•Lancaster Farmii Being spokeswoman for the largest dairy county in the state is so small task, but pretty Diane Crider, Lancaster County’s 1974 Dairy Princess, is looking forward to accepting the challenge. “I was really surprised and shocked when they said I won,” she recalls, “but I’m happy to have the opportunity to speak to people, because that’s what I really enjoy.” Diane said she really can’t remember much of anything that happened that evening two weeks ago when the pageant was held at the Farm and Home Center, except that “the judges took such a long time.” Why did she enter the contest? Diane says, “I guess I en tered because when you’re a farm girl, that’s one opportunity that others don’t have. I also think that every girl would like to be a princess.” On the more serious side, she says, “Farming-is my daily life - it takes up most of each day and I’m glad to have the opportunity to promote the product we’re producing - milk.” Sixteen-year-old Diane says she would like to expand the work which last year’s Dairy Princess Raelene Harbold started, and continue to go to elementary schools. “I would like to tell the youngsters about milk, but get their opinions too. They would have new, fresh ideas about dairy products.” Diane’s interest in speaking to elementary schools goes right along with her desire for a lifetime career - she would like to attend a Bible college and major in child psychology. Her hope is to work with underprivileged small children and orphans who “do not have homes to have the guidance to get a good start in life”. She’s getting a little experience in that area through her work in teaching young children at her church. Calvary Independent Church. She explained, “Our church has a bus ministry, and we bring in youngsters whose parents don’t usually come.” She says she has between nine and 16 in her class on any given Sunday, and her sister Debra assists her. Her interest in helping these young people becomes evident in the enthusiasm with which she talks about her class. She says it’s quite an experience working with the little pnes, and adds, “Hiey are getting better, but sometimes they get rowdy and excited.” However, “often those who are bussed are more interested in the lessons than those who are regular attendees.” Her mother mentioned that Diane spends a lot of her spare time preparing for each week’s class. Diane poses by the dairy case at the Little Britain store where she works parttime. Saturda Spokeswoman For Pa’s Largest Dairy County by: Sally Bair Farm Feature Writer July 13. 1974 Diane is a senior at Solanco High School where she is majoring in academic courses. She plays the clarinet in the band and is vice-president of the National Honor Society. She is a member of the student senate and a member of the girls basketball team. Unfortunately, she was forced to sit out this year because of a torn ligament in the foot which put her in crutches. She said it was very strange to her that people who had never used crutches thought it must be a lot of fun. In reality, she said, it was quite a nuisance. Diane is a member of the Guernsey 4-H club, and has been active for seven years. She said, “I really like to show,” This year she has a three-year-old and a heifer which she’ll be showing at 4-H Round-up and at the Quarryville Fair. She showed the Grand Champion at Quarryville last year - the second time she showed a champion there, and had the junior champion at the 4-H district show which made her eligible to show at the state show in Harrisburg. She was also Master Fitter. She said she must now get serious about getting her animals ready for show, but as she led them for pictures they seemed to know just what to do. Diane’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Fred W. Crider, Nottingham RD2, are milking about 50 head of Guernseys. Diane ex plained that her parents have lived on their present farm for about nine years, having moved from Elizabethtown where her father worked for Masonic Homes. They lived in Chambersburg prior to that. Diane has two brothers, Allan, 18 and Ricky, 14, and a sister Debra 14. She said that having brothers and sisters makes her turns at the bam less frequent, but she does have to help her father with the milking. Each child helps out every fourth milking both in the morning and in the evening. However, the mor ning and evening duty does not fall on the same day, so it doesn’t become a real chore. Diane said they have a con ventional stall bam with a dumping station. She later demonstrated that she also knows how to wash out a bulk tank, which goes along with milking chores. Diane also said she knows how to drive a tractor and helps with field work, but with two brothers to help, she said she doesn’t have to help as much as she used to. Diane works part time at the Little Britain Store which is very near her home. She says she works at the cash register or stacks shelves, or anything else which must be done. When she arrived for work the week following the Dairy, Princess contest they showed the high regard with which they hold her by having a huge congratulatory sign hanging for her. Sports are Diane’s great interest in addition to her 4-H projects, and she said she enjoys participating in basketball and bowling (she wouldn’t divulge her average). She also enjoys watching football and baseball. Diane Crider Showing a 4-H animal means a lot of hard work. Here Diane poses with Dandelion, her three-year- a. old who will be going to shows with her this summer. The 1974 Dairy Princess has a cool refreshing glass of milk. Cooking is something Diane enjoys helping with, and to help supply the family she assisted in planting the vegetable garden. She says her favorite dairy beverage is snm»thing she just learned about recently - coke and milk She said you can mix the proportions which you like best, and it m«ko<; a very refreshing drink. Sounds like a good drink for hot, thirsty teenagers who often prefer something other than a dairy drink! One of the questions Diane answered during the Dairy Princess contest was, whether she would live on a dairy farm as an adult. Her answer, which she stood by during the in terview, was, “Yes, if I find a husband who wants to be a dairyman.” As she talked, she made it dear that living on the farm is the best possible place to be in her opinion. She also (Continued on Pace 35]
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