October 2014 the valley

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The Valley, October 2014

Massage Therapy For Asthma Putting Minds at Ease And Giving Sighs of Relief

by Tamela Hetrick, LMT

While some will see the beginning of the fall season as a relief from the hot, humid ‘dog days’ of summer, others are not looking forward to the fall as they are anticipating another season of wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath. Outdoor molds thrive in the damp environment created by falling and decaying leaves. Fall brings fall pollen and mold. Allergies to pollen or mold and asthma often go hand in hand. The fall months bring discomfort to many asthma sufferers. Asthma is a chronic disorder, which affects the airways to the lungs. When the asthma trigger irritates the bronchial tubes, it can lead to compromised breathing and an asthma attack. Triggers can be internal factors (emotional stress) and/or external factors (stimulants such as pollen/dust, furry pets, smoke). When the bronchial tubes become chronically inflamed because of the trigger, they go into spasm and swell. This restricts the amount of air that can reach the lungs, leading to shortness of breath, tightness in the chest, wheezing and coughing. • Do you or a loved one suffer from Asthma? • Would you like to breathe deeper? • Do you know that a specialized Massage Therapy Treatment can help those suffering from breathing disorders to promote

deeper and easier breathing? Asthma is not curable. Massage Therapists cannot touch the lungs or bronchi. Massage Therapist can’t even treat the cause or triggers of asthma. So why bother going for a massage to help with your asthma? It has a lot to do with asthma’s chronic nature. Asthma suffers know they have to manage their asthma for the rest of their lives. They would like to breathe deeper, reduce anxiety that commonly goes hand in hand with asthma, and reduce their reliance on the medications traditionally prescribed for asthma. Sometimes, too, they’re not finding the relief they want from traditional medicine. Massage therapy can play a vital role in managing asthma. Because of frequent wheezing and coughing, the muscles in the front and back of the upper body (accessory respiratory muscles) become tight. Tight muscles are short muscles and they can restrict normal breathing. Massage techniques to lengthen and relax these muscles improve breathing capacity and function. Massage therapy can not only

improve breathing, but also posture. This can lead to an opening of the chest area, as well as the structural alignment and rib cage expansion needed for optimal lung function. Plus, when the parasympathetic nervous system responds to massage: your breathing rate slows and becomes deep and regular. We all know that Massage

Therapy helps to relieve stress. Stress is a known trigger for asthma attacks. So if that is the case, regular massage could decrease

the severity or frequency of attacks. Even if stress is not your trigger for attacks: asthma symptoms such as shortness of breath, tightness in the chest, continual coughing, worry about future attacks, and anxiety about having breathing problems, all can cause additional stress on the body. Research has shown that massage therapy can lower your heart rate and blood pressure, relax your muscles and increase the production of endorphins—your body’s natural “feel good” chemical. Serotonin and dopamine are also released through massage, and the result is a feeling of calm relaxation that makes stress much easier to overcome. The specialized training that I received for asthma clients begins by relaxing the 20 muscles that facilitate breathing. This is done with various massage techniques. Next, is stretching these muscles to elongate and return them to their normal state. Assisted breathing exercises are then incorporated to fully engage the lungs. These exercises, (with the Therapists help), restrict air from entering targeted areas of the lungs, so that the air is forced to

Lighting Brush Fires in People’s Minds

the unrestricted areas, thus further expanding. These techniques together will relax the chest cavity muscles and improve breathing capacity, so that one can take deeper easier breaths. If you’re considering alternative treatment for asthma symptoms, I strongly suggest a massage treatment by a qualified Massage Therapy that has specialized training in treating clients with asthma. Massage therapy for asthma should put your mind at ease and give you a sigh of relief! a

Tamela Hetrick is a licensed Massage Therapist with 15 years experience practicing at Shade Mountain R&R. Along with her certification in Orthopedic Massage, she has specialized training in Fibromyalgia, Postural Assessment, Aromatherapy, and Asthma Massage.


The Valley, October 2014

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Editor’s Corner Wayne Stottlar If I had to pick a favorite month of the year, it would be a tough decision between June and October! June brings the confirmation of renewal, but there is something primal about the bounty of the harvest season. Not just the harvest of food either, but the gathering of supplies to face the approaching winter can be very satisfying if you do what needs to be done. Apple picking used to be a traditional necessity up home in NH. We have traveled up there at this time of year to take part, but for whatever reason, we just never went out apple picking here, and on the years we didn’t travel north, we went appleless. There was really no need, Pennsylvania after all, does grow some real nice apples. You just do not see it as prevalent here, but no worry,

we found a great place here in the Big Valley for apples. You don’t have the family destination location like in NH with the hayride out to the orchard, hot apple cider donuts, and the scent of mulled cider filling the air, BUT, Swarey’s Apple Orchard out on Front Mountain Road heading out of Belleville is a great place to go. They have a fabulous selection of apples, even my two favorites, McCoun and Stayman. We were a little early for those, so I picked up a basket of Jonathan’s and will head back for the other varieties later in October. Don’t forget to pick up a jug of their cider, it is the best I have tasted since my late friend Jeptha gave me a gallon of his cider last fall. Fall is also about color. I heard it once said that nature has the best box of crayons, and in fall

it is hard to argue with that. Being from NH, we always took notice of the progression of color throughout the state to know which area to avoid on the weekends as the “leaf peepers” clogged up the roads with their vehicles while focusing their attention on the color and NOT THE ROAD! As beautiful as it is in the White Mountains during this time, we have some spectacular views here in central PA as well. I am not talking about trekking out to Hyner View either, but right here in our central PA valleys. You just have to get out and look, and what better time of the year than fall to go get lost on a back road and see what you can see. Fill the gas tank first though, lest your spiritual revival in nature turns into a long frustrating hike! Don’t ask me how I know that little nugget of wisdom, but here is a hint—it has nothing to do with being old and wise. This time of year is also about HOCKEY! Yes, my schedule will be tweaked and adjusted for the next nine months to enable me to see as much hockey as is humanly possible. In fact, if not for hockey, I think I could be quite comfortable without a TV. This is also political season and af-

ter many years involvement, I just can’t stand politicians anymore, from either party. After all, those two partys are what brought us to where we are today. Well, that and an ignorant electorate, who treat their civic duty of voting like a popularity contest or a sports game. Only a tiny amount know what they are actually voting for. The end result is having a regime in power that is now highly suspect to be incompetent and in way

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

“Fair & Balanced” means Spin gets Equal Time

over their head. Obama is now going to do exactly what G. W. Bush did, that coincidentally had Obama’s supporters howling about in opposition. That is commit our sons and daughters to another war in the Middle East, which is none of our business, and holds no real value to our country. Now that is not to say that I am against all war, I am not. I

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The Valley, October 2014

Back Talk by Dr. Joseph Kauffman

A Much Needed Step In the Right Direction The past few weeks have been eye opening for me. I have been going through a sort of metamorphosis in my professional thinking. For so long, I have been valuing my own profession through the eyes of an insurancebinding outlook. My chiropractic school did an excellent job in the philosophy department, but a poor job in the business management end of things. After graduating from chiropractic school, I worked for an insurance-based chiropractor and learned how to bill the insurance companies. However, the longer I work with them, the more I learn that the best interest of the insurance company is neither the patient nor the doctor, it’s the almighty dollar. I have done two separate columns on the woes of the current state of our health care system in the United States and shown how,

although we spend billions of dollars on healthcare, our state of health is not even in the top 30 in the world. The way we as a society are doing healthcare is simply not working. The need is there. The insurance method of healthcare is not working! Premiums are sky-rocketing. Deductible and co-payments are going through the roof. And, insurance payments to doctors have done nothing but decrease in the past twelve years I have been in practice. So, where does all of the money go? The obvious answer is the insurance company and/or government, depending on which company you subscribe to. Many medical doctors and chiropractors are starting to wake up. The government rarely does things correctly, and most of us who have been working with government-based healthcare companies such as

Medicare and Medicaid, could foresee the impending doom of Obamacare. Most medical doctors do not have a high regard for Obamacare. Ask them. However, Obamacare is not solely to blame. The third-party payor system does not work. This is the way our healthcare system has been and the proof is in the statistics. With most insurance coverages, you have terms such as deductibles, co-payments and co-insurances. Some plans require you to pay x amount of dollars before any coverage will commence. The amount of x usually varies from as low as $250 to as high as $10,000 from what I have seen. Typically, the lower the deductible, the higher the premium, which is the amount paid each month to simply have the insurance plan. Once the deductible is met, the co-payments usually take effect. The copayments are usually broken into office visit co-pays and specialist visit co-pays. Occasionally, you have co-insurance added in also. This is where you have to pay a percentage of anything done in addition to the co-payment. So, on top of the co-pay, you have to pay perhaps 10% or 20% of what the doctor does during the visit. All of these charges add up, and if you are self-employed,

the premiums come out of your pocket also. Since chiropractors are considered specialists, so we are required by law to charge you the specialist visit co-payment, which is usually quite a bit higher than the office visit co-payment to your medical doctor. Since the best benefit of chiropractic is coming regularly, the bill per visit to use your insurance compiles to quite a large amount when added together. And, if the chiropractic office accepts your insurance plan, by law they are required to charge you the specialist visit co-pay even though the cash visit price may be considerably less expensive. We are in the quagmire of the insurance conundrum. We are not allowed to make it financially easier for the patient because we are participating with their insurance plan. So, the patient is in effect penalized by having the insurance plan and if they drop their plan, they now get fined for not having a plan. Thanks Obama! Insurance companies are dictating us. They tell us what we can and cannot charge. They tell us how long and how often patients can come. They tell us what can and what can not be treated. This is not what I signed up for when I became a chiropractor. Insurance companies are the third party who

collects all the money and make it very difficult to get payments to the doctor. The obvious answer is to cut out the middleman. So, in the next few months, our office is going to be phasing out of an insurance office and in to a cashbased practice. Therefore, we will be dis-enrolling in insurance plans because by law, we are required to charge what they dictate. Currently, we do accept most plans, so the phasing will be a process, but is necessary for us and for you. By going this route, the patient wins, we win, and the insurance company loses, as it should be. If all doctors went this route, you would no longer have to pay $50 for a bandage or have to go into the poorhouse if you should need a surgery and regular chiropractic care will be both affordable and effective in helping you increase your overall health. And maybe, our country as a whole would climb into at least the top 30 in overall health in the world. Call our office to learn how chiropractic can help you and to learn about our new cash options. Dr. Joseph Kauffman Kauffman-Hummel Chiropractic Clinic drjosephkauffman@comcast.net 717-248-2506 a

Team of Scientists from Great Britain Researching Jesus Relics in Boalsburg’s Columbus Chapel The Columbus Chapel and Boal Mansion Museum in Boalsburg welcomed a Cable News Network (CNN) film crew

yesterday to film the two pieces of the True Cross of Jesus contained in Boalsburg’s Columbus Chapel. The crew was following a team of scientists from Oxford University in England as they traced the history of the pieces of the True Cross from Jerusalem to Spain and finally to Boalsburg, Pennsylvania. A small sample of the Cross was taken and the wood will be carbon dated as part of six-part TV series entitled The Jesus Code that will examine relics associated with the life of Jesus Christ. It is due Professor Thomas Higham (center), Deputy Director at to be transmitted Oxford Radio Carbon Accelerator Unit in Great Britnationwide on CNN ain, analyzes the two pieces of the True Cross in the Columbus Chapel in Boalsburg while CNN camera- in 2015. For sound man Richard Numeroff records the event for nation- wide airing in the spring of 2015.

recordist Merce Williams of New York, it was not his first working visit to the Columbus Chapel. He worked sound for Lucinda Lambton of BBC-TV for her “United States of Europe” special program about the Columbus Chapel broadcast throughout the United Kingdom in the 1990s. Boal descendants of Columbus inherited and imported the chapel from Spain in 1909, including an Admiral’s Desk that belonged to Columbus, European fine religious paintings and statues, and the two pieces of the True Cross of Jesus. The Columbus Chapel and Boal Mansion Museum are open to the public six days a week (closed Mondays) from 1:30 to 5 pm until October 31. School and bus group tours are possible in the winter by advance arrangement. For details, visit http://boalmuseum.com or contact (814) 466-9266 or office@boalmuseum. com or the Facebook.com page “Columbus Chapel and Boal Mansion Museum.” a

The Truth Has No Agenda

Professor Thomas Higham (center), Deputy Director at Oxford Radio Carbon Accelerator Unit in Great Britain, and relic researcher Georges Kazan (right) view the two pieces of the True Cross of Jesus in the Columbus Chapel in Boalsburg yesterday (September 22) with Museum CEO Christopher Lee (left) for an upcoming program on Jesus Christ to be aired nationwide by CNN next spring.

