Grocery stores play a big part in our lives, so as soon as I heard the news about Giant taking over the Genuardi's supermarket east of Kennett I shared the news with my friends. Rumors have been circulating for some time that that Genuardi's branch would close, especially since we stopped receiving weekly circulars.
The reaction from my friends was positive, although many of us had been hoping that a Trader Joe's or Wegman's might move in. And a blog reader wrote that he wishes a store would move into the long-vacant Acme building in New Garden.
Friday, January 6, 2012
Doe Run Farm hearing
On Jan. 5, at long last, Dick Hayne appeared before the West Marlborough Township supervisors to explain what's been going on in the creamery at his Doe Run Farm since August 2009.
Even though he's been making cheese and selling it at his Terrain stores and at local farmers' markets, Mr. Hayne (the billionaire founder of the Urban Outfitters chain) only recently applied for the township permission he needs to do so.
Speaking at a township meeting for the first time ever, he admitted that "this is technically a commercial use, but we look at it as an accessory use" to the site's main agricultural zoning. He explained to the board that although making cheese is "vaguely a business," he sees it as "largely a hobby" -- and a money-losing one at that.
The dairy manager at Doe Run Farm, Kristian Holbrook, provided an interesting overview of the cheese-making process and said they are currently making almost as much cheese as they have room for.
"I'd say we're using 80% of our abilities," he told the supervisors. "The cheese aging caves are very close to being maximized."
Cheese is made every two or three days, whenever enough milk is obtained from the farm's animals (27 sheep, 17 cows, 22 goats). Each gallon of milk makes one pound of cheese, he said.
He said there are only four employees, including himself, and truck traffic is minimal: a UPS pickup once a week, UPS deliveries to the creamery maybe once a month and every-other-month feed deliveries for the animals, which are mostly grass-fed. He said the cheese is made using only the farm's own milk, with no milk shipped in.
The creamery creates no odor, noise, glare or vibration, he said, and the state department of agriculture regularly tests the cheese, milk and water for bacteria. He said he tries to minimize his water use and tries to re-use as much whey as possible.
Michael J. Gladnick, a land planner for Mr. Hayne, explained what happens to the wastewater from the creamery. He said it has a permit to handle 350 gallons of water a day. This meets county requirements, which are calculated based on the number of "facilities generating effluent" (meaning sinks, toilets and drains) and the square footage of the processing facility. He said the only chemicals used to clean the equipment and tanks are detergent and a very dilute chlorine solution.
When asked how manure in the milking area was handled, Mr. Gladnick said the floors are hosed down, the manure is kept in agricultural tanks and then hauled away when the tanks are full.
Both Mr. Holbrook and Mr. Gladnick said the parking and loading area and the driveway are adequate for minimal truck traffic and deliveries, although the township's solicitor suggested that perhaps the zoning code would require a wider driveway off Hicks Road for a commercial use rather than an agricultural use.
Dave Ziel, another of Mr. Hayne's reps, argued that the driveway should remain 12 feet in width.
Al Giannantonio, the township engineer, told Mr. Hayne's reps that under the Uniform Commercial Code, the creamery is no longer considered an agricultural building because it is now being used for a commercial purpose. He said that means that the buildings would require permits from the township, along with "the appropriate fees."
At the end of the hearing the supervisors said they wanted to reflect on what they had heard and are expected to discuss the matter at their Feb. 7 meeting.
Even though he's been making cheese and selling it at his Terrain stores and at local farmers' markets, Mr. Hayne (the billionaire founder of the Urban Outfitters chain) only recently applied for the township permission he needs to do so.
Speaking at a township meeting for the first time ever, he admitted that "this is technically a commercial use, but we look at it as an accessory use" to the site's main agricultural zoning. He explained to the board that although making cheese is "vaguely a business," he sees it as "largely a hobby" -- and a money-losing one at that.
The dairy manager at Doe Run Farm, Kristian Holbrook, provided an interesting overview of the cheese-making process and said they are currently making almost as much cheese as they have room for.
"I'd say we're using 80% of our abilities," he told the supervisors. "The cheese aging caves are very close to being maximized."
Cheese is made every two or three days, whenever enough milk is obtained from the farm's animals (27 sheep, 17 cows, 22 goats). Each gallon of milk makes one pound of cheese, he said.
He said there are only four employees, including himself, and truck traffic is minimal: a UPS pickup once a week, UPS deliveries to the creamery maybe once a month and every-other-month feed deliveries for the animals, which are mostly grass-fed. He said the cheese is made using only the farm's own milk, with no milk shipped in.
The creamery creates no odor, noise, glare or vibration, he said, and the state department of agriculture regularly tests the cheese, milk and water for bacteria. He said he tries to minimize his water use and tries to re-use as much whey as possible.
Michael J. Gladnick, a land planner for Mr. Hayne, explained what happens to the wastewater from the creamery. He said it has a permit to handle 350 gallons of water a day. This meets county requirements, which are calculated based on the number of "facilities generating effluent" (meaning sinks, toilets and drains) and the square footage of the processing facility. He said the only chemicals used to clean the equipment and tanks are detergent and a very dilute chlorine solution.
