Pennsylvania Farm Show 2011.

Most state farm competitions are held in summer or autumn, but for many Pennsylvanians the state farm competition, also known as the Pennsylvania Farm Show, occurs in January, just after the new year begins. Most people would believe that Pennsylvania is only home to corn & cows. However, the Farm Show teaches everyone that corn & cows are just two of the things Pennsylvania has to offer from its agricultural world. Pennsylvania's main industries are dairy, apples, honey, maple syrup, & corn, but they also produce poultry, swine, sheep, goats, rabbits, pine trees, mushrooms, and an enormous variety of fruits, vegetables, & nuts. The Farm Show showcases each sub-industry within the larger agricultural industry.

The Farm Show for 2011 runs from January 8-15 in the PA Farm Show Complex & Expo Center in Harrisburg, the state capital. It is a week-long event with different demonstrations, items, & farming practices showcased each day. Entrance to the Farm Show is free, but you have to pay $10 for parking. If you come with a group of friends, it can end up being pretty cheap per person, & they even provide shuttles from the parking lot to the complex.

There are vendors throughout the complex and in the food court. Vendors often give out samples of their products, all of which are delicious and made using Pennsylvania grown ingredients. The vendors in the food court sell hot food products such as chicken sandwiches, pulled pork, fried mozzarella cubes, fried vegetables, honey ice cream and waffles, funnel cakes, & smoothies. The vendors in the main hall generally sell packaged products such as cheese, dips, sauces, & syrups.

After sampling the Pennsylvania gourmet delicacies, you can walk around the other half of the Exhibition Hall & admire the farming equipment & sustainable energy displays. There are tractors, trucks, trailers, solar panels, wind turbines, dioramas, & even cars on display.

Anyone who loves animals will enjoy walking around the many wings of the farm show complex. The complex houses cows, horses, sheep, pigs, chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, rabbits, goats, deer, and alpacas during their week long stay. It is great to see the variety of animal life available throughout the state; however, if you have allergies, this probably isn't the best place to be, because that is a lot of dander & feathers inside a mostly unventilated room. Throughout the week many people show their animals in the arenas for judging. You never know who will take home the blue ribbon for Best in Show.

The Farm Show is also home to many information booths for many different state departments including: PA Fish & Boat Commission, PA Game Commission, PA Gaming Control Board, PA Department of Health, PA Emergency Management Agency, the National Weather Service, Shaver's Creek Environmental Center, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary (see previous blog entry), and many more.

If this sounds like something you are interested in, you still have time to attend! The Farm Show runs everyday until Saturday, January 15th. You can find out more about the Farm Show & Pennsylvania agriculture at the links below.

For more information about the Farm Show & PA Agriculture:
* Pennsylvania Farm Show (has a full schedule of events)
* Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
* Pennsylvania State Beekeepers Association
* Pennsylvania Co-Operative Potato Growers, Inc.
* Pennsylvania Livestock Association
* Pennsylvania Maple Syrup Producers Council
* Pennsylvania Vegetable Growers Association
* PennAg Industries Association
* Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
* Pennsylvania FFA Foundation
* Pennsylvania Cattlemen's Association



Display of apples from Pennsylvania's Apple Country, complete with apple related fun facts.


2 sheep in the animal housing area.

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary - Kempton, PA.

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary is the world's first refuge for raptors and other birds of prey. This is an important step in the world of conservation. The sanctuary offers a variety of activities for any bird-watching or outdoor enthusiast.

HMS is located just outside of Kempton, along the border of Berks & Schuylkill counties & only 5 miles from Lehigh county. To give you an idea of where it is, the 2 closest large towns are Hamburg & Pottsville. It is located about 10 minutes from the Cabela's off of I-78.

Trail admission is only $5 ($7 on weekends in the fall -- discounts are available for seniors & children). The money goes towards maintenance & conservation programs. To access the trails, just go to the visitor's center to pay your trail fee & receive your ticket before proceeding to the trails. The visitor's center is very informative and has souvenirs throughout. The sanctuary also provides free trail maps which can be put in a drop box to be reused on your way out. Below is also a .pdf version of the map from HMS's website.

