N OV E M B E R 2 0 1 2

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N O V 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. 11Peter 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 E N E R GY M AT T E R S

Spotter’s guide to transmissionpoles and lines

8 F E AT U R E

Keeping postedU.S. Postal Service finds ways to hang on inrural communities

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

12A COOPERATIVE CONNECTIONInformation and advice from your localelectric cooperative

14 S M A R T C I R C U I T S

Window wizardryOptions available to improve the energyefficiency of old windows

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

Stew about this!

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

Mail-order history

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

The mourning dove: a study in species survival

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’s toes don’t want to be singled out, theywork as a team

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

Thank you for your entries

19

NOVEMBER

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O N T H E C OV E RThe Brooklyn, Pa., Post Officein Susquehanna County isone of 826 Pennsylvania postoffices scheduled to havehours reduced. It is slated togo from being open six hoursdaily to two hours. (Photo Courtesy SusquehannaCounty Independent)

23

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

First case of Chronic Wasting Disease found in Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania Department of Agri-culture reported in mid-October that thefirst positive case of Chronic Wasting Dis-ease (CWD) in the state’s deer populationhas been confirmed.

The positive sample was taken from awhite-tailed deer at a deer farm near NewOxford in Adams County. It was tested as

part of the state’s intensive CWD monitor-ing efforts. The state has quarantined thelocation where the diseased deer wasfound, plus two farms directly associatedwith the deer — one in Lycoming Countyand one in York County.

CWD attacks the brains of infecteddeer, elk and moose, producing smalllesions that eventually result in death. It istransmitted by direct animal-to-animalcontact through saliva, feces and urine.

Signs of the disease include weight loss,excessive salivation, increased drinkingand urination, and abnormal behavior like

stumbling, trembling, and depression.The disease is fatal and there is no

known treatment or vaccine.The disease was first recorded in 1967

in Colorado, and it has been spreadingacross the United States since then. Penn-sylvania is the 23rd state to report it.

“To date, CWD has not been found inPennsylvania’s wild deer population,” saidPennsylvania Game Commission Execu-tive Director Carl G. Roe in a news releaseissued by the department. “Concerns overCWD should not prevent anyone fromenjoying deer hunting and consumingmeat from healthy animals.”

Roe said hunters should shoot onlyhealthy-appearing animals, and take pre-cautions like wearing rubber gloves whenfield-dressing their deer, and wash thor-oughly when finished.

“Though no human disease has beenassociated with CWD, the Centers for Dis-ease Control and Prevention recommendspeople or other animals do not eat anypart of an animal diagnosed with orshowing signs of CWD,” Acting HealthSecretary Michael Wolf said in a newsrelease.

Pennsylvania ranks high in digital survey

Pennsylvania has retained its “A-minus” status in the 2012 survey by theCenter for Digital Government, making itone of six states to receive that grade. OnlyMichigan and Utah earned a higher grade.Pennsylvania also earned an A-minus inthe last survey, done in 2010.

The biennial survey reviews the infor-mation technology programs of all 50 states, delving into their use of digitaltechnologies that serve their citizens, savemoney and achieve policy goals.

The Center for Digital Government is anational research and advisory instituteon information technology policies andbest practices in state/local government.

Baby boomers returning to rural Pennsylvania

According to Census Bureau informa-tion compiled by the Center for RuralPennsylvania, the number of babyboomers (anyone born between 1946 and1964) living in rural Pennsylvania countiesis up .4 percent between 2000 and 2010.

That’s not a large increase, but it is astark contrast to what’s happening inPennsylvania’s urban counties, wherethere is a 4 percent decline in babyboomers during the same decade.

The center reports the statewide trendis showing up across the United States asthe nation’s rural areas reported a 2 per-cent increase in baby boomers while U.S.urban areas show a 3 percent decline.

According to the report, six of Pennsyl-vania’s counties had increases of morethan 11 percent in baby boomers in thedecade studied. They are Carbon, Forest,Monroe, Pike, Sullivan and Wayne. ThePennsylvania counties with the largestdeclines in baby boomers are Allegheny,Greene, McKean and Philadelphia, each ofwhich recorded a decline of more than 7 percent.l

KEEPINGcurrent

FEDERAL GRANT: The U.S. Transportation Department has awarded a $1.2 million grant to the National Park Service to complete work on the 1.2-mile roadthat provides access to the Flight 93 National Memorial near Shanksville in rural Somerset County. The memorial honors the passengers and crew of the flightthat crashed at the site during the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. BIO

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

ENERGYmatters

Spotter’s guideto transmissionpoles and lines

former outside a home or business low-ers the voltage to 120 volts or 240 volts.

Transmission tower conductors —the energized lines — are made of steel-reinforced aluminum cable and arealways arranged in sets of three.

This three-way grouping helps electric-ity travel efficiently. However, if you lookat the top of a tower, you may see one ortwo smaller, solitary wires. They absorbor deflect lightning strikes, conveyingexcess electricity safely to the ground.

Some overhead ground wires aregrouped with fiber-optic cables. Or youmay notice fiber optics running a fewfeet below transmission conductors.Adding telecommunication lines to util-ity poles gets the most out of the largeinvestment in transmission systems.

Estimating voltsThe first rule of thumb for estimating

volts: the higher the transmission tower,the greater the voltage. Transmissionlines can’t touch the towers that supportthem — otherwise, the current flows tothe ground. They’re separated from tow-ers by bell-shaped insulators.

The rule of separation works here,too — higher voltages require more sep-

aration between conductors and towers.

More uses for towersTowering transmission structures

often double as weather data collectors.You may notice spinning cups of ananemometer measuring wind speed, orother meteorological equipment.

Early tower designers discoveredlarge birds like to build nests on thegirders. Birds can cause an outage ifexcreted waste lands on an insulatorand triggers a short circuit. Rather thanhave birds nest in random and poten-tially dangerous spots, some designersinclude platforms for nests.