When asked how manure in the milking area was handled, Mr. Gladnick said the floors are hosed down, the manure is kept in agricultural tanks and then hauled away when the tanks are full.
Both Mr. Holbrook and Mr. Gladnick said the parking and loading area and the driveway are adequate for minimal truck traffic and deliveries, although the township's solicitor suggested that perhaps the zoning code would require a wider driveway off Hicks Road for a commercial use rather than an agricultural use.
Dave Ziel, another of Mr. Hayne's reps, argued that the driveway should remain 12 feet in width.
Al Giannantonio, the township engineer, told Mr. Hayne's reps that under the Uniform Commercial Code, the creamery is no longer considered an agricultural building because it is now being used for a commercial purpose. He said that means that the buildings would require permits from the township, along with "the appropriate fees."
At the end of the hearing the supervisors said they wanted to reflect on what they had heard and are expected to discuss the matter at their Feb. 7 meeting.
Oo-ooo, that sound
A few notes from the Doe Run Farm hearing:
1. A man in the back row stood up to ask a question about how chemicals were stored in the creamery, and his cell phone promptly went off, playing Lynryd Skynryd's anthem "Free Bird" as the ring tone.
The board suggested that he shut it off because it was distracting.
"But it's `Free Bird'!" protested another audience member, in mock outrage.
2. Even Mr. Hayne's controversial corn crib came up for discussion. The corn crib is built too close to Hicks Road, as well as in the flood plain, and after residents complained back in November, the township pointed this out to Mr. Hayne's reps. Al Giannantonio took the opportunity Thursday to press Mr. Ziel directly about when exactly it was going to be moved; Ziel replied by saying that he considers it to be only "a temporary structure."
3. On several occasions the court reporter had to ask speakers to slow the heck down -- once when the cheesemaker was explaining in detail the cheese-making process, and another time when Mr. Hayne's attorney was rattling off language from the township's zoning ordinance like one of those rapid-fire car-financing ads on the radio.
4. In case you wondered: Mr. Hayne, who heads an empire of clothing stores, wore loose jeans, a blue and white button-down shirt with a brown glasses case in the pocket, work shoes, and a dark green ball cap (facing forward, not backward). And he has a good firm handshake.
5. Mr. Hayne withdrew his vegetable-processing application. His lawyer agree that if the use of the greenhouses escalates to anything other than for personal use, he will re-file an application.
1. A man in the back row stood up to ask a question about how chemicals were stored in the creamery, and his cell phone promptly went off, playing Lynryd Skynryd's anthem "Free Bird" as the ring tone.
The board suggested that he shut it off because it was distracting.
"But it's `Free Bird'!" protested another audience member, in mock outrage.
2. Even Mr. Hayne's controversial corn crib came up for discussion. The corn crib is built too close to Hicks Road, as well as in the flood plain, and after residents complained back in November, the township pointed this out to Mr. Hayne's reps. Al Giannantonio took the opportunity Thursday to press Mr. Ziel directly about when exactly it was going to be moved; Ziel replied by saying that he considers it to be only "a temporary structure."
3. On several occasions the court reporter had to ask speakers to slow the heck down -- once when the cheesemaker was explaining in detail the cheese-making process, and another time when Mr. Hayne's attorney was rattling off language from the township's zoning ordinance like one of those rapid-fire car-financing ads on the radio.
4. In case you wondered: Mr. Hayne, who heads an empire of clothing stores, wore loose jeans, a blue and white button-down shirt with a brown glasses case in the pocket, work shoes, and a dark green ball cap (facing forward, not backward). And he has a good firm handshake.
5. Mr. Hayne withdrew his vegetable-processing application. His lawyer agree that if the use of the greenhouses escalates to anything other than for personal use, he will re-file an application.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
What's my line?
A friend and I stopped in at ReBorn Houses, a shop in Thorndale where they service and sharpen horse clippers (the reason we were there) and other tools ("We Sharpen Anything!" reads their business card). Being a curious sort, I inquired about the disconnect between the name and the nature of the business. The fellow who waited on us explained that the company originally sold mortgages and just never changed the name when they went into the sharpening business.
Reasonable enough, I suppose.
Reasonable enough, I suppose.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Fore!
This afternoon I stopped off at the cemetery at Green Hill Presbyterian Church in Wilmington to pay a New Year's visit to Aunt Pauline and Uncle Mac. Sitting on the grave marker was a Top Flite 2 golf ball. Apparently somebody made a really, really bad shot while playing the 16th hole at Ed "Porky" Oliver Golf Club, which borders the graveyard.
The hapless duffer should have heeded the warning on the course's hole-by-hole description: "This hole appears much longer than it is."
One of my readers offered an intriguing alternative explanation: perhaps another relative may have been following the Jewish tradition of marking a visit to a grave by leaving a pebble behind. "Maybe someone whose religion is golf visited your relatives' resting place?" she suggests.
