Penn Lines May 2011 by American MainStreet Publications

M AY 2 0 1 1

By the numbers Cooperative load management program reaches 25-year mark with more than $100 million in power cost savings to members

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MAY Vol. 46 • No. 5 Peter A. Fitzgerald EDITOR

Katherine Hackleman S E N I OR E D I T O R / W R I T E R

James Dulley Janette Hess Barbara Martin Marcus Schneck

News items from across the Commonwealth

L AYOU T & DESI GN

A D V E R T I S I N G & CI R C U L A T I O N

M E D I A & M A R K E T I N G S P E CI A L I S T

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 Cooperative load management program reaches 25-year mark with more than $100 million in power cost savings to members

Michelle M. Smith

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.

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

By the numbers

Vonnie Kloss

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.

Whole-house fans help you save money, stay cool

C ON T R I B U T I N G C O L U M N I S TS

W. Douglas Shirk

KEEPING CURRENT

T I M E PA S S A G E S Remembering when the lights came on

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

POWER PLANTS

Containers: here, there and everywhere 14

COUNTRY KITCHEN

Sweet, sour, bitter, salty and…umami? 16

TIME LINES Your newsmagazine through the years

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

Home, sweet home

Mourning doves relocate after yardwork destroys their old nesting site

CLASSIFIEDS

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 © 2011 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: 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.

Earl lays down the law on man purses and mid-life crises

RURAL REFLECTIONS

Spring in Pennsylvania O N T H E COV E R Rick Gayman, coordinated load management system operator, assesses weather, load and generation information that assists in making load control event decisions. Photo by Peter Fitzgerald

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KEEPINGcurrent PA Game Commission establishes porcupine hunting season The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners in April approved a hunting season for porcupines, animals that have been protected legally.

Under the new regulations, hunters can take porcupines from Sept. 1 through March 31 (excluding the regular two-week firearms deer season). The daily limit is six and the field possession limit is 12. Hunters may hunt porcupines with any legal sporting arm, and must wear 250 inches of fluorescent orange material. Porcupines may be harvested from one-half hour before sunrise until one-half hour after sunset. Other states in the northeast that allow the harvesting of porcupines are Maine, Massachusetts and New York. While the spiky, slow-moving animals don’t appear to cause anyone a problem, they actually can do tremendous amounts of damage, commission officials noted. They have been known to chew the aluminum siding on houses and car parts including brake lines, as well as tree bark.

New guidelines in effect for outdoor wood boilers All outdoor wood boilers sold, distributed or leased in Pennsylvania after May 31, 2011, must meet guidelines established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Guidelines specify that all 4

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new boilers must meet EPA Phase 2 qualifications for emissions levels. (Phase 2-qualified models have fewer emissions than models that do not meet this level. Qualified units are marked with a white hang tag at the point of purchase.) The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection will enforce the new regulations, which also deal with setbacks from property lines, as well as type and height of attached stacks. It remains illegal to use or operate an outdoor wood boiler unless it complies with all other Commonwealth, county, and local laws and regulations. Each municipality sets its own regulations for outdoor wood boilers. For more information about burning wood, log on to www.epa.gov/burnwise.

No more Altoona — city now called ‘POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold’ Approximately 31,000 residents of the city formerly known as Altoona now have a new address in exchange for $25,000. For 60 days, effective April 27, the city will be known as “POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold.” That is because the Altoona City Council sold its name to make money for its police department. In turn, a film by the same name made by independent

filmmaker Morgan Spurlock gets a lot of publicity. The film, named after the juice company POM Wonderful, which paid to be the film’s title sponsor, takes a look at product placement and integration of brands in the plots of movies and television shows. Among the sponsors is Sheetz, a chain of convenience stores based, as it happens, in Altoona. The film was released in April by Sony Pictures Classics and screened in the city formerly known as Altoona on April 27. Other sponsors, in addition to Sheetz and POM Wonderful, are Ban, JetBlue Airways, Hyatt and Merrell.

Last resort casino license goes to Nemacolin Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, located on 2,000 wooded acres in the Laurel Highlands of southwestern Pennsylvania, was awarded the state’s last resort casino license. The license allows up to 600 slot machines and 50 table games. The casino will be operated by the Isle of Capri, a publicly traded gaming company based in St. Louis, Mo. Other finalists for the license included the Mason-Dixon Resort & Casino outside of Gettysburg in the existing Eisenhower Hotel, RV World at the Park Inn Harrisburg West (formerly the Holiday Inn Harrisburg West), and Fernwood Resort in the Poconos. l

READERresponse April’s Penn Lines column by James Dulley brought this comment from a reader: “Author James Dulley in his article, ‘Electric yard tools save money,’ in the April issue of Penn Lines neglected to mention another important feature of electric yard tools; they are quiet when compared to gasoline tools. I guess we must always have gas-powered lawn mowers, but the gas-powered edgers and leaf blowers are an extreme annoyance. They seem to go on forever and, for the most part, they are unnecessary. The grass plots around commercial buildings do not need to be trimmed using edgers nor, in fact, do residences. It is too bad that Mr. Dulley missed an excellent opportunity to make a statement about noise.” — John S. White, Stewartstown

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ENERGYmatters Whole-house fans help you save money, stay cool FOR MANY of us, surviving hot, humid summer days means cranking up the air conditioner. However, prior to the widescale adoption of air conditioning, folks used open windows and fans to cool their homes. This method still works, and can cut your energy bills tremendously. To maximize this natural form of air conditioning, consider a whole-house fan ― one mounted in a ceiling that pulls hot air from living spaces into an attic where it’s pushed outside through soffit vents. Windows of your home remain open, and negative air pressure inside draws cooler air in. Of course, a whole-house fan only works if the outside air is cooler than air inside your home, which is why you will want to run it at night. Best of all, the fan also cools walls, floors and ceilings to keep your residence more comfortable. This can delay the start up of your airconditioning system until later in the day. Equipment costs for a whole-house fan range from $150 to $350, and they cost roughly 1 cent to 5 cents per hour to operate (compared to 8 cents to 20 cents per hour for an air conditioner). You can put in a fan as a do-it-yourself project, although hiring a professional is recommended. The fan should be sized to change air in a home 30 to 60 times an hour. Whole-house fans are not perfect ― there can be serious problems if they are not sized or installed properly. The biggest drawback involves creating a backdraft that draws natural gas- or oilfired water heater, furnace or other combustible exhaust fumes throughout a 6

