April2014thevalleyonline by The Valley Newspaper

Serving Mifflin County and the surrounding area.

The Valley A free newspaper dedicated to agriculture, self-reliance, frugal living, and modern homesteading. Tomorrow’s Media - A Day Early Volume 5, No. 4

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The Valley, April 2014

Monarch Numbers Plummet AGAIN by Rose Franklin Since the winter of 19931994, scientists have been traveling to Michoacan, Mexico, every winter to monitor the size of the area that is occupied by over-wintering Monarch butterflies. This information is used to provide data on the status of the butterfly population, and might even be an indicator of the status of pollinator insects in general. The size of the area is measured in hectares. One hectare equals approximately 2.47 acres. Looking at the graph, you will see that during the winter of 1996-1997, the year the population was at its highest, Monarchs covered 20.97 hectares of mountainside. That’s almost 52 acres. This winter, there is only .67 hectare of Mexican forest blanketed by the orange and black wings of Monarchs. That’s approximately 1.65 acres, an area smaller than the average-sized Walmart! During the past two years, the Monarch population has plummeted to alarmingly low numbers. There is reason for concern. What has caused the Monarch population to decline? The consensus among scientists is that there may many factors at play. Among these might be (1) the destruction of natural habitat, (2) the increased use of insecticides, (3) the increased use of herbicides, and (4) climate change. Approximately 6,000 acres per day, 2.2 million acres per year, of

farmland and natural habitat is being converted to housing developments, resorts, shopping centers, gulf courses, and highways. Natural prairies and grasslands are being plowed under to grow more corn and soybeans, two agricultural crops that have skyrocketed in price over the last decade or so. Almost all of the corn and soybeans being planted today are herbicide-resistant varieties. Farmers can plant the seed without having to till the soil, and then spray the fields with herbicides to control the weeds. The herbicides kill the weeds (including milkweed,

which Monarchs must have to lay their eggs on) but do not harm the corn and soybean plants. No one knows how many milkweed plants have been killed by the application of herbicides, but likely, millions have been poisoned in the past 10 years or so. The widespread use of insecticides to control mosquito and gypsy moth populations might likely be contributing to the disappearance of butterflies too. Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) is often aerial-sprayed over forests, wetlands, and near housing developments to kill the insect pests that

must be kept under control. But Bt is a notorious caterpillar killer! And while butterflies were not the intended target of the spraying, I am pretty sure that millions of butterfly larvae have been wiped out by Bt. Climate change is another factor that scientists often note as having an impact on the butterfly population. The average temperature is increasing, droughts are becoming more common, and storms are growing stronger. Along with these weather events causing stress for humans, they are hard on the butterfly popula-

Data for 1994-2003 collected by personnel of the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (MBBR) of the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas in Mexico. Data forcourtesy 2003-2013 by World Fund Mexico in Photo ofcollected Mike and LauraWildlife Jackson coordination with the Dicectorate of the MBBR.

Lighting Brush Fires in People’s Minds

tion too. Are insecticides killing the butterflies? Are herbicides poisoning the milkweeds that Monarchs must have in order for reproduction to occur? Are warmer summers, heavy rains, violent wind storms, and/or droughts taking their toll? No one knows for sure which of these factors has had the most devastating consequences for the Monarch population, but one or more of these is assuredly causing the Monarch populace to plummet. The honey bee population appears to be in serious trouble too. I wonder if it’s not the same variables causing both the Monarch and honey bee populations to sharply drop in number. And if, by chance, that is the case, we’d better wake up. Without pollinators, the human race could not exist. We need these insects to pollinate our food crops. Rose Franklin lives in Spring Mills, where she operates an online plant nursery, www.ButterflyBushes.com. The nursery offers lots of plants that attract butterflies and hummingbirds to the garden. Rose and her husband, Andy Smith, enjoy gardening for butterflies, photographing butterflies, and raising butterflies. . In 2010, Rose published a book entitled Fast Track Butterfly Gardening, which is available at Amazon.com. a

The Valley, April 2014

Editor’s Corner Wayne Stottlar First things first! Last night a tragedy occurred in Lewistown with the loss of nearly a whole block in the historic Juniata Terrace. Our hearts and prayers go out to everyone affected. It is still early, but I am going to make a prediction that this community comes together to help those affected. Lynn and I were on the bypass when we noticed the smoke and then the multitude of emergency vehicles and knew something was very wrong. I quickly placed a call to one of our writers who happens to live there. Luckily the fire was in the next block up, but I am sure, having had my apartment building catch fire back when I was 18, it was still pretty terrifying for the writer and their family. I still remember the

helpless feeling of being outside and wondering if anything you owned would still be there after the flames were doused. Luckily for me, the fire was stopped in the unit before it reached mine, and other than the smell of smoke, my place was untouched. The 300 block of the Terrace was not so lucky. I encourage everyone to go to one of the many area agencies or to the Facebook page set up to help at www.facebook.com/JuniataTerraceFireVictimsDonations It seems every day something is happening around the world that keeps our attention bouncing from one issue to another without time to focus on anything. Is this intentional? I believe it is. And furthermore, I believe our corpo-

rate media is a complete farce. Back when I was young and still idealistic I used to look at the reports coming from the news sources in other countries and thinking, “how can people allow themselves to be lied to like that?” I mean, after all, our media was touting a different story and of course America’s media was telling the truth, right? WRONG! Our mainstream, corporate media is a slave to the government, and their respective editorial departments. Very, very little of what appears on the TV or in the “corporate-owned,” local daily newspapers is truth. There is always an agenda. If you want to find out for yourself, it is very easy nowadays. Find some friends in different parts of the world, or friends that have immigrated here and still have family back in the old country. With an open mind, ask them for their perspective, and realize that EVERYONE is biased in one way or another, but stories are very different depending on who is reporting. This is not to say that we shouldn’t believe anything, but most people can feel it when horse manure starts seeping into the sides of their sandals. Do not make the mistake of believing that our media isn’t corrupt or that we aren’t being fed exactly what someone wants us to hear. It IS NOT patriotic to blindly follow what some “authority” or your own government tells you. In fact, the more research that I do, the more I find out that a lot of what we were taught in school is a huge pile of that same manure. History is always written by those in power, and

you can bet that it promotes the power of the day and lies through its teeth about any opposition. While we are on the media, did anyone else come to realize after the reportage on Malaysian flight 370 that almost all of the so-called “experts” brought in by the news agencies actually aren’t. News is not news anymore, because right or wrong, they all want to be first. I know most people these days want news quick, but I would rather wait a bit and get the TRUTH! If you don’t know the truth, shut up and wait for it. Being first may make some empty suit in your corporate office happy, but I have news for you, those same empty suits making the major decisions cares not one wit about your well being or whether they are portraying the truth. All they care about is their bottom line and making their greedy shareholders richer. They will keep doing this as long as people still clamor to hear it first, or repeat it first when news is breaking. Our decline as a nation and a people will continue too so long as the incentive for doing something is a perceived benefit to the individual. We will only start improving when people do things because IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO, rather than because it will improve their standing or create some other benefit. And don’t start telling me that some people don’t know right from wrong, that is more of the same thing we were talking about earlier. EVERYONE that is sane knows right from wrong. Some choose to create their own truth, so as to not have to conform to something they don’t feel like doing, but that doesn’t change a thing. There is one truth, and things are still black and white. Anyone that proclaims that there is a gray area, is lying to themselves and you. And you know it too, but are too afraid to open your mouth to correct people because then you run the possibility of the “herd” turning against you. Why would you care what people who are living a lie think? I don’t understand that at all, I never even desired a place in “the herd.” Who

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Contact Info Editor/Publisher Wayne Stottlar Graphic Artist/Co-Publisher Lynn Persing Associate Editor Colleen Swetland The Valley PO Box 41 Yeagertown, PA 17099 (717) 363-1550 E-mail: thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com Web: www.thevalleynewspaper.com ©The Valley. All Rights Reserved.

wants to be part of something that requires you to think and act a certain way? The two political parties practice this control by peer pressure all the time. Once you start being truthful with yourself, you will see that most everything in their platforms benefits someone else, and unless you own stock or are a principle in one of the big corporate entities, NOTHING that is done with YOUR CONSENT is beneficial to our country, the planet, and especially YOU! How about the many scandals that are playing out in our Capitol. You have a former IRS head REFUSING to answer questions before Congress, and a Justice Department that refuses to do anything about it. You have government that you pay for spying on you and then lying under oath, and no one does anything about it. You have dead Americans from Benghazi and still no one has access to any of the survivors. The present administration blocks any attempt to get at the truth. Those empowered to overcome this are too timid to demand the truth. Our founders gave us a remedy for this. Thomas Jefferson wrote “Whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends [life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness ], it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to

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The Valley, April 2014

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The Valley, April 2014

Well, with Easter happening later this month, rabbits are a pretty hot topic. Many breeders are shutting their doors, not breeding, or selling to anyone, in fear of “Easter bunnies” getting sent to shelters a few weeks later. They are doing this out of love for the rabbits—they have spent years building up their herds and working hard to improve the breed. They love their rabbits too much to put them at risk of being dumped on the roadside or in a shelter. What many breeders do not realize is that if they would stop putting energy into the “Give your

child a chocolate rabbit, not a real rabbit” campaigns, and instead, put time into educating the public about rabbits, and the proper way to care for them, they would make a much bigger difference! For example, one thing some breeders do this time of year is send out pictures of baby bunnies with captions like “I hate to be held” and “I’m really not a very good pet for children.” While for some rabbits this may be true, I know plenty of rabbits who are perfectly suited for the pet environment, and are loved by their owners. In fact, it seems like a lot

of breeders are forgetting where their roots are. There are not many rabbit breeders that out of the blue one day decided to start breeding rabbits. Many of them started with a pet bunny. That one bunny that made them fall in love with rabbits, very well may have been given to them as an Easter or Christmas present. BUT, I do agree that it is NOT a good idea to go to Tractor Supply, fall in love with a baby bunny, and then take it home. This is called impulse buying, and can end in disaster. Those cute little two pound baby bunnies are oftentimes too young to be legally sold, and will

often grow up to be 10+ pounds. It’s important that you know the care and time commitment that goes into caring for a rabbit, as well as how large the rabbit will get and what its temperament will be like. Taking all this into consideration, as much as a baby bunny sounds like a good choice, why not chose an adult or an older rabbit, retiring from a breeding program? Baby bunnies can have all sorts of health issues, and you do not know what you are going to get when it grows up! It’s much like getting a puppy vs. getting a dog. Breeders almost never have trouble finding homes for babies, but when they have a 4-5 year old rabbit that is not being bred anymore, they often have a hard time finding someone to give the rabbit the retirement home it deserves. Since rabbits live to be 8-10 years old, these retirees are still young chickens! Rabbits can be very social animals since in the wild they live in herds, so they look for the companionship of others. But, since they are prey animals, they can scare very easily and their trust needs to be earned.

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Since they scare easily, if they are to be in a indoor environment, they do much better in a quieter home, rather than one with screaming children all the time. But, just because you have children, does not mean you cannot have a rabbit! In fact, many rabbits love children and many children do well with rabbits. So, if your family is thinking about bringing a pet rabbit into your household this Easter season, shop around, find a breeder that WILL sell around Easter. There are several in our area that will gladly help you learn all you want to learn, and match you up with a rabbit perfect for your lifestyle. If you would like more information on finding a reputable breeder, the breed of rabbit that is best for you and your family, and more, I have all of the “Splitting Hares” articles that I have done posted in my blog on my website www.maplespringsrabbitry.com! a

The Valley, April 2014

Tea for Two Lemon Balm and Catnip:

Catnip

Sipping Our Way into New Territory

“Soother of nerves and reliever of tensions, stanch, hardy and faithful, this member of the mint family (lemon Balm) is native to the Mediterranean. According to ancient lore, one picked it only while music played to distract the snakes guarding it.” - from Herbcraft: A Compendium of Myths, Romance and Commonsense by Violet Schafer It takes courage to step outside the familiar to try new things. Being open to new ideas and ways of seeing our world usually takes more than an average amount of will power to push us on. With other experiences, however, a sense of adventurous curiosity is usually enough – and trying new foods and beverages generally comes under this easier heading. This month, let’s exercise our adventurous curiosity and look at two plants that may be new to your gardens – and your tea cups. Our first herb gives itself away with both its common and scientific names. Lemon balm is just that – lemony. The citrusy odor and flavor of this easily grown herb helps to makes it an excellent starting point for trying new tea plants – familiar enough to keep things comfortable, new enough to pique our interest – and very tasty in as a tea hot or cold. Lemon balm’s current scientific name, Melissa officinalis reflects its attraction, when flowering, for those blessed workhorses of our world - Melissa being the Greek name for honey bee. Originally native to southern Europe, this herb has spread through out Europe, the Near East, North America and no doubt anywhere else there are avid growers of herbs. Another aromatic member of the “mint” family, Labiatae, (or

Lamiaceae) lemon balm grows into dense mounds of stalks that carry light green, scalloped edged, slightly heart shaped leaves. The plant will spread wildly, both by root and seed, in good garden soil and doesn’t mind a bit of shade now and then. Like its cousins, peppermint and spearmint, it can be cut down for harvesting right before flowering, and cared for well will give another harvest before the autumn.

Lemon Balm

Speaking of growing and harvesting, here’s a bit of a space saver. When ever we’re talking about any of our tea herbs, if there’s something unusual involved with that particular plant, we’ll cover it. Otherwise, refer back to the mint articles in February and March for growing, harvesting and storage. Dried lemon balm is must have addition to any well stocked herbal tea stash. But like mint it also doubles as a cooking herb. Here’s a tip; try adding about two teaspoons of the dried herb

crushed finely as possible to the dry ingredients of any basic shortbread recipe. Pair a couple of these subtly lemony cookies with a steaming hot cup of lemon balm tea, open a good book and those dark winter nights may not seem quite so long: just switch it to a frosty glass of iced lemon balm tea in the summer! Like everything else from nature that we eat or drink, lemon balm plays its part in keeping us healthy. It’s not the intention of these articles to delve into the medicinal properties of these herbs but if you’re not already doing so, I would encourage you to begin your study of the health supporting qualities these amazing plants sooner rather than later. And when it comes to keeping ourselves chugging away at optimal levels, you could do worse than making lemon balm a regular and tasty part of your diet. Oh, and by the way, don’t worry about the whole serpent thing. When spending time outdoors you’re bound to run into a snake now and then but I haven’t noticed that they single out lemon balm for any special attention. The music idea is a nice touch though. Now, we begin to step off of the beaten path a bit with our next tea plant, catnip. Yes, catnip. Nepeta cataria,

beloved of all feline creatures, was once also beloved by tea drinkers in England and other points east. So much so that, even though Asian tea soon replaced it in most European teapots, people still did not want to do without it. This attractive and useful plant made the hazardous trip to the new world tucked into the important belongings of the early European immigrants to North America very early on. A hardy grower, the sturdy square stems (a typical characteristic of the mint family), carry pale, grayish green leaves that are slightly heart shaped (mint family again) with rounded toothed edges and are ever so slightly furry. In good soil, this naturalized European can top three feet or more, but they do well in just about any ground, so much so that the plant is classed but less enlightened folks as a weed. Well, the cats and the rest

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of us know better. As mentioned in an earlier article, catnip has never quite lost its place as a tea plant. It has been used by rural folk, even to the present day more in isolated areas, for a number of health giving properties. But the main point here is to suggest that, when you harvest catnip (ideally right before it blooms) for you cat’s enjoyment, you may like to pick a bit more for your own sipping pleasure. The first time I tasted catnip tea, I admit that what sprang to

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The Valley, April 2014

Editors Corner from page 2

Encouragement from the Book of Revelation by Pastor J. C. Reese Great stories often lead us through the twists and turns of people’s lives where they face tremendous injustice only to finally come to the place where wrongs have been righted. Such is the case of the Count of Monte Cristo who was imprisoned unfairly and went through a period of great personal bitterness reacting wrongly to what life had dealt him. Yet in the end justice is served and he learns a valuable lesson helping him to see victory and resolve his own bitterness. Such happy endings fix the unsettled feeling we have about wrong in the world. As chapter eight starts, it’s the midpoint of the Tribulation period on earth. The seventh seal has now been opened and it has in turn started to unleash a series of seven more judgments known as the “Trumpet Judgments”: “And when He had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.” All of sudden the angels stop their praise, the heavenly chorus ceases to sing, the absence of any noise signals something important is about to occur ! The seven angels standing before God begin to blow their trumpets and with each instrument’s musical blast God begins to deliver with precision the justice that is needed on Satan and all those who reject the Lord. This silence before the storm is helpful for us to remember that though wrong happens in this world that His Word will eventually speak out against it and defeat it. Truly believing this is so will keep you from bitterness and discouragement. He’s in perfect control being perfect in all His ways. John mentions another angel in vs.3 who offers incense and with this and the prayers of believers he offers them before God’s very throne. God is acutely aware of your cries for help and justice here and He will not overlook them ! As the first trumpet is blown (vs.7) the third part of the earth’s plant life is burned up. Imagine a huge absence of such vegetation as we are so dependent on it. Next time you enjoy a nice salad or piece of fruit thank the Lord for what He gives for there will come a time it will be very scarce and

the scarcity of such things will bring on even more problems. Trumpet two tells us a huge chunk of material hurtling toward sea (likely the Mediterranean since these judgments focus in and around Israel as opposed to the rest of the earth when the seal judgments happened). The devastation is dramatic and immediate as a third of the sea and its creatures dies and the waters coagulate with blood. A comparison of Daniel 11:40-45 also suggests an intense naval battle ensues at this time as well as Satan induced earthly powers vie for world dominion and pave the way for the Anti-Christ ! If you like seafood, enjoy it while you can and thank Him the next time you savor some! The third trumpet sounds off and with that the fresh water supply is now compromised. John mentions a stars called “Wormwood” plummets towards the earth poisons the inland waters so needful for survival. The name for this star is not a flattering one in Scripture as it speaks of calamity and Satan so it could very well be connected to the devil’s expulsion from heaven (he does have access in heaven now, Rev.12) and his drive for total control of the earth. But here God continues His judgment to right the world’s wrongs & draw unbelieving men to repentance. The Bible speaks of itself as like water that cleanses us but what are you drinking from currently: The world’s well or God’s? Let me deal lastly with trumpet four in which we’re told “the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars” (vs.12). Here the Lord allows the heavenly bodies to be dimmed and solar days shortened by a third (so 16 hours days instead). Matthew 24:22 begins to make a lot of sense in light of this judgment where Jesus says, “And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved, but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.” !! God will dim the lights on the enemy for the sake of His children ! I love my daughter and she has always loved children. When

a Christian agency called her last year about the possibility of adopting some children they had three from one family and asked her and her husband if they would consider taking them all. We are white and they are black yet that didn’t matter to them since we all come from Adam. They believed God would have them to adopt them and yet sometimes we’re amazed at the unjust looks of disapproval we get in public even in our day ! When you too are on the receiving end of injustice pray for those wayward souls far from God, don’t let them embitter you, rest in His approval and remember God will have the trumpets blown and the end will be a very happy story !

