46—Lancaster Farmlm 4-H leaders help youth learn skills by Sally Bair Farm Feature writer Being a 4-H leader can be time-consuming, frustrating and tedious. But it can also be rewarding, challenging and a Joy. Ask any 4-H leader. Each year over 300 adult leaders in Lancaster County give of themselves to assist the nearly 2650 young people who are 4-H members. Without the dedication and hard work of the volunteer leaden, there would be no 4-H program as we know it. During 4-H week some of the adult and teen leaders reflected on their Involvement with 4-H. All of them agreed that it was an experience they enjoy and that the rewards far surpass the work they put into it. Milton Brubaker, 660 Bnmnerville Road, Lititz, a 4-H dairy leader for 22 years, seemed to express the feeling of many when he said, “I feel the rewards of being a leader far outweigh the time and energy involved. Helping to make better citizens is worth any sacrifice adults may make.” Brubaker has been involved in 4-H for quite a while. He recalled that when 4-H clubs were first coming “into vogue” in the early twenties, his mother “thought this was a wonderful idea for youngsters. So she got after the bank - Fanners National of Lititz - to get a meeting room, asked W. Martin Muth of the Soil Conservation Service to be a leader and asked County Agent ‘Dutch Bucher to get the club organized.” As a result they got together a garden club, the first 4-H club in the county. Brubaker was a member of that club “for two or three years, until I was no longer eligible age-wise.” He also joined the baby beef club which was organized soon after. He became a 4-H leader when his own youngsters were of 4-H age. He is a leader of the Ayrshire-Brown Swiss- Jersey 4-H Club, What has been a highlight for him? “Itis rewarding to watch boys and girls who are unsure or themselves and who don't know what to do as they develop poise and the ability to meet people and develop skills. It is amazing to see the skills they develop in handling animals.” Another benefit of showing animals, Brubaker says, is meeting the many fine people at district and state events. 4-H’ers have not changed much over the years, Brubaker said. “When a young person is just starting out, he still has youthful desires and the energy and en thusiasm of wanting to accomplish something.” Teen leader Ken Brubaker demonstrates some of the finer techniques of dipping a show animal to members Mark Myers and Margie Myers, Lan- caster, Cattle-Livestock becoming popular commodities Prime agricultural products have always been m great demand by other countries as imports Dairy products, gram and even farm machinery have seen many years of prosperous trade from the United States to countries all over the world Perhaps the commodity most popular however, over the past few years has been the export of high quality livestock and dairy cattle The International market development activities committee recently announced that “thousands of animals each year are being sent to all parts of the world to be used as foundation stock for breeding herds and flocks ” Almost every type of livestock common to United States farms have become commodities of trade and with seemingly increasing popularity Here in Lancaster County alone each year, many heifers are sent to the Middle East for use in building up existing herds of dairy animals Sheep, swine and numerous strains of poultry have also found their way to farms across the Saturday. Oct. 11. 1975 By Melissa Piper Mrs. Arlene Miller looks at some of the paper craft projects completed by club members Cindy The desire of the 4-H’ers to leam something is one reason why Mrs. Michael Miller enjoys being a leader. Mrs. Miller, a leader for the LandisviUe Klassy Klippers for two years, says she got drafted through her woman’s club which sponsors the 4-H club. She also has a daughter in 4-H, and “so I ended up helping.” Mrs. Miller, who resides at 1116 Mill Mar Road, Lan caster, introduced a new project to her girls this year - paper craft. There were no project books, but the 4-H’ers learned scherensnitte, quilling, making 3-D plaques and pin pricking. Mrs. Miller said, “Just working with the girls is fun, and they come because they want to be there. They really want to learn something.” Mrs. E. Robert Bare, a ten year leader now working with the Strasburg Merrimaids agree that it’s great to work with the youthful enthusiasm. “It means something to me when the kids are interested. You must want to learn to sew.” She added that it is thrilling “when one of the 4-H’ers places in county competition - this is en couraging. Homestead Notes She said most 4-H’ers “are willing to adapt and try newer methods. But sometimes they try to do things fast and it dosen’t always pay off.” In her