Don Rhodes named State FFA Star Farmer By DIETER KRIEG --both morning and evening NEW OXFORD Being a and 58 tra uied in artificial senior in high school and msenu nation. Someday, he coming very close to bemg a sa^s ’ be’d hke to have his full-time Jarmer °™ dair y operation for distinguishes Donald P. about 80 cows Rhodes from many other young men his age. The Pennsylvania FFA Association, of which he is a member, last week named the 17-year old Adams County youth their State Star Farmer. It is-the highest FFA recognition attainable on the state- level. The presentation was made during the organization’s 50th mid-Winter convention, held in conjunction with the Farm Show. The site of the ceremonies was the Forum of the Education Building in Harrisburg The son of Mr. and Mrs. P. Rhodes, New ' f Oxford R 2, the young award recipient credits his parents for the start he has in far ming and offers further that he is thankful for the help they have provided all along. He owns 10 registered Holstein cows and 13 head of youngstock. He said he got started at about age 10 or 11 with money he was earning while working on the home farm. He has been actively involved with Holstein dairy cattle ever since. At present he takes care of most all of the management involved with the family’s dairy herd. He milks the 22-cow herd A MUST FOR THE MODERN DAIRYMAN TO SEE! t^i/ij ; - Newest Innovation - Automatic Takeoff With DKIA Approved Milk Meter Ml I lIS FOR A DEMONSTRATION IN YOUR STABLE OR PARLOR • PAIL MILKERS • AROUND THE BARN PIPELINE • HERRINGBONE MILKING PARLORS . CAROUSELS AND POLYGON PARLORS • AUTO. TEAT CUP DETACHERS We can talk from experience with the number of parlors we have installed U\DJS SHENKSFARM * SERVICE MILLPORT RO ■ AIRPORT I A student at New Oxford High School, Rhodes is part of a farming enterprise which encompasses ap proximately 500 acres, 173 of which are owned. The award recipient participates in all phases of the business, a portion of which belongs to his older brother, Ted, who specializes in beef production. Donald’s farming programs over the four years he has been m the FFA have included dairy heifers, dairy cows, a beef herd, com, dairy calves, and hay crops. This past year he registered 50 acres of silage com and 30 acres of mixed hay in his FFA record book, as well as the entire milking dairy herd. Donald has shown some of his dairy cattle at county fairs, the district FFA show, the Pennsylvania Junior Dairy Show, and the Farm Show. Last August he was named champion showman at the Southcentral District FFA Dairy Show in Ship pensburg. He placed second in fittmg at the same event and won three blue ribbons for his entries. The young award winner’s ’Xj' j, • PARTS • SALES • INSTALLATION • SERVICE SHENK’S FARM SERVICE 501 E. WOODS DRIVE, LITITZ, PA 17543 PH: 717-626-1151 ★ OUR SERVICE TRUCKS ARE RADIO DISPATCHED ★ 24 HOUR SERVICE STAUFFER Iroao ambition is to someday have an 80-cow comfort-stall bam in which he can manage his own herd of registered Holstems. “I would like to establish a pretty good hero, and sell breeding stock and show animals,” he com mented. “You can take a lot better care of your cows in in dividual stalls,” he.said, as - he continued to outline his future plans. He’d like to become a full partner on the home farm. His father, although active on the farm, holds down a second job as a mail carrier. Donald chose the dairy business, he says, because he was brought up around dairy cattle. “I have always liked working with them," he said. “I think there’s a pretty good future in it if you can establish yourself and get started.”He chose to join the FFA because “I thought it would help me a lot to establish my own dairy herd and to leam a lot about agriculture.” Currently serving as president of both his local and county FFA chapters, Donald attended the National FFA Convention m Kansas City for the past two years. His achievements include Star Chapter Greenhand, beef production awards, dairy production awards, the Adams Apple Degree, and Keystone BOU-MATIC GIVES THE nTS? RESULTS! i i 3 DAIRYMEN ARE LOOKING FOR Higher Milk Production Better Udder Quality Less Mastitis • More Profits Farmer Degree. As winner of the State Star Farmer Contest, he rs now in the running for additional honors later this year. He will represent Pennsylvania in September for the title of Star Farmer tor the North Atlantic Region. He’ll be competing against Star Farmers from 16 nor theastern states. Aside from his FFA leadership positions, Donald Don Rhodes was named the Pennsylvania FFA Star Farmer last week. He is a full-time student and farmer in Adams Cou Lancaster Farming, Saturday, January 20,1979 is also serving as vice president of the Student Council this year. In prior years he was president of his freshman class, and vice president of both his sophomore and junior classes. He is a member of the United Church of Christ of Biglerville. Some of the contests in which the award recipient has participated are public speaking, project books, PLUS With a computer set-up there is no guesswork. PLUS Upon the Detacher be- ing removed trom the cow, will show you the increase or decrease of her milking at that time over her average. Curtis Cassady - 717-626-1065 Mervin Nlssley - 717-872-4565 dairy judging, land judging, and livestock judging. Competing against Donald this year for the State Star Farmer title were: Kennard Henley 111 of Cochranville Rl, representing the eastern region; Edward F. Husted, Jr., Knoxville Rl, representing the nor thcentral region; and Donald E. Cummings, Claysville R 2, from the western region. « ? *■ * ‘ $ S , « After Business Hours Phone: Paul Repine - 717-626-2837 107 of Milking eduction Per Milking
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