F
R
E
E
Serving Mifflin County and the surrounding area.
The Valley A free newspaper dedicated to agriculture, self-reliance, and modern homesteading.
Volume 1, No. 2 We are fast approaching that special time of year when we have to make that once a year decision on picking out a Christmas tree. You are thinking of buying a fake one? Why? A lot of the arguments supporting a fake tree are totally false and perhaps you are being just a tad bit dishonest with yourself. Give us a few moments here and let us explain why a REAL tree is the only way to go, both from an environmental, as well as an economic and traditional stand point. You know here at The Valley we support community, neighbors supporting neighbors and buying local whenever possible. This article will also show you how that is also the smartest choice where buying a Christmas tree is concerned. Christmas trees have been sold commercially in the United States since about 1850, but the first decorated Christmas tree was in Riga, Latvia in 1510. That will be 500 years of mankind enjoying decorated trees at Christmas this year on December 25th. A long held tradition indeed. Every year in the United States, 28-35 million REAL Christmas trees are sold—that is a
The majestic and beautiful Colorado Blue Spruce. Watch out though, they bite!
The Valley, December 2010
O Christmas Tree... whole lot of trees, but fear not—for every tree harvested, two to three seedlings are planted. These Christmas tree farms not only provide us with our festive tree every year, but provide habitat for wildlife during the 4-15 years it takes to grow a tree to harvestable size, depending on variety. These trees also clean dust and pollution from the air and every acre planted in Christmas trees, provides oxygen for 18 or more people. Christmas trees are grown in all 50 states and Pennsylvania is listed in the top five producing states in the U.S. The Christmas tree industry provides employment for over 100,000 A perfectly sheared Fraser Fir waiting for a people nationwide. The home. growers are not only active during our holiday season, to produce, year-round mainthey also have to work the plantatenance during that time, and tions year round. In order to get only a $41.50 price tag for all those perfect specimens ready for of that work. Consider that the Christmas, growers must fertilize, next time you haggle with the mow, spray and shear the trees grower over price. Just remembefore they are ready for market. ber— your purchase is in a small Aside from the pre-cut trees that way providing employment for come from these tree farms, there over 100,000 people; an important are over 12,000 cut your own fact to consider in these economic establishments in the country and times. Besides all of that, you are over 4,000 Christmas tree recymaking well over $41 worth of cling centers nationwide. Ninetyhappiness and memories for your three percent of Christmas tree family and friends. consumers recycle their tree either at one of these centers or in their Tree Types and Care backyard to provide cover for Christmas trees come in wildlife. Recycled Christmas trees about as many varieties as there are also used to help with beach are pines, firs, and spruces, and erosion and to provide habitat for the most popular type of Christfish in otherwise barren lakes and mas Tree varies by region. The ponds. most popular trees in PennsylvaAccording to statistics gathered nia are the Fraser Fir, Fir Balsam, by the National Christmas Tree Scotch Pine, and Douglas Fir. Association, the mean average Other types are also grown here price of a purchased tree in the and have their own following, like US is $41.50. Think about that the magnificent Blue Spruce, the for a minute. Four to fifteen years White Fir (or Concolor Fir as it is
sometimes called). White pine has also been gaining in popularity in recent years. Before you decide which type you want, you should consider how you will decorate your tree. Some species have space between the branches, which is better for hanging ornaments, and some are more dense with wispy tips that bend under the weight of an ornament. These types are better suited to wraps of garland and bows. One thing is certain—when I used to have my own lots I would tell folks that were having a hard time making a decision…, “they all look good once they are home and decorated.” Some trees are better at needle retention than others. Having had experience with the Norway Spruce, I would never recommend this tree to someone who was putting it up more than a few days before the big day, and absolutely not in a house with a wood stove or someone that keeps the heat high. It will drop all of its needles within a few days under such conditions. I know—I replaced several for people before I found this out. The biggest factor in keeping a tree looking good after getting it home is water—lots and lots of water. Assuming you picked out a tree in good condition to begin with (Did you pull on the branch tips using your thumb and index finger? There should be few if any needles coming off.), the first few days are critical once you put it up. It must be watered frequently; you can never let the water level in your resevoir drop below the cut on the bottom of the trunk. If it does, the tree will scab over and no more water will be taken up by the tree, which will result in a dried out tree and a potential fire hazard. In fact, a fresh wellwatered tree is almost impossible to ignite, but let it get just a little
Complimentary
dried out, and you are tempting a problem. The number of tree related fires in the US every year is less than one thousandth of one percent, and probably a good ninety-nine percent of those—or more—could be avoided by keeping the tree fresh. Once you bring the results of your foray for the perfect Christmas tree home, you should cut ½ - 1 inch off of the bottom of the trunk. This fresh cut must be kept submerged in water from then on to prevent the tree from sealing the wound over. If you are not going to put the tree in the house yet, place it in a bucket of water and keep it fully submerged. A fresh cut tree can “drink” a quart of water a day or more, so watering must be a priority in order to keep your tree fresh. You should also make this cut level and flat. Do not cut a “V” or shave the
The beautiful, full-bodied and softneedled Douglas Fir, a traditional favorite for many.
outer surface down to fit the tree in the stand; it is better to get a stand that fits. If you do shave your tree, it will be incapable of drawing water as most of that is Continued on page 18
The Valley, December 2010
The Valley, December 2010
Community Calendar
Non-profit community and civic organizations are encouraged to submit their announcements to “The Valley” at PO Box 41, Yeagertown, PA 17099. Editor reserves the right to reject any announcements. DECEMBER December 1 - Festival of Ice From 1:00 - 7:00 pm the Ice Walls will be built in the South Mall and beside the Historic Courthouse. Dec 2-3 - Festival of Ice Exciting events all day including Ice Sculptors in Action, McCoy House Museum, Cookie Walk, Pony Rides, Entertainment, Train Display, G-Man Entertainment, Caricatures, Santa House, Carriage Rides, vendors and much more. Dec 4 - Kiwanis Pancake Festival 7:00 am - 1:00 pm at the First United Methodist Church on Dorcas Street Dec 4 - Kiwanis Christmas Parade Starting at 1:00 pm. The McCoy House will be open from 1:30 - 4:00 pm. The Santa House at West Side Gallery & the Train Display at 3 West Monument Square will also be open.
POL AR BEAR EXPRESS Enjoy a night-time ride to Blacklog Narrows on a restored antique trolley. Ride in an enclosed heated trolley or bring your blankets, mittens, and warm coats and ride in the popular open trolley! See the lighted holiday displays and sing carols along the way.
FRIDAY/SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 26/27 — 6:30 TO 9:00 PM FRIDAY/SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3/4 & 10/11 — 6:30 TO 9:00 PM $6
25TH
ANNIVERSARY
PER TICKET (children 2 and under are free)
– RAIN, SNOW, OR SHINE
SANTA’S TROLLEY All children 13 years and under will talk to Santa and receive a FREE treat! Children of all ages will enjoy caroling in a restored antique trolley. Large G-scale model trains will be operating outside, weather permitting. Visit the Sweet Shoppe canopy for special treats and refreshments. Visit the Rockhill Trolley Museum store for train and trolley gifts.
SATURDAY, D ECEMBER 4 — 10:00 AM TO 4:00 PM $6
LOCATION:
PER TICKET
– RAIN, SNOW, OR SHINE
430 Meadow Street, Rockhill Furnace (Orbisonia), PA 17249 Just off US 522 on PA 994 across from the East Broad Top Railroad.
For more information call: 814-447-9576 www.RockhillTrolley.org Rockhill Trolley Museum, Pennsylvania’s first and oldest operating trolley museum, is one of the area’s valuable 501(c)(3) volunteer, non-profit, educational organizations. They need and appreciate your support and enjoy serving the community with these exciting annual events.
Thots on... Genesis
A bible study for the lay Christian. man in our image, in our likeness, by Lydia
In 2 Timothy 3.16, Paul tells us, “Every inspired scripture has its use for teaching the truth and refuting error, or for reformation of manners and discipline in right living…” [NEB] On the road to Emmaus, Jesus made the Scriptures come alive to his followers, so that they later said, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” [Luke 24.32] It is my hope that the “Thots on” series will make your heart burn within you as God’s thoughts and purposes are revealed in a way that is easily understood by the seeking heart. *Unless otherwise noted, all Scriptures are quoted from the New International Version. Genesis 1.26 Then God said, ‘Let us make
Big Valley Antiques Christmas Open House!
and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth and over all the creatures that move along the ground. The Hebrew word for “God” is “elohim”. The “im” ending indicates that the word is plural. However, this is not an indication of multiple gods, but of the multiple facets of the one God, the Creator. We see this triune nature of God revealed as the heavenly Father, the Son of God, and the Spirit of God. The world seeks to persuade us that man is only one step removed from the apes and that somewhere in the mists of prehistory, an ape suddenly stood upright and became a man. Not only is this not what the Bible teaches us, but there is absolutely no scientific proof in the fossil record to support this absurd theory. No transitional fossils have ever been discovered and
nowhere on earth do we find animals “evolving” into another species. Those few examples that have been reported, such as the “Piltdown man”, were later admitted to be deliberate hoaxes. The only evolution that can be verified is microevolution— mutations and other minor genetic changes within a species, such as the refinement of a particular breed of dog. There is no record of or evidence for development of greater complexity. As Dr. Walt Brown, author of In the Beginning: Compelling Evidence for Creation and the Flood, observed, “If the leg of a reptile were to evolve into the wing of a bird, it would become a bad leg long before it became a good wing.” Moreover, the origin of life has never been adequately explained by evolutionists. That the first life somehow developed unaided from some primordial ooze has absolutely no scientific basis. In fact, it is an accepted scientific principle that the spontaneous generation of life from nonliving matter does not occur. The law of biogenesis was established by Louis Pasteur, who observed that “Every living thing arises from a pre-existing living thing.”
November 26 -December 5
In the December 1981 issue of Science Digest, biologist Martin Moe wrote, “A century of sensational discoveries in the biological sciences has taught us that life arises only from life…” (For more information on creation science, see http://www.creationscience.com/onlinebook/index. html. The online book is available to read without charge.) The book of Genesis clearly differentiates between the creation of the animals and the creation of man. Man is the only creature of whom God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness…” No other creature was created for the specific purpose of fellowship with the Creator and of becoming God’s sons and heirs. [Romans 8.14-19 & 23; Galatians 4.4-7] No other creature was given a free will. [Isaiah 1.19-20; John 7.17] No other creature was created to rule over the rest of creation. [Genesis 1.26, 28] And no other creature was given God’s own Spirit. [Genesis 2.7; 1 Corinthians 3.16 & 6.19] The statements of the radical environmentalists directly contradict God’s Word. Environmentalists consider mankind an interloper, a polluter and a destroyer.
They say that were it not for the existence of mankind, the earth would be perfect. However, the Bible tells us God placed man on the earth and gave him dominion—authority—over it. Who would you rather believe? To be certain, man has a responsibility to care for God’s creation, but there is a vast difference between husbandry and idolatry, between caring for our natural surroundings and worshipping creation rather than the Creator! Which do you think is more important in God’s eyes: a tree or a child? Is it more important to maintain a rain forest in “pristine” condition, to save the habitat of a spotted owl, or to save a human life? The answer should be obvious to any Christian. Jesus himself told us, “You are worth more than many sparrows.” [Matthew 10.31] Yet the same people who clamor so loudly against what they view as despoilment of nature clamor just as loudly for the right to kill unborn children. Doesn’t it strike you as odd that mankind is the only part of God’s creation which they do not strive to protect?
The Valley, December 2010
In this Issue Contributing Writers Adventures in Homesteading --Dave and Ginger Striker Woods, Water and Wildlife --Bob Sleigh Roads Less Traveled --Lynn Persing Understanding the Constitution --Dave Molek Thots on... --Lydia Adventures on Our Nourishing Journey --Sue Burns LZ Swanson --Shawn Swanson Grosze Thal Nachbaren --Jeptha I. Yoder Looking Out My Back Door --Mary Anna Chenoweth The Mushroom Guy --Bob Sleigh Ask Julie Mac --Julie MacConnell Modern Energy and Alternate Heating --Curt Bierly Frugal Living Tips --Julie MacConnell Recipes, Crafts and Gift Ideas --Debra Kulp Memories of a Dairy Princess --Rebecca Harrop
Feature Articles O Christmas Tree... --Wayne Stottlar Oreo Cookies on the Hoof --Wayne Stottlar Raw Milk/Hot Water --Jerri Cook Another Option-Live Trees --Nathan Byler Mifflin County Model Railroaders Open House --Valley Staff
Contact Info Editor/Publisher Wayne Stottlar
The Valley PO Box 41 Yeagertown, PA 17099 (717) 363-1550 E-mail: thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com Web: www.thevalleynewspaper.com
Editor’s Corner
As we are preparing for our second issue of The Valley, all I can say is WOW and THANK YOU! In my travels this past month, I have met the most incredible people—good, caring, salt-of-theearth folks who are connecting with our “good news” concept; you have all renewed my faith in humanity. During this month, we have had the pleasure of welcoming several new writers to our staff. These new writers have provided some very exciting columns for this issue and fit in very nicely with the contributing writers that helped found The Valley. Susan Burns will have her own column called “Adventures on our Nourishing Journey.” Sue is a local Women’s Holistic Nutrition Consultant, who has new office space that she shares with her husband Richard at Burns Eye Care Associates on Chestnut Street in Lewistown. In our pages, she will be giving advice and tips on keeping all of us healthy and happy. Sue’s passion for her topic comes through in conversations with her, as well as in her writing.
She makes the journey enjoyable, and something that everyone hopefully will strive to follow. Mary Anna Chenoweth will have a space called, “Looking Out My Back Door” and will give us glimpses of her quest to live close to the Earth in a sustainable and enjoyable way. Mary will provide tips and info found no where else, and her first column about growing ginger at home is just the tip of the iceberg. Her list of subjects for upcoming columns was very impressive. When I visited her shop in Lewistown, called The Pen and Thread, the diversity of items gave me a clue as to what to expect in the future, I am excited. Shawn Swanson is a “Private Security Expert” currently working in Iraq guarding the assets of his employer. Shawn reminds me of a big teddy bear, as nice a guy as you would ever want to meet back here in the states. But trust me, you probably wouldn’t ever want to meet him if you were a terrorist in Iraq. Then you would probably look at him as well over six feet of pure grit and determination, he is good at what he does. Shawn will be writing
about something dear to his heart as well as to many of you—that is, self reliance. He will also give us some insight as to how the common Iraqi citizen is coping with losing all of their modern conveniences since war has come to their country. I hope we never have to resort to life as they are dealing with, but it will be an interesting read nonetheless. Lastly, but certainly not the least, is my new friend Jeptha Yoder. Jeptha is a Nebraska Amish gentleman who was pointed out to me by so many people in Big Valley that I had to find him. I am so glad I did! He is a brilliant, very humble, well read young man who is going to write a column called “Big Valley Neighbors.” It is a page by Amish for Amish, and some portions will be written in German and some in English. I so admire the Amish that I wanted to provide them with a page in our publication where they could share community news, and a
place where perhaps we can help bring our two cultures closer together through education. If any of our Amish readers have news they would like to have printed, they should look Jeptha up and talk to him about it. I also hope that Jeptha’s words will be helpful to many of us English to enlighten us and educate us to their wonderful culture. We can learn from each other and make our small place in the world a little bit better. As we celebrate Christmas and Hanukkah this month, let us all try to be just a little bit better of a person toward our neighbors and open our hearts to the blessings that will follow. We all can, through our actions, improve our own lives and those of others with a little kindness and understanding toward our fellow man. What better time of the year to make this commitment to yourself, your neighbors and your God. Merry Christmas! —Wayne
Reader Contests!
The Valley would like to announce the first two annual readers contests. The first is a Christmas Lights contest. Go all Clark Griswold on your house this year, put your best effort into your Christmas lights display, and then take a picture and send it in for judging. First place will receive a local area business gift certificate and publication in The Valley. All submissions must be received in our Post Office Box (or in our email box) no later than January 15th for judging. The winner will be announced in our February issue. If everyone takes part, our neighborhoods will be a little more festive this season. The second contest is our snowman contest. Let’s stop the front yard snowman from becoming just a memory. Contest is open to all families, so get out there with your kids and build the best snowman ever, take a picture and send it in by March 15th. The winner will be announced in our April issue, will be published in The Valley, and will also receive an area gift certificate. Submit photos electronically to thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com or to The Valley, PO Box 41, Yeagertown, PA 17099.
