(June, 2010) Spring is a beautiful season of the year! The grass gets green, the trees bud and produce new leaves, the gardens are planted with new seeds that produce fresh food but the first sign of spring is when you hear the song of the ‘peepers’. You may ask ‘what is a peeper’? Peepers are those small little frogs that announce loudly that winter is over. It is hard to believe something only an inch to an inch and a half long can raise such a noise!

The chirping starts in March soon after the ice melts off small shallow bodies of water and signals the beginning of the breeding season extending into June. Approaching a pool of ‘peepers’ you think you will see hundreds of them as they send forth their song. They are not that easy to see and quickly silence with your approach. When I first heard these, many years ago, I was challenged to see my first one and even now am amazed at these inconspicuous creatures. As far as ‘peepers’ are concerned, the more there are in a pond, the happier and louder they seem to be. Listen for them!

As I write this article it comes to my mind that the traffic pattern will be changing over the next few months. Those yellow vehicles called "School Buses" will be parked for a few months and the slow moving farm equipment will be ever present on our roadways and of course the tourist traffic will increase. We all need to be patient and courteous to each and every driver while we are driving on our highways. For many of us it is time for vacation and enjoying outdoor recreation.

Adams County has over 30,000 acres of public land for outdoor recreation, which equates to about 1 acre for every 3.5 residents. The Gettysburg National Park consists of 6,000 acres, 21,800 acres of State Forest Lands, 1,950 acres of State Game Lands, and does not include the 2,500 acre Gladfelter Tree Farm in Hamiltonban Township which will become part of the State Forest Lands. These lands are all open to the public. So, if you like hiking, biking, picnicking or just want to take a walk in the woods, I would encourage you to take advantage of all the opportunities we have here in Adams County for outdoor recreation.

In addition to these Federal and State Lands numerous municipal and private parks offer recreational opportunities. Also Adams County is the home of eight (8) golf courses for your enjoyment.

There has also been a lot of interest in gardening for a number of reasons. If you like gardening, the Commissioners offered an acre next to the Agricultural Building for a Community Garden under the direction of the Extension office. The Master Gardeners in the county have developed the area into twenty-plus (20+) plots for residents to plant a garden, which have all been planted by different individuals. If anyone would like to observe and watch the gardens grow, feel free to drive by – but just LOOK and DON’T Touch!!! I also know that Gettysburg Borough has a garden plot.

IF you don’t have a green thumb, there are three (3) Adams County Farmers Markets that will be open until the end of October for the purchase of fresh Adams County fruits and vegetables. First, the Gettysburg Market that is located downtown in Lincoln Square will be open on Saturdays from 7 a.m. until noon. This year there will be two markets at the Outlet Shoppes which will be open on Fridays and Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. We hope to see you at the markets!

Just a few words about the re-assessment of county property and understanding the Adams County Re-assessment. There will be six (6) public meetings held, one in each of the school districts, to answer any questions you may have. The dates of these meetings are as follows:

• Bermudian Springs School District June 14th
• Conewago Valley School District June 16th
• Upper Adams School District June 21st
• Fairfield Area School District June 22nd
• Littlestown Area School District June 23rd
• Gettysburg Area School District June 28th

All meetings will be from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the respective High School Auditoriums.

Enjoy your summer and BE SAFE!