Claude Bennett (center) accepts an award from Donna Williams of the Susquehanna County Farmers Bureau, flanked by family members, the Susquehanna County Commissioners, state Sen. Gene Yaw and State Representative Jonathan Fritz.

Claude Bennett of Jessup Twp. recently received the 2017 Clean Water Award from the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts for his use of Best Management Practices and water conservation techniques in reducing the amount of pollutants his 120 head beef farm produces.

Various state and county officials and representatives from local farming and conservation groups gathered at Bennett’s Toad Hollow Road farm August 9 to officially recognize his and his family’s work and present him with several awards.

Pennsylvania contributes half of the fresh water that flows into the Chesapeake Bay comes from Pennsylvania and it is “absolutely critical” that the amount of pollutants flowing from the Keystone State is reduced, explained state Sen. Gene Yaw (R-23), whose district covers Susquehanna, Bradford, Lycoming, Sullivan and Union counties.

“We’re facing serious problems with EPA concerning the pollution that we send downriver,” Yaw told the gathering of family members, well wishers and local officials.  “It’s basically three things:  it’s nitrogen, phosphorous and sentiment.  And one of the biggest areas that are going to be targeted by EPA are farmers,” Yaw said.

“We affect what happens there,” Yaw said.

Yaw’s office announced the next day that the Susquehanna County Conservation District had been awarded $120,521 to improve best management practices related to animal waste storage facilities, animal heavy use area protections, and cover crops on multiple county farms.

Rep. Jonathan Fritz (R- Wayne, Susquehanna) a former Wayne County commissioner, personally thanked the Bennett family for their hard work.

“I think that you are more than fitting proof that we have had a long time history of looking out for Mother Nature and taking care of our natural resources and you folks continue to carry that torch and I appreciate that very, very much,” Fritz said.

Asked for his remarks on being honored by so many one the same day, Bennett simply said, “I think you pretty well covered everything.”

 “We’re showing today that there are people doing the right thing in Susquehanna County and you’re the leader in that process,” said Susquehanna County Commissioners head Alan M. Hall, who was joined at the presentation by fellow commissioners Elizabeth Arnold and MaryAnn Warren.

Susquehanna County famer Claude Bennett of Jessup Twp.

Bennett received citations from the Senate, the House of Representatives, the County Commissioners, the Susquehanna County Farm Bureau and the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts.

One of the best ways to reduce the flow of toxic substances by keeping animals out of the streams, a reversal of decades of practices where animals were allowed to pasture in streams, explained John Benscoter, the director of the Susquehanna County Farm Bureau and a chief organizer of the day’s events.

“When I was brought up, everybody pastured the cricks.  And up until about 20 years ago everybody pastured the cricks.  But there’s very few farms around anymore that do.  Most of the cows are fenced out.” Benscoter told the audience.

“That just shows you what one family can do,” said Donna Williams, the president of the Susquehanna County Farm Bureau.

“Yes, people in agriculture do know what needs to be done to keep the water clean that’s going into the Chesapeake Bay and we’ve known in Farm Bureau for many months here now that we’ve got a job to do, so ‘Peace and Amen’ to those people who are taking that stand and doing something about it,” Williams said.

Bennett received his awards as part of the farm bureau’s 2017 Legislative Tour.  Legislators, representatives of the local farming community together with state and county officials and agricultural representatives spent the day visiting with the Bennetts and touring three other farms, the Conboy Farm in Middletown Twp., the Carlin Farm/Four Seasons Farm Market in Auburn Twp. and Placewood Parke, a grass-fed beef cattle, red deer and white-tailed deer farm, also in Auburn Twp.

A delicious lunch was provided by the South Auburn Twp. Grange.

One of the day’s attendees was Mark Madden, a water quality and management advisor with Penn State Extension.

“The notion is keep clean water clean,” he said.  “So take that rain water that’s clean and take it away from the site, get it away from the hazards and discharge it to a stabilized stream course or stabilized channel.” 

There are 600 Farm Bureau members in Susquehanna and 60,000 nationwide.

DTE Energy supports education which helps communities flourish, and improves the quality of life for Susquehanna County students.  That is why DTE’s “Care Force” volunteered to assist with packing back packs for the Back To School Shoe Program at Interfaith.