Call 667-1404 to place your order 463 S. Main St., Milroy
Find us on The Valley Newspaper
The Valley, December 2010
Adventures in Homesteading
weren’t too excited about that at all. As the mornOne family’s journey from the city and modern living back to the land ing went on, the rain and self-reliance. continued to build in intensity and the likelihood of getting A continuing series. any real work done seemed to fade. father-in-law gave and a campsite. Ironically, I had animal, so we just kept the fire Keeping the kids entertained in a us two 55 gallon not planned the path—just drove high, Vega in her kennel, and my tent is no easy task and we quickpolystyrene water down what seemed to be about the shotgun close by. Needless to ly reached the point of diminishtanks from his work. halfway point and turned into the say I didn’t get much sleep that ing returns. Ginger was getting They are frequently property and cut back about 2/3 night. Outside of a lot of noise, frustrated and making meals was discarding perfectly of the way until I found a good fortunately nothing showed up in becoming impossible. It was good materials, so shady spot. I proceeded to clear it person that night. obvious we couldn’t keep the kids naturally that was after several passes. The plan was The next morning the kids out there so we decided that I our gain. Since to clear more land that day, but of would stay behind with the tractor the tanks already course I severely underestimated and continue bush-hogging so had two sealed tops and ½ inch the effort to set up camp and get we could at least get our monies threaded opening, we were able everyone settled. In addition to worth that we paid when renting to add an air valve in one openthat, I have heard so many horror the tractor. This entailed me staying and then a faucet on the other. stories about feral hog encounters ing another night with our faithful We then would fill the tank about that I was terrified about that pocompanion, Vega. The weather ¾ of the way and pressurize it to tential with the kids, so I wanted didn’t improve for the rest of the about 35 psi. Essentially, the tank to create a fire as soon as possible. weekend as I was plagued with worked just like a well pressure Being a suburban city slicker, I Mom was smart to bring snacks to a constant drizzle and occasional tank. This of course, resolved heard quite a few tales about the keep the kids entertained while we set heavy rain. Fortunately, the tractor the water issue and we already woods in Florida that had me up camp didn’t seem to mind much and I had a generator from previous pretty paranoid and concerned for did my best to keep the fire going hurricane seasons that we would the safety of the kids. were up early and out enjoying throughout the day since nothing use for power. Though the water Several hours later we had the campsite trying to get the fire around was dry. drums would have been a perfect finally set up our tents and made burning again and mom was mak Help came later that day solution, we did not have a trailer a makeshift cooking area that ing a pancake breakfast. We had when a good friend, and now or the cargo space to bring them, we covered using a tarp, rope, a little rain over the night so the neighbor, showed up to help with or the generator for that matter, on and poles. We had the kids out fire was pretty low. I don’t know the bush-hogging. I was particuthe first weekend. So, as a result, collecting wood for the fire and, about you but there is nothing larly relieved about not spending I had to settle with two 7 gallon as with most children, they were worse than rain when camping in the night by myself on the propwater containers also from our initially excited with the task but tents. No matter how waterproof erty that night. We kept working hurricane supplies. We packed our their motivation quickly dropped they claim their tents are, it never until it got too dark to work safely, SUV to capacity and then some. I off after the first couple loads of seems to stay dry. It is amazand we again collected wood for think any parents can relate to the wood. Fortunately, there were ing how many things you don’t the fire. Since everything was wet, tendency of over-packing when several piles of old dried pine think about when you are campit took a while to dry out before it you are accounting for kids. throughout the property where ing without any of our modern would begin to burn. I guess the Finally, we left the house they had harvested all of the pine conveniences. At least at primitive after much chaos, mayhem and lumber years ago. But unfortucamp sites you have access to run- good thing about that is it seemed to stretch out the burn time on the stress, and arrived at the property nately, the pine would burn fast, ning water and bathroom facilipine. several hours later than we’d as dried softwood does, leaving us ties. Our bathroom consisted of a Again, about an hour after originally planned. Since our constantly gathering wood to keep small USGI backpack shovel and nightfall, the noises came back property was typical Florida sand- the fire burning that night. a roll of toilet paper. The boys did
by Dave and Ginger Striker
The First Night – Primitive Camping 101
After the nerve wrecking wait and hassles of back and forth negotiation, the final details were settled and we closed on the property (anxious swipe of the brow). Eager to get started, we made plans for our first overnight camping trip and work weekend two weeks later. To say we were excited would be a tremendous understatement. At this point, we were still living with my parents
Our trusty dog Vega on guard for potential danger.
and made the decision to stay, in order to conserve the little money we had coming in, as well as to accomplish some of the daunting tasks ahead of us at the property. All of this of course, was compounded with the joyful news of baby number five’s impending arrival. Most folks have normal pregnancies, which I imagine leaves a more enjoyable experience in its wake. Unfortunately, Ginger and I, on the other-hand, have a constant struggle with preterm deliveries. Between our five children, we have an average pregnancy length of 35 weeks, with our earliest being at 30 weeks. Preventing this means lots of extra precautions, extra doctors appointments and several nail-biting false alarms. Keeping the bun in the proverbial oven had to be our number one priority. It was early March and we packed everything and the kitchen sink. One of the first two logistical obstacles was water, most importantly, and then power. My
hill highlands, it was inundated with thickets of brush and almost impossible to navigate by foot. We decided to rent a tractor from our local hardware store so we could clear a path for the car and then an area that would become our campsite until we made a decision on our living accommodations. The tractor delivery folks called and let us know that they couldn’t make it down the access road to our property with the delivery truck due to the poor sugar sand, so they were leaving it at the end of the road. This same poor road is the source of many stories, some funny and some not so funny, to come soon. We drove down to where they left the tractor and I drove it to the property as my wife followed with the kids. For the most part bush-hogging went fairly uneventfully. I cleared a patch large enough for the car
As it got dark, momma made dinner and naturally the kids wanted to roast marshmallows as a dessert. It was a pretty chilly night, so it was nice snuggled by the fire with the kids, but it was getting time to put everyone down to sleep. We had our German Shepherd “Vega” that came with us. We got Vega when Ethan (our youngest son) was born and she became a great family dog. Well, Vega started to bark viciously while I too was hearing what sounded like animals walking around the camp just outside the light of the fire–I started to get very paranoid and began to fear the worst. Every time I heard a noise loud and close enough by I would shine a light in that direction, but I never seemed to find the source of the sound. We were too nervous to let Vega chase whatever it was we heard due to the potential it was a larger
pretty good with this, but the girls
continued on page 19
The Valley, December 2010
Can Raw Milk Put You in Hot Water? By Jerri Cook Re-printed with permission from Countryside Magazine. www.countrysidemag.com
Do you know what strict liability law is? If you’re a homesteader, you should, because not knowing could lead to your arrest and imprisonment, especially if you sell soap, produce, crafts, cheese, or operate a CSA, herdshare, or buying club. The number of federal, state, and municipal strict liability laws is growing exponentially as more and more people, unable to find work in the private sector, turn to the government for employment. Strict liability laws, unlike other criminal statutes, don’t require any intent, or fault, on your part. It doesn’t matter if you didn’t mean to break the law. It doesn’t matter if you never even heard of the law you’re accused of breaking. The prosecutor doesn’t have to prove you had intent. They only have to prove you committed the banned act. Not only do you not have to be aware of the strict liability statute, neither does the government. In fact, there are so many federal strict liability laws that not even the FBI knows for sure how many there are. Columbia professor John Coffee estimates that there are at least 300,000 strict liability laws that the FBI can use to prosecute citizens, and they use them every chance they get. Not included in Professor Coffee’s estimate are state and municipal strict liability laws, which when added to the federal strict liability laws, could reach over a million. Lavrentiy Beria, the chief of Stalin’s murderous secret police once said,”Show me the man, and I’ll find you the crime.” If he were alive today, Mr. Beria would love America’s strict liability laws. With hundreds of thousands to choose from, he could throw a rock and hit one that would send a political enemy or dissident to the gulag for a long time. In their book One Nation Under Arrest: How Crazy Laws, Rouge Prosecutors, and Activist Judges Threaten Your Liberty, Brian Walsh and Hans von Spako-
vsky lay out the disturbing trend of abuse by government employees and the devastating effect it has on American families. The book details the cruel and unjust punishment dealt out to ordinary citizens, with no previous criminal record, for violating federal strict liability laws that no one except government bureaucrats have ever heard of. That’s because these laws aren’t passed by the state or federal legislature; they are enacted by government employees. Doing Time George Norris is a gardener with a passion for orchids. He’s been importing non-hybrid orchids since 1977 when he quit his construction job to pursue his passion full time. He did well, and by the 1990s his orchid importing business was pulling in over $200,000 a year. He and his wife Kathy, travelled the world, meeting others who shared George’s passion for the exotic plants. The people they met quickly became like family, and the Norris’s became well-known and beloved members of the orchid-trading community. George and Kathy became close with one family from Peru, whom they had met on an orchidhunting trip- Manuel Arias Silva and his family. Manuel’s sons, Juan and Manolo were badly burned in a fire when they were toddlers. George and Kathy Norris took the boys into their care and arranged for a plastic surgeon at Baylor College of Medicine and the facility there to donate their services to reconstruct the boys’ mangled hands and scarred faces. The boys spent the better part of a year with George and Kathy from 1993-1994. So, how did a man with a heart as big as George Norris’s wind up doing 18 months of hard time in a federal penitentiary? He violated a strict liability law that neither he, nor the other orchid importer, knew existed. The Raid On October 28, 2003 at 10:00 in the morning, three black pickup trucks pulled into the Norris’s driveway. Six federal agents, clad in black body armor and armed with automatic weapons surround-
ed the home. They were inside in less than 10 seconds. The lead agent told George they were executing a search warrant, but wouldn’t say for what. They ordered George to sit at his kitchen table while they ransacked the home, pulling out dresser drawers, including Kathy Norris’s underwear drawer. “I don’t know why they would want to know what kind of underwear I had,” Kathy says. After the house was trashed, one of the agents handed George a copy of the search warrant, but wouldn’t allow him to get his reading glasses so he could see what it said. One of the agents read him his Miranda rights, and then told him he wasn’t being charged with anything just yet, nor was he under arrest. They searched his greenhouse asking which orchids he grew and which were collected from the wild. They confiscated all of his mail, financial records (including his personal checkbook), his computer, family photo albums, and just about everything else that wasn’t nailed down, leaving George with a receipt for 37 boxes of his property. To make matters worse, Kathy had called home to talk to George during the raid. When the federal agent who answered refused to let her talk to her husband or tell her what was going on, she panicked and raced home. When they were finally able to collect their wits long enough to read the warrant, they found a copy of an email that an Ecuadorian orchid trader had sent to George and several other orchid growers. The man had offered to have his mother “smuggle” orchids into the U.S. in her suitcase. George had replied that he wouldn’t accept any plants that weren’t accompanied by the required legal documents. He would later produce the email, believing it would exonerate him. It didn’t. The Sting A few weeks before the raid, a new customer contacted George. He wanted to order some highpriced orchids. The customer specifically requested that the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) paperwork be included with the order. It was an unusual request. Because the USDA takes possession of the paperwork at the port of entry, unless the shipping broker makes a copy, the customer doesn’t get one. Norris rarely received the paperwork with the plants, nor did and dealer in the U.S. Chalking the whole thing up to a misunderstanding of a novice
grower, Norris ordered the plants FDAs Philadelphia office, Allyger from his South American supplier was “[...] causing to be delivered and shipped them to the customer. into interstate commerce, selling A few days after receiving the or otherwise distributing raw milk plants, the customer emailed in final package form for human George and again asked about the consumption, such distribution is paperwork. George explained to a violation of the Public Health him that the USDA had the paService (PHS) Act, Title 42 Unitperwork, and the customer should ed States Code, Section 264(a), contact them to get a copy. and the implementing regula The customer placed antion codified in Title 21, Code other order for orchids a few of Federal Regulations (CFR), months later, again asking for the Section 1240.61(a).” That’s right, paperwork. Once again, George the FDA, a federal agency, is shipped the plants, explaining that now getting in on the raw milk the USDA took the permits at the ban. Apparently, individual states time of entry into the country, and haven’t been tough enough, and the only way to get a copy was to the USDA has no federal law bancontact them directly. He thought ning the sale of raw milk, so now that was the end of it. the FDA has to step in and prevent Unknown to Norris, the consumers from obtaining raw buyer in these transactions was a milk. Fish and Wildlife Service agent. In June of 2010, the MinneBecause of the growing popularity sota Department of Agriculture, of exotic orchids, the government accompanied by armed agents, had taken an interest in the plants. raided the Traditional Foods The two transactions were all they Warehouse, seizing contraband needed for the raid. What law did (food) and shutting them down. Norris break? He followed the The store, a private food club, USDA’s regulations to the letter. was wildly popular among MinHowever, the Fish and Wildlife neapolis consumers. But, they Service has a law that requires didn’t comply with some regulathe original documents that the tion written by some government USDA takes at the port of entry be bureaucrat. shipped with the plants to the cus The Minnesota Department of tomer, even though the documents Agriculture also raided the home are already in the possession of of an individual who had allowed another government agency which a farmer to park in his driveway. doesn’t require brokers to keep a The farmer then sold raw milk to copy. Busted. one of the homeowner’s neigh After spending their life’s bors. savings on George’s defense, the Norris’s were broke. Two years, Continued on page 11 and nearly a half-million dollars later, George gave up and pleaded guilty, hoping he would only get probation. Instead, the 68 year old got 18 months of hard time; over two months of that was served in solitary confinement, all because he violated a government regulation that no one had ever heard of. Breaking the law Are you breaking a law? David Gumpert, the author of The Raw Milk Revolution: Behind America’s Emerging Battle Over Food Rights (Chelsea Green, 2009), warns producers and consumers alike that the growing bureaucracy threatens to make crimiSend your tips and nals out of anyone who unknowingly runs afoul recipes to: of the thousands of strict The Valley liability food laws-like Pennsylvania farmer Dan PO Box 41 Allyger, whose home was Yeagertown, PA 17099 raided by agents at 5:00 in the morning on April 20, or email to, 2010. What was the crime thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com he was suspected of committing? According to the
Have a Frugal Living tip or a favorite family recipe that you would like to share? We would love to print them in your paper.
The Valley, December 2010
Looking out my Back Door Life on my Mifflin County Homestead by Mary Anna Chenoweth Growing the Unusual - Ginger
It seems that most everyone nowadays is thinking about food. You understand of course that I’m not talking about which prepared meal we should plop into the microwave or which pizza we should order. We’re talking about real food. Gardening and preserving techniques are once more hot topics of conversation. Farmer’s Markets are making a steady comeback to their rightful places nationwide, and I’ve got a strong feeling that Eleanor Roosevelt is
did. We have our own Farmer’s Markets and roadside stands to spread the bounty around each season so that everyone has the opportunity to share the harvest. Those of us who are privileged to garden for ourselves and our families grow most of the basics when it comes to vegetables and fruits and no doubt most of us tuck a variety of herbs in there somewhere, too. But spices are another matter. Perhaps their exotic origins and mostly tropical habitats eliminate them in our minds when it comes to what we think we can grow, but in this, we unnecessarily short change
Potted ginger has an airy growth habit that gives a tropical atmosphere wherever it resides.
somewhere grinning like crazy because there is a kitchen garden on the grounds of the White House once more. Mifflin County, thank heavens, is still mostly rural so, more than many places, we’ve probably got a higher percentage of folks who have continued to garden and preserve as their parents, grandparents and great grandparents
ourselves. If you can grow a decorative houseplant, many of which originated in the tropics, you can grow an edible houseplant. So, in the spirit of “It never hurts to spice things up a bit!” allow me to introduce you to a plant that I’ve been growing and learning from for more than ten years - Ginger.
The ginger of commerce, Zingiber officinale, by most accounts, originated in Asia and over the course of centuries has spread around the world. It is probably most familiar to us as the buff-colored powder that adds a pungent warmth to cookies and cakes and pickles. Candied ginger, sliced thick and crunchy with sugar appears sometimes. ginger ale, of a sort, is familiar though its’ first cousin, ginger beer, is nowhere to be found. All of these are easily produced at home, as we will discuss directly, but FRESH ginger is where growing your own really comes up trumps. Your curries will sparkle, your soups will soar, your meats will take on an aura of mystery, your sauces will make even the French weep - well, ok, maybe not that last bit, but you get my drift. Yes, you can buy ginger in most forms at grocery stores now, but as we all know buying something that has to get to the store shelf by traveling farther than most of us do in our entire lives is rarely sustainable or sensible. So whenever we can grow some of the extras as well as the basics we’re one more step down the path towards self reliance. To begin, you obviously need to acquire some stock to plant. Your best bet is to go to the store and buy one of those well-traveled hands of ginger. Look carefully. You are looking for tight, smooth, pale, tan skin covering a firm rhizome whose knobby fingers seem tipped with nodes that look ready to sprout. Don’t be afraid to buy a large hand because, like potatoes, you can cut it into several pieces for planting as long as there are at least two nodes on each piece. Although you can store it for a few days in a cool place, the sooner the ginger is planted the better. Choosing containers takes a bit of thought You can start out in a pot sized to hold your planting stock, but since ginger can grow quickly, starting
powered, geothermal heated greenhouse for year round outdoor growing and we all know how likely it is that that’s going to happen. The multi-tasking inherent in a gardeningfarming-outdoor-life makes the occasional use of certain conveniences acceptable, so finding a sustainably produced “local” potting soil was a welcome happenstance. Organic Mechanics, a small company based in West Chester
large to begin with will save work and stress on your plant. Eight to ten inches deep and at least twelve inches in diameter with functional drainage is a good place to start. Plastic or clay? I’m as frugal as the next person and we use all manners of recycled plastic containers for starting plants. Experienced growers use your own With a little soil scraped away, it is easy to see new shoots judgement, sprouting from the spreading rhizomes newcomers do your research and experiment. I will say Pennsylvania was founded a few that for perennials, I choose clay years ago by Mark Highland and every time. Here’s why. Jim Flanigan, both of whom came Clay pots allow the soil to from horticultural backgrounds. breathe. Bottom drainage is esRather than using peat moss, sential but since the clay wicks the harvest of which can be very moisture sideways as well, the damaging to the environment, as movement of water out as well as a base for their mix they use coir, down mimics nature and promotes the outer husk of the coconut and disease free soil with healthy a renewable byproduct of their microorganisms. This sets up the harvest. Add in “forest products,” perfect environment for most worm castings, perlite and live, plants especially when you’re har- active compost, and you’ve got a vesting below ground rather than rich, friable soil that the Ginger above. I’ve planted ginger in both seems to love. Incidentally, if and clay has always given the best this sounds like an enthusiastic, plants and the best rhizomes. That unabashed and unsolicited plug, it has been my experience. Yours is. may be different. When it comes Planting is straightforward. down to it, do what works for you. About one-half inch small gravel Potting mix - I’ve tried a in the bottom of the pot to assist few over the years from straight in drainage, a five or six inch garden soil, which should stay layer of moist potting mix, a light in the garden, to the usual lineup of commercial brands, some of continued on page 14 which should have stayed in the commercials. Saving the whole sterilized vs. fuIl of living critters debate for another time, arguably the best would be your own concoction made with your own compost and that’s what I aspire to. I also Firm healthy ginger “hands” with attached roots ready for aspire to a solar replanting.
