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Articles Tagged: farm
Masonic Village honored for farm efforts
It might seem an unlikely candidate, but the Masonic Village at Elizabethtown is fast becoming the poster child for how to run a farm profitably and be friendly to the environment. The continuing-care retirement community, which also sports one of the largest shorthorn beef cattle herds o......
February's garden tips
Wild ride. Our landscape seems as confused as our bodies through this most unusual winter. Spring bulbs certainly think it's spring one day, only to be blanketed by snow the next. There's not much to do to prevent this early emergence, other than to enjoy the show. Snowdrops, cro......
Farm Show shooter snagged
  A man wanted for shooting his wife at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg fled halfway across the country before being caught. Police captured Beau Gaylord Robinson on Saturday in Missouri, a day after he allegedly shot his wife in a parking lot at the complex, of......
Big insects, 'Wicked bugs' invade North Museum
Few artists would find inspiration from a stag beetle or a cockroach. There are no chiseled marble grasshoppers passed down from antiquity. But Italian sculptor Lorenzo Possenti sees an intrinsic beauty in insects that he wants to share with the world. And for Lancastrians......
Farm Show win is sweet for Adamstown baker
  Chocolate cakes with fudgy frosting, celestial angel food cakes, chocolate cakes with whipped frosting and coconut — these are just a few of the sweet treats an Adamstown woman has been sharing with her friends, co-workers and the community for years.
And recent......
Warwick farmers practice conservation
Two Warwick Township farms will add plantings along streams to protect water quality from proposed land uses. At the Jan. 18 meeting, supervisors allowed two brothers to subdivide a 23-acre farm with 10 acres transferred from Stephen and Sadie King to Reuben and Anna King. The Kin......
100 years of taking it 'one day at a time'
When someone reaches their 100th birthday, the inclination is to ask what the key to their longevity is. Elizabeth Denlinger Hershey's response? "I just live one day at a time," she said. "Well," she added. "I don't smoke, and I don't drink." Hershey reflected on h......
One-third of Kreider Farms workers had invalid documents
  Kreider Farms learned in September that it was being audited by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, an investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security. When the results of the audit came back earlier this month, Terri Turner, Kreider Farms' human resources manag......
Susquehanna River power plant a top U.S. polluter
Lancaster County's largest emitters of greenhouse gases include the county incinerator, two landfills, a natural gas pipeline compressor station and three industries. But all those sources combined are dwarfed by the 9 million metric tons of carbon dioxide that PPL's coal-fired Brunner Is......
Lancaster Science Factory joins museum pass program
The Family Museum Pass program in Lancaster County is adding a little more science to its local offerings. The Lancaster Science Factory is joining the program, which already comprises six local museums and is administered by the Library System of Lancaster County, officials announced Mon......
Local farmers take honors in sheep, goat competitions at Farm Show
Several local farmers took honors at the Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg late last week as livestock competitions came to a close with sheep and goats. Sharon L. Fullerton of Land of Grace Farm, Elizabethtown, dominated the Boer goat trials Saturday with four championship rankings, a......
Manheim park, Baron Grove receive upgrades
Two areas in Manheim Veteran Memorial Park are sporting new looks thanks to community efforts. Members of the Manheim FFA, Manheim Young Farmers and Manheim Community Farm Show Committee joined forces with the Manheim Central School District and Manheim Borough to install a new standing seam......
VIDEO: Why did you come to the Farm Show?
We asked Farm Show attendees why they came this year. Watch the video to see how 44 of them responded. Click here for more coverage of the 2012 Pennsylvani......
Nissley Vineyards takes a top honor at Pa. Farm Show
The fruit of the vine can be a rewarding thing. Especially when it garners notice and receives acclaim at the state's biggest agricultural extravaganza. Bainbridge-based Nissley Vineyards & Winery Estate was honored with no fewer than nine prizes at the Pennsylvania Farm Show in Har......
PV preliminary budget eyes 3% tax hike
The Pequea Valley School Board voted 7 to 2 on Thursday to approve a 2012-13 preliminary budget that could raise taxes near 3 percent. If the preliminary budget of $30,689,347 passes as is, the millage rate would increase by 2.93 percent to 17.3332 mills. The proposed increase is high......
Horsin' around: Speedy sport at Farm Show
The great bass line that every music fan knows as the intro to "Radar Love" was booming across the big arena, but Paul Martin Jr. had no time for air guitar. His hands were full with the reins that held Linus and Amigo, each weighing in at about 1,100 pounds, and both were heading for the......
Lancaster County family honored for 'century farm'
Their grandpa, John Prange, bought the farm on March 24, 1911, for $4,139.63. Their late dad, Lester, farmed it next. The Prange "kids," now in their 60s through their 80s, all grew up on the farm, walking through its fields to a nearby one-room schoolhouse. Some still live on lot......
Manheim man tops in Farm Show Bid Calling Contest
After listening to some of the top auctioneers in the state in a contest here this week, one observer said "you better have a good back" to succeed in the field. "Because you're going to be responsible for moving items from one sale to another," he said. But it was his strong voic......
The Farm Show goes to war
Visiting the state Farm Show this week with his family, Craig Kretzing of Little Britain Township figured they'd just stop at one display for five minutes or so. "But we've been here a good half-hour, and we don't show any signs of wanting to leave," the southern Lancaster County resident......
Garden tips for January
Trendspotting. Our mailbox reveals what seed companies think we'll want this year. Their idea of the latest trends: dark purple and near-black foliage paired with this year's "hot" color — tangerine. It's so unusual: Trendiness aside, what's most ex......
Fleece-to-shawl team takes 2nd straight title
Winning it all has become second nature to the Treadling Lambs and a Ram team. The fleece-to-shawl squad, made up of six students from Lancaster and Dauphin counties, captured its second straight statewide title here at the Pennsylvania Farm Show on Wednesday. Best of all, the eff......
Traffic, parking issues at Farm Show
This week's Pennsylvania Farm Show has been enjoying record attendance, but that also means heavier-than-usual traffic near the show's Harrisburg complex. Visitors planning to travel to the show from today through the end of the event Saturday are "advised to exercise caution" on roads ne......
VIDEO: Countians compete in Farm Show's Got Talent showcase
Kenneth Barley of Millersville and Kaylyn Rosado of Lititz were among a handful of Lancaster County residents to compete in the third annual Farm Show's Got Talent showcase. The event, held on Sunday, Jan. 8, gave youngsters the opportunity to show off their skills outside the barn and fi......
Pequea student's pig wins big at Farm Show
Abigail Reiff admitted she was "a little shocked at first ... because I didn't think my pig was that good." Hearing this, her dad, Warren Reiff, chuckled and said, "The judge did!" Abby and her 272-pound pig, Ivy, did indeed impress the judges at the Pennsylvani......
VIDEO: 2012 Farm Show Supreme Swine Champion
Lancaster Farming talks with James Parlett, of Airville, York County, who exhibited the 2012 Pennsylvania Farm Show Supreme Champion Swine. Click here for more coverage of the 2012......
