The Valley - February 2011

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Serving Mifflin County and the surrounding area.

The Valley A free newspaper dedicated to agriculture, self-reliance, frugal living, and modern homesteading.

Volume 2, No. 2

A Continued Commitment to Excellence

“Hey what’s new? Oh nothing much, Claire Shockey sold Stone Arch Real Estate...

WHAT!!!”

If I heard that word once, I heard it a thousand times, WHAT!!!...and it was said with the three exclamation points behind it too. When a steady rock in the community changes hands, customers and the general public at large usually think of it as a change of course.

BUT WAIT! Nothing is really changing per se, just a different person is going to be responsible for the logistics, and that about explains what all this means in the most simplistic of descriptions.

Yes, Stone Arch Real Estate will still be the number one specialty office in the area. Yes you are still going to b e able to find that perfect home, and if you are selling your home, you will still get the benefit of their marketing expertise. Part of the overlooked bonus of dealing with Stone Arch is the personal, caring, patient service they have always provided. By being a specialty office their agents choose to work with fewer clients, thus giving them the ability to spend more time and

Claire Shockey (right) is passing the torch to Kim Yoder Rickert (left) who carries the vision forward.

The Valley, February 2011

PASSING THE TORCH

STONE ARCH REAL ESTATE

Complimentary in the field of sales, Kim comes to the helm with plenty of knowhow and a belief in the mission of Stone Arch as it exists, and what she hopes she can add to it. As another strong advocate of customer service, Kim expects a transition that is hardly noticeable to anyone on the outside. As a believer in strong community involvement, Kim hopes to continue to help the many local organizations she is part of.

What’s Claire doing? Same thing she has been doing for the last 27 years—listing, selling and showing real estate at Stone Arch—that part is staying the same. She will also be available to lend Kim her years of experience, but the late nights will now belong to Kim. I think I heard Claire say something about travel, so that may become part of her routine as well. Other than that, Stone Arch still stands for Quality, Service and the Customer. They are the folks that have the time to get to know you, where you are more than just another buyer or seller. You’ll experience just how dedicated Stone Arch is to fulfil your Real Estate dreams.

Yes, the torch has been passed, but there is no end in sight, just another leg of the journey ahead. Stone Arch is still Stone Arch, and Quality is still their highest priority. a

fice, they have the extra time to marketing dollars for every client able to go to an office that can afford first time home buyers the they serve. And the proof is in take the time a new buyer might extra attention and explanation their great client testimonials! need? they might need. Everyone is a That is the foundation of Stone

With an eye on the younger first time buyer once—rememArch Real Estate and the heart buyer being added to the mission, ber the fear of the unknown? of the vision that Claire Shockey as well as the continued excellent Wouldn’t it have been nice to be developed over 27 years in the service of long time clients, Stone business. When Claire opened Arch has an extremely userStone Arch friendly webReal Estate site—it’s easy 100 Stine Dr. Lewistown she wanted to navigate, 248-6400 to develop and has inforStoneArchRealEstate.com a team atmation that is mosphere available when where the you are. With WHAT’S NEW number the wealth AT STONE ARCH REAL ESTATE ? one priorof informaity of tion available everyone there, you can in the ofhave all the CONGRATULATIONS TO fice was right questions KIM YODER RICKERT ! the client. and answers Kim is taking over as the new owner of Stone And Kim ready when Arch Real Estate starting 2011, along with the Rickert you contact help and guidance of founder, Claire Shockey. intends to the office. continue With to keep previous a high experience in CLAIRE SHOCKEY, standard running her with her licensed assistant, STEPHANIE KOENIG, will continue listing and selling real for service. own business, estate and being of service to their clients, which

In her as well as time is what she loves the most! new venture, Kim intends to CALL US TODAY continue FOR ALL YOUR REAL ESTATE NEEDS Stone Arch’s mission and try to innovate as well.

Since they will The “Quality Team” at Stone Arch still be a Real Estate (l-r) Stephanie Koenig, Claire Shockey, Kim Yoder Rickert, unique, Teri Smith, 994-3908 Bev Naylor, 250-4530 Our staff is ready to help.

Bev Naylor and Teri Smith specialty Deb Yetter & Aimee Dillon 25 yrs experience 12 yrs. experience type of-

The Valley, February 2011

In this Issue Contributing Writers Adventures in Homesteading --Dave and Ginger Striker Woods, Water and Wildlife --Bob Sleigh Roads Less Traveled --Lynn Persing Understanding the Constitution --Dave Molek Thots on...

--Lydia Adventures on Our Nourishing Journey --Sue Burns LZ Swanson --Shawn Swanson Grosze Thal Nachbaren --Jeptha I. Yoder Looking Out My Back Door --Mary Anna Chenoweth The Mushroom Guy --Bob Sleigh Ask Julie Mac --Julie MacConnell Modern Energy and Alternate Heating --Curt Bierly Recipes, Crafts and Gift Ideas --Debra Kulp Memories of a Dairy Princess --Rebecca Harrop More Frugal Living --Rick Hanson The Chicken AND the Egg! --Mike Flanagan Homeschooling on the Homestead --Andy Weller Veterinary Clinic --Dr. Joe Ewaskiewicz --Dr. Beth Ewaskiewicz Frank About Business --Frank Cunningham Contentment Quest --Joanne Wills

Contact Info Editor/Publisher Wayne Stottlar

The Valley PO Box 41 Yeagertown, PA 17099 (717) 363-1550 E-mail: thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com Web: www.thevalleynewspaper.com

Editor’s Corner

February is when that inner clock starts ticking louder telling me I need to plant something now! I have fortunately realized after all these years that somewhere back in my ancestry my inner clock never got synchronized with the real planting time for my area. Hence, there have been thousands of plants started way too early over the years as I tried to rush the season. This usually resulted in less than prime plants to set out in the garden, This year I am waiting...until at least March 1st before I start anything indoors-and I mean it...I think.

February is also the heart month, when you show your sweetheart how much you care with a box of chocolates, flowers, a nice dinner out, or some other token of your affection.

Why not all of the above, and while your at it, do it local.

All of the above mentioned items can be obtained right here in

The Valley. While you are making your partner aware of how much you care, you neighbor will reap the benefits and the happiness quotient of the whole area ticks up a few notches. Supporting our advertisers enables us to be able to print this paper. Let them know their ads are being seen, even if you aren’t buying that particular day.

The first of our reader submitted stories can be found in “Contentment Quest” by Joanne Wills.

She will take you on a journey of introspection that few of us may have ever considered.

The news is still bubbling to the surface of the change in positions at Stone Arch Real Estate.

Claire Shockey, after building a

prominent real estate company in the area, is handing over the reins and responsibility to Kim Rickert. Claire now will list property, be there for advice and carve out a little time for one of her loves--traveling. The transition is expected to be seamless.

Getting back to seeds, plants, and dirt, and all of the other soon to come outdoor activities, next month is the time most of us in this area will start actually putting a few seeds in the dirt and pots on the heating pads. Then, from there to the light rack...What?...You don’t have a light rack? You use the window sills? Next month we will show

you an inexpensive light rack that you can build at home in a day on the weekend and save hundreds on buying a similar rack. Of course, having to build another for the story means that when finished, I will have another rack, and be able to start twice as many plants this year.

A new advertiser this month, Brian and Derrick, the wood guys, have been treating me right for a couple years now, hard working honest guys--give them a try.

Thank you for your continued interest and kind words that we receive almost every day. It means a lot to us. a --Wayne

Find your nearest outlet for The Valley by visiting www. thevalleynewspaper.com

The Valley, February 2011

Burning wood still an economical and sustainable way to help heat home From Penn State Public Information University Park, PA

At today’s fuel prices, burning wood remains a wise and viable option to reduce homeheating bills, according to a forest resources expert in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences.

“Burning firewood for heat is environmentally friendly and economically smart,” said Michael Jacobson, extension specialist and associate professor of forest resources, who focuses on socioeconomic and policy issues related to forest land. “Unlike coal, oil and gas, which are nonrenewable fossil fuels that contribute greenhouse gas emissions, wood -- if sustainably harvested -- is a local and renewable energy resource.”

Pennsylvania forests are dominated by high-density hardwood species, which are among the

best-burning firewood available, Jacobson noted. Denser woods weigh up to 3 tons per cord, while the lighter woods are 1.5 to 2 tons per cord. Beech, birch, some maples, hickory and oak are among the most common species in Pennsylvania, and also among the densest.

“Pound per pound, softwoods have more heat value; however, softwood has half the heating value per unit volume of these hardwoods,” he explained. “In the East, consumers prefer hardwood species for firewood because they offer more heat per volume, and when dry, they are less likely to result in creosote build-up problems.

“Firewood is best for burning when it has 20 percent or less

moisture content, which takes a year or more of drying under roof and off the ground.”

The moisture content for wood varies, Jacobson pointed out. Green (wet) wood can have a moisture content of well over 50 percent. Green wood can contain more weight in water than it does weight in wood, depending on the species. Air-seasoned wood, by contrast, is 20 to 25 percent moisture, and wood for furniture is four to six percent.

“Burning unseasoned wood wastes energy as the moisture has to be driven off before combustion can occur,” Jacobson said.

“Split wood dries out faster.”

He advises consumers to consider three things when buying firewood: price, quantity and

quality. Firewood prices differ across regions and generally are higher in urban areas more distant from the woods. Prices in central Pennsylvania this fall have been hovering around $150 per cord.

“Normally, these prices are for wood delivered to the house, but check to see if there is an additional transportation cost,” Jacobson said. “Find out whether it will be stacked or just dumped in a pile, and if the wood is split and cut to length to fit your heating appliance.

“The firewood market is fairly robust these days,” he added. “My local newspaper today has six vendors selling firewood.

This is an industry that provides part-time work and extra cash for families this time of the year.

Random Frugal Living Thoughts from Downeast with Rick Hanson The most important animal on Earth?

I would like to discuss with you the most important animal on my homestead. Must be a pig, goat, chicken, or cow, right?

Those are all great guesses, but for this discussion we’ll be travelling just a wee bit down the old food chain. I’m talking about worms. “EEEWW!” You may say. “Worms? I’m glad this paper is fre…ahh…complimentary!”

Ah, but worms are very, very important on my place. I don’t use many soil amendments besides worm castings. Now you’re probably thinking... “Worm castings?

You makin’ a homesteadin’ movie there, Rick?” Worm castings are what them EDJOOCATED folk call worm poop. They’re so SMAHT, ain’t they? They get SMAHTAH by these pieces of paper they pay lots of money for.

Must get kinda hot in them fancy colleges, seeing as they always tell ya how many degrees they got. I get my best education with my hands in places those folks would cringe and cry over. Or at the least, call the maid service to come out and clean it up. Sounds like they may have a B.S. degree!

Basically, Vermi composting, is a method of using worms to transform organic waste into a nutrient-rich fertilizer. In other words, worms eat kitchen and garden scraps and then poop it out. This, believe it or not, makes me very happy. ‘Course, I don’t go to musicals, the ballet, or the opera….or even go clubbin,’ so I have to find joy any way I can.

On the homestead, that’s making organic matter into dark, rich humus. Just don’t go confusing it with hummus. Despite what ol’ Andy said, not everything tastes good on a Ritz!

And now I’ll get serious, and try to stick to regular writing. I know I’ve got a friend in Pennsylvania, because them there license plates told me so. I want to keep

this friend happy so that when I send him these here adoption forms I had made up, he’ll be in a real good mood!

I’d never heard of vermicomposting until about 4 years ago, when I read that if you were to take a 5 gallon bucket of used, root-bound potting soil, and add just a few things, you could make it new again.

That got my attention! Being almost free, I got all kinds of excited. So I followed those instructions that were shared by adding some cornmeal and some used coffee grounds every few inches of soil, along with about 20 worms. I set it in a cool, dark spot and I waited for 30 long days. I just checked it once a week to make sure it stayed fairly moist.

What I found was amazing to me.

The soil was the darkest; richest I’d ever seen, considering a month back it looked like a tangle of roots. Those worms had created what seemed like the perfect soil.

These are not your usual big ol’ earthworms that live in your garden soil.

“Vermi wormies” come in two kinds: Eisenia foetida or Lumbricus rubellas. That’s quite a mouthful for a redneck like me!

In this country they can be bought by mail order from worm farms.

Some sellers claim they have special hybrids, but don’t you believe them—they’ll be one of these two breeds. Some even guarantee live delivery, too.

You’ll need maybe 1,000 worms, about 1 pound, to start a worm box. My worm box is a heavy duty cardboard banana box with a doubled trash bag liner. I add lots of shredded newspapers, sprinkle in some used up potting soil, in my case 8” deep or so, then spray it until it’s good and moist. I let it sit for a few days to calm down and get used to each other some. Then I add small amounts of veggie kitchen scraps, making a hole with my hand.

Try to avoid meats.(PEE-YOU!).

You could use a spoon, if you are afraid to get your hands dirty.

Now don’t go and make a big deal about it, monkeys have great tool using skills too. Just cover the

Many landowners also enjoy cutting firewood for their own use.

Wintertime is fast approaching, which means acquiring firewood and stoking the fire.”

Jacobson offered a word of caution about the wood you buy or transport for your heating needs, noting that much of Pennsylvania is under quarantine for the emerald ash borer, an insect that threatens ash trees. If you buy or collect your own firewood, don’t move it outside of the local region, he warned. Burn it close to its source -- doing this will help protect our forests against invasive pests.

How much money will burning wood save you? One way to measure this is to look at the equivalent prices per heating unit for alternative fuels. With firewood at $150 per cord, heating oil going for about $3 gallon, and natural gas over $1 per thermal unit, burning word is the wise choice because it is less expensive.

“Coal is still the most cost-efficient heating fuel, with wood a Continued on page 14 scraps up good. Add some vermi worms and away you go. If you want to start smaller, go in halves with a friend or neighbor. For the record, I’m no expert on much of anything. I do set a mean table, but that’s about it. These random thoughts are by no means complete. Heck, I lose my sunglasses when they’re on my ‘noggin’!

Hopefully, this will give you a view from a different perspective.

A worms-eye view, maybe.

There are hundreds of places on line to learn from, and plans to make a wooden box or ten. I’ll make a box after this here banana box calls it quits. That won’t be for a while, it still looks pretty good. Besides, most of my worming is done in the garden. It’s sometimes called “Vermi culture.”

Care to bet that whoever coined that phrase has a degree or two?

That’s just what they call worm breeding. Makes them folks feel more…cultured. I try to practice both at the same time.

Way back in 1941, George Sheffield Oliver called the worm the most important animal on Earth. And if that’s true, then SOIL must be the most important natural resource we have. Chemicals kill worms and those tiny microbes. “Rick,” you may still be saying, “COME ON! They’re just WORMS!” Oh, Really?

Continued on page 30

The Valley, February 2011

Adventures in Homesteading

One family’s journey from the city and modern living back to the land and self-reliance.

by Dave and Ginger Striker

Simple Pleasures

After a couple months of the same routine—camping out, clearing brush, trimming trees, and attempting to decide where things would go, it became a bit frustrating. No matter how much work we seemed to get done, the late spring in Florida really is a time of rapid plant growth, and mother nature would undo our progress with ease. Literally, we would bush hog a trail and it would seem only a couple of weeks later it was as thick as it was to start with. The worst part of it all was that we had poison ivy and poison oak all over the place!

Early on, before we had much water to clean with, over the weekends I seemed to find poison ivy or oak (now to be called “bad stuff”) no matter where I went.

Ginger, of course, told me to be careful and to wear gloves, but regardless of my efforts, it almost became a weekly ordeal for me.

The first time I got “the bad stuff” was the worst; it took nearly four weeks to recover. Though we would still come out to work, I would wrap up my arms and legs really well with a layer of paper towels and then slip on a pair of tube socks over the paper towel wrap to protect the blisters. As a Florida boy, I had to break the bad habit of wearing shorts and sandals to work in <laugh>. Growing up, that is what I normally put on for most functions and it only seemed natural to carry on especially in the now late, hot spring.

Unfortunately, poison ivy and poison oak are most potent during the spring. This routine got tiring.

