Penn Lines August 2014

AUGUST 2014

The power of the falls How cooperative consumers benefit from New York hydro projects

PLUS Water heater efficiency boost Strolling my stamp Abundant salads

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AUGUST Vol. 49 • No. 8 Peter A. Fitzgerald EDITOR

Katherine Hackleman S E N I OR E D I T O R / W R I T E R

James Dulley Janette Hess Barbara Martin Marcus Schneck

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The ‘Essence’ of cybersecurity

C ON T R I B U T I N G C O L U M N I S TS

W. Douglas Shirk L AYOU T & DESI GN

TECH TRENDS

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KEEPING CURRENT News items from across the Commonwealth

Vonnie Kloss A D V E R T I S I N G & CI R C U L A T I O N

Michelle M. Smith M E D I A & M A R K E T I N G S P E CI A L I S T

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F E AT U R E

The power of the falls Penn Lines (USPS 929-700), the newsmagazine of Pennsylvania’s electric cooperatives, is published monthly by the Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association, 212 Locust Street, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108-1266. Penn Lines helps 165,800 households of co-op consumermembers understand issues that affect the electric cooperative program, their local coops, and their quality of life. Electric co-ops are not-for-profit, consumer-owned, locally directed, and taxpaying electric utilities. Penn Lines is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts. The opinions expressed in Penn Lines do not necessarily reflect those of the editors, the Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association, or local electric distribution cooperatives. Subscriptions: Electric co-op members, $5.42 per year through their local electric distribution cooperative. Preferred Periodicals postage paid at Harrisburg, PA 17107 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes with mailing label to Penn Lines, 212 Locust Street, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108-1266. Advertising: Display ad deadline is six weeks prior to month of issue. Ad rates upon request. Acceptance of advertising by Penn Lines does not imply endorsement of the product or services by the publisher or any electric cooperative. If you encounter a problem with any product or service advertised in Penn Lines, please contact: Advertising, Penn Lines, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108. Penn Lines reserves the right to refuse any advertising.

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How cooperative consumers benefit from New York hydro projects

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TIME LINES Your newsmagazine through the years

14A C O O P E R AT I V E

CO N N ECT I O N

Information and advice from your local electric cooperative

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T I M E PA S S A G E S Memories from our members

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SMART CIRCUITS

Give your electric water heater an efficiency boost 20

O U T D O O R A DV E N T U R ES

Out strolling with my stamp 22

CLASSIFIEDS

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COUNTRY KITCHEN

Abundant salads 25

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POWER PLANTS

Wake up the flavors of summer 26 Board officers and staff, Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association: Chairman, Leroy Walls; Vice Chairman, Tim Burkett; Secretary, Lanny Rodgers; Treasurer, Rick Shope; President & CEO, Frank M. Betley © 2014 Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.

Visit with us at Penn Lines Online, located at: www.prea.com/Content/ pennlines.asp. Penn Lines Online provides an email link to Penn Lines editorial staff, information on advertising rates, and an archive of past issues.

PUNCH LINES

Thoughts from Earl Pitts– Uhmerikun! Earl on summertime fun

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RURAL REFLECTIONS

‘Dog days’ ahead

27 O N T H E COV E R The American Falls, the Rainbow Bridge and the Observation Tower provide a dramatic view of Niagara Falls. Photo provided by the New York Power Authority

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TECHtrends The ‘Essence’ of cybersecurity By Reed Karaim

THE ONLINE world can be a dangerous neighborhood. News of another huge data theft or malicious computer virus seems to arrive almost weekly. One study found that 740 million online records were hacked last year. Target, the giant retailer, revealed criminals working online had stolen information on as many as 70 million of its customers alone. While it hasn’t received as much publicity, electric utilities haven’t been immune from this type of online assault. Craig Miller, chief scientist for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), says there are thousands of probes, big and small, into utility systems. And the number of threats to the security and stability of the nation’s grid are expected to grow. But an ambitious effort by the Cooperative Research Network (CRN), the research and development arm of NRECA, and several partners is underway to make sure the systems delivering your power remain safe and secure. It’s called “Essence,� and through the project, researchers are developing the next generation of automated cybersecurity for the industry. That’s particularly important for

As the research and development arm of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, CRN pursues innovative solutions that helQ 1FOOTZM WBOJB electric cooperatives deliver safe, reliable, and affordable power to their consumer-members.

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cooperative members and other consumers, who not only count on the power being there when they need it, but also on their electricity provider protecting their privacy. “The success of Essence will improve the protections around their personal information, and it will improve the reliability of their power systems,� says Miller. Most of the attempts to hack into utility systems have been efforts to grab personal data or business information. But there have also been more serious attacks on control systems. The assumption, Miller says, is that some of these efforts are by other nations probing for potential weaknesses. Defense analysts also believe a cyberattack on the nation’s power grid could be attractive to terrorists for its potential to create widespread chaos. The essence of Essence is to protect Americans from all these threats. There are existing software programs with the same goal, but it’s how Essence safeguards utility systems that makes it a major advance in cybersecurity. Most computer systems are protected through firewalls, special software that blocks suspicious attempts to connect or upload software. But these programs largely depend on lists of known threats that have to be constantly updated. But Essence changes the balance of power in this constant battle. “Essence looks for anomalies — stuff that shouldn’t be happening — and then raises a red flag when it sees something that’s amiss,� explains Maurice Martin, CRN’s project manager for cybersecurity. All this is accomplished by a device small enough to be held in one hand that can be added to a utility system in key spots to unobtrusively monitor what’s happening on the network. “It’s going to bring state-of-the-art cybersecurity to cooperatives of every size, from the biggest to the smallest,�

says Martin. “The philosophy is no cooperative will be left behind. Everyone will be able to use this.� Essence is being developed through a $4 million grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy to research nextgeneration cybersecurity devices. CRN has partnered with Carnegie Mellon University, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and the cybersecurity firm Cigital on the project. Several large corporations are also following the effort. Researchers hope to have the first version of the Essence device in the field for testing within a year. If it is as successful as it is expected to be, commercial partners will be brought in to produce the product, providing electric utilities with an affordable, automated cybersecurity system they can depend on. That will be good news for consumers everywhere as Martin notes, “Maintaining cybersecurity for your co-op is something that matters to anyone who’s on a power line.� l Reed Karaim writes on consumer and cooperative affairs for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the Arlington, Va.-based service arm of the nation’s 900-plus consumer-owned, not-forprofit electric cooperatives.

How a Chicago Doctor Shook Up the Hearing Aid Industry with his Newest Invention New nearly invisible digital hearing aid breaks price barrier in affordability Reported by J. Page &KLFDJR %RDUG FHUWLĂ€HG SK\VLFLDQ 'U 6 &KHUXNXUL KDV GRQH LW RQFH DJDLQ ZLWK KLV QHZHVW LQYHQWLRQ RI D PHGLFDO JUDGH ALL DIGITAL affordable hearing aid. 7KLV QHZ GLJLWDO KHDULQJ DLG LV SDFNHG ZLWK DOO WKH IHDWXUHV RI FRPSHWLWRUV DW D PHUH IUDFWLRQ RI WKH FRVW Now, most people with hearing loss are able to enjoy crystal clear, natural sound—in a crowd, on the phone, in the wind — without suffering through “whistlingâ€? and annoying background noise.

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KEEPINGcurrent Federal government eyes honey bees, other pollinators The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Agriculture are spearheading an effort to determine why the numbers of honey bees, monarch butterflies and other pollinators are declining. President Barack Obama recently announced the creation of a federal task force to address the issue, which is critical for the nation’s food industry as fruits, nuts and vegetables all must be pollinated in order to produce. Worldwide, insects, birds, butterflies and bats pollinate 87 of the leading 115 food crops. In making the announcement, the president noted that the number of managed honey bee colonies fell from 6 million beehives in the late 1940s to around 2.5 million today. In his proposed budget for next year, the president has recommended about $50 million be allocated for research and conservation programs related to pollinator losses.