Next Issue of The Valley November 5th


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The Valley, October 2014

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“Fair & Balanced” means Spin gets Equal Time


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The Valley, October 2014

“The Regenerative Power of Restraint” Excerpts from an Essay by Brian Snyder, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture This month I would like to share with you some thoughts gleaned from the writings of one of the sanest voices in modern Agriculture. These comments are so clear and directly to the point that they must be served straight up for our consumption. For over twenty years, the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture has been the voice of reason crying in the wilderness, and increasingly in the

“halls of power,” to the benefit of us all. Mr. Snyder is the walking embodiment of the word erudite. Put together, the two are helping to give us a fighting chance to come out of the next few decades eating well, living safely and healthily, and with a bright future in place for our posterity. Please read carefully these out takes, from a longer letter to the PASA membership, and consider his words well.

“If we were lacking an adequate appreciation for the concept of power and the ways it can be used in both constructive and destructive ways, the world has certainly given us an abundance of opportunities in the past several years to remedy that situation.” “In addition, there has been much attention to the exercise of power on a smaller scale between groups of people who think differently, act differently, or are just plain different.” “We have also experienced big power moves within the realm of farming and food systems during this time – ongoing situations that are far from conclusive at this writing.” “This brings to mind the lessons we have learned throughout our lives – about the nature of power and how it should be exercised effectively. More specifically, the lessons we have been taught in our families, by our teachers and through centurieslong faith traditions, have focused on the idea that power itself is most respected when a person, group or nation refrains from using it, except in the direst of circumstances. Nothing exhibits power more…than the willful restraint from using it.” “But when we apply this thought process to an agricul-

tural environment, we understand what’s truly at stake. We understand that the wanton use of power almost always creates situations that demand more of the same. When we overuse weed and pest killing chemicals on our fields, we quite predictably end up with weeds and other pests that are resistant to such treatments. When we use antibiotics in animal feed as a powerful way of preventing disease, the increasingly recognized result is the propagation of diseases that exceed our ability to respond effectively to save our livestock and sometimes gravely sicken people as well. Likewise, when we attempt to use the full force of government to create sterile farm and food handling environments, free of human pathogens, it is predictable and precisely at that point when we become most vulnerable to such disease causing agents.” “Why do we have to keep learning these lessons over and over, believing that the next technology – in addition to the various good things it can do – will not itself cause problems that will require more complex and costly forms of technology to solve?...There is something of the epic battle between human-made technology and divinely inspired wisdom in all of this. But I want

to say something more useful about this…We are hearing more and more often these days that, indeed, the future of the world might depend on us getting downright practical about the prospects of our ongoing existence, let alone continued prosperity” “So here’s the deal. We can learn from our most sustainable farms that technology is never more than a set of tools, and that the most powerful use of such tools is very often the choice made by a farmer not to use them. In fact, it is when restraint is shown in the use of technology on farms that we stand the best chance of “letting nature lead”, as the theme of our most recent Farming for the Future conference suggested. Resilience is built into the very fabric of life, which is a principle upon which even the most hardcore evolutionists and creationists could agree. Only when we hold back with the most invasive forms of technology do we stand a chance of discovering the underlying resilience, and allowing the natural systems upon which we depend for breath and sustenance to become regenerative.” “What would it take to make our food system safer for humans

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The Truth Has No Agenda


The Valley, October 2014

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Encouragement from the Book of Revelation by Pastor J. C. Reese It’s interesting how frighteningly similar some people can be, sometimes without even seeing it. A lady I knew once was yelling at the top of her lungs at her child, and the very next day she was complaining to me that her kids were so loud! It’s not uncommon for spouses to finish a sentence for their mate knowing exactly what the person was going to say. Here in Revelation 14 we see the group of believers from the twelve tribes of Israel known as the 144,000, and as we take a quick look at them there are some fascinating and encouraging parallels with you, if you too have trusted Christ! First, like them, you have a special relationship with God!! At this point in the future, God has protected them as He also looks out for you. While it’s true bad things at times happen to good people, it’s also fact that there are many days that most of us enjoy many blessings from Him (food, air to breathe, income, health, etc.). Here they are with the “Lamb” (Jesus) in vs.1 with their “Father’s name written in their foreheads” which is His mark of protection in this trying time called the Tribulation. Likewise, as believers now, we have guaranteed a very special relationship with God if we’ll not be worldly but choose to be godly as 2 Cor.6:14-18 speaks about. Then like these future missionaries of God, we have a special rejoicing. John hears heavenly noises in vss.2-3! The 144,000 will be the only ones on earth to know this song. John states they sung a “new song.” One thing I truly believe many Christians are being duped about is that it doesn’t matter the kind of music a believer listens to, for Scripture says nothing clearly against, for example, “Christian rock.” And while this subject would take more space to deal with well, what worldly music advocates miss out on is that there are principles in the Bible

that would rule out certain kinds of music and to close one’s mind simply because you like a certain style and not test it under the light of the Word is playing right into Satan’s hands. The music itself is just as important as the lyrics, and affects us (next time you watch a movie and someone is trying to figure why that noise is in their house at night and the scary music starts to play, you will see music has an effect on how you think and act!). But this “new song” here means not new as opposed to old, but new as to freshness and quality. There will be no taint of worldliness in this song, no head banging similarity with the world. John also wrote, “Love not the world neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (1 Jn.2:15). Anything we love in this old world that is contrary to Him is clearly not pleasing to Him, but if we allow our heart to follow His Word we open ourselves up to a joy that is unspeakable because it is found only in a good walk with Him. Some time back, a young couple I know told me their music tastes were changing and they weren’t quite sure why. I told them why. They had been truly growing spiritually and so the things of earth were losing their allure and heavenly things were more attractive! An Indian chief was led to Christ by a missionary and this missionary asked him how things were going. He said it was like two dogs were in him vying for control, so the missionary asked him who was winning. He replied, “The dog I feed the most!” True joy is yours, like the 144,000, when you feed your mind on the Word & follow it! Join us Sunday at 10:45 a.m. at the “log cabin church” just one mile west of the intersection of Rts 144 & 322 in Potters Mills. Only 10 minutes from State College & Milroy. a

Editors Corner from page 2 know when we are threatened, we have to defend ourselves, but unless when the president puts our children in harms way, he intends to use everything in our arsenal and fight with overwhelming force to entirely eliminate our enemy, we should not go. And we all know that since this president has gone out of his way to protect Islam even at the expense of American lives, that he will not use our overwhelming force to finish the war as quickly as possible with as little loss of US soldiers as possible. The previous presidents have done the same, regardless of party, the bottom line is, they feel comfortable sending your kids

off to possibly die without really intending to win the war or gain anything for our country. THAT is criminal! Also, now that people that were actually there in Benghazi that night that we lost four Americans have spoken out, those in the government and media that are protecting Hillary Clinton for a potential run for president are calling those people liars. Yes, people that WERE NOT there are refuting the words of those that were with those dying Americans that night. If one of those were one of my sons, I would be making a list. With all of this going on, don’t forget we have problems locally too, with people that are

supposed to be working for us, are spending our money as they choose. Once again without any real benefit to us, but rather to appease those who believe they are the elites. I recently discovered that at an August 5th meeting, the Derry Township Supervisors “REALLOCATED” $250,000 from the paving renovation fund, and placed it into the General Fund to be used to renovate the former Army Reserve Building for a new regional police department building? I don’t know about you, but with several towns leaving the Regional group, why do we need a NEW police department, and is that more important than fixing the horrible roads? I say NO!! a

Community News New class for single adults 18-35 to begin on October 5th at 9:30 am. at the Big Valley BIC Church located at 81 Wagner St. Belleville, PA. The public is cordially invited. For information or direction please call pastor Munger at 717-436-8010 Spiritual Renewal Services are coming to Belleville, PA. beginning Sunday October 5th and running through Wednesday October 8th. Dr. Jerry O’Connell will be speaking at the Big Valley BIC Church located on 81 Wagner St. Belleville, PA. The public is cordially invited. For information or direction please call pastor Munger at 717-436-8010

OBSERVATIONS . . . of an OLD MAN

We are living in divisive times, challenged daily to discern. Do we understand issues, the views of others? Is our thinking Positive or Negative? POSITIVES Love Sharing Light Understand Compassion Joy Good Trust

vs. vs. vs. vs. vs. vs. vs. vs. vs.

God is: Love, Caring, Sharing

NEGATIVES Hate Greed Darkness Ridicule Cruelty Sadness Evil Fear Evil is: Fear, Greed, Hate

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

“Fair & Balanced” means Spin gets Equal Time

Peter J. Moses


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The Valley, October 2014

Dave Wilson

Coins, Precious Metal and a Little of this and That

Timing Is Everything! If you have been a buyer of, or are presently, actively buying Gold or Silver, then like the rest of us, you have no doubt been scratching your head in bewilderment, wondering just exactly WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON? How can both metals currently be priced at levels FAR BELOW (way, WAY below) their actual, easy to verify, costs of production? When I was a child, I clearly remember a few phrases that were used to describe any “situation” that was “questionable” and just didn’t make any sense. “THERE’S SOMETHING ROTTEN IN DENMARK” and “THERE’S SOMETHING FISHY IN THE WOOD PILE” suggested that something, somewhere, just didn’t smell right. Those two phrases are perfect when discussing current Gold and Silver prices. It is obvious that they are being heavily manipulated to these lower levels. There is just no other explanation, and the

“experts,” with all their graphs, can show you when, where and how. We presently find ourselves in an era where “what CAN be controlled, WILL be controlled, because it MUST be controlled.” About three years ago, when Silver rose to nearly $45 an ounce and Gold to $1935, people who were tired of being paid almost NO interest (those sentiments still exist) began drawing (collectively) BILLIONS of dollars out of the banking system to buy Gold and Silver. As you can imagine, that deposit drain “just might have been of concern” to “some people.” So, the smash-downs began, and prices have (for no good reason) plummeted to current levels. The ultimate goal of these take-downs, was to DISCOURAGE interest in Gold and Silver, that, certainly to the main-stream financial community, are considered non-productive assets. To that end, they have been hugely successful. People who were buying Silver like crazy at $45, are nowhere to be seen now

that it is priced below $20. Think about it, isn’t NOW, just EXACTLY the time to do just the OPPOSITE of what we are being led to do? It does take intestinal fortitude (guts) to go AGAINST the trend, but that has ALWAYS been the way FORTUNES were made. How many times in your life have you looked BACK, and lamented about NOT buying into specific investments that were at rock bottom prices, when you had the chance? THIS is EXACTLY one of those times. The only difference (in our opinion) is that you have NOT YET “missed the boat,” and they, in fact, have actually widened the gangplank to make your getting on board even easier. Do you want to trust your future financial security to PAPER? Or, will you choose to trust in THOUSANDS of years of FACTUAL history, where GOLD and SILVER have ALWAYS been treated as REAL MONEY in every country on the Planet? a

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The Valley, October 2014

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You Can’t Take It With You So be sure to properly get it to those of your choosing Let’s discuss what happens to your stuff when you die. To do that, I’d like to start with a story. A certain gentleman found himself in the unfortunate circumstance of a divorce. It was not the best time of his life, but once he and his now ex-wife worked through it, he ended up meeting Miss Unbelievable and married her. Our man at this point went out and re-wrote his will to be certain that if “anything happened to him” (we all know what that means, don’t we?), his new wife would be taken care of. Smart move on his part. Then the unthinkable happened. He died. And, as per his will, his cars and personally owned vacation property went to his new wife,

the former Miss Unbelievable. However, his largest asset, the life insurance policy he bought many years ago, went to his former wife, which was not his intention at all, nor was it a condition of his divorce settlement. Instead, our friend in question, never changed the beneficiary on his life plan, erroneously thinking that all of this was taken care of because he re-wrote his Will. Thus his former wife was still the named beneficiary on his life insurance and by time this was discovered, there was nothing anyone could do about it. Many people are under the mistaken assumption that having a Will takes care of everything upon an individual’s passing. While a

good many items are transferred through the Will and the probate process, certain property holdings are transferred either by beneficiary designation or by function of how the property is titled. It is entirely possible to undo your final wishes as expressed in your Will, by not paying close attention to these other areas as was illustrated in the above story. Another cautionary tale. I knew a man who was quite a successful businessman. During his working years, he and his wife purchased a rental property. His attorney advised the couple that the property ought to be held in the wife’s name alone so as to protect the asset, “just in case” anyone chose to litigate against the businessman. They dutifully took their attorney’s advice. Many years later, long after retirement, the wife passed away. Her husband, the former businessman, was her primary beneficiary and inheritor. The rental unit, still in her name, had to go through probate and the husband paid 5% of the property value just to get the house transferred to his name. If instead, while she was living,

they had transferred the property to both names as “Joint Tenants with Rights of Survivorship,” the husband would have automatically owned the investment property without any hassles or cost upon his wife’s passing. As we have seen in the above two illustrations, there are different mechanisms by which property transfers to heirs upon an individual’s passing. Let’s look at them a bit more closely in an effort to assist you in determining if your estate is lined up to be transferred according to your wishes. I want to start with beneficiary designations. You can own contractual property such as life insurance or annuities. With this type of arrangement, you contractually assign the asset benefits in the event of your death. Retirement plans such as IRAs, 401ks and others are managed and held on your behalf by a plan administrator or trustee. Here too, you must tell them who is to receive the funds in the event of your death and therefore must designate your beneficiaries as part of the process. Note that you are always able to change your beneficiaries as you experience life changes. These types of property do not transfer via your Will and thus avoid the probate process.

