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The faceof MainStreetPre-fabricatedstorefronts part ofnational heritage

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S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 2 • P E N N L I N E S 3

Visit with us at Penn LinesOnline, located at:www.prea.com/Content/pennlines.asp. Penn Lines Onlineprovides an email link to PennLines editorial staff, informationon advertising rates,contributor’s guidelines, and anarchive of past issues.

Vol. 47 • No. 9Peter A. Fitzgerald

EDI T O R

Katherine HacklemanSEN I OR EDIT O R/ W RI T ER

James DulleyJanette Hess

Barbara MartinMarcus Schneck

C ON T R IBU T IN G C O LU M N IS TS

W. Douglas ShirkL A YO U T & DESI GN

Vonnie KlossA DVER T ISI N G & CI RC U LA T I O N

Michelle M. SmithM EDI A & M A RK ET IN G SP ECI A LI ST

Penn Lines (USPS 929-700), the newsmagazineof Pennsylvania’s electric cooperatives, is pub-lished monthly by the Pennsylvania Rural Elec-tric Association, 212 Locust Street, P.O. Box1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108-1266. Penn Lineshelps 165,800 households of co-op consumer-members understand issues that affect theelectric cooperative program, their local co-ops, and their quality of life. Electric co-opsare not-for-profit, consumer-owned, locallydirected, and taxpaying electric utilities. PennLines is not responsible for unsolicited manu-scripts. The opinions expressed in Penn Linesdo not necessarily reflect those of the editors,the Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association, orlocal electric distribution cooperatives.

Subscriptions: Electric co-op members, $5.42per year through their local electric distribu-tion cooperative. Preferred Periodicals postagepaid at Harrisburg, PA 17107 and additional mail -ing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changeswith mailing label to Penn Lines, 212 LocustStreet, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108-1266.

Advertising: Display ad deadline is six weeksprior to month of issue. Ad rates upon request.Acceptance of advertising by Penn Lines doesnot imply endorsement of the product or serv-ices by the publisher or any electric cooper-ative. If you encounter a problem with anyproduct or service advertised in Penn Lines,please contact: Advertising, Penn Lines, P.O.Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108. Penn Linesreserves the right to refuse any advertising.

Board officers and staff, Pennsylvania RuralElectric Association: Chairman, S. Eugene Herritt; Vice Chair man, Kevin Barrett; Secre-tary, Lanny Rodgers; Treas urer, Leroy Walls;President & CEO, Frank M. Betley

© 2012 Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association.All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or inpart without written permission is prohibited.

4 K E E P I N G C U R R E N TNews items from across the Commonwealth

6 T EC H T R E N D S

The speed of light(ing)Co-ops help blaze trails for efficient lightingtechnology

8 F E AT U R E

The face of Main StreetPre-fabricated storefronts part of national heritage

12 E N E R GY M AT T E R S

Picking the right heat pump

12A COOPERATIVE CONNECTIONInformation and advice from your localelectric cooperative

13 P O W E R P L A N T S

Volunteers, the pleasure and the pain

14 T I M E L I N E SYour newsmagazine through the years

16 C O U N T R Y K I TC H E N

Relish this!

18 O U T D O O R A DV E N T U R E S

From a tiny seed…

19 R U R A L R E F L EC T I O N S

Final days of summer

20 C L A S S I F I E D S

22 P U N C H L I N E S

Thoughts from Earl Pitts–Uhmerikun!Earl encourages a trip out to wherelawnmowers have never been — but leaveyour spouse at home

18

SEPTEMBER8

16

O N T H EC OV E RAttendees atWyalusing’s annualstreet fair visit in theshadow of a Meskerstorefront at 415 Main.(Photo by KathyHackleman)

19

4 P E N N L I N E S • S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 2

Beware of electric bill scamsSome rural electric cooperative mem-

bers have reported a new scam targetingcooperative members.

The scammer begins by telling themember their electric cooperative is pro-viding a rebate or a “free” month’s worthof electricity because of a recent outage.The caller has the member’s name, tele-phone number, address and the informa-tion that they are served by a cooperative.The caller then requests the member’scooperative customer number. If themember cannot, or will not, provide thecustomer number, the caller turns the callover to a “supervisor” who tries to getmore information from the member.

In some cases, the caller has stated heor she will call the cooperative to get theadditional information. When memberscall the phone number the scammerscalled from, they are informed the num-ber has been disconnected.

Please note — this is not a legitimatecall; it is a scam to obtain personal informa-tion from members. If you have any ques-tion at any time that a call said to be fromyour local cooperative is a legitimate call,hang up, look up the number of your localcooperative and dial it yourself (do not callthe number listed on your caller ID).

State reports West Nile casesThe Pennsylvania Department of

Health has reported the state’s first twohuman cases of West Nile Virus this year.They were in Franklin County and Lan-caster County. West Nile Virus symptoms

include fever, headache, muscle ache andskin rash. Spread from birds to humans bymosquitoes, it can cause encephalitis ormeningitis.

Department officials report that due tolast year’s mild winter, the number of mos-quitoes carrying the West Nile Virus isunprecedented. They are strongly urgingPennsylvanians to minimize their exposureto mosquitoes, especially between now andthe first hard frost, when the risk for infec-tion is greatest.

Mosquitoes that transmit the West NileVirus breed in areas with standing andstagnant water. Standing water that cannotbe eliminated can be treated with productscontaining Bti (a naturally occurring bacte-ria) that are sold at outdoor supply andhome improvement stores.

Mosquitoes can bite any time, but theyare most active at dawn and dusk. Peoplecan avoid bites by properly and consis-tently using products containing DEET.

For more information, visit www.health.state.pa.us and click on “West Nile VirusFact Sheet” under “What’s Hot.”

Quecreek mine observes 10th anniversary of rescue

Quecreek Mine Rescue Foundationrecently celebrated the 10th anniversary ofthe successful rescue of nine miners fromthe Somerset County mine.

Lori and Bill Arnold, owners ofDormel Farms on Haupt Road, didn’tseek the spotlight that came to them onJuly 23, 2002, when nine men weretrapped under their farm for three and ahalf days before all were pulled out alivein a dramatic televised scene. “Nine fornine” they call it — nine men weretrapped and nine men were rescued.

But so many people came to see the sitewhere the rescue took place that theArnolds eventually set up a non-profitfoundation. An educational visitors centerand permanent monument at the site cele-brate the successful rescue and honor therescue workers who saved the trapped min-

ers from certain death.For information about the center, its

hours and directions to the site, visitwww.quecreekrescue.org.l

KEEPINGcurrent

RESCUE, 10 YEARS LATER: This miner is one ofseveral displays at the Quecreek Mine RescueFoundation’s visitors center in Somerset County.

WATCH OUT FOR MOSQUITOES: The greatest riskfor catching West Nile Virus from an infected mos-quito is between now and the first hard frost.

THANK YOU: New Enterprise Rural ElectricCooperative member Kristin Clark took thisphoto of cooperative crews working nearWells Tannery during a storm on July 17,2012. She says, ‘This photo shows the crewthat responded immediately to help restoreour power. I do not know them by name,but I believe this photograph shows thededication these men have for their job andI would like to thank them.’

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6 P E N N L I N E S • S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 2

AFTERmaintaining a steady pace for acentury, lighting technology has begun toleap forward, fueled by tightening energyefficiency standards and hefty incentivesfor manufacturers. And despite a bit ofprice shock on some lighting products,cooperative members — especially largecommercial and industrial accounts —are working with their local, not-for-profit, consumer-owned power providersto see if emerging lighting options cancurb rising costs.

Shifting standardsCongress first enacted improved energy

efficiency standards for incandescentbulbs under the federal Energy Independ-ence and Security Act of 2007. But whennew lightbulb rules began to take effect in2012, they were met with confusion.

