F
R
E
E
Serving Mifflin County and the surrounding area.
The Valley A free newspaper dedicated to agriculture, self-reliance, frugal living, and modern homesteading. Tomorrow’s Media - A Day Early Volume 8, No. 8
The Valley, August 2017
Complimentary
Could Bone Broth Be The Missing Link To You Feeling Better?
by Nikki Santangelo When you were sick as a child, did your Mom make you chicken soup? Bone broth is VERY beneficial and considered to be one of the most ancient and beneficial substances on the planet. It has numerous nutrients and benefits to the body as well tasting great and being easy to use in many dishes and recipes. For as long as humans have been cooking, bone broth (which is the simmering stock of bones often discarded) has been a daily part of life! Bone Broth may be the “hottest trend in health” today even though it’s centuries old. Bone Broth is made using animal bones and simmering them for 24-28 hours often mixed with other nutrient dense foods such as vegetables, herbs and spices, and an acidic liquid like apple cider vinegar to release key minerals. The most common types of bone broth come from beef, chicken, turkey, or fish bones. Bone Broth, also known as “nature’s multivitamin” has over 19 easily absorbable, essential and non-essential amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins. It’s packed with collagen which helps form connective tissue and nutrients that support the digestive system, brain health and the immune system. In other words, this low calorie elixir will help boost every part of the body
including muscles, ligaments, and trolytes (important for circulation • Type 1 collagen is for bones, ligaments and tendons, and gut to the brain. and heart health, bone density and Some of the key nutrients wound healing. digestive health) found in bone broth are: One of bone broth’s key • Type 2 collagen is found 1. Chondroitin sulfate (supnutrients is the collagen. There are in chicken and turkey and is the ports cardiovascular and bone 16 types of collagen in the human best for gut health & immune health) body but 80-90% of the collagen health. 2. Hyaluronic Acid (great is type 1, 2, and 3. It is important • Type 3 collagen is for shock absorber for our joints and to get type 1, 2, and 3 collagen elasticity and firmness in the skin for situations where it’s bone on when consuming bone broth. and hair. bone) Our 3. pace is ofGlycosamiten too fast noglycans these days (restores though to intestinal cook bones lining) for hours 4. to get these Collagen wonderful (starts to nutrients diminish and benat age 20 eficial combut necespounds. sary as the Sometimes “glue” that we’re too helps hold quick to use our joints, the store ligaments, bought, bones, and processed, tendons) sodium 5. Glufilled, nucosamine tritionally deficient (helps versions. to make Bone broth, healthy however, connective is a great tissue) source 6. to find Minerals and Elec- Lots of flavors to choose from, find the one you like and add this to your diet! collagen,
Veritas vos Liberabit
gelatin, amino acids, and trace minerals as mentioned before. Actually, there are many nutrients found only in bone broth that can’t be easily found from other foods. BUT what if we had a way for you to get ALL of this and not spend hours making it? We have just the answer! Organic Bone Broth Protein Powder, which is now available at Simply Health Salt Spa! Bone Broth Protein Powder is bone broth liquid that is dehydrated, making it into a concentrated source. 1 scoop of our Organic Bone Broth Protein plus 12 ounces of water or other liquid is equivalent to 1.5 cups of bone broth. This Bone Broth Protein Powder has 20 grams of protein and has all three types of collagen! Another huge benefit of bone broth protein is that it is a REAL food and a source of essential minerals, including electrolytes such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium, which are important for supporting bone health, circulatory health, heart health, and digestive health. The six major benefits of bone broth is that it protects our joints, it’s good for our gut (where 70% of our health system is), maintains healthy skin, supports the immune system function (have
Continued on page 3
The Valley, August 2017
2
Editor’s Corner Wayne Stottlar August! Wow is summer just this honey is locust and white zipping by. They say time acsweet clover and it is a wonderful celerates as you get older, but the combination. Very sweet initially arrival of a few cool nights and a followed by a strong, long lasting tinge of color in a few wetland maples is a sure trigger for me. In fact, so ingrained in me is that signal that I just called for wood to be delivered. I would enjoy having that all racked and ready by September. All in all, it has been a great summer if you are a gardener, farmer, lawn service company or a beekeeper. I have not had to water my garden once this year; I believe by this time last season I had given up, but this year is the complete opposite. I am rather liking this. My bees apparently liked it as well, as I just had a great harvest of honey due to the continued rain making This first harvest of 2017 produced a beautiful, light colored honey that is ideal conditions for nectar and exquisite. pollen producers. The bulk of
"WALK" in to Walker & Waker Equipment for ALL your lawn, garden and landscape equipment needs!
We have trailer, used equipment and rentals too!
floral aftertaste. There is a strong nectar flow happening due to my friend and mentor Sam. He has been seeding bee food plants in this place for 4 years and it is paying dividends right now. Give your bees close, pesticide free, and plentiful sources and they don’t have to travel to places where they are exposed to pesticides or GMO crops. The result is productive, happy bees. I have three different strains of bees amongst my hives now, each has its own pros and cons. I am looking for consistency and hope that the bees show me which direction to go in. I have added separate colonies of Carniolan and Russian bees to our hives with Italians, so hopefully it will give us some consistency in production no matter what the weather—we shall see. With the arrival of fall we are going to try to sneak another trip up to NH in and show Lynn’s parents around for a week. There is no better place to be at that time of II year with the crisp air and brilliant foliage. I might even squeeze in some metal detecting while there since my two older sons have gained an interest and they have access to some very old property—can’t wait! I don’t like being away from the two grey dogs for that long, but we will manage.
Continued on page 3
Contact Info Editor/Publisher Wayne Stottlar Graphic Artist/ Co-Publisher Lynn Persing The Valley PO Box 41 Yeagertown, PA 17099 (717) 363-1550 E-mail: thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com Web: www.thevalleynewspaper.com ©The Valley. All Rights Reserved.
All might be free if they valued freedom, and defended it as they should.
3
The Valley, August 2017
Back Talk by Dr. Joseph Kauffman
"Back" To School
“It’s that time of year again… School is about to start! Oh, the joys of back to school shopping, packing lunches, early bedtimes and germs! Well, we thought now is the perfect opportunity to discuss the importance of a healthy immune system and four tips to keep you and your family as healthy as possible this school year! Your immune system is your body’s defense against infection and illness. It recognizes the cells that make up your body, and will try to get rid of anything unfamiliar. It destroys germs (bacteria and viruses) and parasites. Germs are passed around at school all day—but I want to assure you
that you don’t have to fear germs! Thanks to our immune system, if it is working optimally, it will take care of the viruses and nasty stuff before it brings you down. Here are four tips that can allow for a properly functioning, germ fighting immune system! 1. Sun. Get plenty of sunshine! I truly believe there is not a “flu season,” there is “it’s cold outside and I don’t get any sunshine and am super stressed from the holidays and ate a bunch of Christmas cookies” season. Sunshine gets a bad rap, but is actually super important to getting adequate levels of Vitamin D, which is crucial for bone health, enhances the immune system and helps to
Bone Broth from front page
diet everyday. Whether you make your own by simmering for 24-48 hours or consuming Bone Broth Protein Powder, don’t miss out on this nutritionally dense super food! The protein powder is great in smoothies, crockpot recipes, food bars, healthy desserts, after a workout as a meal or used as a bone broth cleanse. Check out our full display of ORGANIC Bone Broth Protein in store or online at Simplyhealthcalm.com. Or call us at 814-9547731 for an appointment for any or our health promoting services. Get your health back on track with healthy bone broth and receive
15% off before August 15th by mentioning this article. Editors note: In the beginning of May after some health issues, I added bone broth to my daily diet and cut out a bunch of things that weren’t helping. At this point I have lost 40 pounds and the bone broth gives me the protein I need to retain muscle and still lose weight. An added benefit? I have never felt better. This stuff is amazing. a
istics. So even though your little Fifi is everyone’s friend, if you walk it off-leash and it comes bounding up to my leashed Weimaraner, there is a good chance your dog isn’t coming back in the same condition. Our oldest has almost had two other dogs in his mouth and I had all I could do to stop the coming carnage. People might think I should feel sorry for your dog when something like this should happen, and I am to a certain degree, because it isn’t the dogs fault that his human is a idiot. Walking your dog off-leash and letting them run around in your yard unfenced does not make you the “dog whisperer,” it makes you irresponsible because you don’t care enough for your dog to keep it out of harm’s way. If you can’t abide by a leash law, and won’t fence your yard, you really can’t complain if something bad
happens. Sorry if it’s harsh, but it is the truth. And before anyone gets upset, I am not talking about farm dogs. If you have a farm, there is a good chance you don’t have neighbors that walk their dogs right in front of your house—farm dogs have a job. Here’s to looking forward to the return of my favorite season, Fall, Harvest, Crisp Air, and No Bugs! Get out to a fair or festival, support your local 4-H, and especially our great advertisers who make this possible.a
an auto-immune disease—help rebuild it!), boosts detoxification, and AIDS the metabolism and promotes anabolism. So if time has been a factor in making your own Bone Broth, we have the solution! The Organic Bone Broth Protein will save you time and money, and is packed full of protein. This Bone Broth protein is great for those following a paleo diet, low carb diet, elimination diet, gluten free diet or just a gut-friendly diet. So be sure to get the amazing benefits of bone broth in your
Editor’s Corner from page 2 Speaking of dogs, and in this case, dog owners, I have a gripe. As most everyone knows, Lynn and I have two Weimaraners. Because of the breed, they need lots of walks. While on these walks I have to constantly scan the horizon just in case someone is walking their dog, OFF-LEASH! I was always under the assumption that leash laws required dogs to either be fenced, tied out (not my favorite) or ON A LEASH! I hear these people all the time saying, “Oh my dog is friendly, there is no problem.” WRONG! Both of our boys are sweethearts; I would not hesitate to let anyone walk up and pet them, they love the attention. But also due to the breed and where they came from, our oldest has a very strong prey drive and dominance character-
hours after eating sugar! Kid’s bodies CRAVE healthy nutrition and sometimes they are much better at listening to their bodies than us as adults. What a great learning opportunity to talk about healthy eating with your kids. 4. Stress. We all know stress is bad, right? But seriously, sometimes life can be a little nuts and stress comes with the territory. Reducing stress is crucial, yet challenging. Can we give a better solution? What if we said that instead of completely removing stress, we can make YOUR body so brilliantly handle stress in a healthy manner? I know it sounds a little out there, but let me explain. You see, as chiropractors, we work specifically with the “switch” in the brainstem which controls and regulates exactly how your body responds to and processes stress. If people are having an overwhelming amount of stress, adults or kids, and the nervous system is not working as it is intended, this stress accumulates and will decrease the function of the immune system. This is why we hear so often that too much stress will make us get sick!. Our goal is to make sure your body can process and handle the amount of stress you have without compromising your health. A chiropractic checkup can always determine how the “switch” is functioning and whether or not
balance serotonin levels. Consider 10-20 minutes of direct sunlight on unprotected skin to get your daily dose of Vitamin D. 2. Sleep. Most current guidelines recommend school aged kids gets at least 10 hours of sleep per night. Imagine what your body does at night—so many crucial organ systems are activated! Research has shown that the hormones needed to fight germs are released during our sleep cycles. That is why there is a direct link between sleep and the immune system. So, sleep deprivation could definitely lower your immune system and leave you more susceptible to the nasty stuff out there. 3. Sugar. School always comes with those sweet treats; sugar also can have a negative effect on our immune system. According to Health Services at Columbia University, your immune system can be inhibited for up to five
your body is properly processing stress.” The direct result of stress is tightening of the muscles creating muscular tension. These muscles that get tense are designed to contract and relax your muscles in order to move bones. The body’s response to stress is to tighten the muscles which will, in turn, move your bones. In many cases, the back muscles are the ones getting tense and the bones being moved or pulled on are the bones making up the spine, which are called vertebrae. When the vertebrae get knocked out of alignment, they pinch on nerves and are called Subluxations. Subluxations prevent your body from functioning at 100% and can affect every cell, tissue, muscle, and organ in the body. This chiropractic check-up is to detect and correct these subluxations, which can mean life or death of a small part of your body or your whole body. This school year, think about the 5 S’s—Sun, Sleep, Sugar, Stress, and Subluxations. We hope you have the healthiest school year YET! Some credit of this column is cited as follows: http://restorechiropracticcenter. com/back-to-school/ Dr. Joseph Kauffman Kauffman-Hummel Chiropractic Clinic drjosephkauffman@comcast.net a
Expect More from Your Fuel Supplier! • Reliable Propane & Heating Oil Delivery • Budget Payment Plan • 24/7 Emergency Service • Heating Equipment Service Plans • Safety Trained Professionals
Call today to learn about our NEw CustOmER sPECiAls!
• Over 80 Years Experience
Our Business is Customer Satisfaction
717-248-5476 • 1-800-PROPANE (776-7263)
The Truth Has No Agenda
The Valley, August 2017
4
industry right now is really going through some rough times. Some milk companies are dropping producers with little or no notice. For years dairy producers have been encouraged to increase herd numbers and milk production. Now consumer milk consumption is supposed to be down. It is so it looks to be a good crop year definitely a difficult time for dairy this year. Local farmers need a farmers. Let’s all drink an extra good year this year. glass of milk, eat an extra serving The last couple years have of cheese, ice cream, or any dairy been challenging. The dairy product to help out. Milk has 9 essential nutrients we need to be healthy and 100 Stine Drive it tastes great. Lewistown, PA 17044 I prefer whole 717-248-6400 katy@StoneArchRealEstate.com milk and I know you’re going 6 Summit Manor to say “what Lewistown, PA about the fat in
Life in the East End by Rebecca Harrop Boy has it been HOT in the East End lately! Everything is growing like crazy! The corn is getting so tall and the hay is doing great. We are getting a lot of rain
Live high on a hill with amazing views! This gorgeously renovated home boasts natural hardwood throughout, beautiful ceramic tile bathrooms and an impressive finished basement.
milk?” Well, most whole milk in the grocery store is 3.5% or less fat. Check out some of the low fat foods out there. There isn’t too many that are only 3.5% fat. I used to have a poster when I was Dairy Princess “Think Your Drink.” It compared sodas and other drinks to milk. According to the labels I checked, a 12 oz. Pepsi lists the following: Calories -150, Sodium -15 mg, Carbs. - 42 g, Sugar- 41 g, Protein-0, Calcium-0, and Vitamin A-0.1. A cup of milk lists: Calories-146, Sodium- 98 mg, Carbs-11.03 g, Sugar-12.3 g, Protein- 7.86 g, Calcium- 28% of your RDA, Vitamin A- 5% of RDA, Potassium- 349 mg. So after looking at both these labels it looks like milk is a pretty good deal. Milk is natural, wholesome goodness so why not have some dairy goodness? Dairy
Katy Flood Realtor, ABR Cell: 717-437-0161
Call for your tour today!
www.StoneArchRealEstate.com
All might be free if they valued freedom, and defended it as they should.
farmers thank you! As I mentioned we have gotten plenty of rain so our garden is really growing. The tomatoes must be over 3’ tall. I’m pretty sure the sweet corn will be ready by Fair week again. I swear it doesn’t matter when we plant it, it is always ready Fair week! The zucchini plants are huge! The sunflowers we planted late are well over our heads. My dahlias and calla lilies are really nice. I’m hoping I have some nice blooms for the Open Show at the Mifflin County Fair. Oh yeah, the onions we planted late because of that fly, are doing great. Mom’s been watching them like a hawk and so far they are good. The only problem we really have is a couple rabbits and a dang old groundhog.
