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Serving Mifflin County and the surrounding area.
The Valley A free newspaper dedicated to agriculture, self-reliance, frugal living, and modern homesteading. Tomorrow’s Media - A Day Early Volume 5, No. 3
“Posterity, you will never know how much it cost the present generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will make good use of it. If you do not, I shall repent in heaven that ever I took half the pains to preserve it.” - John Adams The American War for Independence was such a pivotal moment in history, not only for our country, but for the world. The members of the Cumberland County Militia are proud to bring this part of our history to life in Mifflin County. What is the Cumberland County Militia? We are a group of friends and families who enjoy living history and authentically recreating the lives of citizens, soldiers, and families during the colonial/Revolutionary times. Most of us reside in Mifflin County, but we have members from Juniata, Berks, and Lancaster counties, as well. We are a military unit and a member of the Brigade of the America Revolution (BAR). Celebrating its 50th Anniversary last year, the BAR is an “international historical association...dedicated to recreating the life and times of the common soldiers of the American War for Independence, 1775-1783.”
The Valley, March 2014
Why Cumberland County? ing parties. Militia units were War. Cumberland County militiaCumberland County was created not officially created, however, men garrisoned Fort Standing by the PA General Assembly in until after the Militia Act of 1777 Stone (Huntingdon, PA) and Fort 1750. This large section of land in response to the Revolutionary Roberdeau (Sinking Valley, PA) stretched during this from the west time period. shore of the Men from Susquehanna the local River and militia also included modparticipated ern Mifflin, in a larger Juniata, Perry, role with the Cumberland, war. Militia Huntingdon, from CumberFranklin, land County Fulton, Blair, were at Valley Bedford, and Forge, Arthe rest of nold’s March western PA. to Quebec, Bedford CounBrandywine, ty was created Germantown, in 1771. Monmouth, CumberPenobscot Bay, land County Yorktown, and was still very many others. much frontier By porduring the traying local 1770s. While militia, we are the Quaker able to bring to faction within life local hisPA’s colonial tory, but also government attract a larger was opposed audience since to the use of we recreate not force, local only military militia was life and battles, used to protect but also the Cumberland County Militia at George Washington’s birthplace in Virginia settlers from Photo courtesy of Mike and Laura Jackson daily and Shawnee raidfamily life of
Lighting Brush Fires in People’s Minds
Complimentary
colonial Pennsylvanians. What Do We Do as Re-Enactors? The first thing that comes to mind when discussing reenacting are the battles. We do, in fact, travel across the state and East Coast participating in annual reenactments. Members have participated in battles at Germantown, Monmouth, Battle of the Hook, Yorktown, and others. However, there is a lot more to what we do than that. Our group visits historic sites, museums, and seminars to educate the public and to learn more ourselves. We provide demonstrations and presentations about the militia and 18th century life. Many of our members shoot competitively for fun and hunt using reproduction flintlock muzzleloaders. We enjoy reading and studying local, regional, national, and hereditary history. Our members have fun experimenting with 18th century recipes to get a “taste” of history. Many of us also make clothing; build rifles, and other historical crafts to get a hands-on experience with the past. All of our events are family friendly. How Can I Learn More? We are always happy to share our
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Editor’s Corner Wayne Stottlar I am going to try to be calm. Our country is at a crossroads. One that could threaten the very existence of the republic. Truth has been obscured. Truth has been taught as being wrong, or antiquated in our school systems. Parental rights are being over-run by state and federal courts. Our police departments are militarizing at a frightening rate. People are expected to be sheep to “authority” and the unlimited power of the local, state, or federal government are brought to bear if you choose not to comply. This is not what America is, and I am more than sure this will lead to upheaval and bloodshed as there isn’t much more space to retreat to in an effort to escape the coming slavery. Courts and judges have been politicized and moved about like chess pieces by the players in the political games in any particular area. Our justice system is corrupt and state, local and federal agencies more and more become an adversary to the people rather than
an advocate, using those “well placed” judges and agency heads to exert pressure on their foes. It goes on right here in central PA. Look for more on this in the near future. Of course media outlets are told what to report and their respective editorial departments control the way in which stories are told. The citizen rarely hears the truth and the few that dig and find it, are targeted for ridicule or worse. I am reminded of a famous quote, “None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free.”—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe I believe this describes that larger portion of our population who believe what they are told because they are in one way or another, kept fat, dumb and happy by the “things” they have surrounded themselves with. People have also been taught that they can’t be confrontational to opposing views as that is just intolerant. Better that you give up your core beliefs to appease someone’s
sensibilities. HORSE MANURE! THAT kind of behavior is what brings us to the place we are now. Too many people keeping their mouths shut and going about their business as long as there is no direct effect on them. The time for that has long passed. Our rights have been taken from us a little at a time (for our own good and protection, of course) as to now we are less than a move or two from being enslaved by our government. When police can conduct “no-knock” raids and “MISTAKENLY” kill the occupant before it is realized that they are at the wrong house, we have lost our presumption of innocence and to be secure in our homes. To add insult to injury, these over-zealous tactics are finding a friend in the courts. Rarely is severe action taken against those involved. We have politicians saying they didn’t say things that we have tape for, from a month or two to a year before. Now these idiots either think you are too dumb to remember what they said when, or they expect you to swallow their lies and accept them. Some media outlets report on this and even show the tapes side by side for comparison, but never once do you ever see any of the reporters at these press conferences press the liar for clarification. That is the media’s job, they have failed the American people because they are too cowardly to grab the likes of Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi or John McCain and aggressively back them into a corner and demand an answer. Do you know why? Because they have all
been warned either directly or indirectly that such actions will place them on the outside looking in. The government should NOT have the power to do this. We shouldn’t let them! Supposedly, the media is the people’s watchdog, but lately they haven’t been much more than one of those little “purse dogs” the celebrities carry around. The media has failed. And what about those representatives we have in Washington, aren’t they supposed to be able to protect the people from a dictator using the “Balance of Power” and the “power of the purse?” Why don’t they? There are supposed to be “CO-EQUAL” branches of government. The president doesn’t get to demand anything and he doesn’t get what he wants with a pen and a telephone. Such talk should have already brought swift and serious repercussions from those in the other branches. There are a handful who those same media outlets ignore and marginalize (reporting statistics prove it)—these are the “out-ofthe-mainstream” fringe extremists. I have news for the media and the government, the so-called extremists outnumber you and they are ready for a fight. What is going on in Connecticut is a crime. It is being committed by anti-gun forces in the government. Illegal laws were passed in Connecticut in the emotional period directly following the alleged Newtown Massacre. Anti-gun forces used the fog of the aftermath to push through illegal legislation automatically making felons out of honest, gun owning citizens. Illegal state instituted registration of legal guns is now entering the final phase. Because most gun sales have paperwork trails with the government, the state government now knows who purchased a previously legal weapon and did not register said weapon with the state. This is apparently widespread because the estimate is that only 4% of Connecticut owners have registered their weapons as they have been ordered to do. This act of civil disobedience may be the spark that lights the fuse.
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Contact Info Editor/Publisher Wayne Stottlar Graphic Artist/Co-Publisher Lynn Persing Associate Editor Colleen Swetland The Valley PO Box 41 Yeagertown, PA 17099 (717) 363-1550 E-mail: thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com Web: www.thevalleynewspaper.com ©The Valley. All Rights Reserved.
Unbelieveably, the state is making preparations to go doorto-door to enforce confiscation orders. I hope those resisting continue to do so, and do not give in. Our Constitution says “.....SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED......” these people will be in the right to defend their property by any means necessary. Those police all took an oath as well, and if they obey such orders to confiscate, they should be looked at as enemies of our country. Things could very easily get real, real quick. You should all be thinking about the possibility of having to deal with a similar issue in your own town. What would you do? Are you ready to die to stand up for that belief? Our founders stood up to tyranny when everyone said they couldn’t. You need to think about what you will do and how you will survive such a scenario. One thing is for certain, if the fascists in Connecticut are successful in stealing these guns from their legal owners, other states will follow in rapid succession, and before you know what hit you, there will be a knock on your door. Will you become a slave and spend the rest of your life on your knees, or will you be labeled with any number of foul descriptions in order to retain your Liberty? I hope for all concerned, Connecticut comes to it’s senses, if not, I hope the citizens give no mercy. God Bless the resistance! a
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Home Nursing Agency Private Duty Home Care Becomes Exclusive Local Provider to Earn “Best of Home Care” Award Home Nursing Agency’s Private Duty Home Care program recently announced that it has been recognized with Home Care Pulse’s “Best of Home Care” distinction again in 2014. Home Nursing Agency’s program is the only private duty provider in Mifflin and Juniata counties to earn this national award. From seniors needing assistance with daily routines to individuals with chronic illnesses, Private Duty Home Care helps clients safely remain in the comfort of home. Private Duty’s caring team provides support, direction and peace of mind to family members and is specially trained in Alzheimer’s care, offering expert resources and tools to help caregivers better understand the changes their loved one is experiencing. This year, Home Nursing Agency was recognized in 10 of 12 categories awarded for client satisfaction: confidence level in agency management, caregiver’s work ethic, recommend agency to others, compassion of caregivers,
effective communication from agency, timeliness of caregivers, overall quality of service, appropriate and clean appearance, receiving the service as promised and the training and knowledge of caregivers. Last year, the Agency was recognized in four categories. “We are extremely proud to recognize our staff and their efforts to help us improve our standing in 2014,” says Bill McManus, Home Nursing Agency vice president, operations support/ vice president, Private Duty Home Care. “Our team is committed to working with clients, caregivers and healthcare providers to develop individualized person-centered plans that provide the best quality non-medical home care services in Central Pennsylvania.” About Home Care Pulse Home Care Pulse was launched in 2008 and is a company specializing in measuring and benchmarking client and employee satisfaction for private duty home care agencies. Recently Home Care Pulse conducted
the largest study ever performed on behalf of the private duty industry. Home Care Pulse helps agencies promote and drive business, improve service quality and increase employee loyalty. Visit www.homecarepulse.com<http:// www.homecarepulse.com/> for more information. To find out more about the “Best of Home Care” award, please visit www. bestofhomecare.com<http://www. bestofhomecare.com/>. About Home Nursing Agency Founded in 1968, Home Nursing Agency serves all ages through home health, hospice, private duty home care, pediatric and behavioral health services. Home Nursing Agency employs more than 1,000 healthcare professionals who care for families with the mission of providing the highest quality of customer service. Call Home Nursing Agency at 1.800.445.6262 or visit www. homenursingagency.com<http:// www.homenursingagency.com/> for more information. a
Pain Relief Center Improving Your Quality of Life The Pain Relief Center recently opened business at 713 W. 4th Street in Lewistown, PA. The business is owned and operated by Janelle Stewart, Licensed Massage Therapist. The center specializes in individualized hands-on treatment utilizing the John F. Barnes Myofascial Release Approach(R). Myofascial Release (MFR) addresses problems that have not responded to previous therapies, surgeries, and medications. MFR is a whole-body approach of treatment for pain and dysfunction. This technique uses a gentle sustained hands-on pressure that releases tightness, pain and tension. It enables the body to unlock it’s own natural healing potential. Some of the problems that MFR helps are: *Acute and chronic pain *Adhesions *Back pain *Bladder problems *Bursitis *Carpal Tunnel *Chronic Fatigue *Fibromyalgia *Foot Pain *Headaches *Incontinence *Jaw Pain (TMJ) *Knee Pain *Lymphedema *Menstrual Problems *Migraines *Myofascial Pain Syndrome *Neck Pain *Pelvic Pain *Postural Issues *Post-surgical Dysfunction *Repetitive Strain *Restriction of Motion *Sacral/Coccygeal Dysfunction *Scar Tissue *Sciatica *Scoliosis *Sports Injuries *Whiplash *Women’s Health Issues/Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Additional services offered include Swedish Massage, Lymphatic Drainage, Lypossage, and Kinesio Taping.
PA Cleanways of Mifflin Co. We had our first meeting for the year on February 11, 2014. Our first illegal dum cleanup will be on March 29, 2014 with the rain date as April 5. We will be cleaning up on Jack’s Mountain again. The weather will be a factor if we do this cleanup, due to the slope on the mountain. Other dates for the year are our Tire Recycle on September 20—stayed tuned for a location on where we will hold it. The other date set was August 2 for the Juniata River cleanup. We are still working on the exact location, but it will be somewhere between the Granville Boat Access and the Lewistown Borough. Three other counties of Keep PA Beautiful will be doing their river cleanups this summer: Keep Perry County Beautiful on July 26; Keep Juniata County Beautiful on August 9, and Keep
Huntingdon County Beautiful on August 24. All the river cleanups will, of course, depend on the conditions on the river. For the last few years, the river has been low, which made it easy for us to do cleanup. The Great American Cleanup Let’s Pick It Up PA is March 1st to May 31st. Join over 4 million volunteers in the nation’s largest annual community improvement program! Get involved in your community and register your event today! Registered events receive Free Cleanup Supplies, such as bags, gloves, and vests donated by PennDOT, the Department of Environmental Protection, and Keep America Beautiful (as supplies last). Free disposal during Pick It Up PA Days from April 12th to May 5th is sponsored by the Department of Environmental
Protection, Pennsylvania Waste Industries Association, and participating land fills. To register, visit the Great American Cleanup of Pennsylvania official website at www. gacofpa.org or contact Michelle Dunn at 877-772-3673. If you want to join in any of PACleanWays of Mifflin County cleanups, call Pam Sechrist at 717-899-6701. You can find all cleanups being done on the Keep PA beautiful web site at www. keeppabeautiful.org We can all take pride in our community by keeping litter picked up near our property. Pam Sechrist Affiliate Coordinator PACleanWays of Mifflin County/ KPB a
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Hours are available by appointment by calling 717-994-1276. Personal Injury and Workers Comp cases accepted.
Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Centre County Announce Plant Sale! The Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Centre County are hosting their annual Garden Fair and Plant Sale on May 17, 2014 from 9:00 AM until 3:00 PM at Ag Progress Days Site (at Entrance “K”) 2710 West Pine Grove Road, Pennsylvania Furnace, Pa.. The Garden Fair will feature many vendor booths, exhibits and demonstrations, gardening talks and a rain barrel workshop. The Plant Sale will consist of thousands of potted plants and feature native and pollinator plants, and include perennials, annuals, herbs, houseplants, and vegetables! Vendors will also be selling trees, shrubs and organic vegetable plants in addition to many garden related items! Breakfast and lunch items will be available. Parking and admission are free. Please visit our website for more information: extension.psu.edu/garden-fair
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Cumberland County Militia from front page
interest in the Revolutionary War and the 18th century. Please check out our website (www.cumberlandcountymilitia. org) for more information on our unit, pictures from past events, a calendar of future events, and how to join. You can also follow us on Facebook at â&#x20AC;&#x153;Cumberland County Militiaâ&#x20AC;? or email us at: cumberlandcountymilitia@googlegroups. com. a
Top: Militia members fall in at Fort Frederick Above: The encampment at the Battle of Monmouth. Left: Re-enacting is for the whole family! Family members in period dress at Fort Roberdeau.
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Tea for Two Bringing in the Mint!
“I never realized it was a big deal growing up on a mint farm. I thought everyone lived on a farm, but we were kind of weird because we didn’t grow corn……I think raising an herb like mint automatically puts you in a high mode of gratitude. It must be the healing power inside the plant.” - Linette Crosby, fourth generation mint farmer in Michigan HARVESTING Mint is one of those plants that can potentially give the home gardener two harvests each grow-
ing season, given the right conditions and care. However, give your plants a chance. If you’ve started a new bed, limit yourself the first year to picking just a few leaves as you need them and maybe, if the plants spread well, a handful of leaves to dry for winter. From the second year on, you should be doing some serious harvesting; putting by a year’s worth of tea or herbs for cooking and gift giving. And of course, it gets a bit more involved when you ramp it up this way. Remember those essential oils that give mint its “mintiness”? They are at their peak right before the flowers open, so if possible, do your main harvesting at that time. That being said, if you have to work sooner or later because of the weather or your own schedule, it’s not the end of the world; your
mint will be just as delicious. Try to pick on a sunny morning, after the dew dries but before the day gets too hot (the warm temperatures can actually drive off some of the oils). Use clean scissors to ensure a sharp cut and use a large enough container so that the stems are not crowded (if your patch is sizable, a clean laundry basket or large, clean cardboard box lined with a clean towel is ideal). One more important point is don’t be in a hurry: the caring for, and harvesting of, our crops allows us to work one on one with nature (God, if you wish) and we should enjoy every bit of it. One way to harvest your mint is by cutting only the best stems, leaving the rest to furnish fresh mint until fall. Another method would be to cut your stems off below the first leaves, basically clear cutting the mint patch (except for just a few stems to see you through until the patch grows out again). Spread some compost, water it in well, and by early fall you should have another crop to cut. Cut this second growth so that a pair or two of leaves remain. These will continue to give strength to the plant, preparing it for the winter’s sleep. If there is enough time before hard frost, you will notice that side stems will begin to grow from where the leaf and stem join. This should provide enough fresh mint for use through the autumn. Barring emergency interruptions, you should go right from harvesting your mint to drying it; don’t wait a few hours and definitely not the next day. Many people hang their herbs
in bunches to dry. Small bunches – about six stems – are best. Tie them tightly together with clean cotton string (rubber bands are an option too) and then gently pull the stems apart - fan style – so the air can circulate around them. Where you hang the bunches of mint will depend on your living environment, but it’s important to avoid high traffic areas and anywhere there’s humidity; in which case, your kitchen is not first choice. Anything approaching a clean, dry, warm room, without or with direct sunlight (there’s some debate about this point), where pets and children too young to know better do not set foot. is probably your best bet. We use an upstairs guest room that gets the afternoon sun. Be creative in using what you’ve got. Herbs have dried enough when they are crisp. If you rub them between your fingers they should crumble easily and completely – if not, they need more time. To remove the dried herbs, just run your clean hands along the stems as you hold them over a large, clean container (are you noticing a pattern here?), then remove any bits of stem. If you can pick a low humidity day to do this work, all the better. Before we move on to storage, let’s look at another method of drying that we have used with great success for many years. It’s just a tiny bit more work but the rewards are, in our opinion, worth it.
The highest quality dried herbs are those that contain leaves only. But, no matter how hard you try, it’s nigh about impossible to get all the woody bits out. after you strip the leaves off of the dried stems. Also, remember those essential oil glands on the leaves? You’ve got it! The less an herb is handled, the more essential oil it retains so the better the flavor. Now, bunching and hanging doesn’t do much in reducing the oils but, boy, stripping the leaves off and crushing them into small containers sure does. So, instead of hanging our aromatic herbs, we remove the leaves and gently lay them out to
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dry and then store them whole until used. And, no, it does not take forever to do it this way. We’re not talking about acres of herbs, here. But even with a rather large garden harvest, you can cut and process over a few days time and still have time for other chores. Here’s how it works. Have a clean area ready; the kitchen table covered by a clean table cloth is good. Empty the mint stems onto the table. Place a clean container in your lap; pick up a stem and starting at the bottom of the stem with your clean hands and using either a smallish pair of clean scissors or your fingernails (yes, they
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this time (chapter 14 gives us more detail of these too). These men are clearly redeemed, they will live in this world yet not be enamored or fooled by it’s counterfeit pleasures and will give their lives serving the King of Kings ! So while Satan is busy about his nefarious affairs, there will be a great host of believers making an impact for God too ! The encouragement I see here is that though God does not overlook sin and will judge it, He also is very gracious and deigns to use people, people who will simply devote their lives to His service. And whenever you do this, you check the ill effects of evil and make a difference !! Sometimes we’re afraid to speak up, to step up to the plate in this dark world where sin has such a foothold but remember this also, God seals or protects His own too just as He does these men. If you have accepted Christ, you too are sealed and He desires to use you just as He will these
angels and these men for good ! So what is it you can do this week for God? What good can you accomplish? It may be as simple as doing something nice for a neighbor, it may mean speaking out against corruption wherever it rears its vile head, but when you serve God as His child, you cannot be truly defeated ! Next, John sees “a great multitude, which no man could number. . .clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands.” (vs.9). Who are these? The answer is found in vs.14, “These are they which came out of GREAT TRIBULATION, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb”. I have sat in churches where an evangelist has preached that you had better be saved now for once the rapture comes there will be no chance but this passage teaches there will be many saved during this awful time and due in large part, no doubt, to the ministries of those 144,000 ! (If all the saved exit earth at the rapture then those 144,000 and this vast multitude have gotten saved in a period of around 3 ½ years !). So what I find here is another great encouragement, and that is though times may be tough God can still work and He desires to use YOU for this great work !! The reason the Bible refers to this future period as GREAT tribulation is that it will be a time
of unprecedented suffering, the likes of which has world has yet to know, so our task is to be ready by making sure we are saved and then once we are to do what we can to draw others to the Lord. The blessing is the saved will be “raptured” or snatched away to be with the Lord before this occurs on the earth (1Thess.4; 1 Cor.15:51-52; Titus 2:13; Jn.14:3; 1 Jn.3:2; etc.). Like those 144,000, you too have a purpose from God to fulfill. There are people in your neighborhood, workplace, family, and yes maybe even your church that need Christ. Never take for granted someone’s salvation just because they are nice or go to church. Missions trips in our time, despite the good in various projects, have degenerated in our day. Not many are about sharing the gospel with those in need yet isn’t that what Jesus spoke about in His final critical words before His ascension in Acts 1:8 “. . . and YE shall be witnesses unto ME both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Like these future evangelists you have NOW the privilege to be a good interruptor and introduce someone to Jesus before the coming storm !
dangers of evil, but sadly many see it differently now. They see God as restrictive, moral law is all “situational”—it’s only right or
wrong if one thinks it is. People don’t want to admit that they are not in control and that there is a higher power that we will all an-
swer to. In America, we have the freedom to decide what we want to believe, but no one should be
Encouragement from the Book of Revelation by Pastor J. C. Reese Well it’s been quite a winter hasn’t it? What an interruption from the warm, sunny days we knew back last summer ! Interruptions can be good and not so good. When you are trying to talk with someone on the street and another person rudely interjects themselves into the conversation that’s not appropriate. But if in the same scenario you are engrossed in a chat and that same person interrupts you because a car is about to careen into you that’s clearly a good interruption. Such is the case with our next area of Revelation ! The seventh chapter is a kind of “parenthesis” or interruption between seals six and seven and it will aid us in understanding the future better as well as providing much needed encouragement for today. The chapter starts with John seeing four mighty angels holding in check the winds. Their actions suggest a great “calm before the storm” feeling worldwide and the timing is just before
what is known as the GREAT TRIBULATION. Judgment is about to fall on those who live on earth at this time. But another angel comes: “And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. . .” (vs.2) telling them to hold off on their mission to “hurt the earth and the sea” (vs.2) but not “. . .till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.” (vs.3). This tells us that though God is One to Judge in His good time, He never does so rashly and always makes provision for any who would accept Him. So next John says he heard the number of those sealed from Divine wrath and that number was 144,000. Now some would teach these are elite believers and that only they will make it to their version of heaven or a re-created earth but the Bible takes great pains here to explain that these are Jewish men (12,000 from each of the 12 tribes) who have devoted themselves to serving the Lord during
One Nation Under ?
