October 3

BREAKFAST: Sat., Oct. 3, Pancake Breakfast, 7:00 – 11:00 am, East Ararat UM Church.

DINNERL Sat., Oct. 3, Harvest Dinner, 3:00 – 7:00 pm, South Gibson UMC, Dine In or Take Out. All are welcome.

October 4

CHICKEN BBQ: Sun., Oct. 4, Fall Chicken BBQ, Thompson Hose Co., 11:00 – 1:00 pm, Preorder or Take out Only. Call 570-442-1107 or 570-442-1208.

October 5

MEETING: Mon., Oct. 5, Annual Meeting of North Jackson Cemetary Association, 7:00 pm, North Jackson UM Church.

October 8, 9, 10

FREE WINTER COATS: Thurs., Oct. 10, 11:00 – 5:00; Fri., Oct. 9, 11:00 – 5:00; Sat., Oct. 10, 9:00 – 3:00; Free Winter Coats, Christ Episcopal Church, Susquehanna.

October 10

DINNER: Sat., Oct. 10, Roast Pork Dinner, 3:30 pm, East Ararat UM Church.

DINNER: Sat., Oct. 10, Spaghetti & Homemade Meatball Dinner, 4:00 – 7:00 pm, KOC Hall, Great Bend.

Mon., Oct. 5: yankee pot roast, oven browned potatoes, ww roll, fresh fruit salad.

Tues., Oct. 6: chicken paprikash, buttered noodles, broccoli & cauliflower, crackers, fruit cobbler.

Wed., Oct. 7: apple ginger pork loin, mashed squash, green beans, ww roll, cherry banana gelatin.

Thur., Oct. 8: crispy baked fish, augratin potatoes, mixed vegetables, ww roll, strawberries and peaches w/cream.

Fri., Oct. 9: hot open face roast beef sandwich, mashed potatoes, dilled carrots, chocolate chip cookie.

On October 3rd at 6:00pm, Northeast PA Youth for Christ will kickoff their 2015-2016 Campus Life clubs with their second annual "Capture the Flag" event.

This year, students from Montrose Area High School will take on students from Elk Lake High School.  The event will be held at Elk Lake High School.  Students interested in participating can sign up by emailing Frank Passetti at Frank@nepayfc.com. Students may also sign up on the day of the event.  There is a cost for this event. The event is also open to students in grades 7-12 who attend any of the schools in Susquehanna County.

The Susquehanna County Farm Bureau will conduct its Annual Fall Meeting on October 15th at the Harford Volunteer Fire Company Hall, Fairground Hill Road, Harford, Pa.

The dinner portion of the meeting will begin at 6:15 p.m. Social Time followed with a Chicken and Biscuit Dinner at 7 p.m.

The business meeting will be held at 8 p.m. after the dinner. Dinner tickets are available from any Director or by calling Donna Williams at 570-942-6348. The Reservation deadline for tickets is October 5th.

The 2015 Susquehanna County Forest Land Owners Association’s (SCFLOA) Annual Columbus Day – October 12th - bus trip will tour scenic Carbon and Lehigh Counties.

SCFLOA Board of Director member Jo-Ellen Greene states, "This trip includes a little bit of everything for everyone: A Christmas tree farm that has supplied the White House with Christmas trees, a historic town and a beautiful natural viewing area.”

Stops and sights on the tour include: 1) Scenic fall foliage views of Susquehanna, Lackawanna, Lehigh, Carbon and Luzerne counties; 2) Crystal Spring Tree Farm– (cstreefarm.com) a 200 acre Christmas tree operation; a 2 hour educational tour at Crystal Spring Tree Farm (this operation has supplied the National Christmas tree for the White House and the Obama Family for several years. ( hear about all of the “necessary” procedures that must be taken to get a Christmas tree from the field into the White House);  3) Historic Jim Thorpe - Lunch on your own, shopping in the downtown area, walking in the historic home district; a visit to the memorial grave of Olympic champion Jim Thorpe; 4) Afternoon tour walk/hike at Lehigh River gorge; 5) Return trip through Eastern Pa. viewing fall foliage, back in Montrose by 630.

Retired Bureau of Forestry Service Forester Jim Kessler and SCFLOA President Jim James will provide information and interesting dialogue explaining the topography, soils and conditions that contribute to the varying leaf colorations and noteworthy historical observations. 

The tour will leave the parking lot behind the County Office Building in Montrose. The 54 passenger coach bus will be loading at 7:45 a.m. for a prompt 8:00 a.m. departure on Monday, October 12. 

Reservations/payment for this enjoyable trip must be made by Oct 8, 2015 to Doug Sheldon SCFLOA Treasurer, 1115 Potter Hill Road, Thompson, Pa. 18465; phone # 570-906-0913

Any questions call SCFLOA President Jim James 570-289-4935.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is accepting applications to help producers improve water and air quality, build healthier soil, improve grazing and forest lands, conserve energy, enhance organic operations, and achieve other environmental benefits.

NRCS will be able to provide funding assistance directly to Pennsylvania farmers and landowners in Fiscal Year 2016 to help them implement conservation practices through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), the agency’s largest Farm Bill conservation program and the Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA) program. Interested producers should visit their local NRCS service center for sign-up information.

“USDA conservation programs offer farmers and forestland managers a variety of options to conserve natural resources while boosting production on their lands,” State Conservationist Denise Coleman said. “This conservation investment helps improve environmental health and the economy of Pennsylvania’s rural communities.”

EQIP and AMA provide financial assistance for a variety of conservation activities, such as nutrient management, reduced tillage, field buffers, rotational grazing systems and much more.

The deadline to submit applications to be considered in the 2016 first ranking period for funding consideration in Pennsylvania for EQIP and AMA is Friday, October 16, 2015. Applications received after that date will be accepted and considered for funding in the second ranking in December, if funds remain.

Additionally, NRCS offers special initiatives through EQIP, including the following:

On-Farm Energy Initiative: helps producers conserve energy on their operations.

Seasonal High Tunnel Initiative: helps producers install high tunnels designed to extend the growing season into the cold months, increase productivity, keep plants at a steady temperature and conserve water and energy.

Organic Initiative: helps producers to install conservation practices on certified organic operations or those working toward organic certification.

To participate in USDA conservation programs, applicants should be farmers or farm or forest landowners and must meet eligibility criteria. To take advantage of NRCS technical assistance and expertise or federally funded conservation on your farm or land, please contact your local USDA NRCS Field Office found at http://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov, or visit our website at www.pa.nrcs.usda.gov for applications and program information; Montrose Service Center (serves Susquehanna County), 17089 State Route 706, Ste 3, Montrose, Pa 18801, (570) 278-1011 ext. 103 (Attn: Ain Welmon).

Senator Lisa Baker, R-20, announced that Field Representative Tom Yoniski will be available for consultation from 1:30-3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 6 at the Susquehanna Depot Borough Building, 83 Erie Boulevard, Suite A, Susquehanna Depot.

He will also be available from 10 a.m. - Noon at the Forest City Borough Building, 535 Main St., Forest City, on Friday, Oct. 16. In addition, he will be at the Lenox Township Municipal Building, 222 State Route 2016, Nicholson, from 1:30-3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 20.

While appointments are recommended, walk-ins are welcome.

Constituents are encouraged to visit with any questions or problems relating to state matters and no appointment is necessary though they can be scheduled. Concerns may also be addressed by visiting Senator Baker’s district office at 22 Dallas Shopping Center, Dallas, by visiting her website at www.senatorbaker.com or by calling (570) 675-3931.