“Mary Poppins” frompg 1

Balmer estimated that the theater arts group as a whole has invested about 150 man hours of time in pulling it off.

Open auditions for the play were conducted during the first week of January, and the cast and crew has been conducting four or five rehearsals every week since. The performance features about 20 songs and musical numbers.

“A lot of the lead roles are handled by seniors, but some of the students are brand new to theater,” said Balmer. “They’re wonderful individuals who are hard-working and enjoy learning the theater.

They really put themselves out there. They come with willing spirits.”

Starring in the lead role of Mary Poppins is senior Kyla Mason, while fellow 12thgrader Brennan Lyon is tackling the role of Bert. The Banks children, Michael and Jane, are being portrayed by fifth-graders Hayden Martin and Sierra McCracken, respectively. Senior Tyler Velkly plays the role of George Banks, while senior Wynne Coolbeth holds down the role of Winifred Banks.

Balmer is assisted by music director Lisa Huber and

Talk to focus on pretzel making

The Historical Society of the Cocalico Valley (HSCV) announces will offer its next program, “Mindful Pretzel Consumption,” will be held on Wednesday, March 22, at 7 p.m. at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 167 E. Main St., Ephrata.

Jill Marie Thomas, greatgreat-granddaughter of Julius Sturgis and daughter of Tom senior stage manager Grace Gerard.

Sturgis, will speak on the history and methods of pretzel making and the life of an early pretzel baker in Lititz. The program is free and open to the public. The parking lot and entrance are located in the alley to the rear of the building. For more information, visit www.cocalicovalleyhs.org or call 717-733-1616.

“There are a lot of logistics, a lot of planning, a lot of patience that goes into it,” said Balmer. “Initially, I really want the students to understand the plot, and it takes a lot of hours to learn the songs. When you put that many hours into it, you better like it. If the attitude of the show is upbeat, it permeates into your personality. I wanted it to be a family show. I wanted a show that could bring people together.”

Typically, the Lititz Christian theater arts department produces one play every school year, usually in the spring. LCS’ past shows have included “The Importance of Being Earnest”; “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown”; and “Annie.”

“Theater builds community, and I’m all about community,” said Balmer. “So much cross-curriculum happens in the arts, but especially on stage. There are just so many potential applications that can be applied to the performing arts - group work, working with a partner, teamwork, project-based learning.”

Tickets for Lititz Christian School’s “Mary Poppins” can be purchased at www.lititz christian.net or at the door the night of the performance.

Masonic Village Hospice Volunteers Needed

We are looking for volunteers to visit with patients receiving hospice care in your local community. Our next orientation is

Saturday, March 25th

8:30am-3:00pm

At Legends of Lititz

80 W. Millport Rd., Lititz

Registration closes one week before training. Please call for more information and to reserve your seat! (717) 367-1121 ext. 33024

Born and raised

BY WENDY ROYAL

We are fortunate to live in an area that has long been regarded as the “Garden Spot of America.” Generational farming is a part of the Lancaster County culture. In fact, we lead the nation in young farmers. According to the most recent Economic Impact study by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, 14% of farms in Pennsylvania had a young producer (defined as someone age 35 or younger) operating as the primary farmer. At last count, Lancaster County had 2,400 young producers, twice as much as the second-ranked county in the nation, LaGrange County, Ind. In addition, Lancaster County leads the nation in farmland preservation, with more than 113,000 acres preserved. As promising as that sounds for the future, we’re still losing more than 1,200 acres of Lancaster County farmland each year to development, according to the Lancaster Farmland Trust (LFT), a nonprofit organization with the mission of preserving agriculture and stewarding the land in Lancaster County. For more information on LFT, visit https://lancasterfarmland trust.org.

Farming can be a back-breaking, often undervalued vocation that doesn’t stop at 5 p.m. on Friday. Like we often do with first responders and the military, thank a farmer for his or her service to our community. Look at labels and buy locally. See where your milk, produce, and meat are coming from. When you shop at local supermarkets, if you don’t see local produce in season, ask why the store isn’t providing locally sourced foods. Encourage the store to offer local produce so shoppers can easily support local farmers.

