Penn Lines September 2010 by American MainStreet Publications

SEPTEMBER 2010

Before and after Pennsylvania barns find new life in heritage-preserving projects

PLUS Outdoor highs & lows In praise of peppers Slide into energy savings

SEPTEMBER Vol. 45 • No. 9 Peter A. Fitzgerald EDITOR/DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

Katherine Hackleman SENIOR EDITOR/WRITER

James Dulley Janette Hess Barbara Martin Marcus Schneck

E N E R G Y M AT T E R S Ductless heating and cooling

KEEPING CURRENT News items from across the Commonwealth

CONTRIBUTING COLUMNISTS

W. Douglas Shirk LAYOUT & DESIGN

Vonnie Kloss

Before and after

ADVERTISING & CIRCULATION

Pennsylvania barns find new life in heritagepreserving projects

Michelle M. Smith MEDIA & MARKETING SPECIALIST

Penn Lines (USPS 929-700), the newsmagazine of Pennsylvania’s electric cooperatives, is published monthly by the Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association, 212 Locust Street, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108-1266. Penn Lines helps 166,400 households of co-op consumermembers understand issues that affect the electric cooperative program, their local coops, and their quality of life. Electric co-ops are not-for-profit, consumer-owned, locally directed, and taxpaying electric utilities. Penn Lines is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts. The opinions expressed in Penn Lines do not necessarily reflect those of the editors, the Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association, or local electric distribution cooperatives. Subscriptions: Electric co-op members, $5.42 per year through their local electric distribution cooperative. Preferred Periodicals postage paid at Harrisburg, PA 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. Advertising: Display ad deadline is six weeks prior to month of issue. Ad rates upon request. Acceptance of advertising by Penn Lines does not imply endorsement of the product or services by the publisher or any electric cooperative. If you encounter a problem with any product or service advertised in Penn Lines, please contact: Advertising, Penn Lines, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108. Penn Lines reserves the right to refuse any advertising.

F E AT U R E

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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

Outdoor highs and lows Hope for the future tempered with nasty taste of reality

COUNTRY KITCHEN

In praise of peppers 20

POWER PLANTS

Take advantage of fall 22

TIME LINES Your newsmagazine through the years

CLASSIFIEDS

SMART CIRCUITS

Slide into energy savings by replacing a window with a door 26

PUNCH LINES

Thoughts from Earl Pitts– Uhmerikun! Earl is still trying to unload his tomato crop on reluctant friends 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

RURAL REFLECTIONS

Enjoy the final weeks of summer

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.

O N T H E COV E R John and Barbara Wilkerson had this barn torn down and moved to Silver Lake in Susquehanna County, where it was reconstructed with a silo. Its new use is as a “party barn” for individual parties and charity fundraisers. Photo by Kathy Hackleman SEPTEMBER 2010 • PENN

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ENERGYmatters

By exiting off the ductwork highway you could save $250-$450 annually By E r i c C o dy a n d B r i a n S l o b o da

INSIDE walls, along ceilings, and under the floors of many homes lies a highway system of ductwork that delivers cool air in summer and warm air during winter. But even in the best of systems, as much as 15 to 20 percent of the hot or cold air never reaches your living space. That’s because conditioned air must first warm or cool the duct before air at the right temperature comes out. In addition, joints allow conditioned air to leak into wall cavities while bends hamper air flow. While sealing and insulating ductwork will help, the vast majority of the highway remains hidden behind walls that are not easily accessible.

DHPs may be poised to gain a share of the U.S. residential market. These devices use an estimated 50 to 60 percent less energy than electric resistance heating systems.

Reduce monthly bills Ductless heat pumps cost more upfront but will save homeowners money compared to electric resistance heating systems, such as baseboard or radiant ceiling heat. They even offer some advantages when compared to conventional airsource heat pumps. DHP features include: k Elimination of duct-related losses, typically in the range of 15 to 20 percent. k Inverter technology, allowing compressor and fans to run at variable speeds, contributing to improved energy efficiency by avoiding on-off cycling losses. k Different comfort levels in different zones, unlike centralized systems that only offer a single temperature set point. k Some current DHP models produce as much as 60 percent of full heating capacity at outside air temperatures as low as 17 degrees Fahrenheit, making the need for a supplemental heating system less essential.

Alternative to ducted systems An alternative exists: ductless heat pumps (DHPs), also called “mini-split” heat pumps because they are suitable for conditioning smaller areas and consist of a separate outside compressor and one or more inside air-handling units. A complete DHP system includes these main components: k An outside compressor unit. k One or more indoor air handling units mounted on a wall or ceiling. k Refrigerant line(s) — insulated copper tubing — running from a compressor to air handling unit(s), generally running along the outside of a wall. k A handheld wireless remote or wallmounted control unit with a programmable thermostat. After decades of use in Asia, Europe and in American commercial buildings, 4

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Range of residential applications Ductless heat pumps may find greatest use in niche applications, including: k Retrofits: Full or partial replacement of an existing zonal electric heating system, especially in housing such as manufactured homes or vacation homes where space is unavailable to run ducts. k Additions: New rooms or attic/garage conversions, where existing ductwork or heating system piping would otherwise have to be extended to provide heating and/or air conditioning. DHPs cool small areas more efficiently than ducted heat pump systems. Ductless heat pumps are not cheap. For new homes, a DHP may cost as much as 30 percent more than a ducted system. The total installed cost of a 1.25-ton DHP

MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC COOLING AND HEATING SOLUTIONS

Ductless heating and cooling

COOL:

This bedroom features a split-ductless system.

system for heating and cooling a single zone typically runs about $4,000. Costs are in a state of flux and vary considerably depending on specific installation factors and competition among contractors. But consumers can expect to save between $250 and $450 per year compared to electric resistance heating. In addition to the initial cost, the primary drawback associated with DHPs may be aesthetics. The indoor air handling unit must be mounted on a wall or ceiling in each room. The refrigerant line typically runs along the outside of the home and enters a room through a small hole. The line continues along the inside of the wall until it reaches the wall-mounted unit. As with any purchase, contact a reputable contractor and talk to someone who has installed a ductless heat pump. l Eric P. Cody serves as president of Cody Energy Group, a consulting organization that helps electric utilities manage complex business and technology changes. Brian Sloboda serves as program manager specializing in energy efficiency for the Cooperative Research Network, a service of the Arlington, Va.-based National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

