SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013 THE DALLAS POST PAGE 7 ARPA : Ho BILL TARUTIS PHOTOS/FOR THE DALLAS POST Fertile Grounds planting and fertility manager Amy Butler (aka head farmer) walks in from the fields in Noxen. FERTILE Continued from Page 1C many rows covered with Re- emay cloth, a non-woven cloth- like material which transmits to the plants while protect- Wthem from bugs and wind. SHoval explained that the bras- sica crops which include many vegetables such as cabbages, kale, broccoli and arugula would be eaten by flea beetles if not covered with the cloth. .She also showed crops com- ing up through a ground cover made of biodegradable plastic. The co-op uses tractors but would eventually like to use horse-powered equipment. The fields are bounded by Bowman Creek which provides water when rain isn’t sufficient. According to Shoval, Fertile Grounds staff members make every effort to please its mem- bers. Lettuce is planted every week so members can have salad greens throughout the season and, in a few weeks, an empty field will grow tomatoes, pep- pers and eggplant. The co-op grows an impres- sive variety of vegetables. The Fertile Grounds website has photos and recipes for the 54 different varieties of organic produce it will provide this sum- mer. Amy Butler is head farmer at Fertile Grounds and the co- op’s one fulltime employee. The Noxen resident has been involved in organic agriculture for 20 years. Shoval said greenhouses are crucial to pleasing the co-op members. “It’s a huge part of our opera- tion. Co-op shareholders want vegetables as soon as possible in the season.” Fertile Grounds owns one greenhouse which is located on leased land. It uses greenhouse plants from another local farm- er, as well. The greenhouse is several miles from the fields and is full of young plants waiting to be transplanted into cold frames made from hay bale blocks. Shoval explained the young plants must be climatized for two weeks in a cold frame be- fore planting in the field. Instead of using disposable plastic trays, Fertile Grounds workers use a mold to make small squares of compost and soil mix. “It’s like filling a sand toy,” Shoval said. The soil mix is pushed into Harvest manager Tom Bell inventories the potato crop at tile Grounds. — Fer- the mold and pops out as indi- vidual blocks of soil for plant- ing. Shoval said the plants can be easily removed one at a time as needed. The goal for this year is 300 members. Shoval is aiming for 500 members in five years. Memberships are still avail- able for this year’s crop. The: membership fee of $500 will provide 22 boxes of produce. Members have the choice of picking up their boxes at Hill- side Farms, at Dundee Gardens in Hanover Township or at the downtown YMCA. A membership costs $500 but Shoval pointed out that ABOVE: Fertile Grounds farm lettuce plants in Noxen. AT LEFT: Rhubarb grows in the fields of Fertile Grounds in Noxen. families too small to use a box every week can contact Fertile Grounds about a partnership. The co-op will find a partner to share the cost and the produce during the season. Organic farming is hard work. So why does Shoval do it? She hopes her farm can im- prove health in the Wilkes-Barre area. “There’s so much obesity here,” she explained. She also pointed out a big plus to CSA membership.“Everyone loses weight during the CSA season! As someone who grew up in the Valley, I wish I had eaten this food growing up.” SCOUTS Continued from Page 1C Jim McGovern, whose son A.J., a 2010 graduate of Wyoming Val- ley West High School and Divi- sion 1 football recruit at West Point, is now in his sophomore year. “I chose Army because I've always wanted to play Division I football and I always wanted to serve my country as a military officer. I was not a Boy Scout and I 'didn’t know anything about the camporee, but I was happy to sponsor the troop because it gave me a fun weekend to look forward to,” said A.J. McGovern. The camporee application had a new requirement for 2013, emphasized strongly in the ap- plication materials: a Scout skit performance to be submitted to West Point on the YouTube In- ternet video site. “We do these skits at every campfire and had one really at skit one of our Scoutmas- ters wrote himself. We just had to submit that skit,” said Hun- on. actor, author and former tant Scoutmaster David Par- melee and his son, Michael, of Shavertown, wrote “Mental