Under the law, by 2014, lightbulbsusing between 40 and 100 watts (W)must consume at least 28 percent lessenergy than traditional incandescents,which will save Americans an estimated$6 billion to $10 billion in lighting costsannually. The measure also mandatesthat lightbulbs become 70 percent moreefficient by 2020.

In June, the U.S. House passed anamendment to stop enforcement of thesestandards, mirroring a funding freeze forenforcement efforts adopted in late 2011.Yet even if the provision becomes law,very little will change. Congress has notrepealed or adjusted existing lightbulbefficiency standards or changed the time-line for implementation. Major lightingmanufacturers like General Electric,

Philips and Osram Sylvania continueworking to comply with the 2007 law.

As the next wave of standards kicksin, traditional 75-W incandescent light-bulbs will no longer be available as ofJan. 1, 2013, and 40-W and 60-W versionswill no longer be available as of Jan. 1,2014. In the race to fill the nation’s grow-ing need for efficient lighting comes anew breed of illuminators, led by light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

‘Solid’ lightingIncandescent bulbs create light using a

thin wire (filament) inside a glass bulb — adelicate connection that can easily be bro-ken, as frustrated homeowners can attest.In contrast, LEDs are at the forefront ofsolid-state lighting — small, packed elec-tronic chip devices. Two conductive mate-rials are placed together on a chip (adiode). Electricity passes through thediode, releasing energy in the form of light.

Invented in 1960 by General Electric,the first LEDs were red — the colordepends on materials placed on the diode.Yellow, green, and orange LEDs were cre-ated in the 1970s and the recipe for the

color blue — the foundation for whiteLEDs — was unlocked in the mid-1990s.Originally used in remote controls, exitsigns, digital watches, alarm clocks andcar signal lights, LEDs quickly gainedmomentum for large-scale lighting.

By 2030, the U.S. Department ofEnergy estimates solid-state lighting tech-nologies could reduce the amount of elec-tricity used for lighting (currently 13.6 per-cent of the nation’s total) by half, savingup to $30 billion a year in energy costs.

Farming LEDsElectric cooperatives are supporting

LED studies through the CooperativeResearch Network (CRN), an arm of theArlington, Va.-based National Rural Elec-tric Cooperative Association. Recently,CRN worked with Western Farmers Elec-tric Cooperative, a generation and trans-mission cooperative based in Anadarko,Okla., and the Oklahoma State UniversityAnimal Science Department to evaluateLEDs at a farrowing operation and adairy farm in the Sooner State. The proj-ect measured the effectiveness of LEDs in

TECHtrends

The speed oflight(ing)

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By Megan McKoy-Noe , C CC

Co-ops help blaze trails for efficientlighting technology

LET THERE BE LIGHT: The T-Bar M Dairy Ranch, outside of Durant, Okla., normally uses 250-watt metalhalide lights in its barns. CRN exchanged those bulbs in 10 fixtures with 120-watt LEDs. After six months,the dairy had cut energy use by 55 percent and boosted brightness by 30 percent.

(continues on page 17)

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PENNlines

THROUGHOUT rural Pennsylvania,there are existing storefronts that wereordered out of a catalog over 100 yearsago. The detailed Victorian ornamenta-tion incorporated into each storefront isunusual as it is actually galvanizedmetal pressed to appear like intricatelycarved wood, stone or terracotta. “The period when ‘gingerbread’ mail-

order storefronts were popular was anunusual time in American architecture,”says Bob Cain, the architect who was incharge of a total renovation of such abuilding at 415 Main in Wyalusing in theWyalusing Borough Historic District.Wyalusing is located in BradfordCounty, a few miles southeast of Wysox,where Claverack Rural Electric Cooper-ative (REC) is headquartered. Now the facilities architect at Penn

State University, Cain recalls the renova-tion work took place in the mid-1990swhen the building was already being

used for the administrative offices forthe Wyalusing school district, whichstill occupies the building.“Because the front was galvanized

metal and had been painted and pre-served since it had been built in 1889, itwas in excellent shape,” Cain reports.“Our only mission for the façade was toensure it remained as it was originally,and to repair some small damaged sec-tions. We did not want to do anythingthat would have taken away from thecharacter of the outside appearance.”“I knew it was unusual in that it was

a metal-clad building,” says MarySkillings, president of the board of

directors of the Wyalusing ValleyMuseum Association. “My fatherworked there so I was often in thebuilding. Also, it still has four plates onthe front identifying the façade as aproduct of the Mesker Brothers FrontBuilders in St. Louis, Mo.”Mesker storefronts were erected in

every state between 1880 and 1915,reports Darius Bryjka, a national experton historic metal building façades.

8 P E N N L I N E S • S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 2

PROOF OF ORIGIN: Most Mesker nameplates havedisappeared from the front of the Mesker build-ings. This is one of four still located on the frontof the building at 415 Main in Wyalusing.

TYPICAL MESKER STOREFRONT: This building at415 Main in Wyalusing is an example of a Meskerfaçade, an architectural element often used in thelate 1800s through the early 1900s. It houses theadministrative offices of the local school district.

Pre-fabricatedstorefronts part ofnational heritageB y J i m W i n n e r m a n P e n n L i n e s c o n t r i b u t o r

The faceofMainStreet

“The west was rapidly expandingwhile eastern and southern states werestill rebuilding after the Civil War,”Bryjka explains.

Easy eleganceBudgets were tight, particularly in

smaller towns, and architectural serviceswere limited, but Mesker storefrontswere competitively priced. Also, sincethe product was thinly pressed metal, itwas lightweight and could be shippedinexpensively. Once they were onsite, thefronts were easily installed with locallabor in just a few days at approximatelyone-fifth the cost of a brick or cast-ironfaçade. The front on the Wyalusingbuilding would have cost approximately$370 when it was built, Bryjka reports. In addition to being relatively inex-

pensive, the elaborate detail of thepressed metal allowed merchants to givetheir businesses an imposing and fash-ionable appearance. A contemporary

approach has been to accen-tuate the multiple design pat-terns using different colors ofpaint.“We consulted a book on

Victorian houses to select thecolors for the Wyalusingschool administration build-ing to ensure it had colorsappropriate for the 1889period,” Cain recalls. “It is abeautiful building with a lotof character.”In 2009, the Wyalusing building was

featured in the Wyalusing Rocket-Courierunder the headline “A look back at thepeople and places of the Wyalusing areaover time.” The article included a photo-graph taken in 1936 when it was theAllis Pharmacy, just as it had been whenthe building was built in 1889.Some brick buildings in territories

served by Pennsylvania cooperativeshave pieces of Mesker façades incorpo-

rated into a brick façade.A multi-million dollarrenovation of the 1889Union Hotel in Everettwas recently completed,and owner Travis Collisrecalls being surprised tolearn the elaborate deco-rated cornice that spansthe front top of the hoteland the pediment waspressed metal from theMesker Brothers factoryin St. Louis, Mo. Everett islocated near the head-quarters of Bedford RECand New Enterprise REC.“When we looked up

at the top while planningour renovation, everyoneassumed the cornice andpediment were wood,”Collis explains. “Butwhen the contractor goton the roof for a closerlook, he discovered it waspressed metal and said hehad never seen anythinglike it before. After that,we were very careful tonot damage it. Instead ofsand blasting the paint,

we cleaned it manually and repainted.”Annette Brown has a sole Mesker

panel with a floral motif midway acrossthe 1897-era, two-story brick buildingshe owns at 242 South Main in Cam-bridge Springs where her Olde TymeCafé is located. Northwestern REC isalso based in Cambridge Springs.“I had no idea the ornamental panel

had such an interesting background,”she relates after being informed it wasmanufactured by the George L. MeskerCompany of Evansville, Ind., a compet-ing company operated by anotherMesker brother. “It looks like one con-tinuous piece of metal, but I know it issix, four-foot sections joined together.”“The ability of the Mesker brothers to

produce their façades in manageable-sized pieces and in a way they could bejoined together so no one could tell itwas not solid wood or stone was impor-tant for the most impressive façade,”Bryjka says. “The pieces were actuallynailed to an intricate wood frame, andthen each piece was overlapped so theseam is almost invisible from a dis-tance.”Dale Docter, president of the Cam-

bridge Springs Historical Society, wasequally surprised and interested to learnabout Mesker façades. “Annette’s building was erected

shortly after a fire swept through town,”he says while looking through oldrecords. “A lot of buildings went upfairly quickly after the fire. It is possiblethe panels were rescued from anotherbuilding and reused.”