KEEPINGcurrent Aging power poles find new life as trail markers Tom Fitzgerald, a resident of Indiana County and a member of Indiana-based REA Energy Cooperative (REA Energy) who also has a family camp in Potter County served by Mansfield-based TriCounty Rural Electric Cooperative, is taking recycling to a new level. Using old utility poles that REA Energy is replacing, Fitzgerald is bringing new life to a northern Pennsylvania trail system. Fitzgerald, a retired state forester, is a founding member of the Susquehannock Trail Club, headquartered in Coudersport, organized in 1967 to set up a trail system in the Susquehannock State Forest District that spans Potter and Clinton counties. “We scouted out old CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) fire trails, logging roads and sections of even older logging railroads and we gradually hooked them together to make a loop about 85 miles long,” Fitzgerald explains. To mark the trail, the group originally used locust poles cut in standard fencepost length — 7 feet — to hold the directional signage needed to keep hikers on the proper paths. The signs were styled to be nearly identical to the

This old REA Energy Cooperative utility pole is well on its way to becoming a new marker on the Susquehannock Trail System in Potter County, thanks to the routing efforts of Tom Fitzgerald.

NEW LIFE FOR OLD POLE:

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Bureau of Forestry’s own signs. “We set them 30 inches into the ground, and eventually, they proved too short because we had several that needed multiple signs,” Fitzgerald notes. In an effort to be conservative, yet creative, Fitzgerald found a few dead locust trees and cut the posts to between 8 and 9 1/2 feet long himself. That proved to be hard work. “Then one day I saw an REA crew changing a pole, and I asked if they or the landowner didn’t want the post, could I have it,” he reports. “The next day, it showed up in my driveway.” Since then, Fitzgerald has figured out how to cut full-length poles and partial poles to repurpose them into usable trail markers. He cuts the pole with a chainsaw to the desired length, then uses a router to notch spots for the signs. He’s even converted a cart designed to trundle rolls of floor covering into a way to transport the poles to their final destination. “They make excellent posts for a hiking trail because of their rustic, weath-

ON THE TRAIL: Susquehannock Trail Club members Bill Boyd, Dick Hribar, Wayne Baumann and Art Huber pose with a completed signpost made from an old utility pole from REA Energy Cooperative. The sign marks the junction of two segments of the trail system in West Branch Township, Potter County.

ered appearance and durability,” Fitzgerald notes. “The creosoted interiors of the poles are as sound as ever, and they should easily outlast black locust poles.” Fitzgerald is assisted in his efforts to maintain the trail system by a group of trail club members called “The Ready Five,” signifying their ability to respond quickly to problems on the trail and fix them. They include: Bill Boyd, Dick Hribar, Wayne Baumann, Art Huber and Gerald Johnston, all members of TriCounty Rural Electric Cooperative.

USDA seeking name for poultry mascot The U.S. Department of Agriculture is seeking suggestions of names for a mascot in the Biosecurity for Birds (continues on page 14)

PENNlines

Before and after Pennsylvania barns find new life in heritage-preserving projects by Kathy Hackleman S e n i o r E d i t o r / Wr i t e r

FAR FROM being just an eyesore, the aging barns that punctuate the rural Pennsylvania landscape instead represent a treasure that can provide a first-hand look at farm life between the late 1700s and the early 1900s. Often, the aging barns have outlived their original purpose. They may be standing in the way of a new housing development, or perhaps they have been empty for years as advancing technology made them obsolete. Maybe their owners found their maintenance to

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be too time-consuming or expensive. Whatever the reason for the deteriorating condition of the barns, some Pennsylvania craftsmen are restoring them onsite to meet the needs of the 21st century. Others are delicately dismantling the structures, numbering and cataloging their posts and beams, and finally reconstructing them as beautiful new homes or for commercial uses. Some take the barn wood and fashion it into furniture or crafts.

Reusing the wood from vintage barns provides a distinct advantage. It’s an environmentally “green” project that prevents the destruction of trees. Also, because the barns of the 1700s and 1800s were made from the wood of virgin forests, the beams are larger and stronger than beams from more recent cutting.

Preserving the past For the modern-day craftsmen who work on these barns, the greater significance comes from recognizing the human resources that felled these trees, and how they used simple tools to construct a building that would last for centuries. “It’s important that we realize that by saving these barn frames, we are actually saving our heritage,” says John McNamara, who has been sal-

UNIQUE STRUCTURE: The Round Barn Farm, located west of Gettysburg, now holds a farm market operated by Knouse Fruitlands Inc.

vaging barn wood for more than 20 years. McNamara and his brother, Charles, both members of Towanda-based Claverack Rural Electric Cooperative (REC) and sons of the late John McNamara, a former director at the cooperative, operate McNamara Construction in Friendsville. (Charles McNamara recently was elected as a director to fill the position vacated by his father.) They specialize in timber-frame barns built between the late 1700s and the late 1920s, and timber frame houses, the predominant style in northeastern Pennsylvania until the 1860s. While their preference is to restore a barn in its original location to retain its historical value, they do whatever is necessary to save a structure, even if that means dismantling it and rebuilding it at another site, or even using parts of the frame in a new structure. “Timber framing is a very significant part of our heritage,” McNamara emphasizes. “Early barns and early houses were built from virgin forests that covered this part of the country. Some of these trees were between 400 and 500 years old when they were cut, and the buildings are 200 years old. Think of the changes in history that those massive beams have been through.” McNamara often uses the same basic tools the early framers did — axes, chisels and slicks (large chisel-like tools operated with two hands) to put the frames together with wooden pegs. Through the years, McNamara has become fascinated with more than just the timber frame buildings themselves, and he has immersed himself in learning as much as he can about them. “We can go into a building and judge its age by how it was put together,” he explains. “An old barn is more than just a building; it is a log that has a history. And through the interpretation of buildings as artifacts, we can show the changes in society and agriculture through the years.” Different barns were directed toward different functions, he notes. Farmers used the first barns to thresh their grain before taking it to a local mill where it was ground into flour to cook with. As farms expanded, more barns were added

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THE BONES OF A BARN: Friendsville resident John McNamara works to save vintage timber frame barns and houses, put together with wooden pegs. When he can’t rebuild them in place, he takes them apart to reassemble in another location.

