Woodsboro Days - Woodsboro Times

WOODSBORO TIMES
VOLUM E 1 , NO. 1 • W W W.WOODS BOR O.NE T • OCTO B E R 2013
Woodsboro Days
Roger Hub
A Brief History of Woodsboro
our hundred years ago, land known
today as Woodsboro, served as
primitive hunting and fishing grounds
for the Susquehanna Indians. Established in 1786, Woodsboro was laid
out composed forty acres of land Colonel Woods received after serving in the
Revolutionary War. In the early days,
Woodsboro emerged in size with limekilns, quarries, blacksmiths, and commercial fishing ponds. As Woodsboro
grew, homes were built to shelter German immigrants arriving from the
ports of Philadelphia and Annapolis.
Most of the Woodsboro settlers came
from German parentage, bringing invaluable craftsmanship skills to build
more homes. During the Civil War,
Confederate troops led by General
Jeb Stuart’s Cavalry, marched through
Woodsboro. The sound of cannons was
clearly heard from the Battle of Gettysburg. Hobos wandered Woodsboro
during the Great Depression searching
for food and rest along the train tracks.
In 1929, Woodsboro incorporated as a
municipality and elected the first Burgess Dr. George F. Smith.
Today Woodsboro’s population
accounts for 1,141 people, three
churches, a gas station, medical center, elementary school, funeral home,
auto repair shops, fire department,
grocery store, lumber yard, bank, optician, dentist, medical doctor, barber
shop and several civic organizations.
For more than 225 years, Woodsboro
has endured every day, spirited by a
strong sense of community, offering
families a nice town to live and work.
F
Woodsboro During
the Railroad Days
One of the most significant contributions leading to Woodsboro’s continued success was the construction
of the Pennsylvania Line Rail Road
Company. Along this railroad, Woodsboro’s Rail Road Depot supported daily commerce for Woodsboro,
Western Maryland and Pennsylva-
nia. The Frederick and Pennsylvania
Line Rail Road Company originally
formed in 1854 and finally received a
charter by a special act of the Maryland Legislature on March 19, 1867.
Railroad construction began after
the Civil War in 1869. Records indicate the rail road line first connected Frederick to Woodsboro. In 1870
with the connection expanded to the
Littlestown Pennsylvania Rail Road
Company completing construction
in 1872. Over time, rail road routes
were chosen to manage rail traffic from the numerous stone quarries, lime kilns and a copper mine in
northern Frederick County. Of equal
importance was the connection with
the Western Maryland Railroad in
Keymar. Soon the rail road expanded into Pennsylvania with 16 scheduled passenger trains running through
Woodsboro.
The Frederick and Pennsylvania
Line Rail Road was sold at a Judicial sale on June 9,1896 and reorganized as the Frederick and Northern
Rail Road Company on December
22,1896. After numerous reorganizations and consolidations the new rail
road connected with York, Hanover,
Littlestown, Taneytown, Keymar,
Woodsboro, Walkersville and Frederick. Finally a connection was made
with the Baltimore & Ohio Rail
Road. In 1913 the Central Rail Road
of Maryland was formed to build
a line to the cement plant at Union
Bridge, Maryland. Woodsboro prospered economically from this strategic rail system.
In 1972 Hurricane Agnes washed
out the bridge over the Monocacy
River and the rail road line was cut
back to Walkersville leaving Frederick
with no rail service from Penn Central. In 1980, the Maryland Transportation Administration refurbished
the rail road line from Taneytown to
Walkersville, with freight service provided by the Maryland Midland Rail
Road. The Maryland Midland presently operates the Woodsboro to
Taneytown segment with connection
“Jay Wolf, Coordinator of Woodsboro Days”
photo by Roger Hub
made to Keymar. Today, the rail road
line south of Woodsboro is currently used for car storage with the southern portion leased to the Walkersville
Southern Rail Road for their excursion trains based out of Walkersville.
The Woodsboro Train
Station and Depot
Woodsboro’s first train station ticket office window was located in the
Woodsboro Warehouse directly across
the train tracks from the Woodsboro
Train Station. The Woodsboro ticket office and Woodsboro Post Office remained in the warehouse from
1870 to 1883. Eventually the Woodsboro Post Office moved down onto
Main Street next to The Woodsboro
Bank. From 1883 to 1948 the Woodsboro Train station served as a passenger stop. All of Woodsboro’s mail was
received at the station and carted over
the hill to the Woodsboro Post Office.
At some time around 1897 the freight
and baggage area was enlarged. If you
lived in Woodsboro and wanted more
than a grade school education you
had to take the train into Frederick
everyday.
For over 70 years, trains were a vital part of Woodsboro’s daily life supporting business, mail and passengers
from the 1870’s to 1940’s. Gold fish
was big business. In 1900’s The Powell Brothers established a successful
business raising, exporting and marketing goldfish from Beard’s Farm
“Powell’s Pond” located on Route
550. The Powell brother’s shipped
goldfish in custom built perforated
cans with sunken lids to their customers. Frederick County produced
more goldfish than any other county in the United States. Soon after
World War 2 the rail road gradually
declined and Mr. John “Cap” Drenning “locked the train station doors”
on October 1st, 1962.
The Woodsboro Train Station underwent some minor restoration by
an insurance agent in 1970. The station sat neglected until 1976 when
the Woodsboro’s bicentennial committee opened up the station for the
nation’s 200th anniversary. The Bicentennial Committee eventually became the Woodsboro Historical Society and opened the station to the
public in 1986 for Woodsboro’s 200th
anniversary.
In 1986 the Woodsboro Historical Society began raising funds for
the purchase of the train station from
The Maryland Transportation Administration. In November 1997 The
Woodsboro Historical Society completed the purchase of the Woodsboro
Train Station.
Celebrating Woodsboro Days
This year The Town of Woodsboro
will celebrate Woodsboro’s history and
community spirit declaring “Woodsboro Days” October 18th – October
20th. The celebration is being spear-
The Powell Brothers
headed by The Woodsboro Historical
Society along with the Woodsboro Fire
Department, Woodsboro Evangelical Lutheran Church, St. John’s UCC
Church and the Woodsboro American Legion. Organizing and leading
the event “the man behind the scenes”
is the President of the Woodsboro Historical Society Mr. Jay Wolf President.
The Man Behind The Scenes
The President of The Woodsboro
Historical Society Mr. Jay Wolf and
wife Susan Wolf of Woodsboro have
spent their entire lives living in Frederick County. Susan was raised on Bartonsville Road in Adamstown, Mary-
In 1985, Jay and Susan moved to
the old Lutheran Parsonage on North
Main Street. The house is displayed
on a 1858 map and served as the parsonage for the Evangelical Lutheran
Church for over 110 years. Mr. Wolf
states, “We love this old place and
find it hard to imagine moving away.
There has been a tremendous amount
of time and money put into this old
place but it has been a great place to
raise a family.” Mr. Wolf enjoys working on his old home wood working
and repairing plaster walls. He states,
“ In an old home like ours you do not
live in it you live with it. This house is
Race route sketch
land. They have two daughters 19
and 24 years old studying in college.
And a son 26 years old who recently
graduated from college. Jay and Susan
are not strangers to the Woodsboro
community.
Postal Customer
always a work in progress.”
Small business owner Jay Wolf, President and part owner of the DVF Corporation, owns a 5,000 square foot decontinued to page 11
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2 | WOODSBORO TIMES | OCTOBER 2013
NEWS/GOVERNMENT
Doing good by doing well
Woodsboro Times
Woodsboro Times
P.O.Box 502
Woodsboro, Maryland 21798
Office Number 240-446-9797
The Woodsboro Times is a local newspaper and journal. Its current distribution of about 3500 residences and businesses is centered on the Town of Woodsboro and delivered north through
New Midway to just south of Keymar (Little Pipe Creek), west to
Creagerstown Park (the Monocacy River), south into Walkersville
and east out to Pine Tree and Whiskey Springs. Key features of
the paper will include: upcoming events, local stories of interest,
reports by local political officials, local government news, commentary on broader subjects, articles from neighborhood churches, how-to articles from local experts in various fields including :
cooking, gardening and astronomy, a section on history and what
ever else may come along that might be of interest to readers. The
paper will focus on celebrating the people of this area and their
achievements. Serious issues whether local, national or global will
not be avoided. The Woodsboro Times is published monthly and
delivered on the first day of the month.
Executive Editor: Ken Kellar [email protected]
Doing Good by Doing Well Local Business Owners Branch Out into New,
Niche Territory With Philanthropic Goals
W
hen Woodsboro resident
Tom England left his government job and first had the idea
for Dancing Bear Toys and Gifts,
he had a simple goal of reigniting
creativity and critical thinking in
children, through simple, classic
toys that didn’t rely on technology. Taking his favorite pastime
of making toys, Tom and his wife
Marlene opened Dancing Bear
Toys at 200A N. Market Street in
Downtown Frederick, in 2000.
Now, 13 years later, the Englands have opened a brand new
business: Curious Iguana, an independent book and gift store
with a global focus, with the new
goal of making a difference in
their community and around the
world. Curious Iguana opened
on September 7th at 12 N. Market Street, the previous location
of Dancing Bear Toys, which has
moved to 15 E. Patrick Street.
“We had heard from a number of our customers that Downtown Frederick was lacking an
independent bookstore. We were
ready to expand, and we thought
we could fill that niche,” explained Marlene. What will set
Curious Iguana apart from other shops is that it is a Benefit
Corporation following the idea
of “Doing good in the world ,
by doing well in your business.”
Working with nonprofit organi-
zation Kiva, a percentage of all
sales at Curious Iguana will go
towards microloans that the Englands will designate to selected
recipients around the world. A
large map of the world hangs in
the store showing customers what
their purchases help to support..
In keeping with this international outlook, Curious Iguana
features a broad range of gifts
and books for all ages, including geography-themed merchandise and books in other
languages. The Englands also
plan to put on traditional book
store events such as book signings, as well as Skype sessions
with authors and organizations
Emmitsburg’s Chickens have come
home to roost
I
n 1992 the Woodsboro Town
government established an ordinance prohibiting livestock
within town limits. Brunswick
made the news couple of years
back as they were considering allowing chickens within the city
limits. The interest rose from a
growing demand for more naturally raised food and possibly to
provide an economic source of
protein. About a year ago, I called
the Brunswick town office to get
details about their chicken ordinance to only learn the movement had failed to pass. Now Emmitsburg has placed home grown
chicken and eggs back on the
menu. Last July, the town unani-
mously passed an ordinance allowing residents to raise chickens in
town. Some highlights of the ordinance include: hens only, a limit of 4 mature hens, they must be
penned or cooped, no butchering
on residential property, pens must
be greater than 25 feet from residences and kept to side or back
yards, and chickens had to be registered with the Maryland Department of Agriculture and the town.
The full ordinance can be found
at the Emmitsburg town website,
Emmitsburg.net.
About the only thing I know
about chickens is that roosters crow a lot earlier than sunrise. I learned that the hard way,
once while camping on the outer
banks of North Carolina and once
while trying to sleep while enjoying the ocean breezes of Maui.
On Maui, the frequent crowing at
night forced us to close our windows and crank the air conditioner fan to high speed to drown out
the noise. In North Carolina I just
suffered through the noisy nights.
People often bring up the subject
of disease regarding chickens. The
Center for Disease Control specifically addresses home-grown-chicken disease concerns on the web.
The only disease they mention is
salmonella. It is carried in the gut
of many chickens but rarely harms
the bird. The safety precautions
include: avoiding tracking feces
around, washing hands after handling the birds or their coop, and
From the Burgess of Woodsboro
F
ellow Woodsboro residents,
on October 19, 2013, the
historical society is going to bring
back Woodsboro Days. There
will be runners running a 5K
race through town in the morn-
ing and there will be yard sales
for people to browse through and
the local churches will have food
and snacks for sale. This would
be a good time to get out and visit your neighbors before old man
winter gets here.
If you have been walking
through the park recently you
probably have noticed the town
has a new zero turn lawnmower.
The old mower, after nine years,
News Editor: Roger Hub
Adviser: Michael Hillman
Advertising: Roger Hub and Sharon Graham
Graphic Design and Layout: Brian Barth • bbarthdesign.com
Notices of upcoming events, news stories, and interesting articles
are welcome and may be submitted via regular mail to P.O.Box
502, Woodsboro, MD 21798 or by email to WoodsboroEditor@
gmail.com. To arrange advertising contact the editor.
from around the world.
Tom attributes the success
of Dancing Bear Toys to support from the local community, which has made it possible
for the Englands to move the
toy store to a larger location and
open a second business. “Where
you shop and what you buy re-
ally does make a difference,”
he said. Tom and Marlene have
lived happily in Woodsboro for
the past 19 years, with their two
sons, Michael and Christopher.
Michael is currently attending
Old Dominion University and
Christopher is a senior at Walkersville High School.
fully cooking the eggs. These precautions do not seem too different
from those on the labels of store
bought chicken products.
Editor’s Note - Emittsburg’s recent decision to allow chickens
has me wondering if Woodsboro
should consider such a move. It
is hard to imagine a few hens
out-clucking the barking dogs
of Woodsboro, although I have
heard that a hen sometimes can get
a bit vocal when proudly declaring
the laying of her new egg. While
it is hard to imagine saving much,
if any, money since chicken meat
and eggs are some of the least expensive items in grocery stores, it
might be good for those of us that
are “city slickers” to experience
what it really takes to make an omelet or a pot of chicken soup.