Then one day in late spring

A continuing series. amazement we saw small green berries growing on all of these plants we thought were some sort of noxious weed. Turns out we

Our first indication that these vining plants that covered our property were not “ the bad stuff” were the green berries we began seeing.

we noticed something. All throughout our property we have this very thick viney brush, which for the longest time I assumed was one of the many potential “bad stuff” on the property. But, since I wasn’t sure, I just stayed away from it. It literally covered nearly half of our property with thickets so dense it would stall a 35hp tractor running a bush hog.

I was so paranoid of the stuff I wore all types of protective clothing in humid, nearly triple digit heat to cut it.

This particular weekend Ginger and I had several things happening back in town so we really didn’t have time to work, but we wanted to get out and check on the camper trailer and take a quick look around. To our

had acres upon acres of good old Florida black berries! Instantly, Ginger and I both flashed back to many childhood memories we both had of picking blackberries in the woods and eating them all afternoon during the late spring.

This was blackberry overload! I never had seen so many in one place. Just when things were getting a little slow and frustrating, it was like God threw us a little surprise to cheer us up and help us to remember our goal.

Often times we are very guilty of not stopping to smell the flowers, and this was a good

reason as to why that is so important. Most people get very action and goal oriented as they set out to accomplish something. Sure this might be good for the board room, but when you are living life and doing things as a family, it is important to stop and let it sink in.

As cliché as this may sound, the journey is really the most important part about it. Many people have iconic views of traditional homesteaders and typically set out to accomplish a certain concept or vision they have in their minds, often forgetting they are writing their story every day.

When you think of a homestead, most people probably envision the traditional milking cow, a flock of chickens running about, a red barn, a garden, and a small cottage home overlooking their land. Though that might be what everyone sees from the outside, I can guarantee every one of those items has a story as to how they got there. A milking cow doesn’t just show up on the farm one day.

It first has to be decided what type of cow will be best for the family and then of course, comes locating this soon to be homestead cow. Now it is time to obtain the cow, pick it up, and bring it home.

If the cow hasn’t been bred, this becomes the next goal, and so on.

Easily, just that one thing has a huge story of coming to existence and means quite a bit to the homesteader than just the mere fact of it being a milking cow.

Well, four weeks after our discovery of our little treasure, we came back and had our first ever harvest of our land. These were the best tasting black berries we have ever had. To be honest, I was surprised how well they did in the poor sandy soil and in the particularly dry spring of that year. Even

Continued on page 14

Four weeks after realizing what we had, we began harvesting the tastiest blackberries we have ever tasted, and from our own property!

The Valley, February 2011

Looking out my Back Door Life on my Mifflin County Homestead

by Mary Anna Chenoweth The Sustainable Community Where We Came From and Who We Are “Not blind opposition to progress, but opposition to blind progress.”- John Muir

Most of us whose lives revolve around gardening or farming using so-called “non-conventional” methods seem to have an almost chronic compulsion to share this fact with just about everyone we meet. We understand that this is simply a matter of passing around basic human life skills, that most ancient of human customs. We also understand that some people seem to have lost touch with these dolls so we are used to reactions that vary from genuine interest to tolerant boredom, the more distressing couldn’t-care-less to the occasional recognition signs of kindred spirits.

Then occasionally there are those conversations where you somehow drift onto the topic of agriculture and what was a perfectly civil chat begins to take a walk on the dark side. The not so invisible armor appears out of nowhere to cover hackles the size of the Himalayas and it’s your fault because you just mentioned that you grew dinner-plate sized broccoli without chemicals or that you no-till your corn without herbicides or that—gasp--YOU DRINK RAW MILK!

The hackles and armor are normal defense mechanisms that we ALL have, to one degree or another, when our basic worldviews are challenged. Such challenges can be quite positive when they encourage critical thinking which results in progress. Today, however, it sometimes seems that hackles and armor are taking the place of critical thought, not to mention civil conversation, and many of us have had the unfortunate experience of being blind-

sided by the wrath of otherwise thoughtful people when we make comments such as those above.

Experiences like these can make our own hackles start to pop, human as we all are, but they also help to reaffirm in us the beliefs that shape our lives.

Having to explain the “whys” to people who are condescending and antagonistic can be daunting. Why we don’t use synthetic chemicals, why simple and small is—and always has been—best, why present-day biotechnology poses a threat to humanity, why it is more than just possible for the world to feed itself, why we must care how animals are treated, why caring for the earth is the only surefire way to care for ourselves, the list goes on and on. All of this requires facts and figures and a cool head to keep them straight and deliver them well.

Not all of us have these requisites; put me in these situations and in five minutes I’m thinking how I’d rather be mucking out stalls. However, at one time or another many of us will be challenged to explain why we think we know more than scientists and economists and world leaders and other fanners and just about everyone in the “Westernized” urban world—which I doubt is what most of us are thinking. At some point in the diatribe “they” will aim the head lights of their disapproval at you and will ask, “What are you anyway, some commiehippie socialist? What cave did you crawl out of, causing all this fuss? People will starve! Civilization will collapse!” or words to that effect.

Imagine, now, all of this just because you bragged that you grew that monster broccoli! Tsk, Tsk, Tsk!

Answers to the issues mentioned above and pretty much anything else you can think of pertaining to sustainable agriculture and related topics, have been explored and written about by some of the best minds our species has produced lately (check out the list at the end of this article). Here and now, let’s focus on that last question. Where did we come from? How and why did all

of this non-conventional, organic “stuff” start and who are we now?

In answer, here are a few high points in the history of sustainable, organic agriculture; this won’t be an exhaustive examination of the question, mind, but perhaps it will be just enough to get you started on your own research into our “roots.” To avoid upsetting anyone with “folklore” or “oldwives’ tales,” I’ll stick with written works by reputable authors all of which have corroborating material.

Two thousand eighty one years ago, on October 15th of our calendar, a well-to-do farming couple in what is now northern Italy, celebrated the birth of a son.

They named him Publius Vergilius Naso, and like many farm boys before and since, as soon as he was old enough he high-tailed it for the Big City, in this case Rome. Young master Naso had a bent for the academic world; he spent his life writing poetry, became fairly successful and two millennia later is known to us as Virgil who, if you recall your high school history, spent the last eleven years of his life writing a really long poem about the founding of Rome—the Aeneid.

More to the point, he wrote two other long poems, and interestingly enough, they were both

about farming. Of the two, the second (written between 37 - 30 B.C.E.) is essentially what we now would call a how-to manual.

Just goes to show—you can take the boy out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the boy!

The title of the poem is “Georgics” which is simply the Latin word for “farming” and it contains information as relevant now as it was in Virgil’s day, which, by the way, was rather messed up. To quote a recent translator, Janet Lembke, “Virgil’s coming of age was filled with . . . chaotic events—widespread political power grabs, corruption, civil wars, assassinations--which he was helpless to counter except in . . . his poems.” Sound familiar?

All this social upheaval was causing, among other things, the loss of small farm holdings to poor farming practices, poor management and political manipulation. Sound familiar?

The topics Virgil covers are rather comprehensive: field crops, tree crops, grapes, breeding and training livestock, bees, how and when to till and not to till, maintaining fertility, crop rotation, tools, etc. Through it all is the sense that farming is constant, hard work with no guarantees, but is a life filled with beauty and contentment nonetheless, and quoting again, “An underlying (idea) . . . that agriculture is the underpinning of civilization and the existence of civil communities.” That last bit is rather obvious, don’t you think? Any of this ringing a bell?

The point of beginning this discussion with Virgil, who, by the way, was neither the first nor the last ancient writer to deal

with these topics, is to underline the fact that what we today call “organic farming” is farming as it has been for the past twelve thousand years or so, which sort of makes it—well—conventional agriculture. It helps, now and then, to remind ourselves that for thousands of years humankind has been feeding itself rather well using these methods. Of course, there were exceptions—when have we not messed up a good thing—and the occasional natural famine, but on the whole as long as we paid attention to nature we did just fine, thank you very much! In other words, we don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Yet throughout the last couple of centuries it seems that a lot of people have expended a great deal of effort, time and money dying to do just that.

That said, let’s fast forward.

It’s the 18”century and an interesting thing is happening in human civilization, in this case starting in Great Britain and spreading across Europe and the newborn United States. Using human reason to understand and bring order to what was seen as a chaotic universe, which had begun centuries before during the Renaissance as a gradual trend, became a tidal wave of change.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, this rush of technical, mechanical, scientific, political and philosophical development swept along everyone and everything (ready or not) towards what was seen as a Golden Future. No more would Mankind have to labor unceasingly to feed and clothe itself.

The machines of industry were our “silver bullet.” They would solve all the difficulties Mankind

Continued on page 11

The Valley, February 2011

Frank about Business

by Frank Cunningham

Editors note: Start-up and established businesses are welcome to submit their questions to Frank here at The Valley and he will answer them in his column.

Write to thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com Attn Frank in the subject line.

Why Plan?

As discussed in last month’s section containing “constants,” it is important to remember that the most important information you have for going in business is in your mind. The “constants” represent your knowledge of production, marketing and administration. It was also discussed that most new entrepreneurs lack some or all of the “constants” needed to successfully start and run a business.

Based on your knowledge or lack of, it is important that you write all of the knowledge you have on paper and research those areas where you are lacking and write that research information on paper. By doing the foregoing, you will create a business plan.

As an entrepreneur, a business plan will be one of the most important documents you will ever write. If you are currently in

business, a business plan would still be important for expansion, product development, reaching new markets or loan packaging.

It is also important to know that a business plan does not have to be the length of a novel. The purpose or aim of the plan should be plainly stated at the beginning with an overview of the entire contents enclosed. In this manner, the reader can quickly get a synopsis of your intent and a good overview gives a good indication of your capabilities for using proper time management. A new entrepreneur should be able to convey his or her thoughts in 25 to 35 pages, depending on a retail, service or manufacturing business.

I have critiqued over 1,500 business plans during my tenure at The Pennsylvania State University, and have written and critiqued over 3,000 during my previous 20 years in the business counseling profession.

The biggest mistake made by business plan writers is that most business plans are too long and this causes the reader to lose interest. This is very important when you are seeking financing.

Realize, that most lenders do not have the overall background to understand every section of the plan. In most cases, the lender will look quickly at your business plan then go right to the financials. (cash flow-balance sheet).

Unfortunately, many decisions are based on this method.

It is important to know that if you have difficulty in presenting your thoughts in writing, retain someone who can transfer your thoughts to paper. It will be your finest investment in your pursuit of entrepreneurship.

The most important stage of your business plan is the management section. (There is more information in further chapters).

What you present to the reader, including yourself, is your ability to operate a business. Do you have what it takes. . .or not?

During my private consulting practice, I would read business

Thots on...Genesis

A Bible Study for the Lay Christian

by Lydia

In 2 Timothy 3.16, Paul tells us, “Every inspired scripture has its use for teaching the truth and refuting error, or for reformation of manners and discipline in right living…” [NEB] On the road to Emmaus, Jesus made the Scriptures come alive to his followers, so that they later said, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” [Luke 24.32*] It is my hope that the Thots on series will make your heart burn within you as God’s thoughts and purposes are revealed in a way that is easily understood by the seeking heart. *Unless otherwise noted, all Scriptures are quoted from the New International Version.

Genesis 2.10-14

A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it separated into four headwaters. The name of the first is

the Pishon…. The name of the second river is the Gihon…. The name of the third river is the Tigris…. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.

This is an unimportant aside, really, but men seem always to wonder where the Garden of Eden was located. We’ve been told the most likely location is between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.

However, we read in Genesis that a river flowed from Eden and then branched into four rivers.

So Eden could not have lain at the confluence of the Tigris and the Euphrates, since those rivers were formed after the river left the Garden.

It really doesn’t matter a whit where the Garden was located, for we long ago forfeited our right to return to Eden. After man was evicted from the Garden, God placed cherubim and a flaming

sword to prevent our return and to prevent access to the tree of life. [Genesis 3.24] Cherubim (again, the “im” indicates that the word is plural) are not the fat, pink-cheeked little cherubs we see on Valentine cards, but mighty winged creatures. Two golden cherubim were placed on the cover of the Ark of the Covenant (see Exodus 25) and images of cherubim were depicted on the veil that hung before the Ark (Exodus 26). The creatures apparently were familiar to the Israelites, for no description was deemed necessary.

The bottom line is that even if the Garden of Eden survived the Great Flood, the way is barred and the only way back to the eternal life for which we were created is through Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Messiah of Israel.

Genesis 2.15-17

plans directed to organizations that were in the business of lending money to primarily, operating businesses. These organizations were Venture Capitalists and their forte was to offer financing to high risk companies that other financing was not available to.

In reviewing these business plans, I would immediately look at two areas. These two areas included the opening statement, sometimes called a mission statement or executive overview, and the management section.

The reasons for the review of these two areas were based on the writers’ capability to relay their thoughts in a concise and business-like fashion and, most importantly, who are these people that are asking for hundreds of thousands of dollars? Do they have the background and skills to be successful?

If the writer did not impress me with the opening statement and the management section, there was no need to read any further.

Therefore, I emphasized these sections to be impressive. If you write your business plan and you are not impressed with your contents, consider your own capabilities as a business owner.

Several years ago, I met with a gentleman and his lady.

The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.”

God placed man in a beautiful garden where all his needs were provided for, and He gave man only one rule. From the words, “for when you eat of it you will surely die,” we may surmise that man was created to be an immortal creature. Death was not part of God’s original plan for mankind. Death only entered the picture after man rebelled against his Creator.

We cannot help but wonder why, in the midst of this perfect world, God placed a forbidden tree. Note that the tree of life was not forbidden; only the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was off limits. If the fruit was forbidden, why was the tree placed in the garden at all? Does God just have a perverse sense of humor? No, the answer is quite simple.

God did not create automatons. He did not create mind-

They were interested in opening a franchised (chain) motel. The client had paid $15,000 to a major, well -recognized, accounting/consulting firm to write the client’s business plan. The clients had approached three banks for loans with this plan and were turned down in every instance.

The plan was well presented with a hard cover, slick pages and several charts . . .but it was just an overview. It did not contain any facts. The information was based on assumptions that were not substantiated and there was no information pertaining to the proprietors of the business. The business plan appeared to be very similar to those that are offered as “fill in the space” types . . .for $15,000?

My first suggestion to the clients was to have them follow an outline that I had developed. And to write, as best they could, the answers to the suggested outline.

The clients also had information from the motel chain that was pertinent to the business plan.

Why the original business plan did not contain this information was beyond me.

After hours of research and projecting the proper cash flow (discussed in a later chapter) the clients presented their business

Continued on page 30

numbed robots to worship him.

God gave the crowning achievement of His creation an intelligent mind and a free will. He wanted a companion, not a slave; for of what value is worship or service if it is not freely given?

I have known people who, even after having accepted the gift of salvation, don’t want to get too close to God. They refuse allow Jesus to have full control of their lives, because they’re afraid God might force them to do something they don’t want to do, like enter the ministry or become a missionary in some far off land or, heaven forbid!, speak in tongues. But God never forces us to do anything. He makes his will known to us in no uncertain terms, but He will not force us to obey him.

He desires obedience that springs from love. He wants us to trust Him enough to willingly place our life in His hands and believe that He will lead us in the path that is best for us.

And so God placed the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the Garden and instructed Adam not to eat its fruit.

One. Simple. Rule.

But we blew it. a

The Valley, February 2011

Adventures on Our Nourishing Journey

by Susan Burns

Happy Heart Month For a Healthy Heart- Avoid Short Cuts and Remember to “Soak Your Oats”

When I was growing up, my grandmother would tell me that I was trying to “put the cart before the horse” when she discovered that I was trying to take short cuts through life. My grandfather would chime in with his own special phrase, “haste makes waste.” Unfortunately they both had to share this wisdom with me a lot, for it seems as though I was always looking for a fast and easy solution to any task. Like the time when I was around 13 years old and I “needed” a new dress for school the next day. In those days the solution to my wardrobe dilemma involved me going through my fabric stash and lugging out the sewing machine. Yes indeed, I was bound and determined to get this project done lickety split.

