2011 Granary Gourmet Dinner

 EIGHTH ANNUAL GOURMET GRANARY CANDLELIGHT DINNER, 

SATURDAY, September 17, 6:30 p.m.

in the historic THOMPSON GRANARY. 

The ten course NORTH AFRICAN dinner was created and catered by CHEF TOM EVERLY, the “LEMONT SOUP GUY”and PASTRY CHEF, JULIE MEISER RIOUX.

The meal that was served was chosen because the North African region is so much in the recent news. All of the recipes are from Algeria, Morocco, Libya, and Tunisia. This area was the center of the spice trade from Asia and Southern Africa to Europe. North African cuisine is generally simply treated and healthful. 

• Appetizer: Lamb Meatballs with Apricots or Vegetarian – Grilled Vegetables with Balsamic Vinegar
• Soup Course: Lamb Yoghurt or Vegetarian Yoghurt Barley
• Fish Course: Casablanca Salad, with or without Fish
• Releve’ – Pork Loin with Moroccan Spices or Vegetarian – Olive Stuffed Peppers
• Entrée: Marrakech Style Chicken, Rice with Pistachios & Orange Water – Riz el Tammar or Pasta with Spiced Chick Pea Sauce and Rice with Pistachios and Orange Water
• Salad Course: Tossed Salad with Lemon Juice and Olive Oil Cheese and 
• Fruit Course: Local Cheeses and Dates
• Dessert: Julie Meiser Rioux Speciality
• Served with Turkish Coffee from Bill’s Cheese Shoppe

The laws of hospitality are strictly observed in the Moslem world. Any stranger at the door or entrance of a tent, well dressed or poorly attired, will be met by the master of the house and bid to come in, and served whatever is ready to eat. 

Peace be upon you.

6th Annual Farm Tour - 6 August 2011

The sixth annual Central PA Farm Tour provided visitors an opportunity to see just what Buy Local Buy Fresh means, where our locally grown food products are produced and to meet our local farmers. 

"Our goal is to connect you with the farms in Central PA offering you the best in healthy, sustainably raised food. We hope your experience will leave you with an understanding of how critical local and organic food systems are to preserving the beautiful agrarian landscape of rural Centre County." PASA

Having prepared for this tour all week, gathering maps, directions, GPS settings, poncho, umbrella, bottled water, and sturdy shoes, one would have thought I was going to visit the most remote region in the State.


I set out Noon on Saturday and headed up over Centre Hall Mountain to Rt. 45 towards Spring Mills, then Millheim for my first stop, Penns Valley Learning Garden.  


The mist of rain that had fallen most of the morning turned in to a full force pounding of water, wipers barely keeping up.  Not discouraged, I continued on, through Spring Mills, past farm after farm now barely visible through the storm, towards the Millheim Legion, and The Learning Garden. 

Penns Valley Learning Garden

The Penns Valley Learning Garden is located in Millheim PA behind the pavilion at the American Legion, post 444.  After checking in and being greeted by Maggie the friendly wet lab, our tour guide Brian Burger of New Harmony Farmstead took us over to this wonderful garden.  

This community run garden produces herbs and vegetables, as well as tests innovative techniques for season extension and pest management techniques.  We learned about cover cropping, mulching, composting, and companion planting.  The Learning Garden has plans for expansion to include a herbal garden and 1,000-gallon rainwater collection system.  The tour was hands-on, I especially enjoyed crushing and smelling the leaves of the many varieties of plants--it was heavenly.

One of the coolest 'frames' was this tee-pee style, pictured below,  supporting “scarlet runner beans” which produces bright orange flowers and attracts a variety of butterflies--a great way to grow plants, minimize space, and enjoy nature.

After rechecking my directions to my next stop, Stone Meadow Farm, headed out and north through Millheim and Aaronsburg and on towards Woodward.


Stone Meadow Farm

Stone Meadow Farm is owned by Brian Futhey and is a 'generational' dairy, located a few miles off of Rt. 45.  I was familiar with Stone Meadow having bought their products at the local farmer's markets in and around State College.


