This Pumpkin's Not Meant for Pie: Martin Grenchik's Giant Pumpkin Harvest

Every year, dozens of pumpkin growers from across Ohio and Pennsylvania travel to Salem, Ohio, to compete in the Ohio Valley Giant Pumpkin Growers (OVGPG) Weigh-Off, one of OVGPG’s most popular events. The competitors aren’t just big—they’re behemoths, most weighing in at more than 800 hundred pounds. In fact, this year’s winner, grown by Dave and Carol Stelts, tipped the scales at 1,807.5 pounds.

Adams County pumpkin grower Martin Grenchik, 16, of Fairfield, was one of the contestants in this year’s OVGPG Weigh-Off. His giant pumpkin weighed in at approximately 1,018 pounds. Grenchik has grown ‘Atlantic Giant’ pumpkins before, but this year’s specimen was the largest the teenager has grown. Grenchik esimates he spent approximately 15 to 20 hours a week, from April to September, cultivating his pumpkin patch.

The process began in early spring when Grenchik obtained 3 cubic yards of alpaca fertilizer provided by Helen and Larry Hornbake, owners of Alpacas of Gettysburg and the Gettysburg Rental Center, for his 600-square-foot pumpkin patch. In April, Grenchik started the seeds indoors, and a few weeks later, in early May, he transferred the plants to the fertilized garden. (Each plant, he says, will normally grow one main vine with several side shoots coming off the main vine on which several pumpkins can grow.) Since pumpkins do best with minimal rain and sun exposure, the 2011 growing season in Adams County proved to be challenging. With record rainfalls recorded in the area, Grenchik protected his pumpkin by covering it with sheets and a large tarp.

Grenchik estimates that during the pumpkin’s most active period of growth, it put on about 48 pounds in a 24-hour period. In September, the pumpkin was harvested by Grenchik and a team of men. “It was a nerve-wracking experience,” Grenchik says of the process. The pumpkin was harvested by Grenchik and a team of men who carefully cut the pumpkin from the vine, lifted into onto a tarp with a special lifting strap, transferred it onto a tractor and eventually transported it to Salem for the big day.

MORE INFORMATION

Don Langevin
How-to-Grow World Class Giant Pumpkins

Annedawn Publishing
Norton, MA 02766508-222-9069

RECOMMENDED WEBSITES

BigPumpkins.com

Ohio Valley Giant Pumpkin Growers

Dedication Day, Remembrance Day Activities

On Saturday, November 19, Gettysburg commemorates the 148th anniversary of the Gettysburg Address during Dedication Day. This year, Remembrance Day (the Saturday closest to Dedication Day) is also held on November 19. Here's a list of highlights for Dedication Day commemorations:

148th Anniversary of the Gettysburg Address — Soldiers' National Cemetery, 97 Taneytown Rd., Gettysburg: The Lincoln Fellowship of Pennsylvania, Gettysburg National Military Park and the Civil War Institute at Gettysburg College are sponsoring the annual observation with a wreath-laying ceremony, followed by brief memorial services. The wreath laying begins at 9:30 a.m. Stephen Lang offers the keynote address, while Jim Getty (Gettysburg's resident Abraham Lincoln) will recite the Gettysburg Address. A U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services naturalization ceremony is also part of the event.

Graveside Salute to the U.S. Colored Troops — Soldiers' National Cemetery, 97 Taneytown Rd., Gettysburg: A commemoration of the sacrifices of the U.S. Colored Troops during the American Civil War will take place immediately following the Gettysburg Address commemoration ceremony. Millicent Sparks, who portrays the famed escaped slave and abolitionist Harriet Tubman, is the featured speaker.

Remembrance Day Parade and Ceremonies — Downtown Gettysburg: Sponsored by the Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War, this annual event is held in conjunction with the anniversary of the Gettysburg Address. The parade begins at 1 p.m.

Ninth Annual Remembrance Illumination — Soldiers' National Cemetery, 97 Taneytown Rd., Gettysburg: This luminary ceremony commemorates the soldiers who lost their lives in 1863 and to all those who made sacrifices at Gettysburg. The ceremony begins at 5:30 p.m.

On Sunday, November 20, a headstone dedication for Sadie Shriver will take place at the Evergreen Cemetery, 799 Baltimore St., Gettysburg. Sadie Shriver was 7 years old when she witnessed the Battle of Gettysburg. She died in 1874and was buried in Evergreen Cemetery, but her gravesite was never marked with a headstone.

