Another Memorable Memorial Day

BEAVER--

Local residents passed yet another Memorial Day in their typical fashion-- attending the holiday parade and festivities.

The parade was held on Third Street, where hundreds of people lined the sidewalks all wearing red, white and blue. The parade itself lasted about 15 minutes and included the local JROTC crew, veteran chapters, and youth baseball and softball teams.

After the march had ended, the crowd made its way to the cemetery for the memorial service, where speakers, clergy, and choral members respectfully paid tribute to the country's fallen.

Everyone enjoyed the day's blue sky, abundant sunshine and balmy temperatures-- perfect weather for cookouts and picnics.

Farmer's Market Preview 2015

BEAVER--

The Farmer's Market has returned to town for the summer promising exciting new attractions.

The local outdoor produce sale, which runs May through June at the court house parking lot, opened May 2nd.

Although fruits and vegetables have long been the main draw to the market, this year various vendor personalities are making appearances. Beaver's gourmet chocolate source, Duclienea Chocolates, has teamed up with the town's newest culinary start-up, Beaver County Bagel Co., to run a booth. Both seller's products have received rave reviews from consumers. Beaver Bagel Co. has generated particular excitement due to its wide selection of fresh bagels--available in varieties such as sesame and blueberry-- and baked goods. "We've never had a really good source for bagels in town. It's exciting," said one Farmer's Market customer.

Candy and bread aren't the only things making their debut at the Farmer's Market. A local kettle corn company recently set up shop, offering bagfuls of warm, sweet and salty kernels. They also offer free samples to any first-time skeptics. However, one taste is all that should be needed for this booth to lock in a sale.

Of course, the trendy additions won't make customers forget what they've really come for: the colorful arrays of produce and plants that growers like Spring Hill and Floyd farms have been offering for years. Currently, leeks and onions are the most abundant crops available. Spring Hill Farm told the Missy Times the wet spring has been hard on the pea crops, slowing down there growth. But with summer nearly here, Farmer's Market fans should expect abundant supplies of corn, tomatoes and squash in no time.

Yard Sale Season Returns to Western Pennsylvania

BEAVER--

Looking for bargains? You won't just find them at Good Will anymore.

On May 9th, the season of outdoor yard and garage sales officially returned to Beaver, Pennsylvania with the 2015 Town Yard Sale. The progressive sale spanning from River Road to Seventh Street continued a multiple-year tradition for the borough, fostering neighborhood camaraderie and resident cleanliness.

Locals went all out for the event, participating in large numbers as both buyers and sellers. Some sources even reported the most participants in the history of the sale this year. The added attraction of the Town Sidewalk Sale, in which Third Street Businesses hosted liquidations and promotions of their own, heightened excitement.

Merchandise included the typical yard sale wares-- clothes, toys and oddities --but a few sellers boasted interesting selections of artwork, antiques and household items. Missy Koshute snagged a brookstone iPad case and Keyboard from a neighbor's sale. "It was a great find," she says.

The best sidewalk sale display went to Sapling and Sons Snail Mail Supply Co. (although the judging was slightly biased). Sapling had an impressive array of specialty cars, holiday and party items available at discounted prices. Discontinued greeting cards marked down to $1 were the definite favorite.

Individual yard sale numbers are on the rise now that summer is here. Buyers can be sure to find at least one large sale being held every week in town.

Unseasonable Memorial Day Still Iconic, Poignant

                                 

The unofficial start of summer didn't feel too summery in Beaver Cemetery on Memorial Day morning. Clouds covered the sky and the men and women gathered among the gravestones shivered a bit in their short-sleeved patriotic garb.

But unseasonable temperatures and gloomy weather didn't deter Beaver residents from coming out to the annual parade and cemetery service. Young and old alike lined the main street to catch a glimpse of the veterans and little-league teams marching by, cheering, waving flags and collecting candy.

At the service, Beaver District Attorney Anthony Berosh gave the keynote speech after the invocation by Reverend James Equels. He posed the question "Who are they?" about the fallen soldiers we honor on Memorial Day. "I address you today not as District attorney," he began, "But as a husband, father, brother and friend...... " Continuing, he identified the said soldiers by the generals they served, the places they fought, and the professions they held. Concluding, he exclaimed, "Let all within the sound of my voice take up the cry: 'Who are they? Who are they?  [From the streets of Beaver to the farms of Hanover, they are among us,] They are Heroes."

Beaver's young people also played a major role in the ceremony. Nick Kanapesky, Senior Class President, recited the Gettysburg address. Beaver Area High School Chorus sang "God Bless America", and the local Boy Scout troop assisted in handing out programs to spectators. Other youths participated in the fife and drum corps and presentation of the colors.

On a holiday so often defined by picnics, pool-parties and outdoor festivities, outdoor conditions were unfavorable; but Memorial Day in Beaver, with its patriotism, enthusiasm and sincerity, was still a success. As one citizen observed, "It's iconic. It's America at its finest."

Summer's First Sound

--Beaver

It starts with a clank and rumbles on with a whirrrr.  It's one of the first sounds of summer and the best way to find relief from the heat.