Civil War Trust seeks funding for new project The Civil War Trust has launched a $5.5 million national fundraising campaign to acquire a four-acre plot on Seminary Ridge in Gettysburg that includes Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee’s headquarters. The objective is to transform the location back to its original state. “We want to make it so that if Robert E. Lee rode up Chambersburg Pike on his horse, he’d know exactly where he was,” said Jim Lighthizer, president of the Civil War Trust. Trust members expect to close on the property early in 2015, after which they will remove the Quality Inn located on it. Historic buildings on the property will be retained, including the Mary Thompson House used during the battle as the general’s headquarters. It is anticipated the project will take about a year to complete. Pennsylvania’s First Lady Susan Cor6

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bett, who was on hand for the announcement of the project, said the historic property belongs to U.S. citizens who want to preserve the history of the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg. “Gettysburg is a place of new beginnings,” she said. “Every time a school bus empties, children emerge ready to learn, eager to understand. Somewhere in those crowds, we will find the next great historian or civil leader or governor or senator, all of them awestruck by the courage of those soldiers who held Seminary Ridge or the ones that charged across fields into the face of roaring cannons. … 151 years ago, Robert E. Lee took possession of the house that we are preserving. Gen. Meade’s forces then took it back. Today, it belongs to all of us as citizens of a restored country, the shared owners of a legacy shaped here in a small Pennsylvania town of Gettysburg.”

State to issue 13,000 hunting permits to slow CWD The Pennsylvania Game Commission has developed a permit that can be used to hunt antlerless deer in Disease Management Area 2 (DMA2) — the only area

of the state where chronic wasting disease (CWD) has been detected in freeranging deer. Thirteen thousand permits are available. The goal is to reduce the deer population by one deer per square mile within the specified area in order to slow the potential spread of CWD. CWD is believed to be caused by an agent capable of transforming normal brain proteins into an abnormal form. It affects members of the deer family and

is spread from animal to animal by direct and indirect contact. Currently there is no scientific evidence that CWD has or can spread to humans, but as a precaution, people are advised not to consume meat from animals that test positive for CWD. Disease Management Area 2 includes parts of Bedford, Blair, Huntingdon, Cambria and Fulton counties. Since 1998, Pennsylvania Game Commission officials have gathered and submitted more than 48,000 samples from wild deer and elk for CWD testing. Five freeranging deer have tested positive — all of them from within DMA 2. Only residents and nonresidents ages 12 and older with a valid general hunting license may apply for a DMA 2 permit. Applications for permits will be accepted electronically through the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Outdoor Shop (www.theoutdoorshop.state.pa.us) or by mail. Application rounds begin Aug. 4 and Aug. 18. The final round will continue until all permits have been issued. Hunters who are issued DMA 2 permits must submit reports, regardless of whether they harvest a deer or not.

annually from $527 million to $1.14 billion, with total disbursements during the five-year period from combined local and state sources of $4.77 billion. Twelve percent of the total was contributed by rural school districts.

Keep an eye out for Lyme disease symptoms Significant numbers of Lyme disease cases continue to be reported this year in Pennsylvania, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Lyme disease is a tick-borne zoonosis (disease shared between animals and people) caused by infection with the spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, that is transmitted to people through the bite of an infected

tick (the blacklegged or deer tick in Pennsylvania). In the United States, the disease is mostly localized to the northeastern, mid-Atlantic, upper Midwest and northwestern California regions. Close to

The Center for Rural Pennsylvania has released a report on charter school enrollment trends in Pennsylvania and the financial impacts of charter schools and cyber charter schools on traditional K-12 school districts from the 2006-07 school year through the 2010-11 school year (the latest data available). The report shows a dramatic increase in charter schools — an increase of 54 percent for charter schools and an increase of 75 percent for cyber charter schools. Enrollment in both types of charter schools is overwhelmingly urban, as only slightly more than 1 percent of all charter school students are in rural districts. In Pennsylvania, school districts are required to fund the charter schools their students attend based on a per-student tuition payment determined by the district’s expenditure level. During the five-year period studied, school district payments to charter schools increased

PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

Charter school enrollment up statewide

4,000 cases have been reported annually in Pennsylvania in each of the past several years. Lyme disease is a multi-system, multi-stage, inflammatory illness that usually is readily cured in the early stages with oral antibiotics. Left untreated, or inadequately treated, the infection may progress to include latestage arthritic or nervous system complications requiring more intensive treatment. Lyme disease often presents with a characteristic bulls-eye rash accompanied by nonspecific symptoms such as fever, malaise, fatigue, headache, muscle aches and joint pain. The incubation period is typically between seven and 14 days, but may be as short as three days or as long as 30 days. The first line of defense against Lyme disease — and other tick-borne illnesses — is avoidance of tick-infested habitats, and proper use of protective measures such as repellents and protective clothing, and checking for and removing attached ticks. Early diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease prevents latestage complications. For more information about Lyme disease, go to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/lyme/ index.htm. l

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PENNlines

The power of the falls How cooperative consumers benefit from New York hydro projects By K at h y H ac k l e m a n S e n i o r E d i t o r / Wr i t e r

“NIAGARA FALLS” is a group of three falls — the Horseshoe Falls, American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls. It’s the name of two cities located across the Niagara River from each other — one in New York and one in Ontario, Canada. It’s part of the oldest state park in the United States. It’s a popular honeymoon destination. It’s a natural wonder and a tourist attraction. It’s also one of the reasons why Pennsylvania and New Jersey cooperatives have been able — and continue to be able — to provide reliable electricity at affordTHE WATER BEHIND THE POWER: The American Falls is one of three sets of falls that are part of the area known as Niagara Falls. The others are Horseshoe Falls and Bridal Veil Falls. Photo provided by the New York Power Authority

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able rates to their members. Since 1966, Allegheny Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Allegheny), the wholesale power supplier for the 14 electric cooperatives in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, has purchased power generated by hydroelectric projects located along the Niagara and St. Lawrence rivers in upstate New York through a long-term contract. The hydroelectric projects are part of the system operated by the New York Power Authority (NYPA). “Our NYPA resources have provided tremendous benefits to cooperative consumer-members for years,” explains Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association (PREA)/Allegheny President & CEO Frank Betley. “This clean, reliable, and low-cost energy source has helped keep cooperative electric rates stable and

affordable. It’s a very valuable part of our power mix.”

Savings Through Allegheny’s long-term agreement with NYPA, local distribution cooperatives in Pennsylvania and New Jersey have saved $373 million compared to the cost of purchasing the same amount of electricity from other sources. In 2013 alone, cooperatives saved $8.1 million due to the NYPA agreement. Although NYPA has a network of power-generating facilities, the majority of electricity provided through the NYPA agreement with Allegheny — between 31 and 35 megawatts annually in the recent past — is generated by the Niagara Power Project near Lewiston, N.Y. The Niagara Power Project consists of two generating

PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE NEW YORK POWER AUTHORITY

units: the Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant (the main dam) and the Lewiston Pump-Generating Plant, which provides a supplemental supply of power from water stored in a 1,900-acre reservoir. Construction on the Niagara Power Project began in 1958, after the U.S. Congress passed the Niagara Redevelopment Act in 1957. This legislation directed the Federal Power Commission (the predecessor agency to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) to issue a license to the New York Power Authority to develop the U.S. share of the Niagara River’s hydroelectric power potential. A part of the original agreement includes a pledge to make low-cost hydropower available to several nearby states, including Pennsylvania and New Jersey. As the result of efforts by Allegheny and other public power entities, the federal law authorizing construction of the Niagara Power Project reserved a portion of the output for public power entities and not-for-profit cooperatives in neighboring states within economic transmission distance. But it took several years of negotiations with NYPA and surrounding pri-

BIRD’S-EYE VIEW OF THE DAM: The Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant, operated by the New York Power Authority, is located at 5777 Lewiston Road, Lewiston, N.Y. The plant is not open for tours, but the adjacent visitor center describes in detail how the plant operates.

vate power companies before the power could actually flow. The book, “Miracle Blessings,” published in 1977 by PREA, quotes thenAllegheny Board President William J. McDanel saying, “… the long battle was over July 20 (1966) when 100,000 kilowatts of power began to flow to the 14 co-op member systems, bringing savings of $1,000 per day.”

