For many cancer patients, getting to and from treatment is one of their toughest challenges. The American Cancer Society needs volunteer drivers in Frederick County to help provide transportation for people in your community.
Through the simple gift of a lift in your car, you can help carry patients one step further on the road to recovery. Schedules are flexible. Get in the driver’s seat in the fight against cancer. To volunteer, call 800-ACS-2345.
James Rada, Jr.
Thurmont has been a Maryland Main Street Community since 2005—one of twenty-eight in Maryland, five of which are in Frederick County. What is not as well known is that Thurmont has also been a nationally recognized Main Street.
According to Main Street Manager Vickie Grinder, the Maryland Main Street program works in conjunction with the National Main Street program, operated by the Trust for Historic Preservation. The Trust sets the standard for Main Streets so that if a community is accredited at the state level, it also receives national accreditation.
Main Streets have to renew their accreditation each year, which means that Thurmont has continued to meet the standards for public outreach, programming, economic development, sustainable practices, and the creation of a business-friendly environment, annually.
According to a town press release, the highlights of Thurmont’s Main Street activity this past year include:
• The opening of the Thurmont Main Street Center at 11 Water Street, which serves as a visitor center with tourist information about Thurmont. It also serves as a venue where artists can display their work and make it available to the public. A public meeting area is available for group meetings. It is the headquarters for Christmas in Thurmont and other holiday events. The center is staffed by volunteers and open most weekends.
• Thurmont Farmers’ Market, Gallery Strolls, “Thurmont Think Pink” program, and the “Buy Local” program have all been rejuvenated.
• A recent downtown revitalization took place that included new sidewalks, new street lights, new benches, trash cans, and bicycle racks.
• Christmas in Thurmont, with photos with Santa Claus, prizes, caroling, and the lighting of the tree in Mechanicstown Square Park, continues to be a popular annual event.
• Partnerships were established with Catoctin Mountain Park, Cunningham Falls State Park, and Frederick County Office of Economic Development.
Grinder is especially pleased with the cooperation that the county Main Streets receive from the county government, including quarterly meetings with Sandy Wagerman in the Frederick County Office of Economic Development.
“The meetings allow us to work together, brainstorm and feed off each other,” Grinder said. Four of the county Main Streets (Thurmont, Mt. Airy, Brunswick, and Middletown) actually have a lot in common and something that works well in one community may work in the other communities.
For more information about what is happening with Thurmont’s Main Street, visit www.thurmontmainstreet.com.
For many cancer patients, getting to and from treatment is one of their toughest challenges. The American Cancer Society needs volunteer drivers in Frederick County to help provide transportation for people in their community. Through the simple gift of a lift in your car, you can help carry patients one step further on the road to recovery. Schedules are flexible.
Get in the driver’s seat in the fight against cancer. If you are interested in volunteering, please call 410-781-6909 or email jen.burdette@cancer.org
Thurmont Elementary School and Catoctin High School were two of eight schools in Maryland, and the only schools in Frederick County, to recently be recognized as Maryland Schools of Character.
The awards are given annually by Character.org, a national advocate for character development. In Maryland, the program is sponsored by the Maryland Center for Character Education at Stevenson University. The awards are based on how well the schools fulfill eleven aspects of character education, including that the school regularly assesses its culture and climate and the functioning of its staff as character educators, and the extent to which its students manifest good character.
“It’s a nice honor to receive to recognize the hard work that we’ve done over the year with character education,” said Beth Myers, Thurmont Elementary guidance counselor.
Schools had to submit a comprehensive application package that showed statistics and anecdotal evidence of how well they were meeting the different aspects of character education.
“It was a lot of work to prove that we have a solid program built on the eleven principles of character education,” said Dana Brashear, Catoctin High guidance counselor.
According to the Character.org website, the principles are as follows:
character.
The Maryland School of Character Award is a three-year award that can be reapplied for. Once the schools received the state award, they were automatically eligible to receive national recognition. A national team visited the schools last year, and met with personnel who were responsible for each of the character principles.
“Their feedback was invaluable,” stated Myers. “It gave us an awareness and focus on how we can continue to strive to do better.”
Although neither school received national recognition, it is an award that can be applied for annually. Brashear said that she is planning on having the Catoctin character teams make improvements so that she can submit an application at the end of this year.
Myers said that the effect of the award can be seen in how the students act, noting that they are recognizing more that they are responsible for their own behavior and working more collectively with the teachers.
Brashear agreed, adding that when things like that happen, it creates a culture in the school.
“I feel like we are raising good kids,” Brashear said. “They come out of here with good traits and skills.”
“A Well Manored Family”
by “My Father’s Son”
Most are familiar with the historic site of Rose Hill Manor alongside Governor Thomas Johnson High School in Frederick. This classically southern home— built over eight years, beginning in 1790, for Thomas Johnson’s daughter, Ann, after she and her husband received the land as a gift from her father on the eve of their nuptials—became popularly known as the final home of Thomas Johnson. Rose Hill is a fantastic illustration of early-American residential architecture and the Maryland-style plantation home. Thomas Johnson spent the last twenty-five years of his life, from 1794-1819, living as a guest in the mansion.
Rose Hill is not the only trace of the Johnson family in Frederick County. Thomas Johnson, and his three brothers, had a huge impact on the emancipation of colonial America from the fringes of Thurmont, where their once prominent presence can still be seen. Our northern county region, between Lewistown and Thurmont, holds three sister-houses: Rose Hill’s lost relatives, standing within 1.7 miles of each other along the shoulder of the old Route 15 pavement (present day Maryland 806).
The story of these houses begins with James Johnson. In the late 1760s, James Johnson was a learned ironmaster. So, in 1768, he, along with his brother Thomas, lobbied for a plot of land they believed ideal for iron production. Prior to the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and just in time for the American Revolution whose demand would allow the new iron-furnace to thrive, James began construction of the Catoctin Furnace. The first of the three local Johnson homes was conceived here. Positioned to oversee the daily operations of the furnace, “Catoctin Manor” was built by James on the corner of the “main road” (MD-806) and the “hollow road” (now Catoctin Hollow Road before it’s terminus was disrupted by the Route 15 bypass). The home was a side-hall, three-bay layout, built of stone and finished in a white plaster/stucco coating on the exterior. Some historic documentation questions whether James ever lived in this home, as another was built by him in or around the year 1775.
