—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, Feb. 1. 1975
38
M
rs. Barb
Ceramics - From A Hobby To A Business
Mrs. Walter E. (Barbara) Mowrcr, Columbia Rl, a
busy mother and housewife, not only helps with farm
chores but has turned an enjoyable hobby into a profitable
business In her home.
Mrs. Mowrer learned some of the techniques of making
ceramics in high school then took some more lessons.
Four years ago she had an opportunity to buy used
shelves, paints and greenware from a lady. She bought
two new medium sized ovens and since then has bought a
used large and a small oven. She has been teaching
ceramics in her home for four years. She has 25 students
at the present time. She has classes Mondays and Wed
nesdays, one a daytime class and the other evening, and
usually has 8 or 10 at a time. She has had as many as 18.
Mrs. Mowrer has about 250 molds. They pour the slip into
the molds in her house basement in the winter and in the
garage in summer. She teaches them how to clean, fire
and paint it. There are three firings to a piece. She does
Country
Corner
Welcome to the first edition of Country Corner, a
new column which will appear weekly in Lancaster
Farming.
In the coming weeks, we hope to answer some of
the request mail that we receive each week along
with providing and sharing useful information
related to farm activities.
While some of the material will be related to farm
wife activities, and household topics, we invite
farmers and farm related personnel to join in with
comments or requests.
When writing to us, please address mail to
Country Corner, Lancaster Farming, Box 266,
Lititz, PA 17543. We ask that all letters or requests
be signed although names will be withheld upon
request.
Amish Doll Patterns
. Over the past several weeks, numerous letters
had found their way to my desk with inquiries of
where to find patterns for Amish Dolls. It took
several weeks of hunting and phoning before I
found part of the solution. The results I found
that the Quarryville Auxiliary to the Lancaster
General Hospital has been making the Amish Dolls
for some time and while they do not sell the pat
terns, the dolls are available from the organization
at a cost of $5.00. Interested persons may order
the dolls or obtain more information from Hazel
Aument, RDI, Holtwood, PA 17532
As many people are still interested in making
their own dolls, we would appreciate any in
formation our readers can provide on where the
patterns may be obtained.
Riding Clothes
I have also received a letter from a woman who
would like to make Western and English riding
clothes for her youngsters. She is interested, in
obtaining patterns for constructing the .clothes
herself I would appreciate any information or clues
on solving this request.
Farm Story Anthology
The Women’s Alliance of the Newark Unitarian
Fellowship have recently published an anthology of
farm stories written by the late Florence Delano
Brown, a former columnist for the Long Island
Amityville Record
Mrs Brown, a native of New York, moved to a
farm m Cecil County, Maryland following her
marriage to Clarence Brown For a number of
years, she wrote about her farm life from a former
city girl’s point of view often discussing the
problems and joys of farm activities
Mrs. Brown’s stories have been compiled in
a booklet entitled “Down the Road a Piece"
and is available from the Women’s Alliance at
a cost of $2.00
For requests please write to Mrs.
George A Hart, Jr., 420 Brewster Dr,
Sycamore Manor, Newark, Del.,
19711
with: Melissa Piper
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
"W&
S --
small details for the students. Some people buy greenware
from her and some buy finished ceramic pieces besides
the ones she teaches. Even her young children enjoy
pouring the molds and making some finished pieces.
Mowrers are the third generation to dWn and operate
this 81 acre farm on Karnes Hill Road in West Hempfield
Township. It is located just off Route 23, west of Silver
Springs. Barbara was bom there. Her grandfather, Henry
Earhart, bought and farmed it a short time. Then her
father Isaac bought it. He farmed it at least 30 years then
he and Mrs. Earhart moved to Mount Joy R 2. Mowrers
have been on the farm 8 years and owned it for 5 years.
Mowrers have a Holstein herd of 45 cows and 30 heifers.
