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Is it summer yet?

Declare your independence

Metal roofs

PLUS

JULY 2010

Learning

on the fly

Fly-fishing teaches environmental

awareness, appreciation for

natural resources

JUL

Y 2010 • PENN LINES3

Visit with us at Penn Lines

Online,located at

http://www.prea.com/Content/

penn_lines_magazine.asp Penn

Lines Online provides an email

link toPenn Lineseditorial staff,

information on advertising

rates, contributor’s guidelines,

and an archive of past issues.

Vol. 45 • No. 7

r A

. F

R O

e H

R E

s D

e H

a M

s S

G C

. D

s S

T &

& D

e K

G &

& C

Penn Lines (USPS 929-700), the newsmagazine

of Pennsylvania’s electric cooperatives, is pub-

lished monthly by the Pennsylvania Rural Elec-

tric Association, 212 Locust Street, P.O. Box

1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108-1266. Penn Lines

helps 166,400 households of co-op consumer-

members understand issues that affect the

electric cooperative program, their local co-

ops, and their quality of life. Electric co-ops

are not-for-profit, consumer-owned, locally

directed, and taxpaying electric utilities. Penn

Linesis not responsible for unsolicited manu-

scripts. The opinions expressed in Penn Lines

do not necessarily reflect those of the editors,

the Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association, or

local electric distribution cooperatives.

Subscriptions: Electric co-op members, $5.42

per year through their local electric distribu-

tion cooperative. Preferred Periodicals postage

paid at Harrisburg, PA 17105 and additional mail-

ing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes

with mailing label to Penn Lines, 212 Locust

Street, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108-1266.

Advertising: Display ad deadline is six weeks

prior to month of issue. Ad rates upon request.

Acceptance of advertising by Penn Lines does

not imply endorsement of the product or serv-

ices by the publisher or any electric cooper-

ative. If you encounter a problem with any

product or service advertised in Penn Lines,

please contact: Advertising, Penn Lines, P.O.

Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108. Penn Lines

reserves the right to refuse any advertising.

Board officers and staff, Pennsylvania Rural

Electric Association: Chairman, Tim Burkett;

Vice Chairman, S. Eugene Herritt; Secretary,

Lanny Rodgers; Treasurer, Kevin Barrett;

President & CEO, Frank M. Betley

part without written permission is prohibited.

4FIRST WORD

6KEEPING CURRENT

News items from across the Commonwealth

7ENERGY MATTERS

A greener way to a green lawn

8FEATURE

Learning on the fly

Fly-fishing teaches environmental awareness,

appreciation for natural resources

12 TIME LINES

Your newsmagazine through the years

12A COOPERATIVE CONNECTION

Information and advice from your local

electric co-op

14 POWER PLANTS

Is it summer yet?

16 OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

Sharing space with a snake

Five-foot-long black rat snake provides

entertainment, eats rodents

17 COUNTRYKITCHEN

Declare your independence

18 CLASSIFIEDS

20 SMART CIRCUITS

Metal roofs keep things cool,

and look good, too

22 PUNCH LINES

Thoughts from Earl Pitts–

Uhmerikun!

Earl knows the difference between gardening,

farming

23 RURAL REFLECTIONS

The view from here

JULY

ON THE COVER

Bill Amspacher, a retired general

serviceman from Adams Electric

Cooperative, fishes for trout in

Pine Grove Furnace State Park.

Photo by Peter Fitzgerald

4PENN LINES • JULY 2010

FIRSTword by John Arway

IF THE TITLE of this article didn’t get

your attention, you must have thought it

was a misprint. No, it isn’t a mistake. In

fact, as I have promised, I am going to

tell you about some of my priorities as

the new director of the Pennsylvania

Fish & Boat Commission (PFBC). It has

become obvious to me that inflation is

catching up with the commission, much

like it catches up with all of us in our

personal lives.

The cost of personnel services, fish

feed for our hatchery programs, gasoline

for our vehicles, electricity due to dereg-

ulation, a looming pension plan deficit,

and all of the other costs of survival in

the 21st century continue to rise. There-

fore, if we are expected to provide the

same level of service, we must find addi-

tional revenue or cut programs.

In my interview with our board of

commissioners for this position, I

explained the need to diversify our

funding portfolio much like we are per-

sonally advised to diversify our invest-

ment portfolio. It makes sound fiscal

sense not to put all of your eggs in one

basket, which makes one less vulnerable

to impact if something happens to your

funding.

In our agency’s case, we have always

depended upon fishing license sales and

boat registration fees and the federal

funds that go along with them to sus-

tain our agency. These sources of rev-

enue have always been the core funding

for our programs and the reason why

we have stayed an independent agency.

We don’t receive general fund (tax)

money contrary to the popular belief of

many. However, there are other ways to

fund our agency’s programs and that

involves acquiring alternative funding

revenue — something other than fees

from fishing licenses and boat registra-

tions.

We need to get serious about looking

at other revenue sources and that’s

where I need your help. We know that

most anglers, boaters and conservation-

ists are not part of organized groups that

we traditionally ask for help to support

our cause. We are getting close to pric-

ing ourselves out of the market and con-

tinue to hear complaints about the rising

costs of licenses and registrations. For

many of us, the cost of a license or regis-

tration is a bargain. However, there are a

lot of us who don’t use our privileges

quite as often for a variety of reasons,

which is why our license sales drop

every time we raise license fees. There-

fore, I suggest that we look at ways to

generate funds by other non-traditional

means.

Unfortunately, most of us are apa-

thetic when we are happy with the way

things are going. It is good that anglers

and boaters are happy with our pro-

grams, which is a sign that we continue

to do good things for you. However, I am

concerned about the future, and you

should be, too. My staff and I are work-

ing on innovative funding ideas that will

support our agency programs, but all of

these options will require action by our

General Assembly. We are finishing a

revenue calculator that will project how

various amounts of funding from alter-

native revenue sources will carry us into

the future without the need to increase

fishing license or boat registration fees,

and possibly reduce them.

e need to start thinking outside

that proverbial box. The time for action

is now before it’s too late for our chil-

dren, our grandchildren and us. It’s time

to support the idea of alternative rev-

enues for the PFBC, and I am ready to

discuss my ideas with our legislators.

Together, we may be able to put together

a plan that will allow us to lower the

cost of your license. See you on the

water.

A fishing license

decrease?

JOHN ARWAY Executive

Director Pennsylvania Fish &

Boat Commission

6PENN LINES• JUL

Y 2010

CREP program protects

environment, pays

landowners

MANY Pennsylvania residents living in

areas where non-forested streams — even

small, intermittent waterways — mean-

der through their property are eligible to

participate in the Conservation Reserve

Enhancement Program (CREP).

At the same time they are elevating the

water quality of local streams (and ulti-

mately the Chesapeake Bay) and benefit-

ting wildlife through habitat development,

participants are earning an annual income.

CREP is a voluntary conservation

program that rewards landowners for

planting native trees and shrubs along

the edge of a non-forested stream in an

attempt to cut down on sediments, pesti-

cides and nutrients in the water. It offers

up to 100 percent reimbursement for

installation and subsequent mainte-

nance, plus it provides a one-time incen-

tive payment followed by annual pay-

ments to the landowner. The program

also covers expenses for high-quality

fencing, crossing and watering systems

for livestock owners to keep livestock out

of waterways if they are needed.

CREP is a partnership of 16 federal,

state and private conservation organiza-

tions. CREP also has other options

besides buffers, such as planting native

grasses and establishing wildlife habitat,

but the Chesapeake Bay Foundation

works only with forested buffers. The

foundation has been working with

CREP’s stream buffer efforts since 2000.

To date, roughly 24,000 acres of forested

buffers have been enrolled in the pro-

gram. Of the $90 million that the pro-

gram has brought to Pennsylvania so far,

about half is for project installation (cre-

ating jobs and tree nurseries) and half is

rental payments to landowners.

According to Dave Wise, the water-

shed restoration manager of the Chesa-

peake Bay Foundation based in Harris-

burg, participants are not required to be

farmers. They simply must be landown-

ers in a rural area who can use a little

extra spending money and are con-

cerned about the environment.

“The Environmental Protection Agency

has estimated that every $1 spent to prevent

water pollution is worth $29 that would

otherwise be spent to clean up the water

after it is already polluted,” Wise reports.

Because clean water is so important,

CREP is well funded, Wise reports.

