The Valley - January 2012

F

R

E

E

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 3, No. 1

Here in Central PA, we are ahead of our time. We now have access to a Himalayan Salt Cave.

With only one other in PA, and less than twelve in the US, Curves and Simply Health is putting Mifflin County out in front with Natural Health and preventative health care. You probably have never even heard of a Salt Cave but it’s worth your time and health to learn about it now if you haven’t!

So what on earth is a salt cave and why would you want to use one?

Halotherapy, also called salt therapy [“halos” in Greek means salt], is a drug-free and completely natural therapy with no side effects. It takes place in a controlled air environment that simulates the special microclimate of actual salt caves and salt mines.

The secret of healing in the salt cave is simple. The air is intensively saturated with negative ions along with many minerals our bodies are missing. By breathing in these elements, the body gets in balance and begins to heal itself. . The floor and the walls of the salt cave are covered with Himalayan crystal salt. Tons of large salt rocks and bricks surround the visitors. The size of the room is 400 sq. feet which allows 8-10 people to comfortably be seated during the Halotherapy sessions.

Inside the salt cave, visitors can experience a temperature of 7072F and a humidity of 40-50%.

There is also a salt aerosol of salt particles. This is a similar consistency of the salty air at the beach on an average morning. Remember how great you feel when you are at the beach? How free of allergies you usually are? The visitor sits in a relaxed position in large comfortable non-gravity lounge chairs for 45 minutes in a session. Calming music is added to help you relax. The large amount of dry Himalayan rock salt creates a special micro-

Complimentary

The Valley, January 2012

Mifflin County’s Very Own

Himalayan Salt Cave

The Salt Cave at Curves/Simply Heath in Burnham. A comfortable relaxing atmosphere to enjoy your halotherapy.

The benefits of salt help a wide range of ailments.

climate…which is also identical to the underground salt caves in Poland and Europe.

Our cave was designed

by Dr. Margaret Smiechowski, originally from Poland, where salt caves occur naturally. It is Dr. Margaret’s dream to recreate the salt cave experience here in the United States. “The Burnham cave has significant design and technological enhancements

over previous designs,” says Dr. Smiechowski. “In particular, this cave takes our unique proprietary ceiling design to the next level, offering the visitor the best of modern technology combined with old-world salt therapy. It is as beautiful as it is functional, and visitors have seen nothing like it.”

Like all of her salt caves, the Burnham cave features ecofriendly building materials and

a highly sophisticated climatecontrolled environment. However, this cave represents what Dr. Smiechowski calls “the future” of wellness caves in the United States.

The Burnham cave contains approximately fourteen thousand pounds of Himalayan salt, which is believed to be the purest salt on earth, containing all of the minerals that the human body requires

Lighting Brush Fires in People’s Minds

for healthy living. The salt in this new cave is primarily of the darker burgundy color and has been mined by hand without the use of equipment or chemicals. Visitors to the cave will enjoy the decor, which features recycled wood and soft lighting from unique copper lamps.

Salt is used in Dr. Smiechowski’s home country of Poland and throughout the world to help reduce inflammation, treat respiratory problems, prevent and reduce the severity of colds and flu, and for a wide variety of other medical problems. Simply Health will offer Halotherapy, the clinical use of salt through their new salt cave, in conjunction with a full array of wellness options, including a Curves fitness facility in the same building. They also offer the IonCleanse detoxing footbath, the Far Infrared sauna, and Alkaline water.

“With the help of Big Valley Construction, it has taken 2 months to create our cave here,” Marge and Nikki explained.

Although it is in the same building as Curves, the cave has its own entrance and private area so that men, women, and children are welcome. The cave will be open Monday- Friday from 11:00AM7:00PM and Saturday from 9:00AM-12:00PM. Yoga classes are also offered in the cave. They are Monday and Wednesdays at 9:15 AM and Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 6:00PM. It is best to call and reserve your time for all sessions as seating is limited.

Group reservations are also available at a group rate.. Sessions will be every hour – on the hour for 45 minutes.. You may wish to bring a light blanket for use in the cave.

Still not sure if you need or want to try out a salt cave? Halotherapy was found to have beneficial effects with health conditions like: Emphysema. allergies, sinus

Continued on page 26

The Valley, January 2012

2

In this Issue Woods, Water and Wildlife --Wayne Stottlar Roads Less Traveled --Lynn Persing Understanding the Constitution --Dave Molek Thots on... --Lydia Adventures on Our Nourishing Journey --Sue Burns Grosze Thal Nachbaren --Jeptha I. Yoder Looking Out My Back Door --Mary Anna Chenoweth Julie Mac’s, Wisdom from the Kitchen, Home and Garden --Julie MacConnell Modern Energy and Alternative Heating --Curt Bierly Recipes, Crafts and Gift Ideas --Debra Kulp Memories of a Dairy Princess --Macy Fisher Home-Grown --Mary Eck The Chicken AND the Egg! --Mike Flanagan Contentment Quest --Joanne Wills Resolutions --Sarah Hurlburt Jared’s thought’s from the Bunker --Jared Kauffman

Editor’s Corner Wayne Stottlar

A New Year! YES! All of last year’s mistakes are wiped clean, as it happened “LAST YEAR.” There was a verse in a song that I remember that went something like this “...Every new beginning is another beginning’s end.” How true, and good thing, or else we would carry our burdens from year to year. Some do, but I don’t think that is healthy, so rejoice!

You have a clean slate! Make it count.

As we start a new year we have some new additions to announce.

Three, yes that’s right, THREE new writers join The Valley family to start the New Year.

Last month’s guest columnist Dave Wilson of Four Star Jewelers in Burnham will become a regular contributing writer, starting in February. Dave will write about a host of subjects, not the least of which will be about precious metals and the whole coin investment business, but Dave will also step out in several directions from there. Always interesting to talk to, Dave will be a favorite with readers of The Valley, I am sure. If you have thought about buying some precious metal insurance before, but never did because you didn’t quite understand it, Dave is someone who will guide you through the process

and can be trusted 100% to watch your money as if it were his. Bottom line is, Dave is honest, you can trust him, I do.

Next, we would like to introduce Jared Kauffman who will write about survival and preparedness in his column titled “Jared’s thoughts from the Bunker.” I liked Jared as soon as I met him, right away he struck me as someone who was squared away and focused on being prepared for most any eventuality. I remember thinking, “He probably has a bunker in his backyard,” which is partly where his column title comes from. Jared will help you begin to take steps to guard yourself and family from possible economic collapse, whether it be regional or possibly worldwide.

The good thing is you don’t have to be helpless and dependant on handouts from the government, there are things you can do to minimize the effects on you and your family, Jared is going to show you how.

Last but not least, Ed Forsythe of Ed’s Trains in Vira is joining The Valley with a column about a resurgent old time hobby, Model Railroading. Ed not only has his store in Vira, he is also a member of The Mifflin County Model Railroaders Club in Lewistown. Ed’s contribution on

the history of the club triggered many comments asking for a monthly contribution from Ed, and we were lucky enough to talk him into it. Look for “Model Railroading News” starting this month in Ed’s column.

A new year brings new business to the area as well. We finally found the time to stop in at Billy’s BBQ on Route 655 in Reedsville to give them a try.

I had stopped in right before they opened to pitch advertising. I was lucky enough to meet the owner who passed me a sample hushpuppy, which was EXCELLENT. But being a rib lover, I really wanted to try the ribs, so with a promise to be back after they were open, I left and then got so busy I totally blew off the idea until now. We were busy laying this issue out and felt like a really good meal that wouldn’t cause us to go out. Solution? Billy’s BBQ for a rack of ribs, which I finished at home later with some sauce and a light broil.

Accompanied with some rice and a veggies, we were quickly enjoying a fabulous dinner that came together in minutes after arriving home. ...Oh the ribs?...

They were FABULOUS! I will be making this a regular stop, fall off the bone tenderness and

The Horse Scoop --Traci Hanna Yoder Poor Will’s Valley Almanack --Bill Felker Life in the East End --Rebecca Harrop Mail Pouch Books --Carleen B Grossman

just the right amount of kick. Ok, now my mouth is watering again, so I may have to go for round two already. Mmmmmm!

The older I get, the more I resent our liberties and freedoms being trodden or abolished by an over-reaching government.

Benjamin Franklin, a great Pennsylvanian and founding father, once said “....those that would sacrifice liberty for safety deserve neither...” Right on Ben, I am with you 100% on that. It is time the power shifted back to the states and the people, before those in Washington totally destroy this great nation. That brings me to the media circus called “Presidential Debates.” First off, these aren’t debates. They are talking point displays orchestrated by a ratings driven media. Truth has NO PLACE in this environment.

I guess as you age, your tolerance for stupidity leaves you, and I really dislike having my news filtered and then being told what to believe by people that I would NEVER associate with in real life.

A new feature this month is “Guest Editorial” and it deals with this exact topic. Although it is probably no secret that we have a slightly Libertarian bent here at The Valley, we do not as a paper wish to take sides in the national political debate, we figure you are smart enough to know your views without us telling you what to think.

Continued on page 3

Contact Info

Back Talk --Dr. Joseph Kauffman

Editor/Publisher Wayne Stottlar

Good News!

--Pastor Pat Roller

Ad Designer/Co-Publisher Lynn Persing

Homeschooling on the Homestead --Andy Weller

Associate Editor Colleen Swetland

Splitting Hares --Julianne Cahill

The Valley PO Box 41 Yeagertown, PA 17099 (717) 363-1550

Walking on the Wild Side --Julie Shultz Smith Model Railroading News --Ed Forsythe

E-mail: thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com Web: www.thevalleynewspaper.com ©The Valley. All Rights Reserved.

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

3

The Valley, January 2012

A Beautiful Day at Christmastime

By D’Ann Mowery

Saturday, December 10, 2011 was a beautiful day. However, for one family, the weather wasn’t the only reason it was beautiful.

The Community Business Networking Group (CBN), created by Dr. Joseph Kauffman of Kauffman-Hummel Chiropractic Clinic, wanted to “adopt” a family

of the members of the group.

D’Ann Mowery was their “guide” for the day. They were not told what was planned for them, only to wear something nice and what time to meet D’Ann at the Minit-Mart in McVeytown.

From there, they were instructed to follow her as she took them

Her parents told us (reluctantly, due to cost) that what Nikki really wanted for Christmas was an iPod Touch. They had told her that this was not possible this year. So with the help of Dr. Joe Kauffman, Collette Kauffman, Independent Consultant for Thirty-One Gifts, Kay Kirkland of the Paisley Bride, Terri Whitsel of TAZ Fitness, a printer raffle held by The Ink Garage, a gift card donated

by Walmart, and the help of a couple of Elves, we were able to grant her wish.

The iPod was presented to her after lunch, which resulted in a reaction of jumping up and down and tears being fought back. Her parents response was that their wish was for her to have a Merry Christmas and they were so thankful to the CBN group for their generosity. l to r Nikki, Brenda and Michael Parks enjoying their special day thanks to friends Joe Arbogast of Arbogast in Lewistown’s CBN group Video and Crafts n Such also has offered to put dozens for Christmas. D’Ann Mowery, over the river and through the of photos on a DVD for them to owner of The Ink Garage knew cherish in the years to come. villages of Mattawana, Pine Glen of the Parks Family, shared their

Mike and Brenda had similar and Longfellow. story and the group really em They arrived at the studio of thoughts when braced them.

Carley Smith Photography and asked what they

Michael Parks, raised in the were told that family portraits thought of their Strodes Mills Area, graduated were going to be taken after Patty day: with the LAHS Class of ‘79. His Zannino of Mary Kay Cosmetics “We had no wife Brenda was raised in the Mt. did makeovers for both Brenda idea what you Union area and also graduated in and Nikki. They all were touched had planned for 1979. They live in Three Springs by this offer and really enjoyed us, but this was along with daughter Nikki, who the experience. far more than we currently attends Southern Hunt Next they were told to folever dreamed. ingdon High School. low D’Ann once again, still not Everyone was so

In 2010 Brenda was diagknowing what was next for them. nice to us. We nosed with Breast Cancer, which They arrived at the West Granville want to Thank she successfully battled into Firehouse to find Jeff Curry waiteveryone for remission. Unfortunately, in Ocing with his stretch white Limo, what they did for tober of 2011, Brenda learned that to take them to lunch at the Cedar us today.” cancer had returned to her spine House Restaurant.

To: Mike, and hip along with a diagnosis of

At this point, Nikki, shy until Brenda and having only a couple of months now, became excited and started Nikki - what we to one year to live. She will snapping photos and texting received from spend her weekdays in Danville friends immediately! This was a this experience for treatment and come home to dream of hers to ride in a limo! is far more than spend the weekends with her husHer parents also had never experi- we ever could band, teenage daughter, and other enced a limo ride before. have dreamed close family members.

Once they arrived at the Cealso. Thank

To make matters worse, Mike dar House Restaurant in Burnham, You so much was recently laid off from his job they were treated to a delicious for allowing us at a local factory. While this gives lunch by manager Derek Confer to give you a him more opportunity to support and his staff. However, the final special day in the Brenda and be available to Nikki, surprise was yet to come! Christmidsts of your the financial strains are increased mas is the most magical for the current hurdles. at the same time. children, and the group wanted to May you have a

The CBN group decided to make sure Nikki knew how much blessed Christgive this family the “Royal Treatwe wanted this Christmas to be mas with all your ment” for a day! They would do one of the best for her to rememFamily.” a this by providing services of some ber.

Editors Corner from front page

There are people though, who can present a case in such a logical manner that it cries out to be presented to as many folks as possible. This is our attempt to present, for your consideration, a guest’s view on a particular subject.

For our first installment of “Guest Editorial” we are very blessed to have John Silveira who is the Senior Editor at Backwoods Home Magazine, one of our favorites! John’s words in the December issue of Backwoods Home just had to be spread far and wide as you could tell it wasn’t a party-

driven, phoney, political, talking points infomercial, but rather a message from the heart that had the light of truth guide the message. After contacting Backwoods Home and graciously receiving their permission, we are able to reprint that message in our pages.

The manipulation of the masses by main stream media and the political parties and their owners, the big corporations, have all but destroyed us. It is time to be counted, time to mark your own line in the sand. Speak up!

If something isn’t right, SAY SO! Don’t be talked down, and don’t be intimidated or silenced, our future depends on it. Make this the year that YOU decide enough is enough, time to act. a

If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.

--George Washington

Problems with Inspectors?

Harassed About Raw Milk Sales?

Exploring Direct Farm Sales?

THERE'S STRENGTH IN NUMBERS!

8116 Arlington Boulevard, Suite 263 Falls Church, VA 22042 703-208-FARM ★ info@farmtoconsumer.org

WWW.FARMTOCONSUMER.ORG

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

The Valley, January 2012

4

Adventures in Homesteading One family’s journey from the city and modern living back to the land and self-reliance.

by Dave and Ginger Striker

A continuing series.

A Season to be Thankful

Over the next several months we will be giving thanks for our seasons’ bounty. Before this age of highly mechanical and industrialized farm operations, which essentially removes the farmer from the “small farm” or “family operated farm” of yesterday, the farmer or homesteader would welcome the late fall and early winter as a time of harvest and finally rest from the prior seasons of hard work. Farm life was highly seasonal mimicking the life cycle of growth and dormancy in nature. This provided the farmer or homesteader natural periods of rest and rejuvenation, which has led to many of our seasons and traditions. It really wasn’t until we ventured out of our urban and suburban life as a family did we understand or at least begin to understand the concept of growth and dormancy. There is, of course,

a reason why fresh tomatoes only use to be available before the first freeze or chicken meat in the

spring and summer, and so on.

Historically, normal life has periods of hard work and then rest. This concept of work and rest is far removed from our society as more and more become separated from their natural responsibility

of food production. Not long ago in the 1940s the average family garden provided more than half of the entire country’s produce – today that number is just but a mere fraction of that.

It is no wonder most of our strongest holiday traditions live on with our parents and grandparents whom normally have a deeper appreciation of these deeply rooted and historic aspects of our lives. I find myself resisting the urge to expand on

this topic and writing at length about the ill effects of our modern food system and the negative impacts on society, so I will stop here and save that for another column <grin>!

Really what I wanted to observe is our own family’s thankfulness for the season’s bounty and for all of those friends, neighbors, and complete strangers who through their good will made it possible for us to do what we have done. Don’t worry – I know God is the first stop for thanks, but he of course inspired all of those who have blessed us to do as they have and therefore, be there when we most needed them.

It is hard to believe all that we have accomplished over the first year of our fledgling homestead. It is also hard for most people to appreciate their own progress, but it is good medicine

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

to stop and count your blessing each chance you can get. I write this in part because Ginger and I could use that advice most of all.

So often we get frustrated with our huge list of projects and feel like things aren’t progressing nearly fast enough, but when we really sit down and go through what we have done, it is sobering.

I suppose being hard on one’s self is a normal human tendency and is another good reason for spending this holiday season counting your blessings, appreciating your accomplishments, and giving thanks most importantly!

This year I am thankful for my wonderful and supportive wife, my children who have embraced this adventure with good spirit, the great people God has put in our path, our supportive families who have encouraged our somewhat uncommon desire (at least now-days) to return to a selfsufficient life of sustenance, tradition, and independence, and most importantly, God’s will to make it all possible. Make sure you take the time to enjoy this rich season of tradition and not let it slip by before the next year begins.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Dave & Ginger and Family a

5

The Valley, January 2012

Looking out my Back Door Life on my Mifflin County Homestead

by Mary Anna Chenoweth

Kitchen Essentials: Rootin’ Around in the Pantry

starch n: a white, orderless, tasteless granular or powdery complex carbohydrate that is the chief storage form of carbohydrate in plants, is an important foodstuff, and is used also in adhesives and sizes, in laundering and in pharmacy and medicine.

Webster’s Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary

When you look into the subject, the number of products that can be developed from a kernel of corn is truly amazing. Like the derivatives of soybeans and peanuts, the list goes far beyond food, branching into industrial additives, automotives, paints, pharmaceuticals, etc. It is all very scientific, with everything (the foods included) steeped in chemical formulae and carrying a laboratory stamp. Even the production of a basic and seemingly simple product, such as corn starch, requires a complex process that lies far outside the resources of the

average do-it-yourself cook. So, if we want a convenient source of food starch on the pantry shelf we either buy it or we do without, right?

Wrong. We do a bit of research and look backward (it’s been around for at least a couple of hundred years) to go forward into this month’s topic. Let’s talk about potato starch.

Potato Starch?

Yes, potato starch and no, you do not hear the bottom of the barrel being scraped for story ideas. Commonly used in northern European cooking, often found on the shelves of the Kosher food section in grocery stores, potato starch looks, acts and is used just like corn starch. Potato starch, however, has one major advantage that corn starch cannot claim - it can be made in our own kitchens with the most basic of equipment.

Ahhh, the potato, yet another treasure from the western hemi-

sphere. Over the past four and a half centuries it has become, like corn, a major food crop grown worldwide. In most every way, the potato is the paragon of homestead crops. In a town garden or farm field, they are easy to grow and care for, highly productive in limited space, suited to long term storage and are highly nutritious.

That they are also a source of easily processed and easily stored, gluten free starch just shows that there are often simpler ways to do seemingly complicated things as long as we’re willing to put some effort into the process.

When it comes to starch content, not all potatoes are created equal. There are hundreds of varieties of potato and if you want to locate and grow one particular high in starch, go for it (and let us know what you planted and how it goes). When it comes right down to it, though, any old ‘tater will do.

A good thing about making potato starch is that you can fit it in between other jobs or whenever you’ve got free time. Usually when you dig your potato crop, you’ve got a dozen other harvest chores to do as well. But those spuds cut by the shovel or of questionable storage quality are excellent candidates for making starch and they’ll wait a few weeks ‘til things slow down. Any tubers smaller than you want to put into storage or any that aren’t keeping well through the winter can be culled for the starch jar as well.

So, how do we make the stuff and how do we use it?

In a nutshell, potato starch is made by grating potatoes, rinsing them in water, allowing the starch to settle and then dehydrating it; let’s consider each of these steps in turn.

To start the process, scrub and peel your potatoes. We did experiment once, thinking of saving time, and grated a small batch without peeling. Brown rice and brown bread are excellent foods.

Brown potato starch just didn’t make the cut. Your choice, but we strongly recommend peeling.

Now, for the sake of this discussion, let’s say that we’re working with one pound of peeled potatoes (though obviously this can be

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

done with any amount available or easy for you to work with).

The potatoes must be grated as finely as possible. We started off with a fine cheese grater, which works well, but if you’ve got a food processor, or any other way to efficiently grind the potatoes to a pulp, it will release the maximum amount of starch.

Place the potato pulp - a pound will yield about two cups - in a bowl or pot (NO ALUMINIUM) with about twice the amount of water as you have pulp and give it a good stir.

The next step is to strain the pulp, using a very fine strainer or a strainer lined with cheese cloth (if you’re using the gauzy stuff that usually passes for cheesecloth, use several layers and make sure it’s clean and sterilized). The strained water should go into a container to settle. We’ve found that glass jars work well for this.

For large batches, wide mouth gallon sized jars are best. You know, the kind pickles and such things used to come in and that we all save ‘cause we just KNOW we’re going to find a use for them someday. Well, here’s a great way to use them.

Put the pulp back into the bowl and add more water, stir and strain this second water into the

Continued on page 19

The Valley, January 2012

6

Thots on...Genesis

A Bible Study for the Lay Christian

by Lydia

In 2 Timothy 3.16, Paul tells us, “Every inspired scripture has its use for teaching the truth and refuting error, or for reformation of manners and discipline in right living…” [NEB*] *Unless otherwise noted, all Scriptures are quoted from the New International Version.

Genesis 11.1-2, 4-9

Now the whole world had one language and a common speech.

As men move east, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there….

Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”

But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower that the men were building. The LORD said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand one another.”

So the LORD scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city.

That is why it was called Babel— because there the LORD confused the language of the whole world.

The descendants of Noah moved eastward until they came to a plain, where they decided to settle. Here, for the first time, we read that men baked bricks for building material and used tar

for mortar. Then they set about building a city with a “tower that reaches to the heavens.” This so-called tower is commonly assumed to have been a ziggurat constructed of baked brick. A ziggurat is similar to an Egyptian pyramid but, unlike a pyramid, it was not intended for use as a tomb but as housing for a staircase that led to a temple constructed on its flat top.

God’s reaction to the construction of the tower of Babel may sound confusing to modern man. Why was God so upset with mankind for having decided to build such a tower? Today, we build skyscrapers that would dwarf any ancient ziggurat and send space shuttles hurtling toward the heavens. Why should God be so displeased about a relatively small, pyramidal tower, when he doesn’t seem to be upset with our skyscrapers or space flights?