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WHOLE HOUSE FAN

By B r i a n S l o b o da

A COOL OPTION:

Whole-house fans mount in the attic ceiling and draw hot air from living spaces.

home. This generally occurs if not enough windows are left open. Fans can also be noisy, so consider installing a larger model but run it on a slower speed. A two-speed fan can operate at high speed when first turned on to quickly cool the home. Once the home is comfortable, reduce the speed so it will run more quietly. To prevent heat loss, fan seals must be tight. During winter, warm air can leak through fan louvers, around the gasket, and into the attic ― wasted heat that equals wasted dollars. Place covers over fans in winter to keep air from leaking out. Whole-house fans are not recommended for anyone with severe allergies or breathing problems because windows must remain open for the fans to work properly. And remember: a whole-house fan is not meant to function as an air conditioner. Instead, it is designed to supplement your air conditioner, making your house more comfortable and

saving money on your electric bill. Brian Sloboda is a program manager specializing in energy efficiency for the Cooperative Research Network, a service of the Arlington, Va.-based National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

Equipment operators urged to look up for overhead power lines Story of tragic farm accident provides valuable safety lessons An Illinois farmer, Jim Flach, was operating a crop sprayer in a neighbor’s field when one of its arms contacted an overhead power line. In climbing down from the cab, Flach was severely burned when he jumped down into the field (creating an electrical path to ground), and eventually died of his injuries. Thousands of accidents like this happen every year when large equipment touches overhead power lines. Folks on the ground who touch or even approach energized equipment can also be killed. (continued on page 19)

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PENNlines

By the

numbers

Cooperative load management program reaches 25-year mark with more than $100 million in power cost savings to members By Kathy Hackleman S e n i o r E d i t o r / Wr i t e r

OFTEN, IT TAKES the perspective of time to gain an appreciation for certain things, like numbers. After 25 years, one number is especially significant to cooperative members in Pennsylvania and New Jersey: $100 million. That’s the amount of savings to members realized through a unique cooperative initiative begun in 1986 — an initiative that is the true embodiment of the cooperative principle of cooperation among cooperatives. Twenty-five years ago, electric distribution cooperatives in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, working with their wholesale

power supplier, Allegheny Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Allegheny), established the Coordinated Load Management System (CLMS). As a cost-saving measure, CLMS works by shifting electricity use of residential electric water heaters and other equipment from times of peak demand — when electricity prices are generally higher — to off-peak hours. Often referred to as “the water heater program,” this cooperative initiative marks its 25th anniversary having saved cooperative members over $100 million since 1986. “This program is a great example of what cooperatives do best,” observes Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association (PREA)/Allegheny President & CEO Frank Betley. “The Coordinated Load Management System is about cooperatives working together to best serve their members. It’s a program that was conceived for no other reason than to save members money on power costs. Over the years, it’s done just that — and done it very successfully.”

Early innovation

UPGRADE IN PROGRESS: Bill Harwood, PREA/

Allegheny director of energy management systems, standing, reviews plans for the Coordinated Load Management System upgrade with Tony Vincek, PREA/Allegheny CLMS project coordinator. 8

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Formed by the Pennsylvania and New Jersey electric cooperatives as their generation supplier, Allegheny’s mission is to provide a reliable source of power at an affordable rate. Latching onto the idea that the cheapest kilowatt-hour is the one never generated, Allegheny developed this cost-effective energy efficiency and conservation initiative — long before such concepts became household words. Because electricity is produced for immediate use — it cannot be stored like other commodities — power plants must

be able to meet the needs of all electricity customers at all times. When more people use power at the same time — known as peak demand — power costs are usually at their highest. These peak periods typically take place on hot, humid summer days between 1 and 6 p.m., or during the dead of winter when heating systems are operating at full blast. Though most of Allegheny’s power comes from self-owned generation sources, about 30 percent comes from market purchases. In the mid-1970s, Allegheny staff realized there could be a significant financial benefit to all rural electric cooperative members if electricity use by the members could be shifted from times of peak demand to off-peak hours. By developing a program to control residential electric use, Allegheny found it could reduce its costs for purchased power. Such a program could also delay the need for new generating capacity. “Our load management system allows us to reduce demand from our suppliers during peak hours,” emphasizes Todd Sallade, PREA/Allegheny vice president-power supply & engineering. “To the extent that we are able to reduce our demand by load manage-

six other cooperatives also joined the program, which officially kicked off in December 1986. They included Bedford Rural Electric Cooperative, Central Electric Cooperative, Sullivan County Rural Electric Cooperative, Tri-County Rural Electric Cooperative and Valley Rural Electric Cooperative, all located in Pennsylvania, and Sussex Rural Electric Cooperative in New Jersey.

Controlling costs

ment, we are able to keep our power costs lower than they would otherwise be. Allegheny is then able to reduce power costs to the local cooperatives, which in turn reduces the cost to the cooperative members, thereby benefitting every member of every Pennsylvania and New Jersey cooperative.” By the early 1980s, a pilot project was under way with four Pennsylvania cooperatives — Adams Electric Cooperative, Claverack Rural Electric Cooperative, Northwestern Rural Electric Cooperative and Somerset Rural Electric Cooperative — participating. Those four cooperatives canvassed their membership and found volunteers who agreed to have a “load control receiver” installed on their water heaters. These devices would respond to signals sent by the cooperatives. When demand for electricity rose to a specific level, operators at the Allegheny headquarters in Harrisburg would send a signal to participating cooperatives, which would then remotely (from the office) turn off power to water heaters at the residences of the volunteers. The water heaters would not be off long

LOAD CONTROL IN A LARGE HOME: Brenda Dayhoff stands in front of her large Adams County home, above, and visits with Rick Gilbert, inset, who installed the residence’s load control system. She reports she notices no difference in the comfort level of her heating and cooling system when it is being controlled. Both Dayhoff and Gilbert are members of Adams Electric Cooperative.

