Podcasts about Pennsylvania Dutch

If you are listening to this prior to October 9, 2025, go to the 32BJ Changing the Playbook on Hospital Prices event, where Mark Cuban will be keynoting. Cora Opsahl will also be speaking, and I will be there listening. For a full transcript of this episode, click here. If you enjoy this podcast, be sure to subscribe to the free weekly newsletter to be a member of the Relentless Tribe. So, trust, simplicity, and a chicken. Yeah, this is where this whole conversation with Mark Cuban and Cora Opsahl winds up. And it is a barnstormer because you know what some really good advice is for anybody trying to do right by patients and taxpayers and plan sponsors? It will take trust. It will take making the complicated as simple as possible. And also if you could pay with a chicken, like in the good old days, that would be messy—I can say with confidence, having grown up in Pennsylvania Dutch country, where there are many, many chickens—but also being able to pay with a chicken could also indicate that healthcare prices are reasonably chicken proportionate and that the doctor-patient relationship is good enough to break bread (or have chicken). That last part is really important, and Cora Opsahl says this at one point in the episode that follows. It doesn't matter how wonderful the transparency or the financing. If the prices are insane and there's no more reasonably priced options in any given market, then yeah. Shane Cerone says in an upcoming show, he says, “We do not have a broken healthcare market. We do not have a healthcare market. There is no market.” Okay … so, you could call this conversation a continuation of the episode with Ann Kempski (EP444), entitled “Two State Healthcare Laws Often Don't Go as Planned.” But it's not just healthcare laws that often don't go as planned. It's some very foundational constructs that we have built the healthcare sector upon that may also not go as planned. The healthcare sector is like a game of pachinko. You chuck an input into the mix, and it will bounce all around into all the perverse incentives and human beings and the non-market that we have. And who the heck knows what is gonna pop out the other side? It's like game theory at its most unpredictable. So, in healthcare, there are many, many examples of when the solution to a problem arguably creates worse problems than the problems the solution was trying to solve for. But we—Mark Cuban, Cora Opsahl, and I—are gonna shake our fists at two such solutions today: high deductible health plans (or just high deductibles in general) and then self-insured employers trying to solve the complexity of the healthcare industry by hiring consultants and middlemen, middle people, and other vendors to navigate the pachinko parlor (that is, our $4.9 trillion healthcare sector) on their behalf. Now, I am not in any way saying the spirit of these two endeavors—high deductibles and hiring consultants and middlemen—weren't wholehearted. They seem just like many other well-intentioned solutions: very logical on their face. What I am saying is there are many ways in the real world for even the most, again, genuine endeavor to turn into a money grab for those so inclined. While at the same time I'm saying all this, I'm also very much saying that there are some amazing consultants and middle folks such as independent third-party administrators, otherwise known as TPAs, and PBMs (pharmacy benefit managers) who are transparent and hold themselves accountable to the fiduciary responsibilities that their clients are held to in real terms—not just in marketing speak with 40 pages of disclaimers following. There are great folks out there, many of whom listen to this podcast and are part of our tribe on the regular. And to you, I say thank you for being here, because it takes all the knowledge and more from every one of the guests featured in these past 487 Relentless Health Value episodes plus treating every day like a school day to make sure that we all are not getting shanked from behind by some innocent-looking contract term that turns out to be anything but. The conversation that follows starts out talking about high deductibles; naturally segues into how third-party intermediaries can actually exacerbate the issues here; then we get into transparency, financing, clinical organizations taking on risk, and the benefits and challenges of direct contracts; then Mark lays out a vision for the future. Okay … I wanna get to this conversation. If you are a new listener here—and you might be because … yeah, Mark Cuban—let me just inform you that this podcast is largely listened to by those who work in the healthcare industry. So, you are going to encounter acronyms. You will also encounter me referencing earlier episodes because surveys say listeners really appreciate these callbacks to go get additional information about any given topic. You can get what amounts to a personalized Master's of Healthcare Administration curriculum if you follow the episode threads long enough. And that was a direct quote from a listener. About the acronyms: They are holy terrors, and we in the healthcare industry are chock-full of them. See the list of acronyms that come up so that you can follow along at home if this is your first day at our rodeo. Also in the show notes is a transcript of this show, along with links to all of the mentioned episodes. Okay … here's my conversation with Mark Cuban, who is Mark Cuban and also CEO and founder of Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drugs. Also, we have Cora Opsahl, who is health fund director of the 32BJ Health Fund and an expert in many things healthcare. Also mentioned in this episode are Shane Cerone; Ann Kempski; Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drugs; 32BJ Health Fund; Preston Alexander; Stanley Schwartz, MD; Elizabeth Mitchell; Kimberly Carleson; Andreas Mang; Jonathan Baran; Claire Brockbank; Dave Chase; Cristin Dickerson, MD; Green Imaging; Kevin Lyons; and Vivian Ho, PhD.   You can learn more at markcubancompanies.com and costplusdrugs.com and follow Mark on LinkedIn, Bluesky, Threads, and X. You can follow Cora on LinkedIn.   Mark Cuban, a native of Pittsburgh, PA; a graduate of Indiana University; and now a Dallas, TX, resident, has always been an entrepreneur. From selling and trading baseball cards, selling garbage bags and magazines door-to-door, to starting a business buying and selling stamps at age 16, there have been few years in his life when he wasn't starting or running a business. He got a job at one of Dallas's first retail software stores, Your Business Software. He spent nine months doing everything from learning how to code, supporting and installing every type of business software, and of course, making sure the store opened on time. That went well until he made the executive decision to turn over the store opening duties to a peer so he could pick up a check for a sale. He was fired. Mark decided it was time to start on his own. The next day, MicroSolutions was founded. Over the next seven years, MicroSolutions became a national leader in Systems Integration and custom applications for local and wide area networks. Growing to 80 employees, never having a losing month of operations and nearly $36M in annualized sales, in 1990, MicroSolutions was sold to CompuServe. At that point Mark “retired” to investing in public and private companies. His knowledge of the networking industry led to success and brought returns of 80% and more each year. Mark purchased the Dallas Mavericks for $285M. The Mavs would have the second-best record in the NBA during his ownership tenure. Mark sold majority control of the Mavs in 2023 but continues to be actively involved with the team. He first appeared as a “Shark” on ABC's Emmy Award–winning hit business show Shark Tank in 2011 and quickly established himself as one of the most popular and tough Sharks, investing millions of dollars in hundreds of small businesses. He's been nominated nine times for an Emmy for Shark Tank. His last appearance on the program was during season 16 in May 2025. In 2019, Mark co-founded costplusdrugs.com. Its launch on January 19, 2022, with transparent pricing and a limited markup, has fundamentally changed the pricing of medications in the United States. Cora Opsahl is the director of the 32BJ Health Fund, a self-insured Taft-Hartley benefit fund that sets comprehensive design parameters to ensure the 200,000 members and families of SEIU 32BJ have easy and sustained access to affordable, high-quality healthcare. Cora has prioritized a data-driven approach, focusing on reducing trend, solving the affordability challenge on behalf of union members, and, most important, keeping members at the center of every decision. Under her leadership, the 32BJ Health Fund has saved more than $35 million annually—which it has reinvested in new and better benefits, including the first fertility benefit for members—by removing NewYork-Presbyterian hospitals and physicians from its network, transitioning to a new pharmacy vendor and pharmacy group purchasing coalition, and establishing an expanded Centers of Excellence program. In 2024, Cora conducted an innovative medical request for proposal, stipulating that all finalists have a signature-ready contract drafted by the 32BJ Health Fund prior to award. As a result, the Fund negotiated an agreement that brought unprecedented visibility and increased accountability to its benefit. In 2025, the Health Fund is focused on direct-contracting opportunities that allow it to carve out key benefits and ensure quality while managing spend. Cora is regarded as an expert in pharmacy benefit management and was recently appointed to the Board of Governors for the National Alliance for Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions and the Purchaser Advisory Council for the National Quality Forum and Joint Commission. She previously worked at Express Scripts, where she held a variety of roles, ranging from Medicare Part D to operations, strategy, and acquisitions. Cora earned an MBA from Saint Louis University.   06:25 What was the original rationale behind high deductibles? 07:38 How high deductibles are creating a class of functionally uninsured people. 09:29 EP482 with Preston Alexander. 10:20 “We're using health insurance as a proxy for healthcare.” —Mark 12:30 How providers are now in the debt collecting business rather than the healthcare business. 12:55 EP486 with Stan Schwartz, MD. 15:16 “We have a fundamental reasonability problem.” —Cora 16:07 EP425 with Marshall Allen. 18:25 Direct contracting versus self-funded employers. 19:27 EP436 with Elizabeth Mitchell. 19:30 EP480 with Kimberly Carleson. 19:33 EP372 with Cora Opsahl. 23:53 Why the current system doesn't allow the accountability that is needed. 24:39 EP452 with Cora Opsahl. 26:34 How direct contracting gives strength back to independent practices that high deductible plans take away. 27:46 Who pays, what's the price, and where does the power lie? 31:24 EP419 with Andreas Mang. 34:45 How it comes down to power and leverage when controlling healthcare costs. 38:13 EP483 (Part 1 and Part 2) with Jonathan Baran. 38:35 Why putting together a network and just buying healthcare—not discounts—is not as difficult as it seems. 40:10 Why we need to stop talking about disruption and start talking about change. 40:56 EP453 with Claire Brockbank. 41:02 EP484 with Dave Chase. 43:07 EP485 with Cristin Dickerson, MD. 44:32 EP487 (Part 1) with Kevin Lyons. 46:34 EP466 with Vivian Ho, PhD. 47:40 Why it's the incentives that are different between American hospitals and hospitals in a single-payer program. 50:25 The main takeaways from the conversation. 51:08 Why you can't fix the problems in healthcare without transparency.   You can learn more at markcubancompanies.com and costplusdrugs.com and follow Mark on LinkedIn, Bluesky, Threads, and X. You can follow Cora on LinkedIn.   @mcuban of @costplusdrugs and Cora Opsahl discuss trust and simplicity in #healthcare on our #healthcarepodcast. #podcast #financialhealth #patientoutcomes #primarycare #digitalhealth #healthcareleadership #healthcaretransformation #healthcareinnovation   Recent past interviews: Click a guest's name for their latest RHV episode! Kevin Lyons (Part 2), Kevin Lyons (Part 1), Dr Stan Schwartz (EP486), Dr Cristin Dickerson, Elizabeth Mitchell (Take Two: EP436), Dave Chase, Jonathan Baran (Part 2), Jonathan Baran (Part 1), Jonathan Baran (Bonus Episode), Dr Stan Schwartz (Summer Shorts), Preston Alexander

In 1928, the quiet farming community of York County, Pennsylvania, was shaken by a brutal crime. Nelson Rehmeyer, a local practitioner of Pennsylvania Dutch powwow folk magic, was murdered by neighbors who believed he had cursed them. Known as the Hex Hollow Murder, the case exposed deep fears of witchcraft, superstition, and the dark side of rural folklore. In this episode, we revisit the chilling story of fear and belief gone deadly.

Step into the shadows and uncover the whispered tales of the Pennsylvania Dutch, the Amish, and the Mennonites. This video delves into the strange and unsettling folklore that has been passed down through generations, tales of hexes, mysterious creatures, and ghostly encounters. What dark secrets lie hidden in the rolling hills of Amish country? SUBSCRIBE and click the bell to be notified of new episodes every week as we explore the dark and often terrifying folklore of these secretive communities. #Amish #Folklore #PennsylvaniaDutch #Mennonite #Spooky #Horror #Documentary #UrbanLegends #Cryptids #ParanormalBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/missing-persons-mysteries--5624803/support.

MORE Strange True Folklore of the AMISH, PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH, & MENNONITES - You think you know the Amish? The quiet farms, the simple life... But what about the monsters they whisper about when the sun goes down?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/missing-persons-mysteries--5624803/support.

STRANGE TRUE FOLKLORE of the Amish, Pennsylvania Dutch & Mennonites - Step into the shadows and uncover the whispered tales of the Pennsylvania Dutch, the Amish, and the Mennonites. This video delves into the strange and unsettling folklore that has been passed down through generations, tales of hexes, mysterious creatures, and ghostly encounters. What dark secrets lie hidden in the rolling hills of Amish country?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/missing-persons-mysteries--5624803/support.

American folk magic is a broad term for a variety of traditional spiritual practices that have developed in the United States. It's often called "low magic" because it was passed down through families and communities, not learned in formal schools or from books. This kind of magic is very practical and focused on everyday problems, like healing the sick, finding lost things, bringing good luck, or protecting a home from harm.These traditions are a blend of different cultures, mainly from European, African, and Native American sources. As people from these different backgrounds lived together, they shared and combined their spiritual beliefs and practices. This led to different types of American folk magic developing in various regions. For example, some well-known traditions include Hoodoo (which comes from African American communities in the South), Powwow or Hex-Work (found among the Pennsylvania Dutch), and Appalachian folk magic. Even some common superstitions today, like carrying a rabbit's foot for luck or hanging a horseshoe over a door, are a part of this history.

Hello! On this episode, Bro. Doug Madenford returns for fantastic chat about Masonry, the Pennsylvania Dutch, his band the Broken Spokes, his podcast Doug's Front Porch and much more. His alter-ego Dutchy Doug makes a live in studio appearance, we play Copious Dues, and wrap-up the show by convincing Larry to stick around long enough to perform his sacred duty as the Chicken Whisperer. Following the outro, check out the full track "Ich un Du" performed by the Broken Spokes. [00:00:00] Introductions [00:13:45] First break, brought to you by George J. Grove and Son [00:14:55] Segment 1 [00:30:40] Second break, brought to you by Two Pillars Apparel & A Mason's Work [00:31:20] Segment 2 [00:42:15] Third break, brought to you by Hiram & Solomon Cigars [00:43:30] Dutchy Doug & Segment 3 [00:42:15] Fourth break, brought to you by A Mason's Work [00:55:45] Segment 4, Wrap-up, & Chickens [01:09:00] Outro [01:09:00] Ich un Du - The Broken Spokes MASONIC LITE PATREON www.patreon.com/MasonicLitePodcast Sign up to support the show with an automatic, monthly donation of $1, $5, or $13! SPONSORS: George J. Grove and Son: www.georgejgrove.com SJ Helm Electric: www.sjhelmelectric.com/ Hiram & Solomon Cigars: www.hiramandsolomoncigars.com/ The Red Serpent: By Larry Merris: www.amazon.com/Red-Serpent-Larry…ris/dp/1466478608 Intermezzo by Stephanie, Locally Handcrafted Chocolate www.facebook.com/IntermezzobyStephanie/ MEDIA ATTRIBUTION: Bye Everybody!