The answer lies not in the building itself, but in its purpose. “’Come,’ they said, ‘let us build…a tower with its top in the heavens.’” [Genesis 11.4 NEB] According to the concordance, Babel is a Babylonian term meaning “gate of the gods”. The tower was not just another building; it was intended to be a temple reaching toward a “gate” in the heavens through which their gods could pass between realms. It was this commerce with idols that God condemned, not high-rise buildings.

Good News!

by Pastor Pat Roller

I suspect that by the time you read this article, Christmas will be completed and the children (grandchildren) will have resorted to playing with the boxes the expensive toys arrived in. My hope is that your Christmas celebration was exactly what you expected: fun times with friends and family, lots of good food to share, and yes, if possible at least a few minutes of peace on earth.

As I sit here Christmas week trying to mark off all the items on my “to do” list, I am reminded that the calendar doesn’t stop just

because it is Christmas or New Year’s. There is always a “down the road” to be faced. But, the joy we celebrate at Christmas helps us both look down the road and move forward down that road.

God came to us as a helpless, defenseless baby and the whole world celebrated. The world continues to celebrate his birth.

The birth of the Babe of Bethlehem is only the first time we see and experience Emmanuel—Godwith-Us.

There is a story I often tell at Christmas time—I do not remem-

Rev. Dr. Henry G. Covert

hgc7@verizon.net Dr. Henry Covert is an ordained minister with the United Church of Christ. After a tour of duty in the military, he worked in law enforcement for twenty years as both a patrol sergeant and county detective.

Toward the end of that career he began his studies for the ministry.

He has served several parishes, worked in therapeutic communities, was a state prison chaplain, and acquired adjunct faculty status in the criminal justice department at Penn State University. Dr. Covert was the chaplain for Pennsylvania’s first execution in thirty-three years. He has a doctorate from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and has authored six books.

• Ministry to the Incarcerated (ISBN 0-8294-0860-6) International market -paperback • Discovering the Parables: An Inspirational Guide for Everyday Life (ISBN 978-0-313-34962-1 ) International market – hard cover & e-book • Spiritual Reflections: A Journey Through the Scriptures (ISBN 978-0-313-35901-9) International market - hardcover & e-book • Christian Beliefs and Prayers (ISBN 978-0-692-01101-0) International market – paperback, e-book & Amazon Kindle • The Crucifixion of Jesus (ISBN 978-0-9833359-0-0) International market – paperback, e-book & Amazon Kindle • The True Church of Jesus Christ (ISBN 978-0-9833359-4-8) International market –

When God decided to thwart this activity, the biblical account reads, “Come, let us go down and confuse their language….”

If you’ve been following this study of Genesis, you may recall that the Hebrew word for God is elohim, which is the plural form.

This is not an indication of multiple gods, but of the multiple facets of the one true God, the Creator.

We see this triune nature of God revealed as the heavenly Father, the Son of God, and the Holy Spirit.

The Tower of Babel is believed to have been the Babylonian tower known as Etemenanki.

The Greek historian Herodotus describes this ziggurat in his Histories:

“The temple of Bêl… was still in existence in my time. It has a solid central tower, one stadium square, with a second erected on top of it and then a third, and so on up to eight. All eight towers can be climbed by a spiral way running round the outside, and about half way up there are seats for those who make the ascent to rest on. On the summit of the topmost tower stands a great temple with a fine large couch in it, richly covered, and a golden table beside it… The Chaldaeans also say that the god enters the temple in person and takes his rest upon the bed.”

How quickly mankind turned away from the one true God and began to worship idols! Why is it that, even today, we’d rather turn

to any other source except God? We prefer to consult horoscopes, fortune tellers, psychics and gurus, instead of turning to God’s Word for the answers to our questions. It is regrettable that many church members are more familiar with the prophecies of Nostradamus than they are with the prophecies of Isaiah or the teachings of Jesus.

Proverbs 2.6 says, “For the LORD gives wisdom, and from

His mouth come knowledge and understanding” and James 1.5 advises us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”

Let us not seek advice from the enemies of God, but rather seek guidance from God Himself and let Him direct our steps. a

ber where I first learned this story, but it is one to remember. A man had experienced a very difficult year and had withdrawn from family and friends and God. On Christmas Eve, his wife urged him to attend worship with her, but he just couldn’t do it. So, she went to the church service by herself.

As the man was sitting in front of the television screen, not really watching anything, he heard something hitting the windows.

He got up to look and found a small flock of birds that were obviously lost on their way south.

The man thought, I have a nice warm barn where they can spend the night so they won’t freeze. Putting on his coat and carrying a flashlight the man headed out the door to open the

barn and get the birds inside. He tried “shooing” them into the barn, but the birds were frightened by him. He tried putting bread out for the birds to follow into the barn. They would get just so very close and then fly away.

The man was very frustrated.

He wanted to help these poor little birds! He had done everything he knew to do to get the birds into the warmth and safety of the barn.

He didn’t know what else to try.

But he thought, “If I just could become one of them. Then, I could lead them to safety.”

At that moment the church bells began to ring across his community. And this tired, frustrated, “burned-out” man fell to his knees remembering that at Christmas God became one of us.

We have experienced the coming of the Christ Child at Christmas time. Our celebrations are more than a remembrance of some historical event 2011 years ago. Our celebrations are more than a memorial to tradition.

Our celebrations are, in fact, a re-enactment of God becoming One-of-Us.

The Good News is that this event is not confined to Christmas.

God is One-of-Us every time we need His presence. God is Oneof-Us every time we feel burnedout, used-up, and frustrated. God is One-of-Us when we face crisis and when we experience joy. God is One-of-Us when we are tired of running the race and when we

Paperback, e-book & Amazon Kindle Lowest Prices: bookfinder.com, bookfinder4U.com, alldiscountbooks.net, cheapbooks.com, Amazon.com Please Visit: https://sites.google.com/site/christianbooksbyhenrycovert

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

Continued on page 19

7

The Valley, January 2012

Adventures on Our Nourishing Journey

by Sue Burns

It’s January - A Month for Plowing and Cultivating

Yes, I know, January is the least likely month of the year to think traditionally about the actions of plowing and cultivating anything. The gardens and fields are resting. Yet, from a holistic health perspective, I think January is the perfect time to weed and seed our dietary and lifestyle gardens.

On New Year’s Day many of us resolve to change something about our lives. We start off strong and determined, but often quickly loose steam, setting aside our well-meaning intentions before the groundhog has seen his shadow. Too soon we become complacent and say, “What is the big deal? Everything is fine,” or is it? Unfortunately a major health event may force us out of our comfort zone. Health scares have a way of grabbing our attention. No longer do we take our body for granted.

It was not a health event but a TV show that stopped me in my tracks and started me thinking. It began innocently enough. I was cleaning my kitchen, (not my favorite chore by the way), so I decided to turn on the TV to help me tune out to the task at hand.

I flipped through the channels and landed on a show I had never seen, but heard about. It is called “Hoarders.” Have you watched it? Oh my. Let me just say that 30 minutes later I was stunned, shocked and dismayed. And my kitchen floor still needed mopped because I was mesmerized by what I was seeing. I understand that some of the drama is for the TV camera, but even so, the living spaces I witnessed were unbelievable! Smugly, I realized that my cluttered and crummy kitchen appeared pristine in comparison.

Naturally when we think of clutter, most of us have a mental image of an abundance of junk and debris clogging up our external spaces in our home like our closets, pantries, cupboards,

garages, attics and in my case, all flat surfaces. Fortunately, most of us do not suffer from the painful disease of hoarding. We know how good it feels to de-clutter the excess that trips us up literally and figuratively. We toss and tote and plow through our piles. But what about the “clutter” in our other home, the one that travels with us every step of our life journey; our body? Can our bodies become so stuffed and strained with pollutants, fake foods, and synthetic chemicals that we all become hoarders of sorts?

Absolutely! And what better time than right now to plow ourselves out of our culinary clutter and begin to cultivate a healthy new year.

Here are some steps to get you pointed in the right direction:

Start to eliminate White “Noise” from your diet. “Noisy “foods create “static” and disrupts every cell and system of our body. What are the top chatter boxes?

Refined SugarWe can use every excuse in the book, but there is not a shadow of a doubt in the research that white, processed, refined sugar is detrimental to our health. According to Nancy Appleton, Ph.D, author of Lick The Sugar Habit, sugar throws off the body’s homeostasis. In other words, we are off balance. Excess

sugar may result in a number of significant consequences. Dr. Appleton shares the following list of some of the many metabolic consequences of eating excess sugar: 1. Sugar can suppress the immune system.

2. Sugar upsets the mineral relationships in the body.

3. Sugar can cause hyperactivity, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and crankiness in children.

4. Sugar can produce a significant rise in triglycerides.

5. Sugar contributes to the reduction in defense against bacterial infection.

Most of us say that we care about our health, yet continue to

consume mass quantities of sugar.

This is not a willpower issue. As humans we are hard-wired to enjoy and crave the sweet taste, yet the more we get, the more we want. Food manufactures know this, so sugar is hidden in many processed foods. Don’t think that as long as you are not sprinkling it on your cereal or stirring it into your tea that you are not consuming sugar. For example, did you know that a leading brand of spaghetti sauce has more sugar per serving that a leading brand of hot fudge sauce? Unbelievable, but true. The first step in elimination of added sugar is to identify the sources of sugar in your diet by reading labels on processed

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

foods, also think about where you add sugar. If a processed food has more that 8 grams of sugar per serving consider putting it back on the shelf or eat smaller portions.

Increasing the amount of healthy sweetness in our diet is the perfect way to reduce our dependence on refined sugar while still meeting the need for sweet taste.

These come to us in the form of fresh and dried fruits as well as root vegetables such as carrots, squashes and sweet potatoes. You may find that as you eliminate refined sugar your taste buds will reset and you will begin to appreciate the natural sweetness in whole foods. When our taste buds are overwhelmed with intense flavors, we begin to lose the ability to recognize the subtle and satisfying tastes of real food. Finally, avoid substituting artificial sweeteners for refined sugar on the premise that you are avoiding calories.

Artificial sweeteners are another topic for another day, but suffice it to say, this is a very unhealthy and dangerous trade off.

White Flour- You knew this was coming didn’t you? We all have cluttering comfort carbs in our life, yet regardless of what you are baking, you can, for the most part avoid using white flour by substituting whole wheat flour and immediately create a healthier product. White flour is a highly processed refined product made of grains which have been stripped from their natural and most valuable parts; the bran and the germ.

When these parts are intact the grain is whole and most recognizable to our body for proper digestion. White flour products leave us nutritionally deficient due to the lack of minerals and fiber. Read your food labels carefully. If an ingredient says ‘flour,” “unbleached white flour,” or “enriched flour” this is a clue to eliminate or avoid as much as possible. Yes, this also includes not just bread, but most crackers, pastries, and pastas.

White Rice- Over the course of

Continued on page 11

8

The Valley, January 2012

Julie Mac’s

Wisdom from the Kitchen, Home, and Garden Julie MacConnell

Welcome to the New Year!

We all make resolutions this time of year, and from my standpoint doing so is pointless unless your heart is in the right place. You have to really want to accomplish your resolution and take measured steps to make sure that your goal is met. One promise we often make to ourselves is to lead a healthier lifestyle. We want to eat better, we won’t smoke or drink so much, cut out processed foods, or exercise on a regular basis. If you don’t think you can do it for yourself, how about doing it for your dog? I’m entirely serious about this. Our dogs are our best friends, our compadres, our family members. They may need a lifestyle change as much as you do!

Eating the wrong foods and obesity is as much a health crisis for your dog as it is for their human counterparts. I have a challenge for all the readers out there—go look at the ingredient list on your dog food. If a protein (such as beef, chicken or fish) is not listed as the first ingredient, find another dog food. You’ll be startled to find that many commercial dog foods have very little nutritional value and are full of fillers like corn.

They may lure you with pretty labels with healthy jumping dogs and leafy green vegetables but when you read the ingredient list, little or none of the good foods

are actually in the bag. Many dogs such as my “Tigger” are actually allergic to these fillers and they can cause health problems all on their own. As with people, diseases are on the rise with dogs and though there are studies out there that point to different factors like environmental toxins as the culprits. It is also a belief that their food has become a major contributor. In the old days dogs were fed from the home kitchen. They were given scraps of food from the table, meats, vegetables and other things that were all natural products of the farm. It wasn’t until 1860 when the first processed dog food was introduced by James Spratt, of Cincinnati, Ohio who developed a biscuit made of wheat, beet root, vegetables and beef blood. His inspiration for this product came from watching stray dogs eat hardtack thrown away by sailors off ships in port. The name of this new product was called Spratt’s Patent Meat Fibrine Dog Cakes. Other companies quickly jumped on the bandwagon, and more baked dog products were on the market. Some offered paid endorsements by veterinarians, while others made claims to cure a dog of worms and certain diseases. During the depression, dog owners again looked for a less expensive method of feed-

ing their dogs. Less meat was fed to the dogs and more fillers like corn and cereals became a staple in our best friend’s diet. In the 1950s Spratt’s became part of General Mills, and in 1960 it was bought by “Spillers” dog food company (a UK subsidiary of Purina which is owned by General Mills). Today Spillers makes “Bonio” bone-shaped biscuits which are very similar to those once manufactured by James Spratt. The production of enormous bags of “kibbled” dog foods began in earnest in 1957 when the Purina company began marketing extruded dry dog “chow” through grocery store chains. Purina followed on with cat chow in 1962.

Today most grocery stores in the U.S. devote more shelf space to canned and kibbled dog food than they do to breakfast cereal or baby food. And to be perfectly honest, after looking at the labels, most are complete junk. There are a few with some redeeming qualities, but most should be left on the shelf.

Ok, so you’ve taken my advice and decided to buy one of the premium dog foods—you know the ones. These are the excellent, but super pricey ones that are at the back of the store….. egads. You almost choke when you see the prices. Myself, I just paid $62.99 for a 30 lb bag of dry dog food. Just a few months ago that same dog food was $15.00$20.00 less. Even that was a lot of money, but I was willing to suck it up for the benefit of my babies, one of which is 11 years old. He is quite elderly for his breed and I know that over the years the good dog food that I have given him has contributed to his long and healthy life. I am, rather, getting tired of paying this food bill… what to do what to do—I then got the idea to start doing some research on homemade dog food.

I mean going beyond giving your dog leftover plain chicken breast, rice and veggies—which is all super good stuff, but it can be time consuming if you have to make it on a daily basis. I mean, was there

Dog cookies made in your kitchen can be much more healthy, not to mention cheaper than commercial alternatives.

anyone else out there that felt the way that I did and had actually come up with a safe recipe to can my own dog food? What about homemade biscuits? They also go for a king’s ransom at the pet boutiques. Why not make them yourself?

After scouring the internet and doing some reading, I’ve basically discovered that as long as you stay away from “Dog Danger Foods,” you can pretty easily make up your own dog food out of healthy type scraps.

Grapes and Raisins can cause irreversible damage to the kidneys, possible resulting in death.

Onions can cause a form of hemolytic anemia called Heinz body anemia, a condition that causes the destruction of red blood cells.

Kidney damage may follow.

Chocolate and cocoa contain a chemical called theobromide that can adversely affect the heart, lungs, kidney and central nervous system.

Caffeine is quite similar to

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

the toxic chemical in chocolate. It can damage the heart, lungs, kidney and central nervous system.

Macadamia nuts, while generally not considered fatal, can cause your dog to experience severe illness.

Xylitol is a sugar-free sweetener most often found in chewing gum and candy. In dogs, it stimulates the pancreas to secrete insulin, resulting in hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). Xylitol ingestion can also cause severe liver damage.

Alcoholic beverages contain ethanol - a seriously toxic chemical compound that causes central nervous system and respiratory depression.

Apple seeds, cherry pits, peach pits, and plum pits contain the toxin cyanide.

Moldy or rotten foods can cause many problems for your dog, some more serious than others. Any food that seems “past

Continued on page 14

9

The Valley, January 2012

The Book Every American Should Read Masters of Audacity and Deceit

Connecting the Dots of Washington Corruption

by William E. Been The American people will never knowingly adopt Socialism, but under the name of liberalism, they will adopt every fragment of the socialist program until one day America will be a socialist nation without ever knowing how it happened.

—Norman Thomas

JANUARY

SAVINGS 15% off

20% off 19513*

831392

3195

199

Leatherman Fuse Black/Camo

Ice Scraper w/Brush 22”

reg $37.95

reg $2.49

10% OFF

16% OFF 014110

98

5872999

95

American Power PullCorp.

1 Ton, 10' Chain Hoist

5999

Jack 48” (Limited Quantity) reg $69.99

reg $109.95

27% OFF

10% OFF 556653

2426

Fluorescent Shop Light reg $26.95

www.PaulBparts.com We launched our Sprayer Parts website, www.PaulBparts.com in August. Now we’re adding a whole new section for Weasler PTO Drivelines Parts, plus Ag News, Weather, and Market Information!

RJ100

3995

Grip-Rite Air Hose 3/8” x 100’ reg $54.95

22% OFF SXM15

2495

Schumacher Speed Charger 1.5Amp reg $31.95

We now Ship UPS!

717.935.2131

4951 E. Main St, Belleville PA

More savings at

www.PaulBhardware.com/bville

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

With the GDP growing to its peak in June 2008, why did the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy of September 15, 2008, help spark a recession that grew to be the Great Recession? How is it possible that American financial leadership was so negligent and uninformed as to not foresee an economic situation that would be described as being so severe that it would require trillions of dollars to avoid a Great Depression? Are we so incapable from a financial management perspective, or are we so paralyzed by political forces that necessary corrections were either not foreseen or not allowed?

Through meticulous research, Masters of Audacity and Deceit answers these questions and connects the dots that link the myriad factors that have led this country to its current state.

www.webpatrioticservices.com

http://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book. php?w=978-1-61346-370-3

The Valley, January 2012

10

The Horse Scoop

by Traci Hanna Yoder

Winter Blues

As winter arrives, the days get shorter, we start feeling the need to sleep more, eat more and avoid social contact. As we start this hibernation, we also start to feel the effects of depression as the time change kicks in. Daylight Savings Time can be a dreaded time of the year for the horse person. Horseback riding is a way for many to maintain their mental health. The mood-boosting effects of a horse or pet does not require a prescription. Not only can being around horses induce a sense of calmness, but horseback riding will also work your muscles, all of which can help combat depression. Being around animals can be an uplifting experience for people, therefore lack of time with our animals can send us into a seasonal depression. This is especially true for the 9am-5pm employed horse owner. Their day is spent inside and by the time they arrive home looking for some stress-free time with their horse, darkness has set in.

Through the chaos of the holidays we may not always notice our lack of time in the saddle. As the rush winds down and we feel the need for more stress relief, we really begin to notice our lack of horse time. Every winter I dread this time of year, but try to look for positive ways to get through the days of darkness.

Winter can actually be a wonderful time of the year to relax, and ease up on training and showing. It’s good for both you and your horse to take a break from the stress of horse shows and traveling. Try to enjoy the down-time of winter. In the winter you don’t need to work your horse

as hard or as long when there is snow on the ground. Snow can provide great exercise for your horse’s muscles as well as his cardiovascular system. The act of pulling his feet out of the snow gives the horse extra exertion even at just an easy trot. Sometimes just a relaxing Sunday walk enjoying a snow covered scene can be enough to give you and

work on ground manners, especially with younger horses.

Give your horse as much turnout as possible in the winter, especially if time does not permit you to ride him often enough.

Turnout will make him happier and more cooperative for you when you do ride. If weather does not permit adequate turnout, then try to keep your horse happy in the stall. Feeding a little extra hay can help keep him busy. Reducing his grain intake

Enjoy the beauty of Winter White to help ward off the Blues.

can help keep him from getting “hot” or gaining too much weight if he is not burning off those extra calories. Many horse toys are available for hanging in the stall and will occupy his time and relieve boredom.

Grooming gives you extra bonding time with your horse.

Grooming is also very important to help keep the horse’s pores from becoming blocked, which can inhibit his ability to keep warm as well as contribute to Phone (717) 667-6556 141 Three Cent Lane fungal outbreaks.

Toll Free (888) 567-6556 Reedsville, PA 17084 In the winter dirt is easily trapped under the long winter coat, and even under blankets that may More than just a feed store not be as clean as you think.

Daily removal of your horse a refreshing and relaxing outlook after a week of little time in the saddle.

If riding has become almost impossible due to the lack of decent weather and daylight, the next best thing is just to spend as much quality time in the barn with your horse as you can. Hand walking can be great exercise for both you and your horse. It also gives you an opportunity to

blankets and thorough brushing helps with circulation and brings dirt to the top. If you don’t have a vacuum, using a curry and a soft brush followed by massaging with a rag sprayed with coat conditioner is the best way to get all the dirt off your horse. As you groom your horse, rub him with a rag firmly and massage him for further stimulation of his coat and muscles. This massaging not only feels good to the horse, but also works your muscles.

Paying close attention to your breathing while grooming your horse can lower your stress.

Deep breathing is shown to stimulate nerves that counter act stress responses. Keeping a barn door open on nice days to let in more light and ventilation can help you “breath” easier when you are at the barn. Even keeping a radio playing in the barn can be soothing to both you and your horse.

Winter time is a perfect time to take advantage of clean-

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

ing and reorganizing tack. Tack that needs repaired before show season should be fixed. Tack that has been unclean due to lack of time in the summer can be thoroughly cleaned at this time.

If you find that you do have a lot of tack needing repair, winter is also a great time to shop for something new! Look for events like the Horse Expo in Harrisburg at the end of February, to attend and stock up on new horse supplies. Shopping at events like the expo gets you out of the house and enables you to socialize with other horse people. Horse-related socialization combined with shopping is sure to ward off some winter blues!

Look for horse related events that can give you some “horsetime” that may not be in the barn.

Even something like a scrapbooking day with friends, to put together some memories of the past show season or of a favorite horse. There are often clinics and seminars over the winter to help you prepare yourself for the upcoming show season.

As we sit in the house trying to keep warm on those blustery winter days, this is also a good time to be thinking ahead for our future plans with your horse. We can evaluate what we want to accomplish with our horse when the weather breaks; whether it’s new shows to attend or new trails to conquer. Maybe we even need to go shopping for that new horse!

Winter is the perfect time to look for a new prospect. Usually prices are lower and it gives us time to bond with our new purchase before heading out on a trail or to a new show.

Make the most of the time you do get to spend with your horses in the winter, as Spring will be here before we know it and you can be back in the saddle again! a

THE STEWARDSHIP GROUP PROVIDING SOLUTIONS FOR

Auto Insurance Homeowners Insurance Life Insurance Health Insurance Farm Insurance Church Insurance Estate Planning Precious Metals Income Tax Preparation Payroll/Accounting Services TRADITIONAL VALUES ROOTED IN FAITH

935-5858

www.TheStewardshipGroup.org

11

The Valley, January 2012 Plowing and Cultivating from page 7 many years we have gotten used to white rice over brown rice. Just like other grains, to make white rice, the germ and inner husk called the bran is removed. The rice grain is then polished, usually using glucose or talc. The result is a food that is highly depleted in nutritional value so it is fortified synthetically to prevent major deficiencies. Switching to brown rice, which I admit, is different in taste, texture, and cooking time from white rice may take some adjustment, but isn’t your health worth it? Overall if you do not enjoy brown rice, consider eliminating or cutting back on rice from your diet.

