Meet Natasha Mantle, your trusted local banker at Journey Bank Natasha is committed to building meaningful relationships and providing personalized service that helps individuals and businesses in our community succeed.
At Journey Bank, we believe every financial journey is unique, and we’re here to guide you with care and attention every step of the way
Whether you're managing your personal banking or growing your business, we’re ready to provide solutions that support your goals.
Visit Journey Bank and experience the difference of banking with a partner who understands your journey.
Where
May 2025, Volume 13, Issue 1
PUBLISHER
John Leeser jleeser@sungazette.com
EDITOR
Nick Seitzer nseitzer@sungazette.com
CONTRIBUTORS
Joseph W. Smith III, Seth Nolan
PHOTOGRAPHER
Linda Stager
DESIGN EDITOR
Timothy R. Wertz Jr.
PRODUCTION MANAGER
Chuck Smith
ADVERTISING SALES MANAGERS
John Leeser jleeser@sungazette.com
Jordan McCloskey jmccloskey@lockhaven.com
CIRCULATION MANAGER
Anthony Segraves asegraves@sungazette.com
EDITORIAL OFFICE
(570) 326-1551 Ext. 3110
ADVERTISING SALES (570) 326-1551 Ext. 2230
E-MAIL westbranchlife@sungazette.com
West Branch Life is published quarterly at 252 W. Fourth St., Williamsport, PA 17701. Letters and editorial contributions should be sent to westbranchlife@sungazette.com or West Branch Life, 252 W. Fourth St., Williamsport, PA 17701. West Branch Life is not responsible for unsolicited submissions. Reproduction or use of editorial or graphic content without written permission by publisher is prohibited. Copyright 2021 by Odgen Newspapers. All rights reserved. Advertising rates and specifications are available by contacting jleeser@sungazette.com. West Branch Life was founded in 2013, a publication of the Williamsport Sun-Gazette LLC.
By NICK SEITZER
Area author offers thoughtful thriller with ‘The Science of Killing a God’
Fans of Clive Barker, Stephen King and H. P. Lovecraft will be interested to learn that Lycoming County has its own budding counterpart to those masters.
That would be Steve Noviello, whose “Science of Killing a God” promises to be the first of several creepy, thoughtful and exciting thrillers.
Published through Amazon in 2023, “Science” collects purported transcripts, journals, reports and letters to recount horrific otherworldly events at a Pennsylvania center for the paranormal. Sort of like “The X-Files” — only edgier. And a whole lot scarier.
Located in the fictional enclave of Delston — which feels much like Williamsport — St. Maxion’s Center bills itself as “the final stop for things that science could not explain … a hospital full of dragons and dragon-slayers — and the fragile balance between.”
For much of its length, “Science” feels like an anthology, as the center struggles through a series of bizarre, bloody and bone-chilling phenomena:
There’s a man who causes everything and everyone around him to swiftly deteriorate — a sort of walking Alzheimer’s disease; a “Genie” who grants wishes — with the usual unholy results; so-called “Jesus Juice,” which has a more sanguine and sanctifying effect; an irresistible “Love Queen” who wreaks havoc on every smitten man — with similar woes for insanely jealous females; a “Ferry Girl” accompanying dead people to the next life; a kaleidoscope that bestows invincibility — while also plunging its possessor into all of man’s most paralyzing fears; and a mysterious black box that unleashes tentacled horror — pulling one of Maxion’s staff into a darkly terrifying alternate world.
Later in the book, Noviello begins unifying these disparate incidents with an overarching framework that explains his title; that, it turns out, does not involve “deicide,” but rather the struggle against two demonic siblings with the last name “God.”
And since some of Noviello’s creations evoke succubi, vampires, werewolves, shape-shifters and serial killers — not to mention W. W. Jacobs’ classic creeper “The Monkey’s
Paw” — he manages to embrace older, more traditional horror while imbuing it with a distinctly 21st-century vibe. At the same time, the story hurtles forward through skilled use of foreshadowing; it’s very gory, and often furiously suspenseful. Keen interest is also maintained through the use of multiple narrators.
While we ultimately hear six or seven different voices, the tale is told principally by St. Maxion’s chief medical examiner, Dr. James Black — a forthright but perhaps overanalytical guy who is nonetheless easy to admire. Black is balanced by Assistant Medical Examiner Sharron Davis — whose relationship with him is, shall we say, more than just professional; and by William Sumpter, the center’s fiercely courageous security chief.
