On Being a Farm Wife (and other hazards) Joyce Bupp It took a long time. But we fi nally made it. Honeymooners today often fly to Cancun for a week. Start their life together in Hawaii. Lounge and sun on the beaches of Flori da. Maybe even go skiing some where in the Rockies. Most newlyweds in our days of wedding planning couldn’t af ford such romantic getaways to begin life together. Especially when they were milking cows. And so we spent a day at the campus of Penn State (visiting the dairy barns, surprise!) and made an attempt to get into the hunting camp in the mountains. That failed, due to two-foot snow . drifts from a blizzard, which had hit the entire region just days be fore, barring our four-door sedan from even attempting the effort. Which, looking back, was proba bly a blessing because the camp would have been about 20-degrees and I don’t recall having sufficient mountain gear along to cope with such rustic re ality. Niagara Falls, a popular honeymoon getaway of the time, was never even considered. Who’d go there in February, anyway? A few folks, it turns out. In cluding some of us veterans of marriage. The perfect landscape tool Soil Pulverizers • Two HP ranges: 35 and 50 HP • Steel roller spikes with replaceable heat treated sleeves • Single or double roller • Heavy wall round tubing on roller • Ideal for leveling and seedbed preparation • Available with seedbox Deerfield Ag & Turf Center, Inc. RR 2 Box 212 Watsontown, PA 17777 570-538-3557 Oetlan Equipment, Inc. 141 East Mam St. Silverdale. PA 18962 215-257-5177 Thomas L. Dunlap Rt. 220. Main St Exit Jersey Shore, PA 17740 570-398-f39t Eckroth Bros Farm Equip. Rd 2, Box 24A New Rmgold, PA 17960 570-943-2131 Eckroth Equipment Co 4910 Kernsville Rd Orefield, PA 18069 610-366-2095 Although it took us two years of trying. We made an attempt last year, but were thwarted by what turned out to be a rotted hose in the pickup’s water sys tem. Easily fixed, as it turned out, it nevertheless snatched enough time from our small win dow of opportunity available at that time that we bagged the dash to the border. So, when our anniversary rolled around again, The Fanner determined that we would try this one more time. Providing that persistence pays off, we found ourselves recently perched and gingerly peering over the edge of a wall of cascading greenish water sending mist spi raling high, high into the cold winter air. There, was a minimal number of us hardy folks braving the damp, misty chill from the churning millions of gallons of water which pour over the Falls every minute. All of us bundled up to the hilt under layers of sweaters and heavy coats, hats, scarves, hoods, mittens, fashion tossed to the winds in deference to Just keeping warm. And, while summer would certainly be warmer, we would have missed , the dramatic ice displays built up from the Falls’ perpetual mist. Actually, for the time of year," Hines Equipment RT 220, Belwood, PA 814-742-8171 Hoober, Inc. Mam Street Intercourse, PA 17534 717-768-8231 Hoober, Inc. East Mam Street McAhsterville, PA 17049 717-463-2191 Keller Brothers R 7 Box 405 Lebanon, PA 17042 717-949-6501 1950 Fruitville Pike Lancaster, PA 17601 717-569-2500 Lehigh Ag Equipment, Inc. 6670 Ruppsville Rd., Allentown, PA 18106 610-398-2553 800-7779-3616 it wasn’t a bad day, allowing us to hike around deserted park areas, smiling back to the few fel low, equally bundled-up visitors we passed. After thoroughly ex ploring the American park side, we passed over into Canada, where officials who eyed our pickup waved us through, figur ing we posed absolutely no threat to international security. Pausing for awhile at Cana da’s larger Horseshoe Falls side, we then meandered along the downstream Gorge and its mas sive hydro-plants, went looking for the Welland Canal and in stead stumbled into a prime fruit and vineyard growing area. Typ ical farmers, we spent the rest of the closing day looking at how others grow things, until it was so dark we could not longer see. Opting to spend the night, we returned to briefly enjoy the Falls after dark, lit with changing pastel lights, then decided to go for broke on this rare occasion and book a room overlooking the display. Which, between the off season rates and the favorable U.S.