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 2 • P E N N L I N E S 9

PHOTO PROVIDED BY MARY SKILLINGS

MESKER ARCHITECTURAL ITEMS: The intricatebrick detail of the C.H. Hardware building inHuntingdon incorporates a Mesker cornice andMesker window hoods into the design.

FEW CHANGES: This 1936-era photo reveals the building at 415 Mainin Wyalusing has changed little over the decades.

PENNlines

vania and across Americahave disappeared due toredevelopment, fire or neg-lect. Often, however, if thefaçade has been painted andmaintained as in Wyalusing,they remain as architec-turally interesting and signifi-cant buildings and often arethe most noticeable buildingin a block.

Both Mesker businesses in St. Louisand Evansville identified their market-ing niche as small-town merchants, anddecided to reach even the most isolatedcustomers by mailing a catalog similarto the approach being taken at the timeby retailers Montgomery Ward andSears, Roebuck and Company. The catalog pages provided detailed

drawings of the full line of storefrontsand other products the firm could sup-ply, and left little to the imagination of adistant business owner. Any merchanthesitant about ordering only needed toperuse the catalog pages. Not only were drawings of standing

buildings included, but the copy wasenticing. A 1905 George L. Mesker Com-pany catalog contains a drawing of abuilding and this testimonial:“Gentlemen. We will say right here

more than eight years ago you made forus a galvanized front more than threestories high and we will say right herewe put it up in less than two days withinexperienced hands who never saw agalvanized iron front before. All wewent by were the drawing and instruc-tion that you furnished. We gave it twogood coats of paint and it stands todayas good as the first day it was set up andwe therefore recommend your fronts to

10 P E N N L I N E S • S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 2

For strength, most Mesker buildingsused cast iron columns and windowframes and door jams supplied by theMesker companies on the first floor.However, when those buildings stillstanding were remodeled, the columnsand other decorative first-floor cast ironitems were eliminated or covered. Theresult is that many building cornicesand window hoods remain on the sec-ond and third floors of Mesker buildingswithout evidence of what existed atstreet level.Bryjka reports that other firms pro-

duced pressed-metal façade storefronts,but the Mesker family was by far thelargest supplier producing a wide vari-ety of motifs on an unprecedentedscale.

Early beginningsThe business origin can be traced to

about 1844 when German immigrantJohn Bernard Mesker settled in Cincin-nati and trained as a “tinner” workingwith tinplate. By 1850, he was producingstoves, and copper and tinware inEvansville, Ind., and soon after, he wasteaching his sons the trade. Eventually John Mesker’s sons began

their own iron works, concentrating onthe production of storefronts. Georgecontinued the family business in Evans-ville, Ind., while Bernard and FrankMesker opened the competing MeskerBrothers Iron Works in St. Louis.Many Meskers throughout Pennsyl-

Help find a MeskerSo far, historical building expert

Darius Bryjka has discovered over2,500 of the “house fronts” manufac-tured by the two Mesker firms, andhe accumulates a few more eachmonth. He is certain there are moreMeskers in the territories served bythe Pennsylvania rural electric coop-eratives, but he does not know wherethey are.If you think a building in your area

is possibly a Mesker, email a photoand address of the building to Bryjkaat: darius@bwpreservation.com. If youhave found a new Mesker, he will addyour photo to the national database. These characteristics can help

identify Mesker storefronts: 1. Cast-iron nameplates with the

Mesker name allow for the easiestidentification, but are often missing.Look for them at or below eye levelalong the building front.2. Morning glory and fleur-de-lis

repetitive patterns were used fre-quently.3. Historic 1892 and early 1900s

Mesker catalogs online are an excel-lent reference and can be seen at:http://www.illinoishistory.gov/gotmesker/Mesker_Catalog.pdf.4. Elements common to Meskers

and other storefronts of the timeinclude: columns, cornices and cor-nice bracket ornaments, windowhoods and panels featuring stone orbrick designs. For more information on recently

discovered Meskers, visit the Meskerblog at http://meskerbrothers.word-press.com/ or on Facebook athttp://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/160561813959150/.

INTRICATE WORK: Only portions of an originalMesker building, including this intricate pressedmetal design, remain at the Old Tyme Café, 242S. Main, Cambridge Springs, in Crawford County.

MESKER CATALOG: Over 500,000 Mesker cata-logs were mailed each year in the late 1800s andearly 1900s. This page, above, shows multiplechoices of designs used in Pennsylvania.

IMAGES PROVIDED BY DARIUS BRYJKA

anyone contemplating building for thereis nothing that can compare with them.R. Wingreen, Burlington, Kansas”

Face of a nationThe same 1905 catalog contains a map

that shows the numbers of store frontssold in every state. The number shownfor Pennsylvania in 1905 is 173, seventhnationally behind Indiana (1,126), Illinois(711), Kentucky (905), Ohio (231), Michi-gan (197) and Wisconsin (187). It is thought over 1,500 Meskers were

erected in Pennsylvania by 1915. To date,only 37 façades have been rediscoveredin 26 Pennsylvania communities.Other pages listed the business name

and city of Mesker customers, includinga two-page list of the satisfied buyers ofall 173 Pennsylvania Mesker buildings.More than 50 storefronts were erectedin almost every state, so a prospectivepurchaser just needed to travel to anearby town to see a constructed façade.The back page had a map of the UnitedStates with the number of sold store-fronts listed within each state’s border. Ifa customer was still unsure, he or shecould request a catalog consisting of

nothing but testimonials.“Ultimately, it was the

sheer number of catalogs andgreat market recognitionleading the Meskers to targettheir products primarily tosmall towns where the com-petition was either minimalor non-existent, and that hadan enormous impact on com-pany sales,” Bryjka says. “Atthe height of their popularity,500,000 catalogs were beingmailed yearly just by the Mesker Broth-ers in St. Louis.” The company also sold other archi-

tectural items. A 1902 Mesker letterheadlists pressed tin ceilings, fire escapesand balcony railing, along withcolumns, window sills and lintels forbrick buildings among the other prod-ucts. It is estimated that at one timethere may have been as many as 45,000buildings with some type of Meskercomponents.Despite their popularity, there was

criticism of the façades from architec-tural purists who were not enamoredwith the imitation materials. However,

store owners felt otherwise, as this 1902testimonial shows:“Our new building is now completed

and furnished and presents a mosthandsome appearance. It is consideredthe most elegant block in town. We arepleased with the entire transaction withyou. (Signed) Cambria Mining Com-pany, Cambria, Wyoming”Pressed-metal storefronts began to

lose popularity by 1910 when buildingdesign shifted away fromthe use of pressed-metalfaçades toward less orna-mentation and the use ofbrick and stone. It was theonset of Modernism, andthe abundance of architec-tural detail was falling outof favor. However, many people,

including Bob Cain, believethe Mesker buildingsremain as a piece of memo-rable architecture.“After we repaired a

small section of theWyalusing façade, I mustadmit I kept the damagedpart and it is still in myoffice,” he states. “Thatwas an enjoyable project. Iam a big believer in archi-tectural restoration tomaintain our heritage. It issomething we must notdestroy, and that buildingis a perfect example.”l

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 2 • P E N N L I N E S 11

DECEIVING APPEARANCES: The pediment and cor-nice at the Union Hotel in the Bedford County com-munity of Everett appear to be made of stone andwood, but they are thin pieces of pressed metalmade by the Mesker Brothers of St. Louis, Mo.