The hapless duffer should have heeded the warning on the course's hole-by-hole description: "This hole appears much longer than it is."
One of my readers offered an intriguing alternative explanation: perhaps another relative may have been following the Jewish tradition of marking a visit to a grave by leaving a pebble behind. "Maybe someone whose religion is golf visited your relatives' resting place?" she suggests.
A big cheese
In still more Dick Hayne news, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported on Dec. 30 that he will receive the 2011 Edward Powell Award, and its $100,000 prize, "for contributions to Philadelphia's economic prosperity."
Says the Inquirer: "The award is granted every four years to a Philadelphia business leader in honor of Powell, a European immigrant who established a knitting mill in the city's Fairmount section."
Mr. Hayne, the billionaire founder of Urban Outfitters, will receive the award at the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce's annual luncheon Feb. 6.
(Thanks to a sharp-eyed friend for spotting this story in the Inquirer's business section.)
Says the Inquirer: "The award is granted every four years to a Philadelphia business leader in honor of Powell, a European immigrant who established a knitting mill in the city's Fairmount section."
Mr. Hayne, the billionaire founder of Urban Outfitters, will receive the award at the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce's annual luncheon Feb. 6.
(Thanks to a sharp-eyed friend for spotting this story in the Inquirer's business section.)
Supervisors
Not a lot happened at the West Marlborough Township reorganization meetings on Tuesday, Jan. 3. Bill Wylie was reappointed chairman of the board of supervisors, and Josh Taylor was reappointed chairman of the planning commission.
Mr. Wylie presented the police report for 2011 from Officer Bob Clarke: 76 days of patrol, 480 hours worked, 353 incidents, 16 court appearances, 3 accidents, 110 citations (71 speeding, 21 parking, 15 stop sign violations, 2 littering and 1 careless driving) and 33 warnings.
Mr. Wylie also presented the 2011 report from township building inspector Eddie Caudill: he issued 32 building permits, including 6 solar-panel installations.
The board also approved a new permit fee schedule. Supervisor Michael Ledyard said the new schedule has "teeth" that will allow the township to penalize those who build first and then apply for a permit (no names were mentioned).
Mr. Wylie presented the police report for 2011 from Officer Bob Clarke: 76 days of patrol, 480 hours worked, 353 incidents, 16 court appearances, 3 accidents, 110 citations (71 speeding, 21 parking, 15 stop sign violations, 2 littering and 1 careless driving) and 33 warnings.
Mr. Wylie also presented the 2011 report from township building inspector Eddie Caudill: he issued 32 building permits, including 6 solar-panel installations.
The board also approved a new permit fee schedule. Supervisor Michael Ledyard said the new schedule has "teeth" that will allow the township to penalize those who build first and then apply for a permit (no names were mentioned).
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Get well soon!
I feel so sorry for that poor young state trooper who was hit by a motorist while sitting in his police cruiser in the median strip of Route 1 on Dec. 29. He was badly hurt, with multiple fractures of the pelvis, a broken collarbone, and internal injuries. I sent him a get-well card and I hope you will, too: Trooper Chad Burgwell, Pennsylvania State Police, 2 Moxley Lane, Avondale, PA 19311.
Monday, January 2, 2012
Coverup
When the cold weather rolls around each autumn, I stack all the porch furniture, BBQ grill, hammock components, planters, etc. in one corner of the deck and cover them with a big blue tarpaulin. The first few winters I didn't secure the tarp very well and in every stiff wind it would end up in the middle of the yard. But this year, for a change, I did a great job, engineering the whole internal structure of the pile so that rain or snow will drain off via gravity, folding almost-hospital corners in the tarp, and weighting down the edges neatly and evenly. It wasn't budging til spring.
But what's that they say about the best-laid plans of mice and men? It was so warm on New Year's Day that I simply had to get out the grill to cook some tuna steaks. Which means I had to dismantle the whole production. No way will I ever be able to replicate those corners.
But what's that they say about the best-laid plans of mice and men? It was so warm on New Year's Day that I simply had to get out the grill to cook some tuna steaks. Which means I had to dismantle the whole production. No way will I ever be able to replicate those corners.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Cover boy
Kennett Square's Mayor, Matt Fetick, is not only a nice guy but also a successful real-estate agent. He appears on the cover of the latest issue of Keller-Williams Realty's "Outfront" Magazine and is quoted in an article on short sales.
"My goal is to become the short sale king of Philadelphia,” the story quotes him as saying, noting that "in just a year, he's helped nearly 40 homeowners avoid foreclosure and sell their home through a short sale." Matt, whom I first met when he was a West Chester cop, got into the real estate business in 2005.
"My goal is to become the short sale king of Philadelphia,” the story quotes him as saying, noting that "in just a year, he's helped nearly 40 homeowners avoid foreclosure and sell their home through a short sale." Matt, whom I first met when he was a West Chester cop, got into the real estate business in 2005.
Guacamole
Hockessin chiropractor Chad Laurence reports that he has crossed another item off his bucket list:
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