The path of powerThis “spotter’s guide” helps you under-

stand what you’re looking at and providesa better understanding of the electriccooperative network. But remember:k Do not climb utility structures. Stay asafe distance from all equipment.

k These descriptions are common, butdesigns vary.lMaurice Martin is senior program man-

ager for the Cooperative Research Network, aservice of the Arlington, Va.-based NationalRural Electric Cooperative Association.

TRANSMISSION structures and tow-ers are like interstate highways for elec-tricity, carrying massive volumes ofhigh-voltage current over large dis-tances. These structures stand 55 feettall or more and connect power plants toa series of substations and tie one bulkpower region of the grid to another. Thetowering behemoths, surrounded bycleared land (called right-of-way), seemsimple and unadorned.

But a closer look reveals interestingdetails. With a little practice, you canidentify devices attached to towers andeven guess voltage levels.

Volts varyFirst step? Determine what you’re

looking at. Higher voltages on power linesrequire more space between each otherand other objects. Transmission towersusually stand 55 to 150 feet high. Most aremade from steel, but some are concrete,wood, or even ductile iron. Wooden distri-bution poles, found in neighborhoods, aregenerally about 40 feet tall.

Transmission voltages usually runbetween 23,000 volts and 765,000 volts.Compare that to the voltage of yourhome’s electrical sockets: 120 volts formost outlets, 240 volts for a clothesdryer or stove range.

Transmission facilities carry powerfor long distances to substations, whichreduce power for delivery on smallerlines to your electric cooperative. There,local substations step power down fur-ther, so it can be safely carried by distri-bution lines to communities. A trans-

ELECTRICITY HIGHWAY: Transmission towers may look like simple structures, but because of the extremely highvoltages of electricity flowing through their wires, engineers take great care in their design.

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PENNlines

RURAL post offices play a different rolethan their city counterparts. In the iso-lated hills and valleys of rural Pennsyl-vania, where high-speed internet, cell-phone service or even FM radio isspotty or non-existent, thesepost offices are often the best,most reliable contact with thewider world. Especially for agrowing elderly population.But major changes are

coming to the post offices in826 rural communities scat-tered across the Common-wealth (and some 13,000 postoffices across the UnitedStates), thanks to a growingfinancial crisis in the U.S.Postal Service (USPS). Deter-mined to get its financialhouse in order, the USPSrecently began schedulingcommunity meetings in tar-geted areas to gather input onhow residents of those com-munities prefer to receive andsend their mail.“Customers in these com-

munities are being notifiedthat their post office has beendesignated to reduce hours,”reports Ray Daiutolo Sr.,USPS spokesman for theCentral District of Pennsylvania. “A sur-vey will ask them for information andtell them about a public meeting that isbeing scheduled in their community.”The goal of the survey, he says, is to

determine how each affected communitysees the future of its post office. And,

even though the USPS is a massiveorganization, he says its officials will lis-ten to residents who speak up.“Last year, we were looking at poten-

tially closing many of the smaller offices,but based on national negative feedback,it was determined that we could accom-

plish some of the same goals by reduc-ing hours,” Daiutolo notes. “So this isthe latest strategy that the organizationdeveloped as a result of the feedback.”The USPS is offering customers of

affected post offices several options toconsider, including reduced hours.Those communities that opt for reducedhours will then be asked to determinethe most convenient open hours. Ruralresidents can also consider discontinu-ing the post office and having curbsidedelivery, or establishing a “village” postoffice where the USPS pays someone tooperate a post office out of his or her

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

HEART OF THE COMMUNITY: These examples ofthe décor of long-ago rural post offices are nowenshrined in the Smithsonian National PostalMuseum in Washington, D.C. These samples arefrom Dillsburg, Pa., taken from the office thatoperated from 1913 to 1971. Post offices aroundthe country used the prefabricated panels so theoffices would have a similar look.

U.S. Postal Servicefinds ways to hang on inrural communitiesB y K a t h y H a c k l e m a nS e n i o r E d i t o r / Wr i t e r

Keepingposted

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own facility. “This is a pretty big endeavor,” Daiu-

tolo notes. “There are 67 districts acrossthe country, and this is happening allacross the country, not just in Pennsyl-vania. Nationwide, there are 13,000offices that are scheduled to have theirhours reduced. They are feeling that todo this right, the process will take abouttwo years to complete across the coun-try. Some, of course, will be done soonerthan others.”Because Pennsylvania’s 13 rural elec-

tric cooperatives serve the most ruralareas of the Commonwealth, many ofthe 826 post offices slated to operate onreduced hours lie within cooperativeservice areas. Some will be affectedgreatly with hours that are significantlyreduced; others will have much less sig-nificant changes.

Family traditionFor Ann Henderson, postmaster of

the Shunk Post Office in Sullivan

County, the question of what willbecome of her village’s post office is verypersonal. For nearly 80 years, a member of

Henderson’s family has served as Shunkpostmaster. She says that in 1934, hergrandparents, Lawrence and CarolineBaumunk, sold all they owned — 200chickens — and used that money for adown payment on the general store inShunk. Two years later, Lawrence wasnamed postmaster, beginning a familytradition of managing the general store

and the post office that islocated in it. He serveduntil 1953, followed byCaroline who served until1978, to be replaced bytheir daughter-in-law —Ann’s mother — LucyBaumunk, from 1978 to1997. Henderson, a mem-ber of the Sullivan CountyRural Electric Cooperative(REC) Board of Directors,has been postmaster since1997. She also is theowner/manager of Bau-munk’s General Store,where the USPS leases anoffice.The Shunk Post Office

is open four hours a day,but according to the USPSguidelines, it is tabbed tobe cut to two hours daily. “Customers are happy

it looks like it will stayopen, but they are con-cerned about how thereduction in hours willaffect them because twohours a day isn’t a verylong period,” Henderson

reports. “We have a lot of older peoplewho still write letters. Lots of peoplearound here don’t have computers, andthere’s no cellphone coverage. Peoplestill mail their bills.”The busiest times at the Shunk Post

Office are the summer, when seasonalresidents are at their cabins, and duringthe Christmas holiday season.“The post office provides a sense of

identity for the community,” Hendersonnotes. “It provides a service, especiallyfor the elderly. It’s very convenient,especially in these days when security isimportant. Some people have a (postoffice) box here so their mail that hasbank or credit card information, orother forms of ID, isn’t sitting in a boxalong a back road that doesn’t get a lotof traffic.”The Shunk Post Office, which has 75

post office boxes available, also providesspace for a community bulletin board, isthe drop-off point for local food drives,and also serves as a branch location forthe Sullivan County Library wherelibrary patrons can check out and returnbooks.West of Shunk, in neighboring

Lycoming County, the Slate Run PostOffice is also a “one-man band,” withBrandi Yost serving as the officer incharge since July 30. Slate Run is similarto Shunk in that the post office is locatedin space leased by a general store — inthis case, Wolfe’s General Store, oper-ated by Tri-County Rural Electric Coop-erative members Tom and DebraFinkbiner.