Nearly half of pregnancies among American women are unintended; about 4 in 10 of these are terminated by abortion. Twenty-two percent of all U.S. pregnancies end in abortion. (AGI). In 2011, there were 1.06 million abortions that took place in the United States! One million women chose to kill their babies and our government not only allows this, but turns their faces away from the horrifying realties of the brutal murder that we have labeled “abortion.” If a mother gives birth to her six month old unborn baby at home and were to throw the baby in a trash can letting it die, she would face prison time for murder. However, if she drives to the abortion clinic and signs the proper paperwork, a doctor can “legally” kill the baby for her. If the baby somehow were to survive the abortion procedure the baby is left to die. I thought doctors took an oath to save lives? How can we still say we are a nation under God? Is it God’s design
for babies that are unwanted to be killed? We are now more concerned with protecting baby turtle eggs than human life. Harvard University’s early motto (1643) was this: “Truth for Christ and the church.” In a directive to its students, it laid out the purpose of all education. “Let every student be plainly instructed and earnestly pressed to consider well the main end of his life and studies, is to know God and Jesus Christ which is eternal life and therefore to lay Christ in the bottom, as the only foundation of all sound knowledge and learning.” Yes, Harvard University was originally founded as a place to learn and study God’s Word then use it as a foundation for one’s life. It is impossible to function without a base moral law. As humans we need it, and whether or not we want to admit it, we desire it. The reason things were originally designed the way they were by God is because HE wanted what was best for us, he wanted to protect us from the
Check out our website at nittanybaptist.org or come visit us some Sunday !! a
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OBSERVATIONS . . . of an OLD MAN
We are living in divisive times, we are challenged daily to discern. Do I understand the opposition’s perspectives? POSITIVES Love Sharing/Caring Light Understanding Compassion Joy Good Trust
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God is: Love, Caring, Sharing
NEGATIVES Hate Greed/Selfish Darkness Judgmental Cruelty Sadness Evil Fear Evil is: Fear, Greed, Hate
Trust in the Lord, with all thine heart; lean not unto thine own understandings!
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Adventures on Our Nourishing Journey by Sue Burns
Versatile Vinegar Keeping clean on the inside and out ‘God wants to make vinegar, and we have to stop him!’- August Sebastiani, Californian winemaker A few weeks ago our garbage disposal sprung a leak (again). My first hint was the cold water geyser that spewed itty bitty leftovers of our evening meal all
over my knees. Such a lovely way to end the day! The reason my knees are a target is that I have to open the cupboard door located under the sink to flip on the disposal switch. I keep the door open while the disposal is doing its thing, then I turn the switch off and close the door. It is an automatic routine motion I do multiple times a day, never giving it a thought. That is, until our hardworking disposal gets a
crack and I am left with lemon peels dripping down my legs. Of course this is a frustrating nuisance, but repairing our disposal is a breeze, primarily because we don’t have to remove dozens of household cleaners in order to get to the damage. Take a peek under my kitchen sink and you will only find three containers; an essential oil disinfecting spray, a box of baking soda and white vinegar. I reach for the vinegar multiple times a day, even more frequently than I flip my garbage disposal switch, (which is a lot), and it has never left me with drippy knees. Vinegar is a versatile hardworking household “appliance” that safely and economically offers us deep cleaning for our insides and out. Spring is right around the corner. It is time to stock up on vinegar now. Here is why: Vinegar Basics What is vinegar? – The word “vinegar” is derived from the French words for wine, ‘vin’ and sour, ‘aigre.’ The word ‘vinaigre’ literally means sour wine. The discovery of vinegar happened by chance. A barrel of wine was forgotten, neglected and left to oxidize, thus the contents fermented even further, turning sour. To be honest, I am not sure if I would have been brave enough to taste this first batch, for it may not have made it past my nose. Expecting wine and finding vinegar would have been a HUGE disappointment. Nevertheless, this brave
discoverer of ancient times forged ahead, coming into contact with a product that has been working wonders ever since. How is vinegar made?- Vinegar has its beginning with the sugars found in fruits such as apples and berries or starches found in vegetables and grains such as corn, potatoes and rice. The sugar or starch is turned into alcohol first through the controlled action of yeast. The yeast eat the sugar leaving alcohol as a by product. This stage is called alcohol fermentation. Next, a microorganism called acetobacter converts the alcohol to acetic acid with the help of oxygen. This final process is called acid fermentation. That jug of pure white vinegar taking up residence under my kitchen sink is primarily made from the alcohol from corn. It is composed of 5% acetic acid. Finished vinegar of any kind does not contain alcohol. While the making of vinegar in theory is simple, producing consistently high quality vinegar demands attention to detail. Vinegar Uses- Being resourceful, the discoverers of vinegar soon
found many uses for this sour wine. It was, (and still is) used as a “cure all,” preservative, household cleaner and flavor enhancer. I am sure you have a bottle of some type of vinegar lurking in your cupboard too. My mother would call it a household “staple.” We usually recognize it as a food condiment and main ingredient in salad dressings, mayonnaise, BBQ sauce and anything pickled and preserved. Types of Vinegars- As was mentioned, vinegar can be produced from a variety of foods that are high in sugar and/or starches. The vinegar type is in accordance with the food used to make it. According to the Vinegar Institute, an international trade association representing vinegar manufacturers, worldwide vinegar sales are $225 million annually. The fastest growth is seen in organic vinegar and nearly half the vinegar sold in North America is balsamic, usually made from the Trebbiano grape. Next in line is red wine vinegar followed by apple cider and rice wine vinegar. The smallest percentage of sales comes from distilled white vinegar, usually made from corn. Better quality vinegars are often aged for many years in wooden barrels and are purposely left unfiltered and unpasteurized. Some apple cider vinegars that are made from quality organic apples
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such as Bragg vinegar are raw and unfiltered, thus they contain a dark cloudy substance often found on the bottom of the bottle. This is called the “mother.” It consists of naturally occurring pectin and apple residue whose protein molecules are connected in a strand like chain. It is believed that vinegars containing “mothers” have more valuable enzymes than those vinegars that are filtered. Most all commercially made vinegars maintain a 5 percent acetic acid level, which is recommended for the safe pickling and preserving of low acid foods. Vinegar’s Benefits - Many accounts tell us that vinegar has been used medicinally since ancient times. Hippocrates, the famous Greek physician, supposedly prescribed vinegar as medicine. A mixture of water, honey and vinegar called oxymel was used as a household remedy for the common cold. Perhaps you have used this yourself. I certainly have. Depending on the source, you can find numerous accounts touting both the rewards and misconceptions about apple cider vinegar’s benefits. A few of the most popular health claims include a reduction in heart disease, diabetes control, aiding in weight loss, and preventing cancer, osteoporosis and aging. Quite a wonder food! From a nutritional standpoint, advocates
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Home Organization
Yes, everyone who knows me is laughing hysterically right now that “I” am writing my article this month on organization. Stop it! I do have some good organization ideas—even if they are just ideas at this point and not in full practice yet. In surfing the web and the—oh so wonderful—time sink, Pinterest, I’ve found some really good organization tips for around the home that I’d like to share. I plan to put every one of these to use...someday. One of them I’ve been doing for a while (just one). Now, if you can stop laughing for
just a few minutes, I’ll share these great ideas with you. Iron Board Hanging - Smart!
Yes, I still iron, and I have the perfect place to do this without giving up valuable closet space. Now let’s talk about all those cords that run from the com-
puter and accessories (printer, speakers, modem, monitors, external hard drives, etc.) to the power strip. How about color coding them with Washi tape. Perfect! Ok, the next one I already have in practice and have for many years (I stole the idea from my Mom who kept things like this in separate shoe
one drawer for spare toiletries that includes spare toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, soap, etc. Medicine Organization
keeps those boxes of Saran and tin foil organized for easy access.
Color-coding Cords
boxes in the bathroom closet) I keep my medicines in a mini wooden dresser and each drawer is designated for a different type of ailment. Instead of capsules and pill boxes (what is that?), I have one for First Aid like bandages, Neosporin, Ace wraps and wrist supports, etc. I keep nasal and allergy together. Aren’t they the same? I also have
Wire Mail Sorters
Kitchen Wrap Storage
The next tip is going to get top billing at my house. Wayne bugs me constantly about the stack of “mail” on the kitchen island. I have the perfect place to attach wire baskets like these to organize mail and then I can file or trash it when it’s no longer relevant. I plan to have one basket for coupons and special offers, one for important filing and one for magazines and other things that I’ll only keep for a month or two (yes, really, only a month or two you naysayers!) My mother implements the next idea on the inside of a cupboard door and it’s pure genius. It
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Last, but not least, I think this is pretty clever. Add some hooks inside the doors under your sink to hang gloves and polishing rags and anything else that will Hanging Gloves & Rags
go on a hook. That’s all I have space for this month. Happy organizing! a
The Valley, March 2014
Ein gruz zu alle thal lasers. Hello to all of The Valley readers from the nook of Hillside Orchard, where dandelion grows, the maple sap flows, the people look out over their nose and whack the weeds with their hoes down around their toes, out along the rows, that’s the way it goes, if you are one of those, that is out and sows, while you listen to the crows. However, this parade usually doesn’t start till after the calender says March 4th. Anyone have any extra wood out there? Sure seems like the cold weather sticks around a while this winter. It actually seems like it has taken up headquarters and is boarding at our place, instead of being just a guest for a couple of days and then moving on like the past couple of winters. But who knows, by the time you read this it might have gone on its merry way. There are predictions that this cold weather will cut back on insects, and that’s alright with me, especially if it is the bad guys. After February has passed, the days lengthen and we March forward at even greater speed and before we know it, daffodils and garlic will be barely poking their tiny green spears out of the ground. At that point we know that even warmer weather will spring around the corner soon. Yeah, garlic surely is an amazing plant that has important medicinal values. It is antibacterial and anti-viral, however, I wouldn’t recommend eating it before social events and/or when you are around people. A number of years ago we started to raise some to sell at our home stand and farmers markets and we were surprised at how many English people use it. It seemed like they were more aware of its benefits than most of the Amish. Also, the children of Israel named garlic and onions as choice foods. According to different sources of history, garlic was praised for it’s medicinal values for thousands of years. It is good to treat anything from clogged arteries to sore toes. Well, I’ll quit writing about it before you go run and say “what do I smell?”
In the last article we discussed fire blight and that there are some resistant varieties. Only thing I didn’t mention was that there are also some new strains coming out of some of the susceptible varieties that are resistant. For example, the Bartlett Pear used to be a popular pear, however, due to fire blight a lot of Bartlett Pear orchards have disappeared. Now there is a resistant strain of Bartlett Pear. So how do you get that? Well plants have an immune system too and some are stronger than others, just like animals and people. So say fire blight attacks and kills 90% of the trees, but 10% are still strong enough to resist it, although the disease is present. The nursery then selects bud wood from the resistant trees to start new trees and you end up with a resistant strain. Resistance doesn’t mean you won’t have any disease symptoms, but that the tree has enough immunity that it won’t die from it. Have you already decided the site for this spring’s tree planting? Well now is a good time to do it. One thing that is key to having success in growing fruit trees, with the exception of pears and that is, is well drained soil. Most fruit trees won’t tolerate wet feet. Even if they grow, they are more prone to disease, so well drained soil is best with an ample amount of organic matter so it can still retain moisture. Another thing to keep in mind is that the higher the elevation, the less chances of getting caught in a late spring frost. For soil preparation, we learned that if you have a number of trees, plowing and working the ground like you do to plant corn before you plant trees, offers your best chance of success. If you have only a couple trees to plant, I would recommend to spade it up with a shovel and keep the weeds down around it, and remember, it’s more important to make sure a tree has moisture the first year than to fertilize. Auf Wiedershen,
Iddo M. Hostetler a
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Got Pain? Is your horse displaying bad behavior that might be related to pain? This will be our topic at East Gate Feed & Grain in Reedsville at our Purina Horse Owners Workshop meeting on March 11th at 6:00 pm. Terry Peiper of Fit Right Saddle Solutions will be discussing saddle fitting to enhance performance and to prevent horse and rider from long term damage due to improper saddle fit. Amy Will (Equine Massage Therapist and Independent AcuLife Distributor) along with Rhonda Walker (Independent AcuLife Distributor) will discuss New Technologies in Equine Pain Management. Amy and Rhonda will present an AcuLife Patch demonstration using Ringo the miniature horse featured in the November Horse Scoop column. Some of you in the area may know Rhonda (Neff) Walker. She lives in Duncansville, but has
family in the Lewistown area. Her Grandparents lived in Reedsville and her Grandpap had the Big Valley Auction Center. She spoke with me about the AcuLife patches, her involvement in horses and how she got became an AcuLife Distributor. Rhonda recalls how it all started. “My daughter Lauren has been chronically ill since the age of 6. When she was 10 we got her into horse-back riding because she loved horses. We thought it was a good thing to focus on rather than her illness. One horse has turned into three. We have had horses for 12 years now. Getting Lauren into horses was the best decision we ever made. Now I am also living my childhood dream of owning my own horse”. “I got into LifeWave and the AcuLife patches because Lauren has an 8 year old QH mare that had been lame for 2 years. We tried supplements, injections,
medication, and chiropractics. The only thing that really gave the mare relief was chiropractic adjustments, but they only lasted a couple weeks. I read about AcuLife acupressure patches and thought it was worth a try. I had nothing to lose by trying them. I was amazed that within minutes of applying the patches to the mare, she became calmer and more comfortable. Within two weeks she was about 85% sound. We can ride her again and she is sound.” The AcuLife patches are pain relief designed for horses that includes a white patch and a tan patch. It is new technology in equine pain management. The white patch has a positive signal and the tan patch has a negative signal. Just like with humans, the right side of a horse’s body is positive and the left side is negative. A horse’s body has pressure points just like humans. The AcuLife patch gently stimulates points on the skin to improve the body’s energy flow for relief of aches and
pains without drugs or stimulants. Rhonda recently partnered with fellow AcuLife Distributor Amy Will to begin a business called “Got Pain? Get Patched.” Amy is a successful trainer and equine massage therapist with 20 plus years of experience. Amy is very experienced in finding areas of pain and discomfort on a horse. Together they can place AcuLife patches on these areas to relieve the pain. If you are having pain and soundness issues with your horse, you should consult your veterinarian. The patches do not replace your traditional vet care. However, they are an excellent tool to go along with your vet care. A lot of show horses cannot take medica-
tions during show season because they are not legal for showing. The AcuLife patches are drug free pain relief and completely legal for showing. Amy and Rhonda attended the PA Horse World Expo in February and will be traveling to various horse shows this season to patch horses and show how AcuLife patches really work.” Seeing is Believing.” If you are interested in learning more about AcuLife patches, plan to attend our Purina Horse Owners Workshop at East Gate Feed and Grain where you can speak to Rhonda and Amy. Terry Peiper will be able to help you with saddle fit issues. Cindy Robinson from Purina Mills will be there also to discussion Equine Nutrition. For more information about the meeting, contact me at 717-667-6556. a
Rhonda Walker with daughter Lauren, sharing their love of horses.
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The Valley, March 2014 Versatile Vinegar from page 7 describe apple cider vinegar as overflowing with vitamins and minerals including calcium, potassium, beta carotene, amino acids, enzymes and soluble fiber pectin. On the other hand, the USDA considers these nutrients to be totally absent. Hmm, what are we to believe? My personal opinion is that much of what we read about the hundreds of cure alls may be overstated and unfounded. Lack of scientific research is a common concern for most “natural” therapies. We know there is not a lot of money in vinegar sales, which may explain why “vinegar research” is not high on the FDA to do list, but I do think vinegar has merits that go beyond helping us clean windows and dye Easter eggs. Here are a few evidence based points to ponder: • Anti-Infective Properties: In 2007, Cook’s Illustrated magazine compared four ways of cleaning fruits and vegetables to determine the most effective in removing bacteria: washing with antibacterial soap; washing with a solution of one part vinegar and 3 parts water; scrubbing with a brush; and rinsing in clean water. The vinegar solution worked best, removing 98 percent of bacteria. In addition, a Spanish study examined the antimicrobial activity of several products and vinegar showed the strongest antibacterial activity against E.coli 157:h7. As an added benefit, spray both vinegar and hydrogen peroxide (3% solution) on household surfaces. Food scientist Susan Sumner, Ph.D. discovered that when combined, these two inexpensive household products disinfected more effectively than chlorine bleach or any commercially available kitchen cleaner. Apply one after the other in either order with a mist sprayer to virtually kill all Salmonella , Shigella, and E. coli bacteria. The combination was found to be 10 times more effective than either by itself. It is not recommended to mix the two together in one sprayer. On most surfaces, no rinsing is necessary. The acid in vinegar may etch natural stone. In addition to external cleaning, when vinegar is ingested, its antiseptic properties aid in preventing the growth of harmful bacteria and viruses in the digestive tract. Fortunately, it does not interfere with the body’s beneficial bacteria, which are our first line of defense. When ingesting, use only a high quality, organic if possible, apple cider vinegar. A
general rule of thumb is one to two tablespoons mixed in 8 -10 ounces of water. • Cardiovascular Protection: According to Sayer Ji, founder of Green Med Info, there is no known published clinical research in humans showing that vinegar reduces blood pressure, yet animal research in spontaneously hypertensive rats does show it has a blood pressure lowering property. This is believed to be due to vinegar’s ability to inhibit the reninangiotensin system. Additional research on the consumption of oil-and-vinegar dressing indicates that vinegar may lower other risk factors for cardiovascular disease. • Anti-Cancer: There is a significant body of cell and animal research available today indicating that vinegar has antitumor properties. Although the anti-tumor factors have not been identified, acetic acid appears to be a major player, as it forms acetate ions in the stomach, which may have direct anti-tumor effects. Keep in mind that acetic acid alone cannot account for the health benefits of vinegar as a whole, and this is most evident by the fact that vinegar from various plant sources contain a wide range of polyphenols, whose antioxidant and anti-cancer properties are well characterized. • Blood Glucose Control: In a study published in the Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, vinegar, when consumed with food, showed antiglycemic properties by reducing blood sugar levels in healthy adults. It is believed that vinegar has the potential to increase overall insulin sensitivity, thus reducing high insulin levels in the blood which can be very damaging. Studies such as this does not prove that vinegar “cures” diabetes, but they are encouraging and hopefully will allow researches to further examine its role in blood sugar control. • Increased Nutrient Absorption- The acetic acid in vinegar has the ability to increase the absorption of important nutrients. So by itself, vinegar may not contain significant vitamin and minerals, but when combined with high quality foods, vinegar helps to assimilate those critical nutrients. Sipping a mild tonic of one tablespoon of vinegar in a glass of water just before meals is thought to improve our body’s ability to absorb essential vitamins and minerals. This also explains the added benefit of a few splashes
of vinegar on a dark green leafy salad. Dark greens are high in calcium and a vinegar dressing will help it get into our bones. • Flavor Enhancer- There are so many varieties of delicious vinegars available today. In fact, last fall my husband and I spent over an hour in a delightful shop in Lititz, PA called Olio that specializes in nothing but vinegars and olive oil. The fun was not only in learning about all the flavors, origins and types of vinegars but, in having the opportunity to taste each one! We now love to drizzle lemon vinegar on fruit salad and sprinkle hot chili pepper vinegar into soups. Vinegar can be used in place of high sodium condiments and those containing unhealthy trans fats. • Household Uses - I don’t need any in depth research studies to confirm for me that plain old white vinegar works incredibly well as a household cleaner, deodorizer, and disinfectant. It is my go-to spray, replacing numerous commercial cleaners that are full of chemicals and additives, which are harmful to my family, pets and the environment. Because there are books and web sites galore listing hundreds of suggestions, (such as www.vinegartips.com ) I will share with you just a few of my personal favorites. • I gave up using fabric softeners years ago and use just ½ cup white vinegar to the rinse cycle.
Mutual Trust Opens Hearts to a Deep, Lasting Relationship from page 12 • Express confidence. Doesn’t it feel wonderful when someone has confidence in you? Do that for your partner as well. When you trust someone, you can relax, knowing they will do the right thing. Express your gratitude, return the favor, and share your positive feelings. • Be tactfully honest. When asked an opinion, you need to tell the truth, but in a gentle and nonhurtful way. Openly lying just to please the other person can foster mistrust. If your partner knows you’ll be honest without crushing their feelings, he or she will feel more loved. • Show respect. Sometimes we don’t understand why a partner feels or thinks the way they do. They’ll wonder the same about you at times. Honor your differences by asking questions, attempting to understand where those beliefs came from. Don’t
Don’t worry, the smell does not linger. The vinegar helps with static cling, clothes are soft and actually much cleaner because laundry detergent residue is broken down. • The streaks and greasy fingerprints are totally removed on stainless steel appliances using vinegar and a microfiber cloth • This time of year, our car windshields are usually a dirty mess. Keep windshield wiper blades clean by using full strength vinegar on a dampened cloth and wiping it up and down the full length of each blade. • Restore and refresh kitchen sponges and dish cloths by soaking them in a diluted solution of vinegar and hot water. I let them sit for a few hours or overnight. Good as new the next day. • Freeze vinegar in ice cube trays and then pop a couple of the cubes into the garbage disposal. Grind to clean and deodorize. Which reminds me…. Our garbage disposal is leaking (again). I sure wish vinegar could fix that! No doubt however, vinegar is versatile. I will continue to douse both my internal and external house with this “sour wine.” From ancient times to modern day, it has the ability to safely and economically enhance our health and home. Have fun this spring exploring new ways vinegar will work for you too!
