I was fortunate to have the opportunity to participate in a photo tour of Chenoa Manor in Avondale, Pennsylvania and visit with its many wonderful animal residents. Chenoa is an accredited animal sanctuary taking in the neediest of animals with a focus on farm and exotic animals. You can visit the sanctuary by becoming a volunteer, intern or benefactor or by participating in a scheduled workshop or event.
With the help of a guide, our small group was able to enter the pastures for some up close and personal time with the animals. It is clear from the atmosphere that the animals and their welfare are the focus here. You can read more about Chenoa at their website.
An overview of Chenoa Manor.A pasture with grazing animals.Grazing pony and donkeys.
It was great to meet some of the animals.
Donkey Felicetta. She was rescued on her way to slaughter.This handsome guy looked me right in the eye.This pig was ready for bed time.A very thoughtful expression from this goat.A beautiful white goat.I wonder what this duck is saying?I think this is a goose, not a duck. I need to brush up on this.
The property is available for events a has some lovely gardens.
A lovely rustic garden at the base of the barn.A view of the flower garden.Blessings on those coming and going.
Sunday, October 13 saw the return of the annual Roaring Creek Trail drive through. The drive through is a unique opportunity to drive on the Roaring Creek Trail in the Weiser State Forest. This multi-use trail is normally restricted to vehicle traffic. The drive-through began at 9:00 AM, starting at the Route 42 parking lot gate. The gate was open until 2:00 PM. Traffic was restricted to one-way travel on the 8-mile Roaring Creek Trail and exited at the Route 54 parking lot gate. All vehicles had to exit by 3:00 PM. Passenger vehicles only (cars, pick-up trucks, SUVs, passenger vans, motorcycles) were permitted to enter. Enter the trail in Columbia County and leave in Northumberland County.
Kline’s Reservoir at the Route 42 side of the trail.
The Roaring Creek Tract features three large reservoirs currently maintained by Aqua PA. The reservoirs are in a valley surrounded by steep hillsides. The surrounding area is state forest land. Boating is permitted in two of the reservoirs. Fishing is also permitted, and the trail is very popular with hikers and cyclists.
This event was very popular, and traffic proceeded very slowly along the trail, which is actually a very well maintained gravel road. With so much vehicular traffic, it was unlikely you were going to see much wildlife. It was a lovely drive nonetheless. The leaves were probably a week or two short of their best color, due to lingering warm weather in September. There were places along the route to stop for a picnic.
My view for much of the trip.A peak at the larger McWilliams Reservoir through the trees.A good day for a family fishing trip.You could stop along the way for a picnic.
There was a pavilion at McWilliams Picnic Area that could be used for a stop. Boat moorings and a boat launch are available here as well. There were also restrooms and parking in this area for the day.
Portage your boat into the McWilliams Reservoir.A walk along the lake.Smokey the Bear made a very conspicuous appearance.Because one photo of a giant inflatable bear isn’t enough.
More information about the Roaring Creek Tract is here.
I love Fall. Not just because I hate hot weather but because I love all the other things that go with the season – colorful leaves, cozy fabrics, hot beverages, and fairs. I had to check out the Unionville Community Fair in Chester County. The fair was set on a old farm property adjacent to the high school.
Well kept barn on the property.A view of the farmstead.I’m not sure what this platform is but I think it has to do with steeplechase or jumping horses.
It was well worth a visit. It is rare in this area to find a festival with livestock. This aspect makes this fair unique. The lamas and goats were adorable. There was an opportunity for kids to get to milk a goat. I just wish there had been more dairy cows in the large tent.
An inquisitive goat.Three lone cows in the big tent.Llamas are so cute.
There were the usual fair food trucks, vendors, and activities for the kids. Polish food followed by funnel cake is a win in my book any day. While I was eating, the kids participated in a sing a long with Elsa from “Frozen.” I also bought some awesome local honey at one of the vendors. I don’t don’t normally love honey, but this stuff was great.
Time to “Let it Go” with Elsa. The VendorsYummy, hot funnel cake on a rainy day.I really liked the look of this old mill building on the way home.
Pennsylvania’s first ever Farm Bill was recently signed into law and provides $24 million in funds to support the agricultural industry. It is designed to increase opportunities in areas such as dairy, hemp and organics and remove barriers for young farmers’ entry into the profession. The bill also decreases some regulatory burdens on farmers.
The bill is comprehensive, so I thought it might be helpful to highlight some of the areas that might be of most interest or immediately helpful. Here are some of the most interesting parts of the bill:
Funding for the Pennsylvania Agricultural Business Development Center to serve as a resource to help farmers create a business plan, transition plan, or succession plan.
A realty transfer tax exemption for any transfer of preserved farmland to a qualified beginning farmer will be available.
