Category: Boalsburg

Mushrooms and Microgreens from the Boalsburg Farmer’s Market

Tuesday, November 5, was a beautiful day at the Boalsburg Farmer’s Market! I had not been there for many weeks. Now that our garden is done, it’s always fun to check out what other folks still have growing in their gardens…in greenhouses and covered planters. So many interesting things were being offered.

Much of the produce was similar to what we are able to grow: carrots, onions, sweet potatoes and sweet peppers.

But then I found surprises…mushrooms and microgreens!

I am just not familiar with the many kinds of mushrooms that exist…but the vendor was very helpful in explaining how they were different from each other and some simple ways to cook them. Very interesting! I picked up a small basket of “black” mushrooms (unknown official name). Hopefully, Bert will help fry them in butter so we can give them a try. They would be good on our homemade pizza and on top of our salads.

The next surprise was the vendor selling microgreens!

I was able to buy three small bags of greens to use in salads. Since I’ll be the only one eating them, that will be enough for a week or so!

I have tried to grow microgreens in the past and never quite got the hang of it…who knows if the trouble was with the seeds, the water, the light (or it just could have been me!). The vendor encouraged me to consider signing up for a workshop to be held next weekend in State College where I could learn all the basics. How exciting! I brought home the information and shared it with Bert. He wasn’t interested but encouraged me to sign up…he knew I had wanted to learn more about it. What a great birthday present!

So, I came home from the Farmer’s Market with some interesting mushrooms, three little bags of microgreens and an exciting workshop to look forward to!

Today, Bert chopped up the mushrooms and fried them in butter.

Next, I built myself a lovely salad topped with a few microgreens and the mushrooms. What a glorious salad!

I look forward to sharing the microgreen workshop experience with you in the next week or two! Enjoy!

Baking for the Memorial Day Bake Sale

Part of my involvement with Boalsburg’s Memorial Day activities is helping the Ladies Auxiliary to the Fire Company get ready for their bake sale at the Fire Hall. The Fire Hall is open to the public when the Carnival is going on…starting this evening, continuing Friday and Saturday evenings, a few hours on Sunday afternoon and 10 to 4 on Monday. The Fire Hall is airconditioned, restrooms are available and tables are set up for visitors to rest. They can eat the food they purchased at the festival or from the firemen who will be roasting chickens behind the Fire Hall. The money raised from this bake sale will be donated to the Fire Company.

This year I decided to spend three days baking stuff folks can buy to add to their dinners. I chose foods I could make from box mixes that could be wrapped into individual servings. This was fun, because the mixes cut down on my kitchen clean up and they were foods I would not normally make because I couldn’t eat them. I wasn’t tempted to snitch a bite here and there!

I started with Rice Krispies squares. I bought the biggest box of cereal I could find and picked up 4 bags of marshmallows. I haven’t made these squares for many years so I was glad the instruction were on the box!

I measured out 6 cups of Rice Krispies and 40 marshmallows.

I melted the 3 tablespoons of Butter in my largest pot and added the marshmallows. While I watched them melt, I wondered if I could just buy a jar of that marshmallow fluff and use that?

I dumped the Rice Krispies into the pot of melted marshmallows and tried to get them all coated with butter. It really helped to leave the pot on the warm burner to keep it soft enough to keep stirring. Then, before it set up in the pot, I spread the mixture into a 9 x 13″ pan. Using a spatula sprayed with oil, I pressed the mixture into the pan. That was it! Not too hard. I made 3 pans of Rice Krispies squares, cut them into 12 pieces each…I now have 36 squares in zip bags ready to sell!

The next project was Brownies. I picked up 4 mixes…2 dark chocolate and 2 milk chocolate with walnuts.

Now…you’ll notice the one on the left (Dark Chocolate Fudge Brownie Mix) says right on the box…13 x 9″ Family Size. OK. I assumed that. The box on the right, however, makes only an 8 x 8″ pan! Phooey!

I mixed up the first dark chocolate brownie mix.

It baked fine and looked good. I cut it into 12 pieces and bagged them for the sale.

