CELEBRATING LANCASTER COUNTY'S PEOPLE, SCENERY,

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August Angst

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Sadly, summer is winding down and soon it will be back to the same old routine. Don’t despair; there are plenty of ways to enjoy the fleeting days of summer. Music, sunflower displays, art and craft shows, festivals, the kick-off to fair season … it’s the perfect month to be a tourist in your own backyard!

Music

Pack a picnic (or patronize the food trucks/vendors) and your lawn chair and enjoy music under the stars at a local park. No doubt, your favorite style of music will be performed somewhere! 

Long’s Park Summer Music Series 

The Sensational Barnes Brothers. Photo courtesy of Long’s Park Amphitheater Foundation.

Held Sunday evenings through late August, all concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. (unless otherwise noted). 1441 Harrisburg Pike, Lancaster. Information: Longspark.org.

  • August 4: The Sensational Barnes Brothers (gospel rock)
  • August 11: The United States Air Force Band: Max Impact (rock/pop)
  • August 18: Della Mae (Americana/bluegrass)

Summer Concert Series – Columbia 

Sponsored by the Columbia Lions Club, the monthly Friday concerts begin at 6:30 p.m. Locust Street Park, 550 Locust St., Columbia. Information: Columbialions.org.

  • August 16: 55th Anniversary of Woodstock, featuring local musicians playing the greatest hits from the historical music festival that took place at Yasgur’s Farm in 1969.

Music in the Park – Maytown 

Photo courtesy of PopScotch

Now in its 28th year, the Sunday-evening music series is sponsored by East Donegal Township. Start time is 6 p.m. Lloyd H. Furhman Memorial Park, 190 Rock Point Rd., Maytown. Information: Eastdonegaltwp.com.

  • August 4: PopScotch (high-energy soul/R&B/funk)
  • August 11: Sound of Roses (from Dorsey to disco)
  • August 18: Rohrerstown Band (marches/patriotic)

Summer Music Series – Shoppes at Belmont 

Photo courtesy of Little Buddy Blues Band

Now in its 5th year, the music series is held at the shopping center’s Charles Frey Park on Saturday evenings from 6-10 p.m. 1600 Fruitville Pike, Lancaster. Information: Shoppesatbelmont.com.

  • August 3: Intentional Walk (classic rock/modern funk/country/bluegrass)
  • August 10: Stu Huggens Band (classic and contemporary country/original music)
  • August 17: Little Buddy Blues Band (blues/rock)
  • August 24: Emmanuel Nisigani (Afro-jazz fusion)
  • August 31: All Weather Band (blues/roots-rock/country-swing)

Greenfield Concerts in the Park 

Photo courtesy of 7 Bridges: The Ultimate Eagles Experience

Summer concerts are back at Greenfield! Music gets underway at 7:30 p.m. in the park that is located across from 1861 William Penn Way. Information: Greenfieldlancaster.com

  • August 15: 7 Bridges: The Ultimate Eagles Experience

Entertainment in the Park 

Photo courtesy of West Chester Swing Kings

The New Holland Summer Arts Association is hosting its 45th season of entertainment in New Holland Community Memorial Park. Concerts begin at 7 p.m. 400 block E. Jackson St., New Holland. Information: Newhollandsummerarts.com

  • August 3: The New Individuals (‘60s & ’70s/Beatles/Beach Boys)
  • August 4: West Chester Swing Kings (‘40s to contemporary)
  • August 7: Jim Conner (covering various genres through the decades)
  • August 10: Jeff Dillard Blue Grass Band (bluegrass)
  • August 11: Charlie Zahm (Celtic/folk)
  • August 14: Trent Becker & The Collective (country)
  • August 17: Mitch and the Mood Swings (Motown/soul/rock)
  • August 18: Conrad Fisher (country/bluegrass/gospel/rockabilly)

Concerts by the Creek 

Photo courtesy of concertsbythecreek.org

Thomas P. Grater Park in Ephrata hosts a summer concert series. 6 p.m. Cocalico Street, Ephrata. Information: Concertsbythecreek.org.

  • August 13: Street Beans (street music) and The Fleshtones (garage rock)

The Sounds of Strasburg 

Photo courtesy of Street Beans Band

The Strasburg Community Parks Foundation sponsors a summer concert series, with shows beginning at 6 p.m. Strasburg Community Park, 151 Precision Ave. Information: Facebook.com.

  • August 10: Street Beans (street music) and Almost Jazz (funk)

Huffnagle Park Concert Series 

Photo courtesy of Fire in the Glen

The Quarryville Lions Club sponsors a summer concert series, with music getting underway at 7 p.m. Summit Dr./Oak St. Information: Facebook.com

  • August 24: Fire in the Glen (Irish)

Music in Memorial Park , Mount Joy

Photo courtesy of Auscultation Brass

The Mount Joy Chamber hosts this summer-long concert series that is held in Memorial Park. 5 p.m. 101 Marietta Ave., Mount Joy. Information: Mountjoychamber.com.

  • August 4: Auscultation Brass (comprised of music-loving local physicians, the group has been performing since 1985).
  • August 11: The Stu Huggens Band will be performing, plus the Mount Joy Chamber will be hosting the annual hot dog and ice cream social.

Lancaster Lemonade Concert Series 

Photo courtesy of the The Lancaster Marimba Ensemble

A Lancaster tradition, the concert series’ pay-what-you-will admission helps the sponsoring organization to conduct a vocal competition and support other music organizations. 7 p.m. Highland Presbyterian Church, 500 E. Roseville Rd., Lancaster. Information: Facebook.com.

  • August 1: Lancaster British Brass Band
  • August 8: Lancaster Marimba Ensemble

Gretna Music 

Photo courtesy of Hermitage Piano Trio

Now in its 49th year of offering programs representing music from around the world, Gretna Music events are held at the Mount Gretna Playhouse, 200 Pennsylvania Ave., beginning at 7:30 p.m. (unless noted). Information: Gretnamusic.org.

  • August 4: Pianist Sarah Cahill will present The Future is Female, which showcases work from the world’s female composers.
  • August 9: Charles McPherson Quintet (jazz and bebop)
  • August 10: Plena Libre (fusion of Puerto Rican plena and bomba, with Afro-Caribbean influences)
  • August 11: Hermitage Piano Trio
  • August 25: Concordian Dawn will perform Vox Femina (Medieval)
  • September 1: Tesla Quartet with pianist Joel Fan (3 p.m.)
  • September 7: Manhattan Chamber Players will perform Copland’s Appalachian Spring. (3 p.m.)

Jazz on the Patio 

Allison & Justin Droegemuller. Photo courtesy of The Barn at Paradise Station

Jump start your weekend at The Barn at Paradise Station, where a summer-long menu of jazz, small plates, drinks and incredible views of the countryside is being offered on Thursday evenings, 6-9 p.m. 312 Paradise Lane, Ronks. Information: Barnatparadisestation.com.

  • August 1: Von & Abbey Lewis
  • August 8: Fred Hughes with Steve Meashey and Dan Monaghan
  • August 15: Temple Avenue Jazz Quartet
  • August 22: Andy Roberts and Friends
  • August 29: Allison & Justin Droegemuller

Summerfest at Nissley Vineyards  

Photo courtesy of The Maxwell Project

Enjoy wine, beer, food and music on the lawn that fronts the winery and provides a view of the stage/dance floor. New this year: Fridays are family-friendly and will offer non-alcoholic milkshakes and slushies for the kids, while Saturdays are 21+. Gates open at 6 p.m., music gets underway at 7:30 p.m. 140 Vintage Dr., Bainbridge. Information: Nissleywine.com

  • August 2: Mark DeRose and the Dreadnaughts (roots/classic rock)
  • August 3: Maxwell Project (old school funk/R&B)
  • August 9: Lovelace (‘70s tribute/rock/variety)
  • August 10: Bump City (R&B/soul)
  • August 16: 3 Hour Tour (yacht & classic rock/soul)
  • August 17: Jess Zimmerman Band (country/classic rock/pop)
  • August 23: Soul Solution (R&B/funk/soul)
  • August 24: The Uptown Band (Motown to Top 40)
  • August 30: Kracker Beez (classic/light rock)
  • August 31: Central City Orchestra (dance music/pop)

Lititz Historical Foundation Concerts

Photo courtesy of Steel Radiance

Concerts are held in the beautiful Mary Oehme Garden at the rear of 145 E. Main St., beginning at 6:30 p.m. Admission is on a pay-what-you-can basis. Proceeds help to support the foundation’s efforts to share Lititz’s history and the maintenance of the garden. Information: Lititzhistoricalfoundation.com

  • August 11: Cheyenne Pohl with Clockwork Band (Top 40s music from all eras and genres)
  • September 1: Back by popular demand, Steel Radiance (the all-female cover band specializes in classic rock and the blues). The annual Ice Cream Social will also be held.

