APRIL 2011
Pennsylvania
pastime
Minor league baseball venues across Commonwealth provide host of family-friendly outings
PLUS Electric yard tools save money Parsley, sage, rosemary and...bacon 100 years of wildlife conservation
APRIL Vol. 46 • No. 4 Peter A. Fitzgerald EDITOR
Katherine Hackleman SENIOR EDITO R/WRITER
James Dulley Janette Hess Barbara Martin Marcus Schneck
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KEEPING CURRENT News items from across the Commonwealth
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E N E R G Y M AT T E R S Building an affordable, reliable energy future
CO NTRIBUTING COLUMN ISTS
W. Douglas Shirk LAYOUT & DESIGN
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Vonnie Kloss
Pennsylvania pastime
ADVER TISING & CIRCUL ATIO N
Minor league baseball venues across Commonwealth provide host of familyfriendly outings
Michelle M. Smith M EDIA & MARKETING SPECIALIST
Penn Lines (USPS 929-700), the newsmagazine of Pennsylvania’s electric cooperatives, is published monthly by the Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association, 212 Locust Street, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108-1266. Penn Lines helps 166,400 households of co-op consumermembers understand issues that affect the electric cooperative program, their local coops, and their quality of life. Electric co-ops are not-for-profit, consumer-owned, locally directed, and taxpaying electric utilities. Penn Lines is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts. The opinions expressed in Penn Lines do not necessarily reflect those of the editors, the Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association, or local electric distribution cooperatives. Subscriptions: Electric co-op members, $5.42 per year through their local electric distribution cooperative. Preferred Periodicals postage paid at Harrisburg, PA 17107 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes with mailing label to Penn Lines, 212 Locust Street, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108-1266. Advertising: Display ad deadline is six weeks prior to month of issue. Ad rates upon request. Acceptance of advertising by Penn Lines does not imply endorsement of the product or services by the publisher or any electric cooperative. If you encounter a problem with any product or service advertised in Penn Lines, please contact: Advertising, Penn Lines, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108. Penn Lines reserves the right to refuse any advertising.
F E AT U R E
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SMART CIRCUITS
Electric yard tools save money Cordless and electric yard tools cost less money to operate than gasoline tools
12A C O O P E R AT I V E
CO N N ECT I O N
Information and advice from your local electric cooperative
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A ‘perfect’ garden is in the eye of the gardener 14
TIME LINES Your newsmagazine through the years
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COUNTRY KITCHEN
Parsley, sage, rosemary and…bacon? 18
100 years of wildlife conservation
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PUNCH LINES
Thoughts from Earl Pitts– Uhmerikun!
Board officers and staff, Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association: Chairman, S. Eugene Herritt; Vice Chairman, Kevin Barrett; Secretary, Lanny Rodgers; Treasurer, Leroy Walls; President & CEO, Frank M. Betley
Visit with us at Penn Lines Online, located at: www.prea.com/Content/ pennlines.asp. Penn Lines Online provides an email link to Penn Lines editorial staff, information on advertising rates, contributor’s guidelines, and an archive of past issues.
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O U T D O O R A DV E N T U R ES
Issues that plagued wildlife fans back then still with us today
© 2011 Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.
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POWER PLANTS
Earl contemplates a new idea: what it would be like to be a grandfather
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CLASSIFIEDS
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RURAL REFLECTIONS
O N T H E COV E R
Spring has arrived!
Pitcher Nick Hernandez, drafted in 2009 by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 12th round, went 8-1 with the Williamsport Crosscutters before moving on to the Lakewood BlueClaws in 2010. At press time, he had not yet been assigned to this season’s team. Photo by Williamsport Crosscutters
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KEEPINGcurrent USDA unveils online mapping tool The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a new online mapping tool that provides a wealth of county-level data for rural counties across the country. The “Atlas of Rural and Small-Town
Users can click on any non-metro county in the United States and a popup box will show data relating to each of the four categories. Information about the entire country or regions of the country (such as employment data) is also available. The “Atlas of Rural and Small-Town America” is available online at www.ers.usda.gov/data/ruralatlas.
Obama calls for Great Lakes cleanup program
America” has more than 60 statistical indicators encompassing demographic, economic and agricultural data from more than 2,000 counties across the United States. Nearly 50 million people — approximately 17 percent of the U.S. population — live in non-metro areas. While most people realize that rural areas and urban areas face different challenges, this atlas demonstrates that economic challenges vary between rural counties in different parts of the country and even within states. The atlas combines data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the USDA into four categories, including: k People — demographic profiles including age, race/ethnicity, education, family composition, population change, migration and immigration. k Jobs — conditions and trends affecting the labor force, including employment, unemployment, industries and occupations. k Agriculture — farm structure, farm size, income, sales and households. k Counties — economic structure, landscape, amenities, poverty level and population. 4
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In his Fiscal Year 2012 budget proposal, President Barack Obama is calling for the expenditure of $350 million for a long-range Great Lakes cleanup program. During President Obama’s campaign in 2008, he pledged $5 billion over a 10-year period to battle invasive species, step up removal of toxic sediments, restore wildlife habitat and fix long-term environmental problems in the Great Lakes.
Flight 93 families seeking funds for memorial Families of those who died on United Airlines Flight 93 are asking Congress to approve additional funding for a memorial at the Somerset County, Pennsylvania, site where the Boeing 757 crashed on Sept. 11, 2001. The hijacked plane crashed shortly after 10 a.m. after passengers and crew
SOMERSET COUNTY MEMORIAL:
members tried to retake the flight after learning three other planes hijacked that morning by terrorists had crashed into buildings in New York City and Washington, D.C. Flight 93 was on its way from Newark, N.J., to San Francisco when it crashed into a field near Shanksville in rural Somerset County. All 33 passengers and seven crew members aboard died. The site of the Flight 93 crash is in territory served by Somerset Rural Electric Cooperative. Cooperative crews responding to reported outages in the area were among the first people at the crash scene and assisted as needed in the investigative and recovery efforts. Family members of those who died in the crash have been meeting with members of Congress to encourage approval of President Barack Obama’s budget request of $3.7 million for the memorial in the next fiscal year. The first phase of the permanent memorial, which will be located at the crash site to replace a temporary memorial, is scheduled to be dedicated on the 10th anniversary of the crash on Sept. 11, 2011. The federal government has already provided $10 million for the expected $60 million project. The state has pledged $18.5 million and another $20 million has been raised from private donations. l
Artist’s rendering shows proposed permanent Flight 93 memorial.
ENERGYmatters Growing pains Building an affordable, reliable energy future
TIGHTER government regulations — and the high cost to comply with new rules — may signal lights-out for many of the nation’s older coal-fired power plants at a time when forecasters predict energy demand will eventually outpace supply. “Americans could see power shortages by the end of the decade if new generation sources don’t materialize,” cautions Glenn English, CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), the Arlington, Va.-based service organization of the nation’s more than 900 electric cooperatives. To meet the challenge, electric cooperatives are using energy efficiency measures and innovative technology to reduce electric demand. But these measures will only go so far. Eventually, the need to build new generation to “keep the lights on” will take center stage.
An investment of time, money The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), the bulk power grid watchdog for the United States and most of Canada, estimates the country will need to build 135,000 megawatts (MW) of new generation by 2017 to meet demand. Facilities on the drawing board, though, will only deliver 77,000 MW — leaving an energy gap. Planning, building and launching a baseload power plant is no small feat. Even if the permitting process is noncontroversial — meaning there are no significant objections to a facility — a coal-fired generating station takes six to 6
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TRI-STATE GENERATION & TRANSMISSION ASSOCIATION
B y M a g e n H o wa r d
Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association, based in Colorado, is part of one of the largest solar projects in the nation, the Cimarron Solar Facility in New Mexico. Solarpowered generation is becoming more popular as states set renewable energy standards.