The Valley, December 2010
Adventures on Our Nourishing Journey by Susan Burns “When I walk into my kitchen today, I am not alone. Whether we know it or not, none of us is. We bring fathers and mothers and kitchen tables, and every meal we have ever eaten. Food is never just food. It’s also a way of getting at something else: who we are, who we have been, and who we want to be.” Molly Wizenberg, A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen Table, 2009 Season’s Greetings! My name is Sue. It is truly an honor to share my first column with you here in The Valley. I am a Mifflin County native, wife of 33 years, mom to two grown daughters, and am passionate about whole foods, cooking and nurturing our bodies via the foundational principles of holistic health. I am a Certified Holistic Nutrition Consultant and Certified Holistic Health Educator. Those “titles” may sound a bit vague so allow me to briefly explain. For me, holistic nutrition is a means of “feeding” our whole self, not just our body, but our mind and spirit as well. For optimum health our “food” sources come from not only fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains and proteins but also from daily exercise, a balance of work and play, social support, creative thinking, an attitude of gratitude, and spiritual study and expression. Each month, my goal is to bring you holistically supported recommendations, tips, recipes, and thought provoking ideas for happy, healthy living. Here is how I learned about The Valley. In mid October, Wayne showed up at my office in Lewistown during the grand opening week of my nutrition consulting business, Nourishing Journeys. I couldn’t help but notice that he had my promotional postcard in his hand. Needless to say, my curiosity was peeked, since I only mailed those cards to my lady friends and acquaintances. Poor guy, I thought, I am not sure how he got a hold of one of my cards but he must not have read the specifics too carefully. It was apparent, or so I thought, that
woven throughout each edition. Instantly, my interest was peeked, for it is this very philosophy of personal responsibility that forms the fundamental principle of holistic health. We are in charge of our choices. Our behavior and the choices we make affect our health. We have the power within us to create an enhanced sense of wellbeing and joy. Sounds simple enough, but how do we put this lofty concept into personal and practical steps that will nurture us on this journey we call life. That’s my job. Each month, I will attempt to provide some answers to that question by offering my holistically inspired suggestions and recommendations that will hopefully launch us all onto the road to better health.
he did not notice that the focus allow me to diagnose nor treat of my work is holistic nutrition health conditions. consulting for women. Yet, his My hope is that both men and enthusiasm and determination women, young and old, will find was infections, so what could I do nourishing benefits from my offerbut welcome him into my space. ings; however they are provided A brief introduction followed, for educational purposes only and and I quickly learned that Wayne should not be construed as personunderstood exactly where he was. al medical advice or instruction. The postcard, he explained, was From time to time, I may refer to Now for our topic at hand given to him by a dear friend of resources and scientific studies for – Healthy Holiday Eating, (Holismine who encouraged him to stop support. When I do, these refertic Style) in and meet me, for it seems he ences will be cited at the end of was looking for someone to write the column. I encourage your December is Food Conneca monthly column on “holistic questions, comments, and suggestive-ness Month. At least that is remedies” for a newly conceived tions for I firmly believe that “an my own observation. As humans, newspaper called The Valley. To ounce of dialog is worth a pound our connective-ness to food runs be honest, I was intrigued but of monolog.” deeply for we must eat to insure somewhat skeptical. From his Speaking of dialog. When our very survival. But food also description, it sounded like the Wayne returned to my office a brings us pleasure and connects information he hoped to print week after our first encounter, us to our family and friends. I am was too good to be true and to we had a animated discussion sure you will agree, there is no top it off, the publication would about life, the benefits of raw time during the year that we expebe offered to the community as milk and of course, The Valley. rience this connection with food complimentary, in other words He explained that the message of with as much giddy excitement FREE! What was the catch? self-reliance is a common thread as we do during the Christmas Well, my mother always told me that I am as curious as a cat so I invited Wayne to return so we could Open daily in December! discuss the matter further. Bottom Come visit our little country store this holiday season. line, here I am. We are bursting at the seams with everything you’ll need to make What a privilege it your house a home to share with others. is to be contributFind that ing to this unique publication. special something santas As I exfor yourself or snowmen plained to Wayne, buy gifts for all and I feel I must angels your family share with all of pine picks and friends! you right from the garlands start, the intent wreaths of this column is holiday candles ho to share recomhome scents mendations that I believe support light bulbs health and welllighting ness from a hopictures listic perspective curtains using dietary and linens lifestyle suggesfurniture tions. I will not be offering “holistic enamelware remedies” since ...and much, my legal and ethimuch more! cal boundaries as a holistic nutrition consultant do not Hours: Wed. - Thurs. 9-6, Fri. 9-7, Sat. 9-5 & Sun. 12-5 Located between Milroy and Siglerville l 1115 Salem Road, Milroy PA l 717-667-3791
d
season. We all have fond associations of special holiday memories that are intimately linked to our favorite holiday foods. For me, it is those pecan cookies that are rolled into powdered sugar when they are steaming hot from the oven. My mother calls them Mexican Wedding cookies. As a child I never understood the connection, for we were not from Mexico nor did we ever have a wedding celebration over the holidays but each year there they were nevertheless, and now, just the smell of these delicate, meltin-your-mouth pastries takes me back to a time when I was young and small and could only deck the halls of the very lowest branches of the Christmas tree. I know all of you have similar stories of that scrumptious dish that must be present on your holiday table or it “just would not be Christmas.” Yes, without a doubt, we have emerged into a time period of tradition and indulgence. This is an especially dangerous duo, for it packs an emotional punch that can, when left unchecked, be powerful enough to knock us off our healthy eating path. Why should we care? Can’t we just get back on track in January? Let’s look at what a study in the New England Journal of Medicine has to say about that. The research explains that holiday weight gain is less than commonly asserted. Only one to two pounds on the average. Not bad, you might say. However, the study went on to reveal that this gain is not easily reversed in the spring and summer months. The net 0.48 kg. weight gain in the winter seems to contribute to the increase in body weight that all too frequently occurs during adulthood. (1) Those one or two pounds begin to add up, and our health may begin to suffer. I am well aware that suggesting we attempt to participate in “healthy holiday eating” is like telling a three year old to “go clean your room.” Good in theory, but bound for failure unless some specific steps are outlined. Actually, most of us KNOW what to do when it comes to eating healthy; we just choose to NOT follow the plan. We love our comfort zones, especially when it comes to holiday celebrations. Our inhibitions are often at their lowest, and the supply of chocolate is at its highest. The secret to creating and maintaining a healthy holiday eating plan is neither will power nor self-discipline. It lies in understanding our habits which are
Continued on page 22
The Valley, December 2010
ASK Julie Mac’
Our very own food preservation guru Julie MacConnell
Submit questions by visiting www.thevalleynewspaper.com or mail to: The Valley PO Box 41, Yeagertown, PA 17099
A Christmas Wish
I wanted to make this month’s column fun, wistful, magical and any other colorful adjective I could think of. After all, it’s Christmas. A time of peace, joy and love. It is a time of discovery. A little boy, arms wide open tasting the first snowflake on his tongue. Twinkling white lights peeking through the branches of a Christmas tree. Stockings hung with care. It also brings thoughts of crowded stores, stress, and ridiculous social obligations. Why do we do these things to ourselves? This year instead of killing ourselves with too much STUFF, we’ve decided to go back to basics. Instead of buying gifts we are baking. We are putting together food baskets for the needy and
spending cheerful time with friends and family. There is nothing more quintessential Christmas, and the spirit behind it, than creating something from the heart and giving it to someone you care about. Everyone loves something homemade. Many of the jams and jellies I’ve made during the fall will find their way into tissue lined boxes and baskets. Freshly baked cookies and breads will be thoughtfully tied with ribbons and bows. Homemade spice packets to make mulled cider with will be slipped in too. This Christmas will come from the heart, not the Mall. This month’s column will be less about food preservation and more about making good food memories. Here’s hoping that Christmas this year is everything you want it to be. Whether your five or fifty, go find that snowflake. -- Julie
Dear Julie Mac, I wanted to make traditional style ornaments made with food products with my kids this year, but beyond the traditional gingerbread cookies and popcorn garland. What can I do? – Kristin Gates -- Hyannis MA Dear Kristin, Do you have food dehydrator? You could make dried fruit slices tied with ribbons. Apples, oranges and lemons dry nicely and are very traditional. If you don’t have one, you can try drying them in a very low heat oven. See if your oven will go down as low as 135˚F and place the fruit on baking racks. It might take about 12 hours at this temp, but they should come out nicely. Just remember, if you do apples, you should put some kind of anti browning agent like lemon juice on them so that they don’t discolor. You could also make oranges stuck with whole cloves. I used to do this as a kid and Mom would put the oranges in a pretty Christmas bowl on the table. The smell is incredible! Also something that I used to make as a kid was Stained Glass Window Cookies. It’s so easy and it used to be one of my favorite things to make! First, you need to go find some traditional “Lifesaver” packs. You know, the ones that are clear colors. Separate your colors and put them into baggies. Take your meat tenderizer hammer and break them up a little. Don’t crush them, just break them up a little. Then you make a regular sugar
cookie recipe, roll and cut them into your favorite Christmas/ Holiday shapes. Now you need to make your “window” either with another much smaller cutter or by taking a toothpick or knife.
to a holiday party in the neighborhood. Quite frankly I’m tired of chocolate chip cookies. It’s all that I know how to make. Any suggestions? –Anonymous--Reedsville PA
Home baked gifts like this traditional German Stollen are always a well appreciated gift, one that will be remembered for years.
Cut out a section of the cookie, it doesn’t have to be in the middle for your “glass.” Remove the dough that you cut out and put it aside. Take your toothpick or knife and make a small hole at the top for your ribbon or string. Carefully place your cookie on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Now take your “Lifesaver” candies and fill in the hole that you made. You can mix colors or keep them simple, there is no right or wrong. Put them in the oven according to your recipe. Now the trick with these darlings is to watch them like a hawk. You don’t want the sugar to burn. Your cookie may be “just done” and not brown and crispy but that’s ok--I think they are prettier that way. When you take them out, allow them to cool completely before you peel them off of the parchment. You want the sugar glass to stay in place. Now hold them up the light and listen to the oohs and aahs from the kids! Dear Julie, Thanks in advance for your answer to my question. I’m such a newbie in the kitchen and I wanted to make cookies to bring
Hey Anonymous, don’t be bashful! No need to hide. We’re all friends here! First, how well do you know these people? Do they have a traditional cultural background? It’s always thoughtful to make something that they would identify with. For example, if they are from a German background you could make Pfeffernusse cookies. If they hail from Italy, you could make biscotti. This would also be good if your friends enjoy a good cup of coffee. You could try Baklava if they are Greek. Mexican wedding cookies are delicious also! If they are Scotts, make shortbread--ok, ok, I’m getting carried away and I’m getting very hungry. Cookies are my bane you see, so you have struck a nerve. Don’t let recipes intimidate you and I know that some of the ones I have listed are intermediate or difficult to make, but as long as you take your time and follow the directions exactly as written, you’ll be fine. You might even build up a little bit of confidence in the kitchen. There are several web sites out there that list recipes
continued on page 11
The Valley, December 2010
10
Oreo Cookies on the Hoof! By Wayne Stottlar
Do you believe that a cow can be mistaken for a huge Oreo cookie? No? Well I have to introduce you to the Belted Galloway. Admittedly, it’s an obscure and somewhat rare breed that since being introduced to this country have had small ups and downs
tury. There are, however; records back as far as the 11th century of “sheeted� cattle, which many think were the Belties. Regardless, somewhere around the 16th century selective breeding took place between the banded cattle of the Galloway area of Scotland, and
in their popularity and availability over that time. They have never been widely seen grazing on farms that you would pass in your travels. That is a shame too, as they produce an amazing steak, and for homestead use are an acceptable dual-purpose animal that can provide dairy as well as premium beef for the table. Belties, as they are called by those who breed and raise them, have a very distinctive white band around their mid-section and are bordered on both ends by either black, red or dun. They are originally from Scotland and were specifically bred to withstand the harsh elements. They have, for the most part, long, shaggy hair and a thick, mossy undercoat that protects them from the weather. It also allows them to go without the thick slab of back fat that most other breeds need to survive the winter. Their thick undercoat is comparable to a beaver’s and works just as well at being virtually waterproof. They are also very effective foragers, which means a lower-cost feed bill. No one is sure, as there are no definitive records of when or how this happened, but at some point in their lineage they were bred to the plain black, shaggy coated Galloway of Great Britain, somewhere around the 16th cen-
the black, shaggy Galloway cattle of the British Isles. The resultant cattle produced are our now the familiar Belted Galloways. Belted Galloways are naturally polled, that is, without horns. It is a characteristic that sets them apart from every other breed of cattle, and neither males nor females ever have horns. In fact, this dominant gene surfaces when crossbreeding and the offspring are almost always polled. This characteristic also directly ties them to the original polled cattle of ancient Britain. There were a lot of genetic influences added along the way, but basically, the British Polled Cattle and the Dutch Belted are the predominant traits carried on today. Occasionally, a pure black Beltie is born within the normal belted population, and occasionally, a belted calf is born to the surviving all-black population still in Britain. So, although no definite evidence is available, most experts agree there was a merging in the family tree somewhere during the 11th to 16th centuries. Belteds are not among the largest of cattle, and are described as having a smallish frame, but still reach a good weight at maturity. A mature bull at five years of age can be expected to weigh between 1,800 and 2,000 pounds. A mature cow can be expected to weigh in at a healthy 1,100 to 1,300 pounds at 4 years of age, and will produce a calf annually well into her teens. Cows generally begin being bred at 700-800 pounds, regardless of age. At birth, bulls generally tip the scales at between 70 and 80 pounds, and heifers generally around 60
Effective grazers, Belties do real well in mixed forage areas. The perfect cattle for a homestead.
very gentle on the land, causing essentially zero damage compared with other types. Belties are also long-lived, with a 17-20 year average life expectancy. The meat of the Belted Galloway is of special interest to health and nutrition enthusiasts as it contains only 2% fat. This is comparable to chicken and fish in that it only contains 1% saturated fat, which is of special significance to those needing a diet low in saturated fats. With all of the positive traits possessed by these animals, it is a wonder why we do not see more oversized “Oreo cookie cows� dotting our hillsides. It must be just a case of “out-of-sight, outof-mind.� Perhaps some of you may help change that in the future. With many folks discovering the usefulness of non-hybrid lines from seed to cattle, perhaps a look at bringing home a few Belted Galloway’s ought to be a consideration. At the very least, there
pounds, give or take. Belties are also very social animals and have a strong tie to their herd. In fact, if a coyote should get in amongst A perfect representation of the breed the herd they will surround him showing the shorter than average and then eliminate him. legs and the long, curly, shaggy coat, As stated earlier, Belted Galwhich keeps them warm in the harshloways are considered acceptable est of weather. dual-purpose animals on the is probably an unseen market of homestead; folks who would readily purchase with bulls typithe meat for it’s health benefits, cally producing and who knows, your farm may dressed carcasses become known for something that in excess of until now has been undiscovered 60% of their live by many. weight in fine, lean, tasty meat. The Belted, The Valley is an although raised affordable and primarily as a effective way to beef breed, does reach your produce very rich milk. They are also very accepting of human incustomers. Check teraction and when handled from our web site a young age, are easy to milk. for rates at There isn’t a lot of fat waste in www.thevalleynewspaa Beltie as the thick coat helps per.com or call keep the animal warm through the harshest winter without the need (717) 363-1550 to put on a lot of fat weight. They to have a are also very disease resistant representative come Belties are known for their maternal having been bred to survive in the to you. instincts. rugged climate of Scotland. Belties are very well suited to the homestead or hobby farm as they require much less room than other breeds, and will thrive on grass alone, as well as being able to consume a much wider range of flora than other breeds. Add that to the fact that studies have shown them to be able to produce more weight per pound of feed than other cattle, and that makes them a very profitable breed to raise. SuppleServices menting a little Key Cutting, Tool Repair, hay during spring Battery Charging, and winter will Agricultural Tire Repair ensure a quick growing, trouble free animal for your farm or homestead. They are also especially " *=EJ 0P AHHAREHHA - suited to small SSS -=QH D=N@S=NA ?KI plots due to the fact that they are
Take Care of Farm & Home at PaulB
'NGEVTKECN *CTFYCTG .CYP )CTFGP 2NWODKPI 6QQNU *CPF 2QYGT
#WVQOQVKXG #PKOCN *GCNVJ #I 2TQFWEVU 2CTVU
11
The Valley, December 2010 Raw Milk continued from page 6 The agents showed up, dressed to the teeth in combat gear and confiscated the homeowner’s computers, personal records, and scores of other property, even though the homeowner didn’t buy or consume any of the contraband. Sharon Palmer, who runs a CSA in Ventura County, California, has been raided three times in the last two years. The latest raid, compliments of the Los Angeles County Sheriff, Ventura County Sheriff, and the California Department of Food and Agriculture, lasted for five hours. They took the milk she feeds her chickens. They took all of her computers, including her 12 yearold daughter’s school computer. Why? Apparently the labels on her handmade artisan goat cheese aren’t approved by the State, so the Los Angeles District Attorney issued an open-ended warrant for her farm. Never heard of an open-ended warrant? Neither has attorney Peter Kennedy, Esq., President of the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund (FCLDF). “What’s going on in California is over the top,” he explains. “They’re supposed to get a new one each time, not just keep coming back on an 18 month-old warrant. This is just dangerous precedent, and farmers and consumers need to be worried. It’s going to get worse.” The FCLDF offers some tips to homesteaders who make a living from their land. When presented with a warrant or approached by an official of any agency: You have a right to receive a copy of the warrant. It is your right to stay silent, and you give up your rights when you answer. It is your right to ask any non-related permit oversight official to leave immediately, and they are required to do so unless they carry a warrant to carry out specific duties and only those specifically and clearly outlined in the warrant. It is your right to video tape and record the events. It is your right to have family, neighbors, customers be witnesses as long as you and they do not interfere in any way with the search warrant. You have the right to receive an “inventory” of anything that is seized. Read the warrant! Call the Fund lawyer before the search begins. 1-800-8675891 (24/7) Present the Public Official Questionnaire (available at www.
farmtoconsumer.org/farm-raids. html) and request that it be filled out and signed by all officials present, for your records. Monitor where the search is conducted. Tell them to stop if they are entering areas outside of the warrant specifications. Monitor how the search is conducted. For instance, if the use of force is not called for in the search warrant, no force can be used to cut off locks, or break down doors. Learn more about the increasing number of farm raids and how to protect yourself at www. farmtoconsumer.org.
