The Valley- October 2011

F

R

E

E

Serving Mifflin County and the surrounding area.

The Valley A free newspaper dedicated to agriculture, self-reliance, frugal living, and modern homesteading.

Anniversary Edition Volume 2, No. 10

Complimentary

The Valley, October 2011

There’s Gold in Them Thar Hills!

across our give gold day (no mention of why it hadn’t otherwise prospecting been cleaned up), and that there pristine a try, I just had been a mother with two cubs piece of didn’t know as well (mental note to self, grab when that land. The your pistol out of the car before would be, neighventuring out on the property). or where for bor has a After some small talk, Lynn and I that matter. dumpster got ourselves outfitted to take the

On our at the end tour. Surprisingly no little army of recent trip to of his insects were vying for my blood, New Hampdriveway, maybe they all got drowned...hmshire to that he mmm. The land looked just as we inspect our sometimes had left it, and we took a thorough property for forgets to look and assured ourselves that damage after lock, and the spot we had picked for a house hurricane the resident site a year ago was still the spot Irene, quite bears we wanted to go with. unexpect So we packed up and went to decided edly, that meet my son Jared and his wife to have a opportunity Amber, along with the grandpicnic, and presented daughters, Taylor and Natalie at NOT clean itself. their seasonal camp site at Moose My son Jared (r) and “Clahhk” (l) looking for a spot to set up the sluice up after Lynn themselves! Hillock Campground about 15 box. Note the 40 feet difference in the location of the stream bank that and I arrived was reformed by the hurricane. miles away. Jared and his friends Guess they in New have taken over a small area of figured if Hampshire about nine abutting campsites. the humans was worrisome as we viewed the early Friday evening, SeptemNow when I say camping, that that actually owned that trash places that had been under water ber 2nd. After a quick meal out might be a little misleading. They didn’t feel the need to clean it up, during the hurricane, and imaginwith our wonderful and gracious have running water, showers and why should they. See how things ing the torrents of water that must friends get started? Okay, breathe! It have been pouring down those Continued on page 3 and hosts, could have been so much worse, it mountains allowing those areas Dave and was only a little to flood. As we got closer to the Brenda trash that could property, things began to look a Rowan, we little better, there had been high be cleaned up hit the hay fairly quickly water, but it didn’t look quite so early so after a trip to torn up as it had 25 miles back. we would the store for When we started up the dirt be ready trash bags and mountain roads to our parcel of to make gloves. Those heaven, I was feeling pretty good, the hour same neighthings looked fairly normal. We long trip bors appeared pulled up to our gate and felt very up to the minutes later, blessed, NO DAMAGE! There property explaining that wasn’t even a rut in our road from in North there had been the water. All of the hours of worHaverhill. six bears on ry and praying at once turned to My son’s friend and fellow PBSOB5261 member The our road just slight anger as we focused on the Bud looking for a spot to pan, while our mentor trip up having a field The sluice box in position and ready to move volume of trash that was strewn

Surely by now most of you folks have either heard about or have watched one of the many gold prospecting shows on TV. I have become an avid fan of the somewhat lame and corny, but very informative shows.

Having been an avid “rockhound” in my youth I still held that belief that there were treasures to be found if we only looked hard enough. The anticipation of finding something of value always piqued my interest, but so did finding the unusual. Once, in my early teens, I came across what I believed was a meteorite. My parents had it tested by The Franklin Institute and the results came back that it indeed was from an otherworldly source. To me that was really cool. I carried it around with me for over 35 years and it finally ended up in the possession of a young man in NH who was very much into astronomy.

Anyhoo, after watching those shows the last few years, I was determined at some point to

for the trip, Chris, sets up the “Highbanker.”

some material.

The Valley, October 2011

2

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

Editor’s Corner Wayne Stottlar

I am blown away! This October issue of The Valley is our 12th issue! We have made a major milestone with this edition.

Thanks to all of you wonderful folks and our fantastic advertisers! Together, we have forged a path to a place all of us recognize.

This used to be what smalltown, independent media used to do. Promote local business and neighbors, highlight the good things going on in the community, and offer information to help folks forge their own path to their desired level of self-reliance. A year ago while weeding the garden, this idea started to percolate.

Thanks to advertisers that believed in the concept, and readers who were starved for something they wanted to read, The Valley has accomplished more than we could have ever hoped! Thank you all, we are humbled beyond words.

With our success comes the ability to offer events here in the community. In July we hosted a very successful Mushroom Foray and have another scheduled October 8th. We are hoping in the future to be able to become more involved in offering instruction on self-reliance topics. In order

to do this, our advertisers need to see a response to their advertising.

Please support them whenever possible—it helps all of us as a community when we support our neighbors.

I hope everyone is finally getting dried out as this issue hits the stands. This has been a very strange year indeed with the weather.

Lynn and I made a quick trip up to New Hampshire (see front page) to check out our property after hurricane Irene wreaked havoc on the region, only to come back to our state experiencing record flooding. It was a wild trip home to say the least. One thing became very apparent during the journey home. If there is a real national disaster, the “authorities” are going to be of little help, and may actually become a hinderence. It became acutely obvious that THERE WAS NO PLAN in place by those tasked with ensuring our safety on the roads.

I am NOT placing blame on any one department or agency, they all did the best they could with some serious odds stacked against them, and the task of controlling a basically clueless populace further limiting chances. So there is plenty of blame to go around. EVERYONE shares some. But that is

the point, when things like this happen, WE should be ready to help ourselves! I had always been prepared for most any eventuality when I lived in NH. In the truck I drove most everywhere I had extra clothes, a small first aid kit, some tools, and most importantly, a Delorme Atlas of the state. An atlas has saved my bacon on many occasions and is just something you should have—it is plain dumb not to have one. This lesson was never better taught than on our trip home.

We made record time from New Hampshire all the way to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area when signs started to appear on those computer generated flashing construction signs “80 West Closed, Seek Alternate Routes.”

Lynn broke out the map real quick (no, we didn’t have the atlas with us, first time I had felt vulnerable traveling in a long time), and we figured worst case, we would continue on 81 south until we could cut across. However, a few miles further south on 81 and another sign appeared, “81 South Closed, Seek Alternate Routes.”

Alrighty then! This was starting to get mildly amusing, while at the same time bringing me face-to-face with the fact that my time-shattering record trip was

Near to the Heart of God --Sarah Hurlburt Frugal Living --Laurie Lowe The Horse Scoop --Traci Hanna Yoder & Julie Shultz Smith Poor Will’s Valley Almanack --Bill Felker

just taken from me a 100 miles from the finish line. No problemo, we were going to attack the problem with technology. Lynn fired up the GPS, we were saved now!

Ummm, yeah, not really, the dang thing kept taking us in circles or to roads that were closed. Back to the map. We tried every road that we could see on our map and nothing was working. We were pulled off on the side of the road scanning the map for options (man I wish I had said yes when Lynn asked me if we needed the atlas before we had left home the week before). We had decided that we weren’t going to break through the flooding at that point (How obvious would that have been had we had an atlas?), and were going to have to back track and go around. We had decided that north would be the best option as the streams were smaller the further north you went above Bloomsburg. Just then Lynn’s phone rang, her mom, who was already stranded at their house, was trying to coordinate our efforts to clear the hurdle. She said her neighbor’s daughter had gone over Jonestown Mountain. That backed up what we had been planning, so off we went. We headed up into Jonestown and got up on the gravel and dirt ridge roads and although slow going, it was passable. We kept working our way north and west and then we were able to go back to the GPS and put Washingtonville into the

Continued on page 37

Life in the East End --Rebecca Harrop

Contact Info

Mail Pouch Books --Carleen B Grossman

Editor/Publisher Wayne Stottlar

Back Talk --Dr. Joseph Kauffman

Ad Designer/Co-Publisher Lynn Persing

God’s Presence --Pastor Pat Roller

Associate Editor Colleen Swetland

Homeschooling on the Homestead --Andy Weller

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

Can Breast Cancer Be Prevented?

--Marge Delozier

E-mail: thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com Web: www.thevalleynewspaper.com

©The Valley. All Rights Reserved.

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

3

The Valley, October 2011 Gold from front page inside bathrooms, air conditioning, flat screen TVs and queen size beds. Not exactly roughing it, but a fantastic environment for the kids to spend their weekends.

We rolled into camp in the late afternoon and after meeting all the “neighbors” we all sat down for a fabulous communal pot luck dinner. There was a rotisserie cooked 39-pound roast and every kind of side dish imaginable, as well as plenty of corn on the cob. Conversation around dinner centered on the recent hurricane and the fact that the nearby Baker River has had its course altered drastically over the previous week, due to the flash flooding. Then the conversation started working its way into the possibilities of mounting a gold prospecting trip the next day. After making sure I wasn’t getting hornswaggled (this group is known for their practical jokes), my attention was riveted to the conversation. From what I was hearing, someone had found a marble-sized nugget that very afternoon!

Well, the conversation for the rest of the night was about GOLD! I learned that the group had been prospecting the river since the previous season. The Baker River and several surrounding streams in the western part of New Hampshire are known to contain gold, people have been pulling out small quantities of gold there for many years. Every season it seemed there would be a story about some fly fisherman looking down at a yellow glint in the river and pulling out a small nugget. I had known about the stories for many years, but never acted upon the knowledge, now I was so close! The one neighbor at the campground who was more or less the teacher for everyone else told me he collects an ounce or two each year and he does it as a hobby, and his daughter and her husband had had their weddings bands made out of gold they had panned in the Baker River. I was totally hyped up about the next days outing. We tumbled into bed about 12:45AM and I hardly slept a wink, not because I was uncomfortable, the bed was just like home, but I had visions of gold nuggets keeping me from drifting off. We were up at 7:00AM and after a hearty breakfast, everyone assembled as if on cue, and we all headed off down to the river.

People were carrying all kinds of different gold prospecting gear that I recognized from the shows on TV. Of course the requisite shovels, trowels, iron bars, as well

as many different sizes and colors of gold panning pans, classifers for sifting out unwanted material, five gallon buckets, sluice boxes and even an electric high banker!

Most conversation ceased as everyone went about setting up their equipment and claiming what they believed was the next spot where a motherload would be found. Okay, no one, least of all me, believed we were going to find much of anything, but it was a gorgeous day and a great time to be splashing around among the rounded rocks and boulders that rested on the gravely and sandy bottom.

Drawing from what I had learned from watching the shows on TV, I spied a midstream, rather large boulder that probably was in the same spot before the flood, and likely would have been a collection point for the gold on its downstream side. My son’s friend Wayne Clark agreed that it should be a good spot, and allowed me to use one of his panning pans and shovel, and left me to work.

I worked my way through the first pan removing all the larger, and obviously worthless, stones, piece-by-piece. Finally having removed all the bigger stuff, I was able to actually start panning.

After several minutes I thought I saw something, no, guess not, WAIT, there it was again! With a rapidly rising heartbeat I carried the pan over to Clark (that’s what everyone calls him; no one except his wife Melanie uses his first name, and it isn’t Clark, but more like Clahhk in that typical New England Downeast accent.)

After a few quick motions, Clahhk quickly verified that I had indeed found a few flakes of flour gold. WOW! My first pan!

Then he also pointed out a couple small garnets among the remaining black sand, or magnetite that remained in the pan. I was really, hopelessly hooked at this point. I quickly shifted gears to start processing more material by switching from the pan to using the classifier and a five gallon bucket. I would place the classifier on top of the bucket, and it nestled in nicely and was made to be used this way. A scoop or three of the sandy gravel behind the boulder, and then it would be, turning the classifier rapidly back and forth as if turning a steering wheel from side to side which allowed the finer gravel to fall into the bucket, sloshing water over top quickly left the castings in the classifier, which were dumped to the side and the process repeated over and over. After the bucket filled up with material, we ran that

material through the sluice box, which further reduced the larger garbage from the material that could have gold in it. We worked for a couple hours, soaking up the warm sun, and enjoying the cool, clear, mountain water.

A shout went up from one of the group working with Chris (the mentor) a few yards downstream, they had pulled a 1/4 inch long flattened nugget out of their sluice! Everyone else seemed to re-double their efforts.

It was soon time to head back to camp, and everyone gathered up their equipment, Clahhk carefully breaking down the sluice box into a bin to be rinsed of material. What was left was about three inches of material in the bottom of a five gallon bucket, which he quickly started panning down—on almost every pan the snuffer bottle came out to suck up numerous flakes of flour gold.

Then, WAHHOOO a small picker the size of the head of a push pin, we were excited! Clahhk continued to work through the material continually finding flakes of flour gold. It was getting late, so Lynn and I had to pack up and head back to Brenda and Dave’s house as we had lots of people to see and things to do.

While at dinner that night I could hardly suppress the excitement of the days adventure. Halfway through the meal I received a text message from Jared, it contained a picture of the small picker we had found next to a picker three or four times its size sitting next to it. It was their biggest piece to date in their year- long journey into gold prospecting. I cannot wait to get back into that river properly equipped and start prospecting on my own.

That, however, is a ways off, and our few trips a year up their are hardly enough to whet the appetite in the meantime.

On the trip home I was reflecting on the excitement and fun we had had in the river

and thought, maybe we can find someplace here in Pennsylvania to prospect. I hadn’t heard that we had gold here, but one never knows. At any rate, the discovery of treasure, whether it be precious metal, or historical artifacts is just plain cool. Once in my teens I had found an old bottle dump along a stream on my uncle s property. We dug there on every trip to the house and unearthed some really old and unique treasures. That same anticipation was apparent while panning for gold, another good past time in the same vein might be metal detecting. Hmmmm...that may be another story, I’ll let you know how I make out convincing Lynn that I need $400 for a metal detector, this could get ugly. The beauty of these activities is that it gets you outdoors, it provides plenty of excercise, families can do these activities together, the equipment is extremely affordable, and once outfitted, is mostly cost-free.

Upon our return home I started reading about gold in our area so I could justify buying the equipment I would need later when we finally get back to New Hampshire. There is a pile of information from many sources to be found on the internet, but always remember, this is where gold has been found by others, but someone had to be first. So

after wading your way into the pastime, don’t be afraid to be first somewhere that hasn’t been discovered yet. I immediately saw many reports about gold being found in any stream, between the villages of Dillsburg, Wellsville and Rossville in northern York County, absolutely within reach of all of us here in The Valley. There are also many reports of finds in the northeastern part of the state over by Tunkhanock, New Albany, Wind Gap, and even in the Swatara Creek near Harrisburg.

The Susquehanna and its tributaries are also mentioned numerous times, and we all know how that river was changed during the record floods of September.

All of these locations are great for day trips with the family. But another source’s advice caught my eye and started the brain working.

It said, “all mountainous sections of Pennsylvania have good potential to produce gold, and gold has been found in most mountainous areas.” I like being in the woods anyhow, and I don’t know about you, but I know of a LOT of streams that are going to be checked in the near future. Don’t be afraid to be first to discover it.

All in all, we had a great time learning about prospecting in a

Continued on page 17

Problems with Inspectors?

Harassed About Raw Milk Sales?

Exploring Direct Farm Sales?

THERE'S STRENGTH IN NUMBERS!

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

WWW.FARMTOCONSUMER.ORG

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

The Valley, October 2011

4

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

by Dave and Ginger Striker

A continuing series.

Bringing Cows to the Homestead

At this point in our journey we, for the most part, worked with smaller animals such as chickens, goats, pigs and turkeys. Frankly, Ginger and I were fairly intimidated by the prospect of eventually owning a cow for our dairy needs and approached the whole subject cautiously and slowly. Even though we were fairly nervous by the whole prospect, it still didn’t stop us from wanting a cow or two. We had several questions that had to be answered. such as what breed of cow to go with, fencing, feeding, handling, and health. I will make the disclaimer that we are not experts, but in everything we do we typically research most options and then eventually decide on what is best for us.

The first decision to make was on breed. Up to this point we were only aware of a few breeds and had limited knowledge outside of the mostly generic

information provided in homesteading books and magazines, which were normally limited to Jerseys, Dexters, and Holsteins.

When deciding a breed you really need to have a mental list of your requirements such as meat, dairy production, size of animal you feel comfortable with, temperament, and dietary requirements to just to name a few. In our case we didn’t want a large animal, but something large enough to produce adequate dairy for a family of our size and to eventually satisfy our meat requirements.

Also, some cows produce more cream than others, which is another consideration based on your dairy requirements. Lastly, and most importantly, we wanted a breed that would thrive on forage alone without the need of grain supplementation. Grass (forage) only diets are extremely important as it produces the healthiest dairy

and meat products. Sure, the animals may grow a little slower and produce less milk, but the health benefits would far outweigh the production loss.

The qualities we were looking for quickly began to narrow down the list. We wanted a cow that produces high cream content milk and could do this on forage alone. Temperament was also important since we have five children. Also, to be truly self-sufficient it would eventually require we have a bull, so the temperament of a breed’s bull was of high interest. Herein lies the problem– the one breed who seemed to fit our requirements the best was the Jersey, yet Jersey bulls have one of the worst known temperaments of all breeds. We put the Jersey on the back burner and continued our search. Through some friends we met in our area we came across a breed we were not familiar with

known as the American Milking Devon. For the most part, Devons were highly used in early colonial days when they were first brought over in the 17th century from Britain. The Devon is a multipurpose breed that is good for meat, dairy production, and drafting because of their extremely calm temperament. In fact, Devon bulls were known to be of the gentlest bulls assuming they were treated well by the owner.

The more we researched, the more we realized this was the breed for us. Devons were often called the “goat of cows” in that they have the ability to thrive on poor forage. Considering we live in a highly sandy region of Florida, the ability to thrive on poor for-

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

age was key until we are able to build up the fertility of our soil.

The only problem is the American Milking Devon is a very rare breed nowadays and was replaced by the Jersey and Holstein as milk production requirements increased. To complicate the issue further, even though we eventually located several Devon breeders, most were using them as show cattle or heritage preservation and none as actual milking cows. This means that it is possible the first generation of cows may yield us poor dairy production until we were able to breed them with a Bull from proven milking lines to pass on to their offspring. Due to our immediate requirements, we decided on two breeds. We

located a pair of bred Jersey heifers and also found four Milking Devons. I know, in the beginning

Continued on page 32

5

The Valley, October 2011

Looking out my Back Door Life on my Mifflin County Homestead

by Mary Anna Chenoweth

Growing the Good Grains: Bringing in the Sheaves PART TWO

“Of course, you’re not going to save the world with your small field of grain. But choose your seed carefully, as the farmer with a reverence for nature has done since he first tilled the soil, sow, cultivate, harvest it well - and your bread will be wholesome and good, the feed for your animals nutritious, your farm a small but indisputable proof of better things to come.”

Richard W. Langer from his book “Grow It”

From the first freeze to the spring thaws, your wheat patch has probably been looking a bit ragged; all wilted and matted down. Don’t be surprised, though, if some of it has stayed green,

especially if the snow cover was good all winter. Over - wintering grains are pretty tough. Once the earth takes a serious turn towards the sun, however, the wheat will perk up and turn into a patch of lush grass.

When it’s in this grassy stage, in the fall as well as the spring,

some folks use their wheat patch as grazing for their livestock.

Wheat grass is quite nutritious and all farm type animals seem to enjoy it.

This bit of agricultural multitasking will depend on where the wheat is growing and what type of livestock you have. When our wheat grows in the garden, nobody gets any. Short of building a stone wall ten feet high, my chickens and goats are going to find a way out of any fence in

order to pillage all the other good Your wheat crop is on its way! things in the garden. When we

Now go out into your wheat plant in a field setting, however, patch, get up close and personal, even the horses get to nibble. and you will see that the attention However, cows and horses tend to paid to the soil and planting last leave large deposits that should be fall was well worth the effort. By removed (although you can foltending to the balanced fertility of low them with chickens that do a the soil and leaving a bit of space cracker jack job at scattering piles around the seed you have encourof manure). They also tend to aged the wheat to tiller, or throw leave potholes on soft soil, espeContinued on page 19 cially in the spring, so graze them judiciously. You’d best keep out your swine, as well, since they are natural rototillers.

If you choose to graze your wheat, hold off until the plants are well rooted in the fall and actively growing in the spring. Most importantly, avoid overgrazing. Think of it as a treat, not the main course, and keep snack time short. On our farm, that translates to a few mouthfuls for the horses on their way to pasture, maybe ten minutes a day for the goats and a whole day, once in a while, for the chickens. You want those plants to keep their strength and growth for other purposes. The lengthening days and warming temperatures of spring will encourage the wheat to send up stalks, or stool in farm language, and the moment you see those stalks starting to show among the grass get the Winnowing wheat with a fan. critters out and keep them out.

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

The Valley, October 2011

6

Thots on...Genesis

A Bible Study for the Lay Christian

by Lydia

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

Genesis 6.9, 7.1

Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God….

Then the LORD said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation.”

By the time the Lord directed Noah to build the ark, the ritual of animal sacrifice as an atonement for sin had been well-established.

For that reason, God instructed Noah to take not one, but seven pairs of ritually clean animals with him into the ark to provide beasts for sacrifice after the flood.

[Genesis 7.2]

Additional animals for food were not necessary for up to this time, both men and animals ate only plants. [Genesis 1.29-30] Because all animals were herbivores, there were no predators or prey, so life aboard the ark would not have been quite as tumultuous as we might imagine.

God confided his plans to Noah and gave him very specific instructions for building a large boat, and “Noah did all that

the LORD commanded him.”

[Genesis 7.5] Remember that rain had not yet fallen on the earth, for “streams [or mist] came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground”. [Genesis 2.6, 10] Noah must have looked quite ridiculous building a ship so far from water! Are we willing to look like a fool for God? Do we follow the Lord’s instructions even though, with our limited understanding, we cannot see His purpose?

When the ark was finished, Noah went aboard with his wife, his sons and his sons’ wives, and all the animals which God had commanded him to take along.

I’m sure you’ve seen little animated cartoons of Noah scurrying around, trying to round up pairs of animals to load onto the ark and somehow missing the unicorns, but notice that the Biblical account is quite different. “Pairs of all creatures that have the breath of live in them came to Noah and entered the ark.” [Genesis 7.8-9 & 15] God chose the animals that would repopulate their species in the postdiluvian world and sent them to Noah.

“…and the LORD closed the door on him.” [Genesis 7.16 NEB] Why do you think the LORD himself closed the door?

Perhaps it was not only to safeguard Noah and his family, but also to prevent wicked men from gaining access to the ark.

“…on that day all the springs

of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. And rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights.”

[Genesis 7.11b-12] A glance at the concordance tells us that the word used for “rain” in this verse means “downpour”. Not only did the first rain fall, but it came down in buckets while, at the same time, the ground waters rose to flood the earth. By the time the floodwaters crested, the highest mountains were covered to a depth of over 20 feet. [Genesis 7.20] Nothing survived the great flood, save those the LORD had shut away in the ark.

Forty is a notable number in the Bible. Besides raining 40 days and 40 nights during the great flood, we find the following:

Moses spent 40 years in the wilderness before God called upon him to lead Israel out of slavery. [Acts 7.30]

Both times when Moses went up into the presence of the Lord on Mount Sinai to receive the tablets of the law, he fasted 40 days and 40 nights. [Exodus 24.18 & 34.28]

When the Israelites sent spies into Canaan, their spies remained there 40 days. [Numbers 13.25]

When the Israelites refused to enter the promised land, they were condemned to wander in the wilderness for 40 years. [Exodus 16.35; Numbers 14.34]

On account of their sins, Israel was given into the hands

God’s Presence

by Pastor Pat Roller

September is well under way and the weather has turned cooler.

