Thomas Denlinger chose farming as a • By KENDACE BORRY GAP - Thomas A. Denlinger, Jr. is proof that FFA is not just for youth who grow up on a farm. The 21- year old winner of the FFA American Farmer degree I Can Go ' toWrrk ;4 .N™- ' s?V. Farmers t!w * AgCredit i Backing ' '*% Me Up. Whatever your financial needs, CALL ON US. George M. Lewis, President FARMERS AgCREDIT F|J 9 East Main St., Lititz, PA 717-626-4721 decided on his own not to follow in his father’s foot steps as a plumber but to get his experience by working on neighborhood farms as a teenager. “If I’ve learned one thing,” Denlinger stated, though they weren’t born on “It’s that kids interested in a farm ” farming should try it, even Thomas A. Denlinger, Jr. proudly shows one of his Holsteins that he bred and raised himself. The American Farmer award winner will be traveling to Kansas City, Missouri, next week to receive his award. Denlinger, who is the first Lancaster Farming, Saturday, November 5,1977 graduate ot Pequea Valley High School to win the degree, is the son of Mrs. and the late Thomas A. Denlmger, Sr., Denlinger Rd., Gap. He is now em ployed on a lift-acre farm owned in partnership by Sylvan Kessler and Melvin Stoltzfus, Ronks R 2. Dairy farming is Denlmger’s favorite interest and besides bemg involved with 60 head bemg milked on the farm, Denlmger has five Holstein cows and 18 heifers of his own. He added that he received his first two cattle for showing when he started m FFA, and bought his first animal while a senior m high school. He hopes to build up his own herd. Besides being involved with the dairy on the farm where he’s employed, Denlinger is also involved with a small finishing hog operation and a veal calf project. He also has shown cattle at local shows and been caretaker of cattle for people at state and national shows. The first step m winning his American Farmer degree was to try out for the Keystone Farmer award. Denlinger, talked into trying for this award, did not ex pect to get it. “I thought the fact that I only worked on a farm, rather than actually lived on one would hold me back,” he explained. But he did become a Keystone Farmer, and then was persuaded to try out for the national award. This entails filling out an ap plication covering all the years activities in high school and since, showing the ways and means the FFA’ers have improved Agam, Denlmger was sur- 1 CHiCHspEMD MhiD oTHeR. VRoBIEM WEeDS llSimf/fLF/T7 Remember how bad they were last spring? The time to control chickweed and most other annual broadleaf and grassy weeds in alfalfa is now. This fall. With an application of Princep®, brand of simazine herbicide. It’s the way to get weed-free, top quality al falfa next spring. Need more information? See us CALL KEM-MCGBE CHEMICAL CORPORATION Located at Rt. 322 & Reservoir Roads Honey Brook, Pa. Phone (215) 273-3546 youth pnsed to have made the list of the 1977 American Far mer degree winners. “I had some help with my application,” he related. “It seemed like Mr. Henry Givler, my district super visor, helped me a lot, and also the teachers at Pequea Valley ” Everyone was really thrilled that I won, for it’s the first time anyone from our school did.” The vocational agriculture teachers at Pequea Valley High School are Miss Holly Fuess and Mr. Clair Witwer. Besides being involved with farm work, Denhnger manages to find time to be a member of the Gap Fire Company and the Calvalry Monument Church, Paradise. He also enjoys hunting, swimming, and all outdoor sports. In the future, he hopes to be able to start his own farm where he wants to breed better cattle. He likes what he’s doing, and he plans to stick with farming. His advise to youth in terested in farming? “Don’t give up,” Denhnger stated, “That’s the most important thing I’ve learned in far ming. Just because it doesn’t go right the first time, you should still try. Givmg up just isn’t the answer.” How Quickly? “How quickly can I learn French 9” asked the young woman “That depends on you ” replied the teacher “Why are you in such a rush 9 ” “We've just adopted a young French baby ” she answered ‘and we want to be able to understand him when he starts to talk ’ 25
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