Caffeine- Wake up and smell the green tea! I understand 90% of Americans begin their day with a caffeine jolt, so I do not expect most of you to give this step consideration. Mornings are a common time to depend on caffeine for energy. Yet the more we rely on caffeine early in the day, the less likely we are to consume a healthy breakfast like a vegetable omelet, protein smoothie, or whole grain hot cereal. One of the major problems with caffeine is that it can severely impact sleep patterns. Yes, if you have a morning cup of coffee, 75% of it will clear your body by the time you go to bed. But if you have a couple of cups of drip coffee in the morning, that means you will still be going to sleep with some 50 mg still circulating in your blood stream, more than enough to disrupt the depth and quality of your sleep. And if you drink coffee throughout the day, or as an afternoon pick-me-up, the level in your blood at bedtime will climb dramatically. So while, yes, you may yet fall asleep, it is likely the quality of that sleep will not be up to par. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why we feel so “wired” and “tired.” If you must consume caffeine, remember that natural caffeine is preferable to “added” caffeine found in soda and energy drinks because natural caffeine comes packaged with a number of powerful antioxidants. The Mayo Clinic says under 300 mg a day is fine. I recommend a much lower amount -- at about 100 mg a day. That still allows for 3 cups of green tea a day. The exception to this guideline is that if you take your caffeine bound to fiber, as in guarana (not guarana extract), the caffeine releases over time rather than in powerful bursts, which allows you to consume more without the negative side effects.

Take special note of the times of day when you rely on caffeine for an energy boost. This is when you need to provide your body with a whole foods healthy snack. As hard as it sounds, try not to use caffeine as part of a daily ritual such as “every morning” to start the day. Use it selectively, if possible, to get a boost only when needed. Take at least two days off each week -- totally caffeine free -- to allow all caffeine to clear from your body on a weekly basis. And as much as possible avoid consuming caffeine while pregnant.

Chemical Additives and Fake Foods- For years the food industry has built an empire marketing chemicals to us as real foods. I can not emphasize enough how important it is to your overall health to read food labels. Do you see listed artificial preservatives, aspartame, sucralose, high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors, flavorings, and hydrogenated oils to name a few? Plain and simply these additives can clog our systems. Real food is made in the kitchen, not in the laboratories. Slowly move away from processed foods by remembering that if you can not assemble the ingredients for a food product in your home kitchen, do not buy it. We all like convenience, but foods in boxes and bags comes to us at a great health cost. Cut back on these products and your de-cluttering process will be in full swing. In The Healthiest Kids in the Neighborhood, the Sears family wrote that if you remove the following three “red light” ingredients from your diet, you’ll probably remove 90% of the junk you eat. Here they are: 1. High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)

Once you begin to look for it, be prepared to find HFCS everywhere. It has really become ubiquitous in the food industry.

There are a number of problems with this chemical, for instance, researchers from the University of Pennsylvania have found that HFCS messes with the hormones that regulate hunger and satiety, and that when we consume HFCS we do not feel as full, which leads to overeating. Another major concern is how much our children eat and the alarming rise in childhood obesity.

Remove this chemical as completely from your diet as you can. It’s really a no-win additive, and the less you consume, the better. It’s best to wean high fructose corn syrup in small increments so that it’s not overwhelming. Make a list of all the foods you currently

eat that contain it. Then one by one, seek out acceptable alternatives.

2. Trans Fats

Trans fats are chemically altered fats that are detrimental to our heart health. Nutritionists at Harvard have estimated that about 30,000 premature deaths due to coronary heart disease may be caused by consuming trans fats.

Beyond heart disease, trans fats are also linked to diabetes, stroke and cancer.

The benefit to the food industry is that these altered fats are very stable, so they extend the life span of the food and allow it to sit in warehouses and shelves for a long time. The evidence against trans fats is so well established, though, that the Board of Health in New York City even passed a ban on the use of these fats, the first time a city has ever banned a food product.

To identify trans fats, look directly at the ingredient list. Transfats are often called “partially hydrogenated oils” or “hydrogenated oils.” There is a labeling loophole that allows companies to list 0 grams of trans fat on the label if the true amount is under .5 grams. Considering that most of us never eat just one serving, and any amount of trans fat is bad for you — it is always best to see if it is in the ingredient list directly.

Fried foods in restaurants often are cooked in trans-fats, so unless the restaurant explicitly states they do not fry in trans fats, stay away from the fried stuff when eating out.

3. Stop “Painting by the Numbers”- Just Say No to Food Dyes

There are many natural ways to dye foods in order to increase their appeal, but natural dyes are more expensive than chemical dyes. In a meta-analysis of many studies, artificial dyes (they have a number next to them in the ingredient list) have been linked to behavior problems in children.

Furthermore, the use of dyes can mask the absence of real food inside. For example, a popular guacamole dip gets its green color from Yellow 5, Yellow 6 and Blue 1, not from avocado (of which it has very little).

When you scan the ingredients, the dyes are usually at the end of the list. Again, opting for organic alternatives may be a good bet as you try and find new foods that avoid chemical dyes.

OKAY, Now that we have done some plowing, here comes the cultivating part.

Throughout this year I will encourage you to make the best healthy choices for you and your

family, yet I believe there is one choice we can make that stands above all others.

It is to enjoy life!

Perhaps this sounds too simple. It does not involve any rules, regulations or research. Yet it holds healing power beyond description. So often we focus so intently on keeping the “wrong” stuff out of our lives that we forget to relax and have fun with the “good” stuff. Now don’t misunderstand, I am not suggesting that we abandon our health goals, in fact, that is quite the contrary.

Keep reaching, learning and growing as you find ways to enjoy wholesome foods, play, laugh, travel and explore life! No matter what our age, financial state, or relationship status, each of us can find ways to celebrate our time here on earth. True enjoyment comes from wholehearted living that brings joy to you and yours.

Nourishing and cultivating our body with joy will in turn create the desire to feed our body natural food, quality sleep and exercise.

It is a lovely cycle.

The new year awaits, offering 365 days of choices, opportunities and possibilities. May you use those days to create what brings joy to your heart.

Ladies, give me a call between now and the end of March

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

if you would like to work together to create your “Resolution Constitution” for 2012. A custom designed step-by-step plan for healthy living in the new year and beyond!

Blessings to you as you continue to walk on your nourishing journey.

Sue is a holistic nutrition consultant and holistic health educator. Her office is located at 54 Chestnut Street in Lewistown.

To learn more about her business go to www.mynourishingjourney. com She can be reached by email at sue@mynourishingjourney.com or give her a call at 2423132. a

`Tis our true policy to steer clear of permanent Alliances, with any portion of the foreign world.

--G. Washington

Mifflintown

717-436-7555 • 800-242-4050 www.sausman.com

Call Rod Cook or Wendy Hackenberger

The Valley, January 2012

12

Roads Less Traveled...

by Lynn Persing

Holiday stress and anxiety

I know I can’t be the only one who gets a little stressed and anxious over the holidays. Oh ok, well, let’s be brutally honest. I am always stressed an anxious—a born worrier. But when it comes to Christmas, it seems like there is not enough time in the day to do all the little things you want to do to make Christmas special.

Forget about yourself, there are gifts to buy for family and friends, cookies and breads to bake to give as gifts or for when company arrives, and donations to be made so those less fortunate can have a happy holiday season as well.

Then there’s the decorating, getting the tree, wrapping presents, cleaning the house for company, and the list goes on and on. All of this happens in the midst of our regular work schedules and daily routines, but somehow, most of it gets done. However, it’s not

without some added stress, and anxiety in most cases.

Oh, I have a few relatives and friends who start really early and seem to breeze through it all without even a second thought (Kelly and Jenn?), but as I talked to many people this year and asked them if they were done shopping and wrapping just a day or two before Christmas, most responded....nope! In some twisted way, it made me feel better that I was not the only one who was lagging behind.

Now that Christmas is behind us, and hopefully everyone has a bit more free time, why not relieve some of that stress and anxiety that you stored up over the holiday. Don’t just slide right back into the daily grind without some good ol’ pampering. In my article this month, I thought I’d share some ways that you can re-

charge your batteries right here in the local area.

Number one on my list is right in the heart of Burnham.

Just read the front page of this month’s issue for a fantastic way to “de-stress” and “de-tox” this year at the new Mifflin County Salt Cave! A friend and I tried it out just before Christmas and we really enjoyed it. Just call to make an appointment and then show up at your appointment time and prepare to completely relax for 45 minutes and breathe in the wonderful Himalayan salt air. Simply Health also has other options to detox and de-stress.

Try their new infrared sauna, or a detoxifying foot bath!

So you have so much pent up stress that you need another option? Well then, just call Tamela Hetrick at Shade Mountain Naturals on Jack’s Creek Road in Lewistown for a massage! Or if a massage isn’t your cup of tea, then stop by one of her retailers or one of her open houses and grab some of her soaps or creams for a real at home pampering! I’m completely hooked on her soaps and I’m certain you won’t be disappointed either. Try a couple different soaps each month to liven up your shower experience a bit. The different scents, colors, and textures are really fun. Do you have dry, chapped lips in the winter? Shade Mountain’s lip balms are wonderful as well!

Still not completely rid of that holiday anxiety?

Then you should check out one

of our new advertisers in this month’s issue--Changes Hypnotherapy by Lynn Ralston. Take a look at her ad and see if there isn’t something on the list that you could solve this year with a hypnotherapy session. According to Lynn, most issues are resolved in just one session! I plan to give it a try in the coming month, and I’m not just saying that because we share the same first name!

Feeling a little burnt out on too many sweets after the holidays? Why not make an appointment with Sue Burns for a nutritional makeover. Sue writes a wonderful column in The Valley each month chocked full of pertinent information on health and nutrition--just imagine what she can do for you on a one-on-one session. Check out her column this month and make an appointment to prepare a Nutrition Constitution for 2012.

Exercise is one of the best ways to beat the blues and energize your spirit. Why not sign up for a Curves membership? Too much regimen for you? Then just get out and walk the dog or go for a short jog!

I’ve been personally looking for ways to beat the stress and anxiety the past few months and I stumbled upon a book by Dr. Andrew Weil called “Spontaneous Happiness.” I’m only half way through the book, but I’m really finding it to be an eye-opener. In the book, Dr. Weil talks about many different approaches to battle depression and anxiety rather than relying on one single medication or other type of cure. Among his top recommendations are exercise (no surprise) and Omega 3 fatty acids, which you can get naturally by eating fish such as salmon, herring, sardines, tuna, and some varieties of freshwater trout. Omega 3 is beneficial not only for heart health, but it also has been shown to be crucial for your brain’s cognitive and behavioral function. Interesting stuff.

So this is why Fish Oil capsules seem to be everywhere these days.

Sounds like a “tool” I could really use to beat the blues, so since I don’t swallow pills, I found

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

myself a bottle of purified Omega 3 Fish Oil and have started with a teaspoon a day.

Another novel idea that Dr. Weil mentions in the book is not to ruminate on your negative thoughts. Wow, how profound.

Now why didn’t I think of that?

Actually, I did, but it’s much easier said than done! So, in closing, I leave you with a quote from Mark Twain in that regard.

“Drag your thoughts away from your troubles... by the ears, by the heels, or any other way you can manage it.”

—Mark Twain a

13

The Valley, January 2012

Understanding the Constitution

by David Molek

Oath to Support, Obey and Defend

Conservatives are committed to a free society in which individual Americans, not the government, make the decisions in determining their future. No reasonable person disputes that we require some government to ensure life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Our Founders sought to establish a balance between liberty for which a revolution was fought, and order which would protect the right of all.

The resulting governing document was our Constitution so constructed that through checks and balances no one faction would be able to achieve dominance and ignore the will of the people.

Sound familiar? Our Constitution is not whatever judges say it means. All members of the

government take an oath to defend our Constitution. As a result, the President and the legislature have a duty to interpret and follow our Constitution.

At the start of each new Congress, all members beginning a new term (the entire House of Representatives and one third of the United States Senate) take an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. As it applies to Members of Congress, the “Oaths Clause” plays an important role by obliging them to observe the limits of their authority and act in accordance with the powers delegated to them by our Constitution.

The oath serves as a solemn reminder that the duty to uphold our Constitution is not the exclu-

sive or final responsibility of the Judiciary, but is shared by Congress and the President. Article 2, Section 1 reinforces the three branches of our government as co-equal. Article 6, Clause 3 also clearly provides that all legislatures, and executive and judicial officers of both the federal and state governments shall be “bound by oath or affirmation to support our Constitution.”

So, the simple declaration to “support the Constitution” has truly constitutional significance at all levels of government. The oath was at the heart of Justice Marshall’s opinion in Marbury v. Madison (1803), obliging all judges to give priority to the Constitution over ordinary legislative acts. Officers sworn to support our Constitution are conscientiously bound to abstain from all acts inconsistent with it. In cases of doubt, each must decide for himself whether, consistently with our Constitution, the act can be done.

The Oaths Clause helps to fulfill the Framers’ plan to integrate the states into policy-making and executory functions of the federal union, subject to the limits of the Tenth Amendment. It seems clear to me that our federal government has lost sight of our Constitution. We have a federal government that does more, spends more,

borrows more and regulates more and more. The constitutional purpose of limiting government is being ignored. As a result, growing numbers of people are dependent on government benefits and entitlements. The American people are becoming more subjects of the state than self-governing citizens.

In January of 2011, the Republican House of Representatives issued a new rule requiring each introduced bill to cite a specific constitutional provision for Congress’s authority to pass the bill into law. Just how effective this rule will be remains to be seen. Clearly, we need the United State Senate and President Obama to follow the same principles.

Only an election will solve these problems.

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

We recall the 2008 presidential campaign for hope and change.

The change we truly need, the change that is consistent with the American ideal, is not movement away from but toward our principles. It is obvious to me that we need to retake and defend the high ground of America’s founding principles.

Those of us who participate in the political process, attend 912 Project Tea Party meetings and vote for principled candidates are not an isolated minority. We are part of “We the People” who are determined to preserve and protect the Republic. As Ronald Reagan once said, “We the people tell the government what to do, it doesn’t tell us”. The people need to speak. We will be heard. a

To be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace.

--George Washington

The Valley, January 2012

14 Welcome to the New Year from page 8 its prime” should be kept out of reach. Be especially careful to keep your dog away from trash cans.

Certain foods, while not considered toxic, can still be unhealthy for your dog. Avoid any foods that are high in fat, sugar or sodium. These foods can contribute to indigestion, obesity, dehydration, electrolyte imbalance and more. Dairy products may be difficult for dogs to digest.

Corn cobs and bones can cause GI obstruction. Cooked bones may splinter and break easily, risking GI damage.

This is the gold standard list of no-no’s for Fido, but as always, use common sense. Next month I am going to give you some ideas on the actual food, but for now I’d like to pass on some recipes for homemade dog food treats. These can be really fun to make with your kids, and so much better for them!

Homemade Dog Treat Recipes

Bacon Bits for Dogs 6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled 4 eggs, well beaten 1/8 cup bacon fat 1 cup water 1/2 cup non-fat dry milk powder 2 cup graham flour 2 cup wheat germ 1/2 cup cornmeal Mix ingredients with a strong

Time to Ice it from page 18 ice. Use your brain, you know better than they do, trust me. Also bear in mind that ice does not freeze evenly, it freezes in stages.

So even though you have safe ice under your feet, a slight move could bring you over another stage of freezing that could be very dangerous, especially if the ice is snow covered and you can’t see through it. BE CAREFUL, check the ice often as you move about to check for thickness to be safe. Because my job required me to be in less than ideal and safe conditions, I can report to having been “through” several times, it is no fun, extremely dangerous, and not something you want to repeat, if you survive the first plunge. So safety first, if that checks out, you are in for a lot of fun.

Because ice fishing is often accompanied by some adverse weather conditions, proper clothing is a must. Dress in layers so you can be toasty in the coldest weather of your day, and have the ability to peel off layers as

spoon; drop heaping tablespoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet. Bake in a 350 oven for 15 minutes. Turn off oven and leave cookies on baking sheet in the oven overnight to dry out. Yield: about 4 dozen dog cookies.

Milk Bone Dog Biscuits 3/4 cup hot water 1/3 cup margarine 1/2 cup powdered milk 1 teaspoon salt 1 egg, beaten 3 cups whole wheat flour Variation: increase margarine to 1/2 cup and add 2 teaspoons sugar In large bowl pour hot water over the margarine. Stir in powdered milk, salt, and egg. Add flour, 1/2 cup at a time. Knead for a few minutes to form stiff dough. Pat or roll to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut into bone shapes. Bake at 325 degrees for 50 minutes. Cool. They will dry out quite hard. Makes about 1 1/4 pounds of biscuits. Costs around 30 cents per pound.

Soft Banana Strips 1 egg 1c fast-cook oats 1/2 banana 1/3c milk 1/2c all-purpose flour 1/8c rice Squash bananas, and beat the egg. then spread evenly on a plate.

Next, heat in microwave for 3 and 1/2 minutes. when done, let them cool.

Then cut and serve. a the temps climb during the day.

Good footwear is paramount, for me at least. If my feet are cold, I am not going to have much fun or stay out very long. The other item, that in my opinion is a must, is a good hat. You can lose a LOT of heat through your head, the rest is up to you. I like a thin insulator against my body, then a shirt, sweatshirt and a jacket, or snowmobile suit, (which make great ice fishing suits if it is going to be cold). Gloves are a must, but they should be easily removed so certain tasks (baiting hooks, tying knots, removing fish) can be accomplished easily.

Next would be required gear.

Like I said, it can be as simple as a stick and some line, I take it just a little further than that. A tip-up or two, a jig stick or jigging rod and reel, a bait bucket, an ice scoop, and a chisel, and you have the bases covered. I always had a bobhouse or 12 (I rented them to out-of-state anglers) that were heated via woodstove or propane heater. You probably do not need to go to that extreme here in PA, a

Back in those happy days, before the government started to “protect” us from ourselves, chickens (and all other livestock) did not routinely get fed medicated feeds, antibiotics, and hormones like they do now. They didn’t need it. Families were content to let their chickens grow at a natural rate. They ate mostly what they could forage; bugs, worms, and greens, while they ranged happily around the homesteads. They had enough room to roam. They weren’t packed in closed sheds with 20,000 to 100,000 other birds. They didn’t have to stand knee-deep in their own excrement. They didn’t have to pick their feed up off that same filthy floor. So they just weren’t the disease ridden creatures we eat today. Think I’m exaggerating?

Enter big agri-business and CAFO’s. That stands for Confined Animal Feeding Operations.

If you have a strong stomach and think you can stand to see where your food really comes from, go ahead and fire up the internet.

Do a search for “chicken factory video.” Go to www.factoryfarming.com/chicken_factory. html and read down the page.

They have several videos that show the conditions in a chicken factory. Watch the video titled “Dirty Little Secret about Meat.”

Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not a member of PETA. Sure I love animals, but I also love the way they taste. I just happen to believe that the American people have been sold a huge pile lies. We need to wake up, start making our own decisions, and eating food that doesn’t require huge doses of daily antibiotics and hormones to reach marketable size in minimum time so some mega-corporation can make even more money poisoning us and our children.

A poultry factory barn is usually somewhere between 15,000 and 100,000 square feet.

And when they are first put in there those little puff-balls have plenty of room. But they are fed hormones to make them grow faster than natural. They force the birds to grow to market size in about one third the normal time, 8 weeks or less. Do you really believe none of those hormones are in the meat from those birds? And when you’ve got 20,000 birds in one room there’s a lot of poop.

But there’s no way to clean it out, so they just have to live in it. No bedding material; just spilled food, molted feathers, and poop.

The birds have less than one square foot each. Well, all that poop has to mean there’s disease, right? So they medicate the feed with antibiotics, all in the name of protecting us and maintaining the health of our food chain. How

well does it work?

In 2009, Consumer Reports magazine did a random study on bacterial contamination of supermarket chicken in just 22 states. Two-thirds, that’s right 66%, of the randomly selected supermarket chicken was found to be contaminated with salmonella, campylobacter, or both. And 57% were infected with at least one strain of antibiotic resistant bacteria. Hmmm, and why is it that we see more and more drug resistant strains in humans?

Hopefully you are starting to see that the way I always close my column isn’t just some “catchy little phrase”. It has REAL meaning to it. Do yourself and your family a favor. Look into the disgraceful way your meat and eggs are produced. Then go to WWW. BUYLOCALPA.ORG and look into how YOU can take the lead in protecting your family and their food. I did a quick search and found that within just 15 miles of the paper’s Yeagertown mailing address there were three farmer’s markets, one CSA, one vineyard, and 17 farms/produce outlets.

The Valley is ripe with options for you to take my advice ..... buy local, eat local, and live well.

Remember, support your local economy. Your neighbors will appreciate it, and you will eat better and live better. a

nice foldable house might come in handy, but for the first few times out, pick a nice day and fish outside, a 5 gallon bucket will double as a bait bucket and seat.

There are several lakes and ponds in the area that support healthy panfish populations and they are usually willing biters through the ice. A family can easily catch a couple fish dinners per outing, which saves over buying fish, (have you seen the prices!?).

Several fish that wouldn’t be great table fare during the summer are firm and sweet when caught through the ice. You also have the advantage of being able to reach those “honey-holes” that a shorebound angler just can’t reach

during open water.

With a little pre-planing, you can be ready to jump once safe ice forms. Just get out and get your gear and watch the weather and your favorite pond. A day out in the cold air, with the family can create memories that will become treasures later, and in the here and now, a fantastic dinner that you obtained without needing the grocery store. The experience of being self-sufficient for that meal is very satisfying and something from which you can build.

Bait is easily obtained from bait shops right here in The Valley or at most areas that have ice fishing available. And you do not have to go far. Most good-sized

farm ponds freeze early and have populations of panfish ripe for the taking. Bigger bodies of water like Faylor Lake and Walker Lake as well as Sayers all take longer to freeze, but have substantial panfish populations.

So get up off the couch, grab the kids and hit the lake! You will have a great time as long as you prepare ahead, have the right clothing and adhere to a safety first attitude.

Anglers should obey all state fishing regulations, a copy of which can be obtained online at www.fish.state.pa.us/regs_fish. htm or at most area sporting goods stores and bait shops. a

Odds and Ends from page 29

I have always considered marriage as the most interesting event of one`s life, the foundation of happiness or misery.