Continued on page 11
5
The Valley, August 2017
Sojourning With Lev Y’shua by Mark Ostrowski
The story of Lev Y’shua Congregation is the story of a people seeking to follow the heart of their Savior. Thus, the translation of our name from Hebrew; Heart of our Savior. Ours has been a journey of patience, desiring a place to call home. In 2002, Marci Hughes (of blessed memory), envisioned a Hebrew Roots Congregation of sojourners who walk the path of faith in a different fashion. Working to form a congregation in Central Pennsylvania, she drew together individuals and families who work out their faith in the Messiah of Israel by observing His Feast Days, holding weekly Sabbaths on Saturday and adhering to a Biblically Clean diet. Joann and I have journeyed with Lev Y’shua since 2009. The Congregation wandered for the better part of ten plus years. From house to house, Sabbath to Sabbath sojourning, never continuing in one place for very long. We spent time at three different public locations, including
a grammar school library where we sat on children’s chairs. No Place really satisfied. Additionally, gathering to celebrate the Feast Days was always challenging as arrangements needed to be made to find ancillary locations such as parks. We had no home. Even our belongings were co-mingled in storage along with the host institution’s belongings at these various locations. In 2013, we began to utilize a pole building in Belleville, PA, just south of Centre County and the Penn State Area. This structure was available for our exclusive use commencing with that year’s Feast of Tabernacles. Here, we found a pastoral setting and room enough to do all we wanted, as well as to be able to gather as often as we wanted. While this building doesn’t have central heat, or running water, we’ve made it work by renting a porta john and wash station and installing a wood stove. However, we called off meetings when the weather became too cold for the stove, or
met, once again, at a residence. While we’ve made this work for us, we sense the time is upon us to improve our meeting location. As additional people are drawn to our Congregation, the need for updated, handicapped accessible facilities becomes critical to our efforts to accommodate larger gatherings. Two recent events bring this need to the forefront of our minds. We hosted an indigenous missionary from the Democratic Republic of Congo. This sweet sister escaped the genocide in Rwanda. As she and her clan were pushed out by armed forces in pursuit of them, porta johns were often available for their use as they walked for weeks seeking refuge. While bringing a testimony to us of her work in Congo, the memory of that trauma resurfaced as she made use of our facilities. In another situation, two energetic toddlers locked themselves in the porta john giggling the entire time their mom stood outside the door,
The Truth Has No Agenda
calmly entreating them to unlock it before they got too inquisitive as to the inner workings of a porta john. So yes, indeed, the time has arrived to add facilities for men and women that will include showers to accommodate our ingathering’s, particularly during the week-long feast of Tabernacles. Now is the time to add central heat and AC to accommodate growth and to allow for year-round use of our facility. Now is the time to properly meet our community’s needs. We are looking to add a 912-square foot addition (which includes a covered patio), to house
handicapped accessible restrooms with showers, a storage/utility room and an all-purpose room. Additionally, we will upgrade our current space of 1520-square feet. Our intention is to stud out and finish the pole building walls, properly run electric and lighting throughout, along with the adding a new handicapped entrance adjacent to appropriate parking. It is our desire to be accessible to all who hear this call and seek to sojourn with us. And, for such a time as this, we set our face toward this most important project and invite you to join us.
Continued on page 6
The Valley, August 2017
6
One-Stop Opens a Cricket Wireless Store in Huntingdon by Michael Buffington
One-Stop Communications and Cricket Wireless are answering the call to bring residents of Huntingdon County a reliable, nationwide 4G LTE service at affordable prices — with no annual contracts — by opening the first Cricket Wireless retail store at MAT Plaza in Huntingdon. The grand opening of the new store was celebrated on July 21, 2017 with prizes and phone specials. Big Froggy 101 was on site for a live broadcast and the Huntingdon County Chamber of Commerce coordinated the ribbon cutting ceremony. “We are thrilled to open a Cricket Wireless store in Huntingdon. We truly have something to smile about at Cricket with simple and affordable plans that
offer unlimited talk, text and data access, all on a great nationwide network,” said Michael Buffington, President of One-Stop Communications. The community is invited to visit the newly remodeled Cricket showroom and check out featured sales on their latest products and phones from all the major phone manufactures such as Samsung, LG, HTC, Motorola, and ZTE. Cricket Wireless is pleased to offer unlimited smartphone plans starting at $30 a month, including monthly taxes and a 4G LTE network that covers over 300 million
Where There Are Gardens, there will Always be Weeds by Sarah Hurlburt
people. Grand opening specials will continue through July. Plus, OneStop is going to give one lucky person a Samsung Galaxy Amp Prime wireless phone and one year of Cricket Wireless service to celebrate the opening of their new Cricket Wireless stores in central Pennsylvania on July 31, 2017! One-Stop Communications is an award-winning local retailer that has been providing central Pennsylvania with personal and business communication products for over 20 years. The new Cricket store is located at 9048 William Penn Highway in Huntingdon (next to Donna’s Family Restaurant) and can be reached by calling 814616-2884. Store hours are Monday through Saturday from 9 am to 8 pm, and 12 pm to 5 pm on Sunday. a
In all our associations; in all our agreements let us never lose sight of this fundamental maxim - that all power was originally lodged in, and consequently is derived from, the people. ~George Mason Beavertown God’s Missionary Church invites Children Ages 3-12 to participate in Vacation Bible School to be held August 15-20 with Kent & Laura Engle. The theme is Submerged “Diving Deep in God’s Word!” There will be stories, games, prizes, and activities which children will enjoy while learning more about God! There will also be activities and classes for youth ages 13-20 under the direction of Matt Maloyed and John Mark Forsee. Bus transportation is available from Penn’s Creek, Middleburg, Beavertown, Beaver Springs, McClure, and surrounding areas. The church is located at Creek Road & Covered Bridge Road in Beavertown. Children and teens can register online at www.beavertownchurch.com. For more information call 570-658-2422!
Where there are gardens there will always be weeds, but does that make us stop planting gardens? Never! Nature always offers us profound life lessons. The teacher with no words and tons of visuals. For anyone who has ever planted a garden, veggie or flower, you understand that weeds are the gardener’s nemesis. Where there is a beautiful garden, there is a vigilant gardener out there destroying the ugly where the beauty is trying to blossom. So, it is with life. We all envision something beautiful for our lives to blossom and bloom and grow into. But it certainly won’t happen without regular “weeding.” The weeds of life will try their hardest to choke out the beauty and new growth anywhere they can. Like actual weeds, life’s weeds can creep up on us and get out of control very quickly. It’s crucial that we are on the lookout for any that might crop up and eliminate them immediately. Weeds like unforgiveness, anger, fear, discontentment, anxiety, addiction, anything keeping you from new growth, must not be allowed to take root in your heart. Our lives are truly like a garden and as we age we see the growth all around us, the beauty of growing love and friendship that adds the brilliant colors to our life’s garden. We are young
and the brilliant, bright bloom of new love sends its roots deep and grafts two hearts into one. Our children will grow and marry and have precious new lives of their own, and will add such richness and color to our gardens. Each year, brings new blooms and new colors of happiness. Friendships grow, hard work pays off and our gardens mature and get more beautiful year after year. Next time you are out there weeding that garden, sweating and cursing the existence of weeds, remember their lesson. Just like those literal weeds will destroy our actual gardens if left unattended, the metaphorical weeds of life will destroy our life’s garden. We must be vigilant gardeners when it comes to our hearts and minds and keep them “weed” free. Do you need to let go of anger and forgive someone? Do you need to be more content, worry less, fear less? Do you need to love someone in your life better? Get to those weeds before they get too big to get rid of. And remember, feeding is just as important as weeding. Feed your relationships to see the growth you have been wishing for, slow down and take time to enjoy the sweet-smelling aroma of love and friendship in your garden. Plants seeds of kindness and caring wherever you go and watch your garden grow! a
Sojourning with Lev Y’shua from page 5
If you prefer to write a check, please make it payable to Lev Y’shua Messianic Congregation and mail it to PO Box 75, Belleville, PA 17004. We will keep you posted on our progress in future editions. We sincerely do appreciate any help you can give, large or small. Todah rabah! That’s Hebrew for thank-you very much!
We need the help of the wider community to make this dream a reality. Would you please consider making a donation to help us out? We anticipate the total cost to be $96,000. That’s $105 per square foot, which also covers the upgrades to the main building. We are looking for square foot donors, or perhaps 10, 20 or even 100 square or more donors! As you are led by the Almighty, we humbly and gratefully receive your assistance. Donations are tax deductible. We have established a crowd funding site at You Caring [dot] com. More specifically you can find it at: https://www.youcaring. com/levyshuamessianiccongregartion-884509
All might be free if they valued freedom, and defended it as they should.
Founder and President of The Stewardship Group in Belleville, Mr. Ostrowski earned his Master of Science Degree in Financial Services from The American College in Bryn Mawr, Pa in 2007. His articles ponder various contemporary topics evaluating them from a political, economic and scriptural point of view. a
7
The Valley, August 2017
Dave Wilson
Coins, Precious Metal and a Little of this and That
The Retail Apocalypse
If people only pay attention to MAJOR news mediums, they are likely under the impression that he US economy, while somewhat challenged, is doing very well. That assumption could not possibly be further from the truth. brick-and-mortar retail stores are dying. While it is true that “some” retailers are being hurt by online shopping, the biggest reason for lack-luster (or severely declining) sales is the unfortunate fact that the US shopper is tapped out, broke! In January of 2017, several ratings agencies acknowledged that 34% of American Households do not have ANY savings, period. Another 26%, they report, had $500 or less in total savings. Up that total savings figure to $1000, and you will find another 20% of this country’s population. Since another six months have passed, it is likely that those percentages are probably even higher. Taxes continue to increase, pension holders are nervous and
curtailing purchases, many retail prices are increasing far faster than we are being told, and people continue losing good paying jobs, in favor of part-time work, or, no employment at all. In short, money is tight, and getting lots tighter! It isn’t just a soft goods problem either. Expensive restaurants are feeling a terrible pinch. At a time when people are dining out less frequently, food prices are quickly escalating, exacerbating the problem for fine dining establishments. The failure rate for new eateries has increased dramatically. Statistics like that are unlikely to get any better. With “many” major retail chain outlets presently on a “Closure” watch, we will no doubt witness the bankruptcy of thousands of retail type outlets within the next twelve months. It is very likely that many of YOU are personally familiar with a number of stores that are struggling for survival on a day-to-day basis.
Personal wages are decreasing. Prices for food, medical and other necessities are increasing. This is all quickly leading to a very unpleasant place. With the Federal Reserve stating that their inflation target is still too LOW, you know what we can expect in the very near future. Being in the retail community, we generally are asked (annually) by (literally) hundreds
The Truth Has No Agenda
of people and charitable organizations for donations for their auctions, silent auctions, 50-50 type drawings, etc. Just yesterday, one of our favorite charities stopped and requested a donation for their annual event. After providing them something nice, the solicitor asked me how our business was. I told him that we were doing OK, but certainly not setting any sales records. His comment to me was “Yea, I’ve heard that a lot. Many of the people who donated to us in the past have said that they were just not able help us this year.” His comment surprised me a bit, because you rarely hear people admit to such things. Evidently, many such organizations are having similar difficulties. As more and more retail out-
lets disappear, those still standing will likely come under increased pressure from all those organizations who depend upon donations for their annual and semi-annual fund raisers. This, at a time when those businesses still standing are themselves scrapping for every dollar they can find. Believe me, unless you are a retailer, you have no idea just how many such charities exist. Sadly, we can expect this scenario to continue, and, very likely, get much, much worse! a
The Valley, August 2017
8
on the camera Kohler says he told Elliott’s partner that he wasn’t the suspect they were looking for. “The After being falsely identiLewistown Scheetz gas station. officer in the gray came up to fied, a McClure area man says When Kohler asserts his civil me and asked if I was Mr Baumthat an elected Pennsylvania State right to refuse to answer quesgardner. I said no sir, I’m not. He Constable violated his civil rights. tions, Elliott can be heard saying said ‘what is your last name?’ Now the public is demanding “How about we wait until you get I said that I don’t answer quesanswers, a Judge says a reprimand out of sight and I drop you and tions, that I apologize and he said is due, and the Constable’s peers beat the fu** out of you after I ‘ok, that’s fine’ and he walked are calling for him to resign. taser you.” out. I assumed it was over at that In a video published to You The video begins midway point, paid for my stuff. I turned Tube by Jeff Kohler, Constable through Constable Elliott’s interSteven Elliott is seen outside a action with Kohler. Before turning around and noticed both doors were blocked off…” When Elliott blocked Kohler’s way to leave and demanded he produce identification “that’s when I decided to start recording” he says. Asked for his version of events, Elliott only replied “I not sure what you are talking about.” Constable Steven G. Elliott is from Harrison Township in Bedford County, firearms certiComparison photo of local man, Jeff Kohler who was threatened by Constable does fied, and received a single not look even remotely similar to the fugitive Keith Baumgardner. write-in vote in 2015. The
Constable Threatens
Sheetz Shopper by Vincent B. Stoops
only required obligation of a Constable is to maintain the peace at polling places on voting day. However, Constables are able to take work serving warrants for Magisterial District Judges anywhere in the Commonwealth. As the video began to make its way around social media outrage was near universal. Resident Taddy Bressler says she also had Constable Steven G. Elliott threatens a local man while a concerning placing his hand on his gun. experience with “my son replied I’m 14 and she’s Constable Elcoming right back.” liott. Bressler says Elliott threat Civil rights activist and ened her son while she was at the Chairman of the Libertarian Party grocery store over an already paid of Pennsylvania Drew Bingaman traffic fine. Bressler claims Elliott offered “even the real person the told her son they would take him Constable was looking for hardly to jail and if she had been “gone more than 4 hours they have to Continued on page 30 take him to foster care” to which
All might be free if they valued freedom, and defended it as they should.