New partner at the
Woodsboro auto repair
R
ichard Doody, a 2003 Damascus High School graduate, now living in Thurmont, has
accepted a full time position at
Woodsboro Auto Repair, estab-
lished in 1991. Mr. Doody will
be working as a partner with plans
to eventually take over the business when the current owner, Paul
Metzger, retires in several years.
needed to be replaced.
The fall season is here and
while you are getting your yards
ready for winter, you should remember that all tree limbs that
reach out over sidewalks or
streets should be trimmed up so
that a nine feet high clearance is
achieved.
Folks, I like to close by saying
I feel that the Town of Woodsboro is a great place to live and
raise a family. The town commissioners and I, along with the
town employees, are trying each
and every day to keep it this
way.
Gary W. Smith, Burgess
OCTOBER 2013 | WOODSBORO TIMES | 3
GOVERNMENT
From State Delegate, Kelly Schulz
T
he current administration will
be pursuing an increase in the
state’s minimum wage. Although the
official legislation has not been drafted, it is widely believed that there
will be an effort to increase the minimum paid wage in the state from the
current federal standard ($7.25) to
$10 per hour. I have been tasked by
House leadership to develop a strategy to combat this proposal. There is
one major reason that I will work to
defeat this bill – JOBS!
There have been many studies
completed on this topic, and I am
certain that there will be many more.
Eighty five percent of the studies produced on this topic draw a direct correlation between a raise in minimum
wage standards and the loss of jobs.
One study, The Employment Policies Institute, reports that by raising the hourly earnings of minimally
skilled workers there will be a 1 – 3%
decrease in available jobs. As employer’s costs rise, they will be less inclined
to hire and train a large segment of
our young workforce. Our teens and
college students could be without
part time and seasonal work which
helps to deflect family budgetary obligations. In these difficult economic
times, I do not believe that Maryland
can afford to take this risk.
Unfortunately, most of the lost jobs
would come from industries that hire
the employees falling into category
that are essential in Frederick County: retail, entertainment, recreation,
food service and seasonal employment – jobs that are crucial to many
young adults as they strive to make
ends meet as they enter the workforce. In fact, almost 50% of these
wage earners fall within these categories and the majority are NOT working to provide a living wage for their
families. Most are under 21 years of
County Commissioner Kirby Delauter
I
’ll start with an excerpt from an article recently written by Chuck Norris, he states:
Everything rises and falls on leadership, as Dr. John Maxwell has put it.
Leadership has built the biggest empires. It has collapsed the greatest corporations. It can unify diversity or divide unity. It can cast visions, catalyze
movements, coalesce people and revolutionize industries and culture. Or
it can run an organization and country into the ground by hardly trying or
making a few wrong moves.
And you get what you pay for in
leadership, not just in monetary terms
but in quality of leader replication and
organizational development.
Now, to move forward and put this
his words into perspective for the upcoming County elections. It appears
from her website that former County Commissioner Jan Gardner will be
running for County Executive. Here
are a few of my observations from her
web page. She wants to restore the
trust in government. I wasn’t aware
that there was an issue with trust in
the County government? Maybe she’s
talking about the playing fields built
by parents and volunteers in Urbana a few years back when my company contributed in kind approximately
$150,000.00 of fill material organized
by local parents who just wanted to
build some playing fields for their kids
since the County couldn’t seem to find
it within the budget to build the fields
themselves. Jan and her board didn’t
trust the parents or volunteers to make
this happen so she placed every obsta-
cle known to man in their way, such as
prolonged permitting, environmental
issues, the list goes on. The fields eventually were completed by my company and volunteers, and after our election I remember the grand opening
where Jan stood before the very people
she scorned with crocodile tears telling
them how wonderful the new fields
were and how anything is possible
with good government. I was asked to
attend the grand opening but declined
since I couldn’t have brought myself to
stand there and listen to her take credit for something she had nothing to do
with in the first place.
She says also she wants to Lead with
integrity. I wonder if this is the same
integrity she had when she met with
members of the County ethics board
(which she appointed) behind closed
doors to change their ethics opinion
in a case regarding my company? Her
opinion of “ethical government” must
be different than mine.
She states she wants to empower people to participate and make a
difference. I have to ask, just how do
you do that? How do you “empower
people to participate and make a difference”? Will she grant them special
status? Will she have more public hearings than the current law requires? I’m
just at a loss as to how as an elected official she would “empower people”? I
hope during her run for office she can
provide some clarification on this.
She says she will have dedication to
serving people. How will she do this?
Will she serve people like she did when
she received a six figure job from Sen-
ator Mikulski? Who got more out of
that service, Ms. Gardner or the taxpayer? As an elected official I don’t really feel like I “serve people”. I feel if I
“serve “something or someone it’s pro
bono or at no cost to them. I feel my
County Commissioner position is a
job, it’s not service, I get paid to do the
job people elected me to do. So again
Jan Gardner, please explain how you
will “serve” us?
She wants people to believe “we
are all in it together”. I have to ask,
what are we in? Are we in the Nursing
Home business together, or are we in
the Waste to Energy business together?
I didn’t get that feeling of togetherness
from Jan Gardner when she closed the
door with me on the outside and she
met with the Ethics Board to decide
my fate. Yes, somehow Jan I just didn’t
get that warm fuzzy “we’re all in it together “ feeling when you did that to
my family.
She also states she wants Great
Schools, Safe Communities, and Efficient, Effective services. I have to shake
my head at that statement because who
doesn’t want these things? The difference is, some people “want” things,
other people “do” things. It’s easy to
want something, the hard part is actually doing it and making it a reality. The current BoCC has funded millions more in Systemic projects along
with IT items in the FCPS than the
Gardner board. The current BoCC
has funded and fast tracked more
school construction than the Gardner board. The Current BoCC has reinstated Sheriff Deputy pay scales that
age and living at home with parents.
The current administration in
Annapolis has done a great deal of
damage to our reputation as a business friendly state. There have been
74 tax increases in the past 7 years.
Our incomes are being taxed more
than 40 other states. Our business
ranking amongst CEOs has fallen to
#43 in the nation – lower than any
of our neighboring states. However,
our current minimum wage is competitive within the mid-Atlantic region. Why would we risk one more
negative attribute within the business community? We need to be in a
competitive mode in order to maintain and attract additional jobs. The
alternative will not be a positive outcome for the state.
It has been difficult to review the
data and come to any other conclusion than to work to defeat this initiative. Maryland needs to be able
to create sound economic policies
that help in the creation of new
jobs – NOT a decrease in opportunities!
Over the next 3 months, I will be
working with a variety of stakeholders to determine our best path forward. I always appreciate hearing
from my neighbors on this critical issue. Please feel free to contact me at
[email protected] or
301-304-0619.
were ignored by the Gardner board.
The Current BoCC abolished the separate Fire tax that was bleeding over
$13M annually, hired a Fire Chief and
laid out a plan to have for the first time
ever, a DFRS that is cohesive and financially solvent. The current BoCC
was handed a bloated County government with just under 2700 employees, we have streamlined government
and will leave office with approximately 1800 County employees, a reduction of almost 1000 employees, without sacrificing services. The Current
BoCC took the Gardner board’s nega-
tive bond rating and moved it to a stable rating. We took their $48M deficit when we took office and have had
$Millions in surpluses year over year.
So Jan, what exactly is your plan to
make County government efficient
and effective? Please explain.
As Dr. John Maxwell said, “ Everything rises and falls on leadership”. I
have yet to see where Jan Gardner lays
out any plan to lead the County. Instead I see a lot of feel good rhetoric
that along with $3.99 will buy her a
Starbucks Latte’ beckoned to her by
her County Executive Assistant.
Frederick County Government
Boards and Commissions Volunteer Opportunities
The Frederick Board of County Commissioners invites interested persons to volunteer their time to serve on several boards
and commissions that include the Commission on Aging, Public Library Board, Social Services Board, Solid Waste Advisory
Committee, and many others. To view a complete listing of the
vacancies, please visit Frederick County Government’s website at
www.frederickcountymd.gov/boards.
Persons having a desire to serve must be residents and registered voters of Frederick County. If interested, send a letter indicating the specific board/commission of interest and a current
resume by mail or e-mail ([email protected])
to Mrs. Joyce M. Grossnickle, Frederick County Government,
Winchester Hall, 12 East Church Street, Frederick, MD 21701.
Please include current contact information, i.e. home, work and
cell numbers, home mailing address and e-mail address.
For more information please contact Mrs. Grossnickle at 301600-1102.
All required documentation must be received by 4 p.m. on
Friday, October 18.
Frederick County Government does not discriminate on the
basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, or disability
in employment or the provision of services.
4 | WOODSBORO TIMES | OCTOBER 2013
IN THE COUNTRY
Mr. Claybaugh goes to Annapolis
A Dairy Farmer’s Odyssey
H
ow did Greg Clabaugh find
himself in the Annapolis state
building, testifying before a special
committee of the Maryland state legislature regarding a needed law change?
The short answer is that Mr. Clabaugh
was just going through the motions
needed to advance his business. The
detailed answer is a little complicated.
When I think of a businessman testifying before the legislature to change
a law, I picture a multi-millionaire
flanked by lawyers who is in charge of
a multi-billion-dollar enterprise. I do
not think of a local dairy farmer that
used to be my kid’s soccer coach with
the Woodsboro-New Midway Recreation Council. But that is the case.
This article is the first of a planned
three part series tracking Mr. Clabaugh’s business odyssey, which includes a stop at Annapolis to testify
about the need for legal changes that
were impeding his and others’ business enterprises. This issue will focus
family’s enterprise started 176 years
ago in 1837 when his ancestor, Asbury Hartsock, purchased 85 acres on
Good Intent Road for $4000. $4000
in 1837 was equivalent to around
$100,000 today according to the webbased calculators I found. The original
1837 deed still exists. The farm has
grown to 400 acres. The farm owner
name shifted to Clabaugh when Mr.
Clabaugh’s great- grandfather married
one of the Hartsock daughters. Greg
jointly owns the current property with
his brother and sister. There are four
children with the potential to add a
sixth generation of continuous family ownership of the farm, three from
Greg and his wife Loree a local public school teacher. The fourth child is
his sister’s. In addition to crops, cattle
and milk, the Clabaugh farm has produced: a nurse, a teacher, an aviation
professional, a World War I soldier
and of course a lot of farmers.
Greg always liked farming, which
An example of the powerful machinery used to farm
on his early years and his dairy farming
profession. The second issue will explore his business diversification as he
became involved in the brewing business. The third issue will catch us up to
the present, as Mr. Clabaugh gets further involved with brewing, possibly
in a very big way.
Greg Clabaugh is a fifth generation
Frederick County dairy farmer. His
can involve some tedious tasks such as
picking stones from fields and digging
out thistles. His boys do that today.
Asked when he knew he would make
it a profession, he recalled his grandfather’s funeral. While 12-year-old Greg
Clabaugh was standing near his recently widowed grandmother, someone asked her how she was going to
get by now. She put her arm around
the young Mr. Clabaugh and indicated she would be relying on him. Some
might view such early responsibility as
a burden while others might think of
finding one’s place in the world at such
an early age as a blessing. Having witnessed Greg’s emotional response as he
recalled that day, I’m thinking it was a
blessing.
Mr. Clabaugh’s love of farming did
not stop him from exploring other
things and expanding his horizons. After graduating from Walkersville High
School in 1973 he attended Frederick
Community College to study aviation
maintenance. His father would later
buy a small two-seater airplane which
they once flew to Ocean City, nonstop. Greg earned his pilot’s license
and at times ponders revisiting aviation. His FCC aviation studies did not
last too long as the new program put
the students to work setting things up.
He felt more like free labor than a student and shifted over to studying park
maintenance. He then became interested in studying administration of
justice and had a soccer scholarship offer from rural York College in Pennsylvania. He also had an opportunity to
attend American University in Washington D.C. and play football. His
father steered him towards American
U. to get city living experience because
that is where lawyers live. He took the
advice and thoroughly enjoyed one semester studying and playing football
as a wide receiver and flanker. He still
has the American University playbook
in his attic. Although he enjoyed the
experience it helped him understand
that he wanted to return to the farm
and that he did.
Back at home, working on the
farm, Greg joined the Mason-Dixon soccer league and played for the
Woodsboro team. During one game
he was shoved and, putting his arm
out to break the fall, he broke his arm
instead. Both lower arm bones broke
and his broken arm bent back so far
his “hand grabbed his elbow” before
returning to a less horrible but slightly bent position. The injury required
two surgeries and put him out of commission for a year. Greg made efficient
use of the down time by returning to
Frederick Community College and
getting his Associate of Arts in General Studies.
Around 1975, as a young student, Greg started a tradition, that in
hindsight, seems like destiny rather
than a mere lark. He started an annual beer party. With the help of his
friends from FCC and his soccer team
he started hosting a one-day party at
his farm. The event involved the rent-
Mr Claybaugh and his corn chopper
al of a refrigerated beer truck from Erwin and Schafer distributors, a live
band and ticket sales. Purchase or the
gift of one of the coveted tickets provided admission to the all-you-candrink festival. At its peak, 300 people would consume 16 kegs of beer.