enough to inconvenience members. But the process would reduce the demand for electricity at peak periods, ultimately bringing down the cost of electricity for all local cooperatives, which in turn allowed the cooperatives to charge their members less. When the pilot project proved successful, Allegheny did a feasibility study and submitted a loan application to the Rural Electrification Administration (REA). REA, now known as Rural Utilities Service, approved the project — and a loan that allowed Allegheny to set up the CLMS with 10 participating cooperatives. In addition to the four original cooperatives in the pilot study,

The computer operation that controls the appliances, located in Harrisburg, is operated by Allegheny staff members. In 1986, as the pilot program transitioned into the CLMS, Bill Harwood, now director of energy management systems, joined Allegheny as one of the first full-time staff members in that department. “For load management, the goal is to shed as much load as possible during peak hours, thus reducing the overall requirements for the number of megawatts we have to buy,” Harwood reports. “Doing that ensures we reach our ultimate goal of reducing wholesale power costs for the cooperatives and the cooperatives’ members.” CLMS operators also keep a close eye on the weather, as constantly shifting weather patterns can bring the need to either ramp up for more load control measures or step back measures. “Once the load level has reached the current established set point, the operator who has been monitoring it makes a conscious decision based on the weather predictions and historical data as to what has happened under similar conditions,” Harwood reports. “Once the kilowatt reduction is determined, that information is downloaded to cooperatives. When the pre-determined hour to begin load control is reached, a computer at each cooperative signals participants’ water heaters and other appliances on the load control system to shut down. In the winter, these would be dual fuel systems, electric thermal storage systems and water heaters; in the summer, the M AY 2 0 1 1 • P E N N

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shutdown would include primarily water heaters and air conditioners.” Twenty-five years after the CLMS program was initiated, all of the 14 Pennsylvania and New Jersey cooperatives now participate in load control, with New Enterprise Rural Electric Cooperative, REA Energy Cooperative, United Electric Cooperative, and Warren Electric Cooperative joining in. The load management system, which works like a power plant in reverse when it is activated, can lower electric cooperative power requirements systemwide by between 35 and 50 megawatts (or about 8 percent of the cooperatives’ peak load), depending on the season. “This is a way to make our entire system a lot more efficient,” explains Mike Tirpak, general manager & CEO at Northwestern Rural Electric Cooperative. “We have kept close track of our costs. Every year, I would dig into our accounting records and our time records and figure an internal rate of return. During the first 25 years of the program, we made a little over 25 percent rate of return figuring in the demand savings, so it’s been an excellent investment.”

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY DIXIE PHELPS

PENNlines

Northwestern Rural Electric Cooperative member Dixie Phelps stands beside her electric thermal storage unit, which is on the load control program. She has been in the program since the pilot project was initiated more than 25 years ago. ELECTRIC THERMAL STORAGE:

his cooperative’s membership (8,132 of 18,143 members) participates in the water heater program. Another 572 members have an electric heating system controlled by the cooperative. Member participation The program is set up so volunteers Tirpak, who has been with Northtypically are not even aware the control western Rural Electric Cooperative has been activated. Because larger water throughout the 25-year history of the heaters retain heat for a long period of load management program beginning as time, cooperative members should not an engineer back during the first pilot notice when they are off for a few hours. project, reports that nearly 50 percent of (Water heaters are generally grouped according to capacity and household size with the goal being no group is turned off longer than the storage capacity and needs of the family allow.) “I never notice when they are controlling the water heater, and we have a family of five,” reports Dixie Phelps, a Northwestern Rural Electric Cooperative member from Linesville. “It’s a worthWATCHING FOR A PEAK: PREA/Allegheny staff member Rick Gayman demonstrates how technicians monitor multiple comput- while program that works for me, and I feel really lucky to ers to watch for peak periods when they will send messages to Pennsylvania and New Jersey cooperatives telling them it is time be on (rural electric cooperative lines) because this is a to institute load management programming. 10

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program that saves money for everyone.” Since the early days when water heaters were the main appliances being controlled, the program has expanded to include the latest in electric thermal storage units, dual fuel home heating systems and other special equipment in the homes of volunteers. Phelps, who has been involved in the load control program in one form or another since the first pilot program was initiated, has an electric thermal storage heating system and water heater in the program. At one time, she also had an electric kiln, baseboard electric heat and dishwasher in the program. Rick Gilbert, an Adams Electric Cooperative member from New Oxford, has his hot water heater, clothes dryer, freezer and an electric thermal storage unit that heats his small greenhouse enrolled in the load control program. Through his business, Rick Gilbert Geothermal Specialists, he has been installing load control devices for other cooperative members for the past 20 years. As for including a freezer on the list of appliances to be controlled, Gilbert says, “I go to Colorado every year to go elk hunting. I take along a freezer and freeze the elk. Then I drive back for 28 hours, and it doesn’t thaw at all. You will never notice when your freezer is occasionally controlled for a few hours.” His thoughts are echoed by Adams Electric Cooperative member Brenda Dayhoff, one of Gilbert’s customers he installed a load control system for. Dayhoff lives near the Gettysburg Battlefield in a late-1700s log home with an early1800s stone addition. Through the years, the house has been remodeled until it has more than 3,200 square feet to be heated and cooled. “I never notice it when they regulate the heating or cooling system,” Dayhoff reports. “It’s an excellent program. We save some money on our electric bill, and the cooperative saves money that it passes on to all of the members.”

