Town's fears of hog farm grow with new arrivals

CRYSTAL SPRING, Pa. -- At first, the neighbors of a new hog farm were upset about the persistent, sour smell. Lately, the odor hasn't been the worst of their concerns.

Late last month, diluted liquid manure from approximately 2,100 hogs spilled over from a 770,000 gallon lagoon, swamped a tiny brook and emptied into the town's most treasured waterway, Brush Creek.

Little environmental impact appears to have occurred. Instead, the damage appears to be along the fault lines between old-timers in this south-central Pennsylvania village and newcomers.

The hog farm was proposed a few years ago to the chagrin of many area residents. The parade of "No trespassing" signs on the property also frustrated longtime property owners.

"These people come and move in here and they get independent," said Allen Akers Sr., 79, whose family has been farming just up Hanks Road from Emmaville for more than 60 years.

Emmaville, an unincorporated section of Brush Creek Township, is a jumble of about a dozen trailers, barns, and clapboard and vinyl-sided homes, surrounded by a patchwork of deciduous forest and grazing fields 100 miles east of Pittsburgh.

When Steve Fowler began constructing the hog farm on the family's 300 or so acres, the idea ruffled a few feathers in this old dairy farming community, where most residents farm for a living or, at least, grew up on a farm.

After the spill, residents still bitter about the hogs felt their opposition to it had been justified.

"We've had dairy farms for years and years and it never smelled that bad and nothing like this ever happened," said Bertha Deneen, 71.

The Fowlers, who did not return telephone messages, have their defenders.

"You have to keep in mind that this is farm country and we raise food here for people who can't do it for themselves," said Jennie Cejka, a farmer and teacher who is another relative newcomer to Emmaville, having moved there six years ago.