MESKER CORNICE: This building at 405 Allegheny Street in Hollidaysburg, Blair County, is brick with a Mesker cornice atthe top. The building houses the offices of the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and the Hollidaysburg Laundromat.

12 P E N N L I N E S • S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 2

ENERGYmatters

Picking the rightheat pump

spring months, the heat pump warms thehome. When a prolonged cold snap hits,the supplemental furnace takes over.

Ducted systems have been the tradi-tional air-source heat pump route, butductless systems are picking up steambecause they require an estimated 50 to60 percent less electricity than electricresistance heating. In addition, air-sourceheat pumps that achieve Energy Star des-ignation — meaning they meet or exceedfederal energy efficiency standards — canbe up to 9 percent more efficient thanstandard air-source heat pumps.

Ground-sourceGround-source heat pumps, also

called geothermal heat pumps, use rela-tively stable underground temperaturesto heat and cool a home, and even tosupply hot water. They come in twotypes: a groundwater (open-loop) heatpump uses well water, while an earth-coupled (closed-loop) model moves awater-and-antifreeze solution throughunderground pipes to disperse heat. Thechoice depends on local conditions.

Ground-source heat pumps tend to be

the most efficient heating and coolingtechnology available, but the up-front costis significantly higher than air-source heatpumps. The final price tag depends onwhere you live and what kind of systemyou have. A typical residential consumerselecting a geothermal system will save 30 to 60 percent on an average heatingand cooling bill, with a payback periodvarying from two to 10 years, according tothe U.S. Department of Energy.

How to chooseChoosing a heating and cooling sys-

tem for your home is a big decision withlots of variables. Be sure to call yourlocal electric cooperative for advice onwhat type of unit will work best for yourarea, and ask if your co-op offers anyincentives for installing a heat pump.Then, contact a reputable and knowl-edgeable HVAC contractor to discussyour options. l

Brian Sloboda is a senior program man-ager specializing in energy efficiency for theCooperative Research Network (CRN), aservice of the Arlington, Va.-based NationalRural Electric Cooperative Association.

BECAUSE heat pumps are the most effi-cient electric heating and cooling tech-nology, they are an excellent choice ifyour home needs a heating, ventilation,and air conditioning (HVAC) upgrade.While electric resistance heaters areabout 100 percent efficient — meaning allthe electricity that goes into the pump isused to generate heat — heat pumps canclaim efficiency of 200 to 400 percent.

But the proper heat pump for yourhome depends on a variety of factors.Following are some tips when consider-ing air-source and ground-source heatpumps:

Air-sourceThere are two main types of air-

source heat pumps: ducted and ductless.Both provide heating and cooling, andthey can also create hot water.

In cooling mode, these appliancesfunction similar to an air conditioner bymoving heat from inside to outside yourdwelling. In heating mode, the refriger-ant flow is reversed and it delivers warmair indoors.

When outdoor temperatures drop,the efficiency of air-source heat pumpsdecreases. As a result, these devices aremore commonly used in areas of thecountry that do not experienceextremely cold weather for extendedperiods. A good rule of thumb for air-source heat pumps is that they are effec-tive until the thermometer hits the 35 Fto 42 F range.

For residents in the northern U.S.,dual fuel setups — which combine an air-source heat pump with a natural gas-,propane- or heating oil-fired furnace —are often employed. During fall and

LOOPY: Geothermal systems use underground coils filled with water or a special solution that work with a heatpump unit to heat and cool a home or business.

By B r i an S l o b odaC o o p e r a t i v e R e s e a r c h N e t w o r k

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S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 2 • P E N N L I N E S 13

EVERYBODY loves a good,old fashioned “volunteer” inthe garden, until that volun-teer turns up in the wrongplace — and instantlybecomes a yank-able weed. Avolunteer (flower) is a self-sown seedling. Depending onyour approach to gardening,you may welcome theseblooms wherever they grow,or transplant them to moresuitable spots, or you mightremove them altogether. Thechoice is yours.

Self-seeding flowers bringa serendipitous and timelessbeauty to the garden. Theymay appear singly or asaccents. They may spreadinto free-form carpets ofshort-term color, or bloomlustily all summer long.

Flower gardeners find vol-unteer annuals, biennials andperennials handy for filling inbetween permanent plantingsor for adding masses of color.If you have a big space to fillbut limited funds or time towork on it, or if you enjoy

happy surprises, considerencouraging volunteers.

Basically, any open-polli-nated plant is a potential vol-unteer. To introduce volun-teers in your garden, set outtransplants in spring andallow them to grow and go toseed naturally, then look forseedlings the following year.

Some gardeners consis-tently raise bumper crops ofreseeders, while other gar-deners have trouble. Resultsdepend on which plants yougrow, dead-heading (removalof spent flowers) and gardenclean-up procedures,mulching and weed preven-tion routines, the growingconditions in your garden,and of course the weather.

For self-seeders to prosper,let them go to seed — literally— so seeds mature and dis-perse. Mulching over top offallen seeds or disturbing ger-minating seeds cuts down onvolunteers. Any unwanted orerrant seedlings can be pulledor raked out while small.

Plants in your garden areprobably setting seed rightnow! Let them seed downnaturally, or help them along.Select a small area. Harvestripe seeds; plant some ofthem now and save some toplant later. To plant, mimicnature by sprinkling a gener-ous quantity of seeds overprepared bare ground or atopdecayed organic mulch. Dothis now in the fall, but alsosprinkle more of the sameseeds in the same area atopthe last snows of winter andonce again in mid-spring as

added insurance.Keep track of where you (or

your plant) scattered the seedand check back periodicallyfor seedlings — you don’t wantto accidentally destroy them.Do your best to learn to recog-nize them because the seedsmay sprout in the fall and/orspring or summer, dependingon the weather and on theirneed for cold stratification.

Good volunteers usuallyyield abundant seedlings. Butwhere and when thoseseedlings appear may vary. Forexample, daffodil seedlingstypically grow at a flowerstem’s distance from the par-ent bulb, because the flowerstem falls over and deposits allthe seeds in one spot. Others,such as Johnny-jump-up vio-las, may appear in spring orfall over quite a wide area.

Weather and soil condi-tions affect germination. Someseeds only sprout in warmsoil, some need to undergochilling first. An extra wet ordry spring, a late freeze orearly heat wave, or hungry

chipmunks might destroysome of the seeds or seedlings,leaving only a few stragglers.Yet some years everythingseems perfect: the garden ispacked with every plant possi-ble blooming all at once in avolunteer chorus of delight.

Volunteers remind us thatnature works in mysteriousways. You may be pleased todiscover a surprise seedlingfrom a plant that apparentlydied out long ago. It returnscourtesy of the soil seed bank.Seeds may endure in the soilfor many years and then, ifbrought to the surface andconditions are favorable, sud-denly germinate.

This phenomenon alsoexplains how tilling or dis-ruption of the soil brings old,buried weed seeds up to thesoil surface where theysprout and cause you grief. Somuch for the miracle of vol-unteers. l

POWERplants

BARBARA MARTIN ,who says she began gar-dening as a hobby “toomany years ago tocount,” currently worksfor the National Garden-

ing Association as a horticulturist. A formermember of Gettysburg-based Adams Elect -ric Cooperative, her articles appear in mag-azines and on the internet.

b y B a r b a r a M a r t i n

Volunteers,the pleasureand the pain

DAFFODILS SPREAD: Daffodils areamong the types of flowers thatself-seed if conditions are right.

14 P E N N L I N E S • S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 2

TIMElines Yo u r N ew s m aga z i n e T h r o u g h t h e Y e a r s

1972 The Otelia Schoolhouse near Mt. Union inHuntingdon County, built in 1900, provides mem-ories for many area residents who received theirearly education there.

1982 Chambersburg becomes the firstPennsylvania borough to invest its citizens’ assets —$10,000 in 1889 — to provide lighting for the streetsof the town from dusk until midnight.