Milestone moment Through the shifting of power purchases from peak to off-peak hours, the program in the fall of 2010 hit the mile-

stone of having saved $100 million for Pennsylvania and New Jersey cooperatives since the program’s inception. That is $100 million that was not passed on as an energy cost from Allegheny to the local cooperatives and finally to rural electric cooperative members. Although that’s a huge number, it represents only the beginning of what the program is expected to accomplish in the coming years. After running the

“We would send a signal to the old load management switches, but since they were one-way switches, we never knew if the switches received the signal,” Vincik says. “The new two-way devices, when we communicate with them, they communicate with us. And they give us the potential to communicate and get a lot more information in the future.” Today, around 50,000 load control

KEEPING CLOSE TABS: Employees of Allegheny’s load management team keep a constant eye on their computers, ready to send a signal to local cooperatives whenever conditions warrant.

receivers are installed on appliances in the homes of volunteer cooperative members, meaning about 20 percent of Pennsylvania and New Jersey cooperative members participate in the program. There is no charge to members to participate, and no actions are expected from the members once the system is in place. Any full-time residential cooperative member with an electric water heater, electric thermal storage (ETS) or dual fuel heating program can participate. Power cost savings resulting from the program offset any expense incurred by the participating cooperative. In an era when energy policy and legislation often dictate efficiency and

system for more than two decades, Allegheny instituted a CLMS enhancement upgrade for Pennsylvania and New Jersey cooperatives that began three years ago and is expected to be completed in 2014. Tony Vincik, PREA/Allegheny CLMS project coordinator, who is overseeing the upgrade, explains the newer technology now being installed across Pennsylvania and New Jersey involves smart meters coupled with a two-way load control device.

conservation measures, Allegheny’s unique load management system has been ahead of the game for years. Today, regulatory agencies are requiring load management programs of electric utilities in an effort to curb rising costs and preserve resources. The cooperative CLMS has been lauded by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission as a program that truly works, and private power companies have sought cooperative expertise in designing their own load management programs. In addition to being a positive for local cooperatives, Tirpak notes participation in the load management program has been good for the “big picture” as well. “The load management system is a tremendous program,” Tirpak points out. “In fact, if you look at the programs the legislature and Public Utility Commission are now mandating for investorowned utilities, you will find some of the same programs we have been running successfully for years. ... We did it first because it was the right thing to do, but it has ended up benefitting all of our members.” Though proud of the track record CLMS has had, Allegheny and its member cooperatives understand more can always be accomplished. Just last summer, Allegheny and a number of cooperatives initiated another pilot program aimed at load reduction through remotely controlled thermostats, as well as signal devices in members’ homes. While the results show some promise, more analysis needs to be done before broader deployment of the systems is considered. And that means looking at the numbers — something those in load management have been doing pretty well for the past 25 years. l M AY 2 0 1 1 • P E N N

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TIMEpassages m e m o r i e s

from our members

(EDITOR’S NOTE: In observance of 75 years of rural electrification in Pennsylvania, throughout the year Penn Lines will feature personal accounts of “when the lights came on” from our readers. This is one of those accounts.)

When the lights came on RURAL ELECTRIFICATION was preceded at my childhood home by a Delco light plant. Our house was wired for the Delco by the previous owner, a successful dairy farmer. At least he was successful until the Great Depression capsized him. My Dad bought the farm with a loan from my Grandad. He didn’t get much in the transaction: a gaunt team of horses with a patched-up harness, a few pieces of obsolete, worn-out farm implements and that cantankerous Delco light plant. I recall the unit sitting in our earthen floor basement on a concrete base surrounded by an array of glass-cased storage batteries. With enough tinkering and hand cranking, it could be coaxed into life to recharge the batteries. We had lights that were turned on by a rotary switch located near the door to each room, but lights were all we had because the Delco unit didn’t produce enough energy to do anything else. When the Somerset Rural Electric Cooperative lines came by the farm, I was too young to remember the line construction, but I do remember the tap being built to our house and THE FRIEDLINE FARM IN THE 1930S: Lowell Friedline remembers when electricity barn. I recall a team of linemen wearing leather boots that came to his parents’ farm in Somerset County. Friedline’s son now lives in the house. laced up to the knee, setting the pole by hand using long pikes. Especially vivid in my mind was the detonation of a KDKA out of Pittsburgh was standard fare. He never missed small charge of dynamite to loosen the ground so a deadman programs such as the “Bell Telephone Hour.” Mom got a could be set to anchor that last pole on the tap. Montgomery Ward wringer washer, and electric motors The house wiring, which was somewhat overbuilt for the replaced cranks on machines such as the meat grinder and Delco system, was deemed adequate for the new 110-volt electhe seed-cleaning mill. tricity. Because there were no outlets, new circuits were put However, the one thing that caused the most jubilation in to supply the new electrical outlets. I was a kid, and the was the day the rural mail carrier showed up with a load of skills of the workmen fascinated me so I tried to be in the cardboard shipping cartons from Sears, Roebuck & Co. The thick of things. When the electrician got out his hand brace new FarmRite milking machine had arrived! I can remember with a drill bit longer than I could ever have imagined, I Dad unpacking the boxes and studying the couldn’t take my contents carefully. There was a small, blue-coleyes off the proceored vacuum pump with a big accumulator dure. tank along with a motor to drive the pump. When the rural There were two shiny milker pails with heavy electric transstainless steel lids and a pneumatic pulsator former was enerthat attached to each lid. There were a lot of gized, we had rubber hoses and tubes, a box filled with vacbrighter lights in uum petcocks and the metal shells for the teat the house, but cups. No more long hours on the milking stool, VINTAGE LIGHTS: These old light fixtures even better, we still hang in the living room of the old no more cows getting a foot in the milk pail, no now had lights in Friedline farmhouse. more bone-jarring kicks from a nervous cow. the barn, too. Of Dad continued to sport forearms like Popeye course, all the from his many years of hand milking but I never needed to other benefits of electricity began to make their appearance. develop that physical attribute. l Dad loved music and keeping up with current events, so an — Lowell Friedline, Boswell (Somerset Rural Electric Cooperative) Atwater Kent AM radio was acquired on which radio station 12

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POWERplants

by Barbara Martin

Containers: here, there and everywhere AT ITS most basic, container growing means a lone geranium in the traditional terra cotta clay pot or a tomato staked in a half barrel planter. But to the adventurous gardener, planting in containers opens new vistas. Container gardening fans are a diverse group. Avid plant enthusiasts use containers to cater to special-needs plants, or as temporary storage for new acquisitions. Casual gardeners find growing in pots to be easy and rewarding. Container growing is versatile. Depending on the container and the plant in it, either you’ve got a temporary decoration, an all-season performer, or a permanent yearround landscape feature. You can go for pure and simple effects with white impatiens in a stark window box. Or you can go bold with flamboyantly patterned hostas in a recycled satellite dish. Experiment with billowing hydrangeas or clipped lollipop-style topiaries. 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.