• Kondo S, Tayama K, Tsukamoto Y, Ikeda K, Yamori Y. Antihypertensive effects of acetic acid and vinegar on spontaneously hypertensive rats. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2001;65:2690–2694. [PubMed] • Honsho S, Sugiyama A, Takahara A, Satoh Y, Nakamura Y, Hashimoto K. A red wine vinegar beverage can inhibit the rennin-angiotensin system: experimental evidence in vivo. Biol Pharm Bull. 2005;28:1208–1210. [PubMed] • Mimura A, Suzuki Y, Toshima Y, Yazaki S, Ohtsuki T, Ui S, Hyodoh F. Induction of apoptosis in human leukemia cells by naturally fermented sugar canevinegar (kibizu) of Amami Ohshima Island. Biofactors. 2004;22:93–97. [PubMed] • Nanda K, Miyoshi N, Nakamura Y, et al. Extract of vinegar “Kurosu” from unpolished rice inhibits the proliferation of human cancer cells. J Exp Clin Cancer Res. 2004;23:69–75. [PubMed] • CJ Puotinen, The Health Benefits of Cider and Other Vinegars , Well Being Journal , May/June 2012 Vol. 21 No. 3 • www.apple-cider-vinegarbenefits.com a
Resources: put down the other’s point of view as wrong or try to change them. See if you can learn from one another, see through one another’s eyes. Through respect, you gain more trust. Exceptional relationships do not happen by accident. The very best relationships come to those who are willing to work for it. If that is how you feel, don’t leave things to chance. Make it a goal to continue earning trust and opening your heart. Ask yourself these three questions and consider how you can make your relationship as exceptional as it can be. 1. How would you rate the level of trust in your closest relationship? 2. What steps do you take to
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build trust into the relationship? 3. Do you have any trust issues? If you’d like to make positive changes in your relationship, I can help. We can meet for private couples’coaching, you may attend a seminar or webinar, or even consider one of the exclusive couples retreats planned from time to time. Relationship coaching can open your eyes, and heart, to a more loving partnership than you ever thought possible – whether you’ve recently fallen in love or have celebrated many years together. Coach Joanie contact info: coachjoanie@joanieyanusas.com 814-777-0410 www.joanieyanusas.com a
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Mutual Trust Opens Hearts to a Deep, Lasting Relationship Everyone wants to be trusted. Especially in a close or intimate relationship. But trust is not automatic. It’s proven every day. Earning and giving trust is neverending. It starts with the little things. Why don’t friends and partners trust one another? There can be many reasons. Being trusted involves doing what you say, being consistent, and considering the other person. Trusting someone new can be difficult if you have been hurt in the past, have poor self-esteem, or worry about being vulnerable. When you open yourself up to the other person – trusting, loving, giving – you can be free to express yourself and grow in a
relationship. When you mistrust, especially with no reason, you can poison the relationship with jealousy or skepticism. Increasing trust is well worth the effort. In order to be trusted, you need to keep your word. If you say you’ll be at your daughter’s recital, be there. If you come to an agreement about budgeting, don’t overspend. If your partner tells you something never revealed to anyone else, keep the secret. If you can’t be somewhere on time, call ahead or text. If you had to use the credit card for an emergency, explain it and have a plan to handle the expense. Be trustworthy in small issues every day, so each of you will feel free
to trust one another when it comes to the big things – fidelity, safety, love, and knowing your private thoughts will be kept private. In order to trust, you need to lose the fear of being judged. Bar the suspicion that comes from your own insecurity. Bury the hurt that came from a previous relationship where there was lying, infidelity, hurtful fights, or constant disappointment. When you achieve mutual trust, you set yourselves free to become closer, to share more, to communicate with love. You’ll find it easier to communicate and improve your lovemaking. And you will be unified in creating a happy home and family environ-
ment. The dynamics of each couple are unique, but there are a few tips and factors that come into play that can help you fully trust one another with your hearts. • Be fully invested. How committed are you to your relationship? Are you willing to open your heart and let your love grow, without holding anything back? Will you make the commitment to
you are needed. Your actions can belie you if you are asking for trust but your actions tell a different story from time to time. • Don’t keep secrets. If you can’t trust yourselves to share your most intimate secrets, who can you trust? Secrets create suspicion and are hurtful when uncovered, even if they seemed small. • Be reliable. Reliability is linked to trustworthiness, so make every effort to do what you have said you would do – or keep in
Trust is built or bruised every single day, the little things count!
invest in an open, trusting partnership? • Be good to your word. Do what you say. That’s not just keeping a promise or being there when
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touch if you can’t follow through. Don’t leave your partner hanging, waiting, doing the task alone.
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The Valley, March 2014
Understanding the Constitution by David Molek
With or Without Congress As you know, I am a proponent of freedom and liberty. I believe that government relies on consent of the governed, making the federal government subordinate to We the People. I seek ways to limit big government all the time. At this point, I feel that our federal government is out of control. Standing up against Wash D.C. can be scary. Understandably, not many people want to do such a thing. Some, if not many, of our senators and congressional representatives think the federal government can do anything it wants. Certainly our president believes that. His power tactics surprise and concern we supporters of our Constitution. Barach Obama is threatening to bypass Congress and use executive orders to achieve the policy changes he cannot get through legislation. Calling this a “year of action”, he said he had a pen and a phone and can use those to make changes without the help of Congress. In other words, he promises to take executive action wherever lawmakers fail to meet
his demands. Rather than policy rising from the various interests of the people and communicated through our representatives, now it will be imposed from Wash D.C. by a wiser “leader of men” who knows better than We the People what “right things” are good for us. This lawless lone ranger style shows that the executive branch will continue to pursue lawless actions and run further amok. Our Constitution recognized the various conflicting interests of the people, and sought to keep one faction from dominating over another and limiting our individual freedom through use of the executive branch. Obama’s actions are consistent with the progressive movement’s impatience and disdain for our Constitution. Why does Obama insist on bypassing Congress – the people Americans elected to make our laws? Obama says ruling through executive action is his only option because we live in an exceptionally partisan age. I believe it is no more partisan than during Reagan’s or Clinton’s terms in office.
It is time we reject this growing beast in Wash D.C. and insist on adherence to our Constitution. Our Constitution is the enemy of the people in power because it limits their power. We the People are asking that we respect and live by the limited government principles defined in our Constitution. It seems like a final tipping point is approaching. Our president acts like he has an unlimited mandate and thinks he is above the law. Taking into account the biased mainstream media, and a Congress that appears to have willingly passed their authority to the president, Obama shows his contempt for our separation of powers. It looks like an imperial presidency to me. He literally makes laws. I cannot believe Congress can just sit by and watch this happen. Likewise, the media, which is normally a watchdog, is much like a press release department in the Obama continuing, perpetual campaign. We need our president to abide by the legal limits of his office. In Federalist 51, James Madison wrote that the separa-
tion of powers provides half of the “double security” to our rights while the other half is provided by federalism (separation of powers between the states and our federal government). We need to stop the ObamaSoros-Alinsky socialist agenda and begin to restore American values and constitutional principles to our nation. For some time, I have believed the most widely abused power of Congress is the interpretation of the commerce clause. Now, I am not sure that Congress’ failure to exercise its authority and keep the executive branch in its place isn’t as widely abused. Our federal government is out of control. So what is a person to do? Most people now do nothing – but inaction and apathy only makes things worse. Outright disobedience is scary. The most viable choice is rise up and be heard. Arm yourself with the correct intellectual ammunition to reverse this tyranny. I am convinced Obama does not share our American Dream. He writes his own To-Do List. Executive tyranny shows his contempt for our Constitution. With “takers” nearly outnum-
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bering “makers,” we live among a generation that has been shaped by the government, more than the government has been shaped by them. Obama has We the People on the defensive. We clearly need to resist big government by insisting on the rule of law. Effective resistance involves asking questions, getting answers, participating and reminding people that there is no such thing as a free lunch. The words of Ronald Reagan are appropriate: “Why is the Constitution of the United States so exceptional? Well, the difference is so small that it almost escapes you – but it’s so great it tells you the whole story in just three words: We the People. In the constitutions of other nations, the government tells the people what they are allowed to do. In our Constitution, we the people tell the government what it can do and that it can only do those things listed in that document and no others. Virtually every other revolution in history has just exchanged one set of rulers for another set of rulers. Our revolution was the first to say the people are the masters and government is their servant”. This seems just the opposite of how our current president views our Constitution. The rule of law is under siege of the Obama presidency. I see this threat to freedom greater than any sitting president in our nation’s history. We need to turn back this tyranny. We need to resist executive actions which are unbelievably unconstitutional and lawless. No one is above the law. a
The Valley, March 2014
14 Poor Wills Valley Almanack from page 19 and woodlots. The first Virginia bluebell reveals its blue bells. March 31: Ramps (native wild onions, famous throughout Appalachia for healing and seasoning) are three to six inches tall, their foliage unraveling in wetlands. ALMANACK LITERATURE Monk’s Presents By Pliny Fulkner, Cincinnati, Ohio I have a cat named Monk, and he sleeps with me. He also likes to play with toy mice, the kind that are hollow and that you can fill with catnip. Sometimes, after he plays with the toy mice, he sets them in his food dish. This seems to be a kind of offering to the food god, or a way of suggesting that I really need to fill up that dish. Sometimes, monk brings the toy mice into my bed, and I wake up with a toy mouse on my pillow. It’s usually not too soggy, but it really doesn’t belong on my pillow. Monk also likes live mice, and when he discovers one, he plays with it the way he plays with his toy mice. Maybe you can guess where this is going. One night, Monk jumped up onto the bed as usual and went to sleep on my chest. We had a good sleep until we both heard a noise out in the hall. Zoom, and Monk was off to see what that sound was all about, but I dozed off. I woke up again to Monk pouncing and jumping all over the covers. I sat up and then something wet slopped me in the face, and then I felt something slither under
the covers with me, and it wasn’t Monk. Then it was Monk, going after whatever had hit me and escaped into the bedding. The sheet and blanket went flying. The cat went flying. A toy mouse went flying. I turned on the light. The mouse, sitting up on his haunches like a kangaroo ready to do battle, just waited between my legs for the next round. Not up for more shenanigans, I poured out on the floor the water from the glass that I had on my bedside table, scooped up the pugnacious mouse and put him outside where he belonged. I put Monk out, too. WINNERS OF THE FEBRUARY VALLEY SCKRAMBLER SCRAMBLE A prize of $5.00 was promised to the 1st and 5th person to correctly unscramble all the words in last month’s Valley Sckrambler. The first and only player was Faith Hassingeer of Milroy, PA. Of course, she won the prize. THE VALLEY “SCKRAMBLER” FOR MARCH If you are the 1st or the 5th person to respond with the correct answers, you’ll receive a $5.00 prize. There should by no typos in this puzzle, and no typo prize will be awarded. However, if you do find one, you may skip the word without penalty. Send your entries by postcard only to Poor Will’s Valley Almanack at P.O. Box 431, Yellow Springs, Ohio 45387. The unscrambled words and the names of the winners will appear in an upcoming issue of The Valley newspaper. CAKHS
EUALPQ CAKS VIBOAUC GGNCOA QIRA LDKAO KKKKNNCCIA KCAMS KACT ANIRB ENAC INATNOC AIAERPLN IANRPS` EAONBDG INAMER PLNTNAAI ONIRDA NCRRHEAIU MIDE RPMIE MIRCE EIMM YTHEM IMECL EMIL EMILS
Honeybee Swarm Retrieval Swarm season is coming! If you have or see a swarm of honeybees that you want us to retrieve and save, call us!
HIMCE MEIRG YERHM Listen to Bill Felker’s weekly “Poor Will’s Almanack” on podcast any time at www.wyso. org. And Bill’s website, www. poorwillsalmanack.com, contains weekly updates and a sizable bank of information about nature. His organization of weather patterns and phenology
Kibbutzniks from page 17 directed his outnumbered forces (at a ratio of 10 to 1) in a vicious three day victorious tank battle against Syrian forces during the 1973 Yom Kippur War. The outcome was miraculous and all is quiet there currently, at least for a time. According to Biblical prophecy, Israel is the up and coming nation. It is a Land for which The Lord our God cares, His eyes are always on it. In fact, He will draw all nations into battle against Israel (yes even the US) and then will execute judgment on those very nations as He empowers the inhabitants of the land to consume those nations as a flaming torch among sheaves (see the prophecy
(what happens when in nature) offers a unique structure for understanding the repeating rhythms of the year. Bill lives in Yellow Springs, Ohio. He has two daughters, Jeni, who is a psychologist in Portland, Oregon, and Neysa, a photographer in Spoleto, Italy. a
of Zechariah). God, through His Messiah, will then reign from His Holy City Jerusalem. What an incredible time that will be! Do we not see these things lining up even now? Yes, the time is soon, but not yet. In the meantime, Kibbutz life goes on, preparation continues as we all watch with expectant eyes. Hodesh tov (have a good month!) Shalom. C. Mark Ostrowski, MSFS, is the Founder and President of The Stewardship Group in Belleville. His articles ponder various contemporary topics evaluating them from a political, economic and scriptural point of view. a
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The Valley, March 2014
PA Trout Season 2014 Trout season is closing in on us quick (April 12 for Mifflin County.) The first day of PA Trout season is all about the kids for me. I get my kids up at the crack of dawn, stop for breakfast, and have them standing in the cold, and sometimes rain, just to get them a good spot beside our favorite stream. I take pictures and video and we have a great time. Sometimes I don’t even pick up my rod. It’s all about creating fantastic memories that will last a lifetime. Are you prepared? Do you have all of your equipment ready? Who is prepared to catch their fish of a lifetime? I would like to say that I am, but I’m usually a procrastinator when it comes to getting my things together. If you’re like me, then you know where I’m coming from. Let’s imagine for a minute that you’re standing out along Kish Creek and it’s almost go time—10 minutes till 8. You start thinking, “man I wish I
would have changed my line on my Fenwick.” The fluorocarbon line is pushing three years old. Or, you’re digging in your fishing vest for some #12 hooks, and you notice, “shoot I only have three left.” Believe me, a lot of us fisherman have done just that. I laugh at myself as I am borrowing size BB split shot from my 12 year old daughter Jaden. We’ve all been there. Let’s tell ourselves, remind ourselves, that’s not gonna happen next year. Hahaha. We at VSO can fix all of this. We have plenty of tackle, live bait, and rod-n-reel combos. My favorite is my 4.5 foot ultra light Fenwick filled with 4 lb. fluorocarbon. At VSO, we have a great variety of rods, hooks, spinners,
artificial bait and salmon eggs. If you are a live bait fisherman, we have wax worms for $8.49 a tub of 250, baby night crawlers—24 for $2.99, night crawlers—12 for $1.99, red worms for $2.99, maggots—50 for $1.00, butter worms—36 for $5.50, and fat head minnows—12 for $1.50. And for the fly fishermen, we have a variety of nymphs, wooly buggers, dry flys, emergers—all for $1.50 each. Stop down at VSO before trout season so you are not standing beside the creek wishing you would have changed your line before prime time. Jim Ream is the owner and operator of Valley Sports and Outdoors, 18 Glenlew Dr. Route 522, Lewistown. VSO is an authorized Hoyt Archery dealer and carries all of the bait you need, no matter what season or target. Give them a call 717248-8122 and plan your next adventure in the Pennsylvania Outdoors. a
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Lewistown Pistol Club is proud to announce that they will be hosting the second annual Think of the Children Benefit Match over the weekend of April 2627. The match is being held to raise funds for the Prayer Child Foundation. (www. prayerchild.org) Many children, by no fault of their own, are in need of help each and every day. Many of the children and their parents pray daily for a healthier life. The mission of the Prayer Child Foundation is to have a hand in answering their prayers and helping these children to have the joys of a normal childhood. The Prayer Child Foundation donates money directly to families with children who have physical or emotional challenges. They have been able to help multiple central PA families. This match is an International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA) tier 2 match, open to all IDPA members, classified in the division in which they wish to compete. It will be a 10 stage match, held in a half day format. Competitors can choose to shoot Saturday morning, Saturday afternoon, or Sunday morning. Registration information is available on the club’s website. We would like to thank the many sponsors who are supporting this match. Please visit the club’s website to see a full list of sponsors, and support those who support us.
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After last year’s successful match, we were able to donate our profit of $3,300 to the Prayer Child Foundation. We would appreciate your support in exceeding that this year. Please visit our club website for information on how you can help, even if you can’t compete in the match. Ron Singer Jr. IDPA Match Director www.lewistownpistolclub.com
The Valley, March 2014
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When is the Right Time to Get a Massage? Working in the massage therapy field for 6 ½ years, I have heard “My ‘knots’ are killing me, I should have made the appointment sooner” or “I’m in so much pain, can you do something to make it go away” countless times. In our fast-paced world, with all its stresses and suspense, we often find it hard to leave ourselves “me time.” One day we wake up and realize that we can’t move our neck, or stoop down to pick something up. We maybe have had “that annoying ache in the hip” or that “debilitating headache,” but haven’t done anything about it. No, I’m not saying that massage therapy is “the magic bullet” that
Tatyana Vdov
can cure all your aches and pains, but you know what, it definitely can reduce tension and pain in muscles, increase range of motion, reduce levels of stress and improve circulation, all of which help you begin the journey to a healthier and happier you. Prevention is key! Preventing hypertension is easier and more pleasant than trying to work out the knots when they have settled in. (Although I do know some people that take pride in quantity and quality of knots they manufacture from one session to the next.) Getting into a routine with massage, whether it be weekly, bi-weekly or monthly, can be key to your
overall health and vibrancy! Don’t wait until you are in pain, call to schedule an appointment and make sure you drink plenty of water! Tatyana Vdov Tanya’s Massage Therapy tanyamassage@ live.com www.tanyasmassagetherapy.com (814) 937-0375 Lewistown, PA a
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The Valley, March 2014
Kibbutzniks Shalom, my friends. I write to you this month from the colorful and aromatic land of Israel, as Almond Trees are currently blossoming. It is a good land, the land of promise and it does flow with milk and honey! Starthistle, avocado, and date honey just to name a few. The land produces fruits of all types and in extraordinary sizes. We visited Margalite at her fruit stand on Hameyassdim Street and selected a quart sized container of exceedingly large, very sweet strawberries while we discussed current events here in Israel as well as back in the states. She was soon to close as Friday evening was settling in and Shabbat was soon to be observed. We are guests on Kibbutz Beth-El, in Northern Israel. Beth-El, means house of God.
A Kibbutz is a collective living arrangement where no one owns anything, yet everyone owns everything together in community. Members of the Kibbutz are called Kibbutzniks in Hebrew and as one Kibbutznik here at Beth-El has said, “Kibbutz is a fellowship of life and love.” We truly see that here at Beth-El. My wife Joann spent ten weeks here last spring and was affectionately and enthusiastically received back upon our return this year. In some ways, I feel that I have lost my wife to the Kibbutz! This is OK though, as it is a real blessing to participate with her in this fellowship. Beth-El runs a farm as most Kibbutz do and all raw milk and cheese products are provided for members of the Kibbutz from this
farm. Additionally, all meat and vegetables are kibbutz-grown and provided as well. There is one day per week where all products (other than milk, which is available daily) are set out farmmarket style and Kibbutzniks go “shopping” without money. Eggs, loaves of bread baked in the Kibbutz bakery, lettuce, potatoes, huge radishes, carrots….well you get the picture. Beth-El owns several manufacturing facilities and has a senior home for its elderly members. All members have residences provided for them. Everybody at Beth-El works and provides for the common good and as a Kibbutz, their driving goal is to bless Israel. This is especially evident in their main industry, which is to provide ventilation systems for safe rooms. Every building and residence in Israel must have a bomb shelter for occupants to evacuate to in the event of attack. The ventilation system Beth-El
has developed provides filtration for nuclear dust, chemical and biological warfare. The ventilation intake valve also seats in a nano-second in order to prevent a major change in atmospheric pressure in the bunker when ordinance is detonated within the vicinity of the shelter. This prevents lungs from being shredded due to the pressure transient, which occurred in many instances during World War II. While here, we have had opportunity to travel from the
Lebanese border in the north to Eilat, the port city and southern most point of current day Israel. We have enjoyed the breathtaking beauty of Makhtesh Ramon a large crater in the Negev desert, travelled through the wilderness of Paran where Ishmael lived according to Genesis 21:21, as well as where the Israelites encamped during their forty year trek. We have seen the Valley of Tears in the Golan where renowned Tank Commander Kahalani coolly
Continued on page 14
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The Valley, March 2014
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POOR WILL’S VALLEY ALMANACK for March of 2013 by Bill Felker
For you the roving spirit of the wind Blows Spring abroad; for you the teeming clouds Descend in gladsome plenty o’er the world; And the sun sheds his kindest rays for you, Ye flower of human race! --James Thomson The Sun Even though the day lengthens at different rates at different locations throughout the country, equinox is still equinox on March 20 at 12:57 p.m. (EDT) and brings equal day and night everywhere in North America – just as the sun comes into Aries. Daylight Savings Time Set clocks ahead one hour at 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, March 9 The Planets of March In the evening, Jupiter is the brightest planet in the west, following Sirius, the Dog Star, high in Gemini. Mars is the earliest of the morning stars this month, coming up in Virgo after midnight. Saturn follows along behind in the boxy constellation of Libra, and then Venus appears in Capricorn, outshining all the other objects in the sky until sunrise. The Stars Just as the morning robin chorus begins, summer’s Vega moves overhead; Cepheus has come to the south side of Polaris; the Great Square fills the east ahead of the sun; Mars and red Aldebaran pull Taurus into the west, and Sagittarius trails the Milky Way along the southern horizon. Meteorology & Best Fishing Major weather systems are due to reach the Valley on March 3,
6 (usually the most severe front of the month), 10 (ordinarily followed by quite mild temperatures), 15, 20 (frequently the second-coldest front of March), 25 (often followed by the best weather so far in the year), and 30. New Moon on March 1 and 30, and full moon on March 16 are likely to increase chances for frost and for storms as the weather systems due near those dates reach Pennsylvania. Fis Fishing and hunting are most rewarding and dieting is most frustrating before the arrival of cold fronts, at midday when the moon is new, in the afternoon and evening when the moon is in its first quarter, at night when the moon is full and in its third quarter, in the morning when the moon is in its fourth quarter. A Market Calendar March 4, 2014: Mardi Gras: This is a good time to sell kids and lambs for barbecues. Then get ready for all of April’s celebrations. They will be opportunities to sell your new kids and lambs: April 13 – 15, 2014: New Year’s Day for immigrants from Cambodia, Thailand and Laos; April 15 (sunset) to April 21, 2014: Passover; April 20, 2014: Roman Easter and Greek Orthodox Easter (occurring together this year). MARCH - WEEK 1 The Third Week of Early Spring Lunar Phase And Lore The Robin Chorus Moon waxes throughout the period entering its second phase at 8:27 a.m. on March 8. Rising in the morning and setting well after dark, this moon is overhead in the late afternoon and evening. Angling is recommended with the moon above you between lunch and suppertime, especially as the barometer falls in advance of the March 5 and 9 cold fronts. The moon’s position in Taurus between March 4 and 6 and in Cancer from March 9 through 11 offers the finest lunar seeding conditions of the month
for bedding plants and tender vegetables, and for planting peas and onions where the ground is ready. Weather Trends Although the first cold front of March arrives on the 3rd, bringing a 65 percent chance for highs in the 40s or below, the first quarter of the month brings a steady ten percent chance for an afternoon in the 70s for the first time since early November. In fact, 70s occur more often on the 2nd and 3rd than on any days in the first three weeks of March. And 50s or 60s occur about 30 percent of the time, similar to what happened during February’s third week. This time, however, the percentage never drops below that level until late autumn. Also this week, the percentage of afternoon highs in the teens and 20s drops to between five and ten percent per day, the first time that has happened since early December. The skies continue to brighten, with the 3rd bringing a 70 percent chance for sun, and the 7th an 80 percent chance. The wettest day of the week is usually the 4th; it has a 60 percent chance for showers or flurries. The 5th and 6th aren’t far behind: 50 percent chance for precipitation those days. MARCH - WEEK 2 The Fourth Week of Early Spring Lunar Phase And Lore The Robin Chorus Moon swells until it becomes totally full on March 16 at 12:09 p.m. And after the March 15 cold front passes, the robin chorus of the Robin Chorus Moon will start well before sunrise. Coming up in the afternoon and setting before sunrise, this moon is overhead, its most favourable position for fishing, in the middle of the night. Conditions are expected to improve for angling as the March 14 and 19 cold fronts approach. The moon’s position in Cancer through the 11th and in Scorpio on the 19th
favor planting in flats under lights and directly in the garden. Weather Trends The rate of spring’s advance quickens, and odds for milder weather increase with every sunrise. Chances for an afternoon above 50 degrees rise to 40 percent by the end of the week. Frost strikes the early garden 60 percent of all the nights, however, and there is still a five to ten percent chance each day this week for a high only in the 20s. MARCH - WEEK 3 The Fifth Week of Early Spring Lunar Phase And Lore As the robin chorus becomes more noticeable in the early morning, the Robin Chorus Moon wanes into its final phase at 8:46 p.m. on March 23. Rising in the evening and setting in the morning, this moon moves overhead before dawn. Sunrise fishing is recommended this week, especially as the cold fronts of March 19 and 24 approach, pushing down the barometer. Set in root crops, shrubs and trees under Scorpio, March 19 – 21, and Capricorn, March 23 – 25. Weather Trends After equinox, the chances for highs in the 20s fall below five percent for the first time since the middle of December, and highs in the 80s enter the realm of possibility, too. The 18th, however, brings the greatest chance for frost in the entire month - a full 90 percent chance, thanks to the equinox cold front. Under the influence of that weather system, the 21st brings the most sun of any day in the third week of March: 70 percent of those days are clear to partly cloudy. MARCH - WEEK 4 The Final Week of Early Spring Lunar Phase And Lore Having brought robin song to most of the country, the Robin Chorus Moon wanes to a dark
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morning sliver of light and then becomes the Golden Forsythia Moon at 1:45 p.m. on March 30. Throughout the South, forsythia is already in full flower, and as this moon waxes, the forsythia bushes bloom all the way into the Valley. Rising after midnight and setting in the afternoon, the Golden Forsythia Moon is overhead near the middle of the day, making lunch time the best lunar time for angling (but bad for dieting). Plant all your flowers and vegetables in Cancer, March 27 – 29. Weather Trends On the 30th, for the first time since October 22, there is a five percent chance for highs to reach 80 degrees. And on the 31st, those chances double. On the 23rd, the odds for morning frost are about one in two, but on the 29th, those odds fall to just one in four. In the warmest years of all, frost can be gone until October or November (but an average season brings 20 more dawns below the freezing mark). The likelihood of a thunderstorm is six times greater this week than it was last week. And tornado season usually begins now, and lasts through the summer. A DAYBOOK FOR MARCH March 1: Earthworm Mating Season starts in the warming rains. Junco Season usually ends at bird feeders. March 2: Canadian goose migration reaches its peak. March 3: Today marks another major pivot point in the possibilities of spring: for the first time all year, there is a ten percent chance for a high in the 70s, and those odds continue, with only a few exceptions, until the 24th, when they double. And the sun reaches a full 70 percent of the way to equinox today. It won’t be long now until real spring weather!
