Make an Impact With Perfect Pots AT T R A C T I N G R U BY-T H R O AT E D HUMMINGBIRDS
M AY 2 0 2 2
Stacy Martin & Kevin Lehman COMBINE ART & N AT U R E
H AV I N G A G A R D E N PA R T Y ? Add Treats From Front Porch Baking Co. to the Menu
Garden Events are Back!
Creating Backyard Habitats
Should I Get a Second Opinion?
“SECOND OPINIONS are
common and highly recommended.”
Perry J. Argires, MD, FAANS, FACS Neurosurgeon Specializing in Cervical Disc Replacement and Spine Care Voted as the Best Surgeon in Lancaster County LNP Readers’ Choice Favorite Neurosurgeon
“ It just comes down to AWARENESS.”
Louis A. Marotti, MD, PhD, FAANS, FACS Neurosurgeon Specializing in Spine Care Voted as the Best Surgeon in Lancaster County LNP Readers’ Choice Favorite Neurosurgeon
The answer is yes. Never feel as though you are hurting the surgeon's feelings. Second opinions are common and highly recommended. If a surgeon takes offense, consider that a red flag. Also, if a surgeon tells you they cannot help you or that nothing else can be done to help you, you should certainly get a second opinion.
OUR OTHER MULTI-TALENTED DOCTORS...
Managed by
Steven M. Falowski, MD Neurosurgeon Specializing in Spinal Cord Stimulators LNP Readers’ Choice Favorite Neurosurgeon
Jarod B. John, MD Neurologist With a focus on elderly care and migraines LNP Readers’ Choice Favorite Neurologist
Jack Smith, MD Pain Medicine
160 NORTH POINTE BLVD., SUITE 200 LANCASTER (717) 358-0800 ARGIRESMAROTTI.COM Managed by
Remembering and Honoring THOSE WHO SACRIFICED FOR OUR FREEDOM.
W W W . W H I T E F A M I LY D E N TA L . C O M Elizabethtown
100 Continental Dr. Elizabethtown, PA 717-367-1336
Elizabethtown
Masonic Village Elizabethtown, PA 717-366-2466
Manheim
108 Doe Run Rd. Manheim, PA 717-879-9700
Contents
MAY 2022 | VOLUME 36 | NUMBER 1
24.
Features
14.
Garden Events Are Back!
24.
Living in a Natural World
After taking a pandemic pause, many of Lancaster’s favorite garden-related tours and events are back on the calendar.
Combine a green thumb (Stacy Martin) and creative talents (Kevin Lehman) and you have the ingredients for a natural habitat that is good for the soul and the environment.
32. Perfect Pots … A Grassroots Enterprise Blooms Laura Lapp wasn’t looking to start a business but her talents for creating container gardens quickly outgrew her driveway and has grown into a company that now boasts two divisions.
Departments
9.
Gardening Journey
9.
There’s nothing more exciting than seeing a Hummingbird visit your garden. Dr. Richard Bitner shares all the information you need to attract the birds to your backyard habitat.
46.
Foodographer
Jordan Bush learns why Food & Wine magazine named Front Porch Baking Co. in Millersville as one of the best in Pennsylvania. Meet its owner, Kristen RichardsSollenberger, who launched Be Scene! her bakery during the Live music, theatre, art pandemic after being gallery and museum exhibits, laid-off from her art/craft/maker shows, outdoor previous job. activities and fundraising events
52.
Table for Two
are once again dotting the calendar. Visit our website, lancastercountymag.com, to make plans and order tickets for upcoming events.
The Brickerville House Restaurant is a family affair, as it’s owned by brothers George and Tony Agadis. With their eyes on the future, they’ve spent the last two years remodeling portions of the restaurant and rebranding the adjacent shopping complex that was renamed Bricker Village earlier this year.
56.
Why We Love Lancaster
Be sure to save space in your garden to include some plants from a sale sponsored by The Gilded Lily. Proceeds will benefit Hospice & Community Care.
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ON THE COVER: Kirk Zutell photographed the backyard habitat that Stacy Martin and Kevin Lehman created in suburbia. The chairs are meaningful to Stacy as they once belonged to her grandmother.
Special Advertising Section
16. & 38.
Spring Fever
The businesses seen in this special advertising section are ready to help you update your look, remodel your home, transform your backyard, create curb appeal for the front of your home, maintain your lawn and landscaping, pamper your pets, experience farm life, take care of your health and finances, enjoy a night out, relax with a favorite beverage and support a nonprofit organization.
32.
What’s your Life Lived Forward?
Willow Valley Communities offers residents almost limitless opportunities to pursue their passions. Professional dog show competitor and resident Bets Keen trains her two golden retriever therapy dogs regularly and keeps them healthy and happy. Miles of rolling trails satisfy Pride’s urge to cruise, while the community’s social dog parks indulge Ribbon’s love for playtime and connect Bets with like-minded friends. “There’s so much for the three of us to explore and learn together,” she said. “We are all living life forward!”
Find your Life Lived Forward. Explore Willow Valley Communities today. 800.770.5445 | WillowValleyCommunities.org | Lancaster, PA
L ANCASTER’ S
Fresh. Local. Authentic. Italian. Come and try out our delicious Chilled Seafood Salad!
PUBLISHER Jocelyn Engle EDITOR Suzanne Starling-Long Sue@lancastercountymag.com
YOU’LL LOVE LOMBARDO’S iconic Italian cuisine. It’s been a Lancaster favorite for over 75 years. Offering warm hospitality in an upscale atmosphere, Lombardo’s is perfect for date night, business gatherings, and enjoying time with friends and family. It’s the most authentic Italian cuisine this side of Italy. Check lombardosrestaurant.com for hours and to make a reservation.
lunch Tuesday to Saturday 11–2:30pm dinner Tuesday to Thursday 4–9:30pm Friday and Saturday 4–10pm 717.394.3749 216 Harrisburg Avenue
ART DIRECTOR Ashley Kendrick Kennedy Ashley@lancastercountymag.com ASSISTANT EDITOR Kaylee Rex Kaylee@lancastercountymag.com MARKETING DIRECTOR Rachel Stebbins Rstebbins@engleonline.com REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS WRITERS
P H OTO G RA P H E R S
Dr. Richard L. Bitner Jill Brown Rochelle A. Shenk Michael C. Upton Kathleen Wagner
Jordan Bush Nick Gould Kirk Zutell
ADVERTISING INFORMATION 717-492-2525 SALES MANAGER Greg March Gmarch@engleonline.com ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVES Karen Stoltzfus Karen@lancastercountymag.com Christine Smolenski Christine@lancastercountymag.com PRODUCED & PUBLISHED BY Engle Printing & Publishing Co., Inc. PROUD MEMBER OF:
Lancaster County Magazine is published monthly. Statements and opinions are the responsibility of the authors alone and do not imply an opinion on the part of Lancaster County Magazine. Materials are copyrighted and may not be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Suggestions welcome. Single copy price $2.95 (discounts available on quantity orders). Subscription price is $16.95 for 12 issues. Use address below. Lancaster County Magazine P.O. Box 500 Mount Joy, PA 17552 Lancastercountymag.com
JUNE 17 - 25 LIVE ON STAGE AT PRIMA THEATRE PRIMATHEATRE.ORG | 717 327 5124
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FOR SUBSCRIPTION INFO: 717-492-2556
A great team, always close to home. Penn State Health Children’s Lancaster Pediatric Center Opening Summer 2022 Harrisburg Pike, Lancaster Penn State Health Children’s Hospital Nationally recognized 11 years straight Hershey CHI-18239-22 175388 031722
ChicKeN BB Q Saturday, May 21 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Long’s Park • Harrisburg Pike, Lancaster Proceeds directly benefit the Lancaster community, Long’s Park improvement projects, programs for at risk youth, and other local nonprofits. Tickets can be purchased in advance online at CivitasLancaster.org at a discount price of $12. Tickets can also be purchased the day of the barbecue online or at the park for $13.
A DVA N C E D MEDICINE
Bringing a world of possibilities to Lancaster. At Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health, we’re leading with advanced medicine. From groundbreaking treatment for blood cancer to revolutionary vaccine technology. From local clinical trials for advanced heart care to bringing the only proton therapy center in the region for cancer treatment. We bring a world of possibilities to Lancaster, because Lancaster means the world to us.
LGHealth.org
Lancaster General Health
Lebanon Harrisburg Carlisle
York
Lancaster
Chambersburg
Gettysburg Hanover
Surrounded by expert primary care. Welcoming new patients. With more than 50 convenient locations across central Pa., it’s never been easier to find a primary care provider. Our providers offer wellness services and treatment for medical conditions that range from common to complex. To find a doctor or schedule an appointment, visit UPMC.com/CentralPaPCP.
Gardening Journey Hosting Feathered Friends
Hummingbirds! Continuing last month’s column on attracting songbirds to the garden, the focus this month is on the special characteristics and needs of the enthralling Rubythroated Hummingbird. BY DR. RICHARD L. BITNER
There is not
much that can compare to the joy of sighting the iridescence of a Hummingbird close at hand. Compared to songbirds, they are remarkable for their unique flying ability that enables them to hover over flowers and thrust their needle-sharp bills deep inside blossoms to gather nectar and
tiny insects. Their bodies seem almost motionless at times because of the rapid motion of their wings, which produces a low humming sound, giving them their common name. They can even fly backwards!
Capable of Incredible Feats! The Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris), the only breeding hummer in eastern North America, is common to our area. (A half-dozen species are found in the West and Southwest.) It has an iridescent red throat and a green crown and back. The iridescent parts of the feathers are flat and reflect light in just one direction and therefore, the sun must strike the feathers in just the right way or they will look almost black.
A male’s wings can beat 78 times per second during regular flight and up to 200 times per second during a dive. Their wings are fixed and rigid except at the shoulder joint, allowing them to move freely in all directions. Its heart beats 1,260 times per minute. At rest, it takes 250 breaths per minute. The movement of hummers is limited to flight, as their small feet prevent them from walking or hopping. However, they can shuffle along a perch. An adult measures 3.75 inches in length and weighs only 3.5 grams on average. Despite their size, many fly nonstop every year to and from Mexico, their wintering grounds. Their usual lifespan is 3 to 5 years. Hummers feed from dawn to dusk. They locate their food by sight, as they do not have a sense of smell.
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Recipe for Feeder Mixture: • 1 part sugar (do not use honey) and 4 parts unsoftened drinking water • Boil and cool. Store extra in fridge for up to two weeks.
Coral Bells (Heuchera)
Lupines (Lupinus Russell Hybrids)
Trumpet Vine (Campsis, Bignonia)
Salvia (Salvia)
Indian Pink (Spigelia)
Nesting
Cardinal Flower (Lobelia)
Hummingbirds nest in sheltered trees or shrubs, often favoring pines, spruces, maples and birches. The nest is constructed by the female over the course of six to 10 days. Wanting her nest to be soft and flexible, she starts with leaves as a base and then adds twigs and bits of plants. It’s finished off with moss and lichen to camouflage the nest and make it soft. Catkin-bearing trees and shrubs – like willows, witch hazels and birches – provide soft plant fibers for nesting materials. The entire nest is held together by spider silk, which she incorporates. (Fostering spiders will encourage Hummingbirds to nest nearby and control many insect pests.) The nests are only an inch in diameter; you will seldom find them because of the camouflage. It will look like a small knot of wood. The flexible materials allow the nest to expand as the chicks grow. Since they lose their shape, nests are used only once. Hummingbird eggs are about the size of jellybeans. There are usually two eggs and they are incubated for two to three weeks. The juveniles leave the nest 18 to 28 days after hatching. The female provides all direct parental care of the young, receiving no help from the male.
Feeders Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)
Zinnia (Z. elegans)
Petunias (Petunia)
Honeysuckle (Lonicera)
It is not difficult to attract this enchanting bird to your garden. One way is with a feeder. Most are made of plastic, some of glass, but any will work well. Most of the feeders will have flower patterns or red sections that are attractive to Hummingbirds. It is important to keep them filled with a sugar-water solution and cleaned regularly. It’s a good idea to place your feeders where they will not be jostled by wind. Also, don’t position them in full sun, which causes the sugar solution to spoil. Feeders can be suspended from a tree limb or metal support. There are also feeders that can be mounted on a window. Early on you will notice how territorial the Hummingbird is around a food source, especially during the breeding season.