SOLAR-POWERED GENERATION GROWS:
seven years from start to finish, a combined cycle natural gas plant three to four years, while a nuclear plant requires 10 years at minimum, notes John Holt, NRECA senior manager for generation & fuels. Wind farms and large solar projects, in many cases, need a shorter amount of time to complete — about two years total — but they are handicapped by intermittency issues: even with good location and plenty of breezes, wind generation is available at most 40 percent of the time and seldom operates (due to a lack of wind) during periods of peak consumption on hot, humid summer weekday afternoons or cold weather below minus 22 degrees Fahrenheit; solar power systems operate only during daylight hours and are affected by cloud cover. Wind and solar resources must have back-up, or firming, generation, such as natural gas plants, ready to
come on-line when the wind stops blowing or the sun stops shining, and that adds extra expense.
Federal rules impact energy prices Rulemakings by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will impact electric bills and put affordability and reliability at risk. According to the report, “Potential Resource Adequacy Impacts of U.S. Environmental Regulations,” commissioned by NERC, four pending EPA rules would place new and costly hurdles on power generators. In fact, regulations impacting cooling water intake, coal ash disposal, interstate transport of air pollutants, and using Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) to curb emissions from power plants could force electric utilities to retire or retrofit 33,000 MW to 70,000 MW of generating capacity by 2015. A fifth hurdle, reducing power plant emis-
NEAL HINKLE
which requires a long lead time for construction and will likely have a tougher road given the tragedy in Japan. Natural gas at present seems like an attractive option to satisfy our nation’s energy appetite because the fuel is relatively cheap, power plants that use it can be brought on-line more quickly, and burning gas produces less carbon dioxide than coal. “But right now, we’re in a natural gas price bubble,� Holt cautions. ELECTRICITY NEEDS INCREASE: Natural gas power plants, like this unit “While economics operated by Golden Spread Electric Cooperative in Texas, are likely to fultoday favor natural fill our electricity needs in the short term. gas, my concern is just two or three sions of carbon dioxide, presents an even years ago natural gas was three times as greater challenge since no viable, comexpensive. So it could easily and rapidly mercially tested solution exists. go up in cost.� The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), an electric utility research conWorking to keep electric bills sortium that includes electric cooperaaffordable tives as members, contends if the EPA To reduce the need for new power designates coal ash, a residue produced plants, electric co-ops are fashioning a by coal-fired power plants that is used variety of innovative solutions to reduce as a Portland cement substitute, as hazload during times of peak demand — the ardous, it could cost utilities — and conelectric utility industry’s equivalent of sumer electric bills — between $5.32 bilrush-hour traffic when wholesale power lion and $7.62 billion annually. costs skyrocket: direct control of electric “Because of these new rules, we’re water heaters, air conditioners, electric expecting a number of existing coal thermal storage units, and other appliplants will be shut down,� asserts Kirk ances in the homes of volunteer conJohnson, NRECA vice president of sumers; interruptible contracts with energy & environmental policy. “The commercial and industrial accounts, cost of compliance will simply be too such as irrigation pumps, large retailers, much.� and factories, that are able to temporarily Only two alternate baseload generashut down or run emergency generators; tion options are currently available to calling on consumer-owned (distributed) meet America’s demand for safe, religeneration to start up; and the new kid able, and affordable electric energy — on the block, personal energy managenatural gas, which is priced in a volatile ment — notably in-home displays, web commodities markets, or nuclear power, portals, and smart thermostats that
inform consumers, in real time, when load peaks are happening, allowing them to voluntarily decide when and how to curtail electric use to save money. Most co-ops are also ramping up energy efficiency programs. According to NRECA Market Research Services, nearly all electric co-ops offer efficiency educational resources, and 77 percent offer residential energy audits. To find out about energy efficiency programs in Pennsylvania, visit your local cooperative’s website or the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency at www.dsireusa.org. l Sources: North American Electric Reliability Corporation, U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Research Institute Magen Howard writes on consumer and cooperative affairs for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the Arlington, Va.-based service organization for the nation’s 900-plus consumer-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperatives. Megan McKoy-Noe contributed to this article.
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PENNlines
Pennsylvania
pastime
Minor league baseball venues across Commonwealth provide host of family-friendly outings and the Pittsburgh Pirates. But a bevy of minor league clubs across the state provides family-friendly outings at prices JAMIE FLICK and his four boys are that won’t hurt the wallet. diehard baseball fans. Dubbed the “farm system” by Hall-ofFlick, a member of the Mansfield-based Tri-County Rural Electric Cooperative, is a Fame baseball executive Branch Rickey, minor league baseball has helped players season ticket holder for the nearby develop their skills for the major leagues Williamsport Crosscutters, the minor league affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. for over a century. Rickey, who once coached the Allegheny College baseball Last year, Flick got the chance to add team in Meadville — and more famously a little something extra to his baseball signed the likes of Jackie Robinson and experience. Flick and his family hosted Roberto Clemente to professional basetwo Phillies prospects, including Jesse ball contracts, was noted for saying the Biddle, top pick of the Phillies in 2010. minor leagues would “grow” players down on the farm like corn. Today, minor league baseball’s popularity continues to grow. Lancaster and York have built baseball stadiums in the past five years as a sparkplug for urban revitalization. In the state capital, Harrisburg’s minor league park on City Island recently underwent renovations to add seating capacity. CROWD PLEASER: Outfielder Steve Susdorf, who played for the The Reading Phillies, Williamsport Crosscutters in 2008, visits with the hometown crowd. the Double-A affiliate of Drafted in 2008 in the 19th round by the Philadelphia Phillies, he the Philadelphia Phillies, played for the Clearwater Threshers in 2010. At press time, he had opened their season with a not yet been assigned to a 2011 team. $10 million upgrade. Improvements to the historic FirstEnergy “That was a lot of excitement for our Stadium, which opened in 1951, started kids,” he reports. Baseball is the quintessential American last year in order to have the stadium ready for opening day on April 14, pastime. And in Pennsylvania, there are reports Tommy Viola, team spokesman. plenty of ways to enjoy America’s sport. The club wanted to keep the features Down on the farm that have made the stadium popular, Of course, the Keystone State has two such as the deck seating behind left field, and the heated pool just over the right pro clubs with the Philadelphia Phillies PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY WILLIAMSPORT CROSSCUTTERS
B y Da r r i n Yo u k e r C o n t r i b u t i n g Wr i t e r
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UNIQUE VIEWS: In addition to watching a great minor league team, attendees at the Altoona Curve games at the Blair County Ballpark are able to watch an operating rollercoaster just behind right field and gaze at the scenic Allegheny Mountains in the distance.
field wall. At the same time, there was a need to make some updates. “We wanted to keep that classic feel, but we wanted to have some updated features,” Viola explains. The renovations included a team store — a feature the Reading Phillies didn’t have before — and expanded concession stands. For years, concession stands were located underneath the seats, making for crowded travel at times. Now, the stadium will have a food court of its own, along with a stage where local musical acts will play for pre-and post-game events. All of those were needed upgrades to help the fan experience, Viola notes. “It was one of the oldest ballparks,” he says. “We needed to update it.”
Play ball The month of April holds opening days for many of the minor league clubs across the state. To be sure, there’s
TERI ENCISO/ALTOONA CURVE
had,” Lindberg notes. “We usually offer a picnic of hot dogs and hamburgers, so people come early and eat, and then they enjoy the game.” Groups and businesses can reserve a block of tickets in a given section, or enjoy picnic areas at Jerry Uht Park, reports John Frey, general manager of
Family fun Not every baseball fan has an experience like the Flicks. But, on any given summer night in Pennsylvania, there’s a ballpark with a home game. So the trick for minor league clubs is to find ways to entice the casual fans and families into the stadium. First, there’s the price. It’s cheaper than major league games, and often a better value than taking the family to the movies, says Mike Passanisi, director of communications with the Altoona Curve, the Dou-
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY YORK REVOLUTION
enough action to draw in the diehard fans. But clubs also plan betweeninning entertainment and special promotions to attract novice baseball fans. “Our goal is that when you leave the ballpark, you’ve had a good time,” emphasizes Gabe Sinicropi Jr., vice president of marketing and public relations for the Williamsport Crosscutters. “And you may not remember if we won or lost. Baseball is the backdrop to the entertainment.” Plus, the ballpark is a great place for group outings. As the manager of human resources at Northwestern Rural Electric Cooperative, Ken Lindberg is in charge of planning monthly employee activities. One of the favorite — and most well-attended — is the annual late spring family outing to see the Erie SeaWolves play. Because the group usually includes about 100 employees and family members, the cooperative gets a break on the entrance fee, plus a considerable amount of advertising in the form of verbal announcements and written scoreboard acknowledgements during the game. “Based on the attendance we typically get, the baseball game is one of the most popular employee events we have
the SeaWolves, the Double-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. “It is not just for individuals; it is good for business, youth groups and civic organizations,” he reports. “Ballparks are a place for everyone.” For Flick and his family, a love of baseball is more than just enjoying a night at the stadium. Last year, the Crosscutters asked Flick if he could host a ballplayer. Flick was sold immediately. But one afternoon, Flick saw Biddle teaching his youngest son how to throw a slider in the backyard. Then, he knew his family had something special on their hands. “We would host again in a heartbeat,” he says.