And I did. Only to discover the next morning, as I was hurrying to put my new creation over my head, that I had inserted the zipper UPSIDE down. I never told my grandmother about that one.

Although my sewing intentions were well meaning, my haste caused a major mistake. You must be asking, ok, but what does this have to do with soaking oats for a healthy heart? Read on...

From what I can tell, the “low carb” craze seems to be fading a bit. To be perfectly honest, I am happy about that.

Don’t get me wrong. I am not suggesting that we get back to our less refined ways by eating an abundance of white flour products that will spike our insulin levels faster than lightening. By far, whole grains are the best carbohydrate choices because they are WHOLE. That means that all three parts of the grain are kept in tact. First you get the endosperm which is the central core, then nestled inside this core is the germ, also known as the future sprout, and finally there is the protective bran covering. It is a three in one, super nutritious little package. Unfortunately, when a grain is refined, the germ

and the bran are removed, leaving only the endosperm. While the endosperm is the major portion of the grain when it comes to size, it comes up short in the nutrition department. The germ is really the most essential part. It represents the embryo of the future life of the seed. The rest of the grain is there to serve the germ; it is the most concentrated part of the grain in terms of nutrients. When the germ and bran are discarded, so are the life giving vitamins and minerals.

The American Heart Association understands all this. They work all year long to lead efforts in research and education to keep us informed of the latest news in heart health. February is a month when we are especially reminded of their efforts as we celebrate and acknowledge this month as “American Heart Month.” They tell us that eating a diet that includes whole grains helps to combat cardiovascular diseases which are our nation’s number one killer.

Suffice it to say, I fully agree with the American Heart Association’s well meaning advice.

Whole grains are a rich source of complex carbohydrates, which are slower burning and provide more sustained energy than the simple sugars. In addition, they supply a healthy amount of B vitamins, vitamin E and many minerals including magnesium, zinc, potassium and iron. But that powerful bundle of nutrition is wrapped up tightly in its protective layer of bran.

The only way we can release its goodness for our healthy heart benefit it is to give it some tender loving care, via

an overnight soak. Think of it as a spa treatment for your grains !

Here is where the “haste makes waste” part comes in. In all due respect, I believe the American Heart Association (and most nutrition educators, including myself) have hastily “put the cart before the horse” when it comes to touting the virtues of whole grain goodness. We have jumped the gun by simply recommending that everyone should include more whole grains, beans, legumes and nuts in our daily diet without explaining HOW to prepare them properly in order that our bodies can best reap their nutritious rewards.

With that confession now on the table, I am excited to share with you a very simple and easy, yet critical, step in preparing whole grains, legumes and nuts.

Let’s turn the clock back and look at the wisdom of our ancestors.

It was just a few generations ago

in the pre-industrialized era that our relatives ate their whole grains with a lot more common sense than we do today. A quick review of grain recipes from that time period will prove my point. In fact some of our senior citizens will still remember that the instructions on the oatmeal box called for an overnight SOAK. It has only been in recent years that we have been hasty and disregarded this traditional method of grain preparation. Not understanding the importance, we slowly forgot, but now that we know better, we can do better. Before you say “that takes too long,” hear me out.

This “soak your oats” method sits very well with what modern science has discovered about grains. All grains contain something called phytic acid in the outer bran layer. Nature puts it there to protect that little germ, nestled inside. It’s a good thing for the grain but a not so good

thing for us. Untreated phytic acid can combine with calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and especially zinc in the intestinal tract and BLOCK their absorption. Therefore, while the advice about consuming whole grains is well meaning, if this critical soaking step is left out, serious mineral deficiency and bone loss may occur. In addition, the modern misguided practice of consuming large amounts of unprocessed bran may improve colon transit time at first but can lead to irritable bowel syndrome in the long term. Soaking the grains prior to consuming allows enzymes and other helpful organisms such as lactobacilli to break down and neutralize the phytic acid, releasing all the available nutrients for better absorption. This process also breaks down the complex starches, irritating tannins and difficult to digest proteins, including gluten. For many people who have suffered digestive distress when eating grains, this soaking process may lessen their sensitivity or allergic reactions to particular grains. For the rest of us, it will help make certain that we don’t develop digestive issues and insure that we are able to fully utilize all those protective vitamin and minerals.

How to “soak your oats”

Keep in mind, this soaking method works great for not just oats but all whole grains like, kamut, spelt, and quinoa, as well as dried beans and all raw nuts.

You will find these foods are available at our local health food stores and large grocery chains.

Choose organic when you can.

1. The basic premise is to soak the whole grain, bean or nut product in warm (bath water temperature), filtered water along with an acid medium that will act to break down the phytic acid. It is best to use a glass or stainless steel bowl. * When soaking oats and most other grains, use one part oats to one part warm filtered water.

Continued on page 14

The Valley, February 2011

ASK Julie Mac’

Our very own food preservation guru Julie MacConnell

Submit questions by visiting www.thevalleynewspaper.com or mail to: The Valley PO Box 41, Yeagertown, PA 17099

Winter, a good time to take stock and plan.

Have you gotten millions of seed catalogs yet? Are you dreaming of spring as you watch the snow fall outside your window?

It’s hard not to long for warmer weather and fresh vegetables when it seems as if it was years ago when you harvested your last tomato out of the garden.

You’ve gotten your canning supplies. Canners, jars, lids, rings recipe books… Now what?

While you are patiently waiting for the first trip to the stove with your first canning project, it might be a good idea to examine where you are going to store all of your

Don’t wait until you get to this point before figuring out where you will store the fruits of your labor.

hard work. I admit I was guilty of this my first year canning. I had absolutely no concept of how much room I would need to store dozens and dozens of jars of jam, vegetables and soup that I intended on making. It quickly hit home with my first batch of raspberry jam. One batch made eight half pints of bright red lusciousness.

After the seals had set, I went about finding a dark cool spot to store them—only to find that I didn’t have a dark cool spot. Uh oh. My upstairs pantry had a window in it, which supplied not only too much heat but too much light.

The basement?

Jars in hand I stormed downstairs only to find the shelves my

husband had made for me in the year previous were filled with totes of Christmas ornaments and Easter decorations. Well, I made short work of that arrangement.

I pulled every box off of those shelves until I had a pile of Rubbermaid taller than I was. That first batch of carefully preserved and labeled jam went on those bare shelves with a great deal of satisfaction. This would work! I could keep Jim out of the basement for a few weeks if I had to. I would find another space for those totes!

Mmmmmm….well, let’s just say they are still in stacks—but on the other side of the basement in the corner. I don’t think he was especially thrilled when he went down to check the water heater one day and found my rearrangement, but by then I had lots and lots of jars down there!

It was so pretty I pointed out—look at all of that wonderful goodness that you will be able to have during those LONG winter months! Now years later, all of the rest of the storage that was down there has been cleared out for more room for canning stuff.

Now I am asking for him to make more shelving. Perhaps you could make aisles like at the grocery store? It’ll get done in time, I’m sure, but in the mean time I have bought more brackets and shelving trying to squeeze every last inch out of the wall space.

I was very lucky to have that area of shelving available to me, even though it took some massive rearranging to get it the way that I wanted. Even now I’m not satisfied and the underworld pantry gets reorganized at least once a month.

I bought a refrigerator thermometer to keep track of the temperature and with only two small cellar windows, it’s dark enough to keep my goodies from degrading in the sun. We had already painted the floors with a sealer so moisture getting at my food wouldn’t be a problem. It’s too

cold here for bugs to be much of an issue, and I haven’t seen any mice...so far. I’m pretty careful about wiping my jars down with either soap and water or a vinegar rinse. The very thought of a mouse licking my jars because they taste yummy really grosses me out.

So what about you?

Any spare wall in a cellar can be made to

For those of you who store canned goods with a little effort and don’t have a basement or some 1 X 8 pine boards. root cellar, I have seen people use a spare bedroom vibrating off if a shaker happens as their food storage area. It is to rumble through. easy to adapt with room darkening You might also want to conshades or blinds. Shelving units sider leaving a free space of shelvare easily had at any retailer—but ing to hold your canning supplies. just a piece of advice—if you buy Once you get everything together, the wire metal shelving, consider your collection will take up quite putting a piece of wood on top of a bit of space, and as you use your the shelf. The jars seem tippy when placed directly on the rack. For the handyman, adjustable shelving can be made. This is great because you can raise or lower the shelving height to suit the size of your jars.

Spare bookcases make wonderful storage units also.

For me, I prefer either wood or metal because of the strength value.

A bunch or jars sitting there full of food can get quite heavy, and there would be no worse sound than the collapse of your area and all of your hard work going to waste.

If you live in an earthquake zone, I would also suggest putting a lip or strap along the edge to prevent your wares from

jarred food during the year, you will want a place to store your empties until the next go around.

Once you get your area set up, make sure the temperature in there doesn’t go above 70 degrees or below freezing. The cooler you can keep it, the better. It will extend the freshness of what you have made. As I mentioned before try to keep the room as dark as possible. Shades, blinds or curtains will serve you well to keep the light out.

It’s okay to use an overhead or lamp while you are in there, but just make sure to shut it off after you leave. If humidity is a problem in your area during the summer months, I would consider getting a dehumidifier. If purchasing one is beyond your budget, you could use those buckets of damp rid products. I wouldn’t put them directly on the shelves with your food, but placed strategically throughout the room, they might serve to keep the moisture at bay.

I would love to hear about your space if you have done anything creative or unusual in your pantry! Pictures would be great too! Nothing would be more inspiring to the home canner than seeing someone else’s set up. I know there’s a lot of creativity out there. Let’s show it off! a

The Valley, February 2011

Thank God for Goatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Milk

by Pam Hoy

Goatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s milk is the closest milk in comparison to human milk and is recommended for infants because of its easy digestibility. The milk from goats has been used by humans since the earliest times and is still consumed by populations all over the world.

It is a proven fact that the milk is composed of smaller fat globules, which makes it easier to digest. This speed of digestion releases more good bacteria and enzymes in your body, better enabling the absorption and utilization of nutrients without discomfort, stomach ache, or any other allergy symptoms. I was excited at the possibilities, but nervous to take that first trial drink. What if I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t tolerate the milk? It was no fun being sick!

I bravely sampled some and was elated! I suffered no ill side-effects.

And it tasted like the milk I remembered from my youth. The world of dairy food opened its doors for me once again. Ice cream, pudding, cheese on my pizza, hot chocolate, and even milk on my morning cereal.

The possibilities Two of the authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s goats checking out some were endless! Immovement outside of their barn. agine my delight!

Then came the realization that

Thankfully, a lot of differgoat milk is not something easily ent â&#x20AC;&#x153;milksâ&#x20AC;? or milk substitutes found in your local grocery., or became available over the past at least it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t five years ago. years, but rice milk, almond milk, Since my husband and I live on a and soy milk just didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t supply small farmette and already raise the same creaminess and richvarious farm animals, he suggestness as cowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s milk. A couple of ed I get a goat and have an endless years ago I read an article on the supply of milk right outside our health benefits of goat milk and back door. was pleasantly surprised to find

After nervously contemplatthat it is recommended for people ing dairy goat ownership for with an intolerance to cowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s milk. almost a year, my husband bought me two goats ready to share their milk with me. Talk about being a novice! Thank heavens those goats knew what they were doing, because I sure didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t. My husband put together a milking stand from the base of an old weight bench Another advantage of having goats...they with an â&#x20AC;&#x153;air hockeyâ&#x20AC;? mow the lawn for you. top and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sure the The story of my association with dairy goats is not unusual or rare, but it is one that came as a complete surprise to me. I was born with an allergy to cowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s milk, my body just couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t digest it and therefore, rejected the milk and any food made with milk. As I grew, my tolerance grew also and there was a period of years in my adolescence and teens where I could actually eat dairy foods without getting ill. Then in my twenties, my allergy reared its ugly head and ice cream, macaroni and cheese, and pizza were foods of my past. Can you imagine treating the Little League team to ice cream cones after a win and being the only person ordering a slushy or a bag of potato chips?

How about not having mashed potatoes with your Thanksgiving turkey and gravy?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;girlsâ&#x20AC;? had never seen anything like that before! That first evening milking took me over an hour, something that normally should have taken five minutes tops. To say they were patient and forgiving is an understatement. I had never been around goats before

and that was the beginning of my love affair with these kind, gentle animals. My life has been richly

blessed with their addition.

Thankfully, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve learned much since that first milking. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve found other goat owners who have been and continue to be generous with information and help. In addition, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve increased my herd to eight goats, each of whom have their own distinctive personalities. Never have I had a pushy or unruly dairy goat, even the bucks are well mannered. They are so pleasant and their milk so healthy that

Continued on page 19

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The Valley, February 2011

10

Veterinary Clinic

by Dr. Joe and Dr. Beth Ewaskiewicz Studded shoe with rubber pad between shoe and bottom of hoof

limiting their time outside during your pastured water buckets. the bad weather might be best. In In this case, just checking the general though, horses are pretty buckets as often as you can and hardy, and with a proper winter breaking any ice that forms is coat or blanket, they can be out all the best option. If you are using day. If your horse wears a blanket electrified heaters in your buckets through most of the winter, it is and you notice a sudden decrease important to frequently remove the blanket and Dr. Beth inspect the parts of the Ewaskiewicz, VMD horse that are normally covered. This way you Penns Valley will be sure not to miss any drastic weight loss, Veterinary Clinic rub marks or sores, or any other abnormal This is a question that I get skin conditions which asked frequently by owners who might be otherwise are preparing for the winter and overlooked. are wanting to do whatever they Diet: can to ensure that their horse

One of the prob“weathers the weather” as best as lems in winter that they can! many owners face is Housing: keeping water from

Make sure your horse has a freezing. Not everyone One type of borium winter shoe. place to escape blowing wind and has the luxury of runsnow/rain. For most healthy horsning water through their es, a properly placed three-sided pastures. You might want to conin your horse’s water consumpshed should be sufficient, unless sider some sort of electric water tion, check to make sure that they you live in the extreme North. heaters in the barn, but it is not alaren’t getting a shock when they For older horses or horses that ways easy to get electricity out to drink. Drinking water is very have some sort of health problem, important for horses in the winter, as they aren’t getting the water that would normally be found in the grass that they are ingesting.

To compensate for this lack of roughage, horses should have access to plenty of hay throughout the day to keep their intestines healthy. Some owners will add a bran mash into a horse’s normal daily diet A typical three sided horse shelter is sufficient except in extreme northern areas. to increase both

Preparing My Horse (and Myself) For The Winter

141 Three Cent Lane Reedsville, PA 17084

Phone (717) 667-6556 Toll Free (888) 567-6556

More than just a feed store

roughage and water intake. Either way, it is important to ensure three things: enough water intake, enough roughage, and adequate calorie intake to maintain body temperature and weight while outside.

Vaccinations: There are no special vaccinations that horses should receive in the winter. Some horses will get a vaccine for influenza, but this is not a standard procedure for every horse at this time of year. Please discuss this with your veterinarian if you have questions.

Foot Care: While many horses go barefoot in the winter, an equal number of horses have shoes on! This will depend on what “job” your horse is performing in the winter—is he a pasture potato or does he take you out on the trails to see the winter wonderland? Shoes without pads will gather snow and ice, quickly leading to your

horse walking around on a ball of packed snow and ice, which can be a prelude to a musculoskeletal injury. Horses that are going to be outside in the winter and continue to wear shoes should have a pad put between the shoe and the bottom of the foot to prevent this from happening. Sometimes, your farrier will put on shoes that give the horse more traction, often in the form of borium or Drilltek, which coats the shoe and reduces slippage. Talk to your farrier and/ or your vet about the best scenario for your horse.

Winter can be a tough time for horses AND owners. If you have questions about anything in this article, or about your individual horse, please contact us or your veterinarian for more information.

Penns Valley Veterinary Clinic 814-349-5605 a

11

The Valley, February 2011 The Sustainable Community from page 5 faced by producing cheaply and quickly and with a fraction of the work the commodities needed for better lives for everyone. Amen.

Oh, and incidentally, a few handfuls of people would get extraordinarily rich.

