Typically it's the PA Farm Show that visitors look forward to as a culinary field trip.
But thanks to a new feature this year, the Eastern Outdoor Show rivals the Farm Show in eating delights. Affordable meals are being marketed as one more way to encourage entire families to come to the Outdoor Show and experience all that it offers.
For example, a family of four can eat well for just $20 with the Everyday Family Bundle. This special includes hot dogs, sodas, chips and cookies for four. Their half-sized package that just costs $10. PB&Js may be substituted if someone in your family prefers these.
For us big guys, there's the $7 Beer and Bratwurst or the $6 Beer and Pretzel specials. And of course, there's always the daily entrée special that is guaranteed to fill you up. No matter what choice you and your family make, you can be assured that you can eat well at the Outdoor Show without emptying your wallet.
Shows closer to home
Next weekend is the 12th Annual Valley Outdoors "Cabin Fever" Expo at the Mifflinburg Intermediate School. The expo opens on Saturday, Feb. 19 at 10:00 a.m. and runs until 6 p.m.
On Sunday, Feb. 20, the expo starts at 10 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m. This free admission event includes vendors, seminars, door prizes and lots of kids activities. So bring along the whole family and brush away your cabin fever.
On the last weekend of the month, Feb. 26-27, The Icebreaker Sportsmen's Expo will be at the Christ Wesleyan Church in Milton. This expo opens at 5 p.m. on Friday and at 8 a.m. on Saturday.
Restore faith in future
If you sometimes worry about what our great nation will be like when the younger generation takes over, you can restore your faith this Saturday by visiting the Boy Scout's Klondike Derby at the Buffalo Valley Sportsmen's Club.
The weather is perfect — it actually feels like the Alaskan Klondike outside. For the past couple of decades, the members of the Buffalo Valley Sportsmen's Association have hosted the Klondike Derby on their club grounds, which are just a few miles north of Mifflinburg.
During the Klondike Derby, patrols of boys (and girls if any Venture Crews show up) push their sleds across the snow from station to station. At the stations, they test their Scouting skills in competitions as diverse as fire building, animal identification, rifle and shotgun shooting and so on.
One of my favorite stations is the axe throwing area. Will Zimmerman and Scott Baylor typically show up in their 18th-century garb and they teach each boy how to throw an axe safely and accurately.
All in all, everyone has a great time, learns a bunch of skills and enjoys a brisk day in the great out-of-doors. Activities begin around 9 a.m. and should wrap up by 4 p.m.
Happening this weekend
This Saturday evening, you can join the Col-Mont Gobblers Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation for their Hunting Heritage Banquet. Activities begin at 5 p.m. at the Danville Elks. Give Matt Swartz a call at 490-2480 for more information.
The Tony Rocuskie Memorial Sporting Clay Shoot will be held at the Showers Road Gun Club on Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. This 25-bird shoot is $5 per round. Visit the club's website at www.showersrgc.org for more information.
Meet Charles Alsheimer
Charlie Alsheimer's photos are phenomenal. He has won many awards and his photos appear regularly in Field and Stream, Outdoor Life and other big-time outdoor publications.
Next Friday evening, Feb. 18, you can hear him speak at the Buffalo Mennonite Church Wild Game Banquet. The banquet will be held at the Freedom Fellowship Church — east of Mifflinburg on Route 45. To reserve your free ticket, please give Al Carroll 966-7716 or Ken Martin 412-0691 a call. This should be a wonderful evening for everyone ... and the price is certainly right.
Thanks go out to Al, Ken and the others at the Buffalo Mennonite Church for bringing this gifted photographer, writer and hunter to our Valley.
And ...
Whatever you do, don't forget to make the trip up to the Snowfest at the R.B. Winter State Park this Sunday. There will be tons of outdoor fun from noon to 4 p.m.
n E-mail comments and your own Talking Points to garrettoutdoors@gmail.com
Sports
Eating your way through the outdoor show
- Sports
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H.S. Track & Field notebook: Better late than never
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Keller runs to his first victory
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Zaktansky: Life lessons learned from an earthworm
On my hands and knees, I slogged forward.
The steady rain had long before soaked through my clothes and turned the ground underneath me into a slick film of runny mud. My back hurt, my fingers were caked with brown goop and my mouth was aching from holding a small flashlight as I slowly scanned the backyard. -
Indigo buntings grace the Valley
Summer is the best time for viewing a spectrum of colorful birds.
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Don Steese column: Counting the days
Memorial Day weekend is traditionally the start of the summer vacation season. Kids are out school, the weather is beautiful and all is well with the world ... except for folks like myself, who find themselves counting the days until fall.
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Hartley, Billas fight off heat
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Moore bags two medals
Matt Moore is a hard guy to please. Or at least, he finds it hard to take pleasure in his own track and field performances.
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Ken Maurer column: More talk about bass
This past week I attended 2 meetings involving the PFBC.
The first was in Harrisburg where fish commission officials explained to the state senators why they want the DEP to place the Susquehanna River on the “impaired” list. DEP has refused once, and the PFBC has reapplied. -
Scott Dudinskie's high school baseball column: Reich still going strong
Bryan Reich feels it with every pitch he throws. Some would call it pain, maybe discomfort. The Milton right-hander chooses "annoyance."
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H.S. softball: A great team by any other name
