Published May 31. 2022 05:10PM
The Lower Macungie Township Historical Society held its spring planting at the Log House at the Bortz Log Haus, 5047 Hamilton Blvd., Wescosville May 15 under sunny skies.
Members weeded and replanted the four-square kitchen garden adjacent to the circa 1790s Pennsylvania German log structure at Wescosville Memorial Park.
“The four-square garden was initially created as a Boy Scout project,” President Sarajane Williams said. The society gardeners plant “a little bit of everything,” according to Williams, including rosemary, thyme, parsley, pole beans, cabbage and other vegetables.
The historic building was located next to the stone and brick hotel that is now home to Hunan Springs and moved to its current location in 1989.
Visitors enjoyed a tour of the building and learned about the history behind it and the four-square raised beds of a typical kitchen garden at the annual event.
Their annual Harvest Festival is planned for October.
Maintained by the historical society, the log house is open to the public during society events. For more information, visit https://www.lmthistory.org/log-house.html.
PRESS PHOTOS BY ED COURRIER Lower Macungie Township Historical Society members gathers to prepare the raised beds of the Bortz Log Haus May 15. From left, are Vice President Ann Bartholomew, Richard Gorton, Robbie Flynn, Kris Seedorff, Tom Flynn, President Sarajane Williams and Seedorff's daughter Morgan Kline, a senior at Emmaus High School.
From left, Sarajane Williams successfully recruits Wescosville resident Dan Oplinger and David Griffiths, of Fogelsville, as new members after presenting them with a gift of thyme.
Tom Flynn fills a jug with water from the simulated wood rain barrel located behind the cabin.
From left, Sarajane Williams and Ann Bartholomew tend to the Bortz Log Haus garden. Shiplap siding installed around the building protects the logs from weather. Only the logs under the porch area are exposed.