Like so many greats of the genre, Noviello carefully cloaks much of this in ambiguity, so we’re not certain what really occurred; or, as it happens, what’s going to occur. In fact, “Science” has a skillfully designed “open ending” that points to future installments — the first of which, as I understand, should be available soon.
So the author concludes his afterword by thanking us for joining his characters — and by hoping we can forgive him “for what I’m about to do to them” in the next book. Challenge accepted.
Joseph W. Smith III is a writer, teacher and speaker in Central PA. His latest book is “The Best Movies You Never Saw: 300 Under-the-Radar Films That Were Overlooked, Unjustly Trashed -- or Just Plain Terrific.” He may be reached at robbwhitefan@gmail.com.
ver the past decade, the local music scene has been growing and the band Gray Valley has been a large part of the eclectic success that scene is seeing today.
O LOCAL BAND GRAY VALLEY has evolved through the years
Gray Valley is a good representation of just how impressive live music options have gotten because they’ve helped build it through their dedication to what they do.
The evolution of Gray Valley that many in the area know today began as friends in Tioga County simply wanting to discover music together.
“Trey and I have been friends since 7th grade and after palling around for a couple of years, I would start to bring around my guitar,” Clay Minier, guitarist and vocalist for the band said, referencing Trey Foehner, the band’s drummer. “He found a ratty old drum set and we started
messing around because we figured out we were both music freaks.”
’A thing worth chasing’
The goal back then was simple and genuine. “To make music,” Minier said. “To find an excuse to get out of the house, to link up with dear friends, laugh, get into trouble, be merry, and if we got to it, hone in on specific parts of songs and teach each other how to get better.”
Eventually, this shared inspiration spread to other young musicians in the Tioga County area when Foehner and Minier found William Collier and their original bassist, Seb, to join. This fourpiece was the original lineup of the band.
“Clay and Trey were childhood friends and wanted to start a band,” Collier said. “I was in the town next to them and really was looking for the same things and we eventually met through mutual friends.”
In those early days of the band, most
of the priority was placed on learning to play the songs that made up all of their unique inspirations.
“We were all really young and none of us have ever taken lessons for any instrument, so it was a lot of years of teaching ourselves things,” Minier said. “Throwing together riffs and hoping for best and luckily it seemed to evolve into a thing worth chasing.”
‘Their own experience’
After high school, the band moved to Williamsport and started playing downtown. When the original bass player left the band, Collier switched from guitar to bass and they’ve since added Erick Paredes (saxophone, percussion) and Andrew Leidich (keys), expanding their already unique and established sound. Despite the changes, the band has always placed value on playing original music.
“We worked really hard and put in a lot of hours to get us to a point where we
feel really good about how we bring all of these song ideas to life, especially keeping in mind how it all slowly came to be in the first place,” Minier said. “Writing and performing original music has always been very important to us since the beginning, and with time, we’ve tried to throw covers into that process so that people would enjoy segments of our sets no matter what.”
The goal with covers for the band is to pick songs that are familiar and generally enjoyed, but unexpected for the crowd. “We love to have plenty to choose from to try and make these shows their own experience,” Minier
Through practicing regularly together for years in their places in Williamsport, Gray Valley has remained dedicated to performing unique setlists or new arrangements of fan-favorites at their live shows.
“With all this material in the chamber, it can be a great deal of fun to keep people guessing about where we are going to play next,” Minier said.
Putting it on record
While Gray Valley has an impressive catalog of original music, they have always prioritized a busy live schedule, playing often in Williamsport and the surrounding area. This steady gigging schedule left them lacking time to record the music they had been refining for years: until recently.
“We’ve always been a band that cares about that … the live show,” Minier said. “Maybe a little too much because after all these years and all of this original material, we haven’t recorded an album yet so it’s a great deal of comfort finally tackling some of these songs.”
Clay Minier’s brother, Zach Minier, works as the band’s sound engineer. In addition to recording their live shows, Zach also recently started work on recording the band’s first album.
“We’re all excited for the release,” Foehner said. “That should be on streaming services by late Summer or Fall.”
In the years since Gray Valley moved to Williamsport and started playing live more regularly here, they’ve built up a following at notable shows both in headlining and supporting slots at festivals and concerts all over Pennsylvania.