The event became an annual tradition
with many people planning their other summer activities around this late
July event. Greg claims a woman from
Australia planned the timing of her return to America to include the party. While such an event would seem
to have the potential for great carnage,
he said that people had so much fun,
they self policed and quickly addressed
any issues before they got out of hand.
Reflecting on those wild, fun parties,
Greg wonders at his parent’s trust and
tolerance to allow such mayhem on
their farm.
Greg continued his family farm
work and held his July party year after year. In June of 1989, at an animal
auction, he saw his future wife, Loree.
They realized this when a week later they were introduced by a mutual
friend. Their first conversation went
well. Greg told Loree about the recent
leveling of one of his family’s barns by
a tornado. They realized they grew up
on almost neighboring farms only separated by a few miles and a few years
in age. Different high school districts
contributed to their paths remaining uncrossed for so long. After only a
couple dates, things must have gotten
serious because Greg presented Loree
with a precious beer party ticket ($20
dollar street value). So only several
dates in, Loree met every single friend
Greg had because they were all at the
beer party. That November they were
engaged and married the following
year. The story then goes that as Greg
began pondering the planning of the
1990 beer party he had an attack of responsibility due to his new role as husband and provider. Concerned about
the liability possibilities the tradition
was ended and no more extravaganzas
were held. Loree, now Mrs. Clabaugh,
was concerned that she would bear the
blame for the end of the festivities.
The Clabaugh’s farming experience
has not all been fun and games, it is a
serious and sometimes a deadly business. Greg experienced that as early
as five years old. While hanging out
while others were loading a silo with
a corn blower, he bent over near the
chain drive of the auger for the blower. The chain and sprocket caught his
shorts and ripped them off his body.
Luckily, he was only embarrassed in
front of his grandmother, but he knew
it could have been his death.
In 1966, Greg lost his uncle when
his tractor rolled while compressing silage in a trench. Loree lost one of her
grandfathers when his tractor flipped
backwards and onto him as he was trying to tow another tractor. Her other
grandfather lost some pieces of fingers
and, like Greg, had a pair of pants instantly ripped off of him by machinery. He credited his survival to the
worn state of his pants. Had they been
newer, he may have been drawn into
the machinery. The Clabaughs have
a neighbor missing two fingers from
a farm machinery accident. Greg recounted a chilling tale. While chopping corn with his 3 or 4 year-old son
up in the cab, he jumped down due to
something being jammed in the machinery. He started to reach for the
debris and with his hand a foot or less
away from the jam, he thought better of it and pulled his hand back. As
he did the machinery started up. He
looked up. His young son had been
leaning over the controls watching his
father and inadvertently engaged the
power take off that drives the chopper.
A very close call.
Machinery appears to be the biggest hazards with tractor rolls being
the leading cause of death for farmers.
OCTOBER 2013 | WOODSBORO TIMES | 5
IN THE COUNTRY
Soy beans
Corn
The USDA recorded over 3000 tractor rolls in the USA in 2011. Roll over
protection structures appear to be saving lives but in 2011 only 59% of the
rollovers had such protection. Safety
changes appear to be introduced slowly, partly because farm machinery is
operated as long as possible. Greg has
only one tractor purchased in this century with most of his other machinery
being 40 to 50 years old.
Greg currently has about 65 cows,
down form a peak of 80. His 400
acres are used to graze the animals in
pastures and to raise food to feed the
cows throughout the year, including
corn, alfalfa grass, orchard grass and
barley. Soy beans are grown as a cash
crop with the added benefit of adding some nitrogen to the soil helping keep fertilizer costs down for other crops. While fertilizer and seed are
purchased every year, Greg raises his
own dairy cow stock. A dairy cow has
about one calf a year. Most of the female calves are retained to replenish
the herd while males are “shipped”,
sold for other uses. A new calf is separated from its mother within about a
week of birth. Keeping them together longer and allowing a stronger bond
can cause more stress to the animals
than the early separation. For the first
week or so the new mother produces
colostrum which is very valuable for
the new born calves. Shortly thereafter the mother produces commercially useful milk while the calf is fed milk
substitutes and quickly takes up plant
food. Meanwhile the mother produces
high quantities of milk. Typical yields
on the Clabaugh farm are around 60
to 100 pounds a day, being collected
twice a day. A gallon of milk weighs
8.6 pounds so a cow produces about
7 to 12 gallons a day. Cows apparently
can be pushed to yield higher than this
but it shortens their useful lives. Every
other day the refrigerated stored milk
is pumped into a tank truck for sale.
Around two months after giving birth,
the cow is once again impregnated artificially. When Greg was a child, his
father still kept bulls for natural reproduction until a really bad day.
On that day, Mr Clabaugh’s grandmother had gone out to tend to the
cows. On her way back, a bull got between her and the barnyard exit. The
bull stared her down, snorting and
pawing the ground. His grandmother stood still trying to avoid the inevitable. Her son, Greg’s father, snatched
a pitch fork and quickly placed himself
between the bull and his mother. The
bull continued his aggressive posturing. The father struck the bull in the
head with the pitch fork. Young Mr.
Clabaugh could hear the pitch fork
tines striking the bull’s skull. The bull
did not budge and the father’s faced
turned white. He struck several more
times each time the sound of the tines
stopping on bone was heard. Finally the bull yielded. The bull was sold
the following day and shortly thereafter the Clabaugh’s started artificial insemination.
Cows are generally not too dangerous but can kick during the milking
process. A few lifts of the tail usually
puts an end to the kicking. The way
the tendons link between the legs and
tail make the tail lifting an unpleasant
experience. Occasionally, a cow cannot be trained to stop kicking and
must be shipped off.
Returning to our now artificially impregnated cow, after about 5
months of high milk production the
cow starts to dry out and usually produces no milk for a two-month period prior to giving birth to the next
calf. She then gives birth and the cycle starts over again. The retained female calves grow for two years before
their first impregnation and then they
enter the cycle of milk production and
calf production. The literature says a
dairy cow usually is productive until six years of age or less after which
health or infertility stop or inhibit milk
production. At that point the cow is
“shipped”. Greg did not have a fixed
typical age for his cows but said it was
longer than the 6 year figure as he does
not push his animals too hard. He had
one cow that lived 21 years. Her last
5 or 6 years were milkless but the cow
still made the milking rounds with the
rest of the herd. In this case she was
not shipped. Greg was grateful for her
years of production. She died naturally and is buried on the farm.
As hard as a dairy farmer may work,
Greg’s typical day is around 13 hours,
there are many important factors out
of his control. For example, milk is
marketed through cooperatives. The
selling and price negotiations are out
of his hands. He is told at what price
his milk will be sold. There are certain programs that may provide small
price bonuses. For example meeting
very high cleanliness standards can result in a bonus. Greg recalled one particularly frustrating time. In late 1999
milk sold for about $20 per hundred
pounds but by the spring of 2000, the
price had dropped to $9.99 per hundred pounds. At that time he figured
his break even price was $11 or $12
per hundred pounds. Prices slowly returned to a profitable range but that
experience got him to seriously consider some casual discussions he had been
having with the master brewer for the
Brewer’s Alley restaurant in downtown
Frederick.
Weather is of course a very important variable for farmers. 2009, 10 and
11 were particularly dry years. Mr. and
Mrs. Clabaugh remember anxiously
watching thunder clouds approaching only to see the clouds part and
travel around their farm dumping the
precious rain on other regions. Those
years were bad enough to exhaust their
silage, requiring them to buy feed to
keep the milk flowing.
Greg reflected on last year’s good
corn crop. As he was storing his 2012
crop in silos, he estimated he had
grown about $30,000 worth of corn.
He then did some mental mathematics and estimated that that corn would
yield $10,000 to $20,000 worth of
milk. It does not take a Harvard Business School graduate to conclude such
a scenario is not good. Typically, or
actually always, a business increases the value of its product every major step of the way. That is referred to
as the value chain. For example a carpenter may use $100 of lumber to create $500 worth of unfinished furniture. His skills and labor added $400
value to the raw lumber. He might
then invest $500 in sanding and varnishing the furniture to create $1200
of finished furniture. Each step or link
of the value chain added more value to the product than it cost to produce. That, by the way is how wealth
is created. There isn’t some fixed size
pie out there that everyone must fight
over. In Greg’s case, his dairy’s value
chain appeared to be broken, at least
temporarily when corn was high and
milk low. It didn’t seem to make sense
to invest his crops and labor in the
dairy business when the crops alone
would yield more profit by directly
selling it and skipping the whole dairy
process. Corn growing takes a lot less
effort than milk production although
successful crops are highly weather dependent.
Volatile prices and variable weather
are challenging enough. But the challenges continue. A very active government and well lawyered activists have
significant impacts on farmers. The
list of government regulations, bonuses, price controls and guarantees is dizzying. Here are some current issues
and programs described in the June 8th
edition of “Lancaster Farming” a farming periodical.
The USDA is introducing a new
round of funding to preserve wetlands
and grasslands. They will pay private
land owners $255 million to preserve
100,000 acres of wetland and they will
pay $47 million to preserve 200,000
acres of grassland. 11,000 landowners
are already being paid to protect 2.6
million acres of wetlands. It appears
the grasslands can be used for grazing
while receiving the payments as long
as the do not convert the land to other uses.
The EPA and Chesapeake Bay
Foundation have reached some
kind of agreement to require farmers to fence off their streams among
other new regulations. Another
program will pay farmers to maintain and plant buffers zones near
the waterways.
The state of Maryland is going
to pay farmers $20 million this
year to plant cover crops to minimize erosion during the off season.
Greg explained a new program
to require use of serialized ear tags
on any cattle sold by a dairy farmer. The tags would be used to track
down the origins of any diseases
that might show up. He showed
me a box of metal tags he received
and said that the program was on
hold while electronic ear tags were
being considered. He was not sure
if or how much these new tags
would cost him.
This small sampling of government regulation implies a big game
of give and take. The net effect of
these programs is unclear. Here is
a small example. Nutrient management plans are now required
each year. The purpose is to save
the world from excess farm nutrient run off. This costs Greg $1200
each year and involves analysis of
a large number of soil and manure
samples. This might be money well
spent if the analysis report results
in Greg buying less fertilizer. However, he has always analyzed his soil
using the free federally funded cooperative extension service so it appears the $1200 is a new expense
without obvious added benefit.
These examples are just a sample
to show that farming regulations
and programs are extensive and
constantly changing. Greg’s limited law studies at American University appear to have been time
well spent to help him digest all the
changes.
All these unpleasantly variable
factors caused Mr. Clabaugh to
consider other business options.
In November we will explore his
recent business ventures as he attempts to diversify and build a better future for his children.
Several Holsteins
6 | WOODSBORO TIMES | OCTOBER 2013
HISTORY
One hundred years ago this month
Woodsboro Evangelical Lutheran Church Built 1914
Woodsboro Evangelical Lutheran Church 1860 to 1913
Oct 1, 1913
Frederick County Provides
Nearly All Gold Fish In United States
From the little ponds scattered
throughout Frederick county and
carefully kept for the breeding of
gold fish come fully two-thirds of
the gold fish in the United States.
Just now the shipping season is at
its height and probably this year
about 1,000,000 will go from
Frederick county to all parts of the
Union.
The very tiny fish sell for about
$8 per thousand in lots and the
two and three-inch fish bring
about $13, these prices being
considered about an average. Of
course each year the producers of
these fish have some brood fish to
sell which range form $15 to $25
per hundred in price, the fish at
these figures helping materially to
swell the receipts of the ponds.
Some of the Large Growers - Ernest R. Powell of Lewistown, is
probably the largest fish grower in
Frederick county, and no doubt in
the nation, having ponds at Lewistown, Thurmont, and Woodsboro aggregating a total of about
80 acres of water. Probably all the
other producers of fish in Frederick county do not have the total acreage that Mr. Powell has.
Charles Ramsburg at Lake View
is also an extensive grower of gold
fish and Martin E. Kefauver has
large ponds at Middletown and in
Pennsylvania.
It is most probable that from
the 150 acres or more devoted
to gold fish culture in Frederick
county that $15,000 to $25,000
is taken each year depending upon
the season. Mr. Powell states that
this year he will handle only about
300,000 to 400,000 gold fish,
where in former years he sold as
many as 700,000 and 800,000.
He states he can only attribute the
poor growth this year to the cold
spring which was experienced in
this section.
Oct 2, 1913
Woodsboro
Class No. 13 of the Woodsboro
Lutheran Sunday school enter-
tained their teacher, Mrs. R. R.
Shank, Tuesday evening by giving
her an oyster supper at her home.
The boys put on aprons, and took
entire charge of the kitchen and
dining-room, and proved their efficiency as cooks by serving deliciously fried oysters with the usual furnishings of an oyster supper.
Among the jokes of the evening
was a plate of oysters prepared especially for the teacher, that were
perfect as far as looks were concerned but proved to be only
cracker dust and egg enough to
hold them together. After supper
the boys sang several songs which
ranged in selection from “Maryland, My Maryland” to the latest
popular music.
Those present were; Mr. and
Mrs. R. R. Shank, Messrs. Harry
Nichols, Roscoe Eyler, Albert Eyler, Douglass Johnson, Robert Eyler, Howard Nichols and Robert
Aumes.
