Brother, sister continue family’s farming tradition STRASBURG - It hasn’t been easy for the Bishops to reach the century mark on the family farm in Strasburg Township. But George Bishop and his sister, Harriet B. Herr, have passed the 100-year level of ownership as the third generation on the farm. “We bought the farm from the estate in 1964,” Bishop explained. “It was just as tough back then to get a mortgage as it is now We had to go to Berks County to get financing.” But their persistence to keep the farm in the family name paid off as they were among those honored Thursday night. The farm was bought m March, 1878, by William Steacy from a Martin Herr. Steacy lived m the well known sandstone house in Strasburg Borough and also originally owned the land on Century Farm award winner Lallc,ster s,t " nl,y - *• 1988 ~ C25 which the Historic Strasburg now stands. A bachelor, Steacy, died that same year and the farm moved to his nephew, William Bishop, grandfather of the present owners. William Bishop had come to Lancaster County from Snowhill, Md. to escape the Civil War. His father had been a Methodist minister, ■><% p stand in front of massive bookcase that pre-dates their century-old farm. serving in both Philadelphia and Columbia. George Bishop has lived his entire 66 years on the farm His sister Harriet Herr returned to the farm m 1959. Harriet is a retired school teacher with 20 years service in Pennsylvania and 14 in Newark, Del. She was an elementary teacher in Donegal, Strasburg Township and Paradise, retiring in 1973. Totaling some 75 acres, the Bishop farm has been a diversified operation over the years. George recalls hand-milking up to 1959, operating a butter and egg route and raising hogs and cattle. Presently, Bishop feeds cattle to about 600 pounds before they are finished oi cpwhere Some 300 ducks FFA Awards Jay Bomgardner, left, son of Ann Bomgardner, Annville, Lebanon County, receives his American Farmer Degree in ceremonies at the National FFA convention in Kansas City. keep them quite busy, particularly at this tune of the year. Bishop also has raised hunting dogs for about the past half-century. Brother and sister are continuing a family farming tradition started over a century ago by grandfather William Bishop, who served for some 50 years as a township school director and as a road viewer for Lan caster County.
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