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26—Linoitir- JEaonlm. Saturday. June 15.1974
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Mrs. Nevin Hersh
As schools are closing for summer vacation families all
across the nation are taking to the roads for a change of
scenery. What better farm land and what better kept farm
buildings could they see than in Lancaster County, Pa.
Tourists have long appreciated this fact and have more than
filled local motels. As a result quite a few farmers have taken
them in for lodging and in some cases provided their meals.
City folks enjoy getting away from the crowded hot streets
and into purer air where there is plenty of room to roam.
There was a time when city cousins came to visit on farms
for extended summer vacations and in most cases the far
mer’s wife found herself working many extra hours to feed
them, seldom receiving more than casual verbal thanks.
Now quite a few farmers’ wives are making entertaining a
profitable business. Why not put the large farm house to work
as a supplement to the farm income? Mrs. Nevin (Ruth)
Hershey, Ronks RDI, is doing just that. She started when a
friend asked her to help with an overflow of guests in 1966.
She took a few that year and now is pretty well booked for
July and August. She won’t take any after October 31st. She
takes some over Easter vacation. She has three rooms for
guests. Each is furnished with a double bed and cots can be
set up for children. She does not provide any meals.
Hersheys’ farm is located on Cherry Hill Road between
Paradise and Route 741. Their farm is northeast of Strasburg
so they are in the center of tourists attractions. They do not
advertise, however, the Mennonite Information Center and
the motels call them when they need extra rooms. Their
business has increased largely by guests returning and by
word of mouth.
They have had guests from 25 states and 14 countries.
They’ve had guests from England, Canada, Viet Nam,
France, Germany, India, Switzerland, Egypt, Argentina,
Lithuania, Australia, Ireland, Sweden and Belgium. The
visitation by people from other countries has been a great
experience. The exchange of recipes has taught the Hershey
children to eat foods they did not like before, for example -
they would not eat rice until they tried Egyptian rice as
prepared by a lady from Egypt.
The visitation by city families to the farm is perhaps one of
the best ways to help create better understanding between
farmers and urban dwellers. Mrs. Hershey says “We visit a
good bit with them. We get an education and they do too.”
The guests watch them milk and help with some farm
operations. This is a real thrill to someone who has never
been on a farm. Hersheys have made some acquaintances of
celebrities through this business too. One was Mrs. Ronald
Savores, Mrs. Richard Nixon’s secretary.
Hersheys have entertained International students also.
They had one young man over last Christmas and the year
before a man, wife and child. They also hosted Fresh Air
Children for ten years. They’ve only had four different ones
because the same ones kept returning each year. They have
made lasting friendships with them. These young people
practically-consider them as family. They attended one of
their weddings in Tennessee a year or two ago.
Hersheys own and operate their 53 acre dairy farm known
as “Melody Lawn” where they live and rent 52 acres. They
raise 50 acres of corn, 30 of alfalfa, 5 of barley, 8 of wheat and
the balance is in pasture.
They keep 29 registered Holstein cows which are all home
Ruth N. Hershey does a lot of sewing for herself, for
her church sewing circle and others. She made the
suit she is wearing and is working on a dress.
Hershey’s Entertain Tourists to Lancaster Co.
(SV"
• • •
"Melody Lawn Archie Maize'Vone of their best
raised except two they recently purchased. They ship their
milk to Inter-State and are in DHIA. They also have 15
heifers. Their rolling herd average is 15,052 pounds of milk
and 566 pounds of fat. Their most promising cow at present is
“Melody Lawn Archie Maize.” She produced 17,000 pounds of
milk with 647 pounds of butterfat in her last lactation of 305
days. At present they also have six Holstein steers they are
feeding.
Nevin, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Hershey who live
nearby in a house they built, has lived on this farm since he
was four years old. He and Ruth moved into the farm house
and worked for his father one year after marriage* farmed on
the halves with his parents for 12 years then bought the farm
in 1972. In addition to their dairy they raise a few pigs and
butcher a pig and a steer each year. Nevin does his own
butchering. He is handy about farm maintenance. He made
three stainless steel water hose reel holders. He does his own
carpentry such as building a shop at present and paneled and
put ceiling tile on rooms in the house. He also made picture
frames.
Nevin and Ruth have a large garden which both work in.
She freezes and cans a lot of vegetables as well as fruits and
makes preserves.
Ruth is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Paul D. Neff, who own
a small farm near Paradise and raise chickens. She grew up
on their large dairy farm which her brother now farms. She
said “That’s where I learned to milk.” Hersheys have no
hired help on their farm so Ruth helps milk morning and
evening except during the summer when their son helps in
the evenings. She always cleans the milking utensils and the
milk house. She also helps work up the ground in the spring.
Hersheys have two sons. Dale,l3, will be an eighth grade
student at Pequea Valley Intermediate School this fall. He
has a Hereford steer and is in the New Holland Baby Beef
Club. He helps milk in the evenings this summer in place of
his mother and helps his dad to feed the stock. He enjoys
running the tractor. He is good help in the fields such as
plowing and working in the hay. He also helps his mother
mow the lawn. During the school season he feeds the heifers
and gets hay down for the cows. His ambition is to be a far
mer.
Steve is five years old and will go to Paradise Elementary
Kindergarten this fall.
Nevin belongs to the Holstein-Friesian Association, Inter-
State Milk Producers and the Pennsylvania Fanners
Association. He is a committeeman for the local A.S.C. and
attends the county meetings at the Farm & Home Center.
'V*-/**''-* I ', KHUIW
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Mrs. Nevin (Ruth) Hershey, Ronks RDI, holds
cows, a three year old.
Ruth says “We'enjoy exhibiting at the West Lampeter
Community Fair. She has exhibited cakes, cookies, cup
cakes, pie, candy, canned fruits, jellies, relishes, pickles,
spiced cantaloupes, embroidered scarfs and a quilt. Nevin
had the champion exhibit of bay two years. Ruth helps make
milk shakes at the Dairy Bar.
Ruth is a very good seamstress. She worked at the
Paradise Garment Factory about five years before
marriage. She is presently making a bridal gown and gowns
for an entire bridal party for this fall. She makes all of her
own clothes and made almost all of Steve’s when he was
small. She says “I enjoy sewing. I do a lot of sewing for my
church sewing circle.” She makes dresses, little boys boxer
shorts, shirts and long pants. Last winter she made 20 or 25
dresses and a lot of boys short pants. Most of these garments
went to the Mennonite Central Committee at Akron but some
went to the Clothing Bank. She sewed some too for her sister.
Hersheys are membefs of Paradise Mennonite Church
where Ruth is the Contact Sister. She is also a Junior Girl
Activities leader, working with girls 7 to 14 years of age. They
have a meeting once a month. Their activities aim at helping
others. They make favors for hospitals, ditty bags for the
Harrisburg State Hospital, cloth books using liquid em
broidery, slippers, stuffed toys, Bible picture booklets, pot
holders, roll bandages from old sheets for the MCC which are
shipped abroad to hospitals, fringed bureau scarfs, comforts,
scrapbooks and cancer pads for the Cancer Society. They
visit private homes where there are shut-ins and sing for
them. They went Christmas caroling for shut-ins last year
and packed and delivered 40 fruit baskets. Ruth is a sub
stitute Sunday School teacher for small children. Nevin is a
substitute Sunday School teacher, assistant secretary for the
Sunday School and assistant usher for church. In January he
--Sr
(Continued on Page 28]
by
Mrs.
Charles
McSparran
Farm Feature
Writer
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