2002 The Pennsylvania Conservation Corps pro-vides on-the-job training for unemployed youngadults while beautifying public areas across theCommonwealth.

MENTION logging and many people will conjure up images of vast tractsof virgin forest in the Pacific Northwest where steel-helmeted men topplehuge trees using gigantic chain saws.

Felling timber for lumber and fuel, however, began in the easternUnited States, with Pennsylvania being a major lumbering site. America’slumbering industry began in New England where large sawmills con-verted timber into masts, beams and planks for the shipbuilders along thecoast. By the mid 1800s, logging activity moved into New York, but millsthere were smaller than those in New England. Within a few years, Penn-sylvania’s lumbering business outpaced New York’s as the SusquehannaRiver became the highway for logs and lumber headed for Baltimore,where the shipbuilding industry flourished.

The coming of the railroads signaled the end of the lumber industry’sdependence on the rivers and spurred a new logging boom. Thomas T.Taber III, a historian who co-authored a series of books chronicling Penn-sylvania’s logging history, found 370 logging railroads that once operatedin Pennsylvania. Owned and operated by logging companies, the railroadslaid more than 4,500 miles of track ranging in length from a two-mile linewith a single locomotive to the system owned by Central PennsylvaniaLumber Company, which operated 16 lumber mills in the north-centralpart of the state.

Early loggers preferred white pine and hemlock for lumber, pulp forpaper, mine props, and chemicals, including tannin for the leatherindustry.

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1 cup reduced-sodium Spanish olives with pimiento

1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives

1 clove garlic, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon fresh, chopped basil

1 teaspoon fresh, chopped oregano

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Thoroughly rinse olives; drain well. Place all ingredients except feta

cheese

in food processor. Process into spreadable mixture, stopping proces

sor sev-

eral times to scrape down sides. Transfer to bowl and fold in cheese

. Refrig-

erate until serving time. Makes approximately 1 cup tapenade.

Serving suggestions: Serve as a dip with pita chips, pita bread or h

ummus,

or spread on ham or turkey sandwiches.

Relish this!AS GARDENS and produce stands begin to winddown for the season, we all need to make one lasteffort to thoroughly enjoy the fresh vegetables, fruits,and herbs of summer. What better way to relish theseflavors than with — you guessed it — freshly preparedrelishes, salsas and tapenades? Highly versatile, theseplate-enhancing concoctions may be served as dips,sides and toppings.

Hot and Sweet Corn Relish relies on a fresh peach toamplify the subtle sweetness of the corn. Red PepperSalsa offers a slight change from normally tomato-intensive salsa and, with only 8 calories per tablespoon,is an excellent choice for health-conscious eaters.

Olive Tapenade offers an intense Mediterranean fla-vor experience. Serve it with pita bread and hummus fora satisfying, Mediterranean-style snack, or simply use itto perk up your next sandwich. Please note that shop-pers finally have more options in the olive section of theirsupermarkets. Reduced-sodium Spanish olives are nowgenerally available, as are canned, pitted green olivespacked in water and sea salt. Both offer a nice respitefrom traditional, exquisitely salty Spanish olives. lA 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.

1 large red bell pepper, cut in half andseeded

2 Roma tomatoes1/4 cup diced red onion2 teaspoons red wine vinegar1/4 teaspoon chili powder1/8 teaspoon salt

In food processor, blend 1/2 pepper and both tomatoes. Hand-diceremaining 1/2 pepper. Combine all ingredients in medium bowl.Refrigerate until serving time. Makes approximately 1 cup salsa.Serving suggestions: Use as a dip for chips or as a topping withMexican or Southwest cuisine.

2 ears sweet corn, husks and silks removed1 medium fresh peach, peeled, pitted and diced1 fresh jalapeno pepper, diced (seeds and ribsdiscarded)

2 tablespoons diced red onion2 tablespoons lime juice1 1/2 teaspoons sugar1/4 teaspoon saltFresh cilantro, if desired

Wrap corn in waxed paper; place in microwave oven. Cook at high powerfor 3 minutes; plunge into ice water to cool quickly. When corn is cool,drain and pat dry. Cut corn from cobs; set aside. In medium bowl, combinediced pepper, diced onion, lime juice, sugar and salt. Add corn and dicedpeach. Toss and stir. Add finely chopped cilantro, if desired. Refrigerateuntil serving time. Best if used within 12 hours. Makes approximately 1 1/4cups relish.

Serving suggestions: Use as a dip for corn chips, as a relish with grilledchicken or seafood, or as a condiment with Mexican or Southwest food.

RED-ON-RED SALSA

HOT AND SWEET CORN RELISH

OLIVE TAPENADE WITH FETA CHEESE

16 P E N N L I N E S • S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 2

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 2 • P E N N L I N E S 17

harsh environments and looked for anyinfluence on animal behavior.

T-Bar M Dairy Ranch, outside ofDurant, Okla., normally uses 250-Wmetal halide lights in its barns. CRNexchanged those bulbs in 10 fixtures with120-W LEDs. After six months, the dairyhad cut energy use by 55 percent andboosted brightness by 30 percent.

“Utility costs go up every year — that’sreality,” explains Tami Tollenaar, whomanages the dairy. “To move forward inyour business, you have to look for waysto be more efficient. LEDs are one of thethings we can do to help us move for-ward.”

CRN also worked with RobinsonFamily Farms, a 380,000-head hog opera-tion in Holdenville, Okla. The farmalready used compact fluorescent lamps(CFLs) but had problems because thosebulbs didn’t work well in harsh condi-tions.

“Lighting for a swine facility is prettyimportant,” explains owner Rich Robin-son. “We try to convince the sows it’sspring year-round to improve their eatinghabits.”

CRN switched 25 fixtures from 26-WCFLs to 15-W LEDs. After six months,Robinson slashed his energy use by 54percent.

“I was worried because normallywhen you see an LED it doesn’t seem toput out as much light as a 150-watt incan-descent bulb — it’s a different type oflight,” Robinson admits. “But, afterinstalling the lights, I was surprised athow well they lit up the area. I think the

LEDs actually outperformed the CFLs.”“The initial cost of LEDs is signifi-

cantly higher than conventional lighting,”notes Scott Williams, Western FarmersElectric commercial & industrial market-ing manager. “Like all modern technol-ogy, you can expect the price to comedown as the product develops. However,when you consider all the factors over thelife cycle of a light, LEDs have alreadyproved they save money.”

Shedding light on LEDs Curious to know if LEDs are right for

you? Homeowners can visit www.ener-gysavers.gov/lighting to compare LEDs tonew energy-efficient incandescent bulbsand CFLs. The Touchstone Energy®Cooperatives free app, “Save Energy, SaveMoney” for iPhone, iPad and Androiddevices, includes a lighting calculatorshowing the potential savings fromreplacing incandescent lamps with eitherCFLs or LEDs. Learn more atwww.togetherwesave.com/Energy-Sav-ing-App-Smartphones. For more in-depthinformation about LEDs and other typesof solid-state lighting, visit www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/ssl.l

Sources: U.S. Department of Energy,Cooperative Research Network, Philips,Energy Star, U.S. Energy InformationAdministration

Megan McKoy-Noe, CCC, writes on con-sumer and cooperative affairs for theNational Rural Electric Cooperative Associa-tion, the Arlington, Va.-based service organi-zation for the nation’s 900-plus consumer-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperatives.Rob Holt contributed to this article.

(continued from page 6)

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OUTDOORadventures b y M a r c u s S c h n e c k

THE FIELDS and forestsand streams and ponds andrivers and lakes, even the air,are currently packed withthe most potential life thatwill never see fruition rightnow than at any other timeof the year. It’s the season ofthe seed.

A stroll through anymeadow of wildflowers/weeds will release clouds ofthe intended next generationof dozens of species of herba-ceous plants. A trek acrossthe forest floor beneath acanopy of oak or beech willcrunch with the destructionof lost-tree wannabes. Watersacross the state float full ofcountless never-to-germinatefields and forests.