Check out our website at nittanybaptist.org and come join us for our Easter Sunrise Service at Colyer Lake at 7:30 a.m. ! a

institute new government...” Now the proper process for going about doing this is made harder by those who supposedly represent us being more interested in the next election than DOING THE RIGHT THING. But regardless of their lack of integrity or downright cowardice, if this is to be fixed, it may have to get ugly before that happens. I for one am sick to death of being lied to by the news media, local representatives, supposed “authorities,” and our government in general. If you get over your fear of “the herd,” you too may feel the same. I guarantee you will feel liberated from the madness once the herd is recognized as no threat. Speaking of being lied to, I am asked every week it seems by one of my English friends if something they saw on a TV show, Discovery Channel’s “Amish Mafia” is really so. Since they know that I have a large number of Amish friends and spend a lot of time with them, they think I should know. Well let me tell you here and now, once again, you are being lied to. Presented as a so-called reality show, Amish Mafia is anything but real. It is made for TV where once again a corporate entity, Discovery Channel, is ruining the good name of the Amish culture and lying to you to satisfy their greed. It is stated up front in the show that this group, supposedly in Lancaster PA, is run by a group of guys that were never baptised

into the Amish Church as an adult. The show states that they get away with the things they do because they were never baptized. But then we are lead to believe that there is control and unspoken approval in some instances by the church because they help the community. This is nothing more than some writer’s idea for a story about something he hasn’t the slightest clue about. These guys in the show may or may not have been born Amish, but since they are adults and haven’t been baptized THEY ARE NOT AMISH! Something similar happened two years ago with another show about Anabaptist culture with a show called “American Colony, Meet The Hutterites.” The show was suddenly cancelled after a hugely successful first season, but it wasn’t cancelled by the network. The Hutterite elders put the lid on it after Discovery did not honor it’s commitments. I reached out to two of the shows stars via email and Facebook and got the behind the scenes story. The network was more interested in sensationalizing rather than presenting facts—too bad, I enjoyed learning about their culture. So if you still plan to watch Amish Mafia, realize that this is NOT a fair or truthful representation of the Amish that live here. In fact, almost none of it is true. Thank you all for the e-mails, snail mails, and in person compliments about The Valley. You can’t imagine how that buoys our spirits. Stop in and tell our advertisers that you saw their ad here in The Valley. a

OBSERVATIONS . . . of an OLD MAN

We are living in divisive times, we are challenged daily to discern. Do we understand the opposition’s perspectives? POSITIVES Love Sharing/Caring Light Understanding Compassion Joy Good Trust

God is: Love, Caring, Sharing

NEGATIVES Hate Greed/Selfish Darkness Judgment Cruelty Sadness Evil Fear Evil is: Fear, Greed, Hate

Albert Einstein: “ Peace cannot be found or kept by Force. It can only be achieved by Understanding”

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Peter J. Moses

The Valley, April 2014 100 Stine Drive Lewistown, PA 17044

Give The Bees A Helping Hand

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by Wayne Stottlar

Almost anyone that doesn’t live under a rock has become aware, to one degree or another, that our honeybees are in trouble. For some, that is where their knowledge of the subject ends. Being a second year beekeeper, I like to think that I am a little more up on the subject than that. I am not sure if everyone knows that if we lose our honeybees, in a short span of time, life on Earth will become increasingly difficult. It is said that every third bite of food you take is because of pollination by a honeybee, and it actually might be closer to every other bite. The problems facing the honeybee are likely a combination

of many things...pesticides, herbicides, GMO crops, monocultures that are preferred by Big Ag, and the resulting necessity of moving bees all over the country to ensure pollination. Yet another part is the continued hybridization of flowers to promote one tendency over another. Oftentimes this results in a prettier flower that does not produce nectar for the honeybees. Once I started thinking about all of these possibilities, and further wanting to keep my bees close to home lest they be sprayed by a farmer or homeowner, I realized that in order to do this, I would have to not give them a

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The Valley, April 2014

Grammar Lesson Hold it right there! I saw you read that heading and roll your eyes. I also know you said “Ha! Now there’s an article I don’t have to read,” and you skipped right on to the next page. Wayne, that means you! Get BACK here. I’ll make it fun. Yes, even more fun than a root canal. And yes, I know that right now there’s a dentist out there somewhere who is reading this article and who really does think root canals are fun. Relax, there is a saving grace. I don’t have much room this month for my article, so the lesson will be short and painless. Yea, I know, that’s what the dentist said about your last root canal too.

Lesson No. 1: it’s vs. its It’s so easy. There’s only one time you need to use an apostrophe in the word “its.” It’s when “its” represents two words—a contraction of “it is” or “it has.” Just like don’t is short for “do not,” and can’t is short for “can not,” it’s is short for “it has” or “it is.” So if you can replace the “its” with “it has” or “it is” in a sentence and it still makes sense, then use the apostrophe before the “s.” It if doesn’t make sense, leave it out. Here are a few to try (root canal for anyone who gets them all right.) Which of the “its” in these sentences need an apostrophe?

1. Its really not that hard. 2. Even my dog ran away with its tail between its legs when it saw what my article was about this month. (Not really, my dog has no tail and HE is not an “it”!) 3. If its the last thing I do, you will learn this. 4. All I’ve ever wanted was for you to learn when its correct to add an apostrophe. 5. Its rotten stench lingered everywhere. 6. Everyone knows that its the Pittsburgh Penguins’ year to win the Stanley Cup. (Yes, I had to sneak that hockey reference in there.) Answers: 1. It’s 2. Neither of the “its” get an apostrophe in this sentence. 3. it’s 4. it’s 5. no apostrophe 6. it’s Lesson No. 2: When do the period and comma go inside quotation marks? Well, if you thought the last lesson was easy, your going to nail this one. The answer to Lesson No. 2 is ALWAYS! Always put the period or

comma inside the ending quotation mark. Yes, even when you are just quoting a word and not the whole sentence. So, which of these sentences is correct? 1. This is a sorry excuse for an “article”. 2. Wayne just said, “Next month, please write about something interesting to our readers.” 3. I said, “What are you talking about? This IS interesting to our readers”. 4. Ok, well if it’s not interesting to our “readers”, I hope it’s least interesting to our “writers”. Answers: 1. Incorrect. Period should be inside the quotation mark at the end. 2. Correct 3. Incorrect. The period should be inside the quotation mark at the end. 4. Incorrect. The comma should be inside the quotation mark after “readers” and the period should be inside the quotation mark after “writers.” Don’t worry, I won’t write about grammar next month. And for the grammar Nazis out there, I know you found about ten grammatical errors in this article and I’ll be hearing from you. I never said I was perfect! a

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Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26

The Valley, April 2014

Ein grusz zu alle thal laser. Hello to all The Valley readers from the corner of Hillside Orchard, where water runs down hill, the birds sing and the dogs bark. Well, it will soon be time for fisherman to get excited. That’s right, you will see men Perch on creek and lake banks, Sun fishing, while others go into the water and take a Bass, doesn’t that sound Crappie? Some get the Blues waiting for them Suckers to bite. Others patiently wait for the fish to Trout upon their bait. Yet others catch big ones and have something to Carp about. Halibut I quit this before you get tired of Herring about this and start Whaling about it. This winter, with its Arctic blasts, was a reminder to us that nature can throw you a curve ball every now and then. It hasn’t been that cold that it froze peach buds in the winter for the last several years; however, this winter a good half of them have black centers, which means they won’t give any fruit. But, if we don’t lose any more, we should still get a full crop on most varieties, they just won’t need much thinning. If the temperature drops below -15 degrees, peaches very rarely fruit the following summer. This is just another reminder that farmers are at the mercy of the weather and or nature. One thing every farmer has to learn when starting to farm is that we have to be willing to do our part and then have faith. We can plant, we can water, but God gives the increase. 1 Corinthians 3:7 I have been to the Penn State Tree Fruit meeting in our area. One of the main topics was about the two most recently imported destructive pests from Asia. The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug and the Spotted Wing Fruit Fly. Free Trade Free Problems! Hah! This reminds me of what Wayne, the editor, once told me. “Every convenience comes at a cost.” I suspect that quite a few of you reading this know the dismayed feeling of seeing scores of tiny maggots floating on top of your fruit when you are process-

ing it. These are the Spotted Wing Fruit Fly maggots. The Fruit Fly is a soft bodied insect and thus is more easily killed without using harsh insecticides. Researchers say that they have much higher hopes of biological control in the near future with the Stink Bug than with the Fruit Fly. At first when the Stink Bugs were discovered here it seemed like our army of beneficial insects mostly avoided this new invader. Chinese food researchers are now finding that they are starting to adapt to it. From Fruit Growers News February 2014: Work at USDA’s quarantine laboratory in Delaware is evaluating possible predators to the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug and continues to yield positive results. A tiny wasp, Trissolcus halyomorphae, imported from China has shown itself to be highly effective in attacking and controlling Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs and does not attack beneficial insects. The study is nearly complete and it is expected that an application to allow release of the wasp in the field will be submitted in early 2014. The permit process could take 6 to 12 months. Spring is the time when most people fertilize, which is a good time to do it. The old saying goes; You get out what you put in, and I think that’s true for most anything. One way to check if you have healthy soil is to go out after dark in the spring after a rain with a flashlight and see if you have a lot of earthworms. If earthworms thrive, you know you have decent soil health. A saying we used to say as children comes to my mind. If a doctor doctors a doctor, the doctor that is doctoring the doctor is doctoring the doctor the way a doctor should be doctored. I will close with this, “though some people are like footballs, you never know which direction they will bounce.” a

Auf Weiderschen

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The Valley, April 2014

A Yawn or a Smile Do horses really yawn or smile? If they do, do they do it for the same reason we do? There are a number of reasons horses yawn, but they do not necessarily yawn for the same reasons we do. We need

to pay careful attention to why our equine is opening their jaw and sticking out their tongue. If they are doing this when they also appear irritated or stressed, this could be the sign of a problem. Mouth twisting can signal pain

or discomfort in a horse. Horses will often twist their jaw in pain during colic. They will also gap their mouth, snap their teeth, and lay their ears back in discomfort during saddling. If your equine is moving his jaw in the way it is time to contact the vet to investigate the behavior. When the horse is just standing basking in the sun; he may twist his jaw and yawn. This is not because of boredom as much

as it is because An equine smile, holding in the scent. the equine jaw in anticipation of feeding is showing he is relaxed. He will time. They are anxiously awaitoften do this with his eyes closed ing hay, grain or a treat. and his ears relaxed and forward. The Equine Yawn is not to be When horses begin to lick and confused with the Equine Laugh chew and move their mouths; this or Smile, known as the Flehmen is a sign of relaxation. Many response. Like the yawn there are horses will stretch and twist their several reasons for this response. The most common is if the equine got a whiff of something new or different. After they get the scent of the odor, the equine will curl his lip up to temporarily close the nasal passages and hold the scent in. He then raises his head to help the molecules linger in his vomeronasal organ. Regardless of whether your equine is yawning or laughing, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a good time to grab the camera! a Other equines such as donkeys yawn too.

Yes, I may even stick my tongue out at you!

Just showing you my pearly whites!

Ears forward, relaxed yawn

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The Valley, April 2014

PA Beekeepers Celebrate Milestones The Pennsylvania State Beekeepers Association is celebrating two milestones in 2014. This year marks the 110th anniversary for the association and the 60th year of its Honey Queen program. “This is a huge milestone for the organization,” Charles Vorisek, PSBA president said. “The beekeeping industry has changed and evolved over the past 110 years, but the PSBA’s mission of supporting beekeepers, advocating for research and educating the public still remain the same.” One of the ways the PSBA provides education services is through the Pennsylvania Honey Queen Program. Founded in 1954, the program has provided educational presentations and a spokesperson for the industry for 60 years. “Our Queens and Princesses work diligently to promote the beekeeping industry, educate the public on the importance of honey bees and increase the consumption of honey,” Rachel Bryson, chair of the Honey Queen program said. “Reaching 60 years is a testament to the quality of this program and the hard work of its many queens, princesses and chair people.” The PSBA currently has approximately 800 members. It was formed on April 12, 1904 during its meeting in Williamsport. The first president of the association was Prof. H.A. Surface, who was also the state zoologist. The organization holds two meetings each year; one during its summer picnic and the second at its annual fall convention. The PSBA continues to serve beekeepers throughout Pennsylvania with a commitment to supporting honey bee research, advocating pure PA honey and providing education to the community.

To learn more about the PSBA and the Honey Queen Program, visit http://pastatebeekeepers.org or like us on Facebook. Editor’s note: Please contact Charles Vorisek (814683-5888 or President@pastatebeekeepers.org) for more information on the PSBA and Rachel Bryson (717-300-0146 or rachelbryson12@gmail.com) for more information on the Honey Queen program.

Tea for Two from page 5 mind and taste was medicine. However, after reading Euell Gibbons on the subject (check out resources), I tried again, using a bit more herb than usual and adding a bit of fresh lemon juice with more pleasant results. Sometimes it takes a few tries to re-educate our tongues, and you just never know what will appeal to your palate until you try. Besides, it’s hardly fair that the cats get all of the benefits from this wonderful plant. Not that you’re going to go bouncing off of the walls in a purring frenzy – different species, different results. If you’re not already growing it, give it a try or barter with someone who does. If you decide to harvest it from the wild, please do two things: first, make sure you know what you’re picking and if not tag along with someone who does, second, MAKE SURE that the place you are harvesting from is clean (no picking from an area with trash) and NO PICKING FROM ANY AREA THAT HAS BEEN SPRAYED WITH ANYTHING (ask around). Oh yes, don’t forget to ask permission at the nearest house, especially if you’re out and about in the country. So, there we are, two new plants to consider for your tea shelf. Next month – chamomile and sage. (SAGE?!?) RESOURCES: For an excellent article on lemon balm check it out: Essential Herbs: Lemon Balm by Jill Henderson on page 76 in ACRES USA, February 2014, Vol. 44, No. 2 Also: Stalking the Healthful Herbs by Euell Gibbons a

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Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Centre County Announce Plant Sale! The Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Centre County are hosting their annual Garden Fair and Plant Sale on May 17, 2014 from 9:00 AM until 3:00 PM at Ag Progress Days Site (at Entrance “K”) 2710 West Pine Grove Road, Pennsylvania Furnace, Pa.. The Garden Fair will feature many vendor booths, exhibits and demonstrations, gardening talks and a rain barrel workshop. The Plant Sale will consist of thousands of potted plants and feature native and pollinator plants, and include perennials, annuals, herbs, houseplants, and vegetables! Vendors will also be selling trees, shrubs and organic vegetable plants in addition to many garden related items! Breakfast and lunch items will be available. Parking and admission are free. Please visit our website for more information: extension.psu.edu/garden-fair

MCCA is now accepting registrations for the 20142015 school year. The school can be contacted at 717-5432200 or info@mccaeagles.net or www.mccaeagles.net

The Valley, April 2014

Lost That Loving Feeling? It’s Right Where You Left It! Once upon a time, you met someone who evoked pure joy and bliss. You fell deeply and passionately in love. You hung onto each other’s every word. You felt more alive – like a missing part of you had clicked into place. You shared everything, became more than the sum of two. You merged into a new being, a couple. This intimacy inspired a commitment, then, somehow, the intimacy gradually faded away. • You no longer talk for hours on end. • You became afraid to share your deepest joys and fears. • You’ve stopped feeling emotionally safe or understood. • At least one has put up an

invisible barrier to communicating. • There’s little affectionate or intimate touching. • The fun has gone out of your relationship. • One or both complains, hides, or blames rather than honestly discussing problems. • Deep and honest raw emotion makes one or both extremely uncomfortable. • Time once spent together is consumed by friends, work, alcohol, even drugs. That “falling in love” feeling is still there, underneath it all. But underneath what? What happened to the emotional intimacy (and, I’m guessing physical intimacy)

that connected you so perfectly in the beginning? If you feel you’re living with a stranger, consider what caused this malingering disconnection. Look to the past. Each of us carries a unique set of baggage into a relationship. If one’s past was filled with feelings of rejection or inadequacy, or if there was no emotional safety as a child, these fears may be coloring your relationship. If one was emotionally vulnerable and was betrayed in a past relationship, there may be a tendency to avoid sharing deep feelings and fears. “In to see me. The simplest and most under-

standable way I have ever heard intimacy described is by breaking the word down: in to me see. That is what intimacy is about – allowing another person to see into us, sharing who we are with another person.” ~Robert Burney ~

“The real catastrophe is to come to the end of your life only to realize that by playing it safe and trying to avoid risk, you took the biggest risk of all, and lost the most valuable thing that you could lose: a life that was rich with meaning, feeling, and joy, one that not only filled your own cup to the brim, but spilled over to fill the cups of others who were moved and inspired by you.” --Relationship experts Linda and Charlie Bloom

Barriers to Intimacy Negative Self-image – Ironically, the positive, loving support of one partner might trigger deep-seated fears, selfdoubt, and low selfesteem in the other. The insecure partner doubts that he or she deserves this intimate love and sabotages it by pulling back emotionally. Traditional Roles – Some may learned to hide emotions, to tough it out, to put up a protective barrier. Others are more open, sharing feelings, unafraid of discussing fears and desires. As one partner toughs it

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The Valley, April 2014

Understanding the Constitution by David Molek

Private Property? Usually, I wake up one morning (or many mornings) and am concerned and upset about something the Obama administration did to us again and my column just flows. However, this time I am having difficulty with defining issues within this topic. It’s not the case that the Obama administration has not taken our property rights in many ways (because it has). It’s just that I find it difficult to clearly define the complicated issues and explain what is happening. But, since this is a topic very close to our editor’s heart, I will take a shot. Our Constitution contains the explicit guarantee of the Fifth Amendment, which provides “nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation”. It seems like a compromise between the absolute libertarian view that holds the government can never take property from its owner, even with full compensation, and the totalitarian or socialist view that routinely allows the government to take private property for public use without paying any compensa-

tion at all. The just compensation seems, to me at least, to split the difference. Eminent domain is the name of the government’s power to take private property for public use by the federal government or a state. The most common uses are highways, public utilities, railroads and government buildings and other facilities. However, as is the case in Centralia, PA, it may be taken for reasons of public safety.

This power rests in the legislative branch of our government and may not be exercised unless the legislature has authorized its use by statutes that specify who may use it and for what purposes. The Fifth Amendment limits the right to “public use”. Our Supreme Court has over-expanded that definition. The United States Supreme Court has consistently deferred to the right of the states to make

their own determinations of public use. You may recall the Supreme Court’s decision in 2005 in Kelo v. New London which permitted a Connecticut city to take nonblighted property by eminent domain and transfer it for one dollar to a private developer solely for the purpose of increasing municipal revenues. This was a 5 to 4 decision and caused a public outcry that these powers were too broad. Many states have since restricted that power of eminent domain. Thank God for our Tenth Amendment. In 2006, President George W. Bush issued Executive Order 13406 which limited use by the federal government of eminent domain for “public use” with “just compensation”. Bush eliminated the purpose of advancing economic interests of private parties and increased taxes, thus coming back toward the true meaning and intent of the Fifth Amendment. But laws vary from state to state. The other aspect of this property issue is forfeiture laws. Civil forfeiture laws constitute one of the most serious assaults on private property rights today. Because they are civil actions, most of the constitutional protections

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afforded to criminal defendants do not apply to property owners in civil forfeiture cases. These are in rem proceedings, meaning that the property itself is the “defendant”. These laws started out covering such things as illegal drugs and any conveyance used to transport them and real estate connected directly to the criminal activity. Today, there are more than 400 federal statutes covering such things as environmental “crimes” and currency transactions. These laws have been blown way out of proportion and beyond reason. The first step in the forfeiture process is typically “seizure”. This requires probable cause to believe the property is subject to forfeiture. Most forfeiture activity occurs under federal law, and most of it is connected to illegal drugs. The authority to seize property is not inherent. Rather it is established by statute. It is constrained by these authorizing laws and by our Constitution. Perhaps the greatest advantage forfeiture laws provide for law enforcement lies in the fact that their legal justification simply defies logic. Our Supreme Court has repeatedly rejected modern constitutional challenges to forfeiture actions. First and foremost, innocent owners should not be harmed by forfeiture laws. Property owners should be able to rely upon their existing legal, natural rights, and not the mercy of the federal government. Forfeiture should be a law enforcement weapon, not a

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The Valley, April 2014

14 Poor Wills Valley Almanack from page 19 Almanack Literature The Mule Race by Fred Gullion Switzerland County, Indiana In the 1940s and 1950s when I grew up, there weren’t a lot of things for families to do for entertainment, although I don’t remember being deprived of anything. One thing we did have each year was the Fairview Fair, located in another small community not far away. The grandstand was the most important part of the fair and where the real entertainment took place. There was always the horse pulling contest, local talent contest, plus anything else they could come up with. Each evening was something different and always worth going to. One year, perhaps in the 1946-48 time period, they decided to have a horse race. Anyone could enter, but for some reason the only ones that showed up for the race were two of our neighborhood boys with a pair of mules. They were fine young men. I believe one had just returned from WWII and the other was in college. They were Howard Royce and Donald Stow. Both were raised and worked on their father’s farm so were no strangers to hard work and working with horses and mules. One thing you learn about mules is that they are not horses and won’t do anything in which they may get hurt. They also are stubborn at times. Also remember that a mule will work up a sweat and work for hours, but when he gets tired he will lie down and roll.

The big race had been advertised for some time so that on the given night, all our neighbors and friends were there to watch. Right from the beginning, there was a problem. The mules wouldn’t line up next to each other, and the boys had a little trouble controlling them. Another little thing to take note of was they didn’t have saddles, so the boys had to ride bareback, which is what they were use to anyway. Finally, they got the mules close enough to the starting line and gave the signal to start, but being mules, they couldn’t decide which direction they wanted to run. One ended up going east and one going west on the track. I don’t believe there was a determined outright winner except for the crowd that yelled and hollered all during the race. It was a sure-fire winner for them. Time has claimed the Fairview Fairgrounds and most of the little community is gone along with the park that no longer has a movie night. Time plays a big part in our lives and I guess in years to come, people will look back and remember the good times while moving their thumbs over a keyboard. Poor Will’s Journal A while back, my wife and I started hearing things in our attic: Thump and clunk right above our bed. Must be a squirrel, we said. Spring was here, and there was a small hole under one of the eaves. Maybe the creature had decided to get in to make a nest. I rented a small cage trap and set it with peanut butter. “I’ll put the peanut butter in a covered container,” I said. “That way it’ll

have to really work at getting it out and will set off the trap.” The following night, the creature had taken the peanut butter and the container! “Not a mouse,” my wife and I agreed. “Could be a bear,” I thought. “We need the really big trap,” I told the trap-rental lady down at the hardware store. “Ooooo,” she said, making a face. “Raccoon!” With the really big trap, and tying a piece of bread covered with peanut butter on the trigger platform, we caught a well-fed raccoon that very night. It was one of the fattest raccoons we had ever seen. It weighed a ton. But as to how it had managed to get into our house without cutting a giant hole in the wall, we could not imagine. And so we took refuge in quantum theory. “The world is not as solid as it appears,” we said. “The universe is porous. Everything is connected, but nothing is fixed in space or time. Parallel universes are not only possible but likely. As Heraclitus noted, matter is always in flux. No matter what we do or how many precautions we take, it is quite probable that a great big hole will open soon. Worse yet, we realize it might have always been there. We are keeping watch for bears. *** Send your family stories (especially stories from a long time ago) to Poor Will at P.O. Box 431, Yellow Springs, Ohio 45387 or to wlfelker@gmail.com.