We are waiting anxiously for the turning of the leaves to the beautiful colors of fall. The children are back in school and life is back into some sort of normal rhythm.

And, we have not yet reached the craziness of the holidays.

Now we have time and energy to look at God’s presence with us. God has promised to be with us “even unto the end of the earth.” (Matthew 28:20)

Winter is coming! Difficult

times know no boundaries of time or person. So, we often find ourselves wondering just where is God in the midst of our lives.

One of the best examples of God’s presence is the travels of the people of Israel from Egypt through the wilderness for 40 years and into the Promised Land. (see Exodus16-17) But, even with the evidence of God’s presence and provision at the Red Sea and with the Egyptian army and even with the pillar of fire by night and cloud by the day, the people

of Israel found themselves in the wilderness complaining. They complained to Moses and Aaron about being in the wilderness without food or water. Moses and Aaron both knew that the people were really complaining against God and God’s provision for them. “Why didn’t you just leave us in slavery in Egypt. At least we had food and water and housing. You and God have brought us out here to die in the desert.” (my paraphrase of Exodus 16 and 17)

Rev. Dr. Henry G. Covert

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

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

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

He has a doctorate from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and has authored six books.

• Ministry to the Incarcerated (ISBN 0-8294-0860-6) Inter national market -paperback • Discovering the Parables: An Inspirational Guide for Every day Life (ISBN 978-0-313-34962-1) International market – hard cover & e-book • Spiritual Reflections: A Journey Through the Scriptures (ISBN 978-0-313-35901-9) International market - hardcover & e-book • Christian Beliefs and Prayers (ISBN 978-0-692-01101-0) International market – paperback, e-book & Amazon Kindle • The Crucifixion of Jesus (ISBN 978-0-9833359-0-0) Inter- national market – paperback, e-book & Amazon Kindle • The True Church of Jesus Christ (ISBN 978-0-9833359-4 8) International market –Paperback, e-book & Amazon Kindle Lowest Prices: bookfinder.com, bookfinder4U.com, alldiscountbooks.net, cheapbooks.com

of the Philistines for 40 years.

[Judges 13.1]

Goliath taunted Israel for 40 days. [1 Samuel 17.16]

Elijah traveled 40 days and 40 nights to reach Mt. Horeb, the mountain of God. [1 Kings 19.8]

The Lord decreed that the cities of Egypt would be desolate for 40 years as punishment for their lack of support for Israel. [Ezekiel 29.12]

God gave the people of Nineveh 40 days to repent of their

sins and avoid destruction. [Jonah 3.4]

Jesus fasted 40 days and 40 nights before being tempted by the devil. [Matthew 4.2]

After his resurrection, Jesus appeared to men for 40 days.

[Acts 1.3]

Forty days or forty years is variously a period of judgment, cleansing or preparation. Rain fell for forty days and forty nights

It is very easy to complain and doubt and cry out when we are in crisis and when life is uncertain. Even with the very physical presence of God surrounding them, the people of Israel still doubted His provision and protection. Even then God heard them and provided manna, quail and water—even when they doubted and complained and whined.

Even when God was frustrated and fed up with their complaints, He provided sustenance and help.

Of course, we would never act that way. We would never complain about God’s presence.

WE would never doubt that God was surrounding us in his loving arms. We can always see God’s presence with us, right? Wrong!

We assume that if we sail through life with ease, it is a sign that God is present with us. We assume those that have jobs, seem to have no problems, or have a great family life do so because God is always present with them. Often we assume that when a tragedy happens, God was looking the other way. Often we assume that those people who have lost their jobs, find providing for their families difficult or have shaky family lives are living without God’s presence or provision. When we find ourselves in the middle of the desert with nothing but rocks, sand, and heat, we assume there has been some major mistake.

The good news is that hard

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

Continued on page 22

Continued on page 36

7

The Valley, October 2011

Adventures on Our Nourishing Journey

by Sue Burns

Break Out of Your Shell— Get “Egg”-cited about eggs again!

Shifts of attitude, awareness and belief take time; especially when it involves the confusing world of food and nutrition. I know this first hand because I continually witness what I believe to be a strong and prevailing dietary myth. Frequently, I hear it surfacing at breakfast, but occasionally it finds its way into dinner conversation and every once and a while it rears its wellmeaning but misunderstood head during dessert. To what am I referring? It is none other than egg phobia.

The belief that eggs are dietary villains is an outdated and lingering misconception held over from inaccurate and misinterpreted research that is decades old.

Evidence clearly shows that eggs are one of the healthiest foods Mother Nature produces. I invite and encourage you to break out of your shell and rediscover that eggs are all they are cracked up to be, and more!

Which came first the cholesterol or the fear?

For the past 40 years, egg consumption has decreased due to concerns about a waxy lipid called cholesterol.

It is true than fats from animal sources contain cholesterol, the most abundant steroid in all animal tissue including you and me. We all know that cholesterol has become the buzz word associated with heart disease but it is important that you also know and understand that cholesterol is not necessarily something that will harm you.

In fact, according to Ron Rosedale MD, cholesterol has been with us since the beginning of life. It is in every cell of our body. That is right, every cell.

He states, “First and foremost, cholesterol is a vital component of every cell membrane on Earth.” In other words, there is no life on Earth that can live without cholesterol. Doesn’t that assure us that, in and of itself,

teries. Dr. Benditt found that excess cholesterol only becomes an increased concern after 90 percent of the arterial damage has already been done!

In actuality, the cholesterol moves in to coat and protect the inflammation and damage that is on The myths have been dispelled, you can now the artery walls. enjoy eggs for breakfast without guilt.

How did this cholesterol cannot be totally evil? damage occur? I Our very life is dependant on it. propose we look at the risk facAll forms of natural cholesterol tors of cigarette smoking, lack of that our body produces are good exercise, obesity, excess stress and and necessary.

Cholesterol is critical for the normal functioning of the brain and nervous system in addition to providing the body with building blocks needed to manufacture hormones, cell membranes and vitamin D. Something this good however can become bad under certain circumstances.

Dr. Earl Benditt of the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle conducted studies which illustrated that cholesterol deposits on artery walls were the END result of the cellular deterioration of the artery wall not the CAUSE of it. In other words, cholesterol does not stick to healthy ar-

a lack of proper nutrients. Or do we cast the spotlight on the lowly and innocent scapegoat, the egg?

How Did This Myth Begin?

Let’s look at an eye opening account from Sandra Thorton, an active woman in her mid fifties whose life came to a crashing halt several years ago due to heart disease. Sandra’s journey has been long and difficult. Emerging into her recovery phase has prompted her to do massive research which she shares on her web site www. smarthealthliving.com and in her Blog, Heart Beats On. Note: She has not posted on her Blog for several years but what is there is very interesting.

Sandra agrees with the research published in the Inter-

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

national Journal of Cardiology showing that eating eggs every day does not produce a negative effect on the lining of the heart arteries, nor does it increase cholesterol levels.

Here is what she has to say on her web site about how all this Egg-aggeration and fear around cholesterol originated…

This issue can be traced back to the 1950s and a researcher named Ancel Keys whose “Seven Countries Study” became the basis for his contention that cardiovascular disease was largely the result of high serum cholesterol levels brought on by a diet high in saturated fat.

However, Ancel Keys and his “lipid hypothesis” is a perfect example of strong bias affecting research results. Keys was, in fact, determined to “prove” his lipid hypothesis by pretty much any means, even if that included selecting only data that supported it.

Ancel Keys had put forth that a high fat diet, particularly a diet high in saturated fat, was a major contributor to high cholesterol which in turn leads to heart disease in the form of arteriosclerosis (arterial plaque build-up).

Subsequent and independent analysis of the data that were available to Keys shows that he “cherry picked” only those countries with numbers that supported his hypothesis and omitted a significant amount of data that showed there was actually no correlation between dietary fat, cholesterol, and arteriosclerosis.

But this information has been largely ignored.

Part of this can be explained by powerful industry groups with a vested interest in having his theory accepted as fact. Part of it can also be attributed to Keys’ strong and persuasive personality.

The upshot is that today, over 50 years later, a lipid hypothesis based on faulty data is accepted as true by governments, health organizations, the media, and industry, and we, the general population are left eating a rec-

Continued on page 11

8

The Valley, October 2011

Julie Mac’s

Wisdom from the Kitchen, Home, and Garden Julie MacConnell

It’s Apple Time

So, it’s October. Already. It does seem like time is rapidly flying by these days. Harvest time goes by in a flash with all of our traditional activities. Apple picking is one of my favorites. There are several apple orchards off Cape, and from what I have been hearing, it is a banner year. I plan to go up soon and pick several sacks myself. There are so many yummy apple recipes to can that one doesn’t know which one to do first! Applesauce of course, jams, jellies, apple pie filling, chutneys, butters….well, one could get carried away—and I plan on doing just that!

Apples tie in nicely with the Halloween season also. Caramel apples on a stick and bobbing for apples are traditional favorites for this spooky, fun time of year.

Baked apples for dessert are also a simple way to celebrate the season, as are crisps and cobblers.

Apple chips dried in the dehydrator, sprinkled with cinnamon and

sugar are a favorite snack in this household. I don’t even bother storing them as they disappear too quickly. You can decorate fall wreaths with dried apple slices or use a simple bowl filled with different varieties for a centerpiece on your table.

I’m going to give you some of the apple recipes I have used in the past and hope that you enjoy.

The great thing about apples is that their acid content is such that you can use a water bath canner for your canning projects.

The first recipe is simple applesauce.

Makes about 8 (16 oz) pints Kids of all ages will love this delicious homemade applesauce for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Mix sweet and tart apples for a unique flavor.

You will need: 12 lbs apples, peeled, cored, quartered, treated to prevent browning* and drained (about 36 medium)

Water 3 cups granulated sugar, optional 4 Tbsp lemon juice 8 (16 oz) pint glass preserving jars with lids and bands

Photo courtesy New York Apple Association

Directions: 1) PREPARE boiling water canner. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Set bands aside.

2) COMBINE apples with just enough water to prevent sticking in a large stainless steel saucepan.

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 20 minutes, until apples are tender (time will depend upon the variety of apple and their maturity).

Remove from heat and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes.

3) TRANSFER apples, working in batches, to a food mill or a food processor fitted with a metal blade and purée until smooth.

4) RETURN apple purée to saucepan. Add sugar, if using, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.

Maintain a gentle boil over low heat while filling jars.

5) LADLE hot applesauce into hot jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace.

Remove air bubbles. Wipe rim.

Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.

6) PROCESS jars in a boiling water canner for 20 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

One of my family’s favorite desserts this time of year is apple pie, but let’s face it, it takes some time to make. Wouldn’t it be easier to make the filling ahead of time? Yes, you could buy the stuff in the can from the store, but to me, it tastes like tin. You just know when you bite into someone’s pie that they used canned pie filling. This version from Ball tastes so much better!

Makes about 7 (16 oz) pints

In addition to the classic pie, this apple pie filling allows you to quickly make luscious desserts such as apple turnovers, apple crisp or apple dumplings.

You will need:

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

12 cups sliced peeled cored apples, treated to prevent browning* and drained (about 12 medium) Water 2-3/4 cups granulated sugar 3/4 cup ClearJel® (cooking starch used for preserving) 1-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg 2-1/2 cups unsweetened apple juice 1-1/4 cups cold water 1/2 cup lemon juice 7 (16 oz) pint glass preserving jars with lids and bands Directions: 1) PREPARE boiling water canner. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Set bands aside.

2) BLANCH apple slices, working with 6 cups at a time, in a large pot of boiling water for 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm in a covered bowl.

3) COMBINE sugar, ClearJel®, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large stainless steel saucepan. Stir in apple juice and cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, and cook until mixture thickens and begins to bubble. Add lemon juice, return to a boil and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Drain apple slices and immediately fold into hot mixture.

Before processing, heat, stirring, until apples are heated through.

4) LADLE hot pie filling into hot jars leaving 1 inch headspace.

Remove air bubbles. Wipe rim.

Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.

5) PROCESS jars in a boiling water canner for 25 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars

Continued on page 14

9

The Valley, October 2011

Homeschooling on the homestead with andy weller

Giving Back

You hear about it in the news, you watch commercials about it on TV, but is it a part of your life?

As you drive to work you see billboards extolling its virtues. Close to the holidays it becomes a buzz, food kitchens cook turkey dinners, charities ask for it, and presidents wives try to get you to sign up for the ones they endorse. What am I talking about? This nut is making no sense you say, he just keeps talking about IT and describing IT.

I’m talking about service opportunities. Thanksgiving is fast approaching a time when people think that if they donate time for one day it will make up for the other three hundred and sixty four days of the year. It’s the day they go buy a turkey or a ham from the closest “Baked with Honey” place and it will be waiting for them when they get home. The morning of Thanksgiving Day they will wake up early, load the kids in the car and head to the nearest homeless shelter where they will fix plates for those less fortunate.

They will spend a few hours, the kids will help, but they’ll get bored after a while. When they get home it will be life as normal...busy routines of work and school, ball practice, gym, and/or music classes. When is the time other than a holiday that people have to give back a little?

Think about it, our daily rut is about our family, friends, our jobs and ourselves. It’s easy to forget about how to give to others, and it’s hard to find the time to give back to others. Yet showing your kids how to give to others regularly is extremely important.

I’m not talking about monetary giving, and I’m not talking about taking the occasional box to the local free clothing shed. I’m talking about spending the time and authentically giving to the community in some way on a regular basis. We all need a strategy that will allow our kids to grow up

seeing their parents think not of themselves, but of others. As I was thinking about this article I see that it’s convicting, especially when I asked myself: Does my son see me giving my time and effort to those around me? Did I give back to the community and to people enough while my daughter was growing up?

One way to show your kids service on a regular basis is to be involved in your local church.

My family is, and my son sees me and my wife serving in a lot of different ways. My daughter is 22 and in college; she’s leading the children’s ministry at church. My wife is always there and willing to help. If the church needs the coffee serving tools cleaned up, she’s there, after a pot luck she’s there helping. My son sees all of this.

He even gets drafted into helping many times.

One of the things happening right now is that I am leading a men’s ministry. We are cleaning up a property that we use to do a monthly outreach. So every Wednesday I stop by home after work, pick my son up and he goes and helps clean up brush and weeds. We work together and there are a couple of other kids his age, so he has a good time. Yet he understands we’re not working simply to have a good time, we’re giving our time to the church and by extension, back to the community.

Our family has chosen to give our time to the local church— I don’t think I’ve made any bones about the fact that we are Christian and Jesus Christ is at the center of our lives. That being said, you can do the same thing at virtually any charity in the nation; they love volunteers both young and old. It’s imperative your kids see you giving time, it lets them see that they are not the center of the world and helps them be thankful for what they have.

OCTOBER

SAVINGS New Item 15% OFF BPB50

287

New Item 10% OFF 60089S

583

60090S

764

Blaster All-Purpose Lubricant

QuickSpair Emergency Flat Tire Repair 16oz

QuickSpair Emergency Flat Tire Repair 20oz

reg $3.19

reg $6.48

reg $8.49

40% OFF

New Items 10% OFF

GL950

.59

Kodak MAX Batteries

Brown Jersey Gloves reg $.99

21% OFF

30% OFF

116363

265

T1012

468

Ramik Green Mice & Rat Bait 1lb

Tarp 10’x12’ Blue

reg $3.35

reg $6.69

35% OFF

14% OFF 18275

259

M60035

799

DAP Dynaflex 230 White Caulk 10oz

Gorilla Tape 2” x 35yds

reg $3.99

reg $9.25

Continued on page 36

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

717.935.2131 4951 E. Main St, Belleville PA More savings at www.PaulBhardware.com/bville

The Valley, October 2011

10

The Horse Scoop

by Julie Shultz Smith and Traci Hanna Yoder

Oldies but Goodies

In the horse world Oldies but Goodies, can be both priceless and costly.

When is a horse considered to be old? While we typically think of an older horse as one that is in its teens, genetics as well as how a horse is cared for during its life will determine when a mature horse becomes an “old” horse.

The average life expectancy of a horse in the United States is 20-25 years of age. However, with proper care many horses are starting to live well beyond their midtwenties and into their thirties.

The best way to care for aging horses is to consider their special needs prior to any decline in condition or health. When we have a horse approaching “old age” or are considering buying an older horse, we need to take into consideration what special needs those horses might have. The main factors that can help increase the longevity of your horse are nutrition, proper vet and heath care including dental, and overall management of the horse. Aging is generally a gradual process and doesn’t happen overnight. Although, the onset of “old age” can greatly vary from horse to horse, and it sometimes seems that we have suddenly ended up with an old horse with issues. This month we have some recommendations of what you can do to maintain these older horses, including types of feed and possible alternatives to caring for your aging horse.

Though some senior horses have a problem with being overweight, it is much more common to see older horses that have

become too thin. If your senior horse is too fat, you will need to minimize grain intake to help control calories, and still ensure that proper protein, along with correct vitamin and mineral balance, is being maintained. Products such as Purina Wellsolve W/C (Weight Control) or Enrich 32 are highly recommended for these horses.

As horses age they generally lose not only weight but muscle mass. Older horses do not absorb nutrients as easily as younger horses and may be experiencing problems with chewing and digesting. Feeding a Complete Pellet or Extruded Nuggets will ensure that the horse gets all the much needed nutrition to get the most out of their feed. Purina Mills was the first feed company to develop a feed for older horses, which was Equine Senior. Feeds like Purina Equine Senior that are processed and are easy to chew will help with poor teeth and dental issues. Poor teeth contribute to the horse not wanting or being able to eat enough feed, as well as lack of saliva to help in proper digestion. If you notice your horse dropping feed or hay out of its mouth, it’s time for a dental check up. With the unique “Easy Soak™ Pellet Technology” of Purina Equine Senior, water can also be added to it to make a mash that will be even more edible and palatable for the horse with poor dental condition.

Older horses tend to be more prone to gas production and impactions, which can lead to colic symptoms. Feeding smaller meals more frequently, the horse can

Edge feed coming in October for your active older horses. Equine Senior will still be the top of the line in the Purina Senior feeds but Horsemans Edge Senior is a more more easily digest and process its economically priced, lower calofeed. By reducing starch or grain rie alternative complete pellet. Equine Senior Active Healthy Edge will be a high fat and high fiber pellet to be fed with hay.

Inadequate diet can often be blamed for problems with hair, skin, and hooves in horses of any age, as well as parasite infestation.

A proper deworming and parasite control program is a must in horse care.

It is highly recommended to de-worm your senOlder horses can flourish with good nutrition, vet and heath care, and overall proper manage- ior horse ment of the horse. Ty at age 29. every three Photo courtesy Traci Hanna Yoder months. For

in the horses diet you can help prevent excessive gas and constipation. Increasing the fiber source from quality hay, hay stretcher, cube, or even by a complete feed, can help in the digestive process of an older horse.

Purina has recently developed two other options to their number #1 senior horse feed. Horsemans Phone (717) 667-6556 Edge Senior is 141 Three Cent Lane Toll Free (888) 567-6556 Reedsville, PA 17084 a new complete pellet, currently available at East Gate & Grain and E&L Supplies. Look for More than just a feed store the new Purina Equine Senior Active Healthy

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

best results you could have your veterinarian perform a fecal exam to determine what parasites your horse may have. Parasites can contribute to poor haircoat in horses, however, in older horses it can sometimes be due to Cushing’s disease. This is caused by a tumor in the pituitary gland.

Symptoms of Cushing’s disease include long haircoats that do not shed properly, loss in muscle mass and excessive water intake.

It is best to consult a veterinarian if you think your horse may have Cushing’s. Horses with Cushing’s disease require diets that are lower in starch and higher in fat and fiber. Purina’s recent research developed a product called Wellsolve L/S (Low Starch) for horses with this type of condition.

With proper veterinary care and nutritional management, these horses can live for years without any major problems.

Even as our horses age we need to realize how important exercise and turnout is for the horse’s well being. Regular exercise and turnout is important for an older horse so muscles and joints don’t start stiffening up. A veterinarian (or possibly your feed store girl) may suggest supplements such as glucosamine, chondroitin, hyaluronic acid or yucca.

Supplements have no regulations, therefore it is often hard to determine which product is best for the aging horse.

Aging horses also may begin to experience some respiratory problems including heaves or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). These horses will start to develop a chronic dry cough. Many horses that develop these problems do well on constant turnout in a grassy pasture

Continued on page 36

THE STEWARDSHIP GROUP PROVIDING SOLUTIONS FOR

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

935-5858

www.TheStewardshipGroup.org

11

The Valley, October 2011 Eggs from page 7 ommended diet that just might be causing more harm than good.

You may be thinking, as we were, that this situation is too strange to be true... that true science would rule the day and show the errors in the original and accepted hypothesis.

That, of course, is what should have happened. But politics and big business have had starring roles in this real life drama.

As revealed in Gary Taubes fascinating, and meticulously researched book, “Good Calories, Bad Calories: Fats, Carbs, and the Controversial Science of Diet and Health”, when the government made it official policy to tell Americans what they should and should not be eating through Senator George McGovern’s 1977 Dietary Goals for the United States, we were being led by biased research, bad science, naive and biased writers, and the powerful influence of various factions of the food industry.

Biased research

As mentioned previously, Ancel Keys’ data were inconclusive as to the true impact of fat and cholesterol.

That didn’t stop Keys from using only data from seven countries that supported his lipid hypothesis. When subsequent researchers reviewed the entire data that were available to Keys, they were astonished to learn that there was no correlation in the data to support Keys hypothesis.

Indeed when analyzing data from all countries from which data were available (data that Keys had access to) there was no correlation in the data.

In spite of this, that initial report has been used over and over to prove that fat, particularly saturated fat, is a major contributing factor in arteriosclerosis, and that a low fat diet is important to control cholesterol and prevent heart disease.

Taubes goes into great detail in his book about the studies, the personalities involved, about the relationships between individuals as well as their association with industry groups.

He shows very clearly the impact that certain individuals with clear biases had on crafting official government dietary policy... the policy that became the backbone of the food pyramid as well as the diets expounded by the American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association, National Institute for Health (NIH) and many others.

If you’re not inclined to read

Taubes’ entire book, although I highly recommend it, he wrote an article that appeared in the New York Times in 2002 that outlines many of his ideas that became “Good Calories, Bad Calories”.

The article, entitled “What if It’s All Been a Big Fat Lie?” is a great place to start in educating yourself about this entire controversy.

As we now know, the nutrition community of that time fully accepted Keys’ hypothesis and thus encouraged everyone to eliminate butter, red meat, eggs, and dairy from their diet. As you can imagine this was a radical change . A change that we are all still paying for today with our health.

Crack Open Some Goodness

Just in case you have forgotten, here are some healthy reasons you may want to consider reconnecting with eggs.

Eggs for eyes. An egg a day may prevent macular degeneration and the risk of developing cataracts due to the carotenoid content, specifically lutein and zeaxanthin. Both nutrients are more readily available to our bodies from eggs than from other sources.

Eggs for a high quality, low cost protein. One egg contains 6 grams of high-quality protein and all 9 essential amino acids.