ten years as leader, Mrs. Bare says “the sewing projects have changed somewhat. In the advanced projects more girls are working with doubleknits, especially because it is sometimes difficult to find good wool fabric in the spring when the projects must be started. We always have a variety,” she said. She said, “Girls seem to be learning to sew at a much younger age than before.” About sewing, Mrs. Bare said, “I enjoy it. I have a satisfaction in sewing and being creative.” She also likes being a 4-H leader, but adds, “I appreciate all the help the Extension office gives in teaching new trends in sewing. It Country Comer Atlantic and Pacific oceans and are becoming a way of commodity much needed and appreciated Dairy Cattle Popular Dairy cattle have become the most asked for livestock commodity for trading in the past three years Not only have the live animals commanded much attention and demand but also frozen semen for all breeds of dairy animals The Holstem-Fnesian Association of America, which has set up an office to begin cultivating the export for animals of the breed, recently noted that many foreign buyers are very selective about the cattle they purchase "They (purchasers) are very selective about the cattle they may specify milk production requirement, functional type requirements and even blood-line requirements " Noting the increase needs for food and par ticularly dairy products, many foreign countries are anxious to build up good quality - high producing herds While many dealers purchase indirectly from well known American farms, many countries Harr and Judy Miller. Both girls are members of the LandisviUe Klassy Klippers. is good because every learning experience does overlap and helps in something.” Mrs. Bare lives at 815 Water front Drive, Lancaster. Mervin Peifer, Manheim Rl, became a leader 23 years ago in the Lititz-Manheim club. At that time, Peifer says, the leaders were nominated and elected by the 4-H’ers - and that’s how he got started. “What I really like is to see a member who really takes hold and goes. There are a lot of good kids who have help from their parents.” And here Peifer stresses, “It’s very important for 4-H’ers to have support and help from their parents.” For leaders he added, “There are slaps on the back and jabs in the back, but there is nothing more rewarding than to see a member walk away with first prize at round-up.” Roy Sauder, Mount Joy R 2, has been a leader in the E- Town-Donegal Club for five years and he works closely with the capon projects and helps set up the round-up at the Mount Joy Rotary. About becoming a leader Sauder says, “I got in 4-H because I have children who were in it.” As a farmer, Sauder says sometimes he feels be is “too busy, but I enjoy it.” Mrs. David Weaver, 315 S. Franklin Street, worked with urban youth in the Good Use 4-H club. She became a leader five years ago through her church, the South Christian Street Mennonite Church. A fellow member, Tillie Gibson, nutrition aide supervisor, asked both Mr. and Mrs. Weaver to help with the club. Mrs. Weaver liked working with her husband as a leader because, “it was easy to have a partner.” “One of the main things I liked was to get to’ know the girls and guys better in the community. The Christian emphasis was important to me. I really like that about 4- H, and that’s one reason why I enjoyed it." “It is worth the time to be a 4-H leader even though there are a lot of headaches and sometimes you may want to give up.” Mrs. Weaver said the 4-H club in the city was a little different, “but it helps broaden their horizon,” It was especially rewarding to Mrs. Weaver to watch them learn to do things themselves - even very little and corporate farms send purchase agents to the United States to view the cattle first hand. And while many breeds of dairy cattle are now in demand all over Europe and South America, the most popular seem to be the Black and White and Red and White Holstems Foreign purchasers have noted that the Holstems are in demand because of their good record of milk production, while the Red and Whites have become particularly well liked in the Central and South American Countries because of their ability to withstand heat and high tem peratures. While importing beef breeds has been popular of late for US farmers, it seems that our dairy cattle have just as much appeal to the producers in other countries. So it seems as if the US has added another commodity to its long list of agricultural exports high in demand What, if any implications it will have in the future as far as dairy products are concerned is still to be determined, but as of now livestock and particularly dairy cattle seem to be hot times” on the commodity market.
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