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The Valley, March 2014 March 4: Mardi Gras: The monthlong Carnival season ends with a big party and feast before Ash Wednesday and the start of the Lenten fast. This is a good time to sell lambs or kids for a barbecue bash, and for Mardi Gras fundraiser events. March 5: Mars is the earliest of the morning stars this month, coming up in Virgo after midnight. Saturn follows along behind in the boxy constellation of Libra, and then Venus appears in Capricorn, outshining all the other objects in the sky until sunrise. In the evening, Jupiter is the brightest planet in the west, following Sirius, the Dog Star, high in Gemini. March 6: Woodcocks arrive from the South, cardinals sing near 6:30 a.m., wild violet leaves begin to grow when the snow melts, carp mate in the warmer shallows, and woodchucks come out of hibernation. March 7: Maple Syrup Season, Snowdrop and Aconite Season, and Pussy Willow Season continue. Daffodil Budding Season and Crocus Blooming Season commence. Migration Season begins reaches its apex for Canadian geese. Walleye, Sauger, Saugeye, Muskie, Bass and Crappie Feeding Seasons get underway. March 8: The sun reaches a declination of exactly five degrees today. That’s 80 percent of the way to spring! Horseradish leaves are typically an inch long today, their length announcing the appearance of Virginia bluebell sprouts on the hillsides and the blossoming of the earliest jonquils in the garden. March 9: Daylight Savings Time Begins: Set clocks ahead one hour at 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, March 9, March 10: After today, chances for a morning below zero fall to almost nothing for the first time since December 5. March 11: Crows are pairing and selecting nesting sites. Nettle tops are ready to pick for greens. Chickweed and dandelions flower in the woods. Ducks arrive from the south in their most attractive mating plumage. Pods of the dogbane open. March 12: White tundra swans usually arrive along Lake Erie at this time of the month. In Washington, D.C., the florets of cherry trees are beginning to show.
March 13: The sun reaches 90 percent of the way to equinox today. Honeysuckle leaves are opening. Today, the chances for highs above 50 climb to 45 percent, and they remain near that level until March 22nd - when they rise even higher Wolf spiders hatch in the sun. Earliest henbit blossoms. Day lily foliage is four inches tall.
March 21: Ragwort develops buds, and touch-me-nots sprout in the swamps. Willow trees glow yellow-green with new foliage. Canadian geese nest and lay their eggs.
March 14: Before dawn, all the constellations that ride the Milky Way into summer lie in the east. To the far north, Cassiopeia zigzags towards Cepheus, the houselike constellation just east of the North Star. Following the Milky Way, find Cygnus, the Northern Cross, shining above you. Below Cygnus, is Aquila, with its bright star, Altair.
March 23: In average years. Small blue squills and violet periwinkles bloom in the garden, snow trillium and violet cress along the rivers.
March 15: Flickers and purple martins migrate to the region. Lawn growth is now perceptible - three weeks before grass is usually ready to cut.
March 25: Buds form on wild raspberries, a sign that it is time for gall mites to be working in the ash trees and pine weevils and moths in the evergreens.
March 16: Look for the purple blossoms of grape hyacinths, and color on the very earliest tulips, skunk cabbage leaves grow big and fat. Snowdrops, aconites and snow crocus decline as peony stalks reach at least two inches above the mulch.
March 26: Water striders mate. Ragweed sprouts. Allergies intensify as pollen and mold begin to become significant.
March 17: This fifth week of early spring is marked by the spiraling of the male titmouse in his mating ritual, the emergence of the bees, the early courting calls of flickers and pileated woodpeckers, the yellowing of gold finches to about half of their summer color, cardinal song moving up to 7:20 a.m. March 18: When pussy willows emerge all the way, pick succulent leaves of nettles for greens, and find chickweed blooming in the woodlots and alleyways. Wild parsnips grow back. Mock orange leafs out. March 19: Clematis leaves unfold beside new growth of the dodder. Comfrey leaves reach two inches long. Motherwort swells into clumps, and purple deadnettle is in full bloom. Lamb’s quarter, beggarticks, pigweed, and amaranth sprout, and the first periwinkle flower petals unfold. March 20: Even though the day lengthens at different rates at different locations throughout the country, equinox is still equinox on March 20 at 11:57 p.m. (EST) and brings equal day and night everywhere in North America – just as the sun comes into Aries.
March 22: White cabbage butterflies now come out to lay eggs on your cabbages in the milder afternoons.
March 24: Question mark, tortoise shell and cabbage butterflies look for nectar. Yellow-bellied sapsuckers arrive seek insects in your yard.
March 27: May apple spears are up in the woods, prophesying morel mushroom season. The first buckeyes, apple and peach trees leaf out. March 28: Eastern tent caterpillar eggs hatch between now and the middle of April. Look for their webs, especially on fruit trees, throughout your property. March 29: Carpenter bees appear around the house and barn, looking for nesting sites. Those bees typically return to locations they have used before. March 30: On the hillsides, Hepatica and toothwort are opening. Spring beauties flower in lawns and woodlots. The first Virginia bluebell reveals its blue bells. March 31: Ramps (native wild onions, famous throughout Appalachia for healing and seasoning) are three to six inches tall, their foliage unraveling in wetlands. In the Field and Garden March 1: Early date for planting most hardy vegetables directly in the garden. Try a first row of radishes, leeks, peas. Put in spring wheat when conditions permit. Most bedding plants should be started in their flats.
March 2: Only 11 weeks remain before the most delicate flowers and vegetables can be planted outside. Four weeks until most hardy plants can be set out. March 3: Complete the spraying of fruit trees, spraying with dormant oil when the temperature is expected to stay above 40 for 24 hours. Do late pruning on colder afternoons. Spread fertilizer. March 4: Put in oats or ryegrass for quick vegetative cover. It is also time to seed and fertilize the lawn. March 5: Remove old rhubarb and asparagus stalks, cleaning out around the beds, digging in wellrotted manure. March 6: Uncover and fertilize strawberries. March 7: Cut off tips of young black raspberry branches, and remove old canes. March 8: Just ten weeks remain until the most tender flowers and vegetables can be set out in the garden. March 9: Mites, scale, and aphid eggs will mature quickly when the temperatures climb above 60 degrees. The insects will be more easily controlled by dormant oil spray the closer they are to hatching. March 10: Inspect trees for winter damage. Remove dead and dying limbs. Begin yard clean-up. March 11: Onions seeds and sets, potatoes, radishes, beets, carrots and turnips can be sown directly in the ground when the ground is ready. March 12: Dig parsnip, horseradish, dock, and dandelion root for tonics. Set flats of pansies out of doors on milder days to harden them for late March planting March 13: Average date for flower and garden shows throughout the East . March 14: Warm-weather crops such as tomatoes should be ready to set out on the first of May if you start them this week. Try cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, squash, and all delicate herbs or flowers - annuals and perennials - indoors now. This is also an excellent time for seeding spinach directly in the garden.
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March 15: Lettuce and other hardy sprouts can be moved to the cold frame. Nine weeks until tender vegetables can be set out. March 16: The first grass will need cutting in twenty days: tune up the lawn mower. March 17: Plant first sweet corn for the earliest ears (if they survive the frosts). March 18: It is now pea planting time almost everywhere the snow has melted. March 19: Black raspberries should be thinned to about three of the largest diameter canes, and side branches should be trimmed. March 20: Transplant shade and fruit trees, shrubs, grape vines, strawberries, raspberries, and roses while the ground temperature remains in the 40s. March 21: Worm livestock and pets. Perform annual vaccinations and do blood work. Check hooves/feet. March 22: Cut raspberry leaves for tea. The first comfrey leaves may also be ready for tonic. Eight weeks until the most tender vegetables can be set out in the garden. Close-graze pastures to encourage later growth. Don’t forget the paperwork for registering the animals you intend to sell or show. March 23: In average years. Small blue squills and violet periwinkles bloom in the garden, snow trillium and violet cress along the rivers. March 24: Question mark, tortoise shell and cabbage butterflies look for nectar. Yellow-bellied sapsuckers arrive seek insects in your yard. March 25: Buds form on wild raspberries, a sign that it is time for gall mites to be working in the ash trees and pine weevils and moths in the evergreens. March 26: Water striders mate. Ragweed sprouts. Allergies intensify as pollen and mold begin to become significant. March 27: May apple spears are up in the woods, prophesying morel mushroom season. The first buckeyes, apple and peach trees leaf out. March 28: Eastern tent caterpillar eggs hatch between now and the middle of April. Look for their webs, especially on fruit trees, throughout your property. March 29: Carpenter bees appear around the house and barn, looking for nesting sites. Those bees typically return to locations they have used before. March 30: On the hillsides, Hepatica and toothwort are opening. Spring beauties flower in lawns
Continued on page 14
The Valley, March 2014
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Fifty Years Ago March 1964 The Lewistown Sentinel headlines reflect national events, as Easter Sunday approached – “Hundreds Die in Alaska Quake” and “Anchorage Badly Damaged as Aid is Rushed.” By month’s end, local relatives hear from loved ones in Alaska. The sensational trial of the man who killed Lee Harvey Oswald played out this month, “Ruby, Jury See Film of Killing,” and “Accused Slayer is Impassive as He Views Revenge Pix.” Ruby is convicted, and dies in prison. With all the snow and ice of the winter season now melting, flooding becomes an issue. The Juniata River at Lewistown is five feet below flood stage by March 6, rising to 17.9 feet. By March 9, the river receded to just under the 11 foot mark. “Republicans Still THE Party Among Mifflin County Voters” is the Sentinel headline going into the spring primary election cycle. Reporter Jim Canfield noted, “Rock-bound Republican is what
they’ve called it for generations past. And don’t think Mifflin County hasn’t earned that proud appellation.” Yet one hundred years earlier, county voters rejected the first Republican, Abraham Lincoln, at the polls in his bid for a second term. One Hundred Years ago March 1914 “Gale Sweeps this City - Fast Trains Snowbound” headlined the Lewistown Democrat & Sentinel. Seventy-five miles an hour wind helped cause trains to be hours late and kept the Pacific Express at Duncannon, Dauphin County. Wires were down and communication cut between Harrisburg and Altoona. “With fluctuating temperatures ranging from 25 below to 50 degrees above the zero mark, snow more than two feet deep and a 75 mile an hour gale and drifting snow capped a week’s wintry weather. Recounters of old-fashioned winters have been put to ignoble flight by the rigors and vagaries of the 1914 season.” The Democrat & Sentinel an-
nounced “Coffin for Gen. Taylor will be Cast from Captured Rebel Cannon.” The venerated old Civil War veteran, John P. Taylor of Reedsville, commander of the 1st Pennsylvania Cavalry, planned his own funeral in 1914. He chaired the commission that placed battlefield monuments at Gettysburg, and had connection in the Department of War. His burial in a recast bronze cannon tube (barrel) was newsworthy enough to headline the coffin’s $1000 price tag from the foundry of Bureau Brothers, Philadelphia. Civil War Echoes March 1864 The rails of the Mifflin & Centre Railroad have been laid from the main line of the PRR at Lewistown over the Juniata River bridge. The line is to be extended all the way to Milroy, with future plans to traverse the Seven Mountains. A list of almost 120 contributors to the draft bounty fund appeared in the Gazette. Each gave from $1 to $1000 for a total of
After two years of researching local history, collecting community photos, documenting the findings and reviewing his own experience, Paul Fagley’s book on the history of Derry Township Community Park is available. Entitled “Memories of Kishacoquillas Park,” the book presents the heyday times of this community landmark, which was once a popular amusement park, through more than 300 pages of color photos, illustrations and printed memorabilia. The idea for the book came to Fagley in 2010 after giving a walking tour of the park for the local Boyscout Camporee. “Memories of Kishacoquillas Park” is priced at $32.95 plus tax. Contact the Mifflin County Historical Society at 242-1022 or at info@mifflincountyhistoricalsociety.org Books can be purchased from the Historical Society office, at the Chamber of Commerce Gift Shop in the Historic Courthouse or at Friendship Book Store in the K-Mart Plaza, Burnham.
$3,055, with Lewistown borough council adding five thousand additional dollars to the tally. Outlying districts actually outraised the borough, paying their own $300 bounty on top of the state’s $300
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for each volunteer. Thus, Granville, Wayne, Decatur, Brown, Union and Menno, plus McVeytown, nearly met their quotas. Derry filled its quota. a
An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life. --Robert A. Heinlein
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The Valley, March 2014
Modern Energy and Alternative Heating with Curt Bierly
Home Show Time Spring is just around the corner and this is the season for Home Shows. If you have a project that you want to accomplish this year, a home show is a great opportunity to begin to educate yourself relative to cost, current technologies and to meet the professionals that would be available to assist you with the project. To provide additional information, seminars are usually offered. There is a nominal admission charge to enter the show, but it can save you lots of time and money rounding up the facts. For example, if you are interested in moving from an oil furnace or boiler to a natural gas or propane unit to heat your house and/or your domestic hot water (DHW), or you want to consider an Air to
Air/Geo Heat Pump, I encourage you to meet with those people and ask the questions that are on your mind. If they are busy when you pass their booth and you don’t want to wait, consider stopping back or leave your cell number on the back of their business card (usually available in the booth) and have them call you when they have a moment. Once you have their attention, you can ask questions and/or sign up for a site visit and a quotation on your project. We will be attending the State College Home Show again this year which is scheduled for March 14, 15 and 16, 2014. Hours are Friday 3pm to 8pm, Saturday 10am to 8pm and Sunday 10am to 4pm. It will be located at the Bryce Jordon Center on Univer-
sity Drive. There are numerous great seminars offered during the three day event. They include” presentations on Solar Energy, Geothermal Heat Pumps, Heating/Cooling Options for Your Home or Business, Energy Efficient Construction and Remodeling, Home Construction Loan Process, Wood Fired Masonry Heaters, Outdoor Kitchens, Flooring Selections and Buying a Home. Check for additional information at www.centralpabuilders.com. Hope you can attend. We look forward to speaking to you! The Harrisburg Home Show is scheduled for March 6 thru 9. The hours are Thurs, Fri, Sat 10am to 8pm, Sunday 10am to 6pm. It is held at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Building in Harrisburg. Check for additional information at www.pahomeshow. com and click on “Visitors.” Although this is most likely too far to reach for a “local” professional to “do the work,” it is a good place to educate yourself on that project you want to accomplish. To learn of the seminars being offered click on “Calendar of
Events.” I know we always have a few people stop by our booth at the State College Home Show to discuss equipment they saw or seminars they attended at the Harrisburg Home Show. The Williamsport Home Show is scheduled for March 7, 8 and 9, 2014. The hours are Friday 3 to 9pm, Saturday 10am to 8pm and Sunday 12am to 4pm. It is held at the Lycoming College Recreation Center. Check for additional information at www.westbranchbuilders.org and click on “Home Show” (watch for it to pop up along the right hand border.) They don’t offer any seminars; however, it is a full show with plenty of educational displays. As with the Harrisburg Show, this is most likely too far to reach for
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a “local” professional to “do the work”; however, it is a good place to educate yourself on that project you want to accomplish. Home improvement projects, correctly done, reduce your energy costs, improve the value of your home, add to your quality of life, and provide great personal satisfaction. Go talk to the professional people that can help make this possible. Curt Bierly is president of the bierly group incorporated of which Stanley C. Bierly is a division. He graduated from Penn State with a BS in Mechanical Engineering and is the president of the Penn College HVAC Advisory Board. You can contact him at cbierly@bierlygroup.com. a
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LIbrary Lines Your Mifflin County Library
I love books! If I could, I would fill my house with books, but that takes up a lot of room. eBooks take up no room at all and so I can have hundreds of books with me wherever I go. eBooks are sort of inexpensive-- cheaper, anyway, then the print version. And with the eLibrary, which is available through www.mifcolib. org, I have thousands of eBooks. But the publishing companies in America take distinct advantage of libraries as far as eBooks are concerned. For example, James Patterson’s newest book Private LA is $28 for the print copy, $14.99 for the eBook, and about $90 for the library to purchase as an eBook and make available to our patrons on our website. What a rip-off! Here’s the icing on the cake! Many publishers offer unlimited single use for their books (only one library patron can have the eBook checked out at one time). That’s why we have a list of people on hold. The publisher wants the library to buy 3 copies of James Patterson (which we do!) for $90 a pop! Other publishers offer expiration dates. Their eBooks expire after the item is checked out 26 times, for example; this varies with the publisher. Still others offer a 2-year contract and then the eBook is gone. If you are looking for a favorite eBook from the eLibrary, and you read it previously, it could be gone. This is the reason. But why is this? The same reason why you cannot loan your purchased copy of an eBook to a friend (unless it is a designated “Lend Me” copy): you don’t actually own the eBook. It is the difference between “license” and
“ownership.” With print copy, you own the book, you have possession of the book. With an eBook, you own a license, you only have permission to use the book. You do not have permission to lend that book unless permission is granted. And publishing companies are in the business to make money. So why am I writing about this? A library’s job is to provide reading materials (no matter the format) to everyone without restraint in order to foster educational opportunities for everyone. The American Library Association argues that “to deny library patrons access to e-books that are available to consumers-- and which libraries are eager to purchase or license on their behalf-is discriminatory.” eBooks must be available to all in a community, even those who cannot afford to buy them. Please help the eLibrary continue to provide eBooks. Use the eLibrary at www.mifcolib.org and click “download audiobooks and e-books.” Please use this link when you go to purchase eBooks for your own use as well. Library studies show that many readers, if the hold list is long, will purchase the eBook for themselves. If the eLibrary has a book you want to read, consider clicking the “Buy It Now” link. A portion of your purchase will go to the Central PA digital library to purchase additional titles. Help us to be here for you always. Use and support the Mifflin County Library. Susan Miriello Children’s Librarian a
Notice
INFORMATION/DOCUMENTS Needed to complete historic register appl: architecture drawings/plans & company name, remodeling plans, ownership histories, deeds, acreage histories, employee histories, superintendent names, postcards, pictures of, Send to : Malta Home Freelance Archivist 5231 Simpson Ferry Road, Box 189 Mechanicsburg, PA 17050 thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com
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The Valley, March 2014 This 12-step planning book takes you step-by-step through landscaping your yard and garden. The format is in workbook style, but with lots of useful information presented in a way that makes it easy for even a beginner. The author leaves room for notes and grids for designing your own creations!
Mail Pouch Books by Carleen B. Grossman I am still convinced that Spring will arrive sometime and I have hopes that it will be here soon! With thoughts of Spring, I have tried to make my column themed with some springtime outdoor books for you to enjoy while planing or starting your gardens. I especially send some glorious springtime wishes to you all after such a long, cold winter---happy reading! THE ORCHARDIST By Amanda Coplin Copyright 2012 This novel is a beautiful portrait of life and death in the Orchard at the transition of the old west into more modern times. It is truly a captivating book and I
felt like I was actually living with the characters in this book! The Orchardist, is set at the turn of the twentieth century in the orchard country of Washington State, and it is part historical fiction, part a life lesson about what is important to us in our lifetime and our impending death. You will travel with a reclusive and sorrowful man who tends apricots, apples, and plums in the unspoiled reaches of the Wenatchee Valley, and who by a surprising turn of fate, becomes a foster father to two adolescent girls who have escaped from a brothel owner who had enslaved them, and both girls are pregnant! Throughout the course of the novel, you will read about the history of the region—the coming of the railroad, the spread of large-scale orchards and distribution centers, the timber camps, the diminishing presence of the native tribes. However, the intent of the novel is not toward true historical fiction; instead, there is just enough period detail to sketch in the era and it reminded me of classic novels written by John Steinbeck or William Faulkner! The intent of The Orchardist is its conveyance of the natural beauties of the region, as well as the powerful impression of place on human character and human
conduct. You will follow the orchardist from his childhood to adulthood when he discovers the two feral girls living in his orchard and his making them part of his own family in spite of their tragic lives. You will discover “you belong to the earth, and the earth is hard” from the beginning of life to the end of life. This is a very meaningful and touching life-lesson story!
