Map courtesy of Discover Lancaster. For more information, visit discoverlancaster.com/things-to-do/covered-bridges.
Map courtesy of Discover Lancaster. For more information, visit discoverlancaster.com/things-to-do/covered-bridges.
Covered Bridges
Top 10 To-Dos for October 2022
1 Lancaster County Best Kept Secrets Tour | October 6-22
Photo courtesy of Best Kept Secrets Tour.
Various Locations
Experience a unique shopping adventure featuring 41 off-the-beaten path businesses. Travel place to place in your own vehicle at your own pace. Participating businesses offer a range of refreshments, games, gifts, farm tours, demonstrations, workshop tours, make & take projects and more. Tickets are $11 each ($1 per ticket is donated to Lancaster Early Education Center) and are valid until October 22. Information: 717-721-9409 or bestkeptsecretstour.com/lancaster-county.
2 Legacy of Sleepy Hollow | October 6-November 6
Photo courtesy of C.R. Pollock/Strasburg Rail Road.
Strasburg Rail Road
A professional cast of actors brings a new perspective to the classic tale, Legacy of Sleepy Hollow, with the help of grand special effects, live horses and the scariest train ride of the season. Join Isabel Crane, the great-great-granddaughter of the legendary Ichabod Crane, as she takes you on a frightful journey filled with sword fights, ghosts and a centuries-old curse surrounding her family. 301 Gap Road, Ronks. Information: 1-866-725-9666 or strasburgrailroad.com/special-events/legacy-of-sleepy-hollow.
3 Maize & Snitz Market Faire | October 7-8
Photo courtesy of Maize & Snitz Market Faire.
1719 Museum
Discover what life was like in Pennsylvania during the 1700s. Learn about Indigenous life in the area, engage with artisans demonstrating early American trades and tour the 1719 Herr House. Also, shop for hand-crafted items such as redware pottery, hand-dyed wool yarn, hand-turned wooden implements, wrought iron, bobbin lace and 18th-century paper goods. Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for children. Tickets can be pre-purchased online or at the event. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. 1849 Hans Herr Drive, Willow Street. Information: 717-464-4438 or mennonitelife.org/event/maize-snitz-market-fair.
4 Apple Dumpling Sale | October 7-8
Photo courtesy of Ephrata Cloister.
Ephrata Cloister
Nothing says fall like a warm, juicy apple wrapped in pastry and covered in sweet cinnamon syrup. Enjoy the delicious Pennsylvania Dutch treat (made by Achenbach’s Pastries) while supporting the Ephrata Cloister. All proceeds benefit the Back to the Cloister Fund, which is used to return original items to the historic site. Apple dumplings can be purchased for $5 each at the Museum Store. The sale will run from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on October 7 and 9 a.m. until sold out on October 8. 632 West Main Street, Ephrata. Information: 717-733-3733 or ephratacloister.org/events/apple-dumpling-sales.
5 Fallfest | October 8
Photo courtesy of Bright Side Opportunities Center.
Bright Side Opportunities Center
Celebrate fall with the community at this free family-centered event. Enjoy bouncy houses, vendors, raffles, face painting, crafts and more. Kids ages 9-17 can participate in a basketball skills contest to win cash prizes in three categories: three-point shooting, dribbling skills and a knock-out tournament. Bright Side Soul Food dinners will be available, including fried fish, chicken or pulled pork. 12-5 p.m. 515 Hershey Avenue, Lancaster. Information: 717-509-1342 or brightsideopportunities.org.
6 Blues & Brews Street Festival | October 8
Photo courtesy of Blues & Brews Street Festival.
Front Street, Marietta
From 1-6 p.m., Marietta will be shutting down Front Street from McCleary’s Pub to River Trail Brewing for an afternoon of beer and music. Between those two venues, attendees will be able to freely enjoy their brews, listen to music and visit various food trucks and vendors. At McCleary’s Pub, hear music by Moe Blues from 1-3 p.m. and Six Whiskey Revival from 4-6 p.m. Octavia Blues Band will perform at River Trail Brewing throughout the afternoon. Admission is free. Information: 717-426-2225 or marietta-pa.com/events/pub-crawl.
7 Harvest Days | October 8-9
Photo courtesy of Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum.
Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum
Join Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum for their oldest and largest event of the year. Explore demonstrations, exhibits, live music, a children’s discovery tent and other activities. Visitors can also taste heirloom varieties of apples, pick a pumpkin and experience horse-drawn wagon rides. Food will be available for purchase on site. Free parking. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. 2451 Kissel Hill Road, Lancaster. Information: 717-569-9312 or landisvalleymuseum.org.
8 Past, Present, Pumpkins! | October 15
LancasterHistory
Learn all about the autumnal icon at this family-friendly event. Discover the historical origins of the pumpkin and why we decorate our front porches with them each year. Plus, decorate a small jack-o’-lantern. Tickets are $5 per child and free for adults. Advanced registration is required to guarantee supplies for everyone. 10 a.m.-12 p.m. 230 North President Avenue, Lancaster. Information: 717-392-4633 or lancasterhistory.org.
9 Fall Artwalk | October 15-16
Photo courtesy of Lancaster ArtWalk.
Downtown Lancaster
Lancaster Artwalk is a self-guided tour of the downtown galleries in Lancaster City. Stroll around at your own pace and enjoy special exhibitions, live demonstrations, meet-the-artist events, children’s activities and more. Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday, 12-4 p.m. Information: lancastercityartgalleries.com/lancaster-artwalk.
10 Yummie’s Boo Bash | October 29
Photo courtesy of Kitchen Kettle Village.
Kitchen Kettle Village
Take the family to Kitchen Kettle Village for a fun day of Halloween festivities. Kids can get their picture with the Kitchen Kettle Village mascot, Yummie, participate in a costume contest, make a whoopie pie and go on a scavenger hunt for exclusive surprises and treats. Tickets are $12.95 for children and $19.95 for adults. Tickets also include a lunch voucher for use at the Harvest Café. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. 3529 Old Philadelphia Pike, Intercourse. Information: 717-768-8261 or kitchenkettle.com.
For more information on local events, click here!
Columbia Makes A Super-Natural Connection to Halloween
Thanks to several organizations that sponsor Halloween-related events and the fact that spookiness seems to be synonymous with Columbia, it only makes sense that this river-town is putting its trademark on the holiday.
Mt. Bethel Cemetery, Photo by John Reitzel.
Cle Berntheizel, the owner of Garth, an art gallery, café and event space in Columbia, points out that Columbia has always been in search of a niche holiday or a moment in history around which special events could be held to bring visitors to the river-town. Think about it: Marietta basically owns Christmas, while Lititz is forever linked to the Fourth of July. Gettysburg, of course, lays claim to the Civil War.
Halloween was a little gold mine waiting to be claimed. Over the past 25 or 30 years, the popularity of Halloween has simply exploded, propelling it to become the second most impactful – from an economic perspective – holiday on the calendar, with Christmas holding the top spot.
If you walked into a store in the days following the Fourth of July, no doubt you found it was already packed with Halloween merchandise. The National Retail Federation reports that last year’s Halloween-related expenditures registered a record $10.14 billion! Why? Halloween simply provides an excuse to decorate, entertain and have fun without the pressure of buying perfect gifts, hosting family dinners and creating a Martha Stewart-like fantasy land in your front yard (although from the looks of things, people in Lancaster County are headed in that direction).
Columbia native, John Reitzel, whose photos of Mt. Bethel Cemetery and Veterans Memorial Bridge are seen here, became enamored of photography when he purchased a camera for a trip to Yosemite three years ago. He so enjoyed capturing images of one of the country’s most picturesque national parks that upon his return home, he then began to train his lens on the Susquehanna River and sights in and around Columbia. An Air Force veteran, Reitzel went on to become a color analyst in the catalogue/magazine industry. He is also a talented woodworker and uses his skills to create frames for his art, which is sold at Murphy’s Mercantile.
His work has garnered an appreciative audience, as he took first place honors in the rivertown category of a past Susquehanna Greenway photo contest and was the subject of an exhibit held at Columbia Crossing in 2001. His work is often posted on Lancaster County Photography’s Facebook page. You can also see his work at susquehannaphotos.com.
Speaking of Martha, she apparently was already fielding queries in early August from social media followers asking when it’s appropriate to decorate for Halloween. Her answer? Martha is of the opinion that decorating for the months of September, October and early November is now a multi-faceted endeavor. Fall/harvest décor should replace summery elements right after Labor Day. It can then morph into Halloween on October 1. Pull the scary stuff out on November 1, and you’re back to harvest for the next few weeks.
It seems that Columbia has always flirted with making Halloween its own. After all, the annual Mardi Gras Halloween Parade, which is held the Thursday before Halloween, has been a holiday staple for nearly a century. Then there’s that Bigfoot-like character, the Albatwitch, that supposedly stalks the woodland around Chickies Rock. Its legend now fuels a very popular event that’s held in early October.
Columbia secured a place of honor on the Halloween Happenings map in 2001, when its street-theatre production – Haunted Lantern Tour – became the hottest ticket in town for the next nine years. More recently, the historic Mt. Bethel Cemetery has begun hosting Fête en Noir, a fundraising event held in September that sees black-clad guests arrive to socialize and dine amidst the gravestones. No disrespect is intended – a historic connection exists, as Victorians once flocked to cemeteries such as Mt. Bethel for an afternoon of communing with nature, picnicking and remembering the departed.
Referencing times gone by, Columbia’s antiques and retail shops are stocked with a treasure trove of Halloween items at this time of the year. So, if you’re looking for something special, head for Columbia!