VIDEO: Square dancing at the Farm Show
Lancaster County residents compete in the 2012 Pennsylvania Farm Show Square Dance Contest & Exhibition. Click here for more coverage of the 2012 Pennsylvania Farm Show....
Farm Show volunteer explains the basics of modern ag
People kept telling Sherry Bunting of East Earl how they had "learned a lot, and in just 5 minutes!" But that, after all, was the idea of a new exhibit at the Pennsylvania Farm Show, called "Today's Agriculture," that was created as "an educational experience for people who are several ge......
Practice makes perfect for local girl at Pa. Farm Show
Practice makes perfect, so Leah Welk of Strasburg Township practiced her animal-showmanship skills under the watchful eye of a "judge," her mother, Emily. The work paid off for the 10-year-old here Monday, as she was named master showman in her class in the grand champion junior market sw......
36 county FFA members earn Keystone Degrees
On Monday, at the Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg, 282 members of the Future Farmers of America gathered from across the state to receive their Keystone Degrees. The award recognizes those who have demonstrated leadership abilities within their chapter, as well as earned or productiv......
VIDEO: Today's Agriculture exhibit at the Farm Show
Today's Agriculture — an exhibit making its Pennsylvania Farm Show debut this year — is designed to educate attendees on modern agriculture techniques. Click here for m......
Life is sweet at Farm Show
HARRISBURG - It smells so good at the Pennsylvania Farm Show. Except when it smells really bad. Like when something agricultural gets on your shoe. The 2012 Pennsylvania Farm Show is well under way, with its usual assault on the senses. There is a wide range of sights, so......
Stevens girl shows champion at Farm Show
HARRISBURG — Sierra Zimmerman had a pretty good day. The 10-year-old Stevens girl brought her favorite sheep — a 93-pound Southdown ewe named Daisy — to the Pennsylvania Farm Show for some of the fiercest livestock competition in the state and, some would argue, the nation.......
Farm show for free
Vincent Knoll was toting a bag of goodies as he trooped through the Farm Show Complex & Expo Center in Harrisburg Saturday. Goodies as in swag. Freebies. Giveaways. The horn of plenty in these lean times may not be what it was 50 years ago, or even a few years ago, Knoll a......
It's showtime for Stephen Geib
How does Stephen Geib convince a beast that's considerably weightier than he is to behave in the show ring? The veteran 4-H Club member, who'll be escorting a pig around a state Farm Show ring Monday, is sweet about it: When practicing showmanship skills, he'll put a marshmallow on the herdi......
More rules, less congestion for Farm Show motorists
Longtime Pennsylvania Farm Show attendees will notice they are being herded in different directions this year. The state police, state Department of Transportation and local police have put in a new traffic flow plan that a department official said should ease congestion and......
Butter sculpture revealed at Pennsylvania Farm Show
The annual Pennsylvania Farm Show might not open to the public until Saturday, but an activity Thursday night marked a tradition known well to Pennsylvanians — the unveiling of the butter sculpture. The sculpture this year honors the 100th anniversaries of Pennsylvania 4-H and the S......
Farm Show set to open after tough year for Pennsylvania ag
Farm families, agribusiness workers and visitors who want to get an up-close look at livestock and farm products will converge in Harrisburg over the next week-and-a-half at the annual Pennsylvania Farm Show. For farmers still recovering from a very wet spring followed by August and Septe......
Tips: best bets for the week
Farm Show Time ... opens Saturday Every year it comes just in time to rescue us from the post-holiday blues. It's Pennsylvania Farm Show time! Opening Saturday and continuing through Saturday, Jan. 14, the Commonwealth's celebration of its agricultural heritage is actually the largest ind......
One rabbit just wasn't enough for Lititz teen
  When 13-year-old Elizabeth Gallagher got her first rabbit a few years ago, she — and her parents — thought the pet would be a quiet little hobby. Now, with a few dozen rabbits sharing the Gallaghers' home on Buttonwood Drive, the Lititz family has come to terms wit......
Marching Barons go 'bowling'
Manheim Central Marching Barons received nationwide exposure as they performed during half-time festivities at the AutoZone Liberty Bowl on Saturday in Memphis, Tenn. The band left Manheim on Dec. 28 with a quiet send-off, but coming home on New Year's Day, it had a police and fire e......
Get ready for Farm Show
Last year at this time, state Agriculture Secretary George Greig was a Clearfield County farmer whose usual Farm Show plans included visiting machinery vendors and helping out at a farm-organization booth. This year, Greig is heading up the team preparing for the 2012 show. Greig admits......
Happy 105th birthday
Suvilla Smoker Kauffman was born into a world most of us cannot imagine. Things we take for granted now — planes, telephones, television, cars, buses and electricity — were cutting-edge technology then and still foreign to many people. But that was then, and Kauffman, ......
3 generations get help to extend farm legacy in Warwick
Three generations of a Warwick Township farm family saluted public officials and business representatives for agricultural preservation efforts on Dec. 21. "Our family thanks you for helping us continue this legacy" of Christian Bomberger, who bought 564 acres in 1732 from the sons of Wil......
West Earl churches serve Christmas dinner
"Whether you're rich or poor, you should have somewhere to go on Christmas," Judi Summers said on Sunday morning as the parking lot filled up behind her. She stood outside the West Earl Fire Company in Brownstown where, inside, more than 30 volunteers flurried in the kitchens. "No......
Tips: Best bets for the week
Caroling, caroling ... Friday It's Christmas time in the city! And while soon it will be Christmas day, there's still time to make merry, sing carols and cross some names off your shopping list -- all in downtown Lancaster. Friday at 7:15 p.m., Music for Everyone is hosting a holiday sing......
Occupiers make noise instead of point
Well, that was cute. Rep. Joe Pitts held a town hall meeting Monday night, and roughly 20 people from Occupy Lancaster hijacked it. Standing and reading from a script, they yelled and chanted. Others in the Farm & Home Center audience of roughly 200 started yelling back at the......
Paying it forward
Sometimes losing a wallet provides rewards well beyond the monetary value of it contents. Jordan Dudley, 10, learned that lesson this summer while on vacation in Lancaster County. Jordan and her family make an annual trip to the area from South Setauket, Long Island, to visit friends and ......
Grocery stores join in Water Street fundraiser
Lancaster County residents may not know how many lives they're helping to change just by adding a buck onto their grocery bill. That extra $1 on a grocery tab, added through Water Street Ministries' "Scan Away Hunger" campaign now through Nov. 27, will go toward a goal of $20,000 to help ......
Out with a splat
Cherry Crest Adventure Farm recycled pumpkins into "oohs," "ahhs" and giant splats Saturday.
Dawn Waltman, the Ronks farm's director of guest relations, said there are  always plenty of pumpkins left over at the end of the season that are plowed under the fields to help grow th......
Mayer House will be saved, but other buildings?
  John D. Hershey's mother was born in the "Mayer House," the ornate, gabled mansion along Fruitville Pike just south of the Red Rose Commons shopping center. Hershey, a landscape architect and Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County board member, calls the 1871 structur......