A CELEBRATION:
Members of the York Revolution celebrate a win in York at Sovereign Bank Stadium.
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Traveling with kids or grandkids this summer? Designed to fascinate and inspire, children’s museums are located in both urban and rural areas throughout the country. Many of the museums are connected through reciprocity programs (a one-year membership at the museum down the road may get you a free or reduced admission at partner museums in other states). Children’s museums in 41 states, the District of Columbia and two Canadian provinces participate in the Association of Children’s Museums (ACM) Reciprocal Program. You can view a complete listing of participating museums at www.childrensmuseums.org/visit/recipro cal.htm. FACTS ON CHILDREN’S MUSEUMS
Here are some facts about children’s museums, according to the ACM: k More than one out of three children’s museums is located in suburban or rural areas. k The number of children’s museums grew from 38 in 1975 to more than 243 by 2010; more than 75 new museums are in the planning phase. k The largest children’s museum is The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis (Indiana) with 433,000 square feet. k The oldest children’s museum is the
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Stadiums are more than a shrine to America’s pastime. Instead, they represent everything that’s good about summer: warm nights, relaxation and an abundance of good food. Each is unique in its own right. Harrisburg’s stadium is on an island in the middle of the Susquehanna River. Visitors to Altoona can see a rollercoaster over the right field fence. In Reading, visitors can OPENING MOMENT: The York Revolution outfield of James Shanks (12), Scott Grimes (22), and Steve Haake (15) observe the watch a game from a heated National Anthem with a ‘Field of Dreams’ team prior to a home pool. And Bowman’s Field in game at Sovereign Bank Stadium. Williamsport is the secondoldest ballpark in the nation. mer evening with a beverage and a hotdog. “I’m jealous of all our fans,” says SiniYou can’t beat it.” l cropi from his office in Williamsport. “I’m Darrin Youker is a writer living in here working, and I love what I do, but they are here kicking back enjoying a sum- Reading, Pa. PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY YORK REVOLUTION
ble-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. “It’s an affordable way to spend a few hours,” he states. “I think the word is getting out about that.” One way that clubs try to spice up the experience is by a plethora of between-inning entertainment choices to keep the crowd energized. Mascot races, T-shirts thrown into stands and family competitions are the norm at minor league baseball stadiums. At Reading, a mascot dubbed the “Crazy Hotdog Vendor” throws hotdogs into the stands, while Altoona hosts jousting competitions. “It’s about the atmosphere at the ballpark, the promotions,” Passanisi says. “That is what minor league baseball is all about.” But perhaps the greatest attraction for baseball is the stadium itself.
Brooklyn Children’s Museum (New York), which opened in 1899. CHILDREN'S MUSEUMS IN PENNSYLVANIA
k Hands-on House, Children’s Museum of Lancaster, 721 Landis Valley Road, Lancaster, is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping kids ages 2 through 10 learn while making sure they have lots of fun in the process. For information, call 717/569-KIDS or log on to www.handsonhouse.org. k The Children’s Museum, 2 West Seventh Street, Bloomsburg, is a non-profit organization that includes an arts and science center, as well as a hands-on museum with traveling exhibits. For information, call 570/389-9206 or log on to www.the-childrens-museum.org. k The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, 10 Children’s Way, Allegheny Square, Pittsburgh, bases its exhibits on the philosophy of “play with real stuff,” where real things and real processes challenge children’s abilities and help them understand the world they live in. For information, call 412/322-5058 or log on to www.pittsburghkids.org. k The Johnstown Children’s Museum, operated by the Johnstown Area Heritage Association, 201 Sixth Avenue, Johnstown, allows children to learn about Johnstown’s geography, history, culture, industry and more through play. For more information, call 814/539-1889 or log on to
www.jaha.org and click on the Johnstown Children’s Museum link. k The Erie Children’s Museum, 420 French Street, Erie, strives to enrich the lives of children by providing an educational, creative, interactive and safe environment where learning and fun go hand in hand. For more information, call 814/453-3743 or log on to www.eriechildrensmuseum.org. k Curiosity Connection, operated by the State Museum of Pennsylvania, 300 North Street, Harrisburg, is a Pennsylvania-themed, hands-on play environment where children ages 1 through 5 and their families can play, discover and learn together. For information, call 717/787-4980 or log on to www.statemuseumpa.org and click on the Curiosity Connection link. k Please Touch Museum, 4231 Avenue of the Republic (formerly North Concourse Drive), Philadelphia, is home to six interactive exhibit zones across 38,000 square feet designed to encourage learning through play. For information, call 215/581-3181 or log on to www.pleasetouchmuseum.org. k A Quaint Corner Children’s Museum, 2000 Union Avenue, Altoona, offers educational and interactive exhibits for children and families that spark imagination, which inspires learning and nurtures growth through play. For information, call 814/944-6830 or log on to www.quaintcorner.org.
Baseball is big in Pennsylvania. And in the minor leagues, each club tries something a bit different to attract new fans. Here’s a look at what some of the Keystone State baseball clubs have to say about a night at their ballpark:
Between-inning entertainment: Varied, including a video system along with on-field promotions. What makes the experience memorable: Being on an island. The large video board and LED screens that nearly surround the outfield give fans a big league experience in a minor league park.
ALTOONA
READING
Team: Altoona Curve Seating capacity: 7,210 Average ticket cost: $8.50 League: Eastern League, Double-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates Concession must-haves: The Curve Burger, Walking Taco, pulled pork sandwiches, chicken tender baskets. Unique stadium feature: A rollercoaster operated by the neighboring amusement park is located behind the right field wall and will often run during games from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Between-inning entertainment: The variety of games or promotions includes mascot races, bagel races, jousting competition and the dizzy bat race. Fans can also tune into the stadium videoboard for player content such as features and interviews. What makes the experience memorable: On a beautiful summer night, the views don’t get any better with the backdrop of the rollercoaster in right field, the scenic Allegheny Mountains off in the distance and the future stars of the Pirates playing underneath the lights at Blair County Ballpark. It’s a very picturesque environment to experience some good old-fashioned family fun and take in a baseball game.
Team: Reading Phillies Seating capacity: 9,000 Average ticket cost: Single game tickets range from $6 to $11 League: Eastern League, Double-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. Concession must-haves: The Churger, pizza, funnel cake and ice cream. Unique stadium features: Reading Eagle pool picnic area, which features an actual pool. Between-inning entertainment: Crazy Hot Dog Vendor, who tosses hotdogs to fans. The Veggie Races are always a lot of fun. What makes the experience memorable: A high level of affordable family entertainment in the nostalgic setting of FirstEnergy Stadium, where people of all ages can find something they can connect with. Lots of promotions and exciting giveaways are featured in the ballpark that underwent a $10 million renovation in 2011.
Around the bases…
ERIE
Team: Erie SeaWolves Seating capacity: 6,952 Average ticket cost: $7 League: Eastern League, Double-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers Concession must-haves: Anything from Smith’s Sausage Shack — locally made sausages grilled to order on an outdoor grill. Unique stadium features: Erie Civic Center is located just beyond the left field wall. Stadium is located in a small block in downtown Erie. It also has raised seating on the first base side due to tight constraints because of the location. Between-inning entertainment: Kid’s Stampede, with kids running across the field from centerfield gate to the first base side, is easily the most-asked-about event at every game. What makes the experience memorable: Small and personable facility. You’re never far from the action. Each game has major focus on entertainment for fans, and it’s never the same show two nights in a row. HARRISBURG
Team: Harrisburg Senators Seating capacity: 6,187 Average ticket cost: $9 League: Eastern League. Double-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals Concession must-haves: Spot Dog; MoMo’s BBQ Unique stadium features: Boardwalk that goes nearly around the ballpark, including outfield seating.