“CREP has lots of resources —

roughly $500 million — to be put toward

doing good things for the environment,”

he notes. “We need to make serious

progress toward meeting the goals we

have been mandated to meet in terms of

cleaning up the nation’s streams. Volun-

tary, profitable conservation through

CREP is far more attractive than some of

the alternatives we could be faced with if

EPA doesn’t see measurable results in

cleaning up the streams.”

To learn more about how to help the

environment while earning extra money

through CREP, call 800/941-CREP or

visit www

.cbf.org/CREP.

KEEPINGcurrent

Correction

Carolyn Stafford was incorrectly iden-

tified in a photo caption in the July issue

of Penn Lines in the article, “Pedaling

through Pennsylvania.” Carolyn and her

husband, Joe, members of Adams Elec-

tric Cooperative, are avid bicyclists.

GREEN PASTURES: This farm in Bradford County is one of many in Pennsylvania taking part in the

Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). CREP is a voluntary conservation program that

reimburses landowners for the costs associated with planting native trees and grasses near non-

forested streams. Photo provided by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

MOST summer weekends are filled

with the sounds of splashing in swim-

ming pools, kids riding on bicycles and

the din of lawn mowers. Lawn mowers

and other gas-powered lawn equipment

roar to life in most neighborhoods to

keep yards looking pristine.

However, these small engines emit a

surprisingly large amount of pollution.

By some U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA) estimates, engines used

to maintain lawns and gardens account

for 5 percent of total U.S. air pollution.

Although regulation of small engines

has not been a priority for the govern-

ment, new rules will go into effect in the

next year or two governing emissions

from small engines.

The gasoline engines powering lawn

mowers and other yard equipment emit

carbon monoxide, a colorless and odor-

less gas that is toxic to humans. They

also emit hydrocarbons and nitrogen

oxide that contribute to the formation of

ground-level ozone. Operat-

ing a gasoline-powered lawn

mower for one hour pro-

duces the same amount of

smog-forming hydrocarbons

as driving an average car

almost 200 miles, according

to the EPA.

What’s more, gas lawn

mowers are noisy.

Luckily for your lawn

(and neighbors), options do

exist to help keep grass

groomed while reducing air

and noise pollution.

A manual reel mower is a great

option. These mowers have no engine,

no fuel, and use human power to oper-

ate. They have zero emissions and oper-

ate with very little noise. These mowers

can last years with proper care. They

are best-suited for smaller lawns.

Electric and battery-powered mow-

ers offer a clean alternative to the reel

mower. Like gas mowers, electric and

battery-operated mowers have a motor

that spins a blade, which cuts the blades

of grass. They are quiet, emit no direct

pollutants, and can either be corded or

cordless.

Costs for a corded mower are similar

to that of a gas-powered

mower. They do have one

very limiting feature: they

must be connected to the

house via an extension cord.

Cordless rechargeable

mowers are more convenient

than their corded counter-

parts. Some cordless mowers

have a removable battery

that can be charged inside

the home.

Rechargeable mowers are

limited by the life of the bat-

tery pack. When shopping

for a cordless mower, look

for information on the size of

lawn the mower can handle or the min-

utes the mower will be able to run on a

single charge. Actual times will vary

depending on the age of the battery,

height of the grass, and how quickly the

user can get the job done.

In recent years, the choice in cord-

less mowers has expanded, but cordless

mowers continue to receive mixed

reviews. Given the high cost of the

mowers, careful attention should be

paid to the brand and model being pur-

chased. Online reviews of cordless

mowers are a helpful resource in pick-

ing the right one. Many retailers offer

customer reviews of products and these

should be viewed prior to purchasing.

Gas-powered lawn mowers can be

found on almost every street in Amer-

ica. However, because of rising fuel

costs and environmental concerns,

more people are switching to human-

powered reel mowers or electric mow-

ers. These alternatives are a reliable and

attractive alternative to gas-powered

models. They pollute less, and perhaps

most importantly, they won’t disturb

your neighbor’s summer nap.

Brian Sloboda is a program manager

specializing in energy efficiency for the

Cooperative Research Network, a service of

the Arlington, V

a.-based National Rural

Electric Cooperative Association.

ENERGYmatters

A greener way

to a green lawn

By Brian Sloboda

Cooperative Research Network

QUIET ALTERNATIVE: Battery-powered mowers run on

rechargeable batteries.

JULY 2010 • PENN LINES 7

GREENER MOWING: Reel mowers rely on time-tested technology

to cut grass with little more than sharp blades and elbow grease.

FOR MANY fly-fishermen, a day in the

stream can be a lesson in nature, where

paying close attention to your surround-

ings can land you that prize trout.

The lessons come in many forms to

the observant angler. It may be an early

morning hatch of mayflies, tipping you to

what’s on the menu. Or that babble in the

brook, telling you the water level is low;

look for deeper pools to fish.

For Joe Humphreys, the lessons come

from a lifetime in the water, where he

developed not only fishing skills, but also

agreat love for the natural environment.

“The stream was my classroom,” he

PENNlines

nia’s many trout streams.

“Fishing can be funny sometimes —

fishermen, too,” he notes. “Some don’t

want to share what they know and give

up their secrets.”

Iffishing is Humphreys’ first love,

teaching is his second, and he doesn’t

mind sharing a secret or two. Though

retired now

, Humphreys maintains a busy

By Peter Fitzgerald

Editor

says. “That’s where I developed a fly-fish-

ing education. When I was old enough to

ride a bicycle, I’d ride out and fish.”

Pennsylvania’s babbling brooks could

probably tell a story or two about Joe

Humphreys. The legendary angler has

fished many of the Commonwealth’s

waters since he was a boy growing up in

Centre County in the 1930s.

“I caught my first trout on Spring

Creek,” he recalls. “It was an 8-inch trout

on a bamboo fly rod, which was what

everybody had in those days. Since then,

I’ve been hooked.”

Humphreys went on to capture the

Pennsylvania record brown trout, a 34-

inchmonster he landed in 1977 that was

featured in a past issue of Penn Lines (see

inset, page 11). The record stood for sev-

eral years until the Pennsylvania Fish and

Boat Commission (PFBC) changed the

record standard from length to weight.

Humphreys took that early love of the

sport and turned it into a lifelong career,

going on to teach fly-fishing for more

than four decades. In 1968, he introduced

fly-fishing to the physical education pro-

gram at Bald Eagle Area High School in

Centre County. He then went on to teach

at Penn State University, and directed the

angling program there for close to 20

years, passing along his knowledge of fly

casting, fishing techniques and tactics to

generations of students.

While he learned some things from

fishing veterans like George Harvey, who

created the angling program at Penn

State, most of what he knows he picked

up on his own in and along Pennsylva-

8PENN LINES •JULY 2010

Learning

on the fly

Fly-fishing teaches environmental awareness,

appreciation for natural resources

HOOKED: Bill Amspacher, retired Adams Electric

Cooperative general serviceman, works his line

onto his fly rod for a day in the stream.

LEARNING TO FL

Y: Fly-fishing guide Dave Cardellino,

a member of Tri-County Rural Electric Cooperative,

demonstrates proper casting on Kettle Creek in

Potter County.

That’s just what Bill Amspacher, a

retired general serviceman from Adams

Electric Cooperative, did one day when a

friend introduced him to the sport several

years ago: he just watched and learned.

While some people might be intimi-

dated when they see the back-and-forth

motion of fly casting, Amspacher encour-

ages people not to get too caught up in

the casting process.

“Casting is easy,” he says. “I can have

someone casting in five minutes. The eas-

iest way is to watch someone who knows

how to do it. But I wouldn’t worry about

it so much. Besides, you can’t catch a fish

if your line’s in the air all the time.”

Another piece of advice Amspacher

offers: keep it simple. While it can be

easy to get caught up in all the fancy (and

expensive) equipment available for fly-

fishing, it’s best to start with the basics of

a rod and reel and some flies.

“In the end, you’re getting all geared

up to go after something that has the

brain the size of a peppercorn,”

Amspacher says with a laugh. “And most

of the time, the fish wins.”

Amspacher has a cabin in Pine Grove

Furnace State Park in Cumberland

County, with lots of trout fishing in the

area. It’s there he discovered the joys of

being in the stream.

“Y

ou just notice so many things when

you’re out there,” he explains. “For me,

it’s the catching, not the keeping.”

Amspacher has since passed along his

love for the sport to his son.