Shearer's bridge to get new roof
Shearer's covered bridge is one of several focal points in Manheim Veterans Memorial Park. As one of the county's covered bridges, it's a destination for both visitors to the area and area residents who appreciate covered bridges. But the historic structure is in need of a new roof. On ......
Far from home: A Bhutanese family settles in Lancaster
Carrying everything she owned in a backpack and 44-pound duffel, Tika Dulal, 42, climbed narrow stairs to a second-story apartment on West Orange Street. It was a chilly morning in November, but Tika wore sandals, her everyday footwear in Nepal. She entered a sparsely furnished living roo......
Manheim Farm Show recap offered
Manheim Community Farm Show committee members presented a favorable post-event report Tuesday to Manheim Borough Council members. Farm Show committee member Jay Mylin, who has been involved with the event for 25 years, said, "It rained (Oct. 3), but we had a good crowd every other night. ......
Tips: Best bets for the week
Country Icon ... Monday Love him or hate him, there's no denying Willie Nelson, performing Monday night at 8 at the American Music Theatre, is something of a country music icon in this country. The 78-year old singer got his start as a songwriter. (Patsy Cline's classic "Crazy" was a Nels......
Author will talk about loss
A conference on "Responding to Trauma and Traumatic Stress in Anticipatory and Post-Death Mourning" will be held Wednesday, Nov. 9, at LCBC, 2392 Mount Joy Road, Manheim. It is offered to professionals helping others coping with life-limiting illness, loss or traumatic stress. Speaker w......
New stream cleanup model?
What may be the future of stream cleanup in the Chesapeake Bay is currently a wide swath of exposed dirt on a scenic West Lampeter Township farm. With 20,000 cubic yards of soil scraped off Rocky Knoll Farm on a highly visible spot along Route 222, it's no wonder people have been pepperin......
Farm brings $1.355 million at auction
A 72-acre farm at 2324 Leaman Road in East Lampeter Township sold for $1.355 million, or about $18,800 per acre, Saturday. The property, which includes a tobacco shed, pole barn, 2 1/2-story brick house built in 1874 and 60 tillable acres was sold to Jacob E. Stoltzfus, Strasburg. The f......
Tips: Best bets for the week
Wagging & Walking ... Sunday Hey, do you and Fido have any plans Sunday? Why not take your best friend on a walk and help the Humane League of Lancaster County at the same time? The 22nd Annual Tailwagger's Trot starts at 11:15 a.m. (registration begins at 10 a.m.) at Clipper Stadium.......
Milkshakes flavor Manheim show
You might have thought Shari Sell of Manheim was the bravest lady in Baron Country on Monday night. After all, on a raw evening not getting out of the upper 40s, there she was, milkshake in her left hand, smiling, taking a sip and declaring, "This is the best part of the whole farm show!"......
58th Annual Manheim Community Farm Show
The Manheim Community Farm Show committee celebrates farming in the community with its 58th annual Farm Show this week.  The Farm Show will be held Oct. 3 through 7 at the Farm Show Buildings off Adele Ave., Manheim.  It features a variety of events and activities including e......
Manheim Farm Show Parade reminder
Manheim Borough Police have issued information regarding the Manheim Farm Show Parade on Wednesday, Oct. 5.  Chairs and blankets may not be placed on sidewalks along the parade route prior to 4 p.m. Wednesday due to safety concerns.  Any items placed on sidewalks prior to 4 p.m.......
Manheim Community Farm Show starts Monday
Walking around West Lampeter's community fair this week, Seth Kensinger and some other Manheim farm show officials realized something. "We were saying, 'We need something like this, something positive, to be happening in our community,'" Kensinger recalled. Starting with the January acc......
Manheim resident concerned about flooded home
A resident affected by flooding from Tropical Storm Lee asked Manheim Borough Council about the safety of her home Tuesday. Delight Reidenbach, 19 New Charlotte St., said she owns one half of a duplex and shares a common wall with 21 New Charlotte St.. Both homes were flooded during Tropi......
Pa. Dairy Leadership Council formed
Pennsylvania has established a Dairy Leadership Council to keep state agencies and commissions abreast of issues surrounding the state's $2 billion dairy industry. The Pennsylvania Dairy Leadership Council includes four members from Lancaster County: Jeff Ainslee, of Red Barn Consulting I......
Horse owner cleared
Animal cruelty charges against a Columbia horse stable owner were dismissed Monday morning in Lancaster County court. The local Humane League had charged Joseph Meyer with failure to provide his sick mare, Dusty, the proper medical care. On Monday, however, County Judge Howard Kni......
Lititz man working to keep family business, farm alive
  The rolling farmland north of Lititz drowses in the midday August heat. It's green as far as the eye can see — corn fields on this particular hilltop giving way to a lower, shrubbier plant. Thousands of tight clumps of chrysanthemums, in the ground and in pots, soak......
Horse death in court
Prosecutors say Columbia stable owner Joseph Meyer denied his dying horse medical attention, so they charged him last summer with animal cruelty after Dusty was euthanized. But Meyer claimed in court Wednesday that his treatment of Dusty was good enough. A Lancaster County judge w......
Mayor: Lancaster city solid, but must watch financial future
Rick Gray remembers, as a boy in the 1950s, going to Harrisburg when it was full of stores and businesses. He remembers seeing the state's capital city again in the late 1960s, when, he said, the only thing downtown was an X-rated movie theater and a couple of hot-dog stands. Afte......
Relief center sets new hours, expands reach
A center for the donation and distribution of food, bed linens, toiletries, clothing, household goods, mattresses and furniture has been established at the Manheim Community Farm Show grounds.  The center has new hours this week, and is now open to all......
Sweet day for whoopie pie fans
Hershey Farm Restaurant and Inn displayed what it believes to be the world's largest whoopie pie during its Whoopie Pie Festival Saturday. At 600 pounds, one might think the colossal confection might land a listing in the Guiness Book of Records. Although Hershey Farms has applied for the re......
Flood aid to towns OK'd
Individuals and business owners who sustained flood damage from Tropical Storm Lee already qualify for federal aid to help rebuild their homes and livelihoods. Now municipalities can get financial help, too. Because damage to roads, bridges, wastewater facilities and other public ......
Manheim: Volunteers needed to help with repairs after last week's flooding
Manheim Borough is seeking volunteers to help rebuild homes, distribute food and otherwise assist residents displaced by last week's flooding. Skilled volunteers, such as carpenters and contractors, are especially needed, officials said. Interested individuals should report to the......
Update: Manheim flood recovery information
Manheim Borough has provided updated information regarding the flood recovery effort: Manheim Borough remains in a state of emergency. Until further notice, entry into flood-affected areas off Main Street is restricted to residents, business employees, and aid workers. ...
Whoopie pies: Celebrating a tasty treat
It takes a lot of effort to make whoopie. OK, stop smirking already. This is a family newspaper. And, anyway, we are talking about whoopie pies, those creamy, cake-like treats which will be celebrated Saturday when Hershey Farm Restaurant & Inn launches its annual Whoopie Pie Festival......