Last but not least, is the eerie factor. Columbia is haunted! Some homeowners reportedly share their dwellings with former residents. “They seem to be concentrated on this end of town,” Halloween enthusiast, Gary Brubaker, says of the ghost-friendly streets that are closest to the river. “I don’t know … maybe it has something to do with the Underground Railroad?”
Reaffirming that observation, Kay Leader tells of being at Garth on one occasion and having visitors who had climbed the stairs to the second-floor café remark to her how interesting it was to have passed re-enactors dressed in Victorian garb on the staircase. “Cle didn’t know what they were talking about,” she says, noting that the building has served many purposes over the centuries and perhaps the “ghosts” were connected to one of those. Cle embraces the spookiness of Columbia to a degree and occasionally hosts events that feature psychic mediums.
Painted signage that heralded the names of businesses or served as advertisements are part of a fascinating hobby in which devotees travel far and wide to document “ghost signs” that are revealed when buildings are in the process of being razed or renovated. Many businesses – such as Bootleg Antiques in Columbia – have brought the signage back to life.
Last Halloween, as part of Create Columbia’s new home-tour event, Garth hosted a lecture presented by Columbia native, MaryAlice Bitts-Jackson, who acquainted guests with her hobby of tracking down “ghost signs” – painted graphics and advertisements that once decorated the exteriors of buildings and are now being revealed and brought back to life during restoration projects. Ghost signs have given way to a new hobby for “detectives” like MaryAlice, who travels far and wide to document them. MaryAlice reported that Columbia (as well as Lancaster City) is a great place to see ghost signs.
Columbia Halloween House Tour: October 30
Create Columbia is a nonprofit organization that promotes Columbia from an artistic and creative perspective by encouraging artists to live and work there and by providing opportunities for art lovers to patronize the galleries, shops and other creative outlets that exist. For example, the garden tour that was revived by Create Columbia several years ago has enjoyed success due to the fact that it has an added artistic element – each property features a working artist, including some as well-known as Freiman Stoltzfus.
“The nice thing about Columbia is that people like to share what they have with others,” Kay notes, adding that in addition to artists, garden-tour visitors are often afforded the opportunity to interact with the homeowners and learn about the town’s historic architecture or the old-fashioned plants that define their gardens.
That sentiment of sharing gave several of the organization’s supporters an idea. People love to decorate for Halloween in Columbia, so why not share that fact with visitors. “Right off the bat, we came up with a list of friends and family members who are into Halloween,” says Denise Brubaker. “Everyone we approached was really into doing it.” She and Gary even recruited one of their sons and a grandson to greet tour-goers in the dungeon of the market house. “I even found them jailhouse costumes,” she adds.
Riley and Reece Schaeffer in front of their home on Chestnut Street in Columbia. Photo by Kirk Zutell.
If you recall, Halloween weekend 2021 was a near-disaster. Trick-or-Treat was scheduled for Friday – rain or shine – in the county’s jurisdictions. Torrential rain was indeed in the forecast. Members of Facebook, Nextdoor and other social media sites committed near insurrection by announcing their neighborhoods would be postponing trick-or-treating to Sunday (October 31) night. Holy crashing websites! Create Columbia realized their inaugural house tour, whose hours were 3-8 p.m. on Sunday, October 31, might suffer, as adults would need to take their children on their rounds.
No matter, the show had to go on and what a show it was! Those people in Columbia are beyond creative where Halloween is concerned. Styling ranged from tasteful seasonal motifs to theatrical “productions” such as séances. The Brubakers’ Halloween “museum” is amazing! Nearly everyone was in costume and makeup. Everywhere you went, the lighting expertise – and even the theatrics – was phenomenal. Did I say I had a good time?
The success of the weekend-long event encouraged the Create Columbia committee to begin expanding its Halloween horizons. This year’s tour will feature nine stops, including five private homes and locales such as Art Printing, which makes its home in the Samuel Miller Mansion (a favorite destination for paranormal investigators), the dungeon in the market house and Mt. Bethel Cemetery, where Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) will be observed with mini-tours of the grounds. “Whether it’s the garden tour or now Halloween, we have to work ahead,” says Kay. “We’re already lining up houses for 2023 and 2024. Next year, Cle has volunteered to chair a masquerade ball.”
Create Columbia’s Halloween House Tour is being held Sunday, October 30. Hours are 3-8 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at Columbia Market House on Saturday (7 a.m.-3 p.m.) and Sunday (tour hours), as well as at Mt. Bethel Cemetery (Sunday only). Tickets are $15; proceeds benefit an art-related scholarship fund. For details, visit createcolumbia.org and Facebook.
In addition to the house tour, Columbia will be the scene of other Halloween-related events, including:
Albatwitch Day: October 8
Mark your calendars for October 8 and get caught up in things that go bump in the night! Columbia Crossing will host a day dedicated to Columbia’s Albatwitch, a legendary creature that’s small in stature (4 feet) and moves like a human but resembles Bigfoot in appearance. Albatwitches supposedly like to hang out around Chickies Rock.
The day-long event will feature lectures, live music, food, vendors and trolley tours, one of which will be narrated by ghost-hunter Rick Fisher and historian Chris Vera. Lecturers will include Mary Fabian, the founder of PA Bigfoot Project; Eric Altman, an authority on southwest Pennsylvania’s Chestnut Ridge, where things out of the ordinary occur; Tim Renner, host of the podcast, Strange Familiars; Lou Bernard, a writer who investigates old legends and stories; and Robert Phoenix, who practices Pennsylvania-German powwow (a blend of folk magic, healing remedies and Christian prayers).
Columbia Crossing is located at 41 Walnut St. Hours are 11 a.m.-5 p.m. For details, visit albatwitchday.com.
Pumpkin Painting: October 15
Unleash your creativity at Columbia Crossing, where a day-long, pumpkin-painting party will be held. All supplies will be provided; a $4 donation is suggested.
41 Walnut St. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. For details, visit susquehannaheritage.org.
Columbia Haunted Lantern Tour: Industry Ascending: October 22-30
The lantern tours were launched in 2001 as a result of Columbians Janet Wood, Tom Vecchiolli, Cle Berntheizel and a few other residents reflecting on the success of the community’s ghost-oriented Christmas House Tour (2000). The tour ultimately inspired Ghosts of Columbia: A Haunted Lantern Tour, which took place in October. The vision of the new tour was to provide guests with a historically immersive experience, with historic interiors as the focal point. The Columbia Downtown Development Corporation (CDDC) financed the tours through 2010. Janet Wood, a local costumer and the director of Columbia High School’s theatre department, played a pivotal role, as she devised concepts and logistics, did research and created costumes. Others contributed by conceptualizing characters, plot lines, scenes, etc.
By 2005, 120 volunteers were involved (including actors). In 2010, Wood announced her retirement and the event carried on with the support of the CDDC. Because attendance declined in 2010, it was ultimately canceled in 2011. In 2014 and 2015, it was partially resurrected by Wood, with Mount Bethel Cemetery taking over as the sponsor. Attendance continued to wane and the event ultimately became history.
In 2017, Sara Mimnall, who had been a long-time participant in the event as an actor – and who has a love and appreciation for the performing arts, as well as all-things spooky – had the idea to revive the tours. Now known as Columbia Haunted Lantern Tour, the theme of its inaugural outing, Spirits Rising, was inspired by previous tours and featured a séance through which beloved characters were recalled.
Today, Sara creates the scripts that feature original characters, newly introduced historical figures and fresh storylines. Approximately 50 volunteers take part in the tours. Sara credits the “ever-changing themes” that have touched on disease and famine, 1920’s nightlife, superstitions and folklore, etc. for the renewed interest in the event that this year will focus on how business and industry transformed the town. The 2022 tour will include a trip through Columbia – via the Rivertowne Trolley – and stops at such sites as the Miller Mansion and Mount Bethel Cemetery among others.
In 2019, Sara took the lantern tour concept a step further and created an umbrella organization, Rivertown Theatre Productions, LLC. According to Sara, the intent of the all-inclusive nonprofit community theatre is to “unite those with a passion for history and the performing arts.” Sara is assisted by Tracey Mimnall, Rachel Mimnall, Holly Graybill, and Chris Raudabaugh, whom she calls “the backbone of the company.”
The theme of this year’s lantern tours is “Industry Ascending.” Tours will be held the evenings of October 22, 23, 28, 29 and 30. Reservations are required. Call 717-587-5368. For details, visit columbiahlt.com.
Messages From Heaven: October 22
Garth will be hosting psychic medium and podcaster Hope Taylor, who views her group events as healing experiences for those in attendance, as her readings validate a connection to those who have passed through evidence, personality, memories and messages of love. Hope promises to provide as many connections and messages as possible.
22 S. Second St. 1 p.m. Purchase tickets through eventbrite.com.
Haunted Dinner: October 22
Columbia Market House will host a haunted dinner and dungeon tour. Tickets are $25 and are limited to 50 guests.
15 S. Third St. 6-10 p.m. Call 717-572-7149 for tickets.
Mardi Gras Halloween Parade: October 27
The parade grew out of an event that was first held in 1916 and celebrated the installation of 135 lighting standards in the borough. Sponsored by the More Light Association, the original event was modeled on Mardi Gras celebrations held in New Orleans. The event, which eventually took the shape of a parade, continued through the 1920s, after which the Columbia Area Jaycees took over as the sponsoring organization. In 2002, the Columbia Lions Club and Sunsnappers, a men’s service club, became the parade’s sponsors. The parade features local high school marching bands, first responders, Columbia High School’s homecoming court and divisions such as walkers, baton, floats (many sponsored by local businesses and organizations) and individuals. This year’s theme is “Back to the ’90s.”