Understand that this is a HUGE, HUGE over simplification of the times and events, which we now call the Industrial Revolution. Also understand that from the very beginning of the Industrial Revolution there were people who protested and sometimes fought against the changes—rather violently on occasion—remember that the word sabotage originated when rioting French weavers threw their wooden shoes, “sabot” in French, into new-fangled power looms. As the decades passed, however, the protests became reasoned demands for a closer look at the price being paid for all the progress.

No one, myself included, will dispute that the promise of full and plenty has been fulfilled in many ways; that is not the issue.

So many of the changes in the last two and one half centuries have improved so many aspects of human life that the dream of the Golden Future may seem, for some, a reality. But the ugly underbelly of this reality is that the Industrial Revolution had, and continues to have to this day, a deadly Achilles Heel; it takes, and takes, and takes—without giving back to, at the least, maintain the sources of what it is taking. Once the idea of industry took hold, factories of all types became one of the driving forces behind ever accelerating change and those factories needed two things—workers and raw materials.

Workers were there in droves.

Through the 19th and into the 20th century there was a constant flow from rural areas towards mill towns and cities. Immigrants poured in from around the world. The social dynamics are well known—urban slums and exploitation the likes of which had rarely been seen before and all through these decades dedicated people protested in word and deed; beginning in 1906 with the publication of “The Jungle,” author Upton Beall Sinclair wrote book after book to successfully spur on reforms that, with the occasional bump in the road, continue to this day.

Raw materials were there, from fields and mines, oceans and forests flowed a seemingly inexhaustible supply of whatever was needed. Over the decades, begin-

ning soon after the American Civil War and at an ever increasing rate, land was stripped of minerals, forests were clear cut, rivers and costal areas were polluted with what looks, in distant hindsight, like reckless abandon, blind stupidity and greed in equal parts.

During Theodore Roosevelt’s presidency, steps were taken to stem this waste, but one hundred some years later we are still working to correct the damage.

Vast acres of prairie were plowed under to feed a growing, increasingly urban population and to supply raw materials. Traditional farming methods of maintaining soil fertility seemed not only antiquated, but inadequate for increasingly large farms; there was only so much manure to go around, so to speak.

Not to worry! Ground breaking scientific research including that of German chemist Justus von Leibig whose research in the 1800s included the identification of the holy trinity of fertilizer— nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, the N P K familiar to all dirt grubbers--gave agriculture a few more of those mythical silver bullets to work with. Crops grew abundantly, yields were bountiful, and thus was born the chemical fertilizer industry which spread the good news world wide. “Science has discovered all that plants need to thrive,” they cried. “We will supply what you will need to grow your crops!”

Decades passed. Progressive science added more chemicals to the list to combat, insects, weeds and disease. Machines replaced the horse, mule and ox since they worked faster, harder and required little care, and it all worked just as the farmers had been told it would!

Except for one little thing.

Along with all the other natural resources that were being misused, overused and used up, the soil was steadily being poisoned.

As chemical residue built up, crop failures, insect depredation, weed infestation and disease sometimes went out of control despite the use of the latest batch of agrichemicals. Erosion insidiously stripped away the topsoil—sometimes dramatically, as in the 1930’s when some fifty million acres of the southwestern American Great Plains blew away to the Atlantic Ocean.

With perhaps the best of intentions, and as long as they had the money, (let’s try to control those hackles) many of the worlds’ farmers were basically sold a bill of goods. But hey, those chemical companies sure were

making good profits!

This did not go unnoticed.

As evidence of the problems increased, farmers, perceptive scientists, health officials and others, world wide, started to recommend putting on the brakes.

Published in 1940, the book “An Agricultural Testament” was the continuation of an earlier work written by a British agricultural advisor who worked in the Indian state of Indore. Albert Howard was one of those indefatigable, practical, no-nonsense Englishmen who give the British a good name. He also pulled no punches.

In the preface of his book he writes. “Since the Industrial Revolution the processes of growth have been speeded up to produce the food and raw materials needed by the population and the factory. Nothing effective has been done to replace the loss of fertility involved in this vast increase in crop and animal production. The consequences have been disastrous. Agriculture has become unbalanced: the land is in revolt: diseases of all kinds are on the increase: in many parts of the world Nature is removing the wornout soil by means of erosion.”

Many of the Indian farmers he worked with could not afford to purchase the new fertilizers needed to grow the crops the market demanded. To solve this dilemma, Howard studied past agricultural practice, looked at what the farmers did have--crop residue, weeds and manure--and effectively developed the modem science of composting, and it worked! The crops grew abundantly, yields were bountiful and best of all, the soil began to heal!

What Albert Howard discovered during his years of research, which has been repeatedly confirmed and expanded on in the seventy odd years since he first published his findings, was that the use of synthetic chemicals in agriculture was causing a break in the natural cycle of soil fertility, that almost magical interaction of humus, minerals, fungi, earthworms and other soil fauna that can out last drought, flood and constant use. He had predicted that, if unchecked, the damage to the soil would be cumulative and that for future generations the results for all aspects of food production and human health and life would be grim.

Albert Howard’s work and warnings resonated in the mind of a young American who, by the end of the 1930’s, could see these predictions coming to pass.

This young man’s name was J. I.

Rodale.

Without exaggeration, it would be fairly impossible to even attempt to compress into several short paragraphs the contributions to humanity by the Rodale family. So I will limit myself to two simple facts.

Fact one: J. I. Rodale brought into popular use and may have originated the descriptive term “organic farming,” since the agricultural methods espoused by Albert Howard and others, placed their emphasis on humus and the other organic components of the soil.

Rodale’s founding of “Organic Gardening and Farming” magazine in 1942 (still thriving today as “Organic Gardening”) and “Prevention” magazine in 1950 were two of the first steps taken to educate those with the most power to effect positive change—US!

Today Rodale Press publishes numerous books on a great variety of topics. Far from being a silver bullet that solves everything, organic agriculture is just one of the foundation stones for sustainability. Ask a hundred people for a definition of sustainability and you get a hundred slightly different answers, which is actually quite organic when you think about it! However, a common thread will run through almost all of those answers; at the heart of sustainability is the concept that whatever we thoughtfully take out of the system we pay back with interest, lots and lots of interest.

Fact two: In what was perhaps J. I. Rodale’s most visionary and far reaching move, he founded the Rodale Institute (originally called the Soil and Health Foundation) in 1947. Its purpose was, to quote J. I.’s son Robert, “. . . to provide a non-profit way to provide money for research by top scientists of the day.” After 64 years it is still going and growing strong. Using hard work and up-to-date science, the folks at the Institute have given us not only an ever expanding grab bag of sustainable strategies for farm and garden (and life in general), but concrete scientific proof that it all works. It really, REALLY WORKS!

But back in the 1940s and 1950s, crackpot would have probably been one of the gentler terms used to describe Rodale or Howard or any of a number of clear eyed thinkers.

Then in 1962, marine biologist and author Rachel Carson wrote “Silent Spring”—the book that helped to get the world’s attention focused on the runaway train of ecological disaster that

was headed towards us. Armed with facts, figures and able to make hard science understandable to the average reader, Carson took aim and fired. Early in the book she writes, “This is an era of specialists, each of whom sees his own problem and is unaware…of the larger frame into which it fits.

It is also an era dominated by industry, in which the right to make a dollar at whatever cost is seldom challenged. When the public protests…it is fed little tranquilizing pills of half truth. It is the public that is being asked to assume the risks…The public must decide whether it wishes to continue on the present road and it can do so only when in full possession of the facts.”

Talk about not pulling punches. Much positive change occurred world wide because of “Silent Spring,” not the least of which was that the public eye began more and more to focus on the natural world and our place in it. Still, it took a few more years for the ball to really get rolling. It certainly didn’t hurt when mainstream news programs and publications began to help in spreading the word.

National Geographic Magazine, that venerable publication “organized ‘for the increase and diffusion of geographical knowledge’” has broadened its scope considerably since its incorporation in 1888. In December 1970, the cover carried the image of an oil soaked Western grebe making its way through oil slicked water.

The lead article title underneath the doomed bird read OUR ECOLOGICAL CRISIS.

The forty-page article hammered home the fact that the problems were world wide and that the time for action was now. “…we must accept the fact that we owe a massive debt to our environment,” said the Chairman of the then newly formed Council on Environmental Quality. “We’re all responsible—1970 may go down in history as the year in which we made our first down payment on our debt to our world

Arguably it was, because looking back the first, and I would humbly suggest the most necessary, down payment was a growing, fundamental change in humankind. All over the world, rather than leaving it all in the hands of the experts, the professionals and the makers of even the best of legislation, we began to gather the reins back into our own hands. When the legislation bogged down (which even the

Continued on page 30

The Valley, February 2011

12

Roads Less Traveled...

by Lynn Persing

different at every stage in our lives. At this point in my life, I can easily say a great vacation for me is one that is RELAXING where a minimum of activities are planned. One of the best vacations I’ve ever taken was a ten-day trip through Nova Scotia, Canada in the early 1990s. What Crowds were non-existent—we had the beaches made that vacation so and piers to ourselves.

Everyone has a different idea great? I think it was eventually make it back to Maine the relaxed, unplanned of what makes a great vacation. and down the east coast back to nature of it. We ended up on So what’s your idea of a great PA. That was a great vacation! a pier one day talking to an old vacation? Some people love the Last October, we took anfisherman. It was so interesting to lights, glitter, and nightlife of other vacation, which was similar just sit on the pier and hear about Vegas, others may savor the clear in its relaxing nature. We drove his life of earning a living from blue water of the Caribbean and south to New Bern, NC, where we the sea. On that trip, we also endthe sand between their toes, and had reservations at a Wyndham ed up at the famous lighthouse of vacation timeshare.

We weren’t Peggy’s Cove, NS sure what to expect as we didn’t where we arrived know much about the area when before all the tourwe booked.

We had originally ists and watched planned to head north to Rhode Isthe sunrise. We land. But, by doing a little interspent ten days net research before we left, Wayne just enjoying the found out that the area was good weather, browsing for crabbing and salt water fishshops, and visiting ing. We were staying in a condo the local tourist with a fully equipped kitchen and areas (Lunenburg, living area so we were hoping that The Bay of Fundy, we could catch at least one of our etc.). We had no meals and take advantage of the My first fish soon after casting out was a 15” flounplans other than to facilities. And, as it turned out, der, which was a nice addition to our crab dinner! just drive though we did! What made this a great Nova Scotia and

What makes a great vacation?

still others enjoy a week of golf in a warm climate during the middle of a northern winter. I’ve been fortunate to have taken many vacations during my lifetime. As the kid of a family who loves to RV, I’ve visited many hot vacation spots in the U.S.—many of them as youngster. I’ve been all over the east coast to most of the touristy places—Jamestown, NY, Disneyworld in FL, Inner Harbor, MD, Outerbanks, NC, Colonial Williamsburg, PA, Cape Cod, MA and the list goes on. I’ve also been to the west coast and visited the grand canyon when I was three. I don’t remember much about that trip except Yogi Bear on the sign at the entrance to one of the parks or campgrounds and the bubbling mud pots. Oddly enough, I don’t remember Old Faithful, just the bubbling mud.

All of those vacations were fun, and as a result I have some fantastic memories. But, now back to the question. What makes a great vacation? I think our idea of what makes a great vacation is

vacation? The laid back atmosphere and lack of crowds in the area, the picture-perfect weather, and the fishing! We had no plans other than to fish and relax, and we weren’t disappointed.

The weather was in the mid to upper 70s…we couldn’t have asked for anything better. There were several piers around the area which mouth. Luckily that one wasn’t were perfect for crabbing and big enough to keep. I consider that fishing. I lucked out and caught lucky because I was pretty mad at a flounder that was big enough to it, and was glad to throw it back! keep...and eat. YUM! We spent How can they do that? Eat their two days straight just relaxing own kind! on piers checking crab traps and

fishing, and mostly catching Pinfish.

The view was absolutely gorgeous, and at one location on our last day, we fished from a sandy beach. I was able to wade into the water almost up to my knees and it was so peaceful and picturesque that I could have stayed there for Wherever we went, we found peaceful solitude. days. I even learned a new word on that trip (brackish) While there, we also met a local and I also learned that flounder man who lived in a condo right eat baby flounder, as I caught on the water and fished every one with a baby flounder in its couple of days for Pinfish. He used the Pinfish to bait his crab traps, which he set just off the boat docks that were downstairs from his condo. He was a selfproclaimed crab lover who ate crab every day. We gave him quite a few Pinfish that we caught “by accident” in our crab traps and in exchange he wanted to give us some of his crab catch for the day. So far our crab bounty had not been so great, so we happily accepted his offer. We followed him to the boat docks at his condo, and he loaded us up with crab. Now, if you’ve never tasted FRESH flounder and crab before, I can tell you that it’s quite a treat.

The flounder was the best I’ve ever tasted—but maybe that’s just because I caught it!

I could go on for quite a while about great vacations, but I’ll wrap it up here in the interest of space. The moral of this story is to be sure you do what you enjoy on vacation and take some time to relax and soak in that enjoyment. You’ll have memories to last a lifetime. a

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The Valley, February 2011

Understanding the Constitution

by David Molek

10TH AMENdMENT: STATEs RIGHTS The first ten Amendments to our U.S. Constitution are called the Bill of Rights. They all refer, in some way, to the rights of individuals. But the 10th Amendment protects powers of the states. Our Constitution reserves powers to the states and rights to the people.

When our Constitution was written, there was created a federal Republic that was made up of individual sovereign states.

These states delegated limited and enumerated powers to the federal government. Notice I said limited and enumerated. To be certain there was no mistake, they had the 10th Amendment added: “The powers not delegated to the

United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”

To me, this couldn’t be much clearer: If it is not in the Constitution, it is left for the states or the people to decide. In the most general terms, our Constitution provides for a federal government to conduct foreign relations, to settle disputes among the states, and to facilitate trade and commerce among the people of the states.

Yet today, many people want the federal government involved in myriads of everyday-life activities. Things like abortion, gay marriage, prayer in school, death penalty, and mandated healthcare are issues being decided by our federal government.

I keep coming back to the principle that underlies the entire

plan of our original Constitution: The national government possesses only those powers delegated to it. The states were designed to possess and exercise the general legislative powers. Despite the clear text of the 10th Amendment, the Supreme Court, beginning with the FDR New Deal Court, has countenanced an expansion of federal powers far beyond the expectations of those who framed and ratified our Constitution.

Modern Supreme Court decisions recognize few limits to the scope of Congress’s enumerated powers. Under current law, Congress may regulate manufacturing, agriculture, labor relations and many other purely intrastate activities and transactions. This expansion has generated federal-state conflicts involving the extensive control of state policy through conditions on federal spending for states.

The 10th Amendment is supposed to carry substantive protection of the states.

However, there are continually serious invasions by the federal government of state sovereignty protected by the 10th Amendment.

The Supreme Court seems unsure as to precisely what role the 10th Amendment plays in its constitutional analyses.

Congress does have broad power to regulate and even to subject states to generally applicable federal laws, but the power ends when it reaches too far into the retained dominion of state autonomy. Many of us believe Congress has reached

too far. Many existing federal programs are not authorized by our Constitution, as they involve activities that were meant to be left to the states and the people.

Today, federal spending is directed into virtually any area that suits the whims of Congress. The federal government funds a wide range of activities that violate both the letter and the spirit of the Constitution. The Supreme Court fails to enforce the original limits on federal power.

A very recent example is the Virginia challenge to Obamacare.

Federal District Court Judge Hudson issued an opinion that the requirement for all people to purchase health care exceeds the power of Congress and is, therefore, unconstitutional. Obamacare conflicts with the Virginia Health Care Freedom Act and violates the 10th Amendment. So, the minimum essential coverage provision in Obamacare exceeds the constitutional boundaries of congressional power. This case surely will be appealed by Obama and is headed to the Supreme Court. Hopefully, that court will agree that Congress overstepped its authority.

In another area, schools are traditionally and constitutionally a state and local activity, yet recent presidents have, in my opinion, unwisely spent much of their valuable time acting as if they were local school board officials.