Waiting for FEMA
Lancaster County officials said they expect Federal Emergency Management Agency teams to set up a disaster recovery center in East Hempfield Township any day. Once they do, county residents and business owners affected by the flooding from Tropical Storm Lee will have a local office where......
Cuts hit Extension office in Lancaster
The Lancaster County Cooperative Extension office, one of the largest in Pennsylvania, is eliminating three positions as Penn State copes with a 19 percent budget cut from Gov. Tom Corbett. Discontinued as of Sept. 30 will be the positions of agricultural economic development coordinator ......
State of emergency
Homeowners, emergency workers and engineers were still trying on Monday to determine the extent of damage caused by last week's torrential rains in anticipation of federal disaster relief. In hard-hit places such as Marietta and Manheim, putting a dollar figure on Tropical Storm Lee's des......
Revised hours for flood relief donations onTuesday
Manheim Borough has announced expanded hours for contributions of items for the Flood Relief Effort at the Farm Show Complex on Adele Ave., on Tuesday, Sept. 13. Food, bed linen......
Program highlights Landis Farm Museum
The New Holland Area Historical Society will hold its annual membership meeting on Thursday, Sept. 15, at 7 p.m. in the Garden Spot Village Chapel.  The meeting agenda will include the election of trustees. The three-year terms of Mitch Dissinger, Wilbur Horning and Ja......
Update: Flood recovery effort in Manheim
Manheim Borough officials released the following information Monday: Manheim Borough remains in a state of emergency. Until further notice, entry into flood-affected areas off Main Street is restricted to residents, business employees and aid workers. ......
Updated flood recovery information from Manheim Borough
Manheim Borough officials sent the following updated information Sunday afternoon. Manheim Borough remains in a State of Emergency. Until further notice, entry into flood-affected areas off Main Street is restricted to residents, business employees, and aid......
Donations of items for flood victims
Donations of gently used or new clothing items, furniture, appliances, toiletries or anything that could be of use to those in need are being accepted at the Manheim Farm Show Buildings on Adele Avenue on between 1 and 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10 and Sunday, Sept. 11. Volunteers are needed ......
Treatment plant odor alarms Manheim resident
A resident concerned about "the stench" suspected to be from the Manheim Borough wastewater treatment plant complained to borough council Aug. 30. Emily Ditzler, 435 W. Ferdinand St., said that she is a longtime sufferer of migraines and that the odor, possibly from the nearby treatment plan......
PPL shuts down engines at Turkey Hill site at height of Irene
For all the negative things that blew in with Hurricane Irene last weekend, you probably thought the new wind turbines on Turkey Hill, at least, were churning out the juice. Wrong. It turns out you can have too much of a good thing, even in the wind energy industry. The twin turbi......
Pancakes for puppies
The Pancake Farm will open its doors this Sunday for the benefit of puppies. No, dogs can't partake in the all-you-can eat pancake special, but proceeds from the Aug. 28 event will benefit A Tail to Tell Inc. The Mt. Gretna-based non-profit organization rescues unwanted dogs from puppy mi......
Tips: Best bets for the week
Arty Party ... Sunday It doesn't have to be First Friday or Music Friday in downtown Lancaster for art appreciators and music fans to get their fixes. On Sunday, beginning at 11 a.m. and running all the way to 2 a.m., Marion Court Room will host its third annual Art and Music Festival. Th......
Quake rattled nerves here, but little else
The earth literally shook for as long as several minutes across Lancaster County Tuesday afternoon. Tremors could be felt here beginning around 1:50 p.m. and lasted anywhere from about 10 seconds to as long as several minutes, according to reports. A professor at Millersville Univ......
Man with measles visited Lancaster County
A man who traveled through Lancaster County on Aug. 16 has been diagnosed with measles, the state Department of Health announced Tuesday. It's possible he infected others while he was here, officials said. "If you or your children are at risk for measles and become ill with sympto......
East Hempfield's Lime Spring plan winning support
John Bingham listened as details of a multimillion-dollar community to be built just west of Rohrerstown were discussed by the developer and East Hempfield Township supervisors. But more notable was what he didn't hear during last week's back-and-forth talk about the project, the supervisor ......
Elizabethtown to kick off fair season Monday
The 38th annual Elizabethtown Fair will be held at the Elizabethtown fairgrounds again this year. The fair will start Monday and end Saturday. On Monday, the fair will be open from 5 to 11 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, the fair will be open from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. This year the f......
At Cafe 24 Hundred, it's Dutch by Southwest
Willow Valley Resort is long known as a family destination, friendly for parents and little ones. But there's a cozy corner for grown-ups -- and, OK, kids, too -- in the part of Willow Valley that's run by Doubletree, a division of the Hilton hotel chain. It's called Cafe 24 Hundr......
Recent rains helped, but not all crops are faring well
After punishing heat that prompted a statewide drought watch, the weekend's rain was a welcome — albeit uneven — gift to Pennsylvania's farmers. The rain alternated between thunderstorms and drizzle for several days and hit the state inconsistently. According to the Pe......
R&R with R&R: Summer festivals are keeping musicians busy
Once again it's time to rock and roll with Rios and Roberts, the two guys who keep you up to date on the local music scene. It's August, but no one we know seems to be going on vacation. There's music everywhere we turn. And that suits us just fine. • Singer-songwriter and we......
Tips: Best bets for the week
Telling Tales ... Saturday Long before movies and radio, TV and the Internet, people told stories. They passed down history, they made people laugh and cry. And the power of storytelling has never diminished, even in our modern world. On Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Landis Valley Vil......
Hodson, Johnson capture rained-out Ladies Better Ball
Kelli Hodson and Lynda Johnson claimed the Lanco Ladies Better Ball Championship when the final round was washed out by heavy rain Tuesday morning. Hodson and Johnson fired 1-under 70 in Monday's opening round at Groff's Farm Golf Club to take a three-shot lead over Brenda Acker and Tina ......
Lean times for fairs
You're standing in line at the Elizabethtown Fair for your long-awaited first funnel cake of the season, a creamy milkshake already in hand, and something seems odd. Amid the enticing aromas, the laughter of children and the constant vibration of your phone, you stare at the sign for funn......
Someone's gonna win by a hair
Lancaster County is about to get a lot hairier. Whether sideburns, a soul patch, walrus-like, Fu Manchu or Santa Claus-style, facial hair of all kinds will be welcome at the second annual Beard Team USA National Beard and Moustache Championships to be held Oct. 8 at Clipper Magazine Stadi......
F&M buys credits to aid solar project
  Franklin & Marshall College has long invested in wind turbine energy. Now it's backing solar power in an uncertain market. The college has agreed to buy solar renewable energy credits from Pennsylvania's largest solar installation, to open next year in Drumore Townshi......
Temperatures to hover near 100 for the weekend
It's hot out there. Wicked hot. And don't look for a break from the heat Friday. The National Weather Service is predicting a heat wave with temperatures nearing the century mark through the weekend. So keep cranking up the air conditioning, because relief from this swelte......