--George Washington

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

15

The Valley, January 2012

Pesticide-resistant weeds closing in on Pennsylvania Penn State Public Information.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The challenge of weeds that have become resistant to glyphosate -- the active ingredient in RoundUp herbicide -- has become an evolving national threat, with new challenges emerging and spreading annually. At least three glyphosate-resistant species on the horizon for Pennsylvania require new strategies to combat them, according to a specialist in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences.

Penn State Extension weed scientist Dwight Lingenfelter said several resistant species currently are approaching Pennsylvania.

These weeds were controlled routinely over the years with glyphosate-based herbicide programs, but now the effectiveness of those programs is dwindling.

“There’s a species called Palmer pigweed or Palmer amaranth, which is a huge problem -- especially in cotton-growing regions,” he said. “In the past, farmers were spending only maybe $20 to $30 an acre to control pigweed; now they’re up over $90 to $100 an acre, because of its resistance to a number of herbicide modes of action.

“Currently, we don’t have any major outbreaks of it in Pennsylvania, but we’re hearing reports

Early stage waterhemp plant

from Delaware and Maryland that they’re starting to find Palmer pigweed, and it’s more than likely to creep into our cropping systems, especially in the southern tier of the state.”

Lingenfelter said a second resistant species slowly invading the state, water-hemp, already is creating big problems in the Midwest and South and is resistant to numerous herbicides as well.

“We had a person bring in a sample of water-hemp this summer, so we know there are some populations in our state currently,” he said. “We’re also seeing glyphosate-resistant species of horseweed or marestail spreading throughout the state -- it’s very common in the mid-Atlantic region and Midwestern states.”

While it might sound like it’s losing its effectiveness, glyphosate is still vital in “burn-down” weedcontrol programs, which work by killing any vegetation on a treated

field.

“It’s still a very effective herbicide for a number of species in our area,” he said. “It controls a number of weeds in the burn-down period and still is a foundation or backbone for many weed-control programs. We recommend using other herbicides in combination with it to control weeds that aren’t being controlled by glyphosate alone.

“We work with farmers to explain various programs that use different techniques and management options in a situation like that,” he said. “Generally, we recommend that if you’re using glyphosate in the burn-down, you also should use something such as 2-4-D or a product like Valor XLT Sharpen prior to planting soybeans. We also encourage tank-mixing herbicides or using pre-packaged products so multiple modes of action are in the weedcontrol program.”

The mode of action is the way an herbicide affects the weed to kill it, Lingenfelter explained.

“There are about 10 different major modes of action available, and you can combine those to get control of the particular species you’re going after. We highly recommend having at least two modes of action that act on that particular weed species.”

Newer herbicide products introduced in the last five years can help control resistant species in burn-down programs. But Lingenfelter pointed out that, while “new” products are being introduced on the market, the industry hasn’t produced a formulation that employs a new mode of action in more than 15 years.

“The reality is that many companies are repackaging products and giving them different trade names so it looks like we have a lot of new herbicides when in reality we do not. And if they were to discover a new mode of action in some lab today, we wouldn’t reap the benefits of it for at least 10 years, because it takes that long to get through all of the testing phases and field trials before it would hit the market.”

Lingenfelter said the diversity and rotation of crops grown in Pennsylvania gives it an advantage over states in the Midwest and South when it comes to fighting resistant weeds. Corn, cotton and soybeans are the primary field crops in the Midwest and South, and more than 90 percent of the acres are sprayed with glyphosate, so weeds are pushed to develop resistance.

“Here in Pennsylvania, we typically rotate between corn, soybeans, alfalfa, small grains

Take a weekend to invest in each other and learn to love...like you mean it.

We would like to invite you to attend FamilyLife’s

Weekend to Remember marriage getaway.

We are offering a special group rate that will save you and your spouse $159 per couple on the Weekend to Remember registration.

To join my group and receive the special group registration rate, go to the website listed below and select a getaway location to start the registration process.

Closest Locations: Hershey Lodge: 02/24/2012 thru 02/26/2012 Poconos: 03/16/2012 thru 03/18/2012 and 03/23/2012 thru 03/25/2012 But, there are also other locations throughout the US for different dates.

Regular Price is $318/couple, but if you register with our Group, you can attend any conference for $159!

My Group Link is: http://www.familylife.com/groups/happyvalley www.thevalleynewspaper.com

and sometimes various vegetable crops, depending on the area of the state,” he said. “Because of this, we use a variety of weedcontrol methods. Not only does this allow for different herbicides and a rotation of herbicide modes of action, but it allows for other weed-management techniques -- such as mowing forage crops or the addition of cover crops -- and other cultural tactics such as variations in planting date, seeding rate or row spacing.

“We still use a lot of RoundUp-ready corn and soybeans, but glyphosate is not the primary means of control. Also, different types of weeds are common in different crops depending on life cycles and growth habit. Our diverse rotations should hold off resistance pretty well, but we’ll have to start thinking about different techniques to handle it.”

Lingenfelter said Pennsylvania growers can learn a lesson from watching the experience of their neighbors in states to the south and west. “The majority of the resistance problem in these other regions is they were relying on a single mode of action -- that being glyphosate.”

For more information, contact Dwight Lingenfelter at 814-8652242 or dxl18@psu.edu. a

The Valley, January 2012

16

Splitting Hares

by Julianne Cahill http://oakridgerabbitry.weebly.com

Shows

Happy 2012! I can’t believe the New Year is already here; it seems as though I was just making resolutions for 2011. Now that the new year is here, it’s time for those of us in the rabbit hobby to prepare for the largest rabbit and cavy show in Pennsylvania!

The PaSRBA Convention is hosted by the Pennsylvania State Rabbit Breeders’ Association, and reported over 30 judges and 10,500 entries in 2007. The convention, held in Lebanon, PA during the first weekend in February, grows every year and brings exhibitors from as far as Maine and Georgia. Last year, we even had visitors from Canada!

As you’re getting acquainted with the world of rabbits (either through this article or on your own), I encourage you to join us throughout the weekend for one

of the biggest rabbit exhibitions on the east coast! This is a great opportunity to see nearly all of the 47 rabbit breeds and 13 cavy breeds recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders’ Association (ARBA).

Going to a show is not only a fun time to meet up with friends who live far away, but it also allows individuals who raise rabbits to compare their herd with others. Part of a reputable breeding program is continuously improving the health, temperament, and conformation of the rabbit. Since this is not only an individual venture, but also a community effort, going to a show provides ongoing support towards the betterment of each breed in general.

So, what will you see at a rabbit show? How do we determine which rabbit is “best”? I

remember the first show I attended. I couldn’t imagine how the judge could choose between the rabbits on the table. As the years went on, I learned more about how the judge looks at his class and determines which rabbit deserves a first place ribbon.

To begin with, rabbits are judged in a breed-specific pose. If you have ever watched a dog show on television, you may have noticed the handler set up his dog for the judge to evaluate. This is similar to the way a rabbit show works.

There is a long coop with about ten separate holes on the back of a judging table. Exhibitors place each of their rabbits in one hole.

One by one, the judge picks up each rabbit, poses it, and evaluates the animal before placing it back in the hole.

Rabbits are judged on a number of breed characteristics. In general, the judge feels the body for condition. The body should be full and well-fleshed, rather than narrow or bony. The fur or wool should be healthy and uniform. A rabbit that is in a molt or in bad fur or wool condition will not place as well.

Many breeds require a short shoulder, where the rise of the

back starts immediately behind the head. If there is a flat area behind the head, before the rise of the back begins, the rabbit has a long shoulder and may be docked points. Each breed is also recognized in certain colors, and the breed standard always calls for a very specific topcoat color and undercoat color. If either of these colors is incorrect, the rabbit will be faulted. Similarly, the judge looks for a particular pattern. For example, a solid colored animal will be faulted for scattered white hairs throughout a colored coat.

The rabbit may even be disqualified for too many scattered white hairs in one area, since this is considered a spot.

As you can see, there are a

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

number of things the judge is looking for. At an upper level show, the competition can be so tight that rabbits are only separated by a couple of points, so judges have to be very familiar with the Standard of Perfection for the breed that he or she is judging.

Attending a local show is a great way to learn more about the rabbit hobby. Don’t be afraid to ask different exhibitors about their breeds or ask them to show you a correctly typed example of the breed. Most exhibitors will be very happy to show you the ropes and help you navigate the showroom! For more information about the PaSRBA Convention, you can visit http://pasrba.org/. You won’t want to miss this one! a

17

The Valley, January 2012

fight and die.

God has given us a great nation, He used brave men and women to show us personal responsibility, patriotic duty, and also to show us how to stand our ground when we are fighting for a just cause.

God Bless a By the way, here is Samuel Whittemore’s memorial marker:

Homeschooling on the homestead with andy weller

Reading

It’s that time again, a New Year, new beginnings and a look toward the future. For the upcoming year, I’m looking forward to what God has in store for both of my kids. I get to see them mature and grow in ways that neither they nor I ever imagined. The process is fun to watch.

One of the things along the way that needs to be learned is how to read. The mechanics of

this can be taught and children can learn to read well enough to get them through school. My daughter already has a love for reading, learning and understanding. At twelve my son is still developing that love. The thing is that the love of learning and of understanding has to be planted and cultivated, just like our gardens are. I want my children to love to read and learn so they can read an account like the one below and understand that what they have was paid for in

blood…

During the beginning of the Revolutionary War on April 19, 1775 there were many feats of bravery.

I’m going to talk about one of them. The man was a farmer, he was 80 years old, his name was Samuel Whittemore.

On this day of battle, Mr. Whittemore killed three British soldiers by ambush. He killed one with his musket and the other two he killed with his dueling pistols.

With his firearms discharged, he attacked the brigade with a sword.

In this hand-tohand combat he was shot in the face, bayoneted thirteen times, beaten and left in the field next to the road to die. He was later found trying to load his musket to continue to fight.

He was taken to a local doctor and nursed back to health. He died at the age of 98 of natural causes.

This farmer, who knew what it meant to live free, was willing to fight and die for what he believed in. At his age he could have watched from the sidelines and no one would have thought any less of him, he was 80 years old after all. Instead, he put his life on the line to give us something for which we should be willing to

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

The Valley, January 2012

18

Woods, Water and Wildlife

by Wayne Stottlar

Time To Ice It

It is almost time, the season season is winding down. is almost here. It is one of those

Up in New Hampshire, little short outdoor seasons here in PA, villages seem to pop up overnight but at home in NH, it is a major winter past time, one of huge economic impact.

Here in PA, a few hardy souls venture out, and most of them aren’t talking to too many folks about what it is they are doing. What is it that is so secretive and fleeting? ICE FISHING!

I realize that by the time most folks happen to stumble onto a few folks hunched over a hole out on a pond some sun shiny day in January, that there is little time to prepare for such an adventure, for as soon as the plan is put in motion, Typical ice fishing gear is inexpensive and the short, perhaps 4 week, simple to operate. Tip-ups, a jig stick, a scoop, and a pack basket are displayed.

can do this and catch fish.

For those who take the sport seriously and live in areas where the season is long, you will find them sporting lightweight, collapsible, temporary ice fishing houses that are actualPortable shelters are a very nice luxury on a cold windy ly heated and day, but the added expense is something only diehard hard quite plush by water fisherfolks invest in. most stand-

once the ice is safe for such activities. Safety is of utmost concern with this sport, because mistakes can be fatal. But with proper precautions, this winter outdoor activity can be safe and a whole lot of fun for the entire family.

Add to that fact that if you are successful, a delicious fish fry can be prepared later that evening—it doesn’t get much better than that.

You can also take into account that no special skill is needed to participate, ice fishing is as simple and primitive as you can get. A simple, effective piece of equipment can be nothing more than a stick with some line and a hook attached. Seriously, this is down to basics simple fun. ANYONE

Oh, what is safe ice? That is up to you. Javing made part of my livelihood through the ice of New Hampshire lakes, I feel plenty safe on 2-3 inches of clear ice, but that may not be safe for you, the decision is yours to make.

So-called experts will tell you that you need 6 inches before you should even risk staring at it!

The state agencies and local law enforcement try to cover all the bases by using arbitrary numbers thrown out so as to hopefully prevent the possibility of ANYONE ever venturing out onto the

Continued on page 14

ards. But you do not have to take this to the extreme, or any more involved than the basics to catch dinner.

Like I said, the season is short here, so you should have all of your equipment procured BEFORE there A nice fat yellow perch comes up through the hole! A few is a chance more of these, and we have a meal. of safe ice.

MEAT. WILSON’S MEATS AND GROCERIES

Fresh Meats, Full Line of Groceries, and Produce

Open 7 Days! 7am - 9pm

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

A hometown grocer you can trust.

19

The Valley, January 2012

Greetings from river valley hardware

As you might imagine, what with making all the paper deliveries and chasing ads, I get to see a lot of different establishments in our area and meet a lot of the people as well. Every once in a while you find a gem that has been heretofore unknown to you. I found one in McVeytown—River Valley Hardware. More than just a hardware store, it was their specialty items that caught my eye.

One of the beauties of this type of store is the propreiter’s ability to branch out into other items besides nuts, bolts, tools and paint. Each store of this type is unique in its own way in the items that they carry.

Living as well as preaching a self-reliant lifestyle, and to prepare for what might happen, I have been busily gathering all of the items one might need to produce and process food for him or herself in the event of economic collapse. Watching what has happened in other countries during disasters and economic catastrophies gives you a slight clue as to what to expect.

Electricity might be scarce, or prohibitively expensive. If you can’t buy food due to cost or availability, you are going to have to depend on yourself, or become a slave to someone else who has it--it’s your choice.

Because of this knowledge, I choose to depend on myself. So, I have been buying non-electric items that were once common in every household, but today are all but forgotten (except by our

Amish neighbors), or end up as art displays on someone’s wall.

Today, most of those are reproductions and could never stand up to the every day use that would be required to sustain a reasonably comfortable lifestyle.

About the only place known to me before now was Lehman’s, and an online shopping experience, they are fine for small light items, but go ahead an order a meat grinder and see what the shipping costs you! This was a problem before discovering to my delight, that River Valley Hardware has such items, YAY! No shipping charges!

I wanted to relate to everyone that they could get those same items here, locally, save shipping charges and support the local economy. I tried to write it and wasn’t happy, so figuring I would go to the source, I asked Anthony what it was they did there, and this is what he said...

New Year Greetings from River Valley Hardware in McVeytown PA. I want to tell you a little about our store. We bought the store in 2009 from Gary & Linda Harshbarger. We have since added many new items to the store.

We specialize in Valspar paint and Cabot exterior deck stain and can mix 100 colors with many variations in the Cabot Deck Stain. In the Valspar paints we can mix any color from any manufacturer. We also have all the general hardware ,plumbing, and electrical for your repairs.

Leanin’ Tree greeting cards and

a new line of Melissa & Doug classic wooden toys were added to our gift corner.

We have seasonal items for your garden, including water garden supplies and water plants, kayak and tube rentals, ice melt and sleds for your winter • Reliable Propane & Heating Oil Delivery pleasures and duties, and stove • Budget Payment Plan Call today pipe, furnace to learn about our • 24/7 Emergency Service filters and nozzles NEw CustOmER for your heating • Heating Equipment Service Plans sPECiAls! needs. For butch• Safety Trained Professionals ering, we offer meat grinders in • Over 80 Years Experience electric and nonelectric models.

Sausage stuffers, meat saws, and cutting boards.

Our Business is Customer Satisfaction We cut keys, glass, Plexiglas and 717-248-5476 • 1-800-PROPANE (776-7263) repair windows and screens. You can ship UPS and drop off dry cleanGood News from page 6 ing for Speedy Cleaners. Try our premium quality fresh-roasted celebrate the winning of a race. coffee by Dobson Creek Coffee God is One-of-Us each and every Company. We have light to dark minute; each and every hour; each blends in ground or whole bean. and every day. God is One-of-Us Our business hours are Monday always.

– Friday 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM

Because this is true we can Saturday 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM. face whatever is down the road Have a Happy New Year. of our futures. Happy New Year!

--Anthony & Mamie a a

Rootin around in the Pantry from page 5

of the jar. Carefully pour off the water, and you’ll notice that, like cornstarch, the potato starch stays put in a solid layer. Now add fresh water to the jar (about half of what was in the first time around).

Mix well and allow the starch to settle again. Repeat process one more time.

Let the starch settle out for a good hour the third time. When you drain off the last wash water, prop the jar on its’ side so it can drain for about ten minutes. Use a spoon or spatula to thoroughly remove the paste like starch to a platter. We usually break it up as small as possible and let it air dry (warm = fast) for several days, stirring it occasionally until it is totally, TOTALLY dry. Pinch some to test it.

Now, take the bits of starch, reduce them to a powder with a rolling pin, mortar and pestle or any other method that you come

up with. Depending on the starch content of your potatoes, you should have between 1/4 and 1/2 cup of potato starch from each pound of potatoes processed.

We store our home grown potato starch (chuckle, chuckle) in a recycled plastic corn starch container. A canning jar with an airtight lid does just as well.

Kept in a cool dry place (your pantry) potato starch should keep for years: add each new batch of starch to your container and mix it into the old.

From sauces for your Asian style vegetables to thickening gravy to lightening flour for cakes and dusting and rolling out dough, potato starch can do a lot of jobs in your kitchen - and with a bit of looking you may find some uses out of the kitchen as well!

To get you started, here’s a recipe for a Russian dessert that can be made with any fruit, fresh

first batch. Go back and do this one more time, just to make sure that you’ve gotten as much starch as possible. By now, the collecting jar should be fairly full of murky, brownish water. The starch will immediately begin to settle into a pure white layer.

The spent potato pulp is usable. Sometimes we add it to soups or to a whole grated potato for pancakes; you’ll think of ways to use it. The goats will nibble and the chickens will happily scarf it down, but usually the worms in the vermicomposter get everything left after the last straining and they seem very pleased with the arrangement. Of course, there’s always the compost pile if your short on livestock.

In about 45 minutes the starch will have settled on the bottom

Expect More from Your Fuel Supplier!

or dried, year round.

Kisel 2 1/2 pints fresh strawberries, with hulls removed (or 3 cups whole, uncooked cranberries, or 1 1/2 pound rhubarb cut into 2 inch pieces or 1/2 pound dried apricots) 2 cups cold water (3 cups for the rhubarb, 4 1/2 for the apricots) 3/4 cup sugar (1/4 cup for the apricots) 1 tablespoon potato starch dissolved in 1 tablespoon cold water (More if you want a thicker dessert)

Place the fruit in a 2 or 3 quart stainless-steel or enamel saucepan and add water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer uncovered 10 to 15 minutes, ‘til

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

the fruit is tender.

With the back of a spoon, rub the fruit mixture through a fine sieve set over a mixing bowl and stir in the sugar (experiment with other sweeteners or none at all).

Return the puree to the pan and bring it to a boil over high heat.

Then reduce the heat to moderate, stir in dissolved potato starch, and, stirring constantly, cook another 2 or 3 minutes or until the puree just reaches the boil and thickens slightly. Remove from the heat and cool to lukewarm, then pour into dessert dishes.

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.

Of course, we found out about potato starch in: The Craft of the Country Cook by Pat Katz.

For other recipes and uses just Google potato starch and start sifting! a

The Valley, January 2012

20

Dairy Princess Memories

by Macy Fisher Mifflin County Dairy Princess 2011-2012

Hi, I’m Macy Fisher the Mifflin County Dairy Princess.

Happy 2012! The New Year has finally come and it is going to be a year to remember. There are so many big events of my life that are going to take place in this year. I will first turn 18 in another month, then I will have all of my senior year adventures to come. We have our class trip in March and there’s also Prom, Sr. Skip Day, and Graduation!

This summer I hope to take most of my cattle to the fair aiming for the Grand Champion Jersey of the largest Agricultural Fair in the state. Then I hopefully will be off to college! But there is still one thing that I am forgetting. At some point in there I will have to pass on my crown, but I don’t really want to think about that before I have to. Before all of

that though, I will be getting my Keystone degree at the Farmshow.

The Keystone degree is the highest degree that you can receive in the State of Pennsylvania. While at the Farmshow, I will also be competing in the Square Dance Competition. I have been square dancing since I was in the sixth grade and this year will be my last year with the Captain Jack FFA square. I love it! I really do.

Some teens cheerlead, some play sports, well I square dance. It’s not that easy though. Every year the songs get a little bit more difficult. We have to practice and train just like any other activity. Every year so far, my square and I have received a blue ribbon; I just hope that this year we can keep it up.

This year we are almost an all girl square except for two. Mason and Aaron are the only two boys that we have on the team this year, but they are really good sports. All of the girls on the team have danced for a few years now and we each have an opinion on how things should be done, and they put up with us at every practice. This

year I have decided that I want to have a New Year’s resolution.

My resolution is to be more openminded and to lose a few pounds.

Not a lot, just a few before I head off to college in the fall. These recipes are sure to help me and anyone else who has the same resolution. These recipes are guilt-free dairy pleasures that are sure to fill any craving that you might have. They are packed full of flavor and those nine essential nutrients that I am always talking about. I’m not a huge believer in starving yourself to lose a pound, but rather eat healthy food and get exercise. Also however, I do not count some of those “healthy foods” as actual food, like tofu!

I hope that everyone had a great holiday and that you will have a Happy 2012!

Southwest Pasta Bake • 8 ounces uncooked multi grain penne pasta • 1 package (8 ounces) fat-free cream cheese, cubed • ½ cup fat-free milk • 1 package (10 ounces) frozen

chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry • 1 teaspoon dried oregano • 1 pound ground lean beef • 2 garlic cloves, minced • 1 jar (16 ounces) picante sauce • 1 can (8 ounces) no-saltadded tomato sauce • 1 can (6 ounces) no-saltadded tomato paste • 2 teaspoons chili powder • 1 teaspoon ground cumin • 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese • 1 can (2 ¼ ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained • ¼ cup green onions

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in milk. Stir in spinach and oregano; set aside. In a nonstick skillet, cook beef and garlic over medium heat until neat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in picante sauce, tomato sauce, tomato paste, chili powder and cumin; bring to a boil.

Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Drain pasta; stir into meat mixture. In a 13-in X by 9-in baking dish coated in cooking spray, layer half of the meat mixture and all of the spinach mixture. Top with remaining meat mixture. Cover and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Uncover;

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

sprinkle with cheddar cheese.

Bake 5 minutes longer or until the cheese is melted. Sprinkle with the olives and onions. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Makeover Dirt Dessert • 1 package (8 ounces) fat-free cream cheese • 1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened • ¾ cup confectioners’ sugar • 3 ½ cups cold fat-free milk • 2 packages (1 ounce each) sugar-free instant vanilla pudding mix • 1 carton (12 ounces) frozen reduced-fat whipped topping, thawed • 1 package (18 ounces) reduced-fat cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mixes for 2 minutes; let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Gradually stir into cream cheese mixture. Fold in whipped topping. Spread 1 1/3 cups of crushed cookies into an ungreased 13-in. X 9-in. dish.

