A2B—Lancaster Pennine, Saturday, November 21,1981 ••• 1 • Century Farm families mix history Progress is a way of life on 160-year-old Frey dairy farm BY DONNA TOMMELLEO lnc lnc ’ludes more than 950 acres bucked ti out and a brand new CONESTOGA Jacob Frey F leven upright silos stand like location In 1370, aided by a acquired the 180-acre farm in 1820 sentinels to hail farm visitors. And bulldozer, a winch and dolly but the family still has deeds that where once a tew cows and wheels, the Frey homestead was date back to William Penn’s son were housed, the Frey Farm now moved a tew hundred yards to Charles Today, five generations maintains more than 600 head of make way tor more processing later, the small general farm has milking Holstein and 500 head ot room lor the milk plant expanded and expanded and ex- young stock We even got some ot the panded. The original barn has long since crooked floors straightened out,” In fact, if Jacob Frey was still departed and a second barn built in said Frey Dairy Farm president alive, he’d be hard pressed to 1827 was recently torn down to Jay Frey, Jacob Frey’s great recognize the old homestead, way tor tree stalls The only great-grandson which is home for Turkey Hill structure Jacob Frey might A second house, attached t<r the dairy products, complete with recognize is the farmhouse, itself original farmhouse was also processing plant' But even that’s changed The moved a short distance in 1883 Today the Frey Dairy Farm, orginal log house sports a new However, this move occured too This three-story house was attached to the from its foundation and moved several yards original farmhouse but in 1883 it was hoisted via logs and a team of horses. BY DICK ANGLESTEIN MOUNT JOY - Surrounded by history, the Century Farm of the John H. Hershey family is stepping into the future with the same pride and foresight that has marked its past. Located along Airport Road, southwest of Mount Joy, the 77- acre farm is now in its fifth generation of Hershey operation with John and his wife, Mabel. And already, a representative of the sixth generation, son Brent, 20, is becoming involved in the operation of the combined beef and poultry agricultural enterprise In the involvement of the sixth generation lies one of the positive steps toward the future of the farm that has been in the family since 1861 “We’re about to start grinding and mixing our own poultry feed,’’ John Hershey explains “We grow quite a bit of corn and we’ll buy the concentrates and a formulation service i “This is the only way farming can go in the future to survive Farmers must be able to directly control as many phases of their operation as they can, especially the costs ” John and his brother, Harry, are partners in a 110,000 layer operation Brent and Harry’s son will be handling the grinding and mixing of the feed in the facilities erected on John’s farm But the on-farm grinding and mixing of the feed is only one example of how the Hershey family has looked to the future Back in 1968, John’s late father, Harry, was concerned about saving the land for future generations long before farmland preservation became fashionable “The adjacent airport (the Manetta-Elizabethtown facility) needed some extra ground to Hershey farm lengthen the runway in order to reopen,” John explains “But my father had it written into the agreement of sale for two and one-half acres that if the land was ever used for anything but an airport, the owners, of the farm had first chance to buy back the land.” This unique combination of an histone past moving into a modem future is most evident in the stately stone farmhouse, which dates to the 1700’s. The interior is com fortably and tastefully refur bished, but the renovations have been done to retain as much as possible of the original authentic decor “We’ve kept such things as the ornate woodwork, deep win dowsills, ahd comer cupboard intact,” Mrs. Hershey said “Along with original fireplaces, we even still have two humble doorways ” Humble doorways are those original low passageways in which persons must stoop to walk through Other historical features include such things as a small window next to the door facing the bam Sup posedly, the window was designed small so that the owners originally could look out to watch the farm workers, but they couldn’t look back in as easily The original sheepskin deed dated 1736 shows the land was parceled out of the grant to the Penn brothers John’s great, great grandfather, Isaac, acquired it in 1861 out of the Abratn Engle tract And there are uniquely family traditions associated with the farmhouse One of the upper rooms had been used by ancestors when children were born for their dedication to The Lord , Oc casionally, the Hersheys get visits (Turn to Page A iS) a proud past steps into future John and Mable Hershey stand in front of the family for 120 years beautiful stone rmhouse which has been in jnoramic view jws stately stone far- poultry house on farm of John Hershey family, mhouse, barn and beef feedlot area and southwest of Mount Joy. early to take advantage ot modern Up until the depression, the farm technology and horses and logs* continued to be a non-specific were enlisted loi the process. operation. Jhlowever, Jay Frey’s And subsequent innovatiyy lather Armor bought five milk changes have helped shape the cows in 19JI, loaded 40 quarts of present Fiey Farm. . . ‘ (Turn to Page A 34) Jay Frey, the fifth generation Frey on th 6 Conestoga farm, escorts his mother Mary into 160-year-old farm house. The brick front covers the original log structure but the wooden door has remained since the early 1800 s.
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