WILLIAMSPORT
Team: Williamsport Crosscutters Seating capacity: 4,200 in historic Bowman Field Average ticket cost: $5.75 to $7.50 League: New York-Penn League, Single-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. Concession must-haves: Pork BBQ Unique stadium features: Second-oldest minor league baseball stadium operating in the United States (it opened in 1926). Between-inning entertainment: Sumo Wrestling and Bungee Race. What makes the experience memorable: Enjoying our national pastime in a historic setting that transports participants back to a simpler time. YORK
Team: York Revolution Seating capacity: 4,200, but can fit 6,000, including suites and picnic areas. Average ticket costs: $7 to $13 League: Atlantic Concession must-haves: White Rose Bar & Grill BBQ Unique stadium feature: Fenway Park-like wall in left field named the Arch Nemesis. It is the tallest wall in professional baseball — two inches taller than the Green Monster at Fenway. Between-inning entertainment: Games and contests including the popular “Fruit Race,” with children dressed up in costumes racing from first base to home plate. What makes the experience memorable: Intimate setting for the die-hard baseball fans, and the non-stop, family-friendly entertainment for casual fans. Access to players for both big fans and kids is unparalleled.
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SMARTcircuits
by James Dulley
Electric yard tools save money Cordless and electric yard tools cost less money to operate than gasoline tools USING ELECTRIC or cordless tools is more sensible than using gasoline-powered ones for many reasons. Obviously, the United States has to import huge amounts of oil to make gasoline. Anything a homeowner can do to use less gasoline is good. If you have access to an electric outlet, plug-in tools offer lighter weight and more power than cordless ones. Electric or cordless tools also cost much less to use than gasoline tools. For example, a cordless lawn mower can cut a one-third acre lot for about 10 cents’ worth of electricity to charge the battery. Also, there is no maintenance cost associated with a cordless or electric tool. There are differences in the life, weight, cost and effectiveness of various types of rechargeable batteries for cordless tools. The four basic types of batteries used are lead-acid, nickel-cadmium, nickel metal-hydride and lithium-ion. Lead-acid batteries are used in cordless lawn mowers because they can store the most charge. Lead-acid batteries are also relatively inexpensive for the amount of power they can store. Their drawback is heavy weight. In a tool such as a lawn mower that rests on wheels, this is not a major problem. For hand-held yard tools, having a lead-acid battery hanging on the handle could wear out your arm quickly. Ni-Cd (nickel-cadmium) batteries were used on the earliest cordless tools and most tools still use them. They are relatively inexpensive, and they maintain their performance at cooler temperatures — an important feature for tools used 12
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outdoors. Ni-Cd batteries are relatively heavy, so they are not often used on the highest voltage cordless tools. Ni-Mh (nickel metal-hydride) was the next generation of rechargeable batteries. These batteries can store more electricity for the weight. They are more expensive to make than Ni-Cds so they are used on fewer cordless tools. They are ideal for indoor use but tend to lose runtime in colder outdoor temperatures. Also, their life (run/recharge cycle) is less than for Ni-Cd batteries. Li-ion (lithium-ion) batteries are the newest type. These are the most expensive but also are the lightest for the power they can store. Li-ion batteries operate very well at cold temperatures, so they are effective for outdoor use. Some take longer to charge than Ni-Cd or Ni-Mh batteries, so they may not be the best choice if you are constantly running them down and trying to recharge them quickly. Don’t necessarily look for the highest voltage tool with the most power. No matter what type of battery a tool uses, higher voltage means more battery
weight. If you primarily do light shrub trimming or drill small holes in soft wood, lower-voltage is your best choice. Of your outdoor power tools, you’ll use a lawn mower most often. Most of the newer rechargeable cordless lawn mowers are designed to have enough electric charge to cut the typical one third-acre lot. This is assuming a medium length grass — perhaps one-week growth maximum. With no maintenance, cordless mowers are very easy and quick to use. The only drawback is they are somewhat heavier than a gasoline-powered mower. The 36-volt models provide additional power to cut a wider path, which reduces cutting time. For convenience, select a model with a removable battery so the mower can be stored in a shed while keeping the battery in the garage for charging and wintertime storage. l is a nationally syndicated energy management expert. You can reach him at James Dulley, c/o Penn Lines, 6906 Royalgreen Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45244.
JAMES DULLEY
POWERplants
by Barbara Martin
A ‘perfect’ garden is in the eye of the gardener NOBODY ever seems satisfied with their garden! All that work and still our garden is nothing like what we see in the catalogs or magazines or on television. Gardeners are too quick to blame themselves. The satisfaction comes from managing expectations and from working smarter — not harder. A glossy magazine shoot is a team effort: a location scout finds a photogenic garden, the crew grooms the place, on-site stylists tweak the scene, and a professional photographer frames the shot. The photo is processed — cropped, tidied and then finally, published. The garden is fabulous, just like a fashion model. In reality, how many home gardens would ever hope to meet that standard of engineered perfection? Nature is not perfectly tidy. There is always some growth, decay or change. We need to BARBARA MARTIN ,
who says she began gardening as a hobby “too many years ago to count,” currently works for the National Gardening Association as a horticulturist. A former member of Gettysburg-based Adams Electric Cooperative, her articles appear in magazines and on the internet.
accept that. We can celebrate a growing, thriving garden as a source of joy and abundance, even when it has a few wrinkles. Now to the “working smarter” aspect, because sometimes we make gardening harder than it needs to be. “A stitch in time saves nine” is a good guide; we can save ourselves work by being thoughtful and wise about what we opt to do today. One early step with big returns: do a little measuring, space planning and calculating before you plant. How much space do you have and how many plants can fit in it? For vegetables, be honest: how much produce will you eat fresh? How much are you willing and able to put up for later? For flowers and landscaping jobs, consider the mature sizes of the plants you want. Realistic planning prevents overplanting, saves time and effort, and avoids unnecessary spending on excess materials, seeds and plants. Now’s the time to think about weeds and weeding, before things get ugly out there. You can opt to mulch in between the plants to smother weeds and prevent weed seeds from germinating. Or, you can cultivate regularly in between the plants to disturb germinating weed seeds and snuff out baby weeds as they emerge. This must be done often to stop the weeds while they are small. Another option is to let the weeds grow large enough to pull by hand, preferably
before they go to seed. Mulching is less work overall, if applied before weeds take hold in the garden. Mulch needs occasional raking and topping up for peak effectiveness, but it’s worth it because it does triple duty. It holds down weeds, it reduces the need for watering during dry spells, and it breaks down over time and replenishes the soil with organic matter. Garden soil benefits from regular additions of organic material resulting in healthier plants. Organic matter helps soil hold air and water better, leading to healthier plant roots. Plants rely on their roots to take up both water and nutrients, so better root systems mean better overall plants. Healthy plants yield better and are also less prone to diseases and insects. Another smart tactic: select varieties for disease and insect resistance, plus qualities such as flower color or size, yield,
GOOD ADVICE: Enjoy your garden and
think less about whether it’s perfect.