Layer with half of the pudding mixture and half of the remaining cookies. Repeat layers. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. a

The Valley, January 2012

Modern Energy and Alternative Heating

with Curt Bierly

Comforting Warmth

Christmas, New Years and 2011 is past history and you’ll never have a chance to write 11/11/11 again. We only have one more chance to write same mo/ day/year numbers and that will be on 12/12/12. After that date the

that is hooked into the return of the Carrier air handler; therefore, not only does the garage heat move through two open doors into the house, but it is also picked up by the air handler and distributed throughout the house. The air jandler has an ECM motor, which is very efficient and thus is easy on the electric bill. I set the heat pump thermostat at 65 degrees as a backup.

The garage is well insulated and there are two insulated garage doors.

I have yet to see the garage less then 70 degrees even when it is in the low 20s A wonderful coal burner, the Saey Hanover I coal stove outside. It is

the ultimate indulgence to have a heated garage. It soon becomes an extension to your home. And that warm car in the morning...

Nice! The relative low cost of coal and the efficiency of the nonelectric Saey Hopper Fed Coal Stove (www.bierlygroup.com) make that all possible. I will get us a little over 2 tons of coal by spring. At $230.00 per ton delivered that’s $460.00 to heat most of our house all winter and the garage too.

At the other end of our home I have a Jotul Oslo cast iron wood stove (www.jotulflame.com) installed and vented into a stone fireplace. This part of the house is log construction with chinking and was built in 1943 - so – it is harder to heat than the remainder of the home, which was recently constructed. The Oslo keeps the log portion of the house nice and warm all winter as long as I remember to keep wood on the fire. I usually buy poles and cut and split them myself. I ran out of wood early this season and

21 I consider this good exercise and it requires minimal equipment i.e. chainsaw, splitting maul, sledge hammer for the tough ones and a lawn tractor with a trailer to transport the cut and split wood across the grassy field to our home.

Having both a wood and coal stove and depending on both to keep us warm during the coldest part of winter, I can make a few observations relative to the ease of use, length of burn, efficiency and cleanliness. There is no doubt the coal stove requires less attention than the wood stove. If I am diligent and tend to the coal stove

ordered a cord of wood cut and split ($175.00 delivered) to get me through the holidays and until the adjacent grassy field freezes solid so a logging truck can transverse it to unload the poles.

Once they’re delivered, I’ll cover them with a waterproof cover The stylish and extremely efficient, Jotul F500 Oslo in Majolica so they Brown porcelain finish stay dry.

The logging truck delivers about six cord morning and evening the heat which is too much for me, so a output never changes, whereas the friend and I usually split a load. wood stove needs tending three or Usually on Sunday I’ll cut from four times a day and goes through the piles of poles and bring a load various stages of heat output in a to the house to last me the week. days time. Relative to efficiency,

the stack temperature of the coal stove usually operates about 250F whereas the wood stove is happiest in the 300F to 450F range; so, there is less heat up the chimney with coal. I would have to rate the wood and coal stove even relative to cleanliness. Both very much depend on how much care the operator takes when tending the stoves. If they are careful both stoves can be “cleanly” tended and operated. One thing for sure, either stove keeps you nice and warm on a cold winter day!

next chance will be on January 1, 2101 (01/01/01). Certainly 12/12/12 should be declared a national holiday and special events should be planned. Should we start a petition?

Although the sun is heading north again, we’re entering the coldest part of the winter. As of this writing, there has been lots of rain but only a minor snow shower and the temperatures have been rather mild. We’ve been lucky so far! It has been perfect heat pump weather (i.e. the temperatures at which air-to-air heat pumps work very efficiently and save lots of money.)

At our home I started the Saey Hanover I coal stove in the middle of December. It is located in the garage so we open the doors into the kitchen and laundry. Directly above the coal stove there is a 12” x 12” filter grill installed

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 a member of the Penn College HVAC Advisory Board. You can contact him at cbierly@bierlygroup.com. a

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

The Valley, January 2012

22

Recipes-Crafts-Gifts With Debra Kulp PA Venison Pot Roast Serves 6 4 lbs rump or shoulder 2 tbsp flour 2 tbsp brown sugar 1/2 tsp paprika 1/4 tsp pepper 4 tbsp sweet butter 1/2 cup beef stock, HOT 1 rib celery, chopped 1 large onion, quartered thin 1 potato per person, quartered, thin Blend flour, brown sugar, paprika and pepper. Sprinkle over meat.

Brown meat in butter in a Dutch oven. Add stock, celery and onion.

Cover, roast at 375 degrees for 3 31/2 hrs. Quartered potatoes can be added for last half hour.

Zucchini Bread 3 cups flour 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 3 eggs, beaten 2 cups sugar 1 cup vegetable oil 1 tablespoon vanilla 2 cups grated, un-pared, zucchini 1/2 cups raisins 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Mix first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Mix next 3 ingredients in a separate bowl. Pour liquid mixture from second bowl into the first bowl, adding the vanilla.

Then mix in the zucchini, the raisins and the walnuts. Once thoroughly mixed pour mixture in to two greased loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour to 1 hour and fifteen minutes or until a knife comes out clean.

Jamaican Jerk Chicken 8 chicken thighs, or comparable amount of other chicken parts 4 scallions 2 cloves of garlic, minced 2 jalapeno peppers 2 limes 1 teaspoon allspice 3 tablespoons oil salt and pepper

Mince scallions, garlic and jalapenos and place in large bowl.

Squeeze juice from limes, including pulp, and place in bowl with allspice, salt and pepper and oil. (I usually double the recipe in case we need to cook more chicken, besides, I like having marinade to baste with.) Marinade overnight in the fridge, cover the bowl.

Cook very slowly on a grill or under the broiler, basting the chicken with marinade often. Just before finished, drench chicken in the rest of the marinade and turn up the heat, slightly charred is good.

PA Dutch Chicken Soup 8 chicken thighs 1 large onion 3 eggs, beaten 1 large bag wide egg noodles 1 tablespoon salt 5 quarts water 3 chicken boullion cubes

Place chicken thighs into large stock pot and add water and onion, quartered. Cook on simmer for three hours covered. Remove chicken and pull meat and add back to broth, bring to a boil. Add noodles and eggs while stirring.

Once noodles are tender remove from heat and serve. Freezes well. a

Big Valley Bunk Beds And Mattress Sales 65 Stone Barn Lane, Belleville, PA 17004 from Belleville take Rt. 305 west, turn right at E. Back Mtn. Rd. 1/2 mile, then left at Stone Barn Lane 7 Styles in Stock L-Shape w/Dresser - Loft Beds - Stackable - Standard - Twin Over Full - Regular Bookcase - Captainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bed - Triple Stacker - Selection of stain on orders.

A Bed For Everyone thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

23

The Valley, January 2012

Through the Window: glimpses of nature from the Juniata Valley Random photos shot by amateur photographer, Doug Sabin, Sr. Pastor of Kish Valley Grace Brethren Church, Reedsville. Doug and his wife Barb live in Milroy.

Winter in The Valley •

Jared’s thoughts from the Bunker by jared kauffman

What About B.O.B. ?

A disaster, whether it be natural; earthquakes, tornadoes, winter storms, floods, or man-made; riots, civil unrest due to economic collapse, or terrorist attacks could unfold unexpectedly and force you to be dependent on your own resources.

With these disasters comes the potential for what could be a minor inconvenience or a major disruption of services. It is up to each individual to be prepared.

A G.O.O.D. (Get Out Of Dodge) bag, Bug Out Bag (B.O.B.), or 72 hour survival kit...

Whatever fancy name you give it, your kit should be designed to get you through the unpredictable.

You may be forced to evacuate your home. You may work miles from home and become stranded.

You may just end up being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

With a carefully packed and organized kit you have the means to help yourself and possibly others.

This kit could mean the difference between life and death.

ASSEMBLING YOUR KIT

Your kit should include the

• • • • •

• • following: • -A large camping-style backpack or duffle bag • -Bottled water and the means to filter and purify any questionable water sources • -Non-perishable food; high energy, calorie dense foods such as peanut butter, energy

• • • • •

bars, MREs, or dehydrated food pouches -Identification, such as a driver’s license or state issued I.D. -Cell phone and charger -Flashlight with extra batteries -Battery powered or hand crank radio -First Aid kit and any needed medications (include sunscreen, insect repellent, and antihistamines for possible allergic reactions, etc.)

-Extra clothing including fleece jacket and hat -Sturdy shoes or boots (you may need to “bug out” on foot) -A “space” blanket designed to reflect body heat -The means of starting a fire such as waterproof matches or a windproof lighter -Heavy duty work gloves -A small personal hygiene kit -A knife/multi-tool

-Firearms and ammunition (unfortunately there are laws that need to be followed on the carrying of firearms, please abide) • -Maps of the area you will be traveling in • -Cash money in small bills • -Sunglasses and for contact wearers an extra pair of prescription eyewear • -Rainwear • -Tarp • -Heavy duty plastic trash bags (contractor bags are best)

Along with your kit, located in your vehicle should also be jumper cables, road flares, assorted tools, and snow equipment such as a small shovel and ice scraper. An extra blanket and/or sleeping bag are an excellent idea.

MAINTAINING YOUR KIT • -Store items in airtight plastic bags for protection • -Water and food supplies should be replaced every six months • -Stored batteries should be replaced with fresh ones once every year

Use these suggestions as a guide to assembling a personalized kit that suits your needs and any scenario you foresee. Include any additional supplies that you desire. I am constantly tweaking my pack, adding and subtracting items. Remember this kit is de-

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

signed to sustain you for a maximum of three days. Three days’ worth of supplies is recommended by relief agencies, such as the Red Cross and FEMA, due to the fact that it may take up to 72 hours for them to reach those affected by a disaster. Also keep in mind that it may be necessary for you to carry this pack for some distance, all the more reason to maintain physical fitness. A kit should be assembled for each member of your family and kept in an easy to reach place in the home should evacuation be required.

Since disasters can happen at any time, we all need to be prepared. Being prepared, having the supplies on hand to see you through the unexpected is very much part of the self-reliant lifestyle. a

The Valley, January 2012

24

Buckhorn Taxidermy and Sporting Goods has added a new addition of live pets and pet supplies to the store.

We also have a line of live bait and live crickets year-round for the fishermen and pet lovers.

The Pen and Thread Custom Calligraphy and Weaving

Mary Anna Chenoweth Proprietor

717-248-6079 131 West Market Street Lewistown, Pennsylvania

Tropical Fish Birds Lizards Frogs Snakes Spiders S corpions Hamsters Gerbils Rats Mice

We are a full time taxidermy shop with over 50 years combined experience. Big game, game heads, small game, fish and exotic animals.

316 N. Logan Blvd.

Burnham, PA 17009 Open 7 days a week (717) 242-4490

Monday, Wednesday, Friday 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Mon & Fri. 10am - 7pm Tues, Wed, Thurs, Sat - 10am 5pm Sun - 8am - noon

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

25

The Valley, January 2012

Walking on the wild side by julie shultz smith

What a Walk On The Wild Side 2011 was for us. So many changes have happened with the animals in our lives. For starters you all know that Herb, the girls, and I got a Zebra and our own little herd of buffalo, who are now roaming at the farm. I do have to say it makes your day a little brighter to wake up in the morning, look out your window and see the buffalo out grazing or walking into the barn, as well as getting a good morning from Zahara (the zebra) and her little buddy donk.

Or, if you have had a bad day and come home to watch the buffalo roaming out in pasture or to walk in Zaharas stall to just love on her.

I have to say that the biggest question I have had with Zahara is how she is handling the cold. As you all know, zebras do not come from a place where they get snow or have cold weather. I have to say I am pretty pleased with how she has been handling the cold so far. But then again, we really haven’t had any major cold spells yet. So far she has been wintering up just as any horse would. She has a nice thick winter coat to her and it seems like she isn’t minding what little cold we have gotten so far. So I guess we will all have

to wait to see what she thinks of the cold when it comes our way.

I guess if worse comes to worse and we do get some cold weather, Zahara will just have to wear a blanket to keep warm. But I don’t really think we are going to have

their pasture. They seem to be at peace no matter what. I just love sitting back and watching them.

At E & L Supplies we have really taken a Walk On The Wild Side this year. We have done so much with the animals in the past

Two of our herd of buffalo peacefully grazing down near the stream. They have adapted well to life in Spring Mills.

any problems with her.

Now the buffalo on the other hand, I don’t really think they mind any weather. They seem to be happy just roaming around

year. We not only help every one of our customers with their animals, whether it be in the nutrition department, supplies they may need, medicines in emergency

cases, having their pets pampered here at our in house pet spa, or just to sit and chat about that funny story that their pets have done since the last time they have come to the store. When it comes to our customers animals, we love them just as they were one of our own. It’s the best part of the job!

And we don’t even have to clean up the messes they make.

We also hold chick days early spring every year here at E & L Supplies. Our customers either call or stop in and order what chicks or ducklings they would like to raise, and we order them in. This year we are going to do it a little different. We are still going to do orders, but we are also going to order extra chicks to have here at the store for sale. You can order or pick up any amount you would like to raise whether it be just one chick or a whole new flock of chickens or ducklings.

At that time we get to chat with our customers to see exactly what they would like to get out of their chicks whether it be the next hen to lay eggs for them, or that next meat bird they maybe raising.

It’s always nice to have the baby chicks arrive because then you know summer is just right around the corner. It’s not a bad idea to start thinking now about what new chicks you may want to order this spring.

Another thing we have done in the past is the rabies clinic.

That is when people bring their pets in to the store to get them their rabies vaccine. The first rabies vaccine is usually given to

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

your pet at four to six months of age. The first rabies vaccine is good for one year, but once your pet gets its second vaccine, they are then protected for three years.

We usually hold that one Saturday in the spring. We have a certified vet come to the store to give the rabies vaccine because it must be administered by a vet. The way we look at it is why not get your pets vaccinated once a year as a precaution. You know there are so many cases of rabies every year and it just seems to be getting worse. For Pennsylvania alone, there were a total of 420 cases of rabies from January 1, 2011 to November 30, 2011. In that time frame, Centre County has had fifteen cases alone. There were two cats, twelve raccoons and one fox, and that is only the reported cases that we know of. This is why we at E & L Supplies think it’s very important to take the steps of having your animals vaccinated.

Why take a chance?

In September we held our first deer seminar. We discussed everything from deer feeding, deer management, how to age a deer and so much more. The guys and gals had questions and the speakers had answers. One of the speakers, Bobbi Mothersbaugh, raises deer himself and he brought in one of his buck’s antlers for everyone to take a look at. We had a light dinner and gave out some door prizes. If feeding the deer is something you enjoy, watch for our next deer seminar.

Continued on page 30

The Valley, January 2012

26 Himalayan Salt Cave from front page

salt lamps at Curves and Simply Health. If you need more energy and less congestion in your life, infections, sinusitis, asthma, bron- try a Himalayan salt lamp. Cryschitis, snoring, sleeping disorders, tal Salt Lamps freshen and ionize cystic fibrosis, poor concentration, the air.

Did you ever think that by just sitting quietly, relaxed, and listening to soothing music you might improve your health dramatically? We have heard amazing results already in the cave. From one person who got her sense of smell back to others getting out of Beautiful salt lamps are available to continue your pain from arthritis healthful halotherapy at your home or office, or why and many, many not both!

others report positive benefits.

Another great result was from a person who purchased a salt lamp for her sons bedroom (as he had asthma attacks every night) and he has not had one since.

There’s lots more for you to

learn about Halotherapy, so stop by soon! Check out our web-site at www.simplyhealth-calm.com.

Start your year with a bit more natural health. a

www. simplyhealthcalm.com

ADHD, acne, eczema, skin challenges, psoriasis, ear infections and others.

When our body is sick and lacking its natural frequency, salt can bring us back into our original, balanced state. The antibacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal, and anti-inflammatory properties of salt provide the major beneficial factor in Halotherapy.

To help you bring those healing properties into your home and office, you can also purchase

Mail Pouch Books

by Carleen B. Grossman Joanna and Ulysses

By May Sarton Copyright 1963 Dear Readers~

With winter months ahead of us, lets do something different!

Let’s take a trip to the balmy lands of Greece. Greece, in a time before our world felt the economic crises of today. Yet still at a time when persons had to heal from other worldly tragedies. Set yourself back in time to shortly after WWII. This is a book I like to call a “heritage” book, yet it also conveys the love and healing qualities animals can bring to our lives.

It is a soothing pastoral, 127 page, story in which the young female protagonist of the story leaves Athens for a month vacation to the island of Santorini. On this beautiful island, she becomes friends with a donkey who had

been mistreated by its previous owner; she rescues the donkey and in return it is the donkey who helps to heal her life from the terrifying war experiences she has lived through. Her life has been lacking meaning and following mundane routines, but now with her new friend and responsibilities she gains entirely new meaning to her life!

The Donkey, Ulysses, and Joanna, the young woman, journey through Greek experiences that will make you feel just like you have traveled to Santorini for your very own vacation. It is a delightful

book that warms the heart and the spirit as it shows the strength of this mentally bruised young woman. This simple, yet happy story with some eye-catching sketches sprinkled throughout the pages, will brighten your outlook on life!

The Food of a Younger Land: A Portrait of American Food-Before the National Highway System, Before Chain Restaurants, and Before Frozen Food, When the Nation’s Food Was Seasonal

By Mark Kurlansky Copyright 2010

A treasure trove of American food and food traditions from coast-to coast, rural and regional!

Divided by regions, this book tells about “American cookery and the part it has played in national life.” But the book is filled with

interesting tidbits and notes - everything from Choctaw Indian foods to slang used in New York luncheonettes. A number of recipes are included.

The Dirty Life: On Farming, Food, and Love

By Kristin Kimball Copyright 2010

This New York author, while interviewing a Pennsylvania farmer---discovers his passion for natural living and initiating a barter economy, soon she has actually accepted a date with him! The next thing she knows, they have their own Adirondack

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

farm and are on the way to planning their wedding....now this will be tricky as they try to satisfy both their rustic friends as well as her urbane family! A fun yet fascinating memoir about farming life.

Deeply Rooted: Unconventional Farmers in the Age of Agribusiness

By Lisa M. Hamilton Copyright 2009

A book about how farmers in this country have strayed away from the tables of America! 3 unconventional farmers---an African-American diaryman in Texas , a 10th generation rancher in New Mexico and a modern pioneer family in North Dakota show how farmers who assimilate into other areas of life still need to be masters of the nations’ tables! a

27

The Valley, January 2012

Grosze Thal Nachbaren

(Big Valley Neighbors)

by Jeptha I. Yoder

Ein Grusz im Namen des Herren. Es ist nicht sehr kalt und hat wenig Schnee. Am Kältesten war es 16 degrees. Die Bauer waren am pflügen.

Der 27 Nov. war Kirchengasse Gemein ans Mose N. Hostetlers. West Lang Leen war ans Emanuel I. Hostetlers. Eli S. Zugen und Familie waren ans Unckel Christ M. Yoders abends.

Der 4 December war Unser Hinter Berg Weg Gemein ans Eli S. Zugen. Von McKlur waren David H. Yoders Jr. und Mcklur waren David H. Yoders Jr. und Familie. Singen und Gemein in Ost Lang Leen war ans Johannes I. Yoders.

Der 11, war Kirchengasse Gemein ans Esra Y. Hostetlers.

West Lang Leen war ans Simeon J. Hostetlers.

Eli Ss’ und Familie, Michael J. und Tochter Veronica B., alle Hostetlern waren dort fürs Mittagessen.

Der 17, war Gemein hier.

Von andere Theilen waren Christian Z. Speichers und Jonathan N. Hostetlers. Hier fürs Abendessen waren Christian Zs, Jeptha H. Yoder (Emanuel J.) und Frieda L. Hostetler (Jacob Z.) Unter Milroy Gemein war ans Joshua J. Hostetlers. Ost Lang Leen war ans Mose S. Yoders. So der Herr will und wir leben ist unser Gemein ans Jesse J. Hostetlers

nägst mol. Ost Lang Leen ans Jacob Z. Hostetlers. Der 6 war die Hochzeit in Treaster Thal ans Estra B. Hostetlers für ihre Tochter Fräney unds Sam N. Yoders ihr Sohn Rudy. verheirathet durch die Braut ihr Unckel Jacob Z. Hostetler.

Nevasitszer waren: Daniel s. (Esra B.) and Adelina R. (Johannes Y.) beide Hostetlern; Christ T. Yoder (Sam N.) und Leah E. Hostetler (Esra B.).

Gemein war ans Eli S. Zugen.

Eingeladen waren Freunde und Bekannte von Mcklur, Penns Thal und Winfeld, so wohl als Glockestaedel, Menno Hostetlers von Pfad Thal and Sam Wengerds von Juniata, welcher war auch der Dan, die Elisabeth ihr ersten Mann (und der Braut Vater), gut bekannt. Deshalb hatte der Tag kein mangel an andenkens.

Der 13 war Hochzeit in Mcklur ans Steven J. und Lena M. Hostetlers wo ihre Tochter Esther Y. verheirathet war mits Sam S. und Rahel S. Yoders ihr Seth D. Gemein war ans Emanuel J. Hostetlers.

Der 15, war Hochzeit ans Mose J. und Esther Y. Hostetlers für ihr Fronie E. und Sam I. und Ruth L. Yoders ihr Christ E. Verheirathet durch Jacob Z. Hostetler.

Nevahocker warn: Amos K. Hostetler (Mose J.) und Adelina D. Yoder (Sam I); Noah S. Yoder

(Sam I.) und Betsy E. Hostetler (Mose J.) Gemein war ans Johannes M. Hostetlers.

Es war auch Hochzeit ans Abraham N. und Lena F. Hostetlers für ihre Amanda N. mitt Rudy M. und Leah K. Hostetlers ihr Eli Z. Nevahocker waren: Abraham N. Hostetler (Abraham N.) und Rhoda L. Zug (Christ R.); Amos C. (Rudy M.) und Leah B. (Esle M.) beide Hostetlern. Gemein war ans Seth und Leah Hostetlers.

Der 20 war Hochzeit ans Seth A. und Naemi B. Hostetlers fürs ihr Barbara N. mitt die (Noah I.) Dena L. Yoder ihr Andy C. Gemein war ans Adam M. Hostetlers.

Der 22, war Hochzeit ans Mose S. und Rhodä L. Hostetlers für ihr Barbara M. mitt Esra A. und Leah M. Hostetlers ihr Johannes E. Gemein war ans Henner R. Hostetlers.

Der 2 ist Hochzeit bestellt in Penn Thal ans Jeff J. und Nancy Y. Hostetlers ihr Emma S. mitt Ben S. und Nancy N. Hostetlers ihr John T.

Christian Greetings! We are having a mild winter—at least so far. Recent colder temperatures have, more or less, ended the season for late garden crops. Yet, some crops such as the collards and kale are fine with our several mornings in the teens, and not

windy. Seems I was behind in getting the root crops into storage.