Honeybee Swarm Retrieval Swarm season is coming! If you have or see a swarm of honeybees that you want us to retrieve and save, call us!

Three dollars will be paid for the purchase of any tales printed in this almanac. *** Poor Will’s Sckrambler If you are the 4th , the 12th, the 20th, the 40th or 99th person to return your correct Sckrambler solutions by my deadline, you will win $5.00. There should be no typos in this puzzle, and no typo prize will be awarded. If you happen to find a typo, however, you may simply skip that word without penalty. IIGNHSF OEPL OUNGTHS EEILCTRC EEAORTRNG ESEB STEKCUB ORF AELPM YUPRS GLO LITRETSP OOOEVTSKC UOSODRGUH EEIPCR ABLEGEVT EADRGN OTOR ELCLRA LITREL ACIHN AWS

ODOF HYEDRDTARO EOIEKRSN SPAML ITRUF ERETS REDIC SERSP ORPAPEN FERRGERR OTAI RALSO OCOKRE LILMDINW UTN KERRACC Listen to Bill Felker’s weekly “Poor Will’s Almanack” on podcast any time at www.wyso. org. And Bill’s website, www. poorwillsalmanack.com, contains weekly updates and a sizable bank of information about nature. His organization of weather patterns and phenology (what happens when in nature) offers a unique structure for understanding the repeating rhythms of the year. Bill lives in Yellow Springs, Ohio. He has two daughters, Jeni, who is a psychologist in Portland, Oregon, and Neysa, a photographer in Spoleto, Italy. a

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The Valley, April 2014

Small Business vs Big Box Store Being a small business owner lets me have a more one-on-one relationship with my customers. When you, as a customer, walk into a small business, you should get the feeling of importance. Do you feel that way when you walk into the Big Box Store? To me that is the first sign of great customer service, being noticed, appreciated, like you’re one of the family, or a friend you haven’t seen for years. That’s how WE are with our customers. Small businesses are there to help the beginners get the right equipment, proper training, and to know the product. They also help with advanced equipment for people that already know about the products, and order things that we might not carry in stock. Small businesses are there to help in any way possible. Let’s face it, if we didn’t love this part of it, we wouldn’t do it. I love the fact I can stand there and talk to someone about a fishing trip or a hunt from last fall. I love the smile I put on a kid’s

face when I help them shoot a bow for the first time. And please correct me if I’m wrong, but you don’t get that at the Big Box Stores. Have you ever walked into a Box Store to buy a $10 or $15 item and walked out with a $100 bill, because you picked up items that you didn’t necessarily need. I have done this more than once. Big Chain Stores do have large inventory with plenty to look at, but when you are buying from those types of stores, you are making that CEO even richer. How many times have you had a face-to-face conversation with that person or even know who they are? Spending your money local at a small business keeps your money in the community, helps feed a local family, and supports the local ball teams and organizations. I can’t speak for all of our local small businesses, but I love to sponsor and donate to the local sports teams and other community events. That’s part of giving back. The more the community supports the small businesses, the more the

This is the second year that I have VIP cards to hand out to any team or organization that will allow you to get a discount throughout the entire year on anything in our store. There will be many more teams and events that I will be doing my best to help support. Remember to shop small, we really appreciate

small businesses can give back to the community. I am not one to try and tell people where to shop, but I am the one to tell people that I appreciate them shopping at Valley Sports N Outdoors (VSO). I plan on having more things for the customers in 2014. A couple things on the agenda for VSO is sponsoring a local Little League Baseball Team and giving back to the Reedsville Volunteer Fire Company by sponsoring some trout in this year’s trout tournament. We will also be donating to the local Girls Fastpitch Teams, giving product for donation to the Girl Scouts of the Mifflin and Juniata Counties for their free Living a Healthy Lifestyle event that they are having on April 12, and being the sole sponsor of the Keystone Youth Football League Super Bowl held this fall at Mitchell Field. This will help put all the games on CHX 105.5. There is nothing better for a youngster than having their name called out on the radio for scoring a touchdown or making a game winning tackle.

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when you do. Shopping small helps in more ways than you think. If you like the articles that I write for The Valley Newspaper and want to voice your opinion, good or bad, please feel free to drop me a line to let me know what you think. You can send your comments to: jim@valleysportsnoutdoors.com Thanks for taking the time. to read my column. a

Announcment! Lewistown Pistol Club is proud to announce that they will be hosting the second annual Think of the Children Benefit Match over the weekend of April 2627. The match is being held to raise funds for the Prayer Child Foundation. (www.prayerchild.org) Many children, by no fault of their own, are in need of help each and every day. Many of the children and their parents pray daily for a healthier life. The mission of the Prayer Child Foundation is to have a hand in answering their prayers and helping these children to have the joys of a normal childhood. The Prayer Child Foundation donates money directly to families with children who have physical or emotional challenges. They have been able to help multiple central PA families. This match is an International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA) tier 2 match, open to all IDPA members, classified in the division in which they wish to compete. It will be a 10 stage match, held in a half day format. Competitors can choose to shoot Saturday morning, Saturday afternoon, or Sunday morning. Registration information is available on the club’s website. We would like to thank the many sponsors who are supporting this match. Please visit the club’s website to see a full list of sponsors, and support those who support us. After last year’s successful match, we were able to donate our profit of $3,300 to the Prayer Child Foundation. We would appreciate your support in exceeding that this year. Please visit our club website for information on how you can help, even if you can’t compete in the match. Ron Singer Jr. IDPA Match Director www.lewistownpistolclub.com

The Valley, April 2014

Hi! How’s everyone down your way? Been quite a winter! Global Warming! (Sarcasm) Sure do wish I could get my hands on a couple of them Al Gore wannabee’s to help me shovel some of this damn global warming. Heck, there was quite a spell this winter when we couldn’t see out the windows! So, eight years ago, me and the wife split up. I moved into camp here, and trust me on this, it wasn’t ready to be occupied—vacant for years and years, softwoods growing up all around it. The week I started clearing those back, and cars would just stop in the road. “That camp was there, the whole time?” Yep. Here’s your sign. I bought this property after my mom died, as part of the will.

My little chunk of a pretty big pie. It was 14.5 acres, +\ -. Which means, they THINK it’s that big, but couldn’t be bothered to actually verify it. I knew where three property lines were, mostly because I owned one of them. Yep, I moved across a stone wall. Go, me. Way to move on. The previous owners were up from New Hampsha one summer, in their campah. As they were packing up to go home, I walked over and handed them my card. (Rick Hanson- “carpentry, with a conscience!”) I said, “If you folks ever want to sell, give me a shout.” They had planned on retiring here, then realized that all their fam was in NH. Oopsie. So, they called, named their price, and I bought. And thank God I did. The

feces impacted with the proverbial flabellum shortly after. You need help with that one? The Poop Hit The Fan. I’ll spare you the details, but when it was all said and done... Here I Was. I’d thought of many witty names for camp, things like “SipR2,” because I’d be known to have those on occasion. Okay, darnit. Lots. Daily. “The Last Stand,” because I was pretty destitute at the time. Manners? We’ll have none of that ‘round he-ah. Ahhh! No Manors Homestead. Wallah! At the time, I was helping a friend, working on summer homes of the rich, on the Isle of Haut. (pronounced HO). I worked there most of two summers, and never did find me a Ho. Friday nights, I was the

doorman at a bar up Dexta way, called The Motor Lodge. More deep thinkers at work. My friend Bill and his wife, Rhonda ran the bar for the owners, a family from “AWAY.” And, if I came across a friendly female, I could get a room—and just pay the maid. After it dawned on me that history was repeating itself, I decided it was time to start acting my age, and get over my little Pity Party. So, this little lady showed up at the bar occassionally. She was very, very quiet. She would have just one drink, and sit waaaaaay back from the band and dance floor, and people-watch. Guess what? That’s also one of my favorite hobbies. I went over and said hi, while we watched several couples, the women bigger than

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me by a hundred pounds or so. The guys, tiny little twigs. Guess the ladies didn’t feed them much, because they kept begging for scraps. Anyway, she went to the store up the road and bought me a coffee. I was pumped. It was 11 pm, I’d been up since 4 am. I was getting mighty tired. During our conversation, I told her approximately where I lived, and she swung by the next day. She’s still here. We do everything together. Life Is Good. We work side by side, every day. I love to make her laugh and giggle. Its way cool making a Grammy giggle. Until next time, keep your eyes on DC. They have proven themselves to put their interests before We The People. Greed and Power, a dangerous combination. a

The Valley, April 2014

Giving It Your Best Shot I recently got involved in a new business venture. I like it and perceive it to be something pretty much anyone can do (which is part & parcel of why I like it). It speaks to the American Dream and ethic of hard work, integrity, and goodwill between like-minded citizenry. I invite you to join me in this journey. Now, you might say to me, Mark! I’ve read your articles, and in fact have read many of the articles in this publication, and it seems you folks perceive the end is near. Why in the world would you, or anyone for that matter, want to get involved in a business venture when you probably are not going to have much time to enjoy the fruit of your efforts? Allow me to clarify. This publication brings forth a view

point you will not see in the typical main stream media. Published monthly, we have only twelve opportunities per year to get you to look at the world, the economy, the political situation, our health, and religion from a different perspective. So we have little time to mince words. Yet none of us can predict the future (thankfully). We can, however, connect dots and as such, we see trends and situations that require us to say, take action, prepare, and consider changing your lifestyle. In the end, however, we must have hope and assist the next generation in doing the same, for we really don’t know how all this will play out! Case in point, a very good friend of ours in New England shared how during WWII, her parents’ church community thought and

taught that we were living through the Biblical book of Revelation and that the end was here. Well, what to make of that? That was 70 years ago! Many of us did not even live through that era and yet here we are today. Do we think we are any better at determining end times than our parents and grandparents? I think not. The only thing we know for certain is that we are 70 years closer! So, if you thought the world would end April 1st, would you bother to file a tax return? Alright, maybe you would, particularly if you had a fat refund coming, but you might have used that refund to party like it’s 1999! Ahh...there’s another example to emphasize my point! So why take on a new venture? Because maybe, just maybe, I will have great grandchildren sitting on my lap someday and I want to do something for them. Maybe after many years in the business world, I see opportunities that line up that beg to be taken a

hold of and it’s hard to resist, or ones that seem to make so much sense, that it seems illogical to let them sit on the table. Either way, I have come to appreciate opportunities that require minimum startup capital (such as obtaining an insurance license, which is what I do in real life), along with potential for long term residual income. Residual income is income you receive in subsequent years for something you sell this year, provided your customer continues with you, receiving your product or service in successive years. For example, insurance companies receive income every time you pay your insurance premium. As agents we receive a small portion of that premium (commission) in order to keep our doors open to assist you when you have questions, need service or have a claim. Other industries work on this type of set up as well. Think about the monthly bills you pay. Those are all generating residual income for the companies to whom you pay your bills. Consider your Internet provider, phone company (now often one in the same), water, gas, and electric service providers. Do we ever think we’ll see a day when we won’t have to pay any of the above mentioned bills? More than likely not,

except for our Amish friends. We will continue to meet our monthly obligations. So, what if you could tap into this payment stream that you, your neighbors, family, and friends faithfully provide every month and turn a small portion of it into income for yourself? Would that interest you? I think it’s easy to see how your family can benefit from something like this in a positive way. This is what draws me to Ambit Energy. Ambit Energy has developed a personalized, direct distribution system, has low startup costs, and provides long term residual income for its consultants. We’ve all been hammered with solicitations month after month from energy providers with regard to energy de-regulation. Companies have come out of the woodwork (maybe the wirework!) overnight, enticing you to allow them to be your energy supplier. What if, in lieu of selecting one of them, you direct folks to a supplier whom you represent, gathering a handful of customers, and in the process teaching others to do the same thing? As you build your business, you receive compensation for your efforts. Sounds like an American Opportunity in the making to me, and quite possibly

Continued on page 30

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The Valley, April 2014

Poor Will’s Valley Almanack

for Middle Spring of 2014 by W. L. Felker The wind blows sweet from the west through Jupiter, locking away the winter, thinning the gray clouds now that the sun alights on Taurus. Carmina Burana: “Saturni sidus lividum,” The Sun in April On April 21, Cross-Quarter Day (the solar halfway mark between equinox and solstice), the sun reaches a declination of +11 minutes, 45 seconds, and it enters Taurus at the same time. April Planets Jupiter remains the giant evening star in Gemini this month, following Orion into the west. Mars stays in Virgo and Saturn in Libra, both rising well before daylight. Venus, brilliant in Aquarius, rises before dawn. The Lyrid Meteors The Lyrid Meteors move across the sky between April 19 and 25, with the best viewing on Monday, April 22. The meteors will appear near the Summer Triangle, especially in Lyra, across the southeastern sky. Meteorology Seven major cold fronts move across the nation in April. Snow is possible in northern areas with the arrival of the first three fronts. Average dates for the weather systems to reach the Mississippi: April 2, 6, 11, 16, 21, 24, and 28. Although the intensity of the highpressure systems moderates after the 22nd, be alert for frost at least two days after each system pushes through your area. Full moon on the 15th and new moon on the

29th are expected to intensify the weather systems that move across the country near those dates. In general, most precipitation usually occurs during the first two weeks of the month. Peak Activity Times for Livestock, Fish, Game and Dieters Fishing and hunting may be most rewarding and dieting could be most frustrating near these dates at midday when the moon is new, in the afternoon and evening when the moon is in its first quarter, at night when the moon is full and in its third quarter, in the morning when the moon is in its fourth quarter. Holidays for Homesteaders April 13 – 15, 2014: New Year’s Day for immigrants from Cambodia, Thailand and Laos. Consider marketing to this group in urban centers near your area. April 15 (sunset) to April 21, 2014: Passover: Milk-fed lambs and kids below 60 pounds are favored for the Passover market. April 20, 2014: Roman Easter and Greek Orthodox Easter: Newly weaned, milk-fed lambs and kids, not older than three months, are right for this market. APRIL– WEEK 1 THE FIRST WEEK OF MIDDLE SPRING Lunar Phase And Lore Waxing throughout the week, the crescent Golden Forsythia moon enters its second quarter on April 7 at 3:31 a.m. It reaches apogee, its position farthest from earth on the April 8. Rising in the morning and setting at night, this moon passes overhead (its most favourable time for fishing and breaking your diet) in the afternoon. Lunar position should encourage sprouting of all flowers, garden vegetables and field crops, especially on April 1 – 3 in Taurus and April 5 – 8 in Cancer. This is also a superb time for setting out new shrubs and trees.

Weather Trends The average arrival dates for weather systems are April 2, 6, 11, 16, 21, 24, and 28. New Moon on April 29 and full moon on April 15 are likely to increase chances for frost and for storms as these fronts pass through. APRIL– WEEK 2 THE SECOND WEEK OF MIDDLE SPRING Lunar Phase And Lore The Golden Forsythia Moon waxes gibbous throughout this second week of middle spring, and it becomes full on April 15 at 2:42 a.m. In addition, a total eclipse of the moon begins just before 1:00 a.m. on the 15th and remains visible until around 6:30 a.m. near moonset. Rising in the afternoon and setting in the morning, the moon will move overhead (its most favourable position for angling) in the middle of the night. Lunar position favors planting in Cancer on the 7th and 8th. The next favourable time is in Scorpio on the 15th through the 17th. Weather Trends Rain is the rule for April’s second quarter. After the third major high-pressure system passes through around the 11th, however, a brief mid- April dry spell typically occurs, chances for precipitation falling to 25 percent. As for temperatures, chances for highs below 50 degrees fall to less than ten percent on the 11th where they remain until they drop to five percent on April 22nd. Milder highs above 60s occur better than half the time on all the days of this quarter except on the 10th, when cooler conditions typically prevail. Frost strikes an average of 30 percent of the nights. APRIL – WEEK 3 THE THIRD WEEK OF MIDDLE SPRING Lunar Phase And Lore The Golden Forsythia Moon, full on April 15 at 2:42 a.m., wanes

throughout the remainder of the period, entering its final quarter at 2: 52 a.m. on April 22. Rising in the middle of the night and setting in the middle of the day, this moon moves overhead (its most favourable position for angling) in the early morning. The moon’s passage through Scorpio on the 15th through the 17th and Capricorn on April 19 – 22 is favourable for the planting of all crops, especially root crops, and for putting in shrubs and trees to encourage root growth.

Weather Trends Chances for a cold day in the 30s or 40s fall to only ten percent on the 22nd, then plummet another eight percent on the 26th. After the 22nd, chances for snow drop below five percent. Beginning on April 27, highs in the 90s become possible, and the chances for a high in the 80s pass the 20 percent mark. The 26th and the 30th record freezing temperatures less than five percent of the time, the first time that has happened since late September.

Weather Trends The chances for a high above 50 degrees are 85 percent on almost every day during April’s third quarter, and temperatures above 60 come at least half the time. Cold 20s are rare (just a five percent chance on the 17th and 18th), but frost still strikes an average of one night in four. Beginning on the 20th, the chances for an afternoon high in the 70s or 80s jump from an average of 25 percent way up to 45 percent.

Key to the Nation’s Weather The typical March temperature at average elevations along the 40th Parallel, the average of the high of 48 and the low of 29, is 39 degrees. Using the following chart based on weather statistics from around the country, one can calculate approximate temperatures in other locations close to the cities listed. For example, with the base of 39 you can estimate normal temperatures in Minneapolis by subtracting 11 degrees from the base average. Or add 13 degrees to find out the likely conditions in Atlanta during the month.

APRIL – WEEK 4 THE TRANSITION TO LATE SPRING Lunar Phase And Lore Waning throughout the period and entering its last phase at 2:52 a.m. on April 22, the Forsythia Moon finally gives way to the new Tulip Moon on the 29th at 1:14 a.m. Now that all of the forsythia bushes have flowered and then leafed out, it is time for daffodils to cede to tulips and to azaleas and to rhubarb pie. Rising in the early morning and setting in the evening, this moon comes overhead (its best position for angling and feeding children) close to midday. As the cold fronts of April 24 and 28 approach, the barometer will fall, increasing the chances for precipitation and for catching fish. In the field and garden, there is almost no better lunar time than the dark of an April-May moon for planting any seed you want.

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Fairbanks -25 Minneapolis -11 Cheyenne -6 Portland -6 Des Moines -3 Chicago -3 AVERAGE ALONG THE 40TH PARALLEL: 39 New York +2 St. Louis +4 Washington DC +6 Atlanta +13 New Orleans +22 Miami +32 The Allergy Index Estimated Pollen Count (On a scale of 0-700 grains per cubic meter) Allergy season comes to the whole nation with the last front of March. During the weeks ahead, trees are in full flower throughout the Central Plains, the Northeast,

The Valley, April 2014 the Northwest and the Rocky Mountains. In the southeastern coastal plains, all the grasses are blooming. Pollen from whatever is blossoming to the west of you will arrive at your homestead every two to three days. Cold fronts bring northern allergens to southern areas. Low pressure in advance of the cold fronts brings up allergens from the South. The following estimates are based on average counts across the central states. Although each village and farm will have different pollution levels, a clear rise is visible in the amount of pollen and mold in the air in most parts of the country throughout April. Major pollen source: box elders, maples, pussy willows, flowering crabs and cherries. April 1: 10, April 10: 50, April 15: 100, April 20: 150, April 25: 200, April 30: 400 Estimated Mold Count (On a scale of 0 - 7,000 grains per cubic meter) April 1: 1300, April 10: 1700, April 20: 1800, April 30: 2100 Frostwatch Between April 1 and June 1, up to dozen frosts occur at lower elevations along the 40th Parallel during a typical year. Of course, in some years, frosts end with March. Normally, however, the approximate chances for frost follow a regular and steadily declining trajectory through the end of May. Add 10 percent to the figures below for each 100 miles north of the 40th Parallel (or for each 500 feet of elevation above 1000 feet along that parallel). Subtract 10 percent for each 100 miles south of the 40th Parallel. April l April 10 April 20 April 30

98% 90% 75% 50%

The April Daybook April 1: The next two weeks are favoured for completing the seeding of garden crops. Early sweet corn and peas should be put in as soon as possible. April 2: Only seven weeks before the most tender plants can be placed outdoors. Three more weeks of relatively mosquito-free gardening remain. April 3: Grass is usually long enough to cut by today across the nation’s midsection. Strawberries flower when grass is long, and young groundhogs come out to feed on the greens. April 4: Dig in new strawberry, raspberry, and blackberry plants.