Eggs for blood clot, stroke and heart attack prevention. Shocking news I know, but it is supported by the Harvard School of Public Health.

Eggs for the brain- One egg yoke has about 300 micrograms of choline, an important nutrient that helps regulate the brain, nervous system, and cardiovascular system.

Eggs for Vitamin D. Eggs are one of the only foods that naturally contain vitamin D. Eggs for Breast Cancer Prevention. A study showed that women who consumed at least 6 eggs per week lowered their risk of breast cancer by 44%. Wow!!

Eggs for healthy hair and nails.

Eggs have a high sulphur content and a large amount of vitamins and minerals.

Buyer Beware- All Eggs are not Created Equally

It is worth the effort to find higher-quality, free-range, organic eggs. They are relatively inexpensive for the incredible source of nutrients in which so many of us are deficient, especially protein and healthy fat.

Pastured eggs, which are eggs from chickens that are free to forage for grass and insects, are of much higher nutritional quality than eggs from confine-

ment chickens. Insects provide a higher essential fatty acid content, found exclusive in the yolk, and grass provides a higher vitamin E and carotene content, also found exclusively in the yolk. Egg yolks from pastured chickens are thus a powerful supplement to a healthy diet — a super-food — providing necessary nutrients in which the Standard American Diet is deficient.

According to Mother Earth News, compared to USDA nutrient data for commercial eggs, eggs from hens raised on pasture may contain: • 1/3 less cholesterol • 1/4 less saturated fat • 2/3 more vitamin A • 2 times more omega-3 fatty acids • 3 times more vitamin E • 7 times more beta carotene

Needless to say, I recommend getting your eggs from the farmer directly if at all possible so you can be sure of the quality. Not only for the nutrient quality but for the avoidance of the cleaning step that commercial eggs undergo. Did you know that, like your skin, eggshells are actually a porous membrane rather than an impermeable barrier? The outer surface is covered with a waxy substance, (called the bloom on a chicken egg), that seals the egg and helps prevent bacteria from entering. Commercial processing destroys this protective barrier because the eggs are washed in a variety of substances that may include chlorine, sodium hydroxide, which is lye, and hydrogen peroxide. Once the eggs are washed they may be coated with mineral oil which is similar to adding preservatives to the egg because, just like your skin, what you put on your egg shell goes into your egg. If you get your farm fresh eggs home and they look like they need a bath, a quick rinse in vinegar will do them just fine as will a dry brushing. That is all they need. Not finding farm eggs? Organic eggs from the grocery store becomes your next best option. Organic eggs are also far less likely to be contaminated with salmonella. For those brave hearts, these eggs are best consumed raw in a smoothie. Eggnog anyone?

To find a source of eggs from chickens raised on pasture, check out our local health food stores, local farmers, or you can visit LocalHarvest.org and do a search for “eggs pastured” or “eggs grass fed” with your zip code. You can also visit EatWild.com and click on your state for a list of farms that pasture their animals. Keep

in mind that the USDA defines “free range” as chickens that have access to the outside. That may mean a cement slab. It does not define their diets.

Additionally, you may be able to find roadside stands in your area that sell eggs from pastured chickens. Be sure to inquire about the farming practices, to make sure that the chickens are able to forage for both grass and insects.

Proper Storage

Contrary to popular opinion here in the United States, eggs are best stored at room temperature instead of the refrigerator as this will help protect the nutrients.

Eggs are usually stored at room temperature in Europe and South America. Use common sense by consuming very fresh eggs within a short amount of time.

Cooking

High heat cooking damages

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

the valuable nutrients that are found primarily in the egg yolk.

Heating the egg protein also changes its chemical shape which can sometimes lead to allergies.

Thus to get the maximum benefit serve your eggs soft boiled, poached , or sunny side up.

Also, when the egg is overcooked such as when it is scrambled or fried until the yolk is very hard, the cholesterol in it becomes oxidized, or rancid. Oxidized cholesterol can increase levels of inflammation leading to numerous health problems. Bruce Fife, Naturopathic physician explains that we must be wary of oxidized cholesterol for it is this damaged form of cholesterol from processed foods that is mostly found collecting in arterial plaque.

Foods most likely to contain oxidized cholesterol are animal

Continued on page 19

CALL THE “FARM LADY”

She’s outstanding in her field.

“I grew up on a farm and

• GENTLEMAN FARM married a farmer. As the wife of a farmer, I understand the importance • HORSE FARM of proper coverage for the protection and • POULTRY FARM security of your family.”

— Elaine Auker • HOG FARM • TENANT FARM “Elaine is an excellent agent. She goes out of her way to make sure • ORCHARDS we get the best.”

— Cathy & Scott Brady, Port Royal

800-242-4050 Mifflintown

436-7555

www.sausman.com

The Valley, October 2011

12

Roads Less Traveled...

by Lynn Persing

Water Woes

I didn’t have any trouble deciding what to write about this month. Tropical Depression Lee caused a tremendous amount of hardship on many families throughout northeast and south central Pennsylvania. In fact, my hometown of Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania encountered severe flooding (worse than Agnes in 1972), and this is where my parents, my grandmother, and many other of my relatives and friends live.

As we headed off for vacation in New Hampshire at the beginning of September, I was keeping a close eye on “Lee” as it threatened to drop ten inches of rain on Central PA. I live in a flood plain along Kish Creek, so this was of particular concern to me. Ten inches of rain in just a few days would be devastating and we had made no preparations for the basement to be filled with several feet of water. We had lots

of “stuff” down there, not the least of which was many years worth of canned food. I also worried that the creek would overflow its banks, which would wash out the shed and maybe even enter the first floor of our home. As a result, I spent most of my vacation closely monitoring radar maps and the Kish Creek water level (using a handy little tool from the USGS, which can be found by visiting: http://waterdata.usgs. gov/usa/nwis/uv?01565000). On Tuesday evening, I realized that the storm had moved slightly east, but it wasn’t until after I talked to my Mother on Wednesday that I realized what was my fortune was now Bloomsburg’s misfortune. My parents were ok during Agnes in 1972 (just a few streams of water in their basement), and although they could ride boats around the house, water did not really get into the house. Armed with this information, I felt ok that they would probably be spared from much damage. However, their neighbors, whose homes

were closer to the pond that overflows when the creeks back up, were at high risk of flooding.

And, my grandmother’s home, which suffered considerable damage to the basement and first floor in June 2006, was once again in the bulls-eye. She lives along Fishing Creek with another creek running behind the house. There is no escaping the water.

We drove home from NH on Thursday and had an uneventful trip until we reached Bloomsburg.

That’s when we began to realize the full impact of the flood damage—and they were still a day or two away from crest stage at that point. We spent 3+ hours trying to find a passable road to get around the Bloomsburg area. All roads to the south, east, and west were closed due to flooding creeks and streams. Even the interstates where closed (I-80 and I-81). We finally made it over a mountain road, however, just barely. We took several roads which were just a few inches from being flooded—the water was lapping at the

bottoms of the bridges.

Safely at home many hours later, I began to worry even more about my family in Bloomsburg.

I began checking online to monitor the level of the Susquehanna River. Authorities asked residents on my parents street to evacuate their homes, but my parents decided to stay since they were expecting the river to crest just below what it had during Agnes in 1972. My grandmother was now staying with my parents as well. They were in for quite a surprise as the water level reached a couple feet in the basement and kept rising. Uh oh...this wasn’t supposed to happen. They waited nervously, as each time they looked downstairs it had climbed another step higher on the basement steps.

Apparently the ground was so saturated that water started “pouring” into an old sewer line that

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

had been capped after some remodeling was done in the 1980s.

The cap blew out from the pressure of the water and water began filling the basement faster than the water could be pumped out. My parents, not expecting this much water, had not made adequate preparations to get things off the floor. My father was scrambling to remove the motor and controller from the oil furnace and to get a few valuables to higher ground. He also had to tend to his garages where stuff lined the garage floors. My mother, who had hip replacement surgery a few months prior and whose other hip is now ready for replacement, was not able to help much since she couldn’t go up and down the cellar stairs very quickly. The water was surrounding them and a couple times my father was riding his boat around the front yard.

The neighbors, whose homes were on a bit lower ground, had water covering their main living area.

When the Susquehanna River finally crested, the water had reached about seven feet in my parent’s basement and the river had crested about two feet higher than it did during Hurricane Agnes in 1972.

Even after the water receded, not much cleanup could be done because during the flooding and

Continued on page 26

The Valley, October 2011

Understanding the Constitution

13

by David Molek

Defend The Plain Meaning

Do you agree with me that the federal government, which is supposed to have limited power, has involved itself in essentially every aspect of our society?

You’ve read my discussion of the Commerce Clause and how it has been expanded beyond belief.

The purpose of the Commerce Clause was to promote commerce with foreign nations and among the states. But over the years, our Supreme Court has adopted an expansive definition of commerce to justify virtually unfettered federal intrusion into the conduct of state and local governments. The courts also defend the establishment of massive bureaucracies and their imposition of seemingly endless regulations on citizens and private enterprise.

Many people believe that too many substantive policy outcomes are increasingly determined by federal judges. Our Supreme Court has helped Congress use the Commerce Clause and the “living Constitution” argument to accumulate power at the expense of state and local authority, in direct violation of our Constitution. The framers wanted increased trade between states and among our citizens. Courts have turned it into just the opposite—a vehicle to strengthen federal power, deny authority to the states and deny liberty to the American people.

The plain language of our Constitution should govern judges when rendering constitutional decisions. If the Founders were to view the federal government

of today, I believe they would be amazed and appalled. Activist judges have taken over school systems; created quotas; ordered local governments to raise property taxes; expelled God, prayer and the Ten Commandments from the public square; conferred due process rights on foreign enemy combatants; and intervened in the electoral process, to name just a few.

Judges who look to the text of our Constitution and the intent of the framers when deciding a constitutional question and believe they are bound by them are known as originalists. Some other judges, and too many in my mind, consider our Constitution a document of broad principles and concepts and substitute their own personal beliefs and policies for those enumerated in our Constitution. These judges are known as activists. They see their role limited only by the boundaries of their imagina-

tions. President Obama and his administration are activists in their constitutional views.

In essence, activists make, rather than interpret, the law.

They substitute their will for the judgment of deliberative or elected bodies. Obama’s regulatory regime is an excellent example of such substitution.

The judiciary should stay out of politics and policy matters. Judges should not legislate from the bench and rewrite our Constitution at will. In many ways, Supreme Court justices are more powerful than members of Congress and even the President.

America’s founding fathers had a clear and profound vision for what they wanted our federal government to be. One principle was to prevent the concentration of power in a handful of institutions and individuals. With respect to the federal judiciary, they wanted a central court system free from political pressures of the legislative and executive branches of government, with a narrow role and limited authority. They believed judges are supposed to look at the plain meaning of the

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

Constitution.

The reason for the original founding of these United States was to gain independence from an oppressive government that was neither selected by nor responsive to those under its authority.

Today, we face a similar situation in which the “consent of the governed” is frequently frustrated by special interest groups that seek to enact their policies through litigation and decisions of judges, rather than through the elected representatives of the people.

The purpose of the judiciary was straightforward: to decide cases and controversies and interpret, narrowly, our Constitution. My fear is that our founding principles are being subjugated to the will of a handful of government officials. That fear is, in my opinion, a growing reality.

Advocates of activists’ views on our Constitution urge invention of a host of new “rights”, thus guaranteeing what they call social or economic equality or justice. Sound familiar? If they keep going, I wonder whether the Constitution in 2020 will bear any resemblance to our Constitution of 1787. a

The Valley, October 2011

14 Apple Time from page 8 and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

If you don’t like the idea of making a pie filling in advance you could simply can the apples plain and make your dessert recipes from there. It is really easy.

Makes about 8 (16 oz) pints or 4 (32 oz) quarts You will need: 10-12 lbs apples, stemmed, peeled, cored and quartered, treated to prevent browning* and drained (about 30-36 medium) 1 batch hot light or medium syrup 8 (16 oz) pint or 4 (32 oz) quart glass preserving jars with lids and bands Directions: 1) PREPARE boiling water canner. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Set bands aside.

2) PREPARE syrup by combining 2-1/4 cups sugar and 5-1/4 cups water for light or 3-1/4 cups sugar and 5 cups water for medium in a stainless steel saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved.

Reduce heat to low and keep warm until needed, taking care not to boil down.

Life in the East End from page 35

different parts and uses of plants; Food Safety, which explains about the proper handling of food; The Poultry Station, which talks about the different types of poultry; Agronomy, which deals with types of insects, beneficial and not; and The Equine Station, which talks about the care and nutrition of horses. The second farm also had a Calf Raising Station, which showed how to take care of a calf, The Animal Housing Station, which talked about the types of buildings and bedding used for cows; Animal Nutrition, which explained the different feeds feed to cows and why; Animal Doctor, which featured a veterinarian that talked about the different ways

Breast Cancer Prevention from page 16 rates of breast cancer as well as prostrate, lung, and colon cancers.

I encourage you to do your own research on this very important topic. New information becomes available to us everyday.

In conclusion, this is a lot to consider. As women, we are most often the “care takers.” We are often so busy taking care of

3) COMBINE apples and syrup in a large stainless steel saucepan.

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and boil gently for 5 minutes, until heated through.

4) PACK hot apples into hot jars, using a slotted spoon, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Ladle hot syrup into jar to cover apples leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.

5) PROCESS jars in a boiling water canner for 20 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

For a special treat I make a delicious caramel apple jam. By itself it is great on toast-it’s almost like eating apple pie, but reheated and spread on top of pancakes or waffles is even better.

Ingredients

6 cups diced peeled apples (1/8 inch cubes)

1/2 cup water

1/2 teaspoon butter

1 (1.75 ounce) package powdered fruit pectin

3 cups sugar

2 cups packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg Directions

In a large kettle, combine the apples, water and butter. Cook and stir over low heat until apples are soft. Stir in pectin and bring to a rolling boil, stirring constantly.

Add the sugars, cinnamon and nutmeg and return to a rolling boil. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Remove from the heat and skim off any foam. Ladle hot jam into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Adjust caps. Process for 10 minutes in a boilingwater bath.

You know, I could go on with this forever. There are so many more! A friend of mine makes this jelly recipe, and although I have not made it myself, she swears by it. It’s called Candy Apple Jelly. Please try and use organic pure apple juice for this recipe.

Ingredients

4 cups apple juice

1/2 cup red-hot candies

1 (1.75 ounce) package powdered fruit pectin

4 1/2 cups sugar Directions

In a large kettle, combine apple juice, candies and pectin.

Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Stir

cows are treated; Milk Transfer was split between Dairy Princess Macy Fisher and the milk inspector from DairyLea who explained how milk is handled. Macy talked about the importance of dairy products; Milking Cows, which explained the milking process; Animals Personal, which was basically a petting zoo where kids could see different types of animals; and Pesticide Safety, which explained the different types of labels on chemicals including household cleaners and products.

And, of course, each farm had a Potty Break Station! A lot of work goes into planning this event by the Farm Bureau. The presenters who man each station give of their time to help give the 3rd graders a glimpse into life on a

farm. Hopefully they will take something away that will stay with them. Next time they see a cow in a field, smell a fresh load of manure spread on a field, or drink a glass of milk, they will remember their visit and what they learned. Well September has been very busy and I’m sure October will be also.

Until next month, that is life in the East End. a

others, that we forget or don’t take the time to take care of ourselves.

Ladies, PLEASE take the time, the effort, and the money it takes to be healthy. Cut corners perhaps in some other places. But please, take time for YOU! YOU deserve it and all the others that you care for will be glad you’re around to still love and care for them.

Don’t forget, we never stop setting the example for our kids and

grandchildren. I love it at Curves when I see three generations of women working out together.

Start moving, exercising, and learning TODAY–your life depends on it! a

in sugar; return to a full rolling boil. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat; skim off any foam and undissolved candies. Pour hot liquid into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Adjust caps. Process for 5 minutes in a boiling-water bath. Remove jars and cool.

Check lids for seal after 24 hours.

Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

One more quick recipe for those of you who would like to try using homemade fruit pectin.

Let’s face it—our grandmother’s didn’t run out to the store every time they wanted to make jam.

There was no commercial fruit pectin available. They made their own. It’s also made from apples.

Green ones. It is REALLY important to use organic apples in this recipe as you need to boil up the entire apple-including the skins.

Homemade Fruit Pectin 10 lbs organic apples, sliced.

Leave the peel, core and seeds intact.

2 1/2 quarts of filtered water Place the apple slices in a large, enamel pan, seeds, cores, and all.

Just barely cover them with water.

Cover the pan and bring to a boil Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Apples

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

should be soft. If they are not, simmer for a few more minutes.

Pour contents of pan into a jelly bag. Allow the juice to drain through for 24 hours.

Add the juice back to the pan.

Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for twenty minutes or until the juice is reduced by half and mixture is thick and syrupy.

Layer a colander with a double layer of cheesecloth. Place it over a bowl and pour the liquid through the cheesecloth into the bowl.

Immediately ladle the hot pectin into hot, sterile jars and put the covers on. Process for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath. Remove from water and allow to stand at room temperature 24 hours before putting away.

Use 2/3 cup pectin to one quart fruit juice.

I find if you seal this in the small jam jars, it is very convenient and the size is about 2/3 cup.

Yield:varies, about 4 quarts.

Well I hope I have given you some ideas for preserving your favorite kind of apple. There are many others out there and I am sure that if you give it a try, you will find that canning apples is one of the easiest projects you can find. a

15

The Valley, October 2011

The Mushroom Guy Tasty fungal morsels and other wild edibles.

by Bob Sleigh

Fall Mushroom Mania

It has been many years since I have seen such an expansive overlap of seasonal mushrooms; you just never know what Mother Nature is going to do in any given year.

A group of freshly emerged Blewits Grifolas have been all across the globe. I won’t get particularly abundant this year into specific species here as the with the first reported sightings experts can’t agree on them either, starting in late August, very early doesn’t really matter though; just for a mushroom I usually pick in don’t eat Amanitas. mid to late September through late With that being said, there are October. Amazingly I have wittwo very easy ways to separate nessed multiple fruitings occurAgaricus sp. from the Amanitas. ring nearly everywhere. I know of First of all Amanitas are all white several trees that have produced including the gills and spores. this delicious edible in numbers Horse mushrooms will be all ranging into the teens. Fourteen white except that the gills range and fifteen fruiting bodies around from a light buff color when one tree have been commonplace. young, to pink and eventually

Another fall mushroom that has been prolific this year is the Horse mushroom (Agaricus arvensis), a very close relative to the common white button mushroom sold in stores and the smallThe Valley publisher has been busy this month, er Meadow here is the first haul of Hen-of-the-Woods for mushroom.

2011

If you have ever themselves. spent much time in the woods

Among the more prevalent with me or have been to one of have been Chanterelles, Black my programs, you have no doubt Trumpets, and a couple different heard me say that until you know varieties of edible Lepiotas and Entolomas. The first two are fairly what you are doing you should avoid eating white mushrooms. easy for even a novice to identify,

This is for a very good reabut unless you have great confison; the deadliest mushroom out dence in you identification skills there (Amanita sp.) is all white I would leave the Lepiotas and and kills many people every year Entolomas to the experts.

Fall is known as the time of plenty for mushroom pickers, not because of the variety of species available, more so because of the quantity of certain species that can be harvested at this time of year.

Regular readers are already well aware of my passion for Grifola frondosa, commonly known as Hen of the Woods, Sheepshead, Maitake or any of a number of localized names. Fortunately for shroomers this often prolific and large sized fungi is not the only edible mushroom available in the fall.

With the recent spate of heavy rainfall the state has been experiencing, very large fruitings of other fall mushrooms can be found literally everywhere. Unusually though, there are copious fruitings of late summer mushrooms available also.

Mushrooms can fruit pretty much any time conditions are right for them and with the drier than normal late summer, the heavy rainfall has prompted some of the summer shrooms to show

chocolate brown when they mature. They will also have chocolate brown spores.

Another very obvious indicator of a Horse mushroom is the unmistakable sweet, your mouth no matter who tells pleasant scent described as that of you something is good to eat.

Anise and/or Almonds. You have

Two other mushrooms that most likely seen these often grow- have yet to really get going so far ing under pine trees in yards and this fall are the Honey mushrooms parks near where you live.

One more word of caution, Amanitas will grow right alongside other mushrooms, so in your haste to pick a bounty of edibles be very careful and check each specimen to avoid mixing up a deadly species with your edible treasures.

If in doubt “Pinkies”, but always be sure of your identithrow them out. fication, there is a dangerous look-alike You are ultimately Continued on page 35 responsible for what you put in

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

The Valley, October 2011

16 Breast Cancer Prevention from page 43 2. Consume as many fruits and vegetables as possible. Eat seven or more servings daily.

The superstars for breast cancer protection include all cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, cauliflower); dark leafy greens (collards, kale, spinach); carrots and tomatoes.

The superstar fruits include citrus, berries and cherries. Note: It is best to eat cruciferous vegetables raw or lightly cooked, as some of the phytochemicals believed to offer protection against breast cancer are destroyed by heat.

3. Exercise regularly the rest of your life. Many studies have shown that regular exercise provides powerful protection against breast cancer. Aim for 30 minutes or more of moderate activity (brisk walking) five or more days a week. Be sure to include 3 days of strength training in those 5 days of exercise. This is the element of exercise that is missing from womens lifestyle and health.

It is critical that we do more than just aerobic walking, dancing, and swimming–we need to strengthen our muscles in order to be strong and well throughout our lives.

4. Do your fats right! The type of fat in your diet can affect your breast cancer risk. Minimize

consumption of omega-6 fats (sunflower, safflower, corn and cottonseed oils), saturated fats and trans fats. Maximize your intake of omega-3 fats, especially from oily fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, lake trout and herring). Consume monounsaturated oils (canola, olive oil, nuts/seeds, avocados) as your primary fat source, as these foods have potential anticancer properties. Specifically, canola oil is a good source of omega-3 fats; extra virgin olive oil is a potent source of antioxidant polyphenols, including squalene; and nuts and seeds provide you with the cancer protective mineral, selenium.

5. Do your carbs right! Minimize consumption of the high glycemic index, “Great White Hazards” - white flour, white rice, white potatoes, sugar and products containing them. These foods trigger hormonal changes that promote cellular growth in breast tissue. Replace these “wrong” carbs with whole grains and beans/legumes. Beans/legumes because of their high fiber and lignan content are especially special.

6. Minimize or avoid alcohol.

Alcohol use is the most well established dietary risk factor for breast cancer. The Harvard Nurses’ Health study, along with several others, has shown consuming

more than one alcoholic beverage a day can increase breast cancer risk by as much as 20-25 percent.

Yes, “they’ve” also told us a glass of red wine per day is good for us.

Consider adding green tea as an alternative to alcohol.

7. Consume whole food soy products regularly, such as tofu, tempeh, edamame, roasted soy nuts, soy milk and miso. Only consume organic, non-GMO (genetically modified) soy. Epidemiologic studies have shown a positive association between soy consumption and reduced breast cancer risk.

8. Minimize exposure to pharmacologic estrogens and xenoestrogens. Do not take prescription estrogens unless medically indicated by your doctor. Lifetime exposure to estrogen plays a fundamental role in the development of breast cancer. Also avoid estrogen-like compounds found in environmental pollutants, such as pesticides and industrial chemicals. Buy organic produce if you can afford it; otherwise, thoroughly wash all non-organic produce.