In 1826, the furnace was out of Johnson hands and bought at a sheriff’s sale in Fredericktowne for the sum of $10,000 by a man named John Brien. Brien greatly enlarged the Ironmaster’s mansion. Two more bays were added to the left of the front façade and, eventually, a large back section, forming the footprint of the house into a large “T” shape. This home stands in ruins at the Furnace Exhibit area of Cunningham Falls State Park, its stone remains crowned with cement for preservation. The still-visible foundation displays the original parameter of the house James Johnson built, as well as the later areas of addition. The Mansion and Furnace were acquired by the State Park in the late 1930s, and the home was once even under consideration to become a “Summer White House.” As the mid-twentieth century approached, citizens began to express concern over the deteriorating Ironmaster’s Mansion since the shutdown of the Furnace only a few years after 1900, one of the home’s last long-term residents of roughly ten to twenty years being the family of acting Superintendent L.R. Waesche. Ultimately, the Park Service had no funds to allocate to the large home, but did remove the stylish boxwoods that surrounded the residence to replant them at the White House.
James Johnson spent the last portion of his life, leading up to his death in 1809 at Springfield Manor, circa 1775 as reported by the Maryland State Archives (MSA). Springfield Manor, currently refurbished into an attractive event venue, vineyard, and distillery, stands proud over the farm fields of nearby Lewistown on Auburn Road. Springfield offers Georgian architecture, built of light-colored stone, once painted white, standing two-and-a-half stories tall, with the half-story constructed of red brick around narrow windows, providing ventilation to the former servant quarters. Springfield offers a centrally located, single-story covered front porch, similar to that of the enlarged Catoctin Manor. Based off the location of a matching stone summer kitchen near the home’s northeast corner, the MSA speculates that a Palladian layout may have been James’ intent for his final mansion. George Washington’s Mount Vernon is a prime example of a Palladian plan. Had Springfield possessed another matching stone structure, mirroring its summer kitchen, and pavilions or breezeways connecting these secondary structures to the main house to comprise two symmetrical wings, Springfield would surely have been the greatest Johnson house of them all.
The final sister, Auburn, came later in 1805. Beginning in 1793, Thomas and Baker Johnson operated the Furnace in a partnership after their brother James left the company. Thomas dissolved the partnership and left Baker in charge; Baker purchased the parcel of land between the furnace complex and his brother’s Springfield property and built Auburn. Auburn is a favorite to many who live in the area and those who frequently travel Route 15 alike. Perched in the trees, mere yards away from the southbound travel lanes, Auburn most resembles its proverbial niece Rose Hill, which is actually five to seven years Auburn’s elder. It is unaware how long Baker lived in his house at Auburn, as his 1809 will stated that all of the belongings of Auburn and the land on which it sat was to go to his son Baker Jr., who was already inhabiting the house at the time of Baker’s death. In recent history, Clem Gardiner and his wife Harriet graciously took care of the large estate before their passing and deserve all credit due to them for their accomplishment; their sons reserve life-estate on the property.
All three homes are of a central hall, five-bay symmetrical main house plan, built on fieldstone foundations with oversized multi-pane sashes and accompanying louver shutters with all but Catoctin Manor having smaller, informal side service-wings, some more ornate than others. Auburn’s service wing consists of both one- and two-story sections, possibly meant to go unnoticed in the grand scheme of the home, insignificant in design to the impressive main house. At Auburn, a centrally located porch, covering the front door and two small ornamental windows, rises two stories to create a columned portico, similar to, but less elaborate than, the Doric and Ionic combination of columns and carefully carved details of the portico at Rose Hill. The resemblance between the quartet of homes is surely not identical, but their liking to one another secures them as a proper collection.
Three men, four houses, and one business venture that tied them all to this area have left us a legacy of iconic treasures to share, so close their holdings once touched, and appreciate. Their beauty, scale, and symbolic wealth deem these homes be regarded with the extravagance and historic value that they represent. It is with hope that the next time one of these locations is passed, it is not with the absentmindedness of local daily normalcy, but with a special acknowledgment to those who left them behind.
Some of Frederick’s favorite artists, merchants and well-known civic leaders will be digging into their holiday decorations early this year in preparation for the Historical Society of Frederick County’s “Festival of Trees” event, November 28-December 13, 2015, in which local individuals volunteer to decorate holiday trees that are sold in a silent auction. Yvonne Reinsch and Linda Roth, Historical Society board members, are co-chairing the event that draws upon a wide cross section of Frederick’s well-known and talented.
Participating artists include: Ellen Byrne, Goodloe Byron, Jane Byron, and Yemi; merchants: Christina Christopher, Country Shabby Chic; Wendy Flynn, Dream House; Sharon Mesa, En Masse Flower Market; April Reardon, The Velvet Lounge; and civic leaders: Ric Adams, Elizabeth Cromwell, Karlys Kline, and Cindy Miller.
The Festival includes a VIP Reception on Saturday, December 5, 2015, from 5:00-7:30 p.m., featuring jazz by the Rocky Birely Trio, hors d’oeuvres, wine and champagne, and a very special silent auction of highly desirable items available only that evening. Tickets are $50.00 per person. The public can view and bid on the trees throughout the run of the event during regular business hours: Tuesday-Saturday: 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.; Thursday: 10:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.; Sunday: 1:00-4:00 p.m. Winners will be announced the week of December 14, 2015. All proceeds benefit the work of the Historical Society. For more information, www.frederickhistory.org, 301-663-1188.
Deb Spalding
Congratulations to Helen Deluca of Thurmont, who was recently inducted into the Maryland Senior Citizens Hall of Fame. Her volunteer contributions to the Thurmont Senior Center, senior citizens in general, her church, and the community are very deserving of acknowledgement. As a column contributor to The Catoctin Banner newspaper, Helen’s willingness to communicate with readers in regard to senior citizen news has been greatly appreciated. She has a kind heart and consistent purpose. She and her husband, George, have contributed great things to our community over the years.
