BY DONNA McCONAUGHEY
Staff Correspondent
LEBANON - Paving the way,
setting the pace, trying something
new. That is what Melanie Bow’s 4-
H involvement has meant to her.
Whether or not she wanted it that
way is debatable, but Melanie has
never backed down from a
challenge. She is a very in
dependent hard-working "go
getter.”
Melanie has been involved in a
variety of 4-H projects and ac
tivities. Her primary emphasis has
been on her sheep project. Melanie
currently has a flock of Suffolk
sheep which she shows in county,
state, and national shows.
Melanie grew up on a Lebanon
County farm which included a
flock of sheep. However, Melanie
introduced Suffolks to the flock.
Although she has been working
with sheep since she was old
enough to go to the bam, her
parents credit Melanie herself with
the expertise she has developed.
Heather Hernley’s Ayrshire herd now consists of 17
head, several of which have claimed state awards.
judging experience leads Don Welk
4-H
BY SALLY BAIR
Staff Correspondent
STRASBURG - For Don Welk,
Jr. the seven years he spent as a 4-
H member in Lancaster County
have offered a good learning ex
perience. “I gained a lot of dif
ferent ideas,’ ’ he says.
The son of Mr. and Mrs. Donald
H. Welk, R 2 Strasburg, Don says
he joined 4-H because the family
buys and sells registered
Holsteins, and he was interested in
showing. Furthermore, his
grandfather was a 4-H leader, so it
seemed natural for him to become
a member.
He remembers that he had the
good fortune of being able to take
his first 4-H calf all the way to the
All-American Dairy Show in
Harrisburg. ‘ I had a pretty good
calf and did well at the local and
district shows.” However, he was
third from the bottom at the huge*
show, but says it didn’t discourage
him. He was simply proud to have
gone so far.
Don is still going to the All-
American Dairy Show, and this
year had the privilege of par
ticipating in the judging contest.
Don was a member of the 4-H dairy
team from Lancaster County
which placed first in the state. The
team was second at Harrisburg,
out of 16 national teams, and Don
Melanie Bow inspires others with her enthusiasm
Melanie’s parents, Mr. and Mrs.
Ben Bow, hold a philosophy of
letting the kids do their own work.
Thus Melanie has learned how to
manage, sell, fit and show sheep on
her own from the very beginning.
Melanie has slowly and pain
stakingly made her place in the
Suffolk sheep breed. This has in
cluded many years of hard work.
She has learned a lot of things the
hard way but has always tried to
learn from her mistakes.
One of the highlights of
Melanie’s 4-H career was
exhibiting the grand champion at
the Lebanon County Fair in 1984.
Melanie had always dreamed of
winning the show with a homebred
lamb. That year she placed the
goal before her and did everything
possible to succeed.
Much time was required in
addition to selecting a lamb from
her spring lamb crop that had the
genetic potential to go all the way.
Melanie took her lambs on daily
walks, managed their feeding
was 15th high individual, as well as
second in the Jersey breed.
Last year'he judged in the same
show as a member of the FFA
team, and they placed second in
that national contest.
Judging has been a valuable part
of his 4-H experience. Don says,
“In practicing for the judging
team I got to see more cattle. It
helped me gain leadership by
learning public speaking in giving
oral reasons. We started in May
and practiced (nice a week until
August, so we saw a lot of cows.”
Don says he has owned about 12
cows throughout his 4-H career,
although now he owns only eight.
He leases a few of the cows to
farmers, and through this prac
tice, he has made some money on
his projects.
Although he enjoys showing, he
says there are times when he
wonders if the hard work is worth
it. But when he does well, he says
he can see that it is.
A member of the Lancaster
County Dairy Club, he has served
as president, vice-president,
secretary and game leader. He
also served on County Council and
was its treasurer for two years.
Because of his good records on the
blue form, he earned a scholarship
provided by the Lancaster County
Bankers Association.
program carefully, and even
devised specific exercises to
strengthen the lower leg muscles
on her lamb. The end result was
just what she had hoped for.
In addition, Melanie took her
goal one step further and showed
her lamb at the Farm Show. This
proved to be another challenge as
she readjusted the feeding and
exercise program. She worked
daily to be sure the right amount of
finish would be on her lamb, and
even worked with a professional
fitter to improve her trimming
techniques for the more difficult
show. Again her hard work paid off
when she placed second in her
class.
Melanie has never been one to
take the easy way out. In fact, she
will accept many challenges. She
is now beginning to reap the
benefits of her 4-H work in a more
general way. Melanie is the 1985
Pennsylvania 4-H Sheep Winner.
This award and the Outstanding
Pennsylvania 4-H Livestock
Producer Award, which she will
receive later this year, represent
firsts for Lebanon County. Melanie
is only the third Lebanon County 4-
H’er to win a state 4-H award in
any aspect of agriculture.
By being first to lead the way,
Melanie is setting an example for
other Lebanon County 4-H’ers to
follow. She is also encouraging
them to do as she has done.
Melanie is able to convince them
that the rewards are worth the
investment.
Melanie is not afraid to be first,
to try something new, to set high
standards. By doing this she in
spires others to do the same.
plans to encourage others
BY DONNA McCONAUGHEY
Staff Correspondent
LEBANON - “It’s really neat,
not everyone knows how it feels.”
That is Heather Hernley’s
description of what it is like to be
involved in the 4-H dairy program.
Heather is an Ayrshire breeder
from northern Lebanon County.
She has