9
The Valley, August 2017
Greetings from Nittany Valley! A beautiful morning again, birds singing so merrily and it is the time of year when we see amazing butterflies starting to flutter about. I am working on getting my bee, butterfly and hummingbird garden done. I have Hibiscus, Bee Balm, Butterfly Bush and a Rose. Then I also put out an old porcelain bathtub there to fill with dirt so I can plant Wave Petunias every spring. I would also love to put little signs that say Hummingbird Alley, Bee Street
and Butterfly Highway! Maybe someone could direct me to the right way to find them. Then it will also need a border as it now has the plastic there, and then also wood chips or something like that. I am not much of a perfectionist when it comes to being a landscaper. Hope everyone is doing great on these very warm days. I know my guys are saying they can feel a difference when we put Spectra
Max in their gallon water jugs for work. It has 74 trace minerals and 40 antioxidents, a very powerful product if someone is looking for a product they can take by liquid instead of pill form. It is recommended to take 1 tablespoon to a quart of cold water. The ingredients are so pure that if you take just by the tablespoon and not with water, it may be too strong for some people’s bodies. It also contains Fulvic Acid, and it fuels over 2,000 essential biological functions. If someone is looking for a product that has the whole color wheel in it, this is the one. Tom (CEO) says this product is more important to take than eating! Wow, powerful! Don’t forget about your children getting ready for school,
The Truth Has No Agenda
if any struggle with ADD or ADHD, Brain Vitality and Supra Omegas can help . If there is anyone that wants to know more about these products, you are more than welcome to call us at 814-9337012 or for those of you who are computer smart, go to ezrapeachey.mysisel. com. Yes, well I suppose I should move on; I’ve got some pickles to can and there are always weeds to pull. Seems hard to keep up. I do believe with all the fertilizer we
put on, the weeds love it too, ha! So here goes, see you all in September. Enjoy summer, it is going fast. a
The Valley, August 2017
10
Essential Oils:
To Go Organic, or Not to Go Organic? by Tamela Hetrick Certified Aromatherapist
Carrier Oils:
Add Additional Benefits to Aromatherapy
As we are selling essential oils at Shade Mountain, we always direct our customers to use a carrier oil with their essential oil (EO) if they are applying the EO on their skin. As I was teaching a class the other day, I kept using the term ‘carrier oil,’ then I realized that some in the class may not know what a carrier oil was, I asked, and only one knew! SO, I think it is beneficial to discuss! Carrier oils have many benefits on their own and can add additional value to your essential oils.
SO, WHAT IS A CARRIER OIL? If applied to the skin undiluted, essential oils can cause severe irritation or reactions in some individuals. Carrier oils are used to dilute essential oils prior to topical application. The term carrier oil is derived from their purpose in carrying the essential oil onto the skin. A carrier oil is normally a vegetable oil derived from the fatty portion of a plant, usually from the seeds, kernels or the nuts. The term carrier oil is generally limited to use within the practice of aromatherapy. In natural skin care (lotions, crèmes, soaps, etc.), oils used are referred to as fixed oils or base oils. Not all carrier oils are vegetable oils, but for this article we will be discussing carrier oils as being vegetable oils. There are other ingredients that can be used as carriers, but are not the norm: I’ll cover this later—read on! CHOOSE YOURS FOR ADDED BENEFITS Carrier oils are necessary to use with your essential oils in a topical application; the beautiful thing is that each carrier oil also offers a different combination of therapeutic properties and characteristics. The choice of carrier oil can depend on the therapeutic benefit being sought. There are many things to consider when choosing your carrier oil.
It is important to select oils that complement your own needs as well as suit your skin type. VALUABLE NUTRIENTS Carrier oils contain fat soluble vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. • Vitamins are in all carrier oils. Although there are many, some are high in Vitamin F (great for anti-aging and dryness), some in Vitamin E (an antioxidant, antiinflammatory, and UV protector), others in Vitamin C (for collagen production and protecting skin cells from sun damage), and Vitamin A (critically responsible for cell repair and growth.) • Essential Fatty Acids (EFA) are another benefit that a carrier oil possesses. EFAs are fatty acids that our bodies cannot manufacture and need to get from our diets. When applied topically, they are very nourishing to our skin. Carrier oils vary in their ratio and specific EFAs that they contain. One great one is Gamma linolenic acid, an important fatty acid that helps maintain healthy skin and repair skin damaged by the sun. • With such a large range of carrier oils available, why not choose some that contain powerful antioxidants? Antioxidants are vital to help combat the damaging effects of free radicals and protect our skin cells. Free radical damage is caused by the effects of the sun’s harmful rays, pollution, cigarette smoke, unhealthy diets, medications and other external environmental factors. We consume antioxidants through certain foods, but our skin also needs extra protection via topical applications as the skin is often the last to receive the benefits of antioxidants consumed orally. Some carrier oils high in antioxidants include: apricot kernel, brazil nut oil, grapeseed oil, olive, and tamanu. • Some carrier oils work as an anti-inflammatory! Examples are: pomegranate, rosehip, wheat germ, apricot kernel, hemp seed, and sweet almond.
• Still others have anti-bacterial qualities. Examples include: coconut, neem, babbasu, grapeseed oil, and tamanu. VALUE OF AROMA Some Carrier Oils have no aroma, while others have a nutty, sweet smell or a light fruity aroma. This can sometimes compete with the scent of the essential oils in your blend or recipe. Sometimes it can compliment and other times it can be undesirable! An example of this would be Tamanu oil. Tamanu oil is one of my personal favorites for its ability to heal damaged skin. It stimulates cell regeneration and is good for fragile or broken capillaries. I also love the earthy smell of this oil! This aroma would compliment spicy or earthy essential oils, but would definitely not go well with fruity or flowery scented essential oils! SHOPPING TIPS: things to look for Trends are changing, but typically vegetable oils sold in grocery stores are not coldpressed. Instead, the oils are processed using heat. For the most nourishing, freshest carrier oils, strive to shop with retailers and suppliers that specialize in the sale of aromatherapy or natural skin care ingredients. Your local health food/nutrition store may be a source for carrier oils. Watch for dust on the bottles when buying oils locally. That can indicate the oil has been sitting around for awhile. Look for oils that are not blends of two or more oils and that have no additives. As always, and with anything: READ YOUR LABELS! Look at the Processing Method: As long as it comes from vegetables: then its good: right? Not necessarily! You should buy cold processed oils whenever possible, or expeller pressed, or even solvent extracted (as is sometimes necessary), BUT I personally try to stay away from refined, bleached, deodorized (RBD) oils. RBD oils go through too much processing for my liking. For topical use and cooking, I like to purchase oils that I know are
You may be wondering: to go organic or to not go organic? That was the question that I faced. A few months ago I chose to go organic, implemented that decision, and last month we were switched. Let me be clear: we are organic in the essential oils we sell and with the essential oils we use in our diffusers, but NOT with the essential oils we use making our products. Yes, some of them are organic, but most are not. Why did we choose to go organic, you ask? First, let’s explain what organic means. Organic farming is the agricultural practice of growing food and other crops as naturally as possible without the use of synthetic pesticides and herbicides and other harmful chemical compounds. Organic farmers do not use genetically modified seeds; they use crop rotation and inter-cropping to manage the health of the soil, they use insect-eating creatures to control pests and generally use noninvasive, non-harmful methods to grow their crops. Are organic essential oils really better? I have found studies that say organic oils are higher in therapeutic values, some that state there is no difference, BUT none that provide evidence that organic is worse! So, in my opinion, chances are, it is the better choice. Here are my reasons for the switch to organics that we sell, mostly for infusing: 1. When you infuse an essential oil, whether that be with a room diffuser or with one of the other many types that are out there, such as jewelry or car diffusers, you are diffusing it for therapeutic properties. It is going directly into your lungs. In my opinion, that oil needs to be as pure as possible. There is a very good chance that organic oils are better preserved through the organic processes, as explained previously. Our new room diffusers vaporize pure essential oil using NO water! Just pure oil. They are simply amazhealthy. There are some really good YouTube videos on processing methods of oils. Honestly, after watching how canola oil is made, I doubt I will ever eat a refined oil again—yuck! Here is a break down of the
All might be free if they valued freedom, and defended it as they should.
ing. 2. Organic means that no toxic and persistent pesticides were used during the plant’s lifespan. Choosing an organic essential oil frees the user of worry about the possibility of toxic pesticide contaminants in their oil. 3. I honestly feel they smell better. You can come and talk with the girls also at the office, we all agree. The new organic oils simply smell a lot better than the non organics. And your nose knows, right? 4. Demand. Non organic essential oils are easier to find. Organic essential oils are harder to find AND they are normally very pricey. We are able to keep our prices down because we have cut out the middle man and there are no multi-levels to pay. It is just us, mixing our blends and using pipettes to fill our bottles that we label by hand! 5. You may want to support organic agriculture, organic farmers and sustainable practices. The less pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers used on our planet, the better life will be for humanity and the natural environment. 6. We sell the best and want to continue! Its that simple. And, we also might as well mention that we also carry organic carrier oils such as Jojoba oil and Sweet Almond oil. Remember, if using on your skin, always dilute with a carrier oil…and that my friends, is a whole other article (included in this issue)! Thank you for reading and thank you for your support. Please come visit us on Jack’s Creek Road in Lewistown, or now at The Barn in Lemont (next door to Happy Valley Brewery). We love visitors at Shade Mountain and we LOVE to chat about essential oils, so if you have questions, bring it on! If you are interested in learning more about essential oils, we teach classes at both locations. Join us on Facebook and click on events to view our schedule and sign up, or give us a call at 717248-8847. a most common processing methods: • Cold pressed or cold expeller pressed: This indicates that the oil has been mechanically pressed out from the fatty portions of
Continued on page 22
11
The Valley, August 2017
R. O. F. F.
Rescue Our Furry Friends by Patricia Lawson
Well ROFF has had a bit of a set-back this summer. Both of the momma dogs from Florida are heartworm positive, which means months of expensive treatment for them. Let’s take a look at what heartworms are. This information is from pets.webmd.com. “Heartworms in dogs are easy to prevent, but difficult and costly to cure. Q: How do dogs get heartworms? A: Only by the bite of an infected mosquito. There’s no other way dogs get heartworms. And there’s no way to tell if a mosquito is infected. That’s why prevention is so important. It takes about seven months, once a dog is bitten by an infected mosquito, for the larvae to mature into adult heartworms. They then lodge in the heart, lungs, and surrounding blood vessels and begin reproducing. Adult worms can grow up to 12 inches in length, can live 5-7 years, and a dog can have as many as 250 worms in its system.” After treatment these dogs will be well and ready for adoption, but in the meantime can you help us with the expenses by supporting a Whitehall Hoagie and
“I’m Oreo and just like the cookie I am very sweet! I am an 8 week old lad and I have all my shots plus I’m litter trained so I’m ready to go home with you. Please visit me and see how playful and lovable I am.” Salad sale? NOTE: AUGUST 3rd is the deadline for the orders and money so don’t delay! Hoagie and salads are only $6 and delivery will be on Friday, August 18th. Please email, call or check out Facebook for more information. Let’s look at these adorable kittens who are looking for some lovin’. If you are unable to adopt or if you missed the hoagie and salad sale, please consider a donation to ROFF. Checks may be mailed to: ROFF, 133 North Walnut Street, Burnham, PA 17009. Thank you so much!
Until they all have homes… “We’re so young that we don’t even have names www.roffrescue. yet, but I bet you can think of some good ones com; rescueourfor the two of us. We’re brother and sister who furryfriends@yaare anemic, but ROFF rescued us and brought us back to health. In two weeks we will be avail- hoo.com; 1-877933-ROFF able for adoption so let’s set up a meet and greet so you can see just how sweet and playful we (7633) a are.”
Life in the East End from page 4 The rabbits are eating the lettuce down to the ground. Of course, the weeds are growing like crazy too. We keep pulling, but they keep growing. We’ve been seeing a lot of deer in the fields lately. Mom’s been watching 3 or 4 every evening a couple fields back from the house towards the mountain.