Funding for the dairy industry in the form of research and development, organic transition assistance, value-added processing, and marketing grants.
Center for Animal Agriculture Excellence funding to support the animal agriculture industry by expanding processing capacity, technical assistance, providing resources for food safety compliance, and assisting with the establishment of hemp as an approved animal feed.
A program to reimburse federal meat inspection costs and subsidize the first-time purchase of equipment needed for federal compliance to access to new and expanded markets for small or new producers will be established.
Agriculture linked investment program to re-establish this low interest loan program for the implementation of best management practices.
Resource enhancement and protection tax credits to increase the lifetime cap and increase availability.
Expansion of the allowable width for the use of implements of husbandry on roads, such as farm tractors and combines, from 16 feet to 18 feet.
Farm Bill amends the Ag Area Security Act to allow for subdivision of preserved farms.
Funding for agricultural and youth organizations.
Pennsylvania Rapid Response Disaster Readiness Account to allow for a quick response to agricultural disasters, including utilizing animal or plant health officials to contain an outbreak or threat, or providing an immediate response to a food borne illness.
Increasing market opportunities through funding of the PA Preferred Organic Initiative to make Pennsylvania the nation’s leading organic state, the PA Preferred Program to support the overall program and to bolster enrollment in the Homegrown by Heroes Program, and the State-level Specialty Crop Block Grant Program to invest in and encourage farming of high-priority horticultural crops like hemp, hops, and hardwoods.
There is a lot to take in with this bill, and we will see what the future brings in terms of implementation. In the meantime, more information can be found here:
On my way to Linn Run State Park, I came across the Powdermill Nature Reserve of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. The Museum is in Pittsburgh, but the Powdermill Reserve is in a beautiful area of the Laurel Highlands. The reserve’s website can be found here.
Welcome to Powdermill Nature Reserve.
Powdermill Nature Reserve is a field station and laboratory where researchers do long-term studies of natural populations in western Pennsylvania. It is a great place for outdoor fun and education.
You can explore the beautiful woodlands around the reserve via the hiking tails. You can also visit the nature center, which features exhibits that highlight local wildlife, a room of beautiful mounted specimens, an indoor stream, a fish tank, and a “marsh machine” that uses a living plants to purify waste water.
The reserve does permit hunting on a limited basis through a annual lottery for 100 permits. Due to some inclement weather and limited time, I confined myself to the visitor center on this trip.
This is an interesting paludarium style fish tank. Forgive the glare from the very bright back light.Check out the fish in this tank.The really cool stream tank – I think my little buddy wants to be fed..A description of the “marsh machine” that treats the center’s waste water.Here is a view of the marsh machine.
The Laurel Highlands has options for fans of skiing and winter sports. First on the list has to be the famous Seven Springs Resort in Champion, PA. This year round resort has skiing, snow tubing, golf, tennis, swimming, dining, bowling, miniature golf, alpine slide, biking, hiking, outdoor adventure park, stables, lodging …. Well, you get the idea.
The pool at the slope side hotel at Seven Springs decked out for Labor Day.
Hidden Valley is tucked away off of Route 31. In addition to skiing, there is tubing, dining, pubs, golf, a spa and adjacent vacation home development.
The main lodge at Hidden Valley ski resort.
Finally, Laurel Mountain Ski Area at Laurel Mountain State Park offers skiing and dining. Alas, it is not possible to visit during the off season.
Southwestern Pennsylvania is a great area for state parks. In my last post, I explored the state parks with “laurel” in their names (due to the fact they are on or around the long ridge line known as Laurel Mountain). Today we’ll add a few more in the area.
Starting in Bedford County, I exited the turnpike at Bedford and soon found myself a Shawnee State Park. This park has a large lake, campground, beach, disc golf, hiking, fishing and other amenities.
Boats at Shawnee State Park
The following day I went to check out Kooser State Park. This one also has a lake with fishing, hiking and picnicking. There is also a very nice small cabin colony there.
A peek at Kooser State Park.
On my way to Laurel Summit State Park, I passed through Linn Run State Park. This a beautiful, forested park follows along the course of Linn Run. It is adjacent to the Forbes State forest. It offers stream fishing, hiking, picnicking and has a beautiful cabin colony for overnight stays. Admas Falls on Linn Run is a favorite scenic spot and has a picnic table available.
I spent Labor Day weekend in the Laurel Highlands with a stay at the cabins in Laurel Hill State Park. I also set out to visit some of the other state parks in the area, as well as a few other locations. Let’s start off with a look at my home base for the weekend.
Laurel Hill State Park contains a lake with a beach, boating opportunities, hiking trails, fishing, picnicking, camping and all the summer time fun that accompanies those things. It is located in Somerset County and reasonably convenient to the turnpike. The park is near several other state parks and Forbes State Forrest.
