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00 M O N T C O M A G . C O M Photos: Ray Shive
D“Dashing through the snow. On a one horse open sleigh. O’er the fields we go. Laughing all the way. Bells on bobtails ring, Making spirits bright. What fun it is to laugh and sing. A sleighing song tonight…” We all know the lyrics to the holiday classic Jingle Bells. And for those who wish to partake in the winter experience known as the sleigh ride, Matthew Wismer of Northern Star Farm offers them from December through March. It all began when Wismer was a young child. He discovered his great grandparents sleigh in the barn. He climbed into the driver’s seat and took hold of its imaginary reins. In his mind he was driving on a snowy country field, heading toward the sunset. Wismer had been toying with the idea of giving sleigh rides for years. In 2010 he decided it was time. He headed to Lancaster County and purchased the horses, two different types of sleighs, harnesses, heavy woolen Victorian era sleigh blankets, and German sleigh bells. Wismer had everything that he needed to launch the sleigh rides. People travel from all over for their dream sleigh ride. Last year, he gave 277 people sleigh rides. “When you mention the words sleigh ride, you immediately get people’s attention. I call it a strange phenomenon. It is one of the few activities from the early nineteenth century and prior, which has the power to conjure up feelings of warmth and intrigue. The greeting card industry has been featuring sleigh rides on Christmas cards for years. So many people think of something magical when they hear the words sleigh ride. There also is a romance factor associated with sleigh rides. Here in the twenty-first century we are able to put people in their very own Currier & Ives portrait experience,” Wismer says. You may find others that offer winter sleigh rides, but not at the level Wismer does. Whether it is a private ride for a family of four on his reproduction Santa sleigh pulled by two horses, or a group ride on the bobsleigh for 12 pulled by three or more horses, he handles each ride himself. His audience finds out what it was like to travel by horse and sleigh years ago as they travel over parts of his family owned and operated 230-acre farm. Wismer is mixing in local history, local lore, and sleigh trivia during the one-hour ride. A sleigh ride pulled by two Belgium horses.Opposite, according to Wismer, a strap of 30 German made, graduated in size bells are worn by each horse. Bells are an integral part of sleighing, with their history and origins rooted in an early warning device before the days of horns. W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 59
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MONTCO HOMES,GARDENS HOLIDAY GIFT G
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CONTENTS WINTER 2015/16 MONTCO Issu
Page 6 and 7:
Publisher William N. Waite Associat
Page 8 and 9:
Trends MONTCO TRAINS … since the
Page 10 and 11: NOTEWORTHY What’s happening in Mo
Page 12 and 13: What to do Winter 2015 Photos: Vall
Page 14 and 15: phia, PA. 215-763-8100; www.philamu
Page 16 and 17: MONTGOMERY THEATER Through December
Page 18 and 19: Holiday Garden Railway at Morris Ar
Page 20 and 21: dation.org. BARTRAM’S GARDEN Dece
Page 22 and 23: Top Quality Furniture at Discount P
Page 24 and 25: Art Michael Adams Michael Adams lov
Page 26 and 27: People Photo: Jess Graves M Eunice
Page 28 and 29: In the Garden Cold Frame Gardening
Page 30 and 31: Staying Fit at Any Age Fitness to t
Page 32 and 33: 30 M O N T C O M A G . C O M Holida
Page 34 and 35: Holiday Gift Guide Carl Venezia CUS
Page 36 and 37: Health Battling ED Doctors Richard
Page 38 and 39: Dressing Up For Christmas Interior
Page 40 and 41: In this home Maria is introducing t
Page 42 and 43: A mix of greenery is placed strateg
Page 44 and 45: 00 M O N T C O M A G . C O M
Page 46 and 47: overboard, just a few little touche
Page 48 and 49: 00 M O N T C O M A G . C O M In the
Page 50 and 51: A Hearth for the Home From fireplac
Page 52 and 53: Above, a Metropolitan fireplace. Op
Page 56 and 57: Above, this Accentra 52i is the lat
Page 58 and 59: Jingle All The Way Matthew Wismer o
Page 62 and 63: He is quiet for a good portion of t
Page 64 and 65: oo M O N T C O M A G . C O M
Page 68 and 69: Home S For 66 years family owned Gr
Page 70 and 71: FIREPLACES Continued from page 55 S
Page 72 and 73: Dining Out -by Frank Quattrone Phot
Page 74 and 75: 19 Bella ture in street food.” Th
Page 76 and 77: DINING OUT GUIDE 19 Bella, 3401 Ski
Page 78 and 79: DINING OUT GUIDE New Tavern Restaur
Page 80 and 81: ur county! Yourtown s! Your n ews!
Page 82 and 83: Finale Wintertime It is during our
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