Today, top federal officials spend too much of their time dealing with narrow and local issues, rather than truly national ones.

Too many of our elected officials and policymakers think that respecting constitutional limits

is not practical in today’s world.

I believe members of Congress should start taking seriously their oaths to uphold the Constitution.

Members of Congress should inquire whether there is constitutional authority for each law or regulation, and vote against it if they believe it violates the fundamental law of the land. They should recognize that constitutional constraints on federal power were put there for good, practical reasons. Let’s keep reminding them. a

“Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch.

Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.”

--Benjamin Franklin

The Valley, February 2011

14

so the journey begins…

The first step…

The first area to be examined, in the first month of the journey is “love.” February is the perfect month to discuss the topic of love. The aspect of love that I chose to contemplate is a most difficult one – the aspect of choosing to love one’s enemy.

Choosing to love one’s family and friends can be an easy task for the most part; but, electing to set aside strife to love one’s enemy is a most difficult undertaking.

When we experience adversity – at the hand of someone else – it can become a very complex situation.

Oftentimes, when adversity hits, we can tend to take on the role of a victim or martyr. We may find ourselves asking questions such as “Why has this happened to me?” or “What did I do to deserve being treated like this?”

Sometimes we experience angry negative feelings towards people who have wronged us – and the anger can last a very long time. A new way to view adversity is to

take the emphasis off of the person responsible for the hardship, and instead, look deep inside ourselves. We need to ask a different question: “How will I love in light of this?” That question helps to dissolve the feelings of anger, and eliminate the victim or martyr role. By asking ourselves how we can respond in loving kindness to others and to ourselves - in the midst of adversity, we can eradicate anger and negative feelings from our lives because we chose how to direct our personal power rather than being at the mercy of other’s actions.

In the not so distant past, I was experiencing a few tough situations simultaneously. During this very trying era of my life, I got stuck in the victim and martyrdom mindsets. At one point, I encountered a very wise old soul who offered me a new perspective on my situation. As I lamented about the adversity and hardships that had befallen me, about the “why me” questions and concerns, the wise old soul suggested that maybe I was stuck because I was asking the wrong questions. The wise one stated

that “why me?” questions are useless because those questions focus us in the past – in looking over our shoulders – we cannot change what has been. Instead, he said, “…to regain a sure footing in life – a balance of sorts – the question that matters most is “How will you or can you love in light of this – in light of this circumstance?”

When you pose that question, listen quietly for your heart will whisper the answer. Then it is your choice to exercise the gift of free will and follow through.”

I will never forget that conversation with the wise old individual as it has impacted my life tremendously. Choosing to ask that question about love verses why me has changed how I approach life. So, in this month of February – the month of hearts and love – how will you choose to love in light of your circumstances? Can you choose a new outlook on an old circumstance that may bring more peace and balance to your life? I encourage you to ponder the questions and then quietly listen to the whispers of your heart. a

best. Recommended soak time for oats is 18-24 hours.

4. Rinse beans, seeds, and nuts after soaking. Oatmeal does not need to be rinsed.

5. Cook as your recipe specifies.

6. That’s it. Just a little forethought makes all the difference.

Note: Flax seed is low in phytic acid and does not require soaking if it is eaten in small amounts.

Another benefit to soaking, especially when using oatmeal, is that the liquids expand the grains allowing for a larger quantity. It also seems to be more satisfying and filling.

Here is a recipe for a warm and hearty breakfast porridge that is sure to please Goldilocks and all the hungry bears in your household. Not to mention keeping everyone heart healthy.

Breakfast Porridge

By Sally Fallon author of Nourishing Traditions

“For highest benefits and best

assimilation, porridge should be soaked overnight or even longer.

Once soaked, oatmeal cooks up in less than 5 minutes – truly a fast food.”

Mix 1 cup rolled, cracked (or steel cut) oats with 1 cup warm filtered water plus 2 Tablespoons whey, yogurt, kefir or buttermilk.

(Those with severe milk allergies can use lemon juice or vinegar.)

Cover and leave in a warm place for at least 7 hours and as long as 24 hours. When ready to cook, bring an additional 1 cup of water to a boil with ½ teaspoon sea salt.

Add soaked oats, reduce heat, cover and simmer several minutes.

Flax seed is an optional addition for enhanced nutrition. Grind 1 Tablespoon flax seeds in a minigrinder (a coffee or spice grinder).

Remove oats from heat, stir in flax seeds, if using, and let stand for a few minutes. (Do not add flax while cooking, heat destroys it.)

Serve with plenty of butter or

cream and a natural sweetener like Rapadura, sucanat, date sugar, maple syrup, maple sugar or raw honey.

My grandfather was right, haste does make waste. Make time to “soak your oats”; your heart will thank you for it!

Joanne Wills’ Contentment Quest

The month of February is often synonymous with the symbol of a heart. The symbol of a heart is often synonymous with love, with a happy healthy heart, and contentment of heart. What better time than the month of February to deeply examine our heart?

For quite some time I have been pondering the contentment of my own heart. I have been examining and studying the attitudes, emotions, and feelings within my own heart. With the onset of the New Year, I contemplated ways and means to establish a contented, happy, and healthy heart – in the proverbial sense. I decided to begin a quest of sorts – a mission to discover contentment of heart. What better time to start my journey than Feb-

ruary – the month of hearts. My mission was inspired by a book written by Gretchen Rubin called “The Happiness Project, and my mission, much like Rubin’s book, will encompass twelve months of introspection. Each month I intend to delve deep into the canyons of my heart and bring to light attitudes and assessments in the areas of contentment and happiness. Some months may seem like the voyage is smooth sailing, while other months may resemble a remarkable expedition.

I invite you to join me on this journey. May the next twelve months be an experience of growth and learning as we pursue the meaning of contentment. May each month present just enough challenges and contemplation to push us into the next stage of growth. May each month uncover blessings that we may have been blinded to before – before our quest to find contentment. And

Homesteading from page 4

Burning Wood from page 3

The Happiness Mission

now as spring approaches, I am already thinking about the things we will make with those very tasty blackberries!

Take care, Dave & Ginger and Family a

Sue Burns from page 7 * When soaking beans and legumes, use one part beans to three to four parts warm filtered water. Rinse before and after soaking. * When soaking raw nuts use one part nuts to two parts water.

Instead of using an acid medium for nuts, use sea salt. The ratio is 2 tsp. sea salt to 4 cups nuts, cover with warm water. The denser the nut the longer the soak time.

Cashews only need about 3-4 hours total but almonds will take 8-12 hours. Once soaked you can eat them “as is” after they have dried or you can spread them on a cookie sheet and sprinkle them with your favorite seasoning and slow roast them in a very low temp oven (150 -200 degrees) for 12 -24 hours. I know that sounds like a super long time, so this is where a food dehydrator works great. If you can’t dry them, spread on a cookie sheet to air dry

close second,” Jacobson said.

“But before you buy firewood, check that you are getting a cord worth of wood, make sure it is dry, is high-quality hardwood cut to your needs and is stacked upon delivery. It will make for a happier and warmer winter.” a for a bit and then store them in the refrigerator and consume within several days. This is a wonderful heart healthy snack. Check out www.lovingnutz.com for a great selection of organic nuts that have been soaked and dehydrated for you! * Acid medium options include: buttermilk, kefir, yogurt, lemon juice or raw apple cider vinegar.

When I am making oatmeal, I use yogurt or kefir because I don’t like the sour taste of the lemon juice or vinegar. I find the lemon juice and vinegar work just fine for the beans and legumes and would be an alternative for those with milk allergies. Use one to two tablespoons of the acid medium per “batch.”

2. After mixing the grains, water, and acid medium, cover the bowl with a tea towel or an inverted plate.

3. Leave the bowl on your counter at room temperature for at least 8 hours. Overnight works

Bless Your Heart, Sue Send me an email or give a call if you have questions or comments. a

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The Valley, February 2011

15

The Mushroom Guy Tasty fungal morsels and other wild edibles.

by Bob Sleigh

Ginseng!

hundred dollars an ounce at the time. Although farm-raised ginseng had been developed years earlier, prices for wild roots remained high due to demand.

Primarily sold to far eastern markets, wild ginseng is preferred due to its higher quality and potency than domesticated crops. The roots are believed to be somewhat of a cureall and have been used for centuries by people all over the world.

The Chinese probably have the longest history of using the man-shaped American Ginseng, with characteristic five leaf roots to pattern and red berries in the fall. promote longevity and vitality.

North American Indian

They were just a couple of old bread trays sitting in a homemade rack. The large trays had strong metal frames surrounding heavy gauge wire mesh bottoms making them ideal drying frames.

Throughout the year, anything from garden onions to wild butternuts could be found resting on the wire mesh before making their way into the kitchen. I always knew what some of my upcoming chores would be just by checking the racks.

Once a year though, an item would find its way onto the racks that I was forbidden to touch.

What my young eyes saw as piles of badly misshapen and oddlycolored carrots covered with dirt, my brother saw as cash in his pocket.

My initial lack of interest in his obsession with the strange roots quickly turned to rabid curiosity when I found out just how much cash he was able to put in his pocket.

The strangely man-shaped roots were from the wild ginseng plant, and could bring several OK, folks, this month we are going to take a break from the fungal world and look at a plant that has been used for centuries to promote health and put a little cash in the pockets of those knowledgeable enough to know where to find it and what to do with it. To the wayback machine…

tribes made use of the root to reoften takes two winters for the lieve nausea and as an ingredient process to complete. in love potions.

Currently listed as a rare

Today, ginseng is used extenplant in Pennsylvania partly sively to increase body strength due to over harvesting in the and vitality. It is also used for 1970s, and partly due to loss stress management based on its of suitable habitat, the sale of reputation for reducing fatigue, wild ginseng in the Commondepression and nervousness. wealth is tightly controlled.

Ginseng’s botanical name is Since 1985, the Department Panax and was derived from the of Conservation and Natural

The locations of wild ginseng Greek word panakos, or panacea.

Resources has been the regulatory plots are a closely guarded secret Panacea is defined by Webster’s agency responsible for the trade among root collectors. My brother dictionary as “a remedy for all ills and export of ginseng harvested in would go to great lengths to keep or difficulties.”

Pennsylvania. anyone from finding his secret

The term “ginseng” is derived from the Chinese term “jen-shen,” which means “in the image of a man.” Roots in the shape of a human form command the highest prices in foreign markets.

American ginseng is a perennial herb that grows in the eastern half of the United States. It can be found in hardwood forests on well-drained, north-and east-facing slopes in humus-rich soils.

Its seeds often take 18 months to germinate due to a necessary breakdown of the seed’s coating, caused by freezFreshly dug and washed root will typically lose 75% of it’s weight in drying. ing temperatures in winter. It “gardens,” including me.

That is until he came home the following year and found the racks already full of roots from my own secret “gardens.”

More information about Pennsylvania Ginseng can be found on the web at: http://www.dcnr.state. pa.us/forestry/wildplant/vulnerable_plants.aspx. a

A nice bunch of drying American Ginseng. Handle the roots carefully; the buyers like the roots to be whole without broken ends.

The Valley, February 2011

16

PASA Celebrates 20 years!

Come Join Us

Each year our Farming for the Future conference seems to get bigger and better. In addition to our normal offering of exciting workshops and keynote speakers on Friday and Saturday, our Pre-Conference sessions have become a major part of the overall experience for many participants.

Thursday evening has grown into a very special time, filled with good food and musical fun for the whole family. Sometimes our annual gathering seems more a big family reunion than anything else!

This year’s conference is special in many ways, but none as poignant as the opportunity we have to celebrate our 20th gathering together as a community of common purpose. My first conference was the 10th, so this is also a milestone of much significance to me personally. As such, it is a time to take stock of where we’ve come from and what we’ve achieved together. In true PASA fashion, however, we are not at all ready to give up the struggle that began even before our first gathering in 1992 . . . the dual effort to restore dignity to farming and good food to the tables of all citizens in this nation and beyond.

Indeed, as our conference theme makes clear this year, we are ready to assert ourselves in a way we never could in the past.

An economic recession has come

and gone, and there will be others, but the rising tide of interest in the sources of our food and how it is produced will not be diminished anytime soon. That a healthy food system is a key element of our continued high quality of life on this planet is a conclusion being reached by folks at both ends of the political spectrum, and everywhere in between . . . it unites us in ways that few other endeavors are able to.

We look forward to welcoming you to this latest edition of one of the largest and most respected gatherings of sustainable agriculture enthusiasts anywhere in the country. Come join us as we explore the great sustainable opportunity now before us, that of claiming our food-system future for our families, our communities and, indeed, the entire world.

Brian Snyder Executive Director, PASA a

PASA’s 20th Annual Farming for the Future Conference Penn State Conference Center February 2-5 For more info call (814) 349-9856 Coal from page 21 have a masonry chimney, but it needs a stainless steel liner to create the natural draft that the coal stove will require. A coal stove installed would cost an estimated $4000.00; therefore, your return on investment would be less then 5 years.

Coal requires a shaker system to move ashes to an ash pan. It burns at an even temperature for 12 to 16 hours between shaking so there is not a lot of tending involved. Three tons of coal requires a well constructed 8’ long x 4’ wide x 4’ high bin (32 cubic feet per ton) so storing coal doesn’t require much space. It is a stove so it doesn’t have a distribution system like your central heating system – so – you need to carefully select a central location to install it so the heat will flow evenly. a Curt Bierly is president of the bierly group incorporated of which Stanley C. Bierly is a division. He graduated from Penn State with a BS in Mechanical Engineering and is a member of the Penn College HVAC Advisory Board. You can contact him at cbierly@bierlygroup.com

17

The Valley, February 2011

LZ Swanson From Iraq

by Shawn Swanson WEATHERING SHORTAGES, DISRUPTIONS, AND CRUNCHES

We all have heard or even said to ourselves how ‘blessed’ we are to live in The United States where abundance, civility, and order are the rule and not the exception on a national level. Well, take it from a guy whose profession moves him from one conflict zone to another, that this has not always been our historical norm, nor is it the present standard worldwide.

I believe we are moving into another period in history here in the States where the possibilities for success can still be aggressively pursued, but at the same time we will also be subject to shortages, disruptions, and crunches as our society waffles on the availability of services and goods we’ve come accustomed to having due to a host of reasons that to continue to surface right before our eyes.

Pragmatism goes a long way.

So take a moment and consider the realistic possibilities and outcomes of living and working in a local community and society experiencing social and economic tumult on a level that has been infrequent in our recent past.

The systems we all depend on for finance, energy, and transportation are more fragile than most realize.

For instance, when we experience a rise in fuel costs it directly translates into more costs to our transportation network and directly affects the prices you pay for the goods and services you use on a regular basis. In the end, this stresses your personal finances and makes obtaining the comforts you consider a norm harder to keep within reach.

Due to our interdependent and worldwide commercial setting, international shortages and disruptions can create shortfalls and crunches on a local level in a matter of days. If you don’t think so, take some time to examine the just-in-time transportation

network your local grocer relies on. Much of the produce you consume is grown nowhere near your residence. Without realizing it, most of us live inside a population center that resides precariously within a week from a serious failure to provide even the basics we take for granted.

If and when the flow of goods or services you are accustomed to breaks down for an extended period, what will you do?

My answer; Develop your personal resilience. Here’s how: 1. EXAMINE WHAT YOU REALLY ‘NEED.’

The longer a crisis lasts, the more likely it is that you’ll have to go without or ‘make due’ with what’s on hand. Make cutbacks where it makes sense and be frugal with the resources you have and obtain.

2. UNEARTH ALneighbors and friends that’s estabTERNATIVES. lished well before the signs of any

Instead of drivstruggle or event. Don’t kid youring to work – carself on this; loners don’t ride out pool, bike or walk. bad circumstances well. Establish Adjust your lifestyle love and trust amongst family and to compensate or friends and pool your talents and accommodate for resources to ride out the storms a costly expense or you might face. experienced short Do these four things and you, age. ‘Man up,’ think your family, friends and commuoutside the box, do nity can thrive even in hard times. the hard things first, It’s never time to be daunted by and get your hands dirty if it saves the troubles you encounter. a you some cash; be flexible and adjust.

