Cookie Mining in Blossburg: A Sweet Look at History and Land Use 

Blossburg’s coal mining past got a tasty twist at the recent Cookie Mining workshop, presented by the Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy (NPC), the Tioga County Conservation District (TCCD), and the Blossburg Memorial Library. Together, these partners welcomed 34 excited “miners” to learn about the region’s coal history through chocolate chip cookies! 

Cookie mining in action! Participants took on the challenge of extracting chocolate chips while learning about coal, land use, and reclamation.

A Tasty Take on Local History

Erica Tomlinson from the Tioga County Conservation District started things off with a short talk about coal mining in the area. Then it was time to mine some cookies. First, there were no rules—just dig out the chocolate chips however you could. Then, new rules were added to show what responsible mining looks like. Toothpicks and paper clips became pickaxes and shovels. While some kids hoped for bigger tools, they soon got the hang of these smaller, more careful methods. 

Reclamation and Responsible Mining

The activity led to some great conversations. Older kids talked about “reclamation,” the process of fixing land after it has been mined. Everyone discussed the importance of cleaning up after your work and trying to limit the damage. 

Once the mining was over (and the cookies safely set aside), the group enjoyed fresh chocolate chip cookies from Farmer Dave at The Farmer’s Table. They were a big hit and well worth the wait! 

Once the mining was over (and the cookies safely set aside), the group enjoyed fresh chocolate chip cookies from Farmer Dave at The Farmer’s Table.

Rivers, Coal and Crafts: Highlighting the Tioga River Restoration

This event is part of the ongoing Rivers, Coal and Crafts series, made possible by grant funding from the Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC), the Jones Foundation, and Friends of the Blossburg Memorial Library. 

The series, coordinated by NPC, TCCD, and the Blossburg Memorial Library celebrates the Blossburg community and shares information about the Tioga River’s ongoing restoration. 

Through hands on workshops, craft projects, and storytelling, participants of all ages are learning about the decades-long impacts of Abandoned Mine Drainage (AMD) on the Tioga River, and how local partnerships are working together to restore the health of the river and its surrounding landscape. 

Abandoned mine drainage (AMD) discharges have polluted the Tioga River for more than a century. Now NPC and our partners working together to restore the health of the Tioga River.