“It’s something we can do together,” he

says.

JULY 2010 • PENN LINES 9

become a better fisherman.

“If I want to catch a fish,” he says, “I

should know something about the insect

population.”

Getting started

While he was mainly self-taught,

Humphreys says today people wishing to

learn fly-fishing have access to many

resources — including books, instruc-

tional videos, even professional guides.

For many beginners, the best way to

learn still is to tag along with someone

who knows the sport.

schedule and continues to share his

knowledge through charity events, youth

programs or with people he meets along

the stream. A big part of his message has

always been care for our natural

resources.

“I enjoy seeing people learn,” he says.

“But it’s not just about techniques and

tactics. We need to stress the importance

of the environment.”

That lesson, Humphreys believes,

goes hand-in-hand with picking up a

fishing rod. After all, knowing a little

about the environment might help you

PRIZE: An angler works a fly off a recently landed

brown trout.

Cooperative spirit

Passing along the pastime of fishing

serves as the inspiration for the Yellow

Creek Coalition (YCC), a nonprofit

organization established to preserve a

stretch of the stream in Bedford County.

Concerned that the purchase of land

along the stream for a private fishing

club might prohibit fishing to the general

public, the coalition formed in 2005 to

ensure future generations in the area

would be able to enjoy the sport.

“I have fished the stream all my life,”

explains YCC President Fred Sherlock, a

member of New Enterprise Rural Electric

Cooperative. “I want to make sure my

grandkids have a place to fish. We want to

keep it open to the public.”

The coalition serves to protect a 1.25-

mile stretch of the stream that is desig-

nated as a fly-fishing only project. The

project was established in 1957 through

the efforts of then-state Fish Warden Bill

McIlnay. Working in cooperation with

local landowners, McIlnay helped secure

this portion of Yellow Creek to serve as a

catch-and-release area for fly-fishing.

That spirit of cooperation continues

today at the project, which is thriving,

thanks to the coalition. Formed by mem-

bers of three local chapters of Trout Unlim-

ited (an international nonprofit organiza-

tion dedicated to the conservation and

enhancement of streams, waterways and

trout resources), the coalition has worked

to improve the infrastructure at the site,

including adding a bridge, access roads

and a parking lot — all through volunteer

efforts. Today, the parking lot bears McIl-

nay’s name, and was developed from land

donated by his daughter and her husband.

Charles Whitman, McIlnay’s son-in-

law and a member of New Enterprise

Rural Electric Cooperative, says none of

this would be possible without the help

of volunteers.

“In 2009, we put the bridge in,” Whit-

man relates. “It took about 5,000 hours of

labor — all volunteer.”

Volunteers also help keep the creek

and feeder streams clear of trash and

debris. Yellow Creek is a well-known trout

stream that draws people from

outside the state. In addition to

keeping this stretch of the

stream open to the public, the

goal of the coalition is to con-

serve the natural resource and

preserve the water quality.

“Some of the old-timers

here say the stream is health-

ier today than it’s been in the

past,” Whitman relates. “They

say there’s more insect life for

the fish to eat.”

Over the years, the YCC

has raised about $60,000 for

its various efforts. Because it

doesn’t rely on any state or

government money, the coali-

tion supports itself through

donations, raffles and various

fundraising events. To help

maintain the fly-fishing project for people

to enjoy, the members always welcome

more support.

“This stream was open long before I

was here,” says Whitman. “It should stay

that way.”

Trout economics

Maintaining projects like this also

serves to enhance the state’s rural

economies, explains Randy Buchanan,

YCC vice president and Trout Unlim-

ited/Mountain Laurel chapter president.

“In terms of bringing people to restau-

rants and hotels, a project like this does a

lot for the local economy

,” he says. “People

come from all over to fish this stream.”

The story seems to be the same along

trout streams all across the Common-

wealth. According to the American

Sportfishing Association, Pennsylvania,

at $1.8 billion annually, ranks fifth in the

nation in terms of fishing expenditure.

And that’s behind states with consider-

ably more shoreline — Florida, Texas,

Minnesota, California and Michigan.

PFBC Executive Director John Arway

says the impact of fishing and fishing-

related activities is considerable, espe-

cially in rural parts of the state where

people go to enjoy these activities.

“Fishing and boating contribute signif-

PENNlines

10 PENN LINES • JULY 2010

PRESERVATION: New Enterprise Rural Electric

members, from left, Charles Whitman and Fred

Sherlock, overlook a stretch of Yellow Creek in

Bedford County designated for fly-fishing only. The

two are members of the Yellow Creek Coalition,

which works to preserve this part of the stream.

DEDICA

TION: The parking lot at the Yellow Creek fly-fishing proj-

ect is dedicated to the memory of former Pennsylvania Fish

Warden Bill McIlnay.

gas development of the Marcellus Shale

formation in Pennsylvania. That develop-

ment has generated much concern

among residents who rely on the state’s

natural resources not only for their sim-

ple enjoyment but their livelihoods.

“It’s coming, we know,” Cardellino

says. “Trout Unlimited is very concerned

about the Marcellus Shale. We would like

to see any detriment to the ecology kept

to a minimum.”

Humphreys, who has seen develop-

ment dry up many creek beds in his time,

finds Marcellus activity particularly wor-

risome.

“It could ruin things,” he says. “It’s

scary. That’s why we need to promote the

conservation of resources.”

Though well past retirement,

Humphreys continues to encourage peo-

ple to fish for this very reason. It’s the one

lesson he hopes people will remember.

“The more people that partake in it,” he

explains, “the more people there are that

are aware of what we have — and what we

have to save and protect. Without clean

water, we don’t have a future.”

JULY 2010 • PENN LINES 11

ADVENTURE: Tri-County Rural Electric

Cooperative members Brenda and Dave Cardellino

welcome outdoor enthusiasts to Kettle Creek

Adventures, their lodge and bed & breakfast in

Potter County.

For more

information:

PENNSYLVANIA FISH AND BOAT

COMMISSION

www.fish.state.pa.us

TROUT UNLIMITED

www.tu.org

YELLOW CREEK COALITION

www.mltu.org/yellowcreek.shtml

KETTLE CREEK ADVENTURES

www.pavisnet.com/kcadventures

icant revenues to local, regional, and

statewide economies, particularly in rural

areas,” Arway notes. “Over 870,000

anglers and 2.5 million boaters together

contribute nearly $3.4 billion to the Com-

monwealth’s economy every year. One of

the most popular activities is fly-fishing.

In fact, Pennsylvania has a national repu-

tation as home to some of the best fly-

fishing streams in the country.”

Humphreys agrees, pointing out the

fact that the state has more trout streams

than any state in the nation.

“Think about this,” Humphreys says.

“Tourism is the second biggest industry

in Pennsylvania; fishing is tourism. Peo-

ple fly here, drive here, they need gas,

lodging, food, a tackle shop, equipment …

It is really fueling our economy.”

According to a 2007 Congressional

Sportmen’s Foundation report, fishing

also adds 23,000 jobs to the Common-

wealth’s workforce.

Giving back

Organizations like Trout Unlimited,

which has 11,000 members in 51 chapters

across the Commonwealth, understand

Joe Humphreys, a legendary fly-fisherman

who has written books, taught fly-fishing at

Penn State University and hosted a fly fish-

ing series on ESPN, was featured in the May

1983 edition of Penn Lines, giving his com-

mon-sense approach to the sport.

Included in the article was a photo of

Humphreys with a fish he caught in 1977. And not just any fish, but the speckled

monster he had been stalking for years — Pennsylvania’s record brown trout that

measured in at 34 inches long and 19 1/2 inches around.

For three summers, Humphreys had chased the huge trout, trying to ascertain

its feeding patterns while hoping no one else beat him to it.

He describes the record-breaking trout as “a railroad tie with spots” that he

had to pick up with both arms and throw up on the bank because his net wasn’t

big enough to capture it.

the importance of maintaining streams as

precious natural resources.

Dave Cardellino, Trout Unlimited/Kettle

Creek chapter president and member of

Tri-County Rural Electric Cooperative, says

he got interested in Trout Unlimited

through his work with the Kettle Creek

Watershed Association in north-central

Pennsylvania.

“Trout Unlimited is an extension of

that because we share similar goals in

working to improve the fishing habitat

and enhance the area,” he explains. “I saw

a need for getting involved and wanted to

help out the community. I think it’s

important that we give back to the envi-

ronment and not just take from it.”