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

NEW ENTERPRISE TO REDUCE HOURS: The NewEnterprise Post Office is scheduled to reduce itsoperating hours from eight hours a day to six dueto the declining amount of business there.

UNCERTAIN FUTURE: Ann Henderson, postmaster at the Shunk PostOffice in Sullivan County, scans the bar code on the mailbox at thepost office. The USPS has scheduled the Shunk office hours to bereduced from four daily to two.

PENNlines

fewer letters, although special occasionslike the 2012 general election can bring aflood of mail to be delivered.

Other servicesSimilar to the Fairhope Post Office,

the Cross Fork Post Office in southernPotter County is also located in a build-ing owned by the USPS. Dawn Drake, amember of Tri-County REC, is one oftwo non-career employees there. Nowopen eight hours a day, the USPS isplanning to reduce the office hours tofour hours daily.In addition to offering all of the typi-

cal post office services, in Cross Fork,the employees also have a communitybulletin board, library books from thePotter-Tioga Library, and a DVD bor-rowing program.“The books are changed every three

months so that’s a great program forolder people who don’t like to drive alot,” Drake notes. “I started the DVDborrowing program, and people donateDVDs when they can. It gets a lot of usefrom people at the camps because a lotof the camps don’t have satellite. Nomoney changes hands. It’s a good sourceof entertainment for people who arevacationing here without television.”

Slate Run has 81 post office boxes. Itnow is open six hours a day, and is des-ignated to be reduced to two hours aday. Even though she’s relatively new to

the acting postmaster role in Slate Run,Yost is familiar with the operation as shehas been substituting at the Slate Runoffice for more than five years. “We have a lot of retired people here,”

she reports. “A lot of them come in andwait for the mail to get here every day.We also have quite a bit of business fromseasonal cabins. You see all walks of lifecome through here. We get tourists whobuy a postcard in the store and then buya stamp from us and mail it before theyleave.”

Concern for communityShe describes the setting of the post

office within the general store as a “fam-ily setting” where the customers allknow each other and her. Many of thosepeople have expressed concern over thelast few years that the post office mightclose.“I was just positive this office was

one they were going to close,” Yost adds.“I am really impressed that the govern-ment listened to the people and the com-munities, and is reducing the hoursinstead of closing it.”However, Debra Finkbiner, the co-

owner of Wolfe’s General Store whoretired in July after 37 years as post-master, isn’t quite as optimistic aboutthe long-term future of the local postoffice.“I believe this is a service for the

community,” Finkbiner says. “Peoplecount on getting their mail. Up here,people don’t have internet or cellphonecoverage. This is our community centerwhere people meet and find out aboutwhat’s happening in the community. … Iam concerned that when they cut thispost office back to two hours a day, itwon’t be worth anyone’s while to drivehere to work at it. I’m afraid at thatpoint they will just say, ‘We have to closeit because there’s no one to operate it.’”In contrast to the Shunk and Slate

Run post offices, the post office inFairhope in Somerset County is in astand-alone building owned by the

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

USPS. A member of the Somerset RuralElectric Cooperative, the post office isscheduled to go from eight hours a dayto two.Although the Fairhope area is small

— with only 30 post office boxes — thearea gets quite a few tourists, especiallytrain aficionados who come from allover the world to photograph the scenicrailroad crossings. The bulk of the postoffice business, though, comes fromcommunity residents.Postmaster Robert G. Platt has been

the postmaster there since 2003; prior tothat he worked at the Berlin Post Officefor 15 years. He’s been in the business long

enough that he’s seldom surprised atwhat people send through the mail.“I’ve probably seen just about every-

thing and anything mailed,” he says.“What might sound unusual to you isjust common to us.”Although being cut from eight to two

hours is a difficult blow, Platt notes thatcommunity residents are pleased theUSPS stepped back from its originalintent to close the office.During his nearly quarter-century of

service, he’s seen the writing on the wall— each year seems to bring fewer and

HARD AT WORK: Christian Gohn, left, a member of REA Energy Cooperative, and Dawn Drake, a memberof Tri-County Rural Electric Cooperative and employee at the Cross Fork Post Office, sort mail for deliv-ery. The office is scheduled to have its hours of operation reduced in a cost-saving measure. Gohn is acontract carrier who delivers mail to many of central Pennsylvania’s smaller post offices.

The Cross Fork Post Office also offerssome unusual services — if local resi-dents have more garden produce thanthey can use themselves, they bring it tothe post office, where other residentswho would like a serving of fresh vegeta-bles can help themselves. And the appletree in the post office yard providesenough apples for everyone who wantsto bring a bucket and fill it.In exchange, the seasonal residents

and hunters, as well as the year-roundresidents, make a special effort to sup-port the local post office, Drake says.Their busiest times are the summer andbear hunting season, along with the tra-ditional Christmas season.“They are very thoughtful about com-

ing in here to buy supplies and to use theservices here,” she says. “They want tomake sure we stay open. There isn’tanother post office for 20 miles around.”