That agreement between the cooperatives and NYPA will continue well into the future as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved a new 50-year license for the Niagara Power Project, effective in 2007. “This means that this valuable source of low-cost power will continue operating for another half-century with improved environmental protections and recreational benefit provided by the power authority,” reports Lou Paonessa, NYPA community affairs director. “The commitment to continue to provide discounted power to Pennsylvania and New Jersey cooperatives is included in a series of settlement agreements the authority reached with participants in the licensing process.” Benefits realized from the agreement will be worth more than $1 billion to the various entities involved over the 50-year license term, Paonessa reports. “This includes hundreds of millions of dollars in savings from the sale of low-cost Niagara Power Project power to the various entities,” he says. “Western New York benefits include monetary payments to settlement partners consisting of local

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PENNlines municipalities, state agencies, an Indian nation, school districts and committees supporting the development of the Niagara River Greenway. The amount also includes payments by NYPA for the construction of recreational projects and ecological enhancements related to the license. In addition to monetary benefits, 32 megawatts of hydro power have been allocated to area communities for major savings on their electric bills.”

Formation

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY THE NEW YORK POWER AUTHORITY

The Niagara Power Project traces its roots back to 1957, and the falls themselves date back about 12,000 years, but the region’s history can be traced back hundreds of millions of years through massive geological changes. According to displays at the Niagara Power Vista Visitors Center (Power Vista) near Lewiston, N.Y., the area that includes the Niagara region once lay beneath shallow tropical seas and brackish ponds, while a large mountain range — higher than the Rocky Mountains out west — was located in the eastern part of the region. Water carried sediment from those Taconic Mountains westward, where it settled at the bottom of the sea. The result was layer upon layer of rock, with the final layer forming a 1,000-mile semi-cir-

cular ridge known as the Niagara Escarpment extending from Watertown, N.Y., through Lewiston, N.Y., and past Hamilton, Ontario. Exhibits at the Power Vista describe how about 20 million years ago, the Earth began to cool and water froze into growing glaciers, causing sea levels to drop, eventually changing the landscape and creating the Great Lakes basin. TOURS AVAILABLE: Lou Paonessa, New York Power Authority After the last of the glaciers community affairs director, left, and Wendy Genova, tour guide, melted — about 12,000 years pause during a guided tour of the Niagara Power Project Power ago — water began to flow into Vista, which overlooks the Niagara River. the Great Lakes and along the Niagara River. Niagara Falls was born tion of the Erie Canal and a suspension when that water began pouring over the bridge over the Niagara Gorge caused the Niagara Escarpment. area to become an increasingly important Throughout the centuries, water from shipping center. In 1885, the New York the falls caused erosion in the underlying State Legislature created the Niagara rocks, causing the falls to move slowly Reservation, which transitioned into what upstream. The falls are now located about is the nation’s oldest state park. seven miles upstream from where they began, leaving a canyon called the Niagara History of power By that time, the origin of what would Gorge. The earliest documented settlers in the become the hydropower project that would provide low-cost power for Pennregion were the ancestors of the Iroquois sylvania and New Jersey was already tribe back in the first century A.D. Eurounderway. pean settlers began exploring the region Power Vista displays tell the story of in the 1600s. By the mid-1800s, construc-

WORK UNDERWAY: Historic photographs of the Niagara Power Project show progress on the construction project on July 20, 1959, left, and May 19, 1960, above.

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PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE NEW YORK POWER AUTHORITY

how in 1757, Daniel Joncaire built a lot mill with an intake pier built into the upper Niagara Rapids, and successfully powered a sawmill using water falling 6 feet. Hydroelectric power was first generated there in 1881, when a brush dynamo hitched to a water wheel powered two arc lights to illuminate fountains at Prospect Park. Just a few years later — in 1895 — the Adams Station became the first commercial producer of alternating current in the world, permitting transmission and sale of power outside of the local area. Other small power projects sprang up along both the Canadian and U.S. sides of the river. Construction of the Schoellkopf Generating Station — the first to take advantage of the approximately 180-foot drop from the upper Niagara River to the lower Niagara River — began in 1903. It operated, with expansions and changes, until 1956, when it was destroyed within seconds by a massive rockslide. It was that rockslide that led to congressional action directing the Federal Power Commission to issue the license to NYPA to develop the current hydroelectric project (of course, it has undergone numerous renovations and upgrades since that time). Today, the Niagara Power Project operates under a U.S.-Canadian treaty that requires at least 100,000 cubic feet of water per second to flow over the falls, ensuring an “unbroken curtain of water” during daylight hours of the tourist season. That amount can be lowered to 50,000 cubic feet of water per second overnight and during the tourist off-season. The remaining water can be used to generate electricity. “When we are able to divert water from the falls, we pump it into the reservoir at Lewiston,” Paonessa says. “When power demands increase, the pump motors reverse and become generators, and the water then flows to the plant here. At any given time, NYPA provides up to one-quarter of New York State’s power needs, with about 10 percent coming from the Niagara Power Project facility.” The Niagara project is one of the world’s largest hydropower projects and it generates the most electricity of any power plant in New York.

VISITOR CENTER: The Niagara Power Project Power Vista is open to the public. It provides an overview of the hydropower project, as well as general information about electricity and the operations of the New York Power Authority.

Clean and green But NYPA and its more than 1,600 employees aren’t just concerned about generating electricity; their mission goes far beyond that. “We are always looking for cleaner, more efficient ways to produce and transport electricity, and energy efficiency has become an increasingly large part of what we do,” Paonessa explains. “It is always less expensive to be energy efficient rather than build a new power plant.” NYPA, Paonessa points out, is a key player in the implementation of the New York State Energy Plan, which combines a variety of measures to bolster the state’s energy infrastructure and meet the needs of both consumers and communities. The way NYPA tells the story of energy and energy efficiency is also changing. This will be reflected by major refurbishments of the exhibits and displays at the Power Vista. The work will begin this fall and is scheduled to be completed by the spring of 2016. Although multiple vignettes currently tell the stories of energy efficiency and emerging energy technologies, the new exhibits at the visitors center — designed by Hadley Exhibits, Buffalo — will tell those stories in updated ways. NYPA will also be refurbishing its visitors centers at two other large hydroelectric plants: Blenheim-Gilboa, in the Northern Catskills, and the St. Lawrence-FDR Hawkins, in Massena, N.Y.

“This is really the birthplace of hydroelectricity,” Paonessa says as he looks out across the Niagara River. “In the new exhibits, we will further high-

New York Power Authority (NYPA) k NYPA facilities generated 27.9 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity in 2013.

k 70 percent of the low-cost electricity NYPA generates comes from hydropower, with most of that generated at the Niagara Power Project in Lewiston, N.Y., and the St. LawrenceFDR Power Plant in Massena, N.Y. k NYPA uses no tax dollars or state credit; it finances its operations through the sale of bonds and revenues earned in large part through electricity sales. k NYPA has 16 generating facilities, 3,900 steel transmission towers and more than 1,400 miles of high-voltage power lines. k NYPA leverages its resources to help its business customers and other enterprises create and retain jobs. k NYPA partners with public facilities throughout New York State under Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s BuildSmart NY program to improve the energy efficiency of state facilities by 20 percent by 2020 and to achieve similar goals for municipal governments. k NYPA’s three visitors centers attracted 187,000 guests in 2013. k The Niagara Power Project Power Vista welcomed its 7 millionth visitor in 2013 during its 50th anniversary.