Cardellino started coming to this area in

the early 1980s and fell in love with its nat-

ural beauty. Today, he and his wife, Brenda,

run Kettle Creek Adventures, a lodge and

bed & breakfast in Cross Fork, Potter

County. The lodge brings in all kinds of

outdoor enthusiasts, from hunters and

fishermen to golfers and canoeists.

Cardellino, who has a forestry degree,

says he heard the “call of the outdoors” at

an early age. An avid fisherman, he

brings that love of nature to his work as a

fly-fishing guide.

“A lot of fishing is trying to under-

stand what the fish is thinking,” he

explains. “It comes from knowing where

they are and why they’re there. I like to

take everything in when I’m out on the

stream. For me, a successful day is just

being out in nature.”

Over the years, he’s come to know the

waters and the land well in his neck of

the woods — woods that have seen a lot

more traffic lately associated with natural

12 PENN LINES • JULY 2010

TIMElinesYour Newsmagazine Through the Years

1970 Swimming is just one of many activities

available at Laurel Hill State Park in Somerset

County. The recreational development is served

by Somerset Rural Electric Cooperative.

1980 Meeting with President Jimmy Carter is

the highlight of the Youth Tour. Carter tells the

900 tour participants that his family was served

by a rural electric co-op in Georgia.

1990 The 2-year-old hydroelectric project at

Raystown adds safe, environmentally sound and

affordable energy production to the recreational

and flood control benefits of the lake.

BY CUTTING down or eliminating commuting hassles, internet- and

interactive-based education encouraged many rural residents — espe-

cially adults — to “attend” college.

In the summer of 2000, Indiana University of Pennsylvania offered

11 online courses to students who lived too far from campus to commute.

The latest technology at the time allowed students to type messages to

each other on university-provided online chat rooms, post questions and

assignments to a virtual classroom, read lectures on screen, surf the web

to research papers and ask questions of their instructors via email.

Gary Miller, Penn State University’s associate vice president for dis-

tance education, reports the original distance learning environment — the

correspondence course — was developed by the university in 1892 with

rural students in mind.

College students weren’t the only ones who were benefiting from distance

education. Using two-way television, high school students in rural Pennsylva-

nia participated in classes in advanced science, math, language, and history

that were previously unavailable at their own high schools because there

were too few students enrolled. Meanwhile, their elementary school counter-

parts began taking “field trips” to educational and historic spots throughout

the nation through distance learning — all without leaving their classrooms.

Today, distance learning is offered by most colleges and universities.

Penn State University offers hundreds of online courses that can lead to

more than 70 online degree and certificate programs. Students from all

over the world are tied to teachers through the latest 2010 technology.

2000

14 PENN LINES • JULY 2010

WE PLANT our vegetable

gardens with such anticipa-

tion and expectation. Our

taste buds are in high gear as

we seed the rows or gently

poke seeds into carefully

mounded hills of soil. We

weed, we water, we watch and

we wait.

Harvest dates are different

every gardening year. We can

use the “days to harvest”

number listed on the label as a

guide, sure, but ripening

depends on the growing sea-

son. Some plants grow best in

an extra warm summer, some

seem to thrive in a cooler-

than-normal summer. Soil

temperature and moisture,

degree-days (a cumulative

heat measure) and sunny vs.

cloudy or rainy days will

affect the process. The micro-

climate for your garden will

influence plant growth, as will

your setout or seeding date.

So we gardeners learn to

apply those wonderfully inexact

rules of thumb, the subtle tips

and tests for gauging ripeness

and readiness and knowing

when the crop “is ready” to

pick. Experienced gardeners

have their own system of what

to watch for and how to tell

when to begin harvesting each

vegetable. Beginners will learn

this through trial and error.

Luckily, many vegetables can

be harvested for fresh eating

while still on the immature

side, including the thinnings

of carrots, beets and leafy

greens, pulled baby onions,

and even “new” potatoes. The

benefit: you enjoy them on the

table sooner and you stretch

their season.

You might notice that some

vegetable varieties seem to

ripen all at once while others

stretch their productivity over

a longer period. If you want to

make cucumbers into pickles

or tomatoes into paste, or

expect to can string beans, it is

best to grow a variety that

matures in a short window.

If you record your experi-

ences in a garden journal, you

can track your observations

about ripening, yield quantity

and quality over time. This

data becomes an invaluable,

ongoing reference, like an

owner’s manual to your veg-

etable garden.

By now, the early season

vegetables including peas, red

radishes, cole crops, spinach

and lettuces are “gone by.”

What’s ready next?

Cucumbers and their rela-

tive, the zucchini, are fast

growers, so keep an eye on

them. You will notice cukes

and zukes begin developing

about 10 days after the first

bloom. Watch closely: these

seem to double in size

overnight. Both of these vegeta-

bles will continue producing as

long as they are harvested

promptly, so keep picking. If

you dread the “baseball bat”

zucchini squash, keep in mind

that tiny zucchini are quite ten-

der and delicious, so don’t hold

back! And yes, squash blos-

soms are edible, too.

Ripe green beans have

sized up but are still tender

and moist. Pick them before

the inner seeds bulge out and

the exterior hardens. Check

often once the plants begin to

flower because the beans elon-

gate quickly.

Sweet corn is sweetest

when cooked within a few

minutes of picking, so don’t

waste time. When the silks

begin to turn brown and dry,

check for ripeness. Pierce a

kernel with your finger nail;

when the inner juice is milky,

it’s time. To preserve the

sweetness, keep the corn cool

between harvest and cooking.

Tomatoes! Ah, tomatoes!

These babies are ripe when a

gentle “tug with a twist” sepa-

rates the fruit from the vine.

Although we picture fully

vine-ripened tomatoes as red,

it depends on the specific vari-

ety. Ripe tomato colors range

from gold to orange-red to

deep red to nearly black!

Many homegrown

favorites — heirloom toma-

toes, peppers, eggplant, mel-

ons and winter squash —

ripen in late summer, thus

requiring patience.

Gardeners who desire a

constant supply of produce to

show for our efforts know that

Swiss chard produces steadily

week in and week out. Snip

individual stems from the

outer edge of the plant, cutting

low to the ground and leaving

the center leaves to continue

growing. You’ll never come in

empty-handed.

POWERplants

BARBARA MARTIN,

who says she began

gardening as a hobby

“too many years ago to

count,” currently works

for the National Garden-

ing Association as a horticulturist. A former

member of Gettysburg-based Adams Elect-

ric Cooperative, her articles appear in mag-

azines and on the internet.

by Barbara Martin

Is it summer

yet?

ARE WE THERE YET:Like an impa-

tient child on a car trip, anxious gar-

deners have a difficult time waiting

for their home-grown produce.

16 PENN LINES • JULY 2010

OUTDOORadventures by Marcus Schneck

THE BLACK rat snake that

sometimes dens in our Boy

Scout troop’s cabin on the

mountain finally showed

itself when I was there. Oth-

ers had spotted the reptile

several times before this, and

on one occasion even found a

shed skin on one of the cots

in the upstairs sleeping area.

It’s not a giant by rat

snake standards. Rather than

the maximum for the species,

which would measure in at

about 100 inches, “our” rat

snake is about 60 inches or

so. But, it’s a snake about 5

feet long and that tends to

catch your attention.

I didn’t spot the snake in

the close quarters of the

cabin, which I’m sure would

have lent a much deeper

sense of surprise to the expe-

rience. I met up with the

snake along one of the trails

near the cabin, in a passing

encounter that gave each of

us a good look at the other,

but left neither of us worse

off because of the experience.

It might have been on its

way back to the cabin. Adult

leaders in the troop have car-

ried it away from the cabin

several times, only to have it

show up back in the building

weeks later. It’s one of the

milder-tempered rat snakes,

willing to put up with some

handling and not move to

defend itself.

Others of its species are

more prone to defensive

machinations that attempt to

present the image of a rat-

tlesnake by vibrating their

tails in the leaves, raising

their heads as if preparing to

strike, striking and biting.

They also can release a foul-

smelling musk.

Black rat snakes also are

highly skilled climbers,

which explains why the one

at the cabin has been spotted

sliding down the side of the

big, rock fireplace at the end

of the common room on the

first floor. And, that’s a

slightly creepy thought to

those of us who regularly

sleep in the cabin, on cots

easily reached from the floor

under beams that could eas-

ily provide crawl space for a

climbing serpent.