Set out head lettuce. Dust roses as new leaves emerge. Mounds begin to show on your lawn as moles wake up and hunt grubs and worms. April 5: Clover blooming in the fields tells you that tick and flea seasons have begun. The juniper webworm emerges, and eastern tent caterpillars may begin to weave on flowering fruit trees.. April 6: Cabbage butterflies are laying eggs on the new sets of cabbage, kale, collards, and brussells sprouts April 7: In a mild middle spring, the grass is usually long enough for cutting by this date. In the woodlands and parks, toad trillium, trout lilies and Jacob’s ladder are read to bloom. Hepaticas are blossoming, as are spring beauties, but twinleaf and bloodroot will fade quickly. Violets bloom in lawns throughout the area. April 8: After the 8th, Mars will rise before sunset and shine in the southeast at dusk. April 9: Mounds begin to show on your lawn as moles wake up and hunt grubs and worms. Carpenter bees appear around the house and barn, looking for nesting sites. April 10: From now on, the chance of snow below the 40th Parallel rapidly decreases until it becomes only one in 100 by April 20. April 11: Mosquitoes bite you in the garden. Tent caterpillars begin to hatch on wild cherry trees. Pheasants and woodcocks are nesting in the woods and along the fencerows. April 12: Mulberry, locust, tree of heaven, viburnum, and ginkgo send out their first leaves. April 13: This week of the year, the handle of the Big Dipper comes far into the southern sky, and the pointers (the two stars of the Dipper’s cup farthest from the handle) are positioned almost exactly north-south after dark. April 14: Passover begins this evening. Milk-fed lambs below 60 pounds are favored for the Passover market. Lamb stew is a traditional Seder dish at Passover Seder dinners (April 14 and 15 this year). April 15: Magnolias, redbuds, lilacs, dogwoods, cherries, peaches, apples, quinces, maples, and pears are almost always flowering near this date. Frogs and toads are mating: listen for their calls on warm evenings. April 16: By April 16,, the sun reaches a declination of a little more than 10 degrees; that’s about 70 percent of the way between winter solstice and to summer

solstice. April 17: The Great Dandelion Bloom is underway throughout the region. April 18: In the wetlands, the yellow flowers of ragwort and the white flowers of water cress unfold. April 19: The Lyrid Meteors fly over your pastures between April 19 and 25, with the best viewing on Monday, April 22. The meteors will appear near the Summer Triangle, especially in Lyra, across the southeastern sky. April 20: Red-bellied woodpeckers, towhees, catbirds and thrushes sing in the woods. Grackles settle in to court and mate. Buzzards roost and turkeys gobble. Mallards pair up, and geese nest near parking lots and riverbanks. April 21: On April 21, cross quarter day (halfway between equinox and solstice), the sun reaches a declination of 11 degrees, 39 minutes, and enters the late spring sign of Taurus. Four more weeks until every single tender plant can be placed outside. April 22: Peonies are budding, garlic mustard, celandine and buckeyes flower. All the dandelions go to seed. April 23: Bees, flies and mosquitoes become peskier. Worms breed in the wet earth, and the first young grass snakes hatch and explore the undergrowth. April 24: Redbuds complement the last of the crab apples as the land gets ready for May: wild phlox, wild geranium, wild ginger, celandine, spring cress, sedum, golden Alexander, thyme-leafed speedwell, garlic mustard, and common fleabane are budding and blooming. April 25: Ducklings and goslings are born along the lakes and rivers; warblers move north. April 26: The Milky Way fills the western horizon as Orion sets just behind the sun. Now the middle of the night’s sky are in their prime spring planting positions, Castor and Pollux to the west, Leo with its bright Regulus directly overhead, and Arcturus dominating the east. April 27: Black tadpoles swim in the backwaters. Bass move to the shallows. Great brown May bugs begin their evening flights. April 28: Check for cutworms and sod webworms in the cornfields. April 29: The high leaf canopy is beginning to fill in, casting the first shade on the flower and vegetable garden. April 30: Haying is underway way below the Valley. Some orchard grass and rye are ready to harvest. Transition your livestock

slowly from last year’s old hay to this year’s fresh hay. In the woods, nodding trilliums are blossoming. In the Field and Garden April 1: The next two weeks are favoured for completing the seeding of garden crops. Early sweet corn and peas should be put in as soon as possible. April 2: Only seven weeks before the most tender plants can be placed outdoors. Three more weeks of relatively mosquito-free gardening remain. April 3: Grass is usually long enough to cut by today across the nation’s midsection. Strawberries flower when grass is long, and young groundhogs come out to feed on the greens. April 4: Dig in new strawberry, raspberry, and blackberry plants. Set out head lettuce. Dust roses as new leaves emerge. Mounds begin to show on your lawn as moles wake up and hunt grubs and worms. April 5: Clover blooming in the fields tells you that tick and flea seasons have begun. The juniper webworm emerges, and eastern tent caterpillars may begin to weave on flowering fruit trees.. April 6: Cabbage butterflies are laying eggs on the new sets of cabbage, kale, collards, and brussells sprouts April 7: The first field corn is usually sown by today, and asparagus is up in the garden. April 8: First strawberries flower. Just six more weeks before all frost-sensitive plants can be put outside without danger of being damaged by the cold. April 9: Grape vines begin to leaf, a sign that commercial cabbage planting is underway. April 10: Pasture plants often have an unusually high water content in April, and your animals may not get enough nutrition from this forage. Silage and hay supplements can take up the feeding slack. April 11: Wood mint is at least eight inches tall, and sweet for tea. Chives are ready for salads. April 12: Aphids appear in the field and garden; ladybugs are hunting them. The white blossoms of decorative pear trees open throughout the Lower Midwest. April 13: Pastures are filling with golden winter cress and purple henbit. April 14: The juniper webworm emerges, and eastern tent caterpillars may begin to weave on flowering fruit trees. Spring barley planting time usually comes to a close. April 15: Army worms, slugs,

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corn borers, flea beetles and leaf hoppers appear in the fields at about the same time that iris buds. Lilac borers bore the lilacs. April 16: Grubworms come to the surface of the lawn when the temperatures begin to reach past 70 degrees. First grasshoppers are born. Put out more head lettuce in the garden. April 17: Frosts may be over for the season, and average afternoon highs break 60 degrees almost everywhere in the Lower Midwest. April 18: Control dandelions before seeding begins next week. April 19: The boxwood psyllid starts to assault your boxwoods. Dogwood borers are at work on the dogwoods April 20: Today is Easter for both the Roman or Western Christian churches, as well as for the Orthodox Christians. Newly weaned, milk-fed lambs, weighing about 25 to 45 pounds and not older than three months are perfect for this market. April 21: Spring rains and humidity can increase the risk of internal parasites in livestock. Make use of stool sample analysis to ensure that worming has been sufficient. April 22: Half of the tobacco beds are usually sown by today, and a fourth of all the commercial potatoes are in the ground. April 23: Weevils emerge in alfalfa. In the South, farmers set out their tobacco plants. April 24: Farmers are planting soybeans throughout the nation’s midsection. Soybean yield loss can be up to one bushel per acre per day for planting after the first week of May. April 25: Seed all the rest of your flowers and vegetables in flats or directly in the garden. April 26: Winter wheat is usually four to eight inches high. Local asparagus moves to market. Complete your sweet corn planting. Catchweed is blooming now. Pull it up before its flowers turn to burs. April 27: Roots of the horseradish, dandelion, and pokeweed may still be removed for drying and grinding. April 28: Check for cutworms and sod webworms in the cornfields. April 29: The high leaf canopy is beginning to fill in, casting the first shade on the flower and vegetable garden. April 30: Some orchard grass and rye are ready to harvest. Transition your livestock slowly from last year’s old hay to this year’s fresh hay. In the woods, nodding trilliums are blossoming.

Continued on page 14

The Valley, April 2014

Fifty Years Ago April 1964 As water improvement is on everyone’s list of local topics of discussion, paying for better water quality proved costly. The Sentinel headline says it all: “Authority Hikes Water Rates by 180 Per Cent.” The five-member board voted unanimously following a four and one half hour meeting approving a $750,000 filtration plant on Laurel Run near Milroy as part of the overall $4.3 million project. An impounding dam for the reservoir and water transmission lines are also part of the plan. Lewistown-Granville-Rothrock and Chief Logan school boards were firmly opposed to a one county school district at a meeting held in early April to discuss options. Under a 1963 act of the Pennsylvania Legislature, the county school board has until 1966 to formulate its one county plan. Members of the Kishacoquillas board seemed to favor the one unit plan, but agreed to do what’s best for the county. Mifflin-Juniata County Medi-

cal Society announced it will hold the final immunization program of the Sabin polio vaccine. Three clinics had previously been held in area schools, and anyone missing these could go to the Lewistown Hospital Dispensary for the free vaccine. One Hundred Years ago April 1914 “Married or Single – It Matters Not – We want Women to Squeeze Into the Greatest Crowd that ever squeezed into one spot in the City of Lewistown…” So heralded this bold advertisement in the Lewistown Democrat & Sentinel touting H. J. Cohen’s special April sale at his Market Street store. “Don’t be Jealous – Do the Same! To-Night fall into Hubby’s Arms and exclaim in tones of joy, ‘Pop, Old Boy, here’s the chance we’ve been waiting for.’” The ad went on, “As the stars disappear and the sun sheds its friendly rays, it means the awakening of another day…Just think…to buy a $1.00 Alarm Clock, ‘Guaranteed,’ for the insignificant sum of 15

cents…or a Pair of Boy’s Knee pants, value 75 cents for only 9 cents…or a Pair of Men’s Worsted Pants worth $2.00 for 98 cents. In fact everything will be sold so low that it will beggar a description and stagger belief.” Civil War Echoes April 1864 The Lewistown Gazette reported that the printing business was booming, the volume of orders exceeding expectations, unparalleled in its eighteen years of existence. The paper had 29 new subscribers, with terms at $1.50 per annum, in either gold or its equivalent in silver. Four boys were in court charged with disturbing a public school in Derry Township. They were sentenced to pay fines of 50 cents and costs, plus ten days in the county jail. The editor commented, “We need some more examples of this kind,” suggesting the jailor feed them on bread and water. a

After two years of researching local history, collecting community photos, documenting the findings and reviewing his own experience, Paul Fagley’s book on the history of Derry Township Community Park is available. Entitled “Memories of Kishacoquillas Park,” the book presents the heyday times of this community landmark, which was once a popular amusement park, through more than 300 pages of color photos, illustrations and printed memorabilia. The idea for the book came to Fagley in 2010 after giving a walking tour of the park for the local Boyscout Camporee. “Memories of Kishacoquillas Park” is priced at $32.95 plus tax. Contact the Mifflin County Historical Society at 242-1022 or at info@mifflincountyhistoricalsociety.org Books can be purchased from the Historical Society office, at the Chamber of Commerce Gift Shop in the Historic Courthouse or at Friendship Book Store in the K-Mart Plaza, Burnham.

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It is well enough that people of the nation do not understand our banking and monetary system, for if they did, I believe there would be a revolution before tomorrow morning. --Henry Ford

The Valley, April 2014

Modern Energy and Alternative Heating with Curt Bierly Home Show Results and Penn State Wrestling Last month I briefed you on the local Home Shows that were scheduled for March. The State College Home Show (March 14, 15, 16) was well attended by potential customers (up 700+ attendees from last year I’m told). We presented three seminars this year. The subjects were Solar PV and Solar DHW on Friday, Geothermal Heat Pumps on Saturday and Choosing the Correct Heating/Cooling System for your Home, Church or Business on Sunday. All were well attended with the GEO Seminar being the best attended. There continues to be a 30% Federal Tax Credit available for Residential Solar PV, Solar DHW and Geothermal Heat Pump installations that is good

until 2016. Perhaps the reason for the high attendance is the interest in GEO and consumers wanting to consider it before the 2016 deadline? There wasn’t a particular product in which the majority of the attendees that visited our booth were interested. Customers that signed up for literature to be mailed after the show were requesting information on Heat Pumps (Air to Air, GEO, Ductless), Wood Stoves/Inserts, Gas Stoves/Inserts, Solar DHW, Gas Furnaces/Boilers, Coal Stoves and Pellet Stoves/Inserts. An interesting side note on the Show. We have been attending it for many years and I’ve always been proud of the appear-

ance of our booth, but we never won an award for it. Each year I’d personally be in charge of the Wednesday :Move In” to be sure everything was correctly displayed (my opinion); then, I’d be at the booth early the day the judges were scheduled to arrive to turn on the lights and be sure that everything was “just right.” This year Stan and I and Family were on vacation and we didn’t arrive Home till Thursday evening (the show opened Friday) – so – I ask one of our employees (Dean) to be in charge of the “Move In” and setup on Wednesday. On Thursday morning I showed up at the booth to turn on the lights and I was impressed with how good the booth looked. Well, you probably guessed it, we won the award for Best Display of Products and Services! I’m beginning to get the message that I’m not needed. In general, it was a great show. It is always good to visit with current customers and meet and talk with potential new customers. Penn State Wrestling Last evening was the finals of the NCAA Wrestling Championships in Oklahoma City. It was broadcast Live on EPSN. If you are a wrestling fan, then you are aware that Penn State won its fourth consecutive Team Title and

Our award winning booth (I didn’t do it) even impressed me when I turned the lights on Friday morning

had two National Champions. It is interesting to note that over 60% of the wrestlers that qualified for the National Championship were from Pennsylvania, which is considered a “hot bed” for great wrestling talent. The head coach, Cael Sanderson, is a four time National Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist and took over the head wrestling coach job at Penn State about five years ago. Since then, Penn State has been winning Dual Meets and Tournaments steadily. It is indeed a privilege to have the opportunity to witness first-hand a Penn State wrestling

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program that has yielded Four National Team Championships. My congratulations to Cael Sanderson, his assistant coaches, his staff, the wrestling club and fans that made this seemingly impossible task possible. Curt Bierly is president of the bierly group incorporated of which Stanley C. Bierly is a division. He graduated from Penn State with a BS in Mechanical Engineering and is the chair of the Penn College HVAC Advisory Board. You can contact him at cbierly@bierlygroup.com. a

The Valley, April 2014

LIbrary Lines Your Mifflin County Library

The Library is a buzz getting ready for the spring and summer activities. Our poor old heating system just couldn’t keep up with the winter cold this year. thank you for your understanding when we had to deal with ice, snow and an over worked heating system. Now that spring is here we are gearing up for a busy season. Our Library Director, Dr. Molly Kinney has now been here for over a year and has been busy getting us turned around and catching up with the tech age. In March we got a new system for the Circulation Desk. We can now give patrons faster check out service. The catalog has been expanded and can check on books for patrons much faster and makes it much easier to search for materials. Public internets are now self service and patrons can check themselves in and get started without having to check with staff. Our Director, Molly Kinney, is available to visit organizations and let you know of the many changes and services that we provide. To schedule her to speak at your meeting call her at 242-2391. We offer two Books Clubs for those interested in meeting and discussing books we’ve read. The Kish Branch meets the 3rd Tuesday at 6:30. Lewistown Wednesday Afternoon Book Club meets on the second Wednesday in the Community Room at 2:00. Everyone welcome.

We deliver books once a month to the Valley View Retirement Home. We have a great collection of large print books. April 23-27 we be having one of our semi annual Book Sales in the Lewistown Community Room. If you are spring housecleaning please keep us in mind and bring them to the Lewistown Branch anytime during library hours. The Mifflin County Retired Employees do a great job organizing and running the sale. The Children’s Room is always busy planning story time and activities for children. The first Friday of each month they have Play Group in the Community Room for children ages 12-36 months and their grownups. Miss Susan has scheduled April 4, May 2 and June 6 at 10:00am for this spring. The Children’s Room also offers Preschool Story Time at Lewistown, 242-2391, Kish Branch, 935-2880 and the Rothrock Branch, 899-6851. Call the appropriate branch for details. Miss Susan, Miss Kelly and Miss Chris are making plans for another exciting Summer Reading Program. In June they will be raising butterflies and releasing them in the garden in front of the Lewistown Library. The Summer Reading Program, (starting date not set yet) provides prizes for reading, crafts, activities and Young Authors Workshop. There is something for every child, infants through teens. Come check us out! a

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Notice

INFORMATION/DOCUMENTS Needed to complete historic register appl: architecture drawings/plans & company name, remodeling plans, ownership histories, deeds, acreage histories, employee histories, superintendent names, postcards, pictures of, Send to : Malta Home Freelance Archivist 5231 Simpson Ferry Road, Box 189 Mechanicsburg, PA 17050 thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

The Valley, April 2014 and humidity. Listed and photographed are 100 weather-resilient annuals, perennials, shrubs, trees, vines, ground covers, and ornamental grasses, and recommended species to buy. There are data on the best types of soil and compost, the use of water, hardiness zones, and information on dealing with animal damage and providing habitats for birds. An excellent resource!

Mail Pouch Books by Carleen B. Grossman Did you know that Earth Day is this month on Tuesday, April 27? My column this month provides you with some entertaining reads that tie-in to this special day. VELVA JEAN LEARNS TO DRIVE By Jennifer Niven Copyright 2009 This novel takes place during the early 1930’s into the early 1940’s in rural Appalachia. It begins with a young girl—10 years old at the beginning of the book and only 18 near the end of it. It is a coming-of-age tale about living in the hollers of North Carolina during a much slower-paced time when women lived different lives and the environment was starting to experience expansion

problems. The book shows the pros and cons of the development of the Blue Ridge Highway, and how it affected peoples’ lives in that area. Also, watching Velva Jeans’ personal faith grow and change was another interesting and thought-provoking aspect of the novel; however, a religious message isn’t being pushed upon us, but rather it lets readers form their own ideas. As I noted above, one of the plots involves the characters who worked on the Blue Ridge Parkway. In Appalachia during the Depression, we do see the first signs of outside intrusion into these previously cloistered communities. Even if this highway does not cut through their village, the new road will affect the lives of all around it. Follow Velva Jean from childhood into young adulthood. At every turn it seems that Velva Jean is forced to push her dreams aside. There is something so bewitching about Appalachian isolation, innocence and pride. The book will acquaint you with a region, filled with portraits of hill churches, shape singing, old-time music, preserved fruits, socials and satisfying suppers. The landscape becomes a character in itself, with the dogwoods and maples and rhododendrons hang-

ing heavily on the mountainsides, and the bears, snakes and panthers roaming the woods. Underneath it all is the sense of the outside world, waiting, poised to disrupt this innocent Eden with roads, radio and advertising! THE WEATHER-RESILIENT GARDEN By Charles W.G. Smith Copyright 2004 In this book learn how to protect your garden from drought, heat, cold, ice, snow, hail, lightning, salt, wind, fire, floods,

THE YEAR-ROUND VEGETABLE GARDENER Niki Jabbour Copyright 2011 Enjoy time-tested techniques in this book, including selecting the best varieties for each season, mastering the art of succession planting, and maximizing the use of space throughout the year

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to increase production. You will also find complete instructions for making affordable protective structures that keep vegetables viable and delicious throughout the colder months. BACKYARD FORAGING: 65 Familiar Plants You Didn’t Know You Could Eat By Ellen Zachos Copyright 2013 Learn about 70 edible weeds, flowers, mushrooms, and ornamental plants typically found in urban or suburban neighborhoods. You’ll be amazed! Full-color photographs make identification easy, and safe and simple tips are provided for locating certain plants, avoiding pollution and pesticides, and recognizing plants you should never harvest. a

The Valley, April 2014

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The Valley, April 2014

Amethyst Infrared mat

The Top Ten Salty Gifts For Easter Usually around Easter we think of chocolate and other sweet treats. This year we want you to think about some Salty options! 1. Gift certificate for a Salt room session.......or package. Himalayan salt is anti- inflammatory, anti- viral, anti-fungal, and antibacterial. You sit in a quiet room with soft music and low lights and just breathe. Helps anyone who has inflammation....which is pretty much everyone including children and babies. 2. An authentic Himalayan Salt Lamp for the bedroom. A lamp is like taking a small part of the salt room home with you. You keep it plugged in 24/7 and if placed in the bedroom, helps to improve sleeping and reduce snoring. If someone sits in front if a computer everyday, that is also an excellent place to put a salt lamp. Himalayan salt gives off negative ions and our computers, color TV’s, cell phones give off too many positive ions so a lamp helps to balance your environment. A nursery REALLY needs a salt lamp....a sleeping baby is a happy baby...and a happy mamma! 3. An Ioncleanse detoxing footbath. We are subjected to thousands of chemicals daily so it is important to keep our bodies clean and healthy. Helping our bodies with some extra detoxing is a great preventative health tool..... and can aid in weight loss! 4. Another choice in detoxing is our Far-Infrared detoxing Himalayan salt sauna. Our Sauna has the ability to systemically eliminate internal chemical and heavy metal toxins, including mercury. The Infrared Sauna burns 500700 calories in a 20-30 minute session. It is also great for stress relief, improving cardiovascular conditioning, and enhancing your immune system. 5. For the person who has a lot of

pain, the Amethyst Infrared mat. The Bio-Mat is a “pad” which lies on top of our massage table. It has infrared heat and negative ions that penetrates 6-8 inches into the innermost recesses of the body, stimulating healing and regeneration of nerves and muscle tissue layers. This accelerates and deepens all healing and cleansing processes. It balances pH by decreasing acidity and is considered the “Master Power Switch” which activates the body’s entire cellular communication system, making every body function work better! These two components are transferred through Amethyst Quartz channels which cover the entire Bio-Mat’s surface. Amethyst Quartz is natures Super Conductor, scientifically found to offer the steadiest, most powerful delivery of healthy far infrared light waves and the highest vibrational frequencies into the body. It is known to be a powerful detoxifier, assisting in releasing its user from addictions such as alcohol, food and substance abuse, as well as hangovers and toxic residues. 6. A massage on our Jade Infrared massage bed. Great for anyone who wants a massage but does not ( or are not able) to undress, or like to be touched. This is totally mechanical with jade rollers and infrared heat which is very healing and very therapeutic.

increases circulation, stimulates lymphatic, when used regularly has been known to reduce cellulite, increase bone density, decrease fluid retention, increase muscle mass, 10 minutes equals 4 miles jogging, and much more such as loss of inches and weight loss with regular use. 8. Cremes, salt scrubs and soaps made locally with only the finest ingredients including Himalayan Salt and it’s 84 minerals and elements.

