Spring Glen Farm Kitchen brings Pu. Dutch tradition to Farm Show
BY SALLY BAIR
Staff Correspondent
EPHRATA - Chow chow, com
relish, apple snitz and chicken pot
pic are foods closely associated
with the Pennsylvania Dutch
tradition in Lancaster and
surrounding counties. For Spring
Glen Farm Kitchen these and
nearly 100 other items are literally
their bread and butter.
Visitors to the Pennsylvania
Farm Show in Harrisburg will be
able to purchase and sample some
of these delicious items just by
visiting the Pennsylvania Food
Marketplace. The Marketplace
has developed into one of the most
sought out areas of the mammoth
Farm Show because of the many
specialty items which are featured
there.
According to Paul Metzler, sales
manager of Spring Glen Farm
Kitchen, they decided to become a
part of it from its inception. He
recalls, “It was an unknown, and
we wondered what would happen.”
Happily for both Spring Glen and
Spring Glen Farm Kitchen, Ephrata, is well known
throughout southeastern Pennsylvania lor its wide variety of
Pennsylvania Dutch foods. This display is just a small portion
of the 100 items the company makes, including many
perishable items like soups and chicken pot pie.
A view of the kitchens at Spring Glen shows the large pots used to produce a variety of
foods from pick led Ted beet eggs to fruit spreads to chow chow. In the background, some
of the employees are peeling potatoes, an almost never-ending job with the tons of
chicken pot pie cooked there regularly.
Farm Show visitors, the result has
been beneficial.
Metzler says, “We go for the
exposure. We talk to a lot of people
from all over the state, as well as
from areas where we have far
mers’ markets. It helps get our
name before the public.”
He explained that they sell some
of their packaged products, but
they also sell one-serving sizes of
their famous cup custard and
“eggsicles,” which are red beet
eggs on a stick. There are some
other items available for im
mediate consumption.
Although the location of the
Marketplace (in the Northeast
corner of the complex) is
sometimes hard to find, Metzler
says it is becoming more popular
year after year, and there are
times when it is very crowded.
While Spring Glen is not directly
in agriculture, Metzler says, “We
are very close to it. The farmer
produces it, but somebody has to
sell it. We are the retail part of
farming and feel we are closely
Spring Glen Farm Kitchen offers a no-sugar coffee cake which is highly popular with
those who must watch the amount of sugar they consume. Here two employees, measure
out the batter for the coffee cake, including checking the weight for quality control.
identified with agriculture.”
Spring Glen is also a participant
in the Pennsylvania Department of
Agriculture’s logo program, and
has been one of six organizations
nominated for recognition for the
last three years.
Metzler says they are in total
agreement with the logo program
and they try to incorporate the logo
whenever possible. They use it on
product labels, letterhead, and
invoices. “It makes people aware
when they spot the logo, that the
product is from Pennsylvania. It
has been helpful,” he points out.
“We are producing in the local
area for local people.”
Actually, Spring Glen Farm
Kitchen now serves an area which
stretches from York, to
Harrisburg, to Allentown to
Coatesville. They operate out of 13
farmers markets, and have a large
trade with restaurants and retail
stores and gift shops. Metzler says
they like their primary delivery
area, which is a tight circle.
“We’ve tried to concentrate on
these areas.”
Spring Glen was founded in the
mid-40’s by Titus and Edna Sen
senig of Ephrata in their farm
kitchen. Originally they sold their
products door to door both in
Ephrata and Reading, and then
became involved in the old
Ephrata Farmers Market.
Ironically, the product they
started with, cup cheese, was
discontinued a few years ago. But
it was other Pennsylvania Dutch
products for which they became
famous, and the family operation
has now grown into a family
corporation with 115 employees,
titus and Edna remain active in the
corporation, with Titus serving as
chairman. Son Kenneth is
president, and son Dan is plant
manager.
It was Edna who came up with
the name Spring Glen Farm
Kitchen, shortly before the
business was incorporated in 1957.
Ken recalls that she named it for
the spring that was in a nearby
glen and which was used for
cooling the products. In fact, the
spring is still channeled through
the plant to assist with some
preliminary cooling.
Ken remembers that he began
working in the plants when he was
just 10 or 12, and went along to the
Ephrata market when he was just
six. Many of the first street
deliveries were made in a ‘4l
Plymouth, and later they were
made with a ‘47 panel truck.
He recalls using chipped ice in
wooden boxes to keep the products
cool. That was much different
from the fleet of modern
refrigeration trucks which now
make deliveries.
In addition to the relishes well
known among the Pennsylvania
Dutch like chow chow, apple
butter, red cabbage and com
relish, Titus developed a variety of
fruit spreads in which they do not
use sugar.
These have become very popular
and were in response to his own
diabetes. The company now also
makes some no-sugar coffee
cakes, which have found a
receptive audience.
Non-perishables, however, made
up just 15 percent of the food
production at Spring Glen. The
other 85 percent is perishable, and
includes the famous chicken pot
pie as well as a wide variety of
soups, macaroni and cheese, the
cup custards, red beet eggs, slaws
and salads of wide variety. All of
these products are sold fresh, and
ingredients are purchased locally
to the extent possible.
Although varieties of custards
vary according to the season, most
of the items remain the same
throughout the year. Chow chow,
for instance, is made every week of
the year, and production is
measured by the tons.
Metzler says Pennsylvania
Dutch foods enjoy a great
popularity because, “It is a
distinct type of cooking. We have a
saying among the Pennsylvania
Dutch that first we put in the
vinegar and then we put* in the
sugar. The Pennsylvania Dutch
are known for being good cooks.’’
It is, in fact, these good cooks
who are making the foods at Spring
Glen. Metzler says, “We employ a
lot of women who are good cooks in
their own right. We duplicate as
nearly as possible the same kind of
product you have in the home. The
flavor is very important.”
While all the foods are simple
and familiar home cooking, the
recipes are kept in a safe. Metzler
says, “We are using the same
recipes handed down in the
family.”
One big change over the years is
that now the kitchens are federally
inspected, and Metzler pointed out
that once the recipes are submitted
to the federal agencies, they must
be followed. This means con
sistency for the consumer.
Metzler says the plant is
currently being expanded to in
crease both cooling and storage
capacity. He added, “I think we.
will continue to grow. Our growth
will be steady, not spectacular. We [
will have time to plan and work at I
it.”
He said they are always looking
at new areas and new routes. He
says they have always felt they are
major contributors to a farmers'
market, and when they make a
decision to go to market, they
make a major investment with the
idea of staying and building a
market.
The company continues to taste
and ,test products, and will
sometimes make trial batches of
new items. Metzler says it is easy
for them to get feed back on the
success of a new item, because of
their contact with customers week
after week at farmers’ markets.
Occasionally they will discontinue
old products and introduce new
ones.
Metzler said that they depend on
their weekly customers for the
bulk of their business, but at
markets some impulse buying
takes place as well. The major
change of eating habits at home
has contributed to their success, be
says. With more women working
outside the home, the convenience
of their prepared foods is at
tractive.
If you’ve eaten Pennsylvania
Dutch cooking, you already knew
how good it is. If you haven’t make
sure you search out the Food
Marketplace at the Farm Show
and try some of the delicious foods
being offered by Spring Glen Farm
Kitchen.
Baked macaroni and
cheese is just one of Spring
Glen's products.