—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, November 4,1978
114
Robert Stolzfus wins American
By JOAN LIESAU
ELVERSON - “It is a 50-50
farm partnership that my
brother Frank and I formed
January 1,1976” said Robert
Stoltzfus, Elverson Rl.
Robert is a 1978 recipient of
the American Farmer
Degree, in the area of Agri
farming.
Twentyone year old
Robert and his brother are
raising about 2000 hogs ner
Estate planning saves worry
HARRISBURG - Estate
planning may sound like
something only the rich need
worry about. But unless
you’re penniless, estate
planning is important to you.
Older persons, especially,
need to relize this.
Estate planning can do two
things for you. It can help
you keep your assets intact
for your heirs. And it can
help you determine how your
estate is divided and
managed. Without planning,
you give up your say in how
the assets you’ve ac
cumulated are distributed;
and you may wind up paying
more to Uncle Sam than you
leave to your spouse or
children.
50...y0u need to plan. But
where do you start?
Make a will. Estate
planners recommend it, with
good reason. If you die
“interstate” - without a will
- your estate will be
distributed according to
State law, possibly in ways
you would not have intended.
With a will, you can provide
for expert financial
management, and you can
FFA’er
(Continued from Page 87)
about going into partnership
with his father, who farms a
total of 490 acres, 140 of
which are owned. “I’d like to
stay in Lancaster County,”
the young man admitted.
Rohrer’s feelings about
agriculture parallel his
feelings about FFA and 4-H.
He believes in working hard
and striving to become a
better producer.
year, 50 beef cattle, and
working 300 tillable acres.
They plant 200 acres in com,
80 in small grams and 20
acres in hay. “We double
crop com and soybeans and
no-till in the barley fields”
Robert said.
The brothers dry their own
com at their Meadowoode
Farm. Robert does about
1000 acres of custom com
bining per year using a 1977
Masey Ferguson 750. The
determine who will receive
your property.
Some things to think about
when making a will:
Consider carefully
whether or not you will
consult an attorney. It isn’t
required, but a good at
torney may be able to save a
substantial sum of money for
you. If you do consult an
attorney, be prepared for an
expense which will range
from $25-300 or so, if your
will is not complicated. If
you decide to consult an
attorney, shop around for
one.
Name a qualified executor
for your estate. The role of
your executor is very im
portant m proper settlement
of the estate, and often
becomes complicated. You
will want someone in whom
you have confidence. A bank
can act as an executor, or
you may want to consider co
executors.
Review your will
frequently. It can be
changed. Inflation, soaring
property values, and other
advises
“Agriculture is good,” the
younv man began,
“somfco*»ies prices might
not seem quite fair, but you
just have to keep working for
it ... be a better producer.
But something has do be
done about rising farm costs.
Also, something needs to be
done to slow up the
development of good, prune
farmland.”
Robert Stoltzfus
circumstances may maKe it
outdated in just a few years.
Some other 'points to
consider: How much are you
worth? Probably more than
you think. Your gross estate,
for tax purposes, includes all
assets, including jointly
owned property. If your
estate is large, you may
want to consider tax-saving
devices such as gifts or
trusts.
How much do you owe? If
you own property which is
encumbered by a mortgage,
consider insuring your debt
so it is paid off if something
happens to you. Such in
surance is relatively inex
pensive.
The most important point
of all: plan your estate
carefully, with qualified
help. If you want to learn
more about planning your
estate, check in your library
card catalog, or in the
Reader’s Guide to Periodical
Literature, under “estate
planning” before you see
your banker of lawyer.
partners will combine, haul
and dry their custom work.
“We buy feeder pigs and
feeder steers and fatten
them “Robert said, “but now
we are starting to farrow our
own” ”
Robert graduated from
Twin Valley High School in
1975. He was a member of
the FFA chapter there. He
was sentmal, vice-president,
and president of his local
chapter, treasurer of the
Berks County FFA and in
1975-76, he served as state
reporter Robert has also
been the recipient of the
School Directors Award, Sod
and Water Management,
Crop, and Livestock
Foundation medals.
“Frank was older than me
and the things he got, I
thought I could” Robert
said. “But it wasn’t that
easy. I got state reporter,
and the American Farmer
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Farmer
Degree wasn’t that much
further. I had oneag teacher
and will give him a lot of
credit. Mr. Fredericks really
pushed” Robert said.
Robert has shown baby
beef and hogs. In 1977 he won
grand and reserve cham
pions with his hogs at the
Berks County Leesport show
and sale. It might be noted
that Robert lives in Chester
County but attended a Berks
County school.
Robert has competed and
won m the FFA tractor
driving contest held at
Kutztown Fair, he also won
the regional contest but
forfeited the state com
petition so that he could
compete for the office of
state reporter. He also
participated on the County
livestock judging team for
three years.
Robert has participated m
RDI Box 5, Christiana, PA 17509
(Lancaster County)
Ph: 215-593-5326
degree
the National Eastern Region
Leadership Conference held
in Washington, D.C. He also
attended mid-winter and
summer FFA state con
ventions for four years.
To publish FFA activities
Robert was occasionally
seen and heard on WGAL
T.V. channel 8 and WCOJ
radio.
The son of Frank and Ruth
Houck, Robert is a member
of the Goodwill United
Methodist Church. He is a
member of the Church choir
and a past president of the
Church youth group. He is
also a member of the Penn
sylvania Farmers
Association.
Robert said “I hope to
continue fanning - until.” If
his past record is any kind of
indication, this young fafe
mer has an excellent sta'sr
for a promising farming
career.
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