Penn Lines August 2010 by American MainStreet Publications

AUGUST 2010

Down by the river Waterways still bring life to Pennsylvaniaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s river towns

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Wooden markers of time Corn OFF the Cob Home security

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AUGUST Vol. 45 • No. 8 Peter A. Fitzgerald

EDITOR/DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

E N E R G Y M AT T E R S

KEEPING CURRENT

F E AT U R E

Katherine Hackleman

The next (heat pump) generation

SENIOR EDITOR/WRITER

James Dulley Janette Hess Barbara Martin Marcus Schneck

CONTRIBUTING COLUMNISTS

W. Douglas Shirk LAYOUT & DESIGN

News items from across the Commonwealth

Down by the river Waterways still bring life to Pennsylvania’s river towns

Vonnie Kloss

ADVERTISING & CIRCULATION

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 17105 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.

COUNTRY KITCHEN

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CLASSIFIEDS

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PUNCH LINES

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.

Board officers and staff, Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association: Chairman, Tim Burkett; Vice Chairman, S. Eugene Herritt; Secretary, Lanny Rodgers; Treasurer, Kevin Barrett; President & CEO, Frank M. Betley © 2010 Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.

Visit with us at Penn Lines Online, located at http://www.prea.com/Content/ penn_lines_magazine.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.

TIME LINES

Your newsmagazine through the years

14A C O O P E R AT I V E

CO N N ECT I O N

Information and advice from your local electric co-op

O U T D O O R A DV E N T U R ES

Wooden markers of time To an outdoorsman, trees hold memories of people, activities

Corn OFF the Cob Toward a more sustainable plant zoo

Keep your house — and wallet — secure

18 26

Thoughts from Earl Pitts– Uhmerikun! Earl thinks ‘getting away’ is the wrong thing to call a week spent too close to family

RURAL REFLECTIONS

Anything can be picturesque O N T H E COV E R Pennsylvania’s waterways vary in size from seasonal streams to the mighty Susquehanna River, pictured here looking across into York County, areas of which are served by Adams Electric Cooperative. Photo by Kathy Hackleman AUGUST 2010 • PENN

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ENERGYmatters The next (heat pump) generation New heat pump water heaters may signal rebirth of an energy-saving technology By Alice Clamp

Cooperative Research Network

COLD SHOWERS aren’t a pleasant way to start the day, and hot water plays a hefty role in cooking and cleaning, too. As a result, water heating accounts for approximately 20 percent of residential energy consumption. To save energy, consumers have wrapped water heaters in blankets or wrapped hot water pipes in insulation. While those practices should continue, a new type of water heating product is entering the market with a promise to lower energy consumption and save consumers money. Heat pump water heaters, while not a new technology, are experiencing a rebirth. A handful of companies produced units in the 1980s and 1990s. But random failures and other issues (such as the need for utilities to install special electric service to power the devices) soured consumers on the technology. In addition, many electric co-ops offered (and still offer) load management programs that depended on briefly shutting off standard electric resistance water heaters as a way to cut electric use during times of peak demand when power prices skyrocket. These programs, in turn, helped co-ops keep electric bills affordable. Heat pump water heaters, unfortunately, could not be used in these efforts. Now, some major water heater manufacturers and other appliance companies have entered the market with a new and 4

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improved generation of heat pump water heaters. Many electric cooperatives are testing these products for possible deployment in their service territories. Heat pump water heaters come in two types. The more expensive “integrated” model replaces an electric resistance water heater with one that combines COZY: A heat pump water heater needs space of at least 10 feet square to ensure adequate air exchange. An open basement, a utility room or a garage a heat pump with will work. a storage tank. The second verstandard electric resistance water sion adds a heat pump unit to an existheaters. Payback for the purchase can ing electric water heater. take as little as three years, but in areas In both versions, a heat pump circuwith low electricity rates and limited lates a refrigerant, which absorbs heat financial incentives, the payback period from surrounding air before it passes can be much longer. through a compressor to maximize heat Heat pump water heaters are most output. efficient in warm and damp climates. A backup electric resistance element A heat pump water heater needs in the tank takes over when outside air space of at least 10 feet square to ensure becomes too cold or when consumers adequate air exchange. Noise becomes need extra hot water. In summer, cool another consideration when deciding exhaust air can be released into the where to place the unit as most heat vicinity where the heat pump water pump water heaters boast noise levels heater is located, assisting home coolsimilar to window air conditioners. ing, or it can be returned outside. Heat pump water heaters are not a Because a heat pump water heater universal option. Residents in colder cliuses electricity to move, rather than mates will see decreased performance generate heat, it consumes roughly half during winter. the electricity of a conventional electric To learn more, visit www.energystar.gov, resistance model. This efficiency qualiand search for heat pump water fies integrated heat pump water heaters heaters. l for an Energy Star rating, a first for Alice Clamp is a technology writer for the electric water heaters. Cooperative Research Network, a service of Integrated units sell for $1,400 to the Arlington, Virginia-based National $2,000 — more than twice the cost of Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

KEEPINGcurrent Downtown Indiana Inc. wins top honors in Main Street contest Downtown Indiana Inc. was recognized in June as the top Main Street Community in overall performance by the Pennsylvania Downtown Center (PDC), the only statewide nonprofit organization dedicated solely to the revitalization of the Commonwealth’s core communities, at its statewide convention. The organization, located in the same community where REA Energy Cooperative is based, was honored for its efforts to revitalize Indiana’s downtown business district. Approximately 84 Main Street programs were ranked on a variety of criteria, including building vacancies that have been filled, jobs that have been created, façade enhancements, number of hours put in by volunteers and business retention. In addition to winning top honors, Downtown Indiana Inc. also received a No. 8 ranking on the PDC list of Top 10 Main Street Communities in the category of total public and private investment with nearly $4 million. It also received the Townie Award in the category of public space improvements for its creation and implementation of an extensive 2009 project that combined traffic-calming efforts, pedestrian safety enhancements and tourism. Nearly 300 PDC member organizations are eligible to be considered for Townie Awards.

