1 34 —Lancaster Farming, Saturday, Jan. 18, 1975 Reba Ranck A Busy Lancaster County Farm Wife Mrs. J. Ray (Reba) Ranck, Paradise RDI, Lancaster County, is one who enjoys her evenings at home with her family, who at the same time loves to meet people and is interested in the success of their farm. She not only helps with the farm work but also does office work at home and takes in tourists to add to the farm income. Mrs. Ranck, accompanied by her friend Mrs. Roy (Ruth) Shertzer of Lancaster RD6 and Mr. and Mrs. Robert Spahr of Lititz RD3, attended the first National Farm Wife Forum November 12 - 14 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They read about this convention for women in the Farm Wife News. It was arranged by Roy J. Reiman, the publisher of that magazine, who had been a farm boy from lowa. Through Mr. and Mrs. Ranch’s going on a tour to Hawaii sponsored by this magazine in 1972 they became very good friends of Mrs. Steven Gross, a daughter-in-law of Mrs. Harold Gross of York County, Pa., near Man chester, who spoke at the convention on the subject “How To Collect Recipes For A Cookbook.” Mrs. Gross, who served as treasurer of a cookbook committee for Farm Women Society 6 of York County four years ago and has kept the cookbooks at her farm home since that time is vice-president of her society. This cookbook has 600 pages and sales of them will soon cease and the members will take up the project of selling Pa. Farm,Women Society plates. Mrs. Gross arranged a trip for 27 people, most of whom were members of the Pa. Farmers Association or Farm Women Societies of York, Lebanon, Dauphin, Berks and Lancaster Counties. Mrs. Ranck, Mrs. Shertzer and Mr. and Mrs. Spahr joined this group in York and together they traveled by bus to Baltimore Airport then flew to Milwaukee Airport on November 11. They then went to convention headquarters by bus. One other lady from western Pennsylvania also attended the convention. Over 1700 people attended the convention and came from over 30 states and Canada. The forum was geared to women so most of the people were women. A few men accompanied their wives and enjoyed the tours .which were arranged for the men. Some organizations represented there were: Women For The Survival Of Agriculture, United Farm Wives, American Farm Bureau Federation, Farm Women, National Grange, National Farmers Organization, American Milk Producers, Cotton Wives, Porkettes, Ohio Farm Bureau Women, Cow Belles, National Wool Growers, Wisconsin Homemakers, Kansas Wheathearts and Women’s Clubs. There were four sessions for different seminars of in terest to women on the program for November 12 and 13. Laura Heuser, president of Women For The Survival Of Agriculture in Wisconsm, was the opening speaker Tuesday morning. There were several sessions on sewing and a fashion show. Some subjects covered in the seminars were “Income Besides Farming”, “Land!' . Reba adds this souvenir pitcher from Milwaukee, Wis. to her collection of over 100 pitchers. ifllik And Tax Reform’’, “Antiques” and “Are You Ready For The Rains” by Joel Lee. It had to do with estate planning and wills. There were luncheons Tuesday and Wednesday. Pat Leimbach, who wrote the book “A Touch Of Blue Denim” was the speaker for the Wednesday luncheon. This luncheon program was broadcasted on the one hour radio program of Orion Samuelson, Chicago’s WGU farm director. Anita Bryant was the entertainer for the Wed nesday night banquet. President Ford sent a telegram to the convention. Thursday morning the organization known as “Women For The Survival Of Agriculture” held a meeting to which all were invited to attend. In that meeting they formed an organization which was a coalition of all farm women in the United States and they elected six representatives ~ across the nation. Mrs. GaU McPherson from near Fawn Grove in York County was elected to represent this area. In fact she was the one who suggested they call this national group “American Agriwomen.” Their purpose is to educate the public about farming. Some of the group went on a three hour tour of Milwaukee which included the three horticulture domes which are filled with wonderful floral spectacles. The tour sponsored by Mrs. Gross returned home Thursday afternoon. All in all it was an invigorating ex perience and Mrs. Ranck is hoping the forum will come east and make it more available to eastern farm wives. Rancks’ 100 acre farm on Black Horse Road in Paradise Township has been in the family for four generations. Ray’s great grandfather, Jacob E. Ranck, built the house and bam in 1863. He was succeeded in owning and operating this farm by his son John K. and he in turn by JohnK.’s son John H. Ranck. Ray was born and raised on this farm. It has a 13 room brick house on it which has been modernized and is surrounded by huge old shade trees. Ray and Reba also own 25 acres of woodland near their farm where they have a picnic area, including a fire pit and a picnic table. Rancks grow 40 acres of corn, 25 acres of hay half mixed and half alfalfa and this year 15 acres of wheat. Last year they had a few soybeans and on occasion some oats or barley. Ray has his combining and silo filling done by Mrs. Charles McSparran Farm Feature Writer Mrs. Ranck’s number one hobby is knitting. She is making an afghan and knitted the two sweaters. She also crochets afghans such as the one behind her which her mother made. She has the program for the first National Farm Wife Forum beside her. by custom work. He has a herd of 63 Holsteins, 36 of which are milking cows. A few are registered and he is building toward an all registered herd. He is enlarging his stable at present time to accommodate 48 cows. He is doing some of the roof work, part of the concreting, the plumbing and electrical work himself. Reba helps in the field and says “I love it.” She does most of the straw and hay baling and picks most of the com. She has done some spring harrowing. They have five sheep and Ray shears them. They raise their own lambs and have sold a few. They hire David Combs, a 15-year-old student who helps after school in the evenings and some Saturdays. He also helps in the summer. David lived in New York City until five or six years ago when his family moved to the community. His older brother worked for Rancks for several years. [Continued on Page 36] Mrs. Reba Ranch, Paradise RDI, at her desk busy with her notary work. She also does office work for Sauder Chevrolet Co. of Manheim here and keeps books for her tourist business.
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