SECRETS TO GREAT SOIL By Elizabeth P. Stell Copyright 1998 Backyard gardeners, this older book is a good resource for you! There are sections on managing soil diseases without chemicals and triple-bin composting. This is an especially good read for beginning gardeners who are
DESIGNING YOUR GARDEN AND LANDSCAPES By Janet Macunovich Copyright 2000
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just starting to get a sense of what makes great soil. It covers the basics in a thorough and organized way. STARTING SEEDS By Barbara Ellis Copyright 2013 In this do-it-yourself guide to growing all varieties of plants from seed, the author demonstrates in three easy-to-follow sections, complete with useful illustrations, the fundamentals of seed selection, soil preparation, proper moisture, and choosing the best containers. An invaluable section includes troubleshooting tips, a frost-dates map, and an Internet resource guide. This new book offers plenty of very helpful tips on starting seeds for your garden. a
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The Valley, March 2014
Find us on The Valley Newspaper
The Pen and Thread Custom Calligraphy and Weaving
Mary Anna Chenoweth Proprietor
Monday, Wednesday, Friday 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
717-248-6079 131 West Market Street Lewistown, Pennsylvania
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The Valley, March 2014
GRANGE FAIRGROUNDS CENTER HALL, PA
AT SIMPLY HEALTH SALT SPA
IT’S SIMPLY ABOUT HEALTH
At Simply Health Salt Spa, we offer many services. Our largest, of course, are our three Himalayan Salt rooms where we have seen many people have amazing results from sitting in the Salt rooms for a 45 minute session. If you are not aware, Himalayan Salt is anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial. Every time you sit in a salt room, the inflammation (which we all have) begins to lessen. Therefore, many people report that they have less pain and fewer symptoms from arthritis, allergies, skin issues, migraine headaches, sleeplessness, problems with COPD, sinus, and so much more. Almost all of our health issues start with inflammation. One of the lesser known services that we offer is our Alkaline water. I personally had health problems with bone density loss and later with osteoporosis. I tried all kinds of calcium and other products with no improvement. After much personal research, I realized that the PH in my body was too acidic…which MANY people are. When we are too acidic, our bodies are not able to absorb the nutrients that we feed it. Plus, too acidic sets us up for disease and many other problems. To determine acidity, it’s a simple test of your urine and saliva...but an important one. Unbalanced alkalinity and acidity need to be a top priority in a wellness program. Urine should be: 6.6 - 6.89 and saliva should be 6.8 - 7.2. Water deserves top billing where health is concerned, yet typically many people minimize the real importance of good water. If our consciousness and consumption of pure water can be raised, we will have taken a gigantic step in preventative health care! Dehydration is the number one stressor of the human body. In dehydration, the bi-layer membranes that surround cells contract in thickness to prevent further dehydration. This also obstructs the free movement of molecules,
so exchange of nutrients and elimination of toxins are limited. Pain is a symptom of water deficiency. Any symptom in the human body from sinus symptoms, allergies, breathing problems, joint pain, digestive problems, headaches, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, poor stress management, sleep disorders, depression and other brain dysfunctions, can all be signs of dehydration. We are composed of 70% water, 85% in the brain cells. Water volume in the disc cores supports 75% of the weight of the upper body. Cartilage in joints and discs are made of 50% water. Blood is composed of about 50% water. The digestive system in ineffective without CORRECT water. Water gets both oxygen and nutrients to the body’s tissues, controls our elimination of toxic wastes, controls body temperature, protects us from infections, generates energy, and is necessary for chemical reactions in our body. Our industrial society has severely compromised our water with high levels of inorganic minerals, toxins, heavy metals and chemicals. Pure water is a health tonic for your body. At Simply Health we offer Alkaline water that is also oxygenated. “Change your water… change your life.” In the book Alkalize or Die, Dr. Thoedore A. Baroody says, “the countless names of illnesses do not really matter. What does
Our Market will be held every Saturday & Sunday beginning April 26th, 2014 from 8AM - 12 Noon. Reserve your space by March 10th and save 10%!
matter is that they all come from the same root cause...too much tissue acid waste in the body... resulting in flammation.” Removing acidity is more effective sometimes than diet. When we balance the body’s PH and relase fat toxins...we realize weight loss. Oxidation=sickness=premature aging. Anti-oxidation with our water helps to eliminate achy joints, arthritis, premature aging, and is also anti-inflammatory. For more information, please check our our website: www. simplyhealth-calm.com or call us to make an appointment (814) 954-7731 or (717) 248-2000. The water is good for you and affordable ($1.00 per gallon). Also check our web site four March Specials and March Spa Packages. February’s were a huge hit! Look for next month’s issue of The Valley when we introduce a brand new service. Stay well! a
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The Valley, March 2014
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planting in packs, keep seedlings at 50 - 60 degrees at night to promote earlier flowering in some varieties. Daytime temperatures should be 75 - 85 degrees to promote rapid growth. Expose plants to light and air currents to harden plants. Do not over water and
Greetings in our Maker’s name. My goodness, March is here! I guess a farmer’s winter vacation is kinda like when I went to school. City folk used to ask, “are you enjoying your summer vacation? It didn’t make sense to me because I thought I worked much harder in the summertime than I did in “school season.” But now, as I look back, it was the best education. Not that I think that we don’t work as hard in the winter, there is always work waiting in every corner. So what could a farmer expect of March? We find it to be an unpredictable month. A farmer might be digging snow one day and the next working outside in t-shirts. We always look at nature for signs. It really is amazing how our creator designed everything. We always scout the sky for the first vulture, where the saying goes that two weeks after they are first seen floating in the countryside, the farmer will be seen out plowing. It varies, but there is something to it! So whatever
the weather, we need to clean our oat seeds, where again we are reminded that without our Clipper Seed Cleaner, it would be much more difficult. So thanks to John F. Smith in 1869, having returned to Ohio after the war, Smith became interested in a small water-powered flour mill and needed a wheat cleaner. Lacking in funds and credit, Smith built his own cleaner, and so the first Clipper using the vertical air blast principle was put into operation. Smith failed in the flour mill business and turned his interest, with his little power cleaner, to the grain buying business. His success in the grain business stimulated the idea of further developing a cleaner that could be operated by hand. After years of experimenting, Smith’s efforts were rewarded and in 1879 he built 20 handoperated cleaners and sold them in the counties surrounding Shiloh, Ohio. By 1891, Smith reached his peak, (he thought he had saturated the market) and wanted to retire, having built and sold 200 cleaners. He couldn’t foresee the future
possibilities of the little cleaner and in November 1891, sold his business to Albert T. Ferrell who had been an employee for eight years. In 1948, nearly 16,000 small cleaners were sold. They still make new seed cleaners, but we still prefer the old style more commonly seen at farm sales, the No. 1B and the No.2B. The No. 1B is smaller and easier to handle. The good thing is they still make new screens, which we find to be very important to have the right size, especially when cleaning grain for flour. If you are unsure of how to measure what you need, you can contact the company and they will send a gauge which can be used to measure screen hole sizes. We find the same varieties can need different sizes from year to year, so you might need more than one size for one variety. Company contact is: A. T. Ferrell Company Inc. 1440 S Adams St. Bluffton IN 46714 Ph. 1-800-248-8318 Keep your tomato seedlings cozy, but not too hot. After trans-
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keep phosphorus levels high. Too much nitrogen will delay fruiting. Peppers prefer at least 65 degree nightime temperatures and 75 - 80 degree daytime temperature. Think Spring! a
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The Valley, March 2014
Grosze Thal Nachbaren
(Big Valley Neighbors) by Jeptha I. Yoder Ein Grusz in dem Namen unseres Herren Jesu Christi. Sehet welch ein schönes, wundersames, weiszes Kleid das die ganze Landshaft zieret! Der Sechsundzwanzigst Jenner war die gemein hier. Von andere theilen waren Noah D. Hostetlers; Die Joel M. Fronie und sohn Uria kamen mits Jacob S. Hostetlers. Nancy Hostetler (Iddo) von McClur kam mit ihre Groszeltern Jesse Ss, Miriam K. Hostetler war hier fürs abendessen. Lang Leen Ost Gemein war ans Johannes I. Hostetlers. Nieder Milroy war bie die (Daniel M.) Leah E. Zug. Der Zweyt Hornung war Kirchengasse gemein ans Joseph S. Yoders. Lang Leen West ans Christ E. Yoders. Der Neunt war unser theil gemein ans Jesse J. Hostetlers. Von andere Theilen waren Jeptha und Jacob (Emanuel J.); Uria, Fräney, und Ketura (Joel M.) alle Yodern. Ost Lang Leen ans Johannes I. Yoders. Nieder Milroy ans Eli T. Yoders. Der Sechszeht war Kirchengasse gemein ans Joel M. Yoders.
West Lang Leen ans Mose J. Hostetlers Jr. Eli S. Zugen und Eli S. Hostetlers und Familien waren hier fürs mittagessen. Der Dreizigst Jenner war hochzeit ans Tobias P. und Lydia K. (Hostetler) Zugen, für ihre Tochter (Zwilling) Barbara H. verheirathet mit witwer (Bish.) Mose J. Yoder von Winfield. Durch Samuel L. Hostetler. Nevahocker waren Samuel und Elisabeth Zug; Andräus und Veronica Speicher. Gemein war ans Samuel A. Hostetlers. Von die Isaac Y. Yoder haushaltung war dort von Port Royal. Freundschaft von Penns Thal, McClur, und der Mose sei heim gemein theil, Winfield. Auch Andover, Ohio. Der Viert Hornung war hochzeit ans Esle M. und Elisabeth N. Hostetlers für ihre tochter Anna M. mit Eli J. und Drucilla E. (Zug) Hostetlers ihr sohn Christ J. Durch Hosea J. Yoder. Nevahocker waren Esle M. Jr. und Dena E. (Joseph C.) beide Hostetlern; Michael J. Zug (Samuel M.) und Cora A. Hostetler (Esle M.). Etliche von die Shetler Freundschaft und auch Noah A. Yoders von Neu Wilmington waren in
dieselbe hochzeit. Mose Bylers von Neu York. Rufus M. Yoders und Samuel D. Hostetlers von Hammondsport, Neu York. Auch von Sinkend Thal, und vieleicht noch andere mehr. Auch am demselben tag war hochzeit in McClur ans Joseph S. Hostetlers für ihre Tochter Lydia mit Yost I. Hostetlers ihr Danny. Durch Manase J. Yoder. Der Sechst war hochzeit ans Jonas A. und Fräney V. (Speicher) Hostetlers für ihre tochter Esther E. mit die (Noah L.) Rhodä ihr sohn Siever B. Hostetler. Durch Samuel L. Hostetler. Christian greetings in the name of our Lord. The days are longer, warmer, and brighter. Right now I am in absolute need of looking on the brighter side of life. The bug got me down! Of course being sick is no fun. It is that dreaded energy-sapping thing, that I all too often find myself situated in just as spring is approaching. O.K. let’s look on the brighter side. Days are longer. Chickens eat more, resulting in more eggs. Birds continue to come for feed I put out. It will be a long time until this snow all melts! On a recent quiet Sunday, I was privileged to watch a pair of pileated woodpeckers on a dead
tree and limbs in viewing distance from our house. Bluebirds have been fluttering about on warmer afternoons. First-time parents to Sylvanus I. on January 18, are Israel D. and Elizabeth N. Yoder; Grands are John H. and Leah Z. (Hostetler) Yoder; widow Daniel M. and Leah E. Zook. Great-grands are Jacob B. Yoder and Menno J. Zook, both widowers. Anna Z. (Yoder) Hostetler, wife of Samuel B., was home from the hospital following surgery for an aneurisym. At this time there is still a ways to recovery. She was back in the hospital due to complications, but is home again. Again, their address is 142 Church Lane, Reedsville, PA 17084. Martha R., daughter of John I. and Lydia A. (Yoder) Hostetler, had her appendix removed. She was in prolonged hospitalization due to complications, including a
Old Fashioned 10 Gallon Tin Milk Cans For Sale $25 Each Contact: Isaac M. Yoder at 150 Red Lane Milroy, PA 17063. www.thevalleynewspaper.com
swollen leg. Birthdate is November 1, 2001. Address is 40 Harvest Lane, Reedsville, PA 17084. Great-Uncle (widower) Christ S. Yoder is not in good health this winter, also having been in the hospital. He was born November 21, 1928. Address is 5198 East Back Mountain Road, Belleville, PA 17004. Our local weekly had the obituary of a well known former local fruit market clerk, Helen D. Snook, 86. Her husband James Snook survives. The family has our sympathy. Spring auctions are starting, John E. Hostetler (J H Repair) on February 22. Eli S. Hostetler of Sheepfold Lane, Milroy on March 1. Manasses E. Yoders, McClure on March 15th. Also, Solomon Z. Hostetlers, Barrville, on this same date. Gottes Segen Gewinscht (God’s Blessings Wished) Jeptha I. Yoder a
The Valley, March 2014
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Savvy Cents & Sensibility by JoAnn Wills-Kline MBA
Living with Less Waste Part 2 This month, as we examine the possibility of living with less waste, the three topics discussed are food waste, paper waste, and time waste. I believe we could all use a little help and wisdom in all three “waste” departments. In my household, we do most all of our food prep from scratch cooking. We rarely eat out, and even rarer is the consumption of packaged convenience foods. A few years ago, we got into the habit of home cooking and have grown to love it. Prepping meals in our own kitchen from scratch has become an enjoyable experience. The reduction of paper waste in our household is a topic we try to be ever so mindful about. It just slays me to think of trees dropping and rain forests disappearing due to mindless over-consumption of paper! Oh, and time waste… well I could go on forever… and have spotlighted the topic on many occasions in my articles over the years… so here we go again! Let’s get started! Food Waste – In our household, we are serious about meal planning. Usually on a weekly basis, my husband and I discuss the upcoming week’s menu. We plan our food shopping and menu around what activities/obligations we have on our calendar for the upcoming week. If it’s a slow and laid back week, then we may opt to plan meals with a bit of complexity. For example, we may have a turkey in the freezer and opt to roast it rounding out with all the trimmings of a Thanksgiving Day feast. That single turkey may be the foundation of several additional meals because all leftovers will be packaged/frozen in portions ready to launch another wholesome, yet quick meal – like a soup or casserole on a busier week night. Our menu planning takes into account meal portions and leftovers so that one meal prep may actually present several meals – thus saving time and energy as well as food waste. Another example of how we ward off food waste is that we choose to garden in the warmer Pennsylvania months. Upon harvest we can, freeze, and dehydrate in addition to eating fresh produce. Our full pantry and
freezer items often last us well into the following spring, and we are assured that we are consuming wholesome, organic foods. There is nothing better than popping open the lid of a mason jar to smell the goodness of the garden in mid winter! And speaking of jars… we have become much more mindful of how we store our leftovers too. We strive to store leftover foods in glass rather than plastic or disposable products. Our menu planning is orchestrated to be complimentary in nature. All the meal items in the week work well together so that if leftovers do occur it’s easy to add them to the next upcoming meal – such as a side or as an ingredient in the bigger plan. Sometimes, we do end up with a bit of “this and that” in our fridge; however, when that happens, we get creative. We keep a “bits” container in the freezer, and the “bits of this and that” take up residence in the container, in the freezer, until creativity strikes and we assemble a “potluck whatever” meal from all (or most all) of our bits. It can get a bit interesting at dinner time… but we have saved tons of money and probably tons of food from going to the dump. Paper Waste - My nemesis is paper waste. I absolutely detest paper waste. It takes all my might to remain in complete composure when I witness mindless paper waste. In our home, paper waste is mindfully minimized. We curtail paper waste by purchasing products sans paper wrappers when possible. We digitize files/ folders if possible. We rid clutter and therefore curb boxes/cartons of stuff in the attic and basement. We do, on occasion, use paper towels because sometimes it is the most appropriate thing to do – such as when there is a pet mess. Most often though, we utilize cloth napkins and homemade cloth clean up sheets (made from old washcloths/kitchen towels cut to size), kept on the kitchen counter in a basket and ready to use. We have stopped most junk and bulk mailings to reduce paper waste. We recycle many paper products: toilet paper/paper towel rolls, newspapers, corrugated cardboard items, mail and enve-
lopes (once our ID info has been removed), phone books, tablets, old calendars, scrap paper, etc. Our trash company provides curbside recycling, and our community has several drop-off locations for recycling. When it comes to paper, our household lives from the mantra “Recycle, Repurpose, Reuse.” Time Waste – We all get twenty-four hours in a day, yet it seems that some people accomplish so much more than others in a single day’s time. Why is that?! It’s simple, the accomplishers practice time management. H. Jackson Brown Jr. said “Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein.” I agree! We all have the same number of hours – twenty-four in a day – to make a difference… in our own life, our family and friends lives, our workplace, our community, and the world! How do I justify my twenty-four hours? Take a look… Mornings are my favorite time to tread slowly. I plan my mornings so that I can wake slowly, enjoy a great cup (or two, or three, or four) of coffee, eat a home cooked breakfast – thanks to my hubbie who creates art with eggs and oatmeal daily for me. I plan my “slow” morning whether I am lazing at home or off to work. The key is planning. If I’m off to work, it may mean getting up extra early to have the gift of entering my day with a slow pace – but that’s my choice. My husband and I keep open communication regarding our “to do” lists. We share in all of the tasks of running our household smoothly. There really are not any “he” and “she” lists, we work well together and independently on various tasks, and we enjoy the accomplishment of crossing off completed tasks from our list. Each day of the week entails particular tasks that have become second nature such as laundry, cleaning, meal prep and dishes, errands and food shopping. Nei-
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The Valley, March 2014
Back to the Middle Ages
I have wanted to brew this beer up for a long time, but I have never gotten around harvesting up all the ingredients. This past month, I finally got a hold of some of these rare ingredients so I’m going to brew up a gruit. A gruit was the dominant beer during the European Middle Ages and the actual recipe was a closely guarded secret of the Church. It was mandated by the Church/ Government that only gruit could be made and that privilege was only licensed out to a small group to breweries that had political connections. Since its use was mandatory, gruit served as an early form of taxation. As the power of the Church waned in the fifteenth century, gruit gave way
to hopped beer. So it goes without saying that this brew has no hops in it, but it has about everything else. Three ingredients are closely associated with all gruit recipes: Bog Myrtle, Wild Rosemary, and Yarrow. However, only one is available at homebrew shops for sale. That’s Bog Myrtle and there’s a reason for that. Myrica gale is a species of flowering plant in the genus Myrica, native to northern and western Europe and parts of northern North America. Common names include Bog Myrtle and Sweet Gale. It is a deciduous shrub growing to 1–2 m tall and it is found near bogs. Imagine that! Bog Myrtle was also said to be used as an insect
repellent as well as a beer ingredient. Thus it has a resinous scent similar to hops. Some sources said the additional of Bog Myrtle also increased the potency of the beer, but during my research, I found those rumors have been disproven over time. This ingredient I could find— it was difficult, but I got hold of five grams of it. The other two have been known to cause some health problems. Wild Rosemary has an active ingredient that causes a hypnotic state when smoked and when ingested it thins the blood. Yarrow has been known to cause hay fever type reactions in some people when boiled and drank. I have some of this in my backyard, but this time of the year, it’s not growing. I went with only using the Bog Myrtle out of these three ingredients. I like to give my new beers out to friends to try, and I did not want to cause rapid loss of blood or a sneezing fit after drinking this
beer. Two other miscellaneous ingredients popped up in this recipe that I want to mention, Mugwort and Wormwood. I was able to find them both. In the European Middle Ages, Mugwort was used as a magical protective herb. Mugwort was used to repel insects, especially moths, from gardens. Mugwort has also been used since ancient times as a remedy against fatigue and to protect travelers against evil spirits and wild animals. Roman soldiers put Mugwort in their sandals to protect their feet against fatigue. The Chinese use the plant as spice in many dishes. It is another one of those swamp plants. Wormwood is an ornamental plant found in Eurasia and Northern Africa. It is one of the principle ingredients to the drink absinthe. This highly alcoholic drink was banned in the United States and much of Europe starting in 1915, but began a comeback in the 1990s when the barriers to its production and sale were lifted. Many still think this drink has psychoactive properties, but besides being around 80 proof, there is no proof that this takes place. However, Vincent Van Gogh was known to drink a lot of absinthe and he was known to do some pretty weird stuff, like cutting of his own ear. Anyway, there are some pretty unique
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ingredients in this brew and here is the 5 gallon recipe. • 1.0 pound crystal malt • 1.0 pound smoked malt • .5 pounds chocolate malt • Bring 4 gallons of water to 150 to 153 degrees F with these grains in a grain sack. And hold temperature for one hour. Remove grain sack allowing the sack to drain but do not squeeze the sack. Add 8 pounds of liquid pale malt extract. Bring to a boil for one hour. • The last 10 minutes of the boil add: • 2 ounces of crushed Juniper Berries • 5 grams each of the following: • Bog Myrtle • Caraway seeds • Mugwort • Grape Tannin • Wormwood • 3 grams each of the following: • Dried Rosemary • Ground Clove • Cardamom • 3 Whole Bay Leaves • A pitch of Irish Moss Strain off the wort and add enough water for a five gallon batch. Reduce temperature to 80 degrees F and pitch German Ale
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Bringing in the Mint from page 5
I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do. I am free, no matter what rules surround me. If I find them tolerable, I tolerate them; if I find them too obnoxious, I break them. I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do. Robert A. Heinlein
Home Brew U from page 29 yeast. Move over to the secondary after 10 days and add 4 ounces of steamed oak chips. This will give the beer a barrel finished favor that was typical of the brew. Bottle after two weeks with ¾ cup of corn sugar and let it age for one month. There are a lot of flavors
One Nation Under? from page 6 allowed to destroy what this great nation was founded on and throw away the principals that made it great. There are plenty of countries that have a Godless society if you don’t like a country that was founded on God’s law, then why stay here? I know one reason why, we have “programs of help” for the poor and the disabled and the orphans, which are all bibli-
in those bottles—they will need some time to mellow out. This one is going to be like sipping the past. I hope it’s good. If anything, it was fun to brew. I will keep everyone updated about the finished product. Until then bring on the sunshine, dirty hands, and a cold beer while I sit on my swing; I’m ready for warmer weather. a cal concepts. They are happy to “use” the truths of the bible when it’s convenient, but otherwise it’s becoming nothing more than an inconvenient truth. Warning: God will not continue to bless a nation turning from Him. 2 Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” a