State to open 1 million acres of parks, forests for hunting this year The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) is planning to open nearly 1 million acres of state parks and forests for hunting this year in an attempt to manage the state’s white-tailed deer population and protect the state’s forests. According to a DCNR spokesman, this is the eighth year the agency has partici6

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COOPERATIVEspotlight For the first time in the history of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s (NRECA) Youth Tour, a Pennsylvania student has been named as national spokesperson for the Youth Leadership Council (YLC). Students from across the nation are sponsored by their local rural electric cooperatives to attend the weeklong educational tour to Washington, D.C., where they learn about their nation’s history and the role that rural electric cooperatives have played in that history. While on the tour, one student from each state is selected to represent the state as an outstanding student. Travis Gilbert, representing Adams Electric Cooperative on the 2010 Youth Tour, was selected as Pennsylvania’s Outstanding Youth Tour Student during the trip in June. Students chosen to represent their states as outstanding students also participate in NRECA’s Youth Leadership Council, where they hone their leadership and speechwriting skills. From the students representing the 42 states that participate in the program, one national spokesperson was recently selected to speak at the NRECA Annual Meeting, scheduled for March in Orlando, Fla. “I am really, really honored to be chosen as the national spokesperson for YLC,” Travis said shortly after the announcement. “My goal is to tell everyone at the NRECA meeting next spring how amazing and how bright the future of America is in the hands of the youth who participated in Youth Tour and YLC. I am so excited to be representing those amazing students.” Travis, son of Adams Electric Cooperative members John and Cathy Gilbert of Newville, is a student at Big Spring High School. A member of Student Council, he is class president for the second consecutive year, and is active in musical theater and the school newspaper. He is a student member of the Pennsylvania State Board of Education, and serves as senior patrol leader in his Boy Scout troop, where he is working toward achieving Eagle rank. The winner of the Nora Shenk Harmon Award and the William Swaim Annual Historical Essay Contest, Travis also attended the Spring 2009 National Young Leaders Conference. His career goal is to work in politics or government. In announcing Travis as the national Youth Leadership Council spokesperson, Steve Uram, an NRECA spokesperson, stated, “We tell all the newly minted members of Youth Leadership Council that they are all winners. Nearly 1,500 students came to Washington, D.C., and 42 are in this room. They are the cream of the crop. It is very difficult to pick a single spokesperson as there are several outstanding individuals.” “This is a significant honor, and I am certain Travis will do an excellent job in representing Pennsylvania and Adams Electric Cooperative,” said Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association President & CEO Frank Betley. PREA is the statewide representative of Pennsylvania and New Jersey’s electric cooperatives. Betley said that Gilbert, who recently spoke to cooperative leaders at the PREA Summer Meeting, has “an impressive grasp of the issues confronting America’s youth.” “Travis has a wonderful perspective on things, and I’m sure his future will be bright,” Betley added.

pated in the Deer Management Assistance Program, which allows hunters with permits to harvest antlerless deer. DCNR officials report they rely on detailed surveys and management plans to select areas where increased hunter participation would benefit forested habitats.

Hunting areas for 2010 will be: Bald Eagle, Centre County; Beltzville, Carbon County; Blue Knob, Bedford County; Canoe Creek, Blair County; Codorus, York County; Cook Forest, Clarion County; Gifford Pinchot, York County; Hickory Run, Carbon (continues on page 8)

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Exceptional value; satisfaction guaranteed Available in four sizes, the Northwoods Legends Leather Jacket is offered by The Bradford Exchange at the affordable price of $199*, payable in four convenient installments of $49.75 each, and backed by our 30-day money-back guarantee. To acquire yours, send no money now; just return the Reservation Application today. www.bradfordexchange.com/deerjacket

M(38-40) L(42-44) XL(46-48) XXL(50-52) Mrs. Mr. Ms. Name (Please Print Clearly)

Address

City State

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KEEPINGcurrent

County; Keystone, Westmoreland County; Kings Gap, Cumberland County; Moraine, Butler County; Nescopeck, Luzerne County; Ohiopyle, Fayette County; Oil Creek, Venango County; Presque Isle, Erie County; Prince Gallitzin, Cambria County; Raccoon Creek, Beaver County; Ricketts Glen, Luzerne County; Ryerson Station, Greene County; Shawnee, Bedford County; and Tobyhanna, Monroe County. For more information, log on to www.pgc.state.pa.us.

New temporary memorial opens at Flight 93 crash site A new temporary indoor memorial has opened near Shanksville in Somerset County at the site where Flight 93 crashed during the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The new space, unveiled in early July by the National Park Service, will remain

NATURALselections

Artist’s rendering of proposed permanent Flight 93 memorial.

in place until a permanent memorial is completed. The former memorial, also temporary, was located outside and included a fence where thousands of visitors left mementoes. Construction on the permanent memorial required that the temporary site be moved. It is anticipated that the permanent memorial will be completed by Sept. 11, 2011, the 10th anniversary of the attack. The site of Flight 93 is in territory served by Somerset Rural Electric Cooperative.

Emerald ash borer continues to spread across Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding announced in early July that emerald ash borer beetles have been found in three additional counties in Pennsylvania: Centre, Fulton and Somerset. This brings the number of counties where the invasive tree-killing pest has been found to 15. According to Redding, the emerald ash borer poses a serious threat to Pennsylvania’s nation-leading hardwoods industry, which annually contributes nearly $25 billion to the state’s economy. New quarantine areas are expected to be announced at any time as a result of the spreading threat. State and federal emerald ash borer quarantines restrict moving ash nursery stock, green lumber, and any other ash material, including logs, stumps, roots and branches from the quarantined areas. The emerald ash borer beetle was first detected in Pennsylvania in 2007 in Butler County. It has since been found in Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Indiana, Juniata, Lawrence, Mercer, Mifflin, Washington and Westmoreland counties. The wood-boring beetle is native to China and eastern Asia. It was first detected in the United States in Michigan in 2002, and in addition to Pennsylvania, it has now spread to Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Emerald ash borer adult beetles are dark green, about one-half inch long and one-eighth inch wide and fly only from early May until September. Larvae spend the rest of the year under the bark of ash trees. When they emerge as adults, they leave D-shaped holes in the bark about one-eighth inch wide. A tree typically dies within three years of the initial infestation. Residents who suspect they have found emerald ash borer beetles should call the agriculture department’s toll-free pest hotline at 866/253-7189. For more information, log on to www.agriculture.state.pa.us and search for emerald ash borer.

PENN

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Cooperative crews, responding to reported electric outages in the area, were among the first people to reach the crash site.

