP - MONROE

TRAILS: Three blazed trails: Pine Trail, blazed in orange, is a quick half-mile.

Highland Trail, blazed in blue, is almost a mile long and loops through mixed hardwood and pine forest. Red-blazed Creek Trail is a 2.3-mile, out-and-back walk along the creek. Side trails exist.

Roots and rocks are common on the trails, which are wet in many places. A walking stick is helpful.

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52 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017

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LOCATION: Near Blakeslee, Pa. Take Route 80 to Exit 284 – Route 115 North.

After the Tobyhanna Creek bridge, parking areas are on left. Note: Two trailheads serve Austin T. Blakeslee Natural Area.

GPS: 41.083096, -75.584391

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HIGHLIGHTS: The falls at Tobyhanna Creek, with bridges and simple steppingstone crossings made of tree-trunk slices and smooth rocks. An easyto-reach haven for walking, fishing, picnicking, photography, and peaceful contemplation. Leashed dogs welcome. n T o b yh a

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LEGEND Creek Trail (1.14 mi) Highland Trail (0.93 mi) Pine Trail (0.52 mi) Austin T. Blakeslee Natural Area

PREPARED BY

www.monroecountypa.gov/planning

The County of Monroe makes no express or implied warranties concerning the release of this information. The County of Monroe is unaware of the use or uses to be made of this data. Consequently, the County of Monroe does not warrant this data as fit for any particular purpose.

Monroe County Planning Commission 1 Quaker Plaza, Room 106 Stroudsburg, PA 18360 (570) 517-3100 mcpc@monroecountypa.gov

May 2014

www.

SHUMAN POINT Protects the waters of Wallenpaupack Creek

TRAILS: A blue-blazed 3-mile trail of moderate difficulty. Steep and wet in places, with a stretch of rocky footing leading to a small open flatland at the top.

HIGHLIGHTS: Gorgeous views of Lake Wallenpaupack, elaborate rock totems. Dogs welcome.

LOCATION: In Pike County, Pa., take Route 6 to Route 590 West. Follow Route 590 West for about 2.5 miles.

The parking lot is on left, about 100 yards past Crazy Fingers Restaurant, Lakeville. GPS: 41.450525, -75.205100

Use this key to find the level you’re looking for:

EASY

MEDIUM Longer, more woodsy with blazes, narrower trail, some rocky or wet footing, varied terrain with ups and downs.

DIFFICULT Most are 2 miles or more, trail may require attention to follow; expect rocky or wet footing, steep sections.

Map courtesy Lake Wallenpaupack Environmental Preserve

Relatively short or can be cut short; clearly defined and wide trails with smooth footing, modest elevation change.

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© 53

PHOTO : CHILDS PARK, DWGNRA 54 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017

In and Around The Poconos August 5 & 6

Festival of Wood Saturday 10 AM - 5 PM, Sunday 10 AM - 4 PM Handmade crafts, children’s activities, educational exhibits, demonstrations, live music, and more. Held at Grey Towers National Historic Site, Milford, PA. Details at www.GreyTowers.org.

Saturday, August 5

Grey Towers Mansion is the site for Festival of Wood, held August 5 & 6.

Bridge the Gap: Pond Paddle 1 PM – 3 PM Join for a free paddle on PEEC’s ponds! Beginners are welcome.

PEEC will teach everything you need to know. Dress appropriately, as you may get wet. Spaces are limited, so please call to reserve a canoe or kayak. Funding for this program provided by the William Penn Foundation. Call 570-828-2319, visit www.peec.org, or email peec@peec.org.

Saturday, August 5

Third Annual Photography Exhibition Artists’ Reception 5 PM – 7 PM Exhibit will run from August 4 – 28. Visit the PoconoArts Cultural Center at 18 North Seventh Street in Stroudsburg, phone 570476-4460, or visit http://poconoarts.org/.

Saturday, August 5

Nature at Night 7:30 PM – 9 PM A pleasant summer evening is the perfect time to head outside.

