B2—Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, March 12,1983 Young Cooperators Couple By Beth Hemmlnger Staff Correspondent When it comes to honors, Stanley and Janice Burkholder have a trunk full. The Burkholders are this year’s Maryland and Virginia Young Cooperators and the first vice president of the organization. But according to the young cooperator couple, this didn’t happen over night. “It first started,” said Janice, “When we were encouraged to enter the competition by our family, friends and our co-op.” Once the decision was made to enter, Stanley and Janice had to fill our numerous forms about the improvements they had done on the farm, as well as their par ticipation in community activities. They were judged on this material and a 10-to 15-minute interview and impromtu questions asked by the judges during the Young Cooperative Convention. At the Young Cooperator con vention last June, Stanley and Janice - along with many other couples from Maryland and Virginia, and couples from In terstate, Capital, and Dairymen - competed within their own co-op for the award. The most enjoyable part of the convention for this couple, they said, was the interaction with other young fanning couples who are facing the same problems and concerns. Janice remarked, "We have learned so much about out milk cooperative in the past year, it is mind boggling, and, "she added, "very beneficial for us. The young cooperative program is a learning experience in every way.” A portion of this learmng ex perience has come from attending the Maryland-Virgima Board of Directors meetings. This is a responsibility the Young Cooperative couple attained upon * 5r This year's Young Cooperators of Maryland-Virginia Co-op and recently elected first vice-president of the National Young Cooperator Organization, are Stanley and Janice Burkholder of Chambersburg with their children Janell and Clinton. winning the award. Since June, Stanley and Janice have been traveling once a month to the Maryland-Virginia main office in Arlington, Virginia and par ticipating in the meetings. And Janice remarked,“We were made to feel a welcome part of the group.” •Stanley and Janice have both noted that from these meetings they have learned the intricate working of a co-op. “We realize the boundaries the board works within and the problems faced by them,” Janice said. Janice said she is happy that this year there has been an em phasis placed on couple in volvement in the program and that she has learned a great deal about the financial aspects of a co-op which has helped her in her responsibilities at home as the bookkeeper. Stanley added, “I am glad Jamce is at the board meetings with me because she can learn more by being there. She knows as much about our farming business as 1 do and should be involved in everything pertaining to our business. Stanley further remarked that, at these meetmgs, everyone learns how strong or how weak his/her cooperative is. And he em phasized, “I am glad to know Mary land-Virginia is very strong.” As the young cooperators of Maryland-Virgmia, the Burkholders have been invited to many cooperative banquets to tell about their experiences as young cooperators and encourage other young farming couples between the ages of 18 and 35 to enter the competition. Along with their speaking engagements, another major responsibility Stanley and Janice tackled was to attend the National Milk Producers Federation con- tl Jy i #*l i -jm. % I# < i Here's is a cow’s eye view of the Burkholder Farm owned by Stanley and Janice Burkholder, in Chambersburg Franklin County. Currently, Stanley farms in partnership with his father. Ufamestead tA/ctes vention representing their co-op. At this convention, the Cham bersburg ' farming couple was elected the first vice-president of the National Young Cooperator Organization. With this nomination the couple will represent the entire southeastern area of the United States on the national planning board for the Young Cooperators. It is quite unusual for a freshman couple to be elected into this of ficial capacity immediately under the president according to the Federation. "However, said Janice, "we were encouraged to run for the office by Maryland-Virgmia and they were very proud when we won. Usually the officials of the organization are elected during their second year attending the National Milk Convention.” Janice added, “Our experience at the National Milk Convention was definitely a learning and enjoyable one. We are grateful that we had the opportunity to work with young dairymen from numerous cooperatives around the United States. Now we can com municate with all the other cooperatives that we have met at the convention and work together to solve problems such as support pricing.” Stanley and Janice have developed lasting friendships with young couples in the program. The couple’s responsibilities didn’t end at the convention, however. They are presently planning the program for the Young Cooperators contest that will be held in Arlington, this year. Janice remarked, "We are looking forward to afT exciting, fun-filled three days for the competitors of this year’s competition.” This young couple is in a 50 percent partnership operation with Stanley’s parents. The partnership was developed in 1972 with Stanley and Jamce earns honors together owning half interest in the cattle and machinery. At that time, the father and son team fanned 250 acres, of which the partnership owned 100 acres. Then in 1979, the Burkholder partnership purchased a second farm of 90 acres. Stanley stated that over the years his father has slowly stepped out of the management role giving him the opportunity to gradually learn all he needed to about operating a successful business. Last year, Stanley and Jamce purchased the farm where they live and Jamce took over the Chester, Ladies Pay Out program GUTHRIESVILLE - Members of the Chester/Delaware Farmer’s Association will hold its annual spring banquet at the Guthriesville Fire Hall, on Tuesday, March 22, at 7 p.m. Richard Breckbill, Oxford, Chairman, said that legislators and local officials have beeen invited to attend. Carl Riehl, Russellville, a 15-year-old prodigy, will provide the entertainment on •nuliu and piano. Farmer’s Association members and others wanting to attend should make reservations by next Saturday by calling Association Directors. The Chester/Delaware Far mer’s Association is affiliated with the Pennsylvania Farmer’s Association and the American Farm Bureau Federation. Its local, state and national policy is bookkeeping responsibilities for the partnership. Stanley said that he is glad Janice was the business bookkeeper because of the time and know-how involved in that step of the business. Janice added that she enjoys every minute of it and is happy to be a real working member of the partnership. Since the partnership began, Stanley and Janice have increased the herd from 65 milking head to 130 with a 100 percent registered herd and nearly 100 head of replacement heifers. The part nership is now farming 400 acres. Other changes at the Burkholder farm have been the recent in stallation of a computerized feeding system with a screen located in the office area where the feeding process can be monitored at all tunes. The Burkholders are field testing their system and report that the overall results have been good. Stanley said he feels the computerized feeding system is a benefit to any farmer who wants to get the most out of us feed for each individual animal. The Burkholders’ two children, Janell, 9, and Clinton, 7, are also eager to get into the farming business on a small scale by joining a local 4-H diary club in a year or two. Pelaware plan developed from the grass roots through kitchen conferences, policy development meetings and the adoption of policy at county, state and national meetings. Among state policy recom mendations are: (1) that state owned land be considered for tome waste disposal before private property; (2) that local municipalities and PennDOT be compelled to divert road runoff according to SCS recom mendations in order to avoid erosion and/or crop damage; (3) that we oppose the designation of streams, rivers, lakes and wilderness areas for wiid and scenic areas; (4) that articles in magazines and documentaries on T.V. against pesticides be documented with proof rather than opinion; and (5) that the im portance of agriculture be taught in the elementary grades. * i „ » *•>%>' *"* t ~ iv" ”, /• x _
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