or taste. Local master gardeners can suggest reliable varieties for your area. Finally, check your plantings every few days. You’ll notice if something seems to be going wrong before it’s an intractable problem. You’ll also notice when it’s about time for pruning, staking, or some other task — like harvesting. Visit your garden often. Marvel at the first rosebud, experience the shade from that tree you planted, anticipate that first juicy tomato, savor the last of the fall raspberries or carve your own home-grown pumpkin. Nothing looks or smells or tastes more wonderful than when it’s enjoyed straight from the garden. Here’s a little secret: you will totally be thrilled when you realize, “Wow, I grew that!” You won’t even care whether or not it’s “picture perfect!” l APRIL 2011 • PENN
LINES
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TIMElines
Yo u r N e w s m a g a z i n e T h r o u g h t h e Y e a r s
2001 BY 2001, when Penn Lines asked “Is Farmland Preservation Working?” there were 1,504 Pennsylvania farmers who had enrolled 183,462 acres in the program, and Pennsylvania was saving farmland at a faster rate than any other state. In the past 10 years, the program that protects Pennsylvania land from development has grown by leaps and bounds. Today, Pennsylvania leads the nation in the number of farms and acres preserved. By the end of 2010, 4,096 farms representing 444,647 acres had been preserved, and more than $1 billion in farmland preservation funds had been invested in the program. Pennsylvania’s farmland preservation program began in 1987 when voters approved floating a $100 million bond to be used to purchase farms pressured by development. Ongoing funding for the program was provided after July 1993 by a 2-cent tax on each pack of cigarettes sold in the state. Under the program, farmers voluntarily sell development rights on their property to a county land preservation board and/or the state on the condition that the farmland remains available in perpetuity (forever). Counties determine the easement price by subtracting the farm’s appraised agricultural value from its market value and paying the difference. The farmer retains ownership of the land and can sell it. However, new landowners are bound by the development restrictions. Tom Elliott, a director of the Claverack Rural Electric Cooperative and Allegheny Electric Cooperative, Inc., was featured in the 2001 Penn Lines article.
1971 National Rural Electric Cooperative Association convention delegates work toward a common goal: providing dependable, economical power produced in the cleanest manner possible. 14
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LINES • APRIL 2011
1981 Rural electric distribution lines span some of the roughest terrain in Pennsylvania. For this reason, aerial vegetation control on cooperative rights-of-way is used by most cooperatives.
1991 Electricity has been immortalized on postage stamps around the world. Almost every country has honored some aspect of the electrical industry on at least one of its stamps.
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COUNTRYkitchen
by Janette He ss
HOT DEVILED EGGS
Parsley, sage, rosemary and…bacon? ROASTED ham, pork and lamb are the traditional stars of Easter dinner, but a side dish flavored with bacon also has the power to impress. Bacon isn’t a diet food, most people would agree, but when used as a “seasoning” ingredient, even a little bacon goes a long way. In Savory Baked Rice, special seasonings, consommé and bacon impart exceptional flavor to white rice. The resulting dish goes especially well with ham. Hard-cooked eggs always seem to be in abundance around Easter time, but this year, make sure that not all end up in baskets! Hold back a few for use in Asparagus Salad and Hot Deviled Eggs. With Asparagus Salad, fresh asparagus is tossed in a homemade dressing similar to one usually paired with spinach. Garnishes of crumbled bacon and chopped, hard-cooked egg complete the dish. In the recipe for Hot Deviled Eggs, cheesy Mornay sauce transforms hard-cooked eggs and crumbled bacon into a season-appropriate dish. Who says that deviled eggs are strictly a summertime treat? l A trained journalist, JANETTE HESS focuses her writing on interesting people and interesting foods. She is a Master Food Volunteer with her local extension service and enjoys collecting, testing and sharing recipes.
6 eggs, hard-cooked and peeled 4 tablespoons butter, divided 3 tablespoons flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon dried mustard 1 1/2 cups milk 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Swiss or Gruyère cheese 3 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese 4 slices bacon, fried crisp, drained and crumbled 1/2 tube buttery round crackers, finel y crushed (approximately 16 crackers ) 2 teaspoons dried parsley
Slice eggs in half lengthwise and sepa rate yolks from whites. Set whites aside. Place yolks in medium-sized bow l and mash with fork. To make Mornay sauce, melt 3 tablespoons butter in medium saucepan. Add flour and stir until smooth. Whisk in milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture is thickened. Remove from heat and add Swiss or Gruyère cheese, Parmesan cheese, salt and mustard. Stir until cheese has melted. Add 1/3 cup cheese sauce to egg yolks and mix well. Add crumbled bacon to yolk mixture. Coat bottom of 8- by 8-inch baking dish with thin layer of Mornay sauce. Carefully fill egg whites with yolk mixture and arrange — yolk side up — in baking dish. Cover with rema ining sauce. Melt remaining tablespoon of butter and toss with cracker crumbs and dried parsley. Sprinkle crumbs over eggs and bake at 350 degr ees for 30 minutes. Serve hot. This dish may be assembled in advance and refrigerated until baking time. VARIATION: For Deviled Eggs Florentine , stir 1/2 package (5 ounces) frozen spinach into yolk mixture. Prepare spina ch by thawing, draining and pressing dry.
SAVORY B
AKED RICE 8 strips bacon 1/4 cup (1/2 stick ) butter 1/4 cup olive oil 1 medium onion, finely diced 2 cups raw (conv erted) rice 2 tablespoons dr ied parsley 1 teaspoon rubbed sa 1/2 teaspoon dried ge rosemary, crushed fine 2 10 1/2-ounce ca ns condensed be ef consommé (n 2 soup cans wate ot broth) r Fry bacon until cr isp In same pan, melt . Drain, crumble and set aside. Di scar bu until onion is softe tter. Add olive oil and diced onion d drippings. an ned. Add raw rice. until rice is golde Cook and stir over d cook n, approximately low heat 10 crumbled bacon. Transfer to 9- by minutes. Add seasonings and 13-inch baking dis Refrigerate overnig h. Ad ht all liquid is absorb . Bake at 350 degrees for 60 mi d liquids. nutes, or until ed. Just before se rving, gently toss Makes 8 to 10 se rvings. rice with fork.
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LINES • APRIL 2011
SALAD ASPARAGUS
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OUTDOORadventures
by Marcus Schneck
100 years of wildlife conservation Issues that plagued wildlife fans back then still with us today A FAMILY friend and neighbor, Florence “Hammy” Hamilton, passed recently, a few days before her 101st birthday. Think of that: more than a century on this Earth. Hammy had witnessed amazing changes in society, in technology, in everything. I never really talked with her about it all, and that is now an opportunity regrettably lost. However, her passing did lead me to take a look back in my personal area of interest: wildlife conservation. Peeking back across 100 years was, let’s say, shocking; shocking, but not surprising. As the 1800s drew to a close, the state’s first Board of Game Commissioners was created, but without any funding or the hunting license that the original proponents had expected. The board would go two years without any state appropriation and nearly two decades — until 1913 — before a $1 hunting license was grudgSCHNECK is outdoor editor for The (Harrisburg, Pa.) PatriotNews, a contributor to many outdoor publications and websites, and author of more than two dozen books.
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ingly approved by the state Legislature over the opposition of a small but powerful hunting organization. During the same period, deer had become so rare across much of the state that many had given up on hunting them. They turned their attentions to small game hunting and, when those populations fell, they blamed and began slaughtering hawks, owls, foxes, minks and weasels for a 50-cent bounty. Increasingly strong game laws, including the first bucks-only law; the creation of no-hunting game refuges; and the stocking of deer purchased from other states were all instituted to bring back the No. 1 game animal. However, it was the changing environment across much of the state that really brought on the resurgence of the deer herd. The lumber industry continued to
LINES • APRIL 2011
clearcut huge expanses of forest, leaving entire mountainsides of nothing but stumps in their wake. Within a few years, those same areas were covered in tangles of sapling and brush. The seeds were sown for the booming deer population that so many of us grew up with in the middle of the 20th century. Caught between that trend and a general resistance among hunters to allowing any open season on does, the first executive secretary of the Game Commission accurately predicted, “Thank God I won’t be in charge of this work 10 years from now, because someone is going to have hell to pay.” The first protection for black bears also came in the early 1900s. Although it placed no bag limit on bruins and was meek by today’s standards, that new law closed bear hunting from
Officials realize the state of Pennsylvania’s forests relates directly to the state of the Commonwealth’s wildlife.