They are such a pretty color this time of year, sort of a reddish brown. They really stand out next to the corn stalks. I like to watch them too. Dad was back the lane the other day and he said there is getting to be more deer again because you can see more deer damage in the fields again. That just means when hunting season rolls around there will be more
Continued on page 13
Home at the Grange Why would I attend PA State Junior Grange Camp? by Patricia L. Bird
On Friday, July 7, 2017, I was fortunate to be able to volunteer with the Centre County Pomona Grange Young Patrons of Husbandry (YP of H) members at the Pennsylvania State Grange Junior camp. Each year Grange members between the ages of 7 and 14 come to Centre County to attend Junior Grange camp at the Sylvan Hills Christian Service Camp in Howard, PA. This year was no exception. Approximately 59 campers along with approximately 20 counselors, cooking staff and other adult volunteers attended the week-long session. The theme this year was Wild Wild West. During the week, members attended swimming sessions at the Foster B. Sayers Dam at the Bald Eagle State Park. They attended many work sessions and also learned Grange history and how to perform the rituals of the Grange. They also met Conlan Kerschner, a Berks County Grange member who was performing at the Blue Grass Festival at the Grange Fair Grounds and so much more. Fun was had by all and the camp ended with the announcement of the new Junior Grange Royalty for the next year and various awards. Centre County has a good reason to be proud of one of its own. Isabella Boone from Baileyville Grange #1991 was announced as a member of the Junior Grange Royalty Court and also was acknowledged as the top student placing 1st in Grange knowledge. Izzy’s score was 99% of 100. This is a major accomplishment to all attending. This year’s Junior Grange Princess is Autumn Tworkoski from Berks County and the Junior Prince is Tanner Davis from Berks County. They will serve as the Junior Grange Royalty until next year’s Junior Grange Camp. The other members of the court are Isabella Boone, Centre County, Casey Reyburn of Chester County and Ayden Reckner of Beaver County. Also part of the camp were Centre County Grange members, Philip Vonada who is one of the outgoing members. Philip served during
The Truth Has No Agenda
the 2016-2017 year and will represent Pennsylvania Grange at National Grange this coming fall. Along with Philip, helping was his mom Ruth Vonada who serves on the Deaf and Community Service Committee and also in attendance and helping with dinner was Melanie Melius, who serves as the PA Family Activities Director. You could also find Betsy Huber, the National Grange Master, and Wayne Campbell, PA Grange Master, along with many other various PA Grange Officers and Committee members. The only small glitch with camp was a little nasty bug that hit several adult volunteers and a few campers including Junior Grange Committee Chair Larue Benzio, but she made the best of it along with all her great committee members. Now that I have given you a little background about Junior Grange Camp, you might wonder why I was there. Well, the YP of H group of Centre Co. Pomona Grange volunteer their time to cook and serve the Friday night meal during camp. To do this, it takes many volunteers and not just the ones who actually attended. YP of H members donate almost all the food. They purchased items like potatoes, vegetables, bread, applesauce, butter and spices. They also make cupcakes in various flavors for not only the dinner, but enough to be eaten during the end of the week dance. Centre County Pomona Grange #13 was generous enough to purchase and donate the wonderful hams that were enjoyed by all. With all the fixings of ham and parsley potatoes, not one person was still hungry by the end of dinner. Cooking and serving the meal was enjoyed by all those that helped and several members stayed to cheer on Isabella and see the awards. This event is just one of several that will be attended and volunteered at by Pomona Grange members. Coming up in the next few weeks will be the PA State Grange Family Festival that is held at the fairgrounds in Centre Hall, PA. These grounds are actually owned by the Centre County Pomona Grange #13 and overseen
by the members of the Centre County Grange Encampment and Fair Committee. It consists of approximately 35 members. At Family Festival members will help supply baked goods for the various meals, participate in the fundraisers and join others in learning about the Grange and several other topics during workshops. Many members attend and actually camp on the grounds in their campers. Before family festival you could find Pomona members helping to plant flowers and sprucing up the grounds in anticipation of the upcoming fair. Fair Committee members are already in full swing preparing for it. Meetings are being held, buildings are being painted, and the rest of the grounds are being readied. Centre County Pomona Grange will be selling chances for a handmade Amish quilt along with several other prizes. The cost is just $1.00 each and there will only be five thousand sold. The funds from this fundraiser are used to purchase FFA jackets and give five $150.00 awards to graduating seniors at each of the five school districts in Centre County. Others donations are to organizations like the Centre Crest Auxiliary Christmas Shop, located by the Veterans Home located in Hollidaysburg, PA, Christmas project, holding a Legislative Banquet before the spring election, doing a community service project in the spring which this year was at the Boal Mansion, and donating to others that send appeals for good causes. Pomona members this year will once again be manning a table at Grange Fair to encourage membership. Be sure to stop by and talk with one of the members about the reasons to join Grange and you might get a small gift in appreciation. As a member of several levels of Grange, I feel very privileged to be part of not only the organization, but also the communities in Centre County. I have been fortunate enough to help at the Legislative Banquet where I served on the committee. I raked leaves and pulled weeds at our community service day and made the arrange-
Continued on page 13
The Valley, August 2017
12
Dressing For Success! by Kim Rickert That’s a catchy title, right? But I am not talking about YOUR manner of dress; I am talking about your HOUSE! If you are thinking about selling your house in the next year, now is the time to start working on getting your house “dressed for success,” and the best way to do that is to consult with a Certified Home Marketing Specialist. The Realtor who holds the CHMS certification has been trained to help you get the most out of your house when it comes time to sell and move up, downsize or move on! There are two agents in the Stone Arch Realty office who have completed the CHMS certification, Katy Flood and Kim Rickert; both are ready to help you discover the best way to prepare your house for the market. With the latest HGTV shows that we all watch where the stars take an old house, tear out most of the interior walls, and remodel virtually every surface in the house—you are probably no stranger to the concept of “staging” a house. But what most people do not know is that according to national surveys, the most important things that home buyers are looking for are very controllable, and may not cost as much as you think! Aside from the characteristics such as location and property size, which you can’t change, the top three things that give the buyer the first impression of the interior of a home are: 1. Cleanliness, odors, clutter
2. Decor or style (dated style) 3. Condition; repairs needed, worn carpeting According to the surveys a home buyer is also looking for a warm, inviting feel in a house. They want a haven, a cozy place to curl up or spend time with loved ones. This is where “staging” can help make your home more desirable to a buyer. Staging is not the same as interior design; interior design can cost you money, where staging can put money in your pocket. So let’s assume you are committed to doing what it takes to get your home ready to sell; what steps do you need to take? If you would like the help of a Certified Home Marketing Specialist, your first step should be to call the Stone Arch Realty office and ask for Katy or Kim. They will be able to walk through your house and help assess the things that should be addressed, and to make a checklist and time-frame to complete the work. Here are some simple ideas to help you start the assessment on your own: CLEAN TO SELL Cleaning your house is the
number one thing you can do to help improve the appearance, but we are not talking about the normal cleaning you do...you will want to clean the house inside and out until it sparkles! Clean to sell! This could include some of these items: Exterior Curb Appeal• Power-wash if appropriate, or paint any cracked and peeling paint • Clean door handles, mailbox, lights- anything that your buyer sees or touches • Spring for a new doormat and a new mailbox if yours has seen better days • Spruce up landscaping, add potted plants Interior Clean• Scrub everything until sparkling! • Shampoo carpets and remove stains on flooring • Organize your closets and cabinets, getting rid of about half of what is in them! • (yes, buyers open the closets and pantry door!) • Declutter your house; remove and store away anything extra that is not being used or is • not functional (an easy way to make your house seem spacious)
• Rent a storage unit, or borrow someone else’s garage or basement! • Ban odors! Ask a friend to tell you if there is any noticeable pet or smoke odor, then ban it with an odor neutralizer. • Refresh dull woodwork and paneling with Old English polish NO REPAIRS MEANS MORE MONEY! If you have let some home maintenance lapse, make a check list and start to get things done. A buyer does not want to look at your house and see work to do; it will result in a lower offer. Some items to look for: • Squeaky door hinges • Paint walls; painting the entire interior will make the house sparkle! (neutral tans or grays are on trend right now!) • Scratches or damaged woodwork • Leaking plumbing • Cracked sidewalks or other exterior surfaces START WITH A NEUTRAL SLATE By neutralizing your home, buyers can see that the home can work with a variety of styles of decor and furnishings.
All might be free if they valued freedom, and defended it as they should.
This will give you a wider buyer market appeal. A few things that are easy to do are: • Neutral paint colors • Remove dated or themed furniture and draperies • Pack away your collections; not everyone loves a collection of tea cups or deer antlers • Remove political or religious signs and posters Remember—you are trying to take your personality out of the house so that a future buyer can see how they can add their own touches! Save your treasured items for your next home! The next step is staging your home. This does not require you to buy new furniture or put all of yours in storage! In next month’s article, I will detail a few ideas to help you “Dress your house for success!” In the meantime, be sure to check in with Katy or Kim and ask about their Certified Home Marketing Specialist services. a
13
The Valley, August 2017 Home at the Grange from page 11
a lot more than I do. If you would like to contribute to events in your community, then you need to ments as the Community Service join a good organization like the Director, and helped at the Junior Grange. We are just one of many Grange Camp with the cooking that are out there serving the pubof the meal. In my duties as the lic. You are never too old or too Centre County Pomona Grange young, or too busy. Treasurer, I am responsible for I invite you to come and visit getting the monetary donations the Grange Booth in the Grange out to the organizations we donate Building, which is the next to the to, I serve with the members of last building by the Grandstand, the family activities committee during the Centre County Grange with the quilt raffle and I particiEncampment and Fair. The fair pate with the membership comdates are August 18 thru August mittee at the fair. 26, 2017. There will be so much Ok, enough about tooting my to do and learn about all own horn. There are numerous things agriculture, which members who do just as much or includes the Grange. Come find your favorite food or drink and enjoy all the free entertainment. Be sure to Jr. Grange Prince and Princess Court check L-R Kaylen Leiby (2016-17 Princess), Isabella Boone, Cassandra Keys, Autumn Tworkoski and Tanner Davis (2017-2018 either Junior Royalty), Ayden Reckner, Jeffrey McCartney (2016-17 the Prince) broPhoto provided by Lindsay Schroeder a Jr. Grange Camp chure
or premium book for all the events listed by date or check out the website at Grangefair.org or on Facebook at Centre County Grange Encampment and Fair. Everyone in the Grange would love to see you and while attending, be sure to look for those Grange members that serve on the Centre County Grange Encampment and Fair Committee. You can identify them by their name tags and they are usually working to make the fair so much fun for all of us. Be sure to say thank you for all their hard work. a
Counselor.
The Truth Has No Agenda
Life in the East End from page 11 deer to hunt. The ones we have been watching sure are fat. Hopefully you are looking to see what you can enter in the Open Show at the Mifflin County Fair and Open Show this year. The Fair is August 7-12th. The times to register Open Show exhibits are August 6th, 5:00 pm to 7:00pm, August 7th, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm, 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm, and 8:00 pm – 9:00 pm. If you need information, please visit the Open Show Facebook page, Mifflin County Youth Fair Open Show Committee. We have the rules and info posted so you can download them if you want. There are lots of opportunities to enter ex-
hibits and be eligible for premium monies. Don’t forget the Benefit Auction on August 12th at 6:00 pm in the lower end of the green building. Be sure to come out and see what all will be up for auction. We have some nice products and gift certificates from local businesses and individuals. We have a partial list posted on Facebook and pictures with more being added as they come in. The items will be on display starting the evening of August 9th. The Auction Proceeds support Open Show activities and provide the many Fair opportunities for 4-H, FFA and the general public. Don Chesney is the auctioneer. He and his team, including Tyler Fink and Robin Chesney, make the auction a fun experience for everyone. If you like Baked Goods don’t miss the Baked Goods Auction Tuesday, August 8th at 6:00 pm in the lower end of the Green Building. All the Open Show Baked Goods entries, after judging, will
Continued on page 15
The Valley, August 2017
14
OUR YESTERYEARS Mifflin County Historical Society A Visit to Gibboney Park AUGUST 2017 Gibboney Park once stood at the foot of Jack’s Mountain, about a mile north of Belleville, along the line of the Kishacoquillas Valley Railroad (KVRR). Today, travelers to Peight’s Store on the Front Mountain Road pass by the abandoned KV railroad bed at Union Mills, just off Apple House Road. Looking across this pastoral Big Valley scene toward the mountain, nothing remains but a tangle of woods and brush along the fence rows. It is difficult to imagine now that one of the area’s most popular destinations once thrived within these bounds. In 1893, the operators of the newly completed Kishacoquillas Valley Railroad wanted to celebrate the rail line’s full operation with a grand picnic. A perfect location was selected just a mile or two from Belleville, Pennsylvania along the line of the KVRR. Towering oaks framed this woodland portrait, an idyllic spot nestled at the foot of Jack’s Mountain, located on less than 20 acres of the Adolphus Franklin Gibboney homestead. The picnic site, soon to be known as Gibboney Park, became the destination for those first celebrants. The park would evolve into the focal point of school and church outings and even political gatherings through the 1890s and early decades of the 20th century. Speakers, band concerts, sporting events and excellent food drew folks from all over central Pennsylvania to Gibboney Park. The inaugural picnic, Wednesday, August 30, 1893, quickly became an annual event, a tradition, anticipated by many,
as much so as Christmas, according to some attendees. Crowds numbering in the thousands rode special “Picnic Trains” through the scenic Kishacoquillas Valley to attend these outings. Gibboney Park emerged as THE local landmark, a must-see for travelers visiting the area and of course a ride on the KVRR made the trip an adventure. The Lewistown Gazette commented on the picnic’s setting, saying, “The park is a large grove with excellent water. A very picturesque view of the valley, railroad bridge and creek can be seen from the grounds. The railroad people handled the crowd carefully and expeditiously. They seem to know their business.” Those attending the picnics cut across the entire social strata of the era. The Lewistown Democrat & Sentinel described the throng: “ … mingling together in social converse might be seen faces from all parts of the county, sisters and sweethearts, swell young men and plain farmer boys, business and professional men, politicians and candidates for political preferment (advancement)…” No less than thirteen speakers mounted the podium at that first KV picnic, as the 1,500 to 2,000 attendees hung on each word. Speakers would extol the achievement of modern technology or the grandness of the setting or the ready access to the greater nation. The Gazette claimed the speechifying at the first picnic was “…one of the most enjoyable features of the day.” In fact, at a subsequent picnic, when just four speakers addressed the audience, the Lewistown Democrat & Sentinel editorialized, “…there was too much music and not enough oratory!” Musical interludes punctuated the first gathering. The Belleville
Next Issue of The Valley: September 5th
and Yeagertown bands played and the Belleville Glee Club harmonized between addresses. As the picnics continued, bands from Reedsville, Siglerville and Allensville would also entertain. As the event evolved, one band would linger after dark, playing for the more youthful generation to test their dancing skills at the two-step or a waltz. There was always a pause in the day’s addresses for a lunch break. This allowed for the overflowing picnic baskets to be spread in abundant fashion on wooden tables set up for the purpose. Mother might pack her second best Haviland china and wrap her glassware and lemonade pitcher in linen napkins, along with Grandmother’s silverware, all carefully nestled in Aunt Mary’s wicker picnic basket. A newspaper commented, “Verily, they all dined sumptuously. This was a good picnic to attend and this was the best time to attend it.” Food stands also became popular at Gibboney Park. That icon of the age, real, homemade lemonade, was squeezed; 25 cents bought a hot, homemade meal from the Ladies Aid Society of the Belleville Lutheran Church; Reedsville’s Horton Restaurant also offered prepared meals plus homemade ice cream; there was potato soup and fresh roasted peanuts for nibbling. The churches of Reedsville chartered a special train after the railroad opened. The faithful loaded a box car with “the good things of life” and four coaches filled with, according to the Lewistown Gazette, the “comely wives and mothers, gray-haired sires and sturdy men, beautiful maidens and fine looking young men and a host of happy children…” Reedsville’s Presbyterians, Lutherans and Methodists enjoyed a day of recreation and leisure activities at Gibboney Park. This particular gathering would be repeated under the title of the Union Sunday School Picnic for many years after. The first two years of the KV Picnic the speakers were locals, but by year three, politicians discovered the potential of such a gathering. In 1895, ex-Pennsylvania Governor James A. Beaver, appointed to Pennsylvania’s newly created Superior Court system that same year, addressed
the picnic. His address included his connection to the Kishacoquillas Valley through his mother’s Amish ancestry. Gibboney Park saw its share of other politicians. The Gazette noted in 1901 that, “…a majority of the (Mifflin County) candidates were on the grounds and smiled on everybody, some of them even wasted a few smiles on Huntingdon County residents…” Gibboney Park had numerous buildings, including: a main pavilion with a second floor for dancing, bandstand, speakers’ platform, and dining pavilion. An elegant fountain also graced the grounds. Young folks could dance in the main pavilion’s second level, while an older generation might renew acquaintances in or around the spacious park. Electric lights would eventually be installed for events after dark. Local newspapers from the Lewistown Gazette to the Democrat & Sentinel frequently mentioned the size of the crowds drawn to the annual event. An estimated average annual attendance over the years was about 5,000, give or take a thousand either way. The largest crowd attended the 1899 picnic, estimated at 10,000 happy picnickers. One newspaper reporter wrote, “The management will be compelled to enlarge the grounds otherwise it will be necessary for part of the crowd to climb trees to avoid being crushed by the moving throngs of people.” Entertainment at Gibboney
All might be free if they valued freedom, and defended it as they should.