Benjamin Franklin Saylor
Benjamin Franklin Saylor, a Confederate Veteran and a well-known
citizen of Woodsboro, died at his
home on Tuesday night of general debility, aged 70 years and
4 months. Mr. Saylor had lived
at Woodsboro many years. He is
survived by his wife and six sons:
Henry, Robert, Maurice, Luther,
Vernon, and Benjamin. The funeral was held this morning with
services at the house of Rev. Reese St. Clair Poffenberger. His six
sons were pallbearers. Interment
was made at Mt. Hope cemetery
and Sharetts and Powell were funeral directors.
Oct 11,1913
Hurt When Work Horse Scares
Jacob A. Roser, of Woodsboro,
was badly injured yesterday when
his drill team ran off. Mr. Roser
was dragged about 20 feet, but his
injuries were not serious. Dr. C.
A. Stuitz was the attending physician. A cut over the left eye required several stitches. Mr. Roser
was also badly bruised about the
body. The three horses attached to
the drill were being unhitched. A
trace on one horse had not been
unfastened and when the hors-
es were driven off, the drill ran
against the animal, causing him
to run away. It is considered most
lucky the Mr. Roser was not more
seriously hurt.
Oct 24, 1913
Lutheran Synod at
Woodsboro in 1914
Woodsboro will be the meeting
place of the Maryland Lutherans
Synod in 1914. That place was determined at the conference held in
Hagerstown yesterday following
the invitation presented by Rev.
Reese Poffenberger, pastor of the
Woodsboro church. The time of
the meeting was left with the synodical officers.
The Woodsboro church is now
in the course of erection, and it
is said that it will be one of the
handsomest small churches in the
county. The brickwork upon the
building has been completed and
the structure is now about ready
for the roof. The building will cost
between $15,000 and $18,000
and it is understood that the congregation has subscribed almost
the entire amount of the expected cost. The hope of the pastor
Rev. Mr. Poffenberger, is to have
the new church free of debt at the
time of the meeting of the next
Synod.
Oct 26, 1913
Woodsboro
Mr. Oscar Barrick is building a
fine new brick house.
Practical Information From
1901(From the 20th Century Cyclopedia of Practical Information)
Money and Business
How to Open an Account at Bank –
A bank will not open an account
with any one who may desire it.
The depositor is expected to obtain an introduction to the officers
of the bank by some one who is
well known to them, and to satisfy them that he is a person of
proper character and responsibility. In the interview with the cashier he will be asked questions
which may be answered in confidence, to satisfy the cashier of his
business habits. The depositor
then writes his name (just as he
will sign his checks) in the “Signature Book,” so that the bank may
guard against forgery. The depositor then makes his first deposit,
and the receiving teller gives him
a pass book with the amount entered therein.
The World of Science
Uses of Petroleum – The most important use of petroleum is as an
illuminant. For this purpose it is
refined by distillation. A light oil,
composed of gasoline and naptha
first rises, and is condensed, the
naptha being afterwards converted into benzene. The remaining
substance is again distilled, yielding when refined, the valuable colorless illuminating oil. When this
has been taken off fresh steam is
forced into the retort, and a heavy
oil, of value for lubricating purposes, comes over, leaving behind
a black tarry product. The heavy
oil when cooled down to 30 degrees F., often yields paraffine in
large quantities, which is separated by pressing and straining. The
remaining substance may be used
for pavements, or, mixed with
grease, to lubricate heavy machinery. Petroleum contains on an average, 20 per cent of light oil, 50
per cent of burning oil, 22 per
cent of lubricating oil and 8 per
cent of carbonaceous and tarry
residue.
The Practical Mechanic
Every Man His Own Mechanic – Mend your broken chairs
and crippled furniture; put fresh
panes of glass into your broken
windows; do your own repairs as
far as is practicable, indoors and
out of doors; look after your own
locks and fastenings; make your
own garden tools and appliances; put up you own sheds, greenhouses and garden buildings and
I shall answer for it that if you
check what you save on each job,
you will find yourself in pocket at
the end of the year merely through
resorting to self help.
Book of Etiquette
Avoid Heated Argument – Speech
is so vital an element of social intercourse that too much attention
cannot be given to its requisites,
or too much study to its cultivation.
In conversation it is of high importance to avoid heated argument. Difference of opinion
is likely to arise very frequently, but one should always express
his views calmly and gently, and
avoid all eager or loud assertion.
It is not so important that you
should force your auditors to accept your special views. If your an-
tagonist begin to grow warm, you
should at once put an end to the
argument by a quiet turning of
the conversation. Disputes severely try the temper of many men,
and are likely to end in the mortification of one disputant, generally with no advantage to the victor.
They should therefore be avoided.
Yet no one is called upon, for
the sake of avoiding argument, to
give a general assent to all that is
said in company. Assent without
conviction indicates a mean and
subservient spirit, and may tend
to confirm others in wrong opinions. Yet it is wise to oppose calmly and correct with gentleness,
and, while showing that you have
a mind of your own, to show that
you respect the opinion of your
companions.
The Family Doctor
How to Live Long – As a brief summary statement of the most essential conditions of health and longevity, we may conclude our study
of Hygiene with the following
precepts:
1. Never breath three breaths
of foul air when you can get
out from it into that which is
fresh, or can get fresh air into
the place where you are.
2. Eat when you are hungry,
and only wholesome food.
Eat slowly, and stop as soon
as hunger is satisfied.
3. Drink pure water when you
are thirsty; take milk as part
of your daily food; a cup of
tea, not too strong, if you like
it, or cocoa; but coffee only
when you are very tired; and
alcoholic beverages, while in
good health and strength,
never. Also, make no use of
tobacco.
4. Dress always with a view to
comfort and convenience;
not compressing the chest,
nor impeding the movement
of any of the limbs.
5. Be careful to maintain a regular habit of daily movement
of the bowels.
6. Rest, if you can, when tired,
and sleep when sleepy. Take
eight hours of sleep every
night; more, if you feel the
need of it, and can get it.
7. Work regularly at something
every day, and do the best you
can throughout; but avoid
over-work. The sign of it is,
that you wake up tired, not
refreshed, in the morning.
8. Never do any regular weekday labor (simple unavoidable
small chores excepted) on the
first day of the week. Make it
a day of repose and renovation
for mind and body.
9. However rich you may be,
do not make pleasure the aim
and object of life; it will wear
you out faster than work, or
even worry.
Lastly, let every day be cheered by
sunshine from above, and brightened by the hope of a better life
to come.
OCTOBER 2013 | WOODSBORO TIMES | 7
RELIGION
New Church meeting in Woodsboro
Heritage Park Baptist Church
is pleased to announce that they
are now meeting in the St. John’s
United Church of Christ building in Woodsboro! Their meeting
times are on Sunday at 11:30am
and 6pm and on Wednesday at
7pm. Many individuals and couples also make appointments with
Pastor James Bussard and Sarah,
his wife, throughout the week to
learn the basics of following the
Lord Jesus Christ, as taught in the
Bible. Any person from the public is welcome to call for a free appointment to learn these foundational truths as well!
Heritage Park Baptist is an independent church that focuses on
following the Lord Jesus Christ by
learning of His doctrine, as presented in the Bible, and applying
it to their lives. Pastor Bussard believes that there is a great need to
return to biblical Christianity in
our society. This means that he
seeks to teach others how to know
and follow Jesus Christ in their
daily lives, through solid Bible
preaching and one-on-one Bible
studies. He also seeks to maintain
a spirit of peace, unity, and love
within the church family through
the same. As a result, the church
family of Heritage Park Baptist
has a growing desire to read their
Bibles each day, pray for one another, encourage each other, and
witness to the world about what
Jesus has done for them!
Heritage Park Baptist is a growing assembly of believers in Jesus
Christ that are learning of Him
and allowing Him to take broken, empty lives and make them
healed and full. They are a group
of people that believe in the power of the Gospel, prayer, friend-
Revival meetings coming to
Heritage Park Baptist
H
eritage Park Baptist Church
is hosting a series of Revival Meetings from Sunday, October 6th through Wednesday October 9th. The meetings will be
held on Sunday at 11:30am and
6pm and on Wednesday at 7pm
at the St. John’s United Church
of Christ building at 8 N. 2nd St.
in Woodsboro, MD. The Monday
and Tuesday services will be held
at 7pm at the church’s property at
11849 Cash Smith Rd in Keymar,
MD.
Pastor Dan Chamberland
of Calvary Baptist Church in
Woodsville, New Hampshire will
be preaching each revival service.
Pastor Chamberland is a practical Bible preacher that has a heart
for starting churches across America. He has been in the ministry for more than forty years and
From the Desk of Rev. Bussard
The holy scriptures
Part 1
II Timothy 3:15-17: And that from
a child thou hast known the holy
scriptures, which are able to make
thee wise unto salvation through
faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All
scripture is given by inspiration of
God, and is profitable for doctrine, for
reproof, for correction, for instruction
in righteousness: 17 That the man
of God may be perfect, throughly
furnished unto all good works.
There is one book that was
completed two thousand years ago,
and yet is alive and thriving today. It
is a compilation of sixty-six books,
written by more than thirty different
men, over a period of over fifteen
hundred years. It was written in three
different languages, many different
countries, and by men of every plane
of social life: from the humble farmer
and fisherman to the regal Pharisee
and king! These authors had little, if
any, means of collaboration; and yet
there exists a single unit of thought
throughout the entire book. This
book is called the Bible and it is
God’s letter to mankind about our
origin, fall into depravity, and hope of
salvation through Jesus Christ!
As a Bible-believing pastor, I hold
and preach certain things regarding
the Word of God. I believe that we
ought to learn from and apply this
book to our daily living, instead of
allowing it to accumulate dust on
our coffee tables or forgetting what
was preached as soon as we leave
the church building. I hold that
everything that I preach must come
from the Bible, because it alone is
our foundation for faith and practice!
Why do I believe and preach these
things? Partly because of the truths as
given above, partly because of what
the Bible states about itself, and partly
because of what it has done for me
personally!
I. All Scripture Is Inspired By God
(II Timothy 3:16)
The Bible proclaims itself to be
inspired of God. The Greek word
for inspiration literally means Godbreathed. This means that God is
claiming to be the architect over all
that is written in the Bible. If this
is true, then it makes the Bible a
divine book: the only divine book in
existence! Logically, if the Bible is a
divine letter from God to Man, Man
ought to listen to the words of his
Creator and obey them!
Imagine if you will a building that
is built in Woodsboro. More than
likely, the materials for this building
would come from different parts of
the United States, if not the world.
How then, would all those parts
come together to make a solid, united
building? The answer is: there is an
architect that holds the blueprints
and has made arrangements for the
building to come together properly. If
an architect can do this for a building,
how much more can our God do this
for the Bible? Psalm 12:6-7 states,
“The words of the LORD are pure
words: as silver tried in a furnace of
earth, purified seven times. Thou
shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt
preserve them from this generation
forever.” The Bible is not only written
by a holy God, but the more it is read
and studied, the more we will see how
God has preserved it, as He promised,
for every generation!
II. All Scripture Is Necessary
If the Bible is God’s Book, then it
is necessary for our daily living. So
few Christians pick up their Bible
and read a chapter every day. Even
fewer take the time to study and
understand what God is trying to tell
them! II Timothy 2:15 states, “Study
to shew thyself approved unto God,
a workman that needeth not to be
ashamed, rightly dividing the word
of truth.” God is pleased when we
recognize His Book for what it is and
give it the place in our lives it deserves!
So, the question must be asked,
“How much of the Bible should
we read and study?” The answer,
according to the Bible is: “We must
study all of it.” The text states, “All
Scripture is given by inspiration of
God.” If this is true, then all of it is
necessary for our reading, studying,
and applying. We believe that God
did not waste ink or add filler to
simply frustrate or give busy work to
mankind. No, God does all things for
a reason; therefore we must study the
entire Bible.
Imagine again a puzzle that a
person puts together. No person likes
to put a puzzle together to find one
or two pieces missing. Why? Because,
it means the picture is not completed!
If we only hold to one or two books
or verses of Scripture, without reading
all sixty-six books, we are missing
part of the picture! Each book of the
Bible reveals something special about
God; we must read it all to have the
complete picture!
The Bible tells us that it is Book
inspired by the very Spirit of God:
a letter from God to Man that tells
us who God is, who we are, where
we came from, what our purpose
for living is, who Jesus Christ is, and
what He did for us (in addition to
much, much more)! Since the Bible
is inspired, it is necessary for our daily
living. We must not neglect a book
for its difficulty or lack of excitement,
but embrace it and study to show
ourselves approved unto God!
Next month I will conclude with
the Sufficiency of Scripture, showing
how the Bible is not just inspired
by God and necessary for everyday
life, but also sufficient for our life on
Earth! Take time to read your Bible
today. If you wonder where to start:
ship, love, and Truth. The church
welcomes all people, regardless of
race, gender, or background to visit and hopes that many will come
to learn of the Truth of Scripture
with them. Please feel free to call
(301) 304-2127 or email Pastor
Bussard at HeritageParkPastor@
Gmail.com with any questions.
