Lancaster farming. (Lancaster, Pa., etc.) 1955-current, September 27, 1980, Image 86

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    C2—Lancaster Farming, Saturdiy, September 27,1980
Collects flowers, weeds
Talented Caroll
Kopfer enjoys
crafts,
needlework
BY LAUREL SCHAEFFER
Staff Correspondent
FLEETWOOD Being a professional hairdresser,
craftsman, active farm wife, and mother is all in a day’s
work for Caroll Kopfer, R 1 Fleetwood.
This busy farm wife, with her husband Robert and two
children, operate a farm consisting of 450 acres of crops, a
beef feedlot housing between 100 and 120 steers and a
daily string of 40 milk cows.
Robert and Caroll are known in many circles because of
their active participation in organizations such as the
Berks County Fanners’ Association, Fleetwood Grange,
and 4-H. Caroll also operates her own beauty shop six days
a week and is a recognized craftsman in areas such as
flower arranging, quilting and making of com husk dolls.
Neither of these people were reared on a farm but both
grew up in rural Fleetwood. Caroll had aspirations of
becoming an artist from as far back as she can remem
ber. She learned different crafts from her mother, pinking
up other ideas from books and a few classes that she at
tended.
Robert started his fanning career as a hired hand on a
local operation but went on to rent land of his own a year
before his marriage to Caroll.
Over the years the Kopfers have tried many different
fanning enterprises including sheep, hogs, and chickens
before settling with their present beef feedlot and dairy.
The dairy operation is Kopfers’ newest enterprise.
They’ve been in milk production about three years with
the acquistion of their second farm.
Hairdressing, which is Caroll’s main profession has
been a part of her life since high school. She taught
hairdressing for six years at die Bryland Institute,
Reading, and worked part time as a hairdresser as well
when she and Robert began farming.
Presently she is still on call for teaching as a substitute
at the area Vo-tech School in Beauty Culture.
But even though hairdressing is her profession, crafts
are her delight.
“I could spend all day doing crafts,” Caroll told Lan
caster Fanning with a gleam in her eye.
Being talented, especially with her hands, Caroll can do
anything she sets her mind on. She made her own lamps
from ceramics, has sown her own curtains and clothing,
and refinished a large part of the furniture in her home.
Being so close to nature, Caroll especially enjoys drying
her own flowers and weeds from their farm to make
beautiful arrangements and collecting com husks, wheat
and straw for making many of the other delicate creations
displayed throughout her home.
Caroll has entered straw wreaths, and dolls in area fairs
and has been relatively pleased with her ac
complishments.
She designs and makes her own quilts starting from
scraps of leftover material to imprinted fabrics which she
has to embroider before hand.
To date Caroll has designed three quilts for the Berks
County Fanners’ Association. They were usually sewn by
members of the Women’s Committee during agricultural
expositions held at the Berkshire Mall, Wyomissing. To
help with her quilting this farm wife has two large quilting
frames which she uses. So far all of the quilts she has
made have been given away.
When asked how much time is involved in making a
quilt, Caroll could only reply that each quilt takes it’s own
time—but, she said, “It’s a long time.”
As mentioned earlier, this talented farm wife has also
mastered a number of other crafts. These include wheat
weaving, natural arrangements, sewing, embroidering,
knitting, crocheting, and any number of child crafts which
she enjoys teaching. Caroll is proud to be a member of the
Berks County Guild of Craftsmen.
Caroll tries to make her creations from all things
available on the farm. She air dries many flowers and
*SR (osttesfead
tfifoips
Caroil Kopfer likes to ai , her own arrangements and creations found in
weeds and flowers to use in making imaginative home at Fleetwood Rl.
Working with dried
.wheat, Carol! Kopfer ties
a plaid ribbon for the
final touch in an
arrangement which she
has created. Caroll is a
member of the Berks
County Guild of Craft
smen, reflecting her
interest and talent in
working with her hands.
weeds by hanging them upside down in an airy place and
treats them as necessary.
“This is especially important with pine cones,” Caroll
explained. To make sure they are insect free, she puts
them in a plastic bag and sprays them with an insecticide.