On the other hand — and

this is the consideration that

will trump all else — rat

snakes are great predators of

small rodents of all types.

That reptile without a doubt

is putting a dent in the local

rodent population. They also

eat other snakes, and put

those arboreal abilities to use

in finding and swallowing

birds’ eggs, but those are

small offenses for any snake

that’s cutting down on the

number of tick-carrying

rodents. (There was a time

when I had a real phobia

about snakes, but ticks and

Lyme disease spirochetes

now hold the top spot among

my not-too-unrealistic fears.)

I doubt I’d feel the same

way about this situation if

the cabin-loving snake was a

copperhead or a rattlesnake.

Those reptiles also are good

mousers, but they have that

downside of poisonous

venom. We couldn’t have

one of those species fre-

quenting the cabin. I guess

we’d just have to transport

the offending reptile farther

from the cabin, as killing

any snake in these days of

declining herp populations is

not an option.

MARCUS SCHNECK,

outdoors editor at The

Patriot-News (Harris-

burg) and outdoor

blogger at

www.pennlive.com, is

the author of more

than two dozen out-

doors books and a contributor to many state

and national publications. You can reach him

at mschneck@comcast.net

Sharing

space with a

snake

5-foot-long black rat snake

provides entertainment,

eats rodents

A GOOD DEED: Snakes drastically cut

down on rodents living in the same

area.

by Janette Hess

116-ounce bag slaw mix (green cabbage, carrots and

red cabbage)

6 tablespoons sugar

2/3 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1/4 teaspoon celery seed

Thirty minutes before serving time, combine the sugar,

cream, salt and vinegar in order given. Blend with the chilled cabbage and

stir in celery seed. Return to the refrigerator until serving time.

JULY IS the perfect month to declare your independence

from a hot kitchen, and strategic selection of recipes and

cooking methods will assure your success.

Once you’ve placed the ingredients for Tangy Pulled Pork

in your slow cooker, simply move it to the patio or garage.

Plug it into a convenient outlet and let the slow cooker do the

work while the great outdoors absorbs the extra heat. With

the recipe for Sweet and Sour Slaw, the not-so-secret, time-

saving ingredient is a bag of prepared slaw mix.

Be sure to complete your summer meal with a cool, light

dessert. Cocoa Mousse fits the description. The heat required

to boil the water can be confined to a microwave oven. For a

finishing touch of flavor, garnish the mousse with shaved

chocolate or crushed cookies.

Oh, say, can you see how much time and energy you’ve

saved?

A trained journalist, JANETTE HESS focuses her writing on interesting people and interesting

foods. She is a Master Food Volunteer with her local extension service and enjoys collecting,

testing and sharing recipes.

TANGY PULLED PORK

1 boneless Boston butt pork roast

(4-5 pounds)

1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1 teaspoon celery salt

1 teaspoon salt-free seasoning

1 cup barbecue sauce

1 cup salsa

Place roast and water in a slow cooker. Sprinkle with seasonings.

Cook on low until the meat is very tender, about 8 to 9 hours. Trans-

fer to a large pan or cutting board. Shred meat with a fork, remov-

ing all fat. (Discard all fat and drippings.) Return the meat to the

slow cooker and add barbecue sauce and salsa. Cook one hour

longer, adding more barbecue sauce if the meat seems dry. Serve on

buns with additional sauce.

2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin

2 tablespoons cold water

1/4 cup boiling water

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup cocoa

2 cups chilled whipping cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

OPTIONAL TOPPINGS:

Shaved chocolate

Crushed chocolate sandwich cookies

Sprinkle gelatin on cold water to soften. Add boiling water and stir

until the mixture is clear. Cool slightly, but do not allow the gelatin

to set. In a cold mixing bowl, combine sugar and cocoa. Add whip-

ping cream and vanilla extract and beat until stiff. Fold in the gelatin

mixture and blend well. Spoon into individual cups and add a top-

ping, if desired. Chill. Makes 8 servings.

COCOA MOUSSE

Declare your independence

COUNTRYkitchen

CREAMY SLAW

JULY 2010 • PENN LINES 17

18 PENN LINES •JULY 2010

PENNLINESclassified

AROUND THE HOUSE

“COUNTRY COOKING,” Volume 2 — $8, including postage.

“RECIPES REMEMBERED,” Volume 3 — $12, including postage.

Both of these cookbooks areacollection of recipes from men

and women of the electric co-ops of Pennsylvania and New

Jersey. Payable to: Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association,

P. O. Box1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108. Write Attention:

Cookbooks. Volume 1 of “Country Cooking” is SOLD OUT.

OUTSIDE WOOD HEATER - $1,595. Forced air system. Rated

100K BTU. Heats up to 2,400 square feet. Houses, mobiles or

shops. Low-cost shipping. Easy install. 417-581-7755 Missouri.

www.heatbywood.com.

CLOCK REPAIR: If you have an antique grandfather clock,

mantel clock or old pocket watch that needs restored, we can

fix anytimepiece.MacksClock Repair: 814-749-6116.

FREE FIREWOOD – Trees already felled. You cut and clean up.

814-838-4723.

BUILDING SUPPLIES

STEEL ROOFING AND SIDING.Discount Prices. Corrugated

sheets (cut to length) 52¢ per square foot. Also seconds,

heavy gauges, odd lots, etc. Located in northwestern

Pennsylvania. 814-398-4052.

METAL BUILDINGS — 24 x 40 x 8, $9,900 installed. 30 x 40 x 8,

$11,900 installed. Includes one walk door and one garage door. All

sizesavailable. 800-464-3333. www.factorysteelbuildings.com.

FACTORYSECONDS of insulation, 4 x 8 sheets, foil back. Also

reflective foil bubble wrap. 814-442-6032.

WHITE PINE T&G Boards. 1 x 6 and 1 x 8 bead/V groove.

Some can be used for flooring. Price start 26¢ LF to 60¢ LF.

Call 717-870-9746. www.twoguyslumber.com.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

PIANO TUNING PAYS — Learn at home with American School of

Piano Tuning home-study course in piano tuning and repair. Tools

included. Diploma granted. Call for free brochure 800-497-9793.

ROOF KILLING YOU? Instant Renew Roof Coating (sm) saves

replacement cost—metal, rubber, flat. Hotels, schools,

factories, offices, trailers. Winter/summer don’t miss out, add-

on or new start. Business Mfg. Direct Aztec 573-489-9346.

YOLI — Check out the newhealth drink. Stop drinking all that

sugar and other bad stuff that is in all the so-called health

drinks. www.digger.goyoli.com.

OUTGOING? Looking for motivated individuals with a positive

attitude to become a Brand Partner for a health and wellness

company. Please send inquiry to: don@HelpYourHealth2.com.

CAMPGROUND

AUSTIN CAMPGROUND in beautiful Potter County, modern

family camping, full-service pet friendly cabin/RV rentals, see

the Pennsylvania Elk, Grand Canyon of PA, fishing, ATV, hiking.

800-878-0889 or www.austincampground.com.

CASH FOR GOLD

Sell your unwanted GOLD and SILVER. Highest paid prices paid

in Central PA. Guaranteed! Licensed local dealer: Creekside

Antiques, 1031-35 Third Ave., (old Rt. 22) Duncansville, PA. 814-

695-7219 Get Cash.

CHURCH LIFT SYSTEMS

Make your church, business or home wheelchair accessible.

We offer platform lifting systems, stair lifts, porch lifts and

ramps. References. Free estimates. Get Up & Go Mobility Inc.

412-833-9371 or 814-926-3622.

CONSULTING FORESTRY SERVICES

NOLL’S FORESTRY SERVICES, INC. performs Timber Marketing,

Timber Appraisals, Forest Management Planning, and Forest

Improvement Work. FREE Timber Land Recommendations. 30

years experience. Call 814-472-8560.

CENTRE FOREST RESOURCES. Maximizing present and future

timber values, Forest Management Services, Managing

Timber Taxation, Timber Sales, Quality Deer Management.

FREE Timber Consultation. College educated, professional,

ethical. 814-867-7052.

CYCLONE FENCING

CYCLONE FENCE for sale — 7 feet high x 400 feet. One eight-

foot gate, one four-foot gate. Must be dismantled by buyer.

Location – Beaumont. Call 570-760-1094 for inspection. Ask

for Sandy.