The 29th Annual Awards Luncheon of the Maryland Senior Citizens Hall of Fame, Inc., was held October 22, 2015, in Glen Burnie, Maryland. Of the forty-eight seniors citizens honored this year, Helen was the only representative from Frederick County. Helen was surprised by members of her family who flew in to celebrate with her.
Helen has lived in northwest Frederick County since the early 1970s. She was part of a concerned neighbors group, formed to preserve the conservation of the area where she lives from encroachment of a proposed ski resort, road closures, and sewage treatment plant on a mountain stream. She is a very active volunteer at her church, Our Lady of Mr. Carmel Catholic Church, in Thurmont. There, she won the 2008 Archdiocesan Medal of Honor Award for Service.
She retired from her position as Head Checker at Giant Food in Rockville in 1972, then became active on the Senior Council with the Town of Thurmont and became a member of the Thurmont Senior Center. At Giant, she received the “Cashier of the Year” award and with it, a trip to Bermuda.
At almost eighty-nine years young, she serves as an advocate for all seniors, through her words and actions. At the Thurmont Senior Center, she was instrumental in helping through the transition from Frederick County governance to an independently managed non-profit center.
We appreciate all of your work, Helen! Life has its “Senior Moments”—this one’s for you.
Photo by Lew Hamlett
From right (back of head is Helen’s daughter Nancy Hamlett, granddaughter Angela Cotie (flew in from Texas), George Deluca, Helen Deluca, Carol Humerick, Jim Humerick, Irene Matthews, Kathy Dowling, John Dowling, taking picture is son-in-law. Daughter Carol Council flew in from North Carolina on Friday to join them for dinner Friday night to celebrate Helen’s award.
Catoctin High School (CHS) Drama is proud to present its 2015 fall play, Humbletown: The Greatest Town on Earth. The play will be performed November 5-7, 2015, at Catoctin High School.
Humbletown: The Greatest Town on Earth is a new play by Jonathan Rand and Don Zolidis. Jonathan Rand is considered one of the most popular living playwrights, with his works having been performed in all fifty states, fifty-four countries. Over 16,000 productions have been done of his work.
Humbletown traces the history of a small Midwestern town from the late 1800s to the present with laugh-out-loud hilarity and a healthy dose of satire. The two narrators—an old cranky man (Thomas Cantwell, senior) and a young, perky modern girl (Josephine Isaacson, junior)—argue over the history, reminding us that history is usually only completely true to the person telling it.
This ensemble cast is led by seniors Cameron Hallock, Taylor Garner, Mariam Harper, Jessica Late, and Justin Cissell. The lead, Humbleton, (in addition to Humbleton Jr., and Humbleton III) is played by junior Anthony Robertson. The cast is completed with the talents of Colleen Slotwinski, Victoria Hoke, Casey Ecker, Chris Reed, Soloman Weisgerber, Tyler McNally, Amanda Smallwood, Madeline Smallwood, Heidi Selders, Christine Seymour, Haley Kopper, Eliza Phillips, Natalee Williams, and Madeline Godlove.
The play is directed by CHS Drama Director, Karen Stitely. The show will run Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings, November 5-7, 2015, at 7:00 p.m. The play will be presented in the CHS Auditorium. All tickets are $8.00. Contact Karen.stitely@fcps.org for further information.
Cast is pictured after one of their many practices, preparing for their fall play, Humbletown: The Greatest Town of Earth.
CHS Leo’s had their first meeting on Club Day, September 10, 2015. Their meetings will be held every second Thursday this school year. They welcomed Ms. Eckenrode back as one of their faculty advisors, along with Ms. Kathy Herrmann. This will be her final year at Catoctin High School; they feel fortunate she will be with them before her retirement. There was a great turnout at their first meeting. Over fifteen applications to perspective new members were passed out, officers wete installed, and project ideas for the upcoming Leo year were discussed.
Leo Marah Williams (pictured above left) was sworn in as Leo Club President by Thurmont Lion Club Advisor, Wendy Candela (pictured on right). Visit them at their website at www.e-leoclubhouse.org/sites/catoctin.
Bill Eyler, President of the Thurmont High School Alumni Association
The Thurmont High School Alumni Association will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the building that was located at 408 East Main Street in Thurmont. A slide show, special music, anniversary booklet, delicious supper, and a special speaker are all being planned for this fun event.
The presentation/supper will be held on June 4, 2016, at the Lewistown Fireman Activities Building. The class of 1966 will celebrate their 50th Reunion. Classes ending in 1 and 6 will celebrate special anniversaries.
The Alumni Association is attempting to update class lists from 1916 through 1972. Any information you may have about class members, living or deceased, would be helpful. If you have any information about classmates, or you wish to be included in this event, please contact Viola Noffsinger at 301-418-1760, or leave a message at 301-898-9898. You may mail any photos or memorabilia to Viola at 12510 Creagerstown Road, Thurmont, MD 21788.
This past year’s celebration featured door prizes provided by very generous local businesses, including Gateway Candyland and Liquors, Trout’s Market Woodsboro, Hillside Turkey Farms, Hobbs Hardware, Robin Rippeon (Longaberger Baskets), Browns’ Jewelers, Carriage House Restaurant, Shuff’s Meat Market, Bollinger’s Restaurant, Kountry Kitchen Restaurant, Nancy Rice, Mountain Gate Family Restaurant, Shamrock Restaurant, Gateway Flower Shop, ACE Hardware, Rube’s Crab Shack, Catoctin Mountain Orchard, and Maple Run Golf Course. We thank them and invite you to shop locally.
Lewistown Elementary School held its annual Tiger Ride for Technology on September 26, 2015. The school hosted over fifty riders for a 5-mile family ride and a 42-mile ride through northern Frederick County. It was an overwhelming success, bringing in over $2,500. All the money will be used to purchase Chrome Books for the students. At the end of the ride, s’mores were a hit and will become a tradition.