On November 20, 2011, 137 years after her death, a headstone will be placed on Sadie's grave to commemorate the life of Sadie Shriver. Meet at the Shriver House, 309 Baltimore St., at 10 a.m. to join a procession to Evergreen Cemetery. The ceremony begins at 10:30 a.m.

Remembering Our Veterans

In the November/December issue of Celebrate Gettysburg, writer Jen Esposito and photographer Casey Martin share the stories of military families from the Adams County area in "A Legacy of Service."

This Veterans Day weekend we take time to honor those individuals in our communities that have made personal sacrifices in service to the United States. They may be members of your family, coworkers, neighbors, church members or your golfing partners.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that in 2010, there were approximately 995,135 veterans living in Pennsylvania.

The men and women who answered the call to serve our country have made tremendous sacrifices. They've left behind loved ones—not knowing when, or if, they will return home. And those who come home are often faced with trying to assimilate back into the patterns of everyday living.

On this Veterans Day weekend, we should take time to not only thank those who have served but also remember those who gave their lives to protect our freedom.

Seventh Annual Gettysburg Wine and Music Festival set for Sept. 10-11

The flavors of hundreds of Pennsylvania wines will be available for wine enthusiasts this weekend at the Seventh Annual Gettysburg Wine and Music Festival. The event will take place Saturday, September 10 through Sunday, September 11 from noon to 6 p.m. each day at the Gateway Gettysburg complex at the intersections of Routes 15 and 30, Gettysburg.

Tickets for the event are available by calling the Gettysburg Adams Chamber of Commerce office at 717-334-8151 or visit www.gettysburgwineandmusicfestival.com.

Gettysburg Wine and Fruit Trail and Uncork York Wine Trail

If you want to learn more about how local wineries in Adams and York County produce their fines wines, take a field trip along the Gettysburg Wine and Fruit Trail and the UnCork York Wine Trail.

The Gettysburg Wine and Fruit Trail is an approximately 20-mile corridor located north and west of Gettysburg that is home to farm markets, nurseries, orchards and wineries. Trail maps are available at participating businesses and online at www.gettysburgwineandfruittrail.com.

The UnCork York Wine Trial contains 14 family-owned wineries spread across an approximately 200-mile area encompassing York and Lancaster counties, in addition to Harrisburg and Gettysburg. Brochures and trail maps are available at participating businesses and online at http://www.uncorkyork.com/.

9/11 Memorial Stair Climb

With the 10th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, the Gettysburg Fire Department is hosting a 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb. The event will take place Sunday, September 11, from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Gettysburg Warrior Football Stadium, 37 Lefever St.

Participants will walk the stairs at the stadium, taking the same number of steps as those contained in the stairways comprising the 110 stories of the World Trade Center towers in New York City. Registration for the walk begins at 11:30 a.m. The walk begins at noon. To register to become an active participant in the event, go to: http://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=989641

All proceeds from the event benefit the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.

Gettysburg's Green Businesses, Internships and More Featured in September/October Issue

It’s September again, and we can hardly believe it. The children are back in school. Summer vacations are coming to an end, and there’s much to do to get ready for the autumn months. In the September/October issue of Celebrate Gettysburg, we’re sharing practical ideas and useful information for transitioning from summer into fall.

But first, the Gettysburg-Hanover area will join with communities across the nation in pausing to reflect on the 10th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York City, Washington, D.C. and Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Locally, Gettysburg College will offer a religious service beginning at 8:45 a.m. on Sunday, September 11, on the lawn north of Pennsylvania Hall. During the service, bells will toll to honor the more than 3,000 individuals who lost lives during the attacks. At 6 p.m., the College will hold a secular remembrance event on the lawn north of Pennsylvania Hall with special guests Gettysburg Mayor William Troxell, Sen. Richard Alloway and Rep. Dan Moul. Following the remembrance event, a candlelight vigil will take place at Quarry Lake, west of the College’s athletic facility.

The Exchange Club of Hanover will host the September 11 Memorial Healing Field at West Manheim Township Elementary School, 2000 Baltimore Pike, Hanover, from September 9-12. More than 3,000 American flags will be flown on the school property in memory of the victims of the 2011 terrorist attacks.

In this issue…

Emergency services personnel in New York, Washington D.C. and Shanksville sacrificed much on September 11. In Gettysburg, members of ACVESA (Adams County Emergency Services Association) do the same for our communities. Writer Adam Kulikowski and photographer Noel Kline share the story of this volunteer service organization in “United to Serve.”

Gettysburg businesses are integrating the latest in environmental “green” practices into their establishments. Writer Kim Weaver and photographer Anastasia Tantaros explore how Gettysburg is investing in the environment in “Growing Green Business.”