The parade steps off at 7 p.m. at the Columbia Borough Fire Department, located at 726 Manor St. From there, it winds its way around town. For more information, visit Facebook.com/ColumbiaMardiGrasParade.
Halloween Party in the Park: October 29
Sponsored by the Movers and Shakers Society, the event will feature a DJ, vendors, local businesses, trick-or-treating and costume contests for adults and children.
Locust Street Park, Locust St. and Lancaster Ave. 4-8 p.m. For details, visit Facebook.com/cmss17512.
Susquehanna Supernatural Symposium: October 29
Psychic medium, Lucky Belcamino, the co-founder of the New England Paranormal Society, is hosting an event at Keystone Artisan Werks that will include speakers such as Rick Fisher and Chris Vera, vendors, a Houdini séance and more.
199 Bridge St. 6 p.m. This is a ticketed event: PayPal.me/ghostchick.
Field of Screams/Corn Cob Acres
If you still haven’t had your fill of Halloween activities, don’t forget Field of Screams is just minutes away in Mountville. Celebrating its 30th season, America’s Number One haunted attraction (per USA Today), has evolved from high school students popping out of cornfields to a highly technical/technological attraction that continues to be operated by its original owners, Jim and Gene Schopf (and their families), and stars a ghoulish cast of hundreds of extras.
The Schopfs dare you to go on the Haunted Hayride and negotiate the Den of Darkness, Frightmare Asylum and the Nocturnal Wasteland. There’s also a midway that features food and live musical entertainment. The season closes on November 12, with the annual 5K Zombie Fun Run (costumes are all but required), proceeds from which benefit the PA Breast Cancer Coalition.
If you’re looking for something a little tamer, Corn Cob Acres is perfect for an afternoon outing with the kids. There’s nothing scary here. The 50 activities are geared to fun on the farm.
191 College Ave., Mountville. Field of Screams is open weekends (Fri.-Sun.) through October 30, as well as Thursday, Oct. 13, 20 and 27, Monday, Oct. 31 and Nov. 4, 5 and 11. Corn Cob Acres is open weekends (Fri.-Sun.) through October 30. Fieldofscreams.com and corncobacres.com.
Good Bones
It’s only appropriate that the Halloween-loving Schaeffer family lives in one of Columbia’s grand Victorian homes – many of the traditions that now define Halloween are rooted in the era in which their home was built.
Reece and Riley Schaeffer pose in front of the fireplace that was hidden behind river rock and paneling. They are attired in dresses created by Janet Wood of Regalia Costumers. Reece and Riley are students in the Columbia Borough School District. They are also students at Paula’s School of Baton. Both will be participating in the Mardi Gras Halloween Parade.
Have you ever wondered why Victorians never smiled in photographs? There are several reasons. In the early years (late 1820s) of photography, exposure time could be as long as 15 minutes, thus making a smile impossible to maintain. Also, portraits were only taken for special occasions and therefore their formality required a more serious look. Broad smiles were also considered to be ill-mannered. Aesthetically, small mouths were in vogue – in fact, photographers told subjects to say “prune” in order to make their mouths look even smaller. As few people had “pearlie whites,” it was simply better to not smile.
Glen and Crystal Schaeffer were on the hunt for an old house. The search came to an end in 2000, when Crystal’s mother called to say she saw the perfect candidate on Chestnut Street in Columbia. “She was driving past and noticed the columns and then the For Sale sign,” Crystal recalls.
The house has a storied past. Dating to 1880, it was built for Emily Fitzgerald and her children following the death of her husband, a surgeon who practiced for a time in Alaska. Upon the family’s return to Columbia, Dr. Fitzgerald fell ill and died.
In 1920, the Brown family purchased the house. Over time, an apartment was added to the second floor. The Schaeffers also learned that rooms on the upper floors were once rented to railroad workers.
Crystal poses with “guests” at last year’s séance-themed stop on the Columbia Halloween House Tour.
The house passed through several generations of the Brown family, with the last owner being Tybertus Brown, who died at the age of 91 in 2005. Even though she had moved, her obituary referenced her one-time residence in Columbia. According to neighbors, Mrs. Brown, who taught in the Columbia Borough School District and was a regular volunteer for Holy Trinity’s annual fasnacht sale, was such a meticulous gardener that she was often seen using scissors to put the final touches on the mowed lawn. Legend also has it that she painted portions of the exterior of the house pink. “We were told it had to do with the arrival of a grandchild,” says Glen, who questioned the pink paint he uncovered when he was prepping the exterior for a new color scheme.
A skeleton dressed as a pirate and his friends welcomed guests to the sitting room. The red glass of the period globe lamp adds to the ambiance. At one time, kerosene oil was used to illuminate such lighting fixtures.
The Schaeffers toured the house and loved what they saw. “The bones were good, it just needed updating,” Crystal notes. The process began by addressing the mechanicals, with the house receiving a new HVAC system. It was completely rewired, as well.
Fortunately, Glen, who grew up in an old house in Coatesville, was able to carry out many of the projects, the first of which was eliminating the apartment and returning the house to a single-family residence. Then came the mundane projects such as removing layers of paint and what Crystal remembers as “lots of ’70s wallpaper.” He also removed a back staircase. The acoustic tile that covered the ceilings throughout was also removed.
A witch’s dress borrowed from Janet Wood’s collection of costumes set the tone in the foyer that leads to rooms at the back of the house. Glen and Reece made the bats. The floor was a project that saw Glen create a stain that was applied in a stenciled diamond pattern over the original subfloor.
A mystery was solved in the sitting room with the help of Cle Berntheizel, whose Victorian-era home is a block away. Someone had covered the fireplace in river rock. “Cle came and looked at it and said, ‘I bet the original fireplace is under there.’” Then the three noticed the wall had some give to it and discovered paneling had been erected to eliminate the niche in which the fireplace sits. As Cle suspected, the original marble fireplace was still there. Better yet, it was in pristine condition. By removing the paneled wall, the room became a foot wider. “The room looked so much bigger,” Crystal notes.
Other projects included transforming the third floor into a dual-purpose media and craft room. The kitchen and bathrooms were remodeled, as well.
Mourning drapery decorated the staircase.
Glen also got creative in the foyer and hallway that leads to the back of the house. “The parquet floor was not in the best shape, so I took it down to the subfloor, put a finish on that and then created a darker finish and stenciled it over the subfloor to create a diamond pattern,” he explains. What was meant to be a stop-gap measure proved to be an eye-catching and enduring project. Glen also created a period stencil for the breakfast-room walls, with Crystal applying the gold-hued paint.
Furnishing the house became a labor of love. Glen notes that because of the high ceilings (10 feet), contemporary furniture looks out of scale, thus the need to mix in period pieces. Early on, the antiques shops in Adamstown became their Sunday destination. The prized breakaway bookcase in the parlor was scored at the legendary Brimfield Flea Market in Massachusetts. Auctions also provided them with finds. “You have to remember, back in 2000, the Internet was still new,” Glen says. “There weren’t online sources for furniture and auctions. Now, I can bid on something online and go and pick it up.” Crystal reports that Victorian Homes magazine became her bible. “One thing you quickly learn is that a Victorian is never done,” she notes.
“Guests” take part in the séance that was held in the formal dining room.
Being new to town – Crystal grew up in nearby Kinderhook – the Schaeffers wanted to get involved in Columbia happenings. They volunteered to take part in the Haunted Lantern tours. Working with artistic people like Janet Wood introduced the Schaeffers to another creative outlet – decorating for Halloween. “Halloween is just fun, there are no expectations,” Glen says of the creative and artistic direction they take to welcome trick-or-treaters to their home on October 31.
The decorations are a mix of vintage and new. For last year’s séance theme, Crystal put her skeletons – most purchased through Michaels – to optimal use. However, scary was the last word that came to mind when you entered the dining room. Instead, the Schaeffers definitely achieved what Crystal termed “whimsical and fun” with their theme.
“We are always looking for things,” Crystal notes. She also adds that she makes it her mission to shop the post-Halloween sales and considers the Oriental Trading Company (online) as a top source for anything Halloween.
The breakaway bookcase in the parlor, which was purchased at the Brimfield Flea Market in Massachusetts, brings scale to the 10-foot ceiling.
“We love Trick-or-Treat night,” Crystal shares. “We set up a cemetery on the front lawn, have projections going in the windows and Glen short-circuits the porch light.” On a “slow” night, they’ll hand out 300 pieces of candy.
The Schaeffers have another reason for celebrating Halloween. Their daughter, Riley, was born on October 31. And, no, she has never had a Halloween-themed birthday party.
As for last year’s house tour, the Schaeffers were thrilled to show their first visitors through the house. “Members of the Brown family were our first visitors,” Crystal says. “They wanted to see what we did with the house and we were happy to give them the grand tour. They seemed very pleased, which made us happy.”
The Schaeffers’ home will be on this year’s Columbia Halloween House Tour. They plan to welcome visitors to their “Dead and Breakfast Inn.”
A Victorian Halloween
The era’s namesake, Queen Victoria, loved Halloween and the most coveted invitation during the fall social season was to the annual party she held at Balmoral in Scotland. Many of the traditions that now define Halloween are rooted in the Victorian era.