— some for livestock, others to store grain or hay — all tied to the heritage of the farmers. “Here in the northeast corner of Pennsylvania, we have mostly English barns,” McNamara explains. “As you head south, you come across more German barns, while up toward the Hudson River Valley, the Dutch had more influence.” Whatever their heritage, most old barns were constructed so they would stand for centuries with minimal maintenance. “These buildings used the highest quality wood, and the level of craftsmanship and skill that it takes to construct timber frames far surpasses today’s stickbuilt buildings,” McNamara emphasizes. “They were designed to be adapted to the different needs of the farm, and that versatility is why we are now able to make these buildings into houses, studios and commercial spaces. … When we get done with a building, it looks like it’s been there 200 years, and its new function can lend itself to being there another 200 years.”

spread his passion to others. One way he does that is to lead biennial barn tours sponsored by the E.L. Rose Conservancy of Susquehanna County. The conservancy was established in 1987 to protect natural resources through land and water conservation, provide sanctuary for wildlife, and preserve natural beauty. Tours feature historical highlights about each barn. Patty Bloomer, one of the founders of the conservancy and its current president, is clear about her feelings about old barns. “I love them,” she states emphatically. “I’ve always been interested in the environment and history, and old barns are a part of history. And by saving them, you also are saving the environment.” Bloomer, also a member of Claverack REC who has a home at Silver Lake in northern Susquehanna County, coordinates the conservancy barn tour, the organization’s main fundraiser. One of the barns featured on this year’s tour is owned by Colleen Kane who operates Sea Hag Soaps and Art Mercantile in Brackney. A member of Claverack REC, Kane credits McNamara with creating “a special feeling” within the barn. “John (McNamara) put tar paper on the outside, then did wiring and insulation and finally put siding on it,” Kane explains. “When you come into this barn, you look up and it looks exactly as it always did. There’s no sheetrock anywhere on the walls.” Kane’s barn sits on McCormick Road, where it was built in the 1920s as a fourbay hay barn, although cattle were

Sharing our heritage In addition to dedicating himself to saving as many timber frame barns as possible because the icons are disappearing at an alarming rate, McNamara also works to 10

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Colleen Kane, owner of Sea Hag Soaps and Art Mercantile in Brackney, had craftsman John McNamara restore her barn in its original location to be used as a place to make soap and sell artwork to retail customers.

NEW PURPOSE IN LIFE:

housed on the ground floor. According to Kane, some barn timbers that date back to the 1880s probably were used in an earlier barn. She purchased the barn, a mile from her residence, in 1998. She had one corner leveled and gave it a thorough cleaning as it was filled with barn swallows and junk, but that’s all the interior work it needed. Today, Sea Hag is a thriving business where soap is manufactured and sold, along with handmade items from local and regional artisans. She’s thrilled with her barn rescue. “It’s very sad to see old barns torn down,” she states. “They are cathedrals. … I’ve tried to create a place here that is welcoming. People who haven’t been in a barn since they were kids come in here and share pleasant memories.” As it usually does, this summer’s conservancy barn tour ended at John and Barbara Wilkerson’s “party barn,” near Silver Lake. The Wilkersons, who are members of Claverack REC, employed McNamara to undertake their barn renovation. Purchased in 1996, the barn was moved and rebuilt, including the addition of a silo, which features a winding staircase depicting the ascent of the American man. The railing begins with an early Uncle Sam, then tells the story of Native Americans, the industrial revolution, and the advent of cars and airplanes. At the top, rockets imply life is getting more frenetic, according to Barbara Wilkerson. She explains the couple’s decision to save a barn saying, “We saw a barn that a neighbor had preserved. We loved it and we thought it would be fun to save one. John (McNamara) found it for us. It is totally original. Some of the posts still have marks where horses chewed on them.” Called a party barn because its new function is to serve as a gathering spot, the restored building has played host to weddings, engagement parties and anniversary parties. But its major use has been to provide a venue for fundraising and educational events for local charities, particularly those focused on the environment, explains John Wilkerson, who also is one of the founders of the conservancy, as well as its past president.

PENNlines Projects big and small Down the road in east-central Susquehanna County, Jesse Benedict, owner of Benedict Antique Lumber and Stone and a member of Claverack REC, has been restoring life to old barns for nine years. With a background in construction and several years of razing barns under his belt, he uses his design skills to give old barns a new life.

The round barn owned by Knouse Fruitlands Inc. near Gettysburg is built around a 60-foot high central silo that acts as a hub for the “spokes” that form the structure of the barn.

IN THE ROUND:

Benedict travels anywhere there is a barn he wants or a person who wants a home built using the interior structure of an old barn. His most sought-after barns have hand-hewn beams, the longer the better, and his favorite species to work with are chestnut and hemlock. He’s not a fan of hand-hewn beech because of its weight and its propensity to harbor powderpost beetles. Benedict dismantles a barn, carefully numbering and cataloging the pieces, treats the wood with boric acid to kill insects, fungus or mold, cleans it with rotating bristles embedded with sand, and then stores the beams and posts until the right customer surfaces. Customers vary from those who want to reuse the timber framing of the barn exactly as it came down to others who want a traditional stick-built house with decorative interior barn beams. He designs both kinds of projects. He also salvages foundations to make fireplaces and do other stonework. If Benedict and his crew have any spare time in between dismantling barns and building houses, they build custom furniture from the recycled barn wood. Although they 12

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STEPPING PRETTY: John and Barbara

Wilkerson’s barn in Susquehanna County features a winding staircase that depicts the ascent of the American man in a sculpted railing, above. Jesse Benedict, also of Susquehanna County, creates designs that vary from stairways to complete houses using the foundations of vintage barns, as well as their interior posts and beams, right.

offer anything that can be made out of wood, typical projects include tables, sofa tables, entertainment centers and desks. As the quality of his craftsmanship has become known, Benedict’s handiwork has even found its way into the homes of several celebrities. “It’s all been by word of mouth,” he states, noting that he isn’t sure how most of his customers find out about him. “They just call and I work with them, no matter

what they need.” While many craftsmen focus on saving the interior structure of the barn, Meadville resident Rod Frazier focuses on the exterior boards. Frazier, an electricity teacher at Crawford County Career and Technical Center, works closely with staff members at Cambridge Springs-based Northwestern Rural Electric Cooperative, who serve on his advisory committees. Frazier, who began building birdhouses as a hobby about five years ago, takes them to three craft shows annually (Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Waterford, Va.), where he always sells out of his tiny birdhouse barns.

“Barn wood is hard to find,” he explains. “You just have to keep searching. I only want barn wood that is 75 years or older, the older the better.” He finds supplies by word of mouth. He lets the shape and condition of the wood lead him to the individual design of each piece. A typical birdhouse will take about four hours to complete.