The church’s website is www.FrederickforChrist.com. They are also
on Facebook.
brings much experience and Bible
knowledge to his sermons. Heritage Park Baptist would like to
encourage anyone interested to
come and hear Pastor Chamberland preach. They are praying that
each night would be blessed with
God’s presence. For more information, please email Pastor James
Bussard at [email protected], go to www.FrederickforChrist.com, or call (301)
304-2127.
begin with the book of John in the
New Testament. Before you read,
ask God to help you understand
His book and read one chapter at a
time. Read it once for reading and a
second time for understanding and
application. While reading, pick out
one thing God speaks to you about
and apply it to your life. Using this
method, God will open up the Bible
like never before and help encourage
you in this troubled world.
I make it my goal to help others
have a relationship with God through
the Lord Jesus Christ, if they are
willing to learn about Him from the
Bible. Any person that reads these
messages is welcome to call, email, or
drop by anytime for questions, prayer,
or counseling.
Rev. James Bussard is the pastor of
Heritage Park Baptist Church that
meets in the St. John’s United Church of
Christ building in Woodsboro, MD. For
questions or comments about this article,
please call (301) 304-2127 or write him
at [email protected].
For more information about the church,
please go to www.FrederickforChrist.
com or call (301) 304-2127.
8 | WOODSBORO TIMES | OCTOBER 2013
ART
Mount & Thurmont Thespian team up
Spence Watson
N
ext month’s season opener for the Thespians, “Musical Comedy Murders of 1940”
features Mount Saint Mary’s
graduates, faculty, faculty spouses and a current sophomore in
the cast. This mystery-spoof by
John Bishop is a satirical look
at the pre-war Broadway musical theatre with a twist – there’s
homicidal maniac (or maybe
two?) roaming the Mansion of a
wealthy German “angel” which
is the setting of the play. It seems
the last show this creative team
had three fatal stabbings of its
chorus girls on its pre-Broadway run-up and the identity of
the “Stage Door Slasher”, as the
killer became known in the New
York Press, was never found.
1994 MSM Graduate in Theatre
Arts, Michael Brown is directing
this diabolical plot-line with the
help of other Mount St. Mary’s
cast that will open for six performances November 1-3 and November 8-10 at the American
Legion Auditorium on 8 Park
Lane in Thurmont.
The storyline begins with the
creative team responsible for a
recent Broadway flop assemble
for a backer’s audition of their
new show shows up in the middle of a blizzard at the Chappaqua, NY home of Elsa Grossenknutten, a wealthy producer.
The house is replete with sliding panels, secret passageways
and a German maid who is apparently four different people—
all of which figure diabolically in
the comic mayhem that follows
when the “Slasher” makes his appearance and strikes again—and
again. As the composer, lyricist
and actors and director prepare
their performance, and a blizzard cuts off any possible retreat,
bodies start to drop in plain
sight, knives spring out of nowhere, masked figures drag their
victims behind swiveling bookcases and accusing fingers point
in all directions. With no thanks
to the bumbling police detective, the mystery is solved in
the nick of time and the “Slasher” unmasked – but not before
the audience has been treated to
a sidesplitting good time and a
generous serving of the author’s
biting, satiric and refreshingly
irreverent wit.
The cast co-stars current
MSM sophomore, Rosalyn
Smaldone as “Nikki”, a budding actress and dancer. The role
of Sargeant Kelly, an undercov-
The Thurmont Thespians’ upcoming fall production of “The Musical
Comedy Murders of 1940” co-stars Mount Saint Mary’s personalities
(left to right): Eileen (Dwyer) Collins, C’82, Dr. Greg Ochoa, current
Dean of Academic Affairs at the Frederick campus, Rosalyn Smaldone,
C’16 (above): Paul Smaldone, father of Rosalyn and husband of Paula
Smaldone, currently on the Seminary staff.
er NY policeman is played by
Dr. Greg Ochoa, Dean of Academic Affairs at the MSM Frederick campus. Also featured in
the role of Margorie Baverstock,
a co-producer is 1982 Mount
Saint Mary’s graduate in music and theatre, Eileen (Dwyer)
Collins and Paul Smaldone (fa-
ther of Rosalyn and husband to
MSM Seminary Executive Secretary Paula Smaldone) plays the
role of Roger, the musical composer.
Also featured in the cast are
Kyle Tirak of Frederick, who
plays Eddie the comedian; Bill
Collins of Thurmont plays
the director, Ken DelaMaize;
O’Reilly the Irish tenor is played
by Ben Mathis of Thurmont;
Elsa Grossenknutten is played
by Holly Rife of Sabillasville(the
Chief Ranger at Catoctin Mountain Park); Jennifer Brown of
Woodsboro plays the role of
Bernice the production lyricist; and newcomer Nicole Covington from Braddock Heights
plays the various reincarnations
of Helsa, a German Maid.
Tickets for “Musical Comedy Murders of 1940” are only
$15 including free intermission
snacks and refreshments at every performance except the dinner theater. There will be one
dinner theatre evening on Saturday, November 9 starting at
6:30PM catered by Mountain
Gate Restaurant with a cash
bar open before and during the
show for $35, including the
show and dinner. Early reservations for all seats and the dinner
theatre evening may be made by
calling Mrs. Urian at 301-2717613.
Thurmont Thespians upcoming fall production of “Musical
Comedy Murders of 1940 costars these Mount Saint Mary’s
personalities: (left to Right –
Eileen (Dwyer) Collins, Class
of 1982, Dr. Greg Ochoa, current Dean of Academic Affairs at
the Frederick campus, Rosalyn
Smaldone, Class of 2016 (Below): Paul Smaldone, father of
Rosalyn and husband to Paula
Smaldone, currently on the staff
of the Seminary. The show opens
November 1 for two weekends at
the American Legion Auditorium, 8 Park Lane in Thurmont.
Call 301-271-7613 for reservations.
Thurmont Thespians upcoming fall production of “Musical
Comedy Murders of 1940 is under the direction of 1994 Mount
Saint Mary’s graduate theatre
major Michael Brown (above)
The show opens November 1
for two weekends at the American Legion Auditorium, 8 Park
Lane in Thurmont. Call 301271-7613 for reservations.
Thurmont Thespians upcoming fall production of “Musical
Comedy Murders of 1940 costars these Mount Saint Mary’s
personalities: (left to Right –
Eileen (Dwyer) Collins, Class
of 1982, Dr. Greg Ochoa, current Dean of Academic Affairs at
the Frederick campus, Rosalyn
Smaldone, Class of 2016 with
show director Michael Brown,
Class of 1994. Paul Smaldone
(below), is father of Rosalyn and
husband to Paula Smaldone, currently on the staff of the Seminary. The show opens November
1 for two weekends at the American Legion Auditorium, 8 Park
Lane in Thurmont. Call 301271-7613 for reservations.
OCTOBER 2013 | WOODSBORO TIMES | 9
FOOD
Deep dish Apple Pie
W
hat a wonderful way to celebrate the beginning of fall then
with a deep dish apple pie. Since I like
extra high pies, I always use extra filling. The taste is so much greater, and
what an impression it makes. Enjoy
making this pie, and filling your home
with the scent of autumn.
Aunt Linda
The Filling 5 lbs mixture of Granny Smith Apples or another cooking apple zest of 1 lemon plus the juice of that
lemon, about 2 tablespoons 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg or allspice
1/16 cup of milk for wash for the top
of crust
1/8 cup granulated sugar to sprinkle
over crust
Peel apples, quarter each piece then cut
into thirds. Mix together apples, flour,
cinnamon, nutmeg/allspice, salt, and
juice of the lemon.
Roll out 1/2 of pie dough and place it
into pie dish, leaving 1 inch of dough
extra to fall over pie dish.. Fill pie with apple mixture. Roll out
remaining dough and drape over mixture. Tuck top crust under the bottom crust then crimp the two crusts together. Brush pie with milk and
sprinkle sugar on top of dough. Cut
four vent holes into the top crust and
bake.
Place pie on a baking sheet and bake in
a 375 degree preheated oven for 1 1/4
to 1 1/2 hours. Let cool at least 1/2
hour. Serve with ice cream.
Flaky Pie Crust 2 sticks unsalted butter, chilled
3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup ice water
Dice butter into small cubes, Place
in a food processor fitted with the
steel blade, Add flour, sugar and salt. What is a CSA?
Editor’s Note - When I saw the initials
“C.S.A” on a Lock Farm advertisement I wondered if the owner, John
Poffenbarger, was carrying a grudge
about the Civil War. That was not
the case. Read below for the modern
meaning of CSA.
A
Short History of CSA’s - The
phrase “Community Supported Agriculture” may sound more
like an idea than a way of operating
a farm. Actually, it is both. Farmers using this model call their operations CSA’s, which means both
the way of marketing their products
and the participation and shared
risk-taking on the part of the consumers to whom they are marketing.
In general, a CSA involves selling “shares” of the anticipated endproducts to a defined group of con-
sumers for a set period of time.
Share holders make a commitment
to support the farm throughout the
season, assuming the costs, risks,
and bounty of growing food along
with the farmer.
CSA of North America explains
that “the roots of this model go back
30 years to Japan where a group of
women concerned about the increase in food imports and the corresponding decrease in the farming
population initiated a direct growing and purchasing relationship between their group and local farms.
There is was called “teikei,” which
translated to “putting the farmer’s
face on food.” After traveling to Europe, the concept was adapted in
the United States and called “Community Supported Agriculture.”
Participation in the CSA is a
“deal” for families. CSA costs are
Pulse for 8 to 12 times, or until mixture looks like the size of peas. Add ice
water and pulse until mixture starts to
form a ball. Mixture will look damp. If you do not have a food processor,
cut butter into flour and salt until it
looks like small peas, then add water. Do not over mix dough. Divide
dough in half and form discs. Wrap
in plastic wrap and chill for a least 1/2
hour. Roll on floured surface, Place in
This high pie catches eyes
bottom of pie pan leaving 1 inch of
to Vermont. They opened a delica- packages usually contained a large tin
dough to over hang dish.
tessen in the town of Rutland. Their of various cookies and other treats. It
Repeat for top crust.
main business focused on serving rav- was and is very challenging to pace our
Editors Note - “Aunt Linda” Shan- enous lunch crowds and catering. The selves to try to make the tin last days
non is actually my aunt-in-law, if there deli was a great environment to hone instead of hours. In 2012, Aunt Linis such a term. My wife is her niece. her picnicking skills, making large da lost her husband of 36 years and
Aunt Linda spent most of her life in quantities of side dishes and learn- recently moved to Frederick County
New England. Her childhood on an ing subtle nuances, which Aunt Lin- to be near family which had thinned
upstate New York farm introduced da promises to share with us. A local out in the New England area over the
her to many traditional recipes. When drop in the economy eventually put years. She quickly became active in a
butter or heavy cream show up in per- an end to their Vermont deli enter- local church where her chicken salad
haps unexpected places in her reci- prise. After they closed their deli, they has now become an expected feature
pes, those ingredients likely trace back renewed their medical careers back in at the church events. Aunt Linda has
to her early farm days. After working Connecticut. This is around the time graciously agreed to share the secrets of
in the technical medical field in Con- I married her niece and started expe- some of her favorite treats and dishes,
necticut with her husband Dennis, she riencing Aunt Linda’s culinary skills many taken from the draft version of
took her culinary skills into the profes- through the packages she would send a cook book on which she is working.
sional realm when the couple moved our family around the holidays. The Enjoy!
less than the cost of buying similar food at a supermarket. Because
families are tied to the land, they are
also committed to the idea of keeping farms in production instead of
converting them to housing developments. A farmer who can make a
living off the land will be less pressured to sell it.
What Is a CSA Farm Share? A CSA farm share brings locally grown, seasonal produce to the
members of the community. People
buy a share in the
products that are
fresh and grown locally. In exchange
for investing in the harvest, members
receive seaaonal vegetables and
fruits during the growing season.
People who join a CSA commit to
the length of the entire season even
if they pay in installments throughout the season.
What are some good reasons to
buy a CSA farm share? - A CSA
farm share provides participants
with locally grown food that testes
and looks better because it is picked
Aunt Linda, circa 1951, on a 300 acre farm in Fulton, NY
and your table the fresher it will be.
With a CSA farm share you can visit the farm where the food has been
harvested. You can see how foods
are grown. A CSA farm share enables you to buy your food locally.
In doing this you engage in a timehonored connection between eater
and grower. And you support a local business.
What do I get with a farm share?
- As a member of the CSA you will
receive a bag or box of produce
each week. There will be a variety
of items
depending on what vegetables and/or fruits are in season.
What is expected of CSA members? - As a member you are expected to keep up with
payments in a
timely manner as well as to commit
to the entire season. Of course, you
are expected to pick up your share
each week...and enjoy fresh, locally
grown produce!!!
Caption Aunt Linda, circa 1951, on a 300 acre farm in Fulton, NY
at peak and available close to home.
The shorter the time between farm
10 | WOODSBORO TIMES | OCTOBER 2013
BOOK OF DAYS
October
I
t is now yellow autumn, no
longer divided from summer
by the plumy sheaf and lingering flowers, but with features of
its own, marked with slow decay.
There is a rich hectic red on its
cheek, too beautiful to last long,
and every wind that blows pales
the crimson hue, or scatters its
beauty on the empty air, for everywhere around us the leaves are
falling.