Beyond falling on fallowspots or being cracked openunderfoot, the seeds and nuts— actually just another formof seed — are nibbled,munched and even burrowedinto by a host of species fromfungi through mammals.

So much bright promisewill be converted to suste-nance, mulch, litter and den-tritis.

But that’s all in the grandplan. Seeds are produced bythe hundreds and thousandsbeyond the levels needed tocreate a new generation.There’s a built-in super-sur-plus to the production ofmost plants in even an aver-age year, generally more so inthose species that need togenerate a completely newgrowth every year.

A web of factors deter-mines if it will be a poor year,a good year or a boom yearfor each seed-producingspecies. These includeweather, insects, diseases andthe genetic programming ofthe plant itself.

A long-term study of sev-eral pine forests foundannual seed productionamong the trees over twodecades to range from nearlyzero to more than 2 millionpine seeds per acre, with

about half of the years seeinggood seed production and theother half being nearlyequally split between poorproduction years andbumper-crop years.

Regardless of year-to-yearvariation, a seed is an amaz-ingly simple and bewilder-ingly complex mechanism.It’s basically an embryo,from which the new plantwill grow; a store of nutri-ents to support that embryo;and a seed coat, which pro-tects the embryo from injuryand desiccation. It can beanything from a paper-thincoating to a nearly rock-hardhelmet. Nuts and fruits sportadditional layers around theseed.

The seed also is the dis-persal mechanism for theplant, enabling it to spread tonew locations of favorableconditions despite the limita-

tions of its relative immobil-ity. Wind is a key dispersalagent for many smallerseeds, including those withspecial adaptations for thetrip, such as dandelion andmilkweed seeds with theirfeatherlike parachutes. Ani-mals are the prime dis-persers for other seeds,including those that areeaten and then spread in thedroppings of the animals, aswell as those with hooks andbarbs to catch onto the fur ofpassing animals. Otherseeds, such as those insidenutshells and some driedfruits (sunflower), haveevolved to encourage animalsto attempt to store them inwidespread and far-flungspots.l

MARCUS SCHNECK isoutdoor editor for The(Harrisburg, Pa.) Patriot-News and a contributorto many outdoor publi-cations and websites,and author of morethan two dozen books..

A guide to his writing and photographyappears at www.marcusschneck.com.

From a tinyseed…

GRAND PLAN: Nature’s plan is todisperse far more seeds than willever grow.

Paul FedornakREA Energy

Final days of summerTHE DAYLIGHT hours are growing shorter and soon theleaves will begin to turn colors, but for now, the grass isgreen and the days are still warm, so enjoy the final weeksof summer even as you begin to prepare for autumn.

And, as you amateur photographers are enjoying thefinal days of summer, please remember to send us yourfavorite photographs for inclusion in our “Rural Reflections”photo contest. Winners in each of our five contest categories— most artistic, best landscape, best human subject, bestanimal and editor’s choice — will receive a $75 prize.

Send your photos (no digital files, please) to: Penn LinesPhotos, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg PA 17108-1266. On theback of each photo, include your name, address, phonenumber and the name of the electric cooperative that servesyour home, business or seasonal residence. (The best way toinclude this information is by affixing an address label to theback of the photo. Please do not use ink gel or roller pens towrite on the photo.)

Remember, our publication deadlines require that wework ahead, so send your seasonal photos in early. We needwinter photos before mid-September. Save your spring,summer and fall photos for the 2013 contest. Photos that donot reflect any season may be sent at any time during theyear. Please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope ifyou want your photo to be returned.l

RURALreflections

Teri KerrNorthwestern REC

James RoscoeBedford REC

Alice SticklerTri-County REC

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 2 • P E N N L I N E S 19

20 P E N N L I N E S • S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 2

PENNLINESclassified

ALPACAS

ALPACAS FOR SALE — Bully Hollow Alpacas, 11 left, multiplecolors, breeding bloodlines or fiber/pet quality, selling pricesnegotiable. 814-484-3260.

AROUND THE HOUSE

“COUNTRY COOKING,” Volume 2 — $8, including postage.“RECIPES REMEMBERED,” Volume 3 — $12, including postage.Both of these cookbooks are a collection of recipes from menand women of the electric co-ops of Pennsylvania and NewJersey. Payable to: Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association, P. O.Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108. Write Attention: Cookbooks.Volume 1 of “Country Cooking” is SOLD OUT.

CLOCK REPAIR: If you have an antique grandfather clock,mantel clock or old pocket watch that needs restored, we canfix any timepiece. Macks Clock Repair: 814-421-7992.

GRANITE STICKS — 137 pieces 6” x 16” by varied lengths of 4’to 9’. $12 a foot or $6,800 for all. 717-776-7228.

BUILDING SUPPLIES

STEEL ROOFING AND SIDING. Corrugated sheets (cut to length).Our best residential roofing $2.25/lineal foot. Also seconds,heavy gauges, odd lots, etc. Located in northwesternPennsylvania. 814-398-4052.

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

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

PIANO TUNING PAYS — Learn at home with American School ofPiano Tuning home-study course in piano tuning and repair.Tools included. Diploma granted. Call for free brochure 800-497-9793.

CHURCH LIFT SYSTEMS

Make your church, business or home wheelchair accessible. Weoffer platform lifting systems, stair lifts, porch lifts and ramps.References. Free estimates. Get Up & Go Mobility Inc. 724-746-0992 or 814-926-3622.

CONSULTING FORESTRY SERVICES

NOLL’S FORESTRY SERVICES, INC. performs Timber Marketing,Timber Appraisals, Forest Management Planning, and ForestImprovement Work. FREE Timber Land Recommendations. 30years experience. Call 814-472-8560.

CENTRE FOREST RESOURCES. Maximizing present and futuretimber values, Forest Management Services, Managing TimberTaxation, Timber Sales, Quality Deer Management. FREE TimberConsultation. College educated, professional, ethical. 814-867-7052.

FENCING

Building a fence? Find hydraulic post drivers, high-tensile wire,electric fence, electric netting, rotational grazing supplies, toolsand more from Kencove Farm Fence Supplies. FREE FenceGuide/Catalog – Call 800-536-2683! www.kencove.com.

GIFT AND CRAFT IDEAS

“COUNTRY COOKING,” Volume 2 — $8, including postage.“RECIPES REMEMBERED,” Volume 3 — $12, including postage.Both of these cookbooks are a collection of recipes from menand women of the electric co-ops of Pennsylvania and NewJersey. Payable to: Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association, P. O.Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108. Write Attention: Cookbooks.Volume 1 of “Country Cooking” is SOLD OUT.

GRASS FED BEEF

100% GRASS FED BEEF. Our holistic management produces thehighest quality meat. Animals graze on a natural diet, are neverfed grain, growth hormones, antibiotics or pesticides.McCormick Farm, LLC 814-472-7259.

HANDCRAFTED FURNITURE

COUNTRY CRAFTED bentwood oak/hickory rockers. Swings,gliders, double rockers, coffee/end tables, bar stools, kitchensets, cedar log outdoor furniture, log bedrooms, SPECIAL queenlog bed, $599. 814-733-9116. www.zimmermanenterprise.com.

Beautiful AMISH-BUILT, cherry entertainment center holds 32”flat-screen TV, media portion holds six units, three largestorage drawers. Excellent condition. 814-715-0069.jimdon@windstream.net.

HARDWARE/LUMBER RETAIL

LEE’S Hardware — CRESSON 814-886-2377. Plumbing, electrical,hardware, paint, tools, wood pellets. PATTON 814-674-5122.Lumber, roofing, plywood, windows, doors, shale, sand, blocks,delivery, boom lift trucks, estimates. Full service hometownstores.