Park also included local baseball teams plying the National Pastime. Teams from Reedsville, Belleville, Milroy, McVeytown and Burnham, to name a few, played each other over the years. Initially, the ball fields were basically the pastures near the park. By 1902, an area described as “the potato patch,” inside Gibboney Park, was established complete with grandstand. Around 1902, a steam-powered merry-go-round was installed, complete with a music box and requisite carved, wooden animals and seating. During the park’s history, some games of chance were offered at amusement stands. One from the 1896 KV Picnic was called the “Wheel of Fortune” and various nickel-eating slot machines were found around the grounds. The park officials, recounts Hartzler, eliminated such attractions the next year, due to the commotion these caused among the visitors. Other amusements found over the life of the park where fortune telling, a ring toss game, knock over the wooden baby with a ball, and a dunking tank the last year of the picnic. Gibboney Park, and others of its kind established along rail and steam lines of that era, were familiar forms of popular entertainment. Park visitors might arrive by wagon, buggy or later in the family’s new Model T Ford, but for the most part, all journeyed to such parks on the transportation line running nearby.
Continued on page 19
15
The Valley, August 2017
Dairy - Good - Truth by Gretchen Little
In Central Pennsylvania, the warm August heat means it is Fair time. People from all walks of life, from near and far, come together to enjoy County Fairs. As Dairy Princess and member of FFA and 4H, the Fair is one of my busiest weeks of the year! During the Centre County Grange Fair, I will be busy promoting the dairy industry in many ways… like awarding ribbons at the Dairy shows, assembling the Giant Ice Cream Sundae on kiddies day, riding in the parade, and educating the public at the Dairy Promotion Booth in the dairy barns. On top of these fun events, I will be busy
taking care of my two Holstein cows. This includes, providing them with feed, fresh water, clean bedding, and fitting them for the shows. For many people the Fair is the only time they will see a cow up-close or have the chance to meet a farmer. This provides the perfect opportunity to showcase all the hard work farmers, 4Her’s, and FFA members put into ensuring that our cows are healthy and content at home, and during their stay at the fair. As families walk through the barns they can watch as we spend time with our animals, cleaning stalls and feeding
Life in the East End from page 13
flin County Youth Fair and Open Show this year. As I’m writing this article I am on a fishing trip in Erie, Pa. with my brother Ernie Jr. I really enjoy fishing with my brother in Erie. We go visit some local wineries and have supper at a place called “Bootleggers.” It’s a really nice area to visit. The fishing is usually pretty good too. Till next month, see you at the Fair! a
be up for auction. John Rheam is the auctioneer for this auction. John also makes the Baked Goods auction a fun experience for all. There are some really great home made cakes, cookies, pies, candies, and FUDGE! Chocolate and peanut butter fudge that is so good! I always try to get the chocolate fudge, its my favorite. I hope I will see you all at the Mif-
them. It is so fun to see the amazement on a child’s face as they watch the cows being washed, calves snuggling together in the breeze of a fan (often with a kid nappng between them!), or watching as cows stand patiently while they are being milked in the open parlor. I look forward to and enjoy talking with them about my animals at the fair, my farm, and about my role as Dairy Princess. After a quick stroll through the
The Truth Has No Agenda
barn, it is easy for anyone to the see the time and dedication that everyone is putting into caring for the animals. People ask a lot of questions as they pass through, especially the young kids. They most frequently ask, “Does chocolate milk come from brown cows?” But, most questions vary person to person. Some are interested in general information about cows, while others have more specific questions about how we feed our animals, work with the vet, and the effort involved in keeping our animals clean and properly bedded for their comfort. Many people are amazed to see how well the young 4Her’s handle
these large animals. The time and love that everyone puts into their animals is evident! If you are attending your County fair as an exhibitor, I encourage you to talk with anyone visiting your dairy barn and tell them something special about your animals or your farm! Be kind and open with them, and share your knowledge. And, if you are just visiting the fair… please make your way to the dairy barns and allow us to show you how much we love our animals. And of course, all the hard work that goes into that ice cream cone or milkshake that you are sure to enjoy on that hot day! a
16
The Valley, August 2017
All might be free if they valued freedom, and defended it as they should.
The Valley, August 2017
The Truth Has No Agenda
17
18
The Valley, August 2017
All might be free if they valued freedom, and defended it as they should.
19
The Valley, August 2017 Hanky Panky Report from page 26
Joanne Wills-Kline “Contentment Quest”
Immunity to No
Life often moves along day to day, and then all of a sudden we recognize that the busyness of “YES” has taken over our lives. Sometimes “YES” overload happens before we even have an inkling. During such times, anxiety can be high and self-care low, often resulting in exhaustion. Somehow we become immune to saying “NO.” Any margin that existed in our schedules is then filled to the brim. Busyness has a way of crushing our souls over time. This month, I have listed five signs of immunity to “NO” to help recognize the red flags often displayed in life if we say “YES” too often. 1. Self-care is low or nonexistent. a. You choose to forgo your regular exercise or relaxation routine. You let the simple selfkindness slip away such as: sitting quietly on the porch and enjoying nature; reading a book; and enjoying a cup of your favorite beverage. Perhaps you’ve chosen to
Our Yesteryears with Forest Fisher from page 14
As the story goes, J. I. Quigley, president of the Lewistown & Reedsville Electric Railway trolley line, visited Gibboney Park in 1902, the year after he established his trolley line between Reedsville and Lewistown. So taken by the possibility of increasing ridership via such a park, he established Old Park near Birch Hill in Burnham and later Kishacoquillas Park, which is still with us today. The happy picnickers in 1916 had few doubts that the fun would never end at such parks. Those idyllic days at Gibboney Park, however, were going to abruptly stop with the 1st World War and the ascension of other forms of transportation. Increased use of automobiles and trucks would doom the railroad, but once hostilities were declared by the United States against Germany, the KV managers decided that celebration in time of war was inappropriate. The annual picnic was suspended until the war’s end. However, there was a change of mood in
skip your self-care practices such as any service that you received that was exclusive to helping YOU feel at ease or healthier. 2. Feelings of bitterness and resentment bubble up a. When we say yes to too much we just “know” it deep inside. Resentment and bitterness sneak in and we find ourselves becoming envious of those whose time and schedules still have healthy margins. Deep inside we just know we shouldn’t have taken on that one more thing.
3. Everything feels important a. We lose our ability to reason what is essentially important to do on our schedule and what is not. We become accustomed to feeling it ALL is important. 4. You become irritable with the ones you love a. If our priorities are not in check, it is hard to be calm and rational. the county following the Armistice in 1918. The up-and-coming generation found automobiles, not steam trains, the preferred way to travel. The official railroad picnics ended. Although the annual KV gathering was gone by the close of WWI, a small number of groups continued to hold picnics there. Without the throngs once attracted by the railroad’s event, the KVRR ceased the upkeep at the park. The rustic main pavilion, speakers’ stand and the other building, once the scene of such merriment, moldered away. The sounds, sights and smells of Gibboney Park would soon be gone forever. Like many other forgotten historic location, recollections fade, those that knew have died and now Gibboney Park is forgotten. Some treasure hunters with their trusty metal detectors have ventured to the old park grounds over the years and found what may be the last remnants of that time and place — aging US coins. Liberty nickels, Indian Head pennies, coins perhaps intended to
5. Your thoughts are in constant disarray a. Our brains can only process so much at a time. If we have too many yeses on the table at one time, we never devote our attention to one thing at a time, which over time, creates feelings of disarray. With no real plan, we jump from one thing to the next without real consciousness. We become forgetful, discombobulated, and like our brain’s wiring is crossed. You wake in the middle of the night thinking on matters that in the grand scheme of things are of no real importance. There are many more signs of immunity to “NO” and over scheduling, but these five are big red flags, so I chose to focus on them. If you can learn to recognize these five symptoms of an overscheduled life, something rejuvenating happens. You’ll experience a ‘light bulb’ moment. You’ll learn to step back and begin to re-balance – your schedule and your life. Your soul will no longer feel crushed, and recovery begins. You will be one step closer to wellness of body, mind, and spirit. a play the infamous slot machines or purchase a cool lemonade, became lost through a hole in a gentleman’s trouser pocket, only to be found a century later. The moral to the Gibboney Park story is this: Share your memories, describe to the younger ones what was important to you growing up. Someday, those younger ones, will be older and thankful you did. I will close with this. The late Albert G. Gibboney of Belleville, wrote a lengthy poem about the Park and the KV picnic for those who fondly remembered that time in their lives. I’ll share the last lines. Albert wrote: I’ve traveled round from coast to coast, But let me here remark, I’d give them all to ride again, The train to Gibboney Park. NEXT MONTH School days, school days, Dear old Golden Rule days, Reading and ‘riting and ‘rithmetic, taught to the tune of the hick’ry stick… Let’s go back to the age of the one room school house and
The Truth Has No Agenda
two recordings. That’s right… the two recordings were NOT destroyed during the appeal as they testified earlier. I have no idea if the October 20th recording, the one we were the most interested in, still exists or not. The Open Records Officer attested they had that recording when he requested it, but destroyed it later. The Open Records Officer stated this “under penalty of perjury.”
Specialty Coffee from page 20 coffee can lose up to 60 % of it’s aroma within 15 minutes after grinding, so if you’re wondering why coffee at home doesn’t taste as good as at your favorite cafe, this could be one reason. Now to brewing... Coffee brewing itself is a chemist-like process that you can spend your whole life studying, but covering basic things is enough for many of us. Brew with care and before taking the first sip, take a second and appreciate the long journey it has travelled, just for you and your health. So how do we do it at Brisco’s Coffee House? When we talk about specialty coffee, each step of the process is handled with the best possible care and knowledge. And not just that. We only work with partners who match to our quality standards and transparent operations, which our Organic Certified cof-
recall some early Mifflin County education history when rural schools dotted the map. If you would like to learn more about Mifflin County’s interesting local history, plan a visit to the 1841 McCoy House Museum, 17 N. Main Street, Lewistown, PA. The museum is the birthplace of Maj. Gen. Frank Ross McCoy, soldier and diplomat, who served nine US Presidents. The museum houses McCoy Memorial Collection, set period rooms from the
This simple request for public records has taken nine months so far, and it is not over yet. The Township’s position is that they are not doing anything wrong, and they are complying with public records requests. Come to the next meeting and see what happens next! It is scheduled for August 10th at 6:30, in Room 106 of the Old Gregg School. a
fee brings. One flaw, and the word ‘specialty’ no longer has meaning. This is why the majority of coffee consumed around the world is regular—they just cannot meet these ethical and qualitative standards. At Brisco’s Coffee House, we have Organic and Rainforest Certified coffee that have met all standards and are verified by the Specialty Coffee Association. Every coffee drinker deserves the right to choose what he or she drinks, and we are fortunate enough to be a part of a movement that recognizes this. We at Brisco’s Coffee House are proud to be serving some of the highest quality coffee in the world. If you want to know more about specialty coffee, stop by Brisco’s Coffee House in Burnham, Pa. Located at 309 South Logan Blvd, Burnham or follow us on Facebook. We would love you to stop by and sample our many coffees, frozen drinks and even our non-coffee drinks. We love to talk coffee so feel free to stop by and start a conversation with us. a
Victorian age, American Indian Exhibit with a life-sized wigwam, artifacts from the French and Indian War to the Afghan War in the Military Room and so much more. Open every Tuesday from 11 AM – 2PM just stop in or call the Mifflin County Historical Society Office at 717-242-1022 to arrange a visit at other times.