Aggressive toward other hummers is more descriptive, which is a good reason to put up additional feeders in other areas out of view! Hummingbirds get quick energy from sugar-water feeders, which fuels their search for the small insects and spiders that they find inside the flowers and provide most of their nourishment. Hummingbirds will also feed on tree sap when nectar is scarce or unavailable.
Planting for Hummingbirds Your Hummingbird garden can be as simple as a flower box or a collection of pots on a patio, or as expansive as an herbaceous border or wildflower meadow. If space permits, provide plants varying in height, as this allows access to all the flowers; hummers need space around the blooms to hover and feed comfortably. Obviously make flowers and flowering shrubs available for nectar, as well as trees of different heights for them to perch. Tubular flowers seem especially adapted to accommodate the long bills and long tongues of hummers. Red flowers are especially attractive since they are most easily distinguished from other colors (bees, interestingly, are not drawn to red). However, the main factor in flower choice is reward. Hummingbirds have no difficulty hovering below a flower or gathering nectar from a narrow, tubular flower. Also, hummers care nothing about scent, which is an attractant for pollinating insects. Interestingly, pollen from differently shaped flowers is picked up on different parts of the hummer including the forehead, chin and all around the bill. One study found that Ruby-throated hummers deposited 10 times as much pollen per visit as did bumble bees and honeybees.
Favorite Plants for Hummers Set a goal of having some “Hummingbird flowers” in bloom at all times during their annual visit. Remember that they like many types of flowers, not just red tubular ones, and that any flower that attracts insects is beneficial, as it provides that other essential part of a Hummingbird’s diet. TRUMPET VINE (Campsis, Bignonia): Vines can grow up sturdy trellises or along fences, making feeding easy for the birds. Blooms mid-summer. Can be very aggressive. CARDINAL FLOWER (Lobelia): Very showy red flowers bloom June to September. Sun or shade. Prefers constant moisture. Will reseed. COLUMBINE (Aquilegia canadensis): Blooms April/May, just when the hummers are arriving. Sun or shade. Will self-seed. HONEYSUCKLE (Lonicera): Blooms May to June. Full sun. Fall berries are attractive to birds. Can be invasive. ZINNIA (Z. elegans): Annual with countless cultivars. Easy to grow from seed. PETUNIAS (Petunia): Annual with lots of color choices. CORAL BELLS (Heuchera): Available in a wide range of (foliage) colors. Spring to late-summer bloom times. ‘Autumn Bride’ is a favorite, late-summer bloom. Part sun/shade. SALVIA (Salvia): Many choices, both annuals and perennials. Blooms mid-to-late summer. Salvia greggii is my favorite. Deadhead for repeat blooms.
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Agastache (Agastache foeniculum)
Bee Balm (Monarda didyma)
Phlox (Phlox drummondii)
Rose Campion (Lychnis)
Morning Glory (Ipomoea)
Hollyhock (Alcea)
Crocosmia (C. ‘Lucifer’) Flowering Tobacco (Nicotiana spp.)
Fuchsia (Fuchsia)
Jewelweed (Impatiens) Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia)
Hosta (Hosta spp.)
Helping You Celebrate Mom Since 1972
Visit us for Mother’s Day geraniums, roses, gerbera daisies, and more!
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LUPINES (Lupinus Russell Hybrids): This tall plant offers many colors. Blooms May into July. Full sun. INDIAN PINK (Spigelia): Underused native with interesting red and yellow flowers. June bloom time. Part shade, moist soil. Nice in a container. BEE BALM (Monarda didyma): A hummer magnet! Blooms May to July. Do not let dry out. Deadhead to prolong bloom. Needs good air circulation to avoid mildew.
into July in full sun. Easy to grow and will freely self-seed. JEWELWEED (Impatiens): Tall annual that self-seeds. Requires shade and wet soil. HOSTA (Hosta spp.): Grown for the foliage, but their flowers are an excellent nectar source. AGASTACHE (Agastache foeniculum): Mint-like foliage with tubular flowers that hummers love. Full sun, good drainage.
MORNING GLORY (Ipomoea): Annual. Flowers until fall. Easy to grow from seed. Needs support.
HOLLYHOCK (Alcea): Biennial. Because of their height, they’re great for the back row of your border. Self-seeds.
FLOWERING TOBACCO (Nicotiana spp.): Annual. Fragrance is a bonus.
CROCOSMIA (C. ‘Lucifer’): Tall plant that produces exotic-looking orange-to-red blooms.
RED HOT POKER (Kniphofia): Tall plant with dramatic/bold flowers. Early summer bloomer. No boggy soil. PHLOX (Phlox drummondii): Annual. Blooms May to July (declines in heat). Great ground cover and for use in containers and rock gardens. Will reseed. ROSE CAMPION (Lychnis): Vivid magenta flowers with wooly silver foliage. Blooms May
3rd Annual May 14, 2022
FUCHSIA (Fuchsia): This hummer magnet is not hardy but is a favorite in hanging baskets.
ARTS & CRAFT SHOW Free Admission & Parking
DR. RICHARD L. BITNER is a horticultural lecturer and photographer. He is the author of three books on conifers and teaches a conifers course at the Barnes Arboretum School at St. Joseph’s University. His website is ConifersForGardens.com.
10a.m.–4p.m. • Rain or Shine
Root’s Market, 705 Graystone Rd. Manheim, PA 17545
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JUNE 11 Columbia Garden Tour Gardening and creative expression come together to provide a unique tour that takes participants to some of the borough’s iconic period homes as well as to newer residences. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Visit createcolumbia.org for details.
JUNE 11-12 Secret Gardens of Strasburg
Garden Events Are Back! It’s time to get gardening and fortunately, many time-honored events and tours are back to help you get started or inspired. MAY 7
Lititz Historical Foundation Plant Exchange
Master Gardeners … Ready, Set, Shop
Held in conjunction with the Lititz Garden Club, the event is held in the Mary Oehme Gardens. The exchange is limited to perennials and they must be tagged. 145 E. Main St., Lititz. 1:30 p.m. (rain/shine). For details, visit lititzhistoricalfoundation.com.
This annual plant sale is returning to its in-person format. Shoppers will find a wide selection of native, perennial, annual and pollinator plants, as well as herbs and tomato/pepper plants. Soil test kits will also be available for purchase. An educational booth will be in operation. Farm & Home Center, 1383 Arcadia Rd., Lancaster. 8 a.m.12 noon. For details, visit extension.psu.edu/ programs/master-gardener/counties/lancaster.
The Herb & Garden Faire Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum’s annual garden extravaganza is back! Vendors will be offering heirloom, native and hard-to-find plants, as well as other gardening needs. Landis Valley’s Heirloom Seed Project will be offering vegetable seeds and plants, as well. 2451 Kissel Hill Rd., Lancaster. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. each day. Visit landisvalleymuseum.org for details.
Save some space in your garden for a great cause!
JUNE 3 & 4 Hospice & Community Care Plant Sale The Gilded Lily will be providing perennials, annuals, shrubs, vegetable plants, herbs, houseplants, hanging baskets and container gardens for this sale, with 100% of proceeds benefiting Hospice & Community Care. Friday, 3-7 p.m. and Saturday, 7 a.m.-1 p.m. The Essa Flory Center, 685 Good Dr., Lancaster. Visit hospiceandcommunitycare.org for details.
Hospice & Community Care
Plant Sale June 3 & 4 685 Good Drive, Lancaster
Friday, 3 – 7 p.m.
Meet Tim & James from The Gilded Lily
Sat., 7 a.m. – 1 p.m. Sponsored by The Gilded Lily
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FOOD TRUCKS
100% of plant proceeds support:
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JUNE 11-19 Philadelphia Flower Show
MAY 1
MAY 6-7
Sponsored by the Strasburg Heritage Society, the tour returns to its traditional June weekend. The tour will take participants to a wide range of homes and gardens in and around Strasburg. For details, visit strasburgheritagesociety.org.
• Perennials • Annuals • Shrubs • Vegetables • Herbs • House plants • Succulents
For a second year, the show is being held outdoors in late spring. This year’s theme, “In Full Bloom,” will feature the work of 40 designers. In addition, the show will boast 100+ vendors, as well as food and drink areas. FDR Park, South Philadelphia. Visit phsonline.org for details.
JULY 8 & 9 Porches & Posies Twelve stops comprised of both English and Amish gardens in and around the Southern End of the county are on this year’s tour. Proceeds benefit Chestnut Level Presbyterian Church’s sanctuary renovations. Advance tickets are $15 through July 1 and $20 at the door. Hours: Friday, 5-8 p.m. and Saturday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Call 717-548-2763 for tickets.
AUGUST 6 Mount Gretna Tour of Homes & Gardens The long-standing event – 36 years – takes visitors into the community’s famous cottages, as well as homes in newer neighborhoods. Proceeds benefit Gretna Music. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. (rain/shine). Visit gretnamusic.org for details.
OCTOBER 9 Garden Railways Tour Sponsored by the Railroad Museum of PA, the self-guided tour will take participants to homes where this unique merger of gardening and railroading has been transforming backyards all across the country. Visit rrmuseumpa.org for details.
Healthcare inspired by women. The time you spend on your health is important. That’s why at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health, we take the time to learn about each and every patient. The result is customized care — from resources to prevention to treatment — not just for women in general, but for one woman in particular. You. Discover more at LGHealth.org/WomensHealth.
Women’s Health
Spring Fever
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
COMPILED BY KAYLEE REX
Spring is a reawakening. The season adds life to a world that was cold and gray. It invites you to get organized, get outdoors and get moving. Spring welcomes you to feel the warm rays of sun on your face again and enjoy a picnic, spend a day at the park or out in the yard with the kids.
It
is the season for spring cleaning and starting a clean slate. It’s the perfect time to shake things up and redecorate a tired-looking room or an outdoor patio. Whether it’s shopping for an updated look, new kitchen lighting or new outdoor furniture, Lancaster County is blooming with retailers, landscape artists and other friendly businesses waiting to help you “spring” forward this season. PLAYFUL PUPS RETREAT is a premier pet resort committed to providing a clean, healthy, fun and nurturing environment for your dog at their two Elizabethtown-area locations. Playful Pups Retreat offers dog boarding at their Milton Grove Road location and dog daycare and training at their Hershey Road location. When you’re away from home, have peace of mind knowing that your furry family member will receive attention, love and high-quality care, as well as enjoy tons of fun at Playful Pups Retreat. Their team members are dog lovers who are chosen for their knowledge of dog behavior, dependability and exceptional attitudes. The Playful Pups team gets to know each dog and provides individualized care, enriching activities, socialization and of course, a lot of belly rubs and snuggles. For more information, visit playfulpupsretreat.com.
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Z10 for hot & cold The new
coffee specialties
Freshly ground, not capsuled. A world first, the groundbreaking Z10 prepares both hot and cold brew specialty coffees – freshly ground, not capsuled. At the touch of a button, it brews the full spectrum of hot drinks, from intense espresso to on-trend flat white. It also opens up a whole new dimension in coffee enjoyment with the introduction of cold brew specialties, thanks to the Product Recognizing Grinder (P.R.G.) that recognizes the chosen specialty and adjusts the grind accordingly. Experience a completely new way to enjoy coffee. The JURA Hospitality Center is right here in Lancaster County. Family-owned and operated, it is one of the few places on the East Coast where you can experience the latest JURA machines first hand. You are welcome to stop in and enjoy a complimentary cup of coffee. JURA Hospitality Center • 134 Shellyland Road, Building 6a, Manheim 717.492.4433
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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION JURA is the innovation leader in automatic coffee machines, offering a true bean-to-cup experience that is freshly ground, not capsuled. JURA machines produce the finest high-pressurebrewed coffee, espresso, cappuccino and more, cup by cup. Thanks to the introduction of the Cold Extraction Process, the JURA Z10 is the first to prepare both hot and cold brew specialty coffees. Additional JURA innovations include Pulse Extraction Process (P.E.P.®), which optimizes extraction time to develop the full flavor of espresso and ristretto – plus the Intelligent Water System (I.W.S.®) and integrated cleaning and maintenance systems. JURA’s app, J.O.E.® (JURA Operating Experience), allows users to easily operate selected machines from their smartphones or tablets.