Whatcha gonna do when they come for you?
David Gumpert advises small-scale farmers and homesteaders to prepare for a raid in the same manner you would prepare for severe weather events or a fire. “Decide in advance who will handle the video camera, who will collect business cards or take down names of all of the agents, and who will interact with the regulators. The regulators and police count on the element of surprise to sow confusion, and keep the targets from responding intelligently.” Merle Dech, prominent Ohio criminal defense attorney and Fox News contributor adds, “If they come in with guns drawn, don’t reach for a camera or anything else. They’ll tell you to get on the ground with your hands behind your head or something similar. Do it. You don’t want to get killed over food.” Merle also has some tips for sniffing out sting operations like the ones that snagged George Norris and the others. “Beware of people you don’t know. Never sell anything to someone you haven’t dealt with for years, and then be careful. The police will try to make two buys. One might not be enough to convict you, so they’ll do it twice.” That’s exactly what happened to George Norris and the others, and it’s exactly what someone tried to do to me. A while back, I received a phone call from a nice, older man who wanted to know if he could buy some raw milk from us. Curious, I asked him how he got our number. He replied, “Oh, I saw it in an advertisement in the local paper last summer.” That’s interesting, because the number he called on was only 10 days old. I had just had it installed in my home office so Countryside’s managing editor could get a hold of me without the hassle of calling my home phone. I thanked the gentleman for thinking of us, but declined to sell
any milk, citing the law against it in Wisconsin. I decided not to tell him that there was no way he saw the number in the paper months before. The same gentleman called again a few weeks later, again wanting to buy raw milk. When I again declined, he asked if he could get a Tupperware container of manure for his wife’s garden. This time I wasn’t so nice, telling him that unless one of us was a lawyer, the conversation was over. I promptly hung up. I’m not sure whose list I am on, but I’m fairly certain I’m at the top of it. Merle is an old friend from back in my college days. As we continued our conversation about the increasing number of criminal food laws, he chuckled. “C’mon Jer, are we really talking about food?” “Yes, we are really talking about food.” “This is ridiculous,” he said. “Here’s what you need to know. When the cops come storming in, the first thing they’ll look for is records, anything that can tie you and anyone else to the residence. They’ll go through your file cabinets, your underwear drawer and any place else they think you might have records. They’ll seize your computers. Keep a backup of your records on a separate hard drive.” Like Peter Kennedy, Merle admonishes people to keep quiet during a raid, “Don’t tell them anything. They’ll yell at you, threaten you with all sorts of consequences if you don’t talk, and out and out lie to you. Keep your mouth shut. They’ll also separate people. Don’t panic, and don’t talk. It’s just what they do.”
A dozen eggs, a pound of butter, and a lawyer
As government agencies increase in size, they compete for funding. One way to ensure an agency’s survival is for it’s members to produce results, and seizing a boat load of food in an early morning raid on a family farm is just the sort of result that pays off. Everyone agrees-the more people the government hires, the more regulations they will create and enforce. Farmers are an easy target. Even those who jump through all the regulatory hoops aren’t safe, and there is no way for one person to know about every single regulation that might affect them. The only thing we can do is stand on principle, and hope the jack-booted thugs don’t take a shot at us. If you haven’t already done so, visit the FCLDF’s website and learn how to protect yourself. It couldn’t hurt to contact a
couple of local attorneys to see who might be able to advise you in case you find yourself staring down the barrel of an automatic weapon while trying to milk your cows. I leave you with this thought from C.S. Lewis: [A] tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of it’s victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may at some point be satiated, but those who torment us for our own good will torment without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience. Editors note: You can read more from Jerri Cook by going to www.countrysidemag.com or by subscribing to Countryside Magazine. See ad on page 5.
Julie Mac continued from page 9 for ethnic cookies. I have also found some fantastic cookie cookbooks at my library. If you really want to get adventurous, you could try making several different kinds and make up a cookie sampler platter. You will find that if you do this, you will have repeat visitors, grabbing at the various goodies. We have a friend who does this for Christmas dinner, and it’s always such a hit. She will even make fudge and homemade candy bark to slide in with them. So take the plunge and get adventurous! Julie, I got picked to make Christmas dinner this year. Enough said. I’m going to have twenty people at my house and I am afraid of not having enough food or the right kind of food. How do I figure all of this out? – J.P. Lewistown PA OK J.P., first of all you shouldn’t have to feel that you have to do all of this on your own. Christmas is a time of sharing, and your guests shouldn’t expect you to do it all. I would bet any money that if you asked each person, they would bring their favorite dish. Just keep careful track of what you have asked of each person. You don’t want to end up with 15 different desserts! Make lists and stick to them. You should strive for variety in the menu also. I find that when I entertain, the more choices there are, the faster people seem to fill up because they want to try a little of everything. You will also better serve
those with food allergies or other personal preferences such as your family vegetarian. When you are set on your menu, decide how you are going to serve your dinner. Are you going to have a traditional sit down affair, or is it easier for you to set up a buffet line? Nine times out of ten, I go with the buffet. It keeps the huge platters of food off of the table. This makes it more comfortable for people to sit and may give you the room for a pretty centerpiece or expanded place settings. This is the time to break out Grandma’s china! Get creative with your table. It will make the meal even more special. At my house, each place setting is left with a traditional English cracker toy. Before dinner, everyone pops their cracker and finds their treasure inside. Each one includes a paper crown that we will all put on to wear during dinner. Yeah, ok, it’s corny but we do it every year. It’s fun! We always get lots of laughs and lots of photos of us posing with our headgear. Don’t forget the after dinner coffee and tea and set out a little dish of peppermint candies in case someone has discovered they have over indulged. I even buy a bottle of antacids to keep in the cabinet in case the peppermints don’t cut it. My most earnest piece of advice is to enjoy your day. Putting on a Christmas dinner can be quite an ordeal, but it also can be so satisfying. You may even start a new tradition.
Use this holiday to nuture your own soul. Give to the less fortunate, volunteer to help at a charity of your choice and experience the true meaning of Christmas.
The Valley, December 2010
12
Understanding the Constitution by David Molek
SEPARATION OF POWERS “We the People” are the central concern of the Constitution, as well as its opening words. It is a Constitution for a self-governing nation. As I discussed last column, “We the People” need to continue to remind our government in whom power truly lies. I believe our recent election results did just that, since we have been treated as an obstacle to circumvent by the current administration in Washington. Our Constitution established a Republic intended to reflect the consent of the governed — a nation of laws, not men. Articles I, II and III of the Constitution, respectively, vest the
legislative, executive and judicial powers each in a separate department of the federal government. This separation of powers reflects the Framers’ intention that undue power not be combined in any one department. This separation, by which each department may exercise only its own constitutional powers, is fundamental to the idea of a limited government accountable to the people. You will notice I refer to limited government. The Constitution declares that the Congress, or legislative branch, may exercise only those legislative powers “herein granted” (Article I, Section 1). That the power assigned to each branch must remain with that branch and may be expressed only by that branch is central to the theory.
Judging from conduct in recent years, the branches of our national government seem to be suffering an identity crisis. We were taught in school, roughly speaking, that Congress would pass laws, the President would execute them, and the Supreme Court would interpret them in individual cases. This is the political framework established by the Constitution. However, it is not the way the federal government currently operates. While the formal separation of powers promulgated in Articles I, II and III, as explained in the Federalist papers, remains, the actual distribution of powers has changed dramatically. There is mixing and confusing of governmental functions, and few people complain. It is taken for granted. The kind of change we really need is a renewal of the foundational principles and
constitutional wisdom that are the roots of our country’s greatness. Our Constitution must be understood to be the standard against which all laws, policies and interpretations should be measured. Although the Constitution vests legislative power in Congress, the majority of “laws” are promulgated by administrative agencies in the guise of regulations. This is the executive branch providing a form of rule by bureaucrats who are mostly unaccountable and invisible to the public. It certainly seems that the American lawmakers spend much of their time overseeing an unelected bureaucracy of regulatory policymakers. Congress passes multi-thousand page bills that members have no time to read, let alone consider and deliberate. We need the branches of government to abide by true constitutional principles.
Do you have a desire to write?
Want to see your name in a byline? Reader submissions are encouraged for consideration for publication. Submit your story or article to: The Valley PO Box 41 Yeagertown, PA 17099
The chief constitutional basis of our politics, the separation of powers, is under severe pressure. Separation is needed to prevent tyranny. The purpose of this limitation is the protection of individual liberty. The Framers took care to enumerate only those powers absolutely necessary to the survival of the union, keenly aware that any more generous grant could lead the federal government to improper illegitimate ends — to tyranny. Every law and act of Congress must fall within some enumerated power or else it is illegitimate. Congress has lost sight of this imperative. “We the People” need to hold their feet to the fire and make Congress take time to identify the constitutional authority to enact every law.
The tree of Liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. —Thomas Jefferson
13
The Valley, December 2010
Roads Less Traveled... by Lynn Persing
Every Winter on Blades
As I wrote November’s “Roads Less Traveled” column, I imagined writing a series on my camping adventures for the first few issues of The Valley. However, now that the air is crisp and winter is around the corner, I decided that I’ll digress a bit from camping and write about a subject more suited to the season—ice skating. This is a subject I know quite a bit about since I grew up in a development with two nice-sized ponds that provided the whole neighborhood with great entertainment for many months. Never been on skates? Not to worry, I’ll tell you all about it. The first thing you need to do is make sure the ice is frozen... solid! Each winter, we waited anxiously for the temps to dip below freezing for many days in
a row and checked the ice often to see how thick it was. (Some wise owl tells me that one inch of thickness holds 200 lbs). I wasn’t one to take chances, so I waited to be sure there was absolutely no possibility that I would fall through before I ventured out to skate. Although, I have to admit, I do remember being on the ice several times and hearing the loud “crack” that rumbled beneath your feet. Your first instinct is to freeze instantly in place, and then panic sets in and you dart as quickly as possible to “land.” I remember that frightening experience all too well! Now, it often seemed that as soon as the ice was safe to skate, it would snow, and then you’d have to shovel a very large area to skate within. A big block was shoveled by most of the boys in the neighborhood who liked to play ice hockey, but we also had lots of fun shoveling an intricate set of “paths” that you could use to play “skate tag.” You had to stay within the paths to catch someone. This was fun until it rained, or we had a sudden warm up, and then the paths become icy
barriers that you couldn’t clear off to make a larger skating area— and that was a real bummer! I was a lucky kid. My brother and I got ice skates when we were very young and new sets of skates as we outgrew them. I learned to skate when I was pretty little and I loved it. As soon as I got home from school, I would head to the pond (which was only about 60 yards from my house). Pond number two was about 100 yards away. Most of the time we just slipped on rubber skate guards and walked to and from the pond in our skates, but sometimes we took our boots and put our skates on and off at the pond. Breaking a lace while putting on your skates was a common occurrence. If you couldn’t tie the lace back together, it meant a trip
back to the house. I should mention here that it didn’t matter if no one was at the pond when you showed up, because it wasn’t long until someone saw you out there, and headed down to join you. We (all the neighborhood kids) would skate all day, only coming inside when we could no longer feel our toes or fingers. I remember being in so much pain that I could hardly make the walk back to the house. Sometimes my fingers were so numb, it was hard to unlace the skates. Once inside the house, your toes would slowly come back to life and agony set in as they warmed up. The stinging and the dull ache (or was it the dull ache and then the stinging?). It’s hard to remember now which came first, but the memory of the pain has not faded. We’d warm up for a few hours, have dinner, and then head right back down to the pond with lanterns, a thermos of hot chocolate, and shovels (if it was snowing), and do it all again. Night time skating was a whole different ballgame. We’d build big bonfires
to warm ourselves, and skate until we were called in by...the parents...ughhh! Pond number two was especially fun at night. It had two small islands within it, and as a result, it was perfect for night time skate tag. You could hide on the islands and remain unseen. Skating around the islands in the dark proved to be quite a challenge, though. I remember a time or two when I tripped over a stick or rut frozen in the ice and took a hard tumble. Luckily, I always escaped without any serious injuries. You could always hear people yelling and laughing in the dark (others being “tagged”), but you never knew who was “it” and who you were trying to elude, until you ran right into someone else. Now that I’m older (much older), I wonder if our parents
continued on page 27
The Valley, December 2010
14 Ginger continued from page 7 sprinkle of crushed kelp, your ginger and another two inches of mix. Now water well, add about an extra half-inch potting mix to within about an inch of the edge of the pot. Use a tray that has a single layer of small stone, such as aquarium stone, to keep the bottom of the pot up out of the drain water. Place your ginger pot where it will get good light and a steady 70 to 80 degrees. Now wait. While we are waiting, a brief aside. There is a lovely native plant that is often called Wild Ginger. This small herb, Asarum Candense, rarely grows higher than six to eight inches with fairly large, soft, paired, slightly heart shaped leaves whose pencil-sized rhizomes can grow into large colonies in rich, moist, shady soil. In spring a tiny bell-shaped flower, brownish-purple, hides near the ground. The rhizomes can indeed be used just as the Asian Ginger, but its spicy flavor is all its own. If you are fortunate enough to have access to a patch use strong restraint in harvesting and, as with Ginseng, DON’T TELL ANYONE WHERE IT IS. This is NOT about keeping it all to yourself, it’s about preventing excesses that have happened in the past. If you’re interested in growing this native jewel it is beginning to be available in the better plant catalogs. Still waiting? The books usually say that ginger can take about a month to sprout but I’ve got to tell you the first time it took mine almost six months to make an appearance. It’s important to keep the temperature in the 70’s and the soil evenly moist throughout this time. then one fine day there will be a pale green sprout poking through the dark soil and within twenty four hours you could have an almost two inch stalk. No exaggeration. I’ve actually measured this any number of times. Now just sit back and enjoy watching first one then many stalks fill the pot with each stalk marking a new section underground. Ginger plants look like weird ( in a good way) cornstalks to me. They usually top out around two to three feet and have a very fresh and exotic scent. Only once in all these years have I had a plant bloom, and that was in a pot I hadn’t dug in three years. It was exciting to see that
flower, but I find I can’t adequately describe it so you’ll have to grow your own! In summer, once the night time temp goes no lower than 65 degrees or so, the ginger can go outside. Make sure the soil never dries out. Every once in a while the chickens will take a snip at a leaf and since you never know when the goats will take it into their heads to have a munch— keep them away. I’ve never had anyone else bother them and I’ve never lost any to disease or insects. Bring them in when nights get into the low 60s. Mine have been caught in an unexpected 40 degree night without a problem. If, sometime in winter, the stalks begin to dry up and then fall over, do not panic. It’s harvest time! Harvest According to the literature available to me, in the tropics ginger is usually planted outdoors in fall. By the middle of the following summer it has died down and is ready to dig. So when those lush plants you’ve babied and coddled for a year or more turn toes up and die, no matter what time of year it is, you know that they’re ready. Of course you needn’t dig them at all if you only cut the occasional fresh slice. After a few months of hibernation and only occasional waterings from you, growth will start all over with you watering regularly and the ginger sprouting like crazy. But eventually you would run out of pot space and you would have to repot anyway. Once all growth has died off, clear away the stalks and let the soil dry out for about a week. Set up a work area to catch the soil so you can reuse it. Now carefully tip the pot keeping a hand over the area where the rhizomes are. When everything is out, you’ll have to gently work the soil from around the ginger which can grow so twisted up on itself that I often use a pencil to work the knobs clean. A good wash under water—I recommend a toothbrush to help get the dirt out. Don’t brush too hard for the skin is not particularly thick. You will finally get to see the real roots, those long thin strands dangling from the rhizome. Cut off several pieces with good looking growth nodes and repot them as you did before, taking care to plant the roots in position without breaking them. Set the pots aside to start the cycle again and take time to admire this versatile spice in all its lumpy glory.