Chief Uncas Cruises

Photo courtesy of Susquehanna National Heritage Area

August
Susquehanna National Heritage Area

Cruise the Susquehanna aboard the restored electric-powered boat, Chief Uncas, which once was owned by Adolphus Busch, “the king of beers,” who used the boat during his summer getaways to Otsego Lake in New York, which just happens to be the headwaters for the Susquehanna. Now owned by the Susquehanna National Heritage Area (SNHA), it is used for educational (River Discovery, Flames Across the Susquehanna, Wildlife, Native Peoples and others) and entertaining (Beer and Sunset) cruises. 1706 Long Level Rd., Wrightsville. Check the website for dates/times. Information: Susqnha.org.

Beer Gardens

August
Lancaster City

Beer gardens will be held at Buchanan Park on August 1, 2 and 3, as well as August 8 (trivia will be held from 8-9 p.m. tonight) , 9 and 10. Musser Park will host them on August 22, 23 and 24, and again on August 29 (trivia will be held from 8-9 p.m. tonight), 30 and 31. Note: Yappy Hours will be held from 4-6 p.m. at Buchanan Park on August 3 and 10, and at Musser Park on August 24 and 31.  Visitors can partake of beer (draft, canned and bottled), as well as cocktails, wine and liquor. Food vendors will also be onsite. Proceeds benefit Lancaster Recreation Commission programs. Hours are Wed.-Fri., 4-10 p.m. and Sat., 1-10 p.m. Information: Lancasterrec.org.

Middle Creek Art Show

Photo courtesy of Pennsylvania Game Commission – Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area

August 2-4
Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area

Did you know that Middle Creek hosts the premier wildlife art show in Pennsylvania? This year’s show will feature more than 25 of the finest wildlife artists from across the state, many of whom have had their work selected for duck stamps in multiple states, covers of Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) publications, as well as for the organization’s wildlife and outdoor patches. Plus, Middle Creek makes an artistic statement of its own, as its comprised of more than 6,000 acres that offer nearly 20 miles of hiking trails and a lake that is perfect for canoeing, kayaking and fishing. Food (Messy Pig Food Truck will be on site) and other activities will also be available on the grounds of the beautiful visitor center during the show. Friday, 12-5 p.m. Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 100 Museum Rd., Stevens. Information: Pgc.pa.gov.

Mount Gretna Tour of Homes

Photo courtesy of Gretna Music

August 3
Mount Gretna

Celebrating its 38th year, the self-guided tour has expanded over time to include quaint cottages, modern homes, imaginative gardens and historic buildings. This year’s tour will include first-time participants as well as homes that have been previous tour stops but have been remodeled or updated. Pre-tour tickets ($20) can be purchased at Stauffers of Kissel Hill locations as well as online. Tour-day tickets are $25 and can be purchased at the registration tent at 101 Princeton Avenue. Proceeds benefit Gretna Music. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Information: Gretnamusic.org.

First Saturdays in Ephrata

August 3
Ephrata

With the first day of school right around the corner, it’s time for Back to the Books! All of Main Street will turn into a “book” from 2:30-4:30 p.m. Businesses will feature pages from great books that families can read by going from shop to shop. All kids will receive school supplies at each stop and a copy of the featured book at the end of the route.

Then, visit Whistle Stop Plaza (4:30-8 p.m.) to enjoy live music, food vendors and adult beverages (ID required). Sponsored by Mainspring of Ephrata. Main St., Ephrata. Information: Mainspringofephrata.org.

Thriving & Inspiring: Rocky Bleier

Photo courtesy of Homestead Village

August 9
Millersville University

Homestead Village’s annual benefit for the Endowment Fund for Benevolent Care will feature former Pittsburgh Steelers running back, Rocky Bleier, who will share his inspiring story and the lessons he learned from his service in Vietnam, to overcoming war injuries (he was injured to the point that he was told he would never walk again) and becoming a star football player. A VIP dinner experience is available and will be held at Homestead Village at 4 p.m. Bleier’s appearance will be held at Winter Visual & Performing Arts Center on the campus of Millersville University (60 W. Cottage Ave.) at 7 p.m. Information: Etix.com.

Lititz Rotary Craft Show

Photo courtesy of Rotary Club of Lititz

August 10
Downtown Lititz

Celebrating its 45th anniversary, what began as a show held on a single block in Lititz, has grown into an extravaganza that attracts more than 700 crafters/makers from the U.S. and Canada. The selection includes handmade crafts, home decor, garden art, clothing, seasonal items, jewelry and much more. Proceeds benefit programs of the Lititz Rotary Club. 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Downtown Lititz. Information: Lititzrotary.com.

Bacon Fest

Photo courtesy of Stoltzfus Meats and Deli

August 10
Intercourse Community Park

Stoltzfus Meats, which recently expanded its store in Intercourse, is sponsoring this inaugural event that will include such activities as a bacon-smoking demonstration, entertainment (including Big Boy Brass), bacon sampling and food trucks (all of which will have a menu item that features the company’s bacon). In addition, a baking competition and smoked griller eating competition will be held. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. 3730 Old Philadelphia Pike, Gordonville. Information: Stoltzfusmeats.com.

Ephrata Cloister Events 

 

August 10 and 22
Ephrata

Dating to 1732, the Cloister was the site of a German protestant monastic community whose members were engaged in printing, music and Fraktur. Expanded and guided site tours, which are being held on August 10, will take visitors into the Saron (Sisters’ House) and Saal (Meetinghouse), as well as other historic structures and areas on the grounds. The 2-hour tours are offered at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. On August 22, the Cloister is offering extended hours (closing time is 8 p.m.) with guided tours (featuring the Saron and Saal) being held at 4,5,6 and 7 p.m. Regular hours: Wed.-Sat., 9 a.m. 4 p.m. Sun., 12-4 p.m. 632 W. Main St., Ephrata. Information: Ephratacloister.org.

 

Half-Stitched … the Musical

August 13-October 24
Bird-in-Hand Stage

Emma Yoder, a recent widow, plans a peaceful weekend quilting class. As her students — a biker, an estranged couple, a pastor’s wounded wife, a young military veteran and a rebellious young girl — spend the weekend learning Amish quilt patterns, seams and secrets come unraveled, tears and truths emerge, and Emma must navigate her way through the upheaval that ensues. Based on a story written by Wanda Brunstetter, the show is from Blue Gate Musicals, with the script by Martha Bolton and  original songs by Wally Nason. Lunch and dinner options are available. 3063 Lincoln Highway East, Paradise. Information: Bird-in-hand.com.

Sunflower Fest

Photo courtesy of Oregon Dairy

August 14-25
Oregon Dairy

A three-acre field will be abloom with more than 15 varieties of sunflowers. In addition, a pottery-paint class will be held August 14 (5:30 p.m.) with The Glazing Sun from Marietta, while a Makers Market will be held August 17 (10 a.m.-4 p.m.), featuring more than 150 makers, artists and curators. On August 24, Alyssa from Landis Blooms Flower Truck will conduct a flower-arranging class (9-11 a.m.). (Tickets are needed for the painting and flower-arranging classes.) General admission to the sunflower field is $7 (ages 3 plus) and includes a sunflower to take home (additional sunflowers can be purchased). Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. and 4-8 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m. 1289 Creek Rd., Lititz. Information: Oregondairy.com.