Flowers Plants Pick Your Own Seasonal Fruit
400 Long Lane, Lancaster 717-872-9311
CHERRYHILLORCHARDS.COM
Spring has sprung at CHERRY HILL ORCHARDS AND FARM MARKET! Their garden area is bursting with color and ready for Mother’s Day gifting and garden refreshing. They have the most beautiful hanging baskets, perennials and shrubs in the county! The first fruits of the season will soon be ready for picking; 37,000 strawberry plants will be exploding with flavor and color by early June. Their Farm Market is filled with fresh local produce, delicious baked goodies and breads, as well as fresh-pressed cider. Bring your family for the fun in the timehonored tradition of pick-your-own cherries, which will be ready for visitors in early July. Cherry Hill Orchards is located south of Lancaster, just outside of Willow Street in New Danville. To learn more, please visit cherryhillorchards.com and follow them on Facebook to keep up with all the upcoming events and fresh fruit picking in the orchard. Since 1972, GARMAN BUILDERS has earned its reputation through building homes with exceptional workmanship, attention to detail and customer service. Whether you want to build a new home or renovate or restore the home where your fondest memories were made, Garman Builders will work closely with you to build a home with the personal choices and style you want and within a budget that is right for you. Garman Builders also offers an award-winning design studio to help homebuyers see, touch and experiment with the myriad of fixtures, finishes and other elements that make a house a distinctly personal home. From consultation to project completion, Garman Builders considers every detail, using only high-quality materials to create homes and additions that are made to last for generations. When you work with Garman Builders, you’ll know you’re getting a home that’s solidly built and carefully constructed for the way you live. Voted the best take-out in Lancaster County, FRISCO’S CHICKEN features incredibly flavorful charcoal rotisserie chicken that is brined in authentic Peruvian spices and slow cooked over charcoal. Frisco’s is the dream of Peruvian immigrant, Francisco Gomez De La Torre, who arrived in the U.S. 20 years ago with only $300 in his pocket. Frisco’s menu offers their signature charcoal rotisserie chicken with the choice of three authentic house-made Peruvian sauces alongside 11 different sides, including Peruvian-style chicken-fried rice, French fries, black beans, yuca fries, Brussels sprouts and mac & cheese. Other menu items include four
garmanbuilders.com
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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION B A L AYA G E COLOR CORRECTION HAIR COLOR HAIR EXTENSIONS HALO EXTENSIONS MAKE UP LASH LIFTS FA C I A L S (13 different kinds) WA X I N G We Use Natural & Organic Products
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Spring into Action! SHOP, DONATE, VOLUNTEER
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717-733-4934 • REUZITONSTATE.ORG
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kinds of empanadas and their signature Frisco’s fresh bowls. For dessert, enjoy their homemade delicious tres leches cake or Peruvian flan. In addition to their New Holland Avenue location, Frisco’s Chicken is excited to announce a second location opening in late summer at Donegal Square and a third location – opening January 2023. Download the Frisco’s app for easy ordering, special rewards, gift cards and other offers! For more information, visit friscoschicken.com. Whether you are in need of a quick touch-up, glamorous blowout or blissful body treatment, a visit to GLAMOUR ROOM will make you feel brand new. Glamour Room is an Aveda salon featuring vegan and cruelty-free products. Located on North Duke Street in Downtown Lancaster, it is the premier salon for bridal and special occasion hairstyling, skincare, esthetic services and makeup. Update your look with the latest beauty trends, including balayage hair coloring, HaloCouture extensions or a lash lift. Owner Bobbi Nicole Bentzel has been making people feel their best since 2004. “After going to school, taking extensive classes and working in Los Angeles, New York City and Philadelphia, I wanted to bring what I learned from the big cities back home,” Bobbi Nicole says. Visit lancasterglam.com to book your appointment or purchase a gift certificate to pamper a loved one. At REUZIT ON STATE in Ephrata, shoppers can find gently used clothing, jewelry, furniture, household items, décor, toys, sporting equipment and much more. When you shop, donate and volunteer at ReUzit on State, you are helping to relieve poverty and assist those in need in this community and around the world by providing healthcare, emergency food assistance, clean water, education, agricultural items and peacebuilding trainings in over 50 countries through Mennonite Central Committee. To learn more about shopping, donating and volunteering, visit reuzitonstate.org. Summer vacations are taking shape. If you’re searching for a pet-care provider to care for your furry companions while you’re away, look no further than GOCHENAUER KENNELS, located on Fruitville Pike. Gochenauer’s provides long- and short-term boarding of cats and dogs, doggie daycare and professional doggrooming services. For more than 50 years, Gochenauer Kennels, which is family owned and operated, has provided quality care for pets. Their professional staff is committed to giving your pet individualized care and attention to ensure it adjusts to its temporary home. At Gochenauer’s, your pet is always treated like family and provided with all the essentials to keep it happy and healthy until you return. Request an appointment 24/7 at gochenauerkennels.com or during normal business hours by calling 717-569-6151. The addition of a backyard shed from FOX COUNTRY SHEDS, available in a variety of sizes and styles (and budgets), is the perfect solution to your storage needs. Organizing your cluttered garage to make room for your car that has been left in the driveway all winter? Consider a beautiful backyard shed for that lawn equipment. Or, perhaps convert your new shed into a much-needed home office as you continue to WFH, just
Thank you for Voting us #1 in Pet Boarding/Daycare and Among the Best in Grooming!
Gochenauer Kennels
YOUR PET’S HOME AWAY FROM HOME IS AT GOCHENAUER KENNELS
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stablished in 1971, Gochenauer Kennels is a family-owned and operated pet care facility built on a strong work ethic and a commitment to providing the highest quality care for pets. The Gochenauer family and their dedicated staff provide doggie daycare, long- and shortterm boarding of cats and dogs, and dog grooming services.
BOARD WITH CONFIDENCE Pets will enjoy a clean climatecontrolled living area, dishes, a diet of premium food, bedding and plenty of exercise and playtime at Gochenauer Kennels.
Gochenauer’s is proud to be voted a favorite doggie daycare, dog groomer and pet boarding facility by the readers of Lancaster County Magazine and by the readers of Lancaster Newspaper. They are winners of 57 people’s choice awards from 4 different local and regional publications since 1996. The Gochenauer’s and their staff are honored by this recognition, but it’s being your choice to care for your pet that means even more to us. Hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, & 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday.
Visit www.gochenauerkennels.com or call 717-569-6151
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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
Enjoy The Outdoors ... Rain or Shine! Call Today To Reserve Your Place on the Summer Install List! FREE Estimates • Serving Lancaster County Since 1975 • More Durable Than Retractable Awnings • Protect Your Furniture • Save Up To 33% In Energy • Powder Coated Frames
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PL AN YOU R PRIVAT E EV EN T WIT H US
steps away from the bustle of the household. The Rancher Shed’s extra-tall height is the perfect solution for overhead and out-of-the-way storage, or the swimming pool equipment for the staycation your family has been planning. Whatever your current storage needs are, adding an attractive “Fox Shed” will not only add valuable storage space to your home but will enhance the exterior of your property, as well. KREIDER’S CANVAS SERVICE, INC. has been installing awnings in Lancaster County for more than 40 years. Leslie Kreider shares that Kreider’s Canvas offers an option that makes outdoor decks and patios more useful, more comfortable and a lot cooler. “Our experience with observing the life of a canvas roof is that dark-colored fabrics last three to five years (or more) longer than light-colored fabrics. The main downside to a darkfabric roof is that it’s warmer under them, especially when the top area is closed to seal out rain. We have developed a ‘Roof Vent System’ that can be used on the flat back wall of a deck or patio canopy. This increased venting area provides more natural air flow and minimizes trapped hot air,” Leslie says. What’s trending? “Side curtains around porches, pavilions and outdoor kitchens are increasing in demand. The main trend has been the increased use of curtains to block wind when needed, while still having the ability to open up to full view of the outside.” HARVEST SEASONAL GRILL & WINE BAR believes that where your food comes from is as important as what you eat, which is why they champion the philosophy of “know your farmer, know your food.” Harvest Seasonal Grill, located in the Shoppes at Belmont, works closely with local farmers to source the freshest and highest-quality ingredients possible. Their menu features sustainable, health-conscious cuisine, including steak, seafood and poultry along with options for vegan and gluten-free diets. Every three months, their menu is updated to celebrate the new flavors that accompany the change in seasons. Their spring menu features items such as Lemon Kale Pesto Rigatoni, Seared Sea Scallops and Fire-Roasted Peruvian Chicken. Also, enjoy seasonal cocktails, a growing selection of local beers and an assortment of over 50 wines. Harvest Seasonal Grill also offers weekend brunch on Sundays from 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m., as well as happy hour Monday through Friday from 4-6 p.m. Reservations are recommended and can be made on their website, harvestseasonal.com/lancaster-restaurant.
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ACHENBACH’S PASTRIES, INC. has been doing business since 1954 “with our made-from-scratch original recipes,” shares the company’s executive vice president, Sharon Redcay. “What sets us apart from most bakeries is the ‘no preservatives’ in our products.” Achenbach’s most popular item would be their Long Johns. “After all, we are trademarked ‘The Home of the Long John.’ We also make Long John all-occasion cakes and Long John wedding cakes by special order only.” Sharon adds, “Trending wedding cakes are the naked cake and the textured icing with a spiral look.”
375 East Main Street, Leola, PA 717-656-6671 • www.achenbachs.com
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A carpet of lawn defined the backyard of the house Stacy Martin and Kevin Lehman purchased six years ago. Since then, the couple has added water features, gardens, a composting area and more to create an environmentally friendly backyard habitat. Stacy says that designing the backyard was “tricky,” as half of it is in sun and the other half is in shade during the day.
Living
In A Natural World
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When Stacy Martin and Kevin Lehman moved to suburbia six years ago, the property they purchased provided them with a blank canvas, as the landscaping was devoted almost exclusively to a lawn. Today, thanks to Stacy’s green thumb and Kevin’s artistic talents, their little slice of nirvana has been transformed into an enchanting garden that is good for the soul and for the environment. BY SUE LONG PHOTOGRAPHY BY KIRK ZUTELL
The
neighborhood in which Stacy and Kevin live dates to the late ’50s and therefore boasts large lots. Other than a few trees and some overgrown shrubs, an expanse of lawn defined the couple’s yard. “Grass was pretty much it,” Stacy says of the landscaping. So, she went to work, creating meandering pathways, islands, gardens, water features, sitting areas and a composting area in an effort to transform the lot into a natural habitat. Her methodology doesn’t employ grand measures – Stacy simply uses a garden hose or roping to create the outline of a bed and then, depending on the time of the year, smothers the grass by covering it with newspapers or cardboard. As for the artistic element, Kevin supplies that via his pottery, sculptures and glass creations. Like most gardens, theirs is a work in progress. “I’m always doing something,” she says of her goal to reduce the scope of the lawn and replace it with beds filled with plants that attract birds, insects and pollinators such as bees and butterflies. Thus far, she’s probably eliminated 60% of the lawn. “I keep eyeing the front yard,” she admits. “I’d like to do more there.”
It’s In the Genes Stacy and Kevin both grew up in the New Holland area. “We’ve been together since the seventh grade,” she notes. Stacy credits her grandmother and greatgrandmother for her interest in gardening. She remembers that the gardens at their homes in New Holland were meticulously maintained and bloomed with color from spring to fall. Stacy’s payment for helping them with gardening chores came in the form of plants. “I’d take them home L A N C A S T E R C O U N T Y M A G A Z I N E | M AY 2 0 2 2
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and create flower beds,” she says of beautifying the yard at her family’s house in East Earl. Some of those plants have followed Stacy on her travels. “I have daffodils from my grandma’s garden,” she notes. She also remembers that her grandmother never complained about having to wash dishes. “She loved to look out the kitchen window and take in her garden,” Stacy recalls. She ventures a guess that the window over the kitchen sink is partly what attracted her to the house she and Kevin bought, as it provides a panoramic view of the backyard. “I often think about my grandmother when I’m working in my garden or doing something at the kitchen sink,” she shares.