Chef Fabio Viviani ready to win over new fans at Food & Spirits Festival
Sometimes you can lose at something and still be a winner. And a well-liked one at that. Just ask Fabio Viviani. The Italian-born super chef wowed food fans on season five of the Bravo channel's "Top Chef," a competitive reality series where the heat is on in more ways than one. A......
One hump or two? Camels spotted grazing on Lancaster County farm
Two animals more common in the dry desert than verdant Lancaster County were spotted Tuesday grazing in a field on Mill Creek Road in East Lampeter Township. The farmer who owns the field didn't want to talk at length about his two guests, but did say that he is milking the camels during ......
Manure digester gets conditional OK in Rapho
Rapho Township supervisors granted conditional approval Thursday to a facility that will convert manure into electricity. Also,  Yippee! Farms, 1103 Iron Bridge Road, was one of three Lancaster County farms that received a total of $1.5 million in state aid to expand. Several neigh......
Eden may build fence to deter vandalism
Eden Township supervisors are considering erecting a fence in an effort to deter vandalism on township property. According to township supervisor and roadmaster Mark Rudy, there has been a recent spate of thefts from the pole building that sits behind the township building at 489 Stony Hill ......
Tourists' wallets zipped
Bertha White and her family sat in the shade outside the Choo Choo Barn in Strasburg last Thursday afternoon, ready to pack up the minivan and head back to New York. "We just came down yesterday," said White, a first-time visitor to the county. The Traintown U.S.A. display and the adjacen......
Lost in Amazing Maize Maze? Follow the experts
Well, I thought there was a strategy to this corn maze thing. You know, always turn right when you come to a fork. Or try to work your way around the outside of the maze. "Good luck with that," says Rudy Kilgore, suppressing a little grin. Kilgore is the general manager of......
Smart growth extended to transportation
Since the 1990s, when Lancaster County planners first established "urban growth areas" to preserve farmland, there has been a push toward "smart growth." On Monday, county planners took smart growth beyond land planning by formally establishing a Smart Growth Transportation program to fun......
Drescher rallies to claim his 3rd Lanco
Zak Drescher got back into the mix by hitting the best shot of the tournament. He won it by erasing some of his worst. Drescher overcame a four-stroke deficit during a torrid march Saturday through the final round of the Lanco Janney Montgomery Scott Amateur Championship, repeating as event ......
Waste no more
  Lancaster's sewage sludge gives off a pungent odor. It looks like lumpy, grayish mud. But it's taken on a new luster for Public Works Director Charlotte Katzenmoyer. That's because the city now has a cheaper outlet for it. Sludge will no longer be transported to the ......
Lanco Amateur Championship: First-round deadlock
After so many years of playing the unpredictable — sometimes maddening — game that is golf, Mike Burkhart and Corey Gast have both experienced their share of days when the cup feels like its the size of a thimble. Friday wasn't one of those days. For either of them. "I......
Ahmadi Muslims to convene in Harrisburg
Long before the average Westerner ever heard of jihad, a Muslim condemned it. In 1889, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, of Qadian, India, founded the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, "the leading Islamic organization to categorically reject terrorism in any form." "Instead of jihad of the sword, he......
Lanco Amateur Championship: Drescher out to change (his) history
Once he arrived home from Campbell University in North Carolina each summer, Zak Drescher had gotten used to mixing it up with the same old familiar foes — namely, a handful of other accomplished college players who had taken turns dominating the Lanco Golf Association's major championships......
Manheim Farm Show plans improvements
Manheim Community Farm Show obtained approval for several improvements to the Farm Show grounds at the meeting of Manheim Borough Council on June 14. "Last year we had a lot of rain during the Farm Show, and there were a number of stormwater issues. Not only do we have a number of visitors t......
Willow Valley plan questioned
West Lampeter Township Planning Commission again reviewed a plan Thursday to develop the Harnish Farm along Locust Lane. Once again, the motion was tabled. Joel Young of Rettew Associates, representing Willow Valley Retirement Communities, presented detailed graphics that depict t......
Penn Manor OKs budget, tax hike
Penn Manor school board gave the 2011-12 budget final approval on Monday. The $64,716,620 budget calls for 1.4 percent tax increase and leaves the district with a funding gap of $521,966. Properties assessed at $132,000 will pay $30.36 more in taxes this year, and those assessed at $250,0......
Baseball show at Lancaster Museum of Art tags all the bases
On this Father's Day weekend, it might seem an unusual choice to take your dad to an art gallery. But the show at the Lancaster Museum of Art might just be a hit for fathers out there. "Play Ball" celebrates the art of baseball, both literally and figuratively, with 77 pieces of a......
From Harrisburg to Wrightsville to North East, Md., the blues rules
Once again it's time to rock and roll with Rios and Roberts, the guys who keep you up to date on the local music scene. Local bands and fans seem to have the blues these days, and they're loving it. • Blue Light Special (www.bluelightspecialblues.com) is headed down to North ......
Manor Middle scientists probe for pollution solution
Manor Middle School seventh-graders are ending the school year with a lesson that will impact the rest of their lives. Their conclusion is: Trash pollutes and pollution kills. "The trash is really contaminating our water," said Emma Barley after recently taking her turn in the Mob......
He emcees fun times at Clipper Magazine Stadium
To friends and family, he's just Jeff Bertoni. But to Lancaster Barnstormers' fans, he is the high-energy I.M. Fun. Bertoni, who lives in Lititz, moved to the county seven years ago from Frederick, Md., to become the on-field entertainer for the city's brand-new unaffiliated, prof......
Lancaster Chamber of Commerce & Industry honors 3
The Lancaster Chamber of Commerce & Industry honored three business leaders at its 139th annual dinner held Wednesday at the Lancaster County Convention Center. Liz Martin was named Small Businessperson of the Year. Martin is president and owner of Martin Insurance Agency, a growing f......
114-unit project planned at Willow Valley
The West Lampeter Township Planning Commission reviewed plans for a 114-unit development at the intersection of Willow Street Pike and Locust Lane. Joel Young of Rettew Associates, representing applicant Willow Valley Retirement Communities, presented a preliminary land-development plan May ......
Tips: Best bets for the week
SoBe Style ... Saturday There will be some stand-up, some salsa and some South Beach style Saturday at the First Multicultural Comedy Show & Concert, being held at the Marriott at Penn Square on Saturday evening. The doors open at 8 and the show begins at 9. The evening will include c......
East Hempfield Township OKs Cheswicke
Good things come to those who wait? After nearly three years, developer Jim Nardo got the big approval he needed Wednesday to build a multimillion-dollar mix of stores, residences and offices in East Hempfield Township. Township supervisors narrowly approved a much-debated rezonin......
Vegan dinner at Stockyard Inn a hit
Gene Baur looked around the former Lancaster Stockyards on Monday evening, and he liked what he didn't see. Livestock. Then the president and co-founder of Farm Sanctuary sat down for dinner inside the Stockyard Inn on Lititz Pike, and he liked what he didn't see on his plate.......