Join me as I sit down with the legendary Elvin Hurst, the mastermind behind Kountry Kraft Cabinetry, where we dive deep into the world of custom cabinetry. From its humble beginnings with just a table saw in 1959 to becoming a powerhouse in the industry, Elvin shares the ups, downs, and everything in between of his incredible journey in Pennsylvania Dutch country. We'll explore how cabinetry has evolved over the decades, from the finishes and styles that have come and gone to the cutting-edge technology that has revolutionized the craft. Whether you're a DIY fanatic dreaming of your next kitchen remodel or just a fan of a good ol' American success story, this chat is packed with golden nuggets of wisdom and a dash of humor. So, grab your favorite beverage and let's get to work on understanding the art and heart of cabinetry!Elvin Hurst, the mastermind behind Kountry Kraft Cabinetry, shares his remarkable journey from a simple table saw in 1959 to leading one of the nation's top custom cabinetry companies. In a friendly chat with Eric G, Elvin narrates stories from the Pennsylvania Dutch country, where his passion for woodworking blossomed. He recounts the early days of his business, sparked by a Christmas gift from his wife that set him on a path of creativity and craftsmanship. Elvin discusses the evolution of cabinetry over the decades, emphasizing the shift in styles, materials, and technology. He reflects on how kitchen designs have transformed from functional spaces to the heart of the home, where families gather to cook, eat, and socialize. With humorous anecdotes and insightful reflections, this episode is a goldmine for anyone interested in cabinetry, craftsmanship, or the art of business. The conversation delves into the technical aspects of cabinetry as Elvin and Eric explore the craftsmanship that goes into every piece produced at Kountry Kraft. They discuss the transition from traditional production methods to modern technology, highlighting the importance of precision and quality in today's market. Elvin shares his commitment to maintaining high standards, ensuring that every cabinet not only looks great but also stands the test of time. They also unpack the significance of customer relationships and the personal touch that sets Kountry Kraft apart from larger, more impersonal manufacturers. This episode is a blend of nostalgia, technical insights, and the warmth of family-run business culture, making it a must-listen for woodworking enthusiasts and homeowners alike.Takeaways: Elvin Hurst's journey from a simple Sears table saw to creating a custom cabinetry empire is inspiring and showcases the power of following one's passion. The cabinetry industry has evolved tremendously since 1959, particularly in finishes, with painted cabinets now dominating the market over traditional stains. Today's cabinetry is as much about aesthetics as it is about functionality, with the kitchen becoming the heart of the home for both cooking and socializing. Elvin emphasizes the importance of craftsmanship and quality, ensuring that every cabinet is built to last and designed to meet the unique needs of customers. With advancements in technology, the precision of modern woodworking has improved, allowing for stronger and more durable cabinets than ever before. The blending of traditional craftsmanship with modern technology at Kountry Kraft Kitchens exemplifies how innovation can enhance quality in custom cabinetry. To get your questions answered by Eric G give us a call in the studio at 833-239-4144 24/7 and Eric G will get back to you and answer your question and you might end up in a future episode of Around the House. Thanks for listening to Around the house if you want to hear more please subscribe so you get notified of the latest episode as it posts at

Dimitri and Khalid explore the deadly climax of the Molly Maguire phenomenon in 1870s Pennsylvania coal country, including: Pinkerton spy James McParlan's exposure and narrow escape from Schuylkill County, the spectacular(ly corrupt) murder trials from 1876-78 that captivated the nation, Reading Railroad President Franklin B. Gowen's mesmerizing star turn as lead prosecutor in the courtroom, his four hour Aaron Sorkin monologue about the perfidious Irish conspiracy threatening the very foundations of our (Protestant Capitalist) Republic, squealing witnesses and Pennsylvania Dutch jurors, McParlan/McKenna on the witness stand, Gowen's relentless drive to convict Hibernian leader “Black Jack” Kehoe of a Civil War murder he didn't commit, Black Thursday and the Day of the Rope, executing two Mollies just after Governor Hartranft grants a reprieve, the Great Railroad Strikes of 1877, two descendants of convicted Mollies becoming militant IRA-supporting Teamster leaders in the 20th century, Gowen's HOTGAF arc going off the rails, the Reading's slide into crushing debt and bankruptcy, getting forced out of the game by a rising JP Morgan, and Franklin Gowen grimly imitating the tactics of his Molly adversaries by shooting a mine boss - himself - in 1889.  For access to premium SJ episodes, upcoming installments of DEMON FORCES, and the Grotto of Truth Discord, become a subscriber at patreon.com/subliminaljihad.

President Trump imposed tariffs on goods coming in from Canada, Mexico and China. Roben Farzad, host of the podcast "Full Disclosure," explains what the move means for consumers, while NPR's Eyder Peralta reports on how Mexico is preparing to respond. And, the tariffs are expected to make cars and trucks in the U.S. more expensive. Bloomberg's Keith Naughton explains why. Then, Shrove Tuesday marks the last day before Lent for Christians worldwide. But to the Pennsylvania Dutch community, it's called Fastnacht Day. The Pennsylvania Bakery manager Rachelle Schenk Womer explains how dense donuts, also called a Fastnacht, sweeten the celebration.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

(Deep Dive begins at 33:05) "Some podcasts are proud and not plain" Join your favorite TransAtlantic podcasting crew – Ian and Hermes Auslander (Megs, B-Tech Kev & Liam are off learning Pennsylvania Dutch) – as we head to the world of Amish country, undercover cops, and barn-raising in Witness (1985). We're trading in our Smart Tech polo shirts for traditional Amish garb and diving into our 265th episode as we discuss: How Harrison Ford's performance showcases his range beyond Han Solo and Indiana Jones. The film's blend of crime thriller and romance – does it work? In what ways was Harrison Ford the perfect actor for this role Which one of us REALLY hated the 3rd act Which actor was REALLY hated by one of us in this film Was this movie ahead of its time, or does it feel dated in 2024? Is John Book fair to Rachel in this film?  Is Rachel fair to John Book? Is John Book a great protector or just dragging danger into the Amish community? Why didn't 20th Century Fox want to make this film Hermes and Felix continue their blood feud Whether Witness is the Best Film Ever.   Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE at https://www.patreon.com/BFE. We are extremely thankful to our following Patrons for their most generous support: Juleen from It Goes Down In The PM Hermes Auslander James DeGuzman Synthia Shai Bergerfroind Andy Dickson Chris Pedersen Duane Smith (Duane Smith!) Randal Silva Nate The Great Rev Bruce Cheezy (with a fish on a bike) Richard Ryan Kuketz Dirk Diggler Stew from the Stew World Order podcast NorfolkDomus John Humphrey's Right Foot Timmy Tim Tim Aashrey Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most Buy some BFE merch at https://my-store-b4e4d4.creator-spring.com/. Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of Mistake by Luckydog. Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor, at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor. Also, massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song. You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/.

The Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre is a beloved Lancaster experience. The theatre opened in 1967 by Deborah and Thomas Prather. Deborah and her husband Thomas, always dreamed to own a theatre in Lancaster instead of going to Hazleton, Lancaster, and Harrisburg. “So, we designed it, built it off of Route 30 in Lancaster. We wanted to go to Lancaster address because of the tourism industry. And so, after the answer to prayers and lots of wishes from friends and contractors, we opened on April 3rd, 1987, with a production of A Chorus Line, “said Debroah. Will Prather is the son of Thomas and Deborah, and now the Executive Producer of Prather Productions. Initially, he said he did not want to go into the family theater business. “I wanted to do I wanted to go in the hospitality industry. I was very fortunate that I was accepted at Cornell University's hotel school, and I got a great education and learned a lot about business. And then I took a job in the corporate world, and that didn't last very long, “said Will. Shortly after, Debroah asked Will if he wanted to return to the business and take over while she retired in 1993. “36 years later, I'm still here, still running the business, managing growth, managing 300 employees and lots of various challenges that we've encountered as a business. But I've always had the support of my parents. My mom has been incredibly supportive through some really challenging times. But the future is bright for the industry, and I'm just honored to be a second-generation business owner and entrepreneur, “said Will. According to Will, the overall guest experience is what sets the Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre apart from other venues in the area. “You know, everything from free parking, which is plentiful to a really terrific meal, very Pennsylvania Dutch local flavors, and then a professional production that is on the caliber of anything else you will see in this community. So, when you bring all those things together and offer them at a valuable price and we also are also really known for our service. We have employees that have been with us from the very, very beginning. We're a very caring operation. We take care of our people and in turn, they take care of our guests who really make the magic happen, “said Will. CLICK HERE to see the upcoming shows from the theatre. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fun in Lancaster CountyLancaster Central Market (Ann), located at 23 North Market Street in downtown Lancaster, is the oldest continuously operating farmer's market in the United States. It is open year-round on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays and offers everything from local produce and meats to cheeses, crafts, and handmade items.Walking Tours of Downtown Lancaster (Tom): The visitor center near the Central Market offers guided walking tours that explore the area's architecture and history.First Friday (Dale), held in downtown Lancaster on the first Friday of each month, celebrates art, culture, and community. This vibrant event draws locals and visitors to explore the city's creative scene.Fulton Opera House (Ann), located at 12 North Prince Street in downtown Lancaster, is the oldest operating theater in the United States. Its Broadway-caliber shows have become an institution in the County, home to many other theater groups and venues.Gallery Row (Tom), located in the 100 block of North Prince Street, is a vibrant arts district that showcases the city's rich creative culture. Home to numerous art galleries, studios, and shops, it's a hub for local and regional artists.Long's Park Summer Music Series (Dale) offers free concerts on Sunday evenings from June through August in Long's Park, located on Harrisburg Pike next to Park City Center. This popular community event attracts several thousand music fans each week. The park is also a delightful place for walking.County Park (Ann) is located just outside downtown Lancaster. It is a massive park with wooded trails, picnic areas, covered bridges, and beautiful streams and rivers—a wonderful oasis in the city.Root's Country Market and Auction (Tom), located at 705 Graystone Road in Manheim, is open every Tuesday year-round and offers a similar collection of goods as the Green Dragon Market. It's a truly unique experience.Strasburg Railroad (Dale), located at 300 Gap Road in Strasburg, invites visitors to ride an antique steam engine through Lancaster County's picturesque farmland. It also features a museum of classic trains.Village Green Mini-Golf (Ann), located at 1444 Village Road in Strasburg, offers a family-friendly mini-golf experience in the heart of Lancaster County. Set in a picturesque rural location, the course features beautiful landscaping, colorful flowers, ponds, and whimsical decorations, making it a relaxing yet challenging spot for golfers of all ages.Adamstown (Tom), located north of Ephrata on Route 272, is known as the Antique Capital of the USA. It boasts a concentration of antique shops, malls, and markets, attracting collectors, dealers, and enthusiasts nationwide.BB's Grocery Outlet (Dale), located at 581 Camargo Road in Quarryville, offers deeply discounted groceries, bulk items, and household goods. It often features closeouts, overstock, or slightly damaged packaging—a quintessential Lancaster experience.The Corn Wagon (Ann), located at 2169 Millersville Road, is a legendary produce stand in the area. It's a local favorite because it offers the freshest fruits and vegetables at incredible prices. There are many fruit and vegetable stands throughout the County.Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area (Tom), located near Lebanon, PA, is famous for attracting over 100,000 migratory snow geese every spring, making it a must-see for bird watchers.Ice Cream Dairies (Dale): Pine View, Lapps, and Down on the Farm are a few of the top places for ice cream in the County.Kitchen Kettle Shops (Ann) is located in downtown Intercourse, PA, at the heart of the Amish "tourist" area. Here, visitors can see many Amish buggies and Mennonite visitors.Covered Bridges (Tom), Lancaster County is home to 29 covered bridges, one of the largest concentrations in the United States. These iconic structures are an essential part of the County's history and a popular attraction for visitors.Clinic for Special Children Auction (Dale), held at the Leola auction grounds, raises money for a clinic specializing in genetic diseases among the Amish. This event is supported by the Amish and Mennonite communities and offers a great way to experience their culture.Amish Farmland (Ann): The beautiful Amish and Mennonite farms in Lancaster County, particularly around Quarryville, Strasburg, Bird-In-Hand, Paradise, Intercourse, and Leola, showcase preserved farmland that remains a testament to traditional farming methods.One-Room Schoolhouse (Tom): Many one-room schoolhouses still operate throughout the Amish and Mennonite areas, especially near Strasburg.Amish Dinner (Ann): you can check the Internet to find Amish households that provide group Amish dinners in an Amish home.Mandros Market, located at the corner of Lemon and Charlotte Streets in Lancaster City, is known for its exceptional selection of Mediterranean and European imported goods. This Mom-and-Pop Store exudes old-world charm, drawing food lovers seeking authentic ingredients for cooking and entertaining.Hammond Pretzels, situated on South West End Avenue in Lancaster City, is a small, historic family-owned business that has been in the family for three generations. Embodying Lancaster's rich pretzel-making tradition, it's a must-visit for anyone who appreciates classic snacks.Cherry Hill Orchards, located at 400 Long Lane in New Danville, is a family-owned farm that grows its own produce. In season, the produce is sold to customers or available for pick-your-own. The farm also offers homemade baked goods and fresh apple cider.Lancaster Breweries, Lancaster, is home to several local breweries that serve exceptional beers and food. Check out popular spots like Iron Hill Brewery, Lancaster Brewing Company, Old Town Brewery, and Spring House Brewery.Amish Stand, located on Kendig Road in Willow Street, is open year-round. Offering eggs, baked goods, seasonal produce, and flowers, it's a great spot for fresh, locally grown items.Isaac's Restaurant, located in Strasburg and other locations across the County, is famous for its delicious sandwiches, all named after birds.Green Dragon Farmer's Market and Auction, located at 955 North State Street in Ephrata, is open every Friday year-round. The market offers a wide range of items, from local produce and meats to livestock, clothing, and home décor.The 300-Block Shops, located in the 300 block of North Queen Street in Lancaster City, features a variety of intriguing shops, including art galleries.Wheatland, located at 230 North President Avenue in Lancaster, is a historic mansion once the home of James Buchanan, the 15th President of the United States. Built in 1828, this beautifully preserved Federal-style house offers visitors a glimpse into the mid-19th-century life of one of the most controversial U.S. presidents.Third Friday, like First Friday, but focused on Lancaster's music scene, highlights local musical talent in various venues across the city.Whoopie Pie Festival held every September at 240 Hartman Bridge Road in Ronks, celebrates the beloved Pennsylvania Dutch dessert—a soft, cake-like sandwich with creamy filling. The festival draws thousands of visitors each year.Turkey Hill Experience, located in Columbia, PA, offers museum tours where visitors can enjoy homemade beverages (teas and lemonade) and ice cream—known for allowing guests to create their own unique ice cream flavors.Dutch Apple Dinner Theater, located at 510 Centerville Road in Lancaster, offers a full buffet-style dinner paired with a stage show. It is open year-round.Wolf Sanctuary of PA, located at 465 Speedwell Forge Road in Lititz, is home to real wolves and offers a unique opportunity to observe these majestic creatures up close.The Jigger Shop, located at 202 Gettysburg Avenue in Mount Gretna, offers delicious snacks, ice cream, and musical events throughout the summer.Lititz Springs Park is a beautiful downtown park in the heart of Lititz. It is known for its old-fashioned Fourth of July festivities.The Hospice Auction, held on Labor Day Weekend at the Solanco Fair Grounds in Quarryville, features food prepared by the local Amish community and items like handmade quilts that are auctioned to raise funds for Hospice of Lancaster County.Good's Store, located at 334 West 4th Street in downtown Quarryville, is a Mennonite-owned store that sells almost everything. It functions as an actual "general store" in the traditional sense.Strasburg Scooters, located at 246 North Decatur Street in Strasburg, offers little motorized car rides through the stunning Amish countryside and past covered bridges.The National Clock and Watch Museum is located at 514 Poplar Street, Columbia, PA. This fascinating museum has a huge exhibit of clocks and watches covering the history of timekeeping.Northwest River Trail, Columbia to Falmouth, PA. This wonderful trail runs for miles along the Susquehanna River and offers incredible scenery.Susquehannock State Park is a scenic 224-acre park overlooking the Susquehanna River in southern Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It offers stunning river views, especially from the Pinnacle Overlook, one of its most popular spots.American Music Theatre, 2425 Lincoln Hwy E, is a premier live entertainment venue that opened in 1997. It is known for its high-quality, family-friendly shows and for hosting diverse performances, from live concerts to original musical productions.Sight & Sound Theatres, 300 Hartman Bridge Rd, Ronks, PA, is one of the country's most renowned live theater experiences. Known for its Bible-based, Broadway-style productions, the theater brings biblical stories to life with jaw-dropping sets, live animals, and unforgettable special effects.