Life’s Work Stacy’s early introduction to the world of gardening created the foundation for a career. She is a graduate of Gettysburg College and earned her master’s degree in agronomy – with a focus on plant breeding and genetics – from the University of Nebraska. She launched her career with Green Leaf Plants, which is a division of
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Aris Horticulture and is located in the Birdin-Hand area. Green Leaf provided Stacy with the opportunity to travel to such destinations as Colombia, South America, which ranks second in the world as an exporter of cut flowers. “I went there five or six times to help start perennial programs,” she explains, noting that the goal was to develop “juicy colors.” Similar trips took her to Guatemala. Her next career stop was DuPont Pioneer, which produces seeds for agricultural purposes. That experience prompted her to pursue her master’s degree. “It was like they were speaking a foreign language,” she says of the expertise her colleagues possessed. Working for DuPont Pioneer initiated a move to Elkton, Maryland, which provided Stacy with evidence that there’s nowhere quite like Lancaster County, where gardening is concerned. “Grass right up to the houses,” she says of her neighbors’ idea of “landscaping.” Stacy, on the other hand, surrounded her home with gardens. In the front yard, she created a cottage garden that was enclosed by the proverbial white picket
fence. “People thought it was some kind of park!” she recalls, saying that she’d arrive home to find strangers “touring” the property and even helping themselves to flowers. Cars would drive by slowly to take in the sights. Someone informed her that her garden was featured on the cover of a calendar, which came as news to her. “It was crazy!” she says of the attention her garden attracted. MISSING LANCASTER COUNTY, Stacy moved home after being away for 10 years. She indulged in her love of horticulture by creating gardens behind the Lancaster Creative Factory on South Prince Street, which Kevin founded and directs. Stacy also became employed by Seedway, which is located in Mifflinburg, Union County. Founded in 1923, the company specializes in providing farmers with high-performing seed products. It also distributes lawn and turf products. Seedway, which has been a subsidiary of GROWMARK since 2002, is regarded as one of the few remaining companies of its kind in the country. Stacy specializes in corn and soybean products for the southern region of the United States. In
Opposite, clockwise: Stacy concentrates on including plants – such as liatris – that benefit pollinators. “The monarchs are constantly on them,” she says. A sculpture created by Kevin defines a bed that is filled with hosta, ferns and other plants. The glass gazing ball was a project of Kevin’s.
that capacity, she frequently takes “field trips” to southern states. Throughout her career, she has taken advantage of opportunities to attend trade shows, trial events and seminars. “The bottom line is you leave with lots of free plants!” Stacy says of a perk of her job.
Garden Strategy Stacy’s strategy to eliminate wide swaths of lawn echoes the philosophy of University of Delaware entomology professor, Doug Tallamy, who is also a respected author (Bringing Nature Home) and has been profiled by many magazines and newspapers. He theorizes that if every homeowner would create natural habitats in their backyard – he calls them Homegrown National Parks – the world would be a better place. He points to the plight of birds, monarch butterflies and honeybees, sharing with Science magazine (2019) that bird populations have declined by almost 33% since the early 1970s. He theorizes that with 130 million parcels of residential land existing in the United States, property owners could create an interconnected system of
nature-friendly habitats that would benefit the environment. Tallamy leads by example, having taken a 10-acre farmette in southeastern Pennsylvania and transformed its hay fields into a bio-diverse “park” that is planted primarily with native plants and trees that he maintains better support native birds, insects and pollinators than do the exotic ornamentals that have become favorites in the landscape over the last 50 years. He also admits that by living in the middle of nowhere and not having to deal with neighbors and homeowner associations, he is free to practice his style of gardening. He noted in an article written by Adrian Higgins of The Washington Post that when he first moved to the property, he rarely saw birds, insects, pollinators and other wildlife. That has changed; to date, he has identified 55 different bird species, as well as 905 species of moths. STACY THOROUGHLY AGREES with Tallamy’s philosophy, saying if everyone would create even the simplest of habitats, nature would benefit. One thing that immediately stands out at Stacy and Kevin’s home is the fact
Phil Kreider created the fountain, while Kevin crafted the base for this water feature. It’s surrounded by hummelo (foreground), yucca and verbena bonariensis (tall purple plants), which self-seeds. Above: Annabelle hydrangea, verbena bonariensis, butterfly weed, love-in-a-mist and other perennials define this garden.
that the garden is a kaleidoscope of color. The pop of color begins at the front door, which is painted a color called Flamenco Pink. “I had to work with the color tones in the stone and siding,” she explains. “I always bounce ideas off my mom, who is good with color – I can always count on her to reign me in!” Then, another shock of color – orange – materialized when Stacy added a few butterfly-weed plants along the walkway. In the fall, she harvested the seedfilled pods and scattered them in the bed she had enlarged. The juxtaposition of the two neon-like colors somehow works. As is often noted, any color or combination of colors seem to look natural in the great outdoors. Another bed filled with a variety of flowers and plants fills a sloped area of the front yard.
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Clockwise: Stacy treasures the two chairs that originally belonged to her grandmother. The pathway that is composed of bricks reclaimed from Lancaster Creative Factory leads to a shaded area that is devoted to composting. Last fall, Stacy removed the grass between the pathway and greenhouse and replaced it with a stone patio. Stacy is in the process of enlarging her edible garden. Seen here are black raspberries. Hydrangeas, lungwort and hellebores surround one of Kevin’s sculptures. The pond is home to fish and frogs. By late summer, the colors in the garden shift to darker shades of yellow and pink thanks to rudbeckia fulgida, which features smaller flowers that bloom later in the season, and purple coneflowers. Annabelle hydrangea complements the hues. Kevin’s pottery and sculptures accent the gardens.
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The pond started out small but has grown over the years. The primal-fish sculpture was created by John Morrow.
To see more photos, visit Lancastercountymag.com.
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Clockwise: Stacy’s aesthetic has shifted to a fondness for using contrasting colors. Here, the Flamenco Pink door color contrasts with vivid-orange butterfly weed that reaches peak bloom in late June. Kevin’s oversized containers are perfect for experimenting with cannas and other large plants. A covered patio is filled with houseplants that spend the summer outdoors. The “green dragon” pizza oven was a collaborative effort between Kevin (sculpted base and tiles) and John Morrow (head). By late summer, Stacy’s containers are overflowing with color and texture.
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Right, top to bottom: The native plant, Indian pink, with its contrasting colors of red and yellow, is one of Stacy’s favorite shade plants. Kevin Lehman and Stacy Martin take a break from their spring gardening chores. Photo courtesy of Stacy Martin.
Stacy became a convert to utilizing the front yard for gardens as a result of taking a trip to England following college graduation and embarking on garden tours. “There was very little lawn left at my house in Maryland,” she notes. Still, she was always nervous about “making waves” wherever she lived but became a little bolder upon meeting Fergus Garrett, who is a protégé of author and gardening extraordinaire, Christopher Lloyd, and succeeded him as the head gardener at Great Dixter, which is a historic house and garden museum in East Sussex that was restored by Lloyd’s father. Stacy met Garrett when he made an appearance at Terrain in Glen Mills several years ago and loved the fact that he questioned Americans’ reluctance to fill their front yards with gardens. “I told him what I was planning to do and, sensing I was asking for his permission, he told me to ‘Just do it,’” she relays of their conversation. She is also a huge fan of the English television series, Gardeners’ World, which is hosted by horticulturist and writer, Monty Don. “That show opens your eyes to new ideas,” she says. Stacy also names the public garden, Chanticleer, in Wayne, Delaware County, as a source of inspiration. STACY GOES OUTDOORS as soon as the weather cooperates. If it’s a tolerable day in February, she is outside cleaning up beds, checking on things in the greenhouse and making plans for the coming season. Fall 2021 was devoted to creating a stone-lined path that leads to a new patio outside the greenhouse. As for the floral display, Stacy employs a combination of annuals and perennials to ensure colorful blooms from spring through late fall. “I’ve gravitated to a palette of opposite colors,” she says. The landscape is also filled with several varieties of hydrangea, as well as native shrubs. Containers are filled with a combination of annuals, perennials and tropicals. While she mulches every year, Stacy does not treat the lawn. “It doesn’t have to look perfect,” she says.
Creating Non-stop Color Stacy’s strategy for ensuring non-stop color includes the following plants: •
Hellebores (March)
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Daffodils (April)
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Tulips (May)
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Allium (May-June)
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Foxglove (June)
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Penstemon (Junemid-July)
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Annuals (July-late summer)
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Black-eyed Susan (July-early fall)
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Coneflowers (Julylate summer)
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Hosta (bloom time varies JuneAugust)
Joe-Pye Weed (August-early September)
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Grasses (fall season)
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Perfect Pots
A Grassroots Enterprise Blooms
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What was once an Amish-owned greenhouse that specialized in geraniums became the home of Perfect Pots. The company’s roots extend back to 2007, when owner Laura Lapp began creating container gardens for friends, family and neighbors in the driveway of her home.
With Longwood Gardens as her playground, a grandmother whose gardens served as a classroom and a mother who operated a flower shop in Chadds Ford, it only seemed natural that Laura Lapp’s career path would take her in a horticultural direction. BY SUE LONG PHOTOGRAPHY BY JORDAN BUSH
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ctually, there were a few detours along the way before Laura’s company, Perfect Pots, took root in 2007. “I saw how hard my mom had to work,” Laura says of Nancy Clegg. “It immersed her life,” she continues, alluding to such red-letter days as Valentine’s, Easter, Mother’s Day and Christmas, not to mention weddings and other life events that required flowers. Laura ultimately took a different direction; as a college student, she majored in psychology and developed an interest in neuroscience. After earning her degree, she worked in the lab of a pharmaceutical company. Still, plants were never far from Laura’s mind, as she couldn’t help but notice the similarities that neuroscience and horticulture share. “Both involve a lot of trial and error,” Laura points out. Laura’s career path took another turn with the birth of her daughters, Morgan and Kaitlyn. “I chose to be a stay-at-home mom,” she explains. Motherhood also allowed her to reconnect with horticulture. “I just started playing around with planting pots. Container gardening became my hobby. I loved it. It provided me with a way to be outside with the girls and be creative,” she explains. Unbeknownst to Laura, she had tapped into a relatively new concept that would take the gardening world by storm. Friends, family and neighbors began to take notice of the experiments that were being carried out in Laura’s driveway. One day her next-door neighbor approached Laura and asked for her help. He couldn’t help but notice how she had transformed her own property and explained he had guests coming for a visit and felt his yard wasn’t very welcoming. Laura, who admits she had noticed all the empty pots that dotted the landscape, said she would be glad to help him roll out the welcome mat. “I studied the property, took note of the light and came up with a plan,” she recalls. Accompanied by her daughters, Laura began visiting local greenhouses and garden centers to secure the perfect plants for the project. Her first client was thrilled with the results and his guests were impressed. OTHER NEIGHBORS TOOK NOTICE and approached Laura for help, as well. “Word spread and soon people were just leaving pots in my driveway for me to fill,” she recalls. The neighborhood proved to be the perfect “lab” for Laura. Her preference for using large containers filled with a selection of plants provided the “wow factor” for the small yards that defined the neighborhood. “I wasn’t trying to start a business, it found me,” she says. Still, Laura was convinced she was onto something. “I’d drive around and notice all the pots that were sitting empty in people’s yards,” she recalls. Homework revealed that the empty pots were a result of frustration – people were making mistakes such as combining plants with differing light and moisture needs or they lacked the time to shop, plant and maintain the container gardens. Taking the next step was intimidating. “I had to do something – I was outgrowing the garage and driveway,” Laura explains. Her mother encouraged Laura to be “excited and not fearful” of where her creativity could take her. ONE DAY, WHILE SHE was driving along the Strasburg Pike, Laura noticed an empty greenhouse. She knew it as a place that was once known for its beautiful geraniums. Age and a lack of help had caused the Amish grower to retire. Now, the greenhouse sat empty. Laura connected with the property owners and asked if they would be interested in renting her
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a table in the greenhouse for production purposes. The couple who once operated the greenhouse and still lived next door to it was very receptive. They welcomed Laura to set up shop and pay them what she could. “That started my dream,” she says. Fortunately for Laura, her dream met with immediate success. A flag that bore the message “Open” prompted passersby to stop. “Customers began showing up!” she exclaims. “It became a very grassroots enterprise – if the flag was out, we were open.” The business began with a selection of pots, plants, dirt and one employee – Laura. A photo in her office captures her at work in the greenhouse as Morgan and Kaitlyn play in the background. Laura wistfully looks at the photo and comments she will become an empty nester in the fall, as her younger daughter, Morgan, will be leaving for college.