Pictured above (L-R) are: Bethany Millard, Thad Nosar, Denise Bloomer, Brooklynne Baker, Joey Zuber, Paige Plank. Not pictured were Alexis Fisher, Naomi Lane, Rachel Grover.  As a company, DTE also donated funds to help Susquehanna County Interfaith pay for the shoes that students receive as part of the program.  With the help of the “Care Force”, 240 backpacks were packed quickly and efficiently.

On Tuesday, July 25th, the Jackson Pin Thimblers 4-H Club met at the North Jackson Methodist Church to not only discuss old and new business, but to put together their 4-H banner.

Every member cut, decorated and brought a felt piece of their own to put on a felt banner to represent the Jackson Pin Thimblers 4-H Club at local community events and fairs.

Club leader Rhaylene Britten had an idea to collect and create a gift basket for 4-H member Caleigh Carrillo, as she recently had surgery. Members of all ages put together a list and made a plan to bring adult coloring books, balloons, crayons, kit kats, M&M’s and a prayer teddy bear to complete the basket at the next meeting.

Pictured (L-R) are members of the Jackson Pin Thimblers 4-H Club: Ryan Stalling, Zachary Norton, Adriana Zebrowski, Brooke Marvin, Courtney Marvin, Russell Conklin, Andrew Stalling, Lia Heath, Cheyann Conklin, Stephanie Conklin

On another note, members were encouraged along with reminded that cake decorating demonstration and class on Thursday, August 3rd. The 4-H Club, in addition, made a plan to put together the blankets for the homeless on August 8th. So far, members have collected blankets, washcloths, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, toothbrushes and soap. Barnes Kasson Hospital was generous enough to donate additional toothpaste and toothbrushes.

In the upcoming 160th Harford Fair, the Jackson Pin Thimblers 4-H Club voted and chose to participate and volunteer in Farmer for a Day on Monday, August 21st.

Last but not least, members were given one or two boxes of Gertrude Hawk candy bars to sell as a fundraiser. If you happen to see a box at any local store, please support the Jackson Pin Thimblers 4-H Club along with others by purchasing a delicious, sweet candy bar!

Nestled in the rolling Endless Mountains of Susquehanna County, half way between Scranton and Binghamton, New York is the village of Harford whose residents enjoy a simple, quiet existence for fifty-one weeks a year.  However, everything will change next week, August 21-26th, 2017, when approximately 65,000 visitors from near and far will come to celebrate a long-standing tradition, the Harford Fair. While the first full day of the fair is Monday, August 21st, you won’t want to miss the many events beginning on Sunday, with free admission and free parking.

The well-groomed main arena will open with the Draft Horse and Pony Driving Class Show at 2:00 PM.  The precision of the drivers and their teams of horses is something to see with their horses hitched to a cart or another suitable vehicle.  With twenty-four different classes, spectators can see such things as six-horse hitch, four-horse hitch, tandem hitch, obstacle cart and team hitch and the draft riding class to name a few.

Participants in the Draft Horse Show from a past Harford Fair line up in the arena awaiting announcement of winner.  The Draft Horse Show is free to the public at this year’s Harford Fair on Sunday, August 20, 2017, at 2:00 PM.

Drivers are dressed in appropriate English or Western show attire as they demonstrate their team skills with their horses with the following gates:  walk, collected trot, working trot and backup.  The horses must be able to stop and stand quietly as well with the driver exhibiting performance with sportsmanlike conduct. 

Registration begins at noon on the fairgrounds with the show beginning at 2 PM.  All information is available at Harfordfair.com, clicking on the premium book cover first in the listing down the left hand side of the home page.  Copies of the premium book are also available at the secretary’s office on the fairgrounds Monday through Friday or at several businesses throughout the area. Any questions can be directed to Debbie Oakes, co-superintendent of the horse department, at 607-237-2731.

Other events continue Sunday with the preliminary queen competition at 3:00, Livestock Skill-a-thon in the cattle arena at 5:30 and the official fair opening beginning at 7:30.  The 26th Harford Fair Queen will be crowned, tributes will be given for Gerald Albeck, John Bolles, and Leon Button, all of whom served the fair as members of the Harford Agricultural Society’s Board of Directors and passed away during the past year.  Musical entertainment by the Southern Tiersman Barbershop Chorus will follow the coronation ceremony.  Fireworks are scheduled for 9:15 PM to conclude the evening and kickoff the fair.