The Righteous Brothers: Lovin’ Feeling Farewell Tour

Photo courtesy of American Music Theatre

August 16
American Music Theatre

Prepare for a soul-stirring, nostalgic concert experience as the legendary duo, The Righteous Brothers, tour their way into retirement from the tour circuit. The captivating musical odyssey spans Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield’s beginnings in 1963, when their contrasting vocal ranges created a unique sound, and continues through their resurgence thanks to movies such as Dirty Dancing and Ghost. (Hatfield died in 2003 and Bucky Heard now sings in his place.) The farewell tour takes fans on a journey through decades of timeless hits, including You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling, Unchained Melody, (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life, Soul and Inspiration, Ebb Tide and Rock and Roll Heaven. 7:30 p.m. 2425 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster. Information: Amtshows.com

Jersey Boys

August 16-September 28
Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre

This musical thrill ride takes you along as Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons make their way from their native New Jersey to the world’s most heralded stages. Learn how the band members forged a friendship that has lasted for more than 40 years and produced such hits as Sherry, Big Girls Don’t Cry, Dawn, My Eyes Adored You and the list goes on. Lunch and dinner options are available. (Note: this is a PG-13 show.) Information: Dutchapple.com

Mount Gretna Outdoor Art Show

Photo courtesy of Mount Gretna Outdoor Art Show

August 17-18
Mount Gretna

Fifty years is a big accomplishment and in honor of the show achieving that milestone, Lebanon County has declared 2024 as the “Year of the Arts.” The art-related publication, Sunshine Artist, has included Mount Gretna in its Top 200 shows for more than a decade. This year’s show will feature 200 exhibitors, including a section dedicated to emerging artists. A Kids Art Show will be held at the Chautauqua Playground each day from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. (visitors can create make-and-take artwork among other activities). A gourmet food court is also part of the festivities. New this year is the Mount Gretna International Film Festival that is being staged at the Mount Gretna Playhouse on Sunday from 12-3 p.m. Proceeds from the art show will benefit cultural programming offered by the Pennsylvania Chautauqua, as well as community organizations such as the fire company. Saturday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Information: Mtgretnaarts.com.

Elizabethtown Fair

Staff photo

August 19-24
Elizabethtown Fairgrounds

E-town has the honor of kicking off fair season in Lancaster County. Each August, the fair serves as a showcase for the various aspects of agriculture in Lancaster and surrounding counties through exhibits and competitions. It also provides youngsters with first-time opportunities to compete on the fair circuit. Baking, floral arranging, canning and other categories are also part of the competition.

Community is an integral part of the fair, as many local civic organizations and church groups hold their principal fundraisers for the year at the fair. It also provides local businesses and organizations with an opportunity to promote their services and products. Of course, food is a major drawing card for the fair, as is music (performing this year will be The Uptown Band on Wednesday; Jess Zimmerman Band on Thursday; Flamin’Dick and the Hot Rods on Friday; and Grant Bryan on Saturday). In addition, Saturday will feature a country line dancing event. Monday, 5-11 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-11 p.m. 900 E. High St., Elizabethtown. Information: Etownfair.com.

Lancaster Craft Beerfest

Photo courtesy of Lancaster Craft Beerfest

August 24
100 Block North Queen Street

After a 4-year hiatus due to Covid and construction work at Ewell Plaza, the beerfest is back! Organized by Joycat Events, the beerfest welcomes local and regional craft brewers to share their craft beer with fans. Event will feature a beer garden, food court and music stage. Tickets can be purchased for one of two sessions: 12-3 p.m. and 4-7 p.m. A portion of ticket sales will benefit the Rotary Club of Lancaster. 100 block (Binn’s Park/Ewell Plaza) of N. Queen St. in Downtown Lancaster. Information: Lancastercraftbeerfest.com.

4th Wednesday Happy Hour

August 28
Ephrata 

The happiest two hours on the fourth Wednesday of the summer months come to a close. Whistle Stop Plaza will be the scene for delicious food, live music (courtesy of Tropical Sunz), and refreshing beverages. While this is an all-ages event, you must be 21+ to enjoy alcoholic beverages (IDs required). 5-7 p.m. 16 E. Main St., Ephrata. Information: Mainspringofephrata.org.

Long’s Part Art Festival

Photo courtesy of Long’s Part Art Festival

August 30-September 1
Long’s Park

Is the festival celebrating its 48th or 45th anniversary this year? The answer would be both. The first festival was held in 1976 in conjunction with the nation’s Bicentennial. Three years later, it gained an ally in the Long’s Park Amphitheater Association and moved to Labor Day weekend. The rest is history. Today, through a very competitive juried process, 200 exhibitors are chosen from among the applicants hoping to secure a space among the 25 categories. The show features such work as clothing, furniture, jewelry, accessories, décor, pottery, glass, functional art, paintings, photography and the list goes on. The show also features kid’s art activities and a food area. Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 1441 Harrisburg Pike, Lancaster. Information: Longspark.org.

Bird-in-Hand Chicken BBQ

Photo courtesy of Hand-in-Hand Fire Co.

August 31
Hand-in-Hand Fire Co.

The fire company’s famous BBQ chicken has a taste all its own! Cooked slowly and deliciously seasoned, this chicken is moist and tender! This is a take-out only event. Menu includes half chicken, applesauce, chips, pickles, roll/butter, drink and homemade whoopie pie. (Many of the items are sourced from local businesses.) Take-out begins at 9:30 a.m. and continues until 6 p.m. (or until sellout). Pricing is $13 for the meal and $7 for chicken only. All proceeds benefit the Hand-in-Hand Fire Company, an all-volunteer fire company located in Bird-in-Hand and serving the East Lampeter Township community. 313 Enterprise Dr., Bird-in-Hand. Information: Bihf.com.

Wild Goose 5K Run/Walk

August 31
Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area

The PA Game Commission is sponsoring this 5th annual event that takes participants along a route that winds its way through Middle Creek. There’s a half-mile kid’s fun run, as well. 9 a.m. Information: pgc.pa.gov

Heart of Lancaster Labor Day Arts and Craft Show

Photo courtesy of Heart of Lancaster Arts and Craft Show

August 31-September 1
Root’s Country Market & Auction

Now in its 36th year, the show features over 100 juried artists and crafters from Pennsylvania and surrounding states. The selection includes pottery, home décor, garden art, seasonal items, jewelry, artwork and the list goes on. There will also be a delicious variety of food, as well as live entertainment. The show has been recognized as one of Sunshine Artist’s “200 Best” art shows for 10 years in a row. Parking/admission are free. Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. (rain/shine). 705 Greystone Rd., Manheim. Information: Hlcshow.com.

Hospice Labor Day Auction

Staff photo

August 31 & September 2
Solanco Fairgrounds

Don’t miss Hospice & Community Care’s Labor Day Auction, where every bid supports a worthy cause: helping Hospice patients and their families cope with life-limiting illnesses or loss. The vast array of items that are available range from quilts and sports memorabilia to collectibles, tools and so much more. The event also features specialty auctions and a raffle that will see a lucky ticket holder win a Chevy Trax. Another don’t miss is the Amish-made food such as breakfast logs, baked goods, chicken barbecue and milkshakes among many others. 7:30 a.m.-approx. 5 p.m. each day. 101 Park Avenue, Quarryville. Information: Labordayauction.org.

Haint Blue

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No, it’s not a Dutchy way of describing a shade of blue … wait a minute, turns out there might be some truth to that! I just love how the Internet takes you down the proverbial rabbit hole.

Charleston

Blue seems to be everywhere these days. Maybe it’s an indication of how impactful coastal design is. Perhaps it equates to some sort of Covid hangover. Or could we just be having a blue moment? Science might have an explanation; colors such as blue and green have shorter wavelengths and therefore are more calming. As for a welcoming front door, the Paint Quality Institute maintains that blue doors carry a message all their own in that they convey that the owner views the home as a “place of refuge.”  Whatever the reason, blue obviously has staying power.

Haint is a Southern Thing

Actually, haint blue describes the southern tradition of painting porch ceilings, doors, shutters … heck, sometimes the entire house … a shade of blue. (The choices are as wide as the ocean but envision Carolina Blue and you’re on the right track.)

The use of blue for such purposes can specifically be traced to the Gulla Geechee people of coastal South Carolina and Georgia, who used blue paint (which they created from lime and blue pigment) to cover their front doors, window frames and fences in an effort to ward off evil spirits or “haints.” The Gulla Geechee people are descendants of Central and West African tribal people. (Yep, the same people who brought us bottle trees.) The Gulla Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor, which was established in 2006, extends along the coastal regions of North and South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. The Gulla Geechees are known for their distinctive sweetgrass baskets.

Charleston

Haints were perceived to be spirits that took the shape of humans in order to do harm at night. However, they feared the sky and water. The use of blue paint tricked the haints into believing they were at an impasse – i.e. the sky or body of water – that impeded their progress.