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Kirsten Weiss, author of the book Legacy of the Witch. Kirsten writes page-turning paranormal and metaphysical mysteries, and now a Tarot guidebook that's a work of experimental fiction. Her heroes and heroines aren't perfect, but they're smart, they struggle, and they succeed. Kirsten writes in a house high on a hill in the Colorado woods and occasionally ventures out for wine and chocolate. Or for a visit to the local pie shop. Kirsten is best known for her Wits' End, Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum, and Tea & Tarot cozy mystery books. So, if you like thoughtful, action-packed mysteries with complicated heroines, just turn the page… In my book review, I stated Legacy of the Witch is a cozy mystery with a dose of the paranormal - and I must say, I loved the combination. As a disclaimer, I don't usually read stories about witches and am not a fan of tarot cards, so I wasn't sure this would be a good fit. Nonetheless, the storyline is fast-paced and the characters are delightful. I'm hooked! April finds herself in Pennsylvania researching Pennsylvania Dutch crafts in hopes of obtaining a degree she believes she needs to move on with her life. But everything gets turned upside down when she finds a dying man - a man who happens to be her landlord - while jogging. It's when she starts seeing ghosts, meets a local witch, joins a mystery school, and learns of ancient hexes that the story really takes off - and leads April on a hunt to find the killer before she turns into the next victim. And if you are into tarot cards, Kirsten has provided a deck she calls UnTarot to help you with meaning making! It's a must-read for mystery fans.   Subscribe to Online for Authors to learn about more great books! https://www.youtube.com/@onlineforauthors?sub_confirmation=1   Join the Novels N Latte Book Club community to discuss this and other books with like-minded readers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3576519880426290   You can follow Author Kirsten Weiss Website: https://KirstenWeiss.com Social media: Twitter: twitter.com/SBPM_Museum YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/KirstenWeiss-Writer Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kirstenweissauthor/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kirsten.weiss TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@kirstenweissauthor   Purchase Legacy of the Witch on Amazon: Paperback: https://amzn.to/3YKGTh1 Ebook: https://amzn.to/3Aj8rSg   Teri M Brown, Author and Podcast Host: https://www.terimbrown.com FB: @TeriMBrownAuthor IG: @terimbrown_author X: @terimbrown1   #kirstenweiss #legacyofthewitch #cozymystery #terimbrownauthor #authorpodcast #onlineforauthors #characterdriven #researchjunkie #awardwinningauthor #podcasthost #podcast #readerpodcast #bookpodcast #writerpodcast #author #books #goodreads #bookclub #fiction #writer #bookreview *As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

A listener was kind enough to wrote in and inform me of a tradition from the Pennsylvania Dutch community that I had never heard of before... The Belsnickel. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you ever going to text me?This episode includes the reappearance of Sausage Cheeseballs!!!!Jason's dog, Dash saves himself using his "5th leg".Joseph explains the proper way to drink Cherry Bounce.  According to Jason, the Pennsylvania Dutch company makes better eggnog than pretzels.Jason's Christmas traditions involve cheaters and clog toilets (and we wonder why he doesn't like the holidays).The Talking Christmas Tree, an alternative to visiting Santa for the poor kids.Joseph laments on the great Christmas pretzel tragedy of 2024.Coffee, Donuts, and Christmas lights.   That's not 40%.  That's 13%.  People rely on tips.Ace is the place where you can find The Surrealtors perform a charity concert each Christmas.Did Jim's mom make up a fake holiday involving the book of Lifesavers as a gift for her impatient children?According to Jim, how many ingredients are there in a proper cheeseball?

The holiday season brings warmth, celebration, and cherished traditions. According to historian Dr. Christine Senecal of the Department of History at Shippensburg University, there are a few parallels between Yule and Pagan traditions and our modern Christmas traditions. “So, Yuletide corresponds very well over the season of December because that's when the days get the shortest of the year. And so that the kind of tradition of that gets wrapped around Christmas.” In ancient times, the word pagan had a negative connotation. In the early Christian period in Rome, the Christians used it as a disparaging term for the people that hadn't converted to Christianity. “So, the three hundreds, by that time, there were later three hundreds. There were more Christians than pagans. And the word pagan can refer to a rustic person, somebody who's not sophisticated. So even in ancient times, it had a negative connotation. It doesn't mean somebody that is polytheistic. But of course, the ancient Romans that didn't convert to Christianity were polytheistic.” Folks in Germany during that time that were not Christian had a lot of evergreens in the middle of the winter when the days were the shortest. “And that's sort of like this idea that Christianity is triumphing over paganism, and then that tree is incorporated into the Christian tradition. But really it comes from the 1840s. There is a German wife of English King George, the third. Her name is Charlotte, and she is the first one to set up a Christmas tree in Windsor. So that's where it comes to the inn, to England. And then the husband of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, actually puts up another tree and they decorate it with baubles. And this is in 1840. And from there, it really gets going. There's Pennsylvania Dutch people also, and they're incorporating consciously a lot of this Germanic tradition. So, the Christmas tree and decorating it comes from that as well.” Listen to the podcast to hear more connections between Yule/ Pagan Traditions.   Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Kutztown Folk Festival for 2025 has been cancelled due to dwindling attendance, increased costs, and continued net losses according to a statement by the Kutztown Folk Festival Board of Directors. The Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center has been affiliated with the folk festival for years. According to Patrick Donmoyer, Director of the Pa German Cultural Heritage Center, brought thousands to Berks County during the nine-day festival. “During its heyday, there be 100,000 people there over the course of the nine-day festival, and we would have one of our largest opportunities to engage with not only the culture of the region, but then also visitors from all over the United States and international audiences as well, who came to see Pennsylvania folk culture at its finest.” During the pandemic, the festival was suspended, and it is believed that it had some impact on the attendance. There are also several other cultural events that are taking place yearly that could have contributed as well. “I think the Kutztown Folk Festival always did a wonderful job of meeting its mission to preserve Pennsylvania Dutch folk culture and to celebrate it throughout the region and really engage new audiences of people with educational programing to learn about what it meant to be, what it means, I should say, not what it meant, not in past tense, but presently what it means to be Pennsylvania Dutch and what it means to live in this region that we share.” According to Donmoyer, when the festival was first established in the 1950's, it was an opportunity for families in that area to go out and have a good time. “It was also ensured participation from a lot of the families who lived in this area, who worked in this area, who that was the largest amount of time that they had off. But it was also the time of the greatest amount of heat. And so that was one thing I think that the festival experienced as a challenge over the years. But it was also I think being rooted in July 4th was an opportunity for people of Pennsylvania Dutch descent to help people remember that this is a unique American culture.”    Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you eaten catfish and waffles? Turtle soup? As we now enjoy an enormous variety of food, these dishes are part of Philly's culinary history. Origins of the city's food traditions are rooted in the cultural melting pot that includes the African diaspora and the Pennsylvania Dutch. Chef & Culinary Educator Joy Parham and Elwood Restaurant Chef & Owner Adam Diltz join host Racquel Williams to share some holiday traditions and explain why the cultural foods we eat connect us to the regions in which we live. Then, on Shara in the City, Shara Dae Howard takes a holiday shopping tour of some of West Philly and Germantown's Black-and Brown-owned businesses. This episode originally aired on December 23, 2023. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Carson Kressley talks about his favorite childhood food memories, including Pennsylvania Dutch traditions and his first word being “fries.” Carson reminisces on his first Food Network appearance on Worst Cooks in America, where he learned essential cooking techniques like cutting an onion and spatchcocking a chicken, and how his experiences there helped him grow more confident in the kitchen. He reflects on his evolving relationship with cooking, highlighting how Food Network shows have expanded his culinary knowledge and inspired his creative approach in the kitchen. Carson recounts hilarious behind-the-scenes stories, such as bonding with Bobby Flay over a dunking booth and enjoying mouthwatering meals at hidden gems during filming. He talks about his friendship with Bobby, which started two decades ago and has grown through shared experiences both on and off screen. Carson offers tips for hosting stylish yet stress-free holiday parties, recommending crowd-pleasing menus like KFC chicken tenders with homemade dipping sauces. He teases his upcoming appearance on Beat Bobby Flay: Holiday Throwdown, hinting at over-the-top festivities, surprise gifts, and plenty of holiday cheer. Follow Food Network on Instagram: HERE Follow Jaymee Sire on Instagram: HERE Follow Carson Kressley on Instagram: HERE Learn More About Beat Bobby Flay: Holiday Throwdown: HERE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Diamonds in the rough... but make it witchy and paranormal. This week, Liv and Amy are talking about some lesser known paranormal cases, featuring the Warrens and weirdly enough... the Pennsylvania Dutch. You can follow us on FB/IG/TikTok/YouTube @GirlsGoneSpooky and email us your scary stories at girlsgonespooky@gmail.com. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/girls-gone-spooky/support

A man murdered a woman in rural Pennsylvania after claiming she had cursed him with black magic. How did this region become known as the Hex Belt? And how could such a tragedy occur as recently as 1934?Sources:“A Look Back in History: Practice of witchcraft among PA Dutch rarely accurately portrayed to public.” Reading Eagle. 22 August, 2021. https://www.readingeagle.com/2018/08/01/a-look-back-in-history-practice-of-witchcraft-among-pa-dutch-rarely-accurately-portrayed-to-public/Karlsen, Carol. The Devil in the Shape of a Woman: Witchcraft in Colonial New England (New York: W. W, Norton & Company, 1998).Magruder, Taj. In the Day of Trouble (Mechanicsville: Milford House, 2024).Taylor, Troy. “The ‘Hex House' Murder: Strange Tales of Pennsylvania Folk Magic & Murder.” American Hauntings. https://www.americanhauntingsink.com/hexhouseUndine. “The Witch of Ringtown; a Medieval 20th Century Murder.” Strange Company. 28 September, 2015. https://strangeco.blogspot.com/2015/09/the-witch-of-ringtown-medieval-20th.htmlWhipple, Madison. “Who Are the Pennsylvania Dutch? A Brief History of this Rural Community.” The Collector. 22 April, 2023. https://www.thecollector.com/history-of-the-pennsylvania-dutch/White, Thomas. Witches of Pennsylvania: Occult History & Lore (Charleston: The History Press, 2013). Newspapers: La Opinion (Los Angeles)Republican and Herald (Pottsville)The Evening Star (D.C.)The Indianapolis TimesThe New York TimesThe Washington TimesMusic: Credits to Holizna, Fesilyan Studios & Virginia ListonFor more information, visit www.oldbloodpodcast.com

We go international this month as we welcome my good friend, Norman Jung, from Steinbach am Glan, Germany, on to the Front Porch. We discuss the wisdom and life lessons instilled in Norman by his grandparents, his study abroad in Arizona, and his work with the Pennsylvania Dutch culture from his side of the Atlantic. We end with our classic 10 quick questions.Get your Front Porch Swag!Become a Patron!Support the show

The 4th episode in our Walla Walla series was a delightful conversation with artist Mary Crane Nutter, a painter from Walla Walla, Washington. Her studio is at her home and small farm with a traditional barn. A few years ago, Mary partnered with her sister Sarah Crane, a graphic designer and photographer, to create a neighborhood art and performance experience for the community. She discovered her new style at the farm: color-blocked paintings on panels inspired by Pennsylvania Dutch barn star artwork, which she calls "quilts." She mounted large-scale panels on her barn for the festival; the rest is history. Mary attended the Seattle Art Institute in 2003, which furthered her desire to become a painter. Her work as an interior designer inspired her to work in textiles. She loves adding textures, sanding elements, and acrylic mediums to build up the piece's texture. Her works are displayed not only in Walla Walla; she currently has an exhibition at the Strauss Studios called "Liminal." You can also view her artwork on Instagram (@mcraneart), at mcraneart.com and at john-strauss-furniture.myshopify.com.