Pennsylvania dairy farmers to benefit from payment change A recent change in the way milk premiums are paid means that some Pennsylvania dairy farmers will be getting a little extra money for each gallon of milk they sell. The change could mean up to $6.7 million in additional money will flow into the hands of state dairy farmers. Each gallon of milk sold in Pennsylvania includes 25 cents to cover what is called an over-order premium, which is supposed to be passed from retailers through processors and on to the farmers. This premium is charged for milk produced on Pennsylvania farms, processed in Pennsylvania dairies and sold in Pennsylvania. According to the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, the over-order premium was not assessed on milk processed into cheese or yogurt, meaning that processors buying milk from both in-state dairy farmers and out-of-state dairy farmers could keep some of the premium by crediting out-of-state farms for milk and in-state farms for cheese. Under the new regulations, all milk and milk products will be credited to Pennsylvania farmers. There will be no change in cost to consumers because they already are paying the premium. Gov. Ed Rendell (D), in a news release announcing the change, stated, “Pennsylvania’s 7,400 dairy farm families are hurting financially and this decision will help alleviate some of that pain by ensuring (farmers) receive what’s fair and what’s rightfully owed to them.” l

Issue Four “Farmall Country Bed and Breakfast”

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PENNlines

Down by the river Waterways still bring life to Pennsylvania’s river towns By John Bruce

PENNSYLVANIA’S diverse river towns offer unique cultures and environments — and tons of fun. The people who make their living on the rivers are major contributors to the health of their communities and the rivers themselves. People like David Buck. Switching careers after 18 years selling long-haul commercial trucks, Buck founded and currently operates Endless Mountain Outfitters, now in its 11th year of business on the winding North Branch of the Susquehanna River in Sugar Run, Bradford County. Starting out with two trailers, 10 canoes and 10 kayaks, Endless Mountain Outfitters has grown to

WORKING ON THE RIVER: Claverack Rural Electric Cooperative member David Buck is in his 11th year of operating Endless Mountains Outfitters on the North Branch of the Susquehanna River.

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include 50 single kayaks, 15 tandem kayaks and 25 canoes. “My wife, Melody, is my biggest help,” Buck says. Together, the Claverack Rural Electric Cooperative members employ about a half-dozen part-time employees. Buck’s passion for the outdoors began during his childhood. An Eagle Scout for 50 years, his leadership in Scouting continues on the district level. He has a deep appreciation of the Susquehanna River, as well as other natural and heritage resources of the region. Each May, Buck leads a river tour focusing on local history. For a decade, Endless Mountain Outfitters has sponsored the North Branch Heritage Trip on 40 miles of the Susquehanna River through Bradford County with overnight camping at French Azilum. A two-night trip is planned next year. Buck led the 90-mile Susquehanna Sojourn last year with the help of local folks. Mapping all of more than 150 miles of the North Branch was a labor of love for Buck after he was approached by the Endless Mountains Heritage Region to undertake the three-year project for the state Fish and Boat Commission. The Towanda-based Heritage Region serves as water trail manager for the Susquehanna River North Branch Water Trail, a National Recreation Trail, as well as the lead organization for the Susquehanna Greenways Partnership. He compiled a 15-page map of the North Branch for the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network, administered through the National Park

Service Chesapeake Bay Network. Buck is involved in Susquehanna Greenways initiatives to develop camping and picnic facilities along the river. He is working with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Department of Forestry to install campsites and picnic areas on a series of about a dozen Susquehanna River islands. The North Branch Water Trail Committee, a new group “to be the eyes and ears of the river,” as Buck puts it, consists of about 30 members so far. “There’s room for more involvement,” he says.

Economic boost “I’m very interested in river towns because we know the river can be an economic benefit to the community,” Buck says.

He works with different communities in establishing river town projects to gain widespread recognition as waterfront attractions. Laceyville was the first designated river town on the North Branch. “The town has been a welcoming community for river sojourns, and its leaders are dedicated to enhancing the accessibility and use of the river and water trail,” Buck notes. Among other river towns on the North Branch are Shickshinny, Towanda, Tunkhannock, Danville and Bloomsburg. “River town designation helps put towns on the map along the main Susquehanna River corridor and connects communities with the river in a real way,” he says.

Buck puts his business to work in the effort to attract visitors from all over the state, nation and the world. “If we can bring 50, 60 or 100 people to the North Branch and make them aware of its beauty, then they’ll tell others about this area right smack in the middle of the most beautiful part of the Susquehanna,” Buck says. Endless Mountain Outfitters hosts a day trip to French Azilum, a late-18th century settlement for refugees fleeing the French Revolution. The event takes place on Aug. 14, observed as French Azilum Descendents Day. Other summer events include paddling trips in conjunction with the Lake Augusta Fab Fest, Wyoming Valley River Fest, Bloomsburg River Day, Founders Day in Tunkhannock, Laceyville Community Day, Cele-

RIVER RECREATION: Melody Buck, who along with her husband, David, operates Endless Mountains Outfitters, enjoys kayaking on the river even when she’s not working.

brate our River Day in Tunkhannock, 10th annual North Branch Land Trust River Trip, and the Towanda River Fest. Upcoming fall events, such as the North Branch Triathlon’s 4.5-mile run, a 5-mile paddle trip and a 13-mile bicycle race Oct. 9 in Wyalusing, will bring more visitors.

River retreat Robin Morris and Dan Dunnewold own and operate Paddler’s Lane Retreat, an award-winning bed-and-breakfast inn and campground on the gentle rapids of the Youghiogheny River near the colorful Laurel Highlands river town of ConfluAUGUST 2010 • PENN

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PENNlines ence. The retreat is a magnet for kayakers, wedding parties and river lovers. Served by Somerset Rural Electric Cooperative, Paddler’s Lane can accommodate up to 27 guests in the bed-and breakfast inn, consisting of a traditional farmhouse and a smaller chalet. The Paddler’s Lane property is surrounded on three sides by the river and has one-half mile of river frontage. The husbandand-wife team formerly worked in Erie as potters and purchased the property about 12 years ago after they started kayaking. They continue to kayak and operate a pottery studio in Confluence. The couple plans to move the entire pottery operation to a converted outbuilding at Paddler’s Lane. Paddler’s Lane Campground features about 20 primitive campsites with picnic tables, and a new bathhouse with

hot showers and flush toilets. The campground hosts individual campers as well as fishermen, school-group adventure programs and kayak students. The location is exactly at the put-in to the Youghiogheny’s level 2-to-2+ rapids and is only 10 minutes away from the class III-IV Lower Youghiogheny and 20 minutes from the class IV-V Upper Youghiogheny.

Tony Sequin of Rothrock Outfitters, above, points out safety tips to kayakers before they embark on a paddling trip. Sequin and his wife, Paula, members of Valley Rural Electric Cooperative, operate the outfitting business and Boxer’s Café, left, in Huntingdon. TWO BUSINESSES:

“We want to keep the rivers healthy,” Robin Morris says, “and make sure other interests don’t overshadow those of people who make their living on these waters.” “Kayakers are one of the quintessential groups that leave no footprint,” she says. “Life in the rivers and mountains of the Laurel Highlands is different from everywhere else. The pace of the rivers and seasons regulates life here. People work more, and the work can be hard, but it can be fun work as well. It’s a valuable and wonderful culture.”

Huntingdon’s green team

SUMMER FUN:

Kayaking is a popular summer pastime on the waterways of Pennsylvania.