Processing Let’s start with fresh. You can actually use ginger fresh as it is growing. Simply cut off what you need from an older section and wash well. As far as peeling the skin, I’ve found that it wastes less ginger to just gently scrape with a knife and then it’s ready for any number of uses. Fresh use includes slicing or chopping in various ways. Grating is accomplished with a toothed ceramic plate designed specifically for ginger though of course you can improvise. Older rhizomes can be a bit fibrous, you’ll see it when grating or feel it when cutting, but are still quite useable especially in foods that will be cooked quite a bit. To get ginger juice, which is fun to experiment with in small amounts, cut small pieces and use your garlic press! Now, with your washed, scraped ginger you’re ready to process: Dried Ginger. Slice the cleaned ginger thinly--a sixteenth of an inch is good. As with other aromatics, ginger should be air dried without artificial heat to preserve the strength of the oils. Depending on how dry the weather and how warm the room, it can take up to two weeks to dry. When the pieces are well shrunken and snap apart crisply, process them in a blender (or you can grind them by hand if you are so inclined) to a powder. To get the finest spice, sift through a very fine mesh. Reprocess the heavier pieces, sift again and store in an airtight glass container. Incidentally, avoid breathing in the powder as you work, it’ll really clear your sinuses. Candied ginger is not difficult to make but does require sugar (I keep promising myself that some year when the maple sap run is good, then I’ll boil down some sugar and try that). So, if you have objections to white sugar, skip this part. For the most succulent treat, use younger pieces of ginger. Slice into eighth inch thick slices. For each cup of slices, make a syrup of 1 1/4 cup water and 1 cup sugar, heat on medium and stir until the sugar dissolves then add the ginger. Bring to a boil, remove from heat immediately, place a saucer on the ginger to keep it submerged, cover, and let it sit for two days. On the third day, strain out the ginger and set aside. Add 1/2 cup sugar to the syrup, heat until the sugar is dissolved, add the ginger and simmer gently for about 30 minutes. Again, place a saucer on the ginger to keep the pieces in the syrup, cover well and allow to sit for two weeks. Once again, strain out the ginger and
place on racks to dry for a few days (here I’ve used an electric dehydrator set at 90 degrees with some success). When dry, and that’s a relative term, toss well in a bag of sugar and store in an air tight container with parchment between the layers. The syrup can be strained into a bottle and stored in the refrigerator for several months to add to drinks, sauces, brushed on cakes, whatever you can think up. Ginger Ale and Ginger Beer would take up too much copy space to add here but if you’re into brewing and concocting, hit the library or get online where there are recipes galore. I’ve admittedly never made any but reading those recipes sure made the taste buds tingle. One more point. Spices, like herbs and vegetables, all have medicinal applications. Most people have either used or heard of Ginger Ale being drunk to settle a queasy stomach. This one, commonly accepted, therapeutic use for ginger is, as with all the others, the tip of a HUMONGOUS iceberg and it is well worth your time to educate yourself on at least some of it. Talk with your doctor about what you’re reading and you may be surprised to find a kindred spirit. Now, since you’re going to have a pungent batch of dried ginger powder to experiment with in about a year, here’s a recipe that makes, hands down, one of the best, the absolutely best cookies your family will ever devour. These are the serious cookie eater kind, big and dunkable. Enjoy!
Molasses Cookies
Cream together: 12 tablespoons of butter ( at room temperature but not soft) 1/3 cup sugar 1/3 cup brown sugar Add: 1 large egg yolk 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 cup molasses Scrape the bowl as you mix to make sure all ingredients are well incorporated. Sift together and add to the wet ingredients: 2 1/4 cup flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 1/2 teaspoon powdered cinnamon 2 1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger 1/2 teaspoon powdered cloves 1/4 teaspoon powdered allspice 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper ( Yes, pepper. Do not omit this) 1 teaspoon baking powder
Mix, scrape the bowl down, mix well. Roll into smooth 1 1/2 inch balls. Although you can bake them like this to get a great cookie, try this trick for a really great cookie. Place about 3/4 cup raw sugar in a wide shallow soup bowl, roll the ball of dough in the sugar before placing on a parchment lined baking sheet Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 11 minutes. Remove to racks to cool. For more information on various uses for ginger try: --“The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking” by Yamuna Devi --“Growing and Using the Healing Herbs” by Gaea and Shandor Weiss --“A Modem Herbal” by Mrs. M Grieve --“The Alden Amos Big Book of Handspinning” by Alden Amos Honest, look on page 401 for his recipe for Ginger Beer. And just in case you decide to try their potting soil: The Organic Mechanics Soil Company, LLC 110 East Biddle Street West Chester, Pennsylvania 19380 Mark T. F. Highland, President 484-557-2961 www.organicmechanicsoil.com
If you like what you see within our pages, please support our advertisers, as without them, we couldn’t produce this publication. Support your neighbor, buy local!
15
The Valley, December 2010
Dairy Princess Memories by Rebecca Harrop Mifflin County Dairy Princess 2010-2011
You may be wondering what Dairy Princess Memories are. Well I’m just the person to tell you. I’m Rebecca Harrop the 2010-2011 Mifflin County Dairy Princess and even though I am only 19, I have more wonderful memories of my life growing up on a dairy farm and living the royal life than many people create in a lifetime. There was always a great deal of work to be done, but there was also fun to be found and
Rebecca fufilling her duties as Mifflin County Dairy Princess
trouble to be made. Now, as the dairy princess, I’m creating even more memories of meeting interesting people, finding new ways to use dairy, and promoting the lifestyle that helped me become the person I am today. These are the memories that I hope to keep with me to help me make the most of my future. Thanksgiving is over and for most people their thoughts now turn to Christmas. On a farm though, we are still thinking of chores which need to be finished before winter. Some of us are still harvesting late season crops like corn or that last little bit of hay for our animals. Others are busy repairing and storing machinery for the winter. Still others are moving animals in from pasture to the shelter of winter barns or they are taking advantage of nice weather to attend to chores they haven’t had time for all summer. My memories of other chores involved with this time of year include good smells from the kitchen, lots of family visits, secrets and laughter. At this time of year, my memories lead me to the time spent with family and friends and the traditions that have lasted through the years. It seems that as
I grow older, it was the little things that made the most impact. Trekking through the woods cutting pine boughs for our wreath and searching for the perfect tree; one that fit in our house, but was bushy enough to hold all of our favorite ornaments. Whispering with my sister and making plans for the presents we were going to make and give. Having fun with aunts, uncles and cousins and sharing the stories that every family collects. Then, on Christmas Eve, making sure Dad didn’t drink the rest of the milk so there would be a nice cold glass for Santa to drink with the cookies that Mom and I had spent hours making. Finally, I remember the agonizing wait for Dad to finish his morning chores and come in from the barn Christmas morning so we could go downstairs to see what Santa had brought for us. After dinner it was back to the barn for evening milking and chores because the cows didn’t know it was Christmas. Included below is the recipe for one of our favorite Holiday cookies. Sugar cookies became a staple at Christmas and their simplicity allowed for sprinkle deco-
rations in the best holiday designs. The second recipe contains my favorite ingredient ever: chocolate. It would be perfect for a Holiday buffet table dessert because it is rich and very chocolatey. Whether it is milk for Santa or cream cheese in your Christmas dessert don’t forget to get three servings of dairy every day. Land ‘O’ Lakes Sugar Cookies 1 cup BUTTER 1 cup sugar 1 egg 2 cups flour 1 tsp. baking powder 2 T orange juice 1 T vanilla Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix softened butter with sugar and add egg, orange juice, and vanilla. Then mix in the flour and baking powder until blended. Spoon-drop onto cookie sheet and decorate with seasonal sprinkles (optional). Bake for 6 minutes. Yields 2 dozen cookies. Chocolate Truffle Toffee Cheesecake Yields 16 servings Crust: 1 1/3 cups (22 cookies) shortbread cookie crumbs ¼ cup BUTTER, melted ¼ cup sugar Filling: 2 (8-ounce) packages CREAM CHEESE, softened
¼ sugar 8 (1-ounce) squares semi-sweet chocolate baking bars, melted 2 eggs 1 tsp vanilla ¾ cup milk chocolate toffee bits Topping: ¾ cup real semi-sweet chocolate chips ½ cup WHIPPING CREAM ¼ cup milk chocolate toffee bits Heat oven to 325 degrees. Combine all crust ingredients in small bowl. Press onto bottom of ungreased 9-inch springform pan. Bake 4 minutes.
continued on page 26
Become A Preferred customer todAy! Join our FREE Preferred Customer Program* for exclusive sale events, great decorating and how-to tips, plus savings on paints and stains every time you shop.
224 North Logan Boulevard Burnham (717) 248 - 3909
Ask Sherwin-Williams.™ *Visit a Sherwin-Williams retail paint store or sherwin-williams.com for program details. ©2010 The Sherwin-Williams Company.
The Valley, December 2010
16
The Mushroom Guy Tasty fungal morsels and other wild edibles. by Bob Sleigh
What is in a Name?
My first thought is, which one? Probably Laetiporus sulphureus or L. cincinnatus, both very popular and very easy to identify. But then they could be Lyophyllum decastes, the Fried Chicken Mushroom, or maybe Suillus americanus, the Chicken Fat Mushroom. Fortunately, in this example, all three possibilities above are edible, one more so than the other two, though. Have you caught up yet or are you still stumbling over the Latin? It’s easy; just pronounce the names like they are spelled, nothing mystical about it. Common names are just what they say they are, very common and sometimes very locally oriented. Let’s take a look at that delicious Grifola frondosa and venison dinner I was headed to at the end of last month’s column. Grifola frondosa in Western Pennsylvania is commonly called Sheepheads. It is a sometimeslarge mushroom that grows at the base of large Oak trees. In Eastern Pennsylvania the same The author with a rare albino Grifola frondosa in mushroom is known Rothrock State Forest. as the Hen of the Woods due to its resemblance to a Therein lies a problem with ruffled chicken. common names and a reason it is I found out just recently from best to talk about fungal specia well-known and well-traveled mens by their scientific names, mycologist that although Sheepwhich are in Latin. head is a perfect description of Let’s say you come up to me this particular fungus, it is only touting the honey hole of chicken Western Pennsylvania and Eastern mushrooms you recently found. Ohio where the name is commonly used. Therein lies another problem with common names. I travel, sometimes extensively, in the pursuit of mushrooms and have heard some of the most outrageous and comiThe Valley editor with a 20 lb Grifola or “Hen of the cal common
The King and The Prince invited The Old Man of the Woods to hear The Destroying Angel play her Trumpet of Death for the Fuzzy Foots as they dined on Poison Pie. No, I haven’t finally lost it, not totally anyhow, and no, I haven’t eaten the wrong mushroom. The sentence you just read contains the Common Name of seven different mushroom species. Some are pretty straightforward; I don’t suppose anyone would like to eat something with poison or destroying in the name. On the other side of the fence though, Trumpet of Death mushrooms are a highly-prized and much sought-after edible wild mushroom.
Woods”
names for mushrooms. They are mostly species that I know well, but wrapped up in names that make no sense to me whatsoever. Never rely on a common name for any particular mushroom when you are not in familiar territory. This situation often gets crazier when you add in the mix of different nationalities and their common names, sometimes crazy enough to cost someone their life. If your interest in fungus lies solely in picking a few of the most common and easily identified species and having a good meal, then maybe you won’t need to learn Latin names, but you’ll learn them anyway. That is unless you’re a hermit that only comes to town once a month to pick up the latest Valley newspaper. Oops, guess that won’t work either since you would be reading my column. Right? If you spend enough time around fungophiles and particularly if you choose to join a local club, you will start to pick up some Latin just from your proximity to knowledgeable pickers and identifiers. It happened to me that way. What started out as a cool hobby that could put some of the world’s finest edible mushrooms on my table for free, gradually became an overwhelming desire to be able to put a name on what I was finding whether I planned on eating it or not. I should tell you though that I have picked Morel (Morchella sp.) and Sheephead mushrooms since I was old enough to get in the woods, and had no clue that there were any other names for them until I
started expanding my fungal horizon. So, how do I get you from common names to scientific names? Well, in the words of your grade-school teachers, “Class, open your books.” Aha, you knew those words would come back to haunt you some day. The best beginner’s book rolling down hill situation. that I have found is the National Be advised that the world of Audubon Society Field Guide to fungi is in an almost constant state North American Mushrooms, writof flux due to expending techten by Gary Lincoff. It can easily niques for classifying mushrooms. be found online for about twenty The advent of DNA testing has dollars. For those of you averse to doing much reading, there are lots of pretty pictures to look at to aid your identification. It can be intimidating, at first, trying to identify an unusual species, particularly one that has no common name, but the satisfaction of being correct is a great payoff. With every species Grifola motherlode in Rothrock you identify, your knowledge will State Forest. grow; it is the proverbial snowball
continued on page 26
17
The Valley, December 2010
36 years same location s 2nd generation proprietor Exclusive distributor of Matthews Archery equipment
Don’t take a chance on Lyme disease this hunting season. Protect yourself with Sawyer products.
717-242-0061 842 West Fourth Street, Lewistown, PA 17044
Wilson’s
Meats & Groceries Fresh Meats, Full Line of Groceries, and Produce
Open 7 Days! 7am - 9pm 4 South Deleware Ave. s Juniata Terrace Lewistown, PA 17044 (717) 248-4793
A hometown grocer you can trust.
The Valley, December 2010
18
LZ Swanson From Iraq by Shawn Swanson
SELF-RELIANCE CORNER: THE MODERN POSSIBLES BAG The reinvention of an old tradition. Back when this Country was young and the likes of famous mountain men like Jim Bridger and Jedediah Smith ranged the frontier, they lived off the land and packed their needed essentials along with them. They kept the essentials they needed close at hand in their packs and possible bags. We can learn from this model and reinvigorate an old tradition. Today, we travel quite a bit and live in a land of conveniences where most problems can be solved by a call to roadside assistance, or to a friend or buddy for a helping hand, but rarely do we pack the emergency essentials and review their uses if help isn’t just around the corner. The notion that convenience and assistance at the press of a button is forever the answer to our problems has made us lazy in tending to our most basic of concerns and that’s not a good thing. Take a moment and reflect on a time in your life when you weren’t prepared or wish you had a tool or two on hand at the right time in a pinch or hassle, and you’ll get to the basis of why a modern possibles bag should be kept available during your travels. Given your daily lifestyle, profession, and travels you can take the modern possibles bag idea and run with it! It will reflect an individual approach and will be tailored to your general needs almost always. However, there are a few essentials that can make life easier in a road emergency, an unplanned event, or local catastrophe when caught away from home.
O Christmas Tree continued from page 1 done right under the bark of the trunk. That thin area is where the biggest majority of water is taken up to the branch tips. I have heard a hundred different old wives tales about aspirins in the water, using coke or sprite in the water, and a host of other so called tricks. You can forget all of it if you just follow the above directions. If you enjoy that Christmas smell of evergreen when you enter the room with the tree, I would suggest you stick with a Fraser Fir or Fir Balsam, as they smell
Once one of the top three the Scotch Piine is not as popular as it once was. Still is makes a beautiful statement.
the best of any of the locally available trees. All trees have a scent, but the scent you associate with Christmas is (I hope) a trait of those two species. Some trees have a less than pleasant smell, although they make beautiful Christmas trees. The spruce family comes to mind. I can’t tell you how many thousand White Spruce I sold on my lots over the years; they are a very pretty, denselybranched tree with short stubby needles and an aroma that will have people wondering if they are sitting in your cats litter box, even if you don’t own one. This is the reason I never attempted to bring one of the most beautiful Christmas trees in existence into the house, and we were growing them. A similar tree, although with not quite as strong an odor, is the Blue Spruce; however, they have needles that are as sharp as... well, needles! Often times after processing a load of Blue Spruce, there would be little pin pricks of blood all over our faces and hands—they are SHARP! Just let one needle be missed and remain hidden in your shag carpet when you’re cleaning up, only to be found when you stroll by in bare feet...YOWWW! They then possess all the properties of a syringe needle, and I promise you, you’ll never have another Blue Spruce. They also tend to be quite a bit
Here are some questions to ask yourself while you are building your modern possibles bag: 1. What items would I need that would assist me during a vehicle breakdown? Can I fix issues on my own without calling for assistance and what might I need to handle common issues? If it’s not part of my vehicle’s breakdown kit, where are the needed tools located? What’s going to help get you out of a jam? 2. Do I have what it takes close by to handle treating the most basic of injuries, cuts, scrapes, and maybe even more specific medicines for personal ailments? Would it be smart to have some extra medical supplies arranged in my possibles kit in case I don’t make it home as planned? 3. I don’t expect to be stranded overnight somewhere, but what might make an unintended stay during an emergency a bit more pleasant if it does occur? What’s the weather like? Could the weathwer change seasonally and make you uncomfortable in your standard dress without an extra jacket or blanket handy? Maybe a whole other set of clothes might be useful if you need to change out of your business attire. How about some comfy shoes and an extra pair of socks? You get the point. Consider what to pack and why. No two possible bags will be the same. Some may be all located in a single accessible pouch under your front seat while someone else’s setup looks more like a back packing adventure than a possibles bag or sack. With some forward planning, you can handle most problems if you set your possible bag up right. If you think you might need it, pack it!