Minimize exposure to residual hormones found in non-organic dairy products, meat and poultry.

9. Take your supplements daily.

Vitamin D helps regulate so many genes that a deficiency has multiple and significant adverse effects,

including the risk of breast cancer.

65% of people living North of Atlanta have been shown to be deficient in Vitamin D. A multivitamin, 500-1,000 mg of vitamin C in divided doses, 200-400 IUs of vitamin E as mixed tocopherols, and pharmaceutical grade fish oil.

Also take 200 mcg of the mineral selenium or eat one to two Brazil nuts as an alternative. If you have a chronic medical condition or take prescription drugs, consult your physician first.

10. Maintain a positive mental outlook. Engage in self-nurturing behaviors regularly. Develop rich, warm and mutually beneficial relationships with family and friends. Get adequate sleep (7-8 hours per night). The mind-body associations with breast cancer are significant. Consider yoga and other exerise methods.

11. Consider breastfeeding instead of formula feeding. Researchers believe that this may reduce a womans risk of breast cancer. The longer you breast -feed, the greater the protective effect. This accompanies the data that suggests that early menopause lowers the risk factor as well.

12. The use of hormone therapy.

Many authorites, including the Mayo clinic, are suggesting long-term combination hormone therapy increases the risk of

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

breast cancer. Many suggst that you may be able to manage your symptoms with non-hormonal therapies, such as physical acttivity. If you decide that the benefits of short-term hormone therapy outweigh the risks, consider using the lowest dose that’s effective for your symptoms, and plan to use it only temporarily and ask your doctor for other options.

13. Avoid aluminum. Cook with stainless steel. Aluminum may be a risk factor for breast cancer. Also, aluminum-based antiperspirants may also be a risk facttor. Try to eliminate the use of aluminum as much as possible.

14. Use natural sunscreens.

Many sunscreens contain the active ingredient titanium oxide, a carcinogenic agent linked to increases in breast cancer. For safer alternatives to sunscreens go to Environmental Working Groups Skin Deep database.

15. Use ground flaxseed as a source of healthy fiber daily.

When cells are “well-oiled”, they flourish, reducing risk of abnormal cell proliferation and thereby reducing cancer risk. Can also be used to lessen hot flashes. Tumeric, a yellow spice most familiar in Indian curries and found in American mustards, helps lower

Continued on page 14

17

The Valley, October 2011

Chris’ highbanker can move a LOT of material in a short amount of time, maximizing your potential.

Gold from page 3

hands-on situation. My son and his friends were awesome guides, and a true testament to the quality of the members of PBSOB5261, which is an elite club of mountain hikers of which all of his camp mates are members except Josh who failed to gain entrance on his last attempt. The jury is still out on whether he can make it.

Thanks guys, you made for a memorable experience we won’t soon forget. You also have provided us with the ambition to get out here in Pennsylvania and see if these here hills have any gold.

For those of you who may

area. Here are some good starting points however: The Bald Eagle Chapter GPAA http://pa-gold.com/aboutus.shtml.

The Allegheny Chapter GPAA http://www.goldinpa.com/.

Gold Places in PA http://miningold.com/states/ pa.html.

For equipment, it pays to shop around. These locations are used by many with great results. http://www.goldfeverprospecting. com/goprsu.html, http://www.gold-prospectingequipment.net/, http://www.blackcatmining.com/, and http://www.keeneeng.com/

Let’s face it, none of us are going to get rich from prospecting, but the value of being out there trying is probably worth its weight in GOLD. a

be so inclined as to want to look into this whole “Gold Prospecting” thing, there are many good sources for information and equipment. I can not recommend any one over the other at present, as we don’t yet have our own supplies, but hopefully a future story will be able to give you a little more The remaining material in the sluice box that direction in this has the most potential for containing gold.

Dairy Princess from page 22

saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour until smooth. Gradually add milk.

Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

Reduce heat; stir in American cheese until melted. Pour over the tomatoes. Top with cheddar cheese and olives. Serve with chops. Refrigerate any leftovers. a

Haystack Supper 1 ¾ cup crushed saltines (about 40 crackers) 2 cups cooked rice 3 pounds ground beef 1 large onion, chopped 1 ½ cups tomato juice ¾ cup water 3 tablespoons taco seasoning mix Seasoned salt, salt and pepper to taste 4 cups shredded lettuce 3 medium tomatoes, diced ½ cup butter, cubed ½ cup all-purpose flour 4 cups milk ecome referred 1 pound process American cheese, cubed ustomer odAy 3 cups shredded sharp Join our FREE Preferred Customer cheddar cheese * for exclusive sale events, Program 1 jar (10 ounces) pimientogreat decorating and how-to tips, stuffed olives plus savings on paints and stains 1 package tortilla chips every time you shop.

Divide crackers between two ungreased 13-in. X 9in.

X 2-in. baking dishes. Top 224 North Logan Boulevard with rice. In a large skillet, Burnham cook beef and onion until (717) 248 - 3909 meat is no longer pink; drain.

Add the tomato juice, water and seasonings; simmer for 15-20 minutes. Spoon over Ask Sherwin-Williams.™ rice. Sprinkle with lettuce *Visit a Sherwin-Williams retail paint store or sherwin-williams.com for program details. ©2010 The Sherwin-Williams Company. and tomatoes. In a large

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

B

c

AP

t

!

18

The Valley, October 2011

Woods, Water and Wildlife with Bob Sleigh

Hunting Through The Night

A loud thumping on the door and an unfamiliar booming voice startled me into that semiconscious state between sleep and awareness. Where was I and who was that demanding my presence at the breakfast table?

Slowly my eyes adjusted to the strange surroundings and the previous days events began to reemerge in my puzzled brain.

The airplane flight from Pittsburgh to Salt Lake City, the long ride into northern Utah and finally the arrival at a magnificent hunting lodge where I was waking up, it was all clear to me now. This was my dream hunt.

I don’t know what it was about antelope that so greatly excited my hunting urges. Maybe the fact that they can run 50 miles per hour, or maybe the magical way they can disappear in a seemingly barren landscape — I still don’t know.

Stumbling to the breakfast

table I was greeted by the local guides and several other hunters intent on bagging one of these magnificent animals. The breakfast of antelope sausage with eggs and potatoes only strengthened my desire to get out into the field.

Forty minutes later I was bouncing along a dark and dusty path that the locals dared to call a road. Ten minutes later we departed the weather beaten fourwheel drive in the slowly lightening gloom of pre-dawn.

The strange, to me anyway, smell of sagebrush permeated the air and mixed with the remnants of dust kicked up by the truck.

Somewhere in the distance a coyote howled it’s greeting and a prairie chicken could be heard celebrating the impending sunrise.

As I sipped my last morning cup of coffee the guide laid out a map and went over his strategy for finding my buck of a lifetime. The buck I had dreamed of since the

first time I had watched antelope feeding along the highway from the cab of my tractor-trailer while rolling down the interstate.

After spending 14 years behind the wheel of a truck traveling through all 48 continental states it was that first sighting of those antelope that I remembered most often.

Slowly sneaking away from the four-wheel drive we made our way up a slight draw to a high point overlooking the wide-open

valley below. Only 100 yards from the truck my hair stood on end as a group of young antelope were startled by our approach and snorted their disapproval before fleeing over the draw towards parts unknown.

Although the incident frustrated me the guide quietly assured me that this was a good sign as he grinned at my reaction to the sudden surprise. Funny, I have had the same thing happen with whitetails hundreds of times, but this was a whole different ballgame.

For most of the morning we walked and glassed the valleys and draws with binoculars with only a few young bucks to show for our effort. The big ones are here the guide reassured me, I kept hoping he was right.

Suddenly the guide stopped in his tracks and fell to the ground with me close behind.

A large adult buck antelope had popped over a draw only 100 yards ahead. As I spread eagle on my belly and prepared my rifle for what would be an easy shot the guide quickly crawled behind me uttering, “take him when your ready.”

Just as I was raising my rifle

into position with trembling arms, legs and just about every other part of my body the buck alertly popped his head up and looking right at me mouthed the words “come on dear it’s time to get up.”

In a confused fog of brain matter the antelope could be seen holding a cup of coffee as I turned to ask the guide if he had heard and seen what I had. He was gone and milliseconds later everything was gone, the antelope, the high desert, my rifle and my dream hunt.

The next words I heard were “c’mon it’s 6:30 and I have to go.” Slowly my eyes focused on my other half and I instantly realized that my dream hunt had been just that — a dream.

Some day I hope to find out just how this hunt ends, only this time I’ll make sure to pinch myself before I get out of the truck.

As I was saving this piece to get ready and send it off to the paper I realized this was article number 12 in my writing adventure with The Valley, which also means that this is the one-year anniversary of the newspaper. I want to wish Wayne and Lynn a very heartfelt Happy Anniversary and thank all you loyal readers who have made this milestone possible. May there be many more to come. a

MEAT. WILSON’S MEATS AND GROCERIES

Fresh Meats, Full Line of Groceries, and Produce

Open 7 Days! 7am - 9pm

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

A hometown grocer you can trust.

19

The Valley, October 2011 Eggs from page 11 products that have been dehydrated, dried, or powdered. For example, that famous dried orange cheese from boxed macaroni and cheese, powdered whole milk, powdered eggs, and powdered butter. Think cake mixes.

Another reason to try to avoid processed and packaged foods.

Fear Not

Instead of being so concerned about consuming too much cholesterol from eggs, we need to pay more attention to the quality of our foods in general.

Granted, the topic of cholesterol has become very confusing.

Dietary advice on the subject is often so far off that consumers actually hurt their health by trying to avoid cholesterol all together.

Our bodies needs to achieve a balance when it comes to cholesterol consumption. Fat from healthy sources is vital to the body, while fat from poor choices, such as margarine or foods fried in vegetable oil, are very dangerous

Wheat from page 5 out more of the crowns that will form the stalks. These mulitple tillers will produce multiple stalks which will produce more seed heads yielding more wheat per plant.

Which reminds me, let’s digress for a moment to cover a couple of points that probably should have been in last month’s article (hey, I’m a farmer, not a writer).

How much wheat you plant will depend on what growing space you’ve got balanced against what cooking and eating habits you have and what livestock you want to feed. You can do careful planning or figure it out as you go, whatever works in your situation and with your personality (see the Resource section). Even a small handful of wheat grown in a corner of the garden (or in a pot on the porch, for that matter) will teach you and yours about where your sustenance comes from.

With all this talk about encouraging multiple wheat stalks and so on, we could actually do some “just for fun” number crunching. We could figure out the theoretical yields of wheat by multiplying average grains per head times the average number of heads per plant times the average number of plants per square foot times the square feet in your patch. We aren’t going to, but we could.

However, it is helpful to know that the average yield per

Eggs remain a beneficial source of healthy fat. Research has documented time and again that eggs do not appear to promote heart disease risk.

What do you say? Are you ready to support our local farmers, break out of your cholesterol fearing shell and have the yolk be on you?

Please remember, my intention is to provide some insights and resources that will hopefully encourage you to do some of your own research and ultimately come to your own conclusions.

Do not make changes in your medication or diet without consulting your professional care givers. Enjoy the journey.

Resources: K. Steven Whiting PhD , Controlling Cholesterol and Triglygerides, The Institute of Nutrition Science Information Series , 2003.

International Journal of Cardiology March 10, 2005; Volume 99, Issue 1 , Pages 65-70

Fife, Bruce MD , “The Truth About Good and Bad Choles-

terol,” Well Being Journal, March/April 2011.

Volume 20 No.2 , pages 30-31.

Mother Earth News October/November 2007 Mercola, Joseph MD- www. mercola.com

Sue is a holistic nutrition consultant and holistic health educator. Her office is located at 54 Chestnut Street in Lewistown. To learn more about her business go to www.mynourishingjourney. com. She can be reached by email at sue@mynourishingjourney.com or give her a call at 242- 3132.

acre of wheat is anywhere from about 40 bushel per acre upwards of 70 bushel or more (depending on the variety, the soil, the weather, the grower and from what source you get your numbers from.) My little 30 X 10 foot average grain patch size is about 1/145th of an acre (an acre being 43,560 square feet) and in the best year we’ve had so far, it produced a bit less than a third of a bushel of wheat. So when you harvest your crop, figuring out your yield (a bushel of wheat weighs sixty pounds, by the way) may give you an idea how you’re measuring up as a grain farmer and may help you decide whether to grow more, or less, wheat next season.

Okay, end of digression.

So the wheat is up, the stalks are growing and heading out, say mid-June or there abouts.

Your wheat patch is looking like a picture postcard; the livestock, the wildlife and the insects are all finding food elsewhere and there are no creeping diseases to be seen. You’re home free ‘til the harvest, right?

Not necessarily. Let’s discuss lodging. Ever drive by the fileds of grain after a summer storm, and it looks like irregular areas of crop were flattened by a giant throwing a temper tantrum? That’s lodging and it’s a bit of a nightmare for farmers with large acres of grain.

It adversely affects how the grain ripens and it definitely makes it difficult for the combines to harvest. Swirling winds can do this to the healthiest stands of wheat (this

is why we work to have a balanced 717-248-5476 • 1-800-PROPANE (776-7263) fertility program, adding a bit of wood ash, kelp or greensand for the potassium to chewy stage. As the plants begin the Amish or other homesteaders work with the other nutrients to to yellow, towards the end of June in your area who have experience encourage sturdy stalks). If you’re or the beginning of July, the grain with the technique of shocking in a particularly windy area conwill become harder to chew and wheat (or any other grain). sider shorter varieties and those you’ll notice the grain heads begin We don’t shock our wheat that resist lodging. to bend down towards the ground (okay, OKAY! Go ahead, make a

Luckily, small plots of grain (a rain shedding trick common to joke). Once the plants are golden, don’t always succumb to wind many varieties of grain). About we try the wheat every day. When storms and/or torrential rains mid-July, the stalks will become a the head snaps off, the seed comes since there’s not always enough uniform gold-yellow-tan color and out of the hulls easily as it’s rolled area for the winds to take hold of the wheat berries go from chewy between the palms of the hands, and flatten out the plants. In adto crunchy. Now it’s time to do and the grain is crunchy-dry to dition, there may be other aspects three things: 1) - pray for clear, the teeth, it’s ready to harvest. of the garden - such as fruit trees dry weather, 2) - decide how you Another option would be to take or trellised crops - that may act as are going to harvest your crop and some of the grain to a feed mill windbreaks. But if it should hap3) - chew a handful of wheat and to be tested to make sure that the pen to your wheat, don’t despair. blow bubbles with it as you wanmoisture content is low enough When lodging occurs during the der around the homestead doing for harvest and storage, around green and growing stage, the the other two.

12% according to some sources. plants will often right themselves,

If your goal is to cut your They used to do this testing for at least part way, and the grain grain and bundle it into sheaves small growers, so you can find out will still ripen. Since you’re going and then stack the sheaves if they still do. It will give you a to be harvesting by hand, you may into shocks, (those picturesque standard to judge your crunch test just have to reach a little lower to mounds of grain that dot the fileds against in the future. However cut it, that’s all. of our Amish neighbors come you judge your grain’s readiness

Watching and being part of mid-summer) some sources will for harvest, don’t let it get too dry the land as it grows, blooms and advise you to do so when the or it will shatter out as you work produces is a large part of why we grain is still barely chewy, since and you may lose a good bit of farm and garden. When the wheat the wheat can stay in the shocks your crop. first heads out, break off a spike, and finish ripening for a week or

On a very small patch of pick it apart and eat it. Not much so. If you have a large enough wheat you can use a heavy pair of to it, is there? Try it again the next patch of grain and think this is the kitchen shears to cut the handfuls week, and the next, and the next. path you want to follow, get to of wheat or simply break them As week follows week, you’ll know some of those Amish farmoff, tossing them into a bucket, experience the wondrous develop- ers and pick their brains. There basket. or other container. You ment of the grain. First will be the are a few good books that offer might want to wear gloves since milk stage, when the wheat will advice and probably something wheat stalks can (rarely) give a yield a sweet fluid to your teeth, online if that is your bent. But I Continued on page 30 then the gummy stage and the recommend getting advice from

Expect More from Your Fuel Supplier!

• Reliable Propane & Heating Oil Delivery • Budget Payment Plan • 24/7 Emergency Service • Heating Equipment Service Plans • Safety Trained Professionals

Call today to learn about our NEw CustOmER sPECiAls!

• Over 80 Years Experience

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

Our Business is Customer Satisfaction

The Valley, October 2011

20

“What’s with That” answers: 1. Alcatraz 2. Light house on the West Coast 3. Pelicans

Dairy Princess Memories

by Macy Fisher Mifflin County Dairy Princess 2011-2012

Hi, I’m Macy Fisher, Mifflin County Dairy Princess. It’s October and that means that it’s cheese month. It also means that every weekend there is a football game. These two themes were part of my radio spot for State Pageant. At the end of last month I attended the State Dairy Princess Pageant. While I was there I had to present a speech, a skit, and turn in my scrapbook.

These were required of every girl who was at Pageant. We also had two optional contests. One was a poster board contest where you had to use a display board to make a poster that we could use at a promotion. Mine was entitled The Great Milk Mystery: What’s in your Milk? It then listed all the nine essential nutrients and what each does. This was all themed around Scooby Doo and I had all

second PSA. I thought for sure that I was not going to win this category because of that, but I did.

When they announced the winners I was worried at first because they called off the honorable mentions all of which made the 30 second mark. Then they came down to the top two spots. They called one name, okay one left. Macy Fisher from Mifflin County! I was so excited; I won the radio spot at State Pageant. Later that

Macy Fisher, Mifflin County Dairy Princess 2011 giving a Milk toast at the State Pageant

of the characters on the board.

The other optional contest we could participate in was a radio spot. It was where we had to come up with an original Public Service Announcement that had to be 30 seconds long. That may not seem so bad, but those were the longest 30 seconds of my life.

My PSA was like I said, themed around cheese and football. I was two seconds short to have a 28

evening I also won an honorable mention for my scrapbook. That is however, as far as my awards went for the evening.

I did not make it in the top seven; I wanted to, but it just wasn’t in the cards for me and that’s okay. I knew that if I did make it, my year would be very difficult and busy. I would have to split my time between

Scrapbook Winners: Back Row: Honorable Mentions Macy Fisher, Sydney Rasp Butler County, Victoria Daubert Schuylkill County, and Dawn Franck Sun Area. Runner Up: Amanda Sautner Bucks County. First Place: Michala Kulhman Bradford County.

the state, my county, and my life outside of dairy promoting like school and work. I feel that the new state girls will do a great job at the state level and I will do Radio Spot Winners: a great job Back Row: Honorable Mentions Sydney Rasp here in Mifflin Butler County, Diedra Bollinger Lancaster County. The County, and Caitlyn Pool Berks County. Runnew State ner Up: Vicoria Daubert Schuylkill. First Place: Royalty is Macy Fisher Mifflin County.

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

Gabby Murphy from York County, State Princess; Diedra Bollinger from Lancaster County, Alternate State Princess; and Courtney Brant from Somerset County, Alternate State Princess. Now that I’m done with Pageant I can work on my upcoming promotions like Harvest Fest. The recipe that I did this month is packed full of cheese and other dairy products.

Since the recipe contains multiple cheeses and has a fall name, I thought that it would be a great recipe for National Cheese Month, October.

Continued on page 17

21

The Valley, October 2011

Modern Energy and Alternative Heating

with Curt Bierly

Let’s Warm it Up!

place you can cozy up to and “soak up some heat.” A stove, fireplace or fireplace insert can provide that “nice, warm place.”

Park yourself close to that source of heat and in a short period of time, you’ll move from COLD to WARM.

I can remember a customer that ordered an Oil Fired Hot Water Heating System from us.

The elderly lady had lived all her life using two Heatilator stoves to heat the house. Her husband had passed away and she was unable to manage the stoves anymore, so she ordered a central hot water baseboard system installed. I thought we did an excellent job for her carefully calculating the heat loss for each room so the temperature would be consistent throughout the house. A few weeks afterwards I called her to inquire how she liked the system.

She said “the system is working perfectly, but you know, I don’t The Jotul Gaslight Direct Vent Gas Stove, a true have a place I can sit and work of art. feel that “extra warmth” home!! on a cold winter night.”

You arrive home on a cold

The fuel that is used to “fire” winter day and you’re COLD. the unit depends on your lifestyle, Maybe you are returning from the amount of time you can devote work or the grocery store, or possibly you had a few errands to run. to “gathering the fuel,” “tending the fire,” and what your budget is I know your house is warmish, relative to initial installation and say 70 degrees because you have operating cost. For this discusit set back to save money on your sion we will consider wood, coal, energy bill; however, what you wood pellets and gas (propane really need now is a nice warm There is a chill in the air. You begin to see a little color in the mountains as the leaves shed their green coat and put on a bright red and yellow one. The humming birds have left the sugar water feeder you so faithfully tended all summer. The longest day of the year (September 20) just recently went “speeding by.” Bottom line – like it or not, winter is just around the corner. Winter and keeping warm go hand and hand.

Treat yourself this winter and provide a “warm place” in your

front. There are a great variety of styles that allow you to pick a unit that will fit your personal taste and budget constraints, and thus a DV gas stove, fireplace or insert adds comfort and beauty to your home.

Gas units operate on natural gas or propane which is delivered directly to the DV gas unit and thus requires no personal time. The efficiency of the units approach 85% and they require no chimney for venting purposes, although an existing chimney can be utilized. If personal time to “gather the fuel” and “tend the fire” is not considered, the operating cost of the DV gas units is the most expensive compared to wood pellets, coal or wood. Bottom line—if you are looking for a unit to provide your home with a “warm place” on that cold winter day that requires none of your personal time, a DV gas stove, insert or fireplace is the best choice.

Curt Bierly is president of the bierly group incorporated of which Stanley C. Bierly (HVAC System Design and Installation) is a division. He graduated from Penn State with a BS in Mechanical Engineering and is a member of the Penn College HVAC Advisory Board. You can contact him at cbierly@bierlygroup.com. a

or natural).

This month we’ll take a look at Direct Vent (DV) gas stoves, fireplaces and inserts.

DV gas units use outside air for combustion and vent to the outside usually through a 6” concentric pipe. As such, they are sealed from The Jotul 450 Katahdin Gas Fireplace insert will the inside provide that special warm spot in your home environment and are not influenced by pressure changes inside the house ( i.e. the operation of a range hood, a clothes dryer or a bathroom exhaust fan.) They are a great choice if you decide not to dedicate time to “gathering the fuel” or “tending the fire.” The heat begins automatically when the unit receives a signal from a wall thermostat, a remote control or you turn on a switch. Beyond providing a “warm place” in your home, a DV gas ...and love it! unit requires no electricity to operate, and as such, is www.families4kids.org a great emergency 800-568-6449 backup. Yearly maintenance is minimal, usually just cleaning the foster parent or adopt...you’ll dust off the glass

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

I gained 50 pounds

love it too!