Take a walk in the woods to listen for owls, look at the stars, and enjoy the music of the night. Enjoy fun activities that test night vision. Cost $5. Call 570-828-2319, visit www.peec.org, or email peec@peec.org. Pre-registration is requested unless otherwise noted.

Sunday, August 6

Words & Film featuring “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” 2:00 PM – 4:30 PM “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” opens in 1926 as Newt Scamander has just completed a global excursion to find and document an extraordinary array of magical creatures.

Arriving in New York for a brief stopover, he might have come and gone without incident … were it not for a No-Maj (American for Muggle) named Jacob, a misplaced magical case and the escape of some of Newt’s fantastic beasts, which could spell trouble for both the wizard and No-Maj worlds. With the screenplay by J.K. Rowling and directed by David Yates, this film stars Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol & Colin Farrell. Rated PG-13. Call the Hughes Library on North 9th Street in Stroudsburg at 570-421-1800 or visit www. monroepl.org. 8

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© 55

IN AND AROUND THE POCONOS

Sunday, August 6 Local’s Favorite for Over 30 Years Homemade Soups & Pies Breakfast Served All Day Reasonable Prices!

1427 N. 5th St, Stroudsburg, PA

570-421-6193 Open 6am Daily

BWA Annual River Ramble 1 PM - 4 PM Explore the parks, waterfalls and more environmental treasures of the Marshalls Creek watershed during the annual River Ramble. The eco-tour will start at the Middle Smithfield Township offices, 147 Municipal Drive, East Stroudsburg. Participants will tour natural highlights along a mapped driving route, each spot staffed by some of the area’s finest naturalists eager to share their knowledge and love of the watershed.

Afterward, enjoy good food and conversation at the traditional after-Ramble party, 4 to 5 p.m. at the Resica Park pavilion behind Resica Elementary School.

Suggested donation is $10 for BWA members, $15 for nonmembers, with a $2 discount for pre-registering by Aug. 2.

Children under 12 attend for free. The afterparty is included in the cost.

To register, see brodheadwatershed.org/ riverramble.html. For information, call 570839-1120 or email info@brodheadwatershed. org.

RAIN BARREL WORKSHOP: In an optional pre-Ramble workshop starting at noon at the Middle Smithfield Township offices, participants can learn about the finer points of building a rain barrel. The $30 donation for the workshop includes a rain barrel to take home and one free admission to Ramble. To reserve your spot (and your barrel), email Annette at aatkinson@mstownship.com.

Please pay at the door.

August 11 - 18

Authentic Italian Cuisine

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56 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017

Pocono Quilt Camp Quilters of all skill levels are welcome to a week of fabric fun. Activities include: crafting a fabric-covered umbrella, how to use selected sewing machine feet, a Jelly Roll bed runner, Quilt Block Challenge, and Fabric-Strip Poker game. Includes lodging and meals. Cost is $70 per day and call for commuter rates.

Call 570-828-2319, visit www.peec.org, or email peec@peec.org.

Saturday, August 12

Annual Creek 5K 7:30 AM, 8:45 AM Race Time Pocono Heritage Land Trust, The Brodhead Watershed Association and Stroud Township will be holding the annual Creek 5K to support their efforts to transform the former Evergreen Golf Course into the ForEvergreen Nature Preserve. You may register online in advance at runsignup.com. Pre-registration is open now and closes August 1, the cost is $20 or $15 for groups of 10 or more. Race day registration is $25. The race will be held at ForEvergreen Nature Preserve on Cherry Lane Rd., Stroudsburg, PA

Saturday, August 12

Bridge the Gap: Pond Paddle 10 AM – 12 PM Join for a free paddle on PEEC’s ponds!

Beginners are welcome. PEEC will teach everything you need to know. Dress appropriately, as you may get wet. Spaces are limited, so please call to reserve a canoe or kayak. Funding for this program provided by the William Penn Foundation. Call 570-8282319, visit www.peec.org, or email peec@ peec.org.