FOREST MANAGEMENT:
March 2 to Sept. 30. The state’s first game protectors — a whopping nine of them for the entire state — began experimenting with the earliest attempts at trapand-transfer to re-establish wild turkey populations in many parts of the state. They did that between their normal enforcement rounds, which regularly included having shots fired in their direction and sometimes dying in the line of duty. Bobwhite quail were being purchased from states to the south and released in Pennsylvania. Amazing how modernized versions of some of the same issues plaguing wildlife management in its earliest years in Pennsylvania are still with us today. l
PUNCHlines
Thoughts from Earl Pitts, UHMERIKUN! Earl contemplates a new idea: what it would be like to be a grandfather
Social commentary from Earl Pitts —— a.k.a. GARY BURBANK , a nationally syndicated radio personality —— can be heard on the following radio stations that cover electric cooperative service territories in Pennsylvania: WANB-FM 103.1 Pittsburgh; WARM-AM 590 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton; WIOO-AM 1000 Carlisle; WEEO-AM 1480 Shippensburg; WMTZ-FM 96.5 Johnstown; WQBR-FM 99.9/92.7 McElhattan; WLMI-FM 103.9 Kane; and WVNW-FM 96.7 Burnham-Lewistown.
My better half hit me with a lightnin’ bolt outta the blue last night. You know our little girl, Sandra Dee. Well, she’s got this new boyfriend. An’ I guess they’re gettin’ serious. I mean as serious as two dingbats can get. Anyways, my better half was musin’ last night. I guess that’s what you’d call it — musin’. Jabberin’ is another word for it. She goes, “Earl, it ain’t gonna be too long before that girl gets hitched. Are you ready to be a Grampa?” Funny thing, my whole life I never onct considered what it might be like to be a Grampa. First of all, it means you would be married to a grandmother! Yikes!!! That whole grandparent thing throws me. Grandparents are like the bullpen for the starting parents. If the parents get tired an’ start losin’ their stuff, they call on the grandparents. An’ I can tell you from when I was a kid, grandma was the closer. She could bring the heat. Whenever there was some kinda childhood crisis, Grandma could come in there and shut it down. When you get a baby, Grandma runs over there an’ starts powderin’ the kid’s bottom. She’s makin’ dinner. She’s handin’ out candy when they get older. She’s got all the pictures in her purse. She goes to all the games an’ she sends all the birthday cards. Grandmas will sit through a fourth-grade band concert an’ think they’re listenin’ to the Phillip Harmonica Orchestra. That’s dedication. Grampa is more like middle relief. He’s got the finger-pullin’ thing, the quarter behind the ear, an’ then he wants to know what’s on besides Barney. Wake up, America! I ain’t changin’ it. I ain’t burpin’ it. But when it gets a little older, I’ll take it to the zoo. You got my word on it. My better half is gettin’ all set for spring cleanin’. Yeah, onct a year she cleans the house like she was a hardworking maid. Scrubbin’, vacuumin’, capturin’ dust bunnies under the furniture.
An’ don’t get me wrong about this onct-ayear thing. The rest of the year she — what we call — “keeps it up.” Which is a fancy way a sayin’ she keeps it just this side a’ bein’ a fire hazard an’ a death trap. Anyways, here’s what she tells me last weekend. She tells me I got to go through my drawers an’ my side a’ the closet an’ throw out everything I don’t wear no more. She says put it in a big pile an’ she’ll take it down to the Goodwill. Here’s what I found out. I gotta lot a’ clothes I don’t wear no more. I got more clothes I don’t wear than stuff I do wear. Here’s my problem — I think. I’m like most guys, an’ I work from the top of the pile. I open up my T-shirt drawer an’ I take a T-shirt from the top a’ the pile. How deep I go depends on when she washes clothes. I figured out that I mighta maybe wore five different shirts all last year. See, women don’t get dressed like that. They will look through them drawers like they was lookin’ for gold. They hold stuff up an’ they hold it to the mirror. They got this whole matchin’ color thing in their heads. They got different clothes for different seasons. They got different shirts that go with different jackets. Then they got their “these make me look fat clothes” that they hold on to just in case by some miracle they lose a couple tons. An’ they got clothes memory, like a’ elephant. We was gettin’ ready to go to the parent-teacher deal down at the school a couple weeks ago. My better half had to run back an’ change her shirt halfways out the door. She said it was the same shirt she wore last fall, an’ she didn’t want EJ’s teacher thinkin’ she only owned one shirt. Teacher already knows she only got one brain cell. Wake up, America. Now for guys, it’s a lot easier. Fact is — we could get dressed in the dark. People have even asked me if I got dressed in the dark. I ain’t braggin — that’s a fact. An’ thanks for noticin’. I’m Earl Pitts, Uhmerikun. l APRIL 2011 • PENN
LINES
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PENNLINESclassified HERE’S MY AD:
am an electric co-op member. Attached is my Penn Lines mailing label from the front of this magazine. q II enclose $20 per month for 30 words or less, plus 50¢ for each additional word. The total payment enclosed is $_________________________. Please run my ad during the months of ______________________________________________________.
NOT a member of an electric cooperative. I enclose $70 per month for 30 words or less, plus $1.50 q Iforameach additional word. The total payment enclosed is $_____________________. Please run my ad during the months of ______________________________________________________. _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ 1
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Additional words: _____________________________________________________ (use separate sheet if needed) NOTE: You must pay for special heading requests, even if the heading is currently appearing in Penn Lines. Only the following qualify as free headings. Please check your selection: Around the House Business Opportunities Employment Opportunities Gift and Craft Ideas Livestock and Pets Miscellaneous Motor Vehicles and Boats Nursery and Garden Real Estate Recipes Tools and Equipment Vacations and Campsites Wanted to Buy. and Food FOR SPECIAL HEADINGS NOT LISTED: Indicate special heading you would like, and add $5 for co-op members, $10 for non-members. Insertion of classified ad in Penn Lines serves as proof of publication; no proofs are furnished. SEND THIS FORM (or a sheet containing the above information) to Penn Lines Classifieds, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108. FOR INFORMATION ONLY Telephone: 717/233-5704. NO classified ads will be accepted by phone. ATTN: Checks/money orders should be made payable to PREA/Penn Lines.
q
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CLASSIFIED AD DEADLINE
ATTACH ADDRESS LABEL HERE (OR WRITE IN COMPLETE LABEL INFORMATION)
Yes, I want my message to go into more than 166,400 households in rural Pennsylvania. I have counted _________ words in this ad. (FOR ADS IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, ADD 20 PERCENT TO TOTAL COST.)
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June 2011 . . . . . . . . . . . . April 18 July 2011 . . . . . . . . . . . . . May 18 August 2011 . . . . . . . . . . June 17 All ads must be received by the specified dates to be included in the corresponding month’s issue. Ads received beyond the deadline dates will automatically be included in the next available issue. Written notice of changes or cancellations must be received prior to the first of the month preceding the month of issue. For information about display rates, continuous ads, or specialized headings, contact Vonnie Kloss at 717/233-5704, the Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association. LIGHTHOUSE LOVERS: Matted, framed or wood mounted lighthouse pictures of Maine available. Beautiful pictures make great gifts, varied sizes and prices. All reasonable. Call Foxport Lights 814-695-9304. GRAIN We now have available OPEN-POLLEN CORN. Call 724-3543206 for information.
AROUND THE HOUSE
CHURCH LIFT SYSTEMS
“COUNTRY COOKING,” Volume 2 — $8, including postage. “RECIPES REMEMBERED,” Volume 3 — $12, including postage. Both of these cookbooks are a collection of recipes from men and women of the electric co-ops of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Payable to: Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association, P. O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108. Write Attention: Cookbooks. Volume 1 of “Country Cooking” is SOLD OUT.
Make your church, business or home wheelchair accessible. We offer platform lifting systems, stair lifts, porch lifts and ramps. References. Free estimates. Get Up & Go Mobility Inc. 724-746-0992 or 814-926-3622.
HANDCRAFTED FURNITURE
OUTSIDE WOOD HEATER — $1,595. Forced air system. Rated 100K BTU. Heats up to 2,400 square feet. Houses, mobiles or shops. Low-cost shipping. Easy install. 417-581-7755 Missouri. www.heatbywood.com. CLOCK REPAIR: If you have an antique grandfather clock, mantel clock or old pocket watch that needs restored, we can fix any timepiece. Macks Clock Repair: 814-421-7992.