Men working for the WPA and CCC began the process of building what was to become Laurel Hill State Park on July 1, 1935 at CCC camps SP-8-PA and SP-16-PA. There is statue in the park commemorating these workers.
CCC worker, Laurel Hill State Park
The lake is beautiful and surrounded by steep hills on one side.
The beach at Laurel Hill State Park.Looking toward the dam.
There is fishing on Laurel Hill Creek and Jones Mill Run.
View of Laurel Hill Creek from accessible fishing area.Handicapped access to fishing area on Laurel Hill Creek surrounded by beautiful flowers.Lovely jewelweed along the path down to the creek.
I also stopped at some of the other nearby parks. I had quite a time getting to some of them, mostly due to relying too heavily on google maps. I ended up on some really sketchy forest roads, and I’m not typically one to shy away from a forest road. If I had double checked google’s routes versus a map, I would have done much better. At least I a saw a turkey.
Laurel Summit State Park is a small park with picnicking and acts as a trail head for the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail and other trails. It is best accessed via Linn Run State Park. This route provides paved roads for most of the trip up the mountain to the park.
Picnic pavilion, Laurel Summit State Park.
Laurel Ridge State Park has multiple sections along the ridge of Laurel Mountain. The Laurel Highlands Hiking Trails passes through its sections. It is otherwise mostly undeveloped except for backpacking shelters and one picnic pavilion. The best access points are directly on Route 30 or 31 if you want to say you’ve been there and aren’t hiking or wildlife watching.
Sign for Laurel Ridge State Park. This may be the only way you know you’re there.
Finally, I attempted to visit Laurel Mountain State Park, which houses a ski area. I was there many years ago and hoped to drive in and take a look. Unfortunately, the gates were closed in the off season.
I had promised my cousin that we would take a camping trip to Codorus State Park in Hanover, Pennsylvania over the July Fourth holiday. I decided to stick with the plans despite a weather forecast calling for high heat and humidity with the added bonus of regular thunderstorms popping up. I went back and forth between calling this post “The Camping Trip from Hell” and “Silver Linings.” Ultimately, I couldn’t decide if it was good or bad.
I’m more of a fair weather camping kind of girl, I don’t mind a little rain, as long as I can set up when it ‘s not raining and everything has a chance to dry before I pack up. I was frustrated because all my trips last year were affected by rain, despite being out only 1-2 nights each time. I didn’t get my wish for fair weather on this trip. Everything was wet and/or dirty prior to departure. Pennsylvania is getting record rain, and it kind of stinks. At least the corn is high.
The park itself did not disappoint. I went primarily to see if I could get a glimpse of the newly fledged bald eagles that hatched in an oak tree above Lake Marburg this Spring. They are quite the web cam stars. I did not see the fledglings, but I did get my first look at the parents in flight, having only previously seen them in the nest or resting in a nearby tree. The weather prevented much else in the way of activity.
Nonetheless, it was not a complete loss. On the way to Hanover, I stopped briefly at Samuel S. Lewis State Park. It looks like a great place for a picnic and has a nice scenic view of the Susquehanna valley. The website also recommends kite flying and sledding, and it seems really well suited for those activities.
The flag was still trying to fly proudly on the 4th despite the hot and damp weather.Here’s the view toward the river.
I arrived at Codorus and immediately started to set up camp.
Here is a look at lovely Lake Marburg,
From the band shell area.
On the way home, via Lake Redman, I made a few stops. The first was to photograph this hay field that was harvested just the day before.
Newly harvested hay.
I also took a few pictures of some of the lovely farms of southern York County.
I recently traveled into Lancaster County to check out reports of the presence of the black-bellied whistling duck. This duck species is generally found in the southern United States and rarely comes into Pennsylvania. However, this summer these ducks seem to be making an appearance in the northeast.
The birds were reported as continuing at Woods Edge Park. When I initially arrived, I couldn’t spot them. Thank goodness for the arrival of some more experienced bird watchers with spotting scopes. The birds were soon easily spotted.
Here is a picture of our quarry:
The elusive black=bellied whistling duck, the star of our show.
I also checked out some of the other wildlife. I, of course, missed the photo of the osprey diving for its lunch. There were some heron opportunities.
Great blue heron. I also missed the shot with a fish in its beak.
There were lots of turtles around the pond.
This one is relaxing solo.Some prefer a Spring break atmosphere for sunbathing.This one just seems lost. Maybe it is looking for the ducks.
Woods Edge Park is a lovely compact park and makes a great place for a picnic or a spot of bird watching if you’re ever in Lancaster County.
The pond at Woods Edge Park.The lovely marshy area opposite the pond.