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The Valley, February 2011

Woods, Water and Wildlife with Bob Sleigh

Ever wonder why a goat’s eyes look so different than other animals’ eyes? Are Maryland blue crabs really from Maryland?

Join me on a trivial trek through the fascinating world of animals. See if this doesn’t have you looking twice at your housecat or the kids’ pet hamster.

• Armadillos can be housebroken, get an average of 18.5 hours of sleep per day, can walk underwater and are the only animals besides humans that can get leprosy.

• Armadillos have four babies at a time, always all the same sex.

They are perfect quadruplets, the fertilized cell splits into quarters, resulting in four identical armadillos.

• Cats have more than 100 vocal sounds, while dogs only have about 10.

• The common goldfish is the only animal that can see both infrared and ultra-violet light.

• There are only three animals with blue tongues, the Black Bear, the Chow Chow dog and the bluetongued lizard.

• Goat’s eyes have rectangular pupils.

• Camel’s milk does not curdle.

• Many hamsters only blink one eye at a time.

• Al porcupines float in water.

•When angered, the ears of Tazmanian devils turn a pinkish-red.

Have you ever wondered?

crabs are actually from Maryland, the rest are from North Carolina and Virginia.

• A cat has four rows of whiskers.

• An iguana can stay under water for 28 minutes.

• The Madagascan Hissing Cockroach is one of the few insects who give birth to live young, rather than laying eggs.

• Murphy’s Oil Soap is the chemical most commonly used to clean elephants.

• Other than humans, black lemurs are the only primates that may have blue eyes.

• The difference between male and female blue crabs is the design located on their apron (belly.) The male blue crab apron resembles the Washington Monument while the female apron is shaped like the U.S. Capitol. Only thirty percent of the famous Maryland blue

• There are more bald eagles in the province of British Columbia then there are in the whole United States.

• The housefly hums in the middle octave, key of F. • An ostrich’s eye is bigger than it’s brain.

• The sea wasp is half an inch long at best and more poisonous than any other jellyfish known to man.

• Tigers have striped skin, not just striped fur.

• Most snakes have either only one lung, or in some cases, two, with one much reduced in size.

• Hummingbirds are the only birds able to fly backwards.

• Cats in Halifax, Nova Scotia, have a very high probability of having six toes.

• New Zealand kiwis lay the largest eggs with respect to their body size of any bird.

• Elephants have been found swimming miles from shore in the Indian Ocean.

• The muzzle of a lion is like a fingerprint — no two lions have the same pattern of whiskers.

• There is a type of parrot in New Zealand that likes to eat the rubber strips that line car windows • The only way to stop the pain of the flathead fish’s sting is by rubbing the same fish’s slime on the wound it gave you.

• The United States has never lost a war in which mules were used.

OK, now explain to your better half why you are counting fluffy’s whiskers and please quit winking at the hamster, that’s just creepy. a

Wilson’s

Meats & Groceries Fresh Meats, Full Line of Groceries, and Produce

Open 7 Days! 7am - 9pm 4 South Deleware Ave. s Juniata Terrace Lewistown, PA 17044 (717) 248-4793

A hometown grocer you can trust.

19

The Valley, February 2011

Rotary Club The Rotary Club of Lewistown is hosting a community seafood dinner on Wednesday, March 30, 2011, from 5:00 P.M. to 7:30 P.M. at the Lewistown Moose Family Center at 80 Brady Lane on Route 522, Lewistown.

This annual club fund raiser features a generous variety of fresh seafood from the Chesapeake Bay plus side dishes and dessert, prepared and served by members of the local Rotary Club. A silent auction will be available with a wide variety of items donated by area businesses and individuals.

One hundred percent of the proceeds are used to benefit local and international Rotary projects with an emphasis on supporting youth needs.

Tickets are $20.00 and are available from any club member or at the Juniata River Valley Chamber of Commerce office in the historic courthouse in downtown Lewistown. 248-6713.

Goats Milk from page 9 I wonder why more people don’t add them to their homestead.

Besides providing me with nutritious, great tasting milk, and more entertainment than my television has been showing lately, they also have been instrumental in a small hobby I started about a year ago. I’ve been making an all natural Goat Milk and Honey Soap in my kitchen that utilizes my milk and local honey. It is very gentle since I use no harsh detergents or strong fragrances.

It is important for me to use only sustainable items and I challenge myself to find such ingredients on my farm, in the surrounding natural world, or locally.

The combination of the capryllic acid found in goat’s milk and the natural moistening properties in the honey, soften and nourish dry skin. Goat milk contains vitamins A,E, B6 and B12 in addition to glycerin. These vitamins are added artificially to commercially produced soaps and most of these strip moisture from your skin.

Goat milk includes capryllic/caproic triglycerides, a desirable emollient with quick skin penetration that helps disperse the vitamins and nutrients.

For the new goat owner, there are a number of publications available. Dairy Goat Journal

and Countryside magazines both provide useful articles, and Storey’s Guide to Raising Dairy Goats is a comprehensive book for beginners. Once you are getting milk, chances are you will want to try your hand at making cheese and yogurt. Home Cheese Making by Ricki Carroll and The Home Creamery by Farrell Knigsley were excellent guides, and the book, Goats Produce Too!, written by long time goat owner Mary Jane Toth has everything from making cheese to puddings, candies, and fudge. She even includes some soap making recipes for the adventurous.

I may be biased, but I feel this delightful little animal should be an integral member of every homestead.

Goat Milk Ice Cream 1/3 cup cold water 1 tbsp. unflavored gelatin 2/3 cup sugar 2 tbsp. cornstarch 6 cup milk, divided ¼ cup corn syrup 1 egg 1 tbsp. vanilla Sprinkle gelatin on water, set aside. In a large pan, mix sugar and cornstarch, then stir in 3 ½ cups milk and the corn syrup.

Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat. Beat the egg

and stir into ½ cup of milk, then add to the hot mixture, stirring while adding. Boil two minutes, still stirring. Remove from heat once again and immediately add the gelatin mixture, mixing until the gelatin is dissolved. Add the vanilla and the remaining 2 cups of milk. Cool and chill, then freeze according to your ice cream makers instructions.

Chocolate Goat Milk Fudge 1/3 cup cocoa 3 tbsp. butter ¾ cup fresh goat milk 2 cups sugar 1 teas. corn syrup 2 tbsp. butter ** 1 teas. vanilla

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Gardening For details write: Wholesome Gardening 569 Schoolhouse Rd Genesee, PA 16923

Melt 3 tab. butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add cocoa, sugar, milk, and corn syrup. Bring got a boil and boil gently for about 15 minutes, stirring often.

Remove from heat and stir in 2 tbsp. butter and cool until lukewarm (about 110) without stirring.

Add vanilla, beat vigorously until fudge thickens and loses its gloss.

Quickly spread into a buttered 8x8” pan. Let set until firm. ** If peanut butter fudge is desired, add ½ cup peanut butter when you add the 2 tbsp. butter.

Pam Hoy Maple Shade Farm mapleshadefarms@gmail.com a

Not from this area? Are you moving and want to receive The Valley in your new town?

We will send a copy right to your mailbox wherever you live in the United States.

The yearly subscription rate is $28.00 to cover postage. Send a good check or money order and start receiving The Valley next month.

The Valley, February 2011

20

Dairy Princess Memories

by Rebecca Harrop Mifflin County Dairy Princess 2010-2011

Hello, I’m Rebecca Harrop, Mifflin County Dairy Princess, with more Dairy Princess memories. The dead of winter is upon us now and the really cold weather brings the traditional butchering season. Most people

Back issues of The Valley are available while supplies last. $2.00 per issue covers shipping and handling. Send a check or money order and let us know which month you are looking for. Don’t miss out on those money saving tips from past issues!

no longer butcher hogs, but it is something most of my family still does. Usually a week or so before, Dad and my brothers have cut a load of firewood. A good supply of wood is a must.

The day before a butchering is spent getting everything ready.

That consists of setting up the kettles, scalding trough, scraping bench, hangers, and the various other benches needed. The meat grinder, sausage stuffer/lard press, ponhaus pans, and lard cans all need brought out from storage.

That job is usually Dad and my brothers’ job. Pap Goss helps too.

Mom and Gram Goss are busy the day before mixing the ponhaus thickening, baking pies and other desserts for the meal.

Mom told me they don’t have the huge meals like they did when she was a girl. Gram Goss used to have roast turkey and another meat. Mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, stuffing, corn, peas, baked beans, cranberry sauce, stewed onions, gravy, and pickles usually accompanied the meats. There was some variation, but this is

usually what the butchering meal consisted of. Then of course, the DESSERTS! Gram Goss always made butterscotch sponge, coconut custard, pumpkin, cherry, blueberry, apple, and of course, chocolate, and lemon pudding pies. She would have a couple different kinds of cake plus any Christmas cookies still hanging around. I don’t know about you, but I’m getting full just writing about a meal like that.

My Mom only has soup, chili, a casserole, or some other one dish meal. She does make chocolate and lemon pudding pies as well as apple and maybe one other kind. For cakes, she makes shoo-fly or chocolate with peanut

butter icing (her favorite). What a difference from 20 or 30 years ago. The actual butchering day starts very early. Dad usually goes to the barn a little earlier than normal so he can get back to start the fire by 5:30 am. Around 6:00 or 6:30 the rest of the butchering crew arrives. The butchering crew are all the aunts, uncles, cousins, and neighbors that aren’t busy that day. It is really something to watch them work. Everyone has their job and they do it like clockwork. The good natured bantering back and forth of relatives and good friends is a joy to watch and listen to as they work.

Stories of childhood pranks and adventures are told and retold for eager listeners. One in particular involved some cousins chasing others with an old ham rind. A couple stories involve a little deer hunting. Some are really funny and some I know, if kids did those things today, they would be put in Juvenile Hall or something equally dreadful.

I know if I did some of the stuff they did, I would have gotten a warm backside. Just in my lifetime, I’ve noticed that some of the stories have grown more vivid and daring. Not that I’m saying they are embellishing them or anything. It makes me look at my older relatives a little differently though. I guess everyone has been a little naughty at times.

Butchering day is a day I really look forward to. It is a lot of work, but at the end of the day there is great satisfaction in knowing we have a good supply of pork in the freezer and smokehouse. Your food really does taste better when you have worked to raise it and prepare it. If you know anyone who still does their own family butchering, see if you can help.

You will have a new appreciation of your pork chops. The winter weather makes everyone want hot, filling meals to keep out the cold, or warm up after being out in the cold. The recipe I picked

Continued on page 22

21

The Valley, February 2011

Modern Energy and Alternative Heating

with Curt Bierly

HEATING COSTS

It’s been very cold! The oil, gas and/or electric bills are pouring in and they are much higher then you expected. You promise yourself to do something about it. Your goal is to reduce the cost to heat your home and you want a quick return on your investment.

What fuel will you choose? The answer is coal.

All Fuels Compared 01/22/11 Anthracite Coal Delivered Btu's/pound 12500 Efficiency 75% for 60,000,000 btu's at an efficiency of 75% you need to purchase 3.20 tons Premium Wood Pellets Delivered Btu's/lb (6% moisture) 8200 Efficiency 70% for 60,000,000 btu's at an efficiency of 70% you need to purchase 5.23 tons Propane Delivered Btu's/gallon 91,330 Equipment Efficiency 95% for 60,000,000 btu's at an efficiency of 95% you need to purchase 691.54 gallons Oil Delivered Btu's/gallon 138,690 Equipment Efficiency 85% for 60,000,000 btu's at an efficiency of 85% you need to purchase 508.96 gallons Electric Btu's/kilowatt 3,412 Equipment Efficiency 100%

Yearly Average Cost per Ton $205.00 $215.00 $225.00 $235.00 $245.00 $255.00 $265.00 Ton $210.00 $220.00 $230.00 $240.00 $250.00 $260.00 $270.00 Gallon $2.10 $2.15 $2.20 $2.25 $2.30 $2.35 $2.40 Gallon $2.70 $2.80 $2.90 $3.00 $3.10 $3.20 $3.30 Kilowatt $0.100 $0.110 $0.120 $0.130 $0.140 $0.150 $0.160

Oh no you say, coal is too dirty. This is the number one concern I hear from perspective customers when I mention coal and it simply is not true. Coal is only as dirty as you make it. You choose the appliance to burn it, you choose where to store the coal, you load the coal in the stove and remove the ashes and you decide where to dispose of the ashes. If you make the proper choices – coal is not dirty.

Coal goes back many years in people’s memories when they posCost for 1,000,000 BTU's of Usable Heat

Cost for 60,000,000 BTU's of Usable Heat

$10.93 $11.47 $12.00 $12.53 $13.07 $13.60 $14.13

$656.00 $688.00 $720.00 $752.00 $784.00 $816.00 $848.00

$18.29 $19.16 $20.03 $20.91 $21.78 $22.65 $23.52

$1,097.56 $1,149.83 $1,202.09 $1,254.36 $1,306.62 $1,358.89 $1,411.15

$24.20 $24.78 $25.36 $25.93 $26.51 $27.09 $27.66

$1,452.22 $1,486.80 $1,521.38 $1,555.95 $1,590.53 $1,625.11 $1,659.68

$22.90 $23.75 $24.60 $25.45 $26.30 $27.14 $27.99

$1,374.20 $1,425.10 $1,476.00 $1,526.89 $1,577.79 $1,628.69 $1,679.58

$29.31 $32.24 $35.17 $38.10 $41.03 $43.96 $46.89

$1,758.50 $1,934.35 $2,110.20 $2,286.05 $2,461.90 $2,637.75 $2,813.60

www.eia.doe.gov/glossary/glossary_b.htm Btu conversion factors: Btu conversion factors for site energy are as follows: Electricity ..... 3,412 Btu/kilowatthour Fuel Oil No.2 ..... 138,690 Btu/gallon LPG (Propane) ..... 91,330 Btu/gallon Anthracite Coal --- 25,000,000 btu/ton

sibly grew up or had a friend or relative in a home that had a handfired furnace. When you fired the “beast,” you opened the feed door and shovelled in the coal. Usually there was an ash pit where you shovelled out the ashes. Coal was usually dumped into a corner of the basement. Ash was shovelled into galvanized bushel baskets for removal to the “ash pile.” Everything created dust. Many times soft coal (bituminous) was used in lieu of hard (anthracite) coal.

Soft coal by nature created more dust then hard coal. Certainly one can understand why dust is the number one customer concern.

Technology has changed.

When you buy a coal stove look

100 Stine Drive, Lewistown, PA 17044

for those “anti-dust” features like hopper feed, internal ash pan, and internal shaker. To make burning coal a clean experience, practice an anti-dust procedure when you tend your stove. Let common sense prevail. If you choose a non electric stove it will provide a good emergency backup. And don’t forget to purchase a carbon monoxide detector as you would with any fossil fuel appliance.

But, will coal save you any money on your heating costs? In one ton of anthracite coal there are 25,000,000 btu’s of heat.

Let’s assume the cost of a ton is $235.00 delivered and that your house requires 60,000,000 btu’s of heat per year. For the coal

stove efficiency, we’ll assume a conservative 75%. Using these numbers, the yearly cost to heat your house would be $752.00.

The chart on this page lists some common fuels and utilizes realistic costs and efficiencies.

Referring to the chart and using the highlighted figures you will see the cost of pellets would be $1254.36 (coal saves $502.36 per year). Propane would be $1555.95 (coal saves $803.95 per year). Oil would be $1526.89 (coal saves $774.89 per year). Baseboard electric would cost $2286.05 (coal saves $1534.05 per year). Let’s assume you are using oil to heat your house. We’ll assume you

Continued on page 16

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The Valley, February 2011

22

For Sale Portable Electric Milker Complete in excellent condition.

Reasonably priced. Call (717) 483-6868 Books for Adults or Teen Readers Gently used condition.

--Twilight Series (Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn) $5.00 Ea. or all four for $15.

--The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks: $3.00 Call (717) 250-4892.

Black Leather Thinsulate-lined Motorcycle Jacket Like new!