The Valley, October 2011

22

Recipes-Crafts-Gifts With Debra Kulp Pennsylvania Rabbit Pie 1 large dressed cottontail, cut into serving size pieces 2 tbsp minced parsley 2 tbsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper 1/4 tsp paprika 1/2 cup mushrooms 2 1/2 cups chicken stock 1 unbaked pastry - top crust

Put rabbit in a kettle with 1/2 of the parsley, salt and pepper and cover with boiling water, cover tightly. Simmer for 3 hours or until tender. Reserve at least 3 cups of liquid in the kettle and put meat pieces in a greased 4 qt. baking dish, season with remaining salt and pepper and add paprika. Add mushrooms and 1 tbsp parsley.

Pour in stock, but not enough to touch the pastry crust. Top with pastry, bake at 425 for 20 minutes, then at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Heat remaining stock to serve with pie. Serves Two. Editors note: Debra comes to the pages of The Valley via Buckhorn Taxidermy in Burnham, this

Thots on...from page 6 both in judgment and to cleanse the earth.

Just as the LORD made a covenant with Noah, so too, through his Son Jesus Christ, he has made a covenant with us. As the earth was cleansed by water in the days of Noah and only those shut away in the ark were saved, so in the future, the earth will be cleansed by fire [2 Peter 3.10], and only those who call on the name of Jesus will be saved. a

month she wanted to fill you in about her other job.

Buckhorn Taxidermy

A Native American Hunter of the 18th century really appreciated what he killed. Everything would be eaten, all of the meat, plus the heart and liver. The brains were used for tanning the hides and the hides were used for clothing. The antlers were used to make tools and the hooves were boiled down to make glue. We have it easier today, but we can appreciate what primitive methods they used.

With a combined 25 years experience at Buckhorn Taxidermy, we keep your memories alive. No job is too small. We mount any animal from a squirrel to a buffalo! We do life-sized mounts on scenery bases. Shoulder mounts, pedestal shoulder mounts, all game birds, rugs, tan hides, antler mounts, european mounts, fish, fish reproductions and exotic game. We also do repairs. Call for pricing and details. Open 7 days a week (717) 242-4490 a

Advertising in The Valley is the most effective and most inexpensive in any media Period!

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

A Bed For Everyone thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

23

The Valley, October 2011

Growing to Serve you Better East Gate Feed & Grain East Gate Feed and Grain, once servicing primarily dairy farmers, is making big changes to focus more on their retail at the store. Having had a retail store at the feed mill for many years, we

variety of horse, pet, livestock and wildlife products, not just feed.

We have always made quality custom mill mix feeds and carried Purina products, but now we have much more to offer the retail customer to go along with that feed. East Gate will always be closely involved in the dairy business, but we have expanded the retail side of the business.

East Gate carries our own mill brand of livestock The outside may look the same, when you walk products for through the front door all of that changes livestock, goats, chicken and still often hear “I didn’t know you pigs. Plus, you’ll find a variwere here” and “I didn’t know ety of Purina products includyou carried THAT.” The current ing Rabbit Chow, Noble Goat, remodeling process of the store is Nature’s Match Pig, Layena and hoping to change that. We want Homegrown Layer Crumbles and FlockRaiser. The livestock feed people to know that we carry a

business is expanding into the backyard. With the state of the economy, customers are starting to have a variety of small animals to raise their own food. From meat and milk goats to meat and layer chickens, it’s becoming “the in thing” to have livestock. If you are considering having your own homegrown eggs, stop in for Chick Days to get your flock started. East Gate not only carries chicken feed but all your poultry accessories as well..

The Purina horse feed line has products that fit your horses needs and your pocket book. We carry all Purina Premium Lifestyle Horse Feeds, as well as the Horseman’s Edge and Country Acres line.

For outdoor enthusiasts, we still have our famous East Gate Seasonal Blend Bird Seed – our own unique, custom blend of seeds to attract birds to your backyard. Or, if you prefer, choose one of Purina’s many Wild Bird Chows. Check out our new bird feeding center for convenient bird

blocks, suet cakes and a great early August and are still an ongovariety of birdfeeders. For the ing process. The new wooden end deer hunter or hobbyist we have caps give a great new “look” to a variety of deer feeds, including the store. Thanks to Grimebusters, Purina AntlerMax and Country the floor has been completely Acres Wildlife Blend. Deer blocks stripped to add a nice “shine.” are a popular item to “pick up” in our store.

If you have ever been in the store, you will be shocked at the changes in progress.

The entire retail counter was moved to the corner to allow us to expand our shelving. We have more than Brand new displays and an expanded lines double the shelv- really brighten the interior of East Gate ing space we had previously. The addition of more shelves has alThe complete makeover has given lowed us to expand our current the store a much more appealing inventory and to bring in new atmosphere. product lines. Some of the new Our team of employees is products are Bogs Boots as well knowledgeable about our products as gift items. and your animals. It is our goal The store changes began in Continued on page 37

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

The Valley, October 2011

24

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

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

The Pen and Thread Custom Calligraphy and Weaving

Mary Anna Chenoweth Proprietor

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

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

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

316 N. Logan Blvd.

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

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

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

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

The Valley, October 2011

Frugal Living with laurie lowe

What Do You Know?

This month I am writing about a subject that has become somewhat of a crusade for me. I have been trying to find the reason God has put me in the place I am at this point in my life, and I think I have finally figured it out.

In June the local woman’s shelter put out a request in the local media, they were in dire need of laundry soap and cleaning supplies to be used at the shelter. I contacted them and asked if they would use home made laundry soap and cleaners. I was put through to to Director and she said they would be thankful for anything I could donate. I made up three five gallon buckets of laundry soap and a big batch of

Julie’s recipe for cleaner, (previous issue) plus five gallons of white vinegar.

This simple donation has lead to my being asked to come into the facility (it is a locked, secure shelter, so you can’t just walk in.)

I am now teaching a life skills class. It is so sad for me to meet these women who don’t even possess the basic skills to keep a clean, safe home. Most of them have rarely even made a bed. I try to show them how to do the most basic of things, like make a bed, do laundry and clean the kitchen.

It brings home to me what our nation has become, parents aren’t even taking the time to teach their children what I consider basic

survival skills. So many of the women tell me they just never learned anything while living with their parents.

As parents, grandparents, or just the general public, we owe it to the younger generation to try our best to teach the skills they need to survive in the world.

My challenge to each of you who read this article: We all at some time complain about the state of our country, well GET UP and do something about it!

We can all find some way to educate the general public to better our country. Find your area of knowledge and do everything you can to pass it on.

Laurie a

Find us on The Valley Newspaper www.thevalleynewspaper.com

25

26

A. J. Peachey’s—

The Valley, October 2011

One Day Meat Sale!!

From Staff Reports

The arrival of October always signals fall decorations, crisp cool air, beautiful colors on our mountains, and A.J. Peachey’s 1 Day Meat Sale.

This year the big day to take advantage of fabulous deals on fresh cut meat is October 21st from 8AM - 7PM. Whether it is steaks, ground beef, pork, chicken or Peachey’s “almost world famous” sausage, you are assured of getting a great value as you stock the freezer for the long winter ahead.

Some items such as Whole New York Strip, Boneless Rib Eye, Whole Beef Bottom Round, Whole Sirloin Tip, Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast, Chicken Tenders, and Whole Boneless Pork Loin must be pre-ordered

by October 15th. There will,

however, be limited supplies of Peachey’s Sausage, Ground Beef, Cooked Medium Shrimp, White American Cheese, Haddock Fillets, and Peachey’s Cured Bacon for pick-up that day.

This is always a popular event, so be sure to reserve your order early so as not to be disappointed.

It is a fall tradition here in The Valley, so let’s keep the tradition alive.

Hope to see you there—come out and pick up your meat, have lunch in the new cafe, and check out the gift shop for those upcoming seasonal gift ideas. a

Mail Pouch Books

by Carleen B. Grossman

THE BONE GARDEN

By Tess Gerritsen Copyright 2007

Gerritsen, herself a medical doctor, transports you into a story that takes on a macabre journey though the squalor and the wealth of a society that is filled with hypocrites and people with little or no conscience. Much of it concerns the resurrectionalist, a coined name for a grave robber who was paid to dig up the freshly dead for purpose of training young men in their medical experiences to become doctors.

This book is set in two time

periods: in 1830 in Boston and the present day.

Newly divorced Julia Hamill purchases a house badly in need of repair. This young woman (now forced into self-reliance due to her divorce), while giving the garden a needed face lift, discovers bones. Curious about the house and former owner, she digs into the history of the property and is put in touch with one of the relatives who has boxes of letters and papers dating back to the 1800s.

The book flashes back to Boston in the 1830s where we meet Norris Marshall and Oliver Wendell Holmes, two of the medical interns. What is most fascinating to learn are the medical practices from the 1800s and how resurrectionists plundered graveyards so the students would have bodies to practice on. Norris assists in the theft at the beginning as a way to pay for medical school. He meets Rose Connelly at the hospital where Rose is caring for her ailing sister who had just given birth. It appears everyone involved with her sister is being murdered by a strange grim reaper with a cape, a reaper who deftly slices up his

victims with as much expertise as a surgeon.

A fascinating history lesson is woven amid an intriguing mystery plot.

A page-turner, historical fiction/whodunit with some fascinating (and gruesome) glimpses of early 1800s medical school training in the US. This book is a quick read. As I mentioned above, one of the characters is Oliver Wendell Holmes, not the Supreme Court judge, but his father, who, in 1843, introduced a new practice to American medicine in

Water Woes from page 12

several days following it, much of Bloomsburg had no running water. Even flushing the toilet involved pouring about four gallons of water into the tank (old toilets—not water efficient!). As soon as Mom and Dad’s street was open again, my brother made it to the house and began to help with hauling muddy, stinky debris out of the basement. He was a man on a mission to get as much out as possible to eliminate the possibility of mold and, well...to improve upon the odor emanating from the basement. Up and down their street, all the neighbors were involved in the same ritual. When I arrived in town, I was greeted by the National Guard directing traffic off of I-80 and I was sickened by the devastation on the road leading to my parent’s home. Even though I had seen it before when I was young, I could not believe the mud and piles of trash lining the streets. I showed up armed with some Rubbermaid totes, cleaning supplies, bleach, and a seven gallon tank of fresh drinking water. After surveying

an attempt to control “child bed fever”...suggesting that physicians wash their hands between patients.

NON FICTION TIPS: For those of you desiring a bit of non fiction along with a novel, I thought you might enjoy reading (or re-acquainting yourself with) the following books.

MADE FROM SCRATCH: Discovering the Pleasures of a Handmade Life

By Jenna Woginrich Copyright 2010 Author, Jenna Woginrich sets out to become a self-sufficient homesteader. In this, her account of raising chickens, keeping bees and growing her own food, she even shares some of her easy-to-follow instructions.

GOAT SONG: A Seasonal Life, A short History of Herding, and

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

the damage, I began to help my brother get as much as possible out of the basement and out to the curb. He did most of the heavy lifting and hauling while I filled the containers. I can’t believe how many water-logged, heavy garbage cans full of “stuff” he hauled up the steps and out through the garage.

Although they lost several new appliances, my parents were lucky in that most of the rest of what they lost was “stuff,” much of which was destined for a yard sale anyway. Their basement walls are all cement block, so they didn’t have any structural damage to their home and the water did not reach high enough to hit the wooden floor joists. However, there were many in Bloomsburg and neighboring towns (including my grandmother) that had most of what they own destroyed by water. My grandmother’s home had water above her kitchen countertops. Amazingly enough, the business next to her would like to buy her home, so she only has to rescue what she wants to keep from the house and does not need to do any cleanup. However, this

Continued on page 37

the Art of Making Cheese

By Brad Kessler Copyright 2009 This book tells about what it’s like to live with animals who directly feed you. As the author begins his life with his goats, he learns not only the process, but he gains insight into our pastoral roots of living by nature’s rules.

POPULATION 485: Meeting Your Neighbors One Siren at a Time

By Michael Perry Copyright 2007 In a small town, this author becomes a member of the local volunteer fire department. He tells of his experiences in comic yet touching ways as he travels back roads haunted by ghosts of neighbors. a

27

The Valley, October 2011

Grosze Thal Nachbaren

(Big Valley Neighbors)

by Jeptha I. Yoder

Ein Grusz im Namen Unseren Almachtiger Himmlischer Vater.

Es ist die Liebe Herbst-zeit. Wir haben viel Regen gehabt in September.

Der 28, August war unser Hinter Berg Weg Gemein ans Johannes Y. Hostetlers Von andere gegenden waren Noah C. Speichers und Familie, JosephSs und zwei jungste, Eli T. (Franey N.), Christ T. (Sam N.) und Noah E (Sam I) alle Yodern. S’ Noah Cs waren ans Ruben D. Hostetlers fürs abendessen. Ost Lang Leen war ans Johannes M. Hostetlers.

Der 4 September waren Mose C. Yoders und Familie in Kirchengasse Gemein ans Christian S. Hostetlers. West Lang Leen war ans David R. Yoders. Ost Milroy ans Rufus M. Yoders.

Meine Eltern waren ans Johannes Yost Hostetlers nachmittages. Lydia R. (Jeff) und Uria (Uria J.), Emanuel Js und fünf Kinder, alle Yodern, waren dort fürs Mittag-essen. Lydia und zwei Kindeskinder gingen ans Joel Ms nachmittages. Abends da sie auf den weg waren un heimkehren, kam ein Gewitter-regen, das sie zurück gingen ans Joels über nacht. Eli S. Hostetlers und Familie waren ans Eli S. Zugen fürs Mittag.

Der 11, waren wir alle in der gemein ans Mose R. Hostetlers, Von ander gegend war Franey

L. Yoder (Joel M.), Von McClur waren Ben R. Hostetlers. Ost Lang Leen Gemein war ans Mose J. Hostetlers.

Der 18, war Kirchengasse Gemein ans Yost J. Hostetlers.

West Lang Leen war ans Thomas S. Yoders. Ost Milroy ans Seth A. Hostetlers. Noah Ds und Mose Es, alle Hostetlern waren hier fürs mittag-essen.

Der 28 waren wir in der gemein ans Unkel Ruben D. Hostetlers. Von McClur waren Ben R. Hostetlers Nord Milroy ans Noah S. Hostetlers.

Christian greetings! Hope everyone is enjoying our nice fall weather despite our recent wet weather. The second week of September brought six plus inches of rain. However here in the mountains we were fortunate to escape any serious wind and water damage from these hurricanes.

A new arrival here along the Back Mountain is a daughter Lena to Christ M. Jr. and Leah B. Zook.

Grands are Christ M. Sr. and Barbara A. (Yoder) Zook; Rufus J. and Mary N. Hostetler.

Widower David B. Yoder died Sept. 3,(just three days shy of his 80th birthday) after a short hospital stay and a diagnosis of cancer. Funeral on Sept. 5 at 9:00

by Manasses R. Yoder in house with Freundschaft. In other house

by Michael A. Speicher. He was

the son of the late Jonathan S. and Franey B. (Byler) Yoder. Surviving are 3 sons and 1 daughter, John D. married to Barbara Z. (Speicher) with whom he resided at 20 Bear Bottom Lane, and Malinda F. married to Samuel E. Hostetler Jr. both of Reedsville, Jonathan A. married to Fronie M. of Winfield and Moses E. (blind) at home. Numerous grands and great-grands. One brother widower Jacob B. and three sisters(John S.) Dena B., (SethK.) Lydia B., both Yoders, and (David J.) Leah N. Hostetler all widows.

He was buried in Winfield beside his (late) wife Lydia A. Hostetler.

Had two buses to take the Freundschaft for the burial. Pallbearers were Jonathan D., Michael M.S. and Emanuel I., all Hostetlers, and Sam E. Yoder.

Kore N. Hostetler died Sunday night (the 18th) around midnight. Born Feb. 25th, 1954, he was a son of the late Samuel E. and Barbara (Speicher). Surviving is his wife Nancy L. of 100 Sulphur Springs Farm Lane, Reedsville, three sons and two daus., Rufus S. married to Mattie E (Zook) both of Reedsville; Catherena B. married to John J. Zook of Milroy; Leah E., Kore N. Jr. and Noah E. at home, and grandchildren. Seven brothers and one sister. Dan E. married to Franey J. (Byler), Rufus J. mar-

ried to Mary N.; Moses E. married to Emma Z., Sam E. Jr. married to Malinda F. (Yoder), Rudy M. married to Leah K., Andy M. married to Leah F., Betsy D. married to Jonathan N. Yoder, and Noah M. married to Franey L (Yoder) all of Reedsville. Preceded by two brothers. Funeral on the 21st by Isaac N. Hostetler in house with, Freundschaft. In other house by John H. Yoder.

Samuel M. Hostetler had surgery to have a large kidney stone removed. Immediately he seemed to be on the way to recovery. However he was sick again afterward. Hope he is feeling better by now. He had a birthday on Sept. 21, (1944). Mail will reach them at 6065 East Back Mountain Road, Reedsville, PA. 17084

Emanuel B. son of Franey N. (Hostetler) Yoder, and the late Emanuel B., received a broken leg, above the ankle on Aug. 17, in an accident while pushing a wagon out of the barn. Has it in a cast. Mail would be a pastime at 1065 Church Lane, Reedsville. He and his twin brother Enos B., have a birthday on October 4, (1995).

Despite our wet weather some wheat and spelt was sown between the rains. Silo filling has started. Is a challenge to keep beans from rotting when leaving them for seed or dry beans. They have to be harvested before they are dry, and brought indoors.

As I finish this a week later, we are still having rainy weather.

Green Beans planted on July 29th are producing a good crop and we are still in canning season. Grapes are ripe and a heavy crop.

Another new arrival is a Jeptha on Sept. 21, joining 3 brothers and 4 sisters, to Joel M. and Frona B. Yoder. Grands are widow (Jep-

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

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

tha H.) Lydia R. Yoder; Jacob S. and Franey L Hostetler.

A son Eli K., joining 1 brother and 3 sisters to Amos J. and Lydia S. Hostetler of McClure.

Grands are Jesse S. and Nancy B. (Yoder) Hostetler, local; Christian R. and Mary L. (Hostetler) Zook of McClure. Great-grandfather is widower Eli B. Zook of Penns Valley.

Received word that Great Uncle Bish. John J.S. Yoder died Wed. the 28th. Funeral to be at 9:00 on the 30th. Born Aug. 7, 1926 he was son of the late Christ G. and Nancy Z. (Speicher) Yoder. Was a year and a half younger than my late Grandad Moses S. and as brothers, were always close. And now both passed into eternity only a little over 4 months apart.

Surviving John are three sons and one dau. Eli John second marriage to Susan R. (Speicher); Samuel I. married to Ruth L. (Hostetler) (on the home farm); and Betsy L. married to Eli Y. Hostetler. Samuel Is’ address is 5142 East Back Mountain Road, Belleville, PA 17004. The rest are all of Reedsville. Seven grandchildren and four great grands.

Three brothers Bish. Samuel Z., Dea. Christ S. and Rudy S. He was preceded by his first wife Emma S., and his second wife Mary H., Five brothers (2 yet small) and one sister.

Lord willing a private auction is to be held for relatives on Sat. Oct. 1st, to sell the earthly belongings of the fore-mentioned late David B.

Enjoy the nice fall weather.

Remember the sick and sorrowing.

Jeptha I. Yoder a

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

We stock Coil Stock, Trims, Screws and Nails.

Custom Sheet Metal 29 Gauge Painted #1 and Galvalume

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

The Valley, October 2011

Answers in an ad in this issue

28

Now a National Park and open to the public, "The Rock",

as a federal prison, closed in 1963.

1. What is the name of this island park?

2. Built on the island in 1858 , became the first __________?

Quiz # 20020

Copyright Š 2010

3. The name of the island translates to this?

The Valley

is published the first Thursday of every month.

Deadlines for ads and submissions is the 15th of the preceding month for inclusion in following month’s issue.

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

29

The Valley, October 2011

The Chicken AND the Egg!

by Mike Flanagan The “Chantecler”

(Canada’s Singing Chicken) Wow! Where has the year

gone!? It’s October already. And if you’ve been following the schedule I’ve suggested for raising your backyard flock then you have probably already seen some tiny, ping-pong-ball-sized eggs.

And your first thought was “Yeah!

My first egg! I’m going to have it bronzed.” I wouldn’t do that.

They don’t bronze well. Your second thought was probably, “That old hippie lied to me! It’ll take a dozen of these just to make one breakfast.” Don’t fret. They will get bigger quite quickly.

You want to collect your eggs at least once a day. It only takes a few minutes, unless you’re like me and you get to talking to the girls. It usually takes me about ten minutes to gather eggs, throw out some scratch grains, check the straw in the nest boxes and fluff them up. The whole time there will be a few girls watching to make sure I do it correctly and talking away, telling me all the hen house gossip. My rule of thumb is to expect about 2/3 as many eggs per day as you have hens, in the first two years. After that the production steadily falls off.

You’ll bring those gems inside and set them on the counter.

There are two schools of thought on what to do next. One school says don’t wash them until you’re ready to use them. Something about a protective coating that gets washed off. I can’t find any “of-

ficial” support for this theory. The a week? This is just the natural other school, to which I subscribe progression of things. Where did since I sell off my excess eggs to you think your McNuggets come friends and co-workers, is to wash from? Ok, bad example. Nobody them in cold water and refrigerREALLY knows where McNuggets come from. But Frank ate when dry. If you don’t have Perdue doesn’t grow his chicken a rooster you don’t have to worry at all about getting a “baby chick” in the frying pan when you crack the egg.

If you have roosters, as I do, you still don’t have to worry about that as long as you collect the eggs daily and store them A buff colored Chantecler enjoying the smorgasin the fridge. bord that is life as a free range bird.

I’ve been selling eggs for over five years now and never had breasts pre-packaged in that plasa complaint of that nature. In fact, tic, you know.

Our backyard flocks live a I’ve never had a complaint about cleaner, healthier, and happier life our eggs, other than when I didn’t than their egg-factory cousins or have any left.

My own new girls are now those 30,000 chickens crammed giving me over a dozen eggs per into one barn for day. The same number of old 8 short weeks. gals are only giving me about six They get a good a day. That’s why I’m calling Eli two years of runand making an appointment for ning free, eating them to “go to that happy nesting anything they can box in the sky.” Now, don’t go catch, and baskgetting all sappy on me. What did ing in the sun. you think was going to happen?

And when the “Oh, I could never eat an animal I time comes they took care of.” Really? Just how are processed in a many worn out chickens do you humane and digintend to have running around nified manner. It your place, eating feed, and no is my plan by this longer laying more than one egg time next year

to extend them a further courtesy and do the processing myself, in my own backyard.

Okay, so they don’t exactly sing, but if you try a small flock of Chanteclers you will soon be singing their praises. The Chantecler originated in the Quebec Province of Canada and is a fine example of a dual-purpose breed. National pride can be a wonderfully motivating force. Remember our sadly short-lived flourish of it after 9-11? Well there was this Canadian monk, Brother Wilfred Chatelain, who was touring a poultry show when he suddenly realized all the birds came from either Europe or the US. But there weren’t any breeds from Canada. So he decided to create one.

The good brother wanted to create a breed of chicken that could stand the harsh climate of Canada, and that could be used for both egg and meat production. Under the supervision of Brother Chatelain, the monks of the Cistercian Abbey in Oka,

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

Quebec, sought to create, “a fowl of vigorous and rustic temperament that could resist the climatic conditions of Canada, a general purpose fowl.” Although work began on this breed in 1908, it was not introduced to the public until 1918, and admitted to the American Poultry Association Standard of Perfection in 1921. From the French ‘chanter,’ “to sing,” and ‘clair,’ “bright,” the Chantecler is the first Canadian breed of chicken.