Growth Can’t Be Contained
Laura designed her business around two tenets. First, she wanted to provide her customers with the very best products, whether it’s pots, plants or soil. “Providing the best is what sets us apart,” she notes of dealing with trusted vendors, other local businesses and attending events such as the gift shows that are held in Atlanta and Philadelphia. The tactic has obviously paid off – Perfect Pots was invited to be a vendor at this year’s Philadelphia Flower Show, which is once again being held outdoors in June. “I was honored to be asked, but I think we’ll wait for another year or so,” Laura says. “The timing isn’t the greatest for us.” Building relationships is also integral to the business. “The core of our business is planting pots. Everything we do is custom. We track customers’ preferences and send the same designers to them each season.” Perfect Pots works with clients who are within a two-hour radius of Lancaster. Perfect Pots also stays in tune with gardening trends. With the houseplant craze showing no signs of abating, the greenhouse, market stand and flower shops are brimming with plants, succulents, pots and other needs. Yes, Perfect Pots has indeed grown over the years and now consists of two divisions, with Central Market Flowers being the newest offshoot. THE EXPANSION BEGAN four years ago, when Perfect Pots set up a garden boutique at Kitchen Kettle Village in Intercourse. “Because we focus on a different customer there – mainly visitors to Lancaster County – we offer a different product,” Laura says of the travel-friendly containers, plants and garden décor that are available. Because they typically get just one opportunity to make an impression, employees serve as ambassadors of sorts for Perfect Pots, Kitchen Kettle and Lancaster County. “We’ll answer questions about plants, as well as what sights to see,” Laura says. ALWAYS A FAN of Lancaster Central Market, Laura dreamed of operating a stand there. Establishing a relationship with Nelson and Rose Rohrer, who operated a flower-growing farm in Manheim Township and took over a flower stand at market in 2001, provided Laura with her Central Market connection. “My mother was working for the Rohrers and when I ran out of pussy willow one spring, she suggested I contact Nelson,” Laura explains. “I bought a truckload and then began buying all my pussy willow from him.” When the Rohrers decided to end their 18-year tenure at market in 2019, they approached Laura with the idea of taking over. They only had to ask once. “I knew right away that I wanted to do it,” she says. The venture would allow her to grow in a new direction and offer customers fresh flowers. Taking over the Rohrers’ stand also provided Central Market Flowers with a bonus space – a small shop on West King Street that was used for production purposes. CENTRAL MARKET FLOWERS was an instant success and Laura soon found herself in need of additional production space. “I told my employees Left, top to bottom: The container selection at Perfect Pots is mind-boggling. The greenhouse’s resident cat strolls past a container filled with succulents. Designer Vicki Sullivan chooses plants for a customer’s container.
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Laura works with vendors who fire pots at higher temperatures and then apply a glaze that allows them to withstand freezing temperatures.
Clockwise:
to keep their eyes open for space in the downtown area,” she recounts. Late last summer she received a call from an employee who happened to be driving up North Queen Street and noticed a “For Lease” sign in the window of the former El Jardin Flower & Garden Room (prior to that, it was Flowers by Paulette) at the corner of North Queen and West Walnut streets. “I knew the space – it would be perfect for us! I dropped everything I was doing and called the number she gave me.” As Laura was the first to call, the space was hers. The new space provides more than 3,000 square feet of showroom and production space. “We only had about 300 square feet at the other site,” she notes. The showroom area resembles a studio apartment rather than a traditional shop and is a perfect fit for the trendy 300 block of North Queen Street. (Its next-door neighbor is Space, which specializes in mid-century furniture and décor.) The window areas are filled with houseplants, while tables and bookcases hold pots and other needs. A display of succulents creates a “quilt” effect atop a vintage brass bed, while a large communal table provides ample space for consultations, classes, private parties and First Friday make-and-take projects that visitors are welcome to create. Floral designers work in the rear of the building to create custom bouquets and arrangements. Their assignments are guided by a theme menu that is simply geared to color and occasion. The general guidelines allow the designers to be creative, as well as utilize the products they have access to. Like everything else, the pandemic has affected the availability
The greenhouse is filled with containers-to-go and garden art. Laura Lapp stands among pansies that she loves to use for spring of floral containers. Courtesy of Perfect Pots. products Color and texture define Perfect Pots’ container selection. due to Substance, color and texture bring the wow factor to containers. supply-chain issues, notably items Working from home allowed Laura to be a stay-at-home mom to her daughters, Kaitlyn and Morgan. coming from the West Courtesy of Laura Lapp. Coast and Europe. Flowers (at all locations) can be ordered for delivery on an in-person, telephone or online basis. “If you place an order by 12, it will be delivered that afternoon,” Laura promises.
BACK ON WEST KING STREET, Laura was able to reimagine what had been Central Market Flowers’ production space. “We’ve turned that into a wonderland for everlasting florals,” Laura reports. Everlasting florals? Back in the day, they were called dried flowers and be assured, they don’t look anything like the dust collectors of old. “Dried flowers have made a huge comeback,” Laura reports. Indeed, the product is vastly improved – the 21stcentury version is colorful and whimsical. It’s also thoroughly modern – one of the favorite First Friday projects involves wiring a few sprigs of everlasting florals to a crystal. In addition to the everlasting florals, the shop is stocked with unique plants, mini-sized plants and succulents, garden décor, containers and more. Laura is pleased with the success of Central Market Flowers. “We’ve L A N C A S T E R C O U N T Y M A G A Z I N E | M AY 2 0 2 2
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Left, top to bottom: In the beginning, Laura rented one table in the greenhouse, which she used for production purposes. Now the business fills the entire greenhouse, as well as an outdoor area. This container appears to be crafted from volcanic rock. Green, which defines the color of the year, translates to containers. Garden art ranges from whimsical to dramatic.
experienced rapid growth in business since September,” she reports. However, she is looking for more ways to branch out and hopes to become more involved in weddings and special events. “We’ve already had a lot of wedding interest,” she shares. For such events, she is experimenting with combining Perfect Pots’ colorful containers with fresh flowers.
Meanwhile … Back at Perfect Pots
The popularity of container gardens prompted Perfect Pots to grow exponentially. Early on, Laura hired plant-loving retirees and moms of school-aged kids to work at Perfect Pots. Now, the workforce is more diverse and includes plant lovers of all ages and abilities. “We’ve gone from one to 33 employees,” she noted in February. Perfect Pots also took over the entire greenhouse, as well as the plot of land that surrounds it. It’s also become a year-round venture, as designers change out pots to reflect all the seasons of the year. The greenhouse is also stocked with plants on a nearly year-round basis.
DIY Container Tips Pots: Go big! A bigger pot nurtures bigger plants. Fertilizer:
Annuals grow quickly and require added nutrients in order to thrive throughout the summer.
Potting Soil:
Plants grow best in soil, so fill the entire pot with it.
Maintenance:
Deadheading and trimming will help to create healthy and lush-looking plants.
Plants: Pay attention to your plants’ light and moisture needs and group them accordingly. Pay attention to the heights the plants will achieve and design accordingly. Also, don’t skimp – fill the container to capacity.
Water: Check conditions on a daily basis, especially in the heat of the
summer. Some pots are made of materials that will absorb the moisture and cause plants to struggle. Smaller pots tend to dry out faster than larger ones.
THE MAIN SHOW – the pot selection – is astounding. The pots are available in a rainbow of colors and interesting textures and finishes. The sheer size of the largest pots is mind-boggling. “You want your pot to make a statement,” Laura says. The sizes and the colors of the pots definitely achieve that! “We rely on our trusted suppliers for our pots,” Laura says. “They’re made of high-quality material and the clay is fired at a higher temperature. The glaze protects them from cracking – they can stay out in all weather.” She is so confident in the performance factor of her pots that Laura says, “You will have these for the rest of your life.” Actually, moving the pots could prove to be back-breaking. “We fill them bottom to top with soil,” Laura points out. “They are incredibly heavy.” Designers have found that a pot filled with soil provides the best growing conditions for plants. Laura notes they have conducted experiments – partially filling a pot with “peanuts” and topping it off with soil – only to discover at the end of the season that the roots had grown through the peanuts. Compared to pots that were totally filled with soil, the plants were not as robust due to a compromised root system. Laura also doesn’t like to fill the bottom of pots with rocks/stones, as one could become lodged in the drainage hole and cause the soil to become soggy and thus result in root rot. That’s not to say that soil has to be replaced each year. “We freshen the soil on top,” she says. “It’s a one-time soil fill.” Of course, DIYers are welcome to choose containers and the plants to fill them. AS FOR THE PLANT ASPECTS of the pots, the possibilities are endless. For spring, Laura likes to go with the tried-and-true – pansies. “Nothing beats a pansy,” she says of the harbingers of spring that can tolerate just about any weather condition that comes their way. The color selection continues to expand. For summer, she has become a huge fan of that old-fashioned plant, the coleus. Today, it’s a thoroughly modern plant thanks to hybridization that has helped to create plants of all sizes and colors. It thrives in summer heat as well as fall’s cool temperatures. “We have 80 different types of coleus,” she notes. Laura is also a fan of salvia, which she describes as a “Hummingbird magnet.” To mix things up, Laura likes to incorporate houseplants into pots, “especially for shady areas.” For fall, Laura thinks beyond mums and likes to incorporate other perennials into pots. She also introduces texture via grasses and elements such as pumpkins and gourds. When winter rolls around, evergreens and natural accents such as pinecones and birch branches define the pots. Perfect Pots is located at 745 Strasburg Pike. For more information, visit perfectpots.com.
3 3 RD A N N U A L
B e st
of Lancaster County READERS' SURVEY
Vote
for your favorite local restaurants, shops, salons, artists, doctors, home specialists and more in this year’s survey!
Voter Prizes:
Grand Prize!
a Night on the Town! One voter and their guest will enjoy a night out in Lancaster including dinner, drinks, a show and transportation.
Results
WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN THE NOVEMBER ISSUE
Gift cards
from winning restaurants and businesses and free oneyear subscriptions to Lancaster County Magazine will be awarded to winning survey participants.
How to Vote:
Visit LANCASTERCOUNTYMAG.COM/VOTE22 to cast your votes. You may also choose to print the survey and submit your votes by mail to: Lancaster County Magazine, P.O. Box 500, Mount Joy, PA 17552.
COMPLETED SURVEYS ARE DUE NO LATER THAN JUNE 13, 2022. L A N C A S T E R C O U N T Y M A G A Z I N E | M AY 2 0 2 2
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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
Spring Fever Mon.-Thur. 9:30am-5pm • Fri. 9:30am-8:pm • Sat. 9am-5pm • Closed Sundays
105 Strasburg Pike, Lancaster • 717-299-0678 W W W. O L D E M I L L H O U S E . C O M
Call Us About Our
Mothers Day Event SATURDAY, MAY 7
• FARM STORE • PRIVATE EVENTS • FARM TOURS • LLAMA WALKS
Valais Blacknose Sheep of Pennsylvania 462 Weidler Lane, Manheim • 717-459-3414
WWW.SPOOKYNOOKFARM.COM
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Since 1976, OLDE MILL HOUSE SHOPPES has been helping clients furnish their homes and find unique gifts. Located on Strasburg Pike inside a restored bank barn and an 18th-century stone house, the shops are filled with furniture, rugs, quilts, florals, lighting, women’s clothing and much more. In the stone house, find countless decorating ideas in the different room settings. Their expert staff will assist you with all your décor needs and help to recreate the interior of any area in your home. What started in two rooms of the owners’ home has now grown into a must-see destination. Be sure to check out their lighting showroom – voted “Among the Best” in Lancaster – which is filled with their own handcrafted period lighting fixtures. To learn more, visit oldemillhouse.com. Visit SPOOKY NOOK FARM for a perfect spring day in Lancaster County. Hang out with their many llamas and alpacas, as well as their Valais Blacknose sheep, and learn all about the beautiful creatures and how they are cared for. The farm breeds, shows and sells the animals, so they will be sure to answer any questions you may have. The farm offers tours of the property and llama walks. To visit Spooky Nook Farm, you will need to schedule an appointment, which they can personalize to your needs. They welcome schools and small groups, as well as birthday parties and special events on the farm. Be sure to visit their farm boutique, Pamela’s She Shed, for alpaca clothing, candles, fiber and yarn and much more! Call 717-459-3414 to schedule your visit and discuss how Spooky Nook Farm can make your experience unforgettable. KITCHENS BY EILEEN (aka KbE Design & Build) has over 25 years of superior, award-winning design and construction experience. Each renovation project is carefully handled by their expert designers who specialize in space planning and design. They guide you through the design process, building upon your personal style. Their project management sees your job all the
New Showroom 4224 Oregon Pike, Brownstown, PA 17508 Hours: Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm Evening and Saturday Appointments Available
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victoryclosets.com L A N C A S T E R C O U N T Y M A G A Z I N E | M AY 2 0 2 2
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YOUR
CANCER FIGHT
IS OUR
CANCER FIGHT
way to completion, giving you peace of mind from start to finish. The Process: 1. Schedule a consultation in their showroom. 2. Designer measures your space and designs floorplans for you to choose from. 3. Designer guides you through the selections process. 4. Project managers oversee your renovation from start to finish. KbE Design & Build also offers a wonderful option for those who want the look and convenience of a custom closet without paying a sky-high price. Their patented closet system, VICTORY CLOSETS, allows you to reconfigure your closet any time without tools, fasteners or support pins. Simply lift and move! Closet organization has never been easier. In a modern world where everything in the medical arena seems to be transforming into a larger, more impersonal and corporate environment, the LANCASTER CANCER CENTER provides an oasis to those who desire a personal, intimate experience for their oncology care in South Central Pennsylvania. The Lancaster Cancer Center is a private, independent, twophysician, hematology-oncology practice that has a legacy of care that dates to over 40 years of service to the community, having been first established in Lancaster County in 1981. Because of the smaller, more intimate nature of the practice, its patients are taken care of in a more individualized, personal manner. This ability to understand each patient on a deeper level provides for a superior outcome, which is precisely the reason why people should choose to receive their care at the Lancaster Cancer Center.