Take a lesson from the mountain men and reforge an old tradition. Decide to be more self-reliant and take charge!
more pricey than the other types, since they are very slow growers. They take up to 15 years to reach harvestable size. My favorite is the Douglas Fir. They have great color, hold their needles very well, and I enjoy the longer needles, which are also soft and a pleasure to string lights in. Although, I have also had many, many Fir Balsam and Fraser Firs that were absolutely beautiful. But remember, whichever one you choose, it will
where buying a real tree supports the U.S. economy. The local farm is where you will get your freshest tree and have the least problems. They are cut closer to the time you buy them, and on the cut-your-own farms, they are as fresh as you can get, plus you are helping support your neighbor. At this time of the year, I can’t think of a better way to say thank you and Merry Christmas!
be beautiful once you get it home and you will have done your part at carrying on tradition, helping the environment, and helping drive the economy with all those jobs. The added advantage is the compost it will provide afterwards. A real Christmas tree will compost down and help the Earth, but a fake tree will be forever in the land fill, sometimes releasing toxic substances into the soil. Eighty-five percent of the fake trees are produced in China;
Merry Christmas from all of the staff at The Valley!
Growing in popularity every year, the soft, yet long needled White Pine can make a pretty Christmas Tree.
19
The Valley, December 2010
Frugal Living Tips by Julie MaConnell
Pat Crowder’s column last month has inspired many to start making their own laundry detergent. It works great, smells nice and is really cheap! It can also be used in a pinch in your automatic dishwasher. So, in this season around the holidays I thought I would take a minute to hand down some more recipes for homemade cleaning products. We’re all busying our homes for guests, relatives, and don’t forget St. Nick. Oh Joy! Time to clean the house! Who wants to pay the outrageous prices for the watered down versions at the grocery store? Certainly not me! Ok, let’s start with one of my absolute favorite all-purpose cleaners. I bought an inexpensive spray type bottle from the store and keep the rest in a clearly marked one-gallon water jug (repurposed of course), because when your frugal you don’t throw ANYTHING away that has any value. One other thing—you might want to buy a sharpie pen if you don’t have one because it is about the only thing I have found that will mark these plastic containers without smearing. Let me assure you that this cleaner is the best thing going. I use it all over the house. I use it on bathroom fixtures including the toilet, glass (it doesn’t streak), mirrors, and tile. I even find it works pretty well taking labels off of old spaghetti jars that I want to save. The only thing I hesitate using it on is granite countertops. I think the ammonia might etch the
stone. Also, please be very careful not to introduce any bleach to the ammonia. The fumes could be hazardous.
HARDWOOD FLOOR CLEANER Fill your household cleaning bucket about ¾ full of warm water. Add a good-sized squirt of your favorite dish sink soap (like
OVEN CLEANER Sprinkle spills generously with salt while the oven is still hot. The burned deposit should scrape off with no trouble when the oven cools. For thorough cleaning, set an open, shallow dish of full-strength ammonia inside the cold oven. Close the door and let it stand overnight. The ammonia gas from the solution is absorbed by the grease, which ends up like soap. Do not use this method on aluminum So we’ve covered the bathroom and the kitchen, including floors. Next we move on to the furniture. Buying furniture polish
Adventures in Homesteading continued from page 5
mice, but she made quick work of half a dozen! Boy were we embarrassed. Apparently the combined noise of the field mice made for a much larger sounding animal than what we found. Naturally, as I mentioned earlier, we had tons of nearby wood piles which made for great natural homes. I was hesitant to tell Ginger what we found, but we all found quite a bit of enjoyment in our paranoid illusion of danger. We slept a little easier that night, albeit a bit more damp from the rain. Our primary goal for the remainder of the weekend was to get the borders pretty well cut and then with any extra time, try to cut other areas. It turns out we barely got the first objec-
tive accomplished. Ginger came back out with the kids on the last day to inspect the work, and of course, pick me up along with the camping equipment. After the challenges of our first weekend, we quickly decided we need some sort of permanent storage and better lodging for ourselves if were to be productive. We simply spent too much time trying to get set up and then broken back down; combined with travel that is almost a full day out of potential work time. The first weekend didn’t go nearly as smoothly as I’d hoped and I have learned “we only achieved about half as much as we set out to do.” This is a formula I have begun to apply to any project on the homestead–in
and this time they were pretty loud. Both my friend and I sat in chairs by the fire and waited with guns at our sides. After a while, we built up a little courage and decided to let Vega lose and follow her to whatever it was we heard. The minute I opened the kennel Vega darted out and took off towards the noises just beyond the fire light. She began circling a thicket of trees and running around in a frenzy. We heard all sorts of rustling noise coming from the trees. Finally, Vega ran into a thicket and out comes TONS of field mice–I’ve never seen a German Shepherd kill
HOUSEHOLD CLEANER Ingredients: 1 (16 ounce) bottle rubbing alcohol 1/2 cup sudsy ammonia-I use janitorial strength instead 1 teaspoon liquid dish soap, like dawn or joy water Directions: 1. Pour ingredients into empty gallon container or empty gallon milk jug. 2. Fill the rest of the container with water. 3. Put into spray bottle and refill as needed. Another product that I learned to make is homemade wood floor cleaner. Personally, I don’t like the smell of the famous one you buy at the store. I also find that it can leave a hazy film. The one that I use not only smells delicious, but it works great and so far I have not noticed that it needs to be rinsed. Something else that you might find satisfying is that is doesn’t have any harsh chemicals in it. Ready? It’s incredibly complicated...
Dawn or Joy). Add about a cup (I never measure) of lemon juice. Yikes, you say-that isn’t cheap? Just use the stuff you buy in the bottle. You can usually get it at the dollar or discount store. I like to use this cleaner on my kitchen cabinets also. Once they are clean I usually follow up with a quick swipe of bowling alley wax. It takes some elbow grease to polish it after drying, but the finish is rock solid and lasts a long time. Another recipe that works well, and this one uses some of that Borax that you bought for your laundry soap recipe, is: Mix ¼ Cup Borax, 2 TBSP of Baby Shampoo with one gallon of water. This solution not only cleans well, but it smells really nice when you’re done. Next is the oven. We all know how grimy that baby gets doing all of that holiday baking!
is expensive, and nine times out of ten I end up dropping the can and breaking the little nozzle thingy off. It irritates me to no end. So instead I am making the following recipe. Again, it’s a really simple thing to do. FURNITURE POLISH RECIPE Mix in a sprayer bottle: 1 cup olive oil 1/2 cup lemon juice Shake well and apply a small amount to a flannel cleaning rag or cleaning cloth. Spread evenly over furniture surface. Turn cloth to a dry side and polish dry. Now if you heat your house with a woodstove we all know how dusty and dirty your house can get. Did you know that an occasional wall cleaning is needed? What? I’m getting carried away? A year ago I noticed that the Christmas tree had left a dirty spot on my wall as it had scraped against it while my husband was wrestling it into the tree stand. When I cleaned that section of the wall, I noticed that it was a much different color than the rest of the wall. Having beige paint in that room, I got my little ladder out and began cleaning the rest of it. I was very surprised to see how DIRTY my walls were. The room seemed so much brighter after I was done that of course I went to work doing the rest of the house. Try it and see what a difference it makes! DO NOT USE ON WALLPAPER-IT WILL TAKE IT OFF! Oh! Another use! WALL CLEANER 2 Ounces of Borax 1 TSP. Ammonia 2 Qts. of water Dissolve the borax and ammonia in a bucketful of water. Scrub a really dirty wall from the bottom up. If you scrub from the top down, the dirty water will run good spirit of course (laugh). If getting not nearly as much done as you plan is a frequent issue for you–then you are not alone and are in good company for this is the homesteading way, I have learned. The only thing you can do is simply not be discouraged and move forward every day with your long term dreams in mind. One other unfortunate side effect from the weekend was realized several days later. Apparently, in my bush-hogging I got a healthy dose of poison ivy. My arms and legs were covered with blisters and it lasted nearly 4 weeks. Getting water was becoming more and more of a priority as simply being able to scrub down arms and legs after working
down over the dry, soiled wall leaving hard-to-remove streaks. Oddly enough, it won’t stain wet, clean walls. For textured walls, old socks are good scrubbers because they won’t tear off in little pieces as easily as a sponge might. To keep water from dribbling down your arm, fasten an old washcloth around your wrist with a rubber band. I hope I’m not making your head swim here—not wanting to overwhelm anyone, and NO, I’m not related to Felix Unger. Here’s to a sparkly clean Holiday Season!
For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a savior who is Christ the Lord would have lessened my exposure substantially. The next big item was lodging and Ginger already had leads on several small camper trailers that were in our budget. Tune in next month for the continuing saga.
Peace on Earth, Good Will toward men.
20
The Valley, December 2010
Woods, Water and Wildlife with Bob Sleigh
The First, first day... It’s 3 a.m., and a bright eyed boy of 12 stares intently out of his darkened bedroom window at the falling snow. He should be sleeping, but who can sleep with tomorrow being the first day of buck season. His first “first day.” In his youthful mind, thoughts are traveling at the speed of light. Images flash through his young brain like a slideshow on steroids. The stack of hunting clothes piled neatly beside the bed, a paper bag with sandwiches and candy bars in the refrigerator, huge antlers coming through the trees, targets with neatly punched holes at the shooting range and a weed covered hump in the middle of a power line. When he had first mentioned the power line hump as a good spot to sit, approval was granted immediately. That was all it took to start the dreams rolling. No matter that he would later find out, everybody else figured it was a good safe place for him to be. One of those places that’s easy to keep an eye on, and one of those “he won’t see any deer there anyway” type of places. As a first year hunter, the lad inherited an old 12-gauge pump shotgun and two boxes of “punkinballs” for the first-day adventure. After several rounds at the shooting range, anything resembling a paper plate at 50 yards was history. The old pump gun had always been an all-season partner to whomever needed it, whether shooting squirrels, ducks, or deer. With a finish that had turned nearly black over the years, the weathered old veteran wore its battle scars well. Dependable as fruitcakes at Christmas, the pump never failed to fulfill its part of any hunt. At 4 a.m. the snow slowed to a stop and a pristine world of white stretched into the woods as far as the boy could see. More visions swirled through the young mind like a runaway freight train. The dark silhouette of a buck moving through the brush, a single trail of huge tracks disturb-
ing a featureless layer of snow, the huge rack that surely would be hanging on his bedroom wall. “Perfect tracking snow,” the boy mumbled to himself. “It sure is” boomed through his head from the doorway where his father stood. Luckily he was still young and able to withstand the massive jump in heart rate caused by the surprise comment. Within seconds the alarm started to ring, saving a very rattled boy from the embarrassment of trying to speak. Within minutes a bright eyed, and slightly tired 12 year old was dashing out the door to “see how cold it is.” Actually if he didn’t get outside to savor the fresh crisp air and test the new fallen snow his head would explode. The anticipation only grew stronger. Breakfast was eaten in record speed and he found himself pacing around the house wondering what was taking everyone so long to get ready. After what seemed like an eternity, it was time to go. At 6:15, with adrenaline flowing like Niagara Falls, the boy settled into a weedy hump under crackling power lines and began what he knew would be a short wait. By 7:15 the snow had began to fall again. For twenty minutes a light flurry made the power lines crackle like frying bacon. Not one deer had been seen even though numerous shots had been heard throughout the surrounding area. Five minutes later, an elephant could have walked by within ten feet and never have been seen. The light flurries had turned into a full-blown white out. Huge flakes pummeled the weedy hump and the steadily tiring young boy within. It was the perfect time for a snack, read candy bar of course. As the last bite of chocolate disappeared, the lad realized that the snow had stopped abruptly, like someone had turned off the switch. Shaking the snow off his hat, a large dark object standing in the middle of the power line made the boy freeze in mid shake. It was him, the same buck
that unbeknownst to the older hunters the boy had seen numer-
The buck carried a huge ten-point rack, the kind you hunt a lifetime for. Now here he was, right where the boy knew he would be. Photo credit : www.whitetaildeermanagement-and-hunting.com
ous times throughout the fall. It was not youthful ignorance that prompted his selection of the weedy hump. It was hours on end of exploring and investigating the huge tracks he had stumbled onto back in early September. The buck carried a huge ten-point rack, the kind you hunt a lifetime for. Now here he was, right where the boy knew he would be.
The boy knew from shooting at the range that the buck was more than 50 yards away and due to inexperience misjudged his aiming point. The first shot cleared the bucks back by an easy three inches. The buck simply looked in the boy’s direction undisturbed. A second shot sailed neatly between the buck’s legs kicking up a small puff of snow. Still the buck simply looked at the weedy hump with smug curiosity. The boy’s whirling mind from the early morning was a turtle’s pace compared to what was happening inside his mind now. One shot over, one shot under, this time — he couldn’t believe there was going to be another chance— he would just hold dead on. Not realizing the motion of once again pumping another round into the shotgun had given away his location the boy lined up for what he intended to be the final shot. Unfortunately the buck had his own plan for making it the last shot.
As a youthful finger squeezed the old shotgun into action the buck demonstrated just how quick he could change locations. By the time a puff of snow erupted where the buck had just a half second before been standing, a white tail could be seen disappearing into the brush along the power line. The entire scenario had taken but a mere 30 seconds to unfold, it seemed like hours to the visibly shaken and heart broken 12 year old. Almost all of his dreams had come true. Sadly the dreams had now become a nightmare. You have probably guessed by now that I was that young lad. I had spent many days before the season watching that buck from a hilltop nearly a half-mile away. I have forever wondered if somehow he knew I was watching him. To the best of my knowledge, he escaped the rest of the season unscathed. That morning hooked me for life on deer hunting and I am still in pursuit of a buck that could even come close to his trophy stature. Just thinking about that day still gives me chills and gets my heart racing. I still find myself every year on the “first day” morning sitting and looking out the window dreaming about what could have been. --Bob Sleigh
21
The Valley, December 2010
The Pen and Thread Custom Calligraphy and Weaving
Mary Anna Chenoweth Proprietor
Monday, Wednesday, Friday 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
717-248-6079 131 West Market Street Lewistown, Pennsylvania
Special Event Floral Designer
717-667-2132
Main Street
l
Reedsville
The Valley, December 2010
22
For Sale Portable Electric Milker Complete in excellent condition. Reasonably priced. Call (717) 483-6868 Conservative Hardcover Books New condition great for gift giving. --Sarah Palin “Going Rogue” --Tim Russert “Wisdom of our fathers” --Ann Coulter “Treason”, “Godless”, “How to talk to a Liberal” --General Tommy Franks “American Soldier” $5.00 Ea. --Sean Hannity “Deliver us from Evil” autographed! $10.00 Call 248-2917. Leave a message I will get back to you.
Nourishing Journey from page 8 in turn the driving force behind our behavior. And don’t we all become creatures of habit, (also known as followers of tradition), during the holidays. No matter what time of year, setting out with a goal “to eat for heath” is a life long journey, and as in any journey, we need to know where we are now and where we hope to go before we can chart our future course. Listed below are my suggestions for adding more pleasure, not pounds, to your holiday celebrations: 1. Take the time to sit down, today, and write out your healthy eating road map. Don’t roll your eyes, just do it. It really works! Let’s face it, you make time to create your gift list, your grocery shopping list, your decoration list, your guest list and that never ending “to do” list. Isn’t your health worth a few more minutes of time by mapping out an eating plan that acknowledges your holiday habits? Remember, goals that are not written down are only wishes. If we fail to plan, we plan to fail. Identify your trigger foods. You know what they are and you know where they will be lurking. Decide to give them attention and allow yourself to eat small amounts. If you deny them, they will scream all the louder and you may find yourself in for a binge. Also, check in with your emotions which can run very high and very low during the holidays.
Classifieds
Submit items for sale, rentals, services, yard sales, and help wanted ads to our website at www.thevalleynewspaper.com or send to The Valley, PO Box 41, Yeagertown, PA 17099.
Classifieds are 15 words for $3 and .10 cents each additional word. All classified ads must be paid in full prior to insertion. Good check or money order made out to “The Valley” or cash is accepted. Deadline for the January issue is December 23rd. Editor reserves the right to reject any ad. Books for Adults or Teen Readers Gently used condition. --Twilight Series (Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn) $5.00 Ea. or all four for $15. --The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks: $3.00 Call (717) 250-4892.
Greenlee Electricians Knockout Punch Set Model 735 3 new slugbuster cutters included. Sells for $200 new, will take $40. Call 248-2917 leave message. Great for that Sparky on your Christmas list.