2 farmers assail gas drillers at forum
Stillborn and deformed cows, ponds that turned black and poisoned drinking water. Those are some of the little-reported effects being visited on Pennsylvania in the rush to tap natural gas from the Marcellus Shale, two angry Washington County farmers told about 100 people at a forum in La......
Street project bids awarded in Denver
Denver Borough Council awarded contracts May 9 to Bertolet Construction, of Wernersville, and Martin Paving, of Lititz, for two street-improvement projects. • The first contract includes construction of concrete curbs, curb-cut ramps and sidewalks along Franklin Street, and curb-cu......
Central sophomore wins Farm Bureau essay award
If you had the opportunity to experience college life before the nerve-wracking first day of your freshmen year, would you take advantage of it? Three high school students will be, this June, at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pa., during the Fueling Agriculture and Cultivating Excelle......
Celebrating the music, food and fashion of Africa
The news from Africa is often grim. But that's not the whole story, insists Dorothy Dulo, a native of Kenya who runs Rafiki's Deli at Central Market with her husband, Uganda-born Roger Godfrey. Together, they organized the African Festival to show another side of the story. ...
Mount Joy Market celebrates 10th year
Mount Joy's Farmers Market opens for its 10th season on Saturday, May 14. The market hours are 8 a.m. to noon under the portico at Union Community Bank, 101 E. Main St., Mount Joy. "The farmers market brings people into our downtown, which is why it's part of our Main Street progr......
Funk's in a funk
Lack of progress on the demolition of Funk's Farm Market on South Duke Street in Millersville has people wondering what's up with the planned development. Those plans call for a 75-unit assisted-living center, 156 detached cottages and 252 multifamily units to be built on the 66-acre site. A......
Kinzers farmer's raw milk irks feds
The federal government is going to court to try to stop a Kinzers dairy farmer from distributing raw milk outside of Pennsylvania. The Justice Department, at the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, has filed a complaint for a permanent injunction to prevent Daniel L. Allgyer......
Rain stymies farmers
Our rain gauge overfloweth. Farm fields are sprouting ponds, not crops, the sodden ground delaying the start of the spring planting season by two weeks to a month. Golf course workers are pumping out bunkers and pleading with golfers to keep their carts on the path and off squishy......
Speaker extols Jesus' accomplishments to Good Friday crowd
Because of a step he decided to take at age 17, the Rev. Robert Haslam said he doesn't "have to add anything to what Jesus already accomplished." And that was Christ's death on a cross to pay for the world's sins, Haslam, senior pastor of Lancaster's Grace Baptist Church, said Friday morn......
'Clockworks!' features the fun side of a technological marvel
Readers of a certain age may remember when they had to wind their watches. Inside was a tiny coiled spring. By winding the watch, you were storing up energy, which was then transmitted through a series of gear wheels and released gradually. Eventually, the watch stopped ticking wh......
Feds ax regulations treating spilled milk as a 'pollutant'
Local dairy farmers no longer have to cry over spilled milk. On Tuesday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency formally exempted milk and milk containers from the Oil Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure rule, potentially saving the milk and dairy industries more than $140 mill......
Proposal in Manheim Township raising concerns
The proposed Brooklawn development, to be built partly on Brook Lawn Farm, continues to be scrutinized by Manheim Township Planning Commission. The planners met Wednesday to look over several changes in the subdivision and land-development plan filed by developers in November. Dev......
April's garden tips
Go slow. The wild temperature swings of this week are a lesson in prudence. Just because plants are blooming in the greenhouse, that doesn't mean they are ready to go straight into the ground. Keep your tender transplants protected until we've passed our last frost date. ......
Red Robin comes to Lancaster County
Red Robin opened Monday in the Mill Creek Square shopping center. The 228-seat Red Robin at 2350 Lincoln Highway East, Suite 900, is the first Lancaster County location for the restaurant chain that features gourmet burgers served with all-you-can-eat steak fries. It also has chicken sand......
Doughnuts, donations drive MCC relief sale
About $50,500 worth of coins — those humble pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters — were piled up in giant jugs, waiting to be counted by dozens of volunteers. More than 5,000 doughnuts were made right there at the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg by about 30 people, who were rolli......
Majority of county nursing homes rank high in federal ratings
Most of Lancaster County's 31 nursing homes are highly ranked when it comes to clean health inspections and adequate staffing levels, new federal ratings show. But a half dozen facilities here have consistently performed below average in those areas over the past six months, according to ran......
State farming leaders tout industry's environmental protection record
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania farming leaders say the state's No. 1 industry is getting a bad rap when it comes to protecting the environment. "Many consumers who refer to themselves as environmentalists fail to realize that the first environmentalists were farmers and landowners," Don McN......
Those favoring, opposing shale drilling present cases to county groups
Drilling for natural gas deep underground in Pennsylvania's barely tapped Marcellus Shale formation is being done under some of the most protective environmental regulations in the United States. The wealth flowing up is already revitalizing some of the state's most depressed communities ......
Tech support firm opens in new Holland
MainStreet IT Solutions LLC has opened in New Holland, providing computer and networking technical support and service for small and mid-size businesses. The 501E E. Main St. firm will hold an open house Friday, April 1, and Saturday, April 2, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Owned by brothe......
Garden tips for March
Splish, splash. Our heavy rains have made outdoor chores an exercise in puddle jumping. Avoid compacting sodden soil and resist the urge to plant until the soil is crumbly in your hand. (This means you, St. Patrick's Day pea planters.) But feel free to pull all the weeds you want......
Lawyer faults Westboro ruling
When the U.S. Supreme Court held last week that Westboro Baptist Church members' protests at military funerals are an exercise of public free speech, the justices failed to address the parts that weren't, according to a key player in the case. The justices "completely dodged" an issue rai......
Comité Central Menonita comienza un fragmento de la exhibición de edredones
El Comité Central Menonita está auspiciando una presentación de los edredones hasta el sábado en su Centro de Recursos Materiales, 517 Trout Run Road, Ephrata. El espectáculo, que comenzó el jueves, corre de 9 a.m.-9 p.m. hoy y de 9 am a 4 pm......
Mennonite Central Committee kicks off quilt show preview
Mennonite Central Committee is hosting a quilt preview show through Saturday at its Material Resources Center, 517 Trout Run Road, Ephrata. The show, which kicked off Thursday, runs from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. today and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. It includes items begun early in the 20th centur......
Group seeks united ag voice
With farming in Lancaster County "at one of those watershed times," local agriculture interests have formed a coalition to keep the county's no. 1 industry competitive. "In the past, agriculture here has reacted to things coming their way," said Dan Heller, a Lititz-area poultry farmer wh......
Getting a jump start on spring at the Pa. Garden Expo
Maybe it was when your lawn re-appeared after being hidden under the snow for so long. Or when the sun began to stay around noticeably longer. Or maybe it's those occasional days when Mother Nature teases us and temperatures shoot up into the 60s and even the 70s. You're r......
Village zoning sought for big project in East Hempfield Township
Do you renovate the building one room at a time, or do you do the whole job at once? That's one way of asking the question faced by developers of a new multimillion-dollar community planned for the 115-acre Lime Spring Farm in East Hempfield Township. The developers of the ambitio......