Gray Valley’s own gigging resume is prolific in its own right, but they’ve also played sets for both Dark Star Orchestra and Blues Traveler events at the Community Arts Center, in addition to opening a show for the lead singer of Rusted Root, Michael Glablicki at Mansfield University, the Golden Gate Wingmen (members of Furthur and Primus), and opening a show for the Magic Beans at
Seth Nolan is an English and literature teacher at Hughesville High School. He is a former Williamsport Sun-Gazette staffer, having worked as a reporter and editor on the night desk. He is now a correspondent for the Sun-Gazette.
the Abbey Bar in Harrisburg.
Throughout all of the evolution and the work it has taken to become one of the staple long-running acts in the local music scene, the band’s goals remain as simple as they did when they started as friends learning to play together.
“I just want to keep having fun with
cool experiences to venues for people to enjoy.”
All of Gray Valley’s dates can be found on their social media pages, but some upcoming dates include a latenight slot at the Threestival Festival on May 9th, DiSalvos Restaurant on May
Music fans in the West Branch Valley know that one of the best places in the area to catch a live perfor mance is Spyglass Ridge Winery. Over the last two decades, the outdoor venue has hosted dozens of famed national touring acts across a wide range of genres during its Summer Concert Series, and each show has left attendees with a night to remember.
But after the concert series was halted last year to allow the winery’s owners to focus on the opening of Spyglass on the Ridge Restaurant, some feared that live music would never return to its stage. Luckily, these fans needn’t worry any longer.
The Summer Concert Series is returning to Spyglass in a big way this year. The venue is slated for
five concerts from July to September, and will see acts like Starship, Foghat, Chase Rice, Wade Bowen, Skillet, Stryper, Walker Hayes and Ashley McBryde grace its stage.
“We are extremely excited, because we took a break last year,” said Spyglass event coordinator Leanna McNamee.
“To say we are over the moon to have the series back is an understatement.
“I think this year’s lineup has a great balance, because each bill has an artist that we have had before and each one has a new artist,” she added.
The Summer Concert Series will begin on July 12 when Starship featuring Mickey Thomas comes to town. The rock group, known for No. 1 hit songs like “We Built This City,” “Sara” and “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now,” will be making their debut at Spyglass. They will be joined by wellknown special guests Foghat (“Slow Ride,” “Drivin’ Wheel”) as well as the regional rock group Sic Vikki.
PHOTO PROVIDED
The Christian rock band Skillet will return to Spyglass Ridge Winery for a concert on Aug. 16. The band will be joined at the show by special guests Stryper, who will be performing at the winery for the first time.
Currents >>>>> viewing pleasure
PHOTO PROVIDED
Spyglass Ridge Winery’s Summer Concert Series will kick off on July 12 when Starship featuring Mickey Thomas performs for the first time at the venue. The group will be joined by Foghat (shown here), who have played many times at Spyglass.
The Bruno Elan Stair Lift delivers safety, performance and ease-of-use at an economy price.
• 300 lb weight capacity
• Two 12-volt batteries, continuously powered from any household outlet, provide dependable performance, even during outages
• Arms, seat and footrest flip up creating plenty of space for family or guests to walk up and down the stairs
• Generous seat size with multiple seat heights
Available at
1300 Sheridan St., Williamsport, PA 17701
(570) 322-0656
Mon-Fri 8:30 AM to 5 PM
Saturday 9AM to 12 PM
“Foghat is returning, and they are like family to us,” McNamee said. “They have been here, and they have come and stayed here when they are playing elsewhere and just hung out.”
On Aug. 8, country musician Chase Rice will be returning to Spyglass on his “Go Down Singin’” international tour. The “Eyes on You” singer will be joined by special guest Wade Bowen, an up-and-coming country star who will be making his first appearance on the winery’s stage.
Just eight days later, on Aug. 16, Christian rockers Skillet will be making their way back to Spyglass. They’ll be joined by the seminal Christian metal band Stryper.
“Skillet could come here every day of the week, and I think people would come here to see them,” said McNamee, “and Stryper is really a founding Christian rock band — they started the whole ball rolling for the Christian rock genre.”
The venue’s next show, slated for Sept. 5, has yet to be announced, but McNamee promised “It’s a big rock star.” Spyglass will be releasing more information on this performance on June 16.