There are 3 main trails in HMS. There is the North Lookout trail which is the most popular. It has roughly 10 lookouts, depending on whether or not you take the Express, Escarpment, or Regular trails. The first lookout, South Lookout, is handicap accessible and provides a view east and south of the mountain ridge. The view overlooks farmland in Berks county and the rest of Blue Mountain in the Kittatinny Ridge. You can also see the River of Rocks to the southeast. Many lookouts along the trail provide a different angle of the same view. At the top of the mountain you can hangout on North Lookout, which is where many people watch for raptors. To the northwest you can see windmills, to the north you can see the ridge continue forward, & to the southeast you can see the rolling farmlands of Berks county. The climb has about a 200-250 ft gain over 1 mile, but the view at the top is worth it.

From the North Lookout you can take the Skyline Trail, which connects to the Appalachian Trail but involves climbing over & around boulders. The Skyline Trail also connects to the Golden Eagle Trails which lead to the River of Rocks Trail. You can also access the River of Rocks Trail from the North Lookout Trail.

HMS also allows people to buy a yearly membership, which gets members free admission to the hiking trails & helps to fund research and the protection of raptors. HMS welcomes all people to volunteer their time. Without volunteers, HMS would not be accessible to the public.

Even though the fall colors have already passed, the views are still amazing & worth being checked out. Maybe if you're lucky you'll see part of the hawk migration.

For more information:
* Hawk Mountain Sanctuary
* Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Hiking Trails Map [note: .pdf file]
* Appalachian Trail Conservancy




The view from South Lookout, 1280 ft.

The view from North Lookout, 1490 ft.

The Amazing Maize Maze at Cherry Crest Adventure Farm - Ronks, PA.

Fall is here and so is the harvest. It is the time of year for fall foliage and pumpkins. But in Pennsylvania, fall is also the time during which agritourism booms. Corn mazes, hay rides, haunted Halloween attractions, & festivals galore occur across the state. Lancaster county is one of the major agritourism hot spots where people come to see the Amish. However, there is another hidden gem that people travel from all over the country & world to see...

For the second year in a row we went to Cherry Crest Adventure Farm for the flashlight corn maze. (We choose the flashlight maze because, as college students, time is scarce during daylight hours & so is money!) This year's theme: 100 Years of Scouting in honor of the 100th Anniversary for the Boy Scouts of America. For those of you unfamiliar with corn mazes, a corn maze is a maze that has been elaborately planned and carved out through several acres of corn. There are many corn mazes across the state & they all follow the same general procedure. Usually you are given a map & told to find your way out. But they do things different at Cherry Crest Adventure Farm. It is considered an interactive corn maze. This means that when you enter, they hand you a blank map. How are you supposed to find your way through a maze with a blank map, you ask? Read on to learn more.

Upon entering the maze we received our blank maps & proceeded to a small section where they fill you in on the rules of the maze and how to complete the different challenges. So about this blank map. Why blank? Well it's the maze goer's job to wander around blindly & find the pieces of the map which are located in mailboxes throughout the maze. As you find more pieces, the map becomes clearer & easy to read. This can get tricky if you are there for the flashlight maze as the dark can be a very disorienting environment for some people. But the darkness is part of the fun! On the map are also crossword puzzles, for which hints to the answers can be found throughout the maze.

In the back NW corner of the maze is the café area. In this area you can grab a bite to eat, grab a drink, use the toilet, or just sit down & take a break. The café is also a good place to get to because you can enter several different sections of the maze from there.

What happens if you get lost? Do you panic?! No. There are guides walking around among you who can help you find pieces to your puzzle & get you back on track. In the flashlight maze you can also ask for directions from the watch tower, who can use spotlights to guide you in the right direction. There is also a quick escape route from the maze in the event you cannot continue, so there is no wandering until you happen to find the way out.

The maze is both parent & kid friendly. However, beware of some rocks that may stick out of the ground ready to trip you (be especially careful in the dark). If you go during the day, there are many, many other activities to participate in around the farm. There are pedal karts, wagon tours, a fudge shop, an obstacle course, giant slingshots, & many other activities.