ELECTRICAL & PLUMBING

RESIDENTIAL PLUMBING,ELECTRICAL – Raystown Electric

LLC. New construction, remodeling, additions, storage barns,

garages. Also offering landscape and security lighting. Call

Cliffat 814-386-5520.

ENTERTAINMENT

10th Anniversary KETTLE CREEK Ambulance Music Festival,

Aug. 12-15, special band appearing Thursday night. Live music,

vendors, food, crafts, children’s games area. (Classic Cars

Saturday) Held at Quiet Oaks Campground, Cross Fork, PA.

Camping available. Visit www.kcmusicfest.com.

FENCING

FREE FenceGuide/Catalog – High-tensile fence, horse fence,

rotational grazing, twine, wire, electric netting – cattle, deer,

garden, poultry. Kencove Farm Fence Supplies: 800-536-

2683. www.kencove.com.

GIFT AND CRAFT IDEAS

“COUNTRYCOOKING,” Volume 2 — $8, including postage.

“RECIPESREMEMBERED,” Volume 3 — $12, including postage.

Both of these cookbooks are a collection of recipes from men

and women ofthe electric co-ops ofPennsylvania and New

Jersey. Payable to: Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association,

P. O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108. Write Attention:

Cookbooks. Volume 1 of “Country Cooking” is SOLD OUT.

HANDCRAFTED FURNITURE

COUNTRYCRAFTED bentwood oak/hickory rockers. Swings,

gliders, double rockers, coffee/end tables, bar stools, kitchen

sets, cedar log outdoor furniture, log bedrooms, SPECIAL queen

log bed, $599. 814-733-9116. www.zimmermanenterprise.com.

HERE’S MY AD:

es, I want my message to go into more than 166,400

households in rural Pennsylvania. I have counted

_________ words in this ad. (FOR ADS IN ALL CAPITAL

LETTERS, ADD 20 PERCENT TO TOTAL COST.)

❏Iam an electric co-op member. Attached is my Penn Lines mailing label from the front of this magazine.

Ienclose $20 per month for 30 words or less, plus 50¢ for each additional word. The total payment

enclosed is $_________________________.

Please run my ad during the months of ______________________________________________________.

❏Iam NOT a member of an electric cooperative. I enclose $70 per month for 30 words or less, plus $1.50

for each additional word.

The total payment enclosed is $_____________________.

Please run my ad during the months of ______________________________________________________.

_______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________

123456

_______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________

7 8 9 10 11 12

_______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________

13 14 15 16 17 18

_______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________

19 20 21 22 23 24

_______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________

25 26 27 28 29 30

Additional words: _____________________________________________________ (use separate sheet if needed)

NOTE: You must pay for special heading requests, even if the heading is currently appearing in Penn Lines.

Only the following qualify as free headings. Please check your selection: ❏Around the House ❏Business

Opportunities ❏Employment Opportunities ❏Gift and Craft Ideas ❏Livestock and Pets

❏Miscellaneous ❏Motor Vehicles and Boats ❏Nursery and Garden ❏Real Estate ❏Recipes

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

FOR SPECIAL HEADINGS NOT LISTED: Indicate special heading you would like, and add $5 for co-op mem-

bers,$10 for non-members. Insertion of classified ad in Penn Linesserves as proof of publication; no proofs

are furnished.

SEND THIS FORM (or a sheet containing the above information) to Penn LinesClassifieds, P.O. Box 1266,

Harrisburg, PA 17108.

FOR INFORMATION ONLY Telephone: 717/233-5704. NO classified ads will be accepted by phone.

ATTN: Checks/money orders should be made payable to PREA/Penn Lines.

ATTACH ADDRESS LABEL HERE

(OR WRITE IN COMPLETE LABEL INFORMATION)

CLASSIFIED AD

✉DEADLINE

MONTH DEADLINE

September 2010. . . . . . . July 19

October 2010. . . . . . . August 18

November 2010. . . . . . . Sept. 17

All ads must be received by the

specified dates to be included in the

corresponding month’s issue. Ads

received beyond the deadline dates

will automatically be included in the

next available issue. Written notice

of changes or cancellations must be

received prior to the first of the

month preceding the month of issue.

For information about display rates,

continuous ads, or specialized

headings, contact Vonnie Kloss

at 717/233-5704, the Pennsylvania

Rural Electric Association.

JULY 2010 • PENN LINES 19

PENNLINESclassified

HEALTH AND NUTRITION

Tired of all those medicines — Still not feeling better? Do you

want to feel better, have more energy, better digestion, less

joint stiffness, healthier heart/circulation and cholesterol

levels? Find out how to empower your own immune system —

start IMMUNE-26 today! It’s safe, affordable, and it works. Call

800-557-8477: ID#528390. 90-day money back on first time

orders. When ordering from Web, use Option #3.

www.mylegacyforlife.net/believeit.

HERBALIFE NUTRITIONAL PRODUCTS – Call James at 717-483-

6510 or check the website,

www.herbalnutrition.net/members/JamesLewis.

HEALTH INSURANCE

DO YOU HAVE THE BLUES regarding your Health Insurance?

We cater to rural America's health insurance needs. For more

information, call 800-628-7804 (PA). Call us regarding

Medicare supplements, too.

HELP WANTED

We have appraisers earning over $80,000/year part time. If

you have an agricultural background, you may be qualified to

become a certified livestock or farm equipment appraiser.

Classroom or home study courses available. For information,

call the American Society of Agricultural Appraisers 800-488-

7570or visit www.amagappraisers.com.

INFRARED SAUNAS

Removes toxins, burns calories, relieves joint pain, relaxes

muscles, increases flexibility, strengthens immune system.

Many more HEALTH BENEFITS with infrared radiant heat

saunas.Economical to operate. Barron’s Furniture, Somerset,

PA. 814-443-3115.

LAWN AND GARDEN EQUIPMENT

RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL – SALES – SERVICE – PARTS.

Compact Loaders & Attachments, Mowers, Chainsaws, Tillers,

etc. We sell BCS, Boxer, Dixon, Ferris, Hustler, Grasshopper,

Shindaiwaand more.HARRINGTON’S, Taneytown, MD. 410-756-

2506. www.harringtonsservicecenter.com.

LIVESTOCK AND PETS

GERMAN SHEPHERD puppies $900-$1,500. Young Adult $800

and Adult dogs $500 from imported blood lines. 814-967-2159.

Email:rick@petrusohaus.com Web: www.petrusohaus.com.

PEMBROKE WELSH CORGI Puppies — AKC, adorable, intelligent,

highly trainable. Excellent family choice. Reputable licensed

breeder guaranteed “Last breed you’ll ever own.” 814-587-

3449.

LLAMAS FOR SALE — Variety of colors and types of wool,

including suris. Whatever your need, we have that special

llama for you. Prices start at $250. Call 814-735-4736.

LOG CABIN RESTORATIONS

VILLAGE RESTORATIONS & CONSULTING specializes in 17th and

18th century log, stone and timber structures. We dismantle,

move, re-erect, restore, construct and consult all over the

country. Period building materials available.Chestnut boards,

hardware, etc. Thirty years experience, fully insured. Call 814-

696-1379. www.villagerestorations.com.

MAPLE SYRUP

STEVEN’S PURE Maple Syrup, Liberty, Pa. Plastic from 3.4

ounces togallons.Glass containersfor gifts and collectors.

Maple Sugar, Maple Cream, Maple Candy, Maple Bar-B-Que

Sauce, Maple Salad Dressing, and Gift Baskets for any

occasion made to order. Wholesale or retail prices. NEW

Number:570-324-2014 or email: buymaple@epix.net.

MISCELLANEOUS

BECOME AN ORDAINED MINISTER, Correspondence study. The

harvest truly is great, the laborers are few, Luke 10:2. Free

info. Ministers for Christ Outreach, 7549 West Cactus Road,

#104-207, Peoria, AZ 85381. www.ordination.org.

BAT, BIRD, SQUIRREL droppings can be a health hazard. I can

safely dispose of the problem with my industrial vacuum

machine. I also remove bats and other nuisance animals.

Darrin Fillman 717-436-9391. Licensed and insured.

MOTORCYCLE-SNOWMOBILE INSURANCE

For the best INSURANCE RATES call R & R Insurance

Associates from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 800-442-6832 (PA).

P2000 INSULATION SYSTEM

Out of 20,000 homes, Energy Star found this one to be the

most energy efficient home ever tested in PA, NJ, NY & DE.