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Valley Rural Electric Cooperative members Paula and Tony Seguin of the Martin Gap area in south central Pennsylvania make the Juniata River a great part of their livelihood. One block from the waterfront in the river town of Huntingdon, they operate two successful businesses in late 19th-century structures — both originally pharmacies — on Penn Street. The couple opened Boxer’s Café in 1990 and helped found Rothrock Outfitters in 2000. Paula mainly operates the restaurant, which serves lunch and dinner to local families and visitors to the Juniata. Housed in Huntingdon’s oldest storefront, the café provides lunch for

river-related events such as the Juniata River Sojourn in June. “We’re proud of this place,” Paula says of Boxer’s. “It’s a cool little place where people bring their kids.” Huntingdon County Business and Industry recently accorded Boxer’s its 2010 Greenovation Small Business Award, recognizing the café as the community’s most environmentally friendly business. Menus are printed using soybased ink. T-shirts worn by the staff of 18 are made of 100 percent organic cotton with earth-friendly, water-based ink. Drinking straws are made of cornstarch, and takeout containers are made of recyclable materials.

“It’s extra special to be recognized for green efforts, but that’s not why we do it,” Tony Seguin says. “Everybody has to make better environmental decisions and not just wait for government mandates.” The Seguins were previously featured in Penn Lines for converting their vehicles to run on vegetable oil from the restaurant. Tony spends more time on the river as a founder and partner of Rothrock Outfitters. “We’re all about the river,” he says. Along with partners Paul Houck and Joel Yoder, he opened Rothrock Outfitters starting with paddle sports and biking. Rothrock offers sales, rentals and

More stops along the water k The Sunbury River Festival, Northumberland County, returns to the Susquehanna River Aug. 20 and 21, offering entertainment, food, craft items and a cruise-in. There will be children's activities, a Civil War encampment, assorted games, rides and more. Go to www.sunburyriverfestival.com for information. k Franklin’s Riverfront Park, Venango County, hosts the 2010 Pennsylvania Stoneskipping Championship during the Rock in River Festival Aug. 28 at the confluence of French Creek and the Allegheny River. The festival will feature live music, crafts, food, boat rides, rock painting for the children, a chicken barbecue and kayak demos. For information, call 814/437-1619 or eMEMORIES: The Johnstown Flood mail rbeith@cityoffranklin.org. Museum chronicles the Great k Towanda, Bradford County, will present its RiverFlood of 1889. fest Aug. 26-28 with the spectacular fireworks show, “Fire Over the Susquehanna River,” to be the highlight. The festival will feature a 5k run-walk among many other activities. For information, call 570/268-9202 or go to www.towandaborough.org/eventRiverfest.php. k Served by United Electric Cooperative, Cook Forest State Park covers 8,500 acres in Farmington Township in Clarion County, Barnett Township in Forest County, and Barnett Township in Jefferson County. The park’s heavily wooded rolling hills and mountains along the Clarion River are regarded as some of America’s finest virgin white pine and hemlock timber stands. Cook Forest is a National Natural Landmark and has been rated one of America’s top 50 state parks by National Geographic Traveler magazine. It was designated by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and its Bureau of Parks as a Must-See Pennsylvania State Park. For information, call 814/744-8407 or email: cookforestsp@state.pa.us. k Until Sept. 11, 2001, the Johnstown Flood resulted in the single largest loss of U.S. civilian lives in one day. Today, the story of mass disaster, individual tragedy and remarkable recovery unfolds for thousands of visitors each year in the Johnstown Flood Museum, Cambria County. The Great Flood of 1889, as it became known, released a torrent of 4.8 billion gallons of water and tons of debris that surged to a height of 35 feet, killed more than 2,200 people and caused $17 million in damage. Exhibits detail the disaster, Johnstown’s extraordinary comeback and the flood’s importance to the global mainstream. For information, call 814/539-1889 or visit www.jaha.org/floodmuseum/history.html.

The Pennsylvania Stoneskipping Championship is only one of several fun events at the annual ‘Rock in River’ Festival in Franklin’s Riverfront Park. ROCK-IN FESTIVAL:

shuttle service from its home facility and satellite locations in Seven Points and Whipple Dam State Park. Rothrock Outfitters is home to the Juniata Clean Water Partnership, a nonprofit regional coalition dedicated to addressing environmental and natural resource issues. The partnership hosts the Juniata River Sojourn, an annual, multi-day canoe and kayak trip to promote river stewardship. Rothrock Outfitters provides safety and logistic services for the sojourn. Building the river town’s image as a recreational destination has been a longterm goal for the Seguins. “We’ve helped anyone do anything river related,” he says. “We see a lot of boats and bikes around here. They all didn’t come from Rothrock, but I think we really sparked something. Huntingdon’s a river town that’s worth checking out. People seem to like it here, and I can understand why.” l John Bruce is a professional writer who specializes in electric cooperatives. FOR MORE INFORMATION

Endless Mountain Outfitters 570/746-9140 www.emo444.com Endless Mountain Heritage Region 570/265-1528 Paddler’s Lane Retreat 800/777-6061 www.paddlerslane.com Boxer’s Café 814/643-5013 www.boxerscafe.com Rothrock Outfitters 814/643-7226 www.rothrock-outfitters.com

AUGUST 2010 • PENN

LINES

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

1980 RURAL electric cooperative directors, staff and leaders from across Pennsylvania and New Jersey meet in Warren to consider action on matters of critical concern for rural residents in the coming decade. With the cost of supplying adequate power to rural residents escalating at an alarming rate and federal funding of the rural electric program in danger of falling prey to budget trimming, speakers rally the directors behind a call for “strong co-ops, with strong political action.” Keynote speaker James Grahl, Basin Rural Electric Cooperative in Bismarck, N.D., stresses that working with legislators at the state and national level is crucial to the survival of the rural electric cooperative program. Thirty years later, rural electric cooperatives in Pennsylvania and New Jersey continue to work together to provide their members with a reliable source of power that is both available and affordable. Through the Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association, they constantly monitor legislative action that could affect cooperatives and their members. Over this time, the power situation has changed dramatically in the region, with electric generation moving toward a competitive market. Power supplied by rural electric cooperatives has gone from being one of the more expensive sources of power to being one of the most competitively-priced sources of power in the region. This is thc case today as electric generation rate caps are being lifted on surrounding investor-owned utilities (IOUs), leading to increased rates for IOU customers. Helping keep costs down for cooperative members is the fact that approximately two-thirds of their electricity needs are met through sources owned by their wholesale supplier, Allegheny Electric Cooperative, Inc.

1970 Pennsylvania’s 1970 Rural Electric Youth Tour participants, 72 in all, pose on the steps of the nation’s capitol with Sen. Richard S. Schweiker (R-Pa.), center front. 14

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LINES • AUGUST 2010

1990 Doug Creighton, Seneca, and Monica Shartle, Conneaut Lake, head home after a week in Washington, D.C., as participants in the 1990 Rural Electric Youth Tour.