“Fair & Balanced” means Spin gets Equal Time

Next, let’s look at titling property. Most married couples own their homes as “Joint Tenant with Rights of Survivorship” (JTWROS). When one spouse dies, the surviving spouse now owns 100% of the residence, no questions asked. Bank accounts and CDs can be held in the same fashion, and often are titled as such between husband and wife. When property is held jointly, such as this, it too does not pass through the Will and thus avoids the probate process. Finally, any property held in an individual’s name alone, passes through the Will upon death. When a surviving spouse passes away, the house and bank accounts, etc., are typically passed to the heirs (most often the children) via the Will. These are called probate assets. Don’t let the terminology trip you up. Probate is nothing more than a fancy legal term which means: Change the name on my stuff to the people I tell you to in my Will. So, I’m assuming that the now deceased surviving spouse wants 10% of her estate to go to charity with the remainder to be split evenly between her four children. Her executor (the person she named in her Will to carry out her wishes)

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The Valley, October 2014

Cortisol - Beat Back the Abdominal Fat!

Fall greetings! I want to start my article by expressing my disappointment that the Chili CookOff I wrote about a few issues ago didn’t gain enough traction to happen. I had my palate all ready to taste everyone’s delicious chili and I thought it would be a really fun event for our area. What a bummer! I hope the organizations that promoted it might try again next year and with some luck, get enough participants. Now down to business. I’m not a doctor, nurse, or nutritionist—not even close—but I’ve been hearing about Cortisol for years and recently decided to do a little research and reading on the subject. I’m at that age now where the spare tire around my middle is starting to form and it’s very frustrating to find clothes that fit and are comfortable! Yes, I can attribute much of this spare tire to lack of exercise, and I need to do something about that too, but I decided to investigate some other ways I could attack the spare tire issue as well. First, what is Cortisol? Cortisol is a hormone secreted by your adrenal glands that is important for your health and well-being. Cortisol is secreted in high levels when you are under a lot of stress, and therefore is often called the “fight or flight” hormone. Its main functions include regulating insulin release to maintain blood sugar levels, maintaining proper gluclose metabolism, maintaining proper function of the immune system, regulating blood pressure, and controlling the body’s response to inflammation. Short bursts of Cortisol production can produce some positive results (quick bursts of energy, heightened memory, lower sensitivity to pain, etc.), but unfortunately, our high stress lifestyles mean that many people are secreting higher than normal levels of Cortisol for prolonged periods, which is NOT good! In a normal situation, Cortisol levels are secreted at higher levels in the morning, and then drop off at night. But someone under lots of stress, may be secreting high levels of Cortisol all day and that is bad news—

high blood pressure, decreased bone density, decreased muscle tissue, blood sugar imbalances, suppressed thyroid function, and impaired cognitive performance, to name a few. There’s one other nasty effect that I left off of the list, because it‘s the one I mentioned earlier and deserves more attention....the dreaded abdominal fat buildup! Uggghh! I’m sure you’ve heard it said over and over again that building up fat in the abdominal region is one of the worst places you can store fat. It’s attributed to a whole suite of health problems on its own—heart attacks, strokes, higher LDL (bad) cholosterol, lower levels fo HDL (good) cholestoral, etc. So, you are stressed out constantly, and your Cortisol levels are spiking, what’s a person to do? This is what I wanted to know when I began my research. The key is to try to bring the Cortisol secretion back to a normal level after a stressful situation and there are many different ways to do this. Here are a few. • Diet • Exercise • Yoga • Meditation • Breathing Exercises • Music • Sex I’m going to address “diet” for the remainder of my article, so if you were hoping I was going to focus on sex, you can skip to another page now (ha ha!) My intrigue into Cortisol was formed when I found an article listing several foods you could eat that would lower your Cortisol levels. So without further ado, let’s list them! • Omega 3 fatty acids (Mackerel, Sardines, Haddock, Flaxseed and Walnuts) • Holy Basil (I use it in liquid form) • Dark Chocolate (oh yea!) • Zinc (lean pot roast, oysters) • Microgreens (baby greens) • Citrus Fruits (oranges, kiwis, grapefruit) • Beans and Barley • Spinach There you have it. So as soon as I am done proofreading this issue of the paper, I’m going to go eat a few walnuts and an orange, and go for a brisk walk! a

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The Valley, October 2014

10

What’s In Your Feed ?

It never seems to fail that at this time every year people come into the store and express concern about their horse not gaining/ maintaining weight. After several questions to determine why this might be happening, it all really goes back to “Do you know what you are feeding your horse?” I have already discussed in past articles about feeding correct weight and type of feed. However, there is even more to consider when looking at why your horse may not be getting the most out of his feed. With all the talk about what is in our food, do we really know what is in our horse feed? Many people think you can read a tag and it will tell you all you need to know about your horse feed. Ingredients such as oats, corn and barley are recognizabl,e but other ingredients are often unclear. Not only is it unclear what these ingredients are, it is also unclear how nutritious they actually are to our horses. Feed tags do not list specific ingredients. They often list “general collective

terms.” “Plant Protein Products” could contain any of 30 different ingredients such as soybeans or alfalfa meal. “Processed GrainBy–Products” could be distillers dried grains, corn gluten feed, rice bran or any of over 40 ingredients. General collective terms allow for substitution of ingredients based on what is least expensive or most available. The guaranteed analysis will stay the same, but the actual ingredients may be different. The most common formulation strategies are “Least-cost” formulas and “Fixed” formulas. “Least cost formulation” allows a manufacturer to adjust the ingredients in the formula based on cost. As long as the formula still meets the guaranteed analysis, the manufacturer can change the ingredients used in the formula. A “ Fixed” formula does insure a consistent ingredient profile, but it won’t provide the most consistent level of nutrition for the horse. The formulation strategy that Purina uses for premium horse feeds is “Constant Nutrition” formulation, which is more nutritionally

accurate than either of the other strategies. With Purina’s Constant Nutrition formulation, they test the ingredients to minimize the risk of grains containing potentially harmful contaminants. The Constant Nutrition formulation process automatically compensates for varying nutrient levels in ingredients. This allows for greater nutritional consistency bag after bag. Do you know what kind of formulation is used to make your horse feed? Even when you look at your feed tag, do you know what the quality of ingredients is in your feed? For example, many people do not even realize distillers dried grains, which have been used in horse feed for numerous years, can come with a risk to your horse. In addition to the potential for mycotoxin contamination, there is also a potential for antibiotic residues in distiller dried grains. Mycotoxins are toxic or carcinogenic chemicals produced by fungus growing on crops. Mycotoxins can cause several negative health issues in animals.

It can also be questionable how digestible the protein is in distillers dried grains and if horses are receiving the required essential amino acids. Purina is one company that does not include distillers dried grain in their premium horse feeds. One thing a tag is not required to list is the amount of calories. Calories are something we often talk about in our diet, but do we know how many calories our horse should have, or what feeds best provide the most calories. A Calorie is a measure of energy provided by the food we eat. All animals require a certain amount of energy for every day body functions. That is just their maintenance level. When we add more stress and activity to their daily routine, horses require more energy to keep their weight and a healthy body condition. You probably know that your horse needs calories, but do you know how many he needs? The average horse at a Maintenance level needs approximately 15,000 calories /day. Horses in Moderate work need 23,000 calories/ day, and horses in Heavy work need closer to 25,000 calories/ day. A horse in Very Heavy, high performance work would need as much as 31,000 calories/day. You might say that seems like a lot of calories/day and wonder how you can give your horse that much feed. If you look at what your horse eats per day in the proper amounts, you can determine what will give him the most beneficial calories. Caloric values of some

common forages and grains include; green pasture 245 calories/ lb, grass hay 872 calories/lb, alfalfa hay 977 calories/lb, beet pulp 1060 calories/lb, and corn 1536 calories/lb. Your feed company may be able to tell you how many calories are in each pound of their feed. For example some of the Purina products, Strategy 1500 calories/lb, Equine Senior 1225 calories/lb, Ultium 1800 calories/lb, and Omolene 200 1625 calories/lb. These are just a few examples. Talk to your feed company about how many calories their feed provides and how that affects your horse’s weight loss or gain. New technologies in feed look for low starch and sugar formulas to help horses that would benefit from a very high calorie, high fat diet that is lower in soluble carbohydrates. Traditional “sweet” feeds and still many mill mix feeds can cause changes in blood sugar levels in horses causing excitability and issues with metabolic related disorders. Using feeds that contain vegetable oils and beet pulp for example, has become a more appropriate way to feed horses for better weight maintenance and better overall health. Feeding these in pelleted or extruded form also helps improve digestibility and feed intake. These are just few more pieces of the puzzle to consider in achieving better horse nutrition. However if you pay more attention to what goes in to your horse, you may get more out of him. a

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The Valley, October 2014

Hillside Orchard News and Comments by Iddo M. Hostetler Ein grus zu alle thal laser. Hello to all The Valley readers from Hillside Orchard, where the meadows are yellow with the blossoms of golden rod, where the farmers fields are covered with sod, and the people could eat some Cod, now that’s enough to make you nod. Already the trees are displaying their beauty of yellow, green, orange, red and yes, brown, when they come down with hardly as much as a sound, and are run over by a hound as he

sniffs around the edge of town. So yes indeed, the time is here that is called fall, so the Kay-day-did will soon end his call, with frogs, crickets and all with the corn standing tall, just before the harvest fall, when it’s chopped stalk and all, when the harvester comes with Paul, after he gets out of the hall, and does his shopping at the mall. Work has lessened somewhat here on the farm with peaches on their way out for the season

When we have harvests rich and days sweet and cool for our work, how can we do anything but rejoice and thank God? Greetings to all Valley readers! If you’ll remember, once, we were talking about how it’s easy to go off thinking when we are doing field work. And sometimes, what you thought were ideas about different things, come together and all of a sudden become one big idea. Well, while putting in some cover crops the other week, a few stray thoughts floated in and came out looking like a really good idea about something that may have some folks a bit confused. But looking at it with this new idea in place, well, it makes a lot more sense now. Anyway, what I’m talking about is understanding what organic farming is all about and why it’s such a good thing. You see, the “organic” in organic farming or gardening simply means that this way of doing things follows what nature does when everything comes together to make rich, fertile, productive land. Yes, I know that there are hot, dry places, and places where the snow is always on the ground, but most of the earth is covered with land that gives itself to growing thousands of different plants and animals. The way this all happens is organic, in other words, a living system where everything works together to make that system work. Now, what makes this natu-

ral, organic system really great is that there are so many different kinds of living things working together. This is what the scientists call diversity. Because there are so many living parts to this system, if some of them die off or get sick others are there to take their place, so the system keeps working along. This is what makes an organic system so strong even in the face of problems, like a drought or a really rainy, cool growing season. With diversity, at least something is going to survive until things get better. Another thing about organic farming is that this system can keep itself going. We can keep our own seed, build up the soil with cover crops and manure, and every year we can see an improvement in the health of the plants and animals that live in the system – even us! And we know where everything comes from, because it comes from your own farm and not some company from who knows where, using who knows what in the stuff that they sell you. Seems to me that makes things much safer than worrying about your kids getting into the fertilizer or bug sprays. If they get in the manure or spill vinegar on themselves, you can wash it off with no harm done except a funny smell or a bit of sting. But here’s the thing that really got me going and seemed to tie all these other thoughts