People outside the Gulla Geechee community saw some credence in the faith they instilled in the color blue and followed suit in utilizing the color for porch ceilings, window frames, doors and fencing. For some reason, wasps dislike the color, hence they go elsewhere to build nests. Other insects tend to mistake the blue ceilings for the sky and retreat. Others liked the sense of calm that blue provided, especially in the summer heat.

While porch ceilings are painted blue across the South, Charleston, South Carolina, seems to be the epicenter of the tradition. The beautiful homes along The Battery all exhibit some shade of blue on their porch ceilings.

Southwest Style

Travel to New Mexico and you will notice a similar tradition. Here, the hue centers on shades of cobalt blue and turquoise. Kelly Allen, writing in Simply Santa Fe Homes, suggests the color choice pays homage to the state’s long history of mining, specifically turquoise that is used by Navajo artists and jewelry makers. Turquoise is New Mexico’s official gemstone. To Native Americans, the stone is sacred and is worn for spiritual reasons. The Navajo believe that four colors represent directions, with blue symbolizing the southwest.

Adobe building in Santa Fe, New Mexico

Allen writes that in New Mexico, and especially in art enclaves such as Santa Fe and Taos, “history, art and culture are intertwined,” thus the use of blue on doors and window frames symbolizes the interconnection that exists in the “land of enchantment.” (Plus, it really pops against the adobe.) She also notes that older generations, notably Native Americans, believe that blue keeps evil spirits at bay.

As for the historical connection, archeologists such as Cordelia Snow point out that blue doors have always been a tradition in places such as Africa, the Middle East, Greece, Portugal and Spain. Did the Moors introduce the tradition to Spain and in turn to New Mexico?

Dutch Blue

Then it was time to go down that rabbit hole. Snow made a statement that came as a surprise … sort of. In an article that appeared in Southwestern Homes & Living in 2012, she stated, “Blue doors and windows are found around the world in many cultures. They are found throughout the area settled by the so-called Pennsylvania Dutch in the eastern United States, in Germany, and elsewhere in Europe.” That made me think back to a conversation I had with Dwight Graybill of Cocalico Builders in Denver. I recalled that he once joked that nearly every old farmhouse he worked on over the years was painted a “certain” color of blue-green. I knew the color he was referring to; oddly enough, it seemed to only be found in the northern reaches of the county, which was settled primarily by Germans.

Quizzing Dwight on that conversation, he shared that the color seems to have lost favor. “Used to be every farmhouse I worked on was painted that color inside and out. Now, you don’t see it that much anymore. His own home exhibited the color. “It was covered up by siding, but when the siding was removed, there was that color,” he recalls. Dwight knew he could not live with it and had the house repainted. But he did pay homage to northern Lancaster County’s signature shade of blue by leaving the doorway to the summer kitchen painted Dutch blue.

Glass in the Garden

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Dale Chihuly is once again putting the focus on glass as an artistic addition to gardens through the exhibit that is on view at Biltmore Estate in North Carolina. However, glass has been making a statement where gardens are concerned for centuries.

Travel through the South and you’re sure to notice a proliferation of colorful trees. No, not magnolias or crepe myrtles, but bottle trees. The trees have a fascinating history. The story begins around 1600 B.C., when glass bottles began to appear in Egypt and North Africa. Over the ensuing centuries, in areas like the Congo, people adopted the superstition that the bottles held magical powers in that they enticed evil spirits to enter them at night. Unable to escape, the spirits were destroyed when sunlight hit the bottles at daybreak. In order to protect themselves, their families and their homes, people began hanging the bottles in trees that were near their dwellings. Unfortunately, the bottles could not protect the Congolese people from the evils of enslavement.

Enslaved Africans continued the bottle tree tradition in America, notably in the South, where a new spin was added in that blue bottles became the norm, as the color was perceived to have healing properties. It was also thought to possess the power to ward off evil spirits. Hanging the bottles in crepe myrtle trees was also significant, as myrtle trees are referenced in the Bible and represent freedom and an escape from slavery.

What was once a superstition went on to become a treasured folk tradition that is widely seen in gardens, parks and museums throughout the South. It also gave way to the practice of placing blue bottles in windows, which led to the term “poor man’s stained glass.” Of late, bottle trees have taken on the aura of being “green,” in that they provide a way to artistically recycle bottles. I’m sure the wine industry loves the fact that people are guzzling wine just to obtain blue bottles (I’m just saying!). In addition, the “trees” don’t require water. You can use a tree that’s already growing in your yard or buy a metal version (as well as bottles) through sources such as Plow & Hearth, Gardener’s Supply and, of course, Amazon. Locally, you may find a blacksmith or metal fabricator willing to make you a “tree.”

Since I have southern roots, I’ve always wanted a bottle tree. When I saw one at Plow & Hearth in Harrisburg a few years ago, I had to have it. I started out by decorating it with a mix of colors, but then bowed to tradition and opted for the cobalt blue bottles. When the coastal look became a hit a few years ago, turquoise bottles became all the rage, so I do a mix of cobalt and turquoise.

Through visiting my son, Charlie, in North Carolina, I’ve discovered that southern garden centers are hip to the bottle tree craze. Entire sections of the centers are stocked with bottles that come in an array of colors. As I’ve discovered, people are switching out colors to match the changing seasons and holidays.

Such an idea struck me two years ago as August was threatening to turn into September. Looking at my bottle tree, it occurred to me that blue doesn’t exactly say “fall.” Then, visions of Charlie’s favorite garden center, Green Side Up in Fayetteville, popped into my head. Our week on the Outer Banks was coming up so I called him and asked that he go to Green Side Up and buy me orange, yellow, red and purple bottles. God love him, he showed up at the beach with bags of bottles!

I’m also tempted by Green Side Up’s idea of using green and red bottles for the holidays but am afraid they would not fare well in our temperatures. So, I decorate my tree with lights and weather-friendly ornaments for Christmas and eggs and ribbon for Easter.

Garden art by Kevin Lehman

If you want to take it up a notch, you could always contact Kevin Lehman of the Lancaster Creative Factory. Kevin has put his artistic talents to work to make glass and ceramic art for the garden he has created with Stacy Martin. Kevin’s tree is absolutely gorgeous!

Chihuly at Biltmore

Through January 5, 2025

Dale Chihuly’s glass art can be seen in the galleries and gardens at Amherst at Deerpark on the grounds of the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. Information: Biltmore.com.

Lose Yourself Along Route 23

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I know what you’re thinking … how could you possibly lose yourself  along busy Route 23 in Eastern Lancaster County? The answer is simple; turn onto any of the backroads and you’ll discover all sorts of treasures and curiosities. 

Looking west, the drone shot takes in the treeline of the Welsh Mountains, acres of fertile farm fields and the town of New Holland.

I will admit that I don’t spend as much time in this part of the county as I would like. As a kid, I remember my family taking excursions to New Holland to play miniature golf at a course along Route 23. To this day, I try to figure out where it was located. In the ’80s I worked at Good’s Furniture in New Holland and got to know the stores and restaurants in that area. I also discovered the backroads and kept my bike at work during the week so that I could ride over lunch or at the end of the day. Since then, I’ve been to the fair a few times (I even won a blue ribbon for a needlework entry), explored the area via the Best Kept Secrets Tour, frequented garden tours and visited a few restaurants (Fox Meadows calls to me). As the editor of the magazine, I’ve been involved in a few feature stories about the area. Lately, I’ve been attending concerts at the park in New Holland, one of which included a near head-on collision with a runaway horse on Jackson Street. Only in Lancaster County! 

Turn off Route 23 in either direction and winding country roads take you past farms, small businesses and other finds waiting to be discovered.

Fortunately, I had a tour guide – photographer Jordan Bush – to help me become reacquainted with the Route 23 corridor. Jordan grew up in the area and knows the country roads like the back of his hand. His fiancée, Jessica, who grew up in southern New Jersey, finds them to be confusing, telling Jordan they all look the same. In Jordan’s opinion, that’s part of the charm of this area of Lancaster County – you never know what you’ll discover. 

That was obvious the first day we started our tour. It was Thursday, May 9. Everywhere we went, we saw “closed” signs. Then, it occurred to Jordan that it was Ascension Day. Falling 40 days after Easter, it commemorates Jesus’ ascension into heaven. Apparently, not all Amish communities observe the day. However, in Lancaster County, it’s an important day on the calendar, as it’s devoted to prayer, reflection and family gatherings. Amish-owned businesses close for the day. For some, it equates to a quiet day at home and for others it’s a day to gather with family and friends and enjoy a potluck meal. 