It's the home air conditioner.

Residents in Beaver have been closing their windows and cranking up their air conditioners in response to this week's scorching temperatures. Six of the past seven days have seen highs in the eighties, over ten degrees above average, and humidity steady around 50%. The current conditions present quite a contrast to the wet spring weather experienced less than two weeks ago, when lows went down to a freezing 32 degrees.

The extreme switch in seasons has been a challenge for local gardeners, says Missy Koshute, a flower and vegatable grower. "It's crazy," she said, "Is it hot, is it cold, are we done with frosts or aren't we?"

According to meteorologists from weather.com who predict the same hot temperatures for the rest of May and June, it seems safe to say that we won't be having any more frosty mornings. Instead, folks better get used to finding ways to keep cool.
 
Not everyone will use their air conditioning as their only way to beat the heat. Susan Koshute, a Beaver resident of 30 years, says she'll do what she always does: "I'll sit in the shade on my porch, feel the breeze and pretend that I'm at the beach."

New Shop on the Block

Tonight we went up and sampled Beaver's newest culinary venue, "Sincerely Yogurt". I was super excited to try it, as were the droves of  customers filling the shop to its capacity. It was hilarious to watch how everyone reacted to the yogurt shop concept, obviously something new in these parts.  They hovered about trying to figure out what to do, mixing up the toppings bar with the yogurt station, and vice versa, until an employee gathered them around and gave the Sincerely Yogurt rundown: you get a cup, fill it with the flavors you choose, add toppings, and then place your dish on the scale at the counter and pay by the ounce (55 cents per ounce).

The flavor line-up tonight included some classic frozen yogurt staples --mango, raspberry and green tea--  which taste tart and fruity, and also a few varieties with sweet ice cream-like consistency: peanut butter, banana, and french vanilla, to name a few. Over at the toppings bar, choices were abundant. Marshmallow bits, fruit, candy, sprinkles, nuts, almost any topping you could think of was available. Most of the kids beelined straight for the gummy worms and chocolate pieces, while many adults created interesting blends of fruits.

Leaving the crowded shop, blooming with activity and lively music, it was plain to see that "Sincerely Yogurt"  had created quite a buzz in town. But only time will tell whether this new kid on the block has the stuff to keep the business coming, and the staying power to become Beaver's next hang-out.

Road Trip!

The Koshute Clan is setting off on its next adventure. Tomorrow morning we will depart for my cousin's wedding which takes place on Saturday in Lincoln, Nebraska. Along the way we will travel through the states of Indiana, Illinois and Missouri, all of which are totally new territories for me. Our pit-stops in Chicago, Champaign, Springfield, Hannibal, and St. Louis should prove to be memorable, and hopefully the fun of seeing America will make up for the long hours we will have to endure in the car. Whatever the outcome, this summer road trip will surely be an exciting journey!

The Missy Times and More invites you along for the ride. Check back for special updates from Missy as the Koshute Caravan treks west to the Great Plains. Stay Tuned!

In Rogers Neighborhood

-Friday, June 17th

Seeking adventure on a mellow summer day with no other particular plans, my Mom and I, along with my neighbor friends Grace, Harper and her little brother Zane piled into the van for a trip across the state line into Ohio. There, accompanied only by a few dollars, some snacks, and our spirit of curiosity, we were to tour the regionally famed Rogers flea market.

Having only been there once before when I was little, my excitement was peaked. I'd always heard people talk of their Friday ventures to Rogers, but now I would finally have a fresh picture in my mind to match with the name.


The parking lot was packed with cars, most from Pennsylvania, although some liscense plates were from as far away as New York and North Carolina. We entered the gate, and our experience began. And boy, an experience it was. The atmosphere was a cross somewhere between a giant yard sale, a fair, a farmers market and the History Channel show "American Pickers".

People trudged up and down the gravel paths that wove around the scores of vendors. There were Amish Country Donuts that smelled as only donuts do; there were fuzzy siamese kittens and velvety puppies; there were smooth wooden rubberband guns that we got to practice shooting at pop cans. Bold entrepreneurs shouted out sales pitches about no fog window cleaners, rug whiteners and squishy little animals that flattened like scrambled eggs when slapped on the ground. Old "Colman's Mustard" and "Cook's Breakfast Cocoa" tins were laid out on tables next to knives and outdated action figures. Vintage metal posters with scenes of Norman Rockwell's "Saturday Evening Post" sat in a box underneath one table near a stand with a huge ferocious looking bear head.

Under the roofed pavillions, the merchaindise varied from T-shirts and hermit crabs to produce and Club crackers. Inside the barn shaped buildings, there were Cucumber Melon and McIntosh Apple flavored candles from "Your Own Candle Company" and a whole hardware store's worth of tools.

Although we didn't purchase anything save a few postcards and some fries, the fun of exploring this eccentric place made it well worth the trip . Just like so many of the items at Rogers, our mediocre day had been turned from trash, to treasure....a summer memory we soon won't forget.