But through the openings autumn makes in the foliage, many
new beauties are revealed-bits of
landscape, which the long closewoven leaves had shut out, of
far-away spots that look like a
new country, so strange do they
appear when seen for the first
time through the faded and torn
curtains which have shaded summer.
We see low clumps of evergreens, which the tall trees had
hidden; nests in hedges, where
we were before unable to find
one; and in the orchards a few
hardy apples still hang, which
only the frost can ripen.
The fields seem to look larger, where we saw the grass mown
and the corn reaped, for we can
now see the bottoms of the hedges. The cherry-trees look as beautiful to the eye as they did when
in blossom, such a rich scarlet dyes the leaves, mingled every here and there with golden
touches.
The elders are still covered with
dark purple berries, especially the
branches which overhang the water-courses, and are beyond the
reach of the villagers. We see
flags and rushes and water-plants
rocking in the breeze, and reflected in the ripples which were hidden by the entangling grass that
now lies matted together, and is
beginning to decay.
As evening approaches, the
landscape seems to assume a sober hue, the colours of the foliage become subdued, and the low
sighing of the wind, the call of
the partridge, and the few notes
uttered by the remaining birds,
fall upon the ear with a sad sound
at times, and produce a low feeling, which we are seldom sensible
of at the change of any other season of the year.
To an observant eye, many little changes are presented, which
shew how rapidly autumn is advancing. The flocks are now driven to the fold of an evening, for
the nights are becoming too cold
and damp for them to remain in
the fields. It is a pleasant sight
to see them rush out of the fold
of a morning after their confinement, then hurry on and break
their closed ranks to feed here
and there on the unpalatable and
scanty pasturage.
Turn wherever we may, we see
the face of Nature changing; nowhere does it now wear its old
summer-look, the very sound of
the falling leaves causes us to feel
thoughtful, and many a solemn
passage of the Holy Bible passes through the mind, telling us
that the time will come when we
also ‘shall fade as a leaf the wind
has taken away. And all thou hast
shall fall down as the leaf falleth from the vine.’ That we shall
soon be ‘as oaks when they cast
their leaves,’ and at no other season of the year do these solemn
truths strike us so forcibly as in
autumn.
As we walk through fallen leaves
we cannot help thinking of those
who have perished-who have gone
before us, blown forward to the
grave by the icy blasts of Death.
The scenery of spring awakens no
such emotions, there is no sign of
decay there, for all seems as if fresh
springing into life, after the long
sleep of winter. But now, even the
sun seems to be growing older, he
rises later and sets earlier, as if requiring more rest, instead of increasing in heat and brightness,
as he did when the butter-cups
looked up at him and ‘flashed
back gold for gold.’
Yet we know this natural de-
cay is necessary to produce the
life and beauty of a coming
spring, and it is some solace to
know, that for every flower autumn rains and blows upon and
buries, a hundred will rise up
and occupy their places by the
time summer returns again, for
it is her work to beautify decay.
Nearly all our singing-birds have
departed for sunnier lands far
over the sea, and the swallows are
now preparing to follow them.
Their places are filled by northern birds who find our winters
temperate. In October the redwing reaches us, and if the autumn is fine and warm, its song
may often be heard. The early arrival of the fieldfare is considered by country-people a sure
sign of a hard winter, especially if
there is a large crop of heps and
haws, which they say, reverentially, Providence has stored up for
them beforehand.
The woods never look more
beautiful than from the close of
last month to the middle of October, for by that time it seems
as if nature had exhausted all
her choicest colours on the foliage. We see the rich, burnished
bronze of the oak; red of many
hoes, up to the gaudiest scarlet; every shade of yellow, from
the wan gold of the primrose to
the deep orange of the tiger-lily;
purple, rising from the light lilac
to the darkest velvet of the pansy streaked with jet; and all so
blended and softened together in
parts, that like the colours on a
dove’s neck, we cannot tell where
one begins and the other ends.
Amid this change, the graceful
fir-trees seem now to step boldly out, and we are amazed at the
quiet beauty we have so long
overlooked as we gaze upon these
stately and swarthy daughters of
autumn, who have been hidden
by their fairer sisters of summer.
Nothing can be grander than
the autumnal foliage of the oak,
with its variety of tints, which
are more numerous than can be
found on any other tree, where
there are greens of every line, and
browns running into shades, that
are almost numberless.
Nearly one of the first trees to
shed its foliage is the walnut; next
the ash, if covered with those
keys that make such a rattling in
the November wind-if these are
wanting, the tree remains much
longer in leaf. The ash is one of
the most graceful of our foresttrees, with its leaves set in pairs
as if made to match one another,
while its smooth, tough branches have a gray hue, that seems to
make a light through every portion of the tree.
How grand is the piping of
the great autumn winds, sounding like an organ through the forest, and causing us to feel that
we are walking through a temple built by an Almighty hand,
for there is no sign of the builder man around us! That trellised
roof, where, through the openings made by the fallen leaves, we
see only the sky, points to a greater Builder than imitative man.
Beautiful as many of our poetical images are, drawn from the
fallen leaves, and sad as the sight
is to see them lying around our
walks, still the fall of the leaf is
not its death, no more than that
of one flower fading in a cluster is
the death of the flower, as it only
falls to make room for another
blossom. A swelling bud will always be found in autumn above
the leaf that is about to fall; and as
this bud increases, it pushes down
its predecessor, and causes it to
break off, or to hang by so light
a hold that the wind soon carries away the loosened leaf. This
bud, which forces off the old leaf,
forms the future stein or branches,
which, during the following summer, will bear many leaves in place
of the one it has displaced; and
though it will cease to increase
during the dead winter-months,
will be among the foremost to
show itself in the spring.
As for the colouring of autumn
leaves, it is supposed that the
trees absorb oxygen during the
night, which, owing to the coldness of the weather, they have not
strength enough to throw out
again in the daytime, and that
this gives an acidity to the juices of the tree, which changes the
colour of the leaf, or, that otherwise, they would be pushed down
by the new buds, in all their green
summer array, Some admit that
this may be the case with leaves
that are red, but not with others
that are brown and yellow. So the
question remains open to many
doubts, and as we look at the
changing foliage in reverence, we
feel satisfied in our own minds,
that those beautiful touches have
been put in by the wonder-working hand of the Creator.
Historical
This month, so called from being
the eighth in the year according
to the old Alban or Latin calendar, was, by our Saxon ancestors,
styled Wyn month, (modern,
Weinmonat), or the wine-month.
In allusion to this epithet, an old
writer remarks, ‘and albeit they
had not anciently wines made
in Germany, yet in this season
had they then from divers countries adjoining.’ October was also
called, by the ancient Germans,
Winter fyllith, from the approach
of winter with the full moon of
the month.
In some of the ancient Saxon
calendars, this month is allegorized by the figure of a husbandman carrying a sack on his shoulders and sowing corn, in allusion
to the practice of sowing the winter grain, which takes place in
October. In other old almanacs,
the sport of hawking has been adopted as emblematical of this, the
last month of autumn.
Published in England in 1869
To read other stories associated
with a particular day of the year
in Robert Chambers’ The Book of
Days visit Emmitsburg.net.
OCTOBER 2013 | WOODSBORO TIMES | 11
HISTORY
“Renovation work” photo by Roger Hub
continued from page 1
sign and contract company located in
Hagerstown, Maryland. DFV Corporation operates a 5,000 square foot facility that designs machines and laboratory equipment for industrial and
Department of Defense clients. DVF
production skills include electro/mechanical design and fabrication. DVF
Corporation was established in 1995
and employs 8 people.
Mr. Wolf has always been an active person supporting Woodsboro
over the years. He states, “my motivation, getting involved with the Town
of Woodsboro, is a chance to interact with the various entities in town
that may not normally deal with
my daily routine”. Jay Wolf serves
on the Woodsboro Town Planning
and Zoning committee assisting other homeowners and businesses with
zoning issues. Jay likes to give people inside and outside of town a better feel for what a great little town
Woodsboro can be. And Jay states, “I
am just trying to focus on the positive
features of a small town like Woodsboro and all of the good things that
are done largely by volunteers.” Jay
Wolf is a natural leader assisting people, community projects and town
events over the years.
Mr. and Mrs. Wolf recently decided that they both needed to do something to improve their general health
and signed up for a training program
called “Couch to 5K”. Jay Wolf states,
“a professional trainer took us thru a
weekly plan to build up our stamina
to run a 5K race. Since that time we
have continued to run with some of
our training partners and have developed some good friendships. Beginning this plan also put me in a position to give up smoking after 35 years.
Obviously beginning this running
program inspired the idea to host a
5K race for Woodsboro Days.”
The Woodsboro Train Station
Restoration Project
This year, under the direction of
Mr. Wolf, The Woodsboro Historic Society will showcase the restoration work being done at the Woodsboro Rail Road Train Station located
at 6 Woodsboro Creagerstown Road
across from NZ Cramer’s Hardware
Store. Mr. Wolf states, “the restoration
work being done on the Woodsboro
Train Station will preserve Woodsboro’s history and the significant contribution the railroad has made to
Woodsboro and Western Maryland”.
Mr. Wolf acknowledges the significant historic value of the Woodsboro Train Station and reminds
Woodsboro citizen, “the Woodsboro Historical Society is dedicated
to promoting a public understanding of the history and antiquities
of Woodsboro while pursuing the
collection and conservation of our
great heritage. The Woodsboro
Historic Society intends to acquire,
maintain, restore, and preserve
monuments, structures, ancient articles of personal property, and any
other areas deemed to be of historical significance to the Woodsboro
community.” Mr. Wolfe states the
Woodsboro Historic Society is governed by three goals:
• To develop an interpretive center for the study of the history
of Woodsboro, Maryland
• To collect, preserve, and exhibit artifacts relating to the over
200 years of history of Woodsboro, Maryland.
• To work with other archivists,
such as the Frederick County
Historical Society, the Maryland Historic trust, etc. in developing a center where the
public can gain knowledge and
understanding of how a small
town in America has grown to
be as diverse as Woodsboro.
The Woodsboro Historical Society has worked hard over the years
contributing to the preservation of
Woodsboro’s unique history.
Woodsboro Days Events
During October Woodsboro Days
will offer a nice family event for the
weekend. Families from Woodsboro and surrounding towns are invited to share in celebrating Woodsboro Days.
Saturday October 19th offers several scheduled community activities including a Woodsboro 5K foot
race, baked goods, yards sales and
flea markets throughout Woodsboro. Walk the streets, talk with residents and learn more about Woodsboro.
The Woodsboro 5K Race - The
foot race will begin and end at the
Woodsboro Park n, Ride at the
south end of Woodsboro at the in-
tersection of South Main Street and
Route 194. The foot race will begin
promptly at 8:00 AM. Race day registration is $30.00 and will be held
7:00AM – 7:30AM. Advanced online registration is $25.00. Prize
awards will be presented to 1st, 2nd
and 3rd place male and female winners at the finish line. Door prizes will be presented to runners. All
Woodsboro 5K proceeds will be
used to support the Woodsboro
Train Station restoration and Woodsboro Historical Society projects.
For details visit Facebook Woodsboro Historical Society.
Woodsboro Church Yard Sales
Woodsboro Evangelical Lutheran
Church 101 South Main Street will
host a yard sale and food. St. John’s
UCC Church 2 South 2nd Street
will host a yard sale and baked goods
Church yard sale events will be held
morning and afternoon Saturday October 19th.
Woodsboro American Legion Veteran Information and Baked Goods Woodsboro American Legion members at 306 South Main Street will
offer baked goods, soft drinks and water. As well, membership booth will
be available for veterans and families
seeking information about veteran
benefits and legion membership 9:00
Am – 4:00 PM Saturday October
19th. Guests are invited to the American Legion located on 101 West Elizabeth Street “on the hill” for legion
hall tours, lunch and dinner. The
American Legion will serve a Woodsboro Days Prime Rib Saturday Night
Dinner 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm.
Woodsboro Historical Society
Train Station Tour – Guests and
families are invited to tour the historical Woodsboro Train Station
Saturday October 19th 10:00 AM
– 4:00 PM. The train depot station
is located at 6 Woodsboro Creagerstown Road across from NZ Cramer’s Hardware Store. Come see
the progress on the restoration program. Learn more about the restoration project.
Woodsboro Fire Company
Open House and Flea Market Tables – The Woodsboro Fire Company, located at 2 South 3rd Street,
will open the firehouse for visitors,
host flea market tables and serve refreshments Saturday October 19th.
Woodsboro Days will be fun for
families to celebrate Woodsboro
history and community fellowship.
The Woodsboro Historic Society
welcomes families and guest to visit Woodsboro during Woodsboro
Days. For more information about
Woodsboro Days contact Mr. Jay
Wolfe at 301.845.6607.
12 | WOODSBORO TIMES | OCTOBER 2013
IN THE COUNTRY
Gentle giants
A
t first glance, the woman next
to you in the grocery checkout line appears to be your average shopper. It isn’t until you ask
her about her green t-shirt which
reads “Gentle Giants Draft Horse
Rescue” that you are rewarded
with her extraordinary green eyes
and engaging smile. Congratulations! You have just been hit with
the force of nature that is Christine
Hajek, President of the Maryland
based draft horse rescue group appropriately named “Gentle Giants
Draft Horse Rescue” or Gentle Giants, for short.