AUGUST 2014 • PENN

LINES

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PENNlines light the story of energy efficiency and what our contributions are to the area. Lots of jobs here depend on the low-cost electricity. … We also want to make learning fun for families. We want them to feel the power of the falls. We want to bring that ‘wow’ factor.” In addition to low-cost power, energy efficiency, and education, NYPA also invests millions of dollars annually in environmental and recreational

improvements along the Niagara and St. Lawrence rivers. As part of its licensing agreements, NYPA has implemented 20 Habitat Improvement Projects along the rivers to aid in the recovery of threatened or endangered species and encourage greater diversity of flora and fauna, and upgraded recreational facilities near both the Niagara and St. Lawrence generating facilities. It’s not unusual, Paonessa says, to

look out from the visitors center and see a dozen or more boats lined up, fishing for trout and bass in the spring and salmon in the fall. “Thanks to our partnership with NYPA, cooperative members can feel good that a significant portion of their power comes from this environmentally friendly, stable resource,” Betley says. “It’s truly made a difference for cooperatives in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.” l

Pennsylvania power Raystown’s hydro history By K at h y H ac k l e m a n S e n i o r E d i t o r / Wr i t e r

Not all of the hydroelectric power supplied by Allegheny Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Allegheny), for use by Pennsylvania and New Jersey cooperatives is generated by the New York Power Authority at out-of-state locations. Allegheny has its own source of hydroelectricity — the Raystown Hydroelectric Project — a two-unit, 21-megawatt, run-of-river hydropower facility located on the Raystown Branch of the Juniata River at the base of Raystown Dam in Huntingdon County. Allegheny staff operates the hydroelectric project in close cooperation with the Baltimore District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which controls water releases from Raystown Lake, the largest man-made body of water in Pennsylvania. The Raystown Hydroelectric Project came on-line in June 1988. In a typical year with average rainfall, the plant delivers enough electricity to power roughly 8,500 rural homes. The Raystown Hydroelectric Project, an integral part of Allegheny’s power portfolio, provides 3 to 4 percent of the power annually supplied by Pennsylvania and New Jersey’s cooperatives to cooperative consumers. Even though the Raystown Hydroelectric Project is less

CURRENT RAYSTOWN HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT: Allegheny Electric Cooperative

Inc. has its own source of hydroelectricity in Huntingdon County. The hydroelectric project, which came on-line in 1988, provides 3 to 4 percent of the power annually supplied by Pennsylvania and New Jersey cooperatives to their consumer-members.

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ORIGINAL RAYSTOWN DAM: This photo, taken by Tom Buckley, Surprise, Ariz., shows the first Raystown power project located just downstream from Hesston in Huntingdon County. Construction on the project was completed in 1912. It was abandoned in the early 1970s and now lies under the waters of Raystown Lake.

than 30 years old, the history of hydroelectric projects on the Juniata River is considerably older. The “first” Raystown power project, a private endeavor by residents who formed the Raystown Water Power Company, was located just downstream from Hesston, Huntingdon County. Construction on the project, approved in 1906, took until 1912. It continued to operate (at the end, under the auspices of the Pennsylvania Electric Company) until it was abandoned when the “new” Raystown Dam was under construction in the early 1970s. That original power station remains, but it is under the waters of Raystown Lake, reachable only by scuba divers. Broad Top Bulletin editor and publisher Jon Baughman, an author who is in the process of writing a local history book that includes a section on the local power projects, recalls going down to that old power plant to take photos shortly before it ceased operation. “My interest then was just curiosity,” he says. “I was working a summer job at the Saxton Nuclear Generating Station, and I knew people who were taking care of that dam.” Baughman wanted to take a look at the dam before it was covered with water. Now, those photos will be included in his book that will also include the history of the nuclear plant, an experimental research facility operated by General Public Utilities from 1962 to 1972. It was also situated along the Raystown Branch of the Juniata River, Baughman’s book — his 10th — is about two years away from publication.

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TIMElines

Yo 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

1994 A STATE-FUNDED effort that began in 1993 continues more than a year later in the Towanda Area School District. The district and a local medical center bring together medical care from the hospital to kindergarten students. Whether they need a physical examination, a visit with a social worker or an immunization shot, the youngsters don’t need to go far as the health center is located in the school. And it doesn’t cost the students or parents anything. State health officials, who identified Towanda as a “high-need” area, say the center aims to diagnose and treat student health problems as part of an early intervention program. The Guthrie Medical Center in Sayre was the motivating force behind “Healthy Connections,” stressing the urgent need for it in the community and encouraging the school district to seek state funding. Towanda is one of six school districts – three rural and three urban – that received state funding in 1993 to set up the school-based health centers. The other rural districts are in McConnellsburg (Fulton County) and Farrell (Mercer County), while the urban ones are in Allentown, Philadelphia and Lancaster. School centers are staffed by a nurse practitioner, a social worker, and an administrative assistant, with a physician on site or on call. An array of physical and mental health services are provided, including checkups, screenings, immunizations, injury treatment and counseling. The $450,000 grant is appropriated for a three-year period, which will fund the pilot projects through the end of 1995.

1974 Summertime — it’s more than just time off from school; it’s also time to get the family together and visit one of Pennsylvania’s many county fairs. 14

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1984 Mary and August Arace design and build this unusual house with energy efficiency in mind. It is served by Sussex Rural Electric Cooperative in New Jersey.

2004 One of the “founding fathers” of rural electrification hails from the most unlikely of places — the bustling, lighted metropolis of Philadelphia.

T OG E T H E RW E S AV E .C OM

When you save energy, it helps our entire

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SOMETIMES KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES IS ABOUT KEEPING YOUR ELECTRIC BILLS DOWN.

TIMEpassages m e m o r i e s

from our members

(EDITOR’S NOTE: In observance of 50 years of the electric cooperative Youth Tour program in Pennsylvania, throughout the year Penn Lines will feature personal accounts of former Youth Tour participants. To share your Youth Tour memories, write Stephanie Okuniewski at Penn Lines, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108 or email Stephanie_Okuniewski@prea.com.)