The breed is noted for having nearly no wattles and a small cushion comb – the comb appearing much like a small round button sitting low on the head.

The small comb and wattles allow this breed to withstand the cold Canadian winters without worry of frostbite. Not surprisingly, the breed is noted for being very hardy, is an excellent layer of brown eggs with a reputation as a

Continued on page 36

The Valley, October 2011

30 Wheat from page 19 pretty nasty ‘paper’ cut. Simply grasp a bunch of wheat right below the heads, just enough to get your hand around comfortably, cut, deposit and repeat.

Most of the time I use a sickle to harvest our wheat; that’s the kind with the short handle and curved blade that you sometimes find at sales. It is easier to use than the shears on a larger patch.

Kept razor sharp, it will slice easily through the stalks with little effort on your part. If you want to put the grain into shocks, you’ll have to cut fairly low which means lots of bending. That’s no big deal on a small patch, let’s say 10 X 10, but if you’ve got much more ground than that to cover, and you’re determined to cut it low, get a scythe and learn to use it correctly.

If you decide to try a sickle, cut at a height that is comfortable for you. Most varieties of wheat will top out around three to four feet which is about right for a person of average height to take hold of the straw at any handy point below the grain heads. By the end of the first row of cutting, you’ll know how much wheat will gather comfortably into your hand. When you swing the sickle, use a slightly rising motion, rather than a horizontal cut, since this is generally easier on the arm and shoulder. Most importantly, don’t hurry,7 and bend as little as possible. If your wheat is on the short side, bend only enough to grasp the wheat heads, no more.

There is no reason this has to be

backbreaking work.

Nonetheless, it is work albeit pleasant work - so dress appropriately. Covered legs and sturdy foot wear are a must. While they may not be popular in the summer heat, long sleeves, gloves and a wide brimmed hat will protect you far more than they make you sweat (you can start cutting once the dew is off the grain).

Begin to cut on the right hand side of the grain patch, on the left if you’re a southpaw. Go up one long side and down the other, working around and around and as you go, trample down the standing straw. After a few rounds you’ll find your rhythm. The cut wheat tops get thrown into whatever large containers are available.

Clean buckets, bushel baskets, laundry baskets, etc., are the most practical since they won’t close up like bags can, but use what you have. A bucket, or bag can be tied at the waist and emptied as it fills or larger containers can be placed in several convenient spots for you to toss the wheat into as you go. Oh, yes. Remember to pause at the end of each round to touch up the edge of your sickle with a whet stone.

When the cutting is finished, chickens and other fowl, if you keep them, enjoy gleaning any grain that dropped during harvest.

I usually give our chickens a day or two to scratch around in the straw, then run the mower over the patch to chop up the straw, till it in, and plant a cover crop.

I’ve always thought that the most convenient way to harvest the wheat by hand would be to

park the old pick up, the bed lined with a clean canvas tarp, right by the wheat patch. The containers of wheat could be emptied directly into the truck bed, you (and any helpers you may have roped in) could then hop into the truck (wearing CLEAN white cotton socks, of course) and thresh the wheat by stomping around on it for a while (the truck radio could be of some help with this). Then the wheat could be winnowed standing in the truck bed (there’s a steady breeze blowing in our perfect little scenario) with the chaff floating off into the field. After that, drive to the house, scoop up the grain into your containers of choice, and you’re done.

Needless to say, we’ve never done this, but it does seem a rather efficient idea. So maybe someday.

Threshing the wheat means that you knock the grain out of the heads. Do this as soon as possible after harvest, i.e. go to it straight from the field. You will come up with a method that works best in your situation, whether it’s your hands over a large container, a homemade flail or whatever else you come up with or read about.

Believe it or not, putting down a clean, heavy piece of cloth or canvas, and then walking or jogging on the mounded wheat heads (put on TWO pair of REALLY CLEAN, white cotton socks to do this as the wheat can get rather prickly on the tootsies) really does work well when you’ve got a good bit of wheat to thresh.

Maybe you could clear some space, grab the kids (of all ages), put on some good dancing music

NEW DAY CHARTER SCHOOL IS NOW ACCEPTING ONLINE APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2011-2012 SCHOOL YEAR! New Day Charter School is presently enrolling students. New Day Charter School is a Pennsylvania Department of Education approved grades 7 - 12, tuition-free public school that designs flexible instructional programs based on individual student learning plans. Online applications are available at www.newdaycs.org

Locations in Huntingdon and Mifflintown Daryl I. Smith, Principle 256 South 5th Street Huntingdon Pa, 16652 888-541-5830 / 814-643-7112

and have yourself a threshing party!

Winnowing is separating the clean grain from the chaff which is the light weight mess of hulls, stems and straw left after you threshed the wheat. Winnow your wheat by scooping it up in baskets or bowls, holding it about shoulder high and pouring it into a large container. The breeze, or a conveniently placed fan, will blow away everything but your grain.

You repeat this process until the grain is chaff free. The occasional stubborn bits can be picked out by hand later which makes for good sit-down work. Make sure you’ve got good light to work by when you do this final cleaning.

If you’ve got a large amount to winnow, and there is a stiff breeze blowing, a wide, flat basket can be used to gently toss the chaff and wheat up into the air with the same results. Do this over the large covered area where you threshed the grain. Use the same motion as you do when flipping an egg and the wheat will land back in the basket! With practice you’ll soon be able to winnow with the best of them and the satisfaction you get as the stream of wheat flows into your gathering basket will become one of the high points of your growing season.

Now, take your hands, plunge them down into your wheat crop.

Bring up handfuls of grain, feel the weight of them, then let the grains trickle back into the container. Besides being very satisfying to the soul (here’s what you worked with nature to produce, the source of the staff of life that can help feed you and your family through the coming year), this is a good way to help judge crop quality and it’s now that you should set aside your seed for the next planting.

If you scoop up a handful of grain, it should FEEL like a handful of grain weighing down your palm. Light weight means poor grain and you shouldn’t plant it. Also, note the number of shriveled or discolored grains. A few are nromal, but only a few.

Keep the planting seed in a cool dry place and use a container that will breathe, such as a well sealed paper bag. That should keep the grain free from moths that produce grain-crunching larvae and it will only be in there a few weeks.

Storing your wheat is the next step. Choose the method or methods that suit your situation (check out the resources). We start to make our Bulgar wheat directly after harvest so the bulk of our crop is safely put up for the

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

year. Wheat for eating as grain or for flour making is put into the freezer in large, heavy cotton bags that were made, and are used, for this purpose only. By the way, if you grow spring wheat, probably the only difference in the whole process would be timing. But if you store your spring wheat seed in the freezer, to hold ‘til spring, mark it clearly as planting seed so it doesn’t get eaten during the winter.

So, here you have it, an abbreviated introduction to the ancient and ever new practice of growing wheat. As a cornerstone of our diets it certainly deserves an honored place both in our gardens and on our tables.

Resources;

Hey, I wasn’t kidding about the whole ‘blow bubbles’ thing!

Check out the Mother Earth News, No. 73 January/February 1982 on page 31!

Also check out their web site for info on growing, harvesting and storing wheat at www. motherearthnews.com/.../growingwheat-types-of-wheat.aspx

Talk to fellow gardeners, farmers, folks at your local feed mills.

In case you didn’t take note the first two times around, HERE”S A BOOK THAT WE ALL SHOULD HAVE ON OUR SHELVES. “Small-scale Grain Raising” by Gene Logsdon

This is about the best book to have around for reference when it comes to raising and using all types of grain. I still work with the first edition from 1977 but there is a much more recent second edition available from: Chelsea Green Publishing, 85 North Main Street, Suite 120, White River Junction, Vermont 05001 1-800-639-4099 www. chelseagreen.com Or Acres USA, P.O. Box 91299, Austin, TX 78709 1-800-355-5313 www.acresusa.com

For the bakers among us and anyone else who wants to REALLY understand the REAL story of wheat, flour and bread, try; The Bread Builders-Hearth Loaves and Masonry Ovens by Danial Wing and Alan Scott. This book is also available from Chelsea Green and Acres USA.

For Grain Mills, Sickles, Scythes and other paraphanalia you may need to go to the onestop source for most things nonelectrical: Lehman’s, P.O. Box 270, Kidron, OH 44636 1-888-438-5346 www. lehmans.com a

31

The Valley, October 2011

Near to the Heart of God

100 Stine Drive Lewistown, PA 17044

717-248-6400

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

by Sarah Hurlburt

I am reading in I Kings in the Bible and have discovered that chapter 3 is one of the most beautiful little windows into the heart of God.

In verse 5 it says God appeared to Solomon in a dream and in this vision God says to Solomon “What shall I give you?” and this is where the beautiful part begins. I was amazed and so touched by Solomon’s request. He doesn’t ask for riches, popularity, health or long life, instead he asks God for an understanding heart with which to rule God’s chosen people. What an unusual and wonderful man! (I can see why he had so many wives. That fact has actually always bothered me, but I have come to understand that everything recorded in the Bible is not all the good and perfect stuff; Some of it is there for us to learn from. The culture at the time of Solomon was such that a King having many wives was not out of the ordinary, or even considered wrong like it seems it should be to me. But even so, Solomon taking on all those wives did have to suffer negative consequences because it was not, and is not, God’s original plan). Anyway, having said all of that, Solomon is a man that like his Father David, made mistakes but had a heart that was truly seeking God.

King Solomon’s request is a bold lesson for me in how I should pray. I know for me personally this year has been a turning point for me spiritually. I am often guilty in my immature faith and control-centered mind of asking God for “things”. Things like, Keep us healthy, Keep us Safe, Keep providing all the material blessings that we have, those I am learning are hollow prayers. These are not prayers of a soul earnestly seeking to know the heart of God!

The more I learn of the heart of God, the more I realize we don’t have to beg God for all those material and physical things.

He loves us with an everlasting love and longs to give us good things when we truly seek Him. And even for those who don’t seek Him He is so good. The Bible reminds us that God sends the rains on the just and the unjust.

The opportunity to know God and love God and allow His Spirit to fill you with His life is offered to every single soul alive. I think I Kings verses 10-15 give such an awe-inspiring view of God’s love for us because God tells Solomon, “I have given you a wise and understanding heart”, but then God goes a step further and says “even though you have not asked for the other “things” in life I am still going to give them to you.” That’s how I know God desires us to seek Him first and then everything else will fall into place. We see this plainly written out in Matthew 6:33 as well, when he says “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.”

I pray that we will all begin to seek God and ask Him for a wise and understanding heart. If we have that, everything else in our lives, marriages, parenting, careers, and health will make more sense and we will be a lot better at handling whatever life brings us.

Circumstances are always going to change like the weather, but God is unchangeable. He is what we must anchor to! His wise and understanding heart is the only one we can fully trust with every aspect of our lives.

Matthew 6:27-34 is well worth reading if you have the time. It reminds us not to worry about the physical things in life.

We can’t add one single hour to our lives by worrying. It reminds us to look at the lilies of the field and that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of those wild lilies. It reminds us not to focus on the day-to-day physical things of life, but seek God first and the rest will follow.

It ends by saying don’t worry about tomorrow because each day has enough trouble of its own to worry about. How true is that!?

I’m hoping we will all take time this fall as the weather cools and darkness sets in earlier to really consider what it is we are praying for and really think about drawing near to the heart of God. a

Paradise Found!

Gorgeous home perfect for entertaining year round. Cath. ceilings & FP in living, Corian & Granite Kitch, tiled Sunroom, Fin. LL, in-ground heated pool w/ waterfall.

Curb Appeal Close to 322 Handsome 2 Story with first floor BR, 2 full baths. Large screened porch overlooking .73 acre level lot. New roof, replacement windows + central

LAND FOR SALE

  

South Hills 3.38 acres (2 parcels) w/ public water & sewer. $79,900 4.75 Acres w/ mountain views.

Public utilities avail. $125,000 Rolling Hills Lot 50 & 51 only $30,000 Each with a further discount if purchased together!!!

   

McVeytown Rural, Wooded 3.92 acres $28,500

Locust Development 2.42 acres (2 lots) $30,000 Natural Setting w/ lots of wildlife 3 Cent Lane, Reedsville 2 Three Acre parcels available just minutes from 322 with panoramic Big Valley Views. $80,000 Each

Call Claire or Stephanie Today!

Claire Shockey: 717-994-0786

CShockey@StoneArchRealEstate.com

Stephanie Koenig: 717-513-8999

Stephanie@StoneArchRealEstate.com

www.StoneArchRealEstate.com

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

The Valley, October 2011

32 Cows to the Homestead from page 4 I said a cow or two right? I think we have a habit of jumping in feet first in just about everything we do and this would be no exception. At this point we were talking about six heifers, two of which were bred bringing us to a total of eight animals after the heifers calved.

Now that the wheels were turning on the cattle, I began focusing my time on fencing,

handling, and health. As we have with all animals on our farm, we opted to use electrical fencing so that we could move the cattle on a daily basis allowing us to keep them on fresh ground. Our window to purchase the cattle was closing since the Devon breeder had another interested party in their heifers. Fortunately, the Jersey heifers were fairly easy to find and were coming from a grass fed only dairy just 30 minutes away, which means they were already optimized for our climate and the

diet we intended.

At this point, things were moving along fairly smooth but as the pickup date got closer, stress mounted, and work required to prepare for the cattle was piling up on our quickly shortening window of time. Unfortunately the pickup and delivery didn’t go smoothly at all, but before I open that can of worms, I will stop here and save that adventure for next month!

Take care, Dave & Ginger and Family a

Back Talk from page 33

choice. What do you believe is better for your body, getting a flu shot or letting your immune system handle it? Are you going to inject substances like formaldehyde and thimerosal for a chance that you may not get the flu? Even in minor amounts, those substances are harmful to your body.

It might be a good idea if your doctor or nurse asks you if you had your flu shot to ask him or her if they have had one. Seventy percent of doctors and nurses and sixty-two percent of health care workers do not get a flu shot. So, why are they adamant about you having one? It all comes down to money. What is the alternative to a flu shot? If you can strengthen your immune system to where it should be, you will be able to stay healthy or fight off a sickness quickly. Strengthening the immune system involves doing the things you know to do, but

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

may not actually do. Sleep at least eight hours each night, drink plenty of water, exercise for at least 30 minutes three days each week, eat a healthy, well-balanced diet, possibly supplementing with vitamins for lacking areas, such as Vitamins A, C & D, which have shown to boost the immune system. One of the best ways to ensure your body is functioning at 100% and your immune system is up to par, is to eliminate misalignments in your spine to allow your brain to stay connected with your body without interference. So, call our office at 248-2506 to find out how chiropractic can help you and your immune system.

Sources: www.thinktwice.com Centers for Disease Control & Prevention To read about flu shot effectiveness, check out www.naturalnews. com then enter “flu shot judged ineffective” and click on first listing. a

33

The Valley, October 2011

Back Talk

by Dr. Joseph Kauffman

Do You Need a Flu Shot?

Here is What You Need to Know

It’s getting to be that time of year again. Everywhere I look, I see signs about getting my flu shot. Even the pharmacist at your local drugstore or grocery store can give it to you. There always seem to be mixed reactions to how effective it is or how people feel after getting one. All you ever hear about, though, is why you should get one. The CDC (Center for Disease Control) even uses fear to motivate or persuade people to get a flu shot. I am going to show you some of their reasons and then give you the other side of the equation so that you can make an educated decision as to what is best for you and your family.

What exactly is the flu? Influenza, or the flu, is a contagious respiratory infection caused by a virus. It usually strikes during winter. Symptoms include fever, chills, runny nose, sore throat, cough, headache, muscle aches, fatigue, and decreased appetite.

Conditions usually improve in two to three days. Treatment mainly consists of allowing the

disease to run its course. Antibiotics will not subdue the flu virus.

Bed rest and drinking lots of fluids are often recommended. The flu can lead to complications, such as pneumonia, in high risk groups, which include the elderly and people with heart, lung, or kidney dysfunctions, diabetes, anemia, or compromised immune systems.

In some circumstances, severe complications in high risk groups can lead to death. The CDC, the manufacturers of the vaccine and most medical doctors and pharmacists claim that getting a flu shot will help prevent you from getting the flu, which will keep you safe from experiencing these symptoms and may possibly save your life if the flu affected you that severely. The CDC claims that 34,000 people die each year due to complications caused by contracting influenza. So, in order to prevent you from becoming another statistic, they claim you should get your flu shot.

First, you should be aware that fear is the best way to moti-

vate people to buy into an idea.

By the CDC’s own report, the actual number of people who die each year is a few hundred, not 34,000. More people die each year due to asthma and malnutrition rather than influenza.

Second, there are three main types of flu virus and they can mutate, or change, from year to year. In the US, five flu vaccines produced from five different manufacturers are available. Four of the vaccines are injections and one is a nasal spray. Each vaccine is indicated for different age groups. The viruses contained in flu shots are inactivated (killed), which means they cannot cause infection. Flu vaccine manufacturers kill the viruses used in the flu shot during the process of making each vaccine, and batches of flu vaccine are tested to make sure they are safe. The CDC states that the nasal spray contains live virus but are weakened and cannot cause

the flu.

So, how are the vaccines made? Each year officials travel to Asia in January or February to verify which flu strains are prevalent there. Then, they assume that the same strains will be prevalent in the US months later at the start of the flu season. If the strains turn out to differ in the US than what occurred in Asia, the vaccines are worthless. So, they refer to the information to the manufacturers who then include the top three into each vaccine. The three different strains are selected and grown in chick embryos for several weeks. That’s why allergies to eggs are a reason why you should not get the flu shot. Each flu strain is inactivated with formaldehyde and preserved with thimerosal, a mercury derivative. Some flu vaccines still contain 25mcg of mercury per dose. Flu vaccines may also contain aluminum, sodium phosphate, sodium chloride and gelatin.

“What about people who get a seasonal flu vaccine and still get sick with flu-like symptoms?

There are three main reasons why: 1. People may be exposed to an influenza virus shortly before getting vaccinated or during the twoweek period that it takes the body to gain protection after getting vaccinated. This exposure may result in a person becoming ill with flu before the vaccine begins to protect them.

2. People may become ill from

other (non-flu) viruses that circulate during the flu season, which can also cause flu-like symptoms (such as rhinovirus).

3. A person may be exposed to an influenza virus that is not included in the seasonal flu vaccine. There are many different influenza viruses that circulate every year.

The flu shot protects against the 3 viruses that research suggests will be most common. Unfortunately, some people can remain unprotected from flu despite getting the vaccine. This is more likely to occur among people that have weakened immune systems.

Can severe problems occur?

Life-threatening allergic reactions are very rare. Signs of serious allergic reaction can include breathing problems, hoarseness or wheezing, hives, paleness, weakness, a fast heartbeat, or dizziness. If they do occur, it is within a few minutes to a few hours after the shot. These reactions are more likely to occur among persons with a severe allergy to eggs. People who have had a severe reaction to eggs or a flu shot in the past should not get a flu shot before seeing a physician. Normally, about one person per 100,000 people per year will develop Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), an illness characterized by fever, nerve damage, and muscle weakness.”

It comes down to personal

Continued on page 32

Virus kills breast cancer cells in laboratory University Park—Penn State, Public Information

A nondisease-causing virus kills human breast cancer cells in the laboratory, creating opportunities for potential new cancer therapies, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers who tested the virus on three different breast cancer types that represent the multiple stages of breast cancer development.

Adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV2) is a virus that regularly infects humans but causes no disease. Past studies by the same researchers show that it promotes tumor cell death in cervical cancer cells infected with human papillomavirus. Researchers used an unaltered, naturally occurring version of AAV2 on human breast cancer cells.

“Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer in the world and is the leading cause of cancerrelated death in women,” said Samina Alam, research associate

in microbiology and immunology.

“It is also complex to treat.”

Craig Meyers, professor of microbiology and immunology, said breast cancer is problematic to treat because of its multiple stages. “Because it has multiple stages, you can’t treat all the women the same. Currently, treatment of breast cancer is dependent on multiple factors such as hormone-dependency, invasiveness and metastases, drug resistance and potential toxicities.

Our study shows that AAV2, as a single entity, targets all different grades of breast cancer.”

Cells have multiple ways of dying. If damage occurs in a healthy cell, the cell turns on production and activation of specific proteins that allow the cell to commit suicide. However, in cancer cells these death pathways often are turned off, while the proteins that allow the cell to divide and multiply are stuck in the “on” position.

One way to fight cancer is to

find ways to turn on these death pathways, which is what researchers believe is happening with the AAV2 virus.

In tissue culture dishes in the laboratory, 100 percent of the cancer cells are destroyed by the virus within seven days, with the majority of the cell death proteins activated on the fifth day. In another study, a fourth breast cancer derived cell line, which is the most aggressive, required three weeks to undergo cell death.

“We can see the virus is killing the cancer cells, but how is it doing it?” Alam said. “If we can determine which viral genes are being used, we may be able to introduce those genes into a therapeutic. If we can determine which pathways the virus is triggering, we can then screen new drugs that target those pathways. Or we may simply be able to use the virus itself.”

Research needs to be completed to learn how AAV2 is killing cancer cells and which of its

proteins are activating the death pathways. According to Meyers, the cellular myc gene seems to be involved. While usually associated with cell proliferation, myc is a protein also known to promote cell death. The scientists have observed increased expression of myc close to the time of death of the breast cancer cells in the study. They report their results in a recent issue of Molecular Cancer.

AAV2 does not affect healthy cells. However, if AAV2 were used in humans, the potential exists that the body’s immune system would fight to remove it from the body. Therefore, by learning how AAV2 targets the death pathways, researchers potentially can find ways to treat the cancer without using the actual virus.

In ongoing studies, the Penn State researchers also have shown AAV2 can kill cells derived from prostate cancer, methoselioma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. A fourth line of breast

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

cancer cells -- representing the most aggressive form of the disease -- also was studied in a mouse breast tumor model, followed by treatment with AAV2.

Preliminary results show the destruction of the tumors in the mice, and researchers will report the findings of those mouse studies soon.

Other researchers on this project are Brian S. Bowser and Mohd Israr, Department of Microbiology and Immunology; Michael J. Conway, Section of Infection Diseases, Yale School of Medicine; and Apurva Tandon, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health, Breast and Cervical Cancer Initiative supported this research. The researchers have filed for a U.S. patent on this work. a

The Valley, October 2011

34

Joanne Wills’ Contentment Quest Pearls...

Things happen to us… to all of us… for various reasons.

Some can be explained and some cannot. I may never know why it seems that I have had such a complex life – childhood through my current adult years. And, I am at peace with the realization that I may never know, or understand, the intricate journey called “my” life. Cruel, insensitive, and unsympathetic happenings and situations in my life made me tough… made me driven… made me yearn for justice… made me do things which ended up changing my life for the better. A most unfortunate fact of life is that people can and will be cruel, but that does not mean that we should permit cruelty to control or power our life.

Every single one of us has a choice to take our story and turn it into something poetic. It may or may not require physical strength; but, it certainly requires the ability to read between the lines.

To realize that each life event, miniscule or mammoth, holds an opportunity for mastery. Perhaps the event presented was really a blessing in disguise to teach us something new.

I have said it many times before, and I will say it again. To waste time lamenting on why bad things happen, just keeps us stuck in the mud. We have a choice.