4 smart-growth projects earn county awards
Correction Feb. 18, 2011 — Community Basics Inc. of Lancaster received a 2010 Envision Leadership Award from Lancaster County Planning Commission. The developer's Park Avenue Apartments was recognized in the Sustainable Growth catego......
Chesapeake Bay cleanup will have big impact on us
After a do-over, Pennsylvania's detailed plan for how it will vastly reduce the amount of smothering soil and nutrients it's flushing into the Chesapeake Bay has been accepted by the federal Environmental Protection Agency. Farmers will be profoundly affected, of course, but so will almos......
Good's Store starts work on new entrance
Good's Store has just begun the second part of a major expansion and renovation that will add some 20,000 square feet of retail space and a new entrance for the household, clothing and hardware store at 1338 Main St., East Earl. The first phase added a warehouse and office building on the......
Manheim Central senior moving from ag competition into nursing
Goats, sheep, dairy beef and steers. Megan E. Gingrich has raised all of these animals over the years and won a few show prizes along the way. In addition, the 18-year-old Manheim Central High School senior and longtime FFA member was named the Manheim Farm Show queen last October, and sh......
Symposium busts your gardening ruts
Kris Barry says it's easy to have a colorful garden filled with blooming flowers from April to May. The challenge is to continue to create garden interest the other ten months of the year. Barry, an accomplished plant breeder who developed two of the patented yellow Fusion impatiens, as w......
Garden tips for February
Lasting love. Looking for something less ephemeral and expected than a bouquet of cut flowers for Valentine's Day? Your local garden center can help with a gift that endures. Try cyclamen, primrose, forced tulips or amaryllis in shades of red, white or pink. Or indulge in a delic......
Romance of the dance
Mary Ann Brockie and Miles Martin met on the dance floor 15 years ago and they have been keeping in step ever since. For more than 19 years of their 25-year marriage, Judy and David Flowers have been waltzing, cha-cha-ing, tango-ing and swinging their way to romance. On Sunday, th......
Pequea teen faces another theft accusation
A Pequea Township teenager is accused of stealing, again. Dillon M. Hertzog, 19, of 845 Baumgardner Road, allegedly stole thousands of dollars worth of metal from a building and parking lot in the 200 block of Marticville Road on Jan. 14, Southern Regional police said. He also rec......
Consultant: Chesapeake Bay cleanup will affect local farmers
Will it be illegal for a cow to stand in a stream in Lancaster County? Or for a local farmer to spread manure in winter? That's what local ag consultant Peter Hughes foresees as the federal government cracks down on sources of nutrients flowing into the Chesapeake Bay. In ......
Nothing trashy about plans for landfill
Lancaster County's landfill in Manor Township is best known for, well, trash. But a waste-truck full of newly completed and near-future projects aimed at entertaining the public might make the Frey Farm Landfill something of an attraction. The enhancements include: ...
$5.3M contract to remove soil
How much is dirt worth? To the Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority, plenty. The authority last month awarded Abel Construction of Mount Joy a $5.3 million contract to remove more than 1 million tons of soil from 87 acres of farm fields that until Jan. 1 were owned by......
Locals earn Farm Show honors
The Pennsylvania Farm Show rolled to a close Saturday, but not before several Lancaster County participants earned additional kudos from the judges. The two-day open sheep show ended Saturday with Derek Bollinger of Manheim showing the Shropshire champion ram and the Shropshire champion e......
Flashback Lancaster
Summaries of local news stories from the pages of the Intelligencer Journal and Lancaster New Era appear in this space each Monday. They are researched and compiled by staff member Tim Buckwalter. Full versions are available on microfilm at the Lancaster Public Library, 125 N. Duke St....
Farm finale
  A live Great Horned Owl (first photo) is presented in a demonstration in front of a banner of the owl by Penn State University Shaver's Creek Environmental Center on the final day of the 95th Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg, Saturday. Other images of the day include Coy Koller......
SLIDESHOW: 2011 Pennsylvania Farm Show
View photos from the 95th Annual Pa. Farm Show in Harrisburg.......
VIDEO: Trout a hit at Pa. Farm Show
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Sheep will get their day in the Farm Show arena
The Pennsylvania Farm Show is winding down to the last two days of judging, and, in the West Hall Thursday afternoon, a pair of Zimmermans was playing barber to a flock of anxious sheep. Jayme Zimmerman, 16, of Reinholds, was shaving a spring Southdown ewe, affectionately named Splendorbe......
Garden tips for this month
White blankets. As these winter storms bow over the branches of your shrubbery, gently shake off any heavy snow. If the branches are coated after an ice storm let them melt free rather than risk damaging them. If branches were broken, remove them so they don't further damage the ......
Twisted & Warped for Ewe competes in sheep-to-shawl event
It was Amelia's first haircut. The lamb, born mid-February last year, gave her wool Wednesday to Twisted & Warped for Ewe, a Lancaster County-based team competing in the annual sheep-to-shawl competition at the Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg. Amelia didn't bleat or kick ......
Novice Lambs & Ram team wins fleece-to-shawl event
When the 32nd annual sheep-to-shawl competition wrapped up Wednesday evening, 14-year-old Irina Lawrence of Rohrerstown hadn't helped make one shawl, but two. Her efforts with Treadlers Thru Time, an adult sheep-to-shawl team from Lancaster, Lebanon and Berks counties, paid off with a sec......
Celebrities at Farm Show
Sen. Mike Brubaker swears he wasn't a ringer. But, with little to no horse-driving experience, the state senator from Lancaster County bested the competition Tuesday in a celebrity draft horse team driving event at the Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg. "It really was invigorat......
VIDEO: Farm Show Sale of Champions
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Hans Herr fourth-grader does well in hog show
Late Monday afternoon was a decisive — if ultimately disappointing —time for Lancaster County competitors at the Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg. In the equine arena, a champion Hereford bull from Mount Joy was vying for the title of supreme champion beef. Minutes later, ......
State Farm Show kicks off in style
A tough decision comes with walking through the doors at the Pennsylvania Farm Show complex in Harrisburg. Where to go first? "I went to see the animals," Tiara Tolene of Linglestown said. "My niece loves the horses, so we went there first," she said. "She got to see them ......
Ridin' high
A Frenchman once visited America and declared that, to truly understand this country, you had better get to understand baseball. And to get to know the slice of America that is known as Pennsylvania, you had better trek to the 24-acre complex that draws a half-million people for a week each ......
Here and There
 
Farm Show
Some folks go for the food; some go to check out the butter sculpture; others just like to moo at the cows. Whatever your reason for going, the 2011 Pennsylvania Farm Show has something for everyone. Events continue through Saturday, Jan. 15. F......
Program aims to decrease number of tractor-rollover deaths
One summer day in 2004, a 13-year-old boy was riding on a tractor near the Lancaster County-Chester County line. The tractor hit an embankment and rolled over, crushing the youth, the son of a farmer. Like most of its era, the 49-year-old farm tractor did not have a roll bar. If i......