Candy Corn was introduced in the 1880s by the Wunderle Candy Company of Philadelphia. Candymaker George Renninger concocted the treat out of sugar, corn syrup, marshmallow, fondant and other ingredients. Cincinnati’s Goelitz Candy Company (now Jelly Belly) began producing a similar treat they called Chicken Feed in 1898 and the rest is history. Candy Corn revolutionized Halloween as it was among the first manufactured treats to be handed out to trick-or-treaters.
Before manufactured treats were slipped into bags, trick-or-treaters received homemade treats, apples and nuts. The apples helped homeowners economize as they were plentiful and inexpensive as compared to chocolate and other sweets.
Jack-O-Lanterns are rooted in Ireland. Legend has it that a ne’er-do-well known as Stingy Jack struck a deal with the devil that he would never claim Jack’s soul. Upon his death, Jack was not welcomed in heaven or hell and was doomed to wander the Earth for eternity with only a hollowed-out turnip lighting his way. In the 1800s, it became customary for the Irish to carve faces into root vegetables such as turnips and potatoes and sit them on doorsteps and windowsills at Halloween time to ward off evil spirits. Irish immigrants continued the tradition, using the more plentiful pumpkins and gourds that grew in America.
During the 1800s, Halloween had romantic connotations. Superstition held that if a woman gazed into a mirror at midnight on Halloween, she would glimpse the reflection of the man she would marry. If a skeleton appeared, she was destined to be an old maid.
Halloween-themed paper goods and party favors came into vogue during the late 1800s.
Masquerade balls became fashionable at Halloween during the 1800s. Initially, partygoers borrowed from historic figures to fashion their costumes. Later, the discoveries made by archeologists and astronomers led to a fascination with costumes that conveyed ancient civilizations and celestial themes.
The Brubaker Museum of Halloween
While Gary and Denise Brubaker love all the holidays on the calendar, Halloween sits atop the list. Actually, the Brubakers credit another holiday – Thanksgiving – for launching their odyssey of collecting all-things Halloween.
What had been a bedroom that was shared by Gary and Denise Brubaker’s two sons – it was the boys’ idea to paint it purple and black – now holds vintage and collectible Halloween items that the Brubakers have amassed over the last 16 years.
Gary has loved Halloween for as long as he can remember. “Halloween has always been a big deal with me,” he admits. He loved everything about it … creating costumes, carving pumpkins, decorating the family home and trick-or-treating through Columbia well into the night. “How we survived, I’ll never know,” he says of the bad old days of Trick-or-Treat night, when cellphone tracking and other parental controls seemed very Jetsons-like. Denise, however, initially felt ambivalent about Halloween. “It wasn’t my thing,” she says.
Married for 53 years, the two met when Denise transferred from Lancaster Catholic to Columbia High School during her sophomore year. It was love at first sight. Despite the fact that the two grew up in Columbia, Denise is convinced fate intervened. “We probably would never have met each other had I not transferred,” she says.
Gary and Denise Brubaker decorate the upper level of their home with newer finds for Halloween. Gary has loved Halloween since he was a child.
Life went accordingly. They welcomed two sons and a daughter and moved to a new subdivision on the outskirts of town in the early ’80s. “The boys shared a room in the lower level,” Denise says of their split-level home. “They came up with this crazy idea as teenagers to paint the walls purple.” Denise remembers thinking, “Why not?” and the room soon took on the hue of an eggplant with touches of black contributing to the “dramatic” décor. Unbeknownst to the Brubakers, the stage was set for the room to become Halloween central.
As for the Thanksgiving connection, about 16 years ago, Denise and Gary happened to attend a yard sale one of her co-workers was having. Gary spied two papier-mâché turkeys for sale and was intrigued. “She only wanted 50 cents each for them, so I bought them,” he recalls. Arriving home, he began to research the art form and, as he had an inkling, discovered the turkeys were worth much more than the price he paid. “That’s when I started noticing vintage Halloween stuff,” he says.
A glass-doored cabinet holds many of the vintage papier-mâché pumpkins and other seasonal decorations that Gary favors.
Denise, who loves to decorate for any and all holidays, followed her husband’s lead and upped the ante where Halloween decorating is concerned. It seems she comes by the decorating gene honestly. “I’m from a very large and creative family,” she explains. “Everyone’s into a different craft; we help each other with projects.” Three of her sisters are huge fans of Halloween and spend their leisure time searching for finds. “They’re always texting each other with news of what they’ve found and to see if one or the other wants it,” Denise says. Just like clockwork, Denise’s phone pings and a photo of a find appears. One of the sisters thought it would be perfect for Denise’s house.
One of those sisters, Christine Horn, opened her home for last year’s tour. “The other two helped her with it,” Denise notes, adding that Refresh Salon, which is owned by her niece, Becky Lewis, was also on the tour. “Last year’s tour was definitely a family affair,” she laughs. Has the Halloween-decorating gene “bitten” any of the Brubakers’ children? They report that one of their sons collects Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) items, which is a whole other story.
More collectibles fill the shelves of a bookcase.
The Brubakers have spent the last 16 years collecting. “I’ll buy anything having to do with Halloween,” Gary says of the vintage décor he prefers. However, finding vintage decorations in mint condition is becoming more difficult, so the Brubakers have widened their web and will often hop in the car and head for the unknown, having heard or read about a promising source that could be several hours away. “Everywhere we go, we look for different and unique stuff,” Denise says.
“I really like poking around in antiques shops,” Gary shares. He’s also come to rely on “reputable dealers” who keep him in the loop as far as Halloween inventory is concerned. One of his favorite “haunts” is the Strasburg Antique Market, where one of the vendors maintains a stellar display of Halloween items, including the coveted papier-mâché pumpkins and other décor. “The nice thing is it’s all kept in a glass case, so it’s in good condition. Plus, it’s on display year-round. Some places only put the stuff out for Halloween.”
Vintage artwork decorates the walls, while trees are laden with Halloween-inspired ornaments.
Gary is also an auction junkie. Before he attends an auction, he goes through a ritual that involves researching the history of an item he is interested in and gauging its value. Denise reminds him of an auction they attended for which he did his homework and set a price he would not exceed. Another bidder had gone through the same ritual and a bidding war ensued. “He ended up going $300 over his limit,” Denise says. “I really wanted that pumpkin!” Gary says with a shrug.
Even the bedrooms receive the Halloween treatment.
As you can imagine, Gary’s collection soon outgrew the tabletops and cabinets on the main floor of the house. That prompted Denise to suggest they turn the now-vacant room the boys once shared in the lower level into their Halloween room. “We had an empty room that was painted purple and black. It was perfect,” Denise says. The two began hitting yard sales and resale shops in order to buy bookcases and cabinets in which their collectibles could be displayed. The room turned out to be perfect for another reason – it’s climate-controlled and because minimal natural light enters, the items remain in pristine condition.
Denise puts her orange-hued Fiestaware to use for Halloween decorating.
Each September, the Brubakers prepare for Halloween by devoting three weeks to inspecting and cleaning the items in the Halloween room, rearranging the displays and squeezing in new finds. The room is literally bursting at its seams. “There’s no more room for another table or cabinet,” Denise says.
There’s no room upstairs either – Denise decorates the entire upper level of the house with the modern-day things she finds on her travels. But, unlike the lower level, the upper floor of the house makes a quick transition to Christmas as soon as Halloween is history. “Christmas is my thing,” she says. “In fact, I keep one bedroom decorated for Christmas year-round.”
The delectable-looking pumpkin was one of Denise’s DIY projects.
As you stand and take in the Halloween collection and know that a treasure trove of Christmas items is lurking somewhere in the house, you wonder where everything is stored during the off-season. “It all goes where the cars belong,” Gary says. “In 35 years, we’ve never put a car in the garage,” Denise adds.
The Brubakers’ home will be a stop on this year’s Columbia Halloween House Tour.
Travel Wellbeing
Destinations have started selling the idea of wellness travel to visitors. Over the last few years of traveling, I’ve spotted a concentrated emphasis on proactive health well beyond the attachment of a spa or the availability of a gym at a hotel or resort. With the fall travel season upon us, why not hit the road and enjoy a healthful getaway!
Capon Springs in West Virginia has been welcoming guests – including George Washington – since 1747. Its inn and other accommodations date to the mid-1800s. The allure is the area’s crystal-clear water. Photo courtesy of Capon Springs.
As you will discover, the spotlight now shines on local hiking trails and adventure outfitters; hotels that offer bikes for local jaunts; and regions that stress necessities like healthy food, fresh air and clean water. In destination guides, wellbeing of the body, mind and spirit now receives as much attention as museums and nightlife. After I noticed the trend, I began to see it everywhere.
The U.S.-based Global Wellness Institute defines wellness tourism as “travel associated with the pursuit of maintaining or enhancing one’s personal wellbeing” and separates the classification into those who travel primarily to seek wellness opportunities and secondary wellness travelers who participate in experiences while visiting a location for business or leisure travel. I am of the secondary category. The institute estimated wellness tourism as a $639 billion global market in 2017; the phenomenon grew twice as fast as “general” tourism between 2015 and 2017.
Over the past year and a half, I sought out a few wellness-travel destinations and found a locale deeply attached to nature, a luxury community embracing all visitors (including canines) and a historic resort built on the reputation of its spring water, all within a day’s drive of Lancaster County.
Hocking Hills, Ohio
Old Man Cave in Ohio’s Hocking Hills State Park is actually a series of massive outcroppings, earthen throughways and natural water-wonders.