Clarion has only 4,000 breweries, but it has three breweries. Definitely STAG-worthy.  Okay, if I'm going to be precise, the third brewery, Lost In The Wilds, is in Shippenville, but that's all of five minutes from Clarion River Brewing and Mechanistic Brewing in 'downtown' Clarion, so I'm going with it. I interviewed the three brewer-owners, all in one beautiful day in July. We talk about the natural beauty of Clarion County and the Cook Forest State Park, too.  I've got a segment on Pennsylvania Dutch funeral food, too. My mother, Ruth "Sue" Bryson, died in August, which is why this episode is over a month late. We had a proper church funeral lunch after the service, and I'll tell you what we had, and how I cooked the calico beans, and grilled some Ramblin' Poppy sausages for the family get-together we had afterwards.  We had a keg of Tröegs Oktoberfest to drink, so the last of that is What I'm Drinking Today, along with a Von Trapp Oktoberfest; a funeral episode needs two drinks.  I am truly unsure when the next episode will be. I'm on deadline for a book manuscript, and everything's out the window. Hang in there, we'll get back to normal in October! (And check the Instagram feed for pictures of the Corgi puppies!)   This episode uses these sounds under the following license: Creative Commons CC BY 4.0  https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ "Champ de tournesol by Komiku at https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ "spring-forest-141216" by PianoArmor at https://pixabay.com/users/pianoamor-28628048/ "Glow" by Scott Buckley | www.scottbuckley.com.au Arrow sound effect from https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/ All sounds sourced by STAG Music Librarian Nora Bryson, with our thanks.

Pennsylvania Dutch powwower Nelson D. Rehmeyer was murdered in 1928. The Philadelphia Record called the murder trial “the weirdest and most curiously fascinating [trial] in the history of modern jurisprudence.” Because Rehmeyer's killers feared he was practicing witchcraft against them, the trial captured national attention – and nearly destroyed the practice of powwow, a Pennsylvania Dutch healing tradition. This episode features Patrick Donmoyer, Director of Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center, Kutztown University; Daniel Harms, translator and editor of Der Lange Verborgene Freund (The Long Lost Friend by John George Hohman) and Associate Librarian, SUNY College at Cortland; Thorn Nightwind, Initiated Witch & Powwower; and Robert Phoenix, Powwowe, and author of 'The Powwow Grimoire'. Learn more at https://www.magicintheunitedstates.com/.

A small-town murder in rural Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania is examined by author Taj Magruder in his Milford House Press debut, In the Day of Trouble. On March 17, 1934, a woman named Susan Mummey was shot and killed by a known assailant. Her murder was due to her being known as the Witch of Ringtown Valley, which Magruder covers in detail for the first time. For years Mummey was rumored to practice magic from her isolated farm home, and her battles with family, neighbors, and the law were known. When detectives extracted a confession from her assailant, the revelations that followed not only shocked the county, but far beyond. As quickly as the excitement and interest in Mummey's murder and what she was alleged to have done grew, it faded away. Magruder's research into the historical record, press reports, and insights from survivors of those involved has resulted in a fascinating look at a strange time in American history. Magruder examines Mummey's life, and her connections to "powwow," the Pennsylvania Dutch form of mysticism, faith healing, and spirituality. He also looks into how Mummey came to be misunderstood, the mental disturbance of her killer, which may make the reader examine their own selves. A Baltimore native, Taj Magruder has worked in state and local government. A graduate of Penn State University with a degree in political science, he lives in the Greater Philadephia area with his cats, Benji and Roxie.

Mollie Thorn has been teaching parent education and also counselling families for decades. Mollie is now a proud grandparent and that means yet another application of Adlerian wisdom! She discusses the Pennsylvania Dutch expression “Grin, Bite Your Tongue and Bear Gifts” to describe best grandparenting practices. We talk about Mollie and her husband Phil's journey with Adlerian psychology over the years. You can find more about Mollie Thorn's work at The Pinnacle Centre. Her profile on Psychology Today You can email Mollie directly at mollie.thorn@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

So, picture this: Justin Timberlake and I tearing it up at Hershey Park on the 4th of July. Yup, you heard that right. We rode the Great Bear non-stop for two and a half hours. Why? Because when JT hands you what you think is Tylenol, it's anything but. We had a blast – headache or not, it was an unforgettable roller coaster marathon. After the rides, we treated JT to the finest dining Hershey has to offer – the one and only Red Robin. We went all out with the onion ring tower, and Justin's bodyguard tackled the new gold Olympic medal burger. Spoiler: It's massive and costs $199.99. But no worries, JT picked up the tab. From there, it was straight to his concert – from the best seats in the house, of course! Just when you thought it couldn't get crazier, we jetted off to Michael Ruben's all-white party. Imagine rubbing elbows with the likes of Kim Kardashian, Drake, and even Bill Gates. Yes, Bill Gates and I had a life-changing chat. My financial future is now set, people. It was a whirlwind 24 hours of rubbing shoulders with the who's who of the celebrity world. Why did all this happen? Because our podcast hit one million views on YouTube! That's right, folks. We've gone viral, and the invitations came pouring in. Justin Timberlake's team, Mr. Beast (or Jimmy, as I call him now), and the entire crew wanted to celebrate with us. We couldn't be more grateful to all of you for getting us here. Now, for the not-so-great news. Remember Charlotte, the pregnant stingray from the North Carolina aquarium? Well, she's no longer with us. Turns out, there was no miraculous pregnancy – just a rare reproductive disease. We dug deep, and it seems the aquarium might have known for a while. Charlotte's been gone longer than we thought, but they kept the story alive for the donations. Sneaky, right? And speaking of sneaky, two Lancaster County buffets made it to the top of USA Today's best buffets list. Shady Maple Smorgasbord and Miller's Smorgasbord – the pride of Pennsylvania Dutch cuisine. But let's be real, who's voting for these places? We've got 200 feet of food at Shady Maple, but is it really the best? The answer, my friends, lies in the pudding. Literally. In other food news, Perkins is rebranding. Say goodbye to Perkins Restaurant and Bakery and hello to Perkins American Food Co. They're going all out with a new look, new menu items, and a loyalty program. First up: the Decked Out Double Burger. It's a monstrosity, but we'll see if it brings in the crowds. Our mission continues: saving Red Lobster. We're in phase two, folks. With Flavor Flav leading the charge and a little help from our friends at VistaPrint, we're sending out gift cards. Join us in our quest to keep those cheddar bay biscuits flowing. Send a friend a gift card, and I'll reimburse you so you can keep the chain going. Together, we can save Red Lobster, one cheddar bay biscuit at a time. But let's get back to reality for a second. The 4th of July was a chaotic mess. Bumper-to-bumper traffic, blocked streets, and police everywhere. We ended up watching fireworks from a Perkins parking lot – not the ideal spot, but hey, the strawberry pie is back! The modernization of American chain restaurants is here. Perkins, Cracker Barrel, Applebees – they're all getting makeovers. White walls, wooden accents, and new menus. It's a new era, folks, and we're here for it. Finally, don't forget to check out our House of the Dragon recap. Carlos and I break down every scene, Easter egg, and spoiler. It's the number one House of the Dragon recap podcast – prove us wrong! Thank you all for tuning in and helping us hit one million views. Keep liking, subscribing, and sharing. We couldn't do this without you. Until next week, peace out!

– Technicolor visions rapidly appeared out of the haze.I didn't look back or cry. I disappeared into the forest.Ginny Grulke lives in Lexington, Kentucky, where she has discovered a community of like-minded writers through the Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning. She has been writing non-fiction for her family and friends to enjoy. Her stories revolve around a life with horses, aging, and widowhood, as well as her rural childhood in a large Pennsylvania Dutch family. A few colorful relatives and horses have been inspirations for her stories. She enjoys taking common place situations and looking deeper to find an understanding of people and the animals they keep.

What's the difference between a hex and a curse? It's time to find out. Join Ash and Ty for a breakdown of the important astrological transits for the week: Venus and Mercury enter Cancer and conjunct (June 17th) Cancer season begins / Solstice (June 20th) Full Moon in Capricorn (June 21st) Mercury sextile Mars (June 21st) After, the duo chats about hexes and how they were once used for good by the Pennsylvania Dutch. Ash analyzes the chart of a mystery Cancer who is right on the Gemini cusp. Ty will then reveal their identity, and tell the life story of this free spirited phenom who once tried to get a younger generation of witches to take action.  ☼ ｡˚⋆ฺ ✧ ೃ༄*ੈ✩ ☼ ｡˚⋆ฺ ✧ ೃ༄*ੈ✩ Please subscribe and give us a great rating, tell your friends, and join us next week for the astro forecast and more cosmic chit chat. Watch the video version of this podcast episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7s3NClThitM ✩Instagram: @uncloudedeye ✩TikTok: @uncloudedeye ✩Website / book a reading with Ash: http://uncloudedeye.net ✩Join our Patreon: http://patreon.com/unclouded_eye Patreon members get access to Ash's Planetary Potion podcast that discusses ALL the transits for the week in depth (even the transits we didn't talk about here!), plus special podcast content, shout outs on the podcast, and monthly horoscope guides. Thank you: Nick Nordfors, Erin Cross, Dawn Aquarius, Jay Caron, and to all our listeners ♡

Hear Mary tell her OWN Story, not mine to tell.   AMISH Woman “Sinned” by Taking Her Brothers to Court for SA – YouTube    Swartzentruber AMISH: The Unknown SINISTER Side of the Strictist Settlement (youtube.com)    Sexual abuse cases in Brooklyn’s Haredi community – Wikipedia    Radical Reformation – Wikipedia   The Pilgrims – Who […] The post The Amish *The Bibles they use: Lutheran & KVJ.  German & Swiss Origins -Massive issues with children and rape inside the communities.  AMISH come from a core group of 200 *WTH* They call themselves Pennsylvania DUTCH. They call us ENGLISH. appeared first on Psychopath In Your Life.

On this episode, we sat down with our good friend Christopher Bilardi, author of The Red Church one of the best books on Pennsylvania Dutch we've ever read.  We talked a bit about his upbringing, background and the state of things in the esoteric world today.  We're also very excited to see a new Sybil Leek book in the works that he has edited to be released hopefully in the next year or so! We had a wonderful time as always with Christopher and hope you enjoy this episode as well.

Jenn and Frank dive into the history, theory, and practice of Pow Wow among the Pennsylvania Dutch.Hello Horror Fanatics! Welcome to Oh...The Horror! A weekly podcast for all things horror, supernatural, scary and downright creepy.We hope you give us a listen and add us to your regular rotation of podcasts.You can learn more about our podcast, connect to your favorite podcast platform, social media presence, and donations using the link below:https://linktr.ee/ohthehorrorpodcastPlease email any show ideas, comments and suggestions to oth@seriouslydecent.comProud to be listed in the Top 100 Horror Podcasts on Feedspot.

This week we are super excited to share with you our podcast we did with Annie Meyers-Shyer, who is a force of her own. She is in the middle of a remodel originally built from a well known architect, Gerard Colcord, and it's a 1940's Pennsylvania Dutch style home. She's in California and following her journey has been such a fun pastime. Annie is not a self-proclaimed interior designer, but she's really treating this project like she is and it's fun to watch and see her audience get involved as she takes this remodel step by step in the one million decisions that you have to make when doing a remodel. Join us today for this exciting conversation! Annie's Mother's Day question 8:50 Developing her style 12:45 Living in a home with little boys 23:00 Growing up in Hollywood on sets 26:10 Starting the Instagram account and describing her style 31:30 What decisions have really excited her 38:45 “My goal with our home is that it feels like us, like a young family who lives there. There aren't gonna be formal rooms, I hope all of our rooms are used. We are definitely a family who loves comfortable things, so deep sofas and cozy rooms, and my kids' rooms are going to be colorful because they're colorful, and the rest of the house less colorful. I love sort of a calm palette. I'm very into the color yellow, there's a lot of yellow in this house–very happy.” 32:35   @thisoakhouse   https://www.instagram.com/alicelaneinteriors/ https://www.instagram.com/alicelanehome/ https://alicelanehome.com/ https://www.facebook.com/AliceLaneHome https://www.pinterest.com/alicelanehome/ https://www.youtube.com/alicelanehomecollectionsaltlakecity News Letter:  https://manage.kmail-lists.com/subscriptions/subscribe?a=HZENWY&g=PFcqV5

Catherine makes a mundane discovery, learns to love a hyacinth, and starts to have new suspicions.  We have tangents about kitchen gardens and Pennsylvania Dutch hex signs. What we're reading/watching/listening to: The Age of Magical Overthinking by Amanda Montell, The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff, In aLonely Place by Dorothy B. Hughes  HELP THE RASHID FAMILY ESCAPE GAZA: https://gofund.me/d31deff8 We have a twitter!  We have a TikTok!  Email us: Janeaustenculturenight@gmail.com Hosted by Laurel Nakai and Akina Cox Music and Production by Laurel Nakai

Ever found yourself reminiscing about childhood antics, the ones that made you the resilient adult you are today? Join us as we wander through the whimsical yet wild tales of parenting and creativity with our special guest, New York Times bestselling author Ariel Lawhon. We kick things off recounting the day my daughter Sadie's adventurous spirit led to a missing front tooth, a story that perfectly encapsulates the unpredictable journey of raising kids. With Ariel's insights, we'll also peel back the mystique of the literary world, revealing the gritty determination it takes to claim a spot on the revered bestseller list.Our conversation takes an intimate turn as we reflect on the books that shaped our childhoods and the comfort in revisiting these cherished narratives. Ariel shares her fascinating transition from Pennsylvania Dutch roots to Franklin, a testament to forging one's own path in the world of writing without the traditional roadmap. We'll explore the realities of homeschooling, the striking generational perspectives on life's simplicities, and the memories that linger from our younger years, painting a vivid picture of the roots that ground us.Expect a colorful amalgamation of topics as we muse on the humor present in the chaos of life and the poignant lessons learned through marriage. We'll navigate the confluence of personal creativity with storytelling, tapping into the depth of character development against historical backdrops. Wrapping up, we'll delve into the spiritual threads that weave through our favorite biblical texts, teasing out the hope and challenges as we look towards the influence of the arts and spirituality in our lives. With laughter, shared recollections, and a touch of creative genius, this episode is an invitation to embrace the serendipity of our experiences.

The Willow Love Triangle Murder PlotEpisode 184 takes us into Pennsylvania Dutch territory, where two local farmers are found murdered in the woods a month apart. Although not related, the second murder sparks intense local interest, especially when the farmer's wife is discovered in a salacious love affair.Ad-Free EditionBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

In this episode I welcome Dr. William Donner onto the front porch. Bill is currently the Freyberger Professor of Pennsylvania German Studies at Kutztown University and is also the chair of the Anthropology and Sociology Department. We discuss his time living on a small Polynesian island in the pacific to his work studying and researching the Pennsylvania Dutch. We also talk about how he defines culture and just how do cultures evolve and how that evolution affects the identity of a culture. Get your Front Porch Merch! Support the show

Or as we like to call ‘em, the No-Rat Box. (Patent pending.) Tune in to learn all about this Pennsylvania Dutch and/or Mennonite and/or Amish handmade furniture classic. (Rivalry ENDED with Martha Stewart! Now PIONEER WOMAN is our new nemesis.)