The Summer Concert Series will end on Sept. 13 with two big names on the country music scene — Walker Hayes
and Ashley McBryde. Hayes, best known for his smash hit “Fancy Like,” will be making his second stop at Spyglass, while McBryde (“Girl Going Nowhere,” “Never Wanted to be That Girl”) is playing at the winery for the first time. The opening act for the show will be Florida-based group Almost June.
“The end-of-the-season event is a benefit for our local veterans,” McNamee said. “We have partnered with the VFW Riders 15-PA, with their military food share bank and all they do for our veterans here in the area, to bring in Walker and Ashley.
“That’s the big one,” she added. “We are hoping to have paratroopers drop in, literally. We will have flags flying and Gold Star families; there will be a presentation before Ashley goes on; we will have fireworks after the show; there will be trucks on-hand for mental health for our local military.”
When the winery was approached with the idea to host a military-themed benefit, McNamee said it was a “no-brainer” because of Spyglass’ deep support for the armed forces and all they do to keep America safe.
“We are very much military supporters. When we were approached with it, it was an easy decision because we want to help veterans and make sure they get what they need,” said McNamee. “This group helps with anything that the Veteran’s Administration does not or cannot help with.”
positivity <<<<<
Anyone interested in attending one of the aforementioned concerts better act fast, McNamee said, because the tickets are going quick for all of the shows booked.
“We didn’t have concerts last year and this year we are back, so people are hungry for live music,” she said.
McNamee likened seeing a show at Spyglass to the feeling one might get at a much larger outdoor venue, like Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado. It’s the great energy, along with the natural beauty of the venue, that makes it such a special place to take in live music, she said.
“It’s just the energy here — I can’t put it into words,” said McNamee. “It’s something that has to be experienced.
“We have had people coming back year after year after year to every single
concert,” she added. “It doesn’t get any better. It’s such a good time, and it’s great a day to relax.”
Spyglass Ridge Winery is located at 109 Carroll Rd, Sunbury. For more information or tickets, visit spyglassridgewinery.com or call 570-286-9911.
Nick Seitzer is the editor of West Branch Life. A graduate of Lycoming College, he has worked in local journalism for 13 years, serving in a variety of roles for the Williamsport Sun-Gazette and Lock Haven Express in that time.
scenes of the season . . .
LINDA STAGER/West Branch Life Momma bear and her cubs.
Waves >>>>> beekeeping
PHOTO PROVIDED
David Owens, of Owens Farm in Sunbury, has been beekeeping for two decades. Shown here are several of the Langstroth hives he uses in his apiary.
By NICK SEITZER West Branch Life
For nearly as long as he can remember, David Owens has been interested in growing plants. He was often recruited to help tend to his mother’s garden as a child and as an adult his passion for horticulture only continued to flourish.
But it wasn’t until he moved to his farm in Sunbury about 20 years ago that Owens’ green thumb would lead him to another hobby he had never considered previously — beekeeping.
“I was planting some trees, and my neighbor came over and was helping me. He said, ‘These are nice trees, Dave, but you need a beehive,’” Owens said.
Shortly thereafter, Owens’ neighbor brought over a few hives for him to use and loaded them up with honeybees. The rest is history.
“I really got hooked from that first year that I was a beekeeper,” he said. “That first year was eye-opening and I would recom-
mend anybody starting new to do what I did — I think it was the right path.”
EARLY YEARS
When starting out on his journey, Owens’ first steps were to join a local club — Beekeepers of the Susquehanna Valley — and get himself a mentor. He said he was lucky to find a mentor that he had known previously outside of beekeeping.
But even with someone showing him the ropes, it took Owens several years to work out all the kinks of his beekeeping operation, he said.
“The first three years for all the beekeepers that I’ve talked to are really difficult years,” Owens said. “You can have one or two of those years be great and it kind of gives you a false sense, because it was either the weather or luck or you did something you were supposed to do at the correct time.
“There are a lot of things that can go wrong, and that’s what you learn after the first three or four years,” he added. “You learn when to intervene and when to stay back and watch.”
That sentiment was shared by Jim Wil-
son, of Loyalsock, who serves as branch manager of the beekeeping supply company Dadant & Sons in Williamsport. Wilson said beekeeping is “not really difficult,” but that many new beekeepers simply lack an understanding of what their role is supposed to be in relation to the hive and colony.
“The bees basically take care of themselves, we are just here to help them along the way,” Wilson said. “The bees know what they want to do, we just try to give them some semblance of order.”