I cheated the seven-hour drive and flew into Columbus on my way to visit the Hocking Hills area of Ohio, which I had heard embraced ecotourism and wellness travel through its natural riches. The Hocking Hills area is, in fact, a series of deep gorges formed by the glacial cycle of 100,000 years ago. This process bestowed upon the area a moist, cool climate, which preserved by old growth forests and responsible land management, still exists today. Nature lovers began trekking to Hocking Hills in the late 1800s and today more than 3 million visitors descend on the area year-round. During a visit last fall, I learned Hocking Hills is nature – from apple picking in an orchard to ziplining through the treetops.
My first stop was at Hocking Hills Orchard on the rolling grounds of Four Seasons Cabins outside the ordinary American town of Logan. At the orchard, Derek Mills’ serious passion for apples is on display as he invites folks to “come taste history” through his 1,700 varieties growing on the property. He has been growing apples since 1983 and every apple, whether it is the well-known Honeycrisp generally found in grocery store displays or the rare and ancient Decio with roots in ancient Rome, costs the same at his orchard. After some of Mrs. Mills’ awesome apple pie and then lunch at an Amish market (seriously), I headed over to the “Midwest’s first canopy zipline” to get an aerial view of my surroundings. Hocking Hills Canopy Tours started in 2008 and I thoroughly enjoyed my time with our hilarious guides as we zipped through the woods near Rockbridge along the Hocking River.
Michael Upton stands beside the pool that is fed by Old Man Creek’s 25-foot drop.
At the forefront of natural attractions in this area is Hocking Hills State Park, which today encompasses 2,356 acres with 25 miles of trails. Most of the trails are an easy and comfortable hike. The park was founded in 1924, when the state purchased 146 acres to preserve what had become known as Old Man’s Cave, aptly named after someone decided to make the area their home. Old Man’s Cave is not just one cave, but a series of massive outcroppings, earthen throughways and natural water-wonders. Tectonic uplift and stream erosion helped carve today’s rock formations, waterfalls and recess caves from the Blackhand sandstone of the area.
Stepping off the park’s paved welcome area onto the trail entrance, visitors are immediately gifted an overlooking view of the gorge where Old Man’s Creek drops 25 feet into a picturesque pool below. A short hike down and visitors find themselves on the shore of this pool, eager to take snapshots and selfies to capture the beauty of the scene. I did. The rest of the route is an intersecting loop of several trails winding over beautifully designed bridges and rock stairs, past sights like the Sphinx Head and the Devil’s Bathtub.
Apple pie is a must-have dessert in Hocking Hills during the fall.
Fifteen miles north of the state park is High Rock Adventures, where the group I joined got in touch with nature through the expert guidance of naturalist Steve Roley. As the wind picked up and an early fall cold front moved into the area, we got an abbreviated forest-bathing experience, but it was one I will never forget. National Geographic calls it “the secret to mindful travel,” but forest bathing began in Japan in the 1980s – under the name shinrin-yoku – as a way to escape technology. The experience is simple: just walk into any natural environment (in this case the acres of near-pristine land owned by Steve’s eco-centric tour company) and consciously connect with whatever is around you – moss, trees, dirt …
With Steve as our guide, we skirted the edges of massive rock walls, learned how his stewardship keeps the area pristine and, well, natural (as we clamber over a fallen tree decaying across the trail), and even sampled native flora as he educated us on its uses.
Back at his office, where a group of climbers was gearing up to tackle the rock face I saw earlier, I picked up a bottle of Lion’s Mane mushroom tincture. I am a huge fan of the fungi’s medicinal properties and Steve and I had a quick conversation about its benefits; he makes the tinctures himself.
Hocking Hills offers a variety of ways to get in touch with nature other than those I mentioned, including horseback riding, fishing and bird watching. I also enjoyed a bit of luxury during my stay, visiting Hocking Hills Sauna Pods, the Hocking Hills Serenity Salt Cave and the Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls, where I stayed in a jacuzzi cabin tucked away in the private, wooded hills. (Cedar Falls itself is part of the Hocking Hills State Park.)
To learn more, visit Hocking Hills’ website at hockinghills.com.
Pike & Rose, Maryland
The Canopy by Hilton, Pike & Rose, photo courtesy of Hilton.
The planned community of Pike & Rose is a commercial center near the Washington, D.C. suburb of Bethesda, Maryland. It is its own little world in a sea of commuters, hurried traffic and those simply going from point A to point B. What could be relaxing about this? Well … near the center of Pike & Rose, which only occupies 379,000 square feet – roughly nine blocks – stands the Canopy by Hilton Washington DC Bethesda North, my base of operations for a weekend this summer. Ignoring the long name, the most important thing to know about this respite location is that it serves as an idea test market for parent company Hilton.
During my stay I learned more about the newest Hilton brand, Tempo. This Canopy temporarily offers Tempo wellness rooms, which come equipped with a Peloton spin bike, yoga mat and resistance bands; Apotheke bath amenities; a Therabody Theragun Elite and Wave Roller; and Elevated Tea Co.’s CBD tea with an electric kettle. In addition, the hotel has a gym that is open 24/7. I sat down with Director of Sales Justin Walsh over some morning coffee at the hotel’s skateboard- and ’80s-themed restaurant, Hello Betty, to get the advance on the new rooms.
“Tempo is the newest lifestyle brand by Hilton,” explains Justin. “A lot of this is research and development, gathering guest impressions… We are the only hotel able to use Peloton branding. All 10 Tempo rooms have Peloton bikes.”
The first Tempo hotel is expected to open late 2022 in New York City.
“It is all geared towards ensuring that wellness stays at the forefront for those who want to have that constant access,” continues Justin. “The Tempo branding is geared toward millennials who want to keep their fitness in the forefront and are active Peloton members. But we also hope it will pique the interest of those who are just curious about the Peloton and make them first time riders.”
The Canopy is one of those hotels with a spa attached, so it was only right to perform my due diligence and report to Privai for a custom massage. With an emphasis on “wellness for the whole being,” Privai was relaxing and welcoming from the moment I walked in the door and was served a hot, scent-infused bamboo towel to clean my hands and face. I left feeling completely relaxed and refreshed after my personalized, world-class spa experience. Co-founded by Christina Stratton and Ilana Alberico, Privai launched in 2021 and has four locations in the DMV area.
Pike & Rose in Bethesda, Maryland, is home to a Canopy Hotel by Hilton. Canopy serves as a test site for Tempo, a lifestyle-brand hotel devoted to travel wellness, as rooms are equipped with Peloton bikes, yoga mats, resistance bands and more. Photo courtesy of Hilton.
During my stay I had the use of one of the hotel’s bikes – the kind with actual wheels – which I could use to travel outside of the Pike & Rose limits and discover features I would easily miss from a car, like the Bethesda Trolley Trail. This urban hiking trail, which leads from Pike & Rose to the center of Bethesda, consists of paved paths and pedestrian bridges crossing major highways.
There was plenty to do in Pike & Rose in one weekend without getting on the bike or in the car. Getting outfitted for the great outdoors is easy at L.L. Bean and REI, two of several upscale shops located within walking distance of the hotel. Foodies can delight in a range of options from a “Jew-ish” deli breakfast to an Asian-fusion lunch followed by a classic fine-dining experience at Julii.
Pike & Rose (as well as the hotel) is dog-friendly. Dog lovers can satisfy their dogs’ need to interact with their four-legged friends at Bark Social, which is billed as the East Coast’s first dog bar. After signing a quick waver, I made my way through the gates into a world of paw prints and happiness, where the self-serve beer taps flowed and dogs were allowed to be dogs. The world was good. As a dog lover, I was in my happy place.
News Flash: Hilton announced in late July that it is expanding its emphasis on wellbeing travel. Its latest introduction is the Green Room Concept, which is being test-marketed at the Canopy in Bethesda. Guests can enjoy the holistic benefits of plants while traveling. The adventure starts in the hotel lobby, where you’re greeted by a two-story moss wall. Guest rooms are outfitted with “strategically curated” plants that include herbs, aromatics, air plants and preserved-moss installations. Working with REWILD, a D.C.-area plant and flower studio, Canopy is helping guests to de-stress, boost productivity, improve their moods and enjoy fresh indoor air. Herbs and other aromatics are incorporated into teas and cocktails, as well.
For more information, visit canopybethesda.com.
Capon Springs, West Virginia
The interest in water-related health and fitness benefits has prompted Capon Springs to maintain year-round hours for its spa due to the unprecedented interest of day-trippers and vacationers alike. Photo courtesy of Capon Springs.
I met Jonathan Bellingham at a travel writers conference several years ago and I immediately knew I wanted to visit the all-inclusive mountain resort he owns in West Virginia. I was intrigued because Capon Springs is all about the water.
The town of Capon Springs (pronounced “cape-in” not “kay-pon” like the rooster) was originally named after its founder, but after several changes settled on a name embracing the heritage of its famous springs. In the late 18th century, before it became Capon Springs, an acre of land in this area sold for $900 worth of gold because of the natural spring water, which doctors prescribed as a treatment for all sorts of ailments. West Virginia even had to pay Virginia for the loss of the springs when it seceded from the commonwealth in 1863.
There is no secret ingredient in the Capon Springs H2O; it is all about the pH (the concentration of hydrogen ions in a liquid), which resides just over the neutral zone. Water with a pH of 7 is considered neutral and pure. This water is neither acidic nor basic and is the building block of healthy kidney function. Geologically, the spring rises to the surface between two vertical synclines – the trough of compressed earth’s crust – and passes through a natural filter of sandstone. From rainfall to reservoir to spring, the cycle takes approximately 70 years. When at peak capacity, the resort uses 65% of the spring’s water flow, which runs at 60 gallons per minute.