are a tool so keep ‘em healthy and clean), snip the leaves, moving up the stem. With just a bit of practice, this goes fairly quickly. One of the advantages of this method is you can cull leaves that are not clean enough or may have a bug nibble (they do take a nip from time to time) or whatever, thus ensuring the quality of the finished product. Another plus is that there will be absolutely no stems, which may not make that much difference when you’re making tea, but it definitely does make a difference when you use your mint for cooking (which you really need to try if you’re going to have your own mint patch). Have a clean cloth, or clean screens made specifically for drying herbs ready and spread your leaves in a thin layer. Every few days, gently fluff them to move them about (if you do it right, you won’t smell anything). The only down side, and it really isn’t one but such things may bother some folks, is that if you use your fingers to snip off the leaves and you do a lot of mint (or most any other herb) your snipping fingers will get a bit stained. It wears off in a few days with regular washing. We’ve found that mint (or most other herbs) handled this way dry slightly more quickly than when dried on the stems. But either way works. When absolutely dry, proceed with storage. STORAGE Bunches of dried herbs hanging about the kitchen look homey and quaint and maybe, if there is no other way to store them, it is a convenient way to have them ready to hand when you want them. But the truth of the matter is, in any normal home bunches of dried herbs are also magnets for dust and cobwebs and various small life forms. The fluctuation of temperature and humidity takes a toll on their qual-
ity as well. It’s a good idea to store your mint in as large pieces as possible – remember those essential oils. Most of us use larger canning jars. The rubber rings on the canning lids make a good seal to keep in the freshness. Any clean glass jar with a well fitting lid will work; so will clean plastic jars or zip lock bags. Whatever you use, store your dried mint in a cool, dry place USE FINALLY! For one cup of mint tea use a teaspoon of leaves per cup. Okay, you’re looking at these dried mint leaves and you’re thinking, “How do I fit them into a measuring spoon?” You could crush them up, but remember those essential oils. Just take a pinch of leaves, five to ten depending on how big they are and place them in the palm of your hand. Remember what the pile looks like. That should about do it. Over time you’ll get the feel for it, more or less depending on the mint and your own taste. Place your mint in a cup or small pot or tea pot, anything that has a lid or that you can cover,
and pour on water that has been heated to a boil. Pouring the boiled water onto the mint helps to ensure that the leaves absorb water and release all of those essential oils that you’ve gone to great lengths to preserve. Steep, covered, for five minutes or so – you don’t have to set a timer. What about fresh mint tea? Well, you can pick off the leaves and do the same, just use about twice a many leaves. But, you can also use the entire stem, Just give a good look see to make sure it’s clean and there’s nobody hitching a ride. Cut the stem into a couple pieces, or just fold it up, place in your vessel of choice, steep and enjoy. Next month our tea trek will continue with catnip and lemon balm! Resources: Check out the Mifflin County Library for these helpful books: The Complete book of Herbs and Spices by Sarah Garland Herbs by James Underwood Crockett
Living with Less Waste from page 28
door – right in front of our eyes – which saves time searching for a clothing item. Our dresser drawers are also set up as user-friendly and for ease of access. It really is amazing how much time one can save by exercising very simple time savers on a routine basis. Hopefully some of our ideas will spark an “aha” moment as to ways you can live with less waste in your own life. There are so many ways one can reduce or prevent food waste, paper waste, and time waste – actually too numerous to list in this article! I have done a bit of homework and research on the subjects, and thus wish to provide you with resources to assist you in your own waste management. Take the time to check out some or all of the links and websites provided below and enjoy! Living with Less Waste zerowastehome.blogspot.com bemorewithless.com www.wastelessliving.com eartheasy.com thefrugalgirl.com http://www.janegrocerysavy. blogspot.com Time Management http://timemanagementninja.com/ http://freakishlyproductive.com/ http://asimplygoodlife.com http://www.pickthebrain.com/ blog/ http://productivityist.com/blog/3things-to-start-a-year-of-action a
ther of us spend lots of time on television, social media, nor web surfing. In fact, we limit our time to about two hours per day – usually from 8-10PM or 9-11PM – to partake in television, social media and web surfing. Oftentimes, we spend our evenings reading for those two hours before bedtime. We hold each other responsible for time management. For example, if we are heading out for the day to accomplish errands, we discuss the most time and cost effective ways/means to accomplish our tasks. We discuss what route should we take, the best time of day to minimize traffic, and plan stops for the right side of the road as we approach town and as we return home. All of these simple strategies shave time off of our errands thus opening more time to do the things we enjoy. We have set up our kitchen and other areas of our home to be most effective for our personal use. For example, all cooking items/utensils are within very close proximity to the stove and refrigerator. All dishes, silverware, and serving items are close to the sink so after washing they can be put away easily. Another example is our closets. All frequently wore clothing is nestled within easy reach of the closet
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Check out these web sites: www.crosbymintfarm.com www.peppermintjim.com a
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The Valley, March 2014
At Dutch Pantry Gifts, we are always on the hunt for quality made in the U.S.A. products that are unique to bring to our community. In January, we met Jean McCarthy, owner of North Woods Animal Treats from Keene, New Hampshire and her story was not only touching, but inspiring. Jean not only provides a handmade product where all her ingredients are sourced in the Northeast, but she has also found a way to give back to her community in a very special way. Jean explains that she started North Woods Animal Treats in the late winter of 2006 in Marlow, NH. During that cold season, it became clear to her that people needed a better quality, fresher, all natural dog treat. Jean says “We all have great animals, and they deserve the best treats. They help us live larger, greater lives, and that’s what we are all about.” North Woods provides the best quality, human grade, tastiest treats they can, while maintaining an ingredient list that is clean, simple, all natural, and with some health benefits thrown in, (while no pets were looking). All ingredients used by North Woods are human grade. That means you can eat these cookies if you want to. Jean asks “why would we want to feed our pet family members anything less?” Human
grade ingredients mean cleaner, higher quality ingredients. Jean says “100% of our ingredients are sourced in North America.” That means nothing goes into their treats that was not grown in North America. They do this for two reasons. First, the United States is known as the bread basket to the world, because our farms grow the best ingredients possible. Second, we choose to source our ingredients totally from North America because we want to support our farmers.” Some of the ingredients used by North Woods are: Peanut Butter: which is one of America’s favorite foods, and the most popular flavor of dog biscuit. Peanut Butter is naturally high in folate; a form of vitamin B. Folic acid lowers the risk of heart disease. It is also a vegetarian source of protein. And it just tastes good! Honey: Not only is honey a great tasting all natural sweetener, but research has shown it contains a wide array of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and antioxidants. It is a power packed ingredient. Flax: There are a world of benefits when dogs, (or people), consume flax. Flaxseed is known
for its phytoestrogens. Phytoestrogens are natural cancer-protective compounds. Flax seed is also high in alpha linolenic acid, which has also found to be promising as a cancer fighting agent. Flax is high in both soluble and insoluble fiber. Flax promotes regular bowel movements because it is high in insoluble fiber. The all natural fiber helps to absorb water, softening the stool, allowing food to pass through the colon more easily. Flax is high in Omega 3 fatty acids. One of the great things about Omega 3’s are their ability to reduce inflammation. Your active dog will appreciate the help if he or she is feeling some arthritis. Flax is also known for its ability to help fight heart disease and support the immune system. Cranberries: Cranberries are rich in flavonoids. These phytonutrients have been shown to inhibit certain kinds of cancer. If your dog is stressed, cranberries may help, by inhibiting ulcer-causing bacteria from sticking to the stomach wall. Cranberries are an anti-aging tool. They help protect against neurodegenerative diseases,
and the coordination loss often associated with an aging dog. We all know cranberries can help prevent urinary tract infections. This is because it inhibits E. coli bacteria from attaching to the urinary tract wall. There are so many other great ingredients like carrots, rye flour, and oat bran that are also put into these wonderful dog treats. Dutch Pantry Gifts is proud to be able to share If your pet got to your copy of The Valley North Woods Animal before you did, he or she is expecting some Treats philosophy with our of this! customers. Jean says “in more useful and prideful place North Woods we work hard and in society. Great products and a play hard, then relax, and our good cause! pets are with us every step of the North Woods Animal Treats way. It’s a great place to live and come in a variety of shapes and a great place to be a pet.” Even flavors, Peanut Butter Bears, Parif your pet lives in an apartment, mesan Moose, Peppermint Pines, they can still live a little piece of (which promotes good breath) and North Woods life by enjoying a our newest shapes and flavors, handmade animal treat from New Trail Mix Trout (loaded with Hampshire. antioxidants), and Bacon and Egg You will be happy to know Bone. They’re made by hand in that when you purchase North small batches with human grade Woods Animal Treats, you are ingredients and are all natural. helping to foster The Center of All shapes and flavors that take us Hope, a workshop for mentally and our pets into the North Woods challenged adults. It is not simply state of mind, even if just for a a donation you are making, you few moments. are helping these folks acquire Stop by Dutch Pantry Gifts real job skills so they can legitiand treat your dog to a North mately earn a living and hold a Woods Natural Dog Treat. a
All Natural, North Woods Animal Treats, from New Hampshire!
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Historical Home is a Reminder of Days Past by Kim Rickert are the original diamond pane windows; aluminum storm windows were added on the second floor in 1979. Each window frame has a brass tack with a number imprinted on it. As was the custom in the early twentieth century, the three sizable bedrooms and two full baths are located on the second floor for privacy. The front bedroom has a built-in window seat, and all bedrooms and hallways have hardwood floors. One second floor bedroom features a balcony. The bathroom in the front end of the house was updated, but kept in the 1950’s period decor. An old Saturday Evening Post from the 1920’s was found under the floor during work, most likely used as insulation since this room is over the front porch. A second full bath on that floor was completely remodeled and enlarged in 1993-94, and a 5 foot shower was added. The laundry chute is still in place for convenience. The Caffrey House on Logan Boulevard with grandeur from the past on display. The third floor of the house was once a walk up in 1901 in the row of homes built then replaced. A brick wood by the Standard Steel known to burning fireplace is located in the locals as Open Hearth Manor. The foyer, and at one time would have Caffrey’s have done some updatwarmed visitors as they entered ing and improvements, but have during cold winter days. While strived to preserve the integrity of in the front foyer, you will notice the house. a door near the stairway which The Victorian style is evident is now a powder room. Prior to at first glance from the gingera fire in 1992, the area housed a bread trim around the wide, wrapmanual elevator that carried one around porch and the five gables or two persons from the first floor of the home. The exterior of the to the second. The Caffrey’s, rehome is wood shake and frame. purposed the space to make better As you enter through the front use of it. door, your attention is immediate The formal living room ly taken by the elaborate carving includes a ceramic tiled wood burning fireplace, oak hardwood floors and pocket doors at both entrances. The dining room also has pocket doors, oak hardwood and a beautiful built-in china cabinet that at one time would have displayed the original owner’s treasured china and crystal. The windows in most rooms throughout the house A Grand Foyer If you have driven by Kish Park and looked at the row of once majestic homes situated on the opposite side of Logan Boulevard, you have surely noticed the “orange” colored Victorian home. That home, owned by Patrick and Paula Caffrey, has received attention from many would-be homeowners over the years since the Caffrey’s purchased it in 1979. The home is believed to have been the original farmhouse built
of the grand staircase, made of native Chestnut, no longer available today due to the blight which killed most American Chestnut trees. The twisted newel posts and balusters wind upwards with a 90 degree turn at the landing. The carved woodwork in the foyer and the adjoining library is quite detailed and it’s hard to imagine how much it would cost to replace today. All of the woodwork in the hallway was dipped and stripped,
The carved native chestnut staircase.
attic, but is now an inviting hideaway from the rest of the home. The house experienced a fire in December of 1992, and rebuilding took place over the next year and a half. Prior to the fire, the attic rafters still had bark on them and were a full 2”x 4” size. With the reconstruction afterwards the third floor walls were constructed with 1” x 12” oak diagonally placed, then shingled over with wood shakes. Fiberglass insulation was put in the walls, new insulated windows were added, and a new roof was installed. During the reconstruction, the kitchen was enlarged and updated with ceramic tile flooring, new cabinetry, countertops and an
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island which houses the dishwasher. A bricked alcove could accommodate a cook stove or modern pellet or wood stove for a new owner. The heart of the house, the eat-in kitchen, features window seats at the corner of the kitchen that make a convenient seating area; added windows and French doors to the patio allow plenty of natural light into the area. An entry to the cellar way was added in the 1980’s for easier access to the basement, which at one time was only accessible from the exterior. After the fire took place, reconstruction of the third floor, back bathroom and kitchen area took until April 1994 and included upgrades to the flooring, electrical, drywall and insulation.. The home now has central air conditioning and heat provided by a heat pump. This unique home is looking for a new owner, and will certainly bring much pleasure and pride to the homeowner who decides to take on this historical residence. If you would like to schedule a personal tour of the home, please contact one of the agents at Stone Arch Real Estate today! a
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The Valley, March 2014
Back Talk by Dr. Joseph Kauffman
Coincidence or Conspiracy? You Be The Judge
I have received a lot of positive feedback regarding my January 2014 article about the death codes. One of the reasons for that, I believe, is that people are starting to see that conspiracy theories are no longer just thought of as conspiracies. Some of the things you read about might seem far-fetched, but after reading about current events, is anything far-fetched anymore? Look at the antics from Hollywood stars in the music industry as the perfect example. If someone came out dressed in raw meat, like Lady Gaga did, or a barelylegal teenage girl paraded her barely-clothed body on a piece of equipment such as a wrecking ball, would we even notice again? Are all of the immoral antics that are spoon-fed to us in such small ways over and over again creating a trickle-down effect of making us numb to things that would have been atrocious years ago? What is sacred anymore? What is
overboard? What is taboo? What is shocking? We are becoming a post-modernistic society where the delineation between right and wrong is no longer clear cut. Are all of these events just prepping us for something else that is coming? Maybe the wheels are already starting to turn, yet we are not noticing? While atrocities have been occurring in the Ukraine, our media has diverted our attention to the antics of Justin Bieber. Some of the events that I read about appear that our government is preparing for something, some sort of disaster, either natural or man-made. I have seen reports posted by several sources where the DHS (Department of Homeland Security) has purchased 1.6 billion, yes billion, rounds of ammunition. “The Denver Post, on February 15, 2013, ran an Associated Press article entitled Homeland Security aims to buy 1.6b rounds of ammo, so far to little notice. It
confirmed that the Department of Homeland Security has issued an open purchase order for 1.6 billion rounds of ammunition. As reported elsewhere, some of this purchase order is for hollow-point rounds, forbidden by international law for use in war, along with a frightening amount specialized for snipers. Also reported elsewhere, at the height of the Iraq War the Army was expending less than 6 million rounds a month. Therefore 1.6 billion rounds would be enough to sustain a hot war for 20+ years. In America.” http://www.forbes.com/sites/ ralphbenko/2013/03/11/16-billion-rounds-of-ammo-forhomeland-security-its-time-for-anational-conversation/ FEMA has lately been taking bids on a contract for a company to provide a transportation vehicle that can accommodate mass quantities of people in the event of a massive rapid evacuation. “The Federal Emergency Management Agency is soliciting
companies to provide operational support for a ‘motor coach evacuation of the general population’ of the United States in response to a declared emergency or a natural disaster. The solicitation originally appeared on the FedBizOpps website back in October, but was recently revised after businesses began asking FEMA questions about the contract. ‘This is a synopsis for a single indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract to obtain evacuation planning and operational support to facilitate a motor coach evacuation of the general population in response to Presidential-Declared Emergencies and Major Disasters within the continental United States,’ states the solicitation. Attachments to the solicitation provide more details, including of how FEMA requires companies to provide security at ‘a staging and operational area in the event of a no-notice, life threatening event that requires the contractor’s immediate or rapid deployment.’ One scenario outlined in the documents is a massive hurricane striking Florida and the Louisiana-Texas-coast, which would mandate the evacuation of thousands of citizens in the affected areas. The document notes that even in the event of a presidential declaration of
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emergency and an official evacuation order, ‘Many people (would) refuse to evacuate.’ Last week we reported on how FEMA was preparing for a pandemic by seeking, ‘vendors that can potentially provide either dumpster service and/or bio-medical waste collection and removal services during emergency response events within the Continental United States.’ Although FEMA would argue that its job is to prepare for every kind of national emergency that could possibly be envisioned, such actions routinely prompt concerns from some that such crises could be exploited to justify unconstitutional actions. During Hurricane Katrina, law enforcement disarmed residents even in the high and dry areas, with police telling citizens, ‘No one will be able to be armed. We will take all weapons. Only law enforcement will be allowed to have guns.’” http://www.infowars.com/femapreparing-for-motor-coach-evacuation-of-the-general-population/ You can see that this source is infowars.com yet, here is the exact copy from the .gov site: “This is a solicitation for a single indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract to obtain evacuation planning and
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Joanne Wills-Kline Contentment Quest
Living Life
A List or a Lyric? Are you living life like a list or a lyric? Do you feel as though your days melt, one right after the other, into an endless methodological list of “have to’s and must do’s” rather than “want to’s and love to’s”? Do you feel as though the bulk of your days are harsh and spinning with an excessive schedule? If you could answer yes, then you may be living your life like a list. If you feel as though your days are gentle and speckled with empty pockets of space/time (even just a few minutes) to catch your breath then you may be living your life like a lyric. If you find yourself able to live life fully present, fully in the moment at hand, then you might be living life as a lyric. Living life like a lyric is living life like an artist. According to Emily P. Freeman, author of A Million Little Ways, to live like an artist means to be fully yourself in the presence of others, no matter where you are, how you feel, or what’s gone wrong.” Today, give yourself permission to slow your pace a bit… to
be fully present right where you are… if even for just a few minutes. You deserve the opportunity to enter a place of peace and be who you are, right where you are. Ask yourself one simple question: “How can I enter this day (perhaps this hour or minute), where I am, just as I am, and bring glory to God and delight to others?” Take a few slow breaths and ask yourself what gift can I bring to the moment for God’s glory? It could be as simple as giving someone the ‘right of way’ on your commute, or letting someone ahead of you in line at the store. Perhaps it is offering a few words of encouragement to a co-worker, neighbor, friend, or family member. How can you, only you, bring glory to God from your present space? What creative ways could you, only you, bring delight to others? From your current space… begin to live life like a lyric. Blend your personal touches through compassion, empathy, encouragement, motivation, and inspiration with creativity – the way only YOU can deliver it.
This my friend, is how to begin to live life like a lyric. Freeman writes in Seven Little Ways: “Where desire and limitations intersect, there you will find the perfect opportunity for art… limits can be gifts if we let them… they might show us failure, season of life, fatigue, disability, grief, burnout, lack of talent, time money or space. But the limits tell us important things about ourselves. Limits for us to invent, create, make art. ” (Freeman, E. 2013) After taking the time to look around at where you truly are, it might be easy to become discouraged. Perhaps, you have a sick child/parent; an endless to do list; a wayward child; a decision on the back burner that you don’t want to make; a house that won’t sell; or a deadline you don’t think you can meet. But, you have this ONE life, and this right now ground beneath your feet… and you have been asked to show up today. So show up, with open hands and an open heart, with courage no matter how small. Show up in the world and be who you already are… show up in your day, where you are, as you are.
Progress At The Embassy by Patricia Lawson Join in the fun and check out our weekly Movie Trivia Question on The Embassy Facebook page: www.facebook.com/embassyltwn. While you’re there, please be sure to “Like” us, so you can stay up-to-date on our progress and events. You may not be aware of this, but Dwight Kirkland donated all of his time and labor painting the “History of Theatres Mural” in downtown Lewistown. It’s a masterpiece that we all want to preserve by applying a clear coat. This mural represents the Lewistown history, so won’t you please help? The goal is $3,000, and if everyone just donates something, it would be greatly appreciated. You may go to this site: http:// www.gofundme.com/6zmx7g to make your donation. Or, if you prefer, checks can be made out to
Black Leaf Studio, and mailed to Black Leaf Studio, 1003 William Penn Hwy, Mifflintown, PA 17059. Thank you!
it up a notch. We’ll be tweaking some of the judging criteria and will begin to steer the process toward a bigger and more competitive event. Offering cash prizes is a great start.” With help from The Friends of the Embassy and the Mifflin-Juniata “History of Theatres Mural” needs clear coating Arts Council, this singing contest Let’s give a big round of will be open to any amateur voapplause for Chris Ruble, a local calist, age 12 or older. Also new impresario who will organize the this year, is that the open auditions “Juniata River Idol Competition” will be held in Mifflin and Juniata this year. Chris has stated, Counties. Contestants will sign “I’m excited to be able to take this up at that time and must come successful competition and kick prepared to sing one song “a cap-
The job of an artist is to create, to honestly offer what he/ she has without demanding a return on his/her investment. You make art with your words, your choices, and your attitude. All of this carries your own unique signature, unable to be repeated by anyone else. All of this strung together day after day creates the lyric… your life like a lyric. Janice Elsheimer said “Our gifts are not from God to us, but from God though us to the world.” So, I ask you to ponder, how would your life look different if you offered yourself and your work in the presence of others without any strings attached? What might God’s glory look like coming out of you through the filter of your
unique personality? What lyric might you make? Write down a few words that best represent your own unique offering. Keep them close to your heart. Read them daily, and pray for faith that they are true for you. Today, begin to believe in your deepest core that you have something to offer. Then find one small way to offer it. Find one small way to form your lyric for today. Offer your work to God in the presence of others and release the outcome into His very capable hands.