Family stories

build his “new” equipment storage barn. “Basically I put up the whole structure myself,” Knaub reports. “I even set the beams that are almost 30 feet long. I figured if Mom and Dad could do it by themselves, it was good enough for me. Putting it back together was like doing a puzzle, only I had to rebuild some of the pegs that were too rotten to use again.” Today, the old barn has a new roof and exterior siding, but inside it is the original structure, which Knaub believes from a scrawled signature that he found was built in 1821. Beside that scrawled signature, “R.S. Bailey — 1821,” is an additional signature, “T.J. Knaub — 2005.” Kevin Knouse, another Adams Electric Cooperative member whose family story involves a barn, represents the fourth generation involved in the commercial fruitgrowing business. In 1985, Knouse Fruitlands Inc. purchased what is known as the Round Barn Farm eight miles west of Gettysburg. By 1993, the family had done extensive renovations on the empty barn and brought the adjacent orchard back

Tom Knaub, a resident of Warrington Township in York County and a director at Gettysburg-based Adams Electric Cooperative, also has a barn story. He and his wife, Jane, can look out a window and see nearly 200 years of history and countless memories. “That barn,” Knaub says pointing down the hill, “has been moved twice. Originally it was on Alpine Road about seven or eight miles from here on my grandfather’s farm. My mom and dad married in 1946 and built a house in ’48 or ’50. In 1955, my grandparents and parents swapped places.” Later, the state honored former Gov. Gifford Pinchot with a park. Unfortunately for the Knaub family, the designated state park land included their farm. The elder Knaubs, John and Kathryn, who were the last ones to sell their land, took their barn with them. “Mom and Dad numbered it, hauled it to their new place and put it back together again piece by piece,” Tom Knaub says. After Kathryn Knaub died, John continued to live on the farm just down the road from where Tom Knaub built his home. After John died in 2003, his five children sold the farm to a developer, who planned to bulldoze the buildings and burn the remains. He told Tom Knaub he had two weeks to remove the barn if he wanted it. Knaub gathered a few friends STILL A BARN: Tom Knaub, a resident of Warrington Township who helped him label the barn in York County, drives a tractor originally owned by his frame, tear it down, put it on a grandfather out of a barn he moved to his farm from a family wagon and haul it up the road to farm that had been sold. This was the barn’s second move by his house, where it sat for two the Knaub family, as Knaub’s parents also relocated the barn, believed to have been built in 1821. years until he got motivated to

TINY HOMES: Rod Frazier, Meadville, takes discarded barn siding and creates new homes. He sells his birdhouses at area craft shows.

into commercial production. The following summer, the Round Barn Farm Market opened. In addition to locally grown fruits and vegetables, the Knouses sell their own brand of salad dressings, baked goods, seasonal decorations, clothing, and antiques. “We have lots of local customers, but because of our location near Gettysburg, we get lots of tourists as well,” Knouse explains. “This is a very unique structure and people want to see it. We like to share the barn, even if people don’t want to buy anything. They can come in here and see something they’ll probably never see in their lifetime again.” That’s because only a handful of true round barns, sometimes called “barrel barns,” remain in the United States. (There are more polygonal barns having five or more equal sides.) According to Knouse, the barn was built in 1914 using trees from the farm. Its circumference is 282 feet with a diameter of 87 feet. It is built around a central silo 60 feet high and 12 feet wide that acts as a “hub” with 38 spokes. Each spoke is a single log nearly 37 feet long, except for one that is in two pieces; they form the interior structure and support for the second floor. Today, the market takes up the entire main floor, while the upper floor is rented out for special occasions. In fact, the Knouses had their own wedding reception where hay was once stored. To save a barn is not an inexpensive project, but those who have done it say the cost has been well worth it as they not only end up with a one-of-a-kind structure, they also take great pride in saving a part of Pennsylvania’s culture and history. l SEPTEMBER 2010 • PENN

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(continued from page 6) campaign. Sponsored by USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the campaign offers tips and information to poultry owners on how to protect their birds from infectious poultry diseases. Contestants are to submit suggestions by Sept. 30, 2010, by logging on to the Biosecurity for Birds website at http://healthybirds.aphis.usda.gov. A USDA panel will review the suggestions and select three finalists that will be posted on the website in October. Judging

will be done based on overall impact, creativity and accurate adherence to the subject matter. Finalists will be posted online and members of the public are encouraged to vote on the final selection through Oct. 23. The winning entry will be announced during Bird Health Awareness Week Nov. 1-7, 2010. The three finalists will each receive a duffel bag and the winner will receive a grand prize.

DCNR receives federal funds to combat pests, invasive plants Pennsylvania’s ongoing efforts to control destructive forest pests and invasive vegetation in state forests and parks received a major boost with the announcement in August 2010 of the receipt by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) of $350,000 in federal grants. The largest federal grant, $125,000, will enable the Bureau of Forestry’s Forest Pest Management section to implement and demonstrate various management techniques for controlling the 14

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emerald ash borer. The non-native invasive forest pest that kills all species of ash has been detected in 16 Pennsylvania counties. Lesser funding amounts are earmarked for the tracking and suppression of the hemlock woolly adelgid, another non-native invasive forest pest proving deadly to Pennsylvania’s state tree, the Eastern hemlock. Also, transfer of firewood — directly linked to the spread of the Asian longhorned beetle and emerald ash borer — will be monitored closely in state campgrounds, as well as visual surveys under a newly funded plan. Pennsylvania’s state parks and forests will be targeted with new suppression efforts for invasive vegetation, as well as plantings of native species. Plant species targeted on state park and forestlands

include: mile-a-minute weed, Japanese stilt grass, barberry, tree of heaven (Ailanthus), invasive honeysuckles, autumn olive, phragmites, Japanese knotweed, purple loosestrife and reed canary grass. Funds for these projects will be used to purchase INVADER: Mile-a-minute supplies, and weed is on the list of native species — invasive species to be grasses, shrubs suppressed. and trees — to restore areas that have been treated. For more information on forest insect pest management, invasive vegetation and native plant species, visit www.dcnr.state.pa.us. l

OUTDOORadventures

Outdoor highs and lows Hope for the future tempered with nasty taste of reality LIKE THE raging, hormonefueled swings in mood and behavior among the teens I had observed, my outlook for the future of our outdoor heritage, conservation and the environment in general swung from the peaks of optimism to the lowest, headshaking worry in the span of just a few days this summer. I began on the highest emotional high possible, at the 2010 National Jamboree of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) on the Fort A.P. Hill Military Reservation in northern Virginia. On the 100th anniversary of the organization in America, an estimated 44,000-plus Scouts and adult leaders gathered to revel in all things Scouting. They pitched more than 20,000 tents, dining canopies and other temporary shelters of canvas, nylon, polyethylene and other fabrics. For 10 days they lived in those shelters, all carefully deployed in Scout-neat campsites, which MARCUS SCHNECK ,

writes for a variety of publications, websites and organizations, including The PatriotNews in Harrisburg the Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art, and Hawk Mountain Sanctuary.