ChangesDaiutolo says the postal service looks

at a number of factors in determiningwhich offices will have to reduce hours,including the number of transactions inan office and the revenue generated there.Brawna Sell, New Enterprise REC

office manager, said changes in paymentoptions have reduced mail traffic at thecooperative’s office in Bedford County.“The 28th of each month is our bill

due date,” Sell reports. “It used to bethat we would be flooded with mail onthat date, but now we just get a smallstack of mail on the 28th because so

many customers are payingover the phone or internet.”Other businesses and resi-

dents have made similarchanges, ultimately leading tothe USPS decision to cut theNew Enterprise Post Officedaily hours from eight to six. The plan to cut back on

hours at small post offices isdriven by finances, not thedesire to cut services. “We had to look at the

way things have been going,”Daiutolo says. “We have lessfoot traffic in our post officesbecause people are communi-cating in different ways.When you combine that withthe fact that people can con-duct postal transactionswithout going to a brick andmortar building, it puts us ina position where we have tolook at all of our infrastruc-ture because we are strug-gling with our finances. Weare trying to balance cus-tomer expectations withfinancial realities for us. …Hopefully, the upcomingcommunity meetings willallow us to do that.”At the same time the USPS is work-

ing to cut hours at some locations, it alsois expanding some services that aremore cost-effective. “Customers in the last few years have

been telling usthat they want usto be more con-venient,” Daiutolosays. “They askus, ‘Can you comeup with otherideas?’ So we nowhave USPS.com,which we call thepost office thatnever closes. Youcan pretty muchdo anything onour website thatyou can do on-siteat a post office. …Also, we are con-

tinuing to expand and leverage relation-ships with retail outlets to providepostal products to customers at a timethat is convenient for them.”As the USPS struggles to adapt to

society’s changing needs, some hope tohang on to the rural post office tradition. Tri-County REC member James

McGuire is one of those dedicated cus-tomers who does all he can to makesure there will always be a local postoffice in his Cross Fork community.“I live up on the hill, and every day, I

come to check my mail,” McGuire says.“I depend on the post office, and Iappreciate having them here. This is mydaily routine, walking down to the postoffice every morning.”Working at the Cross Fork Post

Office, Drake says she understands howher neighbors feel about their post office. “Everybody calls this the hub of the

community,” she says. “I think peoplewould be lost without it.”l

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

ANYONE WANT A STAMP? Brandi Yost, officer in charge of theSlate Run Post Office, operates the tiny post office locatedinside Wolfe’s General Store, a member of Claverack RuralElectric Cooperative.

DAILY HABIT: Tri-County Rural Electric Cooperative customer James McGuirechecks for mail every morning at his Cross Fork Post Office box.

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

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

1972 November brings Thanksgiving, the fall har-vest and hunting season, and this edition of PennLines discusses the background and meaning of each.

1982 The Area Transportation Authority ofNorthcentral Pennsylvania is one of the first of therural transportation systems in Pennsylvania.

1992 Rural merchants band together to developstrategies for co-existing in an environment thatis becoming more likely to include a Wal-Mart.

IN NOVEMBER 2002, Penn Lines examined the five levels of adult liter-acy and the effects of rural illiteracy. The levels are:

Illiterate — Extremely limited reading and writing skills. Illiterateindividuals might not be able to sign their names or recite the alphabet.

Functionally illiterate — Reading skills fall below the sixth-grade level.Functionally illiterate adults need help with reading for routine dailytasks like grocery shopping and riding public transportation.

Marginally illiterate — Those in this category likely graduated fromhigh school, but had a rough time getting through. A job application fromthem, for example, might have multiple spelling errors.

Alliterate — People who can read, but have children at risk for illiter-acy because they are not engaged with books.

Literate — Easily can read and write, and are able to find informationthey need.

Barriers to fighting illiteracy in rural areas include: transportation toget to tutoring sessions, lack of affordable child care, and potential lack oftutors. Programs that fight illiteracy address the following components:continuing education and GED assistance for adults; parenting work-shops; early childhood learning programs; and interaction between par-ents and children with an emphasis on reading.

2002

In 1935, this was more than a pole. It was a symbol of determination. It spurred hope, cooperation and growth. And today, you can keep that spirit alive in your co-op by saving energy. Find out how at TogetherWeSave.com.

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

YOU PROBABLY feel chilly near old sin-gle-pane windows on a cold day — theytypically have huge heat loss because ofpoor caulking and weather stripping (ifthere is any). You probably also feel hotnear them during the summer.

The most significant heat loss occurson a clear winter night. The R-value — ahigher-the-better number that shows theability of insulation to resist the transfer ofheat — of a single pane of glass is only R-1,as compared to an insulated wall at R-20.

There are many things you can do on alimited budget to improve the year-roundefficiency of your windows. First, checkthe caulking and weather stripping on thewindows and ensure the framing is notdeteriorated. Fix problems before youattempt any improvements, or your hardwork won’t be worth much.

Adding storm windows, either interioror exterior, can more than double theenergy efficiency of your windows. Cus-tom-made, multi-track storm windowscan cost almost as much as new windows,so make your own using clear acrylicsheets. An advantage of using acrylicinstead of glass is that acrylic blocks mostof the sun’s fading ultraviolet rays.

Exterior storm windows can be madewith 1-by-2-inch lumber, acrylic sheet, andfoam weather stripping. If you size themto fit inside the wall opening and paintthem to match your existing windowframes, they will look like part of yourwindows. The compressible foam weatherstripping should hold them in place in theopening. Push them in as far as possibleto minimize the air gap.

To install interior storm windows, use

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Have a question for Jim? Send inquiriesto JAMES DULLEY , Penn Lines, 6906Royalgreen Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45244 orvisit www.dulley.com.

a kit with magnetic seals. The magneticsection of the seal attaches to the acrylicsheet with an adhesive backing, and thesteel strip attaches to the window frame.This allows you to easily remove themduring the summer, but if you use air con-ditioning, just leave them up year-round.

Another option is to install insulatingwindow shades or curtains to increase theinsulation level of the window openingand to block the radiant heat loss fromyour skin through the window. Some-thing as simple as a pull-down pleatedshade can help.