pella” (without accompaniment). Try out dates are Wednesday, April 2nd from 4-7pm at the Historic Mifflin County Courthouse on The Square in Downtown Lewistown and Wednesday, April 9th from 4-7pm at the Juniata Valley Winery at 19175 Pennsylvania 35 in Mifflin. A total of twenty semi-finalists will be selected to perform on stage at the “Embassy Fair” at Kish Park on Wednesday, April Enter to win cash 23rd. prizes! These performances will be accompanied by a sound track as will the finals to be held at the Mifflin-Juniata Arts Festival on Saturday, May 17th. Rules and applications will be available online at all of the participating agencies’ websites and at www.chrisruble.com. You may
also email Chris at chrisjruble@ gmail.com or call the Juniata River Valley Visitors Bureau at 717-248-6713 for additional information and questions. As always, donations are crucial to our progress, so please consider making a contribution today. Donations to The Embassy Theatre are tax deductible and can be mailed to: The Embassy Theatre, P.O. Box 203, Burnham, PA 17009. Please make your check payable to: The Friends of The Embassy Theatre. Thank you in advance for your role in helping make downtown Lewistown a destination again! www.embassytheatre.org www.facebook.com/embassyltwn A Memory with a Future, a Future Full of Memories! a
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“Much of the beauty that arises in art comes from the struggle an artist wages with his limited medium.” ~ Henri Matisse
The Valley, March 2014
Life in the East End by Rebecca Harrop Well, I don’t know about anyone else but I’m starting to have enough of winter weather. When the temperature gets as low as it has, it creates a whole lot of additional challenges, in addition to the snow and ice. We’ve had to run the heaters in the milker rooms a lot this winter. It’s no fun waiting for the milkers to thaw out. Even the automatic manure scrapers were frozen a couple of days. It’s been tricky keeping the calf milk warm going from the milking barn down to the calf barn. The snow piles are getting pretty high too. I seriously thought about grabbing the sled and sliding down some of them. That used to be so much fun when Rachel and I were little. Uncle Bob would plow the snow up in big piles at the edge of our yard. We would spend hours out there sliding down those snow piles. Sometimes Ernie Jr. and Ben would get the four-wheeler out and jump the piles. It used to scare me a little watching them. A couple weeks ago, we were talking about the freezing temperatures and reminiscing about other cold winters. Dad asked Ben if he remembered the winter he fell in the barn yard and we thought he broke his nose. It had been really cold and if you know cows, as soon as they stand up they poop. The barn yard had all these little piles of frozen cow poop. I think Ben was helping
to bring the cows back into the barn. He was running and tripped over one of the piles and hit his nose really hard on another one of them. Ben says he saw stars. He looked like someone punched him in the nose. His face and shirt had blood on it and he had a bad headache. Mom and Dad felt so bad for him, that they let him stay home from school that day. I love winter normally, but March is here now so I’m ready for spring! As we move into Spring, the Mifflin County 4-H clubs are beginning their activities. Most livestock clubs are already meeting and the community clubs will be starting soon. I’m really excited about this year’s activities because this year we are celebrating the 60th year of our Fair! The Mifflin County Fair Board has a special committee set up to plan activities and events to celebrate during Fair week. The Open Show Committee has also planned some events to celebrate as well. We are getting a special basket as part of our collector series, which will be available for purchase at the Fair. We should have more details and a firm price for those soon. We also are putting together a special cookbook for the celebration. We have a lot of the recipes for the entries in our baked goods department from past years included in it, plus we’ve been collecting recipes from anyone who wanted to submit recipes. This year’s
Fair should be extra special, so stay tuned for additional information on activities and events. As a member of the Open Show committee, I would like to encourage everyone to enter something in the Open Show this year. We have lots of different classes for all types of interests. You can enter your home baked goods, canned goods, honey products, evergreens, wool, eggs, nuts, fruits, flowers and garden vegetables. We have classes for photography, arts, crafts, sewing and quilting items. We have classes for antiques including milk bottles, kitchen items, farm tools and implements. We have a special Youth class for kids not involved in 4-H to enter all the same things. We also have classes for decorative and useful recyclables, a scarecrow contest, a special photo contest that people pick the winner by placing money in the slot above the photo. We offer prize money for the top 3 placings in all classes except the Youth Class who receive ribbons. The special contests receive larger prizes. If you have any questions about the Open Show you can send inquires to mkmaster@localnet.com. We will try to help you out. We did our butchering last month. Our friends from New Jersey, Jimmy Acker and his brother Bobby, were able to make it out again. I hope they had a good time. They brought sweatshirts and Philadelphia smoked polska kielbasa for us. Jimmy said the kielbasa is really popular in the Philadelphia region. Dad, Mom and Rachel said it was really good. Mom really likes the sweatshirt because it has the Jimmy’s Eggs logo on
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When Smart is not so Smart What exactly is SMART? We hear the word SMART every day. SMART means “surveillance, monitoring, appliance, radio frequency, technology.” Another acronym for SMART is “satellite monitoring and remote control.” However, the more appropriate terms for SMART (meters) are “Fry and Spy.” What does SMART involve? The central element in SMART technology is the Smart Grid. This term refers to a distribution system that allows for bi-directional flow of information from the utility company to a customer’s Smart Meter to appliances, electric/gas/ water meters, smart thermostats, WiFi, air conditioners, baby monitors, pacemakers, pain pumps and many other devices. But, what is
the common denominator? One common denominator is that all these devices are required to communicate with each other. The other common denominator is that these devices all use energy and are involved in assisting or are directly involved in emitting radio frequency waves, which potentially allow anyone to spy on you or to modify your use of these devices. The Smart electric meter uses radio frequency waves and gives the electric company and the grid operators your electric usage information about every 15 seconds. So, why should that be a concern to you? First, people with Smart Meters in PA have seen their electric bills increase by $300, on average, per month. The
reason for the increase is that a Smart Meter is constantly searching for another Smart Meter, which, in turn, uses more electricity. Another reason your electric bill goes up is that the Smart Meter receives information from your house (including every appliance) about once every minute and sends that information to the Grid. The Grid constantly updates how much electricity you have used. Electric bills will skyrocket because of the constant communication between appliances (even ones in your body), the Smart Meter and the Smart Grid. Are you thinking about living in one of those houses that are off the Grid, yet? Well you might want to do this, because here is another reason your bill will increase with a Smart Meter. Different areas of the country have differences
with regard to their power generation resources, their business economy, climate, topography and public policy, making it harder to update the Grid. The cost can be huge, about six cents per kilowatthour. Therefore, in some regions, the usage charge for a radio frequency band is higher than the cost of a manual reader. This cost is passed on to the customer. Is hiding in the woods looking pretty good right now? Have you ever looked at your electric bill? After you have finished reading my article, I urge you to look at your electric bill. Do you see additional charges on your bill? Yes, there are charges on your bill for a Smart Meter that you might not have (yet) and there may be procurement charges or other vague charges. We all have been charged in PA for Smart Meters since 2007. Yes, the electric company has been extorting money from you without your knowledge. This charge on your electric bill started when Governor Rendell took federal money in order to make you pay for someone else’s financial problems. Specifically, this money was used to improve the finances of the companies that make Smart Meters. Essentially, Governor Rendell accepted the federal money to bail out the Smart Meter companies. This stinks, doesn’t it!
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PA law HB 2200, which Governor Rendell supported, became law in 2008. What is worse for citizens of Mifflin County is that Senator Jake Corman voted for the bill in 2008 and thinks that Smart Meters “make sense for us.” Senator Corman received over $40,000 in 2012 campaign contributions from utilities. As a result, it makes perfect sense to me why he thinks raising our electric bill is in our best interest. Unfortunately, for the citizens of this county, we get none of Jake’s $40,000 to pay for the increase in our electric bills, nor do we get any of the money back that we have been paying on our electric bills for Smart Meters. I hope Senator Corman reconsiders his stand on this issue. Representatives Kerry Benninghoff and Adams Harris have changed their opinion on this issue because of fires that have been linked to Smart Meters, and because of the increase in our electric bills. They are both working diligently to eliminate Smart Meters in order to keep our electric bills lower and our families safe. With Fry and Spy Meters (i.e. Smart Meters), there is a loss of privacy, and a risk of identity theft, hacking and cybersecurity concerns. These were well- documented by the Congressional
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The Valley, March 2014 Coincidence or Conspiracy from page 33 operational support to facilitate a motor coach evacuation of the general population in response to Presidential-Declared Emergencies and Major Disasters within the continental United States.” https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opp ortunity&mode=form&id=46ac00 667f5bbe6435e3d7c04cef229e&ta b=core&_cview=1 When our president has stated that he will make the changes as he sees fit armed with a phone and a pen without having approval of the Congress, what is he unable to do? If he can pass a healthcare law stating that you must buy healthcare or face a fine, which is either paid or taken from your IRS tax return, what is he unable to do? If he declares an “emergenc,” there is now the ability to disarm you and transport you to an unspecified location. If the only body of people allowed to be armed is the law enforcement and their ammunition supply being almost endless, are they setting up for something? As a society, is the media prepping us for something? How many people enjoy watching the “end of time”-type of shows or movies? “Walking Dead” is an on-going show about zombies going after survivors. Many movies have been made about life after the end-times, and many are intrigued by these types of movies, including me. Are we seeing the writing on the wall? Are we being “watered-down” to atrocities to the point where nothing offends or amazes us? Are we like the frogs in the boiling water that never
jump out of the pot because the increase in temperature is ever-so slowly that we don’t even realize where we are? The economy has been bad. Utilities are getting out of control. Healthcare is available to all but at cost to many. Taxes at every level only continue to get higher. When the people paying into the system are being outnumbered by the people living off of the system, it’s only a matter of time until something huge is going to happen. So, now the question goes to you. Is something going to happen? And, if so, when? Is it just purely coincidental that death codes by methods such as beheadings and hangings and shooting galleries are not only legal but paid? Is it a coincidence that the government is stockpiling ammunition of hollow-point bullets and can disarm you in cases of a natural or presidential-declared emergency? Is it just coincidental that there is a FEMA plan for evacuation and they have companies with motor vehicles capable of transporting large amounts of people in their plans? We have seen that during the Boston Marathon bombing, the government is totally capable to putting an entire city under house arrest during an emergency man-hunt. So, what could a “presidentialdeclared” emergency be? “In 2007, President Bush issued Presidential Directive NSPD-51, which purported to change Continuity of Government (COG) plans. NSPD51 is odd because: NSPD51 was passed without Congressional input. Even the New York Times wrote in an editorial:
‘Beyond cases of actual insurrection, the President may now use military troops as a domestic police force in response to a natural disaster, a disease outbreak, terrorist attack, or to any “other condition.” Changes of this magnitude should be made only after a thorough public airing. But these new Presidential powers were slipped into the law without hearings or public debate.’ Everyone from “conservative activist Jerome Corsi [to] Marjorie Cohn of the [liberal] National Lawyer’s Guild have interpreted [the COG plans contained in Presidential Directive NSPD-51] as a break from Constitutional law.” As a reporter for Slate concluded after analyzing NSPD-51: ‘I see nothing in the [COG document entitled presidential directive NSPD51] to prevent even a “localized” forest fire or hurricane from giving the president the right to throw long-established constitutional government out the window.’ White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said that “because of the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the American public needs no explanation of [Continuity of Government] plans.” This is all the more bizarre when you realize that COG plans were originally created solely to respond to a decapitating nuclear strike which killed our civilian leaders. (It was subsequently expanded decades before 9/11 into a multi-purpose plan by our good friends Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld).
Does COG Explain the Pervasive Spying on Americans? Five years ago, investigative reporter Christopher Ketcham disclosed the spying which was confirmed last week by whistleblower Edward Snowden: ‘The following information seems to be fair game for collection without a warrant: the e-mail addresses you send to and receive from, and the subject lines of those messages; the phone numbers you dial, the numbers that dial in to your line, and the durations of the calls; the Internet sites you visit and the keywords in your Web searches; the destinations of the airline tickets you buy; the amounts and locations of your ATM withdrawals; and the goods and services you purchase on credit cards. All of this information is archived on government supercomputers and, according to sources, also fed into the Main Core database.’ Given that Ketcham was proven right, let’s see what else he reported: ‘There exists a database of Americans, who, often for the slightest and most trivial reason, are considered unfriendly, and who, in a time of panic, might be incarcerated. The database can identify and locate perceived “enemies of the state” almost instantaneously.’ He and other sources tell Radar that ‘the database is sometimes referred to by the code name Main Core.’ One
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knowledgeable source claims that’ 8 million Americans are now listed in Main Core as potentially suspect.’ In the event of a national emergency, these people could be subject to everything from heightened surveillance and tracking to direct questioning and possibly even detention. According to one news report, even ‘national opposition to U.S. military invasion abroad’ could be a trigger [for martial law].” http://www.globalresearch.ca/ state-of-emergency-and-continuity-of-government-what-is-thereal-reason-the-government-isspying-on-americans/5338508 So, once again, the question: is this all just purely coincidental? Or, is this a sign of the times to come? Can we read between the lines? The data is there. The proof in the pudding is out there. You just have to find it. Don’t take my word for any of this. Read it on your own. I have cited all my sources. Check them out. Is this just “the sky is falling, Chicken Little”-conspiracy theories or a sign of things to come? Who would have thought these things are real? The fact that they are and that there are spacecrafts spying on our own citizens should wake us all up to the stark reality that this could indeed be signs. Let me know your thoughts. Thanks for reading. Dr. Joseph Kauffman Kauffman-Hummel Chiropractic Clinic drjosephkauffman@comcast.net
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Well folks, here it is, the train that started it all. My excursion into the worlds of toy and real trains. These pictures are of my Lionel #2056 engine and tender, black gondola, maroon hopper, Sunoco tank car and little red caboose. This is my original train set that I received for Christmas in 1952, six weeks before I turned two years old. Naturally, I don’t remember that far back, but I do indeed remember playing with it around our Christmas trees in subsequent years and having many, many hours of fun. After many years of running and then no longer running, I would take it apart to see if I could find just why it didn’t run anymore. This is how I got into service and repair work on Lionel trains and then many other brands. This train ran around our tree just this past Christmas again as it has
many times over the years. It also spends time running on the layout in my train shop and also on the layout of the Mifflin County Model Railroad Club. This is what I want to let you know about this month. On March 22nd and 23rd from 1:00 to 4:00 each day, the Mifflin County Model Railroad Club will be holding our Annual Antique and Vintage Train Weekend at 3 W. Monument Square in downtown Lewistown, Pa. We will be running trains from the 1920’s, 30’s, 40’s, 50’s & 60’s. Lionel, being the foremost manufacturer during those times, will be the focused-on trains running, but we will also have Marx and “O” gauge American Flyer on hand. Also on display, and perhaps running, will be other scales like “S” gauge American Flyer, Lionel “OO” gauge, Standard Gauge and possibly more. Also included for the weekend, will be accessories, etc. In our “HO” gauge room, we will be running
trains that represent the above mentioned eras with many steam engines pulling freight and passenger cars replicated from back then, along with others. This event is FREE but we will accept donations to help us offset operating costs. Come on out to see these really interesting trains, many that are made of tin, that rattle around the layout. Also something to see are two Lionel K-4 engines from the 1950’s that Lionel NEVER made in the 1950’s. Come see them and figure out, or find out, just how this can be. See these engines pulling a twenty car freight train and really putting out the smoke, and hear the double whistles. This event has been a late Winter highlight for the club for the past two years and we are certainly looking forward to this year’s event. Speaking of winter events, the members of the Rockhill Trolley Museum held a mid-winter event in February and had a really great time running trolleys through the snow covered valley both during the days and
Will Wind Turbines Reduce Property Values? from page 47
from a 10% price reduction to being completely unsellable (6). C. Russell Bounds, a Maryland realtor, researched properties in Somerset Co., Pa. that lost value when turbines built by Somerset Windpower LLC were constructed too close to homes. Copies of his powerful testimony to the Maryland Public Service Commission are found on a number of Internet sites. Somerset Windpower LLC bought the properties and resold them for a huge loss (7). If you live near a proposed wind project, how can you protect your property value? Ask your township supervisors to require the developer to sign a Property Value Guarantee. Several wind ordinances include a Residential Property Value Guarantee (RPVG) to protect adjacent landowners (8). An example of a model RPVG can be found online (9). I can’t find any examples
of wind companies agreeing to a RPVG. In fact, several have refused (10), so it is important that RPVGs be part of the wind ordinance. Townships could also require that the developer post a bond to help cover lost tax revenue. After all, wind project developers stress that property values will not decline and that municipalities, schools and hospitals will benefit from the wind project. If this is true, then developers should be willing to post bonds to cover any loss in property values. If property values do decline, then the municipality and landowners will be financially secure. One community in New York is considering a “Property Value Bond” requirement as part of the Wind Ordinance to protect citizens from personal loss and the town from citizens seeking remedy or remuneration for damage or economic loss from the wind project (11).
Ed’s Railroading News by Ed Forsythe
drives the buying decision. Perception does not need to be based on proven, scientific facts, as what the owner or buyer believes actually impacts the property value. His two-part study showed that properties close to turbines sold for less, based on people’s perceptions. Impact studies to actual property sales showed a 12% to 40% reduction in property value. Those properties closer to turbines had a greater loss in property value (5). He also asked dozens of realtors what they thought of a property that once had an attractive viewshed but now included wind turbines. He found that an overwhelming majority of realtors said that wind turbines negatively impact property value. They estimated the range of impact to be
nights. Looking at the pictures on the “rockhilltrolleymuseum” Facebook site of all the fun, made me again wish I hadn’t gotten such a bad case of bronchitis or pneumonia, depending on just which doctor is listened to. It’s been a really rough month trying to clear snow and breathe with the problems. Thankfully, we have really great neighbors in Dave Filson and Chuck Smith, who did a lot of the snow removal when the really deep snows hit. For this I say “THANK YOU” Dave and Chuck. Check out the trolley site and enjoy the pictures. Perhaps this will give you all a reason to come join in the fun of riding and driving trolleys in the future. Happy Railroading, Ed a
If wind developers want their project to be a Win-Win for the community, then adjacent or near-by landowners should not be the losers. Properties near wind projects should be bought at full market value or owners should be compensated for any loss in property value. 1. http://www.lansinkappraisals. com/downloads/CaseStudy_DiminutionInValue_InjuriousAffection_WindTurbines.pdf 2. http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2114216 3. http://www1.eere.energy.gov/ wind/pdfs/wind_turbines_property_massachusetts.pdf 4. http://www.lansinkappraisals. com/downloads/CaseStudy_DiminutionInValue_InjuriousAffection_WindTurbines.pdf 5. http://k.b5z.net/i/u/6016107/f/ Wind_Power___Property_Value_ Presentation_by_Kurt_C._Kielisch__Feb__11_.pdf 6. http://www.forensic-appraisal.
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com/wind-turbines 7. http://www.ppdlw.org/articles/ russellboundstestimony.pdf 8. http://croh.info/attachments/975_PROPERTY_VALUE_GUARANTEE_AGREEMENT1.pdf 9. http://www.northnet.org/ brvmug/WindPower/Basic_Property_Value_Guarantee.pdf 10. http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20101212/ ADV01/312129930 11. http://www.chronicle-‐express.com/article/20101026News/ 310269989#ixzz2tUl97HMV Here is an excellent reference for many articles on Property Values: https://www.wind-watch.org/ docviewer.php?doc=Droz-REValues.pdf a
The Valley, March 2014
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The Valley, March 2014
40 the way I was raised. You can’t let this consume you.” Now that she is home, Vicky continues her therapy three days a week at HealthSouth’s outpatient clinic in Pleasant Gap. As an educator for the last ten years in both public and private sectors, Vicky is looking forward to working again. ““The hands of healthcare, my faith, and continued support from family and friends are helping me to move forward,” she says. “Vicky is an inspiration,” says HealthSouth Case Manager Michelle Heverly. “She was always positive and determined to improve. And now she wants to share her story to help others who
Rehab Helps Woman Move Forward After Brain Surgery Vicky Nelson, 35, is an avid runner. Vicky completed two half-marathons this past fall, and has plans for many more. “My goal is to run in every state and abroad,” she says. However, Vicky’s life took an unexpected turn last year after struggling for months with symptoms that had her concerned. “I was having headaches, hearing changes, and problems with my balance, “she explains. “After running a half-marathon in Virginia, I remember feeling like something was not right in my head.” Months of trying to determine the cause of her symptoms resulted in an MRI which showed a brain tumor, called a vestibular schwannoma. A vestibular schwannoma (also known as acoustic neuroma) is a benign, usually slow-growing tumor that develops from the balance and hearing nerves supplying the inner ear. As the tumor grows, it presses against the hearing and balance nerves, usually causing hearing loss, tinnitus (ringing in the ear), and dizziness/loss of balance. It can cause facial numbness, facial weakness or paralysis on the side of the tumor. If the tumor becomes large, it will eventually press against nearby brain structures (such as the brainstem and the cerebellum), becoming life-threatening. Vicky had surgery to remove the tumor at the Cleveland Clinic on November 1. Six days later she went to HealthSouth Nittany Valley Rehabilitation Hospital in Pleasant Gap for inpatient rehabilitation. Vicky worked hard to regain her balance and to relearn activities of daily living again, from dressing to preparing meals. She had three hours of therapy a day, including physical, occupational and speech therapy. Therapists also worked with Vicky on vestibular exercises and balance testing to help her walk safely and with more stability. After 13 days at HealthSouth, Vicky was able to be discharged to her home in Bellefonte. With a husband, two young sons and a daughter in college, she has plenty of inspiration to get better. Vicky adds, “Attitude is everything; it’s
may be in a similar situation.” Vicky says, “Everyone at HealthSouth, including the doctors, cleaning staff, nurses and therapists, all represented excellence in customer service. You don’t see that often these days.” She adds, “I would love to donate my time to a place that took such good care of me.” March is National Brain Injury Awareness Month. HealthSouth Nittany Valley Rehabilitation Hospital has a Disease-Specific Care Certification from the Joint Commission for its Brain Injury Rehabilitation Program, and provides both inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation. HealthSouth’s Brain Injury Support Group, held on the second Tuesday of the month, is open to the public. For more information call 1-800-842-6026 or visit www. nittanyvalleyrehab.com. a
Vicky Nelson (left) works with HealthSouth Physical Therapist Sharon Rose to improve her balance and core strength. Vicky transitioned from HealthSouth Nittany Valley’s inpatient hospital to the outpatient clinic in Pleasant Gap to continue therapy after a non-traumatic brain injury.
Rehabilitation after your illness, injury, or surgery.
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The Valley, March 2014
Get Vocal - Buy Local
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The Valley, March 2014
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Art Is For Everyone The last couple of days have brought an enjoyable and enlightening series of exchanges on Facebook. Those who don’t use Facebook on the internet might have a hard time understanding how it works, but basically, postings go out through intersecting circles of friends and can reach a wide variety of people in short order. This time, someone somewhere started with a post that reads, “The idea is to occupy Facebook with art, breaking the monotony of foods, selfies and sports. I will assign a name of artist to whoever likes this post, and you have to publish a piece by that artist with this text.” This is accompanied by an image of a favorite piece of art.
very quickly, so by the end of the first day, I was seeing all kinds of art and commentary, from widening circles of people. The artists ranged from Andy Warhol to Georgia O’Keefe to Andrew Wyeth, and both nationally-
In most cases, each person also says a little about why they chose that piece. It’s kind of like a chain letter, in that each person ends up with quite a view respondents to then assign an artist to research (online) and post an image from. This all Various Facebook threads sharing commentary on different happens pieces of art.