Himalayan Salt water bathing reduces inflammation of the muscles and joints as the Bromides in the salt relaxes muscles and relieves pain and soreness. Eating Himalayan Salt on your food after it has been cooked enhances the flavor of the food and is another way to get more minerals into the body. So think about a few of these Salty options in your Easter planning this year. Watch for next months news on our new program being introduced! You will learn how cleans-

9. Purifying bar is amazing for eczema, psoriasis, acne and dry skin. Use our Himalayan Salt Purifying Crystal Bar dry or as a massage bar. In the shower to it can used to exfoliate dead skin and add minerals to the body. 10. Bath salts and edible salts are a great way to add minerals to the body. Himalayan Crystal Salt contains 84 minerals and trace elements essential to the body’s health and well being. The minerals are in ionic form allowing the body full use of the minerals.

7. Whole body vibration therapy gift certificate. This therapy

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ing, hormones, metabolism and much more effects our weight. We will give you the tools you need to create a healthy balance! We will also be introducing a new service to help you reach your nutritional goals! Check out all our news at www.simplyhealth-calm.com, call us at (814) 954-7731 or (717) 248-2000, or stop by and see us at 1760 S. Atherton St in State College. Happy Spring.,more healthy YOU! a

The Valley, April 2014

Rebuild Your Soil! Hello, and greetings to all. Here everyone is happy to be stepping into Spring! Oh I can’t wait to take my shoes off and bury my feet in the soil and hoe weeds. This can be one of the most fun and healthful jobs! We need to have direct contact with the soil to recharge our body’s electrical system. Being in shoes and buildings all day is kinda like unplugging a battery charger and trying to figure out why the battery doesn’t charge. There are many reasons why today’s people can’t or don’t want to go barefoot. Some say “Oh, but I can’t walk on stones.” Well, start slowly, I don’t take my shoes off in the Springtime and run through a patch of thistle right away. By Midsummer I might, if I had to. Others might work at a job where shoes must be worn, and then there are some that just don’t want dirty feet. HUH! There is a difference between live soil and dirt! There is the possibility, however, that your soil might be too toxic to walk on barefoot. It takes only 26 seconds for chemicals to reach our bloodstream after skin contact. So people spray chemicals on their weeds instead of hoeing them, why? Maybe

you aren’t getting enough hours in at the mental and/or health facilities? Or you may think you are still deficient in the newest high tech all-cure meds. Then we wonder why poor little Johnny is born with unheard of problems. A test from ten different individuals showed 200 plus toxins found in unborn babies. Even chemicals like DDT that have been banned for decades. Where are they coming from? So, what does everybody say we should eat to be healthy? Fruits and vegetables! So if it is a fruit or a vegetable, it’s good for our health. Right? Maybe it’s not! Why wouldn’t it be? Well, how are they grown? Did you spray your weeds or hoe them? Did you apply mushroom soil, NPK fertilizers, or minerals? Do you have hungry insects? Did you ever wonder why insects were created? Dr. Arden Anderson says they are here to show us which plants are too low in nutrition for human consumption. In other words, unfit for humans. But, what do we do? Grumble about those nasty bugs eating our food. So, what’s left to do? We need food. Oh, we can just drench the plants and soil with insecticides. Hopefully this will take care

of our problems. It says on the container that it’s safe to use on produce. WAIT A MINUTE! Safe concerning what? Recent reports have stated that many pesticides used in consumer products and agriculture received federal approval through a

LOOPHOLE that doesn’t require thorough testing. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) used a regulatory loophole to approve 65% of 16,000 pesticides that pose a potential threat to public health, according to a two year investigation by the Natural Resources Defense Council. Remember, they also said DDT was a very safe product! What are we going to do with the bugs? Let nature be nature and

ter. You may contact or have an organic garden supplier that can help you, they are popping up more and more with the demand for real food. Gather all the information you can, there are many different companies out there. We find they all have good points, you have to decide what works for you. Don’t get the idea that you can simply dump organic NPK or other high nitrogen and potassium fertilizers on your garden and

rebuild your soils. So instead of putting herbicide and insecticides on little Johnny’s plate, and then taking him to the doctor, be a doctor to your garden and eliminate Johnny’s need for medications. You need a LOT of organic matter and more organic mat-

solve your problems—it doesn’t work that way. Focus on your trace mineral balance. Have Johnny go to the garden, take his shoes off and have him hoe the weeds. Enjoy life the natural way! a

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The Valley, April 2014 Give The Bees A Helping Hand from page 7 reason to go off foraging. Bees can and do travel upwards of three miles in search of food and water. Like anything else, they will only travel if they have to. With that in mind, I started planting for the bees in our yard. I hope to complete the change-over from non nectar producing plants to many “bee food plants” this season. I strongly believe that like us, when the bees are kept healthy by having good

quality forage available all the time, their immune systems stay stronger and they are better able to fend off disease and pests. Notice I said they need forage all the time. In a lot of years, if one or two crops fail, the bees are in real trouble as there are natural periods of dearth during the season, and the bees need to take advantage of each crop to maximize their colony. But what if we gardened differently, what if we gardened with the express purpose of helping the bees.

First, you need to find out which plants are preferable to the bees, and then you need to find the varieties of those plants that produce nectar—usually your heirloom, old time varieties are the ones that produce bee food. A lot of the modern varieties have had that function bred OUT of the plant to use that energy to make a double flower or a longer bloom at the expense of producing nectar. Once you find flowers that fit this bill (there is a brief chart at the beginning of this article to get you started), you then have to figure out the bloom times for the plants you want to incorporate into your garden. Make sure that as best you can, the plants you pick bloom during times that there otherwise is a dearth of nectar being produced naturally. Try to overlap bloom times so as to provide a consistent flow of nectar throughout the season. Once you get this figured out, use up every available nook and cranny in your yard—fill them with bee plants! I plan on going even one step further this year. Last season as my vegetable garden started declining, I pulled the veggie plants and sowed Buckwheat in their spot. Since the vegetable plants died back at different stages, I was constantly planting Buckwheat over a 4 week period. This produced a continuous flow of nectar until the frost killed it back. This year, I am going to forego my vegetable garden as I can buy better produce cheaper than I can grow it from my buddy

Moses from Hostetler’s Naturals. One of the main reasons I grew my own was to avoid GMO’s and chemicals often found in grocery store produce. Now that I have all of that great area availabl,e guess what? Yep, I am going to plant it all in Sainfoin, which is a nonbloating legume that is one of the top nectar producing bee plants, and the nectar that is produced by the plant produces what is called, the best honey you can buy. I also planted loads of Sweet Yellow clover everywhere there is an open area in the nearby woods. One particular period in late summer after the clover has died

back and before the golden rod blooms is a particularly tough time for the bees. There is one plant that you can plant to get you through that period, it is called the “Bee Bee Tree.” It is more of a shrub than a tree, but can be trained to be more tree-like. The tree produces huge numbers of tiny white flowers that are loaded with nectar and you will often times not be able to see the flowers for the number of bees. Not everyone has to go to these extremes in order to help. While planning your garden this year, plant a few for the bees, they need your help! a

Molek: Private Property from page 13

process clause. Property rights are the essential freedoms upon which all our individual liberties are based. Our founders believed that freedom of speech descended from the concept of property rights. The government should no more control our land than it may control our thoughts. Once We the People yield our God-given property rights to government, or accept that they are privileges and not birthrights, then we have no leg to stand on in defending our free speech rights. Government is the gravest threat to our freedoms. It is time to get our federal government under control, force it to exist under strict constitutional limits and preserve our freedoms. Government laws can never trump God’s laws. Either we live by our principles or we don’t have any principles. a

revenue raising device for government. Allowing the government to carry out potentially debilitating seizures or restraints of property without an adequate opportunity to be heard eviscerates the fundamental guarantee of the due process clause. The right of individuals to be free from arbitrary government interference with their property is deeply rooted in our constitutional history. Meaningful judicial oversight is necessary (and currently lacking) to protect our constitutional rights. Private property is one of this nation’s most cherished principles. The deck is stacked against property owners when the government ignores fairness rooted in the due

Old Fashioned 10 Gallon Tin Milk Cans For Sale $25 Each Contact: Isaac M. Yoder at 150 Red Lane Milroy, PA 17063. www.thevalleynewspaper.com

The Valley, April 2014

Buy Solar Locally! Hello to all repeat and new customers and to all of The Valley readers. An introduction is in order, I am Steven M. Yoder of S. Y. Sheetmetal & Hardware. What are we all about? Welding, miscellaneous hardware, belts and off grid solar. In the hardware line, we carry such items as D’Con, grease sockets, screws, nails, bulk nails, and more. We carry bolts in sizes such as 1/4” up to 6”, 1/2” up to 12” and assorted sizes in hex and carriage types. A new addition is 5/8” and 3/4” up to 8.” Belts are carried in most of the popular sizes now in use. We specialize in off grid solar to power anything from a pet fence, a couple of lights, a freezer, garage door, complete offices, cabins or camps. If it is low wattage or energy efficient, the line is almost endless. How does it work? First of all, your solar panel powers up your charge controller battery and it opens up to charge your battery or battery bank. As the battery voltage increases, your charge controller regulates the battery at

set voltages or by P.W.M. regulation. Although 12, 24 and 48 volt systems are available, 12 and 24 volt are the most common. Configuration also depends on the size of the system, for example, 12 volt is good up to 500 watts, but above 250 watts we recommend 24 or 48 volts if most of the power inverts to AC, equal to household current. Battery Banks are multiple batteries connected in parallel or a series to form a higher storage capacity. System size determines what we use. For systems above 250 watts, a 6 volt golf cart or 6 volt commercial batteries are connected in series or parallel if needed. For systems below 250 watts, a 6 volt golf cart or 12 volt deep cycle battery is used, hooked up in parallel if needed. If most of the power is to be inverted for AC, we will mount the inverter near the battery or the battery bank to supply power as needed. Power goes through two stages to get from DC to AC. First it converts the power to a high voltage DC, almost 150 VDC and then it inverts to 110 - 120 volts AC.

Two different grades of inverters are available. Modified Sine Wave works to power items such as transformers, motors and some CFL bulbs. The other grade is pure Sine and it is equal to or better than utility power. The most common brands are Samlex, Outback, and Magnum. The most cost efficient is Samlex. The high quality inverters are Outback and Magnum and are “in field” serviceable and repairable. We also sell these inverters by special order. When deciding how big a system is required for your needs, the first question I will ask is how many watts continuous load you are currently using. We will also need the maximum watts needed for start up in the case of beginning of the day power up of equipment. It is also a good idea to know how often your load is turned on and if your location is full sun (9am - 3pm), or if you are in partial shade. We would also need to know if you wish to add on to the system in the future so that we can leave a little headroom in the controller and go a little oversize on the batteries. There are some choices in controllers that will help you get the most out of your system. Trace MPPT or Maximum Power Point Tracking is the most common Controller and is also widely used and recognized as the most efficient and cost effective. The other option is Conventional PWM. While most of our controllers come with automatic equalization features, more features are available on with the Tracer controller such as Auto Lighting Control for street light and pole lights or just about any lighting system you might need. It is best case for batteries to reach full charge every day, but with equalization, it is not a must. It would, however, be best if they reached full charge 2-4 times a week or more often. Equalization is a slight overcharge every 28 days or as needed to maintain full capacity of the batteries. It also equalizes the gravity of individual cells. Maintenance is required every 4 to 6 weeks, with the one month interval being optimal, to check water level. We can configure almost any system to meet your needs. Up to two weeks is sometimes needed to receive all parts needed for your system. See our ad to the left and thank you for your time and attention. Steven M. Yoder a

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The Valley, April 2014

Planting the Barley

This month I’m going to write about prepping and planting the bed of barley that I have been leading up to since January. I’m done waiting, it is time to plant— warm weather or not. This has been the longest winter since I moved here from Minnesota and I’m sick of it. Actually planting spring barley should take place around the same time as planting peas, so technically I’m not rushing anything, but I wanted to complain about the cold, like you haven’t heard anyone else complain about the cold. We are going to go over what kind of barley grows well in our region and how to prep and seed the bed. Malting barley comes in two varieties, two-row and six-row.

This refers to the number of rows of grain on the barley head. It has pretty significant consequences for beer. Six-row barley tends to be smaller-grained, less starchy and more highly enzymatic than two-row. It is commonly used in making American-style highadjunct beers, because it can easily convert unmalted starches in such ingredients as corn and rice. Two-row tends to be plump and starchy and more conducive to making all-malt brews. In many parts of the country, including our neck of the woods, six-row barley varieties grow best. The Midwest also mostly grows six-row. Commercial two-row production is limited to the milder climates of the Pacific Northwest and the

Great Plains. I’m growing a six row variety referred to as Robust Barley. In fact, this barley has received excellent ratings from people growing it as far north as Maine. As you go below the Mason Dixon Line. you can start thinking about fall planting the barley, but this far north you will have winterkill if you plant in the fall. I have already mentioned in past articles the nutrients needed for the barley, but I did not mention the optimal range of soil pH for barley production. Barley prefers a pH range of 6.2 to 7. So you need to test the soil to make sure it is not acidic. I could send in a sample, but since I’m growing such a small, plot why waste the money. An easy way to test for soil pH is with white vinegar and baking soda. Take two ½ cup soil samples in bowls; add ½ cup vinegar to one bowl, and ½ cup baking soda mixed with ½ cup distilled water to the other bowl.

If the vinegar bowl bubbles the hope is that a high concentration soil is alkaline if the baking soda of seed will limit weeds from bowl bubbles the soil is acidic. invading the plot. After broadcastYou are looking for hardily any ing the barley, rake the seeds into reaction from either bow—that the ground and water the area to would give us a fairly neutral soil. ensure good seed-to-soil contact. Add lime to increase the pH, and That should be the only watering aluminum sulfate to reduce the that is needed. Barley does not pH. Remember you can deal with need much water to grow. Hopea higher pH opposed to a lower fully by July, a beautiful golden pH. Growing a crop and harvestplot will replace the barren area ing the barley is going to lower that my chickens have created. the pH over time. Well, I am off on my endeav Barley likes a fine loamy seed or to produce a five gallon batch bed, so you need to till and culof beer from ingredients I grew, tivate the area very well. At this foraged, or saved from another point, adding some compost and batch of beer. I will update the lime, if needed, would be recomprocess, but I have a long way mended. Once a smooth seed bed to go until a finished product. So is established, the soil should be until next time, may the sun warm allowed to dry out some. Now it’s your back and your beers warm time to sow the seeds. For such your belly. a a small area, I’m going to broadcast the seed by hand. I have already discussed the needed amount for my plot, but a good rule of thumb is one seed per square inch. That means that the ground should look covered with An early sprouting of Barley in a well prepared field. seed. The

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The Valley, April 2014

30 Lost That Loving Feeling from page 12 out alone, he or she isn’t listening or responding to the other’s offerings of intimacy and trust. Rebuilding Emotional Intimacy Commit to re-building that “newly in love” intimacy you once had. Talk about how you felt when you met. Show one another how to revive that intimate connection – and breathe new love into your relationship. Love that won’t fade. A connection that will bind you into a team to face all that life throws your way. Here are a few skills to practice to create a more intimate connection: 1. Create a safe relationship space. Practice being a refuge for one other, so you can both express your innermost feelings, fears, and desires. A haven where each listens carefully – without judging or offering advice. 2. Practice being vulnerable. Begin to tear down those emotional walls. Show who you really are – the good, the bad, and the ugly. Ask for your partner’s love and non-judgmental acceptance. 3. Schedule peace time. Set aside time each week for simply enjoying one another’s company – taking a walk, gardening, star gazing, cooking together, reading, doing the dishes – stress-free togetherness. 4. Try more non-sexual touching. Emotional intimacy is heightened with pure affection and

physical touch. Try holding hands, sitting close and cuddling on the couch, a surprise hug, a kiss on the forehead, a stroke of the face or hair. (Added benefit – these loving gestures could inspire more intimacy in the bedroom!) 5. Share positive comments daily. According to relationship researcher Jon Gottman, for every one negative feeling or interaction between partners, there must be five positive ones. Offer supportive, positive comments and

positive feelings will inspire you to learn more ways to create passion and fulfillment. As a certified Relationship Coach, I can guide you to better communications and more emotional intimacy. Not surprisingly, this closeness and fresh understanding of one another could also lead to better physical expressions of your love. But that’s for another day. We can meet for couples’ coaching sessions, you may at-

regularly acknowledge successes, no matter how small. 6. Learn to communicate in a loving way. Avoid hurtful comments, sarcasm, judging, blaming, and stonewalling when communicating with a loved one. When a conflict arises, confront it right away, so it doesn’t fester and damage your new intimacy. The Thrill Isn’t Gone The more you practice intimacy, the more joy you’ll share. These

tend a seminar or webinar, or even consider a private couples retreat, custom-designed just for you and your sweetheart. Relationship coaching can renew that loving, sharing feeling and live more happily ever after. Coach Joanie contact info: coachjoanie@joanieyanusas.com 814-777-0410 www.joanieyanusas.com a

PACleanways of Mifflin County Keeping Pennsylvania Beautiful During this month’s Mifflin Co. PACW meeting and our four County River meeting, we made several changes to our calendar of events. We are planning to do an illegal dump cleanup of Jack’s Mountain on March 29 with a rain date of April 12. Both dates will depend on weather conditions. If the mountain should be wet from either recent snow or rain, we may have to change locations to an easier slope site. During the river meeting, Keep Perry County Beautiful changed their cleanup date to Friday, July 25. PACW Mifflin Co. will be August 2, and the river cleanup will be between Finks Campground and Byler Campground. Keep Juniata County Beautiful will be on August 9th, and they will be meeting at the Walker Township Building at 8:30 am. Keep Huntingdon County Beautiful is Sunday, August 24th. The river cleanups are supported with a grant from the Community Foundation from the Allegheny Watershed. The grant is being handled by the Mifflin County Conservation District. We are currently looking for help with boats and kayaks and volunteers to help load the trash when the volunteers bring the trash and tires out of the river. We are hoping to find an old, used jon boat to purchase, so that we have it for cleanups each year.