Saturday, August 12

Pond Explorers 1 PM – 3 PM Join and explore the ponds with nets! Collect fish, macro-invertebrates, amphibians, and anything else you find in collection bins for up-close study. Wear boots and plan on getting a little muddy. Cost $5. Register early.

Call 570-828-2319, visit www.peec.org, or email peec@peec.org.

Sunday, August 13

Naturally Beautiful Beading 10 AM – 12 PM Learn to identify different stones like jasper, geodes, agate, or turquoise and the process used to enhance their colo. Instructions will also be given on how to create a bracelet and earrings or a necklace to take home. Cost $20. Call 570-828-2319, visit www.peec.org, or email peec@peec.org. 8

Resica Falls, part of the Brodhead Watershed Annual River Ramble, Sunday, August 6 from 1PM - 4PM. PHOTO : STEVEN NATIELLO

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© 57

IN AND AROUND THE POCONOS

PHOTO : PIXABAY

Sunday, August 13

Public Bog Walk 1 PM – 3:30 PM Join an environmental educator at the Tannersville Cranberry Bog’s parking lot and take a guided journey into the Bog. Along the way, our educator will explain the Bog’s formation, its interesting plant and animal life, and the role the local Preserve Committee and the Nature Conservancy play in its continued protection. Please wear appropriate footwear. Cost: $6/non-members, $4/EE and Nature Conservancy members and children under 12. Pre-registration is required and limited. Visit Kettle Creek Environmental Education Center at 8050 Running Valley Road in Stroudsburg, online at www.mcconservation.org, or call 570-629-3061.

Wednesday, August 16

Public Bog Walk 10 AM – 12:30 PM Join an environmental educator at the Tannersville Cranberry Bog’s parking lot and take a guided journey into the Bog. Along the way, our educator will explain the Bog’s formation, its interesting plant and animal life, and the role the local Preserve Committee and the Nature Conservancy play in its continued protection. Cost: $6/non-members, $4/EE and Nature Conservancy members and children under 12. Visit Kettle Creek Environmental Education Center at 8050 Running Valley Road in Stroudsburg, online at www.mcconservation.org, or call 570-629-3061.

58 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017

Wednesday, August 16

Josie Porter Farm’s Meandering Macroinvertebrates of Cherry Creek 4 PM – 6 PM Wear shorts and shoes so you can wade into Cherry Creek from and search for the fascinating insects that live under the water and tell us about water quality.

Walks meet in the farm parking lot on Cherry Valley Rd. Pre-registration is suggested. Cost: $6/non-members, $4/EE Center or CSA members, children under 12 free. Visit Kettle Creek Environmental Education Center at 8050 Running Valley Road in Stroudsburg, online at www.mcconservation.org, or call 570-629-3061.

Saturday, August 19

Tie-Dye Day 10 AM – 12 PM Come for a fun morning of tie-dyeing.

There will be a variety of colors available and help creating designs. Bring whatever you’d like to dye or purchase a shirt in PEEC’s bookstore beforehand.

Cost $5. Call 570-828-2319, visit www. peec.org, or email peec@peec.org.

Saturday, August 19

Ecozone Discovery Room 1 PM – 4 PM Climb into a bald eagle’s nest, crawl into a bat cave, explore a beaver lodge, and dig in a fossil pit. Explore this indoor discovery room and enjoy hands-on exhibits of natural history, sustainability, and the local environment. Cost $2. Call 570-828-2319, visit www.peec.org, or email peec@peec.org.

Sunday, August 20

Streamside Ecology 101 1 PM – 3 PM Come to the Cherry Valley National Wildlife Refuge and learn what makes a healthy stream with discussion on fish, bugs, stream stressors, and more. This free event is co-sponsored by the Pocono Heritage Land Trust. Participants will also head to the water for a streamside demonstration on electro-fishing. Make sure to wear shoes that can get wet. The workshop is most appropriate for ages 12 and up. Pre-registration is required. Call 570-643-7922 to sign up.

