Welcome back Loopers! I had a blast pulling this one together. I hope you find something inside here to help get you outside there. Cheers to fresh ‘strawbs’ and to neighbors meeting neighbors across our beautiful county.

-Ed

This week’s cover art is by returning Lancaster artist Tatiana Tisdale. Her piece, “All Too Fast”, is 24×36 inches and is available for sale. Reach out to purchase and see all of her art over on her instagram

Want to get your Lancaster local business in front of 11,000+ readers who care about where they live and want to see their dollars support local?

Apply below…good vibes only & quite selective.

Why Does Lancaster Smell Like THAT Every Spring?

If you've lived in Lancaster County for more than one spring season, you already know the smell. You’ve got your windows down on a warm May morning, and THAT odor shows up unannounced.

After three spring seasons in Lancaster, I was curious so I did some research and here’s what I found…

All winter long, farmers store manure in pits and lagoons across county farms. The animal byproducts slowly decompose, building up gases, and developing a natural crust on the surface that traps all the future goodness and smells underneath.

Sorry, maybe skip breakfast today?

Then comes spring, where farmers have a narrow window to apply that natural fertilizer to their fields. The crust gets broken open, the pits get pumped, and the farms across Lancaster announce spring through your olfactory sense.

The smell compounds fast with hundreds of farms.

Cold, wet spring soil absorbs liquid manure slowly, letting the odor linger at the surface. Spring winds then carry the odor out for miles. We all know living in Lancaster means, driving five minutes in any direction and you landing on a farm. One of the many perks of living here. But that close proximity allow the gases, hydrogen sulfide and ammonia, having built up all winter, to make their way to your doorstep. They are the main culprits behind those stop-you-in-your-track smells.

It’s sort of wild to consider how much of the county’s fertility runs on this cycle. Long before commercial fertilizers arrived, Lancaster farmers relied on animal waste and land stewardship to keep the soil productive for generations. The relationship has blossomed. Lancaster County today has one of the highest concentrations of livestock per square mile of any county in the US.

Oh, and here’s an interesting footnote related to tobacco, a crop still grown on around 2,000 acres here. Did you know the word "stogie" is believed to come from the area of Conestoga, as the wagon drivers were known for smoking long, thin, cheap cigars.

So the next time that smell finds it way through your window, you’ll know it’s part of the same cycle that has kept this land fertile for hundreds of years, and will likely for many more springs to come.

Many thanks to the cows, chickens, hogs, donkeys and horses. We owe you one.

All your support goes directly towards keeping the Lancaster Loop alive and well.

The Loop will always be 100% free to read while being independently and locally written by a guy with a keyboard who loves Lancaster. Many thanks to you all -Ed

I have such an appreciation for each of you who read the Loop each week.

It’s an honor to build this community resource, but it’s only as strong as the people who make it up. You are the fertilizer that keeps it growing. But the non-smelly kind, I promise.

So here’s another easy way to share your thoughts & feedback. Of course you can always reply to this email, but now you can leave a quick voice note. You get to directly help shape the future of the Lancaster Loop. Think of it as the “Help Ed” version of “See Something, Say Something”.

Or just share a thought on today’s newsletter. Stay anonymous or not…your call.

Cheers in advance for sending me a note to help the Loop grow…yes, even to those friends or my daughters who will likely use this as a fresh channel to lovingly troll me.

Who / What / Where / When / Why

brought to you by:

I stumbled on Bernie Dufrene and Lanco Junk after he posted a video of a competitor purposely placing one of their signs to block Bernie’s. What I love is not only his abundant-mindset in how he responded but also his mission of community support.

Lanco Junk is a junk removal and hauling company serving Lancaster County, handling everything from furniture and appliance pickups to full property cleanouts and light demolition. They match items up with those in need as well as partner with Habitat for Humanity, Jubilee Ministries, and other local organizations to donate and recycle before anything hits the landfill.
Click the pic to learn more or speak to Bernie @ 717-999-5865

Step # 1 is the “URL”. A weekly orchestrated email for you, by me, to grow us.

Step # 2 is the “IRL” (in real life) Neighbors meeting neighbors.

Round 1 - Lancaster
Round 2 - Lititz
Round 3 - Back in Lancaster

Click the pics below to be grab your spot with your tablemates!

The Lancaster Loop Dinner Club is back in Lancaster on June 4th.

Here’s how to join:

#1 Take a quick quiz on your interests, dietary needs, types of people you’d like to meet, which helps find you a welcoming table.

#2 Get matched with five other Lancaster Loop readers based on your quiz. They’ll remain a mystery until dinner time on the 4th.

#3 The morning of the dinner you’ll receive your restaurant location where you’ll meet your dinner crew from 630-8p

#4 During dinner everyone will receive a text & email invitation to the secret location of the afterparty where conversations and friendships flow. The afterparty is optional, if you find yourself in a food coma!

LOOPERS LEARN MAHJONG: Details continue to come together for the first open play event. I’ll have an announcement soon! Aiming for 6/23 to back at West Art.

LOOPERS LANCO HUNT: Mike and I had a great time putting on the Mother’s Day scavenger hunt. We’re looking for partners to sponsor a Don’t Forget Your Father’s Day version.

If you’re interested reply to this email to partner and support local businesses while celebrating dads this June.