Stops cold, heat, wind and moisture. Vapor barrier and

sheathing all in one. Residential - Commercial – Hobby - Shops

–Farms – Pole Buildings. Burkenhaus Distribution Center,

Thomasville, PA. 717-801-0013. JoeBurkeyp2000@comcast.net

or visit www.P2000insulation.com.

NURSERY AND GARDEN

FRESH, HOME-GROWN vegetables and herbs. Several varieties

of hot and sweet peppers, tomatoes, beans, peas, onions,

turnips. Parsnips, spinach, red beets, kohlrabi, cucumbers,

zucchini, cantaloupes, watermelons, pumpkins. For

availability, call Maria, 814-224-5368 or 814-312-5997.

PAINTING CONTRACTORS IN PA

LOG CABIN painting and staining, interior, exterior. One-stop

preventive maintenance. Victorian and historical homes and

structures are our specialties. Jardine’s Painting, Newville,

717 226-0629 or www.jardinespainting.com.

REAL ESTATE

RAYSTOWN LAKE — $375,000, 35 acres, build-ready,

mountaintop vista, close to boat launch. Call 814-599-0790.

CAMP FOR SALE near Cook Forest. Small but clean, sleeps six.

Near stocked trout stream, horse trails, ATV trails, surrounded

by Allegheny Forest. Has septic, carry-in water. $26,500. 440-

241-1562.

INDIAN LAKE — Somerset County, Pa. Two bedroom summer

cottage, 760 square feet with partial basement, completely

furnished. Includes 20-footpontoon boat with boat dock.

$229,900. 717-737-6947 or email jwhart2@verizon.net.

TIDOUTE AREA — Warren County. Double-wide on block

foundation, 1 acre close to Allegheny River, gamelands. 3

bedrooms, 2 full baths, living room, kitchen, covered deck,

shed. $75,000. 814-825-3890 or 814-566-1656.

COOK FOREST Business and Property for sale. 46.7 acres.

Includes restaurant/lodge, campground, ten cabins, three-

bedroom house, maintenance barn, equipment, mobile home

and pond. Call 814-752-2361.

RECIPES AND FOOD

“COUNTRY COOKING,” Volume 2 — $8, including postage.

“RECIPES REMEMBERED,” Volume 3 — $12, including postage.

Both of these cookbooks are a collection of recipes from men

and women of the electric co-ops of Pennsylvania and New

Jersey. Payable to: Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association, P.

O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108. Write Attention: Cookbooks.

Volume 1 of “Country Cooking” is SOLD OUT.

SAWMILLS

USED PORTABLE Sawmills and COMMERCIAL Saw-mill

Equipment! Buy/Sell. Call Sawmill Exchange 800-459-2148.

USA and Canada. www.sawmillexchange.com.

SHAKLEE

FREE SAMPLE Shaklee’s Energy Tea. Combination red, green

and white teas that arenatural, delicious, refreshing, safe. For

sample or more information on tea or other Shaklee

Nutrition/Weight Loss Products: 800-403-3381 or

www.shaklee.net/sbarton.

TIMBER FRAME HOMES

SETTLEMENT POST & BEAM BUILDING COMPANY uses time-

honored mortise, tenon and peg construction paired with

modern engineering standards. Master Craftsman and owner,

Greg Sickler, brings over two decades of timber-framing

experience to helping you create your dream. We use high-

quality timbers harvested from sustainable forests for all of our

projects. Visit our model home, located on Historic Route 6,

Sylvania, in North Central Pennsylvania. For more information

phone 570-297-0164 or go to www.settlementpostbeam.com or

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

SHARPENING. Carbide saw blades, scissors, knives, wood

chisels and tools. Arius Eickert Certified to sharpen beauty

shears. Scissor sales and service. Call 814-267-5061 or see us

at www.theScissorGuy.net.

TRACTOR PARTS – REPAIR/RESTORATION

ARTHURS TRACTORS, specializing in vintage Ford tractors, 30-

years experience, on-line parts catalog/prices, shipped via UPS.

TREE TRIMMING/REMOVAL

TOM’STREE SERVICE – Tree Trimming/Removal – Storm Clean-

up – Stump Grinding – Land Clearing – Bucket Truck and

Chipper – Fully Insured – Free Estimates – Call 24/7 – 814-448-

3052 – 814-627-0550 – 26 Years Experience.

VACATIONS AND CAMPSITES

VACATION PROPERTY — For rent ocean front condo, Myrtle

Beach, SC. Excellent condition. Close to major attractions.

Booking for 2010. Please call 814-425-2425 or visit

www.oceanfrontmyrtlebcondo.com.

FLORIDA VILLAGES — Two bedroom, two bath, two bikes. Fully

furnished. One hour from Disney World. Rent two week

minimum or monthly, $1,400 (June to September). Call 716-

536-0104. Great entertainment. Dancing nightly.

COOK FOREST, SHILOH RESORT/MAMA DOE’S Restaurant —

Campground, cabins, rooms and suites, rent by day or week.

Two days free when you stay by the week. Reserve today, call

814-752-2361.

CLEAR CREEK PARK AREA — The cleanest place in the forest.

Five-star rated, open all year. Call 814-752-2972 for brochures

or visit www.northwoodscottagerental.com.

APARTMENT FOR RENT – Two bedroom apartment for rent by

the week, 1 1/2blocksfrom the beach. Call 717-334-4388.

RAYSTOWN CAMPER RENTALS – Campers available for all

events. Delivery and set-up available within Lake Raystown.

For more information, call 814-386-1715 or email

hedgie17@yahoo.com or visit www.raystowncamperrental.com.

HUNTING CAMP in Clearfield County near Parker Dam in

Moshannon State Forest. 12 x 28. Excellent hunting and

fishing. Please call for more information and pictures, 724-

838-5367. $37,500.

WANTED TOBUY

WANTED TOBUY: Standing timber 20+ acres.Earn a little extra

cash this summer. For more information please call 301-746-

5552 or visit our website at www.redrockllc.com.

MEDICINAL ROOTS – Including blood root, skunk cabbage,

black cohosh, golden seal and others. For serious diggers, call

814-698-2206 or write “Roots” at 567 Bryant Hollow Road,

Coudersport, PA 16915.

WORK CLOTHES

GOOD CLEAN RENTAL-type work clothes, 6 pants & 6 shirts

to match, $44.95. Men’s jeans – 5 pairs, $25. Lined work

jackets,$10.95. Walt's Wholesale 800-233-1853 or

www.usedworkclothing.com.

20 PENN LINES • JULY 2010

MANY — but not all — metal roofs qualify

for the federal energy conservation tax

credit for 2010. Metal roofs save energy by

keeping your house cooler during the

summer, which can dramatically improve

comfort inside and reduce electric bills if

your home is air-conditioned. During the

winter, a metal roof has a negligible impact

on the energy efficiency of your house.

In general, in order to qualify for the

energy tax credit, the roof must meet

Energy Star qualification standards. For

roofing, this means the TSR (total solar

reflectivity) must be greater than 25 per-

cent when new and 15 percent after three

years of aging. To be sure the roofing qual-

ifies, ask for the specifications and a man-

ufacturer’s certification statement (MCS). It

pays to be diligent these days: I recently

got quotes on a roof installation, and sev-

eral roofers told me their asphalt shingles

qualified for the tax credit. In actuality

they did not qualify.

The amount of the tax credit is 30 per-

cent of the material cost of the roof (not

installation expenses) up to a maximum of

$1,500. Use IRS form 5695 to apply for the

tax credit and save the payment receipt

and MCS in case of a tax audit.

For my own home project, I eventually

selected a Classic Metal Roofing Systems

aluminum roof. It is made from 98 percent

recycled aluminum, and the one-by-two-

foot panels are formed to simulate a cedar

shake roof. It’s attractive and certainly

unique: many neighbors were stumped

trying to figure out exactly what it is.

To install the aluminum panel roof, a

special film underlayment was nailed

down with plastic clips and stainless steel

fasteners over the existing shingles (which

saved the expense of tearing off the old

shingles). Each aluminum panel interlocks

with the adjacent ones on all four sides.

SMARTcircuits by James Dulley

Metal roofs keep

things cool, and

look good, too

JAMES DULLEY is a nationally syndi-

cated energy management expert. You

can reach him at James Dulley, c/o Penn

Lines, 6906 Royalgreen Drive, Cincinnati,

OH 45244.