Containers are quick and easy to redo: rip out the plants, replenish the soil and replant. For instance, grow spring flowering bulbs followed by summer annuals; replace those with fall mums, and follow with a dwarf Alberta spruce. Or do violas in spring, cacti all summer, pile on some mini pumpkins, then finish with evergreen boughs. Redesign is even simpler using the “cache-pot” method: remove the old, then slip the new plant — complete with the utilitarian pot it has been growing in — inside your decorative container. Container styles are nearly infinite, ranging from hip and modern to playful to earthy to classic. You can improvise containers, too. As long as there is space for the plant’s roots and a drainage hole in the bottom, nearly any vessel can become a planter pot. I’ve seen all sorts of “containers” — from an old chest of drawers to outmoded football helmets, cast-off shoes and bicycle baskets. Your imagination does not have to stop with the container. You can mix and match shrubs, vines, tropicals, bulbs, herbs, fruits, vegetables, and either fresh cut or “silk” flowers. You can incorporate a trellis, ornaments, holiday decorations, and even lighting or fountains. How about a fog machine? Use whatever pleases you and is appropriate for the container and its location and the occasion. Site containers at the front or back door, the deck or

patio. Containers can dress up a dull side yard and brighten problem areas that are otherwise unplantable due to hard surfaces or invasive tree roots. Hang containers from the ceiling or on a railing, gate, fence, wall or post. They can be stacked, tiered, grouped and arrayed as needed. Containers do need regular care: watering, feeding and grooming. It’s also smart to match the plant’s needs to the growing conditions if you want to leave it in place for more than a few days. Take advantage of recent innovations for ease and convenience: self-watering pots, specialty soil mixes that include water-holding polymer and slow-release fertilizers, insulated containers to protect roots from excessive heat, and large pots made of lighter-weight materials for manageability. Containers invite repotting,

QUICK AND EASY COLOR: A flowering

container garden brightens any area.

rearranging, reaccessorizing, and of course trying new plants and new combinations. Use pots to showcase and propagate a treasured collection — scented geraniums, succulents or African violets. Or grow specialty plants such as small water lilies and papyrus in waterproof containers. Containers allow you to invest in long-lived flowering and foliage tropicals such as mandevilla, hibiscus, and bougainville or banana, palm, and citrus trees. Overwinter them as houseplants, or store them where it is warm enough to keep them alive but not actively growing. Container gardening is lots of fun. I hope you’ll consider adding at least a few choice potted geraniums — or whatever your heart desires — this season. l M AY 2 0 1 1 • P E N N

LINES

COUNTRYkitchen

by Janette He ss

Sweet, sour, bitter, salty and…umami? WHEN IT COMES to distinctive flavor, soy sauce cannot be beat — or misidentified. Dark and rich, it is a key ingredient in this month’s Asian-inspired recipes. The secret behind soy sauce’s satisfying flavor is said to be “umami,” a scientifically identified fifth taste. The naturally occurring compounds associated with umami also exist in mushrooms, aged cheeses, ripe tomatoes and many other savory foods. “Umami” translates from Japanese as “deliciousness” or “savory taste,” and who are we to argue with the obvious? Served as a side dish or a light meal, Chicken Fried Rice derives much of its flavor from soy sauce. The dish is easy to prepare, especially if the rice has been cooked in advance or is left over from a previous meal. Lettuce Wraps allow diners to forego rice in favor of healthy greens. Usually served as appetizers, lettuce wraps may double as a main course. When offered in restaurants, lettuce wraps often contain deep-fried rice noodles. This month’s home version skips the noodles and instead packs in the vegetables. Asian carry-out takes on new meaning with Asian Steak Marinade. Use this marinade to season your favorite steaks, and then carry those steaks out to a sizzling-hot grill! Cook to desired doneness and enjoy. l

CHICKEN FRIED RICE 3 1/2 teaspoons lower-sodium soy sauce, divided 1/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth 1 teaspoon sesame oil 1/2 teaspoon sugar 2 1/2 teaspoons peanut oil, divided 1/2 chicken breast, thinly sliced 2 green onions with tops, thinly slice d 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic 1 medium carrot, grated 2 cups cooked rice 1/2 cup frozen peas 4 eggs

In small bowl, mix 3 teaspoons soy sauc e, broth, sesame oil and sugar. Set aside. In large, non-stick skillet, heat 2 teaspoons peanut oil over medium heat. Add chicken and onion; stir-fry until chicken is just cooked through, approximately 5 minutes. Add garlic, carrot and rice. Cook until carrot is slightly softened. Add soy sauce mixt ure and peas. Move mixture to side of skillet. Add reserved 1/2 teaspoon pean ut oil to empty side of skillet and reduce heat to medium low. Lightly whisk eggs with reserved 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce and pour into empty side of skillet. Cook and stir until eggs are set. Combine eggs with rice mixture. Serve hot. Makes 4 servings.

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.

RAPS LETTUCE W

ASIAN STEAK MARINADE 1/4 cup lower-sodium soy sauce 1/4 cup bourbon (see note) 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon sugar 1/4 teaspoon allspice or Chinese 5 spice

Blend all ingredients and pour over steaks that have been placed in a shallow, covered dish. Marinate steaks in refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours, turning at least once. Allow steaks to return to room temperature before grilling to desired doneness. Note: A bourbon substitute may be made by mixing 1 part vanilla extract with 2 parts water. For this recipe, replace bourbon with 1 tablespoon vanilla and 2 tablespoons water.