Manheim volunteer up for state 4-H award
Eugene Bollinger was bundled into the middle seat of a shiny black bobsled last month for the ride of a lifetime. Roaring down a narrow, twisting, iced track in the gravity-powered sled at 65 mph, Bollinger fulfilled one of the items on his "bucket list" of dreams. "It was a nice ......
Tips: Best bets for the week
King of the Blues ... Saturday When it comes to the blues, there's only one king -- B.B. King. And the monarch has reigned a long, long time. The 85-year-old blues legend makes a stop Saturday night at the Hershey Theatre. King is known for his passion and energy, and his long-standing lo......
Football a theme of Pa. Farm Show butter sculpture
Nothing says physical fitness like a half ton of butter. This year's butter sculpture at the Pennsylvania Farm Show depicts a dairy farmer providing milk to children engaged in physical activities like climbing on a jungle gym and playing catch with a football player. The nearly 1......
3 Strasburg siblings are hoping for the best at the Pa. Farm Show
For 9-year-old Leah Welk, the Pennsylvania Farm Show is new territory. Sure, she's been there before. But this is the first time she's going as a competitor. Fortunately, she'll have her older brothers — Justin, 17, and Ben, 13 — to show her the ropes. The Welk brother......
His farm is under a big roof
Jim Sharp operates one of Pennsylvania's biggest farms. He's got to coordinate milking, housing, feeding, bedding and hauling manure for upward of 1,000 beef and dairy cattle. He's also got to watch out for 1,800 chickens, ducks, geese and turkeys, in addition to 1,200 rabbits. Fortunately, ......
In a renovated Farm Show, a parade from past
In less than a week, the doors will open to the 2011 edition of the Pennsylvania Farm Show, and in the lead-up to the nation's largest indoor agricultural exposition, the exhibition complex is a hive of activity. In addition to the usual noise of displays being set up, there is the clamor of......
Recession still a key ingredient in 2010
The year 2010, like every year, had its share of surprises. But several of the year's Top 10 local business stories had a familiar look — the look of the recession. Although the recession was declared over, it was hard to spot many signs of recovery, no matter how hard you s......
Giant turbine catches the wind, starts making power
One of the two giant wind turbines overlooking the Susquehanna River south of Columbia rotated in the wind for the first time Tuesday afternoon. The 397-foot-high Unit A turbine, located just outside the Frey Farm Landfill atop Turkey Hill in Manor Township, generated electricity for seve......
EPA begins inspecting county farms
Up to 20 farms in the Muddy Run area of Lancaster County could be inspected by the EPA as the agency ramps up its efforts pertaining to the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load or TMDL. Don McNutt, administrator of the Lancaster County Conservation District, said "a couple" of farms have ......
Bowser's Christmas Trees flourishes with efforts of hardworking clan
Lewis Bowser Sr. has spent five weeks in the hospital in recent months battling cancer and heart problems. But he wasn't about to let that keep him from his loyal customers, who rely on Bowser each year to make their Christmas special. The 79-year-old co-owns Bowser's Christmas Tr......
Shady Maple plans $1.7M solar system
For the management of Shady Maple Plaza, the logic is simple. It's putting solar panels up so its electric bill goes down. "Our electric bill is exorbitant," said Lin Weaver, manager of the Farm Market there. "We want to do anything we can to cut it." Shady Maple announced......
Lancaster County likely to preserve six farms Wednesday
Lancaster County commissioners Wednesday are expected to vote to preserve six farms totaling nearly 530 acres. Five of the six farms are slated to be preserved using funds provided by both the county and the federal government. The sixth farm would be preserved with state and fede......
Mylin honored at Chamber's ag banquet
The Lancaster County Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Thursday honored Jay Mylin, of Lancaster Dairy Herd Improvement Association, for his contributions to the local agricultural community. A Manheim resident, Mylin received the George C. Delp Ag Industry Award during the Chamber'......
Cutting corners, and everything else, to create works of paper artPa. German folk arts on display at Mennonite Historical Society
Remember when you were a kid and you used folded pieces of paper and a big pair of scissors to create geometric snowflakes, which your mom always hung on the windows or refrigerator door? Yeah, well, scherenschnitte (scissors cutting) isn't like that. Ask Sandra Gilpin, a scissors......
Lancaster Chamber of Commerce & Industry to honor two farms
Two Lancaster County farms will be honored as Century Farms Thursday at the 34th Agriculture Industry banquet at the Doubletree Resort at Willow Valley. The Lancaster Chamber of Commerce & Industry will recognize the owners of the John B. Martin and Newcomer farms at the banquet,......
Calf stolen from Kirkwood farm
A heifer calf was stolen over the weekend in southern Lancaster County. The 2-month-old calf was snatched from Pei-Valley Farm in the 300 block of Academy Road in Kirkwood sometime overnight Saturday, state police said. About six calf hutches also appeared to be tampered with, pol......
Art in the country
Lancaster city doesn't have a corner on the art market. The countryside has some aesthetics to offer this weekend, too. So go ahead, enjoy First Friday downtown. But don't stop there. Head north Saturday or Sunday to the 15th annual Art on the Farm, a gathering of artists,......
Wind turbines dedicated
Though the giant blades are not yet spinning, the twin wind turbines on Turkey Hill were dedicated Thursday. When operating by the end of the year, the turbines at the Frey Farm Landfill in Manor Township will produce electricity offsetting 5,000 tons per year of greenhouse gases. It will......
Marcellus Shale gas: A blessing or curse?
As he drives his pickup truck through the sleepy town of Knoxville, farmer Karl Kroeck is well aware of the potential impact nearby natural gas drills could have on the area's depressed economy. "If it weren't for the bank, there would be nothing here," Kroeck laments. "This area needs the m......
Ag, baking, cheering: Solanco teen loves 'em all
Solanco High School senior Megan Santiago describes herself as a "very mix-match person." She's a cheerleader who loves agriculture but is thinking about becoming a pastry chef. She would like to open a bake shop in Quarryville, where she was born and raised. "I just love ......
Apology offered for band incident at Manheim Farm Show
Bill Clark was enjoying the Manheim Farm Show parade last week with his family when a thought struck him. "I felt (the parade) was one of those events that made me feel good about bringing my family here," said Clark, who moved to the borough last year as the new superintendent of Manheim......
Stable faces protest, charges
A Columbia man whose horse-riding stable was the site of a protest by animal rights activists last month has been charged with two counts of cruelty to animals. A hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. Monday, Dec. 20, at the office of Magisterial District Judge Robert A. Herman Jr., 341 Chestnut S......
Pa. farmers exempt from federal rules
State legislators have given farmers driving heavy farm equipment exemptions from tough new federal regulations. The legislation, sought by Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, has been approved as part of a transportation bill passed by the General Assembly and sent to Gov. Ed Rendell. The change......
Tips: Best bets for the week
Harvest Days ... Saturday, Sunday The weather may not have cooperated too well during the county's fair season, but autumn's crisp temps and clear skies are a good possibility for this weekend's annual Harvest Days and Pumpkin Patch at Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum. On Saturday an......