In some cases however, such as when pressing flowers,
this craftsman will use a commercial silica gel and will
purchase things she needs for her arrangements that
can’t be found on the tana.
Having such a strong desire to keep her things “earthy”
she even uses com silk for the hair on her dolls, many of
which she has also designed herself.
Some of Caroll’s crafts are so delicate and small she has
mounted them in tin cookie cutters, often employing
tweezers to make them and mount them.
Caroll teaches crafts for many organizations and also
gives lectures when asked. She teaches for 4-H, Campfire
Girls, the YWCA, and at various women’s gatherings.
She is also president of District Campfire Girls, en
compassing 14 different chapters, and is an organizational
leader for the Fleetwood area 4-H Community Clubs
which has about 30 members.
Caroll has been a 4-H leader for three years, helping 4-
Her’s learn sewing and cooking, but she has also taught
them how to do several of her crafts and involved the
members in a potato project on her farm.
This farm woman got involved with 4-H when her
daughter, Aim who is now twelve became involved. Ann is
also active in many other organizations too.
Besides the Fleetwood 4-H Community Club she also
belongs to the Eastern Berks Dairy Club and shows dairy
cows. Ann collects stamps, butterflies, coins, and dolls,
and plays flute in the school band. Ann is in seventh grade
at the Fleetwood School District. Even with her many
activities she continues to do well with her studies.
Ann also has a brother, six year old David who is now in
first grade. This young farm lad is already showing the
typical qualities of the rest of his family with special in
terests in showing cattle.
“David is just waiting for his chance to come,” his
mother remarked. “He has haltered a calf at the dairy
bam and calls it his own. ’ ’
Caroll is not a stranger to the bams either. Even though
she only helps milk when Robert is pressed for time she
helps out feeding calves and doing other chores when ever
she can and as most farm wives do, runs for parts,
medicine and other farm necessities.
Caroll also finds tune for gardening, lawn care,
marketing, and of course, cooking. She freezes and jars
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fruits and vegetables too. The Kopfers have found doing
these “books” together, works best for them. “There is so
much you need to know in farming, today,” she com
mented, “and paper work is getting more and more in
volved.”
The crops raised by the Kopfers include' 300 acres of
corn with the rest planted in soybeans or small grains.
They employ one full time hired band and have a parttime
helper as well. They participate in an advisory council of
the Pennsylvania Fanners’ Association and both have or
are serving as chairman of a county committee of the
associations.
Presently Robert is chairman of the livestock com
mittee and Caroll has served as chairman of the Women’s
Committee. She has also served two years as Chairman of
the Berks County Expo Committee and served on tbf|
Dairy Princess Committee as well. '
Caroll has recently been involved with the National
Jamboree for Campfire Girls this summer. Over 700 girls
from as far away as Marne and Virginia attended this
jamboree held for the first tune at the Daniel Boone
Homestead, in Southern Berks County.
“It was very interesting working on the national level of
something,” Caroll explained, “instead of always being
on the local level.” To better prepare herself and be of
more service Caroll has also taken several courses in
camping.
She has also had training m CPR and first aid and has
served as a homeroom mother for the past seven years,
baking cupcakes and as Caroll put it, “what have you.” .
Caroll is also a collector, which is probably what got her
daughter interested in such hobbies. Caroll’s collections
include cookie cutters, antique measuring cups, and some
spoons, all of which are carefully decorated with some of
her craft creations or hung carefully and displayed
throughout her home.
The Kopfers are also members of St. Mary’s Catholic
Church, Kutztown. Caroll is active there, too. They have
spent 9 years with the Fleetwood Grange and also belong
to a fire company Caroll to the auxiliary, of course.
Being such a dedicated farm wife takes a great deal of
Caroll’s tune, but she finds it very rewarding.
“The farm is the best place I can think of for raismg
children,” she thoughtfully commented. “There is so
much diversity and just so much to offer,” >
It seems only natural that two such dedicated people as'*
Caroll and Robert Kopfer became farmers. Each can
probably appreciate how lucky they are to be able to farm
since neither was bom into it.
ter fan