H. Peter (Tracy) DeGreen III, DO and Lena Dumasia, MD
Cancer is an unexpected and unwanted illness. It will change your life forever in a way that no other illness can. Together, we found that treating the cancer as well as supporting the patient and their well-being, provides the ultimate outcome in winning the fight. New patients and second opinions will be seen within 24 hours, call 717.291.1313.
Established in 1953, METZLER HOME BUILDERS is a fourth-generation business specializing in custom homes, additions and renovations. Over the span of more than six decades, they have designed and built hundreds of homes and have completed countless addition and renovation projects. They have built their reputation on crafting quality homes and additions and providing efficient project management and open communication through the life of the project and beyond. The numerous awards and recognitions they have received over the years attest to their team’s dedication to their craft and to their customers. The team at Metzler Home Builders enjoys developing personal relationships with their clients throughout the construction process, with complete customer satisfaction at the heart of every custom home, addition or renovation project they undertake. Metzler Home Builders takes pride in their reputation for high quality and fine craftsmanship, built through years of personal service and attention to detail. TROUT CPA is an accounting firm with offices in Lancaster, Lancaster City, Carlisle and Mechanicsburg, PA. They provide personalized tax, financial statement and business advisory services. In addition to traditional accounting services, they also offer outsourced accounting, data analytics and other business solutions. The firm consists of experts with various specialties, which allows them to pair each client with the best team of professionals to meet their unique needs. Call 717-569-2900 to learn how Trout CPA can help with your specific needs.
703 Lampeter Rd. • Lancaster, PA 17602 LancasterCancerCenter.com • (717) 291-1313 On-site Laboratory | Physician Directed Dispensary | Support
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SHOWCASE LAWN WORKS, based in New Holland, does things a little differently than the other lawn-care companies out there. For the past 20 years, Showcase Lawn Works has combined modern approaches to traditional services, revolutionizing the lawn-care industry in Southeastern
Thank you for voting us your #1 Residential Builder!
Today’s Dream ... TOMORROW’S REALITY SINCE 1953
C U S TO M H O M E S , A D D I T I O N S & R E N OVAT I O N S 1172 Penn Grant Road • Lancaster PA 17602 PA295
717.687.6302 • www.MetzlerHomeBuilders.com
Personalized accounting, audit, tax, and business advisory services for your every need Lancaster | Lancaster City | Carlisle | Mechanicsburg
troutcpa.com
L A N C A S T E R C O U N T Y M A G A Z I N E | M AY 2 0 2 2
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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
FA M I LY F R I E N D LY GRUB L AW N C A R E FREE CONTROL • • • •
with purchase of Showcase standard lawn care program
Locally Owned Tree & Shrub Maintenance Perimeter Pest Control Landscaping Services
Pennsylvania. Each yard is unique, requiring different methods to achieve optimal results. Showcase Lawn Works believes communication with customers every step of the way is crucial in creating family- and pet-friendly lawn-care solutions. They take pride in being on the cutting edge of the industry by using the best products, machines and techniques. Their services include lawn, tree and shrub care, perimeter pest control, landscaping, aeration/overseeding, lime application and grub, mosquito, flea and tick control. Call 717-354-3226 or visit their website, showcaselawnworks.com, to request a free estimate and turn your yard into a “showcase.” In 1954, the late George Grove Sr. started what later became GEORGE J. GROVE & SON, INC. The business moved from George Sr.’s home to a shop on Cabbage Hill, incorporating in 1973. Five years later, it moved to its present location on the Manheim Pike. George J. Grove Jr. had joined the business at a very young age, assisting with installations; in keeping with family tradition, George Grove III also became involved in the business. The Groves have built their business on a firm belief in a quality product and installation and in maintaining professionalism, integrity and fairness in their relationships with their customers. George J. Grove & Son, Inc. provides all types of home improvements. Their product lines include windows and doors, roofing, vinyl siding, spouting, gutter protection systems and patio enclosures. They also carry skylights, shutters, railings and retractable fabric and metal awnings.
717-354-3226 SHOWCASELAWNWORKS.COM
Whether you’re preparing for next season or want to add a splash of color to your home, there’s no faster way to refresh a room than with a fresh coat of paint. Since 1988, VILLE PAINTERS has been revitalizing living, work and historic
We’ll help you make it Home Sweet Home FASCIA WINDOWS SPOUTING
SIDING
#1 Windows/ Doors/Exteriors
#2 Roofing
SOFFIT AWNINGS
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BUILDING TRUST SINCE 1963
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• 26% FEDERAL TAX CREDIT ON SOLAR SKYLIGHTS 717-393-0859 • 1219 Manheim Pike, Lancaster • georgejgrove.com Visit our showroom: Mon-Fri 8-6, Sat 8-1 6 MONTH 0% FINANCING IS AVAILABLE
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Preserving Lancaster County’s Rich Architectural History since 1988 Interior & Exterior Painting | Carpentry & Wood Repair | Wallcovering – Remove & Install | Decorative & Faux Finishes | Deck Refinishing | Power Washing | Historic Preservation EPA Lead Certification
www.villepaintersinc.com - 717.396.1176 - HIC # PPA025465
L A N C A S T E R C O U N T Y M A G A Z I N E | M AY 2 0 2 2
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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
T H E A R E A’ S L A R G E S T S E L E C T I O N O F
outdoor furniture
spaces. Their team delivers expert craftmanship, keen attention to detail and exceptional customer experiences. Whether you are going for a trendy look or hoping to preserve Lancaster’s historic essence, the ViP team can help to determine what color best characterizes your home and personality. Ville Painters offers a wide range of services including interior and exterior painting, historic preservation, wallpaper (installation/removal), drywall and plaster repair, decorative moldings and more. Visit villepaintersinc.com for more information. Located in beautiful, historic Wrightsville, JOHN WRIGHT RESTAURANT is the perfect setting for an intimate date night, family celebration or just getting lost in the view of the stunning Susquehanna River. Enjoy lunch, dinner, Prime Rib Sunday Brunch Buffet or wood-fired pizza on their seasonal Pizza Patio. Reservations are always highly recommended! The restaurant also welcomes wedding ceremonies and receptions, rehearsal dinners, bridal showers, birthday parties or any other reason to celebrate. For more information, call 717-252-0416 or visit jwrpa.com. BOWMAN’S STOVE & PATIO, located in Ephrata, has noticed a major increase in demand for outdoor furniture since people are spending a lot more time at home. They have a large selection of in-stock furniture to choose from, for those that want their furniture right away. You can still custom order exactly what you want, but you’ll probably have to wait longer than normal for your furniture to arrive. Bowman’s Stove & Patio recommends shopping as early as possible, so that you have furniture in time for the spring/summer season. Popular this year are gas fire-pit chat tables paired with curved cushion sofas and cushion swivel rockers. Large dining tables are also popular, such as rectangular extension tables that seat eight to 10 people or octagon- and hexagon-shaped tables that seat six or eight. Concerned about your loved ones tripping on your uneven sidewalk, patio or pool deck? KEYSTONE GUN-KRETE specializes in concrete solutions for commercial, residential and agricultural needs. Owner Richie Zook says, “Lifting sunken concrete using our Poly Foam equipment is generally a fraction of the cost of replacement. When homeowners see the cost savings from lifting sunken concrete instead of tearing it out and starting over, they are delighted. Plus, there is no mess.” Keystone Gun-Krete simply drills small holes through the slab and injects their expanding foam below to raise the concrete back to its original location. The holes are then filled with mortar so the concrete is ready for foot traffic immediately. He adds that homeowners “will generally lift sidewalks to make them look great again; however, at Keystone Gun-Krete, we are passionate about safety, and once our work is complete and we’ve eliminated the trip hazards, our customers and their guests will be much safer.”
S I N C E 197 7
10 6 0 D i v i s i o n H i g hw ay (R o u te 32 2) | Ep h r a t a , PA 717-733 - 4973 | w w w. b ow m a n s s tove . co m
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As one of Lancaster’s favorite eye care centers for over 20 years, EYE ASSOCIATES OF LANCASTER looks forward to continuing to serve the Lancaster community. Their physicians and optometrists use a patient-centered and evidence-based approach to eye care. Their ABO-certified opticians can assist in making the perfect selection of eyewear and lenses. Get a new look with eyeglass frames from Silhouette, Kate Spade, Maui Jim, Ann Taylor and more. From basic vision screenings to cataract surgery, Eye Associates of Lancaster offers a comprehensive solution to your eye-care needs.
LIFT & LEVEL YOUR EXISTING CONCRETE
BEFORE
AFTER
DON’T REPLACE. LIFT & SAVE! We Lift Commercial & Residential: • Sidewalks • Pool Decks • Patios • Porches • Garage Floors
717-768-3641 KeystoneGun-Krete.com
TA K I N G
Your Sight S E R I O U S LY
Comprehensive Eye Care • Cataract Surgery • Glaucoma Care & Management LASIK/PRK (Free Evaluations) • Diabetic Eye Care • Neuro-Ophthalmology Macular Degeneration • Dry Eye Syndrome • Glasses & Contacts LANCASTER OFFICE & OPTICAL CENTER 1254 Lititz Pike, Lancaster LANCASTER OFFICE & OPTICAL CENTER 606 Community Way, Lancaster NEW HOLLAND OFFICE 654 E. Main Street, New Holland Accepting Most Insurances • Open Mon-Fri 8am - 5pm • Some Saturdays • We accept VBA and VSP Vision Plans.
FOR AN APPOINTMENT, CALL 717-397-4724 • EYEASSOCIATESLANCASTER.COM
L A N C A S T E R C O U N T Y M A G A Z I N E | M AY 2 0 2 2
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Foodographer a new dough rises
Kristen Richards-Sollenberger and her husband, Brenton Sollenberger, were both laid off from their jobs during the pandemic and now work together in support of Kristen’s vision of becoming a successful independent baker and a small business owner. She is well on her way to achieving both goals, as Front Porch Baking Co. earned kudos from Food & Wine magazine earlier this year. Front Porch Baking Co. will also be collaborating with Fifth Month Farm’s summer CSA. Kristi Barto of Fifth Month Farm is excited to work with Kristen, noting, “Kristen works very hard to utilize and highlight baking with locally sourced grains and working with sourdough, which I think is painfully missing in the Lancaster baking scene. The reliance on imported wheat is big and her commitment to working with smaller milling operations on the East Coast, I think, is a big deal.”
Front Porch Baking Co.
Grain Forward TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY JORDAN BUSH
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Earlier this year, Food & Wine magazine presented a state-by-state rundown of the best forwardthinking bread bakers in the country. For Pennsylvania, author David Landsel profiled three such enterprises, including two in Philadelphia and one – Front Porch Baking Co. – in Millersville.
W
ith summer just around the corner, how fortunate is Lancaster to have access to a talent such as Kristen Richards-Sollenberger? If you’re going on a picnic or doing a tasting at a winery, her bread paired with cheese or topped with jam would be sublime. If guests are arriving for the weekend, her turnovers, muffins and quiche would be perfect additions to brunch. If you’re craving homemade pizza, she can provide you with the dough. If a bash for Mother’s Day or graduation is on your agenda, Front Porch offers cookies and other treats.