Continued on page 27

and apple trees not big enough to produce much yet. While other seasons bring their advantages, fall sure has its share too. Fresh apples and cider. Pumpkin pies, and yes, there could be some wild game soon. I sure enjoy nature and all it has to offer, from the flowers and colored trees, to wild birds and animals. The one that even tops that is a steaming pot of stewed game. While I wouldn’t ever consider trading country life for city life, still every upside has a downside too in this life, meaning that while we live in wild life country, we have to guard against damage to our fruit trees, especially from deer and rabbits. A year ago in the fall, I

thought we were doing pretty good, when come November we had managed to keep any bucks from rubbing any trees, so we slackened our guard a little. Then on a Monday morning after being away for the weekend, we went to check things out, and alas, a buck had played havoc on some of our young apple trees. So on December 2nd, out comes the old barker that spits lead, and sure enough the mischevious rascal was spotted not far from the orchard, in another moment, he was fed a tiny ball of lead, and that was all it took for him to drop over and was soon dead. Well it’s been a couple of years now that we were informed by the FDA that safety rules are

knocking on the door for fresh food producers and handlers. It’s the first time in several decades that such rules were imposed. I am not at all excited about it, still, you wonder what and who they will affect. While we should all try to keep our food as safe as possible, the fact remains that food grows in or from the ground and the bulk of it in fields where wildlife roams and birds fly over and poop down. Sure would be a lot easier to tell people to wash any raw food they buy. I am afraid if the only tool the FDA has is a hammer, every food producer ends up looking like a nail to them. Let’s hope it won’t get that bad. Auf Wiedersehen a

3358 West Main St., Belleville, PA Concerned Citizens & Wind Turbine Representatives have been invited to speak at this event. Questions from the public will be addressed. Sponsored by Friends of Jacks Mountain www.SaveJacksMountain.org Call 717-­935-­2137 for more information Locust Grove Mennonite Church is not sponsoring this event. The Truth Has No Agenda


The Valley, October 2014

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Nestled at the base of Shade Mountain is a quiet, tranquil location where three licensed Massage Therapists provide treatments with 100% natural products. Look next door and you will find where those products were designed, made and packaged… Shade Mountain Naturals! We beg you to come see what we have to offer and see for yourself what makes us like no other! Thursdays and Fridays 10 to 6 First Saturday of every month from 10 to 2 Shade Mountain R&R

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The Valley, October 2014

‘Femme Fatale’ Emerald Ash Borer Decoy Lures, Kills Males Researchers target bug that has killed tens of millions of ash trees by Sara LaJeunesse An international team of researchers has designed decoys that mimic female emerald ash borer beetles and successfully entice male emerald ash borers to land on them in an attempt to mate, only to be electrocuted and killed by high-voltage current. “Our new decoy and electrocution process may be use-

ful in managing what the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service claims to be the most destructive forest pest ever seen in North America,” said Michael Domingue, postdoctoral fellow in entomology, Penn State. According to the Forest Service, the emerald ash borer was introduced to the United States

An emerald ash borer rests on a leaf. Image: Jonathan Lelito/BASF Corporation

from China in 2002. Since then, it has spread throughout 24 states and two Canadian provinces, and killed tens of millions of otherwise healthy native ash trees. “Early detection of the pest in traps such as ours can help in coordinating management strategies to slow its spread and minimize its impact,” said Domingue. The researchers -- including entomologists and engineers at Penn State, the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, the Forest Research Institute in Matrafured, Hungary, and the USDA -- created the decoys using a bioreplication process with nanoscale fidelity. “Specifically, we coated a dead female beetle with a vapor of nickel, and used the ‘nickelized’ shell to fabricate two matching molds in the shape of a resting beetle,” said Akhlesh Lakhtakia, Charles Godfrey Binder professor of engineering science and mechanics, Penn State. “Pressing a structurally colored plastic sheet between the two molds while simultaneously applying heat, we cast numerous replicas or decoys. The finished bioreplicated decoys retained the surface texture of the beetle at the nanoscale. Additionally, we painted some decoys a metallic green.”

The Truth Has No Agenda

The researchers pinned the bioreplicated and 3D-printed decoys, as well as dead female emerald ash borers, onto leaves to see which of them best attracted wild males. Image: Michael Domingue/Penn State

The Penn State engineers also created decoys using a 3D-printing process. In this method, they molded plastic into the size and shape of emerald ash borers, but did not attempt to duplicate the

The team placed traps configured with decoys bearing a 4,000-volt charge to electrocute and trap males as they landed on the decoy females. Image: Michael Domingue/Penn State

surface texture of the insects. ash borer decoys The researchers pinned the bioreplicated and 3D-printed decoys, as well as dead female emerald ash borers, onto leaves to see which of them best attracted wild males. Image: Michael Domingue/Penn State Next, the entomology researchers pinned the bioreplicated and 3D-printed decoys, as well as dead female emerald ash borers, onto leaves in forests in Hungary to see which of them best attracted wild males. In the same forests, the team also placed traps configured with decoys bearing a 4,000-volt charge to electrocute and trap males as they landed on the decoy females. The results appeared Sept. 15 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Continued on page 22


The Valley, October 2014

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Dairy Connection by Kelly Beck

Centre Count y Dair y Princess

Fifty Years Ago October 1964 “Barry Whistle-Stops Lewistown” was the banner headline of the Sentinel as the Republican U.S. Presidential candidate, Senator Barry Goldwater of Arizona, spoke to a crowd of over 3,000 jamming the Pennsylvania Railroad Plaza at the Junction station. A similar crowd filled the space four years earlier when Richard Nixon stopped during the 1960 campaign. A special twelve-car train brought Goldwater and his wife, Peggy, and other Pennsylvania dignitaries on the whistle-stop tour of Pennsylvania. High school bands from Lewistown and Chief Logan entertained the throng, before Lt. Gov. Raymond P. Shafer introduced the candidate. [Author’s note: As a sophomore at Kish High School, I asked permission to attend the event with other Republican friends. The principal at the time was Fred R. Carstetter, a staunch Democrat. When I presented my parents’ written excuse at the office the day prior, Mr. Carstetter asked if I knew this was an illegal absence. Overhearing the conversation, and before I could answer, guidance councilor Parke V. Middleswarth, Jr., an equally staunch Republican, retorted, “Fred, if he was going to see Lyndon Johnson, you’d make it legal day!” I did go, and

recall vividly shaking Goldwater’s hand as he “pressed the flesh” along a long receiving line at the station.] One Hundred Years ago October 1914 Local photographers are experiencing considerable difficulty in properly developing film plates due to inferior chemicals, which were substituted shortly after the European war began, the Lewistown Democrat & Sentinel reported. The best chemicals from Germany and France were no longer available in the United States, only less satisfactory inferior brands. Big Valley folks are waging war on the tollgates between them and Lewistown. “Speed the day when they are abolished,” cried the Lewistown Democrat & Sentinel editor. “It’s a disgrace to the State of Pennsylvania that toll gates exist within its limits, especially on roads now taken over by the State Highway Department.” Squirrel and pheasant season opened this month. “A small army of hunters defied the threatening elements and were afield early,” explained the editor. Large numbers of hunters embarked upon the outgoing Sunbury branch, filling trains for the east end of Mifflin County. County Treasurer S. Will Shunkwiler is-

sued 1,276 licenses in the weeks leading up to the first day. Civil War Echoes October 1864 Union (Republican) candidate rallies were held across Mifflin County. The municipal election was scheduled for October 11, 1864, while presidential voting was set for November. A “Peace Meeting” was held, according to the Gazette, attended by the “peace at any price” party. “Captain Whiskey was in attendance… the procession comprised as motley a group as could be scared up anywhere…Union party onlookers were amused by a calf that followed the procession through Third Street occasionally calling for its ma… The speeches would have been more applauded at Richmond than they were here,” editorialized the Gazette. Captain Robert McNitt was still a Confederate prisoner, now at Charleston, South Carolina, following an escape attempt in Virginia. (McNitt’s story of captivity is recounted in Mifflin County Yesterday & Today published by the Mifflin County Historical Society. McNitt’s Army revolver and other personal artifacts from the war are on display at the McCoy House Museum, 17 N. Main St., Lewistown, PA.) a

Progress At The Embassy by Patricia Lawson Can you believe that it’s that time of year already? Yes, “Safe Night” will be held on Friday, October 31st from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in downtown Lewistown. Be sure to stop by The Embassy for your bag of treats!

Also, our “Movie Trivia” is back on our Facebook page. Look for a new trivia question weekly, and play along. Stay tuned for more about the progress of The Embassy in the near future.

Happy Halloween! www.embassytheatre.org www.facebook.com/embassyltwn A Memory with a Future, a Future Full of Memories! a

With fall rolling around, and farmer’s markets setting up hay rides and fall festivals, it’s important to remember where they come from. The farmers getting in their harvests of apples and pumpkins that we see while driving down the road are our neighbors and friends. And dairy farms are a part of this. Many farms that have fall festivals are dairy farms with small stores or shops, and not only can you get delicious fall foods, but local dairy products as well. They sell you the milk you use to make hot chocolate or bake with, and they are a vital part of the community. So when you are making pies or going on a hayride, thank a farmer, because they help you make the lasting memories that the season brings. And to help warm up after a chilly evening, here are some delicious fall recipes. Hot Chocolate ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder ½ cup granulated sugar 1/3 cup hot water

1/8 tsp salt 4 cups milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Instructions Combine the cocoa, sugar, water, and salt in a medium saucepan. Over medium heat, stir constantly until the mixture boils. Cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Stir in the milk and heat, but do not boil. Remove from the heat and add vanilla; stir well. Serve immediately. Grilled Cheese 8 slices cheddar cheese 8 slices of bread 4 tbsp butter, melted Heat skillet to medium heat. Brush one side of each slice of bread with melted butter. One at a time, place four slices of bread, butter side down, in the skillet. Then place two pieces of cheddar cheese on each piece of bread, and top off with the remaining bread slices, butter side up. Cook each side for three minutes, or until golden brown. Enjoy! a

R. O. F. F.

Rescue Our Furry Friends by Patricia Lawson

Thank you for coming out to celebrate our 10th Anniversary on September 13th. Did you see the new T-Shirt? If not, take a look: Wouldn’t you love to have one? They are just $12 each for S-XL and $15 for 2XL. Just contact ROFF at: rescueourfurryfriends@yhaoo. com or call 1-877-933-ROFF (7633). And, here’s a reminder… more fun events are coming up! Saturday, October 11th: Tagging at the WalMart in Lewistown and Hoss’s Nite in Lewistown. Saturday, October 18th: Kid’s October Fest at the Burnham Firehouse parking lot (or is it the barking lot?). Check out our web-site or Facebook page for additional information. Saturday, October 25th: Cash Nite Party at Burn-

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ham’s Lions Club. Doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets are only $35, and a meal and drinks will be provided. ROFF is also selling these cool stadium seats. The ROFF seats are black with the Purple “Husky” and paw print on the back. And, they’re only $25! Again, just contact ROFF at: rescueourfurryfriends@ yhaoo.com or call 1-877-933ROFF (7633). Be sure to check out all the furry friends that are looking for you at our NEW web-site: www. roffrescue.com. Add some zest to your life by giving a cat or dog another chance by giving it a forever home. Until they all have homes… a