CONSULTING FORESTRY SERVICES HARDWARE/LUMBER RETAIL NOLL’S FORESTRY SERVICES, INC. performs Timber Marketing, Timber Appraisals, Forest Management Planning, and Forest Improvement Work. FREE Timber Land Recommendations. 30 years experience. Call 814-472-8560. CENTRE FOREST RESOURCES. Maximizing present and future timber values, Forest Management Services, Managing Timber Taxation, Timber Sales, Quality Deer Management. FREE Timber Consultation. College educated, professional, ethical. 814-867-7052.
BUILDING SUPPLIES EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES STEEL ROOFING AND SIDING. Discount Prices. Corrugated sheets (cut to length) 52¢ per square foot. Also seconds, heavy gauges, odd lots, etc. Located in northwestern Pennsylvania. 814-398-4052. METAL BUILDINGS — 24 x 40 x 8, $9,900 installed. 30 x 40 x 8, $11,900 installed. Includes one walk door and one garage door. All sizes available. 800-464-3333. www.factorysteelbuildings.com. FACTORY SECONDS of insulation, 4 x 8 sheets, foil back. Also reflective foil bubble wrap. 814-442-6032. BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES PIANO TUNING PAYS — Learn at home with American School of Piano Tuning home-study course in piano tuning and repair. Tools included. Diploma granted. Call for free brochure 800497-9793. A WORKBOOK DESIGNED to put community women to work caring for their neighbors. This workbook offers a ready-togo format and legal pathways to get you started. NonFranchise. www.nurseemploymentagency.org.
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LINES • APRIL 2011
COUNTRY CRAFTED bentwood oak/hickory rockers. Swings, gliders, double rockers, coffee/end tables, bar stools, kitchen sets, cedar log outdoor furniture, log bedrooms, SPECIAL queen log bed, $599. 814-733-9116. www.zimmermanenterprise.com.
EARN $60,000/yr Part Time in the livestock or equipment appraisal business. Agricultural background required. Classroom or home study courses available. 800-488-7570. www.amagappraisers.com. FENCING FREE Fence Guide/Catalog – High-tensile fence, horse fence, rotational grazing, twine, wire, electric netting – cattle, deer, garden, poultry. Kencove Farm Fence Supplies: 800-536-2683. www.kencove.com. GIFT AND CRAFT IDEAS “COUNTRY COOKING,” Volume 2 — $8, including postage. “RECIPES REMEMBERED,” Volume 3 — $12, including postage. Both of these cookbooks are a collection of recipes from men and women of the electric co-ops of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Payable to: Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association, P. O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108. Write Attention: Cookbooks. Volume 1 of “Country Cooking” is SOLD OUT.
LEE’S Hardware — CRESSON 814-886-2377. Plumbing, electrical, hardware, paint, tools, wood pellets. PATTON 814674-5122. Lumber, roofing, plywood, windows, doors, shale, sand, blocks, delivery, boom lift trucks, estimates. Full service hometown stores. HAY AND FORAGE ALFALFA HAY for sale — different qualities to fit your needs. 3x3, 3x4 or 4x8 large square bales delivered to you in semi-truck load amounts. Call toll-free 800-835-2096 or 877-285-8200. HEALTH AND NUTRITION Tired of all those medicines — Still not feeling better? Do you want to feel better, have more energy, better digestion, less joint stiffness, healthier heart/circulation and cholesterol levels? Find out how to empower your own immune system — start I-26 today! It’s safe, affordable, and it works. Call 800557-8477: ID#528390. 90-day money back on first time orders or call me 724-454-5586. www.mylegacyforlife.net/believeit. HEALTH INSURANCE DO YOU HAVE THE BLUES regarding your Health Insurance? We cater to rural America's health insurance needs. For more information, call 800-628-7804 (PA). Call us regarding Medicare supplements, too.
PENNLINESclassified HUNTING
REAL ESTATE
TREE TRIMMING/REMOVAL
GARY YOUNG’S Hunting Adventure! Helping hunters find their perfect hunt. Whitetail, elk, bear, moose, turkey, wild boar, mule deer. Across 12 states and six provinces. Call Gary at 724-388-0678 or gly7645@gmail.com.
RAYSTOWN LAKE — $275,000, 35 acres, build-ready, mountaintop vista, close to boat launch. Call 814-599-0790.
TOM’S TREE SERVICE – Tree Trimming/Removal – Storm Cleanup – Stump Grinding – Land Clearing – Bucket Truck and Chipper – Fully Insured – Free Estimates – Call 24/7 – 814-4483052 – 814-627-0550 – 26 Years Experience.
INFRARED SAUNAS Removes toxins, burns calories, relieves joint pain, relaxes muscles, increases flexibility, strengthens immune system. Many more HEALTH BENEFITS with infrared radiant heat saunas. Economical to operate. Barron’s Furniture, Somerset, PA. 814-443-3115. LAWN AND GARDEN EQUIPMENT RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL – SALES – SERVICE – PARTS. Compact Loaders & Attachments, Mowers, Chainsaws, Tillers, etc. We sell BCS, Boxer, Dixon, Ferris, Hustler, Grasshopper, Shindaiwa and more. HARRINGTON’S, Taneytown, MD. 410-7562506. www.harringtonsservicecenter.com. LIVESTOCK AND PETS GERMAN SHEPHERD puppies $900-$1,500. Young Adult $800 and Adult dogs $500 from imported blood lines. 814-967-2159. Email: rick@petrusohaus.com Web: www.petrusohaus.com. PEMBROKE WELSH CORGI Puppies — AKC, adorable, intelligent, highly trainable. Excellent family choice. Reputable licensed breeder guaranteed “Last breed you’ll ever own.� 814-5873449. THE WAY A DOG should be! AKC German Shepherd puppies. Excellent temperaments and health. Raised in our home. Black/red, black/tan, black/silver. 570-924-3650. www.thesecondwindgermanshepherds.com. LOG CABIN RESTORATIONS VILLAGE RESTORATIONS & CONSULTING specializes in 17th and 18th century log, stone and timber structures. We dismantle, move, re-erect, restore, construct and consult all over the country. Period building materials available. Chestnut boards, hardware, etc. Thirty years experience, fully insured. Call 814696-1379. www.villagerestorations.com. MISCELLANEOUS BECOME AN ORDAINED MINISTER, Correspondence study. The harvest truly is great, the laborers are few, Luke 10:2. Free info. Ministers for Christ Outreach, 7549 West Cactus Road, #104-207, Peoria, AZ 85381. www.ordination.org. FOR NEWS about North Central Pennsylvania and regional calendar of events. Also listen to a blend of country, pop oldies and folk on your computer 24/7. Visit www.blackforestbroadcasting.com. MOTORCYCLE-SNOWMOBILE INSURANCE For the best INSURANCE RATES call R & R Insurance Associates from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 800-442-6832 (PA). NEW REGIONAL FESTIVAL ALLEGHENY MOUNTAIN GREEN FEST — May 14, 2011, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fun family event includes: energy improvements, green products, native plants, local foods, workshops, kids’ activities. Learn how to Green Your Routine! www.ohmonth.com NURSERY AND GARDEN TREE-SHRUB SEEDLINGS. Wholesale Prices. Beautify Property. Make Money Growing Christmas Trees, Ornamentals, Nut Trees, Timber. Plants for Landscaping, Windbreaks, Noise Barriers, Wildlife Food-Cover. Easy Instructions Guaranteed. FREE Color Catalog. Carino Nurseries, P. O. Box 538PL, Indiana, PA 15701. 800-223-7075. www.carinonurseries.com. PINE, SPRUCE, FIR seedlings and transplants for Christmas trees, reforestation, wildlife habitat, windbreaks, property beautification. Wholesale prices. FREE catalog. Flickingers’ Nursery, P.O. Box 245, Sagamore, PA 16250. 800-368-7381. www.flicknursery.com.REAL ESTATE
LAND for sale in EAST TENNESSEE — Lots or acreage tracts with mountain views and near/on lake. Guaranteed owner/broker financing. Ball Realty 800-349-9526. www.ballrealty.com. BEDFORD COUNTY — 32 acres prime hunting land. Private lane, quiet, secluded. Five minutes from Shawnee State Park, ten minutes from Bedford. All wooded. Serious only $65,000. 814-539-6982 or 814-341-0506 Larry. SECLUDED CHALET, beautiful setting on trout stream with two acres near hunting, fishing, skiing, hiking, four wheeler and snowmobile trails. Easy access Potter County, PA – asking $125,000. Write P.O. Box 242, Coudersport, PA 16915 for pictures and details or call 517-677-9084. HUNTINGDON COUNTY, Jackson Township, 3612 Sassafras Road near Whipples Dam. Hunting-fishing, 50’ trailer, kitchen, dining room, bedrooms, bathroom, living room, enclosed porch, fully furnished, well, septic, one acre, $40,000 firm. Call 814-944-4482. THREE BED, two bath, double wide. Free gas, town water, 80 acres. Mostly woods. All rights negotiable except clay. New metal roof. Great hunting, riding. 814-236-8385. RECIPES AND FOOD “COUNTRY COOKING,� Volume 2 — $8, including postage. “RECIPES REMEMBERED,� Volume 3 — $12, including postage. Both of these cookbooks are a collection of recipes from men and women of the electric co-ops of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Payable to: Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association, P. O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108. Write Attention: Cookbooks. Volume 1 of “Country Cooking� is SOLD OUT. SAWMILLS
VACATIONS AND CAMPSITES BEAUTIFUL LAKE ERIE COTTAGE — Enjoy swimming. Fishing and sunsets at their finest. Sleeps eight, 20 miles west of Erie. Available May to November. Call 814-333-9669. Visit our website at www.curleycottage.com. COOK FOREST AREA — At The Woods Cabin & Campground — Sigel, PA. Large cabin rental, sleeps 10, fully equipped. Small Campground – Restrooms & Showers – Seasonal Sites Available. Call 330-385-2404. www.atthewoodscabin.com. SECLUDED CABIN on Jacks Mountain, Mifflin County. Living room, kitchen, three bedrooms, bathroom, deck. Available April through October. $30 to $72 per family per night. 717989-7864 or www.campstonewall.com. SPACIOUS VACATION rental house at Lake Raystown. Sleeps eleven. Think family gathering. Air conditioning, boat parking. $220/night, $1400/week. Call 814-931-6562 or see www.laurelwoodsretreat.com. WATERLESS COOKWARE VAPO-SEAL Waterless Cookware — most important lifetime investment you will ever make for your family’s health. Free Brochure call 800-852-3765. 7-ply surgical stainless steel. 18 pieces, new in box. Small fraction of Dinner Party price or $295.