Details for next year’s ride can be found at www.facebook.com/LEStigertrot. A huge thank you goes out to their generous sponsors: The Bicycle Escape; Home Run Inc, Baker Tree Service, Tom Lynch with Miles and Stockbridge, The Orr Group at Merrill Lynch, The Allnutts, and Grimes Graphics. Donations are always welcomed and can be sent to: Lewistown Elementary School, 11119 Hessong Bridge Road, Thurmont, MD 21788. Checks made payable to: LES Tiger Ride.
by James Rada, Jr.
1871 — Catoctin County, Maryland
Can you imagine a Catoctin County, Maryland? It would have included Frederick County, north of Walkersville, and Mechanicstown would have been the county seat.
It was a dream that some people in the northern Frederick County area pursued throughout 1871 and 1872. The Catoctin Clarion was only on its tenth issue when it carried a long front-page article signed with the pen name Phocion. Phocion was an Athenian politician, statesman, and strategos in Ancient Greece.
The issue had been talked about within groups of people for a while, and it was time to garner support by taking the issue to a larger, general audience.
“Some sober sided citizens in our valley are quietly discussing the question among themselves, shall Frederick county be divided and the new county of Catoctin be erected into a separate organization?” the newspaper reported. Wicomico County had been formed in 1867 from portions of Somerset and Worcester counties, so the idea of another new Maryland county was not far-fetched. In fact, Garrett County would be formed from the western portion of Allegany County in 1872.
The main reason put forth for creating a new county was the distance and expense of traveling to Frederick to register deeds and attend court. Opponents argued that creating a new county would be costly for the citizens in the new county. New county buildings would have to be constructed and county positions filled. All of this financial burden would have to be absorbed by the smaller population in the new county.
“Our neighbors across the Monocacy in the Taneytown District have but a short distance to go to attend Carroll County Court. Why shall we on this side be deprived privileges which were granted to them? Shall the people on one side of the Monocacy be granted immunities which are to be withheld from citizens residing on the other side?” the Clarion reported.
Besides northern Frederick County, Phocion said that in Carroll County, residents of Middleburg, Pipe Creek, and Sam’s Creek were also interested in becoming part of Catoctin County.
“If a majority of the citizens residing in Frederick, Carroll, and Washington counties (within the limits of the proposed new county) favor a division, I see no reason why it should not be accomplished,” the newspaper reported.
In deciding on what the boundaries of the new county would be, there were three conditions that needed to be met in Maryland: (1) The majority of citizens in the areas that would make up the new county would have to vote to create the county; (2) The population of white inhabitants in the proposed county could not be less than 10,000; (3) The population in the counties losing land could not be less than 10,000 white residents.
Interest reached the point where a public meeting was held on January 6, 1872, at the Mechanicstown Academy “for the purpose of taking the preliminary steps for the formation of a New County out of portions of Frederick, Carroll and Washington counties,” the Clarion reported.
Dr. William White was appointed the chairman of the committee, with Joseph A. Gernand and Isaiah E. Hahn, vice presidents, and Capt. Martin Rouzer and Joseph W. Davidson, secretaries.
By January 1872, the Clarion was declaring, “We are as near united up this way on the New County Question as people generally are on any mooted project—New County, Railroad, iron and coal mines, or any other issue of public importance.”
Despite this interest in a new county, by February the idea had vanished inexplicably from the newspapers. It wasn’t until ten years later that a few articles made allusions as to what had happened. An 1882 article noted, “It was to this town principally that all looked for the men who would do the hard fighting and stand the brunt of the battle, for to her would come the reward, the court house of the new county. The cause of the sudden cessation of all interest is too well known to require notices and only comment necessary is, that an interest in the general good was not, by far, to account for the death of the ‘New County’ movement. Frederick city, in her finesse in that matter, gave herself a record for shrewdness that few players ever achieve.”
A letter to the editor the following year said that the men leading the New County Movement had been “bought off, so to speak, by the promises of office, elective at the hand of one party, appointive at the hands of the other, and thus the very backbone taken out of the movement.” The letter also noted that the taxes in Frederick County were now higher than they had been when a new county had been talked about, and that they wouldn’t have been any higher than that in the new county. “And advantages would have been nearer and communication more direct,” the letter writer noted.
Jeff Feaga, Frederick County Community Restoration Coordinator
This summer, it seems that it is either intensely raining or incredibly hot and humid. As a result of all this rain, the creeks and rivers are flowing higher than average. Much of the water is also brown and full of sediment. You don’t have to be a trout fisherman to understand that sediment and polluted stormwater can negatively affect fish and other aquatic organisms. You don’t even need to be a trout fisherman (but it helps!) to realize that the Catoctin Mountains of Frederick County are one of the few places in Maryland, besides Garrett County, where brook trout are successfully reproducing. The presence of brook trout in the Catoctin region and the obvious beauty of Frederick County inspire many residents to make efforts to conserve the area’s creeks and natural resources.
Residential-scale practices such as tree plantings, rain gardens, rain barrels, and conservation landscaping help conserve our creeks and natural resources. But, how do you learn about and/or pay for these projects? Fortunately, Frederick County’s Neighborhood Green program gives many area homeowners a clear path to do so. Neighborhood Green is a county-managed conservation program that is funded through grants originating outside of the county. The focus of the program is to help homeowners complete and afford small-scale Best Management Practices (BMPs) around the exterior of their homes. The term BMP refers to structural, engineered, or management changes that are designed to treat polluted stormwater.
The Neighborhood Green program is currently available to any homeowner in the Owens, Hunting, Fishing, Tuscarora, and Middle (Upper Catoctin) Creek watersheds (see map). Although outside of The Catoctin Banner readership area, a similar program is also available in southern Frederick County in the Bush Creek watershed and the Point of Rocks area. As opposed to some of the larger BMPs such as stormwater retention ponds that you may already know, Neighborhood Green concentrates on residential-scale practices such as tree plantings, rain gardens, rain barrels, and conservation landscaping.
A rain garden is an excavated depression in the soil that is planted with vegetation. It allows rainwater runoff from impervious areas like roofs, driveways, and compacted lawn areas to infiltrate into the ground. Rain gardens should not allow water to pond in them for longer than 24 hours. Some people mistakenly believe that a rain garden will attract mosquitoes, but they actually drain too quickly. One of the most important things to remember about a rain garden is that conditions are going to range from very dry between storm events to saturated during and following storms. There are many different species of plants that can grow well in a rain garden, but the range of wetness and the well-drained sandy soils that are used to create the garden mandate that species need to be carefully considered when choosing optimal species for success.