Size 42 Mens $25 Call 248-2917

Classifieds

Submit items for sale, rentals, services, yard sales, and help wanted ads to our website at www.thevalleynewspaper.com or send to The Valley, PO Box 41, Yeagertown, PA 17099.

Classifieds are 15 words for $3 and .10 cents each additional word. All classified ads must be paid in full prior to insertion. Good check or money order made out to “The Valley” or cash is accepted. Deadline for the February issue is January 24th.

Editor reserves the right to reject any ad.

Greenlee Electricians Knockout Punch Set Model 735 3 new slugbuster cutters included.

Sells for $200 new, will take $40.

Call 248-2917 leave message.

Recipes, Crafts and Gifts With Debra Kulp Chocolate Marshmallow Fudge

Makes about 2 lbs (64 pieces) 1 1/2 cups sugar 1-5 oz. can (2/3 cup) evaporated milk 1/2 cup butter 2 cups tiny marshmallows 1 cup semi sweet chocolate pieces 1/2 cup chopped walnuts 1/2 tsp vanilla

Line an 8” X 8” X 2” baking pan with foil, extending the foil over the edge of the pan. Butter the foil, set pan aside.

Butter the sides of a 2 qt. heavy sauce pan. In the sauce pan combine sugar, evaporated ,ilk and butter. Cook and stir over medium high heat until mixture boils. Reduce heat to medium.

Continue cooking, stirring constantly for about 6 minutes.

Remove saucepan from heat.

Add marshmallows, chocolate pieces, walnuts and vanilla, stir until marshmallows and chocolate melt and mixture is combined.

Beat by hand for 1 minute.

Spread fudge evenly in the prepared pan. Score into squares while warm. Cover and chill for 2-3 hours or until firm. When fudge is firm, use foil to lift it out of the pan. Cut fudge into squares.

Store tightly covered in the refridgerator for up to one month.

If you desire peanut butter chocolate fudge- Prepare as above except substitute 1/2 cup peanut butter for the butter and you can also use peanuts for the walnuts.

Apple Dumplings

If recipe is doubled it will yield 9-12 dumplings 6-8 apples, quartered Dough: 2 cups flour 1 tsp salt 2 tsp baking powder 3/4 cup Crisco 1/2 cup milk--add last Syrup: 1 cup sugar 1 cup water 2 Tbsp butter 1/4 tsp apple pie spice 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Bring to a boil to pour over dumplings.

Mix flour, salt, baking powder--add Crisco, mix until crumbly, add milk and mix. Roll out in small squares. Put 3-4 pieces of apple in the center. Sprinkle with 1 tsp sugar, roll up ends and place in pan. Dough will be like pie crust. Make dumplings and place in a large baking dish.

Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Pour syrup our dumplings. Bake 10 minutes more or until apples are tender and dough is golden brown, then let cool.

Serve with milk or ice cream.

Deer Stand Salad

1- 1 1/2 lb deer hamburg, brown set aside.

1/2-1 cup Italian salad dressing.

2 tsp pickle relish Boiled eggs can be served on the side.

Serve with bread, toast or pita bread or buns.

These sandwiches are especially good with fried potatoes.

Pets Vizsla Pups

A.C.A. Registered, both parents have O.F.A. Hips. Ready to go NOW. Excellent dogs for pets or hunting. Can Deliver $899.00 Call 570-644-0697

Winter Salad Makes 4 servings

2 tbsp gelatin 1/2 cup water 2 cups cranberries 3/4 cup sugar 3/4 cup diced celery 3/4 cup diced apple 1/2 tsp salt Soak gelatin in water for 5 minutes. Cook cranberries in 2 1/2 cups of water until tender. Add sugar and cook 5 minutes longer stirring occasionally. Add salt and put through sieve or food mill.

Add softened gelatin and stir until dissolved. When mixture begins to thicken add celery and apples and pour into shallow pan. Chill.

When firm, cut into pieces for serving. Serve on lettuce and garnish with any desired salad dressing. a

Dairy Princess from page 20 for this article is a hearty beef stew that will accomplish that goal. Serve it with a garden salad and whole grain rolls with real butter for a wholesome meal. I’ve also included a dessert recipe just because I love chocolate and look for any excuse to have some. I hope you will try these recipes and enjoy them as well.

GERMAN GOULASH 10 min.prep time 4 servings Ingredients 1 pound beef stew meat, cut into bite-sized pieces 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons butter 1 medium onion, quartered, sliced 1 1/4 cups water

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1/3 cup tomato puree 1 medium green bell pepper, quartered sliced 2 teaspoons instant beef bouillion 1 teaspoon paprika 1 (12-ounce) package (4 cups) frozen cooked spaetzle Chopped fresh parsley, if desired Sour Cream Directions

Coat stew meat with flour.

Melt butter in 4-quart saucepan until sizzling; add meat. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until browned (5 to 6 minutes). Add onion and any remaining flour; continue cooking until lightly browned (2 to 3 minutes).

Add water, tomato puree, green pepper, bouillon and paprika. Cover; continue cooking until mixture comes to a boil (2 to 3 minutes).

Reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring once or twice, until meat is tender (1 to 1 1/4 hours). Cover; let stand 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat spaetzle according to package directions.

Divide spaetzle among four serving bowls; top with meat mixture.

Garnish with parsley, if desired.

Dollop with sour cream, if desired.

CHOCOLATE BOSTON CREAM PIE 30 min. prep time 10 servings Ingredients Cake 1 cup all-purpose flour 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup milk 1/3 cup Butter, softened 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa 2 All-Natural Eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 3/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

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FILLING 1 (3.3-ounce) package instant white chocolate flavored pudding and pie filling mix 1 1/2 cups Milk GLAZE 1/4 cup Whipping Cream 3 (1-ounce) squares semi-sweet baking chocolate Directions Heat oven to 350°F. Combine all cake ingredients in large bowl.

Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed.

Pour batter into greased and floured 9-inch round cake pan.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely (about 1 hour).

Meanwhile, combine pudding mix and 1 1/2 cups milk in medium bowl with wire whisk until thickened. Refrigerate until ready to assemble pie.

To assemble, split cake horizontally in half. Place bottom layer on serving platter; spread pudding over top. Place top cake layer over pudding. Refrigerate 1 hour.

Place whipping cream in 1-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat just until cream begins to boil (1 to 2 minutes).

Add chocolate; remove from heat.

Stir glaze with wire whisk until smooth. Spread glaze over top of cake just before serving. Store refrigerated. a

23

The Valley, February 2011

We can meet all of your power equipment needs. Buy local and get sales and service at Rons.

Many brands such as: Toro Simplicity Echo Shindaiwa Workx and more....

Large selection of snowblowers for the upcoming winter.

Visit us for high quality, custom-butchered meats as well as all of your grocery and canning supplies.

4707 Old US Highway. 322 R eedsville, PA (717) 667-3978

The Valley, February 2011

24

Real Hope

by Sarah Hurlburt

If there is one thing I have learned about life it’s that you can’t let your dreams of the way you think things should be or what “might have been” crowd out the joy of living in reality! Why? Because, reality is the only thing that’s REAL in your life. I know that was incredibly profound, but sometimes things are so simple they are profound. Our current society teaches us from preschool to college to dream big and reach for the stars. Neither of those things are bad but reality is we cannot have it all. Life is full of sacrifices and regrets and things do not always go the way we “dreamed”. God teaches us things through life’s experiences. One of the things I have learned about God’s love for us is that it is not conditional. He does not love me for what I have done, am doing or what I will eventually do.

He just loves me because he is Love and can only love perfectly. So, if he doesn’t love me based on any performances then I have to carry that love over into my life and give it out to every person I come into contact with. Unconditional love is unconditional acceptance, because love really isn’t love without acceptance. And the only way we can really love is to live in the NOW! We can’t love or hate something in the past because it’s gone, we can’t love or hate something in the future because it’s not yet here, we can only love what we have this very day! In my” life lessons” about learning to be content with where I am in life this one has stood out the most to me. Our thoughts have a profound effect on our attitudes and if we are always wishing for things to be different based on some thought or “idea” about the way we think things should be in our marriages or our children’s behavior or our career choices, we will miss the joy of reality. I’m learning to let go of what I “think” reality should be like and living it the way it is!

Reality can be wonderful, it can be painful, it can be dull, if you have a house full of children it can be incredibly loud and crazy, but it is our REAL lives, the ones we are living and breathing at this very moment. We can let self doubt and insecurities distort our reality or we can embrace it in all its furry and glory and live it to the fullest!

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.

They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22~23 a

Buckhorn Taxidermy and Sporting Goods has added a new addition of live pets and pet supplies to the store.

We also have a line of live bait and live crickets year-round for the fishermen and pet lovers.

The Pen and Thread Custom Calligraphy and Weaving

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717-248-6079 131 West Market Street Lewistown, Pennsylvania

Tropical Fish Birds Lizards Frogs Snakes Spiders S corpions Hamsters Gerbils Rats Mice

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25

The Valley, February 2011

Homeschooling on the Homestead with Andy Weller Curriculum

One of the major decisions we as homeschoolers have to make is how and what will I teach my child. There are many methods for teaching a child and we’re going to delve into several of them. You could go with the classic text books and workbook scenario, the video curriculum from a school, unit studies, online curriculum from a public school, or even a method called Unschooling. Each of these methods has its own pluses and minuses that can play a part in a parents decision making process.

The most common schooling method is to buy text books in one curriculum pack and follow the lesson plans as set by the curriculum company. There are many of them, Abeka, Alpha Omega, Bob Jones, or even using the curricu-

lum from a public school. Using the whole packet of curriculum is also certainly easiest because it allows continuity from one subject to another. Using the packet from one curriculum distributor also gives continuity from year to year and semester to semester. What it doesn’t do is allow parents the freedom to give their children what they need when they need it, because you have to stay on task and on track to finish out the curriculum.

One way to combat this and to give your children what they need, is to mix and match your curriculum. Saxon Math for math, Wordly Wise for vocabulary and spelling, Abeka for science, etc… We do this at our home school, not necessarily the above curriculum, but we do mix an match the curriculum, because it allows us to tailor the education to the child.

Another popular way to home school a child is through a video program. One of the largest is the Abeka program; they stream video of a class to children at home.

The major drawback to this type of schooling is that you are not in control of your child’s education because the program is fully administered by the organization doing the streaming.

This includes the checking of all ‘homework,’ tests and exams.

This means there will be costs for mailing in the tests to have them checked by school staff. For some, this system may work, but my family finds it too constrictive for our lives.

Unit Studies are also popular among homeschoolers. A brief explanation of unit studies is: The in-depth study of a subject, while incorporating all the scholastic subjects. An example would be if my child wants to study sailing,

we would study the history of sailing, geography of local lakes, as well as that of oceans. We could also, if we desired, delve into how to navigate via the stars and the math to triangulate locations. So my child has now practiced reading, learned new vocabulary during the study, and incorporated math, geography and history into their study. This is a very interesting learning method and allows families the freedom to tailor education and knowledge to the child, because you can be as hands on or hands off as you desire.

The next method of education is one that I do not recommend. It is the online curriculum from public school, or Distance Education.

I feel I have to mention it because it may be a fit for some people.

Distance Education is fully funded and textbooks are provided by a public school district. In reality, and in my state legally, children who are educated in this manner are not home schooled but are, in fact, listed as a public school student. That means those who would like to incorporate religion into their education are unable to because they must adhere to public school rules. Again this may work for some families, it doesn’t for mine.

The last method of education that is growing in popularity is called Unschooling. This method and philosophy uses life experience for the learning slate, so to speak. It allows the child the freedom and ability to learn in a non-structured environment. For some families this method may be a fit in that, while it may not teach subjects in a classical definition of ‘school,’ it does teach children how to learn. While some would scoff at this, I believe summer vacation, the three months public schooled children are not in class is a time of unschooling for them, they are just learning in a different way. My family doesn’t unschool, yet there is a certain attractiveness to this method of education, even if I believe most children need more structure than a lot of unschooling parents assert.

Continued on page 30

26

A.J. Peachey’s—

The Valley, February 2011

Early Growth From Staff Reports

Photos courtesy of Dee Peachey

Last month we left Lewis, Joe and Jess as they were just starting to come to grips with the fact that they were going to forge ahead after losing their Dad. They realized that they were becoming the owners with the responsibility of continuing the journey started by their father. They also had at this time, many families depending on them for their meats and other small items that the store provided.

With an eye toward the future and filling a serious need, the boys decided early in the 1970s to once again add on to the store; an expansion that allowed them to better serve their neighbors in the valley with the addition of a grocery store, a bakery, and a produce section. The addition of more coolers and freezers gave them the space they needed to become a “have everything or will shortly”

Re-stocking a whole store is a huge undertaking.

The new space is full of product and pallets.

store. The enterprising young boys came up with another idea that was pioneer in it’s concept— renting cooler and freezer space to locals to store their goods. Bulk cooler and freezer space was still in relatively short supply in those times, so having space available to rent became a fabulous option for some locals and another branch of the Peachey growth tree.

Things continued to grow and expand and the boys and their families became the faces of the store. One day turned into the next and before it was realized, 20 years had come and gone, and Peachey’s was busy!

business after only a few short days of recovery. A storage room had survived the fire and would become the main operating area for the store, while the destroyed portion was rebuilt. This small store room served as the store for over six months!

A decision had been made in the interim that a bigger more modern store was needed, and re-occupying the remodelled store was again going to be temporary while a bigger store was built.

This kind of foresight has kept Peachey’s on the cutting edge of modern retail sales, while at the same time holding on to that good traditional ethic of hard work, good service and good product brings you customers. It is as true now as it ever was, and is an obvious part of the Peachey tradition.

Next month—developing a new plan and moving forward. a

Amidst all of this growth and continued success, tragedy found them on April 8th, 1991. A fire of undetermined origin destroyed seventy-five percent of the building. The good news was that no one was injured, but the bad news was that at a time when most businesses of this age begin to reap the benefits of earlier hard work, the Peachey’s were looking at starting over. There was never any question about starting over, Brand new coolers line one of the they were open for walls at the new store.

Grosze Thal Nachbaren

(Big Valley Neighbors)

by Jeptha I. Yoder Ein Grusz zu euch alle Einwohner im Grosze Thal und auch alle Liebe Leser.

Es iss Weis mit schnee und die Vögel Kammen für Futter. Aber mir hen kenn 0° temperatur gehabt.

Ost Lang Leen war ans Johannes I. Yoders. Singen war dort.

Neue Jahres Tag Besuch ans Unkel Christs un Grosdoddy furs Mittag waren Noah D. Hostetlers und drei ihre Kindeskindern (Joel Es’), Mose C. Yoders und Lisse unds Isaak M. Yoders. Ein wenig dort vormittages waren Johannes J. Yoders und Eli; Nachmittages waren Mose S. Yoders und Familie. Ihr Besuch am Alt Christag waren Jesse S’s und swei Töchter, Eli S’s und Söhne und Solomon C. Jrs. Und Familie (alle Hostetlern), alle nachmittages.

Der 16, war Gemein ans Manasse J. Yoders. Von McClur war Sam M. Yoder (Johannes E.). Von andere gegenden waren Jacob Z. Hostetlers und drei jüngste kindern; Sam Ns und sohn Rudy und Christ E. (Sam I.) alle Yodern. Lang Leen West Gemein war ans Mose S. Yoders. Singen war auch dort. Milroy Nord war ans Abraham J. Hostetler.

Der zweyt Januar war Gemein ans Mose C. Yoders.

Von ander gegend waren Christ Gs, Rudy C. und Christ T. (Sam N.) alle Yodern. Ost Lang Leen war ans Johannes I. Yodern.

27

The Valley, February 2011

Der Neunt war Kirchenpfad Gemein ans Sam N. Yoders.

Der viert war die Hochzeit ans Christ M. Sr. und Barbara A. Zugen wo ihre Tochter Mattie verheirathet war mit Korie N. Und Nancy L. Hostetlers ihr Samuel A., durch Hosea J. Yoder.