So, we regrouped and spent the day taking in the beauty of Historic Poole Forge (where an Amish family was enjoying a picnic, and buggies traversed the covered bridge) and marveling at the Bangor Episcopal Church and the architecture of Churchtown. 

A farmstand along Brethren Church Road in Leola offers farm-fresh eggs that are kept cool in an ice chest and are sold on an honor basis. It can’t get much fresher than this! The free-range chickens roam the field behind the farmstand.

The following Thursday, we took in the action at the Leola Produce Auction, ate our way up and down Route 23 and walked off the calories during a nearly mile-long tour of Case New Holland. Jordan also introduced me to some amazing off-the-beaten-path greenhouses, which I returned to on Saturday (thank goodness for GPS, although Siri’s pronunciation of some of the road names required some translation).  

Between the tour and doing research, I found myself agreeing with both Jessica and Jordan. The backroads can be confusing (especially Farmersville Road) and look the same, but the scenery and treasures you come across make for an enjoyable day. 

Yes, the area is known for large industries such as Case New Holland and Eurofins (among others), but when you drive the backroads, it’s obvious that the area fuels America from both an agricultural and home-building perspective (there’s a reason why Route 23 is referred to as “Kitchen Alley”). Long-held traditions are also alive and well in this area of the county thanks to The New Holland Band, Memorial Day observations and the New Holland Farmers Fair. 

I found myself repeating two phrases: “I didn’t know that” and “I didn’t know that was here.”    

A Little History 

The Route 23 corridor is rich in history. Settled by European immigrants in 1723, Leola was originally part of Bareville, which was founded by Andrew Bare, and became the site of one of the colonies’ first distilleries. Ingredients for spirits were in such high demand that area farmers devoted a majority  of their crops to distilling. In 1896, Leola became its own entity. The name was derived from Leacock (the township in which it is located) and the suggested name of Glenola.  

Traveling east, New Holland is your next stop. John Diffenderfer is credited as being its first settler. He arrived in Philadelphia from the German Palatinate in 1728 and headed west. Others followed, notably the Amish, Mennonites and members of other Plain sects. The heavily forested area was balanced by fertile fields, thus establishing the area’s agricultural roots. 

When Lancaster County was established in 1729, the area was designated as Earl Township. The town became known as Earl Town. When a post office was established in 1802, a new name was suggested. New Holland honors the people of Holland, who aided those who were leaving Europe and seeking religious freedom in the New World. New Holland is celebrating its 125th anniversary as a borough this year. 

Continuing east, your next stop is Blue Ball. One of the county’s more “colorfully” named hamlets, it derives its name from The Sign of the Blue Ball, a hotel established at the main crossroads of two Indian trails. It was owned by Irish immigrant, John Wallace, who positioned a blue ball at the hotel’s entrance. The crossroads village embraced the identity and in 1833, Blue Ball became its official name. The building endured until 1997, at which time it was razed. 

Travelling along Route 23, you’ll be treated to vistas of farmland and pass through the village of Goodville, which was established in 1815 and named in honor of Peter Good, an early settler. 

The final stop is Churchtown, which is so-named for the Bangor Episcopal Church, which was one of the first Church of England congregations to be formed in the colonies. The Churchtown/Narvon area prospered during the 1700s due to the rise of the iron industry. 

Continue Reading …

Route 23 Corridor: A Variety of Dining Experiences Awaits

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The Route 23 corridor from Leola to New Holland and beyond offers diverse and fun dining experiences. Choosing from the variety of restaurants is not easy, but here’s a small sampling.

Funck’s Restaurant & Bar, Leola

Funck’s not only has a wide variety of menu items, but there’s also an amazing beer wall that is outfitted with over 100 taps. Handcrafted cocktails, wine and other beverages are available, as well. Menu items include appetizers (such as wings and cheesesteak eggrolls), soups, salads, sandwiches (including Nashville Hot chicken and brisket melt), tacos (featuring seafood and lobster), burgers and entrées such as Jameson whiskey mac & cheese and stuffed meatloaf. Mouth-watering desserts also await.  

In addition to great food and beverages, Funck’s has a warm, inviting atmosphere with both indoor and outdoor dining, as well as an indoor/outdoor bar area. Perhaps the most popular space is the patio, as it offers lush greenery, tiki torches and fire bowls, as well as patio heaters for the shoulder months and igloos for cold weather. Information: Funcks.com. 

Gracie’s on West Main, Leola

Gracie’s focuses on “scratch-made food” that’s made in-house including cookies, jams, dressings and sauces. The family-owned restaurant’s aim is to create a welcoming atmosphere for its guests. They have obviously succeeded – there’s often a wait for breakfast on the weekends … but it’s so worth it!  Part of Gracie’s charm is the warm, cozy ambience of each of the dining areas. Seating in some of the dining areas includes wooden bench-type banquettes along the walls, and yes, they’re really comfortable. One of the restaurant’s hallmarks is its fanciful chalk boards that are filled with artwork and uplifting sayings. 

Menu-wise, Gracie’s is known for its wide selection, but perhaps it’s best known for its bacon menu featuring various types, including Irish and caramelized. Bacon can also be found in other menu items including bacon-jam grilled cheese, triple bacon B.L.T. and caramel burger. Specials are offered, as are soups, salads and fries (including pulled-pork fries). Don’t leave without having dessert! Information: Gracieslancaster.com. 

Fox Meadows Creamery, Leola

Fox Meadows brought its cow-to-cone goodness to Leola two years ago. It may be hard to beat the views of the Fox family’s dairy operation at the Ephrata farmstead location, but this second location has a vibe of its own. The two locations are similar in that both have a country market that features locally made products. Both also offer hand-made waffle cones and bowls, but in Leola, the operation is located out front just before the ice cream cases, which provides guests waiting in line with a “maker moment.” There’s also an outdoor children’s play area at both locations. However, Leola has seating in the main level as well as a mezzanine area that opens onto a spacious outdoor deck that’s partly covered. The covered deck is a great space to enjoy lunch or ice cream treats in a drizzle (and I can say that from first-hand experience!).

Ice cream is made at both locations, and there’s a wide variety of year-round flavors, some of which are unique combinations (such as honeyed lavender). Some favors, such as lemon lush and red velvet cream cheese, are seasonal or “featured” flavors. It’s hard to pick just one flavor favorite – I usually have two scoops in a waffle cone, with one of the scoops always being brown butter almond brickle. Fox Meadows offers shakes, floats, frappes and other treats including the signature Baked Fox (a hot-pressed outer shell that could be a brownie, chocolate chip cookie or seasonal offering with a scoop of ice cream in the center). It truly is an ice cream treat! Ice cream isn’t the only item on the menu – Fox Meadows also has lunch offerings. Information: Foxmeadowscreamery.com.

Lickity Split Restaurant, New Holland 

Lickety Split photo, Facebook

Enjoy a “blast from the past” with Lickity Split’s fun, ice cream parlor style that offers seating at a counter in front of the expansive front window, as well as at tables and booths for enjoying lunch, dinner or ice cream. 

Menu items include appetizers such as pretzel nuggets, salads (with or without proteins like grilled chicken, buffalo chicken, turkey or chicken salad), soups (including the signature creamy dill pickle) made in-house with locally sourced ingredients, wraps and grilled sandwiches. Several of the sandwiches have names reflecting the local community – street names, defunct newspapers, as well as a Kauffman’s Cuban, which reflects the fact that Lickity Split is housed in part of the former (and historic) Kauffman’s Hardware building. In true ice cream parlor style, there are some fun beverages – including one of my childhood favorites, a Shirley Temple – as well as Italian soda.        

The dessert menu is filled with tempting ice cream treats. In addition to milkshakes, ice cream floats, scoops (including a petite scoop for kids or adults who want a bit of ice cream but don’t want to overindulge) and sundaes. Those who can’t decide what flavor to choose can order a flight of four small dishes of ice cream. Specialties also include a waffle and ice cream sandwich (a wonderful reminder of a treat that can sometimes be found at local fairs). Information: Lickitysplit.info. 