Mag- ic,” a psychiatrist sketch filled with incredibly corny one-liners easy for the boys to remember. In between local theater rehearsals and performances (and publish- ing his brand-new novel “The Sea Is a Thief!”), David Parmelee came to the rescue and on two days’ notice, Huntington rallied 12 Boy Scouts to perform and he produced and submitted the video. “I never thought we'd get it in on time, let alone be chosen by West Point as a winning skit. It was just crazy!” remarked Hun- tington. '“] was extremely excited to téll the troop myself that they were officially accepted,” said Zaborowski. The troop received its official acceptance letter in January 2013 and then prepara- work began for the campo- ompetitions in camouflage, , fire building, knot tying, leadership reaction course, gre- nade toss, fitness challenge, land navigation and RB-15 raft navigation courses. Local businessman Carmen Insalaco, owner of Big Bear Fitness in Dallas, donated a 12- week physical fitness program of weightlifting and cardio ac- tivities to help the Scouts get in shape for the camporee week- end. Fitness trainer Mark Szot taught a class in nutrition edu- cation, teaching the boys to eat A Scouts atop Bull Hill at West Point PE . The hike included an ascent mountain in the Hudson Highlands. protein for breakfast instead of donuts and sticky buns. Father Dan Toomey, of Gate of Heaven Church in Dallas, where most of the troop went through Cub Scouts, is a retired U.S. Army Captain and Airborne As- sault School instructor and led a session to teach the boys how to master the Swiss seat military rope-tying activity. Dallas resident Rick Roberts, a graduate of the Citadel Mili- tary Academy (SC) and assis- tant Scoutmaster, led the troop through the final week’s patrol packing and deployment prepa- rations. And A.J. McGovern re- turned to the troop on his spring break in March, leading a 5-mile shakedown preparation hike at Frances Slocum. Troop 146 had a delegation of 40 attend the 2013 West Point camporee, with all but two adults, who were recover- ing from recent surgeries, able to complete the military in-pro- cessing hike. The troop hiked 3.8 miles with all of their personal gear on their backs, earning the camporee’s “Mechanized” entry designation patch. The hike included an ascent of over 1,000 feet over Bull Hill mountain in the Hudson High- lands where the Scouts earned the prestigious “Bull Hill Pin” after touching the flag atop the mountain crest. Patrol Leader Connor Duffy tied the Swiss seat in 35 seconds, among the quick- est-tying in the entire camporee. And all of the members of Troop 146 performed the Men- tal Magic skit, one of only three skits performed before 5,000 camporee participants. “I really enjoyed this weekend and working with Troop 146,” said Cadet McGovern. “I will definitely sponsor them again in 2014 if they plan to apply.” weapon. of over 1,000 feet over Bull Hill Boy Scout Andrew Molitoris handles a U.S. Army Bazooka oa rn Boy Scouts of Troop 146 navigate the RB-15 Army Raft Race. DARLING & SONS’ FARMS & GREENHOUSES “Growing Quality Is A Family Business Since 1930” \ MEMORIAL DAY FLOWERS Hanging Baskets * Geraniums * Gerber Daisy Herbs * Bedding * Veggie Plants » Hibiscus Combination Pots * Cemetery Logs * Potting Soil Hummus * McCutcheon’s Canned Goods OPEN MEMORIAL DAY M-F 9-6 ¢ SAT & Sun 9-4 675-2080 1/2 Mile Off Rt. 309, Dallas, Hildebrandt Rd. (200 yards north of Dallas Elementary School) Ae A PUZZLE ANSWERS Answers — King Crossword — Solution time: 25 mins. (@F fev fav) Bi—|Kim Zi~-joir E PI2{>iICIOi— Sixir-i{izi-|Z|0in ZX |DIOO|Z|OIW See PUZZLES, Page 2 —— Go Figure! answers Answers J E R E M M : Y N ny SPE | [VE T|O|R DAN ER|A D EJlL S E LIL|O E D | JT R G N/A[L WAV 1|S|P E E | |RIEJMP AS|TE S S|S|IAIRIMT|E/AR[S|UP T SIL EMOINGR|OVE A O|L/L/AJMS EE L O|W|E|X|P|L|O|S|I|V|E T PIE[SEEMVI/ENT|NOR SITISIMTIRE|ISITILIE BLOOMSBURG, PA QU SEO June 1st & 2nd AT THE BLOOMSBURG FAIRGROUND 620 W. 3rd Street * Bloomsburg, PA 17815 JUST OFF 1-80 « EXIT 232 SHOW HOURS SATURDAY 9-5 SUNDAY 9-4 $6.00 ADMISSION Antique & Collectible Firearms HUNTING & OUTDOOR ITEMS/MILITARY SURPLUS HANDGUNS » AMMO «+ RIFLES « SHOTGUNS & MORE For More Information \ Forme omoten + IIR NT EARMS Productions [iF IRI ERORUILEY % www.eaglearmsgunshows.com 2 W. 3rd St. (Bloomsburg Fairgrounds) Bloomsburg, PA Bloomsburg, PA,
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