Cherry Crest Adventure Farm & the Strasburg Railroad also offer combo passes to both places for a discount. This is a great deal for people wanting to spend a full day or weekend in Lancaster County. For others making a day or weekend trip out to Lancaster County, the farm has food on site. Food is also available at the Rockvale Square Outlets, the Tanger Outlets, & several locations along Route 30. Lodging is also available at the Red Caboose Motel & along Route 30.

The maze is only open until Saturday, November 6, so grab your friends & head out to the corn maze. It's loads of fun & if you bring enough friends along, you can race in teams!

For more information:
* Cherry Crest Adventure Farm
* Lancaster County Tourism
* Strasburg Railroad
* Rockvale Square Outlets
* Tanger Outlets
* Red Caboose Motel

Pictures may be added at a later date, don't want to give away too much of the fun!

Susquehannock State Park - Drumore, PA.

Nestled along the Susquehanna River in western Lancaster County is a small park with enormous beauty by the name of Susquehannock State Park. This small park is loaded with wildlife observation & geological opportunities. From bird watching to wild flower identification to hiking to picnicking, this park has something for everyone.

I will begin with a little bit of park history which can be found more extensively on the DCNR page listed below. As the name implies, the park was named after the Susquehannock Indians meaning "people at the falls" (they were also called Conestogas). They controlled the trade routes along the Sasquesahanough, or Susquehanna, River but were eventually driven out of existence by English settlers. The history between the settlers and the Indians is a brutal one. In 1850 the property was under the ownership of James Buchanan Long who built the Landis House (note: this building is UNSAFE and CLOSED to ALL visitors). This house was a stop on the Underground Railroad. The Landis House currently resides next to the park office.

If you are into birdwatching, this is an excellent park for you! You can see Mount Johnson Island Bald Eagle Sanctuary from the Hawk Point Overlook. It was the first eagle sanctuary in the world. Because of this close proximity, it is not uncommon to see bald eagles soaring through the air along the river. Other birds of prey that can be seen are turkey vultures and osprey. Song birds can also be seen in the park, but most birdwatchers come to see the birds of prey.

If you are into geology, you will find all sorts of minerals at the park, the most notable being olivine. Olivine is green in color so these rocks will stick out like a sore thumb on the paths, especially after it rains. I personally have picked up several olivine rocks because they are so interesting. If you are interested in geology, you will also like studying the mountains around & along the Susquehanna River. The park is approximately 250-300 feet above the river. That alone should be enough to tell you there are amazing views...

If you are into hiking for amazing views of nature, you're in for a double whammy. This park has two overlooks: Hawk Point & Wisslers Run. Hawk Point provides an excellent view south and west of the park. To the southwest you can see Peach Bottom Power Plant. To the south is Mount Johnson Island Bald Eagle Sanctuary & the Pennsylvania-Maryland border, also known as the Mason-Dixon Line. To the west you can see several islands housing cabins & York County, a mile across the river. To the northwest you can see more islands & the Holtwood Dam on a clear day. Follow the Overlook Trail to Wisslers Run and you will have excellent views to the west & north of the park. West provides the same views as Hawk Point but from a different perspective. North provides you with a closer look at the Holtwood Dam and the Muddy Run Storage Plant and railroad tracks.

If you are into hiking for the sake of hiking, there are several trails in the park:
- Overlook Trail (easy) 0.55 miles - connects the overlooks
- Rhododendron Trail (hard) 1.2 miles - goes down into the Wisslers Run valley
- Pine Tree Trail (hard) - goes down into the Wisslers Run valley
- Five Points Trail (moderate) 0.7 miles
- Holly Trail (easy) 0.5 miles
- Fire Trail (easy) - short logging road
- Spring Trail (easy) 0.4 miles - has pawpaw trees
- Nature Trail (easy) 0.3 miles
- Phites Eddy Trail - leads out of the park
- Landis Trail (easy) 0.6 miles - connects the Overlook trail & Landis House.