2000 Perhaps the only constant in the rapidly changing electric industry, the ever-present utility pole is the unsung hero in the cooperative effort to bring electricity to members.

The economy. Saving energy. Climate Change. All the things

YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT — we’re already working out. —

THE ECONOMY. Saving energy. Climate change. They’re all vastly important issues. And chances are, they’ve been on your mind and in your conversations. That’s why your electric cooperative is working hard to help find the right solutions. After all, we don’t simply send electricity to your home. We look out for you and your entire community, and we do so for a simple reason — it’s our community too.

Looking out for you.

OUTDOORadventures

Wooden markers of time To an outdoorsman, trees hold memories of people, activities THE BOUNDARY oak with a trunk diameter of more than four feet, at the northwest corner of my 4.5 acres, appears to be in its twilight years. Rotted limbs are falling. The big hole in the trunk about 40 feet up that’s been home to a raccoon — often a big, ole female with a litter of young ‘uns — has rotted to the point that it’s now too big to be of continued interest to raccoons. Technically it’s not a boundary oak. I’ve never found any deed that listed the tree as a boundary marker. My oak, even if it survives, will never measure up to real boundary oaks, like the official Boundary Oak that stood until 1986 at the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site at Hodgenville, Ky. That tree — also a white oak — was officially listed by an 1805 surMARCUS SCHNECK ,

outdoors editor at The Patriot-News (Harrisburg) and outdoor blogger at www.pennlive.com, is the author of more than two dozen outdoors books and a contributor to many state and national publications. You can reach him at mschneck@comcast.net

PENN

by Marcus Schneck

vey as a boundary marker for the 300-acre Sinking Spring Farm, which Thomas Lincoln, the father of Abraham Lincoln, bought in December 1808. Such use of notably large trees, as well as big rocks — remember that line from the F-Troop television sitcom? “Turn left at rock that looks like bear. Then turn right at bear that looks like rock.” — and even fence lines, to officially delineate property lines was common practice right up through the 20th century. Lincoln’s boundary oak, standing less than two football fields from the cabin in which the future president was born on Feb. 12, 1809, when the oak was about 25 years old, died in 1976. At that time, it had a trunk about six feet in diameter, a height of about 90 feet and a crown spread of about 115 feet. In an effort to save some semblance of the “last living link” to Abraham Lincoln, the dead tree was first trimmed back to just a stump, but eventually had to be completely removed in 1986. No such efforts will be mounted to preserve some bit of my unofficial boundary oak. As far as I’ve been able to discern, the tree has no historical significance, other than to me in my personal history. I can’t drive by the tree — a country road forms the “back” border of the property — without slowing to glance up at that hole that has shown me so many raccoon faces looking back. Plenty of personal history, but that’s as far as it goes.

LINES • AUGUST 2010

My boundary oak is just one of many big, old trees that have marked places important to me over the years but are now gone or showing signs of being on the road to gone. There was the scraggly pine that once showed my family the mountaintop entrance to the trail to our long-time deer stands in Lebanon County. There’s the one, towering oak still standing in the middle of the farmer’s field near my boyhood home in Schuylkill County, one of what was once a group of five or six such ancient trees that landmarked well-known spots and directions. There was that one particular hemlock along Clarks Creek in Dauphin County, shading the deep pool, where the fat, hold-over, stocked trout gathered. Today it’s

SOLITARY SENTINEL: A lone tree is often used as a point of reference for a newcomer who is following directions.

fallen across the creek, completely changing the character of the place, both above and below the surface of the water. There’s the stand of tall pitch pines that survived the iron industry and subsequent wildfires in the Scotia Barrens near State College in Centre County. As they did 20 years ago, today they still mark the spot to turn south off the logging road and hit the ridge for some prime ruffed grouse coverts. Every one of the trees, and others, marked a boundary point in my life, and gradually they’re disappearing. How are the boundary oaks of your life doing these days? l

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COUNTRYkitchen

by Janette He ss

Corn OFF the Cob CORN IS a year-round favorite, although it reaches its peak of flavor and availability in the summer. Fresh roasting ears from the garden, supermarket or roadside stand make a simple side dish, but with a little extra effort, those tasty kernels can be removed from the cob and used in a variety of recipes. During the off-season, frozen or canned corn is readily available and always delicious, especially when used in just the right recipe. One easy method of cooking corn-on-the-cob uses waxed paper and a microwave oven. Simply remove the husks and the silk (a rough cloth works well for this), wrap 3 to 4 ears in waxed paper and then cook on the high setting for approximately 1 1/2 minutes per ear. When done, plunge the ears into ice water to stop the cooking process. Cut the corn from the ears and use those sweet, golden kernels in any of the following recipes. One ear yields approximately 1/2 cup of corn. 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.

CORN SAUTÉED SWEET 3 strips bacon, diced n kernels 3 cups fresh sweet cor pepper red 1/4 cup diced sweet on oni ed 1/4 cup dic te Salt and pepper to tas

sp. Remove from pan, Slowly fry bacon until cri pepper and onion to the bacon drippings and red Add drain and set aside. cover and cook for 5 e heat to low, add corn, duc Re . ute min 1 salt and pepper and sauté for Add . der the corn is just ten more minutes, or until 6 servings. serve immediately. Makes

N CHOWDER SAVORY COR ed 6 strips bacon, dic 1/2 cup diced onion garlic 1 teaspoon minced lk 3 1/2 cups mi 1 1/2 cups water ienne 1 4.6-ounce box jul x mi to ta po frozen or 1 1/2 cups fresh, rn co ed nn ca 1/4 teaspoon basil y salt 1/4 teaspoon celer wder po c rli ga 1/4 teaspoon ge sa on po as te 1/4 er 1/8 teaspoon pepp thyme hed d us cr on po as te 1/8 el cheese, softene eese OR Neufchat 4 ounces cream ch drain and set Remove from pan, ose drip. isp cr til un n co Slowly fry diced ba 1 tablespoon of the drippings. In th but golden. Add aside. Discard all til soft and slightly mediumun c rli ga d an ion to pings, sauté the on boil over medium tato mix. Bring to nder, milk, water and po at and simmer until potatoes are te and sims he ing ce on du as Re se . d at an he n h co hig s. Add corn, ba te rve hot. nu se mi d 20 an se ely at ee approxim in cream ch nd Ble s. te nu mi 5 mer an additional . ely 7 cups of soup Makes approximat

PENN

LINES • AUGUST 2010

BAKED

CORN 1/4 cup diced on ion 1/4 cup diced ce lery 1/4 cup plus 2 ta blespoons butter 3 cups fresh or frozen corn 1 tablespoon dried parsley 2 tablespoons flo ur 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pa prika 1 1/2 cups milk 2 eggs, well beat en 12 butter-flavor ed round cracke rs, finely crushe d Melt 1/4 cup butte r in a large skille t. Add onion and for 5 minutes. Ad ce d parsley and co rn and cook 5 m lery and sauté flour, salt and pa ore minutes. Add prika and blend in milk fold in the beaten eggs. Pour mixtur . Cook 5 minutes and then and bake at 350 e degrees for 30 to into a 9- x 13-inch baking dish 45 minutes, or un inserted into the til a knife center of the cass er additional 2 table spoons of butter ole comes out clean. Melt the an Sprinkle over the d combine with cr casserole and se acker crumbs. rve hot.