HEALTH AND NUTRITION

Tired of all those medicines — Still not feeling better? Do youwant to feel better, have more energy, better digestion, lessjoint stiffness, healthier heart/circulation and cholesterollevels? Find out how to empower your own immune system —start I-26 today! It’s safe, affordable, and it works. Call 800-557-8477: ID#528390. 90-day money back on first time orders orcall me 724-454-5586. www.mylegacyforlife.net/believeit.

ISSUE MONTH: AD DEADLINE:

CLASSIFIED AD SUBMISSION/RATES: Please use the form below or submit a separate sheet with required information.

Electric co-op members: $20 per month for 30 words or less, plus 50¢ for each additional word.

Non-members: $70 per month for 30 words or less, plus $1.50 for each additional word.

Ad in all CAPITAL letters: Add 20 percent to total cost. Please print my ad in all CAPITAL letters.

PLACE AD IN THE MONTHS OF: . WORD COUNT: .

I am an electric co-op member. Attached is my Penn Lines mailing label.

Enclosed is payment in the amount of $ .

I am a non-member. Address is noted or attached at right.

Enclosed is payment in the amount of $ .

1 2 3 4 5 6 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; attach separate sheet if needed.

FREE Headings (Select One): 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

SPECIAL HEADING: . SPECIAL HEADING FEE: $5 for co-op members, $10 for non-members. Applies even if heading is already appearing in Penn Lines. Insertion of classified ad serves as proof of publication; no proofs supplied. SEND FORM TO: Penn Lines Classifieds, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108. Please make CHECK/MONEY ORDER payable to: PREA/Penn Lines.

Penn Lines classified advertisements reach more than 165,800 rural Pennsylvania households! Please note ads must be received by the due date to be included in the requested issue month. Ads received beyond the due date will run in the next available issue. Written notice of changes and cancellations must be received 30 days prior to the issue month. Classified ads will not be accepted by phone, fax or email. For more information please contact Vonnie Kloss at 717/233-5704.

Name/Address or Mailing Label Here:

November 2012. . . . . . . Sept. 19

December 2012 . . . . October 19

January 2013. . . . November 16

HEALTH INSURANCE

DO YOU HAVE THE BLUES regarding your Health Insurance? Wecater to rural America's health insurance needs. For moreinformation, call 800-628-7804 (PA). Call us regarding Medicaresupplements, too.

INFRARED SAUNAS

Removes toxins, burns calories, relieves joint pain, relaxesmuscles, 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.

I-TEC POWERING MISSIONS

Think GLOBAL, Give LOCAL. For more information onvolunteering or donating call 570-433-0777. Stop by at 23Green Hollow Road, Montoursville, PA 17754 or visit atwww.itec.org.

LAWN AND GARDEN EQUIPMENT

HARRINGTON’S SERVICE CENTER, Inc. is now located at 475Orchard Rd., Fairfield, PA 17320. 717-642-6001 or 410-756-2506for lawn and garden equipment, sales and repair.

LEGAL SERVICES

WORKERS’ COMPENSATION: Injured and want to know yourrights? Call us at 877-291-9675 for FREE advice or visit ourwebsite for your FREE book at www.workinjuryinpa.com.

LIVESTOCK AND PETS

PEMBROKE WELSH CORGI Puppies — AKC, adorable, intelligent,highly trainable. Excellent family choice. Reputable licensedbreeder guaranteed “Last breed you’ll ever own.” 814-587-3449.

LOG CABIN RESTORATIONS

VILLAGE RESTORATIONS & CONSULTING specializes in 17th and18th century log, stone and timber structures. We dismantle,move, re-erect, restore, construct and consult all over thecountry. Period building materials available. Chestnut boards,hardware, etc. Thirty years experience, fully insured. Call 814-696-1379. www.villagerestorations.com.

MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT INSURANCE

Are you paying too much for your Medicare SupplementInsurance? You PROBABLY are. Keep all your current providers.To see if you qualify for lower premiums call 717-738-3304.

MISCELLANEOUS

BECOME AN ORDAINED MINISTER, Correspondence study. Theharvest truly is great, the laborers are few, Luke 10:2. Free info.Ministers for Christ Outreach, 6630 West Cactus #B107-767,Glendale, AZ 85304. www.ordination.org.

WANTED: LIVE BALD FACED HORNETS. Free removal –Huntingdon County and State College area. Insects used forpotential life-saving allergy shots. Can not have been sprayedwith insecticide. Andy 814-667-2136.

RV REFRIGERATORS/Propane Repaired/Rebuilt. Leaks can befixed. Used refrigerators and parts. Call for prices at up to 1/2of new. 570-435-2210.

80-85 U.C.C. CHURCH hymnals. Good condition — red covers.814-267-4872.

MOTORCYCLE-SNOWMOBILE INSURANCE

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

RAYSTOWN LAKE FUN

SEVEN POINTS MARINA offers houseboat vacations, daily boatrentals plus weekend public sightseeing cruises. Beautiful fallfoliage, great time to fish! Operating until October 21st. Contactus at 814-658-3074 or tours@7pointsmarina.com.

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 menand women of the electric co-ops of Pennsylvania and NewJersey. Payable to: Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association, P. O.Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108. Write Attention: Cookbooks.Volume 1 of “Country Cooking” is SOLD OUT.

SAWMILLS

USED PORTABLE Sawmills and COMMERCIAL Sawmill Equipment!Buy/Sell. Call Sawmill Exchange 800-459-2148. USA and Canada.www.sawmillexchange.com.

SHAKLEE

FREE SAMPLE Shaklee’s Energy Tea. Combination red, green andwhite teas that are natural, delicious, refreshing, safe. For sampleor more information on tea or other Shaklee Nutrition/WeightLoss Products: 800-403-3381 or www.sbarton.myshaklee.com.

SPECIAL SERVICES

Residential access and safety consultation, home modificationplans, aging in place and universal design. Also modifycabinets and furniture for special needs. 814-603-0016.nick@helpyourselfdesigns.com.

TAXI COMPANY FOR SALE

TURNKEY BUSINESS for sale in the Sayre/Athens/TowandaPennsylvania area. Operational for over 50 years! Growing withincrease in population due to the Marcellus Shale Industry.Comes with 6 vehicles that are equipped with DriveCamcameras and installed GPS systems, two-way radios with FCCLicense, Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission License andmore. Selling to operate another business! Serious businessbuyers only may contact us at 570-882-9130 and leave amessage.

TIMBER FRAME HOMES

SETTLEMENT POST & BEAM BUILDING COMPANY uses time-honored mortise, tenon and peg construction paired withmodern engineering standards. Master Craftsman and owner,Greg Sickler, brings over two decades of timber-framingexperience to helping you create your dream. We use high-quality timbers harvested from sustainable forests for all of ourprojects. Visit our model home, located on Historic Route 6,Sylvania, in North Central Pennsylvania. For more informationphone 570-297-0164 or go to www.settlementpostandbeam.comor contact us at cggksick@epix.net.

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

MASSEY FERGUSON wide row corn head Model 1144 fits ModelMF850 for sale, very good condition. Call 814-441-4187.

TRACTOR PARTS – REPAIR/RESTORATION

ARTHURS TRACTORS, specializing in vintage Ford tractors, 30-years experience, on-line parts catalog/prices, shipped via UPS.Contact us at 877-254-FORD (3673) or www.arthurstractors.com.

TREE TRIMMING/REMOVAL

TOM’S TREE 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

House rental at Lake Raystown. Sleeps 11, fireplace, fourbedrooms, dining table for 12, central A/C, two Satellite TVs, twofull baths, two half baths, linens/towels provided, largerecreation room, large parking area, one mile from lake(Snyders Run). Minimum two nights. Call 814-931-6562. Visitwww.laurelwoodsretreat.com.