How did one woman start a
charity that houses over 60 draft
horses, and to date has saved hundreds from slaughter? Well, it started with an old sorrel Belgian plow
horse in a dusty sale barn. The old
fellow had the look of a horse that
had lived a hard life; and his soft
eyes seemed to plead that he needed a warm stall, gentle hands, and
some good hay. The bidding was
swift and short, and a few hundred
dollars later, Christine was a proud
new owner. She settled on the name
“Elijah” for her new friend.
When she went to collect Elijah,
she found a man beside him sobbing in the stall. When Christine
asked him why he was crying, the
man replied that the “meat man”
had bought his horse; and that this
was a good horse, not one who deserved to be meat. Christine assured him that she was the winning bidder – but to please back up
– what is this “meat man” that you
are talking about? Little did Christine know that this exchange with a
stranger would change her life forever.
“Meat men”, the buyers contracted by horse slaughterhouses, frequent horse auctions both small and
large in order to purchase inexpensive horses. Back then, three U.S.
horse slaughterhouses were open,
and the sweet and docile Elijah
would have been headed to Illinois
for a terrifying, painful, and bloody
death. The U.S. plants have been
closed since 2007, but the horse
slaughter industry still exists today,
and horses bought or acquired by
meat men are shipped to Canada
and Mexico where they are slaughtered. The horse meat is then ex-
ported to other countries for human
consumption.
Appalled that any horse should
end a life of service this way, Christine decided to try to buy one or
two draft horses and find them good
homes as trail horses. One became
two, then three, then four. Finally, her husband, Jamie McIntosh (a
fireman with Anne Arundel County), suggested that she start a chari-
ty to rescue draft horses on a larger
scale. They created “Gentle Giants
Draft Horse Rescue” in 2005 and
haven’t looked back.
As you walk around the 106 acre
farm with Christine, she becomes animated and discusses each horse with
an enthusiasm usually reserved for
grandchildren or sports teams. Here
are a few of her favorite rescue stories.
There’s Manhattan, the New
York City carriage horse with a huge
personality and a love for cameras.
He was found at slaughter sale in
Pennsylvania. He lost his job pulling tourists in Central Park when
he suffered a common throat injury that only cost $600 to surgically
repair. There’s Gotti and Capone,
two mischievous and aptly named
purebred Haflingers purchased at
auction for a mere $75. There’s also
Hoss, a gorgeous grey Percheron,
abandoned and left to starve until
animal control picked him up and
found him salvation at the rescue.
And sadly, there are those like
Traveler, who despite the rescue’s
best efforts cannot be saved; but are
given as many pain free and happy
days as possible, and a place in our
hearts and memories forever.
With the good outweighing the
bad, Christine and her league of volunteers strive to create a loving environment where the rescued horses
are seen by a vet, farrier and equine
dentist. Viewing the before and after photos of the horses can be startling. In the before photos, the horses are usually filthy, standing with
their heads down, staring blankly at
the camera with fearful, sad eyes and
sometimes bony bodies.
In the after photos, they appear
alert, clean, downright plump and
engaged in the world around them.
Christine’s dream could not stay
afloat without 100% tax deductible
monetary donations from the public and the work of dedicated volunteers. Volunteers come with a varied
amount of experience and all levels
are welcome to apply to be a volunteer. Volunteers are needed every
day of the year – the barn doesn’t
close for holidays or bad weather.
If you would like to volunteer, send
an email to [email protected]. To make
a monetary donation, please visit their webpage or call (443) 2853835. All donations are 100% tax
deductible.
Meeting GGDHR’s horses is sure
to be a highlight of your day, if not
your life. Thank you, Christine, for
proving if you can dream it, it can
happen.
There are several upcoming
events to raise funds for the horses. Hawgs4Horses is a motorcycle
raffle with the grand prize being a
2013 Harley Davidson. Tickets are
$10 each and can be purchased online at www.hawgs4horses.com.
The charity is sponsoring a Silent
Auction for gently used purses on
October 27 at Linganore Wineries.
On November 22, they are hosting
a Private Evening with The Seldom
Scene, “America’s Bluegrass Band.”
Tickets can be purchased at www.
Missiontix.com.
OCTOBER 2013 | WOODSBORO TIMES | 13
IN THE COUNTRY
Serpentine Aspirations
Tim Iverson
Naturalist
Cunningham Falls State Park
O
ctober is a month associated with things that go
bump in the night and ghoulish or nightmarish creatures.
For many of us, snakes embody
that idea year round. Slithering, hissing, forked tongues,
and the like evoke different visions and meaning for all of us.
In my line of work I’ve found
that most people either love or
hate snakes, rarely are people indifferent. Whether they’re venomous or not, snakes are truly a vital part of the ecosystem.
There is a great deal of mystery
and misinformation surrounding snakes so with our proverbial flashlight let’s plunge into
the darkness and illuminate the
darkness.
Snakes the world over get a
bad rap. We might trace this
to a Biblical tradition where a
deceitful snake spring boarded humanity into a descent towards chaos. Perhaps it’s something engrained into our DNA
from our universal African heritage, where virtually every snake
from the continent that birthed
early humanity is fatally venomous. In children’s stories snakes
are usually depicted as villains
so we start off early knowing
snakes are bad guys. No matter the root cause it’s something
societies young or old or separated by oceans share – fear of
the serpentine. This fear causes
all snakes to be killed indiscriminately.
Maryland is home to 27 different species of snakes, only
two of which are venomous.
The Timber Rattlesnake and the
Northern Copperhead, both of
which can be found in our area,
are the only venomous snakes
that call Maryland home. Contrary to popular belief we do not
have the Water Moccasin (aka
Cottonmouth). There are a few
simple ways to differentiate between a venomous or non-ven-
The Northern Copperhead, as apposed to A Northern Head…
omous snake here in Maryland
(disclaimer – these methods do
not hold true to all areas of the
US or worldwide). First, you can
go by the shape of the head. Venomous snakes, in our area, will
have a triangular shaped head.
Whereas, non-venomous snakes
will have a cylindrical shaped
head that runs almost seamlessly into the rest of the body. So,
if you see a snake and its head
looks like the shape of your
thumb it is non-venomous. If its
head looks like a spade, then tapers off into the body it could be
venomous. Many snakes however are aware of this feature and
will flatten their heads out to
pose as venomous snakes in order to scare of potential predators. Another method of differentiating between the two is by
looking at the shape of the iris. A
non-venomous snake will have a
rounded pupil, just like you or I.
A venomous snake, however, will
have an elliptical shaped eye. It
will resemble an eye like a cat.
By this time of year though
snakes should be relatively inactive and if not already hibernating should be preparing for
it. When temperatures fall below
50 degrees is their cue to nestle
down. As the temperatures rise
in the spring, or even warm fall
or winter days they may reawaken for short periods. This helps
conserve energy during the winter months when food sources
may be scarce.
Just like people growing up,
or out, that need newer bigger
clothes snakes do too! Snakes
will shed their skin anywhere
from once a month to just a few
times a year depending on many
factors. The skin will begin to
look ashy and eyes may look blue
or “cloudy”. Their eyes appear
this way because they actually
don’t have eye lids and the scale
covering the eye is beginning to
pull away from the eye itself. After a few days of this the skin will
begin to flake and resemble sunburn on a person. Snakes will rub
their nose and mouth on a rough
surface like a rock and the skin
begins to peel backwards and inside out. Snakes will wiggle their
way out until they shed that skin
and don their new threads.
Snakes will kill prey in one of
two ways, either through venom (if that’s an option) or by
constriction. Once a constrictor
snake locates prey it will strike
and sink their fangs into dinner.
Then they will begin to wrap
their bodies around the meal
and squeeze until their prey is
no longer moving – it’s like the
worst hug you’ve ever had. All
snakes can swallow food that is
actually bigger than their heads.
A human jaw is attached to the
skull so movement is fairly constrained. The jaw of a snake is
joined to the skull by muscle,
tendons, and ligaments. Because of this extra flexibility
snakes can open their mouths to
about a 150 degree angle. They
can stretch their jaws open wider than the width of their bodies to swallow larger prey, but
that doesn’t mean you’re on the
menu! Snakes generally want to
be left alone. So if you happen to
stumble upon one on a hike or
even just in your yard they will
want to go the other way. A person is way too big to be eaten by
any of our native snakes so the
only reason it is going to strike is
if it feels threatened. So the best
way to avoid being bitten is to
just back away and give it plenty of space. If you are bitten you
may want to seek medical attention whether it is venomous or
not, because an infection could
still occur from any bite.
Snakes are crucial to pest and
rodent control for the environment and us. Most of what
snakes eat is largely rodents. Rodents, like mice for example, are
prone to spreading disease. Often they are carriers of ticks. In
case you live under a rock: ticks
can transmit a plethora of pathogens to people including (but
not limited to) Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Lyme dis-
ease. By indiscriminately killing snakes we are limiting their
natural ability to help defend us
from these illnesses. Mice don’t
need help from ticks to spread
disease though. They are effective enough at it on their own.
Through urine and fecal excrement mice are known to transmit salmonella, hanta virus, and
of course plague. Bites or scratches from mice or mites that live
on mice can cause rat-bite fever,
typhus, and types of pox. We of
course can’t forget that mice are
prolific breeders and chew incessantly, so it can be costly to
repair or replace damaged wiring. The last thing I need is for
a mouse to chew through my XBox cables! Snakes are glad to
lend a helping hand in protecting us from all this.
Aside from being hugely beneficial, reason alone not to kill
them, it is also illegal to kill any
snake in Maryland. They are
protected by the Nongame and
Endangered Species Conservation Act. This act states that that
native snakes cannot be killed,
possessed, bred, or sold without first acquiring the proper permit from the Department
of Natural Resources, and a permit is required for the possession, breeding, and sale of native reptiles and amphibians in
the state. When encountering
snakes in the wild it is best to
leave them alone. If they enter
a home you can either attempt
to remove the snake yourself or
call animal control. You can discourage snakes from becoming
a problem by rodent proofing
homes, keeping lawns mowed
short, making sure entry points
(doors, cellars, windows) are
sealed tightly.
Snakes are a remarkable and
highly beneficial species. Remember snake bites in Maryland
are rarely fatal, and if left alone
snakes pose no threat to people.
While there is a cultural and literary history that vilifies snakes,
they are actually our friends.
By valuing their assistance and
knowing the difference between
venomous and non-venomous
snakes we can aspire to all get
along much better!
14 | WOODSBORO TIMES | OCTOBER 2013
ASTRONOMY
The night sky of October
Professor Wayne Wooten
F
or October 2013, the moon is 6
degrees south of Mars on October 1st in the morning sky, and new
on October 5th. The waxing crescent moon makes a nice triangle with
Mercury and Saturn on the evening of
October 6th, if you have a clear western horizon about an hour after sunset.
The waxing crescent moon passes just
above brilliant Venus on October 8th.
It is first quarter on October 11th. It is
full and rises at sunset on October 18th;
in American Indian tradition, this is the
“Hunter’s Moon”. This also means the
brightness of the full moon will overwhelm most of the peak of the Orionid Meteor Shower on the morning
of October 21st. The waning gibbous
moon and Jupiter are close together, rising about midnight on October 25th.
The last quarter moon is on October
26th, and thus will be a waning crescent in the morning sky for Halloween
this year. It is close to Mars again on the
morning of October 29th.
Mercury puts on a nice show in the
SW evening sky in October. On October 7 the Moon, Mercury, and Saturn all lie in the same binocular field
of view, with Mercury below Saturn
but brighter. On October 8th, Mercury passes 5 degrees below Saturn, and
reaches greatest eastern elongation on
the 9th. It will rapidly retrograde between earth and sun in the next weeks,
and like Saturn, be lost in the sun’s glare
by midmonth. Venus dominates the
evening sky for the next several months.
She is closing in on earth, getting bigger
in our telescopes but less sunlit in phase.
As the month begins, it is 62% sunlit
and 19” across and shines at magnitude
-4.2, bright enough to spot in broad
daylight. By Halloween, she is exactly half lit, at greatest eastern elongation,
but now up to 25” across, and even
brighter, at magnitude -4.4, very close
to her brightest appearance.
Mars is faint in the dawn sky, on the
far side of his orbit. A year from now
at opposition, he will be much closer and brighter. Jupiter dominates the
later eastern sky and sits in the middle of Gemini, rising about 9:30 PM
by month’s end. Any small scope will
reveal what Galileo marveled at 400
years ago; four large moons, all bigger or similar to ours in size, orbit it
in a line along Jupiter’s equator. So get
out the old scope, and focus on Jupiter
The Viel Nebula, the expanding supernova remnant in the constellation Cygnus
for a constantly changing dance of the
moons around the giant world. Bigger
scopes real much detail in its clouds,
which have now returned to their familiar two racing stripes. For over a
year, the south equatorial belt faded,
but has now returned to its normal
prominence. Its famed Great Red Spot
is still its most distinctive cloud mark,
and should be visible at 100X in telescopes 3” or larger in aperture.
The Big Dipper falls lower each evening. By the end of October, it will be
only the three stars in the handle of
Dipper still visible in the northwestern twilight. By contrast, the Little
Dipper, while much fainter, is always
above our northern horizon here along
the Gulf Coast.