Front Porch Baking Co. Baking sourdough bread was one of many culinary trends that “fed” social media during the height of the pandemic. Successful attempts posted on social media took on the merit of a badge-like achievement. Kristen Richards-Sollenberger, however, took it a step further and committed herself to her passion for baking and her formal training and launched a full-time bakery. Kristen had known for years that she wanted to bake independently. It’s both a passion that is rooted in family and a career she has developed over time. Much of her knowledge was passed on to her by her maternal grandmother, Nanny Elsie, who taught her how to bake traditional European recipes such as rye bread, pfeffernüsse cookies and stollen, a German spiced cake with fruit that is popular at Christmas. (Elsie, along with her son and daughter, moved to the United States from Germany in the 1950s.) Kristen’s formal training at the Pennsylvania School of Culinary Arts further developed her baking and pastry skillsets. How Kristen came up with the name Front Porch Baking Co. turned out to be apropos. “I had the name [before] the pandemic but it also tied in perfectly with the porch pickups,” Kristen says of the bake sales she held on her front porch and the sense of community they cultivated. “It was so fun to welcome whoever showed up on my front porch,” she recalls. “I never knew who would come by and it led to me developing some great relationships because of it. Anyone could walk onto my front porch for baked goods and I would be there for them at that moment. That’s how we aim to make folks feel.” When Kristen was laid off from her previous job due to the pandemic, she doubled down and changed her focus. Fortunately, pre-COVID, she had honed her baking skills through attending workshops and sharpened her business skills through courses offered by ASSETS and E-Cornell. Using a subscription model, Kristen worked to develop a customer base to minimize risk before fully fitting out a bakery. In October 2020, Kristen subleased a 100-square-foot space at Lancaster Marketplace, setting short-term goals that if all else failed, she could sell her equipment to recoup part of her investment. “I’ve found that your customers will find you if you believe in your values and show people that. I honor my values and adapt to whoever comes in the door,” says Kristen. Six months later and after Lancaster Marketplace closed, Front Porch Baking Co. moved from Kristen’s front porch to a commercial location in Millersville. Kristen, who is a graduate of Penn Manor High School, loves being part of the community. “I want to make people happy with my baking and if I can make a living at it, they should go hand in hand,” says Kristen. Preorder sales and a baking schedule that can be found on Front Porch’s website and social media help customers plan their purchases, stay connected and see what ingredients are coming together to produce a variety of new baked goods daily. “It does help me plan but it gives people preordering a specific day to come in,” says Kristen.
Kristen begins the baking process by kneading and then proofing the dough that was created with a natural starter yeast that she affectionately named Gertrude in honor of a great aunt. Kristen’s naturally leavened sourdough bread provides the makings for the ultimate grilledcheese sandwich due to its chewy crust and supple crumb.
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Since opening, Kristen has adapted and grown to meet the needs of her customers and the community. “There weren’t many healthy lunch options in Millersville,” she says, so every Wednesday, Front Porch prepares a soup of the week that usually lasts through Friday. Quiche is another popular lunchtime item. Coffee from Square One is also on the menu, which helps to make Front Porch a popular stop for a fresh bite on the go. “Half of our customers really believe in what Kristen wants to do,” says her husband, Brenton. “The other half are couples who walk their kids to school. They’re coming by here five days a week and may not be thinking about the bakery, but they’re happy we are here.” Many folks who stop in are coming from other businesses in the area, such as the salon next door, or they’re the people who work nearby. As we were chatting, a stylist from the salon opened the front door to quickly ask, “What’s the soup today?”
The Costs of Local
Jordan Bush
is a commercial photographer. His work has allowed him to discover and document cultures and food across five continents. A graduate of Garden Spot High School and Millersville University, Jordan and his fiancée, Jessica, reside and cook together in Ephrata.
Top to bottom: Loaves of banana bread baked with bananas sliced lengthwise. Fresh out-of-the-oven maltysalty chocolate chip cookies. Blueberry muffins exhibit a delightful, whole-grain flavor. The sweetness factor is provided by local blueberries that were harvested and frozen last July.
You’ve probably seen the PA Preferred label that denotes products are made entirely with Pennsylvania ingredients. For Kristen, valuing local comes at a price. “It does cost me more to buy local grain and local flour,” she notes. “I would love it if more farmers in Lancaster grew grains for human consumption.” While there are exceptions, much of the grain grown in Lancaster is produced for animal feed, especially silage corn. “I feel strongly that the money I’m spending on my business, that customers spend here, stays in local farms and businesses in Pennsylvania,” says Kristen. On her website, Kristen defines her “dream to create a long-lasting connection from farmer to miller, to baker to consumer. I am committed to starting and continuing that conversation here as I expand my reach into the community of Lancaster.” Given how she sources her ingredients locally, the connections within the community are clear. “We bake within seasons,” says Kristen. “Our handmade sourdough bread often highlights seasonal fruit or vegetables.” One of Kristen’s stops is Lancaster Central Market, where she purchases small quantities of inseason produce. Upon learning that local figs are baked into sourdough bread in late summer, I can’t help but smile. As we head towards summer, Front Porch plans to introduce “more laminated and naturally leavened” pastries into its mix of baked goods such as danishes and croissants.
Gertrude If you ask any number of bakers how they use yeast, the answers will be remarkably varied. Larger wholesalers and massive producers of refined bread typically value instant yeast for the shelf-life, consistency and speed at which bread can be baked. Smaller, more artisanal bakers often opt to use as little as possible for a slower, hand-made approach. “We don’t use commercial yeast,” says Kristen, picking up a container of bubbly dough. “We use a sourdough-starter yeast.” Yeast is everywhere in the air we breathe and natural leavening allows that yeast to take over water and flour. Naturally leavened bread that utilizes an established starter takes at least three days and is what develops complex flavors and rich textures in artisanal bread. Anytime a sourdough starter is used to make a new batch of bread, only part of the starter is used. An equal amount of flour and water replenish the dough taken out, ensuring there’s enough to sustain the wild yeast. This natural yeast creates carbon dioxide gases in the dough, giving it that tangy, leavened, cavernous quality. As a nod to her family history, Kristen’s starter yeast is affectionately named after her Great Aunt Gertrude. Gertrude, or Gertie for short, is a living blend of flour, water and wild yeast that Kristen has kept active for approximately eight years.
Reclaiming a Quality of Life for Producers Over the past two years, food producers and restaurants have taken steps to diversify sources of income, with a license to improve quality of life. Much like Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), subscriptionbased models empower small producers, growers and makers. “Prioritizing
Top to bottom: Quiche is one of the newer additions to the menu. Par-baking the crust ensures it will be fully baked and flaky before it’s filled with a batter that could contain bacon, potatoes, caramelized onions, leeks, kale or ricotta. The flaky, buttery crust of apple turnovers envelops a filling that is subtly sweet, tender and slightly crunchy.
Front Porch Baking Co. 513 Leaman Avenue, Millersville Hours are Wednesday-Friday, 8 a.m.2 p.m. and Saturday, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Frontporchbakingco.com
Spelt coffee cake has a savory quality, as it’s sweet with a satisfying salty undertone.
a work-life balance means we only have certain things,” says Kristen of the carefully crafted menu. It’s exciting to have a handful of amazing choices that change like a seasonal menu, rather than unchanging and massproduced foods. In addition to creating a rotating menu or schedule of baked goods, Front Porch also offers a CSA option. Front Porch Baking is now partnering with Fifth Month Farm (fifthmonthfarm.com) to offer its bread as an add-on for their new summer CSA fruit and vegetable share. The good news is Fifth Month will be offering more pick-up locations for subscribers throughout the area. For Kristen, participating in a CSA ensures less waste. As for subscribers, they are guaranteed to receive bread that’s made just for them.
Grain Forward In the history of the world, and particularly in the United States over the past few decades, bread and grains have been on a complex journey. In ancient Egypt, refined flour was considered the zenith of flours. Throughout American history, that perception was pushed to the extreme, with bleached-white flour producing quick, inexpensive and flavorless bread, before circling back to a resurgence of whole-grain bread. “There’s no flavor or health benefits to bleached white flour,” Kristen says of the process that removes nutrients and then adds flour with other nutrients. “Enriched flour is more shelf-stable and there are fewer oils to turn it rancid,” she explains. However, it’s stripped of its original quality. Baking connoisseurs have come to track varieties of grains, much like coffee aficionados seek out specific coffee beans or craft beer drinkers identify the flavors of particular hops. Similarly, learning the characteristics of each grain, such as where it’s grown and the climates in which it grows well, is becoming part of the process. Different types of grain, as well as how they are milled and processed, are better suited for specific uses. Typically, in baking, specific flours are selected for either bread or pastries. Bread flour usually has 11-15% protein, creating a chewy, dense bread with more gluten or chains of protein. Pastries need flour on the other end of the spectrum, with less protein. All-purpose flour has 10% or less protein. Adding oil, fat and/or sugar creates layers of air in delicate, flaky crusts. “Gluten is a protein,” Kristen points out. “The more you mix it, the stronger the bonds become, and the less extensibility it exhibits. If it’s overworked and returns to its shape after stretching, it needs time to relax.” Spelt flour is a somewhat unique option that can be used for both bread and pastries, as it has a protein level of 10-11%. Sourced at Small Valley Milling in Halifax, Dauphin County, spelt is one of Kristen’s choice flours and she uses it in her spelt streusel coffee cake recipe. Perfectly sweet, with a satisfyingly salty, savory undertone, her coffee cake is my favorite recipe I’ve tried thus far. It’s not too dry or dense but offers a crumbly texture so satisfying that I’m reluctant to share it.
Recommended Reading & Recipe Books • Bread: A Baker’s Book of Techniques and Recipes by Jeffrey Hamelman. • The Bread Baker’s Apprentice - Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread by Peter Reinhart. • Flour Water Salt Yeast: The Fundamentals of Artisan Bread and Pizza by Ken Forkish. • The Tivoli Road Baker: Recipes and Notes from a Chef Who Chose Baking by Michael and Pippa James. L A N C A S T E R C O U N T Y M A G A Z I N E | M AY 2 0 2 2
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Friday, June 10 @ 7:30 PM Saturday, June 11 @ 3:00 & 8:00 PM Let there be light! Listen in awe as a new world unfolds before you! Relish the hope (and humor!) only Haydn can provide. The Lancaster Symphony Orchestra and the Lancaster Symphony Chorus come together to perform Haydn’s oratorio The Creation, conducted by LSO Chorus Master Dr. William Wright. ALL PERFORMANCES AT FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
For tickets and more information, visit: www.lancastersymphony.org or call (717) 291-6440
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In the Neighborhood ATTITUDES HAIR & NAIL SALON For over 20 years, our mission is helping you LOVE your hair and nails! We specialize in trendy and traditional hair design, refreshing color, brightening highlights and perms for added style. Rejuvenate your hands and feet with relaxing manicures and pedicures. Thank you for trusting us to help you look and feel your best and voting us ‘Among the Best’ salons in 2021. We welcome Cathy Duffy, formerly of Odyssey Salon.
798A New Holland Avenue, Lancaster. 717-295-0836.
Sip IN Style
Wine & Cheese Train Enjoy wines from Waltz Vineyards alongside a spread of perfectly paired cheese and crackers as you travel in our first-class accommodations.
MOUNTAIN REALTY ERA POWERED Christina Perez of Mountain Realty ERA Powered offers SUPERIOR Real Estate services to her clients whether they are relocating to or moving in the Lancaster County area or outlying areas. The goal of all Mountain Realty ERA Powered agents is to be an ADVOCATE for you through the entire process of Buying, Selling and /or Investing. Christina Perez • 561-475-0665 (cell) christinaperez@eramountainrealty.com Christina is fluent in SPANISH. Yo Hablo Español License # RS4341549
2938 Columbia Avenue, Suite 602, Lancaster. 717-390-8701. www.eramountainrealty.com.
BOOK YOUR TASTING NOW StrasburgRailRoad.com
HALDEMAN MECHANICAL INC. Founded in 1939, Haldeman Mechanical Inc. has been providing plumbing, heating, cooling and water conditioning services to residential and light commercial customers for three generations. We are a certified Rheem ProPartner offering sales and 24-hour service as well as service agreements to keep your equipment running at peak efficiency. Free estimates are available by calling 717-665-6910 or visiting our website at haldemanmechanical.com. (PA#007777)
JOHN A. ZERN & SONS BEVERAGE John A. Zern & Sons Beverage specializes in beer and beverage sales and service and has been serving the Lancaster region since 1948. They provide beverage setups for weddings, banquets and other events and work with a number of venues across Lancaster County and surrounding areas. 202 South Charlotte Street, Manheim. 717-665-2233. Zernsbeverage.com.