Sunday, August 20

Frog Frolic 1 PM – 3 PM Attend for a fun afternoon at the ponds and streams. Learn about our frog friends as we gently catch and release them.

Wear boots and plan on getting muddy.

Cost $5. Call 570-828-2319, visit www. peec.org, or email peec@peec.org.

August 22 - 23

Family Canoe Trip on the Delaware Join Kettle Creek EE Center for a fun and relaxing two-day paddle trip on the Delaware! The trip will cover approximately 20 miles of the river from Dingman’s Ferry to Smithfield Beach.

We’ll work at a leisurely pace and take time for river interpretation, swimming, bird watching, and more. We’ll camp one night along the river in a designated campsite where we will cook over a campfire and explore the area on a night hike. Great for individuals, couples, and small families. Trip includes a canoe or kayak rental, four meals, transportation, river interpretation, and a good time.

Camp gear and dry bags are also available. Cost: $120/non-member, $110/ EE Center member, $40/non-paddling children under 12. Registration deadline is August 8. For more information or to register please contact the Kettle Creek Environmental Education Center at 570629-3061.

August 26 & 27

Pocono State Craft Festival 10 AM – 5 PM 31st Annual Pocono State Craft Festival sponsored by the Pocono Chapter of the PA Guild of Craftsmen and the Pocono Arts Council will be held on the grounds of Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm, Quiet Valley Rd, Stroudsburg, www. poconocrafts.com.

Saturday, August 26

Bridge the Gap: Pond Paddle 1 PM – 3 PM Join for a free paddle on PEEC’s ponds!

Beginners are welcome. PEEC will teach everything you need to know. Dress appropriately, as you may get wet.

Spaces are limited, so please call to reserve a canoe or kayak. Funding for this program provided by the William Penn Foundation. Call 570-828-2319, visit www.peec.org, or email peec@peec.org.

Sunday, August 27

Butterfly Walk Join David Trently on a search through the fields and around the ponds for butterflies and dragonflies. Call early – spaces fill up fast! Cost $5. Call 570828-2319, visit www.peec.org, or email peec@peec.org.

September 1 – 4

Migrate to the Poconos Family Nature Getaway Weekend Bring friends and family to experience the best of what PEEC has to offer.

Interpretive hikes, animal presentations, canoeing, campfires, and more! Cost: adults $225 / 25% off ages 7-10 / 50% off ages 4-6 / free under 3 / commuter and day rates available. Includes three nights of lodging and meals from Friday dinner - Monday lunch. Pre-registration required. Call 570-828-2319, visit www. peec.org, or email peec@peec.org. 8

The Pocono State Craft Festival will be held on the grounds of Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm on Saturday and Sunday, August 26 & 27.

Wednesday, August 23

Public Bog Walk 10 AM – 12:30 PM Join an environmental educator at the Tannersville Cranberry Bog’s parking lot and take a guided journey into the Bog. Along the way, our educator will explain the Bog’s formation, its interesting plant and animal life, and the role the local Preserve Committee and the Nature Conservancy play in its continued protection. Cost: $6/non-members, $4/ EE and Nature Conservancy members and children under 12. Pre-registration is required and limited. Visit Kettle Creek Environmental Education Center at 8050 Running Valley Road in Stroudsburg, online at www.mcconservation.org, or call 570-629-3061.

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© 59

IN AND AROUND THE POCONOS

Tuesday, September 5

Full Moon Bog Walk 6:30 PM – 9 PM Participants should bring a flashlight.

Pre-registration is required and limited.

Visit Kettle Creek Environmental Education Center at 8050 Running Valley Road in Stroudsburg, online at www. mcconservation.org, or call 570-629-3061.

September 8 – 10

COTA Festival The Delaware Water Gap Celebration of the Arts (COTA) is pleased to announce its 40th Annual Jazz Festival, which will be held in the Delaware Water Gap. Three venues will be used this year: the main stage across from the hill. Delaware Avenue will have bands, as always. There will also be music in The Hall at Castle Inn and the the Deer Head Inn across the street from the main stage. Visit www. cotajazz.org for more.