That is just the beginning of a week filled with Family Fun for Everyone with continued free parking and free admission for eleven and under. Active Military and Veteran’s Appreciation Day is Monday with free admission for those with proper ID and Wednesday is Senior Citizen’s Day.   The main arena will offer free seating for the truck and semi truck pulls, the farm tractor and hot tractor pull, the antique tractor pull, the diesel truck pull, the woodsman’s contest and the horse pulling contest.  Thursday will be family day all day at the fair with The Johnny Rockett’s Cycle Circus Live action thrill show presented free in the main arena.  On Friday, the traditional Dave Martin’s Championship Rodeo is at 7:30 PM with some free seating and reserved seating. The Jackpot Demolition Derby wraps up the fair’s main arena shows on Saturday night at 7:30 PM.

In addition to the main arena events, the Harford Fair offers so much more.  The free Hogway Speedway with racing pigs, goats, and ducks perform three shows each day in the South Arena and the Rhinestone Roper performs with his trained horse and other cowboy skills free three times each day in the North Arena.  The Horse Arena at the north end of the fairgrounds is busy all week long with free shows including the Fun Show, the saddle horse show, the pony show, the driving show, barrel racing and both open and closed horse shows.  Schedules are available on line at Harfordfair.com or in the book and brochures which are available now at the secretary’s office on the fairgrounds or at many businesses throughout the area.

Walking the paved pathways of the beautifully decorated fairgrounds, one can enjoy traditional as well as non-traditional fair foods, full dinners offered each day in the dining hall, a wide variety of amusements, demonstrations, commercial vendors, and school exhibits. Prize-winning crafts, home grown products, the 4-H exhibits, and the Founders Museum offers so much to see at one of the largest truly agricultural fairs which still exists.  Walking through the barns, the fairgoer can see a variety of breeds of cows, horses, rabbits, poultry, and goats.  Swine and sheep will be on display in the newly renovated area, one of several capital improvements completed for this year’s fair.

The Community Foundation of the Endless Mountains is pleased to announce the establishment of The Cultivations Endowment for the Arts which will support art education in the public schools of undeserved communities throughout the United States.  Cultivations is an online boutique representing various artisans from throughout the country and proceeds from sales will be contributed to this permanent endowment.  The web site showcases a collection of specially curated handcrafted goods.

Cultivations Founder, Holly Bailey, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania feels that “promoting creativity and expression empowers young people to stay engaged, to succeed, and to grow over the course of their education.”  Bailey adds that “the goal of the Cultivations Endowment for the Arts is to introduce young people to creative outlets and help foster in them an appreciation for the arts that will stay with them throughout their lifetime.”

More information about Cultivations and the new endowment for the arts can be found at www.cultivations.com.  For information about The Community Foundation please visit www.community-foundation.org.

You may recognize her as being pet of the week before, Mona has spent over the past 2 1/2 years of her life living in shelters and the past 6 months at True Friends.  None of us can  figure out why nobody picks her to be their furever friend. Mona is extremely housebroken, walks beautifully on a leash, and loves to snuggle into her silky blankets. She would make the perfect snuggle bug and would love the chance to cuddle with someone special!  Mona has a lot of personality and often smiles when she sees you. She is a bit of a couch potato though and would do best with older children just because she doesn’t like her feet touched.  She is selective of other dogs, but does seem to like cats. Mona is 4 years old and anxious to live the rest of her life in a real home being pampered like the queen she knows she is.  Please consider adopting or even fostering this wonderful dog, she truly deserves being in a comfortable home.

Our shelter has recently been overwhelmed with stray dogs in need of a place to go and our kennels are overloaded.  We desperately need help and are looking for foster homes to help us care for all these needy animals.  If you are able to help, please give us a call or stop by the shelter.

Woofstock is now only 1 week away!  If you haven’t already, be sure to stop by for your pre-sale tickets that are only $10.  We also still have our gun raffle tickets available until the drawing on August 19th.  They are a $20 donation and you have 6 amazing chances to win.  Your support is greatly needed and appreciated!!!