HISTORY IS OUR STORY – PASS IT ON a
The Valley, August 2017
20
WHAT “SPECIALITY COFFEE” ACTUALLY MEANS? by Scott Keys
As a coffee drinker you have two options on what to drink — regular or specialty. But what’s the difference between those two, and why should you care? The journey coffee travels from a planted seed to your cup is long and complicated. There are multiple stages during which it can be ruined, and even one ruined coffee bean can turn pot of specialty coffee into a bitter tasting mess. Yes, let’s make it clear at the start. In today’s coffee production ‘regular’ is often a sneaky synonym for bad quality, lack of sustainability and transparency. In return, this means for an unpleasant experience through bad taste and a not so great feeling. Conversely, most cases of specialty coffee mean for guaranteed quality through all stages of the coffee production from process from seed to cup. Besides the taste, one of the major differences between the two is that specialty coffee is actually good for you in more ways than just taste. You’ve probably read studies about the health benefits of coffee ranging from reduced risk to diabetes, alzheimer’s, dementia to preventing various cancers, but remember, even an overdose of the good stuff can lead to some less than wanted effects (e.g. ruining your sleep pattern). However, drinking regular often has worse side effects and affects both your entire system from head to stomach. So, how do you choose your coffee then? How do you know if coffee is regular or specialty? The only way to comprehend these skills is to understand the coffee production from the plantation to cup. So here we go... Growing and processing It all begins with the coffee seed or bean, the same bean that your cup of black gold is brewed from. First an unprocessed coffee seed is planted. It has to be a good quality seed and it has to be planted in the right place at the right time to produce quality coffee. There are two different species of coffee: softer Arabica and Robusta, which is more bitter, but easier to grow. Roughly all specialty coffee comes from the top 10% of Arabica seeds. After 3–4 years, the planted coffee tree will bear its first red fruits — coffee beans which are ready to be harvested. Coffee is mostly picked by hand, either “strip picked” or
“selectively picked”. Strip picking is a quicker process but it also means all the berries of the tree are picked at the same time. Selective hand picking, as is done with specialty coffee, takes more time but gives better results. Only the beans that are just at the peak of ripeness are picked and raw beans left for later. Once the picking is complete, the coffee has to be processed as quickly as possible to prevent spoilage.
Roasting Now, it’s time to test the coffee. The taster, also called “the cupper,” will check the color, which for a professional cupper tells a lot about the quality. After visual approval, it’s time for some
A coffee farmer hand picking coffee beans for specialty coffee companies.
chemist-like roasting, brewing, smelling and “slurp” sound tasting, and once the quality is approved by the cupper, the rest of the beans are roasted.
Rothrock roasters roasting in small batch for Brisco’s
Grinding and brewing Are you already buying your coffee as beans? If not, you might want to give it a thought,
as getting the right grind for you can make a huge difference. Why is this important? Well, it will allow you to extract all the flavor quickly (before they lose their aroma after grinding) to allow for that perfect cup of coffee. Finer for espresso, coarser for filtered. Some studies say that ground
Continued on page 19
Remain Independent SAFER AND STRONGER Are you or a loved one concerned about remaining independent at home after experiencing problems with mobility and performing daily activities? Call our direct admit team at 814 359-3421 today to request a nocost in-home rehabilitation assessment. Our rehabilitation nurse assesses your needs and works with your doctors to develop a personalized plan of care if rehabilitation is right for you. The Joint Commission Disease-Specific Care Certification in Brain Injury Rehabilitation, Heart Failure, Parkinson’s Disease Rehabilitation and Stroke Rehabilitation
A Higher Level of Care®
550 West College Avenue • Pleasant Gap, PA 16823 • 814 359-3421 • NittanyValleyRehab.com ©2017:HealthSouth Corporation:1316991
All might be free if they valued freedom, and defended it as they should.
21
The Valley, August 2017
Modern Energy and Alternative Heating with Curt Bierly
Temperature, Humidity and Your Comfort
Lots of rain this year. I don’t believe I’ve had a piece of dry grass in my yard all summer. On top of that, we’ve had quite a few days when the outdoor temperature has been well into the 80’s. Let’s just say it’s been a hot and humid summer so far. Maintaining a correct level of temperature and humidity in your home or business is essential to providing you with a “Comfortable Space.” In addition, one needs to maintain a proper indoor Temperature and Relative Humidity (TRH) level so as to reduce the effects of unwanted conditions associated with poor Indoor Air Quality (IAQ). What is a comfortable TRH level in the summer and why is
proper humidity control essential? A summer indoor air temperature of 75ºF is recommended and keeping in mind that 0% is no moisture in the air and 100% is lots of moisture in the air, people tend to feel most comfortable in the area of 45% to 50% Relative Humidity. At the same indoor air temperature, too much humidity reduces comfort and at very high humidity levels can cause an increase in biological pollutants, like mold, bacteria, viruses, fungi, and dust mites that can trigger respiratory health ailments. So how do I know what the TRH level is in my home or business? I found a good digital temperature/humidity gage at
Lowes made by Acutite (see picture). It was less then $10.00 (9 volt battery not included) and also shows the range of each which is updated periodically. I tested these by setting up six in a row and found them to read within a degree of each other - so - I deem them to be quite accurate for a gage in that price range. If you have an Air Conditioning (AC) system in your home, it will provide some dehumidification as it cools; in fact, most of the newer central AC systems have humidistats built into the wall thermostat and will work to maintain the humidity level you specify. That said, you need to keep in mind that AC systems are designed to hold a set temperature and will not necessarily hold a set humidity. A good example of this is your basement, which is usually cool with a high level of humidity. The basement is already cool, so an AC system can’t help. You will need a dehumidifier. It’s job is to hold the humidity you specify. Mold can easily grow in a high humidity basement, so the use of a dehumidifier is essential. If you dehumidify your basement, it will help reduce the humidity in your house. You can choose a central or room dehumidifier with included humidistat. Both are readily
A humidity monitor is an inexpensive way to gauge the humidity inside of your house. One can usually can be found in most stores for $10 -$30, depending on model.
available with a room humidifier being the most popular primarily due to cost and minor installation required. Most all use the same electrical/mechanical principle and are relatively economical to operate. Very little maintenance is required. Be sure to size the unit to the square footage of the area you want to dehumidify. Standard units remove moisture from an area efficiently when that area is at a temperature of 65ºF degrees or higher. If the area you want to dehumidify is colder then 65ºF, a low temperature unit should be considered.
Temperature and humidity control is an essential part of good indoor air quality. If you don’t currently have it in your home or business, consider including humidity control in your budget for 2017/2018. Curt Bierly is president of the bierly group incorporated of which Stanley C. Bierly is a division. He is chair of the Penn College HVAC Advisory Board. You can contact him at his business in Millheim (814-349-3000, cbierly@bierlygroup.com). a
1130 W. 4TH ST., LEWISTOWN, PA
The Truth Has No Agenda
The Valley, August 2017
22
Wow, has it ever been a busy summer at MCL. Adult book art camps, musical shows, puppets and puppeteers, and lots and lots of reading. Participants of this year’s summer reading program have been coming out in what feels like record numbers. For instance, at the Kish Branch a few Mondays ago, I had the pleasure of serving 58 patrons within the first two hours of the day. Just to put that into perspective, if you were to visit the Kish Branch on any Monday in March or April, that’s what I would expect to see for an entire 8 hour day! In the midst of all of this beautiful chaos, I have been preparing for my second visit to Harrisburg for phase two of the ILEAD USA conference. In case you missed Dr. Kinney’s column in the Lewistown Sentinel several weeks back, I was selected as one of 18 participants, state-wide, to participate in the initiative that combines leadership training with cutting edge technology. The ultimate goal is to find ways to coordinate, implement, and maintain programs and services that will
continually have a positive impact on not only our regular patrons, but also those members of the community who didn’t even realize that they needed the library in their day to day lives. As one of a five person team known as the “Bushwhackers,” my team has been looking for ways to promote lifelong learning through digital literacy. So basically, how can you use technology to enrich your life and help you reach your personal and professional goals? We are working on developing a model, which we lovingly refer to as CAT, or Community Access Tablet. The goal of CAT is to provide users with shortcuts and tutorials to help them utilize current programs such as email, Skype, and Microsoft Office applications. The program is still being fine-tuned and is scheduled to be test-piloted at our third and final session in the beginning of October. The ILEAD USA program is under the direction of the State Library in Harrisburg in conjunction with the Institute of Museum and Library Services. a
Carrier Oils from page 10
times it is necessary to use a solvent in order to extract the oil from certain seeds, nuts or kernels in order to make the extraction cost effective. Once the oil has been obtained, the solvent is then removed from the oil, but a trace percentage of the solvent may still be present in the final oil. Coconut, Palm, Grapeseed and Rice Bran are typically solvent extracted. • Unrefined: This means that no additional refining process has taken place after the oil has been extracted. These oils retain a rich, strong flavor and color. The end product is most exquisite! Unrefined oils are always darker in color and richer in scent than refined or those which have undergone any of the refining processes below. • Refined: A fully processed oil has been exposed to all methods of refinement. Refinement processes will remove impurities, improve the color or texture, or stabilize the shelf life of the oil. The oil is reacted with a weak
the botanical without the use of added heat. The process can still generate heat due to the friction of the method, but cold expeller pressed oils are processed under conditions that keep the heat to a minimum. This method helps the oil maintain its original state, constituents and depth. Temperatures are rigorously controlled to ensure no therapeutic benefits are lost to heat. Although not a practical method of extraction for all vegetable oils on the market, it is highly regarded as the extraction method of choice. • Expeller pressed oils: in this method of extraction a small amount of heat is produced simply through the frictional heat created by hydraulic presses. This makes the oil suitable and economical as a base for cosmetics because of its fairly undisturbed molecular state. It also makes a great food grade oil. • Solvent Extracted: Some-
We will be doing our Juniata River cleanup on August 5th at the Lewistown Boat Ramp near Victory Park in Lewistown. This will be the fifth annual four-county cleanup. The other counties are Juniata, Huntingdon, and Perry. Visit the Keep PA Beautiful website for information to each county’s cleanup. International Coastal Cleanup – Register now and join the world’s largest volunteer effort on behalf of the oceans. In 2016, 1,380 Pennsylvanians removed over 864,000 pounds of trash from our land and waters. International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) Day will be held on Saturday, September 16, 2017, however, ICC events can be held from September through October. You can register an event through Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful (KPB) website at www.keeppabeautiful.org. KPB has an adoption Program, so why not show you care about your community and adopt a road or area today! This fall would be a good time to cleanup your roadsides or maybe a park or ball field near your home. Illegal dumping fines have passed the Senate and are now in the House of Transportation Committee. An Act amending Titles 18 (Crimes and Offenses) and 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statues, in nuisances, further providing for the offenses of scattering rubbish, in registration of vehicles miscellaneous provisions, further providing for the offenses of depositing of waste and other material on highway, property or waters. SB 800 – Waste Electronic Equipment Recovery Act - An act establishing a recovery and management program that includes recycling for certain waste electronic equipment, imposing duties on manufacturers and retailers of certain electronic equipment, providing for the power and duties of the Department of Environmental Protection and for enforcement, establish the Waste Electronic Equipment Fund and the State Default Plan Account; prescribing penalities; and making a related repeal. SB 646 – (Eliminating the sunset date on the recycling fee) SB 646 is in the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and was amended to extend the fee for one year. Additional proposed amendments are anticipated. Great American Cleanup of PA Video Contest – The winning entry of the annual Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Great American Cleanup of Pennsylvania video contest, sponsored by
the PA Waste Industry Association and the Department of Environmental Protection, was submitted by Peace Valley Nature Center, Bucks County, with 166 votes. They received a $200 cash prize. This is a video contest that groups in Pennsylvania can submit each spring for a cleanup between March 1 and May 31 during the Great American Cleanup. AWARDS Keep America Beautiful National Awards Program – KPB affiliates are encouraged to nominate individuals and community organizations that have been essential in making your community cleaner, greener and more beautiful. Deadline to submit it October 1. SAVE THE DATE: September 16, 2017, PACleanWays of Mifflin County will be holding their Annual Tire Recycle Challenge against Huntingdon, Juniata, and Perry County Affiliates. Once again we will have the Tire Recycle which gives Mifflin County residents a chance to get rid of their tires that may be lying around their property and properly dispose of them. Each County Affiliate tries to collect the most tires to be the top winner to win the Gold Rim Award. Pam Sechrist Affiliate Coordinator a
base solution of sodium hydroxide to saponify the free fatty acids into soap. The oil is then centrifuged and washed with water until the pure oil remains. The oil may also be de-gummed to remove the sticky phospholipids, color pigments and odor lending portions. It will have no color, odor or scent. This is not the healthiest as a food grade oil. There is an interesting video on oil being refined. You can find it if you do a Google search on: How it’s made: Canola oil. • Bleached: Bleaching is done to improve the color and clarity of the oil. Bleaching is generally done by passing the oil through fuller’s earth or clay and then filtering the oil. • Deodorized: This is a process in order to remove compounds that lend an unappealing or over-
powering aroma to the oil. This is generally done by blowing high temperature steam through the oil to vaporize the aromatic components. This process is made more effective by heating the oil to high temperatures and performing this process under a vacuum. Due to the high temperatures used, deodorization is clearly the most damaging process of refinement. • RBD is sometimes on the label and is the abbreviation for “Refined, Bleached and Deodorized.”
the other hand, slow absorbing oils include: macadamia, castor, avocado, coconut and evening primrose. Some people like a quick penetrating oil and some prefer oils with a slower rate. If you are using the oil to give a massage, you will want to choose an oil that has a slower absorption rate. The oils will lay on top of the skin longer, thus giving you more massage time! If you are making a hand crème, you will want to choose an oil that absorbs quick and does not leave your hands feeling oily.
Consider the absorption rate of the oil: Some oils will penetrate the skin quicker than others, thus leaving a less oily feeling. Quick penetrating oils are: argan, walnut, grapeseed, jojoba, hemp seed, rose hip, and apricot kernel. On
All might be free if they valued freedom, and defended it as they should.
SHOPPING TIPS: things to avoid Mineral oil and petroleum jelly are by-products of petroleum production. They are not
Continued on page 28
23
The Valley, August 2017
I gained 50 pounds ...and love it! www.families4kids.org 800-568-6449
foster parent or adopt...you’ll love it too!