Codey and Jonnie talk about Palia. Timings 00:00:00: Theme Tune 00:00:30: Intro 00:01:12: What Have We Been Up To 00:09:33: Groundhog Day 00:17:59: News 00:39:26: Palia 01:42:20: Outro Links Wylde Flowers Eury’s Salon Update Lightyear Frontier Early Access Ages of Cataria Delay Rusty’s Retirement Public Demp Kamaeru: A Frog Refuge Contact Al on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheScotBot Al on Mastodon: https://mastodon.scot/@TheScotBot Email Us: https://harvestseason.club/contact/ Transcript (0:00:30) Codey: Hello farmers and welcome to another episode of the harvest season. My name is Cody (0:00:36) Jonnie: And, my name is Johnny. (0:00:37) Codey: And we are here today to talk about cottagecore games (0:00:45) Codey: As always transcripts are available in the show notes and on the website (0:00:49) Codey: And today’s podcast is about (0:00:52) Codey: Palia Which is a game that Johnny and I have both played and we actually played it together Wow [laughs] (0:00:59) Jonnie: So cool. (0:01:00) Codey: - Wow, MMOs. (0:01:05) Codey: So, we will be talking about Palia, (0:01:08) Codey: and as always, we have some news, (0:01:10) Codey: but a little lighter on the news this week, (0:01:12) Codey: which is pretty cool. (0:01:13) Codey: But first, Johnny, how are you? (0:01:15) Codey: What have you been up to? (0:01:16) Jonnie: I’m good. There is a game that I’ve been playing and I don’t know if you’ve heard of it. It’s called Palia. (0:01:23) Jonnie: No, it’s not called Palia. I have been playing that one, but I mean you talk about Pal World, (0:01:27) Jonnie: which they both start the same, so you know. (0:01:30) Codey: Oh, you’re on the PAL world train. (0:01:33) Jonnie: Well, I was on the Pal World train and I’m not off the Pal World train, like it’s a it’s a fine game. (0:01:40) Jonnie: I just kind of got what I wanted out of that game relatively quickly. (0:01:47) Jonnie: I hope there’s like zero interest in talking about the controversy around the game. (0:01:53) Jonnie: It is just a survival game with Pokemon who do things in the world and there’s more like, (0:01:59) Jonnie: I guess probably deeper combat as a result of there being Pokemon, which I liked Pokemon Legends Arceus, Arceus. I’ll edit out the one that’s right. I liked that game. (0:02:04) Codey: Mm-hmm. (0:02:08) Codey: Mm-hmm. (0:02:16) Jonnie: I think this game has a similar-ish gameplay loop. It’s not as fast and fluid as Arceus and (0:02:24) Codey: Mm-hmm. (0:02:25) Jonnie: there’s a lot more of that survival base building aspect, which I don’t like survival games. (0:02:27) Codey: Mm-hmm. (0:02:30) Jonnie: I kind of just find that base building stuff boring and pointless. So I did like a tower and I did some of the boss battles and I was like, oh okay, I kind of get what this game is, (0:02:35) Codey: Mm-hm. (0:02:42) Jonnie: but there’s not a compelling narrative that makes me feel like, oh I need (0:02:46) Jonnie: to go and do all of that. It’s kind of like, oh I did some of that and that feels like enough. (0:02:53) Jonnie: That’s I guess my mini summary of Palworld. I also think the gun side of things is just a little (0:03:05) Jonnie: 15 year old edgelord vibes. It comes off really cringe and a lot of things in the game kind of do (0:03:08) Codey: Yeah. (0:03:14) Jonnie: That’s where you’re like, killing the bad guys. (0:03:16) Jonnie: And… you can… like the way you release Pokemon is with a Meat Cleaver and then you can eat them and it’s just like, ugh, it’s just all a bit like, stop trying so hard. (0:03:17) Codey: Yeah. (0:03:24) Codey: Yeah. (0:03:28) Codey: Yeah, I, to me, it looked like Fortnite, Pokemon, Arceus, Breath of the Wild, I don’t know. (0:03:37) Codey: And I just, that’s not a compelling enough thing for me. (0:03:43) Codey: Um, so, I was not, I didn’t do it, but, um, yeah. (0:03:51) Codey: I mean that’s… (0:03:52) Jonnie: Yeah, I mean, it is more fun than Pokemon. (0:03:54) Jonnie: Um, you know. (0:03:55) Codey: Whoa! (0:03:56) Codey: Partake. (0:03:58) Jonnie: That is not a hot take. Pokemon has not been fun for a long time. (0:04:01) Codey: Oh no. (0:04:02) Codey: Oh no. (0:04:04) Jonnie: So, you know, how’s that going for it? (0:04:04) Codey: Um… (0:04:05) Codey: Um… (0:04:06) Jonnie: Um, but I think even there, right? (0:04:08) Jonnie: Like, I, even if I don’t enjoy a Pokemon game as much, I am more likely to play through it to the end because I’m so used to the loop and the, you know, beating the Elite Four. (0:04:20) Jonnie: I start the game knowing that beating the elite for- (0:04:22) Jonnie: is the objective, and there was no real hook like that for me in PowerWorld. (0:04:26) Jonnie: It was kind of like, cool, I experienced it. (0:04:28) Jonnie: I’ve been part of the hot topic of the day, and now I’m keen to move on to other things. (0:04:34) Codey: Mm-hmm, that’s fair. (0:04:40) Jonnie: But that’s really all I’ve been doing. What do you mean up to Cody? (0:04:45) Codey: Well, I just submitted a manuscript, so I’m very excited about that. (0:04:55) Codey: Any grad student listening is probably screaming like excitedly for me because it is a huge undertaking to publish a manuscript. (0:05:06) Codey: So it basically like took up a lot of my energy and time the last like month or so of trying like get it all organized and (0:05:15) Codey: getting it like sent to different people and then I’ll like think that something’s really good and then one of my co-authors will be like no like actually fix this and I’m like heck and so like that’s it’s just to finally just have it like be in the hands of the editors or reviewers or whomever is just like so great other than that I also just finally got ADHD medication (0:05:45) Codey: and for some reason my brain was like cool you can now hyper focus pretty effectively on things and shut your brain off why not build a fox shaped island in Minecraft so I’m building an island that is this in the shape of a fox a sleeping fox and I’m going to build a fox sanctuary on top of it and And also I’m. (0:06:15) Codey: Building it large enough that it shows up as a Sleeping Fox on the biggest size map. (0:06:24) Codey: Which ends up being. (0:06:24) Jonnie: I… I have a question. (0:06:26) Codey: Yeah, yeah, yeah. (0:06:27) Jonnie: Why? (0:06:30) Codey: Because my ADHD brain has decided that this is what brings me joy. (0:06:37) Codey: And it genuinely is so amazing. (0:06:44) Codey: I mean, it might also be. (0:06:45) Codey: It’s basically a testament to how much I hate writing, that my brain was like, “What could be more fun than this? Like, maybe this thing?” (0:06:57) Codey: So yeah, it’s basically, oh hello. I have a cat rubbing against my leg right now. Hello, little man. (0:07:03) Codey: It’s basically, I think we calculated it, it’s like probably 30,000 blocks, Minecraft blocks. (0:07:15) Codey: And we’re using orange terrac- so I’m not doing it alone. One of my best friends, Devin, shout out to Devin, I love you, you’re one of my best friends. (0:07:23) Codey: Anytime that either of us are going through anything in our lives, we’ll just like start up a Minecraft server. (0:07:31) Codey: And so, last few months have been pretty stressful, so we started our Minecraft server, and we’ve been doing these like fun little projects like this, and I just decided to do this. (0:07:39) Codey: And he was like, he had a moment where he was like, “Okay, okay, okay, we’re doing this.” (0:07:45) Codey: I guess, okay. And so he’s been mining terracotta for me and dying it white. (0:07:53) Codey: Luckily, like there’s this new biome that has orange terracotta that like naturally spawns, so he doesn’t have to make- to dye the orange ones. (0:08:00) Codey: So he can just like make it, and we can just farm it, and then I use it to build. (0:08:09) Codey: So yeah, I basically- he does that in the mornings, and then I log on in the evenings. (0:08:15) Codey: And construct. It has a snoot so far, and I’m building up the top of the head. (0:08:25) Codey: So listeners, if you’re interested in hearing the updates of Foxcraft, I’ll start posting about it in the Slack because it is- it’s gonna take probably a month to finish it. (0:08:37) Codey: Like we’re not even halfway done with the head. And I have- the head is like- the head is like the- (0:08:40) Jonnie: Great, I’m excited to get more updates on on Fox craft, but also the sound this sounds awfully a lot like a job (0:08:45) Codey: the smallest part. No, no, no, it’s fun. It’s fun. I like. This is a- this is a- oh yeah, we do have shift work going. (0:08:51) Jonnie: Mm-hmm, you’ve got shift work going you know (0:08:56) Codey: This is another like one of those things where sometimes I’m like, “Am I autistic? Like, am I a little autistic? Do I have a touch of the tism? I think I do.” (0:09:06) Codey: Like, if this- if this- this tickles my brain in a good way. (0:09:12) Jonnie: Well, maybe we won’t self-diagnose, but we’ll just say you must really like foxes somewhere in there. (0:09:18) Codey: Oh no, it’s more like my therapist was like, “Perhaps.” (0:09:25) Codey: It’s a little bit past self-diagnosing, but anyway. (0:09:26) Jonnie: Ugh. (0:09:29) Codey: So yeah, but the most important thing really that I’ve been working on, (0:09:33) Codey: I mean, this is sarcasm. The most important thing is Fox Craft, but (0:09:38) Codey: sarcastically, I went to an event that happened today, Americans. This is, today is February 2nd. (0:09:49) Codey: Johnny, what do you know about Groundhog’s Day? (0:09:52) Jonnie: I know there is a terrible Bill Murray movie, which actually now that I think about it, like, do you need to say terrible before Bill Murray movie? I think that’s just implied. (0:10:02) Jonnie: So, and the, like, I don’t know, I assume it’s a groundhog, but like, that’s the weirdest name for what, you know, basically just looks like a… I don’t know. (0:10:16) Jonnie: a slightly larger rat comes out because I’ve been sleeping or whatever I don’t (0:10:20) Codey: Mm-hmm. (0:10:22) Jonnie: know why they come out they just do and Americans go crazy because they’re all in some weird cult that’s that’s that’s groundhog’s day right (0:10:30) Codey: Yeah, I mean, you’re not wrong. Okay, so Groundhog’s Day is a tradition observed in the United States and Canada on February 2nd of every year. It derives, this is from the Wikipedia, (0:10:43) Codey: it derives from the Pennsylvania Dutch superstition that if a groundhog, a groundhog is also known as a marmot or a woodchuck or my personal favorite, a whistle pig. A groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day and sees its shadow. It will retreat to its den and winter will go on for six more weeks. If it does not… (0:11:00) Codey: see its shadow, then spring will arrive early. (0:11:06) Codey: So this sounds… (0:11:09) Codey: That’s like, okay, cool, whatever. (0:11:10) Codey: Like there’s probably a guy that like watches this groundhog come out right over. No, it’s a cult. (0:11:16) Codey: 100%. So the ceremony is held in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, (0:11:22) Codey: which is less than two hours from where I am. (0:11:24) Codey: So I’ve been wanting to go to this every year. (0:11:28) Codey: And it just hasn’t, I just haven’t been able to make it. (0:11:30) Codey: This year, I was able to make it. (0:11:33) Codey: And basically it centers around what is what Wikipedia says is the semi mythical groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil. (0:11:41) Codey: So he, Punxsutawney Phil basically comes out. (0:11:48) Codey: And apparently like looks, I’m trying to find to see if I can find like the ceremony because this is ridiculous. (0:11:56) Codey: He basically comes out and looks at him. (0:12:00) Codey: He looks around and sees his shadow and the wizards who are called wizards, the guys that run Groundhog’s Day in Punxsutawney, (0:12:14) Codey: basically listen to him so Phil comes out, he either does or does not see his shadow, and whispers to the wizard who can understand Groundhog ease. (0:12:30) Codey: Phil tells them whether or not he saw his shadow and if he did, they literally have scripts that they read. (0:12:38) Codey: People who go to this event every year, they know what the script is. (0:12:44) Codey: There’s a certain part in the script where the guy doesn’t even finish saying everything. (0:12:50) Codey: There’s a certain part where he says either “and his shadow fell upon him” or something, or “and a shadow he did not see”. (0:12:58) Codey: And at that point the crowd. (0:13:00) Codey: It goes crazy, but basically like thousands of people mock hawk flock thousands of people flock to this city in Pennsylvania and watch this ceremony and some of them show up at like midnight and the ceremony isn’t until sunrise, which was 730 this morning. (0:13:18) Codey: We left at 430 to get there and we got there and there’s literally thousands of people around this little stage of any with these guys that like are all. (0:13:30) Codey: Wearing like top hats and like black jackets and very like they look very New York investment banker of the 20s or something like that. (0:13:42) Codey: And yeah, he was just it was just so crazy and he did not see a shadow so spring is going to come early to the United States. Praise be to our groundhog meteorologist. (0:13:59) Jonnie: I have so many thoughts. (0:14:02) Codey: Okay, yeah, yeah, that’s fair fair. (0:14:02) Jonnie: First, Whistlepig Day would sound so much better. (0:14:05) Jonnie: That’s just first thought. (0:14:06) Jonnie: That’s just undeniably a better name. (0:14:10) Jonnie: Second thought, the fact that there are wizards surrounding this is like, yeah, you’re right. (0:14:14) Jonnie: This is definitely a cult, and it sounds like a cult I kind of want to be a part of, because any cult that has wizards dressed as 1920s bankers, (0:14:15) Codey: It’s a cold. (0:14:21) Jonnie: that sounds kind of amazing. (0:14:22) Jonnie: I’m into this. (0:14:23) Codey: Yeah. (0:14:24) Jonnie: Third, based on your description, (0:14:27) Jonnie: an alien landed on Earth, and they (0:14:29) Jonnie: would legitimately think that you’re just describing another game. (0:14:31) Jonnie: It is that sort of– (0:14:34) Jonnie: that sort of… (0:14:34) Codey: So, I actually, I was debating mentioning this that like, I kind of want a game about this. (0:14:42) Jonnie: And that was going to be my final point. I think this is this would be a great basis for a cottage core (0:14:48) Jonnie: game like you do the year, you know, it starts on Groundhog’s Day and (0:14:53) Jonnie: Maybe I don’t know what you’re working towards but like that make that your sort of New Year’s event That sounds like a great little thing to do (0:15:00) Codey: Well, so Punxsutawney, here, I’m going to try and find this information, Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania has a population of 5,000 humans. (0:15:12) Codey: So during this celebration, their population basically doubles. (0:15:18) Codey: So imagine being in, like, Stardew or Coral Island or something, and one single day of the year, the population doubles, (0:15:30) Codey: like, even though it was Friday and it was really, really early, all the stores were open. (0:15:36) Codey: Like, the bookstore was open and they had free hot chocolate and, like, they had, like, a couple different craft shows that were going on in this. (0:15:44) Codey: So it’s everyone, basically, in this community, basically, like, waits for this, like, this is their big, like, tourism thing every year. (0:15:54) Codey: So I think the goal of a game like that would be to build up your store. (0:16:00) Codey: Make sure you’re not going to run out of stock. Make sure that you have enough food for all of these people, enough, like, infrastructure, that you have enough parking because, like, we had to find parking and we almost had, like, some of the last parking spaces. (0:16:18) Codey: And so, like, there’s all this stuff that you could totally do in a game and have the regular day-to-day thing that you’re doing, like, you know, farming or whatever, just kind of be, like, normal, but you are always building up to that. (0:16:30) Codey: And so, like, you have to go to this huge event, annual event, where it kind of starts becoming, like, city skylines or something, where you have to manage, like, all these people. (0:16:46) Jonnie: Make it happen internet. There we go. We’ve done the hard work. We came up with the idea right? That’s the hard part (0:16:48) Codey: Yeah, make it happen. (0:16:52) Codey: Well, now that we’ve spent probably 15 minutes talking about Groundhog Day, and listeners, let me know if you’ve gone to the place where Punxsutawney Phil is, is called Gobbler’s Knob. Let me know if you’ve gone there. And Gobbler’s Knob. (0:17:04) Jonnie: But, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, it’s called what? (0:17:11) Jonnie: This is definitely like, I call it that is… [Laughing] (0:17:15) Jonnie: How is that a real name for a place? (0:17:18) Codey: Yeah, it is. (0:17:22) Codey: I’ll also post some pictures in the slack of me and my friends there, and also Stella. Stella went, “Oh, and the town has, like, Groundhog Day.” (0:17:30) Codey: Groundhog statues outside of a bunch of the buildings. So, like, outside of the library, they have a Groundhog that’s, like, reading a book. (0:17:38) Codey: And then outside of the bank, they have one that, like, has money. Outside of the fireman’s house, they have one with, like, a fireman’s axe holding a baby. (0:17:46) Codey: So, they have all of these, like, the whole town has leaned into it, 100%. But, yeah, so it’s a cult. (0:18:00) Codey: Okay, well, now that we’ve talked about cults, let’s talk about some news. Speaking of cults, Wildflowers… (0:18:10) Codey: I don’t know if Wildflowers is a cult. I just, the way… Kev… Kev has cult-like devo… devotion for this game. (0:18:12) Jonnie: Look, if it is, Kiv is definitely in that cult. (0:18:22) Codey: So, there’s more details on an update that’s coming up. There is going to be a hair stylist’s salon named Yuri’s Soul. (0:18:30) Codey: I’m just going to add a bunch of hairstyles. There’s a plushie coming. And I did a little bit of internet sleuthing, as someone who has not played Wildflowers. (0:18:42) Codey: I did a little bit of internet sleuthing. The picture of the plushie that they have on Twitter, which you can find on the show notes, is, like, obscured. (0:18:50) Codey: Like, it’s kind of in shadow. So, you can’t really tell what it is. But I think it’s a flying pig. What do you think? (0:18:58) Jonnie: Uh, I’m sure flying pig sounds like a thing that a plushie could be. (0:19:02) Codey: » Okay, okay, okay, yeah, so it definitely looks like the flying pig to me. (0:19:04) Jonnie: I have done zero internet’s locally. (0:19:12) Codey: I just kind of like looked up. (0:19:18) Codey: Oh my gosh, sorry, I scrolled down and it went to discover more and Disney Dreamlight Family tweeted today and said, (0:19:28) Codey: tweeted today and said we might not. (0:19:30) Codey: I have groundhogs in the game, but what do you think a copybara seeing its shadow mean? (0:19:40) Codey: They’re leaning into groundhog’s day. (0:19:43) Codey: Um, so, but yeah, I’m pretty sure it’s flying pig. So flying pig plush coming to wildflowers (0:19:51) Codey: Unconfirmed is that it’s a flying pig, but pretty sure it is. (0:19:54) Codey: Yeah, I mean, have you played wildflowers? Have you? Do you have? (0:19:57) Jonnie: No, the visual… I get that it’s better than it looks, but the visual style I just find very off-putting, and there’s just too much else that I want to play and can’t get to, that even though this game is meant to be really good, it’s just too much of a block of me to invest any time into this one, unfortunately. (0:20:19) Codey: Yep, I am in the exact same boat. (0:20:23) Codey: But I’m sure that we’ll hear all about Yuri’s salon (0:20:27) Codey: Update and all of that from Kev, which would be great. (0:20:32) Codey: Next up is Lightyear Frontier. (0:20:35) Codey: The early access for this game is releasing on March 19th on Steam, Xbox, and Game Pass. (0:20:42) Codey: There is a demo out now on Steam (0:20:46) Codey: And this game will be a part of Steam next. (0:20:49) Codey: Which starts on February 5th to the 12th so I believe by the time this podcast comes out, the next fest will be going on. (0:20:58) Codey: So yeah, if you are interested in seeing some gameplay or anything like that, that would be a really good thing to tune into. (0:21:08) Codey: What are your thoughts on this? (0:21:09) Jonnie: Yeah, and Lightyear Frontier is the farming, but in mechs. That’s their gimmick, I guess. (0:21:18) Codey: in like a, in space, in space for me. (0:21:22) Codey: I saw on there, on this news from Steam, (0:21:26) Codey: like, you know how we say like, hello farmers or whatever. (0:21:30) Codey: They say exo farmers. (0:21:32) Codey: So they said like something like, (0:21:34) Codey: play the demo now exo farmers. (0:21:35) Codey: And I was like, oh my gosh. (0:21:39) Codey: Like that’s just kind of a cute little way of talking about them. (0:21:42) Codey: I don’t know, I don’t know what exo means. (0:21:44) Codey: Now that I said it and then now I’m like, (0:21:46) Codey: what, wait, what am I talking about? (0:21:48) Codey: What does this mean? (0:21:51) Codey: Meaning outside, outer, external. (0:21:57) Codey: Cool. (0:21:57) Jonnie: Like like every farm every farmer is technically an exo farmer (0:22:02) Codey: No, no, no. (0:22:03) Codey: Cause it’s like outside, like outer worlds, like space. (0:22:07) Codey: Like we call them exoplanets. (0:22:09) Codey: Like exoplanets are outside of our solar system. (0:22:15) Jonnie: I don’t know how that applies to farming, but it sounds made up. (0:22:15) Codey: You know? (0:22:18) Codey: It’s exoplanet farmers. (0:22:22) Codey: You’re a farmer on an exoplanet. (0:22:24) Jonnie: But they don’t say exoplanet farmers, they say exopharmers. (0:22:27) Codey: No, they said exo. (0:22:29) Codey: It’s just a little cute little conjugation. (0:22:30) Jonnie: They should change it to remove the “e” and just be like “exo” like “Kisshag farmers”. (0:22:35) Jonnie: That would be a much cuter way to say hello. (0:22:37) Codey: I kind of want to re-record “Hello, Kiss Hug Farmers! Welcome to another episode of the Harvest Season!” (0:22:43) Jonnie: What? (0:22:49) Codey: Oh my gosh, we are off the rails. Um, yeah. (0:22:53) Jonnie: Okay, um, are you going to try this? (0:22:57) Codey: So, I’ve never been a big mech person. Like, growing up, like… (0:23:07) Codey: uh… transformers, like, that kind of stuff. It was never my jam. (0:23:13) Codey: Um, so I don’t… to be determined, um… but prob’s not. What about you? (0:23:20) Jonnie: So I talked about this one a little bit on I think the upcoming Game of the Year show, (0:23:28) Jonnie: where it’s on my list of games that I want to try but there may not be a priority. (0:23:35) Jonnie: But I don’t think I knew at that point that it was coming to Game Pass, which it’s amazing how much Game Pass changes my willingness to try some stuff out, right? (0:23:44) Jonnie: Because I’m way more willing to just jump in for a bit and see if it instantly grabs me or not. (0:23:49) Jonnie: So I think it’s a long time. (0:23:50) Jonnie: A lot more likely than I initially anticipated that I will give this a go, because I like the visual style, it feels distinct, I don’t have a particular affinity or non affinity for mechs, but I am interested to see what it means in terms of how they differentiate, you know, your traditional cottagecore farming game loop with the addition of something like a mech, because you can see a lot, you know, there’s probably more interesting ways to do tools and things like that when you have a mech, (0:24:20) Jonnie: and I am really hoping they take full advantage of, and it’s not just like regular tools, but they’re just, they look like mech attachments, right? I’m hoping there’s something else that distinguishes them, which I guess technically I could find out because the demo is out, so I could probably find out or look into it a bit more, so. (0:24:34) Codey: Yeah. (0:24:38) Codey: Mm-hmm. (0:24:41) Codey: But the demos… the demos on Steam… (0:24:44) Jonnie: Yeah, yeah, demos are only on Steam. (0:24:44) Codey: It’s not… not Game Pass. (0:24:49) Codey: Yeah, I agree with you about the Game Pass thing. (0:24:52) Codey: Like, it’s really opened up what I’m able to play. (0:24:57) Codey: And I really like that. (0:24:58) Codey: But I don’t think that your frontier will be that. (0:25:01) Codey: Because again, like, we have so many other things. (0:25:04) Codey: I want to play, so many other things I’m doing in my life. (0:25:07) Codey: And something… if it’s a game that’s going to like pull me in like that, (0:25:10) Codey: like Coral Island or something, it’s really got to grab me. (0:25:13) Codey: So… (0:25:16) Codey: Okay, so… (0:25:17) Codey: Ages of… next… next up on our news list… (0:25:20) Codey: Ages of Kataria… (0:25:22) Codey: was meant to be coming out Q1 2024, so… (0:25:26) Codey: anytime. (0:25:28) Codey: But has been delayed until Q2 2025. (0:25:34) Codey: It personally seemed a little late to be making that announcement, (0:25:36) Codey: but I get it. (0:25:36) Jonnie: Mm-hmm. (0:25:40) Codey: Quote, (0:25:41) Codey: “We have been working hard on Ages of Kataria, (0:25:43) Codey: and our main goal is to find funding to expand the team and work full-time.” (0:25:50) Codey: I’m about to read you a list of things that they’ve been working on. (0:25:52) Codey: See if you can pick out the things that… (0:25:56) Codey: one of these things is not like the other. (0:25:58) Codey: Okay. (0:25:59) Codey: Quote, “In the past few months, we’ve been working on building upgrades, (0:26:03) Codey: customization. (0:26:04) Codey: villager conversations, traits, events and quests, death, (0:26:09) Codey: hunting, cooking, farming, animals, clicking to collect resources, (0:26:14) Codey: villager pooping mechanics, and so much more, which we will be discussing and showing in future updates. (0:26:21) Codey: Uh, Johnny, any of those, any of those jump out to you? (0:26:24) Jonnie: Yeah, I’m really interested in these villager pooping mechanics. (0:26:26) Codey: Save! (0:26:29) Codey: What do you mean? (0:26:31) Codey: I’m like, I’m that meme of, um… (0:26:34) Codey: of, uh… (0:26:35) Codey: Oh my gosh, Katniss Everdeen’s… (0:26:37) Codey: the… the friggin’ actress that plays her. (0:26:40) Codey: Where she’s like, “What do you mean?” (0:26:41) Codey: Like, “What do you mean?” (0:26:43) Codey: On Hot Ones. (0:26:45) Codey: Jennifer Lawrence, I think is her name. (0:26:47) Codey: Um… (0:26:49) Codey: I’m that meme when I read