Designed to resemble a 19th-century village, everything in Capon Springs is within walking distance of the “town square.” Old-fashioned recreation like shuffleboard and croquet center around the meal schedule, which is a communal experience and features farm-fresh meats, produce and baked goods.
Photo courtesy of Capon Springs.
“We like to say we are a kinder, gentler era. Architecturally, guests are stepping back in time because the majority of the buildings were built between 1850 and 1890,” says Jonathan, whose family has operated Capon Springs and Farms since 1932. The 4,700-acre site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and includes a golf course. “We have third- and fourth-generation guests, people whose parents’ parents started coming here and they have been reserving the same week for generations.”
This year the resort’s spa opened year-round for the first time. Demand was high. Jonathan knew people were looking to discover healing water in the U.S. and Capon Springs was there to fill the need.
“It feels like we’re trending upward. People are driving two hours, making a day trip, just for a half-hour soak in our baths. I find it remarkable,” he says. “We are now looking at the spa as not just an add-on, but a way to introduce people to the resort and our water. It feels like a renaissance, the way people are connecting to the water.”
Capon Springs is located in northeastern West Virginia, only 20 miles from Winchester, Virginia. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia is one of the fastest-growing regions in terms of population and housing. Yet, with its embodiment of days gone by, Capon Springs remains a testament to simpler and easier times, before cell phones and Netflix, when family gatherings were a daily event. “Change comes slowly here. We are a place that is frozen in time. But we might add some new things here in the future. We added an escape room in 2021 and it was so popular we are adding a second one. We don’t make big decisions without testing the waters,” says Jonathan, pun intended.
For more information, visit caponsprings.net.
Tacos El Gordo: The Road to Success Leads to Tacos
Over-the-road truck drivers know how grueling and isolating life on the road can become. Francisco Ostos and his family can attest to that. After seven years of driving, Francisco needed a change. Going all in, Francisco and his wife, Julia, bet on themselves for the sake of their family.
A real crowd pleaser at Tacos El Gordo is the Quesabirria: three shredded beef (birria) tacos, cheese, cilantro and onions, served with a cup of consommé, lime and salsa verde. Dipped in the savory consommé, the tacos are crunchy, chewy and dripping with flavor.
Truck Drivin’ Man
Francisco and Julia Ostos never imagined they’d own a business in food service. Francisco goes a step further, sharing that he always swore he would never work in a restaurant. His life’s journey started in Mexico; his family moved to the United States in 1997, when Francisco was 13. Settling first in Texas, the family moved to Reading, Berks County, where Francisco graduated from high school. He found a job working as a supervisor at the ACME Warehouse in Denver. Through his warehouse position, Francisco became acquainted with truck drivers. Intrigued, he would ask them questions about their jobs. At age 30, Francisco got his CDL. One of his regular routes was transporting mushrooms from Kennett Square to a distributor in Chicago. In the summer, Julia and their two kids, Francisco Jr. (Gordo) and Alexandra, would ride along.
In the winter of 2021, Francisco’s transportation contract was expiring. “You make good money, but you never see your family,” says Francisco of the job. With every Thursday and Friday off, regardless of the holiday or life event, “We had to do birthdays on my day off,” he says.
The Ostos family, left to right, Alexandra, Francisco Sr., Julia and Francisco “Gordo” Jr.
One of his friends, José Tinoco, owner of Taqueria El Carreton in Reading, asked, “What are you going to do with your life?” Francisco wasn’t sure, but he needed to make a career change. José suggested that Francisco buy his unused food truck and start a business. That night, Francisco went home and awakened Julia, exclaiming, “I bought a food truck!” She replied, “You’re crazy; it’s late, go to bed!”
The next morning, Julia asked, “Were you serious about what you said about buying a food truck?” That’s when Francisco shared with her that he had committed to purchasing the truck for $25,000. “How are we going to pay for it?” asked Julia. “Work, work, work,” Francisco replied. “Trust me, we’re going to do good,” he added. “It was his idea, 100%,” she recalls. “I was scared, I won’t lie.” Together they went to look at the truck, which needed quite a bit of TLC, having sat idle for five years. It had a flat tire and the engine didn’t start.
Quesabirria is made with shredded beef, cheese, cilantro and onions.
The condition of the truck wasn’t the only problem the Ostoses faced. Francisco had never cooked before; in fact, for most of his life, he hated cooking. But he was hungry to learn, to be present with his family and to gain financial independence. Immediately, he asked his mother and sister to teach him recipes, plus they helped prepare food in a leased commercial prep kitchen in Reading.
They also needed a name for their venture. Francisco is originally from Ciudad Juárez in the Mexican state of Chihuahua, and he briefly considered using the namesake breed of dog for their logo. That didn’t quite fit and he landed on Tacos El Gordo, named after the endearing and affectionate nickname, “Gordo” given to their son, Francisco Jr. Loosely translated, “gordo” means fat or chubby.
Up and Running
When the truck was tuned up and given a fresh coat of paint, the location where it would park remained in flux. Initially, they planned to park near the town of Stevens, but a $5,000 permit that required the assistance of a lawyer was too big of a bite, especially considering the expensive application was devoid of a guarantee.
Tacos El Gordo setup for an event at Whistle Stop Plaza in Downtown Ephrata.
On June 4, 2021, the day Tacos El Gordo got its food license, the food safety inspector mentioned an idea for a possible location: the old Kmart parking lot in Ephrata. Good’s Store had just acquired the property in March, so Julia started calling around. Eventually she got in touch with Ken Burkholder, the store’s president. After considering their request for two weeks, Julia got their answer: “Alright, let’s give it a try.”
For their first week of business in July 2021, Tacos El Gordo stocked 100 pounds total of steak, chicken and chorizo. They were all-in on their venture, investing everything they had, with just $300 left in cash-on-hand and a growing pile of debt to leverage the equipment they needed to operate. Joyfully, their first day – July 10 – was met with long lines of hungry customers, as Francisco hustled to get the word out early with advertisements, flyers and telling everyone he could that their food truck was coming.
Francisco Ostos hands an order to a customer.
Before opening, Julia joked about how incredible it would be that they could close that day at 2 p.m. The reality was not so different: by 3 p.m. the Ostoses had sold out of food. The lines continued to grow each day, as they dialed in their workflow, recipes and inventory. A year later, in addition to chorizo and chicken, they now prepare 500 pounds of beef and 200 pounds of cheese in a week. They use two gallons of salsa on a daily basis, with the recipes prepared by Francisco’s mother and sister.
For most of their first year in business, Francisco would make two trips to Reading every day to pick up more supplies, drinks and food for the truck. The days were long, even as they grew short. In the winter, Francisco shoveled snow in the dark parking lot as early as 5 a.m. He installed bright lights on top of the truck to illuminate the pavement for spreading bags of salt. Around 6 p.m., they’d start washing dishes and cleaning equipment. After their 7 p.m. close, they would purchase food that was needed for the next day and start prepping it. At 11 p.m., they started restocking the truck. Despite the long days, they were together as a family and were constantly making improvements, both logistical and personal.
Encouraged by the success they achieved in their first year, husband-and-wife duo, Francisco and Julia Ostos, are making plans for future expansion.
As for Francisco’s new take on cooking, he shares, “Everything I hated doing, I now do with love.” Citing their customers as the basis of their success, he says, “The people make me. We have people coming from Maryland, Philly, West Chester, Harrisburg, Lebanon, York and Hamburg. I’m living my dream,” he says. Without missing a beat, Julia adds, “Busting his ass.” Francisco proudly recalls one customer who drove from Maryland for the express purpose of ordering a Quesabirria taco. According to Francisco, she said, “It better be good, I drove three hours to get here.” Satisfied, she ordered five more to take back to Maryland and has become a regular customer among many.
When Tacos El Gordo added outdoor seating, customer relationships immediately grew. “We could get to know our customers more, who is who,” says Francisco. Their extended family would come to spend time there talking and enjoying being together, including Julia’s 85-year-old father, who has at times been recruited to fill containers with salsa.
Part embarrassed and part honored by the business’ name, Gordo and his sister, Alexandra, contribute, too. Alexandra helms the register that’s managed on a digital tablet, while Gordo brings orders to cars, restocks the coolers and makes sure the area is clean. They’re both learning the value of their hard work and realize that if there’s something they want, they know how much they need to work to earn it. According to Julia, both kids are developing business sense, even a sense of ownership of how food should be cooked and presented. “Alexandra knows how food should look,” says Julia. “She’s amazing.”
Down the Road
Before they knew it, a year had passed. The development of Good’s Store building got underway. Ken Burkholder took the time to reach out to the Ostoses and congratulate them on the first anniversary of signing an agreement to set up in what was essentially Good’s Store’s parking lot. Later, as a café at the adjoining Dutch-Way Farm Market became part of the company’s plan, Tacos El Gordo knew they would need to move. Ken Burkholder didn’t want to see them leave the area, so he helped them secure a new location on the other side of Rothsville Road from the store. “We owe him so much,” says Julia. “He grew so much trust in us; he enabled us.”
Francisco Ostos at the upcoming Tacos El Gordo restaurant in Downtown Ephrata. This location currently serves as a prep kitchen and will continue to support the food truck when it opens as a restaurant.
Looking to relocate their commercial kitchen from Reading, Francisco and Julia were fortunate to find a restaurant space in Downtown Ephrata, minutes from their food truck. The new kitchen space eliminated hours of daily travel to their Reading-based kitchen, thus saving them time and fuel, while providing cold storage for larger quantities of food. Having inventory nearby ensures the truck is well-stocked and doesn’t sell out on busy days.
