180 Bands Set To Rock Gettysburg This Weekend

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Adams County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A three-day music festival will kick off Aug. 8 in Adams County, bringing 180 bands to Gettysburg from 14 states and Washington.

Gettysburg Rocks will feature multiple genres of music including rock, country, blues, folk, ska and reggae, according to Rob Simon, the brainchild of the upcoming festival.

Simon, host of “Under The Radar” on 105.7 The X in Harrisburg, said he got the idea for Gettysburg Rocks from his daughter, Ashley, who was planning a fundraiser for Penn State Mont Alto’s THON group.

Read more: http://www.flipsidepa.com/concerts/ci_26215565/180-bands-set-rock-gettysburg

Controlled Deer Kill To Be Conducted At Gettysburg Battlefield

Image via Wikipedia

A controlled hunt will be conducted in the next six months by the Park Service staff at Gettysburg Battlefield and the Eisenhower National Historic Site to thin the deer herd by about 150 animals.  The population spiked recently to 80 animals per square mile.  The goal is 25 animals per square mile.

The hunt will be conducted at night and in areas closed to the public.  The venison will be donated to the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank in Harrisburg.  A portion of that will return to Adams County.  Last year 17,000 pounds of venison was donated to the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank.

An overabundance in the deer population can prevent forest regeneration and stress the ecosystem.  They cause damage to private property, farms, fields and can interfere with overall park management.

Great Year For York County Apple Crop

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Considering the earthquake, tornadoes, flooding, drought, excessive heat and stink bugs, York County‘s apple crop could end up having a banner year.  Many fruits and vegetables did not fare well this summer with the erratic weather.  However, the apple crop has been unaffected.  The rain has kept the stink bugs at bay.   One York County apple grower referred to her crop as “tremendous”.

Adjoining Adams County is the number one fruit producing county in the state.  Experts fear that climate change could limit apple production to the northern counties of Pennsylvania by mid-century.

Hillandale Farms Installing Biomass-To-Energy Plant

Image via Wikipedia

You have probably seen Hillandale Farms eggs in your local grocery store.  This forward-thinking Adams County egg producer is investing in a revolutionary new green technology that will use 80,000 tons of manure to create energy!

Hillandale Farms is one of the nations leading egg producers/suppliers.  It is always gratifying to see large companies looking at ways to reduce their carbon footprint.  This new energy plant will create enough energy to power 2,500 homes a year! 

Hillandale Farms is planning on expanding their egg production facility in Adams County by another 1.5 million hens.  This means 5 million chickens will call Tyrone Township home.  Utilizing animal waste to create power is amazing.  This new process will turn manure into steam that can be used to heat and cool.

Another added benefit will be 13,000 tons of left over nutrients from the biomass process will be recycled into fertilizer or livestock-feed supplement.  This will contribute to a 3.5% reduction of nutrients and a 4.4% reduction of phosphorus being released into the Chesapeake Bay.  Those percentages are for the entire state of Pennsylvania in just one production facility!

The plant is expected to be up and running by the first quarter of 2012. 

If you are environmentally conscious, you may want to consider including this egg supplier in your weekly shopping.

http://www.hillandalefarms.com/

More Solar Projects Funded By Pennsylvania

I recently posted an article about a solar project in Allentown that received grant money from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.  Here are three more entities that received state grants for solar energy projects. 

GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare LP is receiving $1,000,000 toward the construction of a 3-megawatt rooftop array at their Manchester Township, York County regional distribution center.  The company is using this technology to cut down on energy costs and have a more energy-efficient network of facilities.

Morningstar Marketplace in Jackson Township, York County will receive $733,200 toward a 926-kilowatt ground-mounted array.

Blue Renewable Energy in Adams County will receive $457,500 toward a 366-kilowatt solar system at Gettysburg College.

Just sayin…. there is money out there for all kinds of projects.  Even in this economy!