Berks Countian reached goal of American Farmer
By LAUREL SCHAEFFER
Staff Correspondent
TOPTON - Some time
ago, David Schantz,
Alburtis, Rl, set a goal for
himself that few people ever
accomplish. To achieve it, he
has worked hard for several
years.
Ever smce 1974 when he
first went out to Kansas City
as a member of the Penn
sylvania dairy judgmg team
to participate in the National
Future Farmer of America
Convention, David has been
looking forward to the day he
could return. This desire
came partially from the fact
that he had had a short stay
the first tune, but more
importantly because he
wanted to be distinguished m
the FFA as an American
Farmer.
All of the tune and effort
this young farmer has put
into his goal has finally paid
off. On November 10 he will
return to Kansas City, this
time to receive the degree he
sought after.
David’s FFA projects
have mainly centered
around dairy cattle and field
crops. Presently he has 25
registered Holsteins of his
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own, 17 which are milking,
and 70 acres of land that he
has been using as his FFA
project to raise corn,
alfalfa,and barley.
David got his first heifer in
1968 when he first jomed 4-H.
Ever since then he has been
adding to his herd every
year.
“The first five years
weren’t so easy,” says
David, “I had all bulls
bom.” All of his animals
come out of the family herd
which numbers ap
proximately 250 head.
While in 4-H, David was
very active showing his
cattle and attending state
achievement days with dairy
judging teams. He has
shown at Kutztown Fair, the
District FFA show, and the
Oley Fair. Last year he won
two grand champion
showman awards but, he
admits, he never had a
grand champion cow - only a
junior champion. He plans to
continue to show in the
future, explaining that he
feels he has to, to promote
his herd and his breed.
This accomplished young
farmer started his FFA
“career” with the Bran-
With
Safety
Color-Coded
David Schantz, American Farmer candidate from Berks County, goes over the
record books of his past years in the Future Farmers of America.
dywine Heights High School
Chapter of which he was
very active. It was in his
senior year that he was
fortunate enough to attend
the National Convention for
his first time. While there, he
placed sixth high individual
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in the dairy judgmg contest, c h e d to the Kutztown FFA
and his team placed fourth chapter because Bran
for which he received two dywine Heights discontinued
gold medals. the program.
That year he was also the
County FFA treasurer and
his chapter’s president.
After graduation he swit-
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Lancaster Farming, Saturday, November 5,1977—29
For the past six years
David has had a field crops
project with the FFA. Last
year he entered the state
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5 acre contest and has done
so again this year.
“One year,” said David,
“I won the county yield
contest.”
Another activity in which
this enthusiastic farmer
has participated wa? the
land judging team in 1974 for
which he again won the
county contest.
David’s participation goes
further than just 4-H and
FFA. He is also an active
member in the Junior
Holstein Association and the
Kutztown Young Farmers.
Presently, he is serving as
president of the Berks Junior
Holstein Association and as
news reporter for the State
Junior Association.
Last year he was a semi
fmalist in the Pennsylvania
Distinguished Junior
Member Contest which was
held at the state convention,
and has hopes for this year
as well.
By being one of the three
semi-finalists, David had the
opportunity to go to Brat
tleboro, Vt, to the Holstein
Association’s headquarters
for a three-day tour, and was
very impressed with what he
saw.
“We toured some very
good farms, also,” he told-
Lancaster Fanning, “and I
saw some excellent, but
expensive cattle.”
David plans to stay with
dairy farming. “It is the only
thing I can see doing.” he
stated. Dairy has been his
major interest for as long as
he can remember.
“I like the variety that
there is m farming,” he
continued. “I enjoy the field
work and being outdoors as
much as working with the
cattle.”
The guture for farming
looks rough to this young
farmer because of the
competition with urban
development. Smaller farms
may get pushed out of the
business, he said, but it is
hard to say what will hap
pen.
Our farm is as big as we
want,” David said. He and
his father are fanning 400
acres and milking 135 cows,
with the help of one full-tune
employee.
“Now we are striving to
improve our herd to increase
production and the quality of
the herd,” said David.
Both he and his father,
Burd Schantz, are certified
breeding techrutions and do
all of their own breeding. “I
can see a lot with heredity.”
David said. “When you know
what you are looking for you
can see resemblences in
related animals.”
In the future, David feels
he and his father will form a
partnership. He is always
ready to see if new ideas will
work.
“We are always trying to
improve our operation with
new methods,” he related.
“It is the only way you can
stay ahead.”
David has had many other
accomplishments during the
past as well as the ones
mentioned and will probably
continue to set records, but
he has other outside in
terests also. In his “spare”
time he plays softball with
the Pioneer Grange of
Topton and enjoys bowling,
roller skating, and hunting.