Youth Tour memories Sisters Ricinda Poleck Perry and Ashley Poleck McIlwain participated in Youth Tour in 1995 and 2002, respectively, representing Valley Rural Electric Cooperative. Perry, who graduated from Liberty University and the Penn State University Dickinson School of Law, is an environmental, land use and local government attorney with her own law firm on Anna Maria Island, Fla. McIlwain, who has a bachelor’s degree from Palm Beach Atlantic University, Florida, and a master’s degree from Azusa Pacific University, California, is a marriage and family therapist associate, speaker and writer, as well as the founder/CEO of the non-profit organization, Foundation Restoration. She lives in Raleigh, N.C. Penn Lines: How did your Youth Tour experience help with your career direction? Ashley McIlwain: Youth Tour was one of those experiences that makes you aware of the bigger picture and changes your perspective in a lasting way. Spending time with a large group of motivated people from all across the nation who represent successful cooperatives, all within the context of our nation’s capital, impassions and excites Ashley McIlwain its participants. For me, it made me realize how badly I wanted to make a difference. My passion is helping strengthen and encourage marriages and families, and Youth Tour inspired me to pursue that passion wholeheartedly. Penn Lines: How did your Youth Tour experience influence your educational goals? Ricinda Perry: I enjoyed meeting with the legislators and learning about the way in which politics shape society and businesses. Thus, I went to college and law school in order to learn how to work with and change the laws that are enacted by the very politicians that I met on Youth Tour. Penn Lines: What did it mean to you Ricinda Perry to have the opportunity to meet with your congressional representative? Ashley McIlwain: What an incredible, unique and fun opportunity that really left an impression on me. Hearing from our congressional representative reinforced that it’s imperative that we all be active and vocal about what we hope 16

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for our representatives to do while in office. Those are the very people who are giving voice to each of us, so it’s important to make sure they hear our hearts and concerns loud and clear. Penn Lines: In what ways has your Youth Tour experience helped you as a person? Ricinda Perry: It taught me how to network and how I could get involved in politics. It also enabled me to see how cooperatives can become a powerful tool to serve the needs of its members. The Youth Tour gave me an insight and ability to understand the concept and function of cooperatives, which is something that I use as part of my strategy with clients. Penn Lines: What did you learn on Youth Tour that surprised you? Ashley McIlwain: That the cooperatives care deeply enough about their members and communities that they host Youth Tour. It’s an unparalleled gesture that many businesses wouldn’t consider extending, and I was so impressed at their interest and investment in younger generations. Seeing a business give back in such a significant and selfless way is inspiring and touching. Penn Lines: How has the opportunity to meet people from all over the country influenced you? Ricinda Perry: I thoroughly enjoyed meeting new people. Youth Tour was the jumping-off point for me attending an out-of-state university and now living and practicing law with people from all over the United States and other countries. I learned early on in Youth Tour that we can always find common ground with different people and learn fresh new approaches with them. Penn Lines: What is your favorite memory from Youth Tour and why? Ashley McIlwain: It’s tough to pick just one. I loved the group of people I got to go with; they were such fun, interesting and intelligent people that I was appreciative to build relationships with. I also thoroughly loved all the history, education and exploration of our country’s rich and vibrant history, as well as the inner workings of it. I learned so much from the trip and created memories that will last a lifetime. Penn Lines: How would your life be different today had you not gone on Youth Tour? Ricinda Perry: I would probably have remained intimidated by our legislators and not felt that I could change our laws or be an effective part of politics. l

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SMARTcircuits

by James Dulley

Give your electric water heater an efficiency boost HEATING hot water is one of the greatest contributors to your monthly utility bills. For a typical family of four, it is not unusual for water heating to consume 20 to 25 percent of the annual energy use. An electric water heater is basically a big insulated tank of water with an upper and a lower resistance-heating element. The lower element is the main one used. When most of the hot water has been used, the lower one goes off. The upper one then comes on to supply hot water more quickly. Even if you do not use any hot water, the lower element will cycle on at times to make up the heat lost through the tank walls. Heat can also be lost through the tank’s piping, especially if the tank is without heat traps. Your older water heater likely just has a couple of inches of fiberglass insulation between the glasslined metal tank and the external skin. Place the back of your hand against the water heater tank near the top or on the top. If it feels warm, it is losing heat, and adding an insulation wrap kit would be effective and save money. With a tall 80-gallon tank, the insulation wrap may not reach all the way to the floor. This is OK because the majority of the heat loss is from the upper part of the tank. If you have some old fiberglass wall insulation, wrap that around the tank with the vapor barrier facing to the outside. Putting a layer of reflective radiant barrier over the insulation also helps. You can install your own insulation, but a kit from a home improvement store is roughly $20, easy to install and includes instructions (get one with an insulating value of at least R-10). If you do it yourself, it is more important to tape and seal the joints in the 18

PENN

LINES • AUGUST 2014

insulation to create an air-tight barrier. Fiberglass insulation is only effective if you prevent air from passing through it. At least once a year, drain a gallon of water from the drain valve at the bottom of the tank. This will flush out sediment, which collects there. Sediment insulates the water from the heating element. This is more important to do with a gas or propane water heater, but it also helps some on an electric one. It is important to keep the water temperature as low as possible. A greater temperature difference between the hot water and the air in your basement or utility room increases the tank standby losses. Check the temperature of the hot water at a faucet where you use the most hot water. I keep the water temperature at my house at only 110 degrees. Most laundry detergents work well in cold water, and dishwashers have built-in preheaters. Be sure to turn off electricity to the water heater before making any adjustments. Feel the temperature of the hot water outlet and cold-water inlet pipes. If they are fairly warm, it means hot water, because it is less dense, is naturally circulating upward and cooling off. Put tubular foam insulation on the water heater inlet and outlet water pipes to minimize the

heat loss. This type of insulation is split on one side, making it easy to install over the pipes. Insulate the first 4 to 6 inches of the exposed piping. Installing a water heater timer can be effective if your work schedule means you typically do not use hot water during a longer regular time period. The temperature should not drop much on a wellinsulated tank. Check with your electric cooperative regarding load management programs. They can identify the times of day when the demand for electricity is less. If you end up deciding to get a new electric water heater, select a 12-year warranty model. These have higher R-value foam insulation in the tank walls than a cheaper 6-year model. Also, most of the 12-year models have electronic digital controls, which simplify setting the hot water temperature. They also have a vacationmode setting to save electricity when you travel. l Have a question for Jim? Send inquiries to JAMES DULLEY , Penn Lines, 6906 Royalgreen Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45244 or visit www.dulley.com.

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OUTDOORadventures

by Marcus Schneck

Out strolling with my stamp I LIKE to take my duck stamp for a walk every now and again. Trying to allow myself time to partake in all the many outdoor activities that Pennsylvania has to offer doesn’t always allow a great deal of concentration on any one of those activities. Jack of all trades, master of none, so to speak. As a result, I’m not very good at duck hunting. I have the decoys and I can blow an acceptable quack or two on my too-numerous array of calls. And, I have been known to take enough geese in the early September season — when family groups are not all that “educated” about the ways of goose hunters — to make for a long, grueling period of plucking. But, ducks tend to elude me quite nicely on those very rare occasions that I get to pursue them every fall. My duck stamp — more formally known as my Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp — and I is is outdoor and nature writer at PennLive.com, the website of The Harrisburg, Pa., PatriotNews. He also writes for a range of magazines and websites, and has written more than two dozen books. For more of his writing, visit www.marcusschneck.com. MARCUS SCHNECK

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also greatly enjoy whatever time I can rip from my schedule for sitting in duck blinds at the edge of this pond or that wetland. Edge environments — the point where two or more different types of habitat come together — are incredibly rich in wildlife diversity. I’ve missed more than one opportunity on descending ducks while watching the darting aerial attacks of a dragonfly on its insect prey or a mink sliding through the grass at water’s edge. My duck stamp and I often take one of my dogs along for our walk or sit. The yellow lab with the torn ACL that we’re treating non-invasively with homeopathics, nutrients and activity restrictions doesn’t have a clue that I will never again ask her to make a retrieve. She’s in the duck blind in the outdoors with me and there’s nothing better in this world for her. And, the

LINES • AUGUST 2014

young, red-and-white setter has taken to water retrieves better than I ever expected she would. A fat hen mallard is quite a bit for her to manage on the swim, but manage it she does. Based on the amount of wild duck I eat in a year, some might think the $15 price of my duck stamp an extravagance on top of the costs of all my other hunting licenses. My mental scrapbook of times in the marsh won’t take me there. To the contrary, I’m one of those pariahs who has lobbied for a doubling of the price, which has languished at $15 since 1991, and buys an extra stamp each year to thwart those legislators who think no-new-tax pledges are more important than conservation. And, beyond any doubt, long after I may no longer be able to make those walks to the duck blind, I will be kicking in my duck