Shady Maple Smorgasbord, East Earl 

Shady Maple’s smorgasbord is 200-feet of Pennsylvania Dutch goodness. Breakfast, lunch and dinner items are available on the sumptuous buffet and grill stations during specific times, and there’s an early bird lunch special on Saturdays. Shady Maple guests can celebrate their birthday with a free meal with the purchase of an adult smorgasbord (see website for details).

Breakfast items include omelets and pancakes prepared to order on the grill as well as bacon, waffles, oatmeal, scrapple, fruit and baked goods. Lunch items include carved smoked beef brisket, a salad bar (with 46 items including real bacon bits), soups, homemade breads and rolls, cheeses, meats, 14 vegetables/sides (including brown buttered noodles), pies, cakes and hot desserts (such as apple crisp) and a sundae bar. Dinner offerings include buffet items as well as daily features and grill specials. 

Seating is available at booths or tables. While you’re waiting to be seated or after your meal, be sure to check out Shady Maple’s collection of Aaron and Abner Zook 3-D paintings that are on display throughout the main level of the restaurant. The expansive gift shop on the lower level is also worth a look. Information: Shady-maple.com. 

The Golden Guernsey

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In the shadow of the Welsh Mountains, a small herd of Guernsey cows grazes the rolling pasture. Operated by Dina and Kevin Stoltzfus, Warwick Manor Farm is the source of the milk, ice cream and butter that are sold under the Golden Guernsey label at Yoder’s Country Market in New Holland.

Golden Guernsey’s strawberry, peach and blueberry cheesecake ice cream equates to summer in a bowl. As for the strawberry, it features generously large pieces of strawberries and bold flavor. The peach is luscious, with a robust, bright peach flavor and creamy mouthfeel. Blueberry is super sweet (as the name implies) and has an almost savory undertone. Lots of textures at play.

Dina’s parents, John and Darlene Yoder, started the market in 1980. The enterprise along Route 23 has grown to include a grocery, bake shop, restaurant, banquet space and pharmacy. The Yoders’ daughters, Dina and Denise, as well as their families, have all been involved in the business in different capacities. 

When Dina and Kevin started farming together, they named Warwick Manor Farm in honor of the dairy farm his grandparents operated in Chester County, through which they offered a home delivery service from 1947 until the early 1980s. (Those days may seem a distant memory, but grocery delivery services offered by DoorDash and Whole Foods have modernized the concept.) Today, the Stoltzfus family is involved in farming the land and milking the 50-cow herd.

Warwick Manor Farm in East Earl is home to Yoder’s Golden Guernsey cows and the Stoltzfus family.

“We go to extreme lengths to keep things clean and comfortable for the cows,” says Kevin. Milked twice daily – typically at 4 a.m. and again at 4 p.m. – each milking takes about an hour. During those times, the compost bedding is tilled over in the empty dairy barn. After the morning milking, the herd spends the day in the barn or pasture, resting and grazing on grass. Cows have four compartments in their stomachs and “chew the cud” to digest food properly, often while lying down. Rest is a key component to the health of a dairy cow, and these Guernsey cows have ample room to stretch out.

The dairy barn on the farm is a repurposed warehouse. The structure offers higher ceilings and a larger footprint than is typical for a herd of 50 cows. What some farmers may consider excessive, Kevin considers essential. Fans and expansive windows allow for maximum ventilation to keep the cows cool in the summer. Herd health also ensures the highest quality buttermilk fat content and optimal milk production. 

Making Ice Cream

From the farm, the milk travels a few miles down the road to Yoder’s Country Market. “The milk left the farm this morning and it’ll be in bottles at noon,” says Kevin of that morning’s yield. Viewable through a window at the market, Golden Guernsey milk is bottled and then sold a few feet away. “The next day, the cream is added to milk and ingredients to make ice cream mix,” he explains.

Kevin Stoltzfus stops to pet one of the Guernsey cows as he makes his way through the barn. According to Kevin, cows can be extremely curious around people, particularly if they’ve been around them from birth.

“Every ice cream starts with a base mix,” Kevin continues. “Milk, cream, sugar, stabilizer, from there it’s adding flavoring. If we make a 200-gallon base mix, we can split that and turn 100 of that into vanilla, and 100 into strawberry.” Offering 25 varieties, plus additional seasonal flavors, as well as several no-sugar-added options, Golden Guernsey’s regular ice cream flavors are available in pint, half-gallon, gallon and three-gallon containers.

Grass feed grown on the farm makes up the majority of the Guernsey diet. The grass is rich in beta-carotene, a key nutrient in their milk.

A unique benefit of having an interconnected dairy, market and restaurant relates to instant consumer feedback. For example, customers at the restaurant can try new ice cream flavors, allowing Kevin to receive feedback from the restaurant staff who work the dipping cabinet that offers six flavors. “We can tell if a new flavor went over really well in our store sales, and I’ll just go over to the restaurant and ask how it did in the dipping cabinet,” he says. The most popular special varieties have a chance of becoming regular flavors.

Resting is a key element of herd health and productivity. Here the cows have ample room to rest and chew their cuds.

Restaurant guests are often surprised to learn that the ice cream is made on the premises. “People often say, ‘Oh, this is your own ice cream?’” Dina says, adding that having it available in the store plays into the concept of instant gratification, as guests can take home the same ice cream they enjoyed with their meal. 

Milk and Cream

We can’t talk about ice cream making without discussing how dairy milk and cream are allocated. Full-fat Guernsey milk starts at around 5 to 5.5% fat by weight. To make whole, reduced-fat and skim milk, fat is “skimmed” off milk to leave the right amount behind. “Skim milk has no cream,” says Kevin. “Whole milk, you’re leaving 3.25%. That process leaves you with cream. State law requires whole milk to be [at least] 3.25% fat. Skim milk cannot go over .5% fat [Yoder’s is .2%]. It’s pasteurized and run through a separator to separate the cream out for different fat levels you want in the milk,” he adds.

Cindy Miller bottles Golden Guernsey milk at Yoder’s Country Market. Whole milk must be a minimum of 3.25% milk fat by weight, and skim milk is set at .5% milk fat. Labels are applied to plastic milk jugs by hand. Milk is available in glass bottles.

Milk bottled between whole and skim varieties can be at any defined percentage set by the dairy and its capacity. “Whatever your label says, 1%, 2% – ours is 1.5% – that’s what it needs to be,” says Kevin. 

The size and productivity of the herd define how many products are available from the dairy. As a smaller dairy, Golden Guernsey uses the reserved cream (from offering 1.5%, and not 2%) to increase ice cream and butter production. For comparison, butter is 80% butterfat, while heavy cream is usually above 36%. If you’ve seen signs along the road stating, “Drink Local Whole Milk 97% Fat-Free”, it’s simply a repositioning of milk’s 3% fat content.

The creamery section at Yoder’s Country Market features chocolate milk that has a creamy but light texture.

If you’ve ever heard of or seen a “cream line” in milk, that’s where homogenization comes in. Like pulp in orange juice, homogenization is for the convenience and aesthetic of not needing to shake milk (like in the old days) when the cream rises to the top. The process doesn’t change the percentage of fat content in bottled milk, it only skims off larger fat particles. Pasteurization is simply the process of heating milk to 161 degrees F held for at least 15 seconds. This kills potential bacteria, such as E. coli, listeria and salmonella, while preventing possible diseases such as tuberculosis. Nothing is added in either process.

Foodies take note: selling milk with a fat content over 3.25% is left up to the dairy. Kevin has considered selling premium, full-fat, pasteurized milk, without any cream removed, leaving it at over 5% milk fat by weight. But doing so would affect the other products, as cream available for making ice cream or butter would be reduced, necessitating a premium price. However, this would be an excellent option for baking, cheesemaking, lattes … anywhere a richer milk is desirable.

The Golden Guernsey

Not all dairy breeds of cattle are equal, nor is their milk. Of the seven standard dairy cow varieties in the United States, black-and-white Holsteins are easily recognizable. Guernseys, which are light brown with white spots, originated from the Isle of Guernsey in the English Channel. Their not-so-distant neighbors, Jersey cattle, are from the Isle of Jersey. Both isles are located near the coastline of France but are part of the United Kingdom. 

“Guernsey and Jersey [cows] milk are the most similar,” says Kevin. “They’re like first cousins. Of all the milk, they’re a higher fat content, a higher protein.” With a grass-fed diet high in beta carotene (think carrots), “Guernseys pass beta carotene into their milk, and that gives it the golden color,” he continues. 