HIVE STYLES
Nowadays, Owens maintains anywhere between 30 and 40 beehives at a given time. Though there are many different hive styles out there — like Warre hives, flow hives and top bar hives — he uses Langstroth hives almost exclusively.
The Langstroth is a modular beehive with a vertical build and includes removable frames for the brood and honey. These hives have a bottom box for the queen to lay her eggs, and upper boxes for the storing of honey.
Along with his many Langstroth hives,
beekeeping <<<<< Waves
Owens said he has a five-foot-wide horizontal hive in his apiary that he also enjoys using. Instead of working the bees up in a stack, this style of hive allows him to work them from one side to another.
“(Picking a hive) is very personal,” Owens said. “I have been lucky enough to travel to other countries and talk with beekeepers there, and I come back with even more dedication to the fact that beekeeping is very personal. Everybody has their own reasons.”
Like Owens, Wilson said he also prefers to use a Langstroth hive most of the time.
“I am biased towards Langstroth hives,” said Wilson. “Langstroth is more natural for bees because bees want to go up. There are top bar hives that are forcing the bees out and I don’t think they handle winter here as well as they should, but I know a lot of people that have them. I always stay with Langstroth if I can.”
In general, most hives can last a beekeeper several decades if they are well maintained, Owens said.
PLENTY TO EAT
With rolling terrain that’s abundant in vegetation, the West Branch Valley provides many advantages to beekeepers. Although farming can lead to some monocrop spots that hinder the honeybees’ ability to find nectar in certain times of year, most of the area has more than enough varied plant life to keep colonies thriving.
“Pennsylvania is really nice for state parks and open spaces, like the Susquehanna River,” said Owens. “The other thing we have here is a lot of trees. We have trees all along the Susquehanna Valley and those trees make a fantastic nectar flow, especially early in the season when we get our first nectar coming in from the maple trees.
“We have hundreds of different maples growing around here that provide my bees with high-quality food early in the spring when they’re struggling with the cold weather and trying to keep warm and keep their brood warm,” he added.
COLONY LOSS
Unfortunately, even with Pennsylvania’s abundant food sources for honeybees, the state isn’t immune from the massive colony losses being seen around the country. Wilson has heard from many beekeepers across the state that their colonies have declined by more than 60% so far this year.
“I have talked to the State Apiarist here, Karen Roccasecca, and she thinks it’s going to be higher than that. She said it will be in the neighborhood of around 70%,” Wilson said. “That means the people that do this for a living, like the commercial beekeepers — we have three in (the Williamsport) area and one down in Lewisburg — that is their livelihood. They will need to replace 70% of their colonies just to do what they were capable of doing before.
“This year could be the worst year in recorded history, since they
beekeeping <<<
started keeping this. You are talking 25 years of data, and this is going to be the worst,” he added. “We are hoping this year is just going to be a blip on the radar, but we can’t guarantee that.”
Typically, beekeepers in Pennsylvania see around 40-45% colony loss on average each year, Wilson said.
“Last year, Pennsylvania was around 43% colony loss,” he said. “That seemed to be on par.”
MIGHTY MITES
While colony loss likely derives from a culmination of factors — including climate change, pesticide exposure and nutrient deficiencies — one of the biggest threats to honeybees are mite infestations.
“Probably the number one thing that beekeepers agree on, although we don’t agree on a whole lot, is that the damage caused by the varroa destructor mite is probably the hardest thing that we have to learn to deal with,” Owens said.
Native to Asia, varroa mites have been decimating honeybee populations across the globe for decades. These external parasites, which latch onto and feed on bees, spread many different debilitating diseases and viruses.
“They were brought into the United States out of Asia and Europe sometime in the 1990s. I don’t remember that, because I didn’t start until the 2000s, but beekeepers tell me it was a lot easier before that,” said Owens. “You could just put bees out in a field in the summer and come back in two or three months and pick up your honey harvest. The bees would be fine. There would be enough leftover honey for them to make it through the winter without a lot of feeding.”
Because the mites reproduce within the bee larva itself, beekeepers use a strategy called a “brood break” to separate the brood from adult bees. This helps expose the mites by forcing them out of the brood cells and onto the bees, making it easier for them to be removed. This technique is achieved by temporarily stopping the queen’s ability to lay eggs by caging her for a period of time.