Nevahocker waren Kore M. Zug (Christ M. Sr.) und Leah E. Hostetler (Kore N.); Kore N. Hostetler Jr. (Kore N.) und Maria S. Yoder (David C). Es waren viele Leute dort von andere Gegenden.

Gemein war ans Hosea J. Yoders.

Der 20, war Hochzeit ans Yost J. und Fräney E. (Zug) speichers wo ihre Tochter Katie E. verheirathet war mit die Franey N. Yoder (Emanuel B)

ihr Michael E. Gemein war ans M. Sieber Hostetlers.

Hello! Lets enjoy the snow while it lasts.

Groundhog Day will be behind us by the time you read this. The birds enjoy the feed I put out, which is a pan of “chicken feed” and includes cracked corn, wheat and whole shelled corn and set on the grape arbor. Also, our own beef suet and homegrown sunflowers, which I hang out and let them do the “shelling.” Regular visitors are a number of Sparrows, Cardinals, Blue Jays, Titmice, a Hairy Woodpecker and, of course, lots of Juncos hopping around in the yards, about the buildings, and hillsides. It’s also the time of year when the rabbits make unwelcome meals of twigs and bark from trees and shrubs. Usually by spring it is apparent that they like the thornless blackberry canes better than thorny brambles.

In the meantime, I do have lots of “winter jobs.” I am cleaning the goat pens and putting it out on piles to use in the gardens next summer. Seems like there is no end to threshing and cleaning the seeds I have harvested and accumulated about the house throughout the season. Seed catalogs are a favorite fireside pastime in the winter. But, by saving your own seed you also save money. With open-pollinated vegetable varieties and an understanding of the basics, it is not all that hard.

Now for some community news. There have been some new arrivals: A daughter to Michael U. and Malinda E. Yoder on Jan. 2. Grands are Hosea J. and Betsy S. (Zook) Yoder; Rufus J. and Mary N. Hostetler. Great-grandfather is widower Jacob B. Yoder.

A daughter Barbara L. on Dec. 27, joining 3 sisters to Joel E. and Salina L. Yoder. Grands are David H. Sr. and Elizabeth S.

Yoder of McClure; Noah D. and Fronie K. Hostetler and the late Leah Z; Greatgrands are widower Moses S. Yoder, Moses I. and Elizabeth L. Hostetler, and Moses M. and Esther S. (Host.) Yoder. This little one was born with an openspine, which necessitated a ten-day hospital stay and surgery. At latest reports, she was at home and doing well, considering circumstances. Their address is 10 Blu Hollow Lane, Milroy, PA 17063.

Joining four brothers and three sisters is Elizabeth on Jan. 17, to Christian S. and Nancy M. Hostetler.

Grands are widow (Solomon) Mary R. (Yoder) Hostetler and Moses I. and Elizabeth L. Hostetler.

Great-grandfather is the above Moses S. Ruthie Speicher is (or was) receiving chemo. This is the child of Noah C. and Elizabeth B. Speicher (see January issue), that has been in Philadelphia since mid-November. Our thoughts are with the family.

Well, even though the wind is howling and the snow drifting, spring cannot be far off. It will only be

about a month until my first goats are due to kid.

Seems not-so-long ago that flocks of geese were flying south. Now, if the Lord tarries, it won’t be long until they are flying north and the spring peepers will be singing.

I am sorry to see in the obituaries of The County Observer of the passing of Lee Thierwächter, who at one time wrote a regular “Pennsyvlania German” column for The Observer. a Jeptha I. Yoder 150 Red Lane Milroy, PA 17063

“Let’s enjoy the snow while it lasts!”

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The Valley, February 2011

The Valley

is published the first Thursday of every month.

Deadlines for ads and submissions is the 24th of the preceding month for inclusion in following monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s issue.

Answers found in an ad in this issue.

28

The Tuscumbia, AL pump where deaf-blind Helen Keller

"broke through" to the world around her.

1. What famous play, (later a movie) portrayed Keller's life?

2. Who was the central character of this play?

Quiz # 20004

Copyright Š 2010

3. The first deaf-blind person to earn a BA, from what college did Keller graduate?

The FIRE may have taken our store front away, but nothing can take away our desire to give you the quality craftsmanship you deserve. We are still in business and ready to bring our superior workmanship to your job.

We are available by phone at our regular numbers. Watch soon for an upcoming announcement of a new location!

29

The Valley, February 2011

The Chicken AND the Egg!

by Mike Flanagan Setting Up the Brooder I have a simple question.

Why would you wait until your tiny bundles of fluff are sitting in a box on your dining room table before you start to put their living quarters together? The right answer is that you wouldn’t.

You want to have the nursery, for chicks it’s called a brooder, set up and ready to go when they arrive.

When you order your chicks, you should make note of your expected delivery date and notify your post office that you are expecting a delivery of live animals.

If you will be at home, it’s ok for them to bring them out on their route. But if you’ll be away at work, you should ask them to call you and you will pick them up on your way home.

If you look in the catalogs or online, you will see a dazzling array of “necessities” to set up a brooder. They are even going to

try to sell you “the perfect brooder.” Don’t fall for it. That’s nothing more than colored cardboard.

Instead, go to some local business and ask them if you can have an empty case from toilet paper or paper towels. Those are plenty big enough for a half dozen chicks to start out. If you are getting a dozen of more, you probably want to see your local appliance dealer and get a box from a range or refrigerator. That takes care of containment and protection from breezes.

There’s no avoiding it, chickens poop. A lot! Your box wouldn’t last very long without some sort of bedding on the floor. Got a shredder? You can shred newspaper and make your own bedding. Do you do woodworking? You can use your own homemade sawdust. Just be sure there isn’t any treated lumber or walnut mixed in. The sawdust from walnut and some exotic woods contain chemicals that make them irritants, and your tiny little birds can’t stand that at this age. You can use those bags of

hamster bedding too. Wait on the straw until they move outside.

Chicks are VERY sensitive to temperature. When you first get them, they want to be kept at about 90° to 95°. That fluff is cute, but it really doesn’t do much to keep them warm yet. So you need to get a brooder light. I prefer the red heat lamp bulbs for two reasons. First, you’re going to leave this light on 24/7. Chicks find it easier to sleep under the red light. Second, I read somewhere that they are less likely to peck on each other under the red light.

I’ve never used a white lamp, so I can’t vouch for this, only that I’ve never had pecking problems using the red light.

You will have to have some way to suspend the light over their area and to adjust its height.

Your chicks will tell you when it’s just right. If they are all piled up directly under the light and cheeping to beat the band, then it’s too high and they are trying to get warm. They will climb on top of each other and the ones on the bottom will suffocate.

If they are all out against the edge of the brooder and practically silent then it’s too low and they are trying to cool off.

Again, they will climb on top of each other and the bottom ones will suffocate. We don’t refer to silly people as “birdbrains” for no reason.

When you get it just right, they will be scattered all over the floor and chirping contentedly.

Don’t worry,

you’ll know the difference in volume.

You will need a quart feeder and a quart waterer. Save a couple of spaghetti sauce jars and you have the perfect containers. They make galvanized metal trays but I’m partial to the red plastic trays that screw on those jars. First, because I sliced myself on the metal one once, and second, because the birds do see color. They actually learn that red means food or water is there. Wash the plastic every time you refill feed or change the water.

Those are the basics of a brooder.

I’m going to go out on a limb here and guess that one of the reasons you are doing this is because you want to know what is in the foods you eat. When you look for chick feed (mash) get the nonmedicated type. Also, spring for a small packet of water-soluble vitamin/electrolyte powder to add to their water in the brooder. Just one teaspoon in one quart, each time you change their water.

I buy all of my feed and such from my local feed mill (Knittle & Frey). Yes, I do pay a little bit more than at Tractor Supply, but when you figure the cost of gas, I’m actually money ahead.

Besides, I prefer to support my local businesses rather than some mega-conglomerate non-entity.

It’s only February and we have time until your chicks arrive, so next month I’m going to present the plans for a brooder for those of you who tend to get carried away with stuff like this.

C’mon, you know who you are.

You tried to order only six hens, but darned if that type didn’t look cool and you just had to have a few of that other kind too, and …

And I wouldn’t have those plans, unless I was one of you too.

Now I’m not going to try to sell myself as some self-proclaimed chicken expert, but if you have any questions, drop me an e-mail courtesy of The Valley at thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com and I will try my best to help you.

Until next time, remember, support your local economy. Buy local, eat local, and live well. a

Find us on The Valley Newspaper

The Valley, February 2011

30 Frank from page 6

Vermi-composting from page 3

Sustainable Community from page 11

plan to one of the original banks.

The loan was approved, but due to a lack of equity on the owner’s part, the loan was secured through the Small Business Administration 7A program (contact your SBA office in your telephone book for further information). But, the clients received their loan!

What is important about this story is that you do not have to be a genius to do a business plan, nor do you have to do it all yourself.

There is help if you need it and it will not cost $15,000. Start at your library or Chamber of Commerce. Learn about groups that conduct primary market research on your specific target market. a

Worm castings contain five times more nitrogen, seven times more phosphorus, and 11 times more potassium than ordinary soil, the main minerals needed for plant growth. So, if we take old, used up potting soil, or even garden soil for that matter, wormies can make it better than it was. Worm castings are full of beneficial micro-organisms, which gives the worm poop its secret weapon. The castings are also rich in humic acids, which condition the soil, have an almost perfect pH balance, and contain plant growth minerals and stuff similar to what’s found in seaweed. There isn’t anything better to put in your garden, period!

Garden worms are called red worms, angle worms, manure worms, or red wigglers. There are a few more, but it gives me a headache typing all that. They live near the surface where there are high concentrations of organic matter, such as on pastures or in leaf mold, or under compost piles and animal manure. And most importantly for me, they live in my gardens. Why? Because I have almost all of that mentioned above in my garden soil.

Conventional farming nowadays turns that beautiful soil mentioned above into DIRT. No microbes, no bugs, no humus, and no wormies.

For most farmers, DIRT is just something to hold the plant up so that it can be inundated with chemical fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, and who knows what else! Here’s the scary part for me… If a plant’s roots and leaves are absorbing all of that STUFF they apply, where do you suppose it goes? You guessed it, right into the plant. And then WE eat it, or animals that we think are tasty eat it. Sounds yummy, no?

God created this wonderful place we call home to sustain and nourish us, not to poison our most basic of needs, our food, with poisons. So, if we introduce worms, or induce the ones we have to stay and multiply, we are way ahead of the game. As long as we have some organic matter in our SOIL, they will stay right there doing what they do best.

Unlike some critters that aren’t ever happy about things as they were, like socialists for instance, worms like their work. Here’s a thought: all these worms make tunnels, right? These tunnels are lined with castings, or worm poop. Our garden plants roots will follow the path of least resistance, right down those little tunnels. Now when water is applied, it goes right down those tunnels, sending nutrients deeper and deeper. The plants root system will also be deeper, following along in those little tunnels. Oh, I almost forgot about the pods. You’ll sometimes see little brownish/grayish balls, bigger than a BB. Those are your most important thing: baby worms.

Try something for me, okay? Take just one little spot in your garden and try it. In the spring, save one section and don’t till it. Just fork it up good, after adding some shredded leaves, corn meal and some used coffee grounds. When the soil gets good and warm, set your plants in. And then comes mulch time, which for me are grass clippings. Put about 2-3 inches of clippings over your untilled spot, keeping the grass about an inch from your seedlings. Every two weeks or so, add some more grass clippings. Now don’t walk on it if you can help it. This is very important! Compacted soil makes it harder for the worms and the plant roots to penetrate easily. This is the main reason I build only strip gardens, so that I walk on the grass, leaving the garden soil friable. My gardens are 4’ wide and two to four mower widths apart. You can literally pull back the grass clippings later on in the summer and, using your hand as a shovel, drive it into the soil up to your wrist. Without tilling! Because in my case, although “Atiller the Hun” was doing a great job, it was also chopping up my worms. The worms are my tillers, and they don’t run on ethanol “enhanced” gas, either. All those grass clippings are breaking down at the soil level and adding even more goodies to my soil. I just go around my gardens about once a month with a hand edger, showing the lawn whose boss. I usually just point at my girlfriend. a

best does), when the experts dithered (which even the best do), and as the professionals banked their fees (let’s not go there), we rolled up our sleeves, spit on our hands and got to work. By the time the article, “A Farming Revolution - Sustainable Agriculture” appeared in National Geographic in 1995, the tree huggers were practically mainstream.

This quarter of a century—from “Ecological Crisis” to “Farming Revolution”—marked a sort of coming of age for sustainability because we were no longer totally on the defensive, there was simply too much evidence to refute. Populations worldwide began to pay attention to their farmers and scientists, who a few decades before would have been “laughed off the stage.” And the simple reason is this. What sustainability offers humankind is the chance to work with hope; not easy answers, no quick fixes, no silver bullets with strings attached, but rather all of us constructively and profitably involved, using all the tools available to us, working towards a hope-filled future. Not a bad goal. So this, in a nutshell (ha ha), is where we came from.

Who the sustainable community is, is much simpler to answer— we’re everyone, from everywhere, in all walks of life; farmers, doctors, gardeners, students, scientists, politicians, chefs, radicals, conservatives, steelworkers, athletes, truck drivers—basically anyone who is willing to work, in any way, for the health of the planet and ourselves. If you’d care to take a look at what is being offered and who is offering, you are in luck because just over the mountain in Milheim is the headquarters of the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA), one of the foremost organizations of its kind in the United States (and perhaps even further). Yes, I am a member, proud of it, but I am not being biased in my praise. Again, it’s all in the evidence.

Founded in 1992, PASA’s mission is “Promoting profitable farms which produce healthy food for all people while respecting the natural environment.” Check them out on the web at www.pasafarming.org.

Ask around, there’s a very good chance there’s one of us in your neighborhood, and as mentioned at the beginning of the article, we generally are very willing to have a good chat, though we may shove a hoe into your hands while we do. Better still, block off the first week in February and attend a day or two (or more!) at the annual Farming for the Future Conference held each year in State College; check on the website for details. Fair warning—with seminars, auctions, marketplaces, and about two thousand attendees, the conference is about forty percent science, twenty percent training, twenty percent revival meeting, ten percent family reunion, ten percent block party, and one hundred percent fun. Come prepared!

To read further, these books would be a good starting place. There are a couple of websites too.

Homeschool from page 25

We have just reviewed the most common and popular education methods in the homeschooling world. There is much more out there on the internet and in books at your local library, but I hope this whetted your whistle enough for you to search out more on one or all of the above methods. Usually, if you find a local homeschool support group or co-op, you will find at least one family using one of the above methods and can ask questions of them.

This particular article was really dry as far as reading material… you have my permission to line your birdcage with the pages this article is on. Next month I think I’m going to write about how we incorporate outings that teach children even when they don’t know it… in the words of my son… FIELD TRIP! a

Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) PO Box 419 Millheim, PA 16854 814.349.9856 www.pasafarming.org

“A Nation of Farmers” by Sharon Astyk and Aaron Newton, New Society Publishers, 2009: anationoffamiers.com. If you could have just one book to educate and challenge yourself and others, this would be it.

The web site is bound to be the same.

“An Agricultural Testament” by Sir Albert Howard, special Rodale Press Edition, 1972. You’ll have to find out if it has been reprinted more recently. If not it should be.

“Virgil’s Georgics” a new verse translation by Janet Lembke, Yale University Press, 2005. Here’s a neat little fact. The translator’s father was a farmer!

“Stuffed and Starved” by Raj Patel, Mellville House Books, 2007.

Dr. Patel was the Opening Keynote Speaker at the 2009 PASA Conference and WOW did he ever get us off to a great start!

“The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals,” by Michael Pollan, Penguin Press, 2006. Haven’t gotten a chance to read it yet, but my cousin has and he says it a must read.

“Everything I Want to Do is Illegal: War Stories from the Local Food Front” by Joel Salatin, Polyface Inc., 2007 National Sustainable Agricultural Information Service: rattar.org Rodale Institute: rodaleinstitute.org National Geographic, Volume 138, No. 6, December 1970 National Geographic, Volume 188, No. 6, December 1995 a

The Valley, February 2011

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The Valley, February 2011