The Lancaster County landscape is dotted with roadside produce stands when crops are in season. Most of these stands and farmers markets won’t open until later in the spring or summer. Below is a list of some of the many locations where you can get fresh local produce, meats, and cheeses.

Beiler’s Fruit Farm

383 Springville Road New Holland, PA 17557

Bird-in-Hand Farmers Market 2710 Old Philadelphia Pike (Route 340)

Bird-in-Hand, PA 17505

Brook Lawn Farm Market 2325 Lititz Pike

Lancaster, PA 17601

Busy Bee’s Farm Market 3378 Old Philadelphia Pike Ronks, PA 17572

Cherry Hill Orchards 400 Long Lane Lancaster, PA 17603

Columbia Market House 15 S.Third St. Columbia, PA 17512

The Corn Wagon 2169 Millersville Road Lancaster, PA 17603

Country Barn Farm Market 211 S. Donerville Road Lancaster, PA 17603

March

Countryside Road-Stand 2966 Stumptown Road Ronks, PA 17572

Dogwood Farm Market 1124 Dogwood Drive Reinholds, PA 17569

Edgewood Farms Orchard & Farm Market 240 W 28th Division Highway Lititz, PA 17543

Everfresh Produce 3145 Division Highway New Holland, PA 17557

Fisher’s Bakery & Roadside Stand 328 N. Belmont Road

Gordonville, PA 17529

Fisher’s Roadside Market 859 Strasburg Road Paradise, PA 17562

Funk’s Riverview Greenhouses 2277 River Road Washington Boro, PA 17582

Green Dragon Farmers Market & Auction 955 North State St. Ephrata, PA 17522

Helping farm families

Harvest Lane Farm Market 851 E. Oregon Road Lititz, PA 17543

Hilltop Acres Farm Market 347 Rife Run Road Manheim, PA 17545

Hoover’s Farm Market and Greenhouses 30 Erbs Bridge Road Lititz, PA 17543

Horst Farm Market 640 Reading Road East Earl, PA 17519

Kauffman Orchards 3097 Old Philadelphia Pike Bird-in-Hand, PA 17505

Kissel Hill Fruit Farm 2101 Kissel Hill Road Lititz, PA 17543

Lancaster Central Market 23 N. Market St. Lancaster, PA 17603

Leid’s Orchard 665 Maple Grove Road New Holland, PA 17557

Lititz Farmers Market

Lititz Springs Park, 24 N. Broad St. Lititz, PA 17543

Mary Ann’s Kitchen

3157 Old Philadelphia Pike

Bird-in-Hand, PA 17505

Masonic Village Farm Market

1 Masonic Drive Elizabethtown, PA 17022

Meck’s Produce Roadside Market

1955 Beaver Valley Pike Strasburg, PA 17579

New Holland Farmers Market

Main Streeet and South Roberts Avenue New Holland, PA 17557

Reiff’s Farm Market

2902 Rothsville Road Ephrata, PA 17522

Root’s Country Market & Auction Inc.

705 Graystone Road Manheim, PA 17545

Route 10 Roadside Market

941 Compass Road Honey Brook, PA 19344

Shenk’s Berry Farm 911 Disston View Drive Lititz, PA 17543

SPOOKYNOOK Produce, Greenhouse, & More 821 Landisville Road Manheim, PA 17545

Spring House Peach Farm 377 S. Churchtown Road Narvon, PA 17555

Strasburg Market Place 214 Hartman Bridge Road Ronks, PA 17579

The Tomato Barn 65 Penn St. Washington Boro, PA 17582

The Village Farm Market 1520 Division Highway Ephrata, PA. 17522

Zook’s Roadside Stand 3916 Old Philadelphia Pike Gordonville, PA 17529

$10.99