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POWERplants

by Barbara Martin

Toward a more sustainable plant zoo HOW IS IT that our woods and open fields get along on no care and natural rainfall, while our yards and gardens demand watering, feeding and fussing? The answer depends on how “natural” your landscape is, and how tolerant you are of living with the results of precipitation trends. You’ve probably heard about switching to native plants, all the rage in some gardening circles. The biodiversity of natives serves as a rich environment for all kinds of wildlife, and also helps protect the natural water system. Natives, the argument goes, can get along and survive quite nicely without much care (once established), including less (or no) watering and reduced (or zero) chemical inputs such as fertilizer or pesticide. Growing in the wild, native plants do some interesting things in terms of trapping rainwater and filtering water once it reaches the ground, partly due to the mix of plants and partly because their root 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.

PENN

systems run deeper than lawn roots growing in compacted soil. Overall, nature is super efficient. It is amazing to consider how a native plant community functions compared to our typical landscaping arrangement. For one thing, nature rarely segregates plants by category. In a wooded area, large trees, smaller trees, shrubs and ground level plants intermingle. The plants knit together forming an ecosystem providing each other with the type of growing environment they each require to prosper. Larger plants shelter smaller plants. The mix of plants supports a diversity of insects, small animals and birds plus crucial microorganisms below ground. Meanwhile, the plants’ roots are filtering snowmelt, rainwater and runoff. They aerate the soil as they dig deep. And the roots channel nutrients up to the surface. As the plants follow the seasons and their natural life cycles, they drop their foliage or die off, returning organic matter to the soil. Nature also fertilizes and mulches via fallen leaves and plant debris composting naturally on the soil’s surface. Nature replants as needed, with squirrels moving acorns, birds dropping seeds and seeds traveling on the wind. Some plants colonize by dropping seeds next to the parent plant, generation after generation, gradually expanding their square footage. Lest you begin to think

LINES • AUGUST 2010

that nature is gentle with all the happy plants snuggling together, keep in mind that certain plants out-compete their neighbors by using aggressive tactics such as allelopathy, or poison. Other grabby plants colonize at the root level with bold but stealthy stolons, instantly shoving out their neighbors. Some plants simply overwhelm, such as the invasive, exotic Japanese honeysuckle. So when we stop and realize how well engineered plants are to thrive and increase, how finely tuned an ecosystem is, we begin to appreciate how our typical home landscape is a sort of plant zoo. And our inmates may not be as healthy as they would be in their natural habitat, because we have put them on display totally separated from their home ecosystem. As a result, they may begin to lose vigor or possibly even ail. Then we may need to coddle them with fer-

Lawn plants require more care because they are not in their natural habitat. DIVERSE HOME LANDSCAPE:

tilizer or protect them from pests or disease. I am not sure we could turn our yards into forests overnight or suddenly till under the lawn and turn it into a meadow, even if we wanted to. There are reasons why we have the standard format: a mowed lawn may help keep down ticks and snakes, for instance. And many nonnative plants are garden-worthy. On the other hand, maybe there are some ways we can begin to mimic the natural communities and help our plants feel more at home so they stay healthier all on their own. This would mean less work for us, and fewer inputs to keep things growing. I think we would all be happy to toil a bit less, save a little money and still enjoy beautiful surroundings. l

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PENNLINESclassified HERE’S MY AD:

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ATTACH ADDRESS LABEL HERE (OR WRITE IN COMPLETE LABEL INFORMATION)

MONTH

am an electric co-op member. Attached is my Penn Lines mailing label from the front of this magazine. ❏ 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 ❏ Iforameach additional word. The total payment enclosed is $_____________________. Please run my ad during the months of ______________________________________________________. _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ 2

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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 and Food Tools and Equipment Vacations and Campsites Wanted to Buy. 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.

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AROUND THE HOUSE “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. 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: 814-749-6116. SWIMMING POOLS – Call Pleasure Pools, Eisenhower Blvd., Johnstown, Pa., 814-288-2689. 31 years of experience. www.doughboy-pools.com. ARTS AND CRAFTS FAIR WILD WIND FOLK ART AND CRAFT FESTIVAL, Sept. 11-12, Warren County Fairground, Route 6, Pittsfield, Pa. 150 juried crafters, food, music, demos, children’s activities. 814-723-0707.

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October 2010. . . . . . . August 18 November 2010. . . . . . . Sept. 17 December 2010. . . . . . . . Oct. 18 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. CONSULTING FORESTRY SERVICES 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. CYCLONE FENCING CYCLONE FENCE for sale — 7 feet high x 400 feet. One eight-foot gate, one four-foot gate. Must be dismantled by buyer. Location – Beaumont. Call 570-760-1094 for inspection. Ask for Sandy. ELECTRICAL & PLUMBING RESIDENTIAL PLUMBING, ELECTRICAL – Raystown Electric LLC. New construction, remodeling, additions, storage barns, garages. Also offering landscape and security lighting. Call Cliff at 814-386-5520. FENCING FREE Fence Guide/Catalog – High-tensile fence, horse fence, rotational grazing, twine, wire, electric netting – cattle, deer, garden, poultry. Kencove Farm Fence Supplies: 800-5362683. 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. HANDCRAFTED FURNITURE 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.

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For the best INSURANCE RATES call R & R Insurance Associates from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 800-442-6832 (PA).

“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.

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. HELP WANTED We have appraisers earning over $80,000/year part time. If you have an agricultural background, you may be qualified to become a certified livestock or farm equipment appraiser. Classroom or home study courses available. For information, call the American Society of Agricultural Appraisers 800-4887570 or visit www.amagappraisers.com. 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.