PENN

L I N E S • M AY 2 0 1 1

table oil peanut or vege 2 tablespoons ely chopped fin s, st ea ken br reserved 2 8-ounce chic th tender tops wi d , thinly slice d de vi di e, uc 4 green onions y sa lower-sodium so d pe 3 tablespoons op ch y el hrooms, fin 6-8 ounces mus ter chestnuts, wa n ca e nc 1 8-ou ely chopped fin drained and grated 1 small carrot, ced garlic 1 teaspoon min er hly grated ging es fr on po 1 teas l oi e m sa 1 teaspoon se ken broth sherry OR chic 2 tablespoons e uc sa n hot chili 1 teaspoon Asia ed and drained sh wa , es av le e 8-12 large lettuc gar, uce and rice vine SAUCE OPTIONS: 0 mix of soy sa /5 50 or e uc sa Asian peanut chili sauce sh of Asian hot seasoned with da to medium-high oil over medium poons soy sauce. at he t, ille sk In large, non-stick d onions; drizzle with 2 tables proximately an ap heat. Add chicken chicken is just cooked through, rlic and ginger. ga til t, un rro ir ca st s, d ut an tn Cook s, water ches m oo oisture and hr m us r m ei d th Ad 5 minutes. ve released ry ha s m oo hr us m sa se me oil, sher til Cook and stir un bowl, mix remaining soy sauce, an additional all en mixture; cook softened. In sm ir liquid into chick ion tops. Remove from heat. St e. uc sa ili ch and ced on th Add reserved sli es and drizzle wi 1 to 2 minutes. large lettuce leav filling. to on re tu ix m To serve, spoon ately 4 cups of . Makes approxim sauce, if desired

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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

1991 MOST AMERICANS probably think of cast-off chemicals from manufacturing or industrial processes when they think of the phrase “hazardous waste.” Unfortunately, many of us are contributing to what may represent the largest toxic spill in the nation. There is strong evidence that the ongoing improper use and disposal of household chemicals pose a greater threat to our immediate environment and quality of life than occasional, massive, headline-grabbing accidental toxic spills. Threats are especially pronounced in rural areas, where many residents get their drinking water from a well or spring that may easily be contaminated by careless disposal of household chemicals. For example, one gallon of oil can create a lot of damage — it can render a million gallons of fresh water undrinkable. An even smaller amount — a pint — can create an acre-sized oil slick on a lake or pond. Advice provided 20 years ago in a Penn Lines article still rings true today: read the label of any household chemical and follow the instructions on the original container regarding correct storage and disposal, as well as warnings about hazards and steps to take should an accident occur, and consider purchasing safer alternatives to toxic products if they are available. Today, most municipalities have suggested methods of disposing of potentially hazardous products, including household chemicals and medications. To find out the latest methods of safe disposal of these products, contact the borough or township where you reside for up-to-date disposal methods.

1971 People planning to relocate to a rural area should consider a variety of things, including size of lot, topography, soil conditions, sewage disposal options and water sources. 16

PENN

L I N E S • M AY 2 0 1 1

1981 The Rural Electrification Administration is in a fight for its life with the administration in Washington, D.C., as many federal programs are on the chopping block.

2001 ‘Willie Wiredhand’ celebrates his 50th anniversary this year as the mascot and ‘spokescharacter’ of America’s rural electric cooperatives.

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OUTDOORadventures

by Marcus Schneck

Home, sweet home Mourning doves relocate after yardwork destroys their old nesting site WE TOOK DOWN the overgrown arborvitae near the front door in late winter. The mourning doves that nested there repeatedly over the past decade-plus soon answered my curiosity over their possible reaction by dragging nesting materials into a nearby pine tree. In that new nesting spot, they won’t be exploding right past our eyes every time we open the door. But, I now need to lean out a secondfloor window to spy on them and their nestlings. And, from that vantage point, I can see that the current pair of mourning doves is no more skilled at nestbuilding than any of their predecessors. It’s a good thing that the species nests several times each year, because I would give them nothing more than an even chance of getting an egg or two all the way to hatching in that loose collection of sticks they call a nest. SCHNECK is outdoor editor for The (Harrisburg, Pa.) PatriotNews, a contributor to many outdoor publications and websites, and author of more than two dozen books.

PENN

The mourning dove is well known as a careless nest-builder, but it’s not alone in that category. Some broad-winged hawks, for example, seem to slap-dash together their large bowl of sticks with its bark strip lining, sometimes appropriating an old squirrel or crow nest rather than building their own base. At least those two species seem to give a little thought to protecting their nests when they pick their spots. The killdeer, on the other hand, makes some incredibly poor choices when selecting a nest site. Its penchant for pebble-strewn areas leads it to make its nest in spots like gravel parking lots and roofs, dirt lanes in cow pastures and — my personal favorite — in the chip stones lining the side of a tennis court. The two adults tending the nest spent countless

L I N E S • M AY 2 0 1 1

hours showing their “come and get me, my wing’s broken” display to draw us human users of the court away from that nest. Remarkably, they did manage to fledge one of their chicks from that precarious nesting location. The killdeer regularly makes one of the most exposed nests in the avian world. To get things started, the male picks some gravelly bit of space, presses his underside to the ground and scratches out a shallow depression. If the female likes the look of the scrape — this mating ritual is known as a scrape ceremony — she trades places with the male, who then stands over her with his tail erect and fanned, and sends out several of the species’ namesake kill-deer calls. If she responds to that, mating usually will take place.

Mourning doves are well-known for their messy nest-building habits.

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Four to six eggs will be laid right into that exposed scrape. It won’t remain empty, however, as the pair will add new materials, primarily pebbles, repeatedly over the next three to four weeks of incubating the eggs. In some apparent acknowledgement of the exposed situation of their nest, the birds often will pick up a pebble as they leave the nest and toss it back over their shoulder. The chicks that hatch from the eggs also attest to their exposure to a new and dangerous world. They’re dull, little versions of their parents, with a full coat of brown feathers across their heads and backs right out of the egg. And, as soon as those feathers dry, the nestlings can leave the nest. l