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were arranged in regional sub-camps, which in turn were arranged in larger regional plans. They prepared their meals in patrols of eight to 10 boys each, under the direction of the boys they had chosen as their patrol leaders. They hiked an estimated 100 miles to daily transport themselves to enormous outdoor experiences, ranging from scuba diving to the tallest rappelling wall most of them had ever seen, to the full range of shooting sports to an extensive, educational conservation trail. They challenged themselves to the brink. They did all that is best about the outdoors. And, they grew a bit, while building a memory that most of them likely will be sharing when they are old men. On balance, I found that I was able to disregard the expected (albeit surprising in their specific occurrences), bureaucratic snafus that big organizations like BSA generally bring to the table in any national gathering of their members, and the thankfully short-lived irritations that accompany those snafus. I came away from the jamboree with that little lump in the throat that often comes from experiences such as scanning a mass of 44,000 uniformed boys gathered for an arena show, and with a strongly positive outlook. That hope for our outdoor future was polished to a brighter sheen as back in Pennsylvania I mingled into the crowd watching the state championship for the 2010

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CastingKids competition, and then joined the teen anglers for a morning on the Susquehanna River as they competed for the state championship of the BASS Federation Nation junior bass fishing clubs. Smart, capable, well-spoken, outgoing youth experienced their slice of the outdoors and were enthused by it. The shine took on a bit of tarnish with the news a few days later of a group of teens that drowned in a Louisiana river. They couldn’t swim. They didn’t anticipate a sudden depth in the river shallows they were wading. And, the adults with them couldn’t swim. It’s not a character flaw to not have learned to swim by one’s teen years. And, it’s

SCOUTS REVEL IN THE OUTDOORS:

More than 44,000 Scouts gathered to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the organization in this country.

understandable that those with little exposure to the realities of nature would expect a river to behave much like a swimming pool, without sudden life-threatening changes in its character. However, those basic characteristics among what is likely a majority of our youth today are easy to forget when you’re with the Scouts in the midst of a major burst of Scouting activities or on the water with teens completely at home on the shifting deck of a bass boat. Hope, yes, but tempered with a nasty taste of reality. l

COUNTRYkitchen

by Janette He ss

In praise of peppers YOU SEE them in the supermarket — bell peppers bagged to resemble the colors of a traffic light, their bright red, yellow and green directing the way to good eating. Whether you purchase your peppers from the supermarket or pick them by the peck from your own garden, peppers make this month’s recipes a definite “go!” Inspired by eastern European goulash, Pepper Stew will have your family singing your praises. Marjoram and caraway seeds add an unexpected twist to this extremely flavorful dish, which is best prepared in a slow cooker. The paprika itself is a variety of red pepper that has been dried and ground into a spectacular spice capable of imparting intense color and depth to any dish. Tired of tortillas? Try tortilla-free Enchilada Stuffed Peppers. In this recipe, bell peppers serve as edible cups for a simple enchilada filling. Use any pepper of your choosing, but keep in mind that the sweet red and yellow varieties will result in a milder entree. Bell peppers and eggs make a delicious pairing in Confetti Frittata. Reminiscent of a quiche, a frittata cuts unnecessary calories by foregoing the crust. Confetti Frittata is so packed with color and flavor that no one will even notice the missing crust! l

TA CONFETTI FRITTA 1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon olive oil (preferably a mix 1 cup diced bell pepper of colors) 1/4 cup diced onion ature) 8 eggs (at room temper and half”) alf (“h am cre t ligh or 1/3 cup shly grated Parmesan fre n poo les 1/3 cup plus 1 tab ese Parmigiano Reggiano che 1/4 teaspoon salt sauce Several drops hot pepper ham ed 1 cup smoked, dic te or baking dish, melt rees. In a 9-inch pie pla Preheat oven to 350 deg olive oil, peppers and onion. Stir to coat. the the eggs, light the butter and then add te bowl, whisk together ara sep a In s. ute min Bake for 20 cheese. Remove the veg per sauce. Add 1/3 cup r ove e tur mix egg the r cream, salt and hot pep the ham. Slowly pou add and n of ove n the poo m les etables fro the extra tab and then sprinkle with the vegetables and ham 6 servings. kes Ma . set il unt or utes cheese. Bake for 30 min

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.

PEPPER

RS UFFED PEPPE ENCHILADA ST d seeds remove

and bell peppers, tops 5 flat-bottomed nd beef 1 pound lean grou , diced ion on m diu 1/2 me chilada en n 1 10-ounce ca dium) me or ild (m e sauc e ric ed ok 1 1/2 cups co d ce sli n ca ce un -o 1 2.25 ed ain dr s, black olive lby or 1/2 cup grated Co eese ch ck Ja Monterey an epared peppers in e degrees. Place pr th 0 if 35 tin to n en ffi ov mu e a th Preheat minutes. (Use 20 r fo e bakke ar ba s d er an pp .) While pe oven-proof dish ort to stay upright . Cook and stir until pp su tra ex ed ne e onion peppers beef. Add nd beef and add th ing, brown the grou ftened. If needed, drain the ground the parso ve tly mo gh sli Re is s. ve the onion black oli e, cooked rice and fill with the ground beef the enchilada sauc d an en ov e th m s fro tes or until tially baked pepper se. Bake an additional 30-35 minu ee ch th mixture. Top wi ings. nder. Makes 5 serv the peppers are te

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STEW 2 pounds sirloin steak or sirloin tip roast, cut into 1 pound pork loin cubes , cut into cubes 2 medium onions 1/2 cup beef brot h 3 tablespoons vin egar 1 12-ounce jar ro asted red pepper s, rinsed and drain ed 3 tablespoons pa prika 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 teaspoons min ced garlic 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 1/2 teaspoons dried marjoram 1 teaspoon carawa y seeds 1 medium green bell pepper, seed ed and cut into 1/2 medium pota strips to, peeled and fin ely grated Place meat in a slo w cooker. Slice 1 1/2 arrange over the meat. (Reserve 1/2 onions into rings and vinegar over the onion.) Drizzle th meat and onions. e Place the reserved broth and roasted red pepp ers, paprika, olive 1/2 onion, oil, garlic and sa processor. Blend lt into a food until smooth and spread over the Sprinkle with mar meat and onions. jor before stirring in am and caraway seeds. Cook on low for 7 hours the green pepper strips and grated hour longer. Serv e ov potato. Cook 1 Makes 6-8 serving er buttered noodles, mashed po tatoes or rice. s.

