This quilt is one that Elva begin working on years ago,
but had someone else finish. The time-consuming process
for constructing the “cathedral window” coverlet contains
no quilting but involves hand piecing many fabrics.
Elva has resold hundreds of quilts from her collection
obtained through auctions and consignments. This “pos
tage stamp” quilt hangs in her foyer. She sold more than
100 quilts, 100 porcelain dolls, hundreds of dishes, and
other antiques before moving into the new house.
The Stauffer home was built on the farm, which has been In the family for almost 100
years. Elva said that she used many of the ideas in designing the home from those she
toured in previous years. Now she is reciprocating by opening her home during tne
annual Kitchen KaperTour, May 1.
Stauffer Home Open
For Ephrata Kitchen Kaper
LOU ANN GOOD
Lancaster Farming Staff
EPHRATA (Lancaster Co.)
For years, Elva Stauffer took
advantage of home tours to
garner ideas for building her
own home. Last year, she and
her husband built an expansive
Cape Cod on their farm. Now
she is opening her home for the
Ephrata Women’s Club 13th
annual Kitchen Kaper on May
1.
The popular tour is always a
sell-out because it offers a com
bination of ideas for every
homemaker. Not only are the
homes open for tour, but at each
home a different restaurant pro
vides food for tour participants
and an area florist arranges
stunning displays to coordinate
with the decor.
Some homes feature collec
tions and antiques, and Elva’s
home is no exception. On dis
play will be her collections of old
quilts, dolls, and cast iron dogs.
Elva said that “sales are in my
blood.” She inherited the “auc
tion bug” from her dad, who op
erated a weekly horse and cow
sale. One of 11 children, Elva
said that she learned to cook and
sew at an early age. Her entre
preneurship surfaced when she
was only 14 and began a small
restaurant to serve soup, sand
wiches, and baked items at her
dad’s auction site in New Hol
land.
“When I married and moved
to Ephrata, I missed my restau
rant,” Elva said.
She quickly became immersed
in helping her husband on the
farm. They had cows, chickens,
and sold produce at a roadside
stand. Elva also began holding
Stanley demonstrations and is
now in her 45th year with the
company. The couple had three
children. Now adults, son Clark
is the fifth generation Stauffer to
farm the home place. Ronald
operates Cloister Restaurant
with his mother, and daughter
Shirley lives in Canada.
Elva and her husband pur
chased the Cloister Restaurant
27 years ago. At that time, Clark
took over the farming operation,
which allowed Elva and her hus
band to work the long hours re
quired in the restaurant
business. The restaurant is well
known for its authentic Pennsyl
vania Dutch cooking such as pig
stomach and snitz and knepp.
When the Stauffers acquired
the restaurant, they thought it
best if someone on the premise
knew CPR and First Aid in case
a patron was injured. Elva took
the training.
After Elva completed train
ing, she said, “They asked me to
run with the ambulance.”
She did.
Last Saturday night, she re
ceived a plaque in appreciation
for volunteering 20 years with
the ambulance service.
For 20 years, Elva placed chil
dren in local homes through the
Fresh Air program. She is no
longer involved in that, but she
does have two Ethiopian stu
Ephrata Woman’s Club
To Hold 13th Annual
Kitchen Kaper Tiilip Tour
Monday, May 1,9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. the Woman’s Club of Ephrata will
conduct its popular kitchen/house tour and craft show. The Tour includes two
bed and breakfast homes. Four private homes, and the Eicher Arts Center.
Local restaurant chefs will offer samples of their fare at each of the homes
and floral decor will be displayed by florists and decorators.
Tickets for the Tour, for all ages including children, are $8 in advance by
contacting Marti Nissley (717) 859-2847 or Edith Graff (717) 336-4719.