The Valley, October 2014

Those of you who hunt archery know what Saturday October 4th is this year. Those of you who don’t, let me tell you what that day is. Saturday October 4th is the opening day of Archery Season here in PA. My favorite time of the year. Well. my second favorite time of year. From the week of Halloween until November 16th or so is my favorite time of the year. THE RUT IS IN FULL SWING by then!! The rut is for another article. Archery season is the best time to be in the woods, in my opinion of course. The leaves are changing colors and it’s not too cold out. The animals are playful and running around. If you

haven’t tried hunting with a bow or crossbow, I highly recommend it. You will absolutely love it. There have been many large bucks harvested in early archery season. The bucks are patterned much easier. If you know where the deer’s bedding area is, and the food source that they frequently visit, you have it made. Some food sources may be acorns, which are very plentiful this year. Hunt near a white oak tree and spend some time there in a stand and you will have success. Clover, corn and soy bean fields are another excellent food source for whitetails. I personally hunt on the soy bean field edge on the property that I lease. Another good alternative is

a water source. Ponds and little streams are great in the early season. Deer need water and plenty of it. One thing I do not recommend is hunting in the center of a bedding area. Leave that area alone. Hunting the edges of it is great, but stay around 30 to 50 yards away from the bedding area. When hunting the bedding area, you must play the wind. If the wind is blowing from your stand set into the bedding area, you might as well stand there and announce your presence by singing your favorite song very loudly. Playing the wind is extremely important. The wind must be in your face blowing away from the direction the deer will be coming from, whether they are coming from the bedding area to the food source, or from the food source to the bedding area. Wind must blow from the deer to you, not from you to the deer. The best way of checking the wind is by using odorless wind checkers. They are bottles of white powder. Some people call them puffers. You just puff them in the air and watch which way the powder goes into the wind. You can pick those up at Valley Sports N Outdoors. Once you have your spot picked and your buck that you want to harvest narrowed down, its time to talk equipment. Here at

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foster parent or adopt...you’ll love it too! The Truth Has No Agenda

15 Valley Sports N Outdoors, we can set you up with any bow for your archery season. Compound bows from Hoyt, Bear and Athens, Recurve and longbows from Hoyt, Bear, Bearpaw, Martin, PSE, Samick, Crossbows from Ten Point, Barnett, Carbon Express, Excalibur and Wicked Ridge. With the purchase of a new bow at Valley Sports N Outdoors, your entire set up is free. Unlike the big box stores, A Puffer allows you to keep a close eye on VSO will let you try before you buy to see if you wind direction in order to keep the wind in like the bow first. Also at the your face when stalking that prized buck! big chain stores, you can’t get no time at all. Here at VSO, we the bow set up and tuned. Now have a 30 day retune. Bring your you are stuck paying someone to bow back within 30 days of your set it up unless you know how to purchase and we will go over the paper tune and adjust everything bow and check the timing of the yourself. Here at VSO, everything cams, string, peep rotation and payou buy at our store is installed per tune the bow just like we did for FREE. If you already have the first time—free of charge. We a bow, but want to upgrade on pride ourselves in our customer accessories, VSO has all the service, and this is another way latest in accessories from Fuse, we say thank you. Spot Hogg, Trophy Ridge, Dead So if you’re thinking about Center Archery Products, Stokerhunting archery this year, stop in ized Solid Aiming Solutions, Tru at VSO and talk to me….. I love Glo, Tru Ball, Scott Archery, G5, to share stories and talk hunting or Trophy Taker, QAD, and many shooting, helping you is what we more. But if you want a new bow are here for. Good luck this huntplus the accessories, we can get ing season. a you set up and driving tacks in


The Valley, October 2014

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Sharing Your Heart One of the greatest gifts of relationship is intimacy. Why then does intimacy seem to be such a fickle friend, so elusive and fragile? And why does it seem so hard to re-create? ​In the beginning, you felt open, loving, intimate, and happy. Each listened eagerly, genuinely interested in what each thinks and feels about life. ​ Then something changed. You find yourself wondering why you’re not touching as much. You become irritated, feeling your partner isn’t listening anymore or seeking the intimacy you once shared.

Restoring Intimacy ​ So you try to make it better. The cruel irony – something very few people EVER realize – is that most of the things we try to make it better, actually makes it worse! ​ Your attempts for improvement might produce more “NOT listening!” more “NOT intimacy!” You feel more disconnected than ever! ​ Did you know the average couple spends only about 20 minutes a week in conversation? ​Intimacy and conversation go hand in hand. Merely sitting down to talk doesn’t necessarily produce intimate, deep sharing. ​Here is an exercise I feel will

help you move back into intimacy right away. I call it Heart Share – a technique that creates a loving, supportive environment and encourages maximum mutual attention. ​ You’ll be sharing feelings. Not facts like opinions, advice, criticism, and events. Pure feelings like love, joy, sadness, anger, and hurt. Avoid saying what you think or describing what happened. ​ Try to listen with all your love and compassion, creating a safe and loving environment. Don’t judge each other, and don’t use what is shared as a weapon later. ​ Heart Share is best with no interruptions. Find a

FALL FOR HUMMINGBIRDS CONTEST

Attract Migrating Hummingbirds to your Feeders for a Chance at Prizes.

quiet, cozy place and turn off all devices. Sit comfortably, facing your partner, but not touching. ​ Place between you a candle or a special object. Sit in silence and make eye contact. When one feels moved to share, move the candle or object directly in front that person. The person with the candle/object is the speaker; the other is the listener. Until the speaker announces “I’m complete,” he or she has the listener’s total attention. ​ Listeners don’t interrupt with comments, fidgeting, sighing, eye rolling, etc. Listen intently without judgment, with love. Listen with your heart.

​ Try to practice Heart Share with no time limit. If time is short, agree how much each gets. ​ When the speaker announces he or she is complete, the listener acknowledges the sharing with a simple “Thank you,” no matter what the speaker shared.

Hummingbirds are being found with increasing frequency in the fall &winter seasons in Pennsylvania. About 99% of the hummingbirds that are found east of the Mississippi are Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, but sometimes during fall and winter other species of hummingbirds pass through Pennsylvania as they travel from breeding grounds in Alaska to wintering spots along the Gulf Coast. Ornithologists are very interested in learning more about these wayward little birds. Your participation can help contribute to the growing body of information about migrating hummingbirds. If you are able to get a confirmed hummingbird to visit your feeders, you can WIN a PRIZE. In addition, researchers with federal banding permits would like to band the late season hummingbirds, if the homeowners are willing. NOTE: Maintain a clean feeder whenever you leave it out for birds. It is recommended that you clean the feeder at least weekly, more often if the sugar mixture gets cloudy. The mixture for the feeders should always be 4 Parts Water to 1 Part Sugar. No additives or dyes are ever needed. If temperatures drop below freezing, bring the feeders in overnight. It is a myth that keeping feeders up will prevent them from migrating in the fall. They will come and go as they please. We are only helping them fuel up in their journey. PRIZES: Any hummingbird species that can be confirmed will be entered into a $100 Drawing. Any species other than Rubythroated Hummingbird will automatically Win $25. This contest will run from 10/01/14 to 01/31/15. Contest is sponsored by KAUFFMAN INSURANCE AGENCY in Mifflintown & LOST CREEK SHOE SHOP/OPTICS from Oakland Mills. Contest is limited to anyone in the Juniata, Mifflin, Perry & Snyder County area. Anyone in the state, outside of the above areas who are getting hummingbirds, is still welcome to contact us for further information. They can be eligible for other prizes and contests going on. Contact info: Chad Kauffman 717.436.8257; Aden Troyer 717-463-3117 chadkauffman@earthlink.net https://www.facebook.com/FallForHummingbirdsContest

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​ Share whatever’s in your heart and mind. You choose how “deep” you want to go. You could start with everyday matters, but remember the invitation is to share how you are feeling, your fears and dreams, what makes your heart sing. ​It’s fantastic if you can get away and spend hours together. But if you can only manage five minutes at the kitchen table, do it, with intent. You still get to talk uninterrupted and un-judged with your partner’s complete attention. That in itself is huge, and will create greater intimacy. ​ I challenge you and your partner to try Heart Share. I’d love to hear about your experience. If you two are ready to restore that intimate feeling, call me and let’s see how we can make it happen. Joanie Yanusas coachjoanie@joanieyanusas. com 814-777-0410 www.joanieyanusas.com a


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MEAT. WILSON’S MEATS AND GROCERIES

Fresh Meats, Full Line of Groceries, and Produce

Open 7 Days! 7am - 9pm

The Truth Has No Agenda

A hometown grocer you can trust.


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The Valley, October 2014

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The Valley, October 2014

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New Therapies Improve Life for those with Parkinson’s In the United States each year, physicians diagnose up to 60,000 new cases of Parkinson’s disease (PD), adding to the one million people who are affected by it.* HealthSouth Nittany Valley Rehabilitation Hospital offers extensive treatments for those with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and other neurological conditions. HealthSouth’s Outpatient Therapy Clinics in Pleasant Gap and Lewistown offer Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT®) BIG, and LVST LOUD, developed by LSVT Global, Inc. The programs are intensive physical, occupational and speech therapy programs designed to improve many aspects of movement and speech. LSVT BIG for Improved Movement LSVT BIG helps PD patients learn how to avoid inactivity and keep movements alive from day to day. It uses the principles of practice in exercise, promoting strength and motor learning. Through consistent training with a LSVT BIG certified physical or occupational therapist, patients can experience the following improvements: • Faster walking and bigger steps

• Better balance • Increased torso rotation • Improved confidence • Restored hope Treatment is provided in 16 sessions over a single month (four individual 60-minute sessions per week). This protocol was developed specifically to address the unique movement impairments for people with PD. Dean Auman, 68, of Spring Mills, recently completed the LSVT BIG program at the HealthSouth Outpatient Clinic in Pleasant Gap. Dean has Parkinsonism; symptoms are similar to that of Parkinson’s disease. Dean’s wife, Bonnie, explains: “Dean shuffled his feet, and used small movements,” she says. “We talked to our neurologist, and decided to try the LSVT BIG program. I was amazed at the difference in Dean, almost from the very beginning of the program,” she says. “He is walking faster, standing taller, and reaching higher!” Physical Therapist Mary Gorham worked with Dean to help him improve his movements. “When Dean completed the program, his balance scores improved significantly, and so did his gait speed.” LSVT LOUD for Improved

Speech Approximately 89 percent of people with Parkinson’s disease have problems with speech, progressively diminishing quality of life. Common speech problems include a hoarse voice, monotone speech, mumbled speech and a soft voice. LSVT LOUD improves vocal loudness by stimulating the muscles of the voice box (larynx) and speech mechanism through exercises. Focused on a single goal, “speak LOUD,” the treatment improves respiratory, laryngeal and articulatory function to maximize speech intelligibility. The treatment does not train people for shouting or yelling; LSVT LOUD uses loudness training to bring the voice to an improved, healthy vocal loudness with no strain. Similar to LSVT BIG, treatment is administered in 16 sessions over a single month. Documented improvements with LSVT LOUD therapy include: • Improved vocal loudness • Improved speech intelligibility • Improved swallowing ability • Increased facial expression • Increased confidence • Positive impact on neural

Dean Auman, 68, of Spring Mills, recently completed the LSVT BIG program at HealthSouth’s Outpatient Clinic in Pleasant Gap. Dean has Parkinsonism, with symptoms similar to that of Parkinson’s disease. After completing the program, his wife reports that Dean is “walking faster, standing taller and reaching higher.” He’s continuing his therapy exercises at the Senior Daily Living Center in State College, where Activities Assistant Gretchen Hyle incorporates his practice into the exercise class.

functioning (PET) Recently, LSVT LOUD has been applied to select individuals with stroke, multiple sclerosis, Down syndrome, and cerebral palsy with positive outcomes. * HealthSouth’s inpatient Parkinson’s rehabilitation program has earned a Disease-Specific Care Certification by the Joint Commission. Some Parkinson’s patients transition from inpatient rehabilitation at the Pleasant Gap hospital to outpatient therapy, enrolling in one of the LSVT programs in order to further improve

their symptoms. LSVT BIG and LSVT LOUD are offered at HealthSouth’s Outpatient Clinic Pleasant Gap: 550 W. College Avenue Pleasant Gap, PA 16823 (814) 359-5630 LSVT LOUD is offered at HealthSouth’s Outpatient Clinic in Lewistown: 105 First Avenue Burnham, PA 17009 717 242-5400 *sources: Parkinsons.org,; LSVTglobal.com a

LSVT BIG and LOUD ®

WHOLE-BODY EXERCISE TO TREAT PARKINSON’S PATIENTS A Higher Level of Care®

Pleasant Gap 814 359-5630 • Lewistown 717 242-5400 “Fair & Balanced” means Spin gets Equal Time


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The Valley, October 2014

Modern Energy and Alternative Heating with Curt Bierly Indoor Comfort and Air Quality If you’re considering an upgrade to your Central Ducted Warm Air Heating System - or - you’re building a new home and planning to install a Central Ducted System, there are a couple of nice options to consider that will improve the quality of the air in your home, increase its comfort level and its efficiency. If you don’t have a ducted system (electric baseboard, hot water baseboard, etc), there are portable floor models available that can be utilized. Air Filtration Systems Most filtering systems are located on the return air duct immediately before the air is delivered to the furnace or air handler. It is usually a simple disposable “furnace filter” which

is 1” thick and is designed to take out large particles of dust, dog/ cat hair, etc. in the air to protect the furnace or air handler blower and heat exchanger. A replacement “furnace filter is inexpensive (estimate $3.00 each). On the MERV Rating Chart (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) these are rated MERV 1 to 4 (the higher the number the better the filtration). A better unit would be a Pleated Media Filter which will be thicker and thus do a better filtering job (MERV 11). The concerns are the cost of the replacement filter (about $30.00) and how much the filter restricts the system air flow. A third option is an Electronic Filter which is washable and affects air flow very little (as long as it is kept clean).