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USED PORTABLE Sawmills and COMMERCIAL Sawmill Equipment! Buy/Sell. Call Sawmill Exchange 800-459-2148. USA and Canada. www.sawmillexchange.com.
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CLUSTER FLY & LADY BUG
TIMBER FRAME HOMES
CONTROL Cluster Fly, Lady Bug, Boxelder Bug, Spiders, Crickets
One Price. One Treatment. Five Results!ÂŽ GUARANTEED SERVICE
1-800-726-0537 www.ClusterFlyControl.com
Farm • Industrial • Commercial
25 Year Warranty on Roof & Walls; Prices F.O.B. Mfg. Plants; Seal Stamped Blue Prints; Easy Bolt Together Design.
TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT PROFESSIONAL SHARPENING. Clipper blades. Scissors for fabric, groomers and stylists. Knives, chisels and small tools. Aires Eickert factory trained to sharpen beauty shears. Scissor sales and service. 814-267-5061 or www.theScissorGuy.net. DISMANTLED I.H. TD6 for parts. Ford Dexta parts. Wanted old Ariens rototillers – any condition. Also for sale Gradall G660C Track Excavator. Good condition. $20,000 OBO. Call 330-6961399 evenings. Thank you!
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FREE SAMPLE Shaklee’s Energy Tea. Combination red, green and white teas that are natural, delicious, refreshing, safe. For sample or more information on tea or other Shaklee Nutrition/Weight Loss Products: 800-403-3381 or www.shaklee.net/sbarton.
SETTLEMENT POST & BEAM BUILDING COMPANY uses timehonored mortise, tenon and peg construction paired with modern engineering standards. Master Craftsman and owner, Greg Sickler, brings over two decades of timber-framing experience to helping you create your dream. We use highquality timbers harvested from sustainable forests for all of our projects. Visit our model home, located on Historic Route 6, Sylvania, in North Central Pennsylvania. For more information phone 570-297-0164 or go to www.settlementpostbeam.com or contact us at cggksick@epix.net.
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30’ x 50’ x 10’.....$9,347 40’ x 60’ x 12’.....$12,885 60’ x 100’ x 12’...$24,546 80’ x 100’ x 14’...$33,828 100’ x 150’ x 14..$60,938
VISIT OUR WEBSITE
PRICES INCLUDE COLOR SIDES & GALVALUME ROOF
Arena Special (roof & frame) 100’ x 100’ x 14’...$37,352
(Local codes may affect prices)
VISIT OUR WEBSITE
TRACTOR PARTS – REPAIR/RESTORATION ARTHURS TRACTORS, specializing in vintage Ford tractors, 30-years experience, on-line parts catalog/prices, shipped via UPS. Contact us at 877-254-FORD (3673) or www.arthurstractors.com.
F a x : 9 4 0 - 4 8 4 - 6 7 4 6 e m a i l : info@rhinobldg.com Website: http://www.RHINOBLDG.COM
Toll Free
1-888-320-7466
APRIL 2011 • PENN
LINES
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RURALreflections Lynn and Bonnie McCann REA Energy
Spring has arrived! APRIL HAS ARRIVED with its annual offering of spring flowers, sunshine and longer periods of daylight. When you go outside to enjoy the season, remember to take your camera with you so you can participate in the “Rural Reflections” photography contest. Remember, we need photos of people, pets and landscapes, so snap away. At the end of the year, five lucky amateur photographers will each receive a $75 prize. Categories include: artistic, landscape, people, animal and editor’s choice. Send your photos (no digital files, please) to: Penn Lines Photos, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg PA 17108-1266. On the back of each photo, include your name, address, phone number and the name of the electric cooperative that serves your home, business or seasonal residence. (The best way to include this information is by affixing an address label to the back of the photo. Please do not use ink gel or roller pens to write on the photo.) Remember, our publication deadlines require that we work ahead, so send your seasonal photos in early. We need summer photos before mid-April; fall photos before mid-July and winter photos before mid-September. Photos that do not reflect any season may be sent at any time during the year. Please note: photos will not be returned unless a self-addressed, stamped envelope is included. l
Pamala & William H. Gotwalt Valley REC
Margie Martin Northwestern REC
22
PENN
LINES • APRIL 2011
Kate Bouman Claverack REC
In today’s economy, wise purchases are more important than ever. With the skyrocketing price of fossil fuels, homeowners around the world have found that WaterFurnace is a smart choice. WaterFurnace geothermal comfort systems tap into the clean, renewable energy found in your own backyard to provide savings of up to 70% on heating, cooling and hot water. Call your local WaterFurnace dealer today for more information. It’s money in the bank. CONTACT YOUR LOCAL WATERFURNACE DEALER
Bedford Knisely & Sons (814) 623-9086
Hollidaysburg Knisely & Sons (814) 693-8744
Williamsport Hepler Air Inc. (570) 323-3335
Carbondale T.E. Spall & Son (570) 282-3000
Latrobe E&D Company (724) 537-8612
York Strine’s Heating & A/C (717) 755-4127
Ellwood City Motta Heating & A/C (724) 201-0500
Newville Whisler’s HVAC (717) 776-6211
York R.E. Sanders Inc. (717) 843-7894
www.kniselyandsons.com
www.thecomfortdoctors.com
www.mottageothermal.com
www.kniselyandsons.com
www.edgeothermal.com
www.whislershvac.com
www.heplerairinc.com
www.strines.com
www.sandersplumbing.com
waterfurnace.com (800) GEO-SAVE ©2011 WaterFurnace is a registered trademark of WaterFurnace International, Inc.
Eastern Pennsylvania Mike Fink, WFI Territory Mgr. (800) 934-5160 x2753 Western Pennsylvania John Cari, WFI Territory Mgr. (800) 934-5160 x2716