Let’s Get Local. Follow us on social media and stay in the loop on all things Lancaster County. @LancCountyMag
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Table for Two
Brickerville House Restaurant and Bricker Village
Breakfast: Pancakes Lunch: Spinach pie Dinner: Delmonico steak Photos courtesy of Brickerville House
Dine and Shop in Brickerville The Brickerville House and its shops have become a dining/shopping destination. “People enjoy the restaurant’s historic atmosphere. They dine here and then visit the shops, or they’ll come shopping and then grab a bite to eat at the restaurant. It’s a great day out,” says George Agadis, who owns the restaurant with his brother, Tony. BY ROCHELLE A. SHENK | PHOTOGRAPHY BY NICK GOULD
W
hile the restaurant continues to be known as the Brickerville House, the shopping complex was recently rebranded as Bricker Village. The 14 locally owned shops offer a variety of products ranging from antiques, wine, chocolates, glass items, clothing and jewelry to such services as home decorating and photography. A salon/spa is also on the premises. The seasonal ice cream stand, Brickerville Ice Cream Shop, will be open through Labor Day. Of the rebranding, Tony’s wife, Halina, explains, “We wanted to increase awareness of the diverse community of businesses that call our property home. We also want people to
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realize that Brickerville House Restaurant is a member of a larger small business community.” LOCATED NORTH OF LITITZ, the Brickerville House was built by John and Barbara Bricker in 1753. As it was located on the main road (now Route 322) that carried traffic between Philadelphia and Harrisburg, the original portion of the house served as a stagecoach stop and tavern. George Washington may not have eaten, drank or slept there, but local figures such as Peter Grubb and Henry William “Baron” Stiegel did. “People love the history,” George says. The Brickerville House has served area
diners for quite some time, and the Agadis brothers have made it their own since purchasing the restaurant in December 2008. “The restaurant property has been evolving since we bought it,” George notes. “Some of our regular guests dine with us two or three times a week. We also serve multiple generations of the same family, and we’ve seen kids who dined here with their parents grow up and now they’re bringing their own kids here.” Both George and Tony grew up in the restaurant business in Manhattan, learning from the bottom up. Their father, Mike, owned a restaurant, and both brothers worked there. George earned an economics
degree from New York University, and although he went into banking, the restaurant business was in his blood and he continued to wait tables and bartend on weekends. Tony fell in love with the kitchen. As a child, he could often be found in the kitchen with his mother, Asimina, who created traditional Greek dishes and fabulous desserts. He followed his dreams and graduated from the Culinary Institute of America. ALTHOUGH THE BRICKERVILLE HOUSE seats 225, it is divided among a series of dining areas that create a sense of warmth and coziness. The dining area off the entry is known as the General Store. This cheery area features exposed stone walls and rafters. Seating is via booths and a counter. The light-filled, L-shaped Porch features a flagstone floor and is a great place to watch the pedestrian activity at the adjacent Bricker Village. The area also houses shelves filled with coffee beans that may be ground and purchased. The Library, with its faux bookshelves, is situated between the Porch and the General Store. Behind the General Store is the Fireplace Room, which has exposed stone walls, wainscoting and a Colonial-style stone fireplace. To the rear is the light and airy Garden Room. “Over the past few years, we’ve redone several areas of the restaurant including the Porch. Recently, the Garden Room had a makeover with new windows, flooring, tables and décor. Tony took charge of the makeover; he’s got a great sense of style,” George says. THE MENU FEATURES a wide array of items and everything is made from scratch including mashed potatoes and meatloaf. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served daily. The restaurant has become known for its buttermilk pancakes, 8-oz. charbroiled burgers and summer salads. Other popular items include baked chicken pie, stuffedflounder Florentine, honey-garlic chicken, Asian glazed ribs, prime rib (weekends only) and spinach-artichoke chicken breast. Greek dishes such as spinach pie (spanakopita) are also a specialty of the house. Be sure to save some room for dessert!
Opposite: The Garden Room was recently remodeled to better reflect the Colonial period to which the building dates. Tony Agadis, who oversees the kitchen, also enjoys the design process and took on the responsibility of transforming the space. This page, clockwise: The Fireplace Room harkens to the 18th century. Tony also oversaw the makeover of the Porch Room. George (left) and Tony Agadis, who grew up in the restaurant business in Manhattan, have owned the Brickerville House diningand-shopping complex since 2008. The General Store, which features a counter and booths, is a favorite of regular customers who are on the go. Fourteen locally owned shops and businesses comprise the recently rebranded Bricker Village.
The Brickerville House Restaurant is located at 2 E. 28th Division Highway (the corner of Routes 501 and 322), Lititz. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m., Saturday, 7 a.m.-8 p.m. and Sunday, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Reservations are suggested for parties of eight or more. Take-out is available. BYOB is permitted. Call 717-625-2525 or visit brickervillehouserestaurant.com. Hours for the individual shops/businesses in Bricker Village vary. For details, visit brickervillage.com. L A N C A S T E R C O U N T Y M A G A Z I N E | M AY 2 0 2 2
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In the Neighborhood CASEY JONES’ RESTAURANT
GALEBACH’S FLOOR FINISHING, INC.
All aboard! Join us in our two original P-70 80-ton dining cars that once rode the rails of the Pennsylvania Railroad. Featuring 175 seats, this unique property offers indoor dining, outdoor deck seating with train and farmland views, and take-out. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, Casey Jones’ Restaurant is a one-ofa-kind experience for all ages! 312 Paradise Lane, Ronks 717-687-5000 CaseyJonesRestaurantPA.com
202 Main Street, Landisville 717-898-9680 Galebachsfloorfinishing.com
LUSK & ASSOCIATES
Sotheby’s International Realty Anne M. Lusk has over 25 years of real estate experience. Anne’s mission is to provide world-class service to each and every one of her clients. Supporting local charities allows her the chance to be a difference-maker in the lives of others. By collaborating with some of the finest agents in the area, Lusk & Associates was formed with the goal of bringing a shared vision for world-class service to a broader base of homeowners and buyers. 100 Foxshire Drive, Lancaster 717-291-9101 • AnneLusk.com
Galebach’s Floor Finishing, founded in 1924, is the oldest floor finishing company in Lancaster County. We specialize in residential wood floor refinishing and have extensive experience with historic restorations. Our dust containment system keeps your home as clean as possible while our workers are on-site sanding and finishing. (#PA019030)
DUTCH APPLE DINNER THEATRE Spring is in the air and so is Rock! Roll on over to Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre for a rocking fun dinner and show. Featuring new drink specials, new appetizers and a specially-curated buffet, the Dutch Apple is reliving the 80s this April and May! 510 Centerville Rd, Lancaster 717-898-1900 • Dutchapple.com
Simply the BEST Chinese Food!
Family-Owned and Operated for 42 Years! At Hong Kong Garden, you’ll find consistency in taste, generous portions, a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere and excellent service. We offer lavish lunch and dinner menus, made with quality, fresh ingredients, for dine-in or take-out. Gift Certificates Available
Hong KongChinese Garden Restaurant
WHEATLAND SHOPPING CENTER • 1807 COLUMBIA AVENUE, LANCASTER • (717) 394-4336
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o h f t M n a o y M , 2 e 0 r i 2 t 2 n E
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717-393-3001 • CertifiedCarpet.com 1855-65 Columbia Ave., Lancaster, PA “When It’s Certified,™ You’re Satisfied!”
Why We ♥Lancaster
Plant Shopping For a Cause May is when gardeners get serious about buying plants. By early June, they’re putting the finishing touches on their gardens, which just happens to coincide with Hospice & Community Care’s plant sale.
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Top to bottom: Tim Arpin (left) and James Henning of The Gilded Lily are once again spearheading a plant sale that benefits Hospice & Community Care. The parking lot at The Essa Flory Center will be filled with plants on June 3 and 4. The sale will feature perennials, annuals, vegetable plants, herbs, houseplants, succulents and shrubs. Container gardens and hanging baskets will also be available.
im Arpin and James Henning of The Gilded Lily know all too well how busy May can be in the garden – they find themselves working nonstop on projects for clients throughout the month. But they ask that you save space in a bed or perhaps postpone filling that last container and patronize a plant sale they spearheaded three years ago to benefit an organization that is near and dear to their hearts – Hospice & Community Care.
THE BACKSTORY Tim has supported Hospice’s famed Labor Day Auction for nearly 25 years. While his plant sale at the auction has always been successful, he felt there was a better way for him to contribute to the cause. “I kept saying September is not the month people are looking to buy plants,” he explains. He envisioned a separate fundraiser that would be held at a more lucrative time of the year – spring.
A NEW BENEFIT TAKES ROOT Four years ago, Tim and James took their idea to Hospice and it was agreed that the new fundraiser would debut in June 2020. The Gilded Lily took on the responsibility of growing and/or providing all the plants for the sale. COVID-19, of course, caused the format of the sale to pivot to one in which shoppers could place orders online and then utilize a drive-thru set-up to pick them up on the day of the sale. “We were happy with the fact that it was well received,” says James. “We saw its potential and viewed it as a year of growth.”
GROWING FORWARD With COVID restrictions eased, last year’s sale looked more like the one
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Tim and James originally envisioned. Six truckloads of plants filled the parking lot of The Essa Flory Center on Good Drive. “People were able to shop in person,” Tim notes. To everyone’s delight, sales doubled.
THE WORKER BEES Tim and James take pride in the fact that 100% of the proceeds from the sale of plants benefits Hospice & Community Care. However, they say they could not conduct the sale without the help of Hospice volunteers who begin arriving at The Gilded Lily’s greenhouses in April to plant seeds and, as the season progresses, pot up plants and then help to prepare the hanging baskets and container gardens. “Without those volunteers, the sale would not happen,” Tim notes.
PLANT SALE #3 This year’s sale will be held over the course of two days – June 3 and 4. In addition to the wide variety of plants – perennials, annuals, shrubs, veggies, herbs, houseplants and succulents – container gardens and hanging baskets will also be available. “We’ll also have a Bargain Corner,” Tim says, adding that he and James will be on-site Friday to answer questions and assist customers. In addition, food trucks will be on-site both days.
DETAILS • Location: The Essa Flory Center, 685 Good Drive in Lancaster • Hours: June 3, 3-7 p.m. June 4, 7 a.m.1 p.m. (rain/shine) • Tender: Cash, checks and credit cards • Questions: hospiceandcommunitycare.org
WELLSPAN BARIATRIC SURGERY
Compassionate care and expertise, every step of the way. WellSpan Bariatric Surgery is different. We not only help you prepare for your surgery, we also help you successfully manage your weight after. Your compassionate, personalized care includes: Multiple surgery options — and help choosing the right procedure for you. One-on-one meetings and convenient online sessions. Accredited hospital bariatric centers and expert surgeons, including care by a female bariatric surgeon, one of only two in the region. State-of-the-art robotic surgery. With a relentless focus on quality and safety, WellSpan delivers care you can count on.
You can do this. Watch our videos and information sessions at wellspan.org/bariatrics Not ready for surgery? Learn about our Weight Management Program at wellspan.org/weightmanagement Qualifying patients must have a BMI of 35-40 with co-morbidity of either HTN, Diabetes or Sleep Apnea (just one). A BMI of 40+ will qualify without co-morbidity.
NO REGRETS “Dr. Weierbach has created a practice that should be a model for his industry. He’s a recognized expert in his field (you’ll see why at your first visit), accommodating, a good listener, and patient-focused: he’ll recommend what he believes is the best course of action for your specific situation. The staff is welltrained, very friendly and genuinely caring. Dr. Weierbach spared no effort and cut no corners in treating me, and the results were as good as I’d hoped for, if not better.” American Dental Association (ADA) recognized specialists in restoring and replacing teeth for a timeless display of confident beauty and Members in the American College of Prosthodontists.
160 North Pointe Boulevard Suite 203 / Lancaster, PA 17601 717.560.9190 YourClassicSmile.com
- AMIR FRIEDMAN, CPA, CITP President, NextStep Technology Advisors
Specialists in Cosmetic, Restorative & Implant Dentistry