Conservation landscaping benefits the environment by improving water quality, preserving native species, and providing wildlife habitat. One of the simplest conservation landscaping projects is when people replace fertilizer-hungry turf grass with more vigorous flowering plants. Other conservation landscaping projects target areas of the yard that are at a high risk of erosion, such as steep banks or the tops of waterways where concentrated flow can wash away soil. Sometimes well-placed rocks are used in conservation landscaping to help combat erosion issues.
Rain barrels are self-explanatory, but not everyone has thought about the details of their design and the best ways to use them. The 58-gallon barrels used in the Neighborhood Green program are constructed by hard workers at the local Scott Key Center and are made from recycled food transport containers. These barrels have mosquito screens on top to keep unwanted things out, an overflow hose that directs water away from the barrel when it is full, and a threaded spigot to attach a regular garden hose. It is best to place a rain barrel at a location that has a higher elevation than the place where you would like to use the water. Elevating the barrel on some rocks or blocks is also a good way to make sure that gravity is in your favor.
Paul and Hillary Rothrock live in a rural area of Thurmont and already participated in Neighborhood Green. They took advantage of the most-popular practice in the program: tree planting. The Rothrocks had not been living at their rural, historic home for very long before they started making plans to improve their property. One side of the property tended to become overly wet following storms. There, the Rothrocks decided to plant some river birch trees that are tolerant of wet conditions and should help the area dry after rainfall. On another side of the property, a weedy slope with good sunshine beckoned to be partially cleared and planted with two fruit trees and berry-producing shrubs. Two rain barrels were installed to help water the new trees and divert water away from the house’s foundation.
Paul noted that, “I’m going to try to be patient while the new plants grow, but I’m excited to get a lot of fruit and berries off of them.” For the Rothrocks, the improvements made through the Neighborhood Green program are just another way that their new house is becoming a home.
All interested homeowners are encouraged to visit www.FrederickCountyMD.gov/ngreen to find more information or to complete an application. Or, they can contact Jeff Feaga at jfeaga@frederickcountymd.gov or 301-988-0443. Once an application is received, their contact information will be passed along to the contractor, which for most people in the Catoctin area is the company Patriot Land and Wildlife Management. An enthusiastic project manager named Matt Dye from Patriot will contact the homeowner within a week or two of receiving the application. Matt will arrange a date to visit each site, where he will talk with the homeowner about their priorities, observe the layout of the land, and take a soil sample. Based on the findings from the visit, Patriot will prepare a brief stormwater management plan. Patriot will then discuss the plan with the landowner and recommend which practices could be implemented on the site. The site visit, soil sample, and management plan are entirely free, and the homeowner is not required to implement any of the practices recommended by the contractor.
If homeowners choose to implement any of the recommended practices, they must pay the first $200 of project costs. Once the initial homeowner cost share has been paid, an additional $800 of grant funding is available to complete the project. Prices for the BMPs have already been set by the contractors, so the process is transparent. Homeowners will be surprised how far the $1,000 of project money ($200 from homeowner and $800 from the grant) will stretch to purchase a rain garden, multiple large caliper trees and a rain barrel, or even several hundred seedlings. All practices are completely installed by the contractor, so all that the homeowner needs to do is look out the window and appreciate them!
Christine Schoenemann (Maccabee)
Oh the place that I’m from is the place that I won,
It’s the joy of my heart, it is my own.
It took many a year but I’m finally here,
With a hey and a hoe, to the field I go!
—Song of the Homesteader
German Homesteaders in the Catoctins
Most of us who have transplanted ourselves into this wonderful upper Frederick County soil are so busy with our present-time lives that we do not even consider the roots of how Thurmont even got here in the first place! I know I was guilty of this, until I viewed the marvelous DVD Almost Blue Mountain City by Christopher Haugh last month. As I witnessed the area’s fascinating history unfold before me, I was awestruck by the vintage photographs and drawings, but especially by the interviews of our area old-timers and historians.
My ancestry is 100 percent Germanic, settling in Baltimore and Wisconsin, so as I watched this DVD it became crystal clear why I was drawn here to put down roots and do my homesteading work and my music. Names like Weller and Apples, Harbaugh, Kelbaugh, and many others—so familiar to me now—took on new meaning as I viewed the documentary.
I was also inspired to see how initially only hardworking, creative Germans came to settle in this area. In fact, they were purposely brought here, as Germans were known for their ethics of hard work, creativity, and downright determination (which I can relate to, because I am as persistent and unrelenting as they were when it comes to my homesteading efforts and my music).
Since those even earlier years when the Native Americans were kicked off their land and forced into all sorts of difficult situations (we all know that sad history) other folks have immigrated to this fair land. They were equally as full of hope for freedom and independence from their own oppressive governments. They were of all nationalities: Irish, Scottish, French, British, Spanish, Scandinavian, and others even further away, coming from exotic places like China, Japan, Vietnam, India, Africa…and so many other countries, too innumerable to list.
I cannot even imagine what it must be like to be so displaced, whether it be by choice or slavery, persecution or war. Fortunately, I was able to come here to my mountain valley home by choice. The first thing I did when looking at this property as a potential homestead was to put a shovel into the field to see what the soil was like. My fervor for living in the country and growing crops was more deeply entrenched in my genes than I knew even then, as it is in the genes of many others.
The soil had to be rich, but even if it wasn’t, I knew tricks to make it better. Some of those ideas came to me through books, but mostly through family heritage. My Germanic ancestors were all of hardy peasant stock, and all were avid gardeners and lovers of nature and music, so you might say I came by my passions naturally.
Since that fateful day just twenty-six years ago, I have allowed trees to grow back on my 11.6 acres. Locust and ash, mulberry and cherry, pine, and so many others, including the wonderful dogwoods and red buds. They all came back without my help since the rootstock was simply waiting for someone like me to come along. I then integrated a few favorites, though not native—remember, I am not native either— such as the wonderful mimosa tree. I now have several large trees, which are now just starting to bloom, the bees and butterflies swarming to their sweet smelling flowers.