They bought the herd from Barbara’s dad. They are in
DHIA and ended this past year with a rolling herd average
of 532 pounds of fat and 14000 pounds of milk. Walter is
also a member of the Holstein Association and has been a
member of the Penna. Farmers Association at least 5
years. He is raising 20 of their bull calves as steers. He has
them butchered at Keagy’s and sells them by quarters or
halves at 800 to 1000 pounds. He works for Claude Keagy,
in his butcher shop, about three days a week. Mr. Keagy
has a small farm nearby and his wife goes to Root’s
Country Market and Auction.
Walter raises 30 acres of alfalfa and 30 of corn. He also
does some custom hay baling. Barbara keeps the farm
financial records, washes the milkers in the mornings and
feeds silage in the evenings. She used to rake hay.
Mowrers have three children. Timothy Scott, “Tim
my”, is six years old and in kindergarten at Farm dale
Elementary School. He helps feed silage sometimes and
sweeps walkways in the cow stable. He pours molds and
makes some ceramics. Kristina, “Tina”, is four years old.
Tina also makes some ceramics. Kenneth Lee, “Kenny”,
is 7 months old.
Walter, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth M. Mowrer, 64
E. Park Street, Elizabethtown, grew up on a dairy farm
which they rented near Maytown. He is a member of
Reichs Evangelical Congregational Church, near
Maytown. Barbara, though a member of West Greentree
Church of the Brethren near Milton Grove, attends Reichs
Church regularly and is president of the Young Married
Sunday School class. They meet bi-monthly in the homes.
She serves On some church committees and helped teach
the Primary Sunday School class this past summer.
Barbara graduated from Hempfield High School and
the Lancaster General Hospital School of Practical
Nursing. She worked two years in the hospital, then -
served two years for the Brethren Volunteer Service in
Switzerland, Austria and Yugoslovia and came back and
worked two more years in the General Hospital.
She was a charter member of Farm Women Society 29
when it organized six years ago. She was secretary last
year and is co-chairman of the Sunshine committee this
year. They have 22 members.
Barbara used to be a leader of the Junior Girl Scout
troop at Farmdale Elementary School. She and Walter
belong to the Farmdale Elementary PTA and attend the
meetings. They are members of the Red Rose Country
Squares square dance team. They performed at the Pa.
Farm Show six or seven times. The team received blue
ribbons three times and red and white ribbons the other
times.
Barbara Mowrer is holding a dark blue pitcher jelly cupboard where she displays her grandmother
and glass of Walter’s grandmother Mueller’s. In the Earhart’s carnival glass water set and pitcher and
background an 1882 hanging lamp lights the old bowl set.
by
Mrs.
Charles
McSparran
Farm Feature
Writer
Mrs. Mowrer takes some ceramic pieces from her
kilns. Some finished pieces are in the foreground.
Mowrers have a number of antiques in their home. They'
bought some of them but several came down from their
families. They are especially proud of an 1882 hanging,
lamp they bought and of a pitcher and bowl set which'
belonged to Grandmother Earhart. They also have a
carnival glass water set which belonged to her and a dark
blue water set which belonged to Walter’s Grandmother
Mueller.
Barbara made wall to wall carpet for a bedroom
recently of wool and orlon plush strips glued together with
burlap strips underneath. It is done in gold and moss
green squares in a checkerboard design. She antiqued an
old bureau and bed in green for that room and bought a
green heirloom bedspread on sale. Walter panelled the
room in walnut. The room looks lovely yet was furnished
very inexpensively. She has crocheted a couple afghans,
knit some baby sets and a pant and top set.
Barbara gives us several of her favorite recipes. The
children love to help make the gingerbread men and the
caramel com, and the play dough furnishes hours of fun
for them. These are good ideas for mothers of small
children. They.will get the kiddies interested in making,
things for themselves as well as keep them busy on
stormy or long winter days.
Play Dough
1 cup flour
Vz cup salt
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