ENERGYmatters augers can reach well into the 10-foot radius around a power line. Farm vehicles with wireless communication system antennas can also make contact and energize the vehicle with deadly current. On farmsteads, grain augers often tower over power lines when extended to reach the top of grain bins. Safe Electricity urges farmers to note the location of overhead power lines and make sure all farm workers know to stay clear of them â&#x20AC;&#x201D; as well as what to do if equipment does become entangled with a line. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The best action is to stay on the equipment and warn others to stay away until the local electric utility arrives to ensure the line is de-energized,â&#x20AC;? says Bob Aherin, University of Illinois agriculture safety specialist. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Unless you have that assurance, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get off except if thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fire, which happens only rarely.â&#x20AC;? In the event of fire, an operator should jump clear from the equipment, without touching the equipment and ground at the same time. Land with feet together, and hop away to avoid deadly current flow. One of the more frequent mishaps reported by NIOSH involves electrocutions and electrical burns suffered by individuals around truck beds raised high enough to contact overhead lines. Trucks must be able to unload their contents, and when raised, the top front of the bed can easily reach overhead power lines. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Again, we encourage farmers and all operators of large equipment to use a spotter when necessary, take steps to keep equipment away from power lines, and make sure everyone knows SAFETY LESSON: This half page advertisement is part of the how to survive if there is an â&#x20AC;&#x153;Teach Learn Care TLCâ&#x20AC;?campaign from Safe Electricity. accident,â&#x20AC;? Hall concludes. To learn more about electrical safety In addition to avoiding power line and to see the Flach video, visit accidents, Safe Electricity seeks to educate folks on how to survive if equipment www.SafeElectricity.org. l Safe Electricity is the safety outreach prodoes make contact with lines. Agriculgram of the Energy Education Council, a tural machinery has increased substannon-profit organization with more than 400 tially in size in recent years and can come dangerously close to overhead lines electric cooperative members and many others who share the mission of educating the public when leaving and entering fields. Comabout electrical safety and energy efficiency. bines and grain wagons with extended

SAFEELECTRICITY.ORG

(continued from page 6) Jim Flachâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s family is working with Safe Electricityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Teach Learn Care TLCâ&#x20AC;? campaign, sharing the story of their tragic loss in hopes of preventing future accidents. A video of their story can be seen at www.SafeElectricity.org. More than 400 electrical fatalities occur every year, and electrocutions on farms are the fourth highest of any job classification, according to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Most of the electrical deaths investigated in a NIOSH survey could have been prevented. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You need to double check, triple check, to see whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s above you,â&#x20AC;? cautions Flachâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s widow, Marilyn. Son Brett adds, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Be conscious of your surroundings. You need to keep your eyes open and beware of overhead lines.â&#x20AC;? Safe Electricity urges everyone to keep at least 10 feet away from overhead power lines when operating large equipment, and notes that new standards for some construction equipment require a 20-foot clearance. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We advise using a spotter, someone with a broader view, when working with extensions or tall loads around power lines,â&#x20AC;? recommends program executive director Molly Hall.

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BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

â&#x20AC;&#x153;COUNTRY COOKING,â&#x20AC;? Volume 2 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; $8, including postage. â&#x20AC;&#x153;RECIPES REMEMBERED,â&#x20AC;? Volume 3 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; $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 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Country Cookingâ&#x20AC;? is SOLD OUT.

PIANO TUNING PAYS â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 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.

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.

CAMPGROUND

FENCING

Austin Campground â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Beautiful Potter County PA. See the ELK, the Grand Canyon and star gazing at Cherry Springs. Family camping, cabins and RV rentals, pet friendly available. 814-647-8777. www.austincampground.com.

FREE Fence Guide/Catalog â&#x20AC;&#x201C; High-tensile fence, horse fence, rotational grazing, twine, wire, electric netting â&#x20AC;&#x201C; cattle, deer, garden, poultry. Kencove Farm Fence Supplies: 800-536-2683. www.kencove.com.

OUTSIDE WOOD HEATER â&#x20AC;&#x201D; $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. H. KELSEY ENTERPRISES can beautify your home and make it more energy efficient with new replacement windows, new siding or a new deck. Call today for free estimate. PA030117. 866-622-9551.

CHURCH LIFT SYSTEMS

GIFT AND CRAFT IDEAS

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.

COAL FIRED BOILERS/FURNACES

HIGH COUNTRY Arts and Crafts Fair. S. B. Elliott State Park. 160 vendors, food, entertainment. 1/2 mile off I-80, Exit 111 (old 18). July 10th, 10-5. For more information call 814-765-5667.

Heather Coal Fired Furnaces and Boilers are a good way to beat the high price of oil, 22â&#x20AC;?, 24â&#x20AC;? and 27â&#x20AC;? furnaces and 150,000 and 220,000 BTU boilers. We stock a large selection of grates and parts for coal furnaces and boilers including firebrick, kidneys and kidney repair. CURWENSVILLE Heating and Plumbing, PA026408. 814-236-1711. www.heatherfurnace.com.

BUILDING SUPPLIES

CONSULTING FORESTRY SERVICES

STEEL ROOFING AND SIDING. Discount Prices. Corrugated sheets (cut to length) 52Â˘ per square foot. Also seconds, heavy gauges, odd lots, etc. Located in northwestern Pennsylvania. 814-398-4052.

NOLLâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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.

METAL BUILDINGS â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 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.

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.

ARTS AND CRAFTS FAIR

FACTORY SECONDS of insulation, 4 x 8 sheets, foil back. Also reflective foil bubble wrap. 814-442-6032.

PENN

L I N E S â&#x20AC;˘ M AY 2 0 1 1

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. 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.

PENNLINESclassified HARDWARE/LUMBER RETAIL

MISCELLANEOUS

SHAKLEE

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.

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.

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.sbarton.myshaklee.com.

HAY AND FORAGE

LEGEND Outside Wood Burner Model 8230. Two-years old, good condition, $5,000. Vulcan commercial range, six burner, one oven, set up for propane, needs cleaned, $600. Call 814-931-5242.

ALFALFA HAY for sale — different qualities to fit your needs. 3x3, 3x4 or 4x8 large square bales delivered to you in semitruck load amounts. Call toll-free 800-835-2096 or 877-2858200.

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

HEALTH AND NUTRITION

NURSERY AND GARDEN

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.

RIVER BIRCH TREES — 10-12 Feet. Singles or multi-stemmed. Excellent shade tree that is fast growing, disease resistant and great for screening. Sold at wholesale prices. Send a SASE to: Designs of Nature, 2258 Parker Rd., Springboro, PA 16435 for current price list. Other plants available. 216-261-1233.

HEALTH INSURANCE

RAYSTOWN LAKE — $275,000, 35 acres, build-ready, mountaintop vista, close to boat launch. Call 814-599-0790.

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. HUNTING 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. 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. 814443-3115. 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.” 814-587-3449. 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. Registered yearling ANGUS BULL. Ready to breed. Bloodlines to Montana cattle. $1,000. 814-276-3006. Email: dwhysong@corle.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.