P2000 INSULATION SYSTEM Out of 20,000 homes, Energy Star found this one to be the most energy efficient home ever tested in PA, NJ, NY & DE. Stops cold, heat, wind and moisture. Vapor barrier and sheathing all in one. Residential - Commercial – Hobby - Shops – Farms – Pole Buildings. Burkenhaus Distribution Center, Thomasville, PA. 717-801-0013. JoeBurkeyp2000@comcast.net or visit www.P2000insulation.com. PAINTING CONTRACTORS IN PA LOG CABIN painting and staining, interior, exterior. One-stop preventive maintenance. Victorian and historical homes and structures are our specialties. Jardine’s Painting, Newville, 717 226-0629 or www.jardinespainting.com. REAL ESTATE RAYSTOWN LAKE — $375,000, 35 acres, build-ready, mountaintop vista, close to boat launch. Call 814-599-0790. HUNTING PARADISE! 81 acres includes: 30 tillable acres, 51 wooded acres, a 16 x 24 hunting cabin, frontage on two roads and adjoins hundreds of acres of gameland. Lease income, OGM rights and gorgeous view included. Canadohta Lake area, Crawford County. $249,000. Call 814-881-2751.

LIVESTOCK AND PETS

TIOGA COUNTY, PA (LIBERTY TOWNSHIP) – Manufactured ranch home with full finished basement on 4.6 open acres. Enjoy the view from this 7-year-old home featuring 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths, large eat-in kitchen, dining room with fireplace, living room, laundry area, large back deck with canopy. Family room, 3/4 bath and two-car garage in basement. Includes guest house with full bath. Oil-fired hot air and/or coal heat. Just 5 minutes from Route 15, 30 minutes north of Williamsport. Sale price, $206,500. Call Wm. P. Connolly Real Estate Co., 570-3243000 or online at www.connollyrealestate.com.

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.

IDEAL HUNTING-FISHING CAMP – 2 bedroom mobile home on 1 acre near Shawnee Lake on Miller Road, Schellsburg. $6,000. 724-864-7434.

PEMBROKE WELSH CORGI Puppies — AKC, adorable, intelligent, highly trainable. Excellent family choice. Reputable licensed breeder guaranteed “Last breed you’ll ever own.” 814-587-3449.

HUNTING CABIN off State Route 3002 between Belltown and Marienville. Clean cabin, sleeps 8, well, septic, furnished, propane furnace, 60 x 100 lot adjacent to Allegheny National Forest. $28,500. Call 412-264-4839.

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.

COLLIE PUPPIES FOR SALE – AKC registered, tri-color with full white collars, also white with tan color heads. Beautiful markings. Bedford County. Call evenings, 814-793-3938. 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. MAPLE SYRUP STEVEN’S PURE Maple Syrup, Liberty, Pa. Plastic from 3.4 ounces to gallons. Glass containers for gifts and collectors. Maple Sugar, Maple Cream, Maple Candy, Maple Bar-B-Que Sauce, Maple Salad Dressing, and Gift Baskets for any occasion made to order. Wholesale or retail prices. NEW Number: 570-324-2014 or email: buymaple@epix.net. 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. BANDS – OLE 97 Johnny Cash, June Carter Tribute Band. For bookings, call Janice Ott, 814-288-2689. For schedule, check our website at www.myspace.com/ole97.

30 ACRES WITH BANK BARN in excellent condition. Pasture, cropland and woods. Close to trout stream. Perc approved, ready to build. West of Hollidaysburg, Blair County. $275,000. Call 610-469-9094. RECREATIONAL PROPERTIES Big Woods Properties participating with Cabela’s Trophy Properties is looking for buyers and sellers of farms/camps/land/homes in recreational areas. Including properties promoting outdoor activities and hunting. 877-7691050. www .paoutdoorproperties.com. RANCH HOUSE – 28 x 44 home Clinton County near Cross Fork, Pa. 13.8 acres. Open kitchen, living room, 2 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths, 2-car garage, attached breezeway, basement, electric, gas, wood heat, root cellar. $195,000. 570-923-0696. YEAR-ROUND CAMP – Built in 2009 in Tidioute, Pa. 2 acres on ANF. Private, paved road. All amenities, close to town, river, creeks, Heart’s Content Horse Trails. $75,000. 814-484-7431. BORDERS STATE GAMELANDS – 2 bedroom, one bath home on approximately 1 – 1 1/2 acres. McGeorge Road, Lawrence Township, Clearfield County. Taking bids starting at $70,000. Call 814-765-3794. HUNTING CAMP — Indiana County, PA. Two-bedroom house plus three-bedroom mobile home on two acres next to state game lands. Septic tank, two water wells, two garages, three storage buildings. $49,000. 214-354-2076. ppetrosky@verizon.net.

SAWMILLS USED PORTABLE Sawmills and COMMERCIAL Saw-mill Equipment! Buy/Sell. Call Sawmill Exchange 800-459-2148. USA and Canada. www.sawmillexchange.com. SHAKLEE 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. TIMBER FRAME HOMES SETTLEMENT POST & BEAM BUILDING COMPANY uses time-honored 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 high-quality 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. TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT SHARPENING. Carbide saw blades, scissors, knives, wood chisels and tools. Arius Eickert Certified to sharpen beauty shears. Scissor sales and service. Call 814-267-5061 or see us at www.theScissorGuy.net. TRACTOR PARTS – REPAIR/RESTORATION ARTHURS TRACTORS, specializing in vintage Ford tractors, 30years experience, on-line parts catalog/prices, shipped via UPS. Contact us at 877-254-FORD (3673) or www.arthurstractors.com. TREE TRIMMING/REMOVAL 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. VACATIONS AND CAMPSITES VACATION PROPERTY — For rent ocean front condo, Myrtle Beach, SC. Excellent condition. Close to major attractions. Booking for 2010. Please call 814-425-2425 or visit www.oceanfrontmyrtlebcondo.com. FLORIDA VILLAGES — Two bedroom, two bath, two bikes. Fully furnished. One hour from Disney World. Rent two week minimum or monthly, $1,400 (June to September). Call 716536-0104. Great entertainment. Dancing nightly. APARTMENT FOR RENT – Two bedroom apartment for rent by the week, 1 1/2 blocks from the beach. Call 717-334-4388. RAYSTOWN CAMPER RENTALS – Campers available for all events. Delivery and set-up available within Lake Raystown. For more information, call 814-386-1715 or email hedgie17@yahoo.com or visit www.raystowncamperrental.com. WANTED TO BUY MEDICINAL ROOTS – Including blood root, skunk cabbage, black cohosh, golden seal and others. For serious diggers, call 814-698-2206 or write “Roots” at 567 Bryant Hollow Road, Coudersport, PA 16915. WORK CLOTHES GOOD CLEAN RENTAL-type work clothes, 6 pants & 6 shirts to match, $44.95. Men’s jeans – 5 pairs, $25. Lined work jackets, $10.95. Walt's Wholesale 800-233-1853 or www.usedworkclothing.com.