Some of the most efficient windowshades can add R-6 insulation to yourwindows. These are multilayer roll-upshades with a heat-reflecting, airproofinner film layer to reduce radiant heat loss(or gain during summer). These shadesare particularly effective because the sideedges slide in channel tracks, whichreduces the amount of air that circulatesagainst the cold (or hot) glass.

The newest energy-saving permanentwindow films are also effective for reduc-ing wintertime heat loss. These films havea very slight tint so they can’t be detectedand use the same type of microscopicallythin, low-emissivity metallic coating as

expensive replacement windows. Simplevinyl static-cling film will also help. Beforeinstalling anything on double-pane win-dows, check the window manufacturer’swarranty regarding film application.

Do-it-yourself, energy-saving filminstallation kits are available at mosthome improvement stores. Dependingon your climate, you may want to selecta darker tint if summertime heat gain isyour most significant concern. Becausethe sun is higher in the sky during sum-mer, installing window awnings forshade and a lighter film on south-facingwindows will allow for passive solarheating from the wintertime sun.

A final option is to install a tilt-in dou-ble-pane, sash-only replacement kit. Ifyour existing frames are in good condi-tion, this will convert your old windowsinto very efficient ones. This option alsoprovides ease of cleaning both sides of thewindow glass from indoors.l

WindowwizardryOptions available to improve theenergy efficiency of old windows

Maintaining your septic tank is a necessity. Septal’s formula is used by professionals throughout the industry and is the strongest you can buy.

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b y J a n e t t e H e s sCOUNTRYkitchen

1 pound lean ground beef1 cup soft bread crumbs3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

1 egg, well beaten1/2 cup milk1 package dried onion soup, divided

1/2 teaspoon black pepper5 cups raw vegetables of choice(Cubed potatoes, baby carrots, mushrooms, green beans,

roughly chopped onion)1 8-ounce can tomato sauce1 14 1/2-ounce can reduced-sodium beef broth

Generous 1/4 cup finely grated raw potato

1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce (plus more for serving, if desired)

Mix ground beef, bread crumbs, cheese, egg, milk, 1/2 of soup mix and pep-

per. Form into 1 1/2-inch meatballs. Using non-stick skillet lightly coated with

cooking spray, carefully brown meatballs on all sides over medium to medi-

um-high heat. Once meatballs have browned, continue cooking over medium

heat for at least 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer meatballs to 9- by

13-inch baking dish. Add vegetables of choice. Whisk together remaining

soup mix, tomato sauce, broth, grated potato and Worcestershire sauce.

Pour over meatballs and vegetables. Cover with foil and bake at 325 degrees

for 2 hours, or until vegetables are tender. Remove foil during last 15 min-

utes of baking. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Stew about this!“STEW” is a catch-all term for any number of thick,meaty entrees — ragouts, burgoos, cioppinos andgoulashes, to name a few. The bottom line is that thetender meats and deep flavors of stew are the result ofa long cooking process.

Some stews contain chunks of potato while otherstews need to be served as a topping over potatoes,rice, noodles or even grits. Of course, calorie or carbwatchers usually choose to skip all of the above andsimply add an extra side of vegetables to soak up allthe savory sauce. Either way, stews bring well-devel-oped flavors and winter heartiness to the table.

This month’s recipes explore three stewing meth-ods: stovetop, oven and slow cooker. All have a placein your cold-weather cooking repertoire! 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 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken1 tablespoon butter1/2 teaspoon paprika1/4 teaspoon dried thyme1/4 teaspoon salt1 cup peeled pearl onions1 cup sliced celery1 cup sliced carrots1 cup reduced-sodium chicken brothFreshly ground pepper1 package chicken gravy mix1/2 cup light cream (“half and half”) or milk1 cup green peas (if frozen, thaw before adding )Trim chicken and cut into 1-inch cubes. Melt butter in large, non-stickskillet. Add chicken; sauté for 5 to 8 minutes, or until all surfaces ofchicken have turned white. Stir in paprika, thyme and salt. Transferchicken, including any pan juices, to slow cooker. Stir in all vegeta-bles and broth. Sprinkle with pepper. Cook at least 6 hours on lowsetting. Whisk gravy mix into light cream or milk; add to slow cook-er. Carefully stir in peas. Increase heat to high setting and cook 30 minutes longer. Makes 6 to 8 servings. Serve over mashed pota-toes or rice, if desired.

2 or 3 bacon slices, diced1 large onion, chopped1 tablespoon vegetable oil2 teaspoons paprika2 pounds pork loin, trimmed and cutinto 1 1/2-inch cubes

1/2 cup beef broth1 can sauerkraut, rinsed and drained1/2 teaspoon garlic powder1/4 teaspoon salt1 1/2 teaspoons caraway seedWater as neededSour cream for garnish, if desired

In large pot (preferably non-stick), fry diced bacon until crisp. Drainbacon, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in pot. Set bacon aside. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to bacon drippings in pot. Add onion and sautéover medium heat until onion is soft. Stir in paprika and pork. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, before adding beef broth, sauerkraut,garlic powder and salt. Cover and simmer over low heat for 1 hour, addingwater 1 or 2 tablespoons at a time as needed to keep mixture from dryingout. After 1 hour, add caraway seeds and bacon. Continue simmering untilpork is very tender, approximately 1/2 hour longer. Makes 6 generousservings. Garnish with sour cream, if desired.