Please enclose a stamped, self-addressed business-size envelope, along with
payment. Tickets on the day of the tour are $lO and are available at the
Church of the Brethren, 201 Crescent Ave„ Ephrata. The club advises visi
tors to wear comfortable walking shoes. No high heels, cameras or baby car
riages will be allowed. A listing of places open for tour include the follow
ing:
• Craft Show at Ephrata Church of the Brethren, 201 Crescent Ave.
Among the beautiful hand-crafted items will be redstone pottery, hand-paint
ed porcelain, silk flower arrangements, framed designs etched on black
painted aluminum, Scherschnitte paper cuttings, antique button jewelry,
hand-designed T-shirts, semi-precious stone jewelry, country crafts, astro
nomical photographs, and various crafts made by young people in TRACK.
• Jeff and Cindy Rutt, 954 Lincoln Hgts. Ave. A moderate, contemporary,
brick and taupe house is a true home for the millennium. The open-end
architecture of the interior with high ceilings, hardwood and tile floors and
exterior walls of many windows, give much light. This is a home of the
future. A step-down family room and a step-up computer room are both vis
ible from the living room and kitchen. Beige wood cabinetry encircles a
working island with all the newest appliances. A lighted cabinet containing
antique salt cellars and ink wells, a collection of Cindy’s grandmother’s, are
points of interest. Lily’s on Main, Main St„ will serve in the kitchen.
Brossman’s Flower and Gift Shop, 30 E. Main, is the floral decorator.
• Thomas and Julie Wettach, 1173 Marilyn Ave. The summer of 1998,
Dutch Quality Contractors refurbished the original Dutch Colonial house to
a more contemporary home. The interior open-end architecture was built
around the one remaining room, the living room. The kitchen with light oak
cabinets and an island, all new appliances, the sun room, with window walls,
and the dining room all flow through to each other. Two open gas fireplaces
add heat and enjoyment to the newly-refurbished rooms. Cloister Sweets, 7
Dutchland Ave., will serve in the kitchen. Esbenshade’s Greenhouse, 546 A
E. Division Hwy., Lititz, will do the floral arrangements.
• Twin Pine Bed & Breakfast, 1934 Main St. Innkeepers Harold and
Sylvia Stoltzfus will welcome you to Norman Kurtz’s recently-opened, ele
gant Bed & Breakfast,. Twin Pine Farm established the Kurtz homestead in
1939 by Norm’s father, Moses. Resembling a Swiss chalet, the home con
tinued renovation and expansion. Currently, the mansion contains 20 rooms
appointed with antique furniture, artifacts from the Kurtz farm, seven gas
fireplaces. Many more beautiful points of interest include a scenic view,
from the top deck, of thirty-five farms. The Olde Lincoln House, 1398 W.
Mam, will provide the food. Floral decor will be by Anita Yoder, of Heritage
Design Interior, 872 E. Main, New Holland.
• Eicher Arts Center, Ephrata Park, Restored m 1983, the Arts Center was
originally the Sisters House of the Cloisters. This historic building provides
a forum which enables the citizens of the area to participate in various cul
tural activities Tour participants are invited to stop, rest and enjoy cookies
and coffee. Flowers are presented by the Arts Center Volunteers.
• Michael and Nancy Sensemg, 1032 Clearview Ave. Home to the
Sensenig family for one year, the architectural structure of this home is
“Farm House Style.” The interior mirrors this style with its country kitchen,
where an antique cupboard holds a Pfaltzgraff collection. The home is dec
orated in soothing colors of country blue and mauve. Isaac’s Restaurant, in
the Cloister Shopping Center will present the food and Black Ins Design,
108 E. Main provides the decor.
dents living with her on week
ends throughout the school year.
Elva is a member for Lancas
ter County Farm Women Soci
ety 3 and of the Hinkletown
Mennonite Church.
Elva said that her home was
built after her husband became
ill and could no longer manage
steps. Three weeks after they
moved in, he died. Many readers
of this paper remember her hus
band, Aaron, who was well
known for his farm research on
ground water and conservation
practices. Tour groups from
(Turn to Page B 4)
(Turn to Pago B 4)