While brood breaks can be effective, Owens said that the true future of mite control in beekeeping hinges on queens that are specifically bred to do the job themselves.
“The best way (to get rid of mites) is having queen bees that are bred to genetically control mites. We are making great progress in that now,” Owens said. “In fact, in a lot of my hives — since I am breeding my own queens, I can monitor mite levels — I do see over the past few
A Family-Oriented Fly-In, William T. Piper Airport, Lock Haven, PA. 17745. (LHV) Tues. June 17 thru Saturday, June 21st
Gates open 9:00 am - 10:00 pm daily, Free admission after 5pm, and all day Saturday. The public is invited to attend, not limited to pilots and airplane owners. Fri. thru Sat. Children’s Inflatable Play Area w/Slide Bounce House & Obstacle Challenge. Seminars, Contests, Fly-Bys, Great Food, Fun, Fellowship, Corn Roasts, Tours, Transportation to motels. Kiddie Hour, Corn hole.
• Wed. - is Clinton County Day, residents with I.D. get Free admission after 12 noon
• Thurs. - Veterans Day - All Veterans get Free admission All Day!
• Sat. - Central PA Street Machines 9-1 Car Cruise-In Nightly bands Tuesday thru Friday, 7-10pm. FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. FRIDAY IS MEMBER APPRECIATION DAY. Member’s admission is 1/2 price. Daily Pass:
Ages 18 and up: $12.00, 13-17: $6.00, 12 and Under Free Camping Available All Makes and Models of Aircraft Welcomed. CALL: 570.893.4200 |
beekeeping <<<<< Waves
David Owens shows a beehive frame to curious customers at his farm in Sunbury. A typical frame can yield around three pounds of honey, and the average hive contains around 10 frames.
years that mite levels in certain colonies have gotten very low, even in summertime.
“So, not just me, but other beekeepers have been doing that as well,” he added. “I think that is really what we need to get to.”
HARVESTING HONEY
In the average Langstroth hive, frames can yield about three pounds of honey each, and most hives typically contain eight to 10 frames. This means that local beekeepers generally have plenty of honey to harvest each year, which can benefit their wallet as much as their belly.
“The last two years, I have gotten a lot more honey than I thought I would,” Owens said. “I have been able to have a pretty good base of customers who enjoy the honey products, so I have no trouble selling it.”
Before beekeepers can harvest the honey in their hives, the moisture content needs to be around 17%, Wilson said. Once the bees have capped over their honey with a thin layer of beeswax, beekeepers can be sure moisture levels are somewhere in this neighborhood and the process of harvesting can begin.
“It’s actually not that hard. Basically, you take out the frames after the bees have capped it over and you just cut off the capping,” Wilson said. “If you have an extractor, you can scoop out the honey into a bucket. You use a strainer with it and let it strain into the bucket. About 24 to 48 hours later, all the air bubbles rise to the top and you can start putting it into containers.
“It sells for about $8 or $9 per pound, or more than that if you use nicer containers,” he added.
Owens said that he’s different from many beekeepers, because he takes more of an artisanal approach to his honey harvesting.
PHOTO PROVIDED
Law and Justice in Lycoming County
While most will only harvest their honey at the end of the year, resulting in a mosaic of all the different nectars used by bees throughout the seasons, he prefers to harvest more regularly to keep the honeys separated by their respective nectars.
“I have black locust honey, wildflower honey, and sometimes buckwheat honey if I am lucky enough,” Owens said. “So, I like to have different varieties of honey. I can taste the difference of the different flowers that make up that honey.
“Pretty much the whole makeup of the honey (comes from the nectar used) — not just the color, but the flavor, smell, stickiness and sweetness,” he added.
Owens’ favorite kind of honey is black locust, which has a very fruity flavor that he described as “similar to a Starburst,” making it a perfect addition to his morning yogurt. Another one of his favorites is buckwheat honey, which he said has a “full rich flavor” that pairs well with pancakes and French toast.
Wilson said that the most prevalent kind of honey in our area is clover honey, made from the early spring and summer nectars of clovers and dandelions. In the fall, bees in the West Branch Valley will produce a lot of goldenrod and Japanese knotweed honey.
“It’s all good, but there are some that are better than others, I can tell you that,” Wilson said.
AN IMPORTANT HOBBY
It’s fair to say that most people don’t fully appreciate everything bees do for the survival of humans. Instead of being treated like the plant-pollinating heroes that they are, most honeybees are met with hostility or fear when they go buzzing by the average person.