Now that the snow is gone, all the road side trash can be seen everywhere. If you care about cleaning up your community consider doing a cleanup in your neighborhood during the Great American Cleanup Let’s Pick It Up PA that started March 1 and runs through May 31st. Register your event today at www.gacofpa. org, or call Michelle Dunn at 877-722-3673 x 113 or mdunn@ keeppabeautiful.org. Registered events receive free cleanup supplies, such as bags, gloves, and vests donated by Penndot, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP),Pennsylvania Waste Industries Association (PWIA), Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful (KPB) and participating landfills. (as supplies last). Free disposal during Pick It Up PA Days from April 12 to May 5 are sponsored by DEP and PWIA. If you would like to help with our cleanups, go on the www. keeppabeautiful.org and check out the events section to see if there is an event near you that you can join in. Our monthly meetings are usually at the Downtown OIP at 12 noon the second Tuesday of the month. Call Pam at 717-8996701 if you would like to join our cleanups. All volunteers must sign a waiver form. Pam Sechrist Affiliate Coordinator PACleanWays of Mifflin County Keep PA Beautiful a

Giving it Your Best Shot from Page 17

own business from the ground up. It requires minimum startup capital and it will be a good bit of work, but I sense it will be a good bit of fun also and in the end, if you are diligent, I believe the rewards have the potential to outweigh the efforts. Please check this opportunity out at www.megawatt.whyambitworks. com and watch the videos. Once you’ve had a chance to digest them, you can e-mail me from that site or call the number listed there to connect and we can discuss taking the next step. As always, I thank you for reading and considering my thoughts. The best to you in whatever you choose to put your hands and efforts to. C. Mark Ostrowski, MSFS is the Founder and President of The Stewardship Group in Belleville. His articles ponder various contemporary topics evaluating them from a political, economic and scriptural point of view. a

a vehicle to financial freedom. Just like any opportunity it needs to be worked, but you work for yourself and your family benefits directly from your efforts. For starters, Ambit offers savings when compared to the main Pennsylvania electric provider rates in your area. Add to this the opportunity to receive free electricity when you refer 15 people to Ambit, and top it off with receiving income from folks you teach to reach out to others in order to connect them with Ambit, and you are well on your way to developing a solid business with a residual income stream! There’s more to tell than I can relate in the limited space my column allows. I invite you to join me. I am interested in pulling together a team of folks who want to ply their efforts at building their

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The Valley, April 2014

The Benefits of Alpaca Wool Socks by Scott Keys The odds are good you’ve never heard of alpaca fleece before. Indeed, it’s quite possible that you haven’t the faintest idea what on earth an Alpaca even is. So I am writing this story to take some of the mystery out of Alpacas and Alpaca fleece. An Alpaca is a domesticated species of the South American Camelid. It resembles a Llama in appearance. Alpacas are known for their very gentle demeanor. Indeed, Alpacas are frequently purchased for pets, as they are very friendly and calm around young children. Today, many ranches/farms in the United States raise Alpacas. These ranches raise the Alpacas for their soft, warm fleece, which is sheered off (cut-off) about once a year. No Alpacas are killed or injured in obtaining their fleece. Instead, they simply get a haircut once a year - not so different than normal sheep which are sheered once a year for their wool. So what makes Alpaca fleece different than normal wool? The softness. Alpaca fleece is significantly softer than normal wool. The best comparison for Alpaca fleece is that it is roughly equivalent in softness and insulating abilities to Merino wool, which is used in Ugg Boots, smart wool socks and other products from New Zealand and Australia. Additionally, Alpaca fleece, similar

to Merino Wool, does not have the “scratchy” feeling that normal wool has. Similar to other wool, the fleece from Alpacas is very warm - actually warmer than normal sheep wool. The fleece has hollow air-fibers that provide superb insulation - even when wet. Alpaca fleece is a lustrous and silky natural fiber, While similar

winter, but they also are great for making cozy summer socks and athletic socks too. Diabetics know how important it is to find a good pair of socks, and socks using Alpaca fibers are sometimes made especially for diabetics. In fact, Peruvian Link makes some socks especially for sufferers of diabetes. Their Therapeutic Terry Lined socks are doctor approved and said to improve circulation for diabetics. They are made from the soft fibers of baby alpacas. Finding good socks is very important for people who suffer from diabetes as if their circulation is cut off they could suffer from gangrene. People who suffer from Arthritis may also find alpaca socks beneficial to Soft, cozy Aplaca Logo socks come in styles for helping relieve both men and women the to sheep’s wool, it is warmer, aches and pains not prickly, and bears no lanolin, in their feet. The which makes it hypoallergenic. socks provide warmth, but are THE PERUVIAN LINK AT not so tight that DUTCH PANTRY GIFTS they reduce cir Alpaca fibers are especially culation. When good for making warm socks for circulation is reduced in the foot, the arthritis sufferer feels more aches and pains. Alpaca socks are machine washable and do not require special care. They are ideal for people who are allergic to sheep’s wool. Products made from alpaca fiber are long lasting, in fact a well made pair of alpca socks will Extreme Sport Alpaca Wool Socks will have your feet singing! last for many

years. Alpaca fiber is often said to be stronger and longer lasting than most wools. If you are a consumer looking for good quality Alpaca socks, you will want to check Dutch Pantry Gifts. They are located at 15 Commerce Drive, Milroy, Pa, next to Best Western. We ship throughout the USA, and will also ship internationally, if requested. Also available are the Alpaca Dryer Balls. Hand Alpaca Wool Socks also come in many “Fun” felted in Pennsylvania, Dry- styles! er Balls are a natural green sheets and fabric softener are alternative to dryer sheets. Made petroleum based products that are from hypo-allergenic alpaca wool, making your clothes more flamdryer balls have no dyes, dry mable and less breathable. They clothes faster, reduce static and are coating your clothes and dryer wrinkling while softening. Dryer with chemicals and petroleum. An average box of dryer sheets range from $3-$6 for a 50 load box compared to 1 dryer ball at a cost for $6, which is good for several years. See Dutch Pantry Gifts Ad on this page. Stop by Dutch Pantry Gifts and see the great selection of Alpaca Alpaca Wool Dryer Balls eliminate the need for toxic, items. a petroleum-based dryer sheets.

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The Valley, April 2014

“Old” meets “New” The Best of Both! by Kim Rickert Travel on Old Stage Road, and you will see rolling fields, farms and plenty of wooded areas. The State Gamelands area extends in this direction, and is close to a remodeled 1930’s farmhouse on Yoder Lane. Now updated and modernized inside as well as out, the home still grabs your attention with a stone chimney and basement walls alongside a bank barn that not long ago housed horses, chickens and goats. And of course, that large detached, 4 to 6 car garage to the right of the house is an eye catcher for the men! The home is currently owned by Laura and Scott Girard, and was completely remodeled in 2009 by local contractor, Ryan Ford. Although it still retains the farmhouse feel with the large, wraparound porch, stone chimney and stone steps leading from the house to the barn, the home has quite a few upgrades that you would not expect to see in an old farmhouse. The mechanics of the home were upgraded with a manabloc plumbing water distribution system that can provide homeowners with dramatic water and energy savings. A two zone electric heat pump heats and cools the house, with a high efficiency wood stove helping out in the living room. The home has a metal roof, which are known for their long life and low maintenance. The first floor of the home has a wide open feel in the kitch-

en/dining and living room area. Laminate floors and new kitchen cabinets were added, and recessed lighting helps to make kitchen tasks easy and enjoyable. The stainless steel appliances are included. A breakfast bar divides the kitchen and dining room area, and provides space for entertaining. The living room offers a cozy spot to sit by the HE wood stove, while still close to the kitchen. A first floor laundry and half bath are conveniently located nearby, making the main floor the hub of all the home’s activity. Three bedrooms are located on the second floor, the largest of these being the Master Bedroom. This bedroom has double closets and an attached Master bathroom with laminate floor and double sink vanity. There are two additional bedrooms on the second floor and a full bathroom. The third floor has been converted to a large bedroom or getaway space (12 x 29) with views of the property from the windows. The lower level of the home still boasts the original re-pointed stone foundation as the accent wall to the family room. The ceramic tile flooring, built-in bookcases surrounding the gas fireplace and the beamed ceiling enhances the warm feeling of the room. The large space opens out to the front yard and includes a pool table, with space for a stand alone bar or another game table. A two car attached garage next to the house has an enclosed breeze-

way. A detached garage (25 X 50) across the gravel lane was added by the Girard’s and will hold 4 to 6 cars. It was designed with car enthusiast in mind and could be used as a garage work area or just to store multiple vehicles. The property also includes a five stall bank barn, fenced in pastures, rubber footing in a 60 x 120 riding ring, 10 X 10 wood shed, and 6 X 8 chicken coop. There is power and water to all outbuildings. There is so much to see at this home and so many possibilities for a home owner to make it their own. Call our office and talk to Tami Slick or any of our agents to schedule your tour! a

The peaceful scenic view is included!

The fully remodeled farmhouse boast a beautiful wraparound porch, stone foundation and chimney as well as a long lasting metal roof.

The lower level family room accented by the original stone foundation provides a nice cozy get away.

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Back Talk by Dr. Joseph Kauffman

The Time Is Coming Part One

I have said before in the past that you may agree or disagree with me on most of my viewpoints concerning vaccines, government interference, and society as a whole, but at least respect the fact that it is my right to choose what is best for my family and me. Well, the time is coming that the ability to choose what is best for my family and me may be taken from me. Evidence of this right being stripped away from us is part of the writing on the wall. Can you open your eyes and see it? The things happening in society today are stripping us of our rights. Ask yourself this question, is the current administration taking us closer to or farther away from the Constitution? Did Bush’s administration take us closer to or farther away from the Constitution? Are things getting better or getting worse? Do we have more freedoms or less? Do you feel safer or less safe? We are

in a time period of our country where the fear of being politically correct is trumping being morally correct. Surely, we don’t want to offend anyone or judge anyone. This has led us to a time of a post-modernistic society, meaning that life is no longer black and white. There is a less delineation between what is right and wrong. Black and white is now becoming gray. Right and wrong is now becoming socially acceptable. It is happening where our rights for certain decisions are being taken away, while other freedoms are given. Two states have now passed a law where the parent has to jump through hoops in order to choose to NOT have their children vaccinated. While some see this as a good thing in order to force education on parents in order to make an informed decision about their children, I, and many others, see this for what it is, a stepping stone to abolish parental rights altogeth-

er. There is coming a time where your ability to choose whether or not your child gets vaccinated is taken away from you. Ask parents in Colorado and Oregon. “Parents will have little choice over whether or not to have their children vaccinated in Colorado now, due to a bipartisan measure passed by Colorado’s House Health, Insurance and Environment Committee this past Thursday. Parents who intended to claim the ‘opt out’ available in a current rendition of Colorado’s current law, due to religious or personal beliefs, will find it much more difficult to do so. HB 14-1288, which gained traction after recent whooping cough outbreaks, will require parents to complete an online ‘education’ module and get the signature of their health care providers confirming that parents have been informed of health risks and a ‘possible detriment to the community’ if their children go unvaccinated.

House Bill 1288 completely ignores the fact that many vaccines have been proven dangerous to young children, and can even cause death and infertility. Parents and doctors also offered hours of testimony to House representatives, but to no avail. The bill was proposed by State Rep. Dan Pabon (D) as a means to make sure that parents weren’t just opting out of vaccines for ‘convenience,’ as he mentioned in a statement given to the Denver Post. “Vaccine refusal results in higher rates of vaccine-preventable disease,” Pabon said. “This is a public health issue. These are very serious diseases.” Colorado’s school children have the sixth-highest rate of non vaccination among kindergartners in public school. The new bill mandates that public record be made of all children who are not-vaccinated, via percentages reported by licensed schools and day care centers. Pabon argues that immunocompromised children are being exposed to vaccine-preventable diseases, but these are the very children most at risk when they receive vaccines administered with a traditional vaccine schedule (or even an altered one). Vaccinations given to immuno-compromised children can cause death,

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even, as evidenced in records leak due to the freedom of information act in the UK. Pabon also says that older populations are at risk when young children aren’t vaccinated, but how he determines this bit of propaganda is beyond reason. Although the bill would not eliminate the personal belief exemption, parents opposing the legislation argued that increased education mandates could lead to the erosion of parental rights. “Parents have a constitutional right to parent their children,” Susan Lawson, whose daughter developed encephalitis after a routine vaccine when she was a year old, told CBS Denver. “I am not an uneducated woman.” Anti-vaccination advocacy group National Vaccine Information Center has also attacked the proposal as one that “singles out and discriminates against a minority of parents with sincerely held personal beliefs … by assuming they are uneducated and should be forced into a state approved ‘education’ program.’ Eighteen states have recently presented bills to make vaccination opt-outs more difficult. Our rights to choose what to do with our bodies and how to protect our

Continued on page 47

The Valley, April 2014

Progress At The Embassy by Patricia Lawson Wow, can you believe it’s that time of year already? Yes, The Embassy Fair is this month! If you are interested in performing at this event, please contact Paul Fagley at 717-248-0321 or embassytheatre@verizon.net. Here are the dates and location: Friday, April 18 through Sunday, April 27 (excluding Easter Sunday – the 20th) at Kish Park in Lewistown. Hours: 6pm-9pm every evening, plus 2pm-5pm on Saturday, April 26th. Enjoy rides, entertainment, food and so much more! Visit our Facebook page for the list of bands: www.facebook.com/embassyltwn And, attention local businesses – won’t you please consider being a sponsor of this important event? Your sponsorship is tax deductible and includes great exposure for your business and

helps the entire community. Just contact Paul at the above phone number and email address or contact Pat Lawson at lawsonlodge@centurylink.net; cell phone 717-250-4798 to reserve your sponsorship! Or, make your check payable to: The Friends Of The Embassy Theatre & mail it to: Paul Fagley, P.O. Box 203, Burnham, PA 17009 with a note indicating which sponsorship you would like. We thank you in advance for your support! Just a reminder, have you made your contribution to help clear-coat the “History of Theatres Mural” in downtown Lewistown? Spring showers are on the way, so it is crucial that this masterpiece is preserved. You may go to this site: http://www.gofundme. com/6zmx7g to make your donation. Or, if you prefer, checks can be made out to Black Leaf Studio,

THE SCARLET CORD and mailed to Black Leaf Studio, 1003 William Penn Hwy, Mifflintown, PA 17059. Thank you! As always, donations are crucial to our progress, so please consider making a contribution today. Donations to The Embassy Theatre are tax deductible and can be mailed to: The Embassy Theatre, P.O. Box 203, Burnham, PA 17009. Please make your check payable to: The Friends of The Embassy Theatre. Thank you in advance for your role in helping make downtown Lewistown a destination again! See you at the fair! www.embassytheatre.org www.facebook.com/embassyltwn A Memory with a Future, a Future Full of Memories! a

It once was said in olden days, In times of myth and lore, That everyone you’ve ever met was tied to you By a scarlet cord. It ran for miles, Through the valleys and over the hills, And branched off into a million crimson rivulets, Like a gossamer, hanging still. It ties you to your Mother, Father, brother,

Sponsors Appreciated

For The Embassy Fair at Kish Park for these dates: April 18 thru April 27 For only $100: FREE advertisement; 6 FREE ride wristbands (Value min. $100) & unlimited $1 off ride wristband coupons for Mon thru Thur to share with your customers & friends! For only $300: FREE advertisement; 20 FREE ride wristbands (Value min. $300) & unlimited $2 off ride wristband coupons for Mon thru Thur to share with you customers & friends! AND, make it your night: “Sponsored by (your name here)” Coupons including your business name will be provided to you to hand out!

Sister, lover, These cords bind thickly, Consume quickly, And all in all, link you with one another. And then there are the cords of lace,

Caving Mifflin County

A startled glance, a fleeting face, The ties are thin, but holding still, By some profound, unknowing grace.

with Todd Karschner Hello everyone! As I am writing this, I am watching the snow fall. C’mon, enough is enough! Lets get on with spring! I want to apologize to everyone for not having a column last month. Trust me, I heard about it from some of the readers. I would like to take the time to mention that one of the advertisers in this awesome paper has unexpectedly passed away. You may remember seeing his ad for Double-D Enterprises. He was my co-worker and close friend, Dave Damicantonio or “Dami” as he was better known as. Due to this unfortunate event, many things have taken place. I will now be partnering up with a very good friend of mine, Mike

Poetry of Local Origin

Warner, and opening up a new business in Reedsville. Our name is K & W AUTO, MARINE & SMALL ENGINE LLC. We will be located at 14 Royal St., Reedsville (the old 322 Service Center). Stop in and check us out! Well, with warmer weather not far away, we will be caving more often. Not that the cold stopped us, but the deep snow made it difficult to find parking, and in some cases, it was too deep and steep to even get to some caves. We have a new caver joining us this year, Nick Nichols. Welcome Nick. We are still looking for more cavers. Now I know this kind of sport isn’t for everyone, but it just might be for you! I have seen people who were afraid of

--Elizabeth Fultz enclosed spaces and now can’t wait to go again. To see some pictures and videos, log on to my Facebook page and see for yourself. THINK SPRING! Until next time... Cave safe Todd K. a

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Life in the East End by Rebecca Harrop

Is It Spring Yet? Well, winter is still clinging on by its fingertips. But, I have been seeing signs that spring is trying to get here. The turkey buzzards are here, Mom’s snowdrops are blooming, the crocus and daffodil bulbs are also peaking through. I know Mifflin Agway and the other garden supply stores have spring lawn and garden supplies coming in now. Baby chicks and ducks have arrived at Mifflin Agway as well. So spring has to be coming soon, right?? We had our traditional Irish meal for St. Patrick’s Day again. Dad cured the Corned Beef. He got a beef brisket at Ron’s Fruit Market in Reedsville because he says Ron’s has really good meat. I made Irish Freckle Bread and Mom cooked the meal. She made her favorite cheesecake—Irish Cream Cheesecake! It was kind of funny this year because Dad said Mom wasn’t supposed to get Irish butter because it wasn’t as good as Land O Lakes butter. So Mom said no Irish butter, then no Irish cheese either. We all like the Irish cheese, so we had to do without the cheese this year. Other than that, we had a great meal. As I shared in last month’s

Valley, The Mifflin County Youth Fair is celebrating its 60th year this year. I have to let you all know about the exciting plans and events that the special 60th Year of Youth Fair committee has in store for the Mifflin County Youth Fair this year. There are so many great things everyone involved with the Fair are working on! An anniversary crock and special t-shirts are some of the items that will be available to purchase. The different livestock clubs will have special displays set up on different nights that the public will be able to learn more about the animals and clubs. A scavenger hunt is being planned. Another special event that should be a lot of fun is an animal dressing contest. A “Celebrity” milking contest is planned using a local radio personality, a local school teacher/ principal, a local elected official, and I’m not sure who else yet. I can’t wait to see this one, and no, they won’t be using a robotic milker. They will have to do it the old fashioned way, with their two hands and a bucket! The Open Show Committee is also working on some extra activities to add to the celebration. I told you before we are working on a cookbook. We have over 300 recipes so this

GRANGE FAIRGROUNDS - CENTRE HALL, PA

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should be a great cookbook. Our Photo Contest themes this year are “In Your Backyard” and “Cutest Pet.” I encourage you all to look in your backyards for something unusual or your favorite part of your backyard. Remember “backyard” isn’t strictly your yard it could be your neighborhood, your town, your township, or whatever you consider your “area.” For the 4-H alumni, maybe you have some old items from past fairs you can take photos of and enter those. The winners of these contests are determined by the public voting so everyone has a fair shot at winning—so start looking for ideas. The 60th year of Youth Fair committee also has a Facebook page now, Mifflin County 4-H Alumni. The 60th Anniversary committee would appreciate all alumni 4-Her’s to please post photos and/or memories on this site. They are also hoping to create a memory book to be available during the Youth Fair. The book will only be as good as the entries they receive, so please all former 4-Her’s help them out and if you don’t do Facebook, contact the Extension Office to submit your story/photos or email mkmaster@ localnet.com. I thought I’d share some history of the Fair just to see how far we’ve come, since we’re talking about celebrating. The info I have is from Frank Bonson, Fair Board President, one of the many people who made the Fair possible in the past and continue to do so today. 1954 was the year the Mifflin County Youth Fair was established. It was held at the Gardenview Sales Center in behind the old 322 Service Center, Reedsville. In 1955, the Fair moved to Kishacoquillas Park in Derry Township. The Mifflin County Jaycees, Senior Extension, and other local organizations sponsored the Fair at Kish Park from 1955-1963. In 1964, the A. Reed Hayes family donated the eleven acres of ground in Reedsville that the Fair now calls home. The Youth Park Board was formed to oversee the grounds. They and the Mifflin County Jaycees continued to sponsor the Fair. The Youth Park Board still oversees the grounds today. I’ll have some more history for you next month. For now that’s all from the East End. a

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The Valley, April 2014

Electric Customers Take Complaints To The Top! Over the last few months the Stop Smart Meter in Pennsylvania Coalition received complaints about recent increases in citizen’s electric bills due to variable rate contracts. We are against electric companies using the variable rates method to charge for electricity. And therefore, on March 20, 2014, we submitted the following written testimony to the Pennsylvania House Consumer Affairs Committee on behalf of our members and individuals who have contacted our website to complain. Many of these people told me that they trusted their electricity provider to give them the same contract they previously had. People indicated that they were never told they were being

put onto a variable rate and were not told how the variable rate was calculated. This abuse is called “slamming,” which is similar to what phone companies did in the past. This is illegal and the Federal Communications Commission has provided protection to consumers who were slammed by phone companies. Even if a contract indicates that an electric consumer may be slammed, it should be the responsibility of the electric provider to educate the client on the details of a variable rate. Slamming an electric customer should also be made illegal. Many people had previous bills averaging $200.00 per month until they renewed their electricity contract. Now, their bills are,

on average, $1000.00 per month. There is no reason their electric bills should be $1000.00 per month. When one man called the electric provider to complain, he was told that his next bill would reflect a correction. However, he was charged more money on his next bill. He was charged $1100.00. He stated he did not give the company approval to put him onto a variable rate, and he was never told that he could automatically be switched to a variable rate. Many people do not appreciate the deceitful and unscrupulous acts of electric providers to maximize their bottom line. Variable Rates Contracts are tied to stock market rates, which are constantly changing. Therefore, electric customers do not know their current electric rate. Individuals should not be forced

to follow the stock market in order to estimate their monthly electric bill. Also, customers have told us that they received 4 or 5 electric bills at one time. Customers were told that this was a re-bill and that they needed to pay all these bills at one time. In addition, many legislators’ websites encourage people to choose an energy supplier and claim that this saves people money. However, this is not the case. Citizens of Pennsylvania who elected these Representatives expected them to perform due diligence on policies before publicly promoting these policies as being beneficial. Clearly, PA citizens have been led to believe by their Representatives that electric company deregulation is a positive thing. The initial rationale for deregulation was that this policy would lead to increased competitiveness, more efficiency and lower prices. These expectations have not been fulfilled. Many customers believe that they are forced into higher energy rates so that the electric companies can use the excuse that citizens can lower their electric bills by accepting a smart meter. Unfortunately, smart meters use a similar billing structure as the variable rate contract. Smart