I mixed up the second box of dark chocolate brownies, but apparently didn’t mix well enough because even after baking, the top had little lumps all over it! I gave that batch to Bert!

I ran to the grocery store and picked up another box of brownie mix (milk chocolate this time) and tried again. Worked fine. The two mixes of Brownies with California walnuts, that makes just an 8 x 8″ pan each…I’ll put them in the cupboard for a future pot luck dinner or something.

Next, I really wanted to make cupcakes since I haven’t made those in a long time. I was trying to figure out how to carry two dozen cupcakes to the fire hall on Monday. I had forgotten…several years ago I had bought a plastic carrier just for that purpose! Luckily, it was wrapped in a white plastic bag and high on a shelf just waiting to be needed.

Pretty nifty arrangement! Sunday, I’ll make two kinds of cupcakes for the sale on Monday!

The last item I may try tomorrow is snickerdoodles. Of course, there is a mix for that! I could easily make them from scratch, but then I will end up with too many cookies and my kitchen will be a mess! It is also too tempting to have all those cookies around because I do love them and can eat them. I’ll stick with the mixes.

I’m sure many of you have your favorite recipes to make things for bake sales. Our audience is mostly families with kids on their way to the carnival. Should be fun!

Spring Flea Market Will Be Held April 26 & 27

Twice a year the Ladies Auxiliary to the Boalsburg Fire Company has a flea market/yard sale in the Boalsburg Fire Hall. This is a major fundraiser for our group. The table spaces are rented for others to use so it’s like any other yard sale…but no one person has to fill up the yard. Unless you’re having a moving or estate sale, it’s hard to assemble enough stuff to do it by yourself!

The best part is it’s indoors, restrooms are handy, lunch items are for sale and everyone is especially friendly! Check it out on Friday, April 26 and Saturday, April 27, 2024 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day!

If you’re in the area, check out the flea market/yard sale at the Boalsburg Fire Hall this Friday and Saturday…April 26 & 27, 2024!

Support the Mission of the Boalsburg Village Conservancy

The Village of Boalsburg, Pennsylvania, has a rich and varied history. The Boalsburg Village Conservancy (BVC) was formed to help preserve the historical and cultural resources of the Village and the Township, and to stimulate awareness and interest in this area’s historic past.

Have you ever visited Boalsburg on Memorial Day and wondered how many folks were involved in setting up all those town-wide activities for over 25,000 visitors for 5 days? Do you live nearby and make the Memorial Day festivities part of your weekend fun? Have you moved away and plan a visit each year around Memorial Day to see family and friends? Do your out-of-town friends and relatives ask to come visit around Memorial Day…just in case you have a spare bedroom, or you happen to live within walking distance from the festival?

The volunteers on the Boalsburg Village Conservancy committee work hard all year to make sure the vendors, the musicians and the local museums have everything they need that weekend to be successful.

The infrastructure for the 5-day event involves obtaining permits and paying for Emergency Services on-site, renting porta-potties and advertising. Volunteer are great, but they can do only so much. The hope is that money from vendor’s fees, memberships and donations from the public will be enough to pay for the infrastructure expenses. Of course, as everything else, costs are rising. We need your help!

Even if you don’t live nearby, you can support the efforts of this volunteer organization so in the future the history of Memorial Day is not forgotten. You can read more about the BVC at www.historicboalsburg.com. You can take a virtual tour online of the more than 70 homes and buildings that have been restored and preserved in the town.

Your dues will go far in helping to pay for infrastructure to support the next Memorial Day celebration. An additional tax-deductible donation will make an even bigger impact.

Please consider supporting the efforts of the BVC. The membership form can be found at www.historicboalsburg.com.

See you for the “Day in Towne” activities, May 23 to 27, 2024!

Save the Dates for Local Events and Festivals

I know…we still have snow on the ground, it’s still below freezing at night and it still gets dark shortly after 6 p.m.! However, local folks are already planning community-wide events and festivals.