It is made up of a washable below 40%, which is not comaluminum mesh pre-filter fortable. By adding humidity to that removes large particles the air leaving the furnace or air as a furnace filter does and handler, comfort returns. It is said an electrical charged static that you will feel warm at a lower filter that removes small air temperature when the humidity particles down to 5 microns is in the 40% to 50% range. This like fine dust, pollen, mold spores, and pet dander. The MERV equivalent rating is 12 to 14 for a Honeywell F50 or F300. Although the initial investment is higher, there are no filters to purchase on a yearly basis. We wash the pre-filter and filter in our dishwasher twice a year (spring and fall). Honeywell doesn’t recommend washing the aluminum mesh pre-filter in the dishwasher, but we were doing it for years before we F300 Whole-House Electronic Air Cleaner by were aware of their Honeywell. It’s the high-performance, lowinstructions and maintenance solution to cleaner air. haven’t noticed any ill effects. of course, saves energy as you can Humidification Systems set your thermostat lower. As the When winter arrives, the air outside temperature drops, you is dry and the humidity drops will need to reduce the humid-

ity or the windows will begin to sweat. There are several types of humidification systems you can purchase. Some have a sponge on a rotating drum, Another drips down over an aluminum mesh. With either of these systems the water is evaporated by the warm air from the heating system. Since the heat from a Heat Pump is low temperature, these type of humidifiers aren’t as effective and as a result are usually only used on oil or gas furnaces where the air is warmer. We recommend a steam humidification system for heat pumps as they inject steam directly into the air stream, which is very effective. Either way you need to service the units once or twice a winter depending on the quality of your water. Supplying the unit with Soft Water is helpful and should reduce the maintenance to a yearly event. Curt Bierly is president of the bierly group incorporated of which Stanley C. Bierly is a division. He graduated from Penn State with a BS in Mechanical Engineering and is the chair of the Penn College HVAC Advisory Board. You can contact him at cbierly@bierlygroup.com. a

Elise N. Uhring, Au.D. Doctor of Audiology Invites you to try for Two Weeks Digital Hearing Aids. Call for an appointment

1-877-643-4327

You may not run like a pro, but there is no reason you cannot hear like a pro. The Truth Has No Agenda


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Second Annual Millheim Oktoberfest October 11th 2014 You are invited to join Elk Creek Café + Aleworks and the Millheim Business Community in a festive celebration of the Millheim Fire Department’s tremendous community service with our second annual Oktoberfest celebration at the Fire Hall Grounds on October 11th, 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.. “We really want our Fire Department to know how much Penns Valley appreciates their service to our community, “ noted Tim Bowser, proprietor of Elk Creek Café + Aleworks. This year’s event will feature Elk Creek Oktoberfest beer, and German foods provided by Elk Creek, Penn College, Triple Creek Lodge, and Central PA Institute. And it wouldn’t be Oktoberfest

without German music, in this case the Little German Band, the Pleasant Valley Dancers, and the Bavarian Stompers. All proceeds go to Millheim Fire Company #1. The event will take place behind the Fire Hall on North Street in downtown Millheim, and there will be plenty of free parking. To create a genuine Oktoberfest atmosphere, authentic Oktoberfest tables and benches have been purchased. These enable participants to “schunkeln” -- sit close to one another, link arms and swing and sway to the music, as is done in Bavaria. Many local folks will be breaking out their German regalia. Beer steins for the occasion will be on sale. Millheim’s Oktoberfest is presented by Elk Creek Café +

Aleworks and co-sponsored with the Millheim Business Community (MBC), in cooperation with the Millheim Fire Company. Elk Creek is a local foods and craft beer brewpub located in downtown MIllheim. The MBC is a non-profit organization that works to foster healthy economic and cultural development of Millheim and the Penns Valley region through community cooperation, entrepreneurial innovation, and local governance.

Emerald Ash Borer Control from page 13

attracted to it. This insight may at least partially explain how mate-seeking males can easily detect and approach green-colored females cryptically resting on green leaves. Ultimately, we have gained new insights into how to manipulate the behavior of emerald ash borers and similar pests in ways that can help to trap them and monitor where they might be doing damage.” According to Thomas C. Baker, distinguished professor of entomology, Penn State, the findings were possible only because of the multidisciplinary makeup of the team. “I was able to find colleagues whose intellects, expertise, and enthusiasm matched the tasks at hand, thus enabling us to figure out how these destructive beetles find each other to mate and how we can exploit this behavior in order to help APHIS meet its goals of early detection and mitigation of invasive pests,” he said. The researchers said their next step will be to further improve the traps to maximize their potential as part of an early detection tool for emerald ash borers. “Our laboratory has ongoing research with the USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Service into remote-reporting, Internetbased technologies, and we will be working to couple this research with our ash-borer detection technique so that activity of the pest can be reported and assessed immediately by APHIS person-

nel, rather than waiting days or weeks until a trap might usually be checked,” said Baker. In addition, the team has been investigating the use of the decoys to attract other insect species, some of which are aggressive feeders on oak trees in central Europe and might threaten North American oaks in urban and forest landscapes much as the emerald ash borer destroyed ash trees. “We have made progress in our research so far in Hungary these past few summers, and it looks like our decoys can be refined to attract and detect these other, new and potentially invasive pest species effectively,” said Domingue. Other authors on the paper include Drew Pulsifer, recent graduate student in engineering science and mechanics; Loyal Hall, graduate student in entomology; John Badding, professor of chemistry; Jesse Bischof, graduate student in chemistry; Raul MartinPalma, adjunct professor of materials science and engineering; and Missy Hazen, research technologist, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences; all of Penn State; and Zoltan Imrei of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Gergely Janik of the Forest Research Institute in Matrafured, Hungary, Victor Mastro of the USDA. The USDA and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences supported this research. a

The scientists found that both types of synthetic decoys, as well as the dead pinned females, elicited initial flights by males toward them. Males nearly always chose to land on the dead females and the more realistic bioreplicated decoys. However, while the males initially flew toward the simpler 3D-printed decoys, they did not land on them. Males would normally quickly leave the bioreplicated decoys after they touched them. Yet, that brief contact was enough for them to become instantly stunned and captured by the trap if the voltage was applied to the decoys. According to Domingue, the light-scattering properties of the beetle’s shell -- which the team experimentally demonstrated using a white laser -- made the nano-bioreplicated decoys more lifelike and, therefore, more attractive to males than the nontextured 3-D-printed decoy. “We learned that not only do color and shape of a resting female beetle play a role in attracting males to a mate, but also the fine-scale texture of the visible surface is important,” said Domingue. “Small bumps and spines on the outer surface of their wings and heads that aren’t visible to the human eye scatter light in a distinctive pattern. Beetles appear to be able to recognize this feature of the decoys and are strongly

Please check the Facebook page for more information. Contact: Tim Bowser timbowser@elkcreekcafe.net

LIbrary Lines Your Mifflin County Library

Hello! My name is Bob Long and I am President of the Friends of the Mifflin County Library. It’s a pleasure to have this opportunity to write this edition of Library Lines. You may recall from Susan Miriello’s article in the previous edition that the Summer Reading Program was a resounding success with over 19,000 books read by more than 600 children and teens. That’s information worth repeating! What a significant, positive and lasting impact your local library provides for the residents of our communities and the Friends are honored and privileged to lend its support. The Friends of the Mifflin County Library is a member supported nonprofit organization that advocates, fundraises, and provides support for the Mifflin County Library. We provide the residents and the communities in Mifflin County with opportunities to invest in the success of the library by donating time through volunteering or donating funds. 2014 has been a busy year as our members have been involved with a variety of fund raising events. In April, the Lewistown Community Band kicked off its season with a benefit concert and in July, three original paintings by local artist Kathy McCartney were sold via a month-long silent auction. Impressions by Kathy (www.facebook.com/ImpressionsYou Can’t Take It With You from page 8 now sells her house, liquidates her bank accounts etc., to ensure that her final wishes are adhered to, with each of her children receiving their designated share. Notice however, that her life insurance was left to a niece who cared for her in her elderly years. This decision has no impact on her Will as it totally avoids the probate process as noted above. There are additional complexities that can always change things up, such as owning property with someone else as “Tenants in Common,” holding assets in trust, placing your residence in a Life Estate, or titling your bank accounts as Transfer on Death accounts. The above, however, will serve as a good starting point for your consideration. It is important that you pay attention to this regardless of

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ByKathy) donated the paintings for this event. A raffle in August came to a conclusion at Burnham Community Days as a ticket was randomly drawn by a youngster in a red wagon. A. Walter Gill of Lewistown, PA won four tickets to the PSU vs Akron football game and a gift certificate. The tickets and certificate were contributed by the Lake Dealerships and J P Edwards Grill & Bar, respectively. We hope you will join us at the Mifflin County Library on Saturday, October 18 from 10 am to 3 pm for Books & Brushes. Artists confirmed to be in attendance include Nathaniel Thierwechter, Jeannine Brought, Kathy McCartney, Robert Zorn, Anita Davies and Theresa Carstetter. Art work by school aged children is also expected to be on display. Light refreshments will be served. Please visit us at our booth at the Mifflin County Band Boosters Holiday Expo that will be held at the Mifflin County High School on Saturday, November 15, from 9am until 3pm. You can also like us on Facebook at www.facebook. com/FriendsofMCL for up to date happenings or obtain more information on our web pages located on the Mifflin County Library’s website at www.mifflincountylibrary.org. We have just begun our 2015 membership campaign and would love to have you as a member! a where you’re at in your earning years, as this is an important component of wise financial stewardship. I advise that you seek the assistance of a competent professional, such as an attorney or financial planner to assist you with thinking through and correctly identifying your heirs and how your property should transfer to them. You will not only experience peace of mind, but also promote harmony among your heirs as you properly and efficiently transfer your assets to them. C. Mark Ostrowski, MSFS, is the Founder and President of The Stewardship Group in Belleville. His articles ponder various contemporary topics evaluating them from a political, economic and scriptural point of view. He may be reached by calling 877-9355858 or by email at: mostrowski@thestewardshipgroup.org a


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Colon ial H ome i n Cou ntry Setti ng by Kim Rickert