Are you a college student looking to land that coveted internship? Writer Chris Little and photographer Casey Martin reveal what college career services experts and seasoned college interns have to say about finding and making the most of an internship in “Testing the Waters.”

Other highlights of the September/October issue include:

· Fall planting advice from Gardening Guidance columnist Steve Zimmerman
· First Person with the Adams County Arts Council’s executive director Chris Glatfelter
· Back-to-school lunch ideas for the kids in Edible Enlightenment
· Adams and York County poets in Artisan
· On the Menu features Scozzaro’s Steel City Pub

A Note from the Editor

I am pleased to be able to write to you as the new editor of Celebrate Gettysburg magazine. As a contributing writer for Celebrate Gettysburg since 2008, I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to share stories of the people, places and events that make Adams County and Gettysburg a unique place to call home and to visit. And, I am thrilled for this opportunity to take on a larger role as editor on the remarkable Celebrate Gettysburg team.

All of us at Celebrate Gettysburg appreciate you, our readers, for your support of Celebrate Gettysburg over the past five years. Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your homes and communities.

—Michael Vyskocil, editor

editor@celebrategettysburg.com

Introducing Celebrate Family

The publishers of Celebrate Gettysburg, Gettysburg’s premier lifestyle publication, has announced the launch of a new annual publication titled Celebrate Family. Celebrate Family is created for families in York and Adams County, Pa., with children ages 0-18, featuring how-to information and local resources for parents. The premiere issue will be distributed free to schools, grocery stores and recreation facilities in Adams and York counties beginning September 2011.

Celebrate Gettysburg advertisers in both counties will also receive complimentary copies of the publication.

Each issue of Celebrate Family will include features devoted to infants, toddlers, preschoolers, elementary and middle-school age children and teens, as well as a general interest story for all ages. Additional content will highlight local family attractions, recipes, events and recreation opportunities in Adams and York County, Pa.

“We dreamed of creating a magazine that offers parents useful advice for caring for their children and their families. The magazine will appeal to all families—whether you are parents of a newborn or have school-aged children,” said Celebrate Gettysburg Creative Director Jessica Dean. “Celebrate Family is a natural extension of Celebrate Gettysburg’s lifestyle brand. Celebrate Family will have the same quality of research, high-quality content and stunning photography that readers of Celebrate Gettysburg have come to expect from our publications.”

Celebrate Family will also appear as a digital edition accessible at www.celebrategettysburg.com/family. Celebrate Family is multi-advertiser supported and will have an initial distribution of 35,000 copies per issue, reaching a readership of more than 100,000 and bonus distribution to the more than 800 subscribers of Celebrate Gettysburg, schools, grocery stores and recreation facilities in the Adams and York County region.

To advertise or to learn more about Celebrate Family, call 717-334-1050, e-mail sales@celebrategettysburg.com or visit www.celebrategettysburg.com/family.

Celebrate Gettysburg is Gettysburg’s premier lifestyle publication. Published by Graphcom Inc. of Gettysburg, Pa., the bimonthly publication explores the facets of life that make Adams County, Pa., a special place to call home and to visit.

Celebrate Dining and Entertainment Guide, a publication produced by the publishers of Celebrate Gettysburg, is a regional guide that includes sample menus, an annual events guide for the Mason-Dixon region and related editorial content.

Celebrate Family is a new annual publication produced by the publishers of Celebrate Gettysburg. With articles and information for families with children ages 0-18, Celebrate Family highlights family attractions, recipes, events, recreation opportunities and more in Adams and York County, Pa.

For more information or to view digital editions of these publications, visit www.celebrategettysburg.com, www.celebratedining.com and www.celebrategettysburg.com/family.
To advertise in Celebrate Gettysburg, Celebrate Dining and Entertainment Guide or Celebrate Family, call 717-334-1050 or e-mail sales@celebrategettysburg.com.

To subscribe to Celebrate Gettysburg, Celebrate Dining and Entertainment Guide or Celebrate Family, call 717-334-1050 or e-mail subscribe@celebrategettysburg.com.

GG Best Hotel Winners Omitted

We hate making mistakes. But we made a big one in our July/August Gettysburg's Greatest feature. We omitted the Best Hotel winners.

The winners are:
First Place
Gettysburg Hotel
1 Lincoln Sq., Gettysburg
717-337-2000
www.hotelgettysburg.com

Second Place
Wyndham Gettysburg
95 Presidential Circle, Gettysburg
717-339-0020
www.gatewaygettysburg.com


Our apologies to the Best Hotel winners and our readers for this oversight. A complete version of the feature can be found in our digital edition: http://digital.graphcompubs.com/publication/?i=73440&p=44)

Farnsworth House debuting new attraction this weekend

Looking for something spooky to do this weekend? The Farnsworth House is hosting its grand opening of “Gettysburg’s Haunted Address,” Gettysburg’s only walk-through haunted attraction next to the inn at 415 Baltimore St. on Saturday.