Saturday, September 9

Art Opening: Joan Lech “Wood as an Art Medium” Opening Reception 11 AM – 1 PM Joan uses reclaimed wood from nature to create usable items and works of art through woodcarving and woodturning.

Visit Kettle Creek Environmental Education Center at 8050 Running Valley Road in Stroudsburg, online at www. mcconservation.org, or call 570-629-3061.

Wednesday, September 13

Public Bog Walk 10 AM – 12:30 PM Join an environmental educator at the Tannersville Cranberry Bog’s parking lot and take a guided journey into the Bog. Along the way, our educator will explain the Bog’s formation, its interesting plant and animal life, and the role the local Preserve Committee and the Nature Conservancy play in its continued protection. Cost: $6/non-members, $4/ EE and Nature Conservancy members and children under 12. Visit Kettle Creek Environmental Education Center at 8050 Running Valley Road in Stroudsburg, online at www.mcconservation.org, or call 570-629-3061.

60 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017

Sunday, September 17

Public Bog Walk 1 PM – 3:30 PM Join an environmental educator at the Tannersville Cranberry Bog’s parking lot and take a guided journey into the Bog. Along the way, our educator will explain the Bog’s formation, its interesting plant and animal life, and the role the local Preserve Committee and the Nature Conservancy play in its continued protection. Cost: $6/non-members, $4/ EE and Nature Conservancy members and children under 12. Pre-registration is required and limited. Visit Kettle Creek Environmental Education Center at 8050 Running Valley Road in Stroudsburg, online at www.mcconservation.org, or call 570-629-3061.

September 18-20 or October 9-11

2017 Elk Watching Trips Join in on one of Kettle Creek’s three-day journeys into the Pennsylvania wilderness to view majestic elk during prime bugling seasons. Also, stops will be made at Bald Eagle State Park, Parker Dam State Park, Sinnemahoning State Park, the PA Grand Canyon, Quehanna Natural Area, and the Elk Country Visitor Center. Trip Includes: two-nights lodging in stream front cabins in the heart of Elk Country, transportation, two breakfasts, two lunches, one dinner, and admission to the Elk Country Visitor Center. Cost: Non-members: singles $290 per person, doubles $260 per person. Members: singles $285 per person, doubles $245 per person. For more information or to register please contact the Kettle Creek Environmental Education Center at 570629-3061. Registration is limited to 12.

Wednesday, September 20

Public Bog Walk 10 AM – 12:30 PM Join an environmental educator at the Tannersville Cranberry Bog’s parking lot and take a guided journey into the Bog. Along the way, our educator will explain the Bog’s formation, its interesting plant and animal life, and the role the local Preserve Committee and the Nature Conservancy play in its continued

Kettle Creek EEC is running Elk Watching Trips on September 18-29 and October 9-11

protection. Cost: $6/non-members, $4/ EE and Nature Conservancy members and children under 12. Pre-registration is required and limited. Visit Kettle Creek Environmental Education Center at 8050 Running Valley Road in Stroudsburg, online at www.mcconservation.org, or call 570-629-3061.

Friday, September 22

Evening Walk and Star Gazing at Quiet Valley 6:30 PM – 9:30 PM As daylight fades the farm comes alive with the sounds of the nighttime creatures. Join Kettle Creek’s Environmental Education Center staff to hike at dusk to discuss this nighttime community and then end with stargazing in the field (weather permitting).

Please dress to be outside. The walk will begin at the picnic pavilion at Quiet Valley. Pre-registration is required and limited. Visit Kettle Creek Environmental Education Center at 8050 Running Valley Road in Stroudsburg, online at www. mcconservation.org, or call 570-6293061.