Guernsey milk is sometimes advertised as A2/A2 milk. In simple terms, it’s more easily digestible for most people, offering better nutrient absorption, thanks to the beta-casein protein it contains. That’s different from both a milk allergy (immune reaction) and lactose intolerance (inability to digest lactose, a milk sugar) perspective. If the milk in your coffee or eating ice cream gives you a mild upset stomach, Golden Guernsey might be a better option. Another tip: choose whole milk over skim. Any milk with a higher percentage of fat means there is a lower percentage of lactose by volume.

Reasons to Celebrate Ice Cream

Containers of Golden Guernsey ice cream are ready for purchase at Yoder’s.

July 17 is National Ice Cream Day. If another 30 days would help to satisfy your craving, July is National Ice Cream Month. After you recover from the July brain freeze, National Chocolate Milkshake Day is September 12, not to be confused with the informal Ice Cream for Breakfast Day, next February 1.

For more information, visit yoderscountrymarket.com/guernsey-milk.

Recess! In the Courtyard

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Recess! For a kid, that word ranks up there with “Christmas” and “snow day.” For the parents of Sacred Heart School students and the parishioners of Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, Recess! In the Courtyard means a fun, annual fundraiser that encourages the kid in everyone to come out to play. 

The schoolyard brought out the kid in everyone!

Putt-a-looza, Bulls-eye Blitz and Baskets for Brew are just a few of the catchy challenges that caught the attention of the 175 gaming guests who lined up to support the 114-year-old Sacred Heart School’s ever-growing list of budget items. Students will benefit from the event through upgrades to classrooms, professional development for its teachers and, hopefully, the resurfacing of the schoolyard. 

Among the grownup-style playground games and silent auction items, two special guests attracted the most fans. Sister Eileen Barnett and Sister Georgiana Connell – two nuns from the Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary – returned for the event, having retired from the Sacred Heart faculty in March 2024. 

Guests also gathered in the gym to socialize, reminisce and support the 114-year-old school.

When asked, “How are you enjoying retirement, Sister Georgiana?” she replied, “Retired? Oh, we’re still active.” Both she and Sister Eileen, now in their 80s, work daily at their new residence, Camilla Hall in Malvern (the Convent Home and Healthcare Center of the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary), where they care for sick and infirmed Sisters.

Chip Snyder makes the toss and scores!

With 27 years as a classroom and learning support teacher, cafeteria supervisor, weekly mass coordinator and development assistant at Sacred Heart behind her, Sister Eileen also served as Honorary Chair of this year’s Recess! In the Courtyard. She was also feted for her years of service and love of all things Philadelphia. When faculty member Julia Hartman quizzed her from the stage on her Philadelphia sports knowledge, Sister Eileen all but aced the test, providing answers that ranged from Wilt Chamberlain to Bryce Harper. 

Franc Genoese sinks a basket!

A bronze plaque designed by local artist and Sacred Heart parishioner, Richard Ressel, will be unveiled later this year to honor the many Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary who served Sacred Heart School from 1910 to 2024. It will include the order’s prayer that has been said at the school every morning since 1910.

Bob Krimmel tests his skills at the Putt-a-looza game.

School principal, Kathy Alton, had earlier collected comments from the students to share with guests, having asked the children to express what Sacred Heart means to them. “I don’t want the school year to end,” said a fifth grader. “I was new here. I was behind when I came but the teacher worked with me and now, I’m all caught up!” shared another. “It’s a welcoming place,” added another student. “Passed down through my family, Sacred Heart means being around good people.” Principal Alton agreed: “It’s a top-notch faith-based school that serves a niche in the city, a special place because of the families and the teachers.”

The tightly knit community of parishioners continued to give their support when the live auction got underway. Perhaps a newly resurfaced schoolyard will become a reality! 

Philly sports fan, Sister Eileen, receives a special gift.
Left to right: Monsignor Richard Yountz, Hon. Lawrence F. Stengel (Ret.) and school principal, Kathy Alton.
Sister Eileen Barnett and Sister Georgiana Connell.
Christina Weaver and Mary Anne Aichele, a Sacred Heart alum whose family boasts three generations of Sacred Heart students.
Seated: Dr. Edward and Barbara Maley, with Kathy Alton and Pastor Michael Metzgar.
Students made signage for the event.

As alumni reminisced in the school’s vintage-style gym, old friendships were renewed. Sisters Eileen and Georgiana warmly smiled as they made their personal farewells. One could hear Sister Eileen, full of hope and optimism, remark: “How about those Phillies!”

Information: Sacredheartschlanc.org

Jennifer Gareis Remains Attached to Her Lancaster Roots

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Lancaster native, Jennifer Gareis, enjoys her exciting life as an actress – namely playing Donna Logan on the CBS soap opera, The Bold and the Beautiful, a role that earned her a Best Supporting Performance in a Daytime Drama Series nomination in the 51st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards. 

Photo by Howard Smith

Despite being immersed in the glitz of the Los Angeles entertainment world for some three decades, Jennifer still considers Lancaster to be home. A 1988 graduate of J.P. McCaskey High School, Jennifer returns to South Central Pennsylvania at least three times a year and is proud of the fact that she has retained the deeply rooted values of the region throughout her acting career.

“When I moved to L.A., I just didn’t get into all the stuff that people here get into,” she says of designer clothes and other superficial trappings. Growing up in Lancaster, she recalls, “I never bought a designer anything. I drove simple, safe cars. I guess I’m still that way.” Not that Jennifer never goes to the Chanel Boutique in Beverly Hills – she has shopped there – but it’s not something she does often. At heart, she is still a down-to-earth Lancaster gal. “It’s an amazing town to grow up in,” Jennifer adds. “It’s all about family, family, family.”

Jennifer – the daughter of retired radiologist Dr. John and Delores Gareis – was the fourth of their five children, and the youngest girl in the German-English bilingual family. She grew up in a house on a wooded lot that straddled the border of the Lancaster and Penn Manor school districts. She recalls that her family enjoyed friendships with several Amish families in the area and has fond memories of going to their homes and sitting around tables illuminated by gas lamps. When Jennifer and her children, Gavin and Sophia, visit Lancaster, she has dinner with Amish friends. Viewing the beautiful farmland “never grows old – I like that it makes it so picturesque,” she says.

After high school, Jennifer enrolled at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, and thought she might be an engineer. But, feeling homesick, she returned home and transferred to Franklin & Marshall College. At both schools, Jennifer was on the swim team, earning All-American honors over the course of three years. “My head was underwater more than it was above,” she jokes. 

While in college, as an exchange student in Spain, her host family encouraged Jennifer to enter a Spanish beauty pageant – and, after doing back flips on the stage and wowing the judges, she broke a tie and won! This sparked a new passion for pageants, and when she returned to the United States, Jennifer competed in and won the Miss Hawaiian Tropic title two years in a row. 

Meanwhile, as she somehow juggled academics, swimming and pageants, Jennifer learned that many of her fellow pageant contestants wanted to become actors. A new dream sparked in her. “I had no idea what they were talking about,” Jennifer recalls. “They clued me in about places they took acting classes. I thought, ‘OK, I think I can do that, too.’”

After graduating with an accounting degree in 1993, Jennifer received a job offer from Ernst & Young in Philadelphia. Instead, she took a different direction and moved to New York to study acting. She fell in love with the art. Meanwhile, she competed in and won the Miss New York pageant (1994), and placed in the top six during the 1996 Miss USA pageant. 

Jennifer then moved to Southern California, where she began auditioning for acting roles and ultimately broke into soap operas with the role of Grace Turner on CBS’s The Young and the Restless, in 1997.

“Hollywood is all about youth,” she reports. “You’ve got to get out here as soon as you can and as young as you can.”

At the same time, Jennifer enrolled in an MBA program at Pepperdine University, taking classes while she acted. She always had planned to go back to school. “They can always take that job away from me, but they can’t take that MBA away from me,” she theorizes.

One day, while she was amid two difficult classes at Pepperdine, executive producer Bradley Bell called her to discuss a three-year contract with CBS’s sister soap, The Bold and the Beautiful. In 2006, she began her role as Donna Logan, a character who has been on and off the show over the years but has been key to the storyline for the past year. 