Susquehannock State Park has pavilions which can be rented for the day by calling the office or used by day users for picnicking. The park is open to horses. There is no individual camping allowed at the park (pre-approved groups only). Park information & maps can usually be found in the kiosk board by the parking lot. There are currently 2 geocaches in this park.

With fall foliage just around the corner schedule a visit to this park ASAP! Although it is beautiful in all seasons...


For more information:
* Susquehannock State Park - Drumore, PA. [DCNR official webpage]
* Drumore Township, Lancaster County, PA.
* Mount Johnson Island, Bald Eagle Sanctuary, PA. [note: .pdf file from PA Audubon Society]


View of the Susquehanna River from Hawk Point Overlook in summer.


View of the Susquehanna River from Hawk Point Overlook in winter.

Green Lane Park, PA.

Green Lane Park is an area surrounding the Green Lane Reservoir in northern Montgomery County. It is a local jewel, known mostly to only the residents in the surrounding area. There are several activities to chose from within the park including: boating, bicycling, camping, fishing, geocaching, hiking, & horseback riding.

There are many miles of trails throughout the park which are shared by hikers, bikers, & horses alike. So hikers, watch out for horse poo while walking. The park also contains the northern end of the Perkiomen Trail. The Perkiomen Trail starts in Green Lane & continues 20 miles to Valley Forge National Historical Park. Currently there are 9 geocaches hidden throughout the park (at the time of publication) to find while hiking the numerous trails.

Fishing can be done at Deep Creek Lake or Knight Lake. There are fishing piers (a designated couple of spots on the bridge) at the northern part of the lake or you can fish from the shore at either of the two day use areas.

There are 2 campgrounds, one is equestrian equipped.

There is also a Nature Center in addition to the 2 day use areas in the park. Occasionally the Nature Center gives family friendly guided tours and is a popular place for school & scout field trips.

At Green Lane Park this past weekend was the annual Scottish-Irish Festival. It is $5 per car for parking. They have demonstrations such as Highland Games, Sheep Dog Demonstrations, Dance Group performance, as well as the usual children's activities found at most festivals.


For more information on the places mentioned in this post:
* Green Lane Park (Montgomery County Parks)
* Annual Scottish-Irish Festival
* Perkiomen Trail
* Valley Forge National Historical Park


The reservoir at Green Lane Park as the area is approaching drought conditions.

Pine Grove Furnace State Park - Gardners, PA.

Nestled in Cumberland County is Pine Grove Furnace State Park. Like all state parks it has trails, trees, and lakes. But it also has some more unique features to it as well. We started off our day by eating lunch next to Fuller Lake. The water was kind of on the green side but it is late in summer so that is to be expected. There is also an area roped off for swimming, which is nice, considering you can't swim in the lakes at many state parks! There was also a nice (read as "new") facilities building with bathrooms & changing rooms.

After our lunch we set out to climb Pole Steeple Trail. It leads about half a mile up a 400 ft incline to... well, Pole Steeple. Pole Steeple is a set of rocks (for the geologists, it is made of dolomite, rhyolite, & quartzite) which offers incredible views of the surrounding Michaux State Forest. There are 2 overlook areas adjacent to each other that each offer their own unique view. Beware that if you set out to try this hike, the trail is relatively difficult. It is also very rocky & steep so strollers are not feasible. Also, for those of you who geocache, Pole Steeple is an Earthcache! [EDIT: 3/31/12: This earthcache has been archived, but you should still visit anyways. Life is about the journey!] ... Why is it called Pole Steeple? Well, I had to do some research to find out! After reading Falcon Guide's Hiking Pennsylvania, I now know why it is called Pole Steeple! Way back, Boy Scouts hiked up to the steeple (definition: a pile of rocks) to mount a flag pole on the cliffs. The flag is long gone but the name stuck & the view is still great!

After climbing we went down to check out Laurel Lake which also has a swim area sectioned off for day use. Both Fuller & Laurel Lakes were used in earlier times as iron ore quarry which have now filled up with spring (cold) fed water. It's a welcome site on a hot day.