Winding my way down the narrow Quarry Road, the rain had slowed once again to a mist.  Drivers need to be careful driving as I encountered a number of Amish buggies as I headed towards the farm.  After pulling in to the designated parking area, off on foot to check in again, and yes, be greeted by another wet dog!  


While waiting for one tour to end and ours to begin, just had to visit with the heifers.  Those old enough, will remember when the Penn State Dairy barns were on campus and spending a Sunday afternoon with the cows was a fun and inexpensive way to keep the kids busy!  I still love talking to cows.

Stone Meadow Farm Cheeses includes Cheddar, Camembert, Colby and Baby Swiss to name a few, and can be found at our local farmers markets, co-ops and natural foods stores.

We started in the cheese making room where the milk is loaded in to a large steel vat, processed in to curd, and loaded on to a presser, turning out 40 lbs blocks of cheese.   From there, we moved on and up to the milking room, where the milk is piped in from the milking stalls in to another large steel vat, more processing, and then piped down to the cheese room.  


Leaving the milking room, and on to the stalls where the cows are milked once a day (another interesting story).  We learned in this area it is critical to ensure sanitary cleaning of the cows teats--before and after.  The cows know the routine, step up 16 inches into the stall, get milked, and then walk out the other side. 


From the milking stall, we wound our way down to the cold room where cheese is stored and aged.  The cold room was a blast of icy relief after the warm and humid outside.  Depending upon the cheese, they may be in the cold room a day or weeks.  Various cheeses are stacked and dated waiting to go out to a farm market, co-op, or retailer like Nature's Pantry.  

Leaving Stone Meadow Farm, one more stop on the tour.  The Pipers Peck located on Valley View Road, Bellefonte.


The Pipers Peck


The Piper's Peck farm grows a wide variety of peppers and tomatoes on a hillside outside of Bellefonte, specializing in hot pepper products.


Owner Janet Robinson grows these peppers and tomatoes, processes them in a small kitchen, and produces a large selection of salsa, hot barbecue sauce,  pepper jelly, dried hot peppers (including chipotle), and a line of fruit jams and jellies.  The Piper's Peck may be found in local farmer's markets, retailers, mail order, and over the internet.

Janet greeted me at her tent, handed me a bag to pick some pepper samples, and off we went up the side of the hill to the pepper garden.  She explained her growing process, types of peppers--who knew there were so many types--hot, sweet, jalapeno, habaneros, and my new favorite banana!  Leaving the garden, we stepped in to a small well-equipped kitchen where the canning process takes place.  From here, we walked backed down the hill to the tent, where I picked up some Black Bean Salsa and Hot Banana Peppers.

From Valley View, it was a short drive, down a long winding road to home.

My five hour journey had ended.  Yes, I was wet, hot, had muddy 'sturdy shoes', but,  I was loaded down with information, gardening tips and tricks, informational handouts, and products from the places I had visited.  


Perhaps best of all, I met some wonderful and passionate entrepreneurs who want those of us in central Pennsylvania to have healthy, locally grown, sustainably raised products.  What could be better than that?

LINKS
For more information on these farms and others visit:
The Piper's Peck
Penn's Valley Conservation News
Farm Aid - Stone Meadow Farm Story

Flag of Company B - 1864

My great great grandfather was Conrad Petsinger 

His story of hiding the American flag in his clothing has been passed down every generation.  My sister visited Soldiers and Sailor Memorial Hall in Pittsburgh PA and was able to see the flag and photograph it.  As the picture shows, the white stripes are in fairly good condition, the red ones are tattered.  Upon seeing the pictures on my iPhone my Mom said "it makes me shiver."  It was hard for her to comprehend she was viewing the flag that she had heard about as a young girl.  

Historic Lemont Village and Strawberry Festival

"The village of Lemont grew as a result of its position at the end of Nittany Mountain and its location at an important early crossroads, functioning for decades as a  transport/commercial center."

I have driven through Lemont hundreds of times, but most times staying close to the main road, while rushing to the quaint post office or stopping by the Cafe Lemont for a Latte and bite to eat.  


But, today was different.  Today the Lemont Village Association Strawberry Festival pulled me further back, up the hills to the Village Green and Granary.  