CHICKEN RAGOUT

PORK AND ‘KRAUT GOULASH

MEATBALL STEW

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

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Statement of Ownership, Management and Circulation required by 39 USC 3685TITLE OF PUBLICATION: Penn LinesPUBLICATION NUMBER: 929-700FILING DATE: September 10, 2012

Issued monthly, 12 times annually.Subscription price is $5.42 for members of electric distribution cooperatives in Pennsylvania. Mailing address of office is 212 Locust Street, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, Dauphin County, PA 17108-1266.Publisher is Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, Dauphin County, PA 17108-1266. Editor/Director of Communications & Member Services is Peter A. Fitzgerald, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, Dauphin County, PA 17108-1266.Owner is Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108-1266. There are no otherowners or bondholders. The purpose, function, and non-profit status of this organization and the exempt status for federal income tax purposes have not changed during the preceding 12 months.TOTAL NUMBER OF COPIES:: Average number of copies each issue during the preceding 12 months, 166,415. Actual number of copies of single issue (September 2012) published nearest to filing date, (September 166,239).PAID CIRCULATION:Average Mailed Outside-County Paid Subscriptions, 165,021 (September 164,808).Average Mailed In-County Paid Subscriptions, 0 (September 0).Average Paid Distribution Outside the Mails including Sales through Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors, Counter Sales, and other Paid Distribution Outside USPS, 752 (September 700).Average Paid Distribution by other Classes of Mail through the USPS, 46 (September 45).TOTAL PAID DISTRIBUTION: Average, 165,819 (September 165,553).FREE OR NOMINAL RATE DISTRIBUTION: Average Outside-County Copies, 273 (September 271).Average In-County, 0 (September 0).Average Copies mailed at Other Classes through the USPS, 0 (September 0).Average Distribution Outside the Mail by carriers or other means, 165 (September 165).TOTAL FREE OR NOMINAL RATE DISTRIBUTION: Average, 437 (September 436).TOTAL DISTRIBUTION: Average, 166,256 (September 165,989).COPIES NOT DISTRIBUTED: Average, 159 (September 250).TOTAL: Average number of copies each issue during preceding 12 months, 166,415 (September 166,239).PERCENT PAID CIRCULATION: Average percentage during preceding 12 months, 99.74 percent (September 99.74 percent).PUBLICATION OF STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP: Publication required. Will be printed in theNovember 2012 issue of this publication.

SIGNATURE AND TITLE OF EDITOR, PUBLISHER, BUSINESS MANAGER, OR OWNER:

DATE: 9-10-12

Editor and Director of Communications and Member Services

I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete. I understand that anyone who furnishesfalse or misleading information on this form or who omits material or information requested on the form may besubject to criminal sanctions (including fines and imprisonment) and/or civil sanctions (including civil penalties).

Farms are partof our electriccooperative.

18 P E N N L I N E S • N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 2

GARDENERS have longunderstood the allure ofplants from faraway places.For example, Thomas Jeffer-son was a passionate plantenthusiast and collector. Hesent Lewis and Clark off on along expedition to ournation’s western ocean inpart so they could bring backuseful and interesting plants.Jefferson often shared hisnew discoveries by sendingspecimens off to gardeners asfar away as Pennsylvaniaand even to Europe.

Imagine wrapping yourbare root plants in moss andsending them off by horse-drawn conveyance or acrossthe Atlantic. Here in Penn-sylvania, we still have a greatdistance-gardening tradition.Certainly, we’ve all heard ofour local Burpee — a com-pany nearly synonymouswith mail-order gardeningfor generations and stillgoing strong — and manyother fine companies.

My earliest memories ofmail-order plants go backdecades. An enthusiastic

new gardener, I orderedsome spring flowering bulbs.One day in October, three bigcardboard boxes landed onmy front porch. “The Bulbs,”as they came to be known,had arrived! I opened theboxes, remembering the col-orful catalog photos of flow-ers here, there and every-where bursting alive inspring glory.

What I had somehowglossed over in my orderingfrenzy was the need to plantthe bulbs, at a ratio ofapproximately one bulb perbloom. Planting a bulb is acinch, but digging the holefor it is time-consuming andback-breaking. My husbanddelighted in telling anyonewho would listen that I hadsomehow lost my mind andordered over 800 bulbs. Tobe fair, many of them werethe so-called minor bulbs,the ones that can be planteda half dozen to a single widehole, and he sweetly helpedme get them in the ground.

Another mail-orderepisode involved trees. Some-one who shall remain un-named thought it would be agood idea to plant a row ofpines, a long, triple-staggeredline of pines, and sent awayfor some little liners. Linersare not really trees yet. Aliner is more like a six-inchtwig with a root on it. Linersare planted using a speciallong-handled tool. Cut a slitin the soil, pry it open just atad and slide in the liner,then stomp the soil back intoplace to firm it on the roots.

It was a dry yearso we wateredeach one by handusing a coffee canto dip water out ofa bucket.

Decades later,eight of thosetrees survive, hav-ing dodged allmanner of perilfrom deer todrought to run-away horses drag-ging a fencebehind them.

My favoritemail-order plantmemory dates tothe winter ourdaughter wasborn. A boxarrived addressedto me from a pres-tigious nursery. Iripped it openthinking surely amistake? But tomy delight, therewas a gift cardenclosed withthree of the largestamaryllis bulbs I have everseen. These were no ordi-nary bulbs. These were thesize of overgrown grape-fruits. And they grew: overseveral months’ time theyeach threw out stem afterstem after stem, bloomingnonstop. Never before orsince have I had an amaryllisbulb send up not one, nottwo, but three bloom stemsfully loaded with top-sizeblooms! Thanks again, Mom!

I share these storiesbecause I do believe in the

sheer magic of mail-ordergardening. You could waituntil the dark days of Febru-ary to tally up your orders,or you could start now andget a jump on the early-orderbonuses. And if you arelooking to check items offyour gift list, well, hop to itwhile there’s still time fordelivery before the holidays.And if Santa’s elves way upat the North Pole need a littlehelp with what to tuck intoyour own stocking, well, youknow what to do!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

Mail-orderhistory

SPRING WILL COME: Mail-order gardening canensure spring will arrive early at your house.

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

WHEN THE PennsylvaniaGame Commission capturedand banded more than 1,000mourning doves across thestate earlier this year, one ofthe 21 recaptures stood out.It was a male captured atMiddle Creek Wildlife Man-agement Area on the Lan-caster-Lebanon county line,and commission recordsshowed it to be at least 7 yearsold.

In terms of potential life-span for a dove, seven yearsdoesn’t even approach therecord. The Cornell Lab ofOrnithology lists the longestknown life for the species asa captive bird that died afterpassing the 34-year mark.