The Truth Has No Agenda
The Valley, August 2017
24
The Elements of a Guild
If you hang around permaculture people long enough, you will inevitably get into this debate: Do we need data to show guilds work? You will hear a range from people vehemently defending guilds based on their own anecdotal evidence to those who say without a scientific study performed by an unbiased professional, certain aspects of guilds can’t work. It’s an argument that will go on forever if you let it. First, let’s start with what a guild is and then next month, we’ll get to the data and science—or lack thereof—to support the planting of them. Guilds are simply a poly culture around a main element where each individual planting is
there to mimic a specific ecological niche found in the wild. Depending on your resource for permaculture information, these incorporate six or seven types of plants: Overstory trees, understory trees or shrubs, nitrogen fixing plants, nutrient accumulating plants, ground cover, aromatic herbs and plants, and vines. Not all guilds feature all plants and it is quite possible to combine categories when a plant species fits more than one category. Most frequently, guilds are done around tree crops—fruit being the most common. This isn’t to say that there are not guilds which incorporate many trees centered around a bush of some sort, or that guilds can’t feature a maple tree (for sugaring)
or a Linden tree (for pollination purposes). However, the key with building a guild around an apple tree, for example, is to get the other plants into the guild, but to also allow access to harvest and prune your tree. It’s not always easy and usually requires some trial and error—especially on large trees. Next up is the understory trees or shrubs. It’s important when choosing these to be sure of how their roots spread. If your main tree crop has a shallow, spreading root system, you’ll need to choose a shrub with a taproot system and vice versa. Many times in smaller plots, this element of a guild is scratched due to space constraints. Nitrogen fixing plants are trickier and they also begin the debate as to whether guilds are scientifically capable of being
effective. I’ll get into that next month, but for now, just know that the proposed purpose of nitrogen fixing plants is that they will provide needed fertilizer to the main crop. These plants take nitrogen in their habitat, “fix” it to a state that is readily consumable by other plants, and store it in nodules on their root systems. It’s a complicated process that includes a symbiotic relationship with certain bacteria. I don’t entirely understand it and I have been studying it for several years now! Among the nitrogen fixing plants are legumes, including ones like alfalfa and clover. Exacerbating the guild controversy is the addition of “nutrient accumulating” plants. Some permaculturists include any leafy plant with a taproot in this category. This is based on the incorrect assumption that the
All might be free if they valued freedom, and defended it as they should.
deeper a root goes into soil, the more nutrients it can “mine” from deep within the soil that would otherwise be lost. Again, I’ll get into that next month, but that is a simplified depiction of how roots and soil horizons actually work and this is where the real research is most needed. If you are unsure about whether to use a specific nutrient accumulator, a good rule of thumb is to plant something whose leaves can be used for “chop and drop” mulch—meaning you can cut the overabundance of leaves and use it as green mulch without killing the plant. All plants accumulate some nutrients in their leaves, and when you allow cut leaves to decompose on the soil, some nutrients will inevitably make their way to the roots of whatever plant you choose to mulch with them. Ground covers are an important part of the guild. As we discussed last month, bare ground always works to be covered. Ground covers also protect moisture and nutrients from being lost, and can double as a food crop (strawberries and lingonberries) or a nitrogen fixer (clover). Until your ground cover takes off, you can always use mulch to suppress weeds, but it is important to know
Continued on page 30
The Valley, August 2017
Wood Turtles Through the splintered pickets of an aged locust fence in the waning light of a mellow June day, a turtle emerges from a thicket of smartweed, lumbering towards the gravel shoulder of an unpaved forest road. She appears with a suddenness which belies her cumbersome form—the broad sculpted shell chipped and worn; each scute etched with a pyramidal relief as though delicately carved into dusky wood. Purposefully, she climbs the macadam, orange, scaly legs deliberate and unflagging. She scents the ground, pausing to scrape the surface of the slope from time to time as she ascends. The painstaking manner of the search evinces the significance of what she seeks. The culmination of a year’s labors— perhaps the last of a lifetime. She seeks a citadel, a refuge in which to relinquish her burden into the
womb of the earth. It is here, far from her riparian home, that she will prepare her nest. The Wood Turtle, Glyptemys insculpta, makes its home in the mossy, sun-dappled forest interior where streams course loquaciously and the song of the wood thrush tumbles through the understory of alders and witch hazel. This ancient reptile is bound by an unseen filament to the stony-bottomed perennial streams and rivers of Pennsylvania’s forests and farmlands. Each spring in waters just beginning to free themselves of the icy bonds of winter, Wood Turtles begin to rouse from their hibernaculum, where they have spent the frigid winter months safe from freezing in the sinuous waters. The ectothermic physiology is ruled by an inextricable connection between metabolic rate and ambient temperature. This
coupling of temperature and energy assimilation proves advantageous during weeks spent in subzero temperatures, wherein metabolism is reduced to a minimum. This means that Wood Turtles can subsist for long periods of time without eating, drinking or even breathing, completely submerged in the icy water. Conversely, the cold-blooded nature of this shy sun-worshipper imposes restraints on many aspects of their life history, which is shaped by activity patterns and energy intake. With this slow and steady strategy, these animals grow gradually and are late to reach reproductive maturity—a milestone of 14-18 years; and while potentially long-lived, a Wood Turtle must first overcome low nest success and high juvenile mortality in order to reach adulthood. As a result, an adult turtle must reproduce numerous times over the course of many years in order to replace itself in the population. Disjunct populations of Wood Turtles, isolated by habitat fragmentation, are
The Truth Has No Agenda
25 declining across their range from Nova Scotia in the north to Wisconsin, Minnesota and northern Indiana. Listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and designation as a State Wildlife Action Plan Priority Species in Pennsylvania, Wood Turtles are reliant on both healthy Wood Turtle found along Shaver’s Creek, lotic water systems as well as Huntingdon County. ©Carli Dinsmore un-fragmented upland forests. with lots of sun exposure and little In addition, populations are at vegetation are ideal for digging risk without high-quality nestthe shallow depression in to which ing sites, a crucial component of the malleable eggs are deposited. their habitat and annual cycle. Nest selection is an assiduous and Water pollution, fragmentation by exacting process, constituting the roadways and illegal collection only form of parental investment all represent significant threats to for the species. Females stage for Wood Turtle conservation. days prior to nesting, wily and As with most features of circumspect, often creating false Wood Turtle behavior and ecolnests to confound predators. After ogy, they are slow to reproduce. nearly three months of incubation, Age and size thresholds must viable hatchlings will emerge and be attained before individuals journey to the safety of their natal become reproductively active, waterway. and females may not breed every For tens of thousands of year. Oviparous, or egg-laying, years, turtles have fascinated Wood Turtles provide no parental us, influencing our culture and care once the clutch of eggs has appearing in our art and legends. been laid. Females begin searchThe cryptic carapace and plastron ing for nesting sites in mid-May, of the shell—the yin and yang and may be compelled to travel of one of the most bewildering long distances, often crossing morphologies of the vertebrate roads or active agricultural areas, phylum—bone bound in keratin in order to find suitable habitat. Well-drained sand or gravel soils Continued on page 31
The Valley, August 2017
26
Since the last Hanky Panky report, our Governor approved SB 560 - essentially voiding the June 20th Majority Opinion of the PA Supreme Court that police dash-
cam videos ARE public records in Pennsylvania. I am going to write more about this next month. Here in Gregg Township, the gaslighting efforts by the township have been impressive to say the least. At the last Board of Supervisors meeting, The Chairman (Joel Myers) made another speech after public comments. He told everyone I am writing things in this column that are not true, specifically talking about the destruction of public records. I asked him, “where is the October 17th, 2016 recording?” He said that it was deleted on schedule (last year) per their retention policy. That is 100% false. Last month I wrote, “It is a proven fact that Gregg Township destroyed multiple public records Chairman Myers gave a speech assur- after a legal request and during an appeal.” The township had ing the residents of Gregg Township that public records requested in Octo- already told the court the reason ber were not being withheld - they just they did not provide any respondon’t exist anymore. sive records is that they were de-
stroyed long ago. Previously, the township stated they were holding on to two recordings during their appeal. Immediately after last month’s meeting, I asked Joel why he was telling people things that were not true in his speech. The Open Records Officer then told me she still had the two recordings! I was shocked by this, especially since she was in court when Casey Grove (the requester) tried to get the Judge’s order enforced. I asked her for them again. She said she isn’t a lawyer. I sent a follow-up email to the Township asking for them. There was no response. Casey filed a Petition for a Rehearing or Reconsideration, and suddenly their position changed… again. The latest BS story is that they have been willing to hand over the record(s) all along. The Township accused Casey of “racing to court before discussing issues.” Let me be clear about something—the township took this matter to court, not Mr. Grove. The Office of Open Records had already determined the recordings are public records and ordered the Township to turn
over any responsive records they had. I am including a timeline, because this has to be so confusing
All might be free if they valued freedom, and defended it as they should.
to all of you. There is a rehearing scheduled and we now have the
Continued on page 19
27
The Valley, August 2017
Mail Pouch Books by Carleen B. Grossman A COTTAGE IN PORTUGAL By Richard Hewitt Copyright Originally published 1996 287 pages Having just returned from my third visit to Portugal, a balmy, relaxed and friendly country, I just had to read this older book. You might have some difficulty obtaining a copy, but with the help of the Internet, I think you will be able to find one. It is a must for readers who enjoy world travel! And it is a charming, funny and delightful story that portrays living life abroad.... complete with all the frustrations told with much humor. The story is about a young New England couple who decide to move to Portugal after hav-
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” In amongst the jokes and the cheesy 80’s soundtrack, a theme of redemption ran throughout 2014’s “Guardians of the Galaxy.” The team was comprised of various lowlifes who finally got a chance to do something decent and found out that they actually liked it because they’re all big softies at heart. Now comes the sequel that figures that since the five main characters found their
ing a few weeks of vacation in that country that seemed to them to have great weather, a relaxed pace, gentle people, gorgeous scenery and many antiquities. The town they chose was Sintra, which is set in forest and lush country environs yet within sight of the sea. They had a small savings and they thought they could purchase a tumbled-down house, fix it up and live happily ever after. The husband knew how to speak some Portuguese, but his wife knew none. But, they felt that his skills as a builder and her skills as an artist would help tremendously. They were totally unprepared for what happens—the 300 year old cottage and land they wanted to purchase was owned by twentyseven different members of an extended family, and each needed
redemption in the first movie, it’s someone else’s turn to be redeemed. The five Guardians of the Galaxy are back: smart-aleck human Quill (Chris Pratt), nononsense enforcer Gamora (Zoe Saldana), graceless beast Drax (Dave Bautista), hair-trigger raccoon Rocket (Bradley Cooper), and infantile tree Baby Groot (Vin Diesel). The characters go through all the paces you’d expect, bickering and getting into trouble and having their friendship tested, but of course they’ll be a family again by the end, that sort of thing. The Guardians complete a mission for an alien race called the Sovereign, and as a reward they get to take custody of Gamora’s captured sister Nebula (Karen Gillan). But Rocket double-crosses the Sovereign, and soon the team is on the run from an imperial fleet. They’re saved by the mysterious Ego (Kurt Russell), who reveals himself to be Quill’s father. The ravager Yondu (Michael Rooker) was supposed to take Quill to him decades ago, but for reasons unknown decided to keep him and raise him as his
to be found to give consent to the sale. The husband (author of the book) and the wife (the illustrator of the charming pen and ink sketches in the book) share with you their many experiences—I felt just like I was there with them! You, as a reader, will have many entertaining experiences with this couple such as: • The husband is called Senhor License at the hotel when they arrive because his name was difficult to spell; thus, he had made the mistake of giving the clerk his
own. Speaking of Yondu, he’s slowly losing his position of power. His crew is on the edge of a mutiny and he’s been blacklisted by fellow ravagers led by Staker (Sylvester Stallone). But a contract put on the Guardians by the Sovereign may be his ticket back to glory. It’s Yondu who needs redemption the most in this movie. He’s a space pirate who kidnapped a child and was a less-than-doting father figure. Nebula needs redemption too, she was little more than a glowering villain in the first movie. And of course Ego needs to make up for being absent for Quill’s whole life. Ego is redeemed with the most ease, he’s a God who passed along Godlike powers to Quill, so Quill is basically able to summon any toy he wants at will. Quill summons a ball, and father and son play catch for the first time – aww. There’s curiously little for the Guardians to do until the end, so the movie pairs them off with non-Guardians. Quill hangs out with Ego, Gamora combats adversity with Nebula, Rocket has a
The Truth Has No Agenda
American driver’s license so his name could be transcribed. The clerk had looked no further than the top line thinking his name to be “License!” • The wife, who spoke no Portuguese, asked her husband to teach her how to greet the mailman; she gets the translation terribly wrong and has the mailman actually dropping the mail on the ground and running from her when he sees her. • Explore the beautiful city of Lisbon and learn some of its history. • Learn about the Portuguese national food, a dish called Bacalhau, or dried cod fish; and the thoughts of the young couple about this dish as they ponder why time was spent preparing these flat, rock hard pieces from the Pleistocene era! • And, tour an elderly neighbor couple’s museum-like cottage to discover how living with the simplicity of no running water or electricity had worked for them for at least 80 years.