Wednesday, September 27

Public Bog Walk 10 AM – 12:30 PM Join an environmental educator at the Tannersville Cranberry Bog’s parking lot and take a guided journey into the Bog. Along the way, our educator will explain the Bog’s formation, its interesting plant and animal life, and the role the local Preserve Committee and the Nature Conservancy play in its continued protection. Cost: $6/non-members, $4/ EE and Nature Conservancy members and children under 12. Pre-registration is required and limited. Visit Kettle Creek Environmental Education Center at 8050 Running Valley Road in Stroudsburg, online at www.mcconservation.org, or call 570-629-3061.

Pocono Living Magazine

2017 PHOTO CONTEST

ENTER YOUR BEST SHOTS

PHOTO : MARLANA HOLSTEN

Your photos could be seen by more than 26,000 readers when you enter them in Pocono Living Magazine’s Annual Photo Contest. The contest is open to amateur photographers only. (Those who do not earn a majority, over half, of their income as photographers).

You may enter up to 15 images in each one of these categories; Wildlife; Children and/or Pets; Historical Structures; Waterfalls, Rivers and Lakes; and Landscapes.

Saturday, September 30

Bird Feeding Basics 10 AM Are you interested in feeding the birds? Join environmental educator Karen N. Boyle to learn about winter bird identification, types of birdfeeders, and the different birdseed available at Kettle Creek. Pre-registration is required and limited. Visit Kettle Creek Environmental Education Center at 8050 Running Valley Road in Stroudsburg, online at www.mcconservation.org, or call 570-629-3061.

Only photographs that are representative of the Pocono Mountains should be submitted. Individual photos should be emailed to: pmags@ptd.net , and must be high resolution, (300 dpi), jpg or tiff files.

Winning photos, along with the names and hometowns of each winner, will appear in the October/November 2017 issue of Pocono Living Magazine and on the Pocono Magazines.com website.

PRIZES AWARDED: 1st Place: $150.00 2nd Place: $100.00.

3rd Place: $50.00.

Honorable Mentions: One year subscription to Pocono Living & Pocono Family Magazines.

In the event of a tie, prize money will be spilt among the winners.

RULES OF THE CONTEST Contest open to amateur photographers only.

Contest opens April 1, 2017 and closes August 1, 2017.

Enter electronic files by email to: pmags@ptd.net .

Please include your contact information (phone number & email address) with the submission.

Each contestant may submit up to a total of 15 photographs in each category.

Entered photos must have been taken recently, from January 2012 to present and be of a scene or subject found in the Pocono Mountains only. Categories are: Wildlife, Children and/or Pets, Historic Structures, Waterfalls, Rivers and Lakes, and Landscapes.

Judging will take place in August and September 2017 and winners will be notified at that time. Winners will be asked to provide story information about the photo and provide a short bio for publishing in the October/November 2017 issue of Pocono Living Magazine.

Contestants will retain all rights to their photography, but agree that Pocono Magazines, LLC may use their photos from time to time in the magazines that they publish and on the website provided proper credit is given to each photographer.

Questions? Email the editor at: pmags@ptd.net AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINEŠ 61

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Available at Local Businesses and by Subscription Pocono Magazines, LLC 1929 North Fifth Street, S troudsburg, PA 18360 570-424-1000 • pmags@ptd.net

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Your life is here.

Your access to great care is too.

You’re the reason we’ve brought our resources together.

Pocono Medical Center is now Lehigh Valley Hospital –Pocono, the region’s only full-service hospital. You asked for greater access to advanced medicine.

And we’ve been listening.

You told us you want to stay close to home and avoid unnecessary travel while still being able to benefit from high-quality health care. And that is what we are bringing to life. We’ll combine the resources and capabilities of Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) with the exceptional mother-baby care, heart care, ER and trauma care, neuro and stroke care, and more, already available at Lehigh Valley Hospital–Pocono. So for you the Poconos community, we can deliver the same care that’s been nationally recognized by U.S. News & World Report — right here, where you live and work.

LVHN is always listening and finding new ways to optimize your health.

And we’re driven to provide patient-centered care at every stage of your life. is now a part of

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