But seven years for a dovein the wild is noteworthy. Noone will ever know for sure,but I’d wager that the birdrarely traveled outside theprotected, no-hunting propa-gation areas at Middle Creek.

Hunting takes a heavy tollon mourning doves that fre-

quent areas open to hunting.Making it to even a year is achallenge. Hunters claimmore than 20 million of thebirds every year.

Most hunters will be sur-prised by that annual harvesttally for a species often meas-ured by how many shotgunshells were spent to harvestone dove. The bird is a tiny,zigzagging dervish of a target,unpredictable to a fault andwith speed to burn. Individu-als have been clocked at morethan 50 miles per hour. Bag-ging a meal of the 6-ouncebirds — at least three per per-son — for most of us, is noinexpensive proposition.

And, despite all that,hunting is not the primarycause of dove mortality.Things like predators,weather and disease arethought to kill four or five

times the number of doveseach year as is taken byhunters.

It’s estimated that as muchas 65 percent of the dove pop-ulation is lost every year.

Regardless of such heavylosses, the mourning doveremains one of the mostabundant birds across thecontinent. The North Ameri-can population is estimatedto be about 350 million.

Its breeding cycle, whichcan include six clutches peryear, is the most frequent ofany North American birdand helps to account for thespecies’ ability to remainahead of all that annual mor-tality.

That’s the reason therealways seems to be a readysupply of mourning doves toroam the ground beneathnearly every bird feeder we

want to hang. The spilledseed, including much that theother common feeder birdsdo not want, is a feast for themourning dove.

They seem to spend theentire day under the feeder.Each dove has a relativelylarge crop to fill — more than17,000 grass seeds werefound in one crop — but thenthe bird is ready to find aprotected perch somewhereand lounge through hours ofdigestion.

As a species, the mourn-ing dove is a survivalmachine that might warrant aplace on the list of speciesthat will be here long afterhumans.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..

An ongoing guide to his writing and photogra-phy appears at www.marcusschneck.com.

The mourningdove: a studyin speciessurvival

ONE OF 350 MILLION: The mourningdove is one of the most abundantNorth American birds, despite itsposition as a favorite for hunters.

N O V 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 • N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 2

PENNLINESclassified

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. *HOLIDAY SPECIAL— BOTH COOKBOOKS FOR $15.*

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.

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.

DON’T GIVE UP your current job…yet! Work this boomingbusiness part-time from home. Anyone can do it!! Review no-obligation information and follow the simple steps atwww.myshoppingsherlock.com/tapnsave and www.destinationdiamond.co.uk.

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. FREETimber Consultation. College educated, professional, ethical.814-867-7052.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY for motivated cosmetologists inbeautiful setting. Busy year-round resort area spa seeking hairand nail techs, estheticians, and massage therapists. ContactJackie or Tina: 301-387-4477 or maldayspa@gmail.com.

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. *HOLIDAY SPECIAL— BOTH COOKBOOKS FOR $15.*

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.

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 hometown stores.

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:

January 2013. . . . November 16

February 2013 . . . December 14

March 2013 . . . . . . . January 15

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.

LANDOWNER INCOME OPPORTUNITY

EARN TOP $$$ Leasing Hunting Rights. Call Base Camp Leasingfor free quote & info packet. Hunting Leases done right since1999. 866-309-1507. www.BaseCampLeasing.com.

LAWN AND GARDEN EQUIPMENT

HARRINGTONS EQUIPMENT COMPANY, 475 Orchard Rd., Fairfield,PA 17320. 717-642-6001 or 410-756-2506. Lawn & Gardenequipment, Sales – Service - Parts. www.HarringtonsEquipment.com

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. Reputablelicensed breeder guaranteed “Last breed you’ll ever own.” 814-587-3449.

LLAMAS – closeout sale – bred females, females with crias, maleand female weanlings. All registered. 23 years experience. 814-735-4736 or 941-587-8986.

AKC Registered IRISH WOLFHOUND puppies — comes with firstshots, dewormed and health guarantee. Phone 814-634-9203.www.mccuskersirishwolfhounds.com.

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.

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.

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).

OLD BARN BEAMS 4 SALE

BARN BEAMS for sale. Five hand hewn 19 feet plus solid barnbeams. Make offer 814-674-8803.

REAL ESTATE

FLORIDA Retirement/Vacation — 2006 manufactured home.Three bedrooms, two bathrooms, two-car detached garage,concrete driveway. 1/8 mile from Suwannee River, 15 miles toGulf. Landscaped, almost new condition. 610-681-4088. $79,900.

TWO ACRE CAMP for sale. Electric, septic tank. Adjacent to StateGame Land/Forest. Fully furnished, wood stove, screenedporch. Off of Route 337 Tidioute/Hearts Content. $60,000.412-734-9595.

LAKE STONYCREEK, Somerset County — Three bedrooms, threebaths, .9 acre, family room, spacious kitchen, living and diningroom. Lakefront – must see. $399,900. 814-242-3406.

128 ACRE FARM — Six bedroom house, outbuildings. Currentlyrented and farmed. Mixture of woods, fields, beaver pond,borders State Forest. Lots of road frontage! Beautiful views.OGM rights don’t transfer. Almond, NY 14804. $269,900. 610-656-9700. northerntierproperties@gmail.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. *HOLIDAY SPECIAL— BOTH COOKBOOKS FOR $15.*

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.

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

COMPRESSOR — Ingersoll Rand 185/CFM Diesel Engine, towableunit, 1500 hours, excellent condition $4,500 or best offer. 717-235-5137.

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

LAKE RAYSTOWN Vacation House Rental. Sleeps 11, fireplace,four bedrooms, dining table for 12, central A/C, two Satellite TVs,two full baths, two half baths, linens/towels provided, largerecreation room. Minimum two nights. Call 814-931-6562. Visitwww.laurelwoodsretreat.com.

DAYTONA BEACH Condo on the river, five minutes from beach.Third floor, two bedrooms, two baths. Beautiful view. Three-month minimum rental. Discounts for more months. Call Belkisat 954-629-6966. Email btooz@aol.com.

