A24—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, November 26,1963
Fourth generation
Farming
(Continued from Page A 22)
to be too much work for just Paul
and Emma. Their third daughter,
Patti, is eight-years-old.
“We slowed down so we didn’t
have to quit fanning,” Paul said.
His farm now houses 80 Holstein
heifers, which are sold as
replacement heifers. Paul can
remember when his grandfather
had 12 cows, and that was con
sidered an average herd size.
Another difference is the way
Paul farms the land.
“Conservation change is the
biggest difference,’’ Paul said.
He explained that the land has
been contoured since about 1940,
but he included waterways and
terraces in 1970. The farm now has
a pond, located adjacent to the
house, which catches all of the
runoff water. This prevents
pollution from the farm from
running into nearby rivers and
streams.
“Very little soil leaves the place
now,” Paul said.
Another new addition are the
solar panels located atop the front
porch roof. Hardly visible at first,
they are proof that the farm has
WASHINGTON BORO For the located in Manor Township,
past 101 years, a small farm southeast Lancaster County, has
Elizabeth Shearer displays a water pump, an original
structure on the farm which was established in 1840.
tradition
kept up with the times.
Not all of the changes have been
physical alterations. Some have
affected people.
“Farm women have to work
harder than they ever did,” Emma
said. “Years ago, we could afford
to hire a hired hand more than we
can now.”
But while some changes have
been necessary, a feel of per
manence pervades the farm.
When the farm was originally
purchased it had 82 acres, it still
boasts the same amount today.
The grape arbor has also
remained, as has the “summer
house,” which is now being used
for storage.
The original part of the home
built in 1830, before it belonged to
the Krantz family, still stands,
however, additions have been
made.
Will the fifth generation continue
the farming tradition, adapting the
farm to changes that may take
place in the future?
The question remains unan
swered as Paul states firmly, “I
haven’t said I’m ready to quit yet.”
Farm remains
cmma ai. . represent - generation to live on the Krantz farm,
located off Bunker Hill Road, Strasburg. Their daughter, Patti, eight-years-old, thinks
she may enjoy farming when she gets older.
The Krantz homestead is nestled in a picturesque valley in Strasburg, Lancaster County.
The farm pond catches almost all the runoff, preventing pollution from the farm from
running into nearby streams and rivers.
in family name 101 years
been the home for descendants of
the Jacob Hershey family.
Now owned by Clarence Shearer
Jr. and his wife, Grace, the farm
has been the homestead for six
generations of the Hershey family.
A seventh generation of the Her
sheys has been born, and as Grace
pointed out, the farm has the
possibility of continuing in the
family name.
The parents of four girls and one
son, Grace and Clarence said they
hope their son, Rich, will follow in
the family footsteps. Rich, 18, is
married as are his sisters Bonnie,
26, Vickie, 24, and Jane, 21. All
four are parents - the children
representing the seventh
generation. Daughter Pam, 14, is
the youngest and is still in high
school.
The history of the Hershey
owned farm had its beginning in
1882 when Jacob bought the farm
from his mother. Raised on the
farm which was originally
established in 1840, Jacob farmed
the 32 acres located along Anchor
Road in Washington Boro until he
sold the land to his son, Eusebius.
Following the footsteps of his
father, Eusebius remained on the
farm, but in addition to working
the land he also taught school.
Eusebius graduated from
Millersville State College with a
degree in education and taught at a
little schoolhouse, Spring Valley
School, which was down the road
from the farm.
Eusebius, the father of two, sold
the farm to his son Harry. Harry
also farmed the land, sharing the
responsibilities with his wife and
daughter, Elizabeth, who
currently lives on the farm with
her son Clarence and his wife and
family.
Representing the fourth
generation of Hersheys to own the
farm, Elizabeth farmed with her
parents after completing the
eleventh grade of high school.
Married to the former Clarence
Shearer, Elizabeth said she
decided to settle on the farm with
her parents and help them. This
was during the Depression era.
“At that time,” Elizabeth said,
“we raised just com, tobacco,
wheat and hay. We had milking
cows at one time which we milked
by hand.”
Elizabeth said she enjoyed
Charles farm
(Continued from Page A 22)
great grandfather - married a
neighbor girl and came to this
farm.
“The Charles’ holdings later
grew to more than 500 acres in the
area.
“The family came from Swit
zerland in 1734 and stayed for a
time in Germantown. They came
to Lancaster in 1742 and the patent
from the Penn family on the
original homestead dates back to
1752.”
Dorothy goes on to read about
Jacob Charles, the son of im
migrant Henry Charles who
married the neighbor Neff girl
growing up on the farm and
wouldn’t have stayed if she didn’t
like it. Her sincerety towards
fanning was passed on to her son,
Clarence, who now enjoys living on
(Turn to Page A 25)
andcame to the farm across the
road which they now work as the
sixth generation.
“His physical stature was large.
“His mental equipment was in
good order.
“And in his last year - the 98th of
a long and productive life - he still
walked the 14 miles to and from
Lancaster.”
With a start on the farm like
that, it’s no wonder that it heads
this year’s Century Farms.
Now it makes me wonder if
Jacob dug the original well that
still serves the farm.
If so, his legacy continues to flow
on.