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Day 37, Hanover Pretzel factory and a dinner in Amish count
The rain did not stop, nor stop us on this Tuesday in Mason Dixon line country of NW Maryland and southern PA. We crossed the border a couple of times today. This , in part, Amish country.
On entering Hanover we needed info, so went to the “info center” at the downtown library (excellent) and found an internet service
The rain did not stop, nor stop us on this Tuesday in Mason Dixon line country of NW Maryland and southern PA. We crossed the border a couple of times today. This , in part, Amish country.
On entering Hanover we needed info, so went to the “info center” at the downtown library (excellent) and found an internet service
HANOVER SHOE FARM FILLIES AND COLTS.JPG)
and took advantage of that while downloading and uploading (blog). Had a cup of coffee served by the “Library Friends” ladies. Downtown Hanover is old, with narrow streets, and quaint building of early 1800 vintage. Lots of brick is used.
We took a chance that the Hanover Pretzel Factory (in Hanover PA) would have tours during the day when we could get there. They did, but we were a bit early and came back at 1:00 after signing in on the register.
That gave Ruth a chance to get some pictures of the Hanover Shoe Farm (they raise horses) just outside Hanover a few miles. When we rounded the bend where they were (it was still raining), there was a paddock (shire?) filled with more than a dozen “mammas" and their young colts. The colts were frisky and running and jumping. Probably a few weeks old for the most part. This farm is the largest horse breeding farm in the country and in the top few in the world. They have 1800 horses here many of which have been champion trotters and pacers. It was founded in1926 and has over 4,000 acres of land. They raise Standard Bred horses.
We took a chance that the Hanover Pretzel Factory (in Hanover PA) would have tours during the day when we could get there. They did, but we were a bit early and came back at 1:00 after signing in on the register.
That gave Ruth a chance to get some pictures of the Hanover Shoe Farm (they raise horses) just outside Hanover a few miles. When we rounded the bend where they were (it was still raining), there was a paddock (shire?) filled with more than a dozen “mammas" and their young colts. The colts were frisky and running and jumping. Probably a few weeks old for the most part. This farm is the largest horse breeding farm in the country and in the top few in the world. They have 1800 horses here many of which have been champion trotters and pacers. It was founded in1926 and has over 4,000 acres of land. They raise Standard Bred horses.
HERR'S MILL IN HANOVER PA
SO YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT PRETZELS???
It was time for the tour and after eating a few pretzels for lunch –(Dinner would be in Lancaster) we did the tour. Our tour guide was Cathy. Now this Pretzel Factory is ONE BIG FACTORY at 380,000 square feet. The dynamics of it cannot be written down, but suffice to say that they bring in over 300,000 pounds of flour each day to make the various products. This flour, amazingly, comes from farms that are within a 15 mile radius. This certainly is an incentive for local farmers to continue farming.
They bring in 124 tons of salt each month from the Morton Salt Co. This pretzel has LESS SALT CONTENT, however than other brands. The turnover in the huge storage and packing warehouse occurs every week. This is a four tiered, 1,000 foot long, 500 feet wide portion of the plant that has at least 8 of these double sided racks running the 1,000 feet of the building. It is kept under continual motion by a $3 million automated sorting and stacking machine (UPC labels) that directs labeled boxes on a conveyer, sorts them by order, gathers them on pallets, and shrink wraps the bundles for shipment. It can prepare 59 cases of product a minute. It was an amazing process and almost unbelievable. Automation replaced 18 workers who still work in the factory. The starting wage is $14.50 per hour so it is an incentive to be hired there. The factory runs three eight hour shifts each day. There are 500 workers in this plant and 1500 industry wide (Phoenix AZ is the other plant)
Shutting down portions of the plant for cleaning is usually on Thursdays. (Clean the potato peeler as an example). The potatoes for the chips (they make them too) is a sandpaper base that leads to a cutting machine and sorter that selects the “small and brown colored ones (skin)” that are used for second level sales (“Big Lots” and others). The remainder of the equipment in the factory are ovens, cutters, and an automated press for correct sizing. We saw this very heavy metal plate that is stamped to allow the dough to go through the holes on top and come out the bottom as a pretzel shape. Various sizes are used for various types of pretzel in order to make thousands of pretzels at one time.