Stay stuck in the mud mired in mediocre, then eventually succumb to the pain… or rise above the muck.

Our “life” is always speaking… speaking to us… but we rarely tune in to truly listen. Why??

Maybe it is because we just cannot seem to find the courage to listen… quietly and deeply listen.

Maybe it is because we have become numb.

Even though we all are wonderfully different and unique, we do all share some common ground.

We all can empathize with each other on how irritations in life can disrupt us… how something tiny can upset our “apple carts” so to speak. Irritations can subtly slip into our lives. Sometimes we can get lulled into a comfortable, mediocre, numb place in life – a place where we choose to stay on autopilot, or a state of denial.

We, in essence, sleep through the warning signs that life offers us.

Sometimes, during an autopilot era, we may state to others that we are “just trying to make it through the day(s).”

Irritants can start small like a tiny grain of sand. There is a great lesson that can be learned in understanding the impact of a tiny grain of sand – a tiny irritant.

Natural pearls are made from an irritant to the oyster.

The tiny grain of sand finds its way into the oyster, in between the oyster’s shells.

The irritating nature of the sand forces the oyster to seek relief.

The oyster begins to secrete a substance known as “mother of pearl”

which begins to encapsulate the tiny grain of sand, layer by layer.

Over time, the oyster secretes many layers of the substance which encapsulates the pearl, and eventually, the beautiful iridescent gem is formed – all from the basis of an irritant.

As with the oyster, irritants force themselves into our personal and professional lives every day.

Sometimes the intrusions are not merely irritants, but rather fullscale catastrophes which, through no fault of our own, cause us and others great personal suffering.

When we choose to focus on our self-awareness, and growth, rather than remain numb to life, we may find that certain things or relationships begin to irritate us.

Why?? Because when we become self-aware, we spark a process that awakens us. A process that encourages us to make smarter choices for our overall well-being.

I would encourage you to exercise caution to the acceptance of apathy in your life. We experience irritation – dis-comfort and dis-ease – because something in us or in our life is not in alignment. Something in our life no longer fits like a glove. In the words of Carl Jung (Swedish psychiatrist and student of Sigmund Freud) “Everything that irritates us can lead to a better understanding of ourselves.” We must remember though that we cannot change another, we can only change ourselves.

Reverend Tony Cooke has a thing or two to say about irritation. Cooke once stated:

“The next time you find yourself in disagreement with someone (or someone in disagreement with you), ask yourself this question: Am I getting irritated or am I making a pearl? Wisdom teaches us to benefit from disagreements, and to make each incident, no matter how irritating it may seem at first, into a redemptive growth experience. When people with good hearts disagree, but are respectful and teachable, there is a great benefit that occurs… both of them learned and were broadened because of what they learned in working through the disagreement

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

– working through the irritation.”

The metaphorical pearl-making process is long and uncomfortable. Oftentimes, the pearls, those things of great value to our families, friends, communities, organizations, or society as a whole, will be harvested at a great personal cost and sacrifice. I tend to think that the act of harvesting the pearl, the gem, from the oyster must involve some degree of pain for the creature. After all, its shell gets pried open with force, and something that it has learned to live with, to adapt to over a long time, gets snatched away. The pearl gets extracted from the oyster, the gem extracted from the experience of the oyster, to benefit another, to benefit us and bejewel us.

How many of us are willing to risk personal pain and loss for a better way. A better way that others may experience? If an oyster can do it, so can we! For we are far more intelligent and powerful than an oyster! Perhaps we should all take the risk. Perhaps we should all choose to make pearls out of our life’s irritants.

Eventually the oyster will die, but the pearl and its value remain for years. Eventually we too will die, but what if our “pearls” lived on?

Lived on in legacy long after we left this earth. What if we were able to make many pearls from our irritations? Make a beautiful iridescent strand of pearls? In my opinion, I think I’d rather leave even ONE pearl behind – as it is much better that just leaving an empty shell.

Parting quotes and thoughts to ponder…

“We find comfort among those who agree with us – growth among those who don’t.” ~ Frank A. Clark “The People to fear are not those who disagree with you, but those who disagree with you and are too cowardly to let you know.” ~ Napoleon Bonaparte “Don’t be trapped by dogma, which is living with other people’s opinions of you.” ~ Steve Jobs “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” ~ Romans 12:18 (NKJV). a

35

The Valley, October 2011

Life in the East End

by Rebecca Harrop

Fall Harvest is in progress in the East End. We are busy finishing filling silos and Ag Bags with corn silage. Next will probably be shelling corn to fill the high moisture corn silo. Of course if you look at the soybeans, it won’t be too long till they will be about ready to combine. Every season has unique jobs and concerns for farmers. Filling silo means we have to pay attention to the possibility of silo gas which can be deadly. There is more than one kind of silo gas. We usually have a little, but it isn’t the really bad kind. After we fill a silo we leave the blower hooked up so whoever goes into the silo to set up the unloader, they can run the blower. The blower sends fresh air up the shoot into the silo. If there is any silo gas there, it gets pushed out the roof. The dangerous silo gas does not have a smell and you can’t see it, so it’s better to assume it may be there and eliminate the problem. Some gas has an orange”ish” color, but I don’t think that one is the really dangerous one, but at least you can see it so you know it’s there.

My Dad and uncles feel that it is better to run the blower and be safe. One additional problem farmers in our area are facing this fall are wet, muddy fields. Field lanes get pretty messy from the repeated trips over them bringing in wagons of crops. Normally firm banks along field lanes can be unstable. If you get too close to the edge, the wagon or tractor can slip down the bank. It doesn’t have to be a steep bank either.

Even a bank only a couple inches lower than the level of the lane can present a problem. A wagon load of corn silage weighs around 10 tons. A tractor to pull it will usually weigh from 8 to10 tons.

That’s a lot of weight on the edge of a lane that is soggy from all the moisture we have been having.

If the wagon starts to slide it is probably going to pull the tractor with it. You can end up with both down the side of the bank needing to be pulled back up, the wagon rolled over, or both rolled. Either way it sure slows you down for a bit. When it happens you just have to see what damage there is and start cleaning up and making repairs.

My Dad and uncles often tell

us about a couple mishaps they had with silage wagons several years ago. Dad was crossing the road where we live, right before the school buses went in the afternoon, when the spindle broke and dug into the road. The wagon was full so there was no moving it like that. They had to unhook the tractor, jack up the front of the wagon, and fix the spindle. I guess it was on the road a couple hours before they got it fixed. Can you imagine the kids on the school bus when they went past? Another time Bob had unhooked the silage wagon back in the field and it started to roll away. Where we live the fields run slightly down hill from the mountain. Dad and Bob tried to catch the tongue and turn it, but couldn’t get close enough. The wagon rolled all the way down to the field that runs to our house. It got turned and ran toward the lane instead of coming toward the house. Mom remembers looking out the living room window and wondering what the wagon was doing sitting along the lane like that. It’s a good thing it turned because if it had kept coming it would have hit our car and crossed the road and hit the house.

It’s kind of funny now, but I’m sure it wasn’t then.

These are just some of the challenges that farmers can face harvesting crops, but we all try to be as careful as possible.

School has started and that means the 3rd grade Ag Tour.

This year’s tour was held September 20th at the Roy Groff and Galen Groff farms in Ferguson Valley. There were over 500 3rd graders from Mifflin Co. School District, Belleville Mennonite, Christian Acedamy, Sacred Heart, and Home School. The kids spent half the day on one farm and the other half at the other farm. There are about 10 different stations set up at each farm lasting about 10-15 minutes each. Some of the stations are Farm Equipment, which talks a little about the hay making process; Waste management which deals with the proper handling of manure; The Bee Station, which gives some information on honey bees and how they are beneficial to farmers; Incredible Plants, which talks about the

Continued on page 14

Mushroom Mania from page 15 (Armalleria mellea) and Blewits (Clitocybe nuda). Blewits are a cold weather mushroom that is normally found in October and November in Pa., although this year who knows.

Honey mushrooms are most often called Popinkies or just Pinkies around my area and are a great favorite among the older generation, particularly those of

Slovakian descent. They can be found in great quantities growing on dead and rotting wood.

There are some specifics to identifying them and I would suggest that you enlist the aid of an experienced picker to learn what to look for. This is another mushroom that has a deadly look-a-like and is also known to cause gastro intestinal upset in some people.

This all may sound a little scary, hopefully just enough to

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

keep you aware and paying attention to details. With some common sense and a little education picking and eating mushrooms is much safer than driving to work everyday.

Be safe, have fun and get out there and enjoy the bountiful fall Mother Nature is providing us with. Like the commercial says, it doesn’t get much better than this. a

The Valley, October 2011

36

Home-Grown!

A Homeschooler’s Perspective

By Mary Eck

Onward Christian Soldier

Nerve-racking (and often last-minute) curriculum choices; the accompanying affordability anxiety; the ever-irksome nature of school district compliance; perpetual lesson plan preparation; exhausting extracurricular schedules; seemingly bottomless assignment “in” baskets…I could go on and on (kinda like the school year seems to, come February)!

With so much to contend with, the next eight months loom oh-so-daunting before the typical homeschool parent, me included.

Hopefully, you and your budding scholars got off to a good start last month, and have some dynamic momentum going now to push you through those darker days when you wonder if the grass isn’t greener!

Now, let’s shift our focus a bit:

Inquisitive faces that soak up abstract concepts via a particularly-messy-but-fun science experiment; pitiful looks of frustration that give way to exasperation, and then to smirks of triumph, as geometric construction of congruent angles is mastered; precious family time cooking a spaghettifrom-scratch meal together; the comical whining and bellyaching prompted by scintillating sentence-diagramming lessons; those heart-stopping writing assignments in which a child pours out a secret part of herself, inviting a glimpse into her private world; the amusing excuses they will try on us just to wiggle out of an assignment or postpone a dreaded due date just ONE more day…

The list is as infinite as it is gratifying! And finding one of these or a few focal points of your own can be critical to staying

the course and countering all the doubts that niggle at us when we’re down.

I don’t mean at all to downplay the mostly positive and fun homeschooling moments that will (hopefully) define your year. But, you have to admit it is human nature to single out and dwell on that one bad episode amidst the countless triumphs that typified our homeschooling week. And it is these times we must be wary of, and prepared for!

So maybe we’re not the best mathematician; or grammar guru; or spelling whiz. Those obstacles can be overcome. What we need to remember is that our children need to see their parents as students themselves, anxious and excited for what the next day brings and modeling for them a bring-it-on kind of mentality that demonstrates that being a student is NOT about being the smartest or the best; it is about having an unquenchable desire to learn and not stagnate as a person. It’s about cultivating the pursuit— not of perfection—but of excellence.

Whether it be academics or our walk with the Lord, excellence is the standard we all should aspire to. And unlike perfection, excellence is achievable, for it is defined as giving your very best effort, regardless of any measured outcome.

It’s sort of like the old adage, “God loves me just the way I am, but too much to let me stay that way.” Homeschooling is an incredibly effective vehicle for imparting character attributes, and parents are by no means exempt from the process. If we truly let God work through us AND in us as parents AND educators via

the ups and downs of our unique homeschool experiences, the line between teacher and student becomes unavoidably, and blissfully, blurred!

I submit to you that it is all worth it. Simple as that sounds, we all need to believe it; need to know it in our hearts, as well as our heads, that we are committed to that which is so much more than teaching how to solve for the elusive variable x, or tell a predicate nominative from an appositive, or even determine how many electrons a sodium molecule boasts.

When we pledge our time and efforts to the teaching of our children, we are presenting our lives as vessels unto the Lord and beckoning Him to work through us as He molds and transforms the precious young lives He has put in our earthly charge. I mean, do we really want to take that on ourselves?! ( I will assume you are at least shaking your head vigorously at this point.)

So then, can our “peculiar” role (as the more tactful naysayers might describe it) as a parent-teacher hybrid get any more significant?! I would boldly counter that label by suggesting it is the most natural—and spiritually sensible— undertaking for a parent who does not take his or her responsibility lightly.

It certainly is not an easy calling; nor is it—or all that we sacrifice in the process—esteemed as a worthwhile endeavor by today’s culture. But homeschooling is a high calling, and one that can be a marvelous gateway to a child’s spiritual growth…and ultimately your own. So, onward, Christian soldier!

Chantecler Chickens from page 29

colors, White and Partridge; both having yellow flesh and legs. It is an excellent choice for anyone wanting a productive fowl that will excel in a wintry climate.

The breed is noted for being calm, gentle, and personable. My own Chanteclers will be the first hens to eat directly from my hand when I am sitting down, talking to my

girls. Next month, the Natural World Champion for meat production, the Jersey Giant. No steroids and no growth hormones needed.

Until then, remember, support your local economy. Buy local, eat local, and live well.

(Generous excerpts courtesy of the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy website.) a

good winter layer, and has a wellfleshed breast. Well, if it does that well a few hundred miles to our north, imagine how well it will do in our gentler winters down here.

The Chantecler can still be found in both of its original

God’s Presence from page 6 times and difficult circumstances are not an argument for God’s absence. In fact, these difficult times are the best arguments for God’s presence with us. Adversity is when God’s presence is most precious to us. When we find ourselves in the midst of uncertainty, confusion, and peril, that is when God is very present with us.

Oldies but Goodies from page 10 as barns may hold dust and allergens. Not only just the usual dusts from the barn floor, but hay can often cause these horses irritation.

In some cases, hay can be watered down. Eliminating hay and feeding a complete feed is also an option.

A little care can ensure that your senior horse is kept comfortable and has many serviceable years left. Obviously the amount of work a horse can continue to do varies from horse to horse. If you find that as your horse has suddenly aged, he is no longer useful for what you need and has become too costly for you to care for, there are other options.

For a beginner rider a great older horse that has “been there done that” could be the perfect first horse. These horses may not be able to keep up to the level of competition they once did, but sometimes “slowing down” is a good thing for some riders. There is still a spot in the “show world” or even on a trail ride for these “old faithfuls.” Even therapeutic riding programs are an excellent retirement home for older horses.

Although they cannot be ridden like they once were, they can

When there seems to be no food or water available, look to the horizon—manna, quail and water comes from the rocks all around.

When we see no one around that is when God is most present with us. There is always evidence of God’s provision, protection, and presence even in the midst of a dry, lonesome wilderness. a

still be lead and used to help a physically disabled person gain muscle strength and balance.

Programs like the Bedford County Therapeutic Riding Program run

by Lois Claycomb use many older horses with their children.

These horses not only work on the physically impaired person, but also help to heal emotionally. As a horse may not physically be able to continue as a riding partner, they could make a great pasture buddy, for example when weaning foals.

Rescues have become more prominent over the years and are definitely an option as a place for your older horse to retire. Not all rescues are going to be that “safe” place, so research into the place you chose is highly recommended. One local rescue that has provided forever homes for many seniors is Cozee Valee Rescue & Sanctuary in Huntingdon, Pa. “Old doesn’t have to mean the horse is a money pit.” Beth Hearn of CVRS says that the biggest problem they see is that the cost of senior feed deters people from wanting an older horse, but with proper vet, farrier, and dental care an “old geezer” can still be the best teacher without being financially overwhelming. Old doesn’t mean used up either…an Oldie can still be a Goodie! a

Giving Back from page 9

Without virtue, man can have no happiness in this world

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

--Benjamin Franklin

Now I know this is a homeschooling article and I’ve talked about service during the whole article. My philosophy about homeschooling isn’t to turn out the kid who has the highest test scores in the world, although academics are important. As a homeschooling family, we don’t want to turn out the most religious kid in the world. As a homeschooling mom and dad we want to turn out the most well-rounded kid; a kid who will grow up to be a productive part of society, think of others and not just himself.

I hope I’ve given you something to think about, and maybe the motivation to go out and give to some community service organization. a

37

The Valley, October 2011 Editor’s corner from page 2 the destination. We knew I-80 was open beyond that point from information provided by Lynn’s mom. Things went well until we descended into a small hollow.

I do not remember the town.

There was one of those florescent orange “Road Closed” signs. This was our last chance—we were defeated. Another Jeep with a couple sitting in it was parked off to the side and we pulled up next to them and asked if they were locals. They were! We asked if there was another way around, and they informed us that they had just come through the closed area, and if we hurried, we “MIGHT” make it across the bridge! They led the way and also informed us that there was another bridge out up ahead and how to

East Gate from page 23 to be available to help you solve your feeding problems. Co-owned

by Purina Mills LLC, East Gate is a Certified Expert Purina Dealer.

Purina Mills is constantly providing educational programs to our employees. With the help of our Purina Representative Cindy Robinson, we have done farm calls to feed seminars in hopes of sharing knowledge, expertise and education with the people in Reedsville and surrounding areas.

As the retail manager, Traci Hanna Yoder is a graduate of Wilson College with a Bachelor of Science in Equestrian Management. With a lifetime of experience in training, showing and riding lessons; horses are her main interest. However after over 10 years of experience in the feed business and numerous feed educational seminars with Purina Mills, Traci has a vast knowledge of feed and caring for a variety of animals.

Jessica Baumgardner, a 2009 graduate of Lewistown High School, is the newest addition to the retail sales team. Jess also graduated from Vo-tech for animal science. As a member of FFA and 4-H for 13 yrs, Jess has shown pigs, beef cattle, sheep and goats.

Her 2011 pig was named Grand Champion at the Mifflin County Youth Fair.

The team at East Gate supports community events and particularly our local 4-H and FFA youth. Check with one of our staff about how Purina Honor Show Chows can help you feed your Champion. Purina offers programs for their Honor Show Chow winners, so be sure to ask about these promotions.

In December, East Gate will

get around it. Water was flowing just up to the bridge deck, but we made it across, and in another 20 minutes were up on I-80 headed home. It had taken us 3 1/2 hours to find a way around Bloomsburg.

Did Emergency Management for the state fail? Yep they did, and they always will. The perfect world doesn’t exist. You cannot possibly train or have a plan for every situation. The state did the best they could, which never will be good enough in all situations for every person. We also failed in this instance because we didn’t have the tools at our disposal to get ourselves out of the situation, namely our Delorme Atlas.

We have all become too accustomed to following the voice in our GPS, or worse yet, highway signs that will NOT help or even be there in a disaster situation.

Once the traffic headed south on

I-81 out of Scranton started hitting the closure signs, everyone was all balled up following directions to closed roads. Tractor trailers were on roads they shouldn’t have been. It was a mess. But, if we had been ready at the first sign of trouble, we could have pulled over, opened the atlas and formulated a plan. We will not be without that book ever again.

In fact, I used to buy one for each destination state we traveled to, but now in hindsight, it wouldn’t be an awful idea to have one for the states in between as well. “Be Prepared” I was once taught—you bet!

This month in The Valley we are very excited to be able to start offering crossword puzzles and cryptograms. These will run every month and the answers to the current month’s puzzles will be in next month’s issue. We had

wanted to add these features long ago but kept getting sidetracked.

While eating at the Bel-Vue last week we were once again on the receiving end of a request for puzzles to be included. So, here ya go!

Also new this month, guest writer Dr. Joseph Kauffman has agreed to become a regular contributor to The Valley with his column entitled “Back Talk.”

Please join us in welcoming Joe to our pages! His words are a source of wisdom for all.

The Valley Fall Mushroom Foray will be held Saturday, October 8th from 10:00 -2:00. There are still a couple spots left if you want to join us for a stroll in the fall woods.

As always, please support our advertisers, they are the ones who make this publication possible.

Wayne a

be doing one of our most popular events, Pet Photos with Santa.

Check out our new website, eastgatefeed.com, for updates about this event and others. The store has expanded the selection of pet toys and treats. Pet owners will find Purina Exclusive, Infinia and PMI pet foods. And, if you want to save on premium pet foods, ask about joining our Frequent Purchase Program!

It is our goal at East Gate Feed and Grain to provide a wide selection of premium horse, pet and livestock products. With our new renovations we hope to bring you an enjoyable shopping experience. Be sure to put November 19th on your calendar for the Grand Re-Opening There will be a very nice grand prize awarded to one lucky customer, as well as many door prizes. “Stop in at East Gate Feed & Grain and see what we have for you and your animals.” a

Water Woes from page 26

in Danville to a displaced family who needs some temporary housing while their home is being repaired. What a wonderful gesture! a

means that Grandma must now find a new place to live. This is hard for someone who has been living in the same house for over 60 years.

It will be a long time before many families have a clean, safe place to live again. Also consider the emotional toll that flooding takes on its victims as they often lose many things that are precious to them. Please think about what you can do to help families affected by flooding. Maybe you can contact some flood victims in Bloomsburg (or Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton, Shickshinny, Harrisburg, Hershey, etc.) and donate some of thing things children may have lost in the flood (games and toys). Or maybe you can just show up in town one day and offer help to scrub and clean up.

My Aunt has offered her home

Reedsville HarvestFest October 7-8 Friday, Oct. 7 Noon to 9PM Saturday, Oct. 8 9AM to 5PM Mifflin County Youth Park, Reedsville, PA Annual two-day indoor and outdoor festival event with quality art and craft vendors, food, auto show, entertainment and more.

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

Sponsored by the Big Valley Business Association

38

The Valley, October 2011

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

39

The Valley, October 2011

Notes C.O.R.E. Susquehanna Americorp Member Joins Lewistown Hospital Team

Cindy Houser has recently taken on the role of the AmeriCorps Member in the Community Relations Department of Lewistown Hospital. Houser comes from the C.O.R.E., Community, Opportunity, Responsibility, and Empowerment, Susquehanna AmeriCorps Program located in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania. As an AmeriCorps member, Houser will be volunteering her time and service to Lewistown Hospital as well as the community, volunteering her service to help others.

Houser, a Burnham resident, is a 2011 graduate from Lock Haven University where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in Recreation Management. In the summer of 2011 she was the Community Relations Department’s intern at Lewistown Hospital where she created the new mascot, Lewie B. Healthy.

In her role as an AmeriCorps member at Lewistown Hospital, Houser’s job will be emphasizing community outreach. She will be working with the Lewie B. Healthy Program, speaker’s bureau, seminars, and other community events. Cindy will also be working with the Seda-Cog Housing Development Project in Lewistown.

Lewistown Hospital School of Nursing Holds Commencement Ceremony The Lewistown Hospital School of Nursing held the fifth com-

mencement ceremony on August 11, 2011, at Brookmere Winery. 19 seniors graduated from the School.

The original School of Nursing was established in 1908 and closed its doors in 1964. The new school of nursing opened in 2005.

Front L to R: Suzanne Ward, Destinee Varner, Nichole Umholtz, Courtney Bailey, Sherry White, Tiffany Smith, Rebecca Hower. Standing L to R: Eugene Maylock, Laura Dorman, Tonya Fenton, Beth Kauffman, Rachael Harpster, Bonnie Faber, Melissa Rhinehart, Nicole Butts, Linda Rupp, Britney Lepley, Erin Kensinger, Laurynne Kauffman.

Friends of Lewistown Hospital Awards Sophie Snook Scholarships

Friends of Lewistown Hospital awarded three Sophie Snook Scholarships during their annual meeting on September 12.

Friends established the scholarship program in memory of Sophie Snook, the first graduate of the original Lewistown Hospital School of Nursing. Applicants must either be a Lewistown Hospital employee pursing a secondary diploma, certificate or degree relating to health care or must be a student enrolled in the Lewistown Hospital School of Nursing.