"The completion of the railroad further enhanced commercial activity in Lemont, much of it directly connected with transportation. Thompson and Company erected a large side for unloading farm machinery, as well as for loading grain, fruit, hay, and livestock brought in for shipment by local farmers."

"By 1877 track had been laid as far as Spring Mills, in eastern Centre County. In 1880 the corporate name was changed to the Lewisburg and Tyrone Railroad Company, with immediate plans to complete the line to Bellefonte.  In 1885, growth continued eastward along the foothill of Nittany Mountain and farther north along Pike Street." 

The Granary beckoned me.  The interior of the mill is surprisingly cool and large--I am told 14 x 100 feet. The building itself, supported by huge solid beams has an indestructible feel. One can easily imagine the floors vibrating with the hum of the mill wheels as the grain was rapidly being processed.  The place smells like dust and aging wood.   Farm implements hang like ghosts on the wall.  Reminders of days long ago, hard work done by hands.


Nooks and crannies abound in the Granary.  Ladders going up, stairs steep and dark going down, somewhere I did not go this day.  A door artistically painted draws you over to take a closer look.  Streets sign in a jumble become an artistic sculpture.  It was quiet on this journey in to the past, a cocoon of history and long ago times wrapping itself around you, if you let it.

The 30^th Annual Strawberry Festival, benefits the Granary Project of the Lemont Village Association.  Money raised goes toward continuation of the work for restoration of the buildings and toward construction of proper rest room amenities and storage space.

Strawberry smoothies made by a bicycle powered blender run by the Centre Region Bicycle Coalition

My journey off the main road and back into the Village was truly a walk back in time to a quieter and more simple era.

For more information about this treasure in our midst, Lemont, and future sponsored events by Lemont Village Association, it is worth a visit to their web site

Lemont Village Association.  

or 

Visit Living Places to read more about Lemont's history.

Event Map

Venue Setup

Seven Mountains Interior View

Generosity is Magical

I had the opportunity to attend the most amazing fundraiser yesterday.   Those living in Central PA know, this has been one of the coldest and rainiest Aprils on record. This in itself might have served as an excuse for well meaning folks to stay home in their warm, dry, and cozy living rooms. 

Amazing, because as what started out as a drizzling, cold and gloomy April day incredibly transformed itself into a sunny, warm, and blue sky panorama. The magic were the scores of generous supporters who, at first, slowly trickled in to the park, then streamed, and finally became a roaring river of support for one small 8 year old boy with brain cancer.

Smoke billowed from grills churning out MOG burgers, hot dogs, and grilled chicken.  Long tables were laden with HOPE slaw, mac'n cheese, baked beans.  Homemade cupcakes decorated for Spring and cookies of every variety adorned the final 'leg' of the food journey. 

Summer sounds resounded throughout the park.  Music from guitars, fiddle, and tambourine.  The whack of a ball, glad shouts from the swings, voices of children racing to grab as many of the 5000 candy and prize filled Easter eggs, as fast as short legs could carry them.

This surely was generosity at a grass roots level.   On this day, there were no well meaning but often distant checks written.  This was volunteers, musicians, family, friends, giving of their time and energy to let one small boy and his family know, we care about you. 

Yes, it was an amazing and magical day of pure generosity.

Old Hands - What A Story They Tell

Old Hands

Old hands, what a story they can tell.  Hands once young and smooth, now crinkled and wrinkled with age like the bark of an aged oak tree in the woods. 

Hands first clasped together sixty-three years ago on the threshold of a journey together, hands now clasped together in love and support and whispering "I am here with you."

Hands that lovingly tended three babies, hands that brushed away the tears of a young girl, hands that smoothed away the heat of a fever.  Hands that taught you how to bat a ball, ride a bike, and thread a worm on a hook. 

Hands that reached out to you as a young adult when life seemed difficult but wasn't really.   Hands that understood your journey and wanted to hold yours but let you walk your own path.

Hands that have come full circle as it is your turn to now lovingly smooth away the fears, brush away the tears, and whisper "I am here with you."

Hands, what a story they can tell.