POWERplants

by Barbara Martin

Take advantage of fall ONCE THE August heat passes, many garden plants get a second wind. In my garden, the marigolds and impatiens, the morning glories and cannas, the geraniums and the sweet little million bells plants all bloom with gusto. I especially appreciate the heat-loving dahlias and sweetly perfumed tuberose bulbs (Polianthes tuberosa), and that so slow-to-get-started but deliciously fragrant, night-blooming moonflower vine finally perking along as if there is no tomorrow. That may well be true for these tender beauties, because we all know what happens once frost hits. Although the season is winding down, there is no reason to let the garden go out with a whimper. I think it is worthwhile to continue to deadhead (remove the faded blooms) and fertilize and water these non-hardy plants until they give their last gasp. I look forward to the perennial flowers that naturally 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.

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bloom now. You might be lucky enough to have fallblooming anemones in your perennial garden, those glorious flowers in bright white or girly pink. Or how about some of the newer reblooming daylilies and iris? If I had to pick just one fall perennial, it might be tricyrtis, also known by the fabulous name of toad lily, with their exotic blooms atop healthy foliage, poetry in the shady garden. If you include ornamental grasses in the perennial or shrub border, I hope you savor the now towering flowering stems, the shimmery blooms expanding until they eventually turn into puffy clouds of seeds. Many main season perennials will rebloom lightly now if they have not been overly stressed during the summer. For example, you may see fresh flowers appearing on purple coneflowers, black-eyed Susans, yarrow and garden phlox if you’ve kept them well watered, mulched and deadheaded. Many roses also tend to push out a few flowers — or more — in the fall. Although the usual rule is to deadhead the spent flowers, now it is better to let the faded flowers remain on the plant. Doing this encourages the plant to slow its growth and gradually transition to the dormancy needed for winter survival. If cooler weather makes you itch to get gardening, you could get a head start on next year by dividing and resetting overgrown perennials. Do this at least eight weeks before the

LINES • SEPTEMBER 2010

ground freezes hard, allowing them enough time to re-root before winter. Among the perennials that may be divided in the fall: Achillea (yarrow), Artemisia, Astilbe, Cerastium, Coreopsis, Dianthus, Eupatorium, Geranium, Hemerocallis (daylily), Hosta, Lamium, Monarda, Nepeta, Papavar, Pulmonaria, Salvia, Sedum, Stachys, Veronica and Viola. If you lust after that princess of plants, the peony, then plant yours now. Fall is also the time to plant those fabulous spring-blooming bulbs such as tulip, daffodil and crocus. These bulbs, however, are best planted when the soil has cooled down a bit, so wait until night temperatures are consistently under about 50 degrees. Fall is a good time to plant certain woody landscape plants — particularly many deciduous trees and shrubs. Check with your local nursery to see what is available. The reason fall planting can be so effective is that the roots keep growing until the soil temperature drops to about 40 degrees.

Fall is the time to savor the look of ornamental grasses, as well as flowers.

ORNAMENTAL:

Your plants gain a significant head start on spring and leap into growth naturally with the season next year. If you hope to overwinter fall-purchased pansies or mums, get them in the ground early as well. Vegetable gardeners are reaping the bounty of their season’s work: tomatoes, pumpkins, root veggies and greens galore. You can enhance next season’s performance by improving the soil now: seed fall cover crops such as annual ryegrass into any available space, control late season weeds, and consider sheet composting, too. If you are a dedicated season-expander, by all means get those cold-tolerant greens growing now and consider using a cold frame to stretch the harvest window. If you were bemoaning the sad “end” of the gardening season, I hope you are now reinvigorated for fall, same as the plants you grow. l

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

1970 “KING COAL,” once the leading contributor to the basic economy of many western Pennsylvania counties, was declared dead back in the 1930s and 1940s. But the funeral was a bit premature. Thanks to the electric utility industry, more deep coal mines began opening in 1970 than were closing, reversing a trend started in the late 1930s when mines were closing by the hundreds. During the next three decades, that trend would continue with more mines closing than opening every year. Americans’ thirst for modern appliances caused demands for electricity to double every decade between 1920 and 1970. To supply this enormous demand, the industry turned to coal as a cheap and dependable source of fuel. And, in turn, the coal industry turned to electricity to provide the “muscle” to power the diggers to remove the coal. According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), records show that during the past 200 years, Pennsylvania has produced more than 25 percent of the nation’s total coal output and presently ranks fourth in the nation in annual coal production by state. Bituminous coal deposits underlie western and north-central Pennsylvania, and anthracite deposits underlie east-central and northeastern Pennsylvania. The state’s bituminous coal is used mostly for electric-power generation, while anthracite is used for electricpower generation and home heating. Today, the future of coal mining is unknown, as talks at the federal level focus more on “green” energy sources rather than the coal industry.

1980 Delegates from over 100 cooperatives attend the National Institute on Cooperative Education in University Park with the theme, “Cooperatives – Keystone of Agriculture.” 22

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1990 George Andreadis pulls a poncho liner from a display case inside the traveling minibus that is used to publicize the proposed Vietnam War Museum in Gettysburg.

2000 An estimated 21,500 Pennsylvania children are schooled at home – 1 percent of the total, but a sevenfold increase since the General Assembly recognized the practice in 1988.

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CLASSIFIED AD DEADLINE

MONTH

DEADLINE

November 2010. . . . . . . Sept. 17 December 2010. . . . . . . . Oct. 18 January 2011 . . . . . . . . . . Nov. 17 All ads must be received by the specified dates to be included in the corresponding month’s issue. Ads received beyond the deadline dates will automatically be included in the next available issue. Written notice of changes or cancellations must be received prior to the first of the month preceding the month of issue. For information about display rates, continuous ads, or specialized headings, contact Vonnie Kloss at 717/233-5704, the Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association.