However this worked out alright since we did not get real cold winter weather yet. I got most of them in now. The turnips and carrots are in a cool, unheated part of the house in a barrel of sand. This method works not only for those preferring to store root vegetables for late use, it is also preferable if you plan to replant some of the best carrots, turnips, or whatever, to raise your own seed next summer. Such crops are biennial meaning the need two seasons (years) to bear a crop of seeds. if you happen to have open-pollinated (non-hybrid) varieties, you can save seed. Hybrid varieties may not reproduce in the same form or type as the parent plant. Check your seed catalogs!

Now for some community news...

Joining one sister on the 17th is a daughter Emma to M. Sieber and Lizzie E. Hostetler. Grands are widow (Solomon) Mary R. Hostetler; John M. and Naomi F. Hostetler. Greats are Moses I. and Elizabeth L. Hostetler; Moses M. and Esther S. Yoder.

One of the month and half old twin daughters of Eli E. and Nancy D. Zook had a recent hospital stay due to pneumonia. She is back home again, but with orders to keep her away from people so as to avoid exposure to sickness.

She has a blood-protein/metabolic disorder of which I cannot give the exact details. Those who are acquainted with the special needs babies would know. Mail will reach them at 9616 Back Moun-

Wholesome Gardening A Bi-Monthly Publication of Plain and Simple Sustainable Living For Subscription Information Write to: Wholesome Gardening 569 Schoolhouse Rd Genesee PA 16923

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

tain Road, Milroy, PA 17063.

Great Uncle Rudy S. Yoder was sick, missing church and the wedding at Moses J. Hostetlers, the groom being a “grand-nephew.” He was better again at last reports. Lydia had a birthday on Dec. 15 (1932) and Lord Willing, Rudy will have one on Jan. 7 (1931). Mail will reach them at 556 Church Lane, Reedsville, PA 17084.

As I got ready to wrap this up, I find I have some more news to share.

Joining one sister is Lydia on Dec. 20th to Isaac Y. and Lomie F. Hostetler. Grands are the above Solomon Mary and Jonathan N. and Rachel A. Hostetler.

Making first-time parents of Michael E. and Katie E. Yoder is Noah E. on the 16th. Grands are widow (Emanuel B.) Franey N. (Hostetler) Yoder; Yost J. and Franey E. Speicher. Greats are Isaac S. and Leah Y. (Hostetler) Yoder; Christian C. and Elizabeth L. (Hostetler) Zook. Step Greatgrandmother is widow (Sam R.) Malinda K. (Speicher) Hostetler.

God’s Blessings wished for a happy, healthy holiday and winter season to all! Enjoy those seed and nursery catalogs!

Jeptha I. Yoder a

Central PA Metal Roof MFG BUY DIRECT! We Manufacture Metal Roofing and Siding You measure, we cut, on the inch. No Waste.

We stock Coil Stock, Trims, Screws and Nails.

Custom Sheet Metal 29 Gauge Painted #1 and Galvalume

98 Dusty Lane Reedsville, PA 17084 Stop by from 7am-8am 24 hour notice for orders Same Day pick-up possible with notice by 7am.

The Valley, January 2012

Answers in an ad in this issue

28

Marker at Gibsland, LA where on May 23, 1934 "G-Men"

later known as The FBI, caught up with Bonnie & Clyde 1. Who portrayed Bonnie & Clyde in the 1967 movie?

2. Who was the first Director of the FBI?

Quiz # 20016

Copyright Š 2010

3. How long did this man serve as Director of the FBI?

The Valley

is published the first Thursday of every month.

Deadlines for ads and submissions is the 15th of the preceding month for inclusion in following monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s issue.

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

29

The Valley, January 2012

The Chicken AND the Egg!

by Mike Flanagan

odds and ends

Well, now, there’s a first for me this morning. I was attacked by one of my hens. Sure, I’ve had hens peck at me to tell me they really don’t want me to take their eggs. Those were gentle nips, not like just now. This girl was mad! And she was doing her darndest to force me away. She hurt me! And she actually broke my skin in one place. But I won.

I just reached in with both hands and lifted her out. Eight eggs in that box, so it was worth it. She kept hopping up and beating my hands with her wings and feet while I gathered my eggs. It was actually quite rooster-like.

I have also had (and eaten) aggressive roosters in the past. In fact, Rocky and I are currently involved in determining who’s the cock of the walk on this little homestead. He’s actually cut me through my jeans with his spurs on more than one occasion. But

every time I tell him he’s headed for the stew pot he decides to behave himself for a few more weeks, and I suppose I can tolerate a little sparring once a month or so, since he’s so handsome. I have included a pic of him. Now, tell me he ain’t handsome?

Mike’s “handsome” rooster always seems to behave when threatened with the stew pot.

One of the cool things about keeping a backyard flock is that they are always going to surprise you. You may remember that I mentioned last month that the ping-pong sized eggs were finished. Well, imagine my surprise this month when I picked an egg out of the nest that was about the size of a quarter. And in the same month I also picked out another egg that I swore had to be a TRIPLE-yolker. It measured over 8 inches around the long way and over 6 inches around the sides. I feel sorry for the girl that layed that monster!

I received a nice letter from a lady named Mary Ann Gibbons and she had a question that I haven’t addressed previously. After I mailed her a return letter and some pictures of the flock I got to thinking that maybe I should address that question here. (Hint: If you have a question about some

practice, a particular breed of chicken, or anything else chickenrelated, drop me a line. I’ll do my best to answer them.) what was local and that included

Mary Ann asked me what I local chickens and eggs. Then feed my girls. She had heard of big business got involved, started medicated feed and wondered if paying off politicians, and pretty I used it. The short answer is, soon we’ve got this bloated govno I don’t. My girls don’t need it because they have plenty of room, fresh air, fresh bedding, and fresh water. But y’all know me. I very seldom take the short way around.

Back when your grandparents were kids they Just when he thought the small eggs were done and didn’t get strawhe was on to bigger and better, one of his girls left him berries in January. this surprise.

Bananas were never in the local markets. And ernment that’s putting all kinds people wouldn’t have dreamed of insane regulations on food and of paying extra for New Zealand forcing our neighbors and small beef. The transportation network farmers out of business. wasn’t in place to support that stuff. So people just naturally ate

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

Continued on page 14

The Valley, January 2012

30

also here year round to provide assistance in the event you receive any notifications from the IRS or your return is audited.

The Stewardship Group has a passion for training and equipping the community of faith in regard to insurance, tax, retirement and estate planning techniques. By doing this, we are enabling our clients to become better stewards of the resources with which they have been blessed.

Another benefit we are offering our clients this year is a free evaluation of their overall financial picture. Just call us at (717) 935-5858 and ask to have your “Stewardship Quotient” completed. Once you are aware of the areas in your life that may need some attention, we can use a values based approach, rooted in faith, to help you better protect and prosper the people and things that matter most in your life.

Call today and let us make April 15th just another day on the calendar. And just to leave you with some good news, this year it’s April 16th - Happy Filing!

Carol Kauffman is the Vice-President/CFO of The Stewardship Group. She brings over 20 years accounting experience to The Stewardship Group and their clients. Carol is a lifetime resident of Mifflin County and currently resides in McVeytown with her husband and their two children. a

The Tax Man Cometh

by Carol Kauffman

There are many dates on our calendars that stir our emotions. We just finished celebrating what most of us refer to as the “holiday season” – the last Thursday of November was Thanksgiving, December 25th we celebrated our Savior’s birth, and January 1st we “rang in a new year” resolving to make some drastically needed changes in our lives, but THEN WHAT???? Well, for those of us whose idea of romance isn’t an archer in a diaper with wings and who weren’t born into the “Luck o’ the Irish” we tend to focus on APRIL 15th! Wait, is that a holiday? Only for those of us who prepare taxes for a living!

While I know that date is not a favorite for most people, it doesn’t have to be one to dread either. We’ve all heard the old saying that the only things certain in this life are death and paying taxes – but for most of us the word “taxes” leaves us feeling anything but certain. How much do I owe? What items can I deduct?

Who can I claim as a dependent? How do I know if there have been any changes since last year? These are questions many people ask each year, so I decided to share a few tips to hopefully ease some of that burden.

I recently attended a two-day tax update conference in Harrisburg. In between watching one woman knit, another woman complete her Christmas cards, and one poor man stretch out and sleep through the entire morning, I picked up a few helpful pieces of information.

2011 Information for Individuals 2010 (Last Year) $3,650

Personal Exemption Standard Deduction Single Married Filing Joint Qualified Widower Married Filing Separately Head of Household Add’l Deduction for the Elderly and the Blind Single Married Child Tax Credit (no change) Standard Mileage Rate Business (Jan-Jun/Jul-Dec) Charitable Medical/Moving (Jan-Jun/Jul-Dec) Annual Gift Exclusion (no change) Student Loan Interest Deduction (no change)

$5,700 $11,400 $11,400 $5,700 $8,400

$5,800 $11,600 $11,600 $5,800 $8,500

$1,400 $1,100 $1,000

$1,450 $1,150 $1,000

$.50 $.14 $.165 $13,000 $2,500

$.51/$.555 $.14 $.19/$.235 $13,000 $2,500

2011 Information for Businesses 2010 (Last Year)

IRC Section 179 Depreciation Investment Limitation SUV Limitation Luxury (non-electric) Auto Depr. Limits First Year Bonus Depreciation Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 and after

2011 (This Year) $3,700

2011 (This Year)

$250,000 $800,000 $25,000

$500,000 $2,000,000 $25,000

$8,000 $3,060 $4,900 $2,850 $1,775

$8,000 $3,060 $4,900 $2,850 $1,775

Two additional things we learned during the conference are that the IRS will be looking closely at mortgage interest deductions for individuals and expense deductions for small business owners. The only thing that means for you, the taxpayer, is that you need to make sure you have documentation to support your deductions. The IRS only audits a small % of returns; most of those audits result from something that appears out of the ordinary in relation to previous returns or what would be considered “normal.”

Another important thing to remember is that a number of the programs and credits you may have been eligible for in 2010 have expired and you will not be able to benefit from them when you file your 2011 taxes.

And, yes before you ask, more programs are expiring in 2011 (big surprise!)

I would love to be able to tell you everything that has changed in relation to income taxes, but we both know that you would quit reading before you get to the second page, and if truth be told, I don’t feel like typing that much. What I do know for certain, is that if you have your taxes prepared by The Stewardship Group, we will do everything we can to maximize your return and help you evaluate your 2012 tax strategies. We are

Walking on the Wild Side from page 25

We also had a blast at our First Fall Annual Fall Family days here at E & L Supplies as well. That was held In October 2011. That Saturday everyone that attended got to have their own little Walk On The Wild Side.

Zahara and Donk came to the store that day along with Bentley the Buffalo. Abe Allebach was kind enough to bring his Oxen as well. Everyone had the chance to get an up close and personal look at all the animals. We also had a professional photographer, Mandee Bierly, on hand for those that wanted to have their pictures taken with Zahara. There were activities for the kids to enjoy that included free pumpkin painting and wildbird feeder making. The Centre County Dairy Princess was kind enough to be here that day to help the kids with making their projects. We also had Scott’s Roasting here serving their awesome pork sandwiches. I have to say it was so nice that day to watch everyone’s reaction with all the exotic animals we had here.

I really do believe everyone had a great time.

One Saturday in December we were blessed with a very nice visitor—yup you got it—Santa came to see us. Mandee was kind enough to come and take everyone’s picture with Santa. We had the pleasure of meeting a lot of little ones that just couldn’t wait to make it through the doors to see Santa. We have all kinds of visitors that day from full family pictures to any kind of pet photo you can imagine. This year Santa got his picture taken with a chicken. Last year it was a miniature horse. Who knows what may

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

walk through the door next year!

We can’t wait to see.

The biggest changes with the animals last year was that we now sell live animals at E & L Supplies. Oh yeah, you got it, we not only sell all the supplies you may need, but we have the animals for the supplies now. You may find anything from a soft furry pet to a scaly slithering one, and if we don’t have the pet you are looking for at that moment, I am sure we can find it for you.

Stop by and say hello to BO BO the blue and gold macaw; she likes to have visitors. Watch for our upcoming events with the live animals at the store.

I hope that you all had a good holiday season with family and friends. May all those New Year’s resolutions come true for everyone. I want to thank everyone for a great year here at the store. I have met a lot of very nice people along with their pets.

I would like to take this time to Thank You all for making our first year in business a pleasure.

I am glad that I have gotten to meet you all, but if I haven’t met you yet, what are you waiting on? Stop by E & L Supplies and check out what we have to offer!

I know that not everyone has pets, but we also carry a large variety of mulch, stone, sand and topsoil along with all your gardening needs as well. Hope to see you soon. a

31

The Valley, January 2012

Resolutions

100 Stine Drive Lewistown, PA 17044

by Sarah Hurlburt

Toll Free 877-248-6405 cshockey@StoneArchRealEstate.com

717-248-6400

Beautiful 2 story in Shawnee Hills

Well, here we are, 2012, a brand new year, a fresh new start and probably lots of resolutions to improve ourselves in the coming days. You might hear, this year I will lose weight, I will go back to school and finish that degree, I will look for a better job, I will care more about others, I will get a new wardrobe and on and on they will go.

New Year’s always brings about lots of empty promises of how we are going to better ourselves in the coming year. But usually those promises are to improve the outward part of us and they often get trampled under our busyness and crazy lifestyles, and forgotten.

I’m praying that this year we will turn our focus inward and that we understand the changes that need to happen inside cannot be done on our own. We need that savior that we celebrate at Christmas. Jesus is not just a nice story, he is God come down to redeem us and through his death and resurrection we have the ability to have new life! God’s life in us transforms us from the inside out, restores us, and brings us back to life spiritually. God is much more concerned with the inside than the outside!

In the Old Testament the Lord talks to Samuel about this in 1 Samuel 16:7 when he says, “But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him.

The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” Samuel is being asked by God to point out which of Jesse’s sons will be the next King. God has told him He will reveal to him which one it is and seven of Jesse’s sons have passed before Samuel and God keeps saying “No not him,” and finally after seven brothers have been rejected (even though they looked good to Samuel) he finally says, “Is this all your sons?”

And Jesse says, “Well there is one more, but he’s my youngest and he’s out tending the sheep.”

They call for David and in comes this healthy, handsome young man, the youngest and most unlikely and God says, “That’s him,

anoint him!”

Thinking maybe God can’t use you? He can but we must be right on the inside first. And this doesn’t mean we won’t make mistakes and fall. We know as we follow David into adulthood we see that even though he had a heart after God’s own heart and God used him in a big way, he had human frailties and he fell to them at times. God was always faithful to forgive him and set him back on the right path though because David would cry out to God to cleanse him from the inside.

We see this in Psalm 139:23-24 David is surrendering himself to God, “Search me O God and know my heart, test me and know my anxious thoughts, point out anything in me that offends you and lead me in the way everlasting. Transform me by the renewing of my mind.

David knew that God knows our inner thoughts; he is the one that reminds us that God knit us together in our mothers’ wombs!

Yes I think God knows us pretty well, after all, He is our Creator and who knows more about a creation, the created or the Creator?

David, another time says, “O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” Don’t we all feel that way sometimes? If we want to really know ourselves and better ourselves we will have to get to know our Creator.

In the New Testament this idea of what is on the inside mattering more then what is on the outside is talked about by Jesus several times. One bold passage is in Matthew 23, Matthew 23:23-28 Jesus says,“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things. 24 Blind guides! You strain your water so you won’t accidentally swallow a gnat, but you swallow a camel!

25 “What sorrow awaits you

4 BR, 3.5 BA home with over 2800 SQ.FT of living space. GORGEOUS new kitchen in 2008 is a chef’s dream. NEW Hickory and Cherry HW in living & dining, NEW heat pump/central air, master bedroom with NEW master bath, NEW partially covered patio area w/ awesome Big Valley views on 2+acres.

Paradise Found Gorgeous home perfect for entertaining year round. 4 Bedrooms (one on main floor), 3 Full baths. Cathedral ceilings & stone fireplace in living room, Corian & Granite Kitchen, tiled Sunroom, finished lower level with bar & pool table, in-ground heated pool w/ waterfall.

Call Claire or Stephanie Today!

Claire Shockey: 717-994-0786

CShockey@StoneArchRealEstate.com

Stephanie Koenig: 717-513-8999

Stephanie@StoneArchRealEstate.com

www.StoneArchRealEstate.com teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence! 26 You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too.

27 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs— beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity. 28 Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.”

And there are others like Luke 16:15, “Then he said to them, you like to appear righteous in public, but God knows your hearts. What this world honors is detestable in the sight of God.”

These were words that Jesus spoke and not to some wild street urchins, but if you notice in verse 23 of the passage in Matthew he was speaking to teachers of the religious law and the same in Luke 16!

He is pretty harsh with them and calls all their “inner trash” right out in the open. This passage tells us clearly that Jesus is not impressed by outward appearances and performances, but looks inside of people to the heart of who they are. Their desires and motives. There are scriptures in the Old and New Testament that support this lesson that Jesus is trying to get across to these “reli-

gious” teachers and to us. Because after all if we are believers we should be “teachers” everyday of our lives.

That is why Jesus got so upset with these “fake” religious leaders who only cared about looking good on the outside.

While all the while they were spiritually dead on the inside.

As we look out over the horizon of a new year may we also look within ourselves and seek God with our whole hearts. May we cry out to Him to show us who He is. And although it will take time out of our busy schedules and great commitment to get quiet before God and really seek Him, it will be well worth it. For when hard times hit us and they will, we will be prepared for the storms because of the inner strength we

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

have received from God and the peace that passes all understanding.

Remember Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:6, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”

May this be a year filled with a newness of life, a resurrection of those spiritually dead bones in us and a new passion and desire to know God. May we all be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Happy New Year! a

32

The Valley, January 2012

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

33

The Valley, January 2012

Back Talk

by Dr. Joseph Kauffman

If you have a daughter, READ THIS!

January is national cervical cancer awareness month. What better way to prevent cervical cancer than to get a vaccine, such as Gardasil, for it, right? Wrong!

The commercial shows young, preteen girls jumping rope while singing a tune of “I want to be one less, o-n-e-l-e-s-s, one less girl to get cervical cancer so I got the gardasil vaccine.”

What is Gardasil?

Gardasil is manufactured by Merck Inc., and is being promoted all over the globe as a cervical cancer vaccine. According to official product information, “Gardasil is the only cervical cancer vaccine that helps protect against four types of human papilloma virus (HPV): two types that cause 70 percent of cervical cancer cases, and two more types that cause 90 percent of genital warts cases.” The manufacturer states that Gardasil is for girls and young women ages 9 to 26. Cervarix is manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline, and also marketed as a vaccine against certain types of cancer-causing human papilloma virus. Cervarix is not currently available in the United States, but is approved for use in Australia, the Philippines and in Europe. In Europe, Cervarix is in the national program of vaccination for teen and pre-teen girls.

Just recently, the FDA approved

this drug for use in the U.S. There are several groups that endorse the use of Gardasil, such as American Academy of Pediatrics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American Academy of Family Physicians, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

So Gardasil and Cervarix are perfectly safe, right? A miracle vaccine, with very few side effects?

On the Merck website, the side effects are listed as pain, swelling, itching, bruising and redness at the injection site, headache, fever, nausea, dizziness, vomiting and fainting. Falling with injury, as well as shaking or stiffening and other seizure-like activity accompany sometimes fainting. The product information also says that patients who are severely allergic to yeast should not take Gardasil.

Sounds relatively harmless, right?

Let’s go a little deeper.

Since the drug’s introduction in 2006, the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) has received more than 18,000 reports of adverse side effects related to Gardasil. These reports include serious adverse effects including Guillian Barre, lupus, seizures, paralysis, blood clots, brain inflammation, severe fatigue and weakness, heart problems, shortness of breath, chest pains and many more.

At last count, there have been at least 73 reported deaths as a result of Gardasil use; this does not include spontaneous abortions.

Cervarix has been responsible for more than 9,000 cases of serious, adverse reactions and at least 3 deaths since this vaccine has been in use. One of the worst cases involved 14-year-old Natalie Morton, who collapsed and died in school in England just one hour after receiving the vaccine.

(Her death was later attributed to a brain tumor, but if this were true, why were there no symptoms prior to her receiving the vaccine?)

“I’m sure many people reading this will say ‘Every vaccine has it’s risks,’ to be followed by the statement, ‘Well surely the benefits outweigh the chance of any adverse side effects.’ Let’s see what Dr. Diane Harper, lead researcher in the development of two human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccines and director of the Gynecologic Cancer Prevention Research Group at the University

of Missouri, told an audience of medical professionals on October 25, 2009.

And remember, this is coming from a developer of the Gardasil vaccine! She says, ‘Gardasil is largely unnecessary, and that it has never been fully tested on females under the age of 15. This, despite strong marketing efforts to make the drug mandatory for girls, and product literature and advertising that state the product can be used by girls as young as age 9.’

Dr. Harper’s remarks were made to an audience at the 4th International Public Conference on Vaccination. During this talk, she said 70 percent of all HPV infections resolve themselves without treatment within a year, and that within two years that number climbs to 90 percent. Of the remaining 10 percent, she said, only half will develop into cervical cancer, resulting in ‘little need for the vaccine.’ She also said incidences of cervical cancer are steadily decreasing with conventional treatments and preventative measures.

Add this to the fact that Merck’s own website says this vaccine is not intended to take the place of regular check ups and pap smears.

Then why take the chance and let your daughter be injected with Gardasil? This vaccine that contains chemicals such as an aluminum adjuvant – that has been linked to the Gulf War Syndrome, also contains polysorbate 80 – shown to cause infertility in rats, as well as sodium borate – a

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

common roach killer that has been attributed to causing unconsciousness, seizures and death — this chemical is said to be known to cause cancer.

Also according to Merck’s website 60% of the American population has HPV. They fail to mention that HPV is a medical term used for many different warts, 99%, which are harmless: Planters warts, Flat warts, etc. Gardasil is intended to protect against FOUR types of HPV. But there are over 120 different strains of HPV. –Over 100 of these strains cause harmless warts (you’ve had them as a child, probably) that cause warts on the hands/feet. They do no harm. Over 30 of these strains remain invisible and disappear by themselves.

–10 strains are caught ONLY through sexual contact. Most of these go away by themselves.

They do not cause cancer.

–10 strains cause warts on the genitalia. Caught by sexual contact. They do not cause cancer.

–4 strains are only caught by sexual contact and can lead to cervical cancer. However, you have a 92% chance of surviving cervical cancer after being diagnosed with these strains. Less than .8% of the population carries one of these strains.

After looking at all of the information on Gardasil, it appears there are more questions than answers.

Dr. Harper joins a number of consumer watchdogs, vaccine safety advocates, and parents

Continued on page 36

The Valley, January 2012

34

Joanne Wills’ Contentment Quest Raise JOY!!