that. (0:26:51) Jonnie: Yeah, I’d like that is wild to me. I mean I assumed the actual answer you were looking for is diff like [laughing] (0:26:58) Codey: No, no, it was originally Villager Pooping Mechanics, but Death, I mean Death was like, (0:27:04) Codey: that’s interesting. (0:27:06) Codey: But that happens in-game, like everything else in this list is something that you would find in a Cottagecore game in some way or another. (0:27:15) Codey: But Villager Pooping Mechanics just like comes out, just stands out so much, and I have questions. (0:27:22) Jonnie: Yeah, and I mean I’ve kind of buried the lead somewhat but this update has (0:27:30) Jonnie: I would say there are some concerning elements to it, right, you know (0:27:35) Jonnie: They’re talking about looking for a publisher and this was a kick-started project (0:27:41) Jonnie: And I guess if you are a kickstarter of it, this is an update that I guess, you know (0:27:46) Jonnie: Would reduce the likelihood that you are actually going to get it and not saying whether it will or won’t happen (0:27:52) Jonnie: There’s now some additional hurdles that they are now flagging up (0:27:57) Jonnie: Which is unfortunate because I think this game looks like it’s got a great visual style to it (0:28:06) Jonnie: So hoping they can find the funding that they need but I would not be putting much stock in that queue to (0:28:12) Jonnie: 2025 date until there was more (0:28:15) Jonnie: More updates on whether or not they they find a publisher or you know are able to sort of clearly state. (0:28:24) Codey: They did have someone jump out on their Kickstarter three days ago, Shell M said you know so is it A that you needed more money and just didn’t tell anyone or B that you mismanaged the finances early on or underestimated how much you needed if B why weren’t we told about this before? (0:28:45) Codey: Just fair. (0:28:46) Codey: They got I’m trying to see $111,000 like like you people gave you money like you should at least let them know what what’s happening with that and it sounds like they you know $110,000 doesn’t really go that far and they had 10 people working on it originally and then when that money ran out some people had to leave and some people stayed to continue to work on the game but that a lot of people had to go back to working part-time and so it’s a lot of people’s time is now split and they’re not able you know if they still had the (0:29:24) Codey: work full-time with the whole team of 10 or team of whomever many are on there now they probably could get it out a lot earlier but I mean I get it I’ve this manuscript that I just submitted was supposed to be done like a year ago so I get it but it does yep mm-hmm (0:29:41) Jonnie: But I mean this is one of the risks around Kickstarter projects, right? You know, $110,000 is a lot of money in the context of an individual. (0:29:50) Jonnie: But in the context of developing a game when you’ve got a team of ten, that’s even just considering salaries. (0:29:54) Codey: Yep. (0:29:58) Jonnie: That’s only a couple of months, if that worth of runway. (0:30:02) Jonnie: And that’s not counting all of the, you know, server costs and all those other fun things that are very expensive. (0:30:08) Jonnie: expensive so $110,000 to develop a game is not. (0:30:11) Jonnie: I’m not sure if this is a game that’s not that much. It’s just the unfortunate reality of Kickstarter I guess. (0:30:18) Jonnie: But hopefully they can find their way out of it because the game looks good (0:30:18) Codey: - Yeah. (0:30:25) Codey: I definitely, I think that the people at Third Pie Studios, (0:30:30) Codey: and I’m assuming it’s Alex McCord, (0:30:31) Codey: who’s the CEO and creative director, (0:30:34) Codey: their post explaining the situation to the concerned people was very like the comment that they have on this. (0:30:41) Codey: It was very thorough and very polite and very good. (0:30:45) Codey: So, it does, it’s difficult, it’s difficult. (0:30:48) Codey: And it’s always sad when you have to like, postpone something, but I think they did a good job of… (0:30:53) Codey: Perhappeth, maybe, uh, let people know a little earlier, but it’s fine. (0:30:59) Codey: Stuff happens. (0:31:02) Codey: Um, stuff that, uh, should happen, might not happen, I don’t know. (0:31:09) Codey: I’m so scared to play this game. (0:31:11) Codey: Rusty’s retirement! (0:31:13) Codey: Has a public demo that is out now. (0:31:17) Codey: Oh, Johnny. (0:31:18) Codey: I want to do this demo so bad, but it seems like it’s like a floodgate, you know? (0:31:26) Codey: Like, once I push that button, am I just a slave to Rusty’s retirement? (0:31:34) Jonnie: Yes, yes is the answer to that question yep . (0:31:35) Codey: And keeping it going? (0:31:39) Codey: But I want to play? (0:31:40) Codey: And I want to help them? (0:31:42) Codey: I want to give them feedback? (0:31:43) Codey: I don’t know. (0:31:44) Codey: I don’t know, what did you think about this? (0:31:48) Jonnie: I mean, I’m in the same category as you, and Rusty’s retirement to serve him remembers as the idle farming game that’s being launched soon, but yeah, going into demo, I am equally concerned about this for all of the same reasons, and I think as… (0:32:10) Jonnie: Yeah, because we first talked about this a few months ago, and since then I think the… (0:32:18) Jonnie: Imagery and the, you know, like they’ve added more, we’re seeing more about how it will look on the screen and everything they add, I’m just like, oh, like it looks like it’s getting better, right? (0:32:24) Codey: Mm-hmm. (0:32:28) Jonnie: Like there’s those things that I have, like, you have those mental questions around, oh, how would this aspect work? And I feel like as time has gone on, I’m seeing those things come in in ways that’s like, yeah, that’s how I would want that to look. (0:32:29) Codey: Mm-hmm. (0:32:35) Codey: Mm-hmm. (0:32:40) Jonnie: So I’m very nervous, you know, the, you know, how we would just reference memes to describe our feelings on this, this is very much the… (0:32:43) Codey: Yeah, and… (0:32:48) Jonnie: Oh, yeah, yep, that’s the one. (0:32:52) Codey: Haha, I’m in danger. (0:32:54) Codey: Yeah. (0:32:56) Codey: Yeah. (0:32:58) Codey: Um. (0:33:00) Codey: So, yeah, I guess I don’t know if I’m trying to see. (0:33:06) Codey: Oh, it is PC and Mac. (0:33:14) Codey: I’ll probably do it. (0:33:16) Codey: Um, so, listeners listen back. (0:33:20) Codey: we’ll give feedback on this in maybe one of the next upcoming episodes. (0:33:24) Codey: I will probably bite the bullet and do this now that I’m not I don’t have a deadline that is of the for like the manuscript that is fast approaching so. (0:33:35) Jonnie: Yeah, and Al was telling me he’s gonna install this on his work PC, so he’s gonna have a very detailed show on it in a few weeks time. (0:33:45) Codey: Sure! (0:33:46) Jonnie: Just throwing Al totally under the bus, I don’t believe he’s not going to do that. (0:33:52) Jonnie: But he could do it. He could do it. He could do it for you listeners. (0:33:58) Codey: he’s probably screaming right now. okay so the last bit of news is for a game called Kamaeru a frog refuge and this has the same vibes as Usagi Shima so my brain was like oh let me figure out what Kamaeru means. in Japanese it means take a stand which is not what I was expecting it to be. I was expecting it to be like frog island or something because Usagi Shima is a bunny island. (0:34:28) Codey: But no. Okay. So Kamaeru frog refuge, quote foster a sanctuary for frogs and restore the biodiversity of the wetlands in Kamaeru, a cozy farming sim where you raise frogs by playing minigames and decorating your habitat. Hop right to it. (0:34:47) Codey: What do you have thoughts about this, Johnny? Are you? I have thoughts. (0:34:49) Jonnie: yeah it looks it looks really cute right like it definitely gives off the same same vibe as usagashima but it looks a lot more detailed just lots of little things about you know so in usagashima like you you kind of placed decorations but that was it’s like I think the the idea of restoring the wetlands looks cool it seems like there’s lots of customization options which is which is pretty cool the frogs look super cute and like it looks like There’s like tons of fun color combinations, so I’m guessing there’s going to be… (0:35:19) Jonnie: …a little bit of a Pokemon creature collection style aspect to this, which I know Usagushima had as well. (0:35:26) Jonnie: And alongside, you know, maybe some some more human characters and some interactions in that way. (0:35:32) Jonnie: This has the potential to be a really, really great game, I think. (0:35:40) Jonnie: Usagushima didn’t really stick with me. I think one, because I didn’t really want a mobile game at that point. (0:35:46) Jonnie: but also it just felt a bit shallow. (0:35:49) Jonnie: And this looks like it kind of has the depth that I’m looking for like this. (0:35:55) Jonnie: This is ticking a lot of boxes and I think for like this one is really interesting things in the cottagecore genre of (0:36:02) Jonnie: really doing something (0:36:04) Jonnie: Unique that doesn’t have to be like the whole thing doesn’t have to be a hundred percent unique, right? (0:36:08) Jonnie: A lot of this seems inspired by Utsagushima. However, well, and it’s probably not, right? (0:36:09) Codey: Right. (0:36:13) Jonnie: It’s probably done independently given how closely they’re sort of coming out. (0:36:16) Jonnie: But frogs is not an area that’s really been (0:36:19) Jonnie: explored or is that common outside of like the only other time I can think of really even seeing frogs is catching them in a farm with their with their critter so yeah that was kind of like a weird brain mush of thoughts because this is the first we’ve heard about this game if I remember rightly (0:36:23) Codey: Mm-hmm (0:36:40) Codey: Um, yeah, so I think this is the game that I saw on Instagram or on Instagram, (0:36:45) Codey: Twitter, and I tagged, uh, Al in it because someone tagged me in it because my friends know that this is the kind of game that I will just eat right up. (0:36:53) Codey: This is the first time we’re covering it on the podcast. (0:36:55) Codey: I just want, I wanted to grab my facts straight before I said anything, but, (0:36:59) Codey: um, the developer of apico L, um, is actually also developing a frog breeding and collecting game called mud born. (0:37:07) Codey: So instead of bloodborne, it’s mud born. (0:37:10) Codey: Um, and it’s very, in the same vein, uh, looks a lot like, uh, apico. (0:37:17) Codey: So it’ll be the same kind of thing, um, of, uh, going and helping a frog, (0:37:25) Codey: uh, deity, um, rediscover her lost children. (0:37:30) Codey: Um, this is in, uh, Elle’s con a message about it in March of last year. (0:37:40) Codey: And the discord quote, um, I’ve always joked about making apico, but frog, but it’s never been much more than that with the game jam theme of pond. (0:37:50) Codey: However, it seems like a good opportunity to make it a reality. (0:37:55) Codey: Um, so he has been working on that, which is great. (0:37:59) Codey: So there, there are other frog games coming out. (0:38:02) Codey: Um, I just wanted to say that, uh, cause I really like it clearly, but this (0:38:10) Codey: is, uh, looks a lot different and looks like it’s own little thing. (0:38:13) Codey: And, um, I really like, like they actually have human characters in this game (0:38:17) Codey: that Usagi Shima did not have. (0:38:19) Codey: So there might be like kind of more of a social aspect. (0:38:24) Codey: And then I also saw kind of a crafting system or like a crafting mini game or something that looked a lot like, um, spirit fairs, mini games, which I was also really interested in. (0:38:36) Jonnie: yeah they looked really good and even little things like they was painting a birdhouse it looked like you know just as a little customization option which I (0:38:36) Codey: So. (0:38:40) Codey: Mm-hm, mm-hm, so yeah, right now it’s just coming 2024, we’re not really sure when. (0:38:51) Codey: But it is also gonna be part of Steam’s next fest. (0:38:56) Codey: So make sure to check in on that. (0:38:59) Codey: And last, I was looking when I looked at their thing earlier. (0:39:02) Codey: No, they’re not doing it anymore. (0:39:04) Codey: Nope, maybe they are, they’re broadcasting. (0:39:10) Codey: The developer is currently playing on Steam, and they are wearing a frog hat and have a bunch of frogs behind them. (0:39:19) Codey: And it’s so heckin’ cute. (0:39:21) Codey: So you could probably watch that stream video of them streaming the game. (0:39:26) Codey: But it looks pretty good. (0:39:27) Codey: Cool, well that was our news, woo. (0:39:31) Codey: So on to the main topic, which is Palia. (0:39:35) Codey: To remind people, Palia is one of the worst. (0:39:40) Codey: The phrase they used was “A cozy world made for you.” (0:39:44) Codey: It’s the free-to-play farming MMORPG game. (0:39:46) Codey: We have been playing it, I played it, probably maybe played like 30 hours, but that might be a little bit much. (0:39:58) Codey: Maybe like 20 hours around? (0:40:02) Codey: What about you, Johnny? (0:40:04) Codey: How are you playing the game? (0:40:06) Codey: thoughts, that non-spoilery. (0:40:10) Codey: kind of vibe thoughts about it to say before we jump in. (0:40:12) Jonnie: Yeah, so I’m playing on the Switch, and it runs really well on Switch, right, like I feel like that’s an important thing to recognize early, because the Switch is very old at this point. (0:40:23) Jonnie: Like it doesn’t run perfectly, I’m sure it runs a lot better if you’re playing via PC, but no real major issues in terms of how it plays. (0:40:32) Jonnie: And I really like what they’re trying to achieve with Palia, however I find it difficult to recommend at this stage until… (0:40:42) Jonnie: …there’s a little bit more from a content perspective in the game. It’s probably my very high level thought, but I really love what this game is trying to achieve from introducing that MMO aspect. (0:40:53) Codey: Yeah, I echo that sentiment. I’m also playing on Switch, and I think it has a lot of potential, (0:41:05) Codey: but that there’s some stuff that isn’t quite, some things that aren’t quite built out yet. (0:41:10) Codey: And after playing MMOs for so long, like World of Warcraft or something, I mean, and that’s probably not a fair comparison. But after playing things like that, like some of the (0:41:23) Codey: personality of the MMO side of it, and the world just seems, like it seems like you play for 10 hours and then you’re like, “Well, yep, I get it.” (0:41:33) Jonnie: Yeah, I do want to come back to the WoW comparison, because I think my initial, like my very very early thoughts when I started playing, was it did feel a little bit like when you first started playing. (0:41:45) Jonnie: Wow, obviously, like the combat is the big difference, but when I guess I think about how the world is constructed, it did feel like World of Warcraft where the world is big and your character feels a lot smaller than it typically does in cottagecore style games, which took a bit of like… (0:42:03) Jonnie: It was a bit of an adjustment, right? When you get the first quest to walk into town and like actually takes a little bit of time and you’re trying to work out where to go, that was a little bit of a brain reset and exploring the map. (0:42:15) Jonnie: Like the maps, so there’s two regions and they’re pretty decent size, and yeah, so there is that good early exploration element that I really like. (0:42:30) Codey: Mm-hmm. Yeah, I will say I haven’t really explored the second area too, too much, but (0:42:38) Codey: I agree that it feels like, like I feel like I’m still playing and exploring and still encountering things that are surprising to me. Or like, “Oh wow, I didn’t know this was here,” or “Oh, I didn’t, (0:42:52) Codey: I’ve never been over here before,” or finding out there’s a whole underground, (0:43:00) Codey: the city was really cool. So yeah, it’s got some, I think it’s got more good than bad, (0:43:10) Codey: but it’s definitely maybe like, “Wait a bit.” But, well, let’s dive into a little bit about the story itself. Do you have a good grasp on the story and want to mention it? (0:43:22) Jonnie: Yeah, so I think there’s two aspects to the story. Well, I think it’s all sort of one connected story. And there are a series of dungeons. There are currently three in the game, but there are at least, there’s at least one more intended. I’ve done all three of the of the dungeons. But it’s very closely tied, I guess, to the nature of people and (0:43:52) Jonnie: the world. So none of the other characters, none of the NPCs in the game are humans. They’re a different race. I can’t recall off the top of my head what exactly they are. Yeah. But you’re basically, you know, every player character in the world is a human that’s effectively being reanimated by some form of of God. And… (0:43:59) Codey: Mm-hmm. (0:44:05) Codey: No idea. I don’t know if I have ever known… (0:44:08) Codey: “Pallians.” (0:44:22) Jonnie: That enables, you know, you have a stronger connection into some of the magic and the dungeons are about exploring sort of what happened to humanity. And it seems like in the wider context of the world, magic is kind of one of those things that’s known about, but also heavily suppressed and kind of taboo to engage with. But some of those restrictions don’t apply to humans. And so you’re kind of exploring that at the stage that I’m up to, which is (0:44:52) Jonnie: to finish the story. But I guess a decent way through. There isn’t a… I don’t have a sense of what it’s building towards. I guess that’s that’s probably a big gap for me. (0:45:04) Codey: Mm hmm. That’s, that’s my biggest concern with the story is like, basically you teleport or get reanimated or whatever, but your character just like shows up and someone’s just standing there and they’re like, Oh, wow, another human, like, please follow the chain of humans that are heading to the town. And then you go to the town and then they give you like a plot of land. Um, and then you can build like a house on it and stuff, but. (0:45:34) Codey: Last that you’re just kind of free. I mean, there are like quests, but there’s not, it’s, (0:45:40) Codey: it’s very open world in that way that like you, you could then never do the quest ever again. They’re like the story quests, I guess some of the quests you have to do to be able to improve your, um, your abilities. But a lot of it, like it just seems, it seems secondary to me or just like a non- (0:46:04) Codey: existent almost so I would I would like that to be built up a little bit more and I also would like the characters to be built up a little bit more so there’s all the NPCs are basically pallions that live in this world that have have lived in this world and they have some like personality (0:46:34) Codey: to them and they have relationships between them and stuff but for some reason I just wasn’t really connecting to them I don’t know what your experience was yeah (0:46:41) Jonnie: Yeah I felt the same way. I think a lot of them, so a lot of the NPCs I would say that their role is to introduce various skills to you and there’s more skills than most cottagecore games have and it’s kind of like their whole, like they have one personality trait and that’s it so they’re very two dimensional in that way. (0:47:06) Jonnie: you know, I think about the bug catcher and his whole thing is he’s a kid and he’s part (0:47:11) Jonnie: of the local scout group or whatever their world equivalent is. And so he’s always excited and always kind of hyper and always wanting to catch bugs and that’s it, right? Like I didn’t feel like anything else from that character. (0:47:16) Codey: Yeah. (0:47:22) Codey: Mm-hmm. (0:47:28) Codey: Mm-hmm. (0:47:30) Codey: Or, like, the bookstore lady, (0:47:32) Codey: which I didn’t know there was a bookstore for the longest time, (0:47:34) Codey: but the bookstore lady, like, you go in there and she’s just, like, (0:47:38) Codey: has the vibe of, like, (0:47:40) Codey: “You hurt my books. I hurt your face.” (0:47:44) Codey: your face. Like she’s just very like protective of her book. (0:47:46) Codey: But then I don’t think I’ve talked to her about any like any time I talk to her. I don’t she’s not mentioned anything else Like I don’t know anything about her (0:47:57) Codey: There’s not like a time when I’ll go back in the bookstore and she’s like, okay I guess you’re you’re nice or whatever like but that could just be me not really understanding how to progress the (0:48:09) Codey: Like Hearts basically, I’m trying to think of how to like the progression of the of your (0:48:16) Codey: With these characters It’s not clear to me how to do that (0:48:21) Codey: After after a certain while you can gift them things but like half of the people I try and gift them something and they’re like No, I don’t want that (0:48:29) Jonnie: Yeah, so there’s this whole relationship side to the game, and it’s probably for me the weakest aspect, so you can talk to NPCs, and you can ask them for a clue about what someone wants each week. (0:48:45) Codey: Mm-hmm. (0:48:45) Jonnie: They want four different gifts, and you can, you know, increase the relationship by talking to them, and some of those sorts of things, but it kind of all feels surface level. (0:48:55) Jonnie: And I have to say, it’s very weird for an MMO. (0:48:59) Jonnie: That’s the part that really doesn’t connect because it’s like, yes, there are 20 of us all trying to make friends with the same character right now. (0:49:07) Jonnie: Like it’s it doesn’t feel particularly genuine and kind of feels at odds with everything else that the game is trying to do. (0:49:14) Jonnie: And potentially one of those features that they put in because this is what console games do. (0:49:15) Codey: Yeah. (0:49:21) Codey: Yeah. (0:49:23) Codey: I don’t really know how, (0:49:24) Codey: like I’m trying to think of like how that could be fixed. (0:49:26) Jonnie: I mean, just don’t have it in the game. I just don’t think it’s necessary. (0:49:28) Codey: And I’m not entirely sure. (0:49:31) Codey: Hmm, okay. (0:49:34) Codey: I guess that’s also true. (0:49:35) Codey: Like that was the other thing is like, (0:49:36) Codey: you don’t really know, so you’re human. (0:49:38) Codey: You don’t really know like why you’re here or if like you have some type of greater purpose (0:49:46) Codey: like you’re gonna ascend or something like, (0:49:49) Codey: or return to the dirt. (0:49:51) Codey: Like there’s no idea, at least in the beginning and at least to the part where I’m in in the story. (0:49:57) Codey: And so having romanceable aliens, basically, (0:50:05) Codey: I was like, what? (0:50:10) Codey: It just seemed a little like maybe not until (0:50:15) Codey: later on in the game. (0:50:16) Codey: What did that be something that I’d be thinking about? (0:50:19) Codey: I don’t know. (0:50:22) Codey: One thing that they just released though, (0:50:24) Codey: which I really like this in just as an aspect of farming games in general, (0:50:29) Codey: is there’s a character named Sabira and she’s like an older character. (0:50:33) Codey: You can now romance her. (0:50:36) Codey: They add it. (0:50:37) Codey: So basically like she’s probably in her like fifties or sixties or something. (0:50:41) Codey: And I think that farming games in general (0:50:45) Codey: is a way to open up that type of like relationship with older humans because as someone who, (0:50:52) Codey: I was married, surprise, like I was married (0:50:56) Codey: and I was in a relationship for nine years without human. (0:50:58) Codey: And then I left that relationship and then I was in my like late twenties and even like now if I were to be single in my thirties, (0:51:06) Codey: like I don’t, when I play farming games or whatever or play these games where you have like romanceable whatever it’s always like. (0:51:15) Codey: Yeah, early 20s are teenagers and it’s just like, but like, circumstances happen and other people need to find love as well. (0:51:26) Codey: And so I just really wish that that diversity was represented in games. (0:51:34) Codey: So yeah, I don’t know. I really liked that. (0:51:36) Jonnie: Yeah, I think diversity is important. (0:51:38) Jonnie: Um, yeah. (0:51:40) Codey: Cool. (0:51:45) Codey: Is there a character that like, stuck out to you that you really enjoyed? (0:51:48) Jonnie: um unfortunately the answer is no like I like now I can think about it and I can recall all of the different characters but I it’s almost in the bad way where I think they’re all sort of a bit tropey actually the one character the one character that I do like is the the fishing robot um the fishing the fishing robot is cool uh I i’m a big fan of him and he like I think I think particularly because his trope is… (0:52:01) Codey: I was literally about to say, “But what about the fishing robot?” (0:52:18) Jonnie: Unexpected, you know, where he’s sort of like looking for or trying to find that zen spot and help other people find I bet they don’t call it the zen spot. I can’t remember what he refers to it as but (0:52:30) Jonnie: I thought that was like a fun little twist on a robot character (0:52:30) Codey: Mm-hmm (0:52:34) Codey: Mm-hmm and his mannerisms are so cute and like (0:52:38) Codey: There are throughout the world Sometimes you’ll find like these shiny pebbles or whatever and someone mentioned that he really likes them I think his name’s like Inar or something Someone mentioned that he really likes them and so every time I find one I go and bring it to him and every single time He’s like over the moon about these shiny pebbles and I’m just like yours honky you Cute! (0:53:00) Codey: So, um, big fan of him for sure. (0:53:08) Codey: Um, well, since we talked about fishing, let’s talk about, um, something they say, (0:53:12) Codey: again, that’s part of this game is living off the land any way that you like. (0:53:17) Codey: Um, so they have, I think it’s eight. (0:53:20) Codey: Yeah. (0:53:20) Codey: Eight different like skills that you can improve. (0:53:26) Codey: Um, and some of them are, you know, fishing, hunting, mining, or fishing, (0:53:31) Codey: bug catching, foraging, those are all things that are in most games, but they also have hunting, um, furniture making, and then, oh, I guess gardening is another, like, uh, like regular one in these types of games. (0:53:42) Codey: Um, so let’s just briefly touch on these and like, talk about the pros and cons of each of them and the way that they do them, and if we really like it or not. (0:53:51) Codey: Um, so what do you think about the fishing? (0:53:53) Jonnie: I think fishing’