I never buy nectar from the store for the hummingbirds, as there are so many flowers here, especially the mimosa, which they love.
My intention when first moving here was to create integrative gardens, allowing mostly native trees and wild plants to grow, in between which I would have my beds of vegetables. The plan seems to be working out quite well, for all of us—the birds and the bees, the flowers and the trees, and all of the native plants simply growing and waiting to be known and appreciated…like most of us!
I believe there is a little bit of the homesteader urge in every gardener, no matter how large or small the property. The satisfaction of growing one’s own blueberries, tomatoes, green beans, and the like, and even canning produce goes deep into that ancient urge to survive and to thrive independent of—and frequently in conjunction with—others. (Remember the earlier days of bartering?)
Happily, in our very own town of Thurmont, there is a new program to make us a Sustainable Maryland Community. A Green Team will be encouraging the creation of a community garden, as well as encouraging people to buy local produce. This is one initiative among other projects that will benefit the environment. (Google Green Team Thurmont and join us!) This movement here and elsewhere around the country is increasingly becoming an ethical imperative. My personal belief is that the less traveling, the better, and that includes my food.
Now that I have established my own German roots here, I know for certain that these mountains, valleys, and plains are still filled with people with vision, much as they were centuries ago. I have been privileged to get to know many dedicated, creative, and caring people, heirs to the hard work of the talented German immigrants who first settled in this region. This gives me great hope. Years ago, in my twenties, and poor as a church mouse, I had a dream of homesteading, and now I am here. So, “with a hey and a hoe, to the field I go!”
John Kempisty, Catoctin FFA Reporter
During the week of February 22-28, 2015, FFA chapters across the nation celebrated National FFA Week. The Catoctin FFA Chapter celebrated every day of the week, hosting events for members and alumni.
On Sunday, the Catoctin FFA chapter ate brunch, along with chapter Alumni, at the Mountain Gate Family Restaurant. After brunch, the chapter sold emblems and popcorn at the Tractor Supply Co. store in Walkersville. On Monday, the chapter gave back to the community, making blankets to donate to the Emmitsburg Women’s Center. On Tuesday, the chapter made and served homemade ice cream in appreciation to the hard-working staff of Catoctin High School. On Wednesday, the members wore their camo to school. On Friday, the members, along with alumni, had fun dancing and playing games at a game night. On Saturday, members went skating at Cosmic skate and had dinner out in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania.
On Tuesday, March 3, students from all over Frederick County traveled to Walkersville High School for the regional Creed Speaking, Extemporaneous Speaking, and Agriculture Mechanics competitions. Members from Catoctin competing in the Creed Competition were Mackenzie Hendrickson, Tiffany Lenhart, Stephanie Moreland, and Kaitlynn Neff. The creed involves new members in ninth grade, giving a speech called the Creed, and answering questions from the judges. Catoctin members competing in the Extemporaneous Speaking competition were Hannah Barth, May Cruz, and Ashley Grimes. In the Extemporaneous Speech competition, members were given an agricultural-related topic, and had thirty minutes to prepare a speech about the topic. The members were then judged on the quality and duration of their speech. Members on the Catoctin Agriculture Mechanics team were Dusty Hahn, Johnny Kempisty, Rob Reaver, Daniel Wolf; individually competing were Zach Milbourne and Jimmy Kempisty. The Agriculture Mechanics competition involved members demonstrating their proficiency in small engine knowledge and repair, welding, electrical systems, electric motors, and other agricultural technical systems.
Of the teams and individuals who competed at the Region 2 judging, those who placed were: Creed Speaking—Mackenzie Hendrickson; Extemporaneous Speaking—May Cruz; and Agriculture Mechanics—the Catoctin Agriculture Mechanics team, which placed first.
These members will move to compete on the state level at the 85th Maryland State FFA Convention this coming June. Also, the state Agriculture Mechanics competition will be held in April at College Park.
Creed Speaking
Pictured from left are Stephanie Moreland, Kaitlynn Neff, Tiffany Lenhart, Mackenzie Hendrickson, and Mrs. Poffenberger.
Ag. Mechanics
Pictured from left are Coach Jason Green, Zach Milbourne, John Kempisty, Dusty Hahn, Jimmy Kempisty, Daniel Wolf, and Rob Reaver.
Extemporeneous Speaking
Pictured from left are Ashley Grimes, May Cruz, Hannah Barth, and Mrs. Poffenberger.
by Bob Warden
Gobble, Gobble, Gobble
No, its not an article on Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving football games. I wanted to write something for the upcoming 2015 spring turkey season. I figured what better way then to visit with and write about a local Frederick County custom turkey call making company. I bet not many of you knew there was a company that makes and ships custom made turkey calls all over the United States (Idaho, California, Wyoming, and Ohio, to name a few) right here in Frederick County.
I sat down with Bruce Chaney and Dave Hohman of L.J.W. (Let Jakes Walk) Custom Calls at their Thurmont location for a couple of hours of turkey hunting stories and turkey call business stories.
The business was established after many years of hunting, a passion for turkey calling, turkey hunting, and a chance encounter with another call maker named Marlin D. Watkins from Ohio, who after hearing their plight, suggested they start their own custom turkey call business. So with his urging and guidance, L.J.W. was established in 1999. Since then, many others have helped with advice and guidance, such as call makers, Dale Rohm and Scott Basehore, and woodworker, Tom Geasey.
Dave and Bruce were both working full-time jobs at the time L.J.W. was started; but in 2003, Bruce retired from Verizon with over thirty-five years of service, and Dave retired in 2008 from Maryland Department of Natural Resources with almost thirty-two years of service. They both started hunting small game and developing a love for the outdoors at an early age: Bruce at twelve, and Dave at eleven. They have hunted turkeys in thirteen states, and this year hope to hunt them in Tennesse, Virginia, Maryland, South Dakota, New York, Maine, and possibly Ohio. Both give many hours of volunteer time to help promote turkey hunting to young (and older) hunters by doing seminars at National Wild Turkey Federation Jakes (6-16 years old) events at Remington Farms, Mayberry Game Protection Association, Woodmont Rod and Gun Club, and American Legion Youth Camp West Mar.