MOTORCYCLE-SNOWMOBILE INSURANCE

REAL ESTATE

TIMBER FRAME HOMES 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. 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.

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.

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!

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 517-238-6074.

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.

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. TIOGA COUNTY CAMP, Elk Township. 3988 Leetonia Rd., Leetonia. Close to Cedar Run and west rim of Grand Canyon. Must see to appreciate location and area. Sleeps 16, two baths, extra large kitchen new. Trophy trout, hunting, hiking, right out your door. Call 215-947-3079.

TRACTOR PARTS – REPAIR/RESTORATION

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

POTTER COUNTY — Log cabin, Keating Summit area. Seven acres, sleeps six. Furnished, full basement, deck three sides, satellite TV, wood heat. Serious only $85,000. Call 610-294-1062.

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.

HOUSE FOR SALE — Three bedroom, 1 1/2 baths, three acres, full basement, two-car detached garage, shed. Saegertown school. Address: 25402 Gravel Run Rd., Cambridge Springs, PA. To see call 814-398-8276. Asking price $165,000.

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.

CRAWFORD COUNTY — 62 acres tillable and pasture or 92 acres with 30 acres woods and 62 tillable and pasture. Phone 814-683-4131. FOR SALE — Hesston, PA. 814-599-1507, 814-658-2170. Three bedroom split level on 1 1/2 acres, finished basement, large bath and family room. All appliances included. 1/2 bath needs finished. Large deck w/hot tub, large yard w/some wooded area, beautiful view. Fish pond w/waterfall off deck. Large detached two-car garage w/carport includes overhead storage. Ten minutes Lake Raystown (Seven Points), ten minutes boat launch. Asking $182,000. 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 USED PORTABLE Sawmills and COMMERCIAL Sawmill Equipment! Buy/Sell. Call Sawmill Exchange 800-459-2148. USA and Canada. www.sawmillexchange.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.

EARL PITTS “Feels Your Pain” $12.95

+ S/H

EXCLUSIVELY at

earlpitts.us M AY 2 0 1 1 • P E N N

LINES

PUNCHlines

Thoughts from Earl Pitts, UHMERIKUN! Earl lays down the law on man purses and mid-life crises

Social commentary from Earl Pitts —— a.k.a. GARY BUR BANK , 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.

PENN

L I N E S • M AY 2 0 1 1

They just come out with this new study and scientists now agree — there ain’t no such thing as middle-age crazy. They said the mid-life crisis makes for great pictures an’ books, an’ you can make a wonderful song out of it, but it don’t happen in real life. Dang it. I was kind ’a lookin’ forward to goin’ middle-age crazy. For a guy in his 40s, it’s like an 8-year-old lookin’ forward to goin’ to Disneyland. You hear a lot about it, it sounds excitin’, an’ you can’t wait to get there. But now they tell me there’s no such thing? Well, bust my bubble, you four-eyed dream-squashers. A’ course, if these cockamamie science idiots are so sure there ain’t no such thing as a mid-life crisis, then how in the Sam Hill do they explain Runt Wilson? You remember Runt Wilson, don’t ’cha? Him an’ his brother, Woodrow, come in the Duck Inn all the time. Last year, Runt Wilson up an’ quit his job after about 22 years at the plant. He bought hisself a used Dodge Viper, joined the Hair Club for Men, left his better half and moved out, an’ started shackin’ up with a convenience store cashier young enough to be his daughter. Then he put one a’ them pukka shell necklaces around his stupid neck. He took up sky-divin’, joined the Rotary, an’ got into online poker. He even started wearin’ loafers! An’ then he crossed the line. He started wearin’ cologne. I ain’t sure what he was wearin’ but it smelt like a racehorse used a bucket full ’a pine cones for a bathroom. Anyways, that’s when we had to have a backwoods intervention. Yeah, Junior Meeker took his monster truck an’ drove over Runt’s Dodge Viper. That’s how we intervene where we live. Wake up, America. If he didn’t have no mid-life crisis, we are in deep doo-doo. Because we just pancaked a car of somebody that must ’a lost his mind.

I just heard this story the other day — the newest health problem sweepin’ this country is men with back problems caused by totin’ their “man purses” around. Course they don’t call ’em man purses. They call ’em satchels or gear bags or computer bags. They’re purses, OK? You can call it somethin’ manly — but it ain’t. It’s just a kangaroo organizer for men. Now, doctors say men ain’t used to carryin’ around bags. An’ one a’ these bags can weigh up to 15 pounds with your laptop in there, your iPhone, your iPad, an’ your iPod. That’s puttin’ a strain on guys’ backs an’ shoulders. I know, I don’t know what’s more embarrassin’ — totin’ around a man purse or hurtin’ your back lifting 15 pounds? Dang, you ain’t gonna get a job layin’ train track, son. Not with a back like that. Not only have men gone girly — we’ve gone soft, too. Here’s the rule, gentlemen, in case you forgot. Any real man should be able to make it out of his house in the mornin’ with just the stuff he’s got in his pockets. Unless, ’a course, he’s got a lunch pail, too. You should not put a blow-knee samich in your pants. You need a wallet, a comb, a fistful ’a change, a hankie, a pack ’a smokes, an’ maybe a pen in your shirt pocket, if you’re management. A pocketknife if you’re not flyin’ anywhere that day. An’ I like to carry a empty, used envelope around in my back pocket in case I have to take notes. That’s helpful hints from Earl right there. Wake up, America! If you need a man purse, that’s fine. I will not cast no aspersions on your decision. But we will ask you to turn in your man card. Yeah, you’re no longer a member. I’m Earl Pitts, Uhmerikun. l

RURALreflections Spring in Pennsylvania WHAT SAYS spring more clearly than laughing kids, blooming flowers and wild animals? Spend some time outdoors this spring, and while you’re at it, take your camera along and record some memories. Then share those memories — and your photographs — with “Rural Reflections.” Remember, at the end of the year, five lucky winners will each receive a $75 prize. Categories include: most artistic, best landscape, best human subject, best animal subject 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 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 selfaddressed, stamped envelope is included. l

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