Black Leather Thinsulate lined Motorcycle Jacket Like new! Size 42 Mens $25 Great Christmas Gift Call 248-2917
Consuming food only temporarily soothes our emotions. Learn to recognize what true hunger feels like. 2. At no other time in the year do we become less calorie conscious than during the holidays which is exactly why we need to be very aware of these little energy bundles that slide onto a buffet table as easily as sweet butter on a hot muffin. Becoming a calorie sleuth is critical to avoid being sabotaged. It takes 3,500 calories to create a pound of body fat, which may sound like a lot but keep in mind that, according to the Calorie Control Council, the average holiday feast adds up to a little over 3,000 calories. One of my favorite resources for calorie information is Corinne Netzer’s book called “The Complete Book of Food Counts.” Granted, it does not make for an exciting read but it offers valuable and eye opening information. If you prefer to get your information via the internet check out this online source, www.acaloriecounter.com. This site has minimal bells and whistles and is offered at no cost. How many calories do you think are in the average slice of pumpkin pie, (1/8th of a 9 inch pie)? A whopping 315! Go easy on the whipped cream. Ok, so now we have a personalized eating plan and are becoming more calorie conscious: What’s next? 3. Make up for a feast of rich foods by eating lighter meals for the next couple of days 4. Eat some soup or a salad
before going out to a party. Filling up just a bit, will make the never ending grazing less appealing. 5. Practice portion control. Your plate should look like an artist palate, not pikes peek. First survey the buffet, then put your eating plan into action. Try to fill half your plate with vegetables if they are available. Once you are finished with the meal, if possible, remove your plate and utensils to resist continual nibbling. 6. Eat slowly and consciously. Learn from the French. Put your fork down between bites, savoring the texture and taste. Enjoying food is one way we nurture ourselves so we should not deprive ourselves of our very favorite tastes but once again, stay mindful of the portion size. 7. At gatherings, mingle away from the food buffet. It is so easy to unconsciously reach for several hundred calories in the course of a few hours. Focus on the conversation rather than the food table. 8. Limit alcohol which has been found to stimulate the appetite. Having several drinks is the same from a calorie perspective as having a dessert. Keep in mind that alcohol has 7 calories per gram which means that 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, and 1 ½ ounces of liquor all weigh in between 100 and 120 calories. Mixing the alcohol with a sweetened carbonated drink will increase calories even more. If you do choose to drink alcohol, stick to dry wine or light beer. Cocktails
are packed with hidden calories. Remember too that when drinking alcohol, every other beverage you consume should be water. The more alcohol you consume, the lower your inhibitions become and the more likely you are to give into unhealthy foods. 9. Keep healthy snacks like fruit, nuts, popcorn, and raw vegetables on hand. One of my favorite “go to” holiday survival foods is a protein shake. It is a complete meal that is ready in minutes and keeps me going for hours. The flavor can be as varied as you like. Into a blender pour 8 ounces of the milk of your choice. I use raw cow’s milk or almond milk. Add one scoop of whey protein powder. To this base add a combination of your “mixers” of choice such as frozen berries, coconut oil, peanut butter, ground flax seed, or banana. The finished product is so sweet, creamy and satisfying. Perfect as a “take along” snack for power shopping trips. 10. Finally, rejoice more and eat less. Every time we choose another activity other than reaching for food, we are breaking the holiday habit of eating just because the food it there. In conclusion, I will share a quote I have sitting in my office. The late Walt Disney reminds us, “we keep opening new doors, and doing new things because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” My wish for you this season is that you are blessed with a curiosity to
Nascar 1/24 Die Cast Cars Never opened, still in boxes 1998 Ernie Irvan $15.00 2002 Joe Nemechek $5.00 2002 Hank Parker Jr. $5.00 Call 248-2917
Custom Furniture Big Valley Bunk Beds And Matress Sales 65 Stone Barn Lane, Belleville, PA 17004 from Belleville take Rt. 305 west, turn right at E. Back Mtn. Rd. 1/2 mile, then left at Stone Barn Lane
7 Styles in Stock
L-Shape w/Dresser - Loft Beds - Stackable - Standard - Twin Over Full - Regular Bookcase - Captain’s Bed - Triple Stacker - Selection of stain on orders.
A Bed For Everyone
Handyman Services Ralph, “The Little Job Guy” No job too small Call 717-348-0385
embrace and explore the rewards of healthy holiday eating! May your path be filled with healthy choices, joyous celebrations, wide eyed wonder and memories for a lifetime. Blessings on your journey, Sue Burns MS NC Nourishing Journeys Holistic Nutrition Consulting for Women 54 Chestnut Street, Lewistown PA (Integrative within Burns Eye Care Associates) 717-242-3132 Email: sue@mynourishingjourney.com www.mynourishingjourney.com 1. A Prospective Study of Holiday Weight Gain Jack A. Yanovski, M.D., Ph.D., Susan Z. Yanovski, M.D., Kara N. Sovik, B.S., Tuc T. Nguyen, M.S., Patrick M. O’Neil, Ph.D., and Nancy G. Sebring, M.Ed., R.D. N Engl J Med 2000; 342:861-867, March 23, 2000
23
The Valley, December 2010
Modern Energy and Alternative Heating with Curt Bierly Many Wood Stove Heating Systems qualify for the 30% up to $1500.00 Federal Rebate mentioned in my October Column (if you haven’t used it for other qualified stuff)!
To Have a Wood Stove or Not to Have a Wood Stove. That is the Question.
You can have the greatest central heating system in the world that holds every room at the exact temperature you select. but there is nothing greater then arriving home on a cold winter evening and sitting in front of a wood stove with a glowing fire. You feel that “extra warmth” that a central system can’t provide. Beyond the warmth, the glowing fire you see through the glass in the door is almost an “art form.” The combination makes a very relaxing atmosphere. I can remember a customer that ordered an oil fired hot water heating system from us. The elderly lady had lived all her life using two
Not only are todays modern wood stoves more efficient, they are downright beautiful pieces of furniture that enhances any living space.
heatilator stoves to heat the house. Her husband had passed away and she was unable to manage the stoves anymore so she ordered the central hot water baseboard system installed. I thought we did an excellent job for her carefully calculating the heat loss for each room so the temperature would be consistent throughout the house. A few weeks afterwards I called her to inquire how she liked the system. She said “the system is
141 Three Cent Lane Reedsville, PA 17084
working perfectly, but you know, I don’t have a place I can take my rocking chair and get that “extra warmth” on a cold winter night.” The design and efficiency of wood stoves today are far superior to those of the 70’s and 80’s. Most stoves use secondary air injection technology to burn gases before they are lost up the chimney. In addition, the air wash over the front door glass helps keep the viewing area clear. The primary draft control is usually a simple lever and most stoves have the convenience of an ash pan. The beauty of a wood stove is that it’s “non electric.” With a stove and a stack of wood, if the lights go out you still have heat! Call it “heat security.” Stoves are made of various materials, but the most common are steel and cast iron. The steel stoves are not as decorative and require a fire brick burning chamber floor and partial firebrick wall. Cast iron stoves are more decorative and don’t require firebrick. In addition, cast iron stoves can have an enamel finish, where as steel stoves can only be coated with a high temperature paint. You need to choose the stove that pleases your particular need, taste and decor. There are small stoves and large stoves. Keep in mind you can always burn a small fire in a large stove as long as The instalation of a wood stove not only helps with the heating bill and provides warmth that can’t be you burn the wood briskly and don’t let the logs smolder. As an example, let’s assume the area you want to heat will achieved by any other source, the warm glow of a wood fire is very good for the soul. require a stove that can hold three 16” logs. You will receive the same heat output burning those same three logs in a larger stove. With this in mind you need to decide if you want the fire to last overnight. If yes, buy a stove that holds enough wood to last overnight. If no, buy a stove designed for the area you want to heat. The chimney is also an important part of the wood stove heating system. A warm chimney provides a steady natural draft which is important for proper performance and safety. An outside chimney with a clay liner and no insulation is a cold chimney and needs to be lined. An inside chimney with a clay liner is a warm chimney and doesn’t require a liner unless it is deemed by a chimney sweep to be in poor condition or your local codes require it.. A stainless steel prefabricated Having a full season supply of seasoned, cut, split and insulated chimney is a good choice inside or outside. stacked wood with a 20% or less moisture content makes the A triple wall stainless steel chimney isn’t warm experience a blessing. enough and thus isn’t recommended for burning wood.
continued on page 27
Phone (717) 667-6556 Toll Free (888) 567-6556
中国楼
Open 7 days a week! Mon-Thurs: 10:30am-10pm Fri & Sat: 10:30am-11pm Sunday: 11am-9:30pm
Dine in or take out
More than just a feed store
SZECHUAN, HUNAN, & CANTONESE STYLE CUISINE (717) 242-2300 19 East Market Street, Lewistown, PA 17044
The Valley, December 2010
24
We can meet all of your power equipment needs. Buy local and get sales and service at Rons. Many brands such as: Toro Simplicity Echo Shindaiwa Workx and more.... Large selection of snowblowers for the upcoming winter.
Visit us for high quality, custom-butchered meats as well as all of your grocery and canning supplies. 4707 Old US Highway. 322 R eedsville, PA (717) 667-3978
The Valley, December 2010
25
Health Food Store
6368 Belle Ave n Lewistown, PA 17044 n (717) 248-2433 Mon-Fri 9:30-5:30 n Sat 9:00-1:00 naturesharmonyhealthfoods@comcast.net
Now in stock
Gluten-Free products available here!
Buckhorn Taxidermy and Sporting Goods has added a new addition of live pets and pet supplies to the store. We also have a line of live bait and live crickets year-round for the fishermen and pet lovers.
Tropical Fish Birds Lizards Frogs Snakes Spiders S corpions Hamsters Gerbils Rats Mice
We are a full time taxidermy shop with over 50 years combined experience. Big game, game heads, small game, fish and exotic animals. 316 N. Logan Blvd. Burnham, PA 17009 Open 7 days a week (717) 242-4490
Mon & Fri. 10am - 7pm Tues, Wed, Thurs, Sat - 10am 5pm Sun - 8am - noon
Are you interested in writing or sharing a story? Do you want to see your name in a byline? If you can write about Agriculture, Self-reliance or have a frugal living tip, please submit your work to The Valley, PO Box 41, Yeagertown, PA 17099 for publication consideration.
The Valley, December 2010
26
Model Railroaders Open House: Dec. 2-5, Dec. 11-12, and Dec. 19 by The Valley Staff
Do you remember way back in your childhood (ok, maybe yours isn’t so far back as mine is, but work with me here) when one of the highlights of Christmas was TRAINS! Trains around your Christmas tree at home, trains on display at the toy store, at the mall, and in most every Christmas special on TV there was a scene with the obligatory train choochoo-ing around the Christmas tree. Well great news! You can still capture some of those memories, and feed your need for detail-oriented fun. There is a here-to-fore secret club in Lewistown, the Mifflin County Model Railroaders Club. They have a massive display set up in the basement of 3 West Monument Square in the old Montgomery Wards building. Here members can help in the set up of the over 2,000 square feet display that highlights the rail lines from Harrisburg, Altoona and Lewistown and surrounding
areas. The detail just blew me away. It is a wonderful way to spend some time with fellow railroading enthusiast, share stories, drink some good coffee, and have some clean wholesome fun. There are two membership types a junior membership for those 15-18 and an adult membership for 18 and older. With currently over 30 members, there is still room for a few more, and as these nostalgic activities become more and more popular with the younger set, membership is sure to increase now that we have exposed their secret society. All kidding aside, they really haven’t been a secret, but perhaps way too busy to spend time highlighting their existence. The general public will be able to see what this is all about and view their work during their Open House, which takes place December 2nd through December 5th at the Ice Festival, and the two weekends following the festival
December 11 and 12 and December 19. Visitors can purchase raffle tickets during these Open House days for the club’s one and only fund raiser for the year. Tickets are just $2.00 each and the prizes are: -- Custom “O” gauge train layout -- HO Thoroughbred N/S F7 train set -- Custom Wooden Thomas Table & Train -- KVRR Book & DVD “ The Old Hook & Eye”
Just think of the joy winning one of these prizes could provide to yourself, or even better, a special youngster that might receive it as a gift. The raffle drawing will be held at the closing of the Open House on December 19th, just in time for the prize to be given as a Christmas gift. Stop by the club during the Festival of Ice and catch the fever, buy a raffle ticket, and marvel at the work and detail that goes into these displays. Be sure to catch next months issue where we will follow up on the club in more detail with a lot more photos.
Dairy Princess continued Mushroom Guy continued from page 16 from page 15 Beat cream cheese and ¼ cup sugar in large bowl until creamy. Add melted chocolate, eggs and vanilla; beat until well mixed. Stir in ¾ cup toffee bits. Spread cream cheese mixture over crust. Continue baking for 50 to 55 minutes or until center is set. Cool in pan 1 hour. Remove from pan; place onto serving plate. Meanwhile, place chocolate chips in small bowl. Place whipping cream in small saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat (2 to 3 minutes). Pour whipping cream over chocolate chips. Let stand 5 minutes; stir until smooth. Cool until mixture falls in ribbons off spoon (about 1 hour). Spread over top of cheesecake; sprinkle outer rim of cheesecake with ¼ cup toffee bits. Cover; refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
Custom “O” gauge train layout to be raffled during the Mifflin County Model Railroaders Club Open House. Photo courtesy Dan Markle
The advent of DNA testing has changed the scientific names of many fungus specimens as they are moved around in the classifications. Don’t be surprised to find more than one scientific name for a certain species. Rest assured that even though a certain name is no longer officially used, it will forever denote the particular mushroom that it was originally used for. Scientific names are never reused for something else. Learn a little bit about what you are getting ready to put into your mouth and I guarantee you will want to learn more. Speaking of learning more, tune in next month and I’ll give you a brief overview of the amazing nutritional and medicinal benefits of many common and easily available mushrooms.
Mifflin County Model Railroaders Club set up at Reedsville youth park during Reedsville Craft Show. Photo courtesy Dan Markle
27
The Valley, December 2010 Woodstoves continued from page 23 Finally there is the fuel. Depending on the time and money you want to spend, there are numerous ways to provide the fuel for your wood stove. The least expensive method would be if you own tree-covered land or know someone that does and they are willing to allow you to harvest the wood you need. You will, of course, need to purchase equipment (chainsaw, splitting maul, sledge hammer, etc.) to cut and split the wood, and you will need a truck or trailer to haul it. This is beyond being great exercise and there are safety concerns as you can imagine; therefore, unless you are experienced in the art of harvesting wood and have the necessary equipment, I don’t recommend this method. The next possibility is to purchase a logging truck load of “poles.” These are long logs of various diameters harvested by a professional logger and delivered to your home with a logging truck with a clam unloader. In general, they deliver 5 to 6 cords of unseasoned or seasoned hardwood that still needs to be cut and split. You will need an outside area that is accessible to a logging truck to store this wood. This is how I choose to obtain my wood supply. Once received, I carefully cover the pile with a couple of waterproof tarps. To secure the tarps, I use a wire staple through the tarp ring and hammered into the poles at numerous locations along the edge of the tarp. I like to cut and split the wood when it’s cold and I need it, so I purchase seasoned poles. Usually on Sunday, I’ll cut enough wood for the following week Ever wished there and store it in plastic tubs. was a way to get For me this is good exercise and I enjoy the diverfree hot water? sion. I can cut the wood the length I want and split it into the size I want. Next month we will Finally, you can purchase wood cut, split, and stacked show you why NOW if you like, ready to place in your wood stove. The is the time for an choice is yours. For what kind of wood to specify investment in solar. check out the poem on this page.
Roads Less Traveled continued from page 13 ever worried that we’d fall through the ice? Once in a while, one of our parents would show up to “see what we were up to,” but this didn’t happen too often. However, the neighborhood parents would sometimes show up to join the skating fun—usually when there was a bonfire. Everyone in the neighborhood could skate pretty well— spins, jumps, backwards, you name it. We did lots of crazy things, such as jumping over
The Firewood Poem
Beechwood fires are bright and clear If the logs are kept a year, Chestnut’s only good they say, If for logs ‘tis laid away. Make a fire of Elder tree, Death within your house will be; But ash new or ash old, Is fit for a queen with crown of gold Birch and fir logs burn too fast Blaze up bright and do not last, it is by the Irish said Hawthorn bakes the sweetest bread. Elm wood burns like churchyard mould, E’en the very flames are cold But ash green or ash brown Is fit for a queen with golden crown Poplar gives a bitter smoke, Fills your eyes and makes you choke, Apple wood will scent your room Pear wood smells like flowers in bloom Oaken logs, if dry and old keep away the winter’s cold But ash wet or ash dry a king shall warm his slippers by. Notes The firewood poem was written by Celia Congreve, is believed to be first published in THE TIMES newspaper on March 2nd 1930.
logs and piles of snow, trying to see who could jump the farthest, and racing each other to see who could skate the fastest. The guys had lots of fun playing ice hockey, but the girls rarely participated in their games (other than getting in their way and chasing a errant puck sometimes.) We tested the boundaries sometimes too. We would skate near the drainage pipes where the ice was very thin from the moving water. Don’t try this at home kids, because this wasn’t too smart. If one of us had ended up in the water, we could have drowned. Another dumb thing we did—sometimes when walking home from school, we’d try to take a “shortcut” across the pond, but we’d soon find out that the ice wasn’t thick enough, and the cracking and rumbling would begin, as we scooted VERY quickly across. YIKES! I wasn’t as adventurous as the some of the other neighborhood kids, so I usually stayed safely on land, watching with baited breath. I feel really fortunate to have had ice skating experiences like this in my childhood. Some families may get to do this only a few times a year, or only in a public rink. Skating in a circle with fifty other people just isn’t the same as free-form skating on an outdoor pond. Add in falling snow, hot chocolate, and a bonfire, and you’ve got a wonderful day!
Expect More from Your Propane Supplier! • Reliable Propane & Heating Oil Delivery • Budget Payment Plan • 24/7 Emergency Service • Heating Equipment Service Plans • Safety Trained Professionals
Call today to learn about our NEw CustOmER sPECiAls!