Coming up soon, the Ladies Auxiliary to the Boalsburg Fire Company will have their indoor yard sale on April 26 and 27 at the Fire Hall. Come support the Ladies Auxiliary and pick up some nice stuff! Read more about this indoor sale at https://marykisner.com/exploring-an-indoor-yard-sale-or-flea-market/

Of course, Boalsburg will celebrate Memorial Day from May 23-27, with activities like the carnival, parade and a Day in Towne. On the 27th many crafts folks will be selling their wares and there will be music on the Diamond and at the Museums. Tours of the Heritage Museum, the Boal Mansion and the Christopher Columbus Chapel will be offered.

You can read more about Memorial Day activities at https://marykisner.com/memorial-day-2022-is-happening/

You can take a tour of the Heritage Museum at https://marykisner.com/exploring-the-boalsburg-heritage-museum/

The July 4th Festivities will offer many fun activities near the stadium and the Bryce Jordan Center on campus…ending with a spectacular fireworks display.

The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts will be held July 11-14 in downtown State College and on the Penn State campus. Watch for details online.

Finally, a local craft fair will be held at Way Fruit Farm in Stormstown, PA, just minutes from State College. It will run concurrently with the Central PA Festival of the Arts…July 11-13. It has the feel of the People’s Choice festival that had been in Boalsburg, but has now been moved to the Grange Fairgrounds in Centre Hall. See what Way Fruit Farm has to offer all year round at https://marykisner.com/wonderful-lunch-with-high-school-friends/

I’m sure there are many more festivals across the area, so check local listings and advertisements! Lots of cool bargains to be had!

If you are involved with a local festival and would like me to mention it in an upcoming post, send me an email with details…marykisner@comcast.net.

Groundhog Day in Pennsylvania

Just a quick note that our resident groundhog has agreed with our cousin Punxsutawney Phil that we’ll have an early spring!

Groundhog Day seems to have a bizarre history, evolving over centuries as it was observed by different groups, from the Celts to Germans to the Pennsylvania Dutch to those folks in the rest of the U.S. While early celebrations claim it all started in 1887 in Punxsutawney, a local historian Dan Yoder, found evidence of townspeople trusting a groundhog for weather advice as early as 1840.

According to Yoder, in 1887 local folks had a “Groundhog Picnic,” where groundhogs were cooked up as a “special local dish,” served at the Punxsutawney Elk Lodge. I guess once “Phil” became famous, with visits to the White House, the “Today” show and Oprah, folks decided it wasn’t appropriate to serve him up at picnics!

If you’d like to know more about Groundhog Day, just type “History of Groundhog Day” into your search engine and learn more than you ever wanted to know! Just typing this brief summary, I may eventually learn how to spell Punxsutawney! Happy Groundhog Day! Enjoy!

Getting Ready for the Yard Sale at the Boalsburg Fire Hall

I’m getting my stuff ready to head to the Boalsburg Fire Hall to set up for the indoor yard sale that will happen tomorrow (Friday) and Saturday, October 6 & 7, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. We’d love to see you there!

Participating in a group yard sale is a little different from doing one on your own. Having a yard sale on your own is a lot of work…just sorting “stuff” throughout the house and taking over your garage can take days or weeks! Then trying to put a price on each item is tough when you can remember how much you paid for items in the first place. You really have to be strong and be ready to let go of your “stuff.”

A yard sale that is also a fundraiser for a group has a few additional activities. Once the items have been collected and priced, everything needs to be transported to a central location…in this case the Fire Hall!

Here’s my car packed with “stuff” …some is mine, most was donated by other family members and friends. Bags are filled with books, games and other “collectibles.”

In addition to the “stuff” to sell, I was tasked with baking cookies to sell. So a few days ago I baked 3 dozen oatmeal-raisin cookies and 4 dozen Snickerdoodles. They are bagged and ready to sell along with chili, soup and hot dogs provided by others.

I will spend the afternoon today at the Fire Hall to unload and set up “stuff.” One thing we learned from previous sales was how much we wished we had background music during the day. I remembered that and packed up my tiny BOSE speaker and will plug it in next to my phone.