As we prepare to embark on a New Year, perhaps many of us are entertaining thoughts of New Year’s resolutions. I am a big proponent of creating New Year resolutions in the weeks and days prior to the yearend countdown festivities. But, all truth be told, my vigor to sustain my resolution usually fizzles by mid April.

With this coming year, I long for my resolutions to last… to last through 2012 and beyond. I long for my resolution to make a difference… a difference in me, in others, and in my community overall.

I long for my resolution to raise joy and to shine light in the darkened crevices of life. I long for my resolution to be the “candle” that will light other candles, and

then those candles light more candles, and so on, until there is much more light than darkness.

A year ago, when I embarked on the journey that is Contentment Quest, my personal journey to find contentment in the everyday, I chose to open my eyes to a new observation of life. I made a pledge to seek contentment on my ordinary, simplistic life. What I actually found was so very much more. What I found was me – my authentic self – in addition to contentment in my ordinary days. I have learned, through my journey, that keen awareness and repeated contentment are the components that create joy – lasting fulfilling joy. So this year I will resolve to raise joy. I will continue my

quest for contentment in my daily ordinary life, and I will raise joy – spoken or written joy - as a form of a keen awareness of the blessings, mini miracles, and grace that is present in my life – now and every day.

Ann Voskamp, a gifted writer, blogger, learner and seeker wrote about “living fully right where you are” in her recent book “One Thousand Gifts.” Voskamp writes about her disheveled, gritty, gracefilled life that she experiences on her sprawling Canadian farm that she shares with her farmer husband, their six kids, and herds of animals. Voskamp has been no stranger to calamity and heartbreak. Her life has been filled with happenings that often leave many people bitter and numb.

Instead, Voskamp chose joy. She chose to live from a position of thankfulness. She refers to this thankfulness as “Eucharisto.”

She says the word is Greek in origin meaning thanksgiving and can be broken down as the root word of charis meaning grace, and the Greek derivative chara meaning joy.

Voskamp chose to “learn” and grow in thanksgiving of the everyday.

On a dare from one of her friends, Ann chose to find grace in her ordinary daily life by journaling one thousand gifts of grace. The dare declared that she journal everyday graces – simple blessings that she looked for and “learned” that day. Some days, she scribbled one or two, other days she penned pages of “grace gifts.” In

her book, Voskamp writes: “I live in this place, make porridge, scrub toilets, do laundry, and for days, weeks… I study this, the full life…Eucharisto. That might be what the quest for more is all about – that which Augustine claimed, “Without exception … all try their hardest to reach the same goal that is joy.” (Voskamp, 2010, pg 32).

Voskamp mentions in her book that the act of list writing makes her happy – happy to view the graces that have been bestowed on her. There is something else that keeps her writing – drives her to pen her grace… to pen it with gusto. That something is so insignificant that it could have easily been missed or disregarded by those unaware – but Ann is fully and keenly aware.

Voskamp writes: “But what keeps me going is what I read in that Bible lying open on my prayer bench, looking out the window to the snow fort, I see Paul’s writing it’s the letter to the Philippians. I read the fourth chapter. I almost don’t see it, but Paul repeats it twice in only two sentences, so I don’t miss it: “I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything.

I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.”(Philippians 4:1112).

I read it many times… there it is the secret to living joy in every situation, the full life of Eucharisto. Twice Paul whispers it “I have learned…” Learned. I would have to learn Eucharisto… learn to live fully. Learn it like I know my own name. Learn how to be thankful – whether empty or full” (Voskamp, 2010, pg 47).

Ann Voskamp understands that joy comes from thanksgiving – a heartfelt thanksgiving for life at hand – and it is in the spirit of Ann’s dare to live fully… to live Eucharisto, that I make my resolution to do the same. I resolve to learn to live Eucharisto in the New Year, for the entire year, and beyond.

In May of 2011, I felt the call

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

to create a blog, a little place in cyber space to call my own. I felt called to use a particular photo that Rick had taken during a visit to Hawaii (March of 2008 to visit his daughter) when his daughter chartered a Catamaran sailboat in hopes of “whale watching” and experiencing a Hawaiian sunset at sea. The blog sat empty for months… waiting for me to fill it with imperfect prose, but the words didn’t come… until now. Starting in the New Year, I will begin to fill the blog with my “grace list”… my own one thousand gifts. I will list my thanksgiving – my Eucharisto – weekly. The purpose of the blog will be to pen my grace list, and to cast my gifts upon the water so others may benefit. As mentioned in my December column, the poet Maya Angelou once stated “When we cast our bread upon the waters, we can presume that someone downstream whose face we may never see will benefit from our action, even as we enjoy the gifts sent to us from a donor up stream.” The Hawaiian sunset photo on my blog will represent the “water” where the bread is cast, the grace list is the “action”, and the “donor upstream” could perhaps be Voskamp, me, or you.

Won’t you join me in raising joy?

Won’t you join me in Eucharisto?

I petition you to begin you own “grace list.” I implore you to learn to “see” grace in your everyday – to see abundance in your everyday. Scribble your daily grace list on a napkin, in a tablet or journal; give a “grace” response of your daily thanksgiving on my new blog. In any manner meet me by the water – and give thanks. Participate in Eucharisto and raise JOY! Raise joy in your home, workplace, community, in your life. As we all raise joy, we cast light – light that reaches the crevices and shines warmly in the world. I invite you to meet me at the water. Join me at http://abundantliving-joann.blogspot.com let us raise JOY together and create an abundant life filled with grace.

Continued on page 42

35

The Valley, January 2012

Life in the East End

by Rebecca Harrop

Time to Butcher the Pigs!

Its once again the time of year when we butcher pigs. Some people may think it’s cruel, but that’s how we get our pork for the year. The butchering itself is a social event for family and friends.

We all get together to help each other with the butcherings.

Not so much now, but in the past when most of the fam-

ily member. One of the first jobs I can remember having was helping to set the table for when the men came in to eat. That was another one of the butcher traditions—the men always ate before the women and children. Now the men eat so much kettle meat, that they are not that hungry when they come in to eat, so they just get dessert most

Ben Harrop, Jim Goss, Ernie Harrop Sr., Korey Auman

ily farmed for a living, everyone raised their own hogs, beef, and chickens. So they had their own eggs and meat as well as milk from the cows. Mom and Dad still say there is nothing like your own farm-raised meat.

There is usually a job for everyone, even the youngest fam-

of the time.

My second job was helping clean the intestines or skins, for stuffing sausage. We have to separate the intestines from the rest of the guts. Then my mom or one of my aunts will squeeze the contents out of the intestines and run water through them.

Blair Auman carrying water to the scalding trough.

After that, we set up three buckets with warm water & salt in them.

The person at the first bucket scrapes the outside of the skins, the second person has to turn the intestines inside out so the third person can scrape the inside.

Last year I helped cut lard, which is the fat. We use the lard to make cracklings. Mom swears lard makes the best pie crusts.

Although I think I’ll stick to

scrapping the intestines from now on, I have seen too many people cut themselves while cutting lard and meat. This year I did all of the second-bucket scrapings.

My brothers’ first jobs were carrying meat and running to the house to get things. As they got older they helped carry water to the scalding trough and cut lard.

They helped cut pig halves, gut pigs and stir kettles. Now they

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

help with everything.

Butcher Day is always a day I look forward to. Its a lot of hard work, but well worth it later in the year when our freezer is full. We smoke our own hams and I love the smell of the smoke house when Dad is smoking meat.

When I was little I liked to watch the ladies scraping the skins, their hands seemed to fly over

Continued on page 37

The Valley, January 2012

36

Home-Grown!

A Homeschooler’s Perspective

By Mary Eck

Not Just a Noun

Ever find yourself more than a little annoyed with the misplaced prejudices and objections homeschool naysayers seem to have when it comes to what should be lauded as positives? It’s almost as if they are unwilling to utter any words that might (gasp!) be interpreted as affirmation of our choice to homeschool!

For example, some members of my family are very condescending when my children say they’d rather not participate in this program or go to that place because cursing is both common and plentiful (and the so-called adult supervision leaves a lot to be desired), or a generally negative vibe permeates a certain place, etc. Others will imply that our children are clueless as to what the “real” world is like, and so are thought of as the “backward” relatives.

And then there are the comments that assert that my husband and I—get this—“shelter” our children. What?! You’re darn right, we shelter them…duh! Are you gonna charge us with feeding and clothing them, too?!

Where is the outrage that supposedly child-friendly environments are not just that? And why is the child’s perspective—which is based upon direct experience— dismissed as pathetic naiveté, and the child NOT commended for uncommon conviction of moral fiber and strength of character?

Why is the “problem” the spiritually-sensitive child speaking his mind, and NOT with an immoral culture that is both unsympathetic

and downright cruel where childlike innocence and preservation of purity are concerned?

The fact of the matter is children these days grow up too fast. Who in their right minds would dare dispute me? The “G” and “PG” movie ratings today allow gratuitous violence, profane language and adult content that would have garnered an “R” from the powers-that-be twenty years ago. Children are bombarded daily by blatant half-nude images and marketing messages that shamelessly reek of sexual innuendos. And most radio show hosts make no effort to self-censor their comments and conversations, which are usually riddled with mature content even during mixed-audience time slots that virtually guarantee young ears are listening.

And yet most children are numb to all of this destructive background noise and visual garbage before they hit puberty.

Many courageous parents who try to deflect it and cling to wholesome values are inevitably scolded for their archaic ideals, and too often tire of swimming against the proverbial current. It is certainly a fatiguing and seemingly mountainous task, especially in the face of the contemporary and fashionable, “be-their-friend” approach to child rearing that’s infected much of our fellow Generation X-ers.

Sometimes I catch myself in a cynical moment, wondering when the term “parent” became solely a noun—giving badge-of-honor-like stature with none of the accompa-

nying responsibilities that require action!

We as a culture have become so desensitized to inappropriate behavior that the first response to a child that refuses to just accept the status quo and not “rock the boat,” is to denigrate or belittle them as somehow inferior or weak. And this, not from strangers, but from friends and family!

It is so very frustrating, as many of you know.

Our family’s child-rearing approach absolutely—and unapologetically—necessitates the purposeful sheltering of our precious children from cultural elements that are harmful to their spiritual and emotional growth. As they mature, we slowly introduce those aspects of “life in the real world” via a Christian worldview lens. As Christians, the heavenly perspective is vital for our children to properly digest those terrible, hard-to-swallow bites of reality they will typically encounter sooner rather than later, thanks to a relentless, sin-infested society.

So, my dear homeschool friends, when you encounter verbal discouragement of this most insidious sort, do not fall prey to taking it personally. Instead, see it as the spiritual attack it is, and ready your spiritual armor for the task of countering it. In short, be ready to answer, in no uncertain terms, the enemy’s mocking question, What kind of parent are YOU? Just the noun…or the verb, too? a

Gardasil from page 33

small but real, for no benefit,’ says Dr. Harper. ‘The benefit to public health is nothing, there is no reduction in cervical cancers, they are just postponed, unless the protection lasts for at least 15 years, and over 70% of all sexually active females of all ages are vaccinated.’ She also says that enough serious side effects have been reported after Gardasil use that the vaccine could prove riskier than the cervical cancer it purports to prevent. Cervical cancer is usually entirely cur-

able when detected early through normal Pap screenings.

Dr. Scott Ratner and his wife, who’s also a physician, expressed similar concerns as Dr. Harper in an interview with CBS News last year. One of their teenage daughters became severely ill after her first dose of Gardasil. Dr. Ratner says she’d have been better off getting cervical cancer than the vaccination. ‘My daughter went from a varsity lacrosse player at Choate to a chronically ill, steroid-dependent patient with au-

who question the vaccine’s riskversus-benefit profile. She says data available for Gardasil shows that it lasts five years; there is no data showing that it remains effective beyond five years.

This raises questions about the CDC’s recommendation that the series of shots be given to girls as young as 11-years old. ‘If we vaccinate 11 year olds and the protection doesn’t last... we’ve put them at harm from side effects,

toimmune myofascitis. I’ve had to ask myself why I let my eldest of three daughters get an unproven vaccine against a few strains of a non-lethal virus that can be dealt with in more effective ways.’

Merck and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention maintain Gardasil is safe and effective, and that adequate warnings are provided, cautioning about soreness at the injection site and risk of fainting after vaccination. A new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found while the overall risk of side effects appears to be comparable to other vaccines; Gardasil has a higher incidence of blood clots reported. Merck says it continues to have confidence in Gardasil’s safety profile. Merck also says it’s looking into cases of ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, reported after vaccination. ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that attacks motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. Merck and the CDC say there is currently no evidence that Gardasil caused ALS in the cases reported. Merck is also monitoring the number of deaths reported after Gardasil: at least 32. Merck and CDC says it’s unclear whether the deaths were related to the vaccine, and that just because patients died after the shots doesn’t mean the shots were necessarily to blame.

CDC continues to recommend Gardasil for girls and young women. The agency says the vaccine’s benefits outweigh its risks and that it is an important tool in fighting a serious cancer.

Dr. Harper says the risk-benefit analysis for Gardasil in other countries may shape up differently than what she believes is true in the US. ‘Of course, in developing countries where there is no safety Pap screening for women repeatedly over their lifetimes, the risks of serious adverse events may be acceptable as the incidence rate of cervical cancer is five to 12 times higher than in the US, dwarfing the risk of death reported after Gardasil.’” http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/08/19/cbsnews_investigates/main5253431.shtml

“The debate about vaccination in the 21st century is not just about the science and whether vaccines and vaccine policies are a safe and effective way to keep individuals and populations truly healthy. It is also part of an historic power struggle between parents and doctors about whether doctors or anyone else in society should have the legal right to give

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

children a pharmaceutical product or medical treatment that carries a risk of injury or death without the parent’s voluntary, informed consent.

Today, there is a bill on the desk of California Governor Jerry Brown (Assembly Bill 499) that has been quietly and quickly rammed through the state legislature by the medical-pharma lobby.

If Governor Brown signs that bill into law, then children as young as 12 years old will be vaccinated with Gardasil, hepatitis B and future vaccines for sexually transmitted diseases without the knowledge or consent of their parents.

This proposed law would cost the cash-strapped state of California multi-millions of dollars to implement. Most of that money will go to Merck and other vaccine corporations to pay for multiple doses of each vaccine that will be aggressively promoted to young children, who are not yet physically, mentally or emotionally mature enough to make fully informed decisions about risktaking, including whether or not to take a medical risk.

This proposed law gutting parental informed consent rights is great news for drug companies like Merck, which sells Gardasil to the government for $108 per dose, but it is very bad news for parents. What if a 12-year-old child is biologically at high risk for having a life threatening vaccine reaction but the parent is not told the child has been vaccinated and does not watch for symptoms and the child’s reaction ends in permanent disability? Will the person, who has secretly given the vaccine to the child without the parent’s knowledge, be legally responsible for what happens if the child has a serious reaction?

Will the drug company that sold the vaccine to the state be legally responsible for the physical harm done to a secretly vaccinated child? No. The parent will be legally and financially responsible for caring for the child, who was taken by strangers and vaccinated without the parent’s consent, and is now brain damaged for life.

In America, there is no legal liability or responsibility for drug companies selling or doctors giving government recommended vaccines when those vaccines injure or kill children or adults.

How can the state of California - or any state - give anyone in society the power to secretly take a child away from a parent

Continued on page 41

37

The Valley, January 2012 Time to Butcher from page 35

Ed’s Railroading News

the scrapping board, they were so fast.

Butcherings are a time to catch up on each others families, trade stories and experiences of the past season, plan future

by Ed Forsythe

Thank You, Thank You, Thank you. Thank You for reading my past article and letting me know how much you enjoyed it.

With this new addition to The Valley I hope to keep you informed about what is happening in the Model and Historical Railroading world.

First order of business is to say Thank You to all whose who visited and supported the Mifflin County Model Railroad Club during our open house.

This year there were over 4500 people through the doors with many returning to see the vintage trains from the 1930’s, 40’s, 50’s and 60’s running. And the special day included Thomas and Friends trains running to round out our shows.

We, as a club, wish to express our thanks for all who purchased

raffle tickets or made donations.

This is extremely helpful in allowing us to pay our bills throughout the year. The raffle winners were notified and very delighted with their prizes.

Now on to the next thank you. Thank you to all of those people who worked many long hours in the cold, early hours and late at night to set up the “Shining Light Through the Darkness” project at Derry Park and made it a great success. And thanks to all who came to enjoy the lights, the displays and the message of the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Thank You to all who made donations of any kind.

Thank You to those who volunteered their time as Greeters, Performers, Concession Stand Workers or Monitoring the winter village and trains.

As a bit of sad news to report, the magazine, Model Railroad News, has announced that it will no longer be printed. Hopefully they can continue somehow to let us know information about new items that are coming from many of the manufacturers. I’ll keep you apprised of any future information on this subject.

Hope all had a very Merry Christmas and that you have a very prosperous 2012.

In coming issues I hope to write about Pre-war and Post-war trains, the Rockhill Trolley Museum, and many other interesting railroad subjects. Keep watching and reading and HAPPY RAILROADING. Ed Forsythe a

Nature’s Harmony Health Food Store Expands with a new Country Primitives Gift Shop

Bad Economy? Business is slow? Where?

I can tell you where it isn’t.

Nature’s Harmony Health Food store on Belle Ave in Lewistown has grown in leaps and bounds over the last year.

As more customers find out where she is, owner Rose Hower continues to expand her selection of foods for those conscious of what they put in their mouth.

That number of people is growing exponentially as stories of hor-

A neat open floor plan and cheery atmosphere welcome shoppers to Nature’s Harmony Gifts.

mones, pesticides, and disease in our food supply grow.

Knowing that she had a line that more people would want, Rose took the old school approach of giving people a value for their money and treating each customer as if they were the only customer. That dedication to her customers has allowed her to continue to expand.

With more space available, and an entrepreneurial spirit, Rose recently opened a second store front, a Country Primitives Shop adjacent to her Health Food offering. The warm, cheery atmosphere and well-thought out floor plan are a pleasure to shop. Her selection will grow as time and space allows, stop in and say hello. Hours are Monday thru Friday 9:30AM - 5:30PM and Saturdays from 9:00AM 1:00PM

You can reach Rose at (717) 248-2433 for either the Health Food Store or the Gift Shop. a

get that out of your hair and off of your skin. Luckily I have never had to find out. I’ve been lucky so far. I’ve learned that if you don’t say anything or instigate them, they will leave you alone for the most part. The worst I have had was a little grease on my

Leroy Goss and Carl Goss scraping hair off of the pig.

events, play practical jokes and just be a family. Of course the practical jokes now aren’t as wild as they used to be according to my Mom. Apparently some of the old uncles liked to dip a spoon full of pepper in the ponhaus (scrapple) kettle for some unsuspecting victim to taste the ponhaus. I think all the old uncles were victims of that prank at least once. I grew up hearing stories of aunts, uncles, and cousins getting ‘greased.’

Some of the men would get lard on their hands and rub them on the kettles which would make them black from the soot. My Mom tells me it is very hard to

face from my Pap’s cousin Pete— he got me when my back was turned and I didn’t see him coming. He’s a sneaky bugger. My Mom said the only time she was greased was the first butchering she took my Dad to. Her uncle Leroy had that nasty black grease on his hands and he greased her face. She even had some on her neck. She was so embarrassed, she wouldn’t go outside at the butcherings for several years after that.

I think after my relatives read this I’ll have to stay inside during the next butchering. a

Jack Weiand, my Pap Wilson Goss Jr, and Leroy Goss stirring lard and adding meat to the kettles.

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

The time is near at hand which must determine whether Americans are to be free men or slaves.

--George Washington

The Valley, January 2012

38

I gained 50 pounds ...and love it! www.families4kids.org 800-568-6449

foster parent or adopt...youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll love it too!

WWT answers: 1. Warren Beatty & Faye Dunaway 2. J.(John) Edgar Hoover 3. 37 years

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

The Valley, January 2012

39

Notes

Lewistown Hospital Cancer Program Receives Accreditation

The Cancer Committee leadership at Lewistown Hospital is proud to announce that the Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons (ACoS) has granted three-year accreditation with commendation to the Hospital’s Cancer Program.

Lewistown Hospital received a three-year accreditation with commendation following an onsite evaluation by a physician surveyor during which the Hospital demonstrated a commendation level of compliance with one or more standards that represent the full scope of their cancer program (cancer committee leadership, cancer data management, clinical services, research, community outreach, and quality improvement).

The Accreditation Program sets quality-of-care standards for cancer programs and reviews the programs to ensure they conform to those standards. Accreditation by the CoC is given only to those facilities that have voluntary committed to providing the highest level of quality cancer care and that undergo a rigorous evaluation process and review of their performance. To maintain accreditation, facilities with CoCaccredited cancer programs must undergo an on-site review every three years.

Receiving care at a CoC-accredited cancer program ensures that a patient will have access to: • Comprehensive care, including a range of state-of-the-art services and equipment • A multispecialty, team approach to coordinate the best treatment options • Information about ongoing clinical trials and new treatment options • Access to cancer-related information, education, and support • A cancer registry that collects data on type and stage of cancers and treatment results and offers lifelong patient follow-up • Ongoing monitoring and improvement of care. And most importantly • Quality care close to home

For more information about the Commission on Cancer, visit www. facs.org/cancer/index.html

For more information about the Cancer Program at Lewistown Hospital, call Terry McMinn at (717) 242-7142 or visit www.lewistownhospital.org.

Hospital Offers Safe Sitter Classes

The Family Place at Lewistown Hospital is offering Safe Sitter classes for girls and boys ages 11 - 13 on February 11 & 18, 2012. Class will be held from 9:00am to 4:00pm in Lewistown Hospital’s 6th floor classroom. The cost is $60.00 and includes a student manual and a backpack with babysitting supplies.

The Safe Sitter program is a medically accurate instructional series that teaches young adolescents how to handle emergencies when caring for younger children. All medical information is taught by a professional.

During the course, students get hands-on practice in basic lifesaving techniques including CPR and choking for infant and child so they are prepared to act in an emergency.

The goal of the Safe Sitter program is to reduce the number of accidental and preventable deaths among children being cared for by sitters. Thousands of young adolescents across the country have been trained by Safe Sitter to handle life-threatening emergencies.

Safe Sitter participants also receive helpful tips to make them more confident care givers. They learn safety and security precautions, such as what to do if a stranger comes to the door and when and how to call for help. They also receive information on child development and age-appropriate activities.

To successfully complete the Safe Sitter program, the student must pass a practical and written test to show that they have mastered the key concepts and have the necessary skills to handle an emergency.

For more information or to register, call 717-242-7110 or visit www.lewistownhospital.org under Classes & Events – The Family Place.