Rene Staub, set designer and director of ACTS of Kindness Theatre Company, designed the attraction to not only scare, but educate with its elaborate settings that indicate customs and trends of the Civil War era, according to a news release detailing the opening.

Visitors will make their way through several detailed scenes complete with figures, sound and special effects. See a Civil War-era viewing parlor and a makeshift hospital. Witness an exorcism, poltergeist activity and a séance. Special effects create such experiences as a starlit sky of Devil’s Den to a hanging at Sach’s Bridge.

To make the attraction come to life, York theater technical director Joe Kress and his team used hydraulics and electronics. Think breathing bodies and floating objects. And New Oxford resident Lori Baker created Civil War dresses and outfits using historical patterns.

The grand opening takes place from 4-11 p.m. June 25. Tickets are $7.50 for adults and $5.25 for children 10 and younger.

Do you think you’ll visit this attraction? Let us know your impressions if you go!

The PA Road Show in Gettysburg This Weekend

A 53-foot tractor trailer containing exhibits featuring Pennsylvanians’ Civil War experiences is in Gettysburg through Sunday. This traveling museum, the Pennsylvania Road Show, is a major initiative of the Pennsylvania Civil War 150, a statewide effort to coordinate and promote events for the Civil War's sesquicentennial.

Explore the interactive exhibits and discover the stories of how Pennsylvanians were affected by the war--from the battlefield to the home front. The Road Show is open 8 a.m.-6 p.m. daily.

Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center is at 1195 Baltimore Pike, Gettysburg; the exhibit is in parking lot 2.

For more information, call 717-334-1124, ext. 8023.

RabbitExpress offering new route from Gettysburg to Harrisburg

On Monday, June 6, commuters from Gettysburg to Harrisburg have another transportation option.

RabbitExpress, York County's public transportation system, is offering the service.

Stops include the Gettysburg Transfer Center, Gettysburg Gateway, the Route 234 park and ride lot (fire station)and a Park and Ride location in Dillsburg. The Gettysburg to Harrisburg option is offered weekdays. A one-way cash fare is $3.50, with discounted rates for passholders. View the fare chart at www.rabbittransit.org/express/pages/cashfarechart.html

The service includes WiFi access on the vehicles and an Emergency Ride Home Program that guarantees registered participants who commute to work at least twice a week a free ride home, up to six times per year, in case of an emergency. The service is a reimbursement program.

To see the complete schedule/route, visit www.rabbittransit.org/express/pages/fifteen.html

Do you think you might try out the new commuter service to Harrisburg?

Looking for some activities to do in May and June? Check out Experience Adams, our events calendar, both online and in the magazine. The online calendar is updated frequently with submissions too late to include in the print edition. Some highlights of the May/June calendar include:

Gettysburg Chamber Orchestra Concert, May 8

Gettysburg Outdoor Antique Show, May 21

The Gettysburg Festival, June 10-19

GNMP Ranger Walks and Programs begin June 11

Gettysburg Fire Department Carnival, June 28-July 2

www.celebrategettysburg.com/localEvents.html

New Gettysburg Quarter

This January, the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center has the honor of hosting and presenting the launch of the new Gettysburg Quarter.

This quarter is the sixth under the America the Beautiful Quarter Program, which was launched to pay homage to the nation’s national parks.

“We are very happy to be honored with this beautiful new quarter,” said Bob Kirby, superintendent of Gettysburg National Military Park. “The coin can be a daily reminder of the sacrifices made at Gettysburg and a great way to start a conversation about national parks, national heritage, and the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War.”

The quarter ceremony, taking place at 11 a.m. January 25, will feature live music, special guest speakers and a free Gettysburg quarter for all attendees younger than age 18. There will also be appearances by the United States Mint mascot Peter the Mint Eagle, students from Lincoln Elementary School, Girl Scouts and a Civil War honor guard. Gettysburg National Military Park and the Gettysburg Foundation are co-hosting the ceremony.

“We strongly encourage people to come to the visitor center and museum to participate in the festivities. It is such a deep honor to have this coin represent the Gettysburg battlefield and we hope everyone will share this opportunity of a lifetime with us,” said Gettysburg Foundation Vice Chair Barbara Finfrock.

The Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center is at 1195 Baltimore Pike, Gettysburg.