B2—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 20,1984 Carol Dreisboch credits family, Jersey cows for her success BY ROBIN PHILLIPS Staff Correspondent HAMBURG It was just about a decade ago that Jersey cows and Jersey farms were “few and far between.” Jersey dames were scattered and few dairymen thought of milking Jerseys in their quest for more milk. Today it is not uncommon to see Jersey cows scattered into Holstein herds. Jersey dairies are also increasing due to the extra dividends available for higher solids, protein, and butterfat. With the current industry problems, "more is not better” anymore and the Jersey cow is often sought as a solution. It is the Jersey cow, her family’s Jersey dairy, and the continued support of a “very dairy” oriented family, that Carol Dreisbach credits for many of the achievements in her life. Carol is the 17-year-old daughter of Dr. Robert and Helene Dreisbach, of R 3 Hamburg. Like the Jersey cow, Carol is blossoming. “When we started with Jerseys, it was unique” Carol says of the start of Wilderness Jerseys "We'd get razzed; people would look down their noses, but we’d always do well with them and it would make the Jerseys look good.” The Jerseys at Longmeadows Farm are not the only ones that look good. Carol is the 1984 Penn sylvania State Jersey Queen. She was the second-place finisher in the 1984 Junior Dairymen Contest in Timomum, Md., (She was third with one of her favorite heifers, Cupid. Cupid was due to freshen on the dayof the interview and had to be checked repeatedly for any progress. Carol showed Cupid in the state junior show last month. Carol enjoys ting half of the milking on Longmeadows Farm. The cows know her and seem to enjoy her company. place in 1983) and a member of the Berks County Dairy Bowl team that won state honors and finished the year in 1982 as second place in the national contest. A veteran 4-Her and FFA member, Carol divides her time between chores at home, 4-H, FFA, County Council, National Honor Society, the Pennsylvania Junior Jersey Club, and the Hamburg Area High School Band She also raises pigs, utilizing the “dump milk” on the farm, and competes in local, state, and national production contests with her homebred animals. “I make a lot of friends,’ she says with a smile. “I enjoyed meeting all the dairy queens across the state,” she adds, referring to her travels as Penn sylvania Jersey Queen. Her duties include handing out ribbons at shows, and promoting Jersey milk and cheese at many displays set up throughout the state. This past summer she was able to attend 12 shows and still found time to show her own animals, a few of her sister, Patty’s cows, and also to help with chores at home. At home, Carol is a vital link in the daily operations of Longmeadows Farm. She and her mother, Helene, divide all milking duties for the 67 head of registered Jerseys, and help with the field work whenever needed. Carol confesses that she spends much of her time caring for her animals, helping at home, or working on dairy related activites. Carol keeps up to date on the records of her own 12 cows as well as those of the rest of the herd. “I look mostly for fat," she says. “I like high solids in my cows.” But, she adds, she has an ad ditional advantage here too, with an older sister who has paved the way. "It’s mostly everything that she’s interested in, Pm interested in too It’s like she set the precedent,” Carol states. Carol’s older sister is Patricia, known throughout the county and state as Patty. The 1983 Penn sylvania State Jersey Queen, Patty entered the national contest and was the first Pennsylvania girl to achieve the National Jersey Jug Queen title. She also won the 1983 Junior Dairyman Contest and was many times grand champion showman with her own homebred Jerseys. Patty left to begin her Carol won many trophies and ribbons in her 4-H career, but says it was the friends that she made who mean the most to her. college career in Virginia this fall.' 1 "I look up to her,” Carol says proudly, and adds that she learned a lot from her older sister. On Nov. 3, Carol and Patty will travel to Louisville, Ky. where Carol will represent Pennsylvania in the National Jersey Jug Contest. What are her hopes to suc ceeding her older sister for the title 9 “Pm really nervous," Carol states, but adds that the outcome is not as important as 'meeting new friends and having a terrific time” in Kentucky. According to Carol, being the state Jersey queen is easy because Jerseys and Jersey milk are so easy to promote. "With the emphasis that people are putting on economics these days, it was easier to promote Jerseys this year. People are becoming more interested in higher solids milk, more money per hundredweight, and lower management costs,” Carol adds. A senior at Hamburg Area High School, Carol looks forward to ‘doing something agricultural.” Vhtnes(ead « A/cies She has enrolled at Penn State and will be majoring in ag science. "I'd also like to be involved in an ex change program,” she adds. "It’s something I’ve always wanted to do.” "It was unique being a Jersey queen,” Carol concludes. "When people think dairy, it’s usually Holstein.” She also says that by helping with the chores at home, "I learned a lot about economics and efficiency.” With her Jerseys and all these experiences behind her and many more to look forward to, Carol has developed a lasting philosophy. "It seems like you are the un derdog when you have Jerseys But, if you enjoy what you are doing, and doing a good job, people take a second look." Even though not everyone can have Jersey milk available to use, Carol urges everybody to drink a lot of milk and use real dairy products. She also says that cheese and ice cream are some of her (Turn to Page B 4)
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