As for future plans, the Ostoses intend to eventually open the space as a restaurant once they have enough staff trained and can trust them as stewards of their dream. For now, “The food truck is the priority,” says Francisco. He and Julia are committed to their beloved food truck and even dream of one day expanding to Lancaster City, Reading and beyond.
New signage announces the arrival of Tacos El Gordo on Main Street in Ephrata.
The commitment to the food truck is evidenced by the fact that after moving to their current location on Rothsville Road, they signed a three-year lease. They added shaded picnic tables to the enterprise and it’s not uncommon to see one of the Ostoses bringing food out to diners. That they could currently operate their business from a restaurant space instead of their food truck underscores their commitment to the experience, convenience and speed of service their customers have come to appreciate. The restraint they show in not growing too quickly has ensured they will be prepared for each new step along their road to success.
You can find Tacos El Gordo at 3609 Rothsville Road, Ephrata. For more information, call 717- 271-8440 or visit Facebook and Instagram @tacoselgordo4.
Columbia Market House: Food & Community
Are you looking for a fun and entertaining place to grab some breakfast or lunch and do some shopping for Saturday night’s dinner? If so, head for the Columbia Market House, where you can enjoy a bite to eat while listening to piano music or playing a game of chess or checkers. If you’re feeling brave, you can tour the market’s dungeon. Finally, you can assemble the ingredients for that evening’s dinner or buy a hostess gift for the dinner party you’re attending.
Fresh produce from Isidore & Maria’s, which offers a $20 fill-a-box promotion.
For Chris Vera, the new manager at Columbia Market House, the historic building at 15 South Third Street is all about community. “I believe this market is a community building,” he says of the facility that is owned by Columbia Borough and was beautifully renovated prior to its grand reopening in May 2021. “It’s a farmers market on Saturdays, but it can serve as a place for community events,” he explains, adding that private celebrations can be held there, as well.
Chris proudly proclaims that he represents the second generation in his family to serve as market manager. His mother, Renae Sears, not only had a stand at the market, but she also served as its manager. “I worked at my mom’s stand as a kid – she had a hot dog stand and I would make Bachman’s pretzels to sell. When it closed in the early ’90s, her dream was to reopen this market. She was able to fulfill that dream and now I’m following in her footsteps,” Chris says, noting the family’s next generation is involved, as well. “I have a niece, Lauren Schoenly, who’s a standholder.”
Chris Vera followed in his mother’s footsteps when he was named market manager in July.
As market manager, Chris can share his other passion – history – with visitors. Built in 1869 on the site of an earlier open-air market, the market house features a large and open interior. Look up and you’ll notice the arched Howe trusses that mimic those used in railroad bridges during that time period. While the market is rooted in history – remnants of the original brick flooring can be seen in some areas of the building – the renovated interior looks right at home in the 21st century, as it’s flooded with natural light thanks to both tall and clerestory windows, as well as the massive doors that are topped with windows. The white interior further enhances the bright and airy feel. Tables and chairs fill the central portion of the space, while vendor stands encircle the seating areas.
The central portion of the market house is devoted to seating, while its outer rim is encircled by vendor stands. Photo courtesy of Columbia Market House.
Adding to the ambiance is a hand-painted upright piano courtesy of Create Columbia (Janette Toth-Musser was the artist). Chris says sometimes people – Danielle Holsinger, for example, is a regular – will play it on market day. “What I love about this market is that people talk with one another. The chatter of voices is the best sound you can hear. The piano music doesn’t overpower that,” he says.
The market house also has a unique attraction – a jailhouse dungeon that was added to the lower level in the late 1800s. “The dungeon’s cells were used to temporarily house prisoners; it eventually closed in the early 1900s,” Chris says. Since then it’s been the source of scary tales and paranormal sightings, which is yet another of Chris’ interests. “I give tours of the dungeon on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.,” he reports.
The market house dates to 1869. In the late 19th century, jail cells were installed in the basement of the building. Market manager, Chris Vera, provides dungeon tours on Saturdays from 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
When the 9,400-square-foot market opened in 1869, and for some time afterward, it was home to 180 indoor stalls and 37 outdoor stalls that were protected by the projecting roof. “At that time there were no grocery stores or supermarkets, so this is where people bought their food – it was basically the biggest grocery store in town,” Chris says. “And, Columbia was a busy town; there were five different railroad lines coming through town. Columbia was the industrial hub of the county.”
The success of the market was not destined to last. Conveniences such as modern grocery stores prompted consumers to change their shopping habits. After several attempts to rebrand itself, the market closed at the end of 2017 to prepare for its next chapter. After an extensive construction and renovation project, it reopened in May 2021, at which time it was managed by CHI St. Joseph Children’s Health. The organization left that role in June (2022).
Danielle Holsinger often stops by the market house on Saturday mornings to play the piano that was a project of Create Columbia.
Chris, who also serves as president of Columbia Historic Preservation Society and Museum, began serving as market manager in July. “I want to bring back the farmers market feel of the past. I want people to walk this market – you can buy the ingredients for your dinner here, and do it at an affordable price,” he stresses and points to the “sharing box” that is available at Isidore & Maria’s. Customers fill a box with vegetables and fruits for $20. “It may be too much for your family, so you can share it with friends, neighbors or extended family members,” Chris remarks.
Due to its central location, the market’s vendors and customers come from both sides of the Susquehanna River. Current vendors include Productive Peasant Farm Co. (fresh produce and a CSA), Eisenhaur’s Sweets & Eats (baked goods, sweets and savories), Dough Heads Stuffed Waffles, The Monastery Bakery of St. Joseph, Lantz’s Goodies (baked goods, canned items, jellies, etc.), Momma Son’s (Cambodian fare), Loreto’s (traditional tomato gravy/sauce and pasta), Isidore & Maria’s (fresh produce), Soda Depot (small-batch bottled soda), Pulire (fruit sorbet, juice shots, energy balls, teas) and Pour Man’s Brewing (craft beer). Norse Naturals offers soy candles (among other things), including a scent that is exclusive to the market. At Murphy’s Mercantile, the selection includes all sorts of items that relate to Columbia, Hinkle’s Restaurant and the Susquehanna River.
The latest buzz is that Eisenhaur’s Sweets & Eats will be taking over the restaurant kitchen that was formerly occupied by Gypsy Kitchen. Owner Mindy Eisenhaur (who once cooked in the kitchen of the local VFW) is excited about the opportunity and plans to expand her menu. The service kitchen can also be used for private parties, plus Chris would like to see the space become a community kitchen that can be used by food trucks or other small vendors/organizations, with Eisenhaur’s Sweets & Eats serving as the anchor.
Columbia Market House will be the scene of a haunted dinner and tour of the dungeon on Saturday, October 22. Cost is $25 per person (event is limited to 50 people). Reservations can be made by calling 717-572-7149. Additionally, on October 28 and 29, area nonprofits will have booths set up at the market house for a fundraising opportunity.
The market house will also host the Makers Market Christmas Show on Sunday, November 27, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Columbia Market House is located at 15 S. Third St. At present, it is open to the public on Saturdays from 7 a.m.-3 p.m. For more information, visit columbiapamarkethouse.org or Facebook.
Strasburg!
Who hasn’t walked down Main Street in Strasburg and admired the beautifully restored and preserved homes? You can thank the Strasburg Heritage Society in part for the fact that Strasburg looks somewhat like the town that time forgot. It was 50 years ago that a group of civic-minded citizens launched an effort to “preserve, collect and interpret the rich history” of Strasburg. This month they will celebrate that milestone.
Over the course of the past 50 years, the Strasburg Heritage Society has established archives comprised of postcards, photographs, furnishings, artifacts and documents that relate to the town’s history, which essentially dates back to 1729. Strasburg grew into a linear village that stretched east to west along a route that was originally established by Native Americans. Wagons laden with goods traveling in both directions, as well as settlers heading west brought prosperity to the array of businesses that lined the route. Railroading later brought added wealth to the community. At one time, only Lancaster City outpaced Strasburg in terms of size and commerce.
The boom times ended when the Philadelphia to Lancaster Turnpike was built in 1794. The expansion of the railroads further impacted the town’s economy. Ironically, two of those early elements – architecture and railroading – have propelled Strasburg to become a modern-day tourist attraction.
Today, Strasburg is renowned for its historic-preservation initiatives that were championed by the Borough of Strasburg in 1970, with the approval and development of the Historic District, and by the Strasburg Heritage Society following its founding in 1972. The Historic District runs the length of Main Street and also includes Miller and portions of South Decatur streets. Peruse the borough’s Inventory of Historic District Buildings and you’ll see why Strasburg is regarded as one the most well-preserved towns in Pennsylvania. Its architecture spans such styles as Germanic, Georgian, Federal and Victorian. Homes reveal log, brick, sandstone and limestone construction methods. The survival rate of 18th- and 19th-century structures is said to be remarkable.
The Historic District, which is comprised of 82.5 acres and 193 buildings, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. One of those buildings, the Shroy House, which dates to 1793 and was the residence of educator and poet John Shroy, is the home of the Strasburg Heritage Society. Restoration work on the brick structure is ongoing and the Society hopes to one day open it to the public as a museum. Along South Decatur Street, the Society also owns The Glass House, which dates to 1878, as well as the 1806 Methodist Church building.
The Strasburg Heritage Society plays an active role in sharing the town’s history through hosting monthly lectures, a weekend-long garden tour of private homes in June and, until Covid ruined the party, a wonderful tour of homes decorated for the holidays that was complemented by a craft show and luncheon at First Presbyterian Church. Members are excited to announce that the event will make a comeback on December 3.