Jennifer was once again involved in a juggling act, as she managed to take one class per semester at Pepperdine and tackle the grueling, often two-episodes-a-day schedule of filming the show. She achieved three milestones in 2010: marrying Bobby Ghassemieh, graduating from Pepperdine, and having her first baby. “I don’t prefer juggling; I really prefer doing one thing at a time,” Jennifer admits.  “But, when you’re handed an opportunity, you’ve got to take it.”

How Well Do You Know Your Vacation Spot?

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Unblemished natural beauty. Dam tours. And a mysterious lake monster. Lancastrians may (or may not) experience these at Raystown Lake, which has become one of our favorite vacation destinations.

The dock area at Raystown Lake.

In the summer of 2023, more than 24,000 vacationing Lancastrians made their way to Raystown Lake in Huntingdon County. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the project controlling the Raystown Branch of the Juniata River, which created the lake.

In September 2023, I stood atop the 225-foot-tall spillway on the northernmost point of the lake. Large enough at its precipice to accommodate a line of tractor trailers, the sloping wall of concrete is surrounded by greenlake water and edged by sedimentary rocks. The 28-mile-long lake is at my back. Below are two 40-ton, 45-feet-tall by 45-feet-wide metal gates. One thousand cubic feet of water per second would spill through to the valley below if these gates were to open only one foot. This is the failsafe for the earthwork dam itself, which stands 40 feet above me and a quarter mile away.

Down We Go!

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began construction of a dam in 1968, and the lake was officially opened for recreational use on June 6, 1974. “You are some of the first folks in 10 years to come out onto the dam and into the spillway,” says Corps ranger Scott Graham, as a small group of writers from around Pennsylvania descend to the first level. The engine room is filled with a constant buzz and will allow the dam to stay functional and self-reliant without outside power for over a month – in case of emergency. This is the point of no return for those who might have trouble going down and back up 101 stairs. There is no elevator. Messages from those who visited here for the dam’s 40th anniversary in 2014 are scrawled with colorful marker on the concrete walls.

Corps rangers include, left to right, Quinn Ritter, Scott Graham, Jenna Conner and Evann McLucas.

The deeper we go, we encounter more evidence of the lake’s pressure behind us. Water, now slowly and almost invisibly, seeps in from every possible point – hinges on doorways, fittings on large pipes, and even through the inaccessible porousness of the concrete. “Seeps,” not leaks, says Scott. On the lower level a trough filled with water sits between the floor and the wall. At 40 feet below the lake’s surface Scott describes the engineering of the dam and how it maintains water level, which positively affects local fish and wildlife and recreational activities above. “The water in here is supposed to be here, you are welcome to touch it,” Scott adds, as I bend down and dip my fingers in to the first knuckle. It is cold and clear.

Organized by the Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau for the 50th anniversary, public tours like this one sold out almost immediately. Interest in visiting the dam far outweighed the availability of rangers to provide tours.

Getting A View

While getting an inside tour may be a tough ticket, viewing the lake, dam and ridgeline is easy, free and beautiful. Raystown Lake was dedicated and opened for recreation by Vice President Gerald Ford, who called the dam and lake a tremendous asset not only to Central Pennsylvania, but to the entire nation. For the event, the Corps built the Pagoda at Raystown Dam, which provides stunning views of the lake. A viewing area is also located below the spillway.

The pavilion offers stunning views of the lake.

The best overhead view of the dam is from Ridenour Overlook, which is only a short drive from the dam itself. A series of hiking trails with views lead visitors through the wilderness around the lake. Waterfront nuptials take place at Wedding Pointe at the Lake Raystown Resort. More camping and outdoor activities are located further up the lake at Seven Points Recreation Area.

A view from the surface of the lake presents unspoiled natural beauty. Raystown Lake is unique because its shoreline is filled with natural flora and fauna. There are no houses or other private structures (the Corps purchased the property rights all the way to the ridgeline).

The First Effects

The folks at Raystown Lake Region recognize and empathize with those who lived on the land before it became a lake. Nomadic hunter-gatherers first inhabited the land, followed by the Susquehannock people. At a panel discussion during my tour, guest speakers Clair Grove, whose 210-acre family farm is now underneath the lake, and Robert Klugiewicz, who was the director of Huntingdon County Business and Industry during construction, reflected on the impact.

The view from Ridenour Overlook.

“I came out of the Air Force in 1955 and I took over the family farm. We had a mill, dairy cows and a maple business my father started in 1914. It was sort of a letdown when I heard they were gonna bury my maple trees. I wasn’t the only one. I can remember when this was a wheat field,” recalled Clair, pointing out of the window of the Raystown Lake Visitor Center.

Robert spearheaded the effort to have the vice president attend the dedication. The project, while removing family homes and livelihoods, would create future growth in an area then suffering with 67% unemployment. “It was great vision by community leaders to see how this project would entice visitors and jobs to the area,” says Robert. 

In his July 6, 1974, remarks, Ford noted, “I think we should also recognize the sacrifices made by hundreds of persons who gave up their cottages, homes and farms so that the project could become a reality. Monetary awards could never repay those who relinquished lands and homes of a lifetime. They gave much.”

Raystown Ray And Friends

The business community has joined in the anniversary celebration. Local stores are marking the occasion by decorating windows, some depicting the loveable “lake monster” known as Raystown Ray. Local winemaker ReKlaimed Vines released their Raystown Red with a label depicting Ray relaxing in the lake. The Huntingdon County Arts Council is hosting a special exhibit with a 50th anniversary theme. Commemorative merchandise is available at local gift shops. And the area’s premier coffee roaster, Standing Stone Coffee Company, has released a 50th Anniversary Blend with a percentage of sales going to the Friends of Raystown Lake.

It is a momentous year to be “at the lake,” whether it is a first time visit or the annual family outing.

For more information, visit raystown.org.

Leola Produce Auction

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Leola is home to a Pennsylvania first … a produce auction that set a precedent in enabling local farmers to market and sell their produce and seasonal products. 

As seen in the parking lot of the Leola Produce Auction, horses from the neighboring farm strolled over to greet equine visitors.

Founded in 1985, the Leola Produce Auction is the first auction house of its kind in the state, in that it exists with the purpose of providing local farmers with a way to widen their scope and reach customers from beyond the immediate area, as well as get product into the supply chain in a timely manner. Its success has inspired the introduction of similar auctions in the county, the region and across the country. The auctions are owned by groups of farmers, overseen by boards of directions and managed by personnel such as Michael Snyder, who is Leola’s market manager.  

The auction was a busy place the day we visited. The flower selection was amazing and the produce provided evidence that summer was on its way. Skid loaders whirled around the complex, moving product in and out. The Leola Produce Auction was the first of its kind to open in Pennsylvania; its success inspired similar auctions to open in the county, across the region and throughout the country.

The ongoing success of the Leola Produce Auction is also reflected in its recent expansion that saw the addition of a 71,790-square-foot canopy, which allows for more products to be displayed and multiple auctions to be conducted simultaneously. By day’s end (typically early afternoon), everything has been sold and is making its way along the supply chain.

Jordan and I stopped by on an auction day in mid-May and were wowed by the selection of produce and flowers. The auction typically attracts personnel from garden centers, farm markets, restaurants, groceries, institutions and other outlets. On the day we visited, the parking lot was filled with quite a few vehicles from Maryland. Apparently, that’s par for the course, as the auction attracts customers from all over the Mid-Atlantic region. The offerings at the auction, which is open from March to November, reflect the changing seasons, with specialty items ranging from flowers (spring) to pumpkins and gourds (October) and trees, wreaths and greens (November). The farm-grown produce also follows the calendar. 

The Penn State Extension is supportive of the auction system and occasionally hosts tours for groups comprised of restaurant and institution personnel, makers and those with food-system interests. In a press release, the extension explained the strategy is relatively simple, noting, “It’s  one thing to talk about auctions in a classroom, but being there and hearing the auctioneers, seeing and smelling the produce up close … it really brings the concept to life.” We have to agree with those sentiments. 

The auction also gives back to the community. As many of the owners and sellers represent Lancaster’s Plain sects, each year the Leola Produce Auction is the site of a benefit for the Clinic for Special Children, which recently relocated from Strasburg to Gordonville. You name it – carriages, carts, quilts, furniture, farm supplies, garden needs, tools and the list goes on – and it probably is an auction item. The food selection is also outstanding. This year’s auction, which was number 33, was held June 15. 

Information: Leolaproduce.com.

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