Bruce and Dave are sponsor members of NWTF and are active in the Monocacy Valley Chapter. Bruce was president of the chapter for three years, and served eleven years on the Maryland State Chapter Board of Directors. Dave was past treasurer of Monocacy Valley chapter and past treasurer of the Maryland State Chapter. As you can see, both have devoted a big part of their lives to the wild turkey and turkey hunting, and enjoy passing on their knowledge and expertise to other turkey hunters.Also, in the past three years, their calls have placed nationally in two different catagories: one-sided and double-sided short box calls in the hunting division. This means they placed in the top six call makers in the country in each division. Now that’s a BIG deal, folks! Pretty impresive credentials, to say the least…but back to the calls they make. The calls they make are double- and single-sided short box calls with a Neil Cost design. The bodies of the calls are made from poplar wood, and the bases and lids are Bubinga wood from Africa. Remember, these are custom made calls and each is cut, finished, and tuned by hand.They actually go out and collect the wood themselves for the bodies, have it milled down, then they dry it (which takes a very long time), before it can be made into a L.J.W custom turkey call.
Now, I really wanted to give you a few turkey hunting tips before I run out of space for this article, so I asked Bruce and Dave for their advice. So, here it is in no perticular order: (1) Leave your turkey calls at home during pre-season scouting— DON’T educate the birds. If you must, use a crow call sparingly to locate birds after they come off the roost; (2) Beginners start with slate, box, or push pull calls (practice, practice, practice at home, and drive everyone in the house crazy); (3) Don’t over call; (4) Have patience. Know your area and the lay of the land; it will help you to know which way they may come and how far away they are; (5) Remember that you are asking a goobler to do something that is not natural. You are reversing nature. In nature, the hens go to the gobbler, and we, as hunters, are trying to get the gobbler to come to the hens; and (6) Most of all: Know Your Target! Be sure of your target and beyond it. During the spring season, you need to IDENTIFY your target. It has to be a bearded bird, so you need to see its beard!
If you are interested in contacting L.J.W., you may call Bruce Chaney at 301-606-2056 or Dave Hohman at 240-446-8129. They may also be emailed at ljwcustomcalls@verizon.net.
Remember, these are custom handmade calls and, as of right now, there is a one- to two-year wait. The average cost is $150. But, believe you me, they are well worth it and sound Grrrreat…(sorry, I couldn’t help myself; that’s from my Frosted Flakes eating days).
In closing, I wish you good luck in your turkey hunting, and please hunt safely and hunt ethically!
Pictured from left are Bruce Chaney and Dave Hohman.
Photo by Bob Warden
by Bob Warden
I hope your hunting season went well, and your freezer is full of venison and your mind full of memories. My season was successful and I have plenty of bologna, chip, and hot dogs to get us through the year.
Now we start the real work to help our deer herd make it through the winter and into the spring, antler growing and fawning seasons. As soon as possible, if you are on private land, you need to start replenishing what the deer have lost through the breeding season and the cold winter months. By this, I mean helping them replenish fat reserves, vitamins, and minerals. I am big on deer nutrition for the health of the herd and for antler growth.
Through the winter, where it is legal, I use a grain-based product, Maxi-1 (15 percent protein) by WYLD Mineral products. Please do not use just corn. Deer need a variety of things, and only feeding them corn does not give them the protein they need. Corn is just a carbohydrate, and too much corn can actually change a deer’s digestive process. They can starve with a full stomach of corn. If you research it on the Internet, you will see what I mean.
As you can tell by my nickname, “Mineral Bob,” my big thing is getting the right minerals in my deer. You can do this year round but it is highly important from March through September. During these months, as things green-up, deer eat a lot of vegetation that is high in water and potassium, which will make them urinate more and in the process, they lose high amounts of salt, calcium, and phosphorus. By just putting out a salt block, the deer will be attracted to it, but will miss the two main minerals they need: calcium and phosphorus. These minerals will help in milk and fawn production, muscle development, and antler growth. So, use the salt as the attractant (this time of year deer crave salt) to get the deer to take in the other essential minerals for overall health.
Look at the labels on the product you use, choose as close to 30 percent total calcium and phosphorus as possible, with calcium being close to twice the amount of phosphorus. The amount of salt in your product is a well-debated topic. I use WYLD Minerals Orchard blend, which is 47 percent salt, 15 percent calcium, and 9.5 percent phosphorus, along with other trace minerals.
One thing to remember is that the closer you are to the ocean, the less salt the deer need.
James Rada, Jr.
The Town of Emmitsburg recently replaced its street lights with LED lights. The result is that the cost to run those lights has dropped by nearly two-thirds.
This is just one of the ways that the town’s efforts to go green—while reducing costs and maintaining the quality of life in town—have paid off.
Last year, the town signed a resolution to participate in the Sustainable Maryland Certified Municipal program.
“It’s a state program with the University of Maryland Environmental Center that puts together a series of tasks or projects that lead toward the better use of community resources,” said Jerry Muir, who is coordinating the town’s certification efforts.
To become certified “Sustainable,” a municipality must accrue 150 points from a project list. According to a memo to the town from Muir, “These include, in general groupings, Local Food initiatives such as the Farmers Market; Energy Efficiency such as establishing a carbon footprint; Community Wellness programs; Green Business recognition; Land Use Planning and Conservation; Pet Waste disposal and education programs; Environmental Conservation Programs such as Tree City, Watershed Protection, etc.” There are dozens of projects a town can choose from to accumulate enough points.
Emmitsburg had already been doing some of the potential tasks, such as having a farmer’s market and community gardens. Seeking the certification has pushed the town to look for new ways to become green. One such innovation was that the town built a solar energy field to provide it with 100-percent renewable energy.
“The long-term benefit is a better use of resources, and the town becomes a lot more environmentally aware,” Muir said.
He also added that should environmental grants become available in the future, the certification will help in winning them.
In Frederick County, Frederick City is already certified and Brunswick is working towards that goal.