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

PENNLINESclassified

I CHANGED MY AIR FILTER.

AND MY WARDROBE.

Saving money on my electric

bill seemed like a good enough

reason to update my closet.

Find out what you can do at

TogetherWeSave.com.

TOGETHERWESAVE.COM

PENN OAKS CAMPGROUND — Now accepting reservations fornext year’s camping season. Seasonal six-month sites, $750plus electric. All utilities. Close to Cook Forest and AlleghenyNational Forest. $100 holds your spot. 800-634-2495.

BLUE KNOB SKI area house rental. Sleeps two to six. Onebedroom plus loft. Two baths, satellite TV, complete kitchenwith large counter. Minimum two nights. 814-599-1605.

WANTED TO LEASE

FARM LAND for local grass fed beef grazing operation. Holisticapproach and active grazing plan proven to enhance soil,wildlife, and land quality. Cambria and surrounding counties.McCormick Farm LLC. 814-472-7259.

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

Thoughts from Earl Pitts,UHMERIKUN!

PUNCHlines

Somethin’ happened to medown at the high school football practicethe other night. But first, let me tell yousomething — our team is lookin’ betterthan their one an’ four record. I’m think-ing they could win maybe three gamesthis year. Keep your fingers crossed.

Anyways, this other father was thereon the sidelines with me, an’ I swear Iam not makin’ this up. He was wearingsneakers with toes in’ em. It looked likehe was wearin’ gloves on his feet. Thatwas about the most curious thing I haveever seen. An’ by “curious” I mean “stu-pid-lookin’.”

I mean if maybe you was just a littlebit drunk an’ you only seen this dudefrom the knees down, you’d a swore hewas upside down an’ walkin’ around onhis hands! I’m not gonna lie to you — itfreaked me out a little bit.

I don’t know about you, but my toesdon’t like bein’ singled out. They like towork as a team. An’ everybody knows —there’s no “I” in toes.

So I says to the guy, “Them feet thereare about the dangdest thing I ever saw.”

Well, he smiles an’ he goes, “This is amore natural feel for your feet.” Then hesays, “You get a better feel for theground.”

(Pause) Uh huh. Well, excuse me, but ain’t the

idea behind wearin’ shoes so you don’thave to feel the ground?

As far as I can figger, ’bout the onlypeople that need to walk around in shoe-gloves might be monkeys. I mean, if youain’t plannin’ to hang from a tree or eat asamich with your feet, regular humanshoes should be just fine.

Wake up, America. Plus at my age, Igot 10 toes pointed in eight differentdirections, so I don’t think they’d fit inthe shoe-gloves anyhow. An’ if they did— they’d just freak people out. Anothergood reason to keep’ em in regular shoes.

I heard this story the other day thatsaid the average American family throws

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’s toes don’t want tobe singled out, theywork as a team

out 80 pounds a food a month. Yeah,we’re wasteful. That’s bad for the planet,an’ every family loses almost three thou-sand bucks a year throwin’ stuff out.

I was kind a’ shocked by them num-bers — until I done me some research inmy kitchen.

Here’s what I figgered out. Food wethrow out can be divided into three cate-gories. Number 1 — stuff we never gotaround to finishin’.

Like that bag a’ potato chip shrapnelan’ dust on the kitchen counter. It’s atthis weird stage where there ain’t enoughin there to eat, but there’s too much inthere to throw out. So it sets there untilyour better half buys a new bag an’somebody goes, “We’re never gonna fin-ish this one,” an’ throws it out.

I bet you right now in your cupboardthat you got a twisted-up sleeve with sixcrackers in it. Right next to the box withhalf a bowl a Cocoa Pebbles still in it.They been in there so long they turnedinto real pebbles. Sooner or later, you’regonna have to throw them out, or breakyour teeth tryin’ to eat’ em.

Next category — stuff that went bad.This is mostly in your bread an’ yourmilk families. For the life a’ me, I do notunderstand how you can buy a Twinkie,put it in the cupboard, an’ it’s fresh forup to seven years. You buy a loaf a’bread, an’ you got to race to eat it.

Then your biggest category a’ food tothrow out is your leftovers. This is foodyou don’t throw out right away. You putit in a bowl, put it in the refrigerator for acouple months, an’ then throw it away.Next time you’re puttin’ a half-cup abaked beans in a Tupperware bowl, askyourself, “Who am I kidding?”

Wake up, America. Goodness, we gotstuff in the ‘frigerator that I don’t evenknow what it was when we put it inthere. Like last night in the crisperdrawer I found somethin’ that lookedlike pond algae. I think it might’a oncebeen a head a’ lettuce. I threw it out.

I’m Earl Pitts, Uhmerikun.l

Sandi SmithREA Energy

Thank you for your entriesNOVEMBER is the traditional time to give thanks, so wewant to join in by thanking all of the amateur photogra-phers who submitted photos for our 2012 “Rural Reflec-tions” contest, which is now closed. Winning photos, chosenby an independent panel of judges, will be printed in theJanuary and February issues of Penn Lines.

You can now begin submitting your photos for the 2013 con-test. If your photo wins top honors, you could receive a $75prize in one of our five contest categories: most artistic, bestlandscape, best human subject, best animal and editor’s choice.

Send photos (no digital files, please) to: Penn Lines Photos,P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108-1266. On the back of eachphoto, include your name, address, phone number and thename of the electric cooperative that serves your home, busi-ness or seasonal residence. The best way to include that infor-mation is by affixing an address label to the back of the photo.

Remember, our publication deadlines require that wework ahead, so send your seasonal photos in early. We needspring photos before mid-January, summer photos beforemid-April, fall photos before mid-July and winter photosbefore mid-September. Photos that do not reflect any specificseason may be sent at any time. Please note: photos will bereturned if a self-addressed, stamped envelope is included.l

RURALreflections

Dori StoneNorthwestern REC

Betty WickhamSomerset REC

Greg BechtoldTri-County REC

N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 2 • P E N N L I N E S 23

ATTENTIONELECTRICCOOPERATIVEMEMBERS

Forethought Life Insurance Company

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