Hospital Offers Prepared Childbirth Class

The Family Place at Lewistown Hospital is offering a two-day Prepared Childbirth class on January 6, 2012 from 6:30pm – 9pm and January 7, 2012 from 9am –5pm. Classes will be held at Lewistown Hospital.

This class covers topics including; pregnancy issues, labor review, medications available during labor, breathing and relaxation techniques, and care of Mom and her newborn after delivery. This class is to be attended by both mother-to-be and her labor partner(s).

Registration is required. Call 242-7110 or register online at www.lewistownhospital.org under Classes & Events – The Family Place. The class is offered at no cost for women planning to deliver at Lewistown Hospital.

Pictured L to R: Lewistown Hospital Cancer Committee Leadership including Dr. Ricardo Carter, Cancer Committee Chairperson; Terry McMinn, Cancer Program Coordinator; Amy Goss, Certified Tumor Registrar; and Dr. Bernard Rogers, Cancer Liaison Physician.

Find us on The Valley Newspaper

Dr. Clemson Board Certified in Family Medicine

Family Health Associates (FHA) is happy to announce that Angelique Clemson, DO, upon passing her Family Medicine boards, has become a Diplomat of the American Board of Family Medicine. Dr. Clemson is a family practice physician with FHA Family Practice at their Lewistown Hospital location.

Certification candidates must have satisfactorily completed a three year Family Medicine residency program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education after receiving an M.D. or D.O. degree. Four areas are assessed for determining Diplomat status and maintenance of certification including professionalism, self-assessment and lifelong learning, cognitive expertise, and performance in practice.

Dr. Clemson earned her medical degree from Des Moines University, COMS, Des Moines, Iowa, and a master’s degree from Penn State University, University Park. She received her undergraduate degree from Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina. Dr. Clemson completed her Traditional Osteopathic Internship and Family Medicine and Obstetrics Residency at Altoona Family Physicians, Altoona. She is a member of American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), American College of Osteopathic Family Practitioners (ACOFP), American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), American Osteopathic Association (AOA), National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), and The Cranial Academy.

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

The Valley, January 2012

40

POOR WILL’S VALLEY ALMANACK for January of 2012

O Winter, ruler of the inverted year...

I crown thee King of intimate delights, Fireside enjoyments, homeborn happiness.

--William Cowper

THE STARS

When you find Orion filling up the south before midnight, then the Great Square of autumn will be setting in the west, and the Big Dipper will point to Polaris from its position in the northeast. The cabbage and collard planting star, Regulus, will be following Cancer in the east. If you stay up all night, you will see Orion disappearing in the west before dawn and Arcturus, the star of April corn planting, preceding the sunrise.

THE SHOOTING STARS

The Quadrantid Meteor Shower is expected to be most visible on the nights of January 3 and 4. The waxing moon may interfere with your meteor watching, however.

THE PLANETS

Jupiter begins the year in Aries, high in the western sky at sundown and remaining visible until after midnight. Saturn starts and ends 2012 in Virgo, coming up after 12:00 a.m. and traveling into the western sky by dawn.

Mars moves within Virgo, too.

Find it above you before the sky brightens for sunrise. Venus lies in Aquarius as 2012 opens, deep in the far west after sundown.

THE SUN

Perihelion, the point at which the earth and the sun are closest to one another, occurs on January 4 at 7:00 p.m. The Sun enters its sign of Aquarius on the 20th, foreshadowing the last subseason

of winter (aptly called “Late Winter”). By the end of the month, the day’s length is approaching a spring-like ten hours, even in the North!

JANUARY - WEEK 1 THE FIRST WEEK OF DEEP WINTER LUNAR PHASE AND LORE

On January 1 at 1:15 a.m., the Camel Back Cricket Moon enters its second quarter. Waxing throughout the week, this moon encourages bedding plant seeds to sprout and camelback crickets to emerge from your basement or crawl space. Lunar position in Taurus on January 2 - 5 is especially favorable for seeding May flowers in flats, as well as for forcing bulbs. And as the waxing moon moves overhead throughout the evenings of this first week of 2012, it will call fish and game (and children and livestock) to be more active and feed more at that time, especially as the cold front of January 5 approaches.

WEATHER PATTERNS

The warmest days of January’s first quarter are typically the 3rd and the 6th, each having a 25 percent chance for highs above freezing. Cold comes too, however.

The first major high-pressure system of the year arrives the last day of December or the 1st or 2nd of January, and most days between the 1st and the 7th have a 30 to 40 percent chance for highs only in the 20s or teens. Clouds usually dominate the sky this week: there is just a 40 percent chance for sun between the 1st and 3rd, and there is a 70 percent chance for completely overcast conditions on the 6th. Precipitation is lightest on the 1st (a 30 percent chance), but heaviest on the 2nd and 3rd (around a 50 percent chance).

JANUARY – WEEK 2

THE SECOND WEEK OF DEEP WINTER LUNAR PHASE AND LORE

The moon waxes throughout the week, entering its third quarter and becoming full on January 9 at 2:30 a.m. Rising in the evening and setting in the morning, the full moon moves overhead in the middle of the night. Lunar position above the land encourages birthing of animals and hunger in dieters. A second-most-powerful position, when the moon is below the earth (around noon this week), also encourages creatures to be born and to eat, especially as the cold fronts of January 10 and 15 approach. The moon’s position in Cancer on January 7 - 9 favors the seeding of bedding plants under lights.

WEATHER PATTERNS

Weather history for the second week of January shows rapidly increasing odds for colder weather.

Chances for highs only in the teens increase to near 50 percent on the 8th, 9th, and 14th. Belowzero readings occur most often on the 9th and 11th. With a general increase in the cold, skies have fewer clouds, and the 12th and 13th bring a 60 percent chance for sun. The darkest day of the week is usually the 14th, with only a 35 percent chance for clearing.

Precipitation occurs two years out of three between the 12th and the 14th.

JANUARY - WEEK 3 THE THIRD WEEK OF DEEP WINTER LUNAR PHASE AND LORE

The moon comes into its final quarter on January 16 at 4:08 a.m. this week. Rising in the night and setting in the day, the fourth quarter moon moves over Pennsylvania near dawn, making mornings the best lunar time for

hunting, fishing, feeding children and livestock (but the worst times for dieting). Lunar influence is enhanced as the barometer falls in advance of cold fronts due around January 19 and 25. The moon’s position in Sorpio on the 16 - 18 and in Capricorn on the 20 - 22 this week favors the forcing of tulips, crocus and daffodils indoors for Late-Winter blooms.

on the 25 - 27 and in Taurus from the 30th to February 1 is expected to be ideal for the seeding of bedding plants. The new moon is always overhead in the middle of the day; noon to early afternoon, therefore is expected to bring out fish and game for feeding, especially as the barometer falls in advance of the January 25 and 31 cold fronts.

WEATHER PATTERNS

WEATHER PATTERNS

After the 15th, statistics show a warming trend that brings a 35 percent chance for a high above freezing on the 16th, and a 40 percent chance on the 20th. The possibility of mild weather and the “January Thaw” is enhanced by the approach of the fourth cold front of the month. The lowpressure trough leading that front often brings in warm southerly winds. On the other hand, days when the temperature does not rise above zero occur more often this week than in any other, and morning lows below zero occur more in the third week of January than in any other time of the year.

Most of the days this week carry about a 50 percent chance for rain or snow.

JANUARY - WEEK 4 THE FIRST WEEK OF LATE WINTER LUNAR PHASE AND LORE

The Camel Back Cricket Moon wanes until it becomes the Singing Cardinal Moon on January 23 at 2:39 a.m., waxing throughout the week to enter its second quarter at 11:10 p.m. on January 30. New moon on the 23rd will increase the likelihood of strong storms as the January Thaw period comes to a close. The weak moon at the end of the month, however, is expected to improve the chances for a mild Groundhog Day Thaw (January 30 - February 3). The moon’s position in Pisces

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

After the January thaw, the likelihood of cooler conditions increases briefly, making the 25th and 26th some of the crueler days of the month. Starting on the 27th, however, the chances for highs above freezing reach above 80 percent, and stay there through the 30th. And although the 31st can bring back subfreezing temperatures 40 percent of the time, that day introduces the possibility of a high in the 60s in the Great Plains and the lower Midwest for the first time since January 7th.

A DAYBOOK FOR JANUARY

January 1: Livestock and people tend to feed more and are more active as the barometer is falling one to three days before the weather systems that arrive near the following dates: January 1, 5, 10, 15, 19, 25, 31. If strong storms occur this month, weather patterns suggest that they will happen during the following periods: January 1-2, 8-12, and 19-24 (the transition time to Late Winter).

January 2: The moon exerts less influence on ocean tides and on human and animal behavior when it comes into its 2nd and 4th quarters. Therefore, it might make more sense to perform routine maintenance on your flock on or about January 1, 16 and 30.

January 3: The coldest January days usually fall between the 7th and the 10th, as well as between the 15th and the 18th.

If La Nina develops as expected,

41

The Valley, January 2012 the Southwest will be dry and the North will be covered with snow throughout the month.

January 4: Full moon on January 9 and new moon on January 23 are likely to intensify the weather systems due around that date.

January 5: January is the month for making an environmental assessment of your property. Look for factors that impact erosion and pollution. Another routine assessment is a soil test - without which it’s hard to know whether you are over-fertilizing your land.

January 6: The season of Deep Winter has six significant cold waves, and it lasts from the 1st through around the 25th of January. Average temperatures in this season are the lowest of the year everywhere in North America.

January 7: Tidal lunar influences have been shown to be greater at full moon and new moon times.

You might expect more trouble with your flock, herd, and family, therefore, in the late morning or early afternoon on or about January 9 and 23.

January 8: Roman Easter is only three months away. If you have lambs or kids on the way, consider exploring the “halal” market for Muslim clients in urban areas near you.

January 9: Today is full moon day; be alert for “full moon madness” in livestock and friends.

Provide extra care to pregnant ewes and does..

January 10: Ewes and does (and people) may be more likely to give birth when the moon is overhead in the afternoon (during its first quarter), in the evening (during the second lunar quarter), after midnight (during the third lunar quarter), or in the morning (during the fourth lunar quarter).

January 11: The major kidding and lambing season is underway: more kids and lambs are born in the next eight weeks than in any other months. However, as the moon wanes through its third quarter, most abortions in livestock and humans are said to occur.

January 12: January usually produces an average of nine days in the 20s, three days with highs only in the teens, and one day when the temperature does not get above ten degrees. There is almost always one mild day during the month, sometimes up to ten.

About 12 days heat to the 30s, and there can be up to five days in the 40s and 50s. About two mornings dip below zero in an average year.

January 13: Of all the daylight hours in January, an average of only 40 percent provides sun.

Spells of six to nine days without

sunshine occur every year or two between November and March, and longer periods of gray skies are common during winter.

January 14: Cold weather reduces the impact of barn odors - but don’t lighten up on your maintenance schedule: keep livestock pens clean and bedding fresh.

January 15: The day prior to the cold front due on January 15 is very likely to bring clouds and precipitation. After its passage, this front initiates a two-week period during which average temperatures are the lowest of the year.

Days on which the temperature does not rise above zero typically occur more often this week than any other week, and morning lows below zero occur after the January 15th front more often than at any other time.

January 16: The weak moon (entering its fourth quarter today) favors working with pets and family.

January 17: On the long winter evenings, take time to check warm-weather bulbs you brought indoors. Clean and dry them carefully if mold has started to form.

The earliest potatoes are often cut this month, tried and allowed to sprout in flats.

January 18: As flock and herd density increases, so do the chances for environmental problems with pasture and facilities.

Make sure your technology and knowledge increase with the size of your farming operation.

January 19: The January Thaw period begins today and lasts through the 25th. Expect changeable weather conditions, increased precipitation, and then severe cold as the period comes to a close.

January 20: Approach of the strong new moon could impact animal behavior and increase odds for birthing during the January Thaw.

January 21: Winter is the season of scarlet buds on the wild multiflora roses; box elder buds, tucked tightly to their green branches; privet buds, minute and black; pale, supple buds of the honeysuckle; blackberry canes with blood-red buds; the fleshy, orange buds of the buckeyes; the tight, round, silver buds of the dogwoods; the stiff, woody buds of the crab apples; the pale green buds of the lilac; the sharp thornlike buds of the American beech; the deep purple bud clusters of the red maples.

January 22: Mardi Gras season begins along the Gulf Coast now.

Be alert to serve (or create) this market, which expands throughout the next four weeks.

January 23: The front due to

arrive within a day or two, is typically accompanied by snow or rain, and the days following its arrival make the 25th and 26th some of the month’s chillier days.

Secondary frontal conditions, sometimes carrying moist Gulf air, can set off powerful blizzards around the 27th. Today’s new moon is likely to intensify the end of the January Thaw, bringing chilling cold to the North, storms to the South.

January 24: Potassium and phosphorus levels should be high prior to frost-seeding pastures. Spread lime, phosphate and potash as needed, testing the soil first.

January 25: The sun approaches a declination of 19 degrees today, putting it at its mid-November noontime height, and marking more than 20 percent of the way to spring equinox.

January 26: Late Winter begins today. This season contains five to six cold fronts and lasts from January 26 through February 18, at which time cold waves typically become weaker and warm fronts stronger.

January 27: The day now starts to grow at the rate of about two minutes per 24 hours along the 40th Parallel, and average temperatures, which have remained stable from the middle of January, climb one degree almost everywhere in the United States.

January 28: Livestock and people may feed more and are more active as the barometer is falling one to three days before the weather systems that arrive near the following dates: February 3, 6, 11, 15, 20, 24.

January 29: By the end of the month, the day’s length is approaching a spring-like ten hours, even in the North! By the time the Groundhog Day Thaw is over, the sun will have climbed past a declination of 16 degrees, more than 30 percent of the way to spring equinox.

January 30: The Groundhog Day Thaw often begins today or tomorrow and lasts until about February 3.

January 31: Although the seventh major cold front of the year typically arrives near this date, there has not been a better chance (ten percent) for a high above 60 since January 7. Temperatures in the 40s or 50s occur 25 percent of the afternoons. Sixty-five percent of the days, however, reflect the arrival of January’s last highpressure system: they stay in the 30s or below. Chances for rain or snow are almost 40 percent. The sun shines 55 percent of the days.

THE PULSE OF THE EARTH

Major high-pressure systems cross the United States an average of once every five to six days, and 60 to 65 systems pass through Pennsylvania in a year. Fronts move more quickly in the colder months; October through March can bring up to eight waves of high pressure every 30 days. The warmer months between April and September are more likely to have six or fewer fronts; June, July and August sometimes only produce two or three significant systems.

This regular pulse that characterizes the planet’s atmosphere was first recorded in detail by 16th century almanackers. It still forms the basis for annual predictions in today’s commercial almanacs, and can be used by anyone who keeps a weather journal to gauge the likelihood for rain or sun, heat or cold on any given day.

Within the rhythm of the earth’s breath across the countryside, there are seasonal shifts that occur at certain predictable intervals. The fifth front of the year, for example, is often followed by pleasant weather, the January thaw. The last high-pressure bank of January is also relatively mild, bringing a warm-up near Groundhog Day. Early spring, when pussy willows start pushing out and snowdrops bloom, arrives after the eleventh cold front of the year near the 15th of February.

Every season turns on a specific weather milestone that develops at a specific time and is predictable within a couple of days. Changes in plants, animals and even people keep pace with those events and can be measured by them. The weather year is consequently a template for all the other cycles that take place around us. It is a dynamic metronome, a resource of cadence and balance.

Copyright 2012 – Bill Felker

The 2012 version of Poor Will is still available: It contains 300 pages full of essays by Bill Felker, reader stories (including some fine outhouse tales), weather outlooks, a calendar of holidays for gardeners, ranchers and homesteaders, a daybook for the entire year, the only S.A.D. (seasonal affective disorder) Index ever devised, and scrambled word puzzles that offer readers the chance to win cash each month.

To order your autographed copy, send $20.00 (includes shipping and handling) to Poor Will, P.O. Box 431, Yellow Springs, Ohio 45387.

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

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 with his wife in Yellow Springs, Ohio. They have two daughters, Jeni, who is a psychologist in Portland, Oregon, and Neysa, a photographer in Spoleto, Italy. a

But let there be no change by usurpation; for though this, in one instance, may be the instrument of good, it is the customary weapon by which free governments are destroyed.

--George Washington

Gardasil from page 36 and subject that child to a medical risk without the parent’s consent?

There is no doctor, no government employee and no politician, who has the moral right to do that to a parent or their child.

This is a wake-up call for parents in all states. If politicians can vote to strip parents of their legal right to exercise informed consent to medical risks taken by their children in California, it can happen in our state, too. If young children can be secretly vaccinated for sexually transmitted diseases without their parents consent today, it will not be long before all babies and children can be secretly vaccinated with every government recommended vaccine without their parents’ consent tomorrow.” http://www.nvic.org/NVICVaccine-News/September-2011/ Vaccine-Wake-Up-Call-for-Parents--Your-Children-Ar.aspx Dr. Joseph Kauffman, owner of Kauffman-Hummel Chiropractic Clinic resides in McVeytown with his wife, Colette and twins, Emma & Ian. His office is located in Lewistown. 248-2506 a

The Valley, January 2012

42

“Friends of Lewistown Hospital” Host

“Breakfast with Santa”

On Saturday December 10th, the “Friends of Lewistown Hospital” hosted a “Breakfast with Santa” at the Calvary Bible Church. Turnout was huge with two seatings being scheduled with 100+ at each seating.

Santa commented on how wonderfully behaved all the children were and that Lewistown was a special stop for him this year.

Contentment Quest from page 34

Each month, in The Valley, I will list a grace list as part of my Contentment Quest column through 2012. I invite you – the readers – to proclaim your joy and Eucharisto to be listed as part of my column. Write to me with your grace, joys, and Eucharisto and I will gladly list a few in my column each month.

Also new in 2012, I will also begin monthly to list an “Earthly Endeavor” which will be an effort that my household will take to create less waste and engage in an act of kindness for the Earth and mankind’s future. May we all move into and through the New Year with gratefulness, joyfulness, kindness, and Eucharisto!

Reference: Voskamp, A. (2010). One Thousand Gifts Published by Zonder-

van in association with William K. Jensen Literary Agency. 119 Bampton Court Eugene, Oregon.

97404. a

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

43

The Valley, January 2012

Guest Editorial with John Silveira Senior Editor at Backwoods Home Magazine

The Invisible Presidential Candidate who could put America back on track

How can it be that one Republican candidate could do so well in the polls, yet be virtually ignored by the mass media and even his own party? In the meantime, the media spotlight is shone brightly on a lady who doesn’t know where the Revolutionary War began, a man who thinks he can solve the nation’s problems with a ridiculous tax plan instead of cutting government spending, another guy who turned his back on his own Contract with America when he was Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the usual assortment of “entrenched” Republican governors who are paraded out at presidential primary time.

All the while, this invisible candidate, Ron Paul, is either winning state “straw” polls or finishing high in voter opinion polls. Yet in televised Republican debates, he’s almost never on camera and few questions are asked of him. He is essentially invisible as far as the mass media is concerned. And it is obvious that his own party, the Republicans, would rather he disappeared altogether.

In one of the latest national polls, when run head-to-head against Barrack Obama, Ron Paul came in second, behind Mitt Romney, but ahead of Cain, Perry and the rest of them. This, despite the fact that all the Republican candidates, except Ron Paul, get fairly constant media exposure.

Paul gets almost none. On those rare occasions when the press does acknowledge his existence, it’s often to portray him as a kook or worse.

And I guess in the eyes of the mass media and the political establishment, he is a scary fellow. That’s because he’s the guy on Capitol Hill who believes what the Founders believed, namely, that our politicians and bureaucrats should be bound by the U.S. Constitution.

Much to the discomfort of the political establishment, he is not shy about pointing out that

many government programs, laws, and agencies - from the Ponzi scheme called Social Security, to the RICO Act which has layed waste our property rights, to the PATRIOT Act which has savaged our personal rights - may well be unconstitutional and therefore illegal. He was one of the few in Congress to vote against the Patriot Act, which the overwhelming majority of congressmen signed without reading first.

He has the courage to dispute the story being proffered by the politicians and the media that 9/11 was committed by terrorists “who hate us because of our freedoms.”

Paul was bold enough to say that 9/11 was the result of America’s intervention in the Arab world because that’s what the terrorists themselves said.

The sad truth is that those who become nominees for the presidency or congressional seats rarely depend on what the public wants. Rather, it’s who the special interests want, and they don’t want someone who’s not in their pockets. Constitutional government, our basic freedoms, and national foreign policy is not what’s on their minds.

So, Ron Paul isn’t getting much support from the fat cats or corporations because crony capitalism is dead if he’s elected.

He’s not getting much support in the defense industry because, if he’s elected, we’ll stop “protecting” countries like Japan and the wealthy European countries that should be taking care of their own defenses, and we won’t be fighting any more undeclared wars.

He’s not going to get support from Federal workers because government is going to get a lot smaller under Ron Paul, so those people are going to have to get real jobs.

But despite the lack of support from so many special interests, Paul continues to do well among ordinary people. He doesn’t mouth platitudes and sound bites, but has a wellthought-out libertarian philosophy, and there’s never a secret

as to where he stands on issues because his principles haven’t wavered in 40 years.

More than 40 percent of U.S. citizens do not vote, and pollsters have often asked nonvoters why that is so. Among the responses: 1) They don’t like any of the candidates, and 2) When they do vote, nothing changes unless it’s for the worse.

So, the question is, what if voters were offered a choice other than Democratis big-government programs and Republican biggovernment programs? What if they were offered someone who would actually cut the size of government, stop crony capitalism, and refuse to waste the nation’s treasury and youth in foreign adventures? What if they offered somebody who would really make a difference and not just give us four more years of another run-of-the-mill Republican or Democrat - another Tweedledum or Tweedledee?

Well, he’s here, but what most people know about him is only what the mass media has told them to believe. But if you want the unvarnished truth, including why Ron Paul holds his positions, get on the internet and go to www.ronpaul. com/ or www. ronpaul2012. com/.

If you’d like to see smaller government, fewer government intrusions into our personal lives, more peo-

ple making money because they get real jobs, and fewer people gaming the corrupt political system our nation is stuck in, then vote for Ron Paul in the primaries, even if you have to write his name in.

That’s R-O-N P-A-U-L.

Otherwise, you’re throwing your vote away because if we don’t get people like him in Washington, DC, whether they’re Republican or Democrats, we’re just going to be getting more of the same.

--John Silveira a Editors note: Re-printed with permission. John Silveira appears courtesy of Backwoods Home Magazine, one of this editor’s favorite publications. Find them at

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

www.backwoodshome.com or contact them at Backwoods Home Magazine P.O. Box 712 Gold Beach, OR 97444 or Backwoods Home Magazine 29545 Ellensburg Avenue Gold Beach, OR 97444 Telephone — 1-541-247-8900 Fax — 1-541-247-8600

44

The Valley, January 2012

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com