• Over 80 Years Experience
Our Business is Customer Satisfaction
717-248-5476 • 1-800-PROPANE (776-7263)
Should a goat or three be included in your future plans? Find out next month when we explore the wonderful world of goats. Local Christmas Gifts for Under $15 Looking for some inexpensive gifts this Christmas? Why not support our local businesses with a few of these ideas. n A box of Asher’s Chocolates n Unique stretch ring from The Logan House n A gift basket of several bottles of Angelo’s house
salad
dressing n Lavender oil from Nature’s Harmony n A bottle of wine from The Brookmere Winery or Seven Mts. Wine Cellars n Pies and baked goods from The Honey Creek Inn n A shipment of Hartley’s Chips to a friend or relative n Printer ink refills from The Ink Garage n Crackling Wick candle from The Olde Hatchery n Three 5x7 prints of Mifflin County scenes by Rita Gay Lukens at The West Side Gallery
Not from this area? Are you moving and want to receive The Valley in your new town? We will send a copy right to your mailbox wherever you live in the United States. The yearly subscription rate is $28.00 to cover postage. Send a good check or money order and start receiving The Valley next month.
28
Grosze Thal Nachbaren (Big Valley Neighbors) by Jeptha I. Yoder
Greetings to all readers! This finds us in mid-November and experiencing fairly mild weather. Woodsheds are being filled and fall plowing being done. Corn husking is mostly finished. With the dry weather we had, corn was not the best crop, but matured earlier than in some years. Cornfields that are still left unharvested have a brown, weathered appearance. Late garden crops were exceptionally good. Here along the mountain, we did not have a hard frost until Nov. 1. We can still gather garden goodies, such as endive, carrots, beets, lettuce, cauliflower, etc. Pastures remain green with even some dandelions and violets blooming--even saw a forsythia blooming. Am Soontag, der 7, waren wir in die Gemein aus Eli S. Zugen. Bis es nägst mol ans Johannes Y. Hostetlers, so der Herr Will. Nord Milroy Gemein war ans Abraham J. Zugen. Dienstag der 9, war die Hochzeit in McClure, Verheirathet waren; Mose J. und Mareily R. Yoders ihr Isaak; Und Ben R. und Lena Y. Hostetlers ihr Lena. Zusammen-gegeben durch die braut ihr Vater Bishop Ben R. Isaak iss von Winfeld. So waren auch etliche Leit dort von Winfeld Grosze Thal, Penns Thal, Juniata, Homer Stadt und auch Andover, Ohio.
Gemein war ans Joseph S. Hostetlers. Am Donnerstag, der 11, war eine Hochzeit in unsere Nachbarschaft. Verheirathat waren Emma Y. Hostetler (Sam Y. Jr.) ihr David von McClure Zu Mareily R. Hostetler (Solomon C.) ihr Noami, durch Jacob Z. Hostetler, Nevahocker waren Johannes T. Yoder (Sam I.) und Lena E. Hostetler (Emma Y.); Menno S. Hostetler (Mose Y.) und Adelina E. Yoder (Noah D.). Diese Zwei ihren Vater sind beide gestorben im vergangenen yahr. Es war Freundachaft dort von McClure, Winfield, Lawrence, Homer Stadt, Penns Thal, und Pfad Thal. David Y. Hostettlers von Wisconsin, Mose D. Yoders und seine Shweschter Rebekah von New York. Gemein war ans M. Sieber Hostetlers. So der Herr Will bis am Donnerstag (der 18) ist die Hochzeit bestellt furs Jonithan D. und Esther E. Hostetlers ihr Joshua D. zu Michael A. und Franie M. Speichers ihr Mattie. Gemein ans Eli D. Speichers. Sonntag der 14, war Kirchenpfad Theil Gamein ans Joel E. Yoders. Besuch waren David H. Yoders von McClure. Von andere Theilen waren Noah D. Hostetlers und Familie, Mahlon C’s und Familie und Manasse J’s, alle Yodern, und Katei E. Speicher (Yost
The Valley, December 2010 J.) Nägst mol, so der Herr Will, gemein ans Christ G. Yoders. Der 21 war die gemein ans Johannes Y. Hostetlers. Von andere gegenden waren Jonithan Y. Hostetlers und Famile und Adelina Yoder (Sam I.) Wans Herr Willa so iss bis nägst mol ans Jesse S. Hostetlers. Nord Milroy war bei die Lea E. Zug (Daniel M.). Unterst Lang. Pfad ans Isaack R. Hostetlers. Nägst mol ans Noah D. Hostetlers. Singen war ans Isaaks abends. Wed. Nov. 10 was the funeral of widower John Y. Speicher who died Nov. 9 after his 87th birthday on the 8th. He was the oldest living person among the white-toppers. John was cared for at his son’s home the John A. Speichers of McClure. Lately he was helpless, his speech too feeble to visit, even though his mind was good. He was unable to walk the last 11 years. He was very patient through it all. His wife Salome passed away on Mar. 10, 2005. Pallbearers were: John E. , Isaac B., and Joel S. all Yoders and Jacob Y. Hostetler. Hauled by: Christian R. Zook. Funeral by: Bish. Ben R. Hostetler. Surviving are 6 sons and 6 daughters, four of whom are our-of-staters, each living in a different state. Numerous grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. The family has our sympathy. Here’s hoping everyone is able to enjoy our nice late-fall weather. We have so much to be thankful for as Thanksgiving Day approaches. And lets not forget to be thankful every day! I picked raspberries all summer and fall. The red ones really kept berries “inseason,” ripening a few in
late-May and I picked the last ones the first week in Nov. Still have some tomatoes and peppers laying here, indoors, of course. We cleaned our chicken houses and now I gathered the 3 dozen or so, young pullets into one hen house. For about 20 years, I’ve had my own layers, with the help of feather-footed (mostly cochin) banty hens, for hatching and raising the broods of chicks. These resulting brown egg layers are mostly mixed reds, etc. depending on the breeding stock most recently involved. I usually bring in a new rooster, or two, every year, for a new bloodline to keep the flock going. Also, have some blue (or green) egg layers mixed in. These are called Araucanas and originally came from South America. Among the many things I should do yet, before winter really sets in, is to plant some rareripe peach seeds. This heirloom peach variety is a yellow freestone grown from seed. Rareripes made their way from Lawrence County to Big Valley in the early 1900s. If you desire any seeds of this unique smallish apricot-flavored peach, I will gladly spare you some. Peach seeds, as well as most other tree seeds, need a cold-moist treatment before they are able to sprout. The easiest way to achieve this is to plant in the fall. This process (cold-moist) is called “stratification,” and is needed by many wild plants. Our thoughts are with the Noah C. and Elizabeth B. Speicher family. Their Ruthie (1 yr) is a sick little girl in Philadelphia Children’s Hospital, where surgery was performed to remove a tumor from the spinal cord/brainstem area.
Their address is 200 Cedar Grove Lane, Milroy, PA 17063. Grandparents are Christian Z. and Elizabeth M. Speicher, Sam R. and Barbara H. Yoder. Noah’s are currently staying in Philadelphia. Relatives are planning to go down in the next few days. An older acquaintence, Dick Tyson, who at one time lived in Milroy, stopped by today and I was not at home at the time. Sorry, please try again! Apparently the editor of this paper has chosen a good day (Fri.) to stop by, as I am almost always at home on Fridays. Joining one sister, is a son Aser to Moses R. and Dorothy E. Hostetler on Nov. 17. Grands are Reuben D. and Katie S. Hostetler; Widow (Jeptha H.) Lydia R. Yoder. Great-grandfather is widower Moses S. Yoder. See ya next month! God’s Blessings wished to all! Jeptha I. Yoder 150 Red Lane Milroy, PA 17063
We have much to be thankful for. God’s Blessings wished to all!
The Valley, December 2010
Family owned and operated ~ 61 years
A subscription to The Valley makes a great Christmas gift for out-oftowners. We will send a copy right to their mailbox wherever they live in the United States. The yearly subscription rate is $28.00 to cover postage. Send a good check or money order and we’ll start sending The Valley.
(717) 248-0023 Burnham Hardware & Gifts s 204 1st Ave, Burnham, PA 17009
29
The Valley, December 2010
30
Recipes, Crafts and Gift Ideas With Debra Kulp
It will soon be the Christmas season, and don’t forget hunting season as well. Here are a few traditional and festive recipes and gift ideas that bring the two season together, Pennsylvania style.
glasses and sprinkle lightly on top with nutmeg and more cinnamon if desired. Makes about 6 cups.
Eggnog
Makes 8 servings 1/2 (15oz) package refrigerated pie crust 2 cups crushed ginger snaps (about 40 ginger snaps) 1 cup pecans finely chopped 1/2 cup powdered sugar 1/4 cup butter, melted 1 (15oz) can pumpkin 1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk 2 large eggs, beaten 1/2 cup sour cream 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger Pecan Streusel (see recipe) 7 thin ginger cookies, halved Ginger spice topping Ground cinnamon 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place pie crust into a 9-inch deep dish pie plate according to package directions, fold edges under and crimp. 2. Stir together crushed gingersnaps and next three ingredients. Press mixture on bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of the pie crust. 3. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack. (about 30 minutes) 4. Stir together pumpkin and next six ingredients until well blended. Pour into pie crust. Place pie on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. 5. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Sprinkle Pecan streusel
2 1/2 cups milk 2 cups half and half Cinnamon 5 large egg yolks 3/4 cup sugar 3/4 cup bourbon 1 teaspoon vanilla 3/4 cup heavy cream Nutmeg 1. Heat milk, half and half and a pinch of cinnamon in a medium saucepan over medium heat until bubbles appear around the edges. 2. Meanwhile, beat egg yolks and sugar in a large mixing bowl on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually beat half of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture with a wire whisk. 3. Return to saucepan and cook over medium heat stirring with a wooden spoon 3 to 5 minutes, just until mixture begins to thicken (coating the back of the spoon) and registers 165 degrees on an instant read thermometer. 4. Transfer eggnog to a 1 1/2 quart glass punch bowl, cool to luke warm, whisk in bourbon and vanilla. 5. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until eggnog is cold, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. 6. Beat heavy cream in a medium mixing bowl until soft peaks form. Lightly whisk the whipping cream into cold eggnog, but don’t blend completely. Ladle into short
Pumpkin Pie Spectacular
Another option-Live Trees by Nathan Byler
As we look around the seasons of the year are changing again. The green leaves have turned to yellow and red, and then fallen to the ground to be turned into rich compost to enrich the soil. And then we have the pine trees that always have their needles and stay green or blue year round. This time of year, we call them Christmas trees. As long as I can remember, I have enjoyed smelling the fresh scent of a real pine in our home. But for us, to have that fresh smell meant a little
work to go along with it—that of bringing a tree into the house with a large ball of soil attached that would serve as a source of food for the tree for a few days. Every year in the United States 28-35 million Christmas trees are sold, and most folks are well aware of the lots that have a large selection of cut trees for your choosing. They come in all different styles and species, and they all serve the purpose of beautifying your home during that tradition-
around edge of crust. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until set, shielding edges with aluminum foil during last 25 to 30 minutes of baking, to prevent burning edges. Insert ginger cookies around edge of crust. Let cool completely on a wire rack (about 1 hour) Drop dollops of Ginger Spice topping on and dust with cinnamon.
Pecan Streusel
Makes 1 cup Stir together 1/4 cup all purpose flour, 1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar, 2 tablespoons melted butter, and 3/4 cup pecans coarsely chopped.
Ginger Spice topping
makes 3 cups Stir together 1 (8oz) container frozen whipped topping, thawed, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger.
Barbecued Wild Duck
2 wild ducks (1lb each), split in half 1/4 cup butter 1/2 cup ketchup 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 garlic clove minced 5 teaspoons lemon juice 1 tablespoon brown suger 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce 1. Place ducks in a 13” X 9” X 2” baking dish. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 1 3/4 to 2 hours or until tender. 2. Meanwhile, combine the remaining ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover
ally festive time of year. The vast majority of those trees are indeed composted and put to good use afterward, but there is another way. A way in which not only do you have the beauty of a festive pine, spruce or fir in your house to decorate, but something to add to your landscape after the holidays are over. Potted, or balled and burlap trees, have been steadily gaining in popularity for the last 30 years or so—not in leaps and bounds, but a significant number are purchased by those wishing to beautify their landscapes with the tree that graced their home
and simmer for 5 minutes. 3. Baste ducks with sauce during the last 30 minutes of baking time. Yield is 4 servings.
Roasted Pheasants with Oyster Stuffing
1 can (8oz) whole oysters 2 cups heab stuffing mix 2 cups cornbread stuffing mix 1 can (14.5oz) chicken broth, divided 1 medium onion chopped 1/2 cup chopped celery 1/4 cup egg substitute 2 pheasants (2-3lbs each) 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning 6 bacon strips 1. Drain oysters, reserving liquid. Coarsely chop oysters. In a large bowl combine the oysters and liquid, stuffing mixes, 3/4 cup broth, onion, celery and egg substitute. Loosly stuff into pheasants. Skewer or fasten openings. Tie drumsticks together. Place breast side up on a rack in a roasting pan. 2. Combine Worcestershire sauce and remaining broth, spoon over pheasants. Sprinkle with poultry seasoning. Place 3 strips of bacon over each pheasant. 3. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours or until meat thermometer reads 180 degrees for poultry and 165 degrees for the stuffing. 4. Cover, let stand for 10 minutes before removing stuffing and slicing. Yields 6-8 servings.
Crafts Scented Cinnamon Ornament Do Not Eat!
1 cup cinnamon 1 tablespoon cloves
for Christmas Day. Such trees also help to preserve memories of Christmas’ past, as they grow on in the yard. The story is often told of that particular Christmas. As I look out into our yard over the many years
1 tablespoon nutmeg 3/4 cup applesauce 2 tablespoons white glue Ribbon In a bowl, mix the spices. Add applesauce and glue, stirring until well blended. Work mixture until dough is smooth and ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Divide into four portions and roll each portion between two pieces of waxed paper to 1/4” thickness. Cut dough with cookie cutters of desired shapes. Using a straw or toothpick, make a small hole at the top of each ornament. Place on wire racks and allow to dry at room temperature for several days. (For more uniform drying turn ornaments over once each day). Thread ribbon through the holes to form garland. You can also glue to wooden hoop forming a wreath and decorate with ribbon as desired. Makes approximately 32 2-inch ornaments.
Gift Idea Sweet Christmas Potpourri
3 tablespoons whole cloves 2 bay leaves 3 cinnamon sticks 2 cups water 1 handful of pine needles 3 pieces dried orange or lemon rind Mix all ingredients and put in a festive jar Attach this note to the jar. Sweet Christmas Potpourri Put sweet Christmas potpourri mix into a saucepan. Add water, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer all day. Add water as needed. When finished, refrigerate and reuse.
since, I see that four of those trees live on and the birds and other animals are making use of them as homes. I get a great sense of satisfaction that comes from knowing that I am helping nature live on. Christ came into this world about two thousand years ago to give us new life and to live on for us. So one way we can help out is to plant a live Christmas tree to live on. We live in a throw away society that uses something once and then throws it away, but by planting a live Christmas tree, we give something back and break that throw away cycle.
The Valley, December 2010
31
The Valley, December 2010
32
Where to find The Valley
Lewistown
Dan Pierce Outdoor Shop Wilson’s Meats & Groceries West End Service Store China House Restaurant Waterfront Restaurant Joe’s OIP
A listing of area outlets where you can pick up your copy of The Valley.
Please support our advertisers and outlets.
Grace Hill Laundry Allensville Planing Mill Southside Laundry
They are what makes our communities special.
Belleville
Exterior Doors & Windows Belleville Agway Minit Mart PaulB Hardware & Farm Fisher & Thompson N/S Sweeties Donuts Big Valley Repair Service A J Peachey’s
Stone Arch Real Estate
Reedsville
Bel-Vue Inn
Burnham
Peight’s Store
Pop’s Deli
Billetts Market
Brindel’s Hardware
Calkins Subaru
Healthy Food Store
Countryside Laundry
Cen-Pen Dairy Store
Valero Mini Mart & Gas
Buckhorn Taxidermy
East Gate Feed and Grain
The Point Store
Countryside Creamery
Honey Creek Inn
Creekside Hearth and Patio
Nature’s Harmony Health Food
Big Valley Beverage
Siglerville
Weis Markets
Burns Eye Care Associates
Minit Mart
Milroy
B&R Farm Equipment
Sherwin-Williams Co
Beaver Springs
Nourishing Journey’s
Dutch Country Inn
Bowersox Pizza
The Ink Garage
Ron’s Fruit Market
Milroy Market
Quality Inn/Tony’s Restaurant
Beavertown
The Pen and Thread
Reedsville Seafood Company
Tom’s Travel Center
Marlene’s Total Image
Michelle’s
Best Western Nittany Inn
Minit Mart
Metzlers Outdoor Products
The Olde Hatchery
Steele’s Rental
DW Outdoors
Big Valley Antiques
Nace’s Country Store
J. A. E. Designs
Lerch RV
Ed’s Trains
Buck Run Hardwoods
OIP Milroy
Bing’s Diner Vince’s Pizza and Family Restaurant Lewistown Hunting and Fishing
McClure
Siglerville General Store Vince’s Pizza Place
B&R Farm Equipment
Whitehall Whitehall General Store
Allensville
Country Village Restaurant
Burnham Hardware and Gifts
Allensville Planing Mill
Yeagertown
Mill Creek
Sticky Bun Cafe
County Line Market
Hammermill Bar and Grill
Millheim
Stroup’s Garage Dave Molek Law Offices
Stanley C. Bierly Stove Shop