AMMUNITION SABOT 12 GAUGE SHOTGUN SLUGS only 85 cents each. Now you can See How at www.slugsrus.com. AROUND THE HOUSE

HERE’S MY AD: Yes, I want my message to go into more than 166,400 households in rural Pennsylvania. I have counted _________ words in this ad. (FOR ADS IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, ADD 20 PERCENT TO TOTAL COST.)

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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METAL BUILDINGS — 24 x 40 x 8, $9,900 installed. 30 x 40 x 8, $11,900 installed. Includes one walk door and one garage door. All sizes available. 800-464-3333. www.factorysteelbuildings.com. FACTORY SECONDS of insulation, 4 x 8 sheets, foil back. Also reflective foil bubble wrap. 814-442-6032. 26-GAUGE METAL SHEETING — Large selection of seconds. Many colors available. $1.50 per linear foot, 36-inch width. Corle Building Systems, Imler, PA. Call 814-276-9611. Ask for Joe Fink. jfink@corle.com. BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES PIANO TUNING PAYS — Learn at home with American School of Piano Tuning home-study course in piano tuning and repair. Tools included. Diploma granted. Call for free brochure 800497-9793.

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BUILDING SUPPLIES

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.

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.

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

BECOME A PRIVATE CARE DISPATCHER. $35 for the workbook. Offer local work to local women. Check online at www.nurseemploymentagency.org.

SWIMMING POOLS – Call Pleasure Pools, Eisenhower Blvd., Johnstown, Pa., 814-288-2689. 31 years of experience. www.doughboy-pools.com.

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“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.

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.

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

Be your own Boss! Part or full-time. $500/day. State of the art recession-proof service. FREE 16-page report. Promo code CL33306. Call 800-507-7222. www.WagerCarpetCleaningCareers.com.

Sell your unwanted GOLD and SILVER. Highest paid prices paid in Central PA. Guaranteed! Licensed local dealer: Creekside Antiques, 1031-35 Third Ave., (old Rt. 22) Duncansville, PA. 814695-7219 Get Cash. CHURCH LIFT SYSTEMS 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. 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. CORN PELLET STOVES BIXBY CORN or PELLET Stoves — Save with tax credit. Will heat 2,200 square feet. No chimney needed. Burn shelled corn and save over pellets. 717-776-5237. Email: blume@pa.net.

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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: 800-536-2683. www.kencove.com. GIFT AND CRAFT IDEAS “COUNTRY COOKING,” Volume 2 — $8, including postage. “RECIPES REMEMBERED,” Volume 3 — $12, including postage. Both of these cookbooks are a collection of recipes from men and women of the electric co-ops of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Payable to: Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association, P. O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108. Write Attention: Cookbooks. Volume 1 of “Country Cooking” is SOLD OUT. 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. HEALTH AND NUTRITION Tired of all those medicines — Still not feeling better? Do you want to feel better, have more energy, better digestion, less joint stiffness, healthier heart/circulation and cholesterol levels? Find out how to empower your own immune system — start IMMUNE-26 today! It’s safe, affordable, and it works. Call 800-557-8477: ID#528390. 90day money back on first time orders. When ordering from Web, use Option #3. www.mylegacyforlife.net/believeit.

SEPTEMBER 2010 • PENN

LINES

PENNLINESclassified HEALTH INSURANCE

MOTORCYCLE-SNOWMOBILE INSURANCE

STORAGE

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.

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

Storage for all your needs. Winter boat and RV indoor storage, traditional mini-storage. Call for pricing and availability. INDIAN LAKE STORAGE 814-267-3218.

HELP WANTED

Eliminate high fuel costs with a CENTRAL BOILER, EPA certified efficient, clean burning, outdoor wood furnace. Clean, safe, thermostatically controlled. Available as a dual fuel model. Can heat multiple buildings. Heat your home, business, shop, greenhouse, hot water from one location with a sustainable fuel. Be energy independent and save money! Tall Pines FarmStoves & Fireplaces, Kingsley, PA 18826. Call 800-927-6848. Email: info@tallpinesfarm.com. Visit: www.tallpinesfarm.com.

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.

OUTDOOR WOOD FURNACE

HUNTING CLUBS

P2000 INSULATION SYSTEM

Customize your clubs embroidered CAMO HAT. Email your club’s logo. Minimum 12 hats. Average hat $10 to $15 + S/H. We carry a full line of clothing. Family reunion t-shirts heat pressed. Credit Cards accepted. EMB Embroidery & Design. 570-756-2004. embembroidery@gmail.com.

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.

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. LADYBUG/CLUSTER FLY SOLUTIONS Ladybug Problems? Cluster Fly Problems? We have the answer! Pesticide-free powder traps. Over 200,000 satisfied customers. To order call 814-494-4122 or visit www.4pestsolutions.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. REDUCED $199,900. Call 814-881-2751.

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. 1984 4x4 KUBOTA M4950, 6-cylinder diesel, 12-speed cab, 8’ power angled snow plow, 1,430 hours. New paint, very nice condition. $15,500 OBO. 814-757-4557. 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

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. 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.

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LINES • SEPTEMBER 2010

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. 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. 877-769-1050. www.paoutdoorproperties.com. 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. CURWENSVILLE, PA Lumber City — 17.6 acres woodland setting. Three bedroom, three bath, charming ranch. Gas fireplace, large family room. Ten minutes/Curwensville Lake. Great hunting. Five minutes school. 814-236-3162. HANDCRAFTED LOG Homes and Cabins. Hand peeled, scribed fit made of 12” – 20” hemlock logs. Custom built. Will deliver for you to finish or build to suit. Phone 814-644-0653 or view www.keystoneloghomes.net. 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. 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.

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. 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. GINSENG ROOT — Paying top dollar. Also I sell Ginseng seed. Call 814-938-3864.