In this episode I welcome Richard Mammana on to the front porch. We discuss his multi-ethnic childhood growing up in Easton, PA. We also discuss his acamdemic journey of studying greek, latin, and church history. We close our conversation with a discussion about his current work of documenting colonial-era Pennsylvania Dutch tombstones and what walking hundreds of old cemeteries has taught him about life. Check out Richard's work on Facebook!Get your Front Porch Merch!Support the show

For the first time, Amish and Mennonites will have access to Pennsylvania Dutch interpreters in court. Pennsylvania is now producing one gigawatt of solar energy–enough to power all the homes in Pittsburgh. Payments from natural gas companies to help offset the effects of drilling are likely to be lower for calendar year 2023. Tolls will be increasing on the Turnpike on Sunday.Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you eaten catfish and waffles? Turtle soup? As we now enjoy an enormous variety of food, these dishes are part of Philly's culinary history. Origins of the city's food traditions are rooted in the cultural melting pot that includes the African diaspora and the Pennsylvania Dutch. Chef & Culinary Educator Joy Parham and Elwood Restaurant Chef & Owner Adam Diltz share traditional New Year's traditions and explain why the cultural foods we eat connects us to the regions in which we live. Then, we take a holiday shopping tour of some of West Philly and Germantown's Black-and Brown-owned businesses. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Will you survive this episode of DIEcember? Listen closely students so you don't miss a single detail of 1988's APPRENTICE TO MURDER!  Don't let the vague online summary fool you: "The small beautiful Pennsylvania Dutch community is rocked by a series of bizarre events which lead to a web of deception, violence and murder. APPRENTICE TO MURDER is a story of Infatuation with love, dreams and out-of-world temptations." OUT OF WORLD TEMPTATIONS, you say??? We're in! Follow hunky, star student Chad Lowe as he hides from rabid dogs, tans some hides while shirtless, sketches Mia Sara, and learns what he can from the mysterious Donald Sutherland.  Join us as we scratch the surface of what it means to practice Pow Wow, finally settle the score on which Baldwin brother is the sexiest, and the explore the unique experience of going under under.