My phone can select all the songs on all the albums I have downloaded and “shuffle” them. It should be an interesting mix of songs…from Alan Jackson to Elton John and Backstreet Boys to Enya. Hopefully, with the shuffle, no one artist will be too overwhelming. I’m not sure if the tiny speaker will fill the Fire Hall, but I’ll give it a try!

I really dislike doing a yard sale by myself…just too much work for a few bucks. Maybe when we’re ready to move, we’ll have a “moving sale” and I’ll be more motivated to get rid of “stuff.” Having this sale with the Ladies Auxiliary to the Boalsburg Fire Company is also a lot of work, but it does generate quite a bit of money for our group and always ends up being an enjoyable day with friends!

Yard Sale to Benefit the Boalsburg Fire Company Auxiliary

The Ladies Auxiliary to the Boalsburg Fire Company will hold their indoor flea market/yard sale this Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., October 6 & 7, 2023. Please plan to drop by rain or shine! With everything being held indoors at the Fire Hall you can browse in comfort. This event is held twice a year and is a major fundraiser for our group. We use the funds to keep the kitchen up-to-date and donate much of our profits to the Fire Company. The sale in the fall usually features various Halloween and Christmas items.

If you don’t live nearby, check out the activities of your local Fire Company. There may be similar activities in your area. Most Fire Companies are supported by local volunteers and various fundraisers help with their equipment needs.

This flea market/yard sale offers a table for a fee and local folks can display their own items for sale. The table fees support the work of the Auxiliary. The Auxiliary ladies fill up 3 or 4 tables with donated stuff and that money also supports our work.

I’ve shared pictures of past yard sales in two posts. You can see them here:

https://marykisner.com/flea-market/ and https://marykisner.com/exploring-an-indoor-yard-sale-or-flea-market/

If you’re nearby, we’d love to share this indoor yard sale with you! Sale is open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on October 6 & 7. Rain or shine! Come support the Boalsburg Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary!

Enjoy Memorial Day Weekend in Boalsburg

Thanks to the work of the Boalsburg Village Conservancy and many local volunteers, Memorial Day Weekend in Boalsburg will once again be filled with good fun, delicious food and inspiring messages honoring our loved ones…past and present. See https://historicboalsburg.com for many details!

The weekend kicks off on Thursday, May 25, with the Boalsburg Fireman’s Carnival (6:00 to 10:00 p.m.) At 2:00 p.m. you can do a “drop-in tour” of the Boal Museum & Columbus Chapel. These tours will also be offered on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

On Friday, May 26, the Pennsylvania Military Museum will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The “drop-in tour” will also be available at 2:00 p.m., and the carnival will be open from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m.

On Saturday, May 27, The Pennsylvania Military Museum will be open from 10:00 to 4:00 p.m. A WWII Living History Encampment will be open to the public.

The parade, sponsored by the Boalsburg Fire Company, will begin at 5:00 p.m. (with line up at 3:30). If you’d like to be in the parade, see https://boalsburgfire.com for information. After the parade, the carnival will continue until 10:00 p.m.

On Sunday, May 28, Zion Lutheran Church will hold Colonial Liturgy Services with patriotic hymns from 9:00 to 10:00 (with a second service from 11:00 to Noon). From 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., a Civil War Ball will be held in the Boal Museum Ballroom. The carnival will be open from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m.

Monday, May 29, is A Day in Town. (see https://historicboalsburg.com for many more details)

The day begins with a BANG! The Memorial Day Run begins at 8:30 a.m. From that point forward the whole town is involved with over 120 vendors, entertainment at the Diamond and additional activities at the Boal Mansion Museum, the Boalsburg Heritage Museum and the Pennsylvania Military Museum (AACA Car Show!).

The Boal Mansion Museum

The Boalsburg Heritage Museum

And finally, the day always ends with the inspiring walk to the cemetery and brief service to honor all our loved ones (past and present) who lost their lives in service to our country.

We’d love to share our Memorial Day festivities with you! Please join us!