The top of each panel is held down by a

stainless steel nail through a hole in the

upper corner and an aluminum clip

attached midway across the top. It is

designed to withstand up to a 120-mile-

per-hour wind.

Although it is more expensive to install

than an asphalt shingle roof, my new

metal roof will never have to be replaced.

From a lifetime cost comparison, it is

cheaper than installing an asphalt roof

every 20 to 30 years. I also get a 3 percent

reduction on my homeowner’s insurance

because of reduced fire hazard.

Most metal roofs reflect more of the

sun’s heat than do asphalt shingles, par-

ticularly black shingles. My metal roof

has a TRS of 0.43 whereas a black

asphalt shingle roof has a TRS of only

0.05. This keeps the roofing materials

cooler so less heat is radiated down

through the ceilings to the living area.

Also, the underside of the aluminum

metal surface has lower “emissivity” (the

ability to emit heat) than shingles, so even

less heat radiates downward.

The final energy advantage is that the

Classic Metal Roofing aluminum panels are

relatively thin with the contour of shakes

formed into them. This contour creates an

air gap between most of the roofing and the

roof sheathing or shingles below it. This

gap allows some outdoor air to circulate up

under the metal roof panels to keep them

cooler. I sealed off my gable vents so out-

door air is now drawn in the soffit vents

and exhausted out the ridge vent.

One minor drawback to the aluminum

shake panels is they can dent if you indis-

criminately walk on the high points of the

contour. This can be avoided by stepping

on the lower nailed area of the panels.

Contoured insulating foam pieces were

placed under areas of panels to provide

walkways on the roof to clean my skylight

and service the ridge vents.

Steel roofing is another option. Painted

standing seam or tile steel roofing is very

durable. Instead of trying to simulate some

type of standard roofing material, the

bright colors and unique appearance are

signatures of upscale homes. The finish

coating on aluminum and steel often uses

a Kynar-based paint with heat reflecting

additives in a multistep process.

22 PENN LINES• JUL

Y 2010

Thoughts from

Earl Pitts,

UHMERIKUN!

PUNCHlines

Earl knows the

difference between

gardening, farming

This whole back-to-nature, save-

the-planet, eat-healthy, hug-a-squirrel

business we got out there now — it just

makes me laugh.

You know what I seen on the TV the

other night? It was for some garden

store somewhere. Only gardenin’ ain’t

called “gardenin’” no more. No sir. It’s

now called “backyard farmin’.” Ain’t

that cute?

Now, I can’t tell if this is ‘sposed to

make people who grow their own veg-

etables feel more important. Or is it

‘sposed to make real farmers feel stupid?

Yeah, I got news for you people.

What you’re doin’ in the backyard ain’t

farmin.’ An’ if I might make the call

here — the cut off would be if you used

a roto-tiller. ‘Cause that dude with 200

acres a’ corn, he didn’t use no stupid

roto-tiller on his field. No sir. Yeah, if

your biggest farm equipment is a roto-

tiller, you ain’t no dang farmer.

An’ again, I hate to bust your bubble

out there. That ain’t your barn out there.

That’s a shed. Yeah, if you got your barn

from Wal-Mart, you ain’t no dang

farmer.

Here’s another thing. Real farmers

don’t grow their tomaters upside down.

You ever drove down along a wheat

field? Yeah, it’s right side up. You ever

pass a field a’ soy beans? Right side up.

The way God meant it to be. You grow

crops upside down, you ain’t no dang

farmer.

Oh, an’ by the way

, if you tell your bet-

ter half you’re goin’ out to work the lower

40, an’ you’re talkin’ about square feet an’

not acres, you ain’t no dang farmer.

An’ another thing, if your irrigation

system is a garden hose an’ a sprinkler,

you ain’t no dang farmer.

ake up, America. It takes more

than a pair a’ Dickies and a friend

named Eb to make you a farmer. So

don’t go foolin’ yourself, cause you ain’t

foolin’ nobody else. You ain’t no dang

farmer.

Social commentary from Earl Pitts —— a.k.a.

GARY BURBANK, a nationally syndicated

radio personality —— can be heard on the

following radio stations that cover electric

cooperative service territories in Pennsylvania:

WANB-FM 103.1 Pittsburgh; WARM-AM 590

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton; WIOO-AM 1000 Carlisle;

WEEO-AM 1480 Shippensburg; WMTZ-FM 96.5

Johnstown; WQBR-FM 99.9/92.7 McElhattan;

WLMI-FM 103.9 Kane; and WVNW-FM 96.7

Burnham-Lewistown.

OK, here’s the deal. Some rat-tor-

turin’, toked-up science geek somewhere

done a study, an’ he says men lie more

than women. Yeah, he says men lie three

times a day. That’s over 1,000 lies a year.

Your average woman only makes two

lies a day — less than 800 in a year.

Obviously, women don’t gotta lie as

much as men. That’s because us men don’t

ask them if our jeans make us look fat.

Here’s the part I like. What’s the No. 1

lie a man tells? Accordin’ to this science

weasel, it’s about how much he drank.

An’ what’s the woman’s No. 1 lie? It’s

when they tell us, “There’s nothing

wrong. I’m fine.”

Yeah, any man will tell you them are

the three scariest words in the female

language. “There’s nothing wrong.”

Course women don’t say them words

like there ain’t nothin’ wrong. They don’t

go, “There’s nothing wrong.” Naw. They

shoot it out like a semi-automatic

weapon (fast and loud). “There’s noth-

ing wrong!!!” Which in woman talk

means there’s somethin’ wrong.

That’s like the guy that takes the

piñata stick to the crotch. He buckles

over like he was shot by a sniper an’

goes (gasping), “I’m OK.” Yeah, it’s a lit-

tle tough to believe.

Now for you new husbands out there,

lemme ‘splain somethin’ to you.

When you think your better half is

actin’ stupid, an’ you ask her what’s

wrong, that is essentially the same thing as

puttin’ a single bullet in a revolver an’ spin-

nin’ the cylinder. Yeah, cause five times

outta six, she’s gonna say, “there’s nothin’

wrong.” An’ you get to live another day.

An’ then there’s that one time she’s

gonna go off.

Wake up, America. There’s only one

way to keep your marriage together an’

yourself sane. When your better half is

agitated, kind a’ off a bit, kinda a spoilin’

for a fight, ignore her! Then she don’t hafta

lie, an’ you don’t hafta pretend to care.

I’m Earl Pitts, Uhmerikan.

107⁄8

101⁄2

1013⁄

103⁄4

107⁄

101⁄2

1013⁄16

103⁄4

SPINE/GUTTER

rst

Ever!

Illuminated, Real Working

HO-Scale Train Collection

FARMALL DELIVERS EXPRESS

www.bradfordexchange.com/farmall

A Bradford Exchange Company

Fine collectible. Not intended for children under 14.

14_00185_001_BIRL.indd 1 4/2/10 11:11:01 AM

917318 E53202

Mary Thall

Northwestern REC

RURALreflections

C. Lichtenberger

Adams EC

OUR VIEW of ordinary items sometimes is changed

when we change the perspective we are viewing the

items from, or the light we are viewing them in. Consid-

er different perspectives, along with lighting and sub-

jects, when you are taking photos for the “Rural Reflec-

tions” contest. At the end of the year, five lucky contest

winners will receive a $75 prize in the categories of: most

artistic, best landscape, best human subject, best animal

subject and editor’s choice.

To be eligible for the 2010 contest prizes, send your

snapshots (no digital files, please) to: Penn Lines Photos,

P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg PA 17108-1266. On the back of

each photo, include your name, address, phone number

and the name of the electric cooperative that serves your

home, business or seasonal residence. (The best way to

include this information is by affixing an address label

to the back of the photo. Please do not use ink gel or

roller pens to write on the photo as they bleed onto oth-

er photos.)

Remember, our publication deadlines require that we

work ahead, so send seasonal photos in early. We need

fall photos before mid-July and winter photos before

mid-September (save your spring and summer photos to

submit for the 2011 contest). Photos that are not seasonal

may be submitted at any time. Please note: photos post-

marked after Jan. 1, 2010, will not be returned unless a

self-addressed, self-stamped envelope is included.

Sylvia Gray

Claverack REC

Carrie Dinger

Tri-County REC

The view from here

JULY 2010 • PENN LINES 23

!! Penn Lines July 2010

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