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LAWN AND GARDEN EQUIPMENT

SMARTcircuits

by James Dulley

Slide into energy savings by replacing a window with a door REPLACING an old, wide window with a sliding glass door makes energy sense, but only if you select an efficient sliding glass door and install it properly. I made this improvement to my own kitchen last year. The overall efficiency of an airtight sliding glass door can be better than an insulated partial wall with a large inefficient window above it. My double horizontal slider window had double-pane glass, but the gap seal failed on one panel and all the weather-stripping was worn out, creating air leaks. Although homes are constructed differently, you’ll generally find a lot of reinforcing lumber framing around window openings. This is great for structural strength, but it leads to inefficient thermal bridges and leaves little room for insulation. Once I removed my drywall, I found the sill plate had not been sealed properly and air was leaking in at the bottom of the wall. Seal as much of the sill as possible to the foundation. I selected a super-high-efficiency sliding glass door. It uses a steel-reinforced vinyl frame and triple-pane glass panels. Two of the glass panes have a low-emissivity coating and dense krypton inert gas between them. This provides a high insulation level and cuts down on noise. Always select a door that is Energy Star®qualified and meets federal energy tax credit requirements. Another option is double-swinging French patio doors. If you have clearance for swinging doors, these are more efficient. Swinging doors close on compression weather-stripping, so they seal better over the long term than a seal on sliding glass doors. Also, when you open both swinging doors, there is more open area

for natural ventilation. The company I purchased the door from sent along an expert to help me with my installation. Here are some of the tips he taught me. Spend a few extra dollars and rent a large masonry saw to cut through the brick wall in one pass from outdoors. I bought a cheap masonry blade for my circular saw. It cut through the brick, but I had to make both outdoor and indoor cuts to get through the full width of the wall. This led to an uneven cut and an unbelievable amount of dust indoors. Wear a good N95 breathing mask whenever you cut masonry. With a brick veneer wall, the width of the brick and the total wall framing thickness will be about twice the width of the sliding glass door frame. The installer recommended positioning the door out on the brick to create a more stable door base. Indoors, this also recesses the door, making it easier to install tight thermal drapes during winter. For the simplest installation, cut straight down from the existing window opening. You will have to build out the interior opening with studs to the same width as the brick, but this is still easier than resizing the entire opening. This will

leave a gap between the new studs and the brick that must be insulated. I used low-expansion foam, but fiberglass is also effective. Once the foam was sprayed in and expanded, the insulation was covered with 3/4-inch pressuretreated plywood. The door company had custom-sized the door to fit in this final opening size with about one-half inch overall clearance. Make sure to use shims for all screws and don’t over tighten them. The framing on a large door can easily be pulled out of balance during installation without supportive shims. My door frame was placed over pressure-treated lumber trimmed with aluminum flashing to raise it because I mistakenly cut the brick too low. Whether you’re installing a door over lumber, brick, or a precast sill, liberally apply silicone caulk between the bottom of the door frame and the base to prevent leaks. There are weep vents in the door track to prevent water collection. 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

SEPTEMBER 2010 • PENN

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PUNCHlines

Thoughts from Earl Pitts, UHMERIKUN! Earl is still trying to unload his tomato crop on reluctant friends

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.

PENN

LINES • SEPTEMBER 2010

Before we get started today, I got a

I heard the dumbest thing the other

question for you. Any a’ you people out there want some tomaters? Yeah, I didn’t think so. My better half’s tomaters have come in. I remember a couple months back we was arguin’ and she said she wanted six tomater plants. I said, “You need two.” She said she wanted six. Now we got approximately 14 tons a’ tomaters to get rid of. An’ don’t get me wrong. I love tomaters. Most of all, I love home-grown tomaters. But not this many of ‘em. I mean, every year at this time we got the same choice — get rid a’ 14 tons a’ tomaters or open a ketchup factory. An’ here’s the thing you don’t maybe figger on when you’re buyin’ them tomater plants. Everybody else that likes home-grown tomaters is buyin’ them tomater plants, too. So three months later tryin’ to give away tomaters is like tryin’ to give away kittens. Everybody that wants ‘em already got ‘em. Let me put it this way, you knock on your neighbor’s door with a bag a’ tomaters and they’re prayin’ you’re from some neighborhood church. Cause all they gotta do then is take a pamphlet, not 18 pounds a’ tomaters. Course, I did get rid a’ one bag a’ tomaters already today. Well, technically I didn’t “get rid” of ‘em. I traded ‘em for two bags a’ zucchini. Yeah, that guy’s got bigger problems than me. If we could figger out a way to power cars on tomaters, that could change the world. Instead a’ gasoline, you could pull into the station an’ put 20 gallons a’ ketchup in your truck. Then squeeze a little on your French fries… Wake up, America. I keep hearin’ that millions of people in America still go to bed hungry every night. If you wanna get me your addresses, I’ll send you some tomaters.

day. Some people was sayin’ that mornin’ people are more successful. They done some research an’ found mornin’ people make out better in life because they are proactive. An’ that reminded me a’ more people. Mornin’ people. An’ that means you, Mary Sunshine, an’ your annoyin’ brother, Earl E. Byrd. That’s like these knuckleheads they got on the radio station. My alarm goes off and I hear these happy saps yakkin’ away like monkeys tanked up on a truckload a’ coffee. I mean they sound like the kinda weasels that need to suck down a case a’ Red Bull just to calm down. Anyways, these pencil-neck, science dweebs say mornin’ people got special genetical material. They even got a name for it — they call it “morning-ness.” Lemme tell you something. I get up at 5 in the morning’ and I ain’t got no dang morning-ness. I got surley-ness, grumpiness an’ ugliness. I mean, I get me a cup a’ coffee an’ set at the kitchen table waitin’ for that coffee to hit the nerve endin’s in my brain. It’s like settin’ at a red light you ain’t sure is ever gonna change. I mean, my eyeballs is puffier than a fat lady’s feet what’s been standin’ all day. My face feels like my pillowcase was filled with porky-pines. I am not a mornin’ person. An’ I don’t even mind mornin’ people if they’d just keep their dang zippity doo-dahs to their zippity self! In other words, ZIP IT! For those who say mornin’ people are more successful, I say, “Hello? They work at radio stations an’ donut shops!” Wake up, America! My better half says the early bird gets the worm. Everybody else gets two extra hours of shuteye. Enjoy your worm. I’m Earl Pitts, Uhmerikun. l

RURALreflections Enjoy the final weeks of summer THE DAYLIGHT hours are growing shorter and soon the leaves will begin to turn colors, but for now, the grass is green and the days are still warm, so enjoy the final weeks of summer even as you begin to prepare for autumn. While you are enjoying the final days of summer, please don’t forget to capture your memories for inclusion in our “Rural Reflections” photo contest. Winners in each of our five contest categories — most artistic, best landscape, best human subject, best animal and editor’s choice — will receive a $75 prize. 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” contest). 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 selfaddressed, self-stamped envelope is included. l

Nathan & Rose Cooley Northwestern REC

Lori Deery Tri-County REC

Emily Cameron REA Energy

Mary Lou Arford REA Energy SEPTEMBER 2010 • PENN

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