Other local attractions include the Appalachian Trail. The park actually marks the midpoint of the AT for those attempting to thru-hike it. Rumor has it that it is tradition for thru-hikers to eat an entire half-gallon of ice cream when they reach the halfway mark. The AT can be accessed from several places throughout the park. Maps can be found at the park information center. There is also an A.Y.H. Hostel in the park which is mainly used by AT hikers.

Another local attraction is the Appalachian Trail Museum. It is the only one of its kind! It opened June 5, 2010 and is seeking to preserve the AT Heritage. They are looking for item donations from people who have hiked the trail & laypeople who just want to help out. They are closed Nov. 1 to Mar. 31 so now is the time to go if you don't want to wait until Spring! The museum is located near the AT midpoint.

So if you ever find yourself in Cumberland County, PA needing a peaceful retreat (although most of the county is pretty peaceful to begin with) head on over to Pine Grove Furnace State Park for a picnic, a swim, a hike, or a history lesson.


For more information on the places mentioned in this post:
* Pine Grove Furnace State Park, Gardners, PA.
* Appalachian National Scenic Trail.
* Appalachian Trail Museum.
* Appalachian Trail Conservancy.



The view of Laurel Lake from Pole Steeple (~400 ft higher).

Shikellamy State Park, Selinsgrove, PA.

On August 9, 2010, we headed west from the Delaware Valley towards Harrisburg. That in itself isn't very exciting. However there was an adventure awaiting us just north of Harrisburg.

First, anyone who has ever been on route 322 heading towards Penn State has seen the Statue of Liberty in the middle of the Susquehanna River. This replica statue is 25 feet tall & she is the second version of the statue to stand there (the first one was carried away by the river in the 1990's).

From there we crossed the river & headed north on 11/15. We went past the purple dragon & the Moccasin Trading Post. Perhaps the best part of our trip to Selinsgrove was being along the Susquehanna River while squeezed between mountains for an hour. The views were nice & the river was calm. The vegetation was green & the water was clean. There are many boat ramps & wildlife management areas along the river to promote environmental awareness & outdoor recreation.

Upon arriving in Selinsgrove we did a quick drive through of Susquehanna University. The old style buildings & trees on campus were a nice touch in what would otherwise be an urban cement prison in many other places (at least in the minds of college students). Heading still farther north we were surprised to see so many chain stores & restaurants along the highway after seeing none for over an hour.

We stopped for lunch at a place called Skeeter's Pit BBQ. It was the best BBQ food I have ever eaten in my life. In fact, I would make a special 2.5 hour trip out there just to eat the food again. I got the pulled chicken sandwich & it was absolutely delicious. The atmosphere of the restaurant was pretty mellow for a BBQ place. It had calming country music (not played so loudly you can't enjoy your company). It also provided both indoor & outdoor views of the Susquehanna River from atop the hill. The place also has strange but interesting looking bathrooms. Good strange, not bad.

After lunch we headed out to Shikellamy State Park. There are 2 portions to the park, the overlook & the island (Packer's Island). We went to the overlook first. The overlook part of the park has 3 overlooks at different elevations, ranging from about 700-800 ft, or approximately 100-200 ft above the local road & river. We started at the lowest one & worked our way up to the highest one. Although each overlook provided essentially the same view, each overlook provided it from a different perspective. It is probably important to note that the overlook area of the park is closed from late-October to early-May.

After spending some time with the overlooks, we went down to Packer's Island, which is between the towns of Northumberland & Sunbury. Being in the middle of the river, the island had a nice breeze. The island also has a marina, several boat launch ramps, a butterfly garden, picnic areas, & walking/jogging paths. We stopped at a cement platform called The Pinnacle to take pictures & enjoy the nice breeze. (Did I mention the nice breeze? On a day where the heat index was in the high 90's, the breeze was very welcoming).

For the ride home we decided to avoid the Harrisburg rush hour traffic & go through the coal region.

Overall we had a nice peaceful day along the river with a delicious lunch.

More information on the places we stopped at:
* Skeeter's Pit BBQ
* Shikellamy State Park




The view of the overlooks from Packer's Island.


The view of Packer's Island from the overlooks.