To the southwest, Antares and
Scorpius also set soon after twilight,
and will be gone by month’s end. East
of the Scorpion’s tail is the teapot shape
of Sagittarius, which marks the heart
of our Milky Way galaxy. Looking like
a cloud of steam coming out of the
teapot’s spout is the fine Lagoon Nebula, M-8, easily visible with the naked
eye. This stellar nursery is ablaze with
new stars and steamers of gas and dust
blown about in their energetic births.
In the same binocular field just north
Farmers’ Almanac
“There is no season when such
pleasant and sunny spots may be
lighted on, and produce so pleasant an effect on the feelings, as
now in October”
—Nathaniel Hawthorn
(1804-1864)
Mid-Atlantic Weather Watch: Fair
and cool (1,2,3,4,5,6,7) with showers and warmer (8,9). STORMS
(10,11,12) turning fair and mild
(13,14,15,16,17,18,19).
Showers and warm (20,21) returning to fair and mild temperatures
(22,23,24,25,26,27,28); showers
end the month (29,30,31).
Full Moon: The Full Moon in October will occur on October 18th
and is the Hunter’s Moon for 2013.
The Cree Indian Tribe called it the
Moon Of Falling Leaves because
so many trees lose the last of their
leaves in October. It has also been
known as Yellow Leaf Moon because of all of the bright foliage yet
to fall while many tribes called it
the Big Feast Moon because of the
bountiful harvests and Fall Celebra-
of the Lagoon is M-20, the Trifid Nebula. Many other clusters visible in binoculars as you sweep northward along
the Milky Way, and are plotted on the
sky map for the month.
The brightest star of the northern
hemisphere, Vega dominates the sky
overhead. To the northeast of Vega
is Deneb, the brightest star of Cygnus the Swan. Just SE of the southern wing of Cygnus (epsilon Cygni)
is the location of the very photogenic Veil Nebula, the remains of a supernova that exploded perhaps 8,000
years ago, probably lighting the earth’s
skies brighter than Venus appears now.
The “funeral wreath” for this star now
stretches across 3 degrees of sky, and is
visible with big binoculars. Our featured photo for October is taken with
a 4” refractor by EAAA member Eric
King, and shows the shattered star expanding outward . To the south is Altair, the brightest star of Aquila the
Eagle, the third member of the three
bright stars that make the Summer
Triangle so obvious in the NE these
clear autumn evenings. To the east of
Altair lies tiny Delphinus, a rare case
of a constellation that does look like its
namesake.
To the east, the square of Pegasus
is a beacon of fall. South of it lies the
only bright star of Fall, Fomalhaut. If
the southern skies of Fall look sparse,
it is because we are looking away
from our Galaxy into the depths of
intergalactic space. The constellation
Cassiopeia makes a striking W, rising
in the NE as the Big Dipper sets in
the NW. Polaris lies about midway
between them. She contains many
nice star clusters for binocular users
in her outer arm of our Milky Way,
extending to the NE now.
Her daughter, Andromeda, starts
with the NE corner star of Pegasus’’
Square, and goes NE with two more
bright stars in a row. It is from the
middle star, beta Andromeda, that
we proceed about a quarter the way
to the top star in the W of Cassiopeia, and look for a faint blur with
the naked eye. M-31, the Andromeda Galaxy, is the most distant object visible with the naked eye, lying
about 2.5 million light years distant.
It is a bigger version of our own Galaxy, which it may collide with about
three billion years from now.
Below Andromeda is her hero,
Perseus. In his hand is a star most appropriate for Halloween, Algol. This
star “winks” at us for six out of every
70 hours, which Arabic astronomers
centuries ago found spooky, hence
naming it “the ghoul” . We know today it is an eclipsing binary system,
with the larger, cooler orange star
covering 80% of its smaller, hotter
neighbor during the “wink”. At the
foot of Perseus, the hero of “Clash
of the Titans” is the fine Pleiades star
cluster, the “seven sisters” that reveal hundreds of cluster members in
large binoculars. This might be the
best object in the sky for binocular
users.
Winter will be coming soon, and
in the NE we see yellow Capella rising. It is the brightest star of Auriga the Charioteer, and pair of giant
stars the same temperature as our
sun, but at least 100X more luminous and about 10X larger than our
sun. It lies about 43 light years distant. A little farther south, below the
Pleiades, orange Aldebaran rises. It is
the eye of Taurus the bull, with the
V shaped Hyades star cluster around
it making the head of the bull. This
colorful giant star is only 2/3 as hot
as our yellow sun, but 44X times
larger and at 65 light years distant,
one of the closest of these monster
stars.
tions going on at this time.
The Garden: Start raking those
leaves now! Be sure to give your
lawn a good raking so that the fallen leaves won’t block vital Fall sunlight to the lawn. Shred those leaves
and use them to ‘bed down’ shrubs
and plants or include (along with
any lawn clippings) to the compost heap. Remove all dead or dying plants and add those to the pile
as well.
Check your flower and vegetable garden soil’s pH levels. If too
acidic, apply lime. Do not fertilize any trees. Fertilizing will encourage new growth when actually, trees need to retreat into
a resting phase and prepare for
the colder winter months ahead.
One last tip: mix 1 can of cola
(not diet), 1 cup of dish soap,
and ¼ cup of ammonia and add
to 20-gallon sprayer and fill to
top. Saturate the layer of mulch
(all those shredded leaves!) or
whatever’s left on top of your
vegetable garden’s soil and then
say, “Good Night” until the next
growing season!
Holidays: Columbus Day falls on
Monday, October 14th and United
Nations Day is celebrated on Thursday, October 24th. The children’s
most anticipated holiday (next to
Christmas, of course!) is Halloween which falls on Thursday, October 31st. Show good safety sense
and schedule ‘Trick or Treat’ activities early and before dusk for the
young ones and caution older children to carry flashlights and wear reflective clothing (or costumes!) after
dark. Never allow any ‘treats’ to be
eaten until after a thorough examination by parents!
J. Gruber’s thought for today’s living
“People who are too quick to criticize are usually the slowest in offering words of praise or paying a
compliment”
OCTOBER 2013 | WOODSBORO TIMES | 15
BEDTIME STORIES
The Lying Lions
Amy Wilkinson—Hood College 2013
Drawings by Austin Beach
A
long time ago, in Africa, when lions were numerous and free
there lived a mighty lion king who one day did decree:
“I am old and tired. I have ruled for a long time,
I will choose a new king to be the leader of our pride.”
Our old king was a clever lion, he had learned much during his reign,
so he decided to gather the young lions so he could ascertain
which lion was the wisest choice, he would need to use discretion.
It was a considerable decision to make, appointing his line of succession.
He called a meeting for any lion who desired to be next in line.
He watched as they walked into his den and wondered which he
would assign.
The first to enter was Rex, who was burly, strapping and tall.
Without a doubt, he was the sort of lion who would be respected by all.
The next lion was sturdy as an ox, he answered to the name Ade.
His robust stature assured that he was one the others would obey.
After Ade there came Akin, he was temperate and devoted,
warmhearted.
But when it hatches you will have an
animal that is yours to keep safe
and guarded.
In one year from today you will meet
me here with your animal in tow,
and they will tell me who should be
king because they will truly know
if you can treat those smaller than
you with kindness, compassion,
and care.
When they have said what they think
of you, it is then I will name my
heir.”
The four young lions stared at the eggs with curiosity and confusion.
Rex took a breath and got to his feet and loudly voiced his objection,
Said he, “Our king, what I’m about to say, I say with most respect,
Would not some sort of battle be easier and more direct?”
“Yes,” exclaimed Akin, “We should have a battle of the wits!”
Rex shook his mane and said, “I was thinking a battle of the fists.”
Said Ade, “I’m inclined to agree with Rex, it would be easier this
way.
You would know the next king today and there would be no undo
delay.”
“Enough!” roared the mighty lion king, “It shall be the way I say.
If you do not like the test I have chosen, you are free to walk away.
So take your eggs and leave, I will not be otherwise persuaded.”
Rex took an egg and left, feeling foolish and slightly jaded.
Kuno took an egg gently in his mouth, and went to find an accommodation
where he could keep it safe and sound and away from aggravation.
He made it a little nest, and a pillow for its head,
then he curled down on top of it and, together, they went to bed.
and though he was not a warrior, those traits were duly noted.
Second to last came skipping in a lion by the name of Rey.
He was one to make you laugh and was always blithe and gay.
The last to enter was Kuno, who was loyal, just, and true.
When he saw the other four he wondered what he had gotten into.
Kuno was a little lion, not powerful, strong, or brawny.
In fact, when it came to size, our Kuno was awfully scrawny.
Kuno lurked behind the others, feeling out of place and weak,
But he listened attentively when the king began to speak.
The king said, “Listen close, I’m going to give you all a task.
All you must do is be honest and good and do exactly as I ask.
To each of you, I will give an egg; it will be yours to tend.
You will keep it warm and care for it until it hatches in the end.”
“We are lions,” the king continued, “It’s not in our nature to be
Two weeks later, at the watering hole, he heard Ade exclaim,
“My egg has hatched. I will be king; the title is in my name.
You lot don’t even compare, you should probably go ahead and
quit.
It’s embarrassing for you to even try, it’s a crown you’ll never get.”
Kuno ran to his house to check on his egg but it remained the
same.
He covered it with moss and straw and sighed, feeling
ashamed.
He treated the egg, every day, with affection and great care,
hoping it would hatch soon into a turtle, duck, or hare.
Rex’s egg was the next to hatch, he claimed his animal was clever.
He boasted that after hearing it, the kingship would be his forever.
The other lions strutted about, claiming their animals were growing strong,
still Kuno stayed with his egg, each and all day long.
When, a year later, the day arrived that they were to go and meet
the king,
Kuno walked slowly, feeling embarrassed and afraid that he was
to bring,
not a beautiful flying bird, but an unhatched egg instead.
When he thought how the king would react, he cried and hung
his head.
He walked to the back of the den and placed his egg down at his
feet.
He saw the lion’s animals and knew that he could not compete.
He stood and turned to walk away, but the king ordered him to
stay.
“Kuno, you will sit and you will listen to the words I have to say.”
Kuno turned and took his place at the back side of the room,
The King seemed to think for ages, but finally he did boom,
“You lion cubs will stay right here, your animals may go,
I am very disappointed in you, for reasons you should know.”
The animals all made for the doors, while the lions shook with
fright.
“Kuno is the only one of you who has done this experiment right.”
The lion cubs all began to speak, they roared and cried and
squalled.
“We all had beautiful animals and Kuno has nothing at all!”
“You had one job,” the king bellowed, “It was to be honest and
sincere.
If you quiet down and listen to me the reason will be clear.
Just last year when I gave you the eggs, I told you to take good care
and at the end of the year you would come to me and we would
all compare.”
“The one thing I didn’t mention, is that they were not eggs but
rocks,
so tell me how you hatched these stones into an otter, duck, and
fox.
Kuno is the only one who was trustworthy, genuine and true.
That is the reason he will be your king and rule over all of you.”
“You may be a warrior, an intellect, or a clown;
but it is he who is just and true that is fit to wear a crown.”
Eventually the other cubs grew up and became wiser than they
were in youth,
They realized that life was easier when they simply told the truth.
16 | WOODSBORO TIMES | OCTOBER 2013
UPCOMING EVENTS
Oct 3
Bingo – Walkersville Fire Hall
open 5:45pm bingo at 7pm
Oct 17
Bingo – Walkersville Fire Hall
open 5:45pm bingo at 7pm
Oct 23
Gov’t – Walkersville Town Meeting 7:30pm
Oct 27
Breakfast – New Midway Fire
Hall 7am - noon
Oct 28
Gov’t – Woodsboro Town Workshop 7pm
Oct 4
Football – WHS vs Urbana
(home) 7pm
Oct 18
Football - WHS vs Linganore
(Away) 7pm
Oct 18, 19
Event - Woodsboro Days (see feature article for details)
Oct 24
Bingo – Walkersville Fire Hall
open 5:45pm bingo at 7pm
Bingo – Woodsboro Activities
Complex open noon bingo at
1:30pm call 301-845-8406
Oct 31
Halloween – Woodsboro Trick or
Treat 6 to 8 pm
Oct 25
Bingo – New Midway Fire Hall
open 5pm bingo at 7pm
Silent Auction – for “gently used”
purses at Linganore Wineries to
support draft horse rescue efforts
Nov 1
Football – WHA vs Frederick
(home) 7pm
Oct 6
Breakfast – Woodsboro Activity
Complex 7:30am – noon
Oct 8
Gov’t – Woodsboro Town Meeting 7pm
Oct 9
Gov’t – Walkersville Town Meeting 7:30pm
Oct 10
Bingo – Walkersville Fire Hall
open 5:45pm bingo at 7pm
Oct 11
Football – WHS vs Governor
Thomas Johnson (Away) 7pm
Oct 13
Recital – Free organ recital, Woodsboro Lutheran Church 3pm, all welcome, donations accepted
Oct 14
Columbus Day
Oct 16
Bulk Trash Pick Up – Woodsboro, put out by 6am
Oct 19
Supper – New Midway Fire Hall
Turkey & Oyster Supper 1pm –
5pm
Football – WHS vs Oakdale
(Away) 7pm