Applications are due each year by May 30.

For more information, call 242-7225 or visit www.lewistownhospital.org/schoolofnursing.

Pictured L to R Scholarship Winners: Heather McMinn, School of Nursing student, and Jessica Ford, School of Nursing student and hospital employee. (Absent from photo: Elizabeth French, School of Nursing student)

Dr. Alexander S. Harshberger played an instrumental role in establishing Lewistown Hospital in its early years. He was the President of the Board of Directors from 1905 to 1920 and guided the Board and Medical Staff through the Hospital’s position of a modern, community-based hospital with a mission of service to the community.

Lewistown Hospital Announces Scholarship Winners

Lewistown Hospital recently awarded The Alexander S. Harshberger, MD, Scholarship Award to two employees: Kay Klingler and Jessica Ford. The Lewistown Healthcare Foundation Board of Directors established this scholarship program in 2001 in memory of Dr. Harshberger and his extraordinary service to the Hospital and the community.

(L to R): Kay Klingler and Jessica Ford

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

The Valley, October 2011

40

POOR WILL’S VALLEY ALMANACK for October of 2011 The days shortened. The air grew frosty. Nights were loud with the honking of geese, and suddenly the leaves were down before gusts of wind. The days were noisy with blowing, and the house filled with the sound of crickets’ thighs.

James Still

THE STARS

The Pleiades, and the Hyades of Taurus lie on the eastern horizon well after dark announcing Middle Autumn in Pennyslvania.

Nonetheless, Summer’s Milky Way is still directly overhead, and June’s Corona Borealis has still not set by ten o’clock. Cygnus, the swan is still high above you, along with August’s Aquila and Lyra.

THE PLANETS

Venus lies in Libra, lost from view throughout the month, Mars in Cancer comes up after midnight and is nearly overhead by sunrise.

Jupiter in Aries still dominates the east after sunset, leading Orion into the center of the sky by the middle of the night. Saturn in Virgo is visible right along the eastern horizon at dawn.

THE SUN

The 23rd of October is Cross Quarter Day, the halfway mark between autumn equinox and winter solstice. The sun enters Scorpio at the same time. Throughout Pennyslvania, October, like September, subtracts about an hour from the day’s length.

THE SHOOTING STARS

The Draconids appear near Draco along the northern horizon after midnight on October 8 – 9, but the full moon will make it

hard to spot them. You may have better luck with the Orionids, which fall in Orion, on October 21-22.

THE MOON AND THE WEATHER OCTOBER - WEEK 1 THE THIRD WEEK OF EARLY FALL LUNAR PHASE AND LORE

The Leafturn Moon, new on September 27 at 6:09 a.m., waxes throughout the week, entering its second quarter at 10:15 p.m. on October 3. Rising in the morning and setting well after dark, this moon moves overhead in the late afternoon.

Fishing and scouting for game are both favored with the moon above you, making the period between lunch and supper the best lunar time of day for those activities this week. And all creatures should be more active and feed more heavily as the barometer falls in advance of the October 2 and 4 weather systems.

The dark, waxing moon favors the planting of garlic and spring bulbs, and the transplanting of perennials throughout the period, especially on the 3rd and 4th in Capricorn.

WEATHER PATTERNS

Cold fronts typically arrive in Pennsylvania on about the following dates: October 2, 7, 13, 17, 23, and 30. As in September, the period between the 19th and 25th is the time most likely to bring serious storms or damaging frost.

Expect snow with any of these weather systems. Full moon on October 11 and new moon on October 26 increase the likelihood of a hurricane coming ashore in the Gulf or a strong frost-bearing cold wave moving across the Plains around those dates.

Light frost strikes ten to 20 percent of all the nights this

week, with October 3 most likely to bring a damaging freeze in the 20s (a five percent chance of that). Highs in the 80s occur on approximately ten percent of the days, and 70s can be expected 30 percent of the time. Moderate 60s dominate 50 percent of the afternoons, while colder 40s and 50s come 15 to 20 percent of the time.

The likelihood for colder weather almost always increases after the 4th - after which day the chances for highs only in the 50s swells from an average of 15 percent to 30 percent throughout Pennsylvania.

Rain falls about one day in three. The driest days are the 3rd, the 6th and the 7th, and the wettest days are October 1st and the 4th. Skies are clear to partly cloudy 70 percent of the time.

The sunniest days are typically the 3rd, and the 6th, when clouds are almost completely absent 80 percent of the time.

OCTOBER – WEEK 2 THE FINAL WEEK OF EARLY FALL LUNAR PHASE AND LORE

Entering its second quarter on October 3, the Leafturn Moon waxes throughout the period, becoming completely full on October 11 at 9:06 p.m. Rising in the afternoon and setting early in the morning, this moon reaches its zenith in the middle of the night.

Full moon in the middle of next week may create more stress for families, students and teachers.

Crime and the number of accidents are expected to rise between the 10th and the 12th.

Lunar position for hunting and fishing is best for those activities (but worst for dieting) near midnight during this period; the second-best lunar time, near midday, may be the most convenient, especially as the cool fronts of October 7 and 13 approach.

The waxing moon favors planting garlic and transplanting in

Pisces on the 8th and in Taurus on the 12th through the 14th. Next week’s waning moon, however, will provide even better conditions.

WEATHER PATTERNS

While some days this week are often warm (the 8th of October bringing a 40 percent chance of highs above 70 degrees), others are typically cooler. October 11, 12, and 13 are the days most likely to see highs in the 40s or 50s. The coldest morning so far in the season usually comes on October 13, when the chances of a low in the 20s are 20 percent for the first time since spring.

The first part of the week is usually dry (carrying only a 20 percent chance for precipitation on the 8th), but precipitation often increases thereafter, with the 10th bringing a 40 percent chance for rain, and the 12th a 50 percent chance. The 12th is also the first day that snow has a five to ten percent chance of falling.

OCTOBER: WEEK 3 THE FIRST WEEK OF MIDDLE FALL LUNAR PHASE AND LORE

The Leafturn Moon, full on October 11, wanes throughout the period, entering its last quarter on October 19 at 10:30 p.m. Rising in the afternoon and setting before dawn, this moon will lie overhead at night.

As the moon wanes through its third quarter this week, it will favor the setting out of garlic, shrubs and trees, and the planting and transplanting of perennials.

Lunar conditions will be especially propitious when the moon lies in Cancer on the 17th and 18th.

Although seasonal affective disorders gradually increase as the leaves come down, the weakening moon should briefly soften the transition to autumn by the middle of next week as the moon

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

enters its final phase. Fishing and hunting are favored by the moon early in the morning this week or late in the afternoon, especially as the cold front of October 17 approaches, pushing down the barometer and making creatures hungry and restless.

WEATHER PATTERNS

While most afternoons are in the 50s and 60s, the weather does warm up sometimes: the 15th and 16th each have a 40 percent chance for highs in the 70s or 80s, and the other days at least have a 30 percent chance of such temperatures.

Lows in the 20s or 30s are most likely to occur on the mornings of the 19th, 20th, with the latter date carrying the highest chances for a freeze so far this season: a full 30 percent chance for a light frost, and an additional 20 percent chance for a hard freeze.

Most days this week have a 30 percent chance for precipitation, with the 16th and 17th being the wettest (with a 40 percent chance). The times most likely to produce snow are the 18th through the 20th (but only five to ten percent of all the years).

OCTOBER: WEEK 4 THE SECOND WEEK OF MIDDLE FALL LUNAR PHASE AND LORE

The Leafturn Moon wanes down October until it becomes the new Second-Spring Moon on October 26 at 3:56 p.m. Rising in the morning and setting in the evening, the new moon is always overhead near the middle of the day, favoring hunting, fishing, feeding of livestock and children – but causing havoc to dieters at that time – particularly as the cold front of October 30 approaches.

Passing into Scorpio on October 26 and 27, then into Capricorn on the 30th and 31st, the dark

41

The Valley, October 2011 moon will support the transplanting of shrubs, trees, and perennials. It may also promote long-term growth of new garlic and the survival of herbs and flowers brought indoors against the frost.

Harvest under Leo, Virgo and Libra, between October 20 and 25.

WEATHER PATTERNS

Highs are usually in the 50s or 60s, with the odds for 70s near one in five. About one night in three receives temperatures in the upper 20s or lower 30s. But by this late in the season, the chances for a hard freeze have risen past 50 percent, and the odds get better each night for killing lows.

This week is generally a brighter one than last week.

Chances for sun are about 70 percent throughout the period, and some of the driest October days are the 26th, 28th, and 29th (each having just a fifteen percent chance for precipitation).

The sixth high pressure system of the month usually arrives near Halloween. If it is approaching on the 31st, that evening will be warm, with maybe a little rain.

If the front arrives on the 29th or 30th, the eve of All Saints Day is usually unpleasant.

A DAYBOOK FOR OCTOBER October 1: If you are planning to make all your poultry free range next year, consider reserving about one acre for each100 chickens or 50 turkeys.

Complete autumn culling before all your grain disappears. Start with the wethers: October is one of the year’s strongest wether market months. Consider applying nitrogen, phosphate, and potash to the fields after harvest in order to decrease the springtime workload.

October 2: The first cold front of October arrives near this date, but the weak lunar phase should soften its effects October 3: The Leafturn Moon enters its second quarter today, favoring planting of a green cover crop for the garden. Put in spinach for spring harvest, too. When possible, plant winter grains between now and full moon (October 11).

October 4: Some people say that you can clean internal parasites from your pigs by feeding them on milk for three days in a row every two weeks.

October 5: Asters are winding down; August’s jumpseeds are jumping, touch-me-nots popping, thimble plants unraveling. The toothed leaves of beggarticks darken overnight. Buckeye fruits

have fallen, and three-seeded mercury has lost its seeds.

October 6: The demand for goat’s milk rises in the fall, and prices start to rise too.

October 7: Soybeans are often mature on half of the region’s farms, and a fourth of that crop has been cut. Corn silage and potatoes have been harvested throughout the state by now in average years, and half the fall apples have been picked.

October 8: Chimney swifts, wood thrushes, barn swallows and red-eyed vireos migrate this first week of middle fall. Flocks of blackbirds and robins come south across the countryside. Yellowbellied sapsuckers move through the woods.

October 9: Some beekeepers believe that the period of the waxing moon (now) is the best time to remove honey from their hives.

October 10: Farmers often apply nitrogen, phosphate, and potash now in order to decrease their springtime workload.

October 11: The Leafturn Moon is full today, and it is expected to intensify of the effects of the Columbus Day cold front.

October 12: In the cooler, wetter nights, crickets and katydids are weakening. Only a few swallowtails and fritillaries visit the garden, and just a few fireflies glow in the grass. Out in the fields, almost all the wildflowers have gone to seed. Wild cucumber fruits are dry and empty. Hosta pods are splitting, black seeds ready to fall in a storm. Wild asparagus yellows by the roadsides. The final sedum blossoms are closing for the year.

October 13: As alfalfa growth slows, move your flock and herd to orchard grass, timothy, bluegrass and broom grass.

October 14: The darkening moon now favors setting spring flower bulbs and transplanting perennials. The best lunar grain harvest conditions, as well as the most propitious lunar times for trimming hooves (and fingernails), worming livestock, putting on shingles, cutting wood and hair, and having surgery are thought to occur at the time of the waning moon.

October 15: When beggartick seeds stick to your pants, then check your horses for horse-bot eggs.

October 16: October is coyote month. Check your fences, and keep your guard animals on alert.

If one of your animals does happen to be killed, dispose of the carcass immediately. In general, a coyote will kill by attacking the throat. Dogs usually work in packs, and leave bite marks on

the hind legs and rear ends of the animals.

October 17: A cold front usually reaches Pennsylvania near this date. As cold weather threatens, check to make sure that you are adjusting ventilation in the hen house to compensate for seasonal changes. But don’t close buildings up too tight: adequate ventilation is still required in the coldest conditions.

October 18: The sugar beet harvest begins near this date all across the northern states at the same time that grape harvest is done along Lake Erie. The third and final cutting of alfalfa is complete above the 40th Parallel.

October 19: The moon enters its final quarter today. Continue transplanting of perennials and the setting out of garlic and spring bulbs through the end of the month.

October 20: Your horses may drink much less as the autumn weather chills their water. Experiment with heated water to encourage hydration in horses as well as in other livestock. Heated water may offer special benefits to older animals.

October 21: As the days shorten, the low trills of the field crickets become slow, then rare, and then they disappear altogether. Goldenrod flowers darken and turn to downy tufts. Pokeweed berries shrivel and fall. Wingstem turns brittle from the cold. Knotweed withers. Jerusalem artichokes yellow, stalks collapsing.

October 22: The weather system of October’s fourth week is one of the most dependable of October fronts. It moves across the nation between the 20th and the 25th, bringing precipitation and cold temperatures.

October 23: Watch for foot rot to increase in your herd or flock with wet autumn pastures. Clean infected hooves, and feed your animals kale from the garden, molasses, oats and pulped carrots in order to encourage healing.

October 24: Cabbage worms (and people) still eat the cabbages and kale, but the seasons of tomatoes, beans, eggplant, and squash are usually winding down.

October 25: Colder ground temperatures (in the 40s and 50s) combine with a reduction in the average amount of daylight and sunlight this month to bring an end to the grazing season in most of the northern half of the nation this month. Make the autumn feeding transition to supplements and hay as gradual and stress free as possible, and that includes a gradual transition at the end of Daylight Savings Time in November.

October 26: The moon is new today, and it is likely to influence the weather system due to cross the nation near October 27. Expect unsettled conditions throughout the final week of the month October 27: Pastures may be regreening in some areas now, part of the second-spring process that brings a resurgence in wildflower development in the woods.

Provide plenty of free choice hay to livestock in order reduce the chance they will gorge themselves on fresh growth.

October 28: When thimbleweed heads are tufted like cotton, then that’s the time to plan marketing your goat and sheep cheese, Christmas cacti, dried flowers and grasses, poinsettias, mistletoe and ginseng for the holidays.

October 29: Feed the trees after all their leaves are down. If you put the leaves in bags and leave alone, they will turn to compost and be ready for the garden in March of 2013 or 2014.

October 30: As the moon waxes, complete preparation of cold frames. Move a selection of greens and other hardy vegetables now before the weather turns more damaging.

October 31: High pollen counts are over in most of the country until next spring. Average mold counts are typically low at this time too: usually less than 2,000 out of a possible 7,000 grains per cubic meter.

DIALS OF SCORPIO

The landscape contains a thousand dials which indicate the natural divisions of time…. ~Henry David Thoreau

The sun’s passage from Libra to Scorpio on October 23 tilts the hinge of Middle Autumn and initiates the most dramatic period of leaf fall. Throughout this final stage of the natural year, the landscape becomes fully primed for the new signs and seasons to come.

As the days shorten, the effects of the weakening sun are easily seen in the collapse of almost all the foliage. Smaller changes also offer measure of Scorpio. The low trills of the field crickets become slow then rare then disappear. Goldenrod flowers darken and turn to downy tufts.

Pokeweed berries shrivel and fall.

Wingstem turns brittle from the cold. Knotweed withers. Jerusalem artichokes yellow, stalks collapsing. Dahlias blacken.

The last flocks of migrating robins, blackbirds and herring gulls pass through the mountains.

The last sandhill cranes depart

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

their northern nesting grounds in Michigan. The last monarchs sail over the last roses. The last black walnuts and Osage fall. The last raspberry bushes and apple trees give up their fruit. The last autumn violets and dandelions go into dormancy. The last witch hazel blossoms curl in the hard frost.

Milkweed and white snakeroot seeds scatter. Christmas cacti flower and fade. Bittersweet opens. Asian lady beetles take shelter in bark and siding. Deer mate in the night. Wings of the hosta droop and melt. Black privet berries and rose hips appear as their foliage thins. Winter wheat sprouts and greens the fields.

Skunk cabbage spears push out from the muck, forecasting spring.

As distant and unimaginable as the movements of the firmament seem, so close and tangible and countable are the events of the immediate landscape. Starlike, those events gleam in their earthy setting, pointing to the hour, the constellations of lanky, empty branches following and reflecting in mirror the high astrology of the sun.

Copyright 2011 – Bill Felker

Bill Felker has been writing nature columns and almanacs for regional and national publications since 1984. His Poor Will’s Almanack has appeared as an annual publication since 2003, and his weekly radio essays are broadcast on National Public Radio’s WYSO from Yellow Springs, Ohio. Bill’s website, www.poorwillsalmanack.com, contains weekly updates and a sizable bank of information about nature. His organization of weather patterns and phenology (what happens when in nature) offers a unique structure for understanding the repeating rhythms of the year. Bill lives with his wife in Yellow Springs, Ohio. They have two daughters, Jeni, who is a psychologist in Portland, Oregon, and Neysa, a photographer in Spoleto, Italy.

Poor Will’s Almanack for 2012 is now available. Send $19.00 (includes shipping and handling) to Poor Will, P.O. Box 431, Yellow Springs, Ohio 45387.

The Valley, October 2011

42

MOLEK for

You have the right to expect toughness, fairness and professionalism from your District Attorney.

Dave Molek

District Attorney

To the Voters of Mifflin County: I am a candidate for District Attorney of Mifflin County. I am a conservative lawyer with 37 years across-the board experience in the criminal justice system. I want to bring my ideas of Prevention, Prosecution and Principles to the office of the Chief Law Enforcement Official in Mifflin County.

Prevention: My goal is to make and keep the people of Mifflin County safe and secure. A great deal of responsibility and power lies in the hands of our DA. The District Attorney has the direct responsibility for the establishment and execution of all law enforcement policy for Mifflin County. I intend to promote the safety of our people by prosecuting those who break the law with a stronger emphasis on property crimes.

Prosecution: I intend to aggressively prosecute criminal activity and enforce our laws without prejudice, bias or political purposes. I take seriously the responsibility for seeking justice on a daily basis for the citizens of Mifflin County. The DA is responsible for deciding who to charge and what crimes to charge. However, it is not just about trying cases, because the DA currently tries less than one-half of one percent of the criminal cases that go to court. Many decisions on pleas, bargains, dismissals and sentences are done on a day-to-day basis on over 99% of the cases. So leading the office and making the right pre-trial decisions are important.

Principles: I intend to operate the office with the highest professionalism and ethical standards.

I understand the importance of keeping the DA’s office out of politics and witch-hunts. I intend to bring openness and accountability to the DA’s office. Common sense and core values will lead the way.

I intend to be the Peoples’ Lawyer. I am conservative, pro-Constitution, pro-gun and have strong Christian values. I will do my best to apply my principles and values as District Attorney.

I would greatly appreciate your vote on November 8. Thank you.

Tough H Professional H Fair thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

43

The Valley, October 2011

Your Source For…Farm, Auto, Home, & Life Insurance Year Round Tax Planning 4417 East Main Street, Belleville 935 935--5858

Can Breast Cancer Be Prevented?

by Marge Delozier

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month in the United States. One very stark statistic is that one in every eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. We’ve all been touched by it. We all know someone who has gone through the battle.

We’ve observed or been a part of the tremendous struggle to survive breast cancer. Can it be prevented?

This is a question on many people’s minds…followed only with “If I have had breast cancer–how do I keep from getting it again”?

Most people know by now (hopefully) that as women we need to do self-exams and get mammograms. This is a great tool to detect cancer and catch it early, hopefully. But how do we prevent it altogether? Is it even possible in this world filled with way too many cancers?

My passion is preventative health care and the main reason I brought Curves here eight years ago. I believe that exercise is in the top ten list of things to do to prevent any and all disease. They tell us that 65% of all disease is preventable….so how do we do it? When asked to write this article, I was surprised by some of the things I discovered. Again, a lot of information on early detection…less on prevention. A lot of information on treatments and options, but little on prevention.

I researched several of the top holistic doctors and scientists in the country–Dr Oz, Dr. Andrew Weil, Deepak Chopra, Ann Kulze, Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, and others. I chose more holistic doctors as they deal with the whole body–not just specialty parts. Holistic just means that they look at the mind, body, and spirit when dealing with a person’s total health. We are all total beings and when trying to heal, we need to get to the root cause of the problem, and not just treat the symptoms.

Our insurance pays for tests for early detection, but rarely pays for preventative steps. What if a lot more emphasis was put on avoiding a lot of the diseases that we have? The first step is in taking responsibility for our own health, and not waiting until our bodies break down to seek help.

Marisa Weiss, MD (president and founder of breastcancer.org– the worlds most utilized online resource for expertise on breast health and breast cancer) states that it’s just not true that all breast cancer runs in families. Only ten percent of cases are associated with an inherited abnormal breast cancer gene. Plus, these abnormal genes only make an individual prone to breast cancer; they don’t cause cancer on their own. In order for breast cancer to start, other genetic changes have to occur. It is often the wear and tear of living, heavily influenced by lifestyle

and environmental risk factors that triggers the development of breast cancer.

What we eat, drink, and breathe, as well as the supplements and medicines we take, and the products we use, can become the building block–the foundation–of our future breast health. When you consider all the chemicals, pesticides, and other contaminants in just our food supply alone–it’s no wonder that breast cancer has become the most common cancer to affect women.

Detoxing our bodies in this day and age is a very popular and effective way to help to eliminate some of these toxins. This can be done through dietary supplements, by using an infrared sauna, detoxing footbaths, or by other dietary methods.

Obesity is epidemic. Two thirds of American women are overweight or obese. Extra fat marinates breast cells in extra hormones; fat collects and stores pollutants. Obesity also is associated with chronic inflammation that can weaken the immune systems ability to repair the body.

Changing your life, even though it is not easy, can help prevent the risk of breast cancer. Our bodies have the power to forgive, repair and rebound.

Preventative health care is not easy. It takes make things.

1. First it takes time. Time to research (generally on our own) what we can do and how to go

Burnham

about the changes. Our food manufacturers don’t always really want us to be healthy. They are loading our foods with high fructose corn syrup and bad/cheap fats and a lot of other chemicals that our bodies do not know how to break down.

2. It takes commitment. Committing to a new way of healthy eating is hard. It’s more difficult to eat out and be healthy. It’s hard to be picking up fast foods and be healthy. We need to be eating (for many) a whole new way. Committing to exercise is hard. Only 15% of our country exercises and yet 70% are over weight.

Why? We only need to commit to exercising 30 minutes a day to be healthy…We all waste that much time on computers, tv, cell phones and other devices each day.

3. It may seem like it costs more money to eat healthy, exercise, and be well. But, can we really afford not to? Aren’t the costs of prescriptions, the side affects from them on our bodies, and the loss of mobility when we don’t

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

exercise, a higher price to pay?

After much research, I have compiled a list of the 15 most commonly agreed upon things we can do to help prevent breast cancer. There are many others but these are the ones most experts all agreed upon. These are not in order of importance.

1. Maintain a healthy body weight (BMI less than 25) throughout your life. Weight gain in midlife, independent of BMI, has been shown to significantly increase breast cancer risk. Additionally, an elevated BMI has been conclusively shown to increase the risk of post-menopausal breast cancer. Find out what your BMI is and also your body fat %......even if you are of “normal” weight-sometimes women are amazed at how high their BMI and body fat are. Many times this is caused by excessive sugars in the diet ,which are often hidden in our foods-like high fructose corn syrup.

Continued on page 16

44

The Valley, October 2011

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com