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meters use real time pricing which is the cost of power to the electric company; it is market- based and is forward- based, changing constantly with the market. The constant interchange of information between smart meters and the grid can cause electric bills to double and triple. The only way customers can save money with smart meters is to shut off the power a few times a day. It is unreasonable and harmful to require customers to shut down their power for a lower rate. Customers have conveyed to me that they feel they have been deceived by their Representatives, Senators, Governor Corbett and electric companies concerning variable electric rates and smart meters. Representative Robert W. Godshall, Chair of Consumers Affairs Committee, stated during the hearing on variable rate contracts that he “plans to cap the variable rates for customers.” However, that may not be good enough for smart meter customers who still maybe charged higher rates. Electric companies will somehow have to recoup their lost earnings due to the cap in the variable rate. This loss of revenue for the electric company will be passed onto the smart meter customer in

Continued on page 44

The Valley, April 2014

Knots and Massage Therapy by Tatyana Vdov So what is a knot, and what is it doing in your muscle? The word ‘knot’ is usually used to describe a tight/hypertonic (if you want to get technical with the name) muscle. If you look at the structure of a muscle, you’ll see that it is comprised of muscle strands/fibers. Each of these strands are able to move individually in order to create movement. Repetitive motion (as in laying retaining wall bricks for 2 hours without a break), sustained contraction (working

at the computer for 3 hours with your shoulders hitched up to your ears and only fingers and eyeballs moving), and injury, all stress the muscle out. This creates hypertension in the muscle strands, which causes them to stick/adhere to each other. Once the strands are stuck together, they can no longer relax to allow proper blood and lymph circulation. Without proper circulation, the muscle becomes dehydrated and toxins and cellular waste begin to accumulate. Common symptoms of hypertonic muscles are; soreness (from mild to painful), restricted range of motion and sometimes numbness. I will tell you about three massage modalities that I feel are most effective in relaxing hypertonic muscles. There is of course the widely

known Deep Tissue Massage. The deep tissue techniques are based on the knowledge that we

Ashitsu massage

have from physician manuscripts from Eastern Europe, Egypt and China. Deep tissue is a corrective massage that, as you might have guessed, uses deep pressure to help relax and realign tight and misaligned muscles. It also helps restore healthy circulation throughout the muscle. During a deep tissue session, it is common to experience soreness and a ‘feel good hurt’ as clients sometimes put it. Ashitsu is one of my favorite modalities for relaxing tight muscles. Even though the name comes from the Japanese language, ‘ashi’ meaning foot, ‘atsu’ meaning pressure, ashiatsu is truly a western technique. Created by Ruthie Hardee and introduced to the western spas in the end of the 1900’s, ashiatsu quickly gained popularity for its painless deep pressure. Without going into a wordy description, in an ashiatsu session, you are literally going to get walked on. In this deep, flowing technique, the therapist uses their feet to give a painless, deep pressure that makes tight muscles surrender years of accumulated tension. After a session of ashiatsu, clients usually say that they feel relaxed down to the bones! Last but not least is Cupping. Definitely for the brave ones out there! Like most body work

techniques, it has a long history in European countries and Asia. Our ancestors used hollow animal horns and heat to create suction and vacuum pressure. Thankfully, someone along the way came up with glass cups, which are used today! The cups are heated, usually with the aid of alcohol and fire, and placed on the skin. The difference in temperature creates suction, which pulls the skin and the underlying tissues up. Depending on the condition, the cups are either left to sit or are moved in smooth strokes along the affected area. Cupping helps release deep muscle tension, loosen adhesion, break up cellulite and drain excess fluids and toxins by opening lymphatic pathways. The cupping technique helps bring stagnated blood to the surface allowing fresh, oxygenated blood to circulate through. After a cupping session, it is normal to get slight to medium bruising on the areas where it was done. With everything said, I hope you choose massage therapy as your ally on your journey to health and relaxation! Hope to see you in the near future! (Remember to drink plenty of water!) Yours truly in health and wellness, Tatyana Vdov a

Tanya's Massage Therapy Modalities: Ashiatsu Cupping Prenatal Deep Tissue Swedish Massage Foot Reflexology Raindrop Therapy Russian Clinical Massage How you treat your body today, is how it will serve you tomorrow! Call to schedule an appointment:

(814) 937-0375 www. tanyasmassagetherapy.com

Email: tanyamassage@live.com Moving in May from 218 electric ave. to: 219 Nolan Drive Lewistown, PA 17044 www.thevalleynewspaper.com

The Valley, April 2014

Ed’s Railroading News by Ed Forsythe

A really busy month of March is past and SPRING is here. The model club held its 3rd annual antique and vintage weekend of running trains from the 1920’s to ‘60’s. Even though we didn’t have the number of visitors we would have liked to have had, we had a really fun time as I hope you all did that attended our event. On May 17th, the local Arts Council will be holding its Art Festival in downtown Lewistown and our model railroad club will open in conjunction with the Festival since our layouts are indeed works of art to enjoy. I took an art class in high school that I must say, at the time, was just to get out of taking another class that I didn’t want to sit in. Now I’m looking back on something Mr. Worsinger said to us in

class, “there is art in everything.” Well, at the time I didn’t really pay that statement much attention, but as I got involved with the model railroad club, I finally realized that old Joe did indeed know what he was talking about. We can find art in everything whether it is the design of a new building or bridge, the new park at Five Points, a painting on your wall, or the murals around Mifflin County—there it is right in front of us—art. So it is with the train layouts of the Mifflin County Model Railroad Club, works of art that have miniature trains running through them. So make plans to visit the Arts Festival on May 17th, and come see the model railroad layouts also. Another railroading event being held locally on April 12 is

the Rockhill Trolley’s EASTER BUNNY TROLLEY day. All children 13 and under will visit with the Easter Bunny and receive a FREE treat. There will be face painting and other crafts available along with the museum and store being open and lunches available

before and after your trolley ride. Tickets are available for only $8.00 from 10:00 to 5:00 for one day only. The trolley museum is located at 430 Meadow Street in Rockhill, Pa. just 45 minutes South on Route 522 to the red light in Orbisonia and turn right. Travel just 1/3 mile and the trolley museum is on the left just across the road from the site of the East Broad Top Railroad. It is unfortunate that this great historical trolley attraction seems to be one of the area’s best kept secrets as we’ve been trying to get the news about the trolley events out and still we hear constantly, “I didn’t even know this was so near to us.” Make plans now to take the kids to see the Easter Bunny on the Rockhill Trolley on April 12th. Happy Railroading, Ed a

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The Valley, April 2014

and behaviors in order to reduce symptoms of depression. Learning these skills helps people cope better and think more positively for the long term. Counseling sessions can also provide vital support, understanding and education for Parkinson’s patients and their families.

Managing the Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease: A Comprehensive Approach HealthSouth understands the everyday challenges associated with Parkinson’s disease (PD). To help improve the lives of PD patients, HealthSouth’s interdisciplinary team offers specialized inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation for a comprehensive, targeted plan of care. HealthSouth’s Parkinson’s rehabilitation program: • Provides training in self-care, mobility, nutrition, communication, cognition, socialization and general wellness • Helps patients manage the disease through proper use of medications, rest and activity • Teaches fall prevention and strategies to maximize safe mobility • Assists in the transition to home and community while providing appropriate support services • Provides patient and family education and home programs to increase safety, muscle strength, flexibility and function Education is Key At HealthSouth, Parkinson’s patients benefit from comprehensive education. For example, a HealthSouth pharmacist, psychologist, dietitian and registered nurse lead classes to help patients better understand their disease and its symptoms. Patient and family education is also provided about Parkinson spectrum disorders (Parkinsonism and Parkinson Plus). The non-motor components of PD are explored with the patient and family. These include issues associated with thinking (cognition, memory, and perception); emotions (depression, anxiety and adjustment); behavior (initiative, motivation, impulsivity); sleep and relationships. Nutrition The interdisciplinary medical team looks at managing the patient’s symptoms, which can include freezing, tremors, rigidity, slurred speech, confusion and hallucinations. “Nutrition is an important component in our education for Parkinson’s patients,” says HealthSouth Dietitian Caryll DeFrate, RD, LDN. “For example, when protein is given with the

Parkinson’s medication Sinemet, it can interfere with absorption. In our classes, and at the bedside, we teach patients to be aware of these and other issues that can affect their symptoms.” Psychology HealthSouth Psychologist Peter O’Donnell, Ph.D., helps patients with psychological issues that may occur with a Parkinson’s diagnosis. For example, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), one technique that has been shown to be very effective, helps people change negative thinking patterns

Medication Management The right balance of medication/s can have a significant impact on a patient’s symptoms. In the Parkinson’s program, HealthSouth pharmacists look at patients’ symptoms to see if they can notice any patterns that might warrant an adjustment in their medication. These adjustments can improve symptoms associated with gait,

Continued on page 44

Eleanor Sagmuller (left) was recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. After a fall and a fractured hip, Eleanor, 86, came to HealthSouth Nittany Valley Rehabilitation Hospital in Pleasant Gap to get strong and mobile again, working with Physical Therapist Katie Donovan (right). While Eleanor was getting rehabilitation for her fractured hip, she was also in HealthSouth’s Parkinson’s rehabilitation program, which helped to manage her Parkinson’s disease symptoms and improve her function and safety. “I know more now about my Parkinson’s diagnosis than I ever did before,” says Sagmuller. “The staff really taught me about the disease and my symptoms.”

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The Valley, April 2014

You Have Creativity In Your Blood You may never have thought of this, but you, simply by being a human being, have creativity in your blood. If you’ve ever watched a two year-old playing, they love to pick up blocks or stones or sticks and rearrange them, stack them, or drop them in the toilet and see what happens. Curiosity about what you can turn something into that’s new or different is an integral part of who we are as human beings. So, no matter whether you think of yourself as a creative person, you are! We tend to label the “most”

creative among us as artists or inventors, but it’s really just a matter of degree. As a visual artist and someone who also works in music, writing, and other expressive outlets, I love to help others develop their own abilities to express their creativity. I regularly teach an open studio class at the Green Drake Gallery in Millheim and have periodically taught longer workshops, either there or at other locations. In order to reach a lot more people, though, I’ve just started an online series of videos on YouTube called “The Creative Palette with Karl Eric Leitzel”.

The title is based on the artist’s palette being the board that holds the selection of available paint colors he or she has to work with. In this case, “palette” is expanded to mean all of the tools and skills each person has developed for creative expression. Some of the videos will be demos of painting techniques, very much like being in one of my art classes. Others, though, will explore various musical instruments or techniques, creative writing, photography, or just ways of looking at the world that might spur new creative interests. I will also begin offering a series of workshops on both painting and general creativity for those who want to have a more focused opportunity to be inspired and learn new creative skills. You can find the new video series channel at https:// www.youtube. com/user/KarlEricLeitzelArt, or through my website at http:// keleitzel.com. I invite you to start following my channel, and please leave feedback so I know which videos are the most helpful to you! This month at the Green Drake Gallery, a new show will be opening on April 4th featuring the paintings of Margaux Wolszczan and the pottery of

Maggie Wolszczan with her paintings

Simon Leach. Margaux (Maggie) creates large, bold paintings, with a nature theme for this show. She has her own gallery in State College, The Fraser Street Gallery. You can preview her work online at http://maggiewolszczanart.com. Simon Leach is an internationally known potter, originally from England, who recently moved to Millheim. He has his own

Youtube channel with hundreds of demo videos and will be offering workshops this summer in his pottery studio. You can see his work and link to his video channel at http://simonleachpottery.com/. The opening reception is Friday evening from 6-9 pm, with live music starting at 7:00. We hope to see you there! a

Simon Leach with his pottery

Karl’s new YouTube channel, “The Creative Palette with Karl Eric Leitzel”

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The Valley, April 2014 YES, I want to join FRIENDS OF JACKS MOUNTAIN support!!

Membership is FREE – we need your

_________________________________________________________________________________ Please Print: First and Last Name __________________________________ _______________________________ Street City State

Wind Turbines Threaten Wildlife Laura Jackson, President www.SaveOurAlleghenyRidges.org

Big Valley is a lot easier to say than Kishacoquillas, which is the official name of Big Valley. It was named after a friendly Shawnee Chief, Kishacoquillas, whose name stands for “the snakes have gone into their dens.” While we don’t exactly know what kind of snake the name refers to, it is quite likely the timber rattlesnake, which is now a protected species of special concern in Pennsylvania, due to declining numbers. Many of the timber rattlesnakes seen in Mifflin County’s valleys during the summer spend most of the year on the rocky slopes of Jacks and Stone Mountains. Everyone knows these two mountains, as they form the two boundaries of Big Valley. Jacks Mountain serves as a very important habitat for these often under-appreciated snakes, which actually do a great service for humans. Studies show that timber rattlesnakes keep the mouse population in check, and that means there are fewer ticks in the woods, since mice are important hosts for the tick larvae. One recent study showed that timber rattlesnakes removed 2,500- 4,500 ticks from an area each year by eating rodents (1), which reduces the chance of humans contracting Lyme disease. Jacks Mountain is not just an important habitat for timber rattlesnakes, it is also recognized by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy as “one of the largest blocks of contiguous forest in the county and provides an important corridor for wildlife, including raptor and songbird migrations, connectivity and dispersal of forest inhabitants” (2). Although there are transmission lines and gas lines that traverse the mountains now, the proposed wind projects will add significant negative impacts to existing intact forests. Because Jacks Mountain is in private ownership, the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy pointed out that it is “subject to potential future alterations of habitat through forest clearing or

development, such as large-scale wind farms.” This report, written in 2007, was accurate in its prediction. Volkswind and E.ON, both subsidiaries of German companies, are now leasing private properties on Jacks Mountain and Stone Mountain and hope to build two proposed industrial wind projects. Volkswind intends to build at least 20 industrial wind turbines 436 feet tall on Jacks Mountain in Granville, Union, Oliver, and Menno Townships (3). E.ON plans to build up to 75 turbines on Jacks and Stone Mountains, which will impact Oliver, Menno, and Wayne Townships in Mifflin County and Brady Township in Huntingdon County. E.ON has nothing about the project on their website (4), but they did share some of their plans at a meeting in Belleville on January 10, 2014 Unfortunately, these construction projects will drastically alter the top of both mountains. The pointed, narrow top of the mountains will be blasted and bulldozed, so there is sufficient area to build roads that will accommodate large cranes and big trucks carrying turbine parts. The actual turbine foundations will also need a flat area for construction. Volkswind, in its lease information, stated that 2 acres would be needed for each turbine. The massive construction and forest clearing will have a dramatic and negative impact on the contiguous forest, fragmenting it for many miles along the tops of the mountains, or what’s left of the tops. Both developers have stated they want to start the turbine projects from the existing Jacks (Will’s) Mountain Road, which connects McVeytown to Belleville. Access roads will also have to be built, which will cause even greater forest fragmentation. Volkswind will have to build at least 4 miles of new road along what is now the forested top of Jacks Mountain, in order to construct 20 turbines, plus the wide access road. Although E.ON has not

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We really just need your membership, but if you would like to donate, we will appreciate any donations. Tax-deductible Donations should be Payable to Save Our Allegheny Ridges (SOAR) which is a 501(c)3 partnering with Friends Of Jacks Mountain. You will receive a receipt. MAIL TO: Darrell Smith

567 Mile Long Lane Martinsburg, PA 16662

made its plans public, one can surmise that 75 turbines, spaced 5 per mile like Volkswind plans to do, would require approximately 15 miles of road along the top of Jacks and Stone Mountains, in addition to wide access roads. These projects will change the tops of the mountains forever. Why is forest fragmentation so bad? A wide, gravel road with a clearing on each side will create an edge effect, inviting animals and plants that normally would not be found on top of a forested mountain. Exotic, invasive plants like tree of heaven, Japanese knotweed, Canada thistle, mile-aminute, (to name a few that we’ve documented at other wind projects in Pennsylvania) will quickly take root if stringent measures are not enacted to keep them from spreading. These plants degrade the forest and take the place of native plants that normally provide food for many types of wildlife. Wind developers maintain that they will improve the habitat for deer and wild turkey by planting wildlife mix, but the end result will be an impaired forest. Wildlife mix planted along hard-packed roads does not soak in the rain like an intact forest, so there will be much more runoff during storms. Wildlife mix does not produce winter browse for deer, or much shelter for wild turkeys. Predators like raccoons, skunks, and fox use long, linear roads through forests for easy access to nests of forest interior birds that are now suddenly vulnerable to nest predation. Brownheaded cowbirds, at one time very rare in Pennsylvania, are attracted to forest clearings. They are parasitic birds that lay their eggs in the nests of our native birds. Birds like scarlet tanagers, one of our most beautiful songbirds, and wood thrush, a bird that has a flute-like song, depend on intact

forests in Pennsylvania to escape nest predators and parasites. If a brown-headed cowbird isn’t noticed, it gets rid of the egg in the nest and replaces it with one of her own. The parent birds can’t tell the difference and they raise the imposter. The young cowbirds are bigger and get the most food. Almost 20% of the world’s scarlet tanagers and almost 10% of the world’s wood thrush depend on Pennsylvania forests, but their numbers are shrinking each year due to habitat loss and degradation (5). Jacks Mountain is also an important forested habitat for the Pennsylvania threatened Allegheny wood rat, which is actually like a ground squirrel and not closely related to the European Norway rat that found its way to America from Europe on sailing ships. Allegheny wood rats are shy, furry-tailed animals that depend on rocky outcroppings. They nest deep within the rocks, but venture into the forest at night to feed on wild grapes, acorns, and many other plants. They are a type of pack-rat and will decorate their nest with bits of shiny foil, plastic, and other human litter. Mountains like Jacks are important refuges for these rare animals. The tops of forested mountains are their highways. When wind turbines and roads are constructed along the top of mountains, these animals lose their homes and forested travel corridors. Allegheny wood rats live on Jacks Mountain now, but industrial development threatens their future. Wind turbines on forested ridges kill a significant number of bats. While many bats have been recently killed by whitenose syndrome, the survivors of that fungal disease are a seed population that we hope will maintain the species and head off extinction. The bats that survive

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are at risk from industrial wind turbines. “The 420 wind turbines now in use across Pennsylvania killed more than 10,000 bats in 2010 - mostly in the late summer months, according to the Game Commission. That’s an average of 25 bats per turbine per year, and the Nature Conservancy predicts as many as 2,900 turbines will be set up across the state by 2030” (6). Jacks Mountain supports the federally endangered Indiana Bat, as well as the rare northern longeared bat, in addition to other bat species. Bats don’t even have to fly directly into a turbine to be killed. Because their lungs are very sensitive to changes in air pressure, they are killed when flying close to a turbine. The sudden drop in air pressure causes internal hemorrhaging, a condition called baurotrauma (7). Who cares about bats? Many people, including loggers and farmers. A recent study done on the economic importance of bats found that bats provide a value of approximately $292,108, 054 in avoided costs to Pennsylvania farmers. An avoided cost value of $3,549,168 -$8,262,232 was determined for farmers in Mifflin County. Bats also eat a huge amount of moths, whose larvae feed on trees and reduce forest productivity. Anyone who derives income from logging should value the importance of bats and their role in forest ecology (8). Major conservation groups such as The American Bird Conservancy, The Nature Conservancy, Sierra Club, Audubon Pennsylvania, support the concept of wind energy, but only if the turbines are properly sited in areas where important habitats will not be fragmented, or protected species will not be significantly

Continued on page 47

The Valley, April 2014

R. O. F. F.

Dairy Connection by Halee Wasson

Rescue Our Furry Friends

Centre Count y Dair y Princess When you live in Pennsylvania you realize the weather can become bipolar in the early spring months. Although one thing we can always count on in April are rain showers. Unfortunately, rain does get annoying at times. We just want to go outside and enjoy the warmer weather after being cooped up in our houses for the last five months as we avoided the cold blast of winter. However there is a positive to rain in April—April showers bring May flowers. Without rain, many plants cannot grow, making rain essential to the health of a plant. Farmers know the importance of rain, because it is vital to help them continue their livelihood, which depends on plant/crop growth. Dairy farmers understand and appreciate nature and take good care of their property. If you find yourself in your house avoiding a rain storm, I encourage you to try one of these recipes I have shared with you in this issue. Enjoy! Springtime Quiche Crust: 1 C. flour ¼ tsp. salt

by Patricia Lawson

1/3 C. BUTTER 2 T. chives 2 T. cold water Filling: 2 C. shredded CHEDDAR CHEESE 6 slices crisp bacon, cut into 1” pieces ¼ lb. fresh asparagus 1 ½ C. MILK 4 eggs, slightly beaten ¼ tsp. salt Pinch of pepper Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl combine flour and salt; cut in BUTTER until crumbly. Stir in chives and water (mixture will be crumbly). Shape into a ball. On lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 12” circle about 1/8” thick. Fold into quarters; unfold and ease into a 10” quiche pan, pressing firmly against bottom and sides. Flute edges. Spread CHEESE over bottom of crust; top with bacon. Place asparagus spears in spoke pattern on top of bacon. In small bowl stir together remaining ingredients. Pour on top. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until golden and set in center. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serves 6.