The author is an very able and witty writer. More than once he and his wife were tempted to give up but in spite of their many challenges, they were enchanted by Portugal. His descriptions of the beauty of Portugal and his wife’s exquisite pen and ink sketches make this book a reader’s and traveler’s delight! a
heart-to-heart with Yondu aboard the latter’s ship, and Drax bonds with Ego’s assistant Mantis (Pom Klementieff). You know how an embarrassed child will say that a love interest is ugly so they won’t be accused of having feelings for them, which they obviously do? That’s 90% of Drax’s shtick in this movie. “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” is disappointingly dull except for one element, and that’s Yondu. I knew Rooker was a scene-stealer, but I had no idea the character would turn out to be so complex. Good for the movie using him to his full potential. But otherwise there’s nothing here to write home about. The action is okay, if not typical for a comic book movie. The humor, which seemed so crisp and spontaneous in the first movie, now feels
scripted and forced. You know the movie is doing something wrong when even Baby Groot grows tiresome. The villain is just flat-out awful. The character is reasonably interesting until they’re officially the villain, but once they turn, it’s just one clichéd mistake after another, one of which is so stupid it loses the character all respectability as a purveyor of evil. There are enough gags that land that the movie isn’t a total waste, but overall I’m hoping that the inevitable “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” will redeem “Vol. 2.” Two Stars out of Five. “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” is rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi action and violence, language, and brief suggestive content. Its running time is 136 minutes. a
The Valley Newspaper Wishes Best of Luck to
Ryder and Chase Morgan Mifflin Co. 4-H Youth. Bring Home the Prize! Please Support These Future Farmers
The Valley, August 2017
28 Carrier Oils from page 22
of natural, botanical origin and are not used within the scope of holistic aromatherapy. Mineral oil is used in baby oils and many commercially available moisturizers because it is an inexpensive oil to manufacture. It, however, can clog pores, prevent the skin from breathing naturally, prevent essential oil absorption and prevent toxins from leaving the body through the natural process of sweating. Also, I’ve read reports that it can be absorbed into the body and block vitamins from properly being utilized. These same concerns apply to petroleum jelly. STORING YOUR CARRIERS Carrier oils will become rancid over time. If you come across an oil that has a strong, bitter aroma, chances are it has become rancid. When purchasing a new oil, open it and take a good deep whiff and store that smell deep in your memory! Some carrier oils do have a smell to them, but I can always tell if an oil is rancid. Of course, this is assuming that the oil is fresh when you originally purchase it. The more saturated fat contained in an oil, the less susceptible it is to rancidity. The greater the amount of unsaturated fat in an oil, the more susceptible it is to becoming rancid. Since the healthiest plant oils are all highly unsaturated, they are especially susceptible to rancidity. Three enemies of oil are air, heat and light. Air: When oxygen reaches your oils it causes rancidity. Oil oxidation is an undesirable series of chemical reactions involving oxygen that degrades the quality of an oil. Oxidation eventually produces rancidity in oil. Store your oils in air tight containers. Plastic is a great deal more porous than glass. Glass is almost impermeable to oxygen and carbon dioxide. When you purchase carrier oils, the supplier may have packaged it in a plastic (PET/ HDPE) bottle. This doesn’t mean that the oil is inferior. Often suppliers use plastic bottles to save packaging and shipping costs. Many customers use up the oils shortly after purchase, therefore the plastic container is not a relevant quality issue. Unlike with essential oils which should always be stored in glass (essential oils can dissolve the plastic), carrier oils can be stored in plastic if you are planning on using it up in a month or two. Heat: Keep your oils cool. They do not like heat as it can harm the vitamins and nutrients. Room temperature is fine. Most carrier
oils can be stored in the refrigerator, and this can help prolong the lifespan of fragile oils. Oils stored in the refrigerator may solidify or turn cloudy and will need time to return to room temperature prior to use. Light: Also, keep out of direct sunlight as UV rays can also be harmful and it can speed up the rancidity process. If you are transferring to glass: use amber or cobalt colored bottles. Glass will keep out oxygen and the color will keep out UV rays! It can help to extend the life of your oils by buying oils that have natural Vitamin E added. Vitamin E, often listed as tocopherols acts as a natural preservative. I have already added a few drops of Rosemary Oil Extract to help preserve mine, or blended it with wheat germ oil to increase life shelf. I have read where you can also blend with meadowfoam oil.
sential oils! You can use about a tablespoon in your bath water to super moisturize skin. You can
use just as you would a lotion (but you would need about 80% less!). It could be used for massage, and
OTHER INGREDIENTS AS CARRIERS Vegetable butters are not typically used as carrier oils, but the beneficial properties of vegetable butters like Cocoa Butter and Shea Butter make them suitable for use in aromatherapy. Vegetable butters are similar to vegetable oils, but are solid at room temperature. Vegetable butters are processed by a wide variety of methods, so it’s especially important to check the method of extraction when shopping for butters. Strive to use butters that are cold pressed. Butters are the best option for when you want essential oils to slowly absorb over a longer period of time. A good tip when using butters: slowly melt your butter over low heat and stir in a carrier oil. Ratio will need to be 3 to 1. Depending on how hard the chosen butter is. Cocoa butter, mango butter and illipe tree butter are extremely hard, whereas shea is a bit softer. When purchasing butters: make sure there is no added hydrogenated vegetable oils. Manufacturers will take an oil and add hydrogenated vegetable oil to it to change the consistency to that of a butter and then call it butter. I have seen the percentage to be as high as 50%. Not sure why this is done. PURE butters are: cocoa, cupuacu, shea, mango, kokum, tucuma, illipe, and sal. Emu oil (from the emu bird), fish (marine) oils, and other animalbased oils are generally not used for aromatherapy work. But, you could! IN CLOSING Purchase a good quality carrier oil and it can be used for many things other than just carrying your es-
All might be free if they valued freedom, and defended it as they should.
don’t forget: many of the oils
Continued on page 30
The Valley, August 2017
The Truth Has No Agenda
29
The Valley, August 2017
30
Penns Valley Conservation Association’s Crickfest Promises to Delight Children of All Ages PVCA (Penns Valley Conservation Association) is pleased to announce that the 15th Annual Crickfest celebration is scheduled for Sunday September 3rd, 2017. The event takes place in beautiful Coburn Park (Coburn PA) and runs from 11am to 6pm. Crickfest is free and open to the public. All proceeds from the event go to support PVCA’s Environmental Education programs within the Penns Valley Area School District and community. Never been to Crickfest? Don’t know what to expect? Expect to find a variety of activities sure to please people of all ages, and an engaged community that knows how to have fun! Enjoy the music that will waft throughout the day! Eric Ian Farmer will kick it off at 11:00am, singer/song-writer style. Spider Kelly will be playing everything from Alt-rock to classic rock to roots rock during the 1:00pm timeslot. At 2:30 the Hot Mamas will take the stage with their acoustic-rock sound. Finishing off the line-up in Americana-folk style will be the Susquehanna Jamcrackers at 4:00pm. Dancing is encouraged! Check out three local food vendors, all serving lovingly prepared delicious food. Some highlights include Burritos and BBQ from LeRoy’s Infamous UpTexas BBQ, Tacos and Tamales from El Gringo Taco Truck, and Tofu Bahn Mi and Nomad Rice Bowl (both vegan) brought to you by Nomad Kitchen Food Truck. And don’t forget the huge variety
of fresh baked goods at the Sweet Creek Café bake sale! Bid on wonderful donated items at the silent and bag auctions. You might just go home with a guitar amplifier from Valley Luthiery, a beautiful painting, a Lenovo Ideapad, or any number of other items! Learn something new at the Education tent. PVCA’s own Jim Flanagan will be talking about various ways of Sharing the Natural World with Children, Josh McCracken will be presenting Processing Food that Can Hurt You (Reboot), and local anglers will be on-hand with fly-fishing tips including fly tying, matching the hatch, and knots to know. Also, be sure to visit with regional non-profits in the exhibition pavilion. Go to the Kids’ Tent for art projects, scavenger hunts and more, and witness kids of all ages flocking to the creek (or crick) to watch the ducky races. Try your luck by picking a duck (the rubber variety!) to win the race. Or just splash around in the inviting water. And don’t forget to launch a water bottle rocket or craft your own zucchini boat for the zucchini boat races! Visit some friendly farm animals, supervised by Dan from Mountainside Homestead. And learn about local wildlife from our friends at Shaver’s Creek and the Pennsylvania Amphibian and Reptile Survey. PVCA is grateful for all of the generous supporters that help to make Crickfest happen: Re/
The Elements of a Guild from page 26
niques and is proven to deter a pest infestation by confusing them with scents. Again, this does not mean that you will have no pests on your trees. It simply means that there will be less than there would be with bare ground or a monoculture of grass or ground cover beneath your trees. Finally, vining plants are not always included in guild descriptions, but I include it here. Some permaculturists are interested in filling every niche that may potentially be found in the wild. Some find it to be less important than improving productivity or habitat. Some care more about diverse root structures. Some care more about diverse growth habits. It all depends on your personal
that you will always have undesirable plants coming up no matter what you choose. Even dandelions naturally grow in your lawn, so don’t expect anything to be maintenance free if you are particular about which plants grow where. It’s up to you how tidy to keep it and what you consider a weed. Aromatic herbs and plants do two things for your guild. First, they attract pollinators. We so desperately need pollinators to be well fed and healthy! Second, they deter pests. This particular aspect of guild planting is backed by scientific study. It is the basis of all interplanting gardening tech-
Max Centre Realty, Murray’s Chickens, Blackwalnut Body Works, Penns Valley Veterinary Clinic, Northwest Savings Bank, Woodbine Farms, Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture, Sammis Greenhouse, Millheim Small Engine, Happy Valley Hopyard, Sierra Club Black Moshannon, Bryant & Cantorna Law Offices, Bobbie’s Kitchen, Elk Creek Café, The Valley Newspaper, Best Event Rentals, Jeff Mathison, Elody Gyekis, Beloved Sunlily Designs, Creative Design & Printing, Stanley C. Bierly, Mountainside Homesteading, 98.7 The FREQ, and wonderful volunteers too numerous to mention. Thank you! Be a part of our wonderful community in a celebration of our watershed. PVCA hopes to see you on September 3rd from 11am6pm at Coburn Park for the 15th Annual Crickfest. Event Details: PVCA’s 15th Annual Crickfest Sunday, September 3rd, 2017 11am to 6pm Coburn Park, Coburn, PA www.pennsvalley.net/upcoming. Penns Valley Conservation Association is a membershipbased watershed association headquartered in Millheim, PA, about 25 miles east of State College and Penn State University. Since 1993, PVCA has relied upon the support of community members, local businesses, and grants to protect and conserve Penns Valley’s waters, farmlands, forests, and the heritage upon which its vibrant rural quality of life depends. Functions of PVCA include stream bank restoration and implementation of best management practices with local farmers, economic and cultural engagement, and environmental education in the local school district and community.a
Constable Threatens Sheetz Shopper from page 8 deserves to be ‘tazed and beaten the fu** out of,’ criminal justice just isn’t supposed to work that way in the Commonwealth or the US in general. These men need to be investigated by the AG’s office for Official Oppression and should be considered for removal.” Joe and Jane Public weren’t the only ones upset. Magisterial District Judge Jack Miller, who issued the warrant Elliott was working, watched the video. “I would say it requires an admonition” Miller said “he screwed up, he should be told about it.” Miller says Elliott could have picked up the warrant because there aren’t enough local Constables to cover the work. “I could put commentary in as far as restricting after such time there has been an investigation and a determination” Miller explained “I would like to have all the facts before I would act. You don’t want to be premature in your decision. That never turns out well.” Constable Richard Kidd, also of Bedford County, wants the public to know Elliott’s actions don’t represent all Constables or Law Enforcement. “We are all going
Carrier Oils from page 28 are great to cook with or use as a salad dressing! We at Shade Mountain have a large variety of oils and butters for sale. We do not keep these packaged and on the shelf, so you will need to call ahead and let us know
goals as to whether you include this particular element. Do know, however, that guilds with vines tend to look messier and vines need to be chosen with particular care. Selecting a vine which is suited to the conditions of your site and will not take over your guild is essential for maximizing crop production and biodiversity. So, there you have it. Those are the elements of a guild and their proposed benefits to your gardens. Next month, we’ll get into why the guild debate is more nuanced and detailed than a mere pass/fail and how you can create the most beneficial guild possible for your space. a
All might be free if they valued freedom, and defended it as they should.
to tell you that we just about fell over after we watched that video” Kidd said. “He is not all of us. Not even a percent of us.” In a series of text messages between Elliott and another law enforcement officer, Elliott not only confirms it is him in the video but also defends his actions. “No, I do not think I went too far” Elliott writes. The response: “Then that’s precisely why you should take off the badge.” For his part, Kohler says that this experience definitely impacts his feelings about law enforcement. Although Kohler says he has had many great interactions with the municipal police in his home community, “I wouldn’t have acted the way I did if I hadn’t already seen so much shady stuff happen in that county… That is crazy he doesn’t remember the incident.” Judge Miller suggested without citizens coming forward that the whole situation may end up as “much ado about nothing.” The District Judge says he had not received any official complaints as of yet and “until there is a formal complaint, there is no action… [Elliott] could be restricted, yes. By my request or the president judge’s request.” a how much you need. Or, better yet, stop in and see us! We love company and would love to chat! We are open every Tuesday and Wednesday from 9-4, Thursday and Friday from 9-6 and every Saturday from 10-2. Or, 24/7 online at www.shade-mountain.com! a
31
The Valley, August 2017 Wood Turtles from page 25 scales, fused to backbone and ribs. The only animal whose hip and shoulder girdle are within its ribcage; the sharp beak of the hooked head reflecting an evolutionary history little removed from a time when reptiles dominated the planet. The thoughtful and unhurried pace of life reveals an awe-inspiring poise and fortitude we revere and admire. With such a complex life cycle, dependent on multiple habitats and long-term survival, it is unsurprising that Wood Turtle populations are diminishing. This bashful muncher of mushrooms is a unique and invaluable part of Pennsylvania’s rich biodiversity. Conservation action is crucial to maintaining the species, and the multifarious web of plants and animals which constitute these vital ecosystems. Appropriate consideration with respect to land management practices can prevent mortality and preserve critical habitat. All of the natural world is comprised of intricate networks of exchange held in a tenuous balance through the unending flux of concession and advantage. It is the same old story of determination, survival and conquest which continues to play out at every level across taxa and time. The sun smolders just below the horizon, effusing the light with an ethereal quality, while the Wood Turtle works patiently. She knows just how carefully it must be done, assured by a wisdom which echoes back through 200 million years of evolution. The white fibrous eggs spill out, one after the other, tumbling into their shallow sanctuary. As though in concert with the close of day, the final egg drops. Darkness seeps from the forest edge, blanketing the gravel road; but a new light burns from within the nest—the muted glow of something yet to come. She shifts and begins to dig, concealing the opalescent orbs under a layer of earth, the final aegis she has to offer these offspring she will never see. Is it tenderness, how she arranges the soil just so? She turns to leave them, a handful of shining pennies tossed into a cosmic well, a wish planted in the ground. As she plods across the road back towards the forest, the ground resonates with the vibration of an approaching vehicle and the rain begins to fall. For more information on Wood Turtles please visit paherpsurvey.org or contact Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center www.shaverscreek.org, 814-8632000. a
CRICKFEST 2017 September 3 Labor Day Sunday
Live Music All Day Silent Auction Fresh, Locally Prepared Food Environmental Workshops Children's Activities ...And Much More!
Rain or shine at Coburn Park
free admission
The Truth Has No Agenda
11am-6pm
proceeds support PVCA’s environmental education programming
32
The Valley, August 2017
All might be free if they valued freedom, and defended it as they should.