A26 —Lancaster Farming, Saturday, January 30,1982
Lebanon dairy family expands for a homecoming
BY DONNA TOMMELLEO
LEBANON Robert and Edith
Bollinger’s Lebanon County dairy
sits along a narrow, winding road,
polished by layers of January ice.
But, several hundred visitors
braved the slick conditions on
Thursday and turned out to help
die Bollingers officially christen
their new bam, silos, 3,000 gallon
bulk tank and milking parlor.
The open house proved more
than a christening; it was a
homecoming, a celebration of
family.
Before the additions, the two
oldest Bollinger boys, Glenn and
Ron had married and left the farm
to pursue their own careers,
leaving their father and brother
Bruce to run the 60-head operation.
Glenn was employed as a tractor
mechanic for a local dealer while
Ron worked full-time for a propane
dealer and specialized in adapting
automobile engines to liquid
propane fuel.
But for the country-bom men
there was no place like home, and
they returned to their roots.
However, the dairy was too small
Their years of tractor ai autonx repair allow jniv
left, and Ron to work side by side in their own machinery
With the exception of a few dry cows, most of the old stall
barn remains empty until next Fall, when the Bollingers hope The 79-head herd has adjusted well to the foot tie-stall barn
to add another 60 milking cows. transitions, including the new 176 foot by 38
to support three families and after
two years of thought and much
discussion the majority of the
Bollinger family decided to ex
pand.
Edith admits that she was the
only hold out.
“As much as I was skeptical and
hesitant, the rest of the family was
the other way,” Edith recalls.
Her husband explains the ex
pansion was the only way to
provide enough work for the four
men.
“We needed to make a bigger
paycheck to pay the boys,” notes
Robert.
However, Edith says she enjoys
the simple pleasures of having
everyone home again.
“It’s still a joy to see them
coming in the back door or have
them meet you on the stairs,” she
says.
Before the farm’s face-lift, the
Bollingers milked in a 58-stall tie
stall bam. Without the luxury of an
around the bam pipeline, they
enlisted the use of dumping
stations and stored the milk in an
800-gallon bulk tank.
The Bollinger family break from their busy row - Ronald and wife Kathy, Edith and Robert;
schedule, outside their remodeled milk house, back row, Bruce, Glenn and wife Dawn.
The family from (eft to right includes; front
Their only silo, a 20 X 72 was
used for com silage. They baled all
of their hay and stored ear com in
a crib.
Today the Bollingers’ com
mercial Holstein herd consists of
79 cows, housed in the new 176 foot
tie stall bam. Kobert explains they
kept the tie-stall design, rather
than opting for a free-stall,
because they wanted to hand-feed
and devote individual attention to
each cow.
The dumping stations have given
way to a brand new double-six
herringbone parlor with automatic
take-offs. And what used to be a
two-man operation has evolved
into a one-man show, with 16-year
old Bruce as the pit’s sole- oc
cupant.
Happiest in the barn, 16-year-old Bruce says and returning to full-time work at the farm,
he’s looking forward to finishing high school
“I don’t think I know how to milk
the other way,” he jokes.
By next fall, the family hopes to
and more cows, increasing their
total to 134.
“At this point,” Edith notes,
“three families cannot live off of 79
cows.”
To help keep the farm operating,
Glenn and Ron operate a
machinery repair service for
neighboring farmers. Although the
men don’t advertise, their
reputation and low prices are
known by word of mouth.
“We have guys coining back,”
says Glenn. He estimates that last
year, they serviced almost 20
tractors during the winter months.
On Thursday, the large repair shed
was packed with tractors of all
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sizes and one combine.
In fact, the only indication the
repair business exists, hangs in the
bam. A cardboard sign tacked to a
door bears the Bollingers’ motto,
that Glenn explains, applies not
only to repair work but all tasks
“Quality is a must, not a maybe.”
Their repair work is not confined
to the four walls in the shed, either.
During warmer weather, Glenn
makes his share of road calls.
The Bollingers are no strangers
to custom farming. While Robert
farms cash-crop for a neighbor,
Glenn hops aboard a combine to
tacklesmall ' grains; .com, and
soybean for customers. When
needed, Ron occassionally picks up
{Turn to Page A 27)
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