Mountain Minstrelsy playing their album release gig
leries and get into everyday lives in a more conscious way to really have the place it deserves in our culture. Around Millheim, an exciting event in mid-February was the album release gig for Marah’s Mountain Minstrelsy project at the Elk Creek Café + Aleworks. This rewriting, finishing and recording of old Pennsylvania folk songs with a new twist has been more than two years in the making and
known and local contemporary artists. Sometimes the commentary reflects a general appreciation of the art or artist, and sometimes it’s a more personal connection like a print that hung in their bedroom growing up. Friends often then add their comments on the piece. It’s been a great way to share an interest in art through some cold, snowy winter days. Wouldn’t it be fun to get some local art appreciation groups started in different areas to do this same kind of thing through monthly face-to-face gatherings over coffee or beer? Art needs to come out of the museums and gal-
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well worth the wait. Not only on CD, but the album package also has a full vinyl LP and the kind of album covers and liner that you can spend an hour reading and looking at. The entire project was recorded on analog equipment rather than digital, a particularly fitting approach to this kind of project. Kudos to Davis Bielanko and Christine Smith for doing it right! The album is available at the Green Drake Gallery. a
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The Valley, March 2014
Breed Spotlight Full Arch Breeds
Belgian Hares, Britannia Petites, Checkered Giants, English Spots, Rhinelanders, and Tans. What do all of these breeds have in common? They are the small portion of the 48 breeds of rabbits recognized by the ARBA, known as the “Full Arch breeds.” These breeds are special because they have a very unique body type. Their spine looks like that of a wild hare’s spine—as the name suggests, forming an arched shape. Because of their body type, these breeds are excellent runners; earning some of them the
nickname “Running breeds.” This means that when shown, they do not pose, like many of the breeds, but instead they are judged as they run down a table. As the rabbit runs, the judge is looking at how the rabbit tracks on his feet, and his type (and in some breeds, their markings) to decide what rabbit will win the class. Lets take a look at each breed of rabbit with a full arch body type: Belgian Hares are considered one of the most intelligent, and active breeds of rabbit, giving them the
nickname “The poor man’s racehorse.” These rabbits were originated in (you guessed it) Belgium, due to breedings between domestic and wild European Hares, with the intent of creating the ideal meat rabbit. When imported to England, and given their name “Belgian Hares,” the English bred them into a more spirited animal, like the English Hares. In 1877 the Belgian Hares were imported to the USA, and immediately jumped in popularity, sometimes being sold for as much as $1,000.
are a high energy breed, without handling, they can get rather aggressive.
Britannia Petites are by far the smallest of the full arch breeds. They originated in England, and are known there as Polish. When brought to the USA, they were given the name Britannia Petite because there was already a breed recognized as Polish. These spunky little rabbits are a very old breed, that once faced extinction. But thanks to a few dedicated breeders, they were saved. These rabbits have a reputation for being nasty, but when handled regularly, can be very sweet. Since they
English Spots are my favorite of the full arch breeds. Along with the Checkered Giants, these too are known for their markings. They have a pattern of small spots, starting at the back of the shoulder, and slowly getting wider, as it goes down to the hindquarters. No one really knows when or where these rabbits were originated, but they have been popular in England since the 1850s. In France, they are known as “Lapin Papillon Anglais,” meaning “The English Butterfly
Checkered Giants are the largest full arch breeds, weighing in at 11+ lbs. These rabbits are one of the 11 breeds that are characterized by their markings. Checkered Giants are to have a spine marking (a strip of black fur going down the spine), eye circles (a circle of black around each eye), side markings (two spots on each side of the rabbit, near the hindquarters) and a few other, smaller markings. These rabbits have a reputation for being nasty (I actually have a scar on my nose where one attacked me), but there are a few very friendly ones out there.
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Rabbit” due to the “butterfly” marking on their noses. They were imported to America in 1910 and have been here ever since. Rhinelanders originated in Germany, first being shown in 1902. They grew in popularity and spread throughout more countries before, due to changes in the standard, they fell out of favor. The changes made it so that more skill was required to breed the rabbits, and most breeders did not possess that skill. After World War II however, the breed started to gain popularity again, until they were the most popular spotted rabbit in Germany. Rhinelanders are the only running breed that can be shown in the tri-color. They, like the Checkered Giants, and English spots, are judged heavily on their markings. Each side is to consist of 6-8 medium sized spots. They are also to have ear markings, a spine marking, a butterfly (the coloring on the nose) and eye circles. The markings alone contribute to 27 of the breeds points (each breed has a total of 100 points, when judging, the rabbit with the highest point count wins the class) Tans originated in a wild colony of rabbits in England in the late 1880s. As soon as they were found, people began to domesticate them. In the early days of domestic tans, the breed looked much different than it does today. They were very cobby in type, almost like a Polish. When the Tan rabbit breeders specialty club was chartered in 1960, (There were two clubs before this, but this is the club that still exists today) the Tan breed was becoming a wellknown breed. They were even blessed with the honor of winning Best In Show, at the ARBA convention in 2003, with exhibitor Joe Kim. The full arch breeds are all so different and unique. They have captured the hearts of many people throughout history. These graceful animals are a large part of the rabbit world, and we are glad to have them. a
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Dairy Connection by Halee Wasson
Centre Count y Dair y Princess The name of March comes from Latin Martius, the first month of the earliest Roman calendar. It was named for Mars, a Roman god of war who was also regarded as a guardian of agriculture. Martius was the beginning of the season for farming, and still is. Living in the Northern Hemisphere, farmers can start planting certain crops in March. March might be named for the guardian of agriculture, but it is also known as National Nutrition Month. This month helps us focus on the nutritional value of the foods we choose for our diet. Remember the dairy case has something for everyone. You can choose from a variety of milk, cheese, and yogurt products to meet your taste
and nutritional goals. I included a few recipes that can help you include dairy in your diet. Enjoy! Cheesy Taco Chip Dip • 1-8 oz. pkg. CREAM CHEESE • 1 can Hormel chili (no beans) • ½ C. medium salsa • 1-12 oz. bag pre- shredded TACO CHEESE • ½ C. sliced black olives to garnish In microwavable glass 2- quart casserole dish, layer ingredients as listed in order above. Microwave on high for 5 minutes or until heated thoroughly. Serve with tortilla chips. Serves 6. Broccoli- Cauliflower Salad • 1 C. Miracle Whip • ½ C. sugar
When Smart is not so Smart from page 36 • • •
2 T. vinegar 2 T. real bacon bits Medium head of broccoli and cauliflower • Small onion • Fresh mushrooms (optional) • 1 C. shredded CHEDDAR CHEESE Mix Miracle Whip, sugar, vinegar and bacon bits together in small bowl; place in refrigerator. Cut up vegetables and place in large bowl, then add dressing and mix. Add shredded CHEDDAR CHEESE. Serves 12. a
Research Service CRS report to Congress on 2/3/12. The report said, “real time data in consumer electricity usage and transmitted data over great distances via communication networks are subject to information intercept or theft by third parties. Courts and Congress have expressed concern over potential erosion of individuals’ privacy (Fourth Amendment).” Yes, these transmissions, along with appliance ID numbers, can enable anyone to know what appliances you use and what room they are located in, as well as where you are located in your house, how many people live in your home, what room your child is in and when you go on vacation. All this information could potentially give someone the opportunity to abduct your child, rob your house and use information gained through Smart Meters against you in a court of law. Business and home fires have been caused by “Spy and Fry” in PA and throughout United States and Canada. Smart Meters occasionally overheat, causing fires and property damage. It is worth noting that not all Smart Meters are tested by the Underwriters Laboratories, and do not carry the “UL” label. What causes the health problems that people and children are complaining about who have Smart Meters? Radio Frequency has electric and magnetic components that can cause damage to the body. Research shows that RF
Life in the East End from page 35 it. Jimmy raises chickens and sells the eggs or “hen fruit” as my Dad calls them. Mom said Jimmy knows a lot about chickens and taught her a lot of what she knows about the different varieties. It helped her a lot when she was working at Agway. We were really glad they could come. We’re going to send Jimmy some ham when it’s done curing and being smoked. Well I finally got to a Grocery Shoot at the Blue
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can cause DNA damage and mutations. Dizziness, leukemia and even brain tumors can be linked to Smart Meters. These “switching mode power-supply” meters emit sharp continual spikes of millisecond bursts. The constant pulsing of high frequencies RF can interfere with other Smart Meters, other electrical appliances, as well as baby monitors, pain pumps, wireless insulin pumps, pacemakers and much more. The main goal of the electric companies though Fry and Spy (Smart Meters) is to control your electricity usage by turning off appliances (without your permission) during periods of high electrical demand. As a result, fewer power plants will be needed and some power plants will be shut down. The reduction in power generation by the closure of some power plants would result in a higher cost of electricity which would be unaffordable to many people. The government and electric companies are pushing these policies in order to meet the smart/ green agenda. Another goal of electric companies is to pass the numerous Grid and Smart Meter costs onto the consumer. These “Fry and Spy” Meters and all the parts necessary to make this green agenda work, require us to be subjected to a higher level of radio frequency waves which will only get worse as more “smart” products are introduced. SMART is NOT so Smart! Lisa V. Nancollas, Mifflin County Tea Party Patriots a Rock Sportsman’s Club. I won a couple small items the first time. Hopefully I will do better at the next few. I think it’s funny when I’m there and someone I went to school with says to me “are you shooting?” I just say “yep,” and hope I do well. I do want to thank John Eckley Jr. for letting me use his .22 to shoot. I’ve been looking at buying my own but, I haven’t got one yet. I looked at some at the Sportsman’s Show in Harrisburg. Well, it’s time to close till next month. Think Spring!! a
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The Valley, March 2014 in PAPER. A U.S. debt default, currency devaluation, or hyper-inflation simply can NOT be that far away. When it happens, you are going to wish that you could jump in a time machine, head back to NOW, and diversify much of your savings OUT of paper, and into tangible (real) assets. Time is running out. (Oh, just one other interesting
Dave Wilson
Coins, Precious Metal and a Little of this and That
As Easy As Herding Cats!
I could have picked any number of titles for this article, but, I had to come up with something that would suggest the “Impossible.” Having a big, spoiled, way too fat “Tomcat” as a pet, I feel especially entitled to use cats for this purpose. How “Puddy” came into our lives is another story, but after owning dogs for most of my life, having a cat is a totally different experience. It is true when they say, “Dogs have Masters, CATS have STAFF.” So, what does “herding cats” have to do with this month’s article? Simple. Herding Cats is an absolutely laughable thought. So, too, is the thought that our Senators and Congressmen in Washington will EVER, seriously, consider cutting spending to lower our National Debt. In fact, they have shown (several times recently) that they are incapable of (even slightly) trimming the planned increases in our yearly deficits. We have often heard that we are putting the weight of the National Debt on the shoulders of our children and grand-children. They will be the ones that will be saddled with paying back the horrific excesses in government spending that Washington has generated over the past 30+ years. Unfortunately, this is unlikely to be the case. Our children and grand-children will, indeed, PAY for Uncle Sam’s HUGE deficits. They will not, however, be paying with money. Instead, their payment will take the form of a severely diminished lifestyle. Their eventual “standard-of-living” will take a terrible nosedive,
and they will lose many of the advantages and abundances enjoyed by their parents and grandparents, since the end of the World War II. If you have never seen the “USA National Debt Clock,” and you own and can operate a computer, it is a definite must see. Get on Google, and punch in “USA National Debt Clock.” Then, when the page pops up, click on “U.S. National Debt Clock: Real Time.” Then, just sit back and watch the debt pile UP, and UP, and UP. It really is hard to believe. The current National Debt stands at $17,298,000,000,000 or nearly 17.3-Trillion Dollars. For just a moment, think about that number. It is so large, that most people simply ignore it. For this article though, lets try to put this debt into perspective. Since the beginning of time, according to our research, there has been a total of 166,500-Tonnes of gold mined from the earth. (There are 32,150 Troy ounces in a Tonne.) The total output of silver has been 1,411,475 Tonnes. At $1300 Gold, and $22 Silver, this puts the total value of all the Gold and Silver, mined since the beginning of time, at just under 8-Trillion Dollars. If the U.S. had “ALL” the Gold and Siver, mined since time began, IT WOULD NOT BE ENOUGH TO PAY BACK EVEN 46.3% OF OUR CURRENT NATIONAL DEBT. Are you beginning to get the picture? The thought of actually PAY-
piece of information we uncovered in researching this article? There are presently 370 times more USA insured deposits than the size of the Federal Deposit Insurance Fund.) There, now THAT should make you ALL feel better. a
ING this debt, isn’t even a consideration, mostly because it is now well past being even a remote possibility. It just isn’t going to happen. Add to this number, the approximate 127 Trillion Dollars (see the USA Debt Clock page) of “unfunded” liabilities. These are programs the USA has obligated itself to pay for, but does not have the money to do so. Federal pensions, social security, etc. With good paying jobs disappearing at alarming rates, now being replaced by either lowwage jobs, or, just plain nothing, one has to wonder where the US expects to get the gigantic tax revenues they will need to even pay for annual expenses, with nothing being applied to the National Debt. Even if Washington could balance the budget (stop laughing long enough for me to finish, please), the debt would continue to increase hundreds of billions annually due to required interest payments. Those of you who have stuck with it, and Get the relief you need...lower costs and made it all the superior services at 611 MRI. Call us for the way to the end of this article, best rates, high quality images and most caring should now have experience in the region. If you have a high a pretty good deductible you can save a bundle. idea that it isn’t terribly smart, to 611’s cost is almost half the keep ALL your savings eggs hospital cost for the same
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March is here! Spring is right around the corner! Where did the winter go? People say the older you get, the faster the time flies by, so as fast as it’s going right now, I can’t quite imagine how fast it will be flying by the time I reach about 70. We are in the time of year where some of us get a bit discouraged about the weight that we have packed on over the winter months. Some of us are a bit discouraged because we have set our New Years resolution, and well, it is just not working out like we thought it would. We fail because well, the cookies I made today are just crazy good, so hey, why not have four instead of one? And... the pasta and bread stick for supper just hit the spot, and the list goes on and on. So diet is always an interesting conversation piece.
If we could all just stick to a proper balanced diet with whole foods that have the good nutrients that our bodies want and need, we wouldn’t need to even have this conversation. The foods we eat today do not have the nutrients that they had 100 years ago, and they have a lot more harmful chemicals than they did back then. Because of that, studies are showing that a hundred years ago, only 1 in 8,000 women were afflicted with breast cancer, now that number is 1 in 4. So what does that have to do with weight? Toxins will store in the fat cells, so we need to flush out the fat cells. Before you start any weight loss program, it’s always good to do a detox first, which can be as simple as drinking one gallon of water a day with six tablespoons of Bragg’s vinegar, six tablespoons of fresh
M&T Vacuums to help clean up Lewistown M&T Vacuums is a family owned and operated vacuum cleaner sales and service shop. M&T Vacuums has been located at 515 Washington Street in downtown Huntingdon for over seven years and has just recently opened a second sales and service location at 114 West Market Street, Lewistown at The Dragonfly. The Huntingdon store is open Monday – Thursday 9-4 and Friday 11-4 and Saturday 9-2. Our Lewistown location is open Tuesday-Saturday from 11-5 pm or you can contact us at 814-643-6193. M&T services all makes and models of vacuum cleaners
and carpet cleaners. We are a warranty station for most major brands. At our NEW Lewistown location, we have bags, belts, filters, parts, Kirby shampoo, Oreck shampoo, carpet stain removal products, carpet freshener, dust brushes, floor tools, upholstery tools, hoses, cords and so much more for your vacuum. You can drop off your vacuum for repair, pick up a pack of bags, and grab a filter. So if you think your vacuum is not working up to par, M&T can also service your vacuum or steam cleaner and have it back to you in about a week or less. M&T is currently running a
lemon juice and one tablespoon of Maple syrup, plus a dash of Cayenne pepper. Shake that up and drink one gallon a day for ten days. We have all seen people lose weight fast and then gain it back, and even adding pounds to their original weight. I feel the reason for that is because we can’t just cut out eating certain foods, unless we are not going to eat them for the rest of our lives. Again, a good balanced diet. Can I still eat a cookie? Absolutely! Let’s just not sit and eat four cookies. Can I still eat that birthday cake? Let’s try eating a small piece instead of the three pieces we normally eat— you get the picture. Because we know that losing weight has to be a lifestyle change, there are ways that can help with the cravings. Muscle is your number one fat burner so we want to try to build muscle. With crash diets you nearly starve your body of its proper nutrients and you end up losing muscle, and all of its fat burning benefit. So therefore, it becomes harder and harder to lose the weight. Sisel has just come out with some great weight loss products that help support your lifestyle change so that you can get the proper nutrients and also build muscle, like a shake that is gluten and soy free. Lollipops that are
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some of you, but I guess only you can decide that. It starts with a thought, and then a decision to act upon it.” Hmmmm, I guess I could be back to 130 or whatever you want the number to be.” Take back your life! Sisel can make your weight loss journey easy and fun. Call for details (814)-3832008 or write to Katie Beiler, 353 Milo Ln., Howard, PA 16841. a
vacuum service SPECIAL in our Lewistown location. If you bring you vacuum in, we will service your vacuum including replacing the belt, bag and filter for only $20.00. (Hepa type Filters and other major parts extra.) We also offer FREE estimates on all repairs. M&T Vacuums is looking forward to building our client base in Lewistown. M&T Vacuums Systems also installs built-in Central Vacuum Systems in new and existing homes. Central vacuum systems are a “green product” and have been proven to improve the indoor air quality of your home by having five times more suction than any other portable vacuum. M&T vents all our systems to the outside, so ALL microscopic dust, dirt, allergens and odor are purged from your home making the air you breathe inside your home allergen free. Our Central vacuum systems come with a 10 year to a lifetime warranty and are highly recommended for people with asthma and other respiratory issues. They are very affordable and will be an asset to your
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Poetry of Local Origin KALEIDOSCOPE EYES Flecks of green-brown, blue-gray, hazel-gold; Encompassing a small black speck. Pathways to the heart, windows to the soul, Showing true attributes; beliefs of old. Crinkling with laughter, blurring with tears; Tears of joy, tears of mourning, Telling the unheard story in the tacit language, Happenings of the days, months, years. Starting their life-journey so young; Bright, curious, long-staring, Soon growing old, carrying the triumphs and joys of this life; Then too soon closing, as they had begun. --Elizabeth Fultz
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The Valley, March 2014 YES, I want to join FRIENDS OF JACKS MOUNTAIN support!!
Membership is FREE – we need your
_________________________________________________________________________________ Please Print: First and Last Name __________________________________ _______________________________ Street City State
__( )___________________________ _________________________________ Phone number, including Area Code
Do Wind Turbine Projects Reduce Property Values?
_____________________________________ Email address (will be kept private)
We really just need your membership, but if you would like to donate, we will appreciate any donations. Tax-deductible Donations should be Payable to Save Our Allegheny Ridges (SOAR) which is a 501(c)3 partnering with Friends Of Jacks Mountain. You will receive a receipt.
Laura Jackson, President www.SaveOurAlleghenyRidges.org
The short answer is, “YES,” but keep reading if you’d like to know more. I’ve done a lot of research, trying to answer the property value question objectively, so I’ve read dozens of research reports, websites, and realtor testimony in court cases. I’ve visited many wind projects and have interviewed nearby residents. I’ve talked to realtors who have little success trying to sell property near wind turbine projects. In summary, I’ve found that: A. Broad statistical studies conclude that wind turbine projects DO NOT reduce property values. Most of the studies quoted by the wind industry use regression analysis and are performed by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, which is sponsored by the Department of Energy. According to Appraiser Michael S. McCann, regression analysis is the least reliable method to determine property value (1). B. Realtors have a hard time selling homes or farms adjacent to wind projects. Landowners who abandon their homes due to the health issues caused by noise and low-frequency vibrations are not able to sell their property. There are many examples posted on the Internet. C. Many people do not WANT to live near a wind project due to noise, shadow flicker, low-frequency vibrations, and landscape clutter. Their perception of these issues reduces demand, which in turn reduces the value of the property, making it harder to sell. It is just common sense that properties near an industrial power plant will suffer a reduction in value. But that raises two questions: • Why do broad statistical studies conclude otherwise? • How much of a property value reduction is there? E.ON’s study found that properties adjacent to wind
_____________ Zip code
turbines DO lose value: Studies may actually show that property values do drop - if the data only includes properties adjacent to wind projects: A 2012 study in Germany, conducted by E.ON (the company that wants to build up to 75 turbines on Jacks and Stone Mountains in Mifflin and Huntingdon Counties in Pa.) actually found that turbines close to a property cause “significant negative impacts on the surrounding property values.” However, the study also concluded that these negative impacts are not statistically significant when studying the visibility impact over a large area across cities and districts (2). In other words, properties close to a wind turbine project do lose value, but when a broad study is conducted, which includes many properties quite far from a wind project; there is no statistical impact to property values. The problems that affect the individuals who live in or near a project become insignificant when researchers include thousands of data sets. The wind industry and governmentsponsored studies justify a large study area by asserting the main problem with wind turbines is how they look. This would include a huge area, as turbines on mountaintops can be seen for many miles. The industry concludes that seeing turbines has no effect on property values, but the serious concerns for property value come from people who think they might suffer from the noise, shadow flicker, and
MAIL TO: Darrell Smith
567 Mile Long Lane Martinsburg, PA 16662
low-frequency vibrations. These serious concerns affect nearby residents, not only when they are outside during the day, but also at night when they try to sleep. For a property affected by this sort of problem there is a significant reduction in property value. Some properties lose 100% of their value. These are usually rural areas, often relatively poor, where the home is the major financial asset. To lose a substantial part (or even all) of a home’s value is a real life-changing problem. If wind energy is that important, then wind developers should purchase these properties. Why should these landowners suffer from an industrial project that they didn’t ask for, and didn’t want? Do wind turbines actually increase property values? A wind developer at a recent public meeting in Belleville, Pa. on January 10, 2014 announced a new study that showed wind turbines could increase property values. I asked him for the name
of the study in a recent email, but he has not replied. However, I did find a study that was just released on the day of the Belleville meeting. This huge study on Massachusetts property values near wind facilities is getting a lot of buzz because it found that wind turbines do not negatively impact property values. Please understand, though, that this study dealt almost entirely with very small projects (1 or just a few turbines), most of which were built in areas of heavy development. Twenty-one out of 26 turbine facilities studied were built on industrial sites, landfills, treatment plants, and school grounds. Only one project was built on a forested mountain (3). The conclusion to this study does make sense: when turbines are built in areas that are already heavily industrialized, adding a wind turbine or two does not reduce the property value, because values are already depressed. Many appraiser studies show that property values de-
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cline near wind turbines: Realtors and appraisers state that case studies, or individual examples of value loss, directly linked to the cause of value loss, are the most reliable method for determining property value. There are numerous examples posted on the Internet that show wind turbines negatively impact property values. Here are three examples: A. An Ontario Real Estate Appraiser showed that specific sales data on 12 properties adjacent to wind projects lost an average of 37.25% when the wind developer bought the properties and then sold them – after the new buyers waived their rights to complain over noise or other nuisances caused by the wind turbines (4). B. Kurt Kielisch, an appraiser from Wisconsin, has done extensive research on properties impacted by wind turbines. He found that real estate value is based on perception and that perception
Continued on page 38
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The Valley, March 2014
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