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 2 • P E N N L I N E S 21

PENNLINESclassified

Toll Free 1-888-320-7466

F a x : 9 4 0 - 4 8 4 - 6 7 4 6 e m a i l : info@rhinobldg.comW e b s i t e : h t t p : / / w w w . R H I N O B L D G . C O M

25 Year Warranty on Roof & Walls;Prices F.O.B. Mfg. Plants; Seal Stamped Blue Prints; Easy Bolt Together Design.

Farm•Industrial •Commercial

VISITOUR

WEBSITE

PRICES INCLUDE COLOR SIDES & GALVALUME ROOF

VISITOUR

WEBSITE

(Local codes may affect prices)

Arena Special (roof & frame)

100’ x 100’ x 14’...$33,992

30’ x 50 x 10’..........$7,99940’ x 60’ x 12’.........$11,49960’ x 100’ x 12’.......$22,96080’ x 100’ x 14’.......$30,900100’ x 150’ x 14’....$55,118

WANTED TO BUY

QUALITY ANTIQUES — Fair prices, fast service. Single items to whole estates. All categories, 1960s and earlier:Textiles, Furniture, Industrial items, Vintage clothing, Medical, Advertising, etc. Call 570-994-2274 or email:oldcroakantiques@gmail.com.

Farms are partof our electriccooperative.

22 P E N N L I N E S • S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 2

Thoughts from Earl Pitts,UHMERIKUN!

PUNCHlines

Here iswhat’s wrong with Americatoday. An’ y’all can write this down.Heck, you can even chisel it in stone. Theproblem with America today is that peo-ple ain’t outdoors enough.This country was made great by peo-

ple outdoors. Your pioneers in wagontrains, your mountain men, your soldiersan’ explorers. You think about it andyou’ll get that pretty much this wholecountry was settled outdoors. ThomasJefferson hired Lewis & Clark to walkacross the dang continent. He didn’t tellthem to “Google it.”An’ somewheres when we got all

these electro-gizmos an’ computers an’ iPods an’ such, we lost touch withnature. A little thing I like to call “out-doorsy-ism.”Me, I like that fresh smell of juniper

an’ wild honeysuckle. I like to travel thepath that goes up around the lake, an’back to where that old mill was. Whereit’s just me and my thinkin’. An’ maybeticks.Here’s a little test y’all can take to see

if you still got any outdoorsy-ism in you.Number 1 — you’re walkin’ through thewoods when a big black shape breaksthrough the brush 60 yards ahead andheads in your direction. You a) grab yourbinoculars or b) start cryin’ like a baby.Number 2 — the last time you pulled

a trigger, were you shooting a) bullets orb) water?An’ finally, have you ever run away

from an animal smaller than your kneehigh — well, one that wasn’t a skunk? If your face is drippin’ with tears,

you’re holdin’ a super soaker, an’ you’vescreamed when you’ve seen a chipmunk,we got some work to do.Wake up, America! You need more

than just bein’ outside, OK? You need tobe where lawnmowers have never been.We still got some really good weathercomin’ this fall, so grab your big boypants — an’ let’s get out there.

Fall’s acomin’ an’ that means it’salso the perfect time for y’all to go

Social commentary from Earl Pitts —— a.k.a.GARY BUR BANK , a nation ally syndicatedradio per son ality —— can be heard on thefollowing radio stations that cover electriccooperative service territories in Pennsylvania:WANB-FM 103.1 Pittsburgh; WARM-AM 590Wilkes-Barre/Scran ton; WIOO-AM 1000 Carlisle;WEEO-AM 1480 Shippensburg; WMTZ-FM 96.5Johnstown; WQBR-FM 99.9/92.7 McElhattan;WLMI-FM 103.9 Kane; and WVNW-FM 96.7 Burnham-Lewistown.

Earl encourages a trip out to wherelawnmowers havenever been — but leaveyour spouse at home

campin’. I mean, if you’re a hard-workin’,God-fearin’, red-blooded, regular Ameri-can, it’s the perfect time for campin’.‘Cause that’s what we do.But I did hear one interestin’ story

about campin’ the other day. It said 78percent a’ people say they like to gocampin’ with their buddies. But only 50percent said they like to go campin’ withtheir spouses.Now, this statistic is not a surprise,

especially to anybody that’s ever gonecampin’ with their spouse. You spend aweek in the woods with your better half,an’ it’s just like spendin’ a week in thehouse with them, only without a toilet ora TV.Every time I hear on the news where

the police found a body in the woods, Ifigure it was a couple campin’. Lordknows me an’ Pearl have come close toonly one of us walkin’ out of the woodsbefore.Fact is, I remember one campin’ trip

when Pearl got lost in the woods forthree hours. I didn’t know where shewas. I was gettin’ frantic. Not really, butfor the purposes of this story, let’s pre-tend I was. Finally she come strollin’ outof the woods, an’ I go, “Where in theSam Hill did you go?” She smiles an’ goes, “Lookin’ for

places to hide the body, Earl.”That right there made it difficult to

sleep the rest of the trip.See, you get to do campin’ with your

buddies, an’ it’s all good. Cuttin’ up,drinkin’, fishin’ an’ messin’ with thewildlife. You get out in the wildernesswith your spouse and it’s just two des-perate people in new surroundings, eachfiggerin’ out how they might get awaywith it.Wake up, America. In other words,

then it’s the same way we live at home,but there’s no TV to distract us. Showme a man that camps with his wife, an’I’ll show you a guy that’s definitely NOTa happy camper.

I’m Earl Pitts, Uhmerikun.l

U.S. GOV’T GOLD AT-COSTTODAY - U.S. Money Reserve has scheduled the final release of U.S. Gov’t-Issued $5 Gold Coins previously held at the U.S. Mint at West Point. These Gov’t-Issued Gold Coins are being released on a first-come, first-served basis for the incredible markup free price of only $168.25 per coin. Please be advised: our at-cost U.S. Gov’t Gold inventory will be available at this special price while supplies last or for up to 30 days. Do not delay. Call a Sr. Gold Specialist today.

DUE TO STRICT LIMITED AVAILABILITY, TELEPHONE ORDERS WILL BE ACCEPTED ON A FIRST-COME, FIRST-SERVED BASIS ACCORDING TO THE TIME AND DATE OF THE ORDER.

Own Gov’t-Issued Gold Coins

If you’ve been waiting to move your hard-earned money into precious metals, the time is now to consider transferring your U.S. dollars into United States Government Gold. The

Gold market is on the move, up more than 400% over the past 10 years - outpacing the DOW, NASDAQ and S&P 500. Call immediately to order your United States Gold Coins direct from our Main Vault Facility, “at-cost”, for the amazing price of only $168.25 per coin. Special arrangements can be made for Gold purchases over $50,000. Order your Gold today!

UN

ITED STATE

S

COIN

S

LOG

GO

T

V’

D

CALL TOLL-FREE (7 Days A Week)

1-855-894-5521

Vault No. PA3-16825Coins enlarged to show detail.

© 2012 U.S. Money Reserve

1 – Gov’t-Issued Gold Coin $ 168.25

5 – Gov’t-Issued Gold Coins $ 841.25

10 – Gov’t-Issued Gold Coins $ 1,682.50

THE MARKETS FOR COINS ARE UNREGULATED. PRICES CAN RISE OR FALL AND CARRY SOME RISKS. THE COMPANY IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE U.S. GOV-ERNMENT AND THE U.S. MINT. PAST PERFORMANCE OF THE COIN OR THE MAR-KET CANNOT PREDICT FUTURE PERFORMANCE. SPECIAL AT-COST OFFER IS STRICTLY LIMITED TO ONLY ONE LIFETIME PURCHASE OF 10 AT-COST COINS (RE-GARDLESS OF PRICE PAID) PER HOUSEHOLD, PLUS SHIPPING AND INSURANCE.

( PLUS INSURANCE, SHIPPING & HANDLING $31.00)

( PLUS INSURANCE, SHIPPING & HANDLING $31.00)

( PLUS INSURANCE, SHIPPING & HANDLING $36.00)

$16825EACH

PRICES MAY BE MORE OR LESS BASED ON CURRENT MARKET CONDITIONS. CALL NOW.

PURE COST - NO DEALER MARKUP!

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