AUGUST 2010 • PENN

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SMARTcircuits

by James Dulley

Keep your house — and wallet — secure ADEQUATE home security has become a high priority for many families. While a well-lighted yard provides a good deterrent against break-ins, outdoor lighting can be expensive to install and operate. If you choose outdoor lighting, put in light fixtures where you feel security could be a problem. In most cases, motion-sensor lighting makes the most economical sense. However, don’t immediately write off a fully monitored home security system as being too expensive. After doing some research, I recently switched from a major alarm system monitoring company after 21 years. I discovered one of my local utilities provided monitoring for my existing security system at half the cost. Since utilities, including electric cooperatives, have staff available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, they sometimes can provide security system monitoring at a better price. Most security companies install equipment for a low initial cost (or even free). Along with providing standard security, many monitored systems also include smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. When smoke is detected, they alert your local fire department immediately — a significant advantage if you’re not home since a small fire can be extinguished before major damage occurs. If you cannot afford monitoring, an X10 dialer can be attached to most home security systems. When someone tries to break in and the alarm goes off, it automatically calls the telephone number of a friend or neighbor who can alert the police for you. This dialer option may have to be professionally installed and set up. Sometimes simple improvements are quite effective. Good deadbolt locks on 24

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doors and keeping window locks tightly closed are two of the best ways to keep would-be intruders out. With deadbolt locks, you generally get what you pay for. For starters, select a bump-resistant deadbolt. Otherwise, with a bumping key, a thief can open most pin tumbler locks in a few seconds. Master Lock offers “Night Watch” technology that lets a deadbolt be set so even a key can’t open it from outside. For my part, I have installed an electronic Schlage LiNK deadbolt on my front door that can be opened with a changeable four-button combination, a key, or controlled remotely from a laptop computer with an optional communication package. Other security options include outdoor wireless video cameras. Prices on these are very reasonable. In addition, affordable sensors can be mounted on windows and doors. Although they aren’t monitored, a burglar might not know this when their loud alarm goes off. And if you don’t have one of the most time-proven protection systems — a dog — barking dog

devices sensitive to vibration can be hung on the inside of doorknobs. When developing a home security plan, remember burglars want to get inside quickly. So create several layers of obstacles outside windows — planting thorny rose or barberry bushes are one suggestion. Also consider extra locks on windows and placing large furniture in front of easy-to-access locations. Finally, strengthen framing around the latch area on outside doors (particularly back doors). Many door frames boast only a one-inch thick pine board supporting the latch — with a couple of good kicks, the wood splinters and the door swings open. Attach a reinforcing steel strip under the door trim and install longer screws that reach deep into the wall framing. 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

PUNCHlines

Thoughts from Earl Pitts, UHMERIKUN! Earl thinks ‘getting away’ is the wrong thing to call a week spent too close to family

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.

It’s vacation time again. Time when millions of American families will pack into cars, drive to over-priced tourist traps an’ squeeze into tiny hotel rooms. I don’t know why they call it ‘gettin’ away’ when you spend a week way too close together. An’ that’s just the highlights. I ain’t even mentionin’ the kid that gets car sick. You know the kid I’m talkin’ ‘bout, right. We used to call him Ralph. Anyways, this is what I have noticed over the years. Men an’ women get ready for vacation different. We got different strategies, different time-tables. An’ by that I mean women have them an’ men don’t. Like a woman will start packin’ three weeks before vacation. She’ll already have a suitcase on the bedroom floor, throwin’ clothes in there, an’ you’re almost a month out. A man will be lookin’ for his favorite jeans while the family’s waitin’ in the car. A woman will pack anything in the house that ain’t nailed down. She will pack board games. She says they’re in case the kids get bored. Which, ‘cuse me dear, is why we’re goin’ on vacation. She will pack a sewin’ kit in case somebody loses a button on the trip. A man would just buy another shirt. Oh, an’ I like this. A woman gets 5,000 other people involved in her vacation. She got the neighbor watchin’ the house. She got the post office holdin’ the mail. She got the kid down the street cuttin’ the grass. She got two women at church doin’ her Sunday School class. They send a shuttle into orbit with fewer people involved. If your man was in charge a’ the vacation, about three days into it, the neighbors would report a family missing. Wake up, America. The five a’ you would be trying to relax in a tiny room at a tiny motel, flip on the TV, an’ there’d be Nancy Grace askin’ people to help find you. Have a good vacation.

Remember, I been tellin’ y’all how come I hate Congress? To me, they’re the biggest group a’ twisted liars, thievin’ weasels an’ dishonest folks ever gathered in one place. But now I found out, it ain’t all their fault. Fact is, the whole dang government is screwed up. Now listen to this story. It would be hilarious if it wasn’t so sad. The Pentagon runs the military, right? An’ what the Pentagon loves to do, more than anything else, is come up with rules an’ regulations for everything. An’ I mean everything. They even put out an official, government military cookbook to make sure our fighting men an’ women eat right. Sounds like a good idea. So some trouble-makin’ wise-acre somewheres put the Pentagon recipe for bakin’ brownies on the internet. The recipe, and I kid you not, is 26 pages long! We’re lookin’ at brownie mix, eggs an’ a beater. How in the heck do you get 26 pages outta that?!? I’d hate to see the recipe for pineapple-upside-down cake. That’d take three volumes. See, the problem is you ever been around a guy that won’t shut his mouth for nuthin.’ Yak, yak, yak. An’ people say, “he just loves to hear himself talk.” Yeah, well, our government loves to hear themselves write. Like that stupid health care bill at 22-hundred pages. Or the financial bill at 1,700 pages. How in the blue blazes did these worthless numbskulls ever fit the Declaration of Independence on one page? Yeah, thank the almighty they ain’t declaratin’ Independence today. The dang thing would be 4,000 pages. Wake up, America. Here’s the deal, you government toadies. If you can’t tell us what you want to do in three pages or less, we don’t want you to do it. An’ that goes for all your important stuff, and brownies, too. I’m Earl Pitts, Uhmerikun. l AUGUST 2010 • PENN

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RURALreflections Anything can be picturesque AUGUST is a month of change; a time when thoughts turn toward a new school year and the coming change of seasons. But it’s also the best time to capture those special memories in photographs, whether they are of people, animals, landscapes or events. Then remember to sort those photos to send to “Rural Reflections.” At the end of this year, five lucky contest winners will receive a $75 prize in the categories of: most artistic, best landscape, best human subject, best animal subject and editor’s choice. To be eligible for the 2010 contest prizes, send your snapshots (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 as they bleed onto other photos.) Remember, our publication deadlines require that we work ahead, so send seasonal photos in early. We need winter photos before mid-September (save your spring, summer and fall photos to submit for the 2011 “Rural Reflections”). Photos that are not seasonal may be submitted at any time. Please note: photos postmarked after Jan. 1, 2010, will not be returned unless a self-addressed, selfstamped envelope is included. l

Samantha Light Claverack REC

Stuart and Connie Potter Tri-County REC

Sean and Katy Spencer Northwestern REC

Debbie Topper Valley REC 26

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