For the last New Moon, New Book of 2023 (ohmygods!!!) Scorpio and Gemini read Karl Herr's Hex and Spellwork: The Magical Practices of the Pennsylvania Dutch, a book that wasn't what either expected! An interesting end to the 5th year of Witchspace Podcast to say the least. 

Pennsylvania Dutch powwower Nelson D. Rehmeyer was murdered in 1928. The Philadelphia Record called the murder trial “the weirdest and most curiously fascinating [trial] in the history of modern jurisprudence.” Because Rehmeyer's killers feared he was practicing witchcraft against them, the trial captured national attention – and nearly destroyed the practice of powwow, a Pennsylvania Dutch healing tradition.

  Perhaps the oldest school distillery in the country isn't located off the beaten path in rural Kentucky, but rather sits square in the middle of Philadelphia's Kensington neighborhood. Charles Jacquin et Cie Inc. has been producing various cordials and alcohol brands since the 1880s. Owned by the Cooper Family who collectively are responsible for now famous cordials like Domaine de Canton, St. Germain, and Chambord, you can't argue with generational success, or the low key, old school, 70s office building and cobbled together manufacturing facility that sprawls across so many Philly blocks where their alchemy takes place. Long story short, the Coopers know how to make great product and have been doing so for many years. Enter Pennsylvania Dutch, their old school Egg Nog, made right in Philly with a base of real Pennsylvania cream along with rum, brandy, and blended whiskey. It's 29.5 proof with a nice nutmeg bite to keep you coming back for more.

Dr. William Woys Weaver is an internationally known food historian and author of 22 books including: Heirloom Vegetable Gardening: A Master Gardener's Guide to Planting Seed Saving, and Cultural History;  100 Vegetables and Where They Came From, and As American As Shoofly Pie: The Foodlore and Fakelore of Pennsylvania Dutch Cuisine Dr. Weaver lives in the 1805 Lamb Tavern in Devon, Pennsylvania where he maintains a jardin potager in the style of the 1830s featuring over 5,000 varieties of heirloom vegetables, flowers, and herbs. He is an organic gardener, a life member of Seed Savers Exchange, and for many years served as a Contributing Editor to Gourmet, Mother Earth News, and The Heirloom Gardener.  From 2002 to 2010, he lectured on Food Studies at Drexel University and is presently lecturing on regional American cuisine in connection with a non-profit academic research institute organized under the name The Roughwood Center for Heritage Seedways. Dr. Weaver received his doctorate in food ethnography at University College Dublin, Ireland, the first doctorate awarded by the University in that field of study. In the winter of 2013, Owen had just moved to Philadelphia. A friend introduced him to Dr. Weaver and he hired him to care for his gardens and the Roughwood Seed Collection. During his four years working with him, Owen was fascinated by slow walks through the garden where he could reveal 10,000 years of human history in each plant story. It was here that Owen first learned how to carefully select and midwife the seeds of these countless storied species. We started a seed catalog and grew for a couple other companies. Dr. Weaver's work with seeds often connects and reconnects gardeners and farmers with seeds that help tell their own stories. One of the best examples is making the Horace Pippin peppers available to African American growers in the Mid-Atlantic, as well as Pennsylvania Dutch and Lenni Lenape heirlooms from Southeastern Pennsylvania.   SEED STORIES TOLD IN THIS EPISODE: Hannah Freeman Bean Pippin's Fish Pepper Bowling Pin Paste Tomato Green Striped Maycock Weaver Pole Bean Shipova Mt. Ash Hybrid MORE INFO FROM THIS EPISODE: The Roughwood Center for Heritage Seedways Roughwood Facebook A Century of Don Yoder: Father of American Folklife James Weaver and Meadowview Farms, Bowers, PA ABOUT: Seeds And Their People is a radio show where we feature seed stories told by the people who truly love them. Hosted by Owen Taylor of Truelove Seeds and Chris Bolden-Newsome of Sankofa Community Farm at Bartram's Garden. trueloveseeds.com/blogs/satpradio   FIND OWEN HERE: Truelove Seeds Facebook  |  Instagram  |  Twitter   FIND CHRIS HERE: Sankofa Community Farm at Bartram's Garden   THANKS TO: Dr. William Woys Weaver Ruth Kaaserer Cecilia Sweet-Coll

Dr Koontz does another solo episode to continue the Myth of America series, looking at the settling of Pennsylvania, the influence of the Quakers, who the Pennsylvania Dutch are, and why being on the frontier mattered so much. Visit our website -  A Brief History of Power Many thanks to our sponsors, Blessed Sacrament Lutheran Church in Hayden, ID, Our Savior Lutheran Church and School in Pagosa Springs, CO, and Luther Classical College Dr Koontz -  Trinity Lutheran Church Rev Fisk - St Paul Rockford and Hebron Collegium Music thanks to Verny