When asked what they are businesses and towns. After buylooking for in a home, many ing the house and erecting the buyers request a home “in the large outbuilding holding his ofcountry, but not too far out.” The fice and workshop (24 x 32), Dick home located at 4364 Route 103 spent 50 years constructing and North, Lewistown is just what painting signs. He has partially many buyers are looking for! The retired, but still enjoys painting colonial style two story not only and working on many hobbies in offers a lovely 2.2 acre yard with the shop and garage. The workmature trees as the backdrop, but shop area has a half bath and can also offers two garages that are a dream come true for most men! (not to generalize too much, but we all know that the men want a big garage and a nice basement!) The home belongs to Dick and Susan Henry whom many Lots of curb appeal and space to stretch out! locals recognize as the “sign man.” Henry’s be heated with a Fisher woodstove Signs has been an institution in or an oil furnace. There is an adthe local landscape since 1963 ditional 22 x 32 garage with two when Dick began using his talents overhead doors useful for storto create signs for many local age or cars. A separate driveway

leads to the two outbuildings and would be an ideal location for a small business, pending township approval, or hobby space for the new owner. This well maintained home has three bedrooms and one and a half baths, and features a dining room with hardwood floor and adjacent eat-in kitchen with beautiful oak cabinets and a breakfast island. The first floor includes a laundry room and half bath, in addition to a large living room. The upstairs was recently updated and includes three bedrooms and a full bath. The basement level is home to a large hobby room, which currently displays one of Dick’s longtime hobbies, train collecting. A train table holds various sizes of train tracks and tiny buildings and landscapes. The outdoor views at this

The Truth Has No Agenda

A cozy “eat-in” kitchen

home can be enjoyed from two covered patios; on the left of the house coming in from the driveway a patio is tucked under the overhang next to the dining room. The second patio is to the right

mountain spring, and a miniature lighthouse. When asked what they love most about their home of 50 years, the Henry’s emphasize the large lot, plenty of square footage

The spacious outbuilding workshop!

of the house and offers a larger area where one could dine or just relax on a pleasant fall evening. The well maintained yard includes several areas of interest including a small water wheel next to a

in the workshop/garage, and their good neighbors. Typical of many neighborhoods in Mifflin County, the location and the people make this a great option for a new owner to plant some roots! a


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Fall for GREAT Health at The Himalayan Salt Spa SIMPLY HEALTH

Fall does not need to be a time when allergies, sinus, and congestion get out of control! Come sit in our Himalayan Salt spa for a 45 minute session. Cost is only $15.00 (and you are given a $5.00 off coupon to come back!). All you do is sit back, relax, and breathe. There are very low lights, very quiet soothing music, and no talking, phones, or other interruptions are permitted. We have three salt rooms filled with 11 tons of Himalayan salt, which is anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and antifungal. This type of therapy has been reported to improve lung conditions with COPD, allow people to get off of oxygen with their doctors approval, lessen pain from arthritis, fibromyalgia, MS, and other auto-immune diseases. People have reported sleeping better, being more relaxed, and feeling better. Almost all of our health challenges stem from inflammation, so sitting in a Himalayan salt room will benefit almost everyone. This is not a new concept. Salt baths were used since Egyptian times and the benefits of salt

inhalation became apparent in the late 18th century. In Europe, it was found that the workers in salt mines had few illnesses and were healthier than the people working above ground! Unique to our Salt Spa, while you are sitting in one of the rooms, additional Himalayan salt is generated into the room. This is very important as negatively ionized salt particles in the air helps everyone to breathe better and lessen congestion. The tiny particles can get way down deep into the alveoli of the lungs and because they are negatively charged ions, they are attracted into the positively charged mucus. The salt dissolves by absorbing moisture, which loosens the mucus and

opens the lungs. Any bad bacteria trapped in the lungs is also released, or killed off as bacteria require moisture to survive. These two actions illustrate how salt therapy is both anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial. Any salt particles that settle on the skin can have similar actions (anti-bacterial, anti-fungal) so may improve chronic skin conditions such as eczema, psorciasis, acne, and dry brittle skin. We have seen and heard SO many success stories from clients using our Salt rooms! The healing process does take time, and if you have an acute condition (a recent

Doug’s Rug Care Attends Summit 8 Conference Doug & Amanda Moerschbacher repairs, and sells rugs. Located at from Doug’s Rug Care recently 105 N. Main St Pleasant Gap, we attended a conference, Rug can be reached at 814-808-5071. Summit 8, in Chicago, IL. Over a 100 rug cleaners, retailers, and manufactures from all over America & Canada attended the event. Tours of two large working automated rug plants, hands on demonstrations, panel discussions, and featured speakers highlighted the itinerary of Rug Summit 8. Amanda Moerschbacher, Doug’s Rug Care. Ruth Doug’s Rug Travis, Director of WoolSafe North America. Doug Care cleans, Moerschbacher, Doug’s Rug Care

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cold, chest infection, seasonal allergy or conditions that affect the upper respiratory system, you may see results in just a few sessions. Chronic conditions (COPD, asthma) have taken years to build up in your body, so it would not be realistic to expect them to clear up in just a few days. A lot of chronic sufferers even come weekly and some daily! Thus the reason to give you the coupon for $5.00 off of your next session. Another great benefit is to place one of our authentic Himalayan salt lamps in your bedroom. Same benefits, smaller scale, but benefits build up over time and

also help people to sleep better and STOP SNORING! Don’t be duped though by all the imitation products popping up on the market! At Simply Health we have created some very affordable and beneficial monthly packages. Please check these out at www. simplyhealth-calm.com or call us at (814) 954-7731 or (717)2482000. Due to popular demand, we are now open at 10:00 am Monday - Friday. Saturday we are open at 9am. Check our website for additional information and pricing. Happy Fall! a


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the heaviest logs. The two horses together dragged out several logs that must have weighed half a ton. There was one oak log that was just too much for them and we got a neighbor to come over with his 4WD Kubota and front loader. Even then, they had to pull with one horse while pushing from the back with the loader bucket to get that one out, which was quite a sight to see. Watching the horse work was fascinating and I was struck by how quiet and peaceful the lane. Some of the largest trees operation was compared to using were up to 26 inches in diameter at the butt end and everything was a log skidder or tractor. There was the soft clinking of chains and cut to 8, 10, or 12 foot logs, with the quiet commands to the horse. an extra 4 inches or so. David David and the Belgians worked as brought a single horse several a team that seemed almost like a days to bring out the smaller logs single unit, with no loud words or and then brought both one day for roughness. David didn’t have to yank the reins, but rather just gave the slightest hints to the horses A reference photo from the logging project used to create the and they painting. knew when to stop or start and which direction to take as they followed him back and forth on the narrow paths they created through the woods. The strong late August sun dappling through the trees made the whole operation a thing of beauty, as well, and that is what I’ve tried to capture in the large (24 x 36 inch) acrylic painting I just finished. David didn’t mind me taking some photos as long as I avoided recognizably showing his face and I respected that wish in both the photos and the finished painting. As we had hoped, damage to the woods was kept minimal and will quickly

Capturing The Light A couple of months ago, we had the misfortune of losing at least forty mature trees here and there in our 21 acres in Brush Valley during a thunderstorm microburst. Rather than let all of this timber go to waste or cut up good logs for firewood, we decided to drag out and sell the saw-timber size logs. Most were tulip poplar, white pine, and red oak. Our wet woods (most trees pulled up by the roots rather than snapping off) would have been terribly torn up by heavy equipment going in and cutting wide access trails, so we found a neighboring Amish farmer with experience using his team of two Belgians to drag logs out. Many Amish horses are not used to this kind of work, which is very different from field work. David and I both worked on trimming out the trees and clearing several narrow trails out to the

Amish Logging in August Sun, 24x36 inches, acrylics on canvas by Karl Eric Leitzel

Detail showing brushwork

regrow. The logs went to a couple of local Amish sawmills and I’m pleased to know that Gary Long, a newly trained luthier (guitarmaker) in Millheim plans to have

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some of the tulip poplar custom cut for parts of the handmade guitars he is about to start building. Keep tuned for more on that project! a


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The Valley, October 2014 am using the photo of the statue honoring the author. This is a lifesized statue that sits on the north lawn of the Idaho Falls, Public Library. A great tribute to this fantastic author/book!

Mail Pouch Books by Carleen B. Grossman Here are some fantastic books for the Autumn season! WHERE THE RED FERN GROWS By Wilson Rawls Copyright 1961 245 pages This book is a great classic for ages 7 to 100 years of age! I remember crying so much through this book, and even today I tear up when even thinking about it! The story is about a boy who decides he must have two hound dogs. It takes him two years to save the money, but he finally has enough to order the dogs. The boy and his dogs spend most nights hunting raccoons along the river bottom in the foothills of the Ozarks where he lives. The boy becomes more attached to his dogs, and together they become a unique team. One dog is a bold fighter and the other is as smart as they come. The dogs are ex-

tremely loyal to one another and to the boy. The story is filled with hair-raising hunting adventures and glorious moments of triumph. The trio win a championship coon hunt, and are known all over the county. Not long afterward, they encounter a mountain lion while hunting. In killing the lion a tragedy occurs. You will learn about both death and grief from this marvelous book. There are other moral lessons in this book; one that stood out in my mind was

Ed’s Railroading News by Ed Forsythe

The Rockhill Trolley Museum will be celebrating their Fall Spectacular on October 11th & 12th from 10:00 to 4:20 daily with trolley rides leaving almost continuously all day long. There will be rides on all the regular trolleys, plus many seldom run pieces of equipment running for those who wish to ride something a little different throughout the days. Go to rockhilltrolley.org and check out the different events that will be happening. This is always a great weekend ending the summer season, and a good beginning to the fall season that includes other operating weekends like Pumpkin Patch trolley rides on October 18 & 19, where children get to pick a pumpkin and paint it however they wish on the porch with supplied materials. Halloween Costume Day, October 24 & 25, is a new event where children in costume get a FREE ride with an accompanying parent. All these events are happening from 11:00 to 4:20 each day. After a short break from activities of running trolleys, the museum will host the ever popular Santa Trolley on

December 6th from 10:00 to 4:00. During these rides, children who ride will get to visit with Santa Claus and receive a nice gift from him. This day is in the middle of the Polar Bear Express Trolley events that run from 6:30 to 9:00 each evening of November 28 and 29 and December 5, 6, 12, and 13. These trolley rides run through the well lighted Christmas decorations that are set-up for all to enjoy. It is truly a sight to see how the whole museum comes alive with the wonders of the season. Over the years, I’ve had many questions asked of me about The East Broad Top Railroad: “Will it run again, when will it run again and even, why don’t you buy it?” Well, the last thought would be my first choice, except it’s not possible to purchase any railroad without mega $$$$$’s. Sorry folks, probably not going to happen. As for will it run or when, it’s really hard to say for sure, but there are still things being worked on physically and hopes and plans are still in the works for the return of Old Easty. In Mt. Union, work has been happening along the

when a local young bully-boy and his bully-hound are encountered while coon hunting. This novel is filled with valuable life-lessons! I am breaking with tradition here since many of you may already know about this book. Instead of a book jacket photo, I

railroad so we’ll just have to wait and see what the future brings. Coming soon will be the Shining Light Through the Darkness project at Kish Park. This is where the park is all lit up each night for the month of December to celebrate the Christmas season. The group spends many hours each weekend in November decorating the park and they are always in need of volunteers. If you are interested in helping with a really fine civic project, please give Darla Gray a call at 717-6350919, or Darlene Gray at 717-9536352. Darla is the chairperson and the person with the original idea for this project. She has seen it come from a few strings of lights around the center of the park to thousands of lights all over the park with many churches and organizations becoming involved in setting up displays, helping provide entertainment, donating foods and beverages to give away, and offering many others ways to help produce a month of wonderment. Along the lines of entertainment, each evening different groups provide singing, instrument playing and other seasonal pleasures for everyone’s enjoyment. If you’re interested in being involved in this arena, please call Carol Manbeck at 717-248-7428 to get yourself or group on the schedule. There are many ways to volunteer besides the above listed

The Truth Has No Agenda

ONE WOMAN FARM By Jenna Woginrich Copyright 2013 192 pages This author’s experiences in farming are a delight to read. You will enjoy such experiences as her life shared with sheep, pigs, chickens horses and yes human neighbors! Struggles, joys and epiphanies are all part of this book.