But area beekeepers know their efforts help sustain vitally important creatures.
“People have a misconception that the bees are going to be super aggressive. We have all seen those killer bee movies,” said Wilson. “The biggest thing is that the bees keep to themselves. You have to give them a reason to sting. They know they are going to die when they sting, so that is their last resort. Unless you are doing something to that hive to cause agitation, they will leave you alone.
“What people don’t understand is that if honeybees disappear so will we in about five years,” he added. “A third of everything we eat comes from pollination by insects, whether it be bumblebees, honeybees, flies, butterflies — you name it — but 80% of that pollination is done by honeybees.”
Food truck helps bring soul to Williamsport
By NICK SEITZER West Branch Life
If you ask Isaiah Mills, part owner of Soul Food City, what his food truck’s specialty item is, he’ll tell you, “It really varies because everything we make is delicious.”
Isaiah and his wife, Brittney, have become staples outside the Pajama Factory, where they’ve sold their Southern-inspired dishes since December 2021. After being gifted a food truck from a friend in 2018, the pair knew they wanted to use it as a source of income, but they didn’t know exactly what style of cuisine they wanted on their menu. Then, one day it dawned on Isaiah to simply sell the food
they were already eating at home.
“My wife used to cook a lot in the house, and there was a lot of leftovers,” Isaiah said. “A lot of times, I would just give food out to the community. People would comment to us that the food was so good.
“I had the idea that the food she makes in the house we should sell on the food truck,” he added. “She’s from the South and all of her family cooks like that; they all cook amazing. So, we just invested in what we already do.”
After settling on the name Soul Food City — which Isaiah said pays homage to Brittney’s roots in Georgia as well as his own in Philadelphia — the two wrapped their truck with new vinyl, got the required operational permits and set up
an LLC.
Since they were already renting a space to live at the Pajama Factory at the time, they asked if they could park their truck outside to sell food. With the blessing of management, Isaiah and Brittney initially posted up in the factory’s Cemetery Street lot before moving to the Rose Street lot.
“As soon as we opened the window it was a success,” Isaiah said.
Isaiah mentioned that he and Brittney split all the duties required to run the truck. Though they both take turns cooking, she generally takes the lead in the kitchen. That allows him to do a lot of shopping for ingredients and food prep work.
“We come together to make it happen,” he said. “We definitely work together 100%. We just stick to it.
“It’s hard some days but we just grind it out,” he added.
Virtually all of the dishes at Soul Food City come from generational recipes passed down from Brittney’s family in Georgia. Though the menu changes from time to time, especially
PHOTOS PROVIDED Soul Food City’s menu is inspired by generational family recipes that have been passed down to Brittney Mills.
in terms of vegetable offerings, a few items that are fixtures include fried flounder, turkey wings and chicken strips. But perhaps their most popular item is Brittney’s baked macaroni and cheese.
“We have the best macaroni and cheese in a hundred-mile radius. A lot of people in the surrounding areas recognize our macaroni and cheese,” Isaiah said. “People get upset if we run out and don’t have baked macaroni and cheese on the truck.”
Other items that can often be found at Soul Food City include chicken chops, French fries, rice and gravy, sweet potatoes, and mixed cabbage and collard greens.
Though their recipes incorporate spicy elements on occasion, Isaiah said Soul Food City is careful not to hit customers with too much heat, since not everybody likes that. He was careful to remain tight-lipped on what secret ingredients help make their food so special.
“Our thing is just flavor and what tastes good,” he said. “If you taste our dishes, none of them taste the same. Every individual meal gives you a different feeling.
“We might add more vegetables and seasonings in some dishes than others. We might not season certain items at all,” Isaiah added. “It’s good to have that kind of versatility.”
Isaiah said that he and Brittney have big plans for the future and are looking forward to flourishing beyond what the food truck is now. Though he shared no specific details, it certainly seems like expansion might be on the horizon for Soul Food City.
“We have some ideas coming up soon that we are going to try out and I know they are going to be a success,” he said. “There are no restaurants in this town like us. You don’t have places that have flavors like us — everything is baked chicken or seafood. We cover those, but with a new flavor.
“At Soul Food City we love our people, and we want to give back,” he added. “We want to give more to our community, and we are satisfied with the support we have gotten.”