Strasburg Heritage Fest
This year, the Strasburg Heritage Society is adding a special event to the calendar. Strasburg Heritage Fest will be held October 7 and 8 in celebration of the Society’s 50th anniversary. The two-day event, which will be headquartered along South Decatur Street, is filled with activities for residents and visitors alike.
Friday – regarded as “Community Night” – will see events staged in a large tent that will welcome visitors to an ice cream social (ice cream courtesy of the Strasburg Creamery), games and a movie screening. Food trucks will also be on-site. Hours are 5-9 p.m.
Saturday’s events will include narrated tours of the town conducted via horse-drawn carriages (tickets required). The Shroy House (pictured above) will also be open to visitors. In the tent, a series of morning lectures will comprise an “Old House Clinic” whose topics tentatively include paint aesthetics and application, care/repair of stone/brickwork and preservation/repair of original windows.
In the afternoon, more seminars relating to the town’s history will be offered. In addition, First Presbyterian Church will host a display of items from the Society’s collection. Residents and visitors are also being invited to display their treasured items relating to Strasburg. A scanning station will be in operation that will allow visitors to share their photos with the Society and thus expand its records. Oral history recordings can also be made.
As this is a family-oriented event, children can participate in games, face-painting and crafts circa 1972.
Music – provided by the Lampeter-Strasburg Community Band – and food trucks will round out the day’s events. Hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
With the exception of carriage rides, admission is free. For details/updates, visit strasburgheritagesociety.org/events.
A Plant for All Seasons
“Are there any flowering shrubs I can grow under or at the edge of large deciduous trees?” is a familiar question I hear from long-time gardeners who have mature trees and shade, as well as new owners of older properties. Surely there must be something more appealing than the ubiquitous rhododendrons (azaleas), which (admit it) only proffer spring flowers in garish colors.
The oak-leaved hydrangea’s flower panicles change color as the season progresses. By mid-summer, the once-white blossoms have transitioned to a pale pink. This is one blooming shrub that thrives when planted under or at the edge of shade trees.
After pointing out how fortunate they are to have mature trees, I share that my very-most-favorite-if-I-could-have-only-one-shrub will thrive under their lamented shade trees. In fact, it not only will thrive, but it will attract attention year-round.
That plant is the oak-leaved hydrangea, Hydrangea quercifolia. Why is it the one shrub I would choose above all others? Because it is dazzling as a single specimen or in a large mixed shrub border in all seasons of the gardening year. Like most hydrangeas, the oak-leaved hydrangea is a natural woodland plant.
Many of the more familiar colorful garden and greenhouse hydrangeas originate from Asia. But there are two native species: Hydrangea arborescens, which grows throughout the Appalachian Mountains, and Hydrangea quercifolia, which is found in the Piedmont region of the Southeast and occurs naturally in the shaded woodlands of Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi, where it’s typically found on banks and slopes. Both offer white flowers.
The color of the flower panicles evolve over the course of the growing season – emerging white in May.
The oak-leaved hydrangea was discovered in 1791 by William Bartram (1739-1823) of Philadelphia, at “a large brook called Sweet Water” near Knoxville, Georgia. The son of another eminent plantsman, John Bartram, William was an accomplished plant explorer, artist and writer in his own right. He recorded his southern explorations in Travels Through North and South Carolina 1791, which remains a classic in American literature. William added new plants including oak-leaved hydrangea (pp. 382–383, pl. 7), flame azalea and bottlebrush buckeye to the family collection. The oak-leaved hydrangea was introduced to Britain in 1803.
If you’re ever looking for a day-trip idea, I’d suggest you visit Bartram’s Garden in the Kingsessing area of Southwest Philadelphia. Considered to be the oldest-surviving botanic garden in North America – it dates to the 1700s – it is now a 50-acre public garden. While the gardens are open year-round, the welcome center curtails its hours in the winter months. Admission is free. For details, visit bartramsgarden.org.
The color of the flower panicles evolve over the course of the growing season – turning a pale pink in mid-July
Cultivation
This open, irregularly shaped, multiple-stemmed deciduous shrub grows 8 to 12 inches a year, reaching 3- to 7-feet tall with large 4- to 12-inch oak leaf-shaped leaves. (Latin quercifolia means the foliage of Quercus, the genus of oaks.) It can branch extensively.
The flower is an open panicle, 6- to 10-inches long and up to 5 inches in diameter at the base. There are two different kinds of flowers: tiny fertile “true” flowers and more conspicuous sterile flowers that attract insects to the plant.
The color of the flower panicles evolve over the course of the growing season – finally becoming deep pink in August.
The numerous white sterile flowers with long stems and dense clusters of white fertile flowers bloom from late spring into September. That’s right! A shrub that flowers for months. (OK: Roses bloom for months, but they are chemically dependent.)
I recommend the widely available cultivar ‘Snow Queen’. It is easily grown in organically rich, moist, well-drained soil in sun to part shade. Early-morning or late-afternoon sun are fine, but intense mid-day sun will harm the flower display and cause the foliage to droop even if the soil is moist. Positioning it at the edge of woodland is ideal; a background of conifers, for instance, will provide not only shade and protection but a backdrop for the flowers and fall color display.
‘Snow Queen’ displays gently tapered flower panicles, 8-inches tall by 5-inches diameter at the base. Unlike most flowering shrubs, the flowers change color through the season. The many flat overlapping sterile flowers open creamy green and mature to pure white. As the season progresses, they turn pale pink, then a deeper pink, and finally russet (polite way to say paper-bag brown). These dried-flower heads can be used to create striking indoor decorations.
By early autumn, the flowers take on a paper quality and turn russet in color. They make a perfect addition to dried-flower arrangements.
Notably, the large flowers are held erect on the stiff stems even after heavy rains.
In spring, its leathery leaves emerge dramatically from branch tips. The leaves resemble those of red oaks, some deeply lobed, others less so. Early in the year the leaves are light to mid-green in color but darken in autumn and turn shades of deep red, crimson and purple. The leaves shrivel and last well into winter. The shaggy, rusty-brown-colored peeling bark prolongs the season through winter.
It blooms on old wood, so do any corrective pruning immediately after flowering. There is usually no need to prune unless there are stems damaged by winter snows. Deer do love to eat the winter buds.
Hydrangea ‘Snow Queen’ received both the Pennsylvania Horticultural Gold Medal award in 1989 (at that time called the Styer Award), as well as the RHS Award of Garden Merit. It was introduced into cultivation by Princeton Nurseries.
Other cultivars that should be available at good nurseries include:
‘Snowflake’ grows 6- to 8-feet tall with very showy slender panicles of double white flowers, 12- to 15-inches long. However, the stems often flop because of the huge flower size. Introduced in 1960 by Edgar and Loren Aldridge.
‘Alice’ was introduced into commerce by Michael Dirr (of Manual of Woody Landscape Plants fame) through his Georgia Plant Introduction Program. It is upright with a broad, rounded habit; it typically grows 5- to 8-feet tall and as wide. It is most noted for its large and arching flower panicles (10- to 14-inches long), which bloom for 6 to 8 weeks, gradually fading to pink and then brown by late summer, as well as its superior fall foliage color in shades of bronze, maroon and purple. Mature stems exfoliate to reveal a rich-brown inner bark.
‘Pee Wee’ has a compact form, growing to 3- to 4-feet tall and 4- to 5-feet wide. An oak-leaf hydrangea for smaller spaces and gardens.
‘Little Honey’ is similar in habit as ‘Pee Wee’. Its showy, deeply lobed, somewhat coarse, oak-shaped leaves emerge golden-yellow in spring. It retains good golden color well into summer, gradually fading to chartreuse and then green by early fall before finishing the year with a blast of crimson-red fall color. Cone-shaped flower panicles (to 5 inches long) bloom primarily in early summer but will have some sporadic continued bloom through late summer into fall. Flowers acquire pink tones as they age. Stems turn red in winter.
‘Ruby Slippers’ is a cross between ‘Snow Queen’ and ‘Pee Wee’. It is a compact form that matures to only 3- to 4-feet tall and to 3- to 5-feet wide and is noted for its large upright flowers that emerge white but quickly turn ruby red (hence the cultivar name). It offers mahogany-red fall foliage color and exfoliating bark. ‘Ruby Slippers’ was introduced into commerce in 2010 by the U.S. National Arboretum.
Selecting a Plant at the Nursery
Autumn is a great time to add any of these container-grown plants to the garden if the soil is workable. Nursery plants should be two or three years old and growing vigorously on several good strong shoots rising from the base. Remember to tease out the roots if they are constricted in the pot. There is no need to make the hole any larger than the root ball (that is outdated advice). After planting, tread lightly around the plant to eliminate any air pockets and make a shallow moat around the plant. Do not fertilize at this time of year! Check it frequently over the following days for signs of wilting and water generously. Your plant will live a long time if you provide it with a good start.
The color of the foliage also evolves over time, emerging light green in spring, becoming a darker green in summer and transitioning to shades of red and even purple by late fall. When the leaves finally shrivel and fall in early winter, the shaggy, rust-colored bark provides visual interest.
A natural mulch of well-rotted garden or leaf compost will increase water retention. Close attention should be paid for the first year in the garden in times of prolonged dry spells. A soaking once a week is better than a drizzle daily. No responsible gardener should use peat. After the first season it will not demand a lot of attention or special feeding. The urge to prune is strong in some gardeners but little pruning is needed for any of these cultivars except to correct from winter damage.
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