“In the next few months, we should have enough points to be certified,” Muir said.
The last thing that Muir expects to be needed to accumulate enough points for certification is for the town to send out an energy survey. Once that is complete and the points added to Emmitsburg’s tally, certification can be made.
“The Mayor and Town Council have made an environmental commitment to become as environmentally efficient as can be,” Muir said.
James Rada, Jr.
When Kim Wivell Gerrie was a young girl, she would watch her father when he played softball with different Thurmont-area teams.
“I wanted to step out on the field with him,” Gerrie said.
Gerrie went on to become quite the athlete. She played softball and ran track and field while attending Thurmont Middle School. Then, while in Catoctin High School, she played softball, soccer, and basketball. During her senior year, the softball team had a record of 21-1, losing only in the state championship game.
She graduated in 1990 and went on to Shepherd University to play softball. Although her team had a different coach each year, they still managed to have a winning record each year.
And, now, she will be inducted into the YMCA of Frederick County Alvin G. Quinn Sports Hall of Fame on February 7, 2015. She is one of eight inductees this year.
Her bio for the Hall of Fame reads:
KIM WIVELL GERRIE Record-setting Softball Pitcher
Kim Wivell Gerrie has set softball records at every level she has played. A versatile athlete during her middle school years with blue ribbons in several track events, it was softball where Kim excelled the most. She was a member of the Little League All-Stars that played in the Maryland State Tournament. At Catoctin High she participated on the varsity soccer team for four years, played basketball all four years, and was truly outstanding in her four varsity years playing softball. She was a first team MVAL selection, starting in her sophomore year and repeated every year afterwards. In her senior year she was All-Area Player of the Year. She went on to a record-setting career at Shepherd University, where she was inducted into the SU Hall of Fame in 2007. She still holds five Shepherd pitching records.
“When I walked into the room (the Hall of Fame), it was very humbling to see all of those athletes and coaches on the wall,” Gerrie said.
The other inductees are Troy Barrick, Stan Biggus, Richard Burgee, Stan Goldberg, Chery Poirier, Bill Stup, and Guy Whidden.
The induction banquet will be held at the Walkersville Fire Hall this month. This will be the 39th annual induction ceremony.
Christine Schoene Maccabee
“Earth’s crammed with heaven, And every common bush afire with God.”
—Elizabeth Barrett Browning
“There they are!” I exclaimed when I saw the first purple blooms of the wild Canadian Aster in September. “There they are in all their late summer, early autumn glory!”
Fifteen years ago, I dug up a clump of them under a power line before they were blasted with herbicide, and now they grace one edge of my chicken coup with their brilliance. They never cease to take my breath away. The small clump I planted so many years ago has expanded year after year via its root system, and every year there are more gorgeous purple flowers, about the size of a quarter. Perhaps you have seen them, too, in some field or meadow or even someone’s yard. If so, you know how I feel.
The diversity of wild plants in our region—be they medicinal; edible food for birds, pollinators and other insects; or simply for beauty—is astounding. All summer long, I grow and collect wild herbs for drying and, as of November 18, they are all well dried and in various jars for the winter teas. It is quite the collection, and the teas we make are wonderful! Also, like so many other nature lovers, this autumn, I ran around my gardens before the first hard frost, cutting as many zinnias, late flowering roses, marigolds, and even some honey suckle. As I put them in various vases in the middle of my kitchen table, I felt satisfied that another autumn tradition of mine was fulfilled.
I will truly miss the smells and sight of flowers and greens and growing things outside, won’t you? Back we go to the browns and grays of winter. Sigh. Change stops for no one. Outside today, the temperature is in the lower 20’s, with a strong wind blowing, so I am inside writing.
However, along with the deep chill comes the happy thought of Thanksgiving dinner! I know that one of my main contributions on the table will be Ground Cherries. “Ground Cherries?” you ask. Yes, these are late season wild edibles, which I permit to grow all summer in my gardens, just about wherever they want. You may have seen them in their small Chinese lantern-like husks. They are just now ripening, each pea-size fruit bursting with flavorful vitamins. I call it a wild flavor, indescribable really. The gardens grew more than ever this year, so I have a bountiful harvest.
I know that I am just one of a tiny handful of people in Maryland who even know about Ground Cherries and, for that matter, all of the other wild offerings of food and herb. I would sure hate to think that I am the only one who is aware of them. I know for a fact that the Native Americans knew about every wild edible and medicinal in this pristine mountain valley I live in and surrounding areas. They didn’t just grow crops. They were true herbalists, wild edible connoisseurs! They depended on the wild plants, as well as the deer and other wild critters like turkeys and rabbits, to survive.
Then there are the old timers, a number of which are still alive and kicking here in Frederick County, who still hunt the wild asparagus and mushrooms, too, of course. So I guess you might say I am in good company, even though I am also in the minority, no doubt.
How many wonderful wild areas have I seen come and go in my lifetime? Far too many. Perhaps you have had the same experience…black raspberries, picked by the quarts full, cut down and turned into a parking lot; rare wild flowers along back roads mowed down without a thought; and an old growth mulberry tree fairly dripping in wonderful fruit cut down to make way for a new home. I remember that magnificent mulberry tree well, with mostly children and some adults climbing its sturdy branches, picking and playing and eating the wonderful fruit. Those were the days children actually went outside and played for hours on end, instead of sitting behind a computer screen playing war games.
Another tree that I love for its fruit and beautiful red foliage in the autumn is the Staghorn and or Smooth Sumac. It is a native that grows profusely here in Frederick County. You may have seen it along Route 15 this fall. Unfortunately, because its leaves are similar in appearance to the Ailantus or Tree of Heaven, the sumacs have been cut and hebicided quite a lot. However, it is a spunky tree, and will grow right back from the root stock! I rejoice when I see a nice grove of them, for I harvest their lovely fruits and dry them to create a fruity flavor in my herb teas. Yum. Some birds eat them to survive through the winter, too.
I hope you all have a bountiful and meaningful harvest of joy this Thanksgiving, and don’t forget “all our other relations” while you’re at it! Food, water, and shelter…we all need it.