Copyright 2013 228 pages Stories from across the United States and recipes both are shared in this book. It is organized by season and features cooking tips throughout! A must have book! SCARECROWS: Making Harvest Figures and Other Yard Folks By Felder Rushing Copyright 1998 112 pages A great blend of fact, folklore and fun in this how to book! a

SOUP NIGHT By Maggie Stuckey

ways. Greeters are always needed in the evenings and working lights and displays are always welcome. Monetary donations are also

greatly appreciated. So how about getting involved and give a hand to this great event for all to enjoy. As always, Happy railroading, Ed a

The Regenerative Power of Restraint from page 5

and trusting the nature of things more than anything that comes out of the technician’s machine shop.” “What we need is a vision for the future that doesn’t involve fallible human beings in charge all the time.” Thank you, Mr. Snyder, for giving us more food for thought. The underlining is mine, by the way. For more information about PASA: www.pasafarming.org or call (814)349-9856 a

Heritage Farmer from page 11

In the book of Genesis, each time God creates a part of the universe, and a part of the earth, He declares it to be good. At the end of the sixth day of creation, the Bible tells us, “Then God saw everything He had made, and indeed it was very good.” Well folks, from where I stand it surely is good, this earth that he blessed us with; the toil that He said we must use to eat from the earth is a blessing too if we pay attention to the lessons that come from His creation that teach us how we should toil. And that’s good enough for me. Have a blessed October! a

and less damaging to the environment? We would need powerful restraint at both the farm level and in the use of government’s regulatory hammer. We would need a partnership between the two not dreamed of in any heretofore hard-fought Farm Bill compromise. We would need a dramatic effort to remember what we have lost, in order to imagine what we could gain by working together

together. If you really still need proof that an organic system is the best system to farm with, please think about this. Organic farming is really just what we call us watching nature and trying to learn to use the same ways of growing things that nature uses. Nature, the way our planet works, with all of its diversity, was created by God. Call it natural, call it sustainable, call it organic—it seems to me that by studying nature, and trying to understand how God put it all together, we are working within His design—not ours.


The Valley, October 2014

28

Life in the East End by Rebecca Harrop Fall has arrived in the East End. We are chopping corn silage right now. Dad saw a big black bear come running out of the field where they started chopping. He said it was barreling back to the mountain. We’ve had several bear the last few years. Once the silage is done we will start shelling corn and combining the soybeans. I like the smell of harvesting. It doesn’t matter if it’s silage, haylage, shelling corn, or combining soybeans. Each

crop has its own unique smell. Everyone comments on the smell of new mown hay, and I love that smell as well. It smells like summer and fun and long days. But the smell of corn silage and combining grain smell of fall, hunting season, shorter days and a successful season. Dad always says it feels good watching the grain go through the harvesters because you know all your hard work paid off. Another sign of Fall is see-

ing more farm equipment on the roadways. Big combines and grain trucks will be rolling between fields, bins and the local feed mills. Everyone needs to use extra care on the roadways where you may encounter farm equipment always, but especially now through December. If you’re following behind, please allow plenty of room so you can be seen in the equipment mirrors. Also, if you’re attempting to pass make sure you can see far enough ahead to pass safely or what you’re following isn’t signaling for a left hand turn. A little extra care can avoid a bad accident. It’s like my Mom always says, they’re bigger than you and you’ll look like a pancake if you get in the way. Fall also means the Blue Rock Turkey Shoots have started! I think I need to do some prac-

ticing because I was terrible. I didn’t win a thing! My brother got a turkey. If you like turkey or just like target shooting, you should check out the Turkey shoots at the Blue Rock Sportsman’s Club every Thursday till November 20. Mifflin County Farm Bureau’s Third Grade Ag Tour was Sept. 16th. All the third graders in Mifflin County came out to Preston and Jenny Yoder’s farm in Belleville, where they got to experience a taste of farm life. There is

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a lot of “behind the scenes” work and preparation that goes into making the Ag Tour a success. Planning the tour is really a year round job, beginning with raising the funds needed to purchase the supplies and materials needed. Once the farm(s) are selected, maps are drawn and then the stations can be planned and laid out. Then the take home supplies for the students and teachers need to be ordered. The Station present-

Continued on page 30


The Valley, October 2014

The Truth Has No Agenda

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The Valley, October 2014

30

Life In The East End from page 28

Healthy Soils Are: Covered All The Time by Melissa Erdman

Have you ever watched a slow-motion video of a raindrop hitting bare soil? A falling raindrop explodes like a bomb as it hits bare soil; it dislodges unprotected soil particles and begins the process of soil erosion. If we want to have a real impact in protecting our valuable topsoil and minimizing soil erosion and sediment runoff – it all starts with intercepting that raindrop. And while I’ve never heard a single farmer say that his topsoil isn’t important to him, not all farmers act to protect and armor their soil. Cover crops and plant residue prevent that violent splash on the soil, protecting soil aggregates from being pounded by falling raindrops. In short – if minimizing erosion and improving soil health and water quality is your goal, you should not see the soil very often….meaning, the soil should always be covered by growing plants and/or their residues and, it should rarely be visible from above. Cover crops and plant residues armor our soils. In addition, covers build organic matter, conserve moisture in the ground, suppress weed growth, scavenge and cycle nutrients and increase infiltration (versus runoff) of water on our cropland. And let’s not forget about all the benefits living covers provide below ground. Through their roots, living plants offer soil microbes their easiest, most reliable food source. Because these soil microbes need a consistent food source throughout the year to thrive, cropping systems that include crop rotations with covers throughout the growing season (or perennial grasses and legumes) can help sustain them year-round. And why do we care about the microbes? Because they feed plants. So, if you have been thinking

about experimenting with cover cropping, to start to experience all of these benefits on your farm (or in your garden) – now is your chance. As we are finishing small grain harvest and quickly rolling into corn silage season, think seriously about covering your soil. You have a great opportunity in late summer, early fall to plant a diverse cover crop mix. Even in a no-till system, there are times when soil cover may be lacking because of crop harvest methods, amounts of residue produced, and low carbon:nitrogen ratios of some crop residues that make them decompose quickly. One final thought on the importance of cover cropping, comes from neighboring Columbia County, where NRCS and local farmers are involved in a pilot project utilizing a new soil testing method (which I will discuss next time). According to Kris Ribble, Columbia County District Conservationist with NRCS, “of the sites sampled this March/April, there was an average of 76 lbs/ acre of inorganic nitrogen in the soil when there was no live plant growing to hold it in the field. Much of this inorganic nitrogen is susceptible to losses through leaching with spring rains, when we do not have a live plant growing in the field to scavenge that excess nitrogen and hold it for our cash crop. Just to put this in perspective, could you really afford to lose as much as 76 lbs of nitrogen per year without a return at $0.65/lb?” In summary, cover crops are such an integral part of any cropping system, for a number of reasons. Cover crops can be managed to armor your soil, scavenge and hold nutrients and sustain soil microbes and beneficial insects. Talk with your local farmers using

cover crops, local seed dealers, crop consultants, NRCS, Conservation Districts, etc. Don’t lose the opportunity to unlock your farm’s potential: discover the cover! To learn more about soil conservation, and how you can get help on your land, visit www. nrcs.usda.gov or contact your local office in Mifflintown, located at 146 Stoney Creek Drive, Suite 3, Mifflintown, PA 17059. About Melissa Erdman: Melissa is a District Conservationist with the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. She works in the agency’s Mifflintown office and can be contacted at (717) 436-8953 x 111 or melissa.erdman@pa.usda. gov. About NRCS: USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service helps America’s farmers and ranchers conserve the nation’s soil, water, air and other natural resources. All programs are voluntary and offer sciencebased solutions that benefit both the landowner and the environment. Learn more at www. pa.nrcs.usda. gov. a

ers, tour guides and various other volunteers need to be contacted and assigned. It takes about 125 volunteers to make the day possible. The corn maze is usually cut out the Friday before the tour. The day before, Farm Bureau members and volunteers come out to the farm to do the set up. The men set up canopies, distribute chairs, straw bales and other items needed for the stations. The ladies fill the take home bags with the items from the Dairy Promotion, Pork program, Beef Council, Apple and Honey Promotion programs and other groups. A few of the items put in the bags are honey sticks, pencils, erasers, bookmarks, and informational items. There are usually about 500 students, so that’s how many bags we fill. We were a little short of help this year for stuffing bags so a couple ladies from the Big Valley Ambulance crew helped. We also got Gram and Pap Goss to help. We sure were glad they could help. Everything is usually pretty well set shortly after lunch time. Every year I’m amazed at the responses of the kids. Usually the first thing out of their mouths as they get off the bus is “it smells!” I just tell them that’s country air. They always love the

animal stations of course. The calf raising station is always a big hit. I like to ask them what their favorite station was. It’s interesting the differences in what they each like best. They really like the stations where they can touch things. It doesn’t seem to matter what, whether it’s feed and grain samples or the baby calf’s tongue. They enjoy the hands on experiences the best. The hay ride and corn maze are a favorite as well. Equine Science with the horses and the bees are pretty popular. Each of the stations has an important message for the kids as well as hopefully being a fun experience. The night they cut out the corn maze, Preston Yoder said he couldn’t imagine what 500 kids there looked like. Later we were talking about that and decided it looked like FUN! Hopefully for all involved, it was. Once the tour is finished and the buses have left with the kids, the cleanup begins. I can’t help with the cleanup because I always have to get home to go to the barn. But I remember from when we hosted the tour, how quickly the Farm Bureau crew can tear everything down. When they are done you would never know over 600 people were on your farm. That’s all for this month in the East End. a

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The Valley, October 2014

Fall is a time for renewal. Summer is long gone, tans have faded, and our beach vacations are now distant memories. The leaves vibrant colors in shades of orange, reds and browns are in abundance all around us. The smell of the autumn air and the cool nights lead us to the comfort of warm foods. Our bodies are telling us that its time to prepare for the cold nights ahead, so we naturally gravitate towards fall harvest, pumpkins, squash, yams etc. Pumpkins, the signature vegetable of the fall, is seen everywhere from the late days of summer until Thanksgiving. Pumpkins are not only great on Halloween night, carved out as Jack-o-lanterns or as an essential piece in a cornucopia, but offer many nutritional benefits, such as Beta-Carotene, a

precursor to Vitamin A! So why not add pumpkin to your plate? The Dutch Pantry’s homemade Pumpkin Pie Butter has become famous around Mifflin County over the past few years. If you haven’t tried the tasty fall treat of pumpkin pie butter, you are definitely missing out. This spread is so versatile and with the short time that it is stored in your refrigerator, you will be surprised at the multiple uses that it holds. Here are some ideas to use the pumpkin butter to make outstanding fall treats: • Swirled into your hot oatmeal or granola cereal • Add a little to your smoothies or milkshake • Swirl it into yogurt or make parfaits • Use it in or on muffins

Try a little in your coffee or hot chocolate. • Use equal parts pumpkin butter and cream—heat, stirring well, to create a creamy pumpkin sauce to serve over pasta • Use it as a dip for fresh sliced apples • Try it in a cheesecake –Oh my, I am getting hungry… • Heat it up and add it to vanilla or banana ice cream for a seasonal sundae. The recipe that has made this pumpkin pie butter so famous is our Gooey Pumpkin Butter Cake. It’s like a piece of pumpkin pie on top of a cake biscuit. The best thing about this is that it is so easy to do, it will become a fan favorite at all your family and friend events. Dutch Pantry will begin “Sampling Saturdays” beginning October 11th and continue

The Truth Has No Agenda

through Christmas. Stop by on October 11th and try a piece of our now famous Gooey Pumpkin Pie Cake and Pumpkin Dip served with Ginger snaps. For those that can’t make it in that day, we will provide the recipe in this article. In addition to our pumpkin pie butter, we carry pumpkin pie fudge, an entire line of our handmade pumpkin patch bath and body products (soap, whipped soap, lotion and body wash). We have beautiful pumpkin and fall décor to help you get ready quick for fall. Gooey Pumpkin Butter Cake

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine cake mix, egg and butter. Mix well with an electric mixer. Pat mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. To make filling: In a large bowl, beat with cream cheese and pumpkin butter until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla and butter and beat together. Add powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and mix well. Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake for 40-50 minutes. Make sure not to over bake, as the center should be a little gooey. Serve with fresh whipped cream. a

Cake: 1 package yellow cake mix 1 egg 8 tablespoons butter, melted Filling: 1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, softened 1 Jar Dutch Pantry Pumpkin Butter 3 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 8 tablespoons butter, melted 1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon Gooey, Pumpkin Butter Cake 1 teaspoon nutmeg


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