One side makes potato chips and multi grain products and the other side pretzels. That should give you an idea of the process, as there are more details unsaid.
After the tour we of course bought a few products and headed out to find Lancaster across US 30 and the Susquehanna River. There were many rocks in the river at this juncture. I detoured into York trying to find a “shortcut”. Ha! Should have stayed on the route as it took many traffic lights later to get to Lancaster. On the way back it was much easier and safer.
We looked for a few Amish, small scale, eating places but did not find what we were looking for. We DID, however, find a wonderful Mill that was a campground instead of a restaurant. (Exploration is lots of fun) See pictures. We did select “Good and Plenty Restaurant” and were served a very good family style meal with families from New Jersey and New York. Chicken was the center of the meal with plenty of veggies and salads with 54 desserts as the “piece ‘de resistance” as my Dad would say. (I think he thought that was correct in France in 1917.).
We headed home at 5:00 and the rush hour was not too heavy on the road. I found US 30 easily and the way home was smooth.
It was time for the tour and after eating a few pretzels for lunch –(Dinner would be in Lancaster) we did the tour. Our tour guide was Cathy. Now this Pretzel Factory is ONE BIG FACTORY at 380,000 square feet. The dynamics of it cannot be written down, but suffice to say that they bring in over 300,000 pounds of flour each day to make the various products. This flour, amazingly, comes from farms that are within a 15 mile radius. This certainly is an incentive for local farmers to continue farming.
They bring in 124 tons of salt each month from the Morton Salt Co. This pretzel has LESS SALT CONTENT, however than other brands. The turnover in the huge storage and packing warehouse occurs every week. This is a four tiered, 1,000 foot long, 500 feet wide portion of the plant that has at least 8 of these double sided racks running the 1,000 feet of the building. It is kept under continual motion by a $3 million automated sorting and stacking machine (UPC labels) that directs labeled boxes on a conveyer, sorts them by order, gathers them on pallets, and shrink wraps the bundles for shipment. It can prepare 59 cases of product a minute. It was an amazing process and almost unbelievable. Automation replaced 18 workers who still work in the factory. The starting wage is $14.50 per hour so it is an incentive to be hired there. The factory runs three eight hour shifts each day. There are 500 workers in this plant and 1500 industry wide (Phoenix AZ is the other plant)
Shutting down portions of the plant for cleaning is usually on Thursdays. (Clean the potato peeler as an example). The potatoes for the chips (they make them too) is a sandpaper base that leads to a cutting machine and sorter that selects the “small and brown colored ones (skin)” that are used for second level sales (“Big Lots” and others). The remainder of the equipment in the factory are ovens, cutters, and an automated press for correct sizing. We saw this very heavy metal plate that is stamped to allow the dough to go through the holes on top and come out the bottom as a pretzel shape. Various sizes are used for various types of pretzel in order to make thousands of pretzels at one time.
One side makes potato chips and multi grain products and the other side pretzels. That should give you an idea of the process, as there are more details unsaid.
After the tour we of course bought a few products and headed out to find Lancaster across US 30 and the Susquehanna River. There were many rocks in the river at this juncture. I detoured into York trying to find a “shortcut”. Ha! Should have stayed on the route as it took many traffic lights later to get to Lancaster. On the way back it was much easier and safer.
We looked for a few Amish, small scale, eating places but did not find what we were looking for. We DID, however, find a wonderful Mill that was a campground instead of a restaurant. (Exploration is lots of fun) See pictures. We did select “Good and Plenty Restaurant” and were served a very good family style meal with families from New Jersey and New York. Chicken was the center of the meal with plenty of veggies and salads with 54 desserts as the “piece ‘de resistance” as my Dad would say. (I think he thought that was correct in France in 1917.).
We headed home at 5:00 and the rush hour was not too heavy on the road. I found US 30 easily and the way home was smooth.
Tomorrow we meet with daughter Kathy and her three young ones. Her husband Steve is home from Florida where he is a well driller for the Corps of Engineers, testing dams. We may see the children competing in their school Field day if the weather holds. (It didn't)
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