-to-Canada currency ex change rate, turned out to be a great bargain. From the 11th floor of a warm hotel, the lovely display of changing color on the majestic falls was predictably even more enjoyable than when viewed from an icy sidewalk on edge of the precipice, being showered by freezing mist. So we have finally made our “honeymoon” visit to traditional Niagara Falls, albeit a couple of decades later and during the dead of winter. If you enjoy stun ning natural beauty, but dislike crowds and waiting in lines, you might enjoy it as a winter vaca tion spot, too. sure you bundle up well. landpnde com M.S.Yearsley & Sons West Chester, PA 610-696-2990 Pikeville Equipment Inc RD 2, Oysterdale Road Oley, PA 19547 610-927-6277 Stoltzfus Farm Service Cochranville, PA 610-593-2407 Stouffer Bros Inc. 1066 Lincoln Way West Chambersburg, PA 17201 717-263-8424 Rodio Tractor Sales North White Horse Pike Hammonton, N J 08037 609-561-0141 Warren County Service Center 228 Route 94, Blairtown, N J 908-362-6916 Think spring. Attend the York Garden and Flower Show, York Fairgrounds Expo Center, York, now through March 4. York Garden And Flower Show Grows Bigger YORK (York Co.) Plans have been finalized for the ex panded ninth annual York Gar den and Flower Show. The show moves to Memorial Hall at the York Fairgrounds Expo Center, York, and will be two times the size it has been in prior years. With double the amount of floor space, the move to the larger exposition hall allows the show to expand to become one of the five largest exclusively garden and flower shows in the East, according to Larry L. Shaffer, the show’s executive producer. Dates and hours are Thursday, March 1, from noon to 9 p.m.; Friday, March 2, from noon to 9 p.m.; Saturday, March 3 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sunday, March 4, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For years the focal point of the show has been a series of large display gardens, and with the ex pansion this year, “we’ve been able to add over a third more,” said Shaffer, “bringing the total to 13 in all.” About 100 exhibitors will par ticipate. Special- feature displays in clude floral designs by Federated Garden Clubs, Daffodil Chal lenge, Baltimore African Violet Club and a private collection of fascinating cacti, along with sev eral other displays. There will be thousands of flofrers, plants, and accessories and beautiful gardens with ponds and waterfalls. Other interesting exhibits include garden statuary, gardening accessories, orchid plants, fresh-cut flowers, bonsai WANTED A Few Good Farmers To sell what you grow or produce - sweet corn, tomatoes, greens, strawberries, peaches, melons, apples, flowers, baked goods, honey, eggs, milk, cheese, meat, fish. To come to outdoor farmers’ markets in Philadelphia and work with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s Farmers Market Nutrition Program. To take home as much as $l,OOO a day at peak season (farmers’ daily sales average over $600). Variety is the key to success. Small farms are welcome! Several of our most successful farmers grow on less than acres Call (251) 568-0830 or (800) 417-9499 or e-mail duane@libertynet.org Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 3,2001-63 plants and everything needed to get started in herbal gardening. Experts will be on hand to dis cuss tree and lawn care, and pro fessional landscape designers will be available to discuss specific gardening and landscape needs. “Full-scale gardens highlight the York Garden and Flower Show” according to Shaffer, who noted that “landscape contrac tors and garden centers will take up to four days to install gar dens.” About 20,000 square feet of space is devoted to these large display gardens that have be come a favorite with show visi tors. Professional floral design sym posiums will be offered this year with tips on how to effectively use floral arrangements in the home plus other subjects helpful to consumers. As they are com pleted,' the designs' will be added to the growing exhibition of floral designs adjacent to the symposi um room. The symposiums are offered in addition to the tradi tional seminars held throughout the show that cover a wide range of gardening and landscaping subjects. Admission _is $5 for adults, $4.50 for seniors age 65 and over, and $2 for children ages 10 to 15. Group rates are available. There is plenty of free parking. The York Fairgrounds Expo Center is on Carlisle Avenue, Rt. 74 south of Rt. 30 in York. Information is available by calling (717) 755-5885. Farmers' Market Trust
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