ON THE FLY: The act of shooting a duck can take a back seat to the enjoyment of sitting outside in a duck blind.

stamp money every year. I want a higher price on the duck stamp because I want more marsh protected in perpetuity. I want more ducks and geese and dragonflies and mink and all the other life that benefits from my $15 or $30 or $45 (one can dream). We’re in the 80th anniversary year for the duck stamp, which was signed into law in March 1934 by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Since 1934, sales of duck stamps have generated more than $800 million, which has been used to purchase or lease more than 6 million acres of wetlands habitat in the United States. Plenty of reason to take a stamp for a walk. l

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PENNLINESclassified ISSUE MONTH: AD DEADLINE: Penn Lines classified advertisements reach more than 165,800 rural Pennsylvania households! October 2014. . . . . . . August 18 Please note ads must be received by the due date to be included in the requested issue month. Ads November 2014. . . . . . . Sept. 17 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 December 2014 . . . . October 17 by phone, fax or email. For more information please contact Vonnie Kloss at 717$233-5704. 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. Name/Address or Mailing Label Here: 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

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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. AROUND THE HOUSE

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

SPECIAL OFFER — BOTH COOKBOOKS FOR $12. “Country Cooking,” Volume 2 — $5, including postage. “Recipes Remembered,” Volume 3 — $7, including postage. Both of these cookbooks are a collection of recipes from men and women of the electric co-ops of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Payable to: Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association, P. O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108. Write Attention: Cookbooks. Volume 1 of “Country Cooking” is SOLD OUT.

We carry COAL FURNACE PARTS including kidneys, firebrick and grates for Hunter, Lennox, Luxaire, Armstrong. We carry parts for boilers such as National, Burnham, American Standard and many more. We also carry new, old-style coal furnaces. 814-236-0720. www.curwensvilletruevalue.com. BUILDING SUPPLIES STEEL ROOFING AND SIDING. Over 25 years in business. Several profiles - cut to length. 29 and 26 gauge best quality residential roofing – 40-year warranty. Also, seconds, heavy gauges, accessories, etc. Installation available. Located northwestern Pennsylvania. 814-398-4052. FACTORY SECONDS of insulation, 4 x 8 sheets, foil back. RValue 6.5 per inch. Great for pole buildings, garages, etc. Also prime grade A foil bubble wrap insulation. 814-4426032. BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES PIANO TUNING PAYS — Learn at home with American School of Piano Tuning home-study course in piano tuning and repair. Tools included. Diploma granted. Call for free brochure 800-497-9793.

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CONSULTING FORESTRY SERVICES NOLL’S FORESTRY SERVICES, INC. performs Timber Marketing, Timber Appraisals, Forest Management Planning, and Forest Improvement Work. FREE Timber Land Recommendations. 30 years experience. Call 814-472-8560. CENTRE FOREST RESOURCES. Forest Management Services, Wildlife Habitat Management, Timber Sales, Appraisals. College educated, professional, ethical foresters working for you. FREE Timber Consultation. 814-571-7130. CRANE SERVICE NEED A LIFT? Crane service for all your lifting needs. Experienced, fully insured, Owner-Operated and OSHA Certified. Precision Crane, Linesville, PA 814-282-9133. EQUIPMENT RENTAL AVAILABLE FOR RENT: Daily, weekly, monthly – refrigerated trailer, 7’ x 12’, 10 to 50 degrees digital control. Runs on 115 volts, available with generator. 814-329-0408 or chilled@iceboxtogo.com. FENCING HYDRAULIC POST DRIVER FOR RENT. Easy hookup and transportation. Safe, simple operation. Convenient, costeffective alternative for setting wood posts by hand. $200 for first day, $175/additional day. 1-800-KENCOVE.

HEALTH AND NUTRITION Tired of all those medicines — Still not feeling better? Do you want to feel better, have more energy, better digestion, less joint stiffness, healthier heart/circulation and cholesterol levels? Find out how to empower your own immune system — start I-26 today! It’s safe, affordable, and it works. Call 800-557-8477: ID#528390. 90-day money back on first time orders or call me 724-454-5586. www.mylegacyforlife.net/believeit. HEALTH INSURANCE DO YOU HAVE THE BLUES regarding your Health Insurance? We cater to rural America's health insurance needs. For more information, call 800-628-7804 (PA). Call us regarding Medicare supplements, too. HUNTING CUSTOM HAND MADE to order or in-stock wooden turkey calls of various woods and sizes. 814-267-5489 leave message for Precision Unlimited Inc., Berlin, PA.

PENNLINESclassified INFRARED SAUNAS

PROBLEM WATER

Removes toxins, burns calories, relieves joint pain, relaxes muscles, increases flexibility, strengthens immune system. Many more HEALTH BENEFITS with infrared radiant heat saunas. Economical to operate. Barron’s Furniture, Somerset, PA. 814-443-3115.

HARD WATER, High Iron, Bacteria or Slow Producing Wells? We have fixed water problems since 1974. Daniel J. Carney Inc. Water Treatment. Call 800-498-0777.

LAWN AND GARDEN EQUIPMENT

PROPERTY FOR SALE — A three bedroom home with 1.5 bathrooms, approximately 1,700 square feet. Barn on 45 acres in north central Pennsylvania near State Game Lands. 570-353-7987.

HARRINGTONS EQUIPMENT COMPANY, 475 Orchard Rd., Fairfield, PA 17320. 717-642-6001 or 410-756-2506. Lawn & Garden equipment, Sales – Service - Parts. www.HarringtonsEquipment.com LEGAL SERVICES WORKERS’ COMPENSATION: Injured and want to know your rights? Call us at 877-291-9675 for FREE advice or visit our website for your FREE book at www.workinjuryinpa.com. LIVESTOCK AND PETS PEMBROKE WELSH CORGI Puppies — AKC, adorable, intelligent, highly trainable. Excellent family choice. Reputable licensed breeder guaranteed “Last breed you’ll ever own.” 814-587-3449. THOROWGOOD T4 Dressage Saddle — very gently used, excellent condition comes with two changeable gullets and 20” spring buckle girth. Gettysburg area. $500. 717-6777470 or pjclpc@comcast.net. LOG CABIN RESTORATIONS VILLAGE RESTORATIONS & CONSULTING specializes in 17th and 18th century log, stone and timber structures. We dismantle, move, re-erect, restore, construct and consult all over the country. Period building materials available. Chestnut boards, hardware, etc. Thirty years experience, fully insured. Call 814-696-1379. www.villagerestorations.com.

REAL ESTATE

RECIPES AND FOOD SPECIAL OFFER — BOTH COOKBOOKS FOR $12. “Country Cooking,” Volume 2 — $5, including postage. “Recipes Remembered,” Volume 3 — $7, including postage. Both of these cookbooks are a collection of recipes from men and women of the electric co-ops of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Payable to: Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association, P. O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108. Write Attention: Cookbooks. Volume 1 of “Country Cooking” is SOLD OUT.

CLOSING THE BLINDS HELPED ME ENJOY A MOVIE.

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 and white teas that are natural, delicious, refreshing, safe. For sample or more information on tea or other Shaklee Nutrition/Weight Loss Products: 800-403-3381 or www.sbarton.myshaklee.com. TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT R6000 WOODS 3-Point Hitch Mower, 60 inches wide, good shape. $400. 814-623-9595.