FLEA & FARMER’S MARKET

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Mud Cake 1 lb. pkg. Oreo cookies 1 large pkg. instant chocolate pudding ½ C. BUTTER 1 C. sugar 1-8 oz. pkg. CREAM CHEESE 2 2/3 C. MILK 1- 12 oz. container WHIPPED CREAM Crush cookies. Melt BUTTER; pour over cookies, mix well. Press into bottom of 13X9” pan. Chill. Whip together CREAM CHEESE and sugar until creamy. Fold in half of WHIPPED CREAM. Spread over crust; chill. Prepare pudding with MILK. Spread over CREAM CHEESE mixture. Chill 3 to 5 minutes or until firm. Spread remaining WHIPPED CREAM over pudding. Sprinkle with remaining cookies. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Best if served chilled. a

Electric Customers from page 36 higher time of day rates. This will allow the electric company to continue to pass the cost of the Grid updates onto the customer no matter what time of day you use electricity. Lisa Nancollas, Mifflin County Tea Party Patriots Stop Smart Meters in Pennsylvania a

Managing Parkinson’s from page 40

April 23rd - October 29th MIFFLIN COUNTY YOUTH PARK REEDSVILLE, PA

mifflincountyfleamarket.com

tremors, incontinence, alertness and communication. Technology HealthSouth has technology, unique to the Centre region, to treat the symptoms of PD. For example, the Interactive Metronome (IM) is a brain-based therapeutic assessment and training program that improves attention, concentration, motor planning and sequencing. Improvements in those areas result in stronger

Would you believe that ROFF now has over two dozen cats and kittens in rescue? At this time, however, there are only nine that are available for adoption. Please take a look at www. roff.cc to see who is looking for you! If you are not in a position to adopt, can you lend us a hand with providing us with Purina Cat Chow Complete or clumping litter? These items can be dropped off at 133 North Walnut Street in Burnham or Big Valley Beverage in Reedsville. Plus, if you call Fisher & Thompson at 717.953.7422, you can place an order, and it will be picked up and/or delivered for you. Thank you in advance for your help! Let’s take a look at our Pets of the Month…Here’s Bubba! This is his story and he’s sticking to it! “I’ve been with ROFF for a few years now, and the humans here at the rescue think I’m about five or six years old. I was just a stray with nowhere to go, and luckily I was brought here and was given all my shots and medications, plus I use the litter box all the time. And boy, do I like to have my belly rubbed! I’m not too wild about being picked up though. Something must have happened in my past, but I don’t remember. My roommates include a lot of kittens and cats, and I’m crazy about all

of them. My dream though is to be adopted into a real home, so won’t you come on over so I can introduce myself to you?” Bubba And who have we here? Auggie & June Why it’s Auggie (five years old) and June (two years old), and their tale goes like this: “The humans have told us that we’re terrier mixes, and we are so we lucky to have ROFF on our side. You see, our human parents were in the hospital, and we were left in the house for two weeks! We’re in a foster home now with other dogs who we love, and kids are a blast to be around, but we never met cats, so I’m not sure if we would like them or not. As you can see, we’re best pals, and would like to be adopted as a pair. Won’t you please help us get the wag back in our tails?” If you’re interested in adopting our featured pets of the month, just go to our web site www.roff. cc and fill out an online application or call 1-877-933-ROFF (7633). Bring some joy into your life and make a new friend!

motor control and coordination, enhanced balance and gait, and improved language and cognition. The IM works by providing a structured, goal-oriented program that challenges the patient to synchronize a range of whole body exercises to a precise computergenerated beat. The patient attempts to match the rhythmic beat with repetitive motor movements. IM’s game-like features engage the patient with auditory and visual guidance and provide realtime feedback while encouraging the patient to improve scores.

HealthSouth has earned a disease-specific care certification from the Joint Commission for its Parkinson’s rehabilitation program. April is Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month, and HealthSouth is committed to raising awareness of the disease. To learn more about HealthSouth’s inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation program for Parkinson’s disease, please visit www.nittanyvalleyrehab.com or call 1800-8426026. a

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Until they all have homes… www.roff.cc a

The Valley, April 2014 of their “paper” wealth into real, hard money. Dealers across the country are experiencing similar demand. For now, strict “capital controls” have not been put into place to squash such a movement, but folks, we can see them coming a mile away. When the currency drain from our banking system (for the purpose of hoarding cash, and/or purchasing precious

Dave Wilson

Coins, Precious Metal and a Little of this and That

Time is Running Out While I seriously hate to sound like some sleazy carnival barker, there are, occasionally, some things that need to be said with passion, and in a “timely” fashion. Since my articles are SUPPOSED to center around precious metals anyway, I have felt the need to key on them for the past several months. I was hoping to lighten the fare a bit for April, but escalating tensions around the globe, almost too numerous to even count, are setting the stage for a number of (very possible, if not absolutely likely) “not-sogood” financial consequences that could erupt at almost any time. Very dangerous and unstable conditions in Syria, North Korea, Afghanistan, Iraq, Africa, the Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, Japan, all of Europe, Mexico and most of South America (to name JUST a few) have, once again, brought the safe haven status of Gold and Silver back into a front and center position. Any serious elevation of political and financial instability in the world has almost always created a Bull market environment for precious metals, and we are starting to SEE the beginnings of a possible stampede toward safe haven assets! What makes this an especially opportune time for the metals, is that spot prices have just recently moved off 5-year LOWS. At the present time, Gold and Silver (while always volatile) appear to have little downside risk, but their upside potential has most analysts suggesting to their readers that THIS is the time, RIGHT NOW, to BUY. Yes, to be sure,

when nearly EVERYONE is ringing the “Buy-Now” dinner bell, it is ALWAYS time for extreme caution! This time, however, I personally believe it is time to set caution aside, and ACT. Since 1971, when Richard Nixon “Closed the Gold window,” and refused to “settle” international US debt transactions with US GOLD, the “Dollar” has been backed ONLY by the “full faith and credit of the United States of America.” In other words, we told the rest of the world, please ACCEPT our Dollar, because WE say it is valuable. For the next (nearly) 35 years this “full faith and credit” backing seemed to work reasonably well, and Governments around the world were happy, even ANXIOUS, to sell us their tangible products, in exchange for OUR, “paper with ink on it.” Seven years ago, everything began to change. Foreigners have almost STOPPED buying our Treasury Debt, and the buyer of last resort, the FEDERAL RESERVE, was FORCED to step in and purchase almost ALL of our treasury bond offerings. Not just those NEW bonds that were issued for CURRENT spending requirements, but also, all those older bonds that are now MATURING and have to be satisfied. DOLLAR CREATION, for lack of a better term, has begun to run wild! TRILLIONS of new Dollars are flushed into the system each year. Without all this new money creation, our economy would collapse, and likely precipitate a new, terrible WORLDWIDE

metals) builds to a level that is unacceptable to our cash-strapped government, then, be assured, SOMETHING or THINGS will be done to STOP IT. It can happen in an instant. When it does, your opportunity to successfully (and privately) protect the wealth you have spent years to accumulate, will be gone. a

DEPRESSION. It is a classic “Catch-22” situation. If we stop the creation of mountains of new, backed by nothing, cash, our economic system will crash and burn. If we continue running the figurative printing presses 24/7, we will STILL crash and burn, but, likely, not immediately. Apparently, this is the “course” our “Leaders”(??) have selected as their chosen plan. We are much too far down the road to change course (correct things), so, just keep printing until the currency fails all on its own. Folks, I’m sorry to say this, but we are almost there, and I do NOT mean several years from now. When paper currency fails, as we have witnessed in quite a number of large countries over the past 10 years, the only items that remain as REAL money are, yes, you guessed it, Gold and Silver. Naturally, food, and the means to protect yourself and your property are also valuable, but Gold and Silver are the only major units of portable and transferable “real” wealth that have survived for nearly Get the relief you need...lower costs and 4000+ years. superior services at 611 MRI. Call us for the For the past best rates, high quality images and most caring year, we have experience in the region. If you have a high seen literally deductible you can save a bundle. hundreds of new clients who have decided to 611’s cost is almost half the convert much

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The Valley, April 2014

Research reveals true value of cover crops to farmers and the environment By Jeff Mulhollem Story courtesy of Penn State Public Information Planting cover crops in rotation between cash crops -- widely agreed to be ecologically beneficial -- is even more valuable than previously thought, according to a team of agronomists, entomologists, agroecologists, horticulturists and biogeochemists from Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences. “As society places increasing demands on agricultural land beyond food production to include ecosystem services, we needed a new way to evaluate ‘success’ in agriculture,” said Jason Kaye, professor of biogeochemistry. “This research presents a framework for considering a suite of ecosystem services that could be derived from agricultural land, and how cover crops affect that suite of services. “Cover cropping is one of the most rapidly growing soil and water conservation strategies in the Chesapeake Bay region and one we are really counting on for future improvements in water quality in the bay. Our analysis shows how the effort to improve water quality with cover crops will affect other ecosystem services that we expect from agricultural land.” The research, published in the March issue of Agricultural Systems, quantified the benefits offered by cover crops across more than 10 ecosystem services. Benefits included increased carbon and nitrogen in soils, erosion prevention, more mycorrhizal colonization -- beneficial soil fungus that helps plants absorb nutrients -- and weed suppression. Lead researcher Meagan Schipanski explained that commonly used measurements of ecosystem services can be misleading due to the episodic nature of some services and the time sensitivity of management windows. “For example, nutrientretention benefits occur primarily during cover crop growth, weedsuppression benefits occur during cash-crop growth through a cover crop legacy effect, and soil-carbon benefits accrue slowly over decades,” she said. “By integrating a suite of ecosystem services into a

unified analytical framework, we highlighted the potential for cover crops to influence a wide array of ecosystem services. We estimated that cover crops increased eight of 11 ecosystem services. In addition, we demonstrated the importance of considering temporal dynamics when assessing management system effects on ecosystem services.” Trade-offs occurred between economic metrics and environmental benefits, said Schipanski, who was a postdoctoral scholar at Penn State when she led the cover crop study. Now an assistant professor in the department of soil and crop sciences at Colorado State University, she noted that the planting of cover crops will become more attractive if fertilizer prices rise or if modest cost-sharing programs like the one currently in place in Maryland are developed. Researchers simulated a three-year, soybean-wheat-corn rotation with and without cover crops in central Pennsylvania, which presented agroecological conditions broadly representative of the Northeast and mid-Atlantic

regions. The cover crop rotation included red clover, frost-seeded into winter wheat in March, and winter rye, planted after corn was harvested in the fall. The research, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, used simulated management practices, including tillage, synthetic fertilizer use and mechanical weed control. The planting of cover crops already is accepted as an environmentally prudent practice. It is so beneficial, in fact, that the National Resource Conservation Service last month set a goal to increase the acres planted nationally in cover crops from the current 2 million to 20 million by 2020. According to NRCS, in 2006 only 5 percent of cropped acres in the Chesapeake Bay region had cover crops planted every year, and 88 percent of acres never had any cover crops planted. In 2011, 52 percent of acres had cover crops planted at least once every four years, and 18 percent of acres had cover crops planted every year. The NRCS estimated that the increased annual use of cover crops in 2011 led to an average 78 percent reduction in sediment

Researchers Meagan Schipanski and Jason Kaye inspect a cover crop plot. Image: Penn State

loss, 35 percent less nitrogen surface loss, a 40 percent cut in nitrogen subsurface loss, and a 30 percent decrease in total phosphorus loss. But many farmers have not planted cover crops because they have not seen financial incentives

The research evaluated a cover crop rotation using red clover (shown), frost-seeded into winter wheat in March, and winter rye, planted after corn was harvested in the fall. Image: Tom Heutte/USDA Forest Service/Bugwood.org

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to do so, according to Kaye. That is largely because the traditional method of calculating the economic value of cover crops used by agricultural producers -- only estimating the resulting increase to cash-crop yields over a short period -- was not compelling. “The most common metrics for evaluating cropping systems are grain and forage yields and short-term profitability,” he said. “Within this context, cover crops are treated as a tool to be used only if they do not interfere with cash-crop production.” Research reveals true value of cover crops to farmers, environment In addition to Schipanski and Kaye, the researchers included Mary Barbercheck, professor of entomology; Margaret Douglas, doctoral candidate in entomology; Denise Finney, doctoral candidate in ecology; Kristin Haider, former master’s degree student in plant science; Armen Kemanian, assistant professor of plant science; David Mortensen, professor of weed ecology; Matthew Ryan, former postdoctoral scholar at Penn State and now assistant professor at Cornell University; John Tooker, assistant professor of entomology; and Charles White, extension associate in entomology. a

The Valley, April 2014 The Time is Coming from page 33 children from vaccines containing dangerous adjuvants are being whittled away. Just look at this list presented by know-vaccines. org of just some of the additives currently in vaccines given to children and adults alike: •aluminum hydroxide, acetone (solvent used in fingernail polish remover) •aluminum phosphate (toxic) •ammonium sulfate •amphotericin B •animal tissues: pig blood, horse blood, rabbit brain, •dog kidney, monkey kidney •chick embryo, chicken egg, duck egg •calf (bovine) serum •betapropiolactone •fetal bovine serum •formaldehyde – used to embalm dead bodies •formalin •gelatin •glycerol •human diploid cells (originating from human aborted fetal tissue) •hydrolyzed gelatin •monosodium glutamate (MSG) •neomycin (antibiotic) •neomycin sulfate •phenol red indicator •phenoxyethanol (antifreeze) •potassium diphosphate •potassium monophosphate •polymyxin B •polysorbate 20 •polysorbate 80 •porcine (pig) pancreatic hydrolysate of casein •residual MRC5 proteins •sorbitol •sucrose •streptomycin (antibiotic) •thimerosal (mercury) •tri(n)butylphosphate (neurotoxin) •VERO cells, a continuous line of monkey kidney cells •washed sheep red blood cells These adjuvants cause everything from Alzheimer’s, neurotoxicity, brain injury, auto-immune disorders, gastrointestinal damage, liver and lung damage, cysts, arthritis, kidney damage, allergic reactions, seizures, and even death – but of course parents are opting out, simply due to convenience.” Read more: http:// naturalsociety.com/coloradohouse-passes-forced-vaccination-bill-one-18-states-pushingcorporate-drugs/#ixzz2x4zkHVKb So, in Colorado, you now have the right to abort your baby before he/she is born and you have the right to smoke pot in public, but you are limited in your

right to decide whether or not to vaccinate your child?? Are you kidding me? Can you now see the writing on the wall? It appears as though some of my fears and/or conspiracy theories are coming to fruition. If the above article doesn’t convince you, check out the next one. “Vaccine related legislative activity in states across the country is at an all-time high in 2014. The National Vaccine Information Center has been busy monitoring the bills filed in different states and analyzing them for their potential impact on vaccine freedom of choice. The NVIC Advocacy Portal (NVICAP) is already tracking 58 bills across 24 states. With many bill filing deadlines weeks away, and several upcoming opportunities for amendments on other proposed measures, we expect the number of bills needing grassroots support or opposition to continue to rise. Battle Lines Being Drawn in States In 2014, the battle lines are being drawn in the states between those, who want to force citizens to use every federally recommended vaccine and those, who respect and value the legal right to exercise informed consent to medical risk-taking, including vaccine risk-taking. Your participation and action is urgently needed to defend the human right to exercise informed consent to vaccine risk taking in America and push back the Pharma-Medical Trade-Government Health lobby working hard to eliminate or restrict legal vaccine exemptions. Along with actions you can take in your state to support good legislation or help defeat bad legislation, bill information is being posted on the NVIC Advocacy Portal. It is very important that you take the time to register for this free communication and vaccine choice advocacy network so you can stay informed and get involved. Education or Marketing and Coercion? The lines between “education,” marketing and coercion are getting blurred. Public health officials are joining with lobbyists working for pharmaceutical companies and medical trade associations to pressure state legislators to pass bills that require “vaccine education” and signatures of doctors or other state-designed health workers in order for parents to file non-medical exemptions to vaccination for their children to attend daycare or school. Pregnant

women are also a target population. For example, both AL SB 294 (Alabama) and PA HB 1567 (Pennsylvania) require expectant parents to receive information about the pertussis vaccine. Some proposed legislation this year goes so far as to require schools to provide vaccine education programs for children and parents, which is effectively turning our schools into marketing departments for vaccine manufacturers. AL SB 75 (Alabama) and NY A 3703/S 2070 (New York) would require schools to provide meningococcal vaccine education/promotion, while GA HB 162 requires schools in Georgia to educate the parents of sixthgraders about why their children should get HPV vaccine. Turning Schools into Vaccine Delivery Clinics Some state legislators are not satisfied with creating schoolbased vaccine marketing and “education” programs, they want to bring vaccines to children in schools and turn our schools into vaccine delivery clinics. Several states are proposing to set up schoolbased vaccination clinics, including Pennsylvania (PA SB 251) where state health officials would be authorized to give flu vaccines to kids while they are attending school and SC HB 3236 (South Carolina) that will give the green light to state health officials to give the HPV vaccine to girls entering seventh grade while in school. Other state legislators want to require schools to post their vaccination rates in the town square. Vermont Senator Kevin Mullin, who unsuccessfully attempted to remove the state’s philosophical vaccine exemption in 2012, is proposing a bill (VT S 194) to require schools and child care facilities to publically post their specific vaccination rates.”

To be continued next month. Look for “Back Talk” in the May Issue! a

Wind Turbines Threaten Wildlife from page 43 impacted. The American Bird Conservancy has developed “Bird-Smart Wind Guidelines,” which recognizes that the higher elevations in the entire Ridge and Valley Province in Pennsylvania should be off-limits to industrial wind development (9). This means Jacks and Stone Mountains should be off-limits to E.ON and Volkswind, and any other wind developers! Ron Singer, official counter for the Jacks Mountain Hawk Watch, wrote about the fall migration data that the Hawk Watch has compiled over many years and the importance of Jacks Mountain for migrating raptors and songbirds in the February issue of The Valley (10). The Ridge and Valley Province in Pennsylvania is also a very important migratory pathway for the eastern group of golden eagles, which number less than 5,000, another reason why American Bird Conservancy does not support wind development on mountains in South-central Pennsylvania. The Sierra Club has a wind siting policy, which supports the “Bird-Smart Wind Guidelines” developed by the American Bird Conservancy and has well-defined criteria for evaluating suitable locations for wind development. According to their siting guidelines, Jacks and Stone Mountains are “NOT APPROPRIATE SITES” for wind projects (11). Likewise, Audubon stresses that “location, location, location” is a determining factor when planning wind projects. Audubon recognizes the importance of wind development as it reduces the threat to birds and people posed by climate change. However, Audubon understands that wind projects need to be planned and sited in ways that minimize harm to wildlife (12). Industrial wind turbines on Jacks and Stone Mountains are not supported by

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the local Audubon chapter, Juniata Valley Audubon Society. If Allegheny wood rats, timber rattlesnakes, bats, and birds could talk, they would likely echo the words of a Lewistown resident, who recently wrote a letter to the Volkswind developer, which was published in the Lewistown Sentinel. The writer asked, “Why don’t you get lost? Take your machines and government money and go sell your snake oil to some less-informed people. Nobody here cares what you think. Get out of town and never darken our mountains again” (13). 1.http://www.umdrightnow.umd. edu/news/timber-rattlesnakes-vslyme-disease 2. Mifflin County Natural Heritage Inventory http://www. co.mifflin.pa.us/PlanningandDevelopment/Pages/ NaturalHeritageInventory.aspx 3. http://www.volkswind.us/windfarms.html 4. http://eoncrna.com/ 5. http://pbadupws.nrc.gov/docs/ ML0707/ML070730105.pdf 6. http://www.post-gazette. com/business/businessnews/2011/07/17/Pa-windturbines-deadly-to-bats-costly-tofarmers/stories/201107170197 7. http://www.academia. edu/227807/ Barotrauma_is_a_ significant_cause_of_bat_fatalities_at_wind_turbines 8. www.sciencemag.org/content/332/6025/41/suppl/DC1 9. https://www.abcbirds.org/ abcprograms/policy/collisions/ wind_policy. html 10. http://issuu.com/the-valley/ docs/february2014thevalleyonline 11. http://www.sierraclub.org/ policy/conservation/wind_siting. aspx 12. http://policy.audubon.org/ wind-power-0 13. http://lewistownsentinel.com/ page/content.detail/id/544859/ Note-to-Jeffery-Wagner-Why-nothit-the-road- .html?nav=5059 a

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