MEDICARE INSURANCE TRACTOR PARTS – REPAIR/RESTORATION Medicare insurance does not have to be confusing! And one plan does not fit all! Going on Medicare soon? Already on Medicare and confused? We have the answers. CATHERINE BURNS INSURANCE SERVICES offering Medicare Supplements, Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plans, Pre-Paid Burial, Life and Final Expense Insurance, Annuities, assistance qualifying for Pace/Pacenet. No charge, no obligation, no pressure! Call 877-327-1598 or email: ceburnsins@verizon.net. MISCELLANEOUS BECOME AN ORDAINED MINISTER — Correspondence Study. The harvest truly is great, the laborers are few, Luke 10:2. Free information. Ministers for Christ Outreach, 7558 West Thunderbird Rd., Ste. 1 - #114, Peoria, Arizona 85381. www.ordination.org. Would an extra $3,500 per month make a difference in your life? I will show you an honest/ethical way that will make that happen. Jim 314-614-6039. Go to WWW.BLESSEDARETHERICH.COM. 1,000 Board Feet WORMY CHESTNUT (boards) asking $4 a board foot. 814-749-9791. MOTORCYCLE-SNOWMOBILE INSURANCE For the best INSURANCE RATES call R & R Insurance Associates from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 800-442-6832 (PA). MOTOR VEHICLES AND BOATS 2004 JAYCO GRANITE RIDGE 31’ Motorhome with super slide. One owner, 22,000 miles. Inspected, new tires, new battery. No pets, no smoking. $30,000. Call 814-695-1221. NURSERY AND GARDEN SEED GARLIC organically grown in Bradford County, PA. Varieties include: Romanian Red, Music, and Metechi. $17.50 per pound plus postage. 570-364-5509. Please leave message.

ARTHURS TRACTORS, specializing in vintage Ford tractors, 30years experience, online parts catalog/prices, Indiana, PA 15701. Contact us at 877-254-FORD (3673) or www.arthurstractors.com. TREE CARE WINDY RIDGE TREE CARE – Honest recommendations and proper up-to-date practices for all stages of tree care from selection and planting to removal. Serving Somerset County. 814-634-0761. VACATIONS AND CAMPSITES Think PENN STATE FOOTBALL House Rental. Sleeps 11, four bedrooms, large dining table, central A/C, two full baths, two half baths, linens/towels provided, boat parking, near boat launch. Call 814-931-6562. Visit www.laurelwoodsretreat.com. NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Florida condo rental. Two bedrooms, two baths, pool. 200 yards from beach. $500 weekly, $1,800 monthly. NA January – February. Call 814-635-4020.

When the A/C is on, I keep the sun out. It’s nothing huge, but it’s worth the effort. It’s also worth two tickets to a summer blockbuster. Find out what you can do at TogetherWeSave.com.

The camping/cabin season is here! Come and discover the wonders in these beautiful mountains and flowing rivers. Check out this free LAUREL HIGHLANDS Package. www.freecampingpa.com. NEW LOG CABIN on PA Allegheny Front. Audubon important bird area. Bald Eagles, Golden Eagles, Raptor migration from the front deck. Hunting, hiking, skiing, fishing. Rental six people maximum. 814-754-4512. WANTED TO BUY CARBIDE – Paying cash/lb. – Some examples of items that have carbide pieces at their tips for cutting or drilling are: coal mining machinery – roof bits – road bits – gas/oil/water well drill bits – machining inserts as well as many others. We will pick up your materials containing carbide pieces. We will extract the carbide item from the part in which it is held in most cases. 814-395-0415.

T OG E T H E RW E S AV E .C OM AUGUST 2014 • PENN

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COUNTRYkitchen

by Janette He ss

Abundant salads FROM HEAT and humidity to cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and peppers, summer is the season of abundance. Luckily, garden-fresh summer foods make even the muggiest weather more palatable. Cucumber Salad is a simple, old-fashioned side dish that delivers great crunch and flavor. To guarantee the signature crunch, use salt to draw excess moisture out of the cucumbers before assembling the salad. If refined sugar is a food you wish to avoid, replace it with agave nectar. Either way, the “sweet and sour” taste is achieved. In Potato Salad with Cucumbers, salt once again is used to draw excess moisture out of the cucumbers. This encourages crunchiness and keeps the salad from turning soupy. Cucumbers make the salad lighter and a bit more refreshing than traditional potato salad. Spanish-inspired Gazpacho is a cold soup, but this summer, try the traditional ingredients as a salad. If desired, add an additional twist in the form of a diced avocado. l A trained journalist, JANETTE HESS focuses her writing on interesting people and interesting foods. She is a Master Food Volunteer with her local extension service and enjoys collecting, testing and sharing recipes.

POTATO SALAD WITH CUCUMBER S 3 large russet potatoes, baked or boiled in skin 1/2 cup Italian salad dressing, regular or reduced fat 4 green onions, including tops, sliced 2 stalks celery, trimmed and diced 1/2 teaspoon celery seed Freshly ground pepper 2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and chopped 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup mayonnaise, regular or reduced fat 1/2 cup sour cream, regular or reduced fat 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Peel and dice potatoes when cool enough to handle. Place in large bowl and toss with salad dressing, onions, celery, celery seed and generous sprinkling of ground pepper. In separate bowl, toss chopped cucumbers with salt. Refrigerate both bowls for 2 to 3 hours . One-half hour before serving time, combine mayonnaise, sour cream and mustard. Fold into potato mixture. Return to refrigerator. At servin g time, drain cucumbers very well and stir into potato mixture. Makes 10 to 12 servings.

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CUCUMBER SALAD 3 cucumbers 1/2 yellow onion 3/4 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons sugar OR 2 1/2 tabl espoons light agave nectar 3 tablespoons white or tarragon -flavored vinegar 1/2 red or yellow bell pepper, dice d Peel cucumbers and cut in half leng thwise. Scoop out seeds. Slice. Cut onion into rings; cut rings in half. In large bowl, combine cucumbers and onions. Add salt. Toss. Refrigerate 2 to 3 hours. Drain well. Mix vinegar and sugar or agave nectar. Combine with cucumbers. Add diced bell pepper. Makes 6 servings.

GAZPACHO SALAD 3 cups cucumber chunks or slices 3 cups peeled, seeded tomatoes, cut into chunks 1/2 cup diced celery 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper 1/2 cup diced red onion 1/4 cup fresh, chopped parsley 2 cloves garlic, diced 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce o-vegetable juice 1 5 1/2-ounce can (or equivalent) “hot and spicy” tomat Salt and pepper to taste 1 avocado, peeled and diced (optional) In separate bowl, Combine vegetables, parsley and garlic in large bowl. and juice. Pour over whisk together vinegar, olive oil, Worcestershire sauce g, stir in diced servin before Just taste. to r peppe vegetables. Add salt and avocado, if desired. Makes 10 to 12 servings.

POWERplants

by Barbara Martin

Wake up the flavors of summer THERE IS no better complement to the seemingly endless summer vegetable harvest than fresh herbs. Grow your own herbs, and you can afford to be generous with them. No more holding back to a dash of this and a pinch of that or mere garnish. Not sure what to grow? Sample some of these ideas and see what you enjoy most. Add parsley to all kinds of salads. Toss fresh dill into potatoes or peas or green beans or carrots. Grill chicken kebabs on skewers made of rosemary stems. Make your own salsa — or jazz up the jarred kind — with fresh cilantro. Try fresh basil in sandwiches, or on pizza. Toss snipped chives or a little thyme into scrambled eggs. Try mint in a chopped vegetable salad. You’ll suddenly find yourself using herbs (and maybe cutting back on the salt for good measure) at every meal. Fresh herbs taste different, just like raisins vs. grapes. BARBARA MARTIN , who says she began gardening as a hobby “too many years ago to count,” currently works for the National Gardening Association as a horticulturist. A former member of Gettysburg-based Adams Electric Cooperative, her articles appear in magazines and on the internet.

Everyone’s sense of taste is unique, but for me, summery dishes of garden fresh or raw produce and lightly cooked foods are complemented better by fresh herbs. You may reach for the jar of dried herb out of habit, but if you appreciate the flavor of the fresh then it’s suddenly no trouble to dash outside with scissors to snip a quick handful or snap off a few sprigs. Nothing compares to a mozzarella salad made with a generous handful of justpicked basil, or a lightly cooked fresh tomato sauce with fresh oregano. Fresh chopped mint takes steamed zucchini to a whole new level. Fresh rosemary with grilled chicken, fresh basil on pizza, fresh mint tea or minty lemonade — suddenly you crave the full flavor of herbs. Handy access makes it quick and easy to experiment and to indulge in your favorites. If you are addicted to a particular herb, as I am to thyme, you can dry your own to use all winter. Love that elusive French tarragon? Its flavor is remarkably different from that of the more commonly found Russian tarragon; once you have eaten the real thing you won’t settle for the other. Herbs have long been grown cottage garden-style, tucked here and there among all the other useful and edible and beautiful plants. Take a cue from that and tuck some into your flower beds or vegetable garden. With this approach, keep in

mind whether the herb is an annual needing replacement every year or a longer-lived perennial, and select a location accordingly. Annuals such as dill may grow tall and large quickly, but are soon removed, leaving a gap. Perennials such as sage need to grow undisturbed for a few years. Relatively well-behaved and attractive herbs such as sage and English or French thyme can be grown in a flower bed as long as the drainage is good. Less cold-hardy herbs such as rosemary and bay leaf can be grown in containers and brought indoors for winter. Also consider how many plants you will need, depending on if you expect to use them primarily fresh or also plan to harvest and dry them. By tradition, herbs raised in

Grow your own herbs and you can be generous when using them.

HERBS FOR ALL:

quantity for drying are planted separately, each type in its own long and narrow plot, matted row, or raised bed. Each kind is cut back or harvested all at once when it reaches its peak. With this approach, you can easily customize the soil conditions for each herb to maximize flavor and potency and accommodate any special needs. If you really just want to try out a few herbs for fresh eating, why not plant some in pots by the kitchen door or set them alongside your ornamental containers so it’s easy to remember to water — and use — them. And bring them in to a windowsill this fall. Bon appetit! l

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PUNCHlines

Thoughts from Earl Pitts, UHMERIKUN! Earl on summertime fun

Social commentary from Earl Pitts —— a.k.a. GARY BUR BANK , a nationally syndicated radio personality —— can be heard on the following radio stations that cover electric cooperative service territories in Pennsylvania: WANB-FM 103.1 Pittsburgh; WARM-AM 590 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton; WIOO-AM 1000 Carlisle; WEEO-AM 1480 Shippensburg; WMTZ-FM 96.5 Johnstown; WQBR-FM 99.9/92.7 McElhattan; WLMI-FM 103.9 Kane; and WVNW-FM 96.7 Burnham-Lewistown. You can also find him at Earlpittsamerican.com.

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Here’s the thing that’s got my goat — swimmin’ today ain’t like the swimming we done when we was kids. I’ve been seeing these commercials they got about these big, fancy, new water parks. They got their slides an’ their splashing pools, and acres and acres of liquid fun. And they got those big new city pools and county recreational pools. You know what we had when we was kids? A swimmin’ hole. An’ I ain’t trying to go all-Andy Griffith on you, neither. I mean, it wasn’t that long ago all a kid needed to entertain himself in the summer was a pair a cut-offs and a lake. Back when we was kids, you had two choices to get wet in the summertime. You could go down to the lake an’ take a chance on the snapping turtles and water moccasins. Or you could stay home and pull out the Slip n’ Slide. In one case, you could get drug under by a giant snapper or lose a leg to water moccasin poison. Or at the very least, pick up who knows what kind of bacteria or flesh-eating parasite. But if you stayed home, you became known as a wuss. So that was pretty much settled. I mean, my better half had my kid down to the county pool the other day, and they pulled everybody out of the water on account of — wait for it — the pH was out of balance. I’ll tell you what, I crawled out of Mudd Lake many a time when I was a kid an’ I had actual crust on me. So do me a favor this summer — save our children from being hopeless wimps and wussies. Find yourself a lake or a pond or one of your slower-movin’ rivers. And throw your kids in there. Wake up America! I’m assuming of course that your kids can swim. If not — it’s a great time to learn. Have some natural fun this summer. Pearl, my better half, watches them animal shows on the TV, but I am afraid they are givin’ her some harebrained ideas. She came up with an idea for last

weekend. She says to me that we’re goin’ down to the state park, and we’re gonna go hiking. She wants to see animals in their natural habitat. Hikin’ is like going huntin’ without a gun. It’s kind of stupid, and it’s not something rednecks will generally do. Why do you want to be in the woods if you can’t kill anything? If the good Lord had meant for man to hike, He would never have created the all-terrain vehicle. But we went hikin’ anyway. Saturday morning, bright an early, Mrs. Daniel Boone and me drove out to Mudd Lake. And we stopped at this parking lot with a big map of different trails we could take. Now you’d think tenderfoot Pearl Pitts would’a picked that half-mile loop to the duck pond and back right. No. She wants to do the 5-mile death march to the top of Cooper Hill and back. She grabs her water bottle and fanny pack and goes, “Come on, Earl. It will be fun!” OK, No. 1, most of the stuff on earth that can actually eat a human lives in the woods. That would include your bears, your mountain lions, your wolves and your Sasquatches. I’m thinkin’ nothing could be more fun than being eaten alive by a creature most people don’t believe exists. We had a blast. Great exercise, too. Except we came back and I was loaded with bug bites, stubbed my toe on a rock, tripped over a tree root and wrenched my knee, did a running 2-mile battle with a yellow-jacket, fell off a small cliff, broke a shoe lace, ran out of water an’ stepped on a snake. And I really don’t know how I did this, but I got poison ivy in my armpit. Yeah, nature is your friend. If your friend was tryin’ to kill you. Wake up, America. Next time Pearl gets all fired up about taking a hike — she can. End of story. I’m Earl Pitts, Uhmerikun. Like me on Facebook. And you can catch my new blog at Earlpittsamerican.com. l

RURALreflections ‘Dog days’ ahead TRADITIONALLY, August brings some of the summer’s hottest days (often known as the “dog days of summer”) in Pennsylvania, but it also brings the chance to capture some of the summer’s best moments if you just remember to capture them in photographs. Rural Reflections has four categories of photos — most artistic, best landscape, best human subject and best animal subject — so amateur photographers are encouraged to send in their best photos in each category. At the end of the year, a winning photo will be chosen in each category, plus an “editor’s choice.” Each lucky winner will receive a $75 prize. Send your photos (no digital files, please) to: Penn Lines Photos, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg PA 17108-1266. On the back of each photo, include your name, address, phone number and the name of the electric cooperative that serves your home, business or seasonal residence. (The best way to include this information is by affixing an address label to the back of the photo. Please do not use ink gel or roller pens to write on the photo.) Remember, our publication deadlines require that we work ahead, so send your seasonal photos in early. We need winter photos before mid-September. (Save your spring, summer and fall photos for the 2015 contest.) Photos that do not reflect any season may be sent at any time. Please note: we will return photos if you include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. l

Amy McCusker Somerset REC

Sandi Smith REA Energy

R. John & Linda Previte REA Energy

Lise Miller Adams EC

AUGUST 2014 • PENN

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HARBOR FREIGHT

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$

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REG. 99$59PRICE .99

LIMIT 5 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 12/15/14. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

2499

REG. PRICE $34.99

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$1999

LOT NO. 68333/69488 Item 68333 shown

$

7999

REG. PRICE $129.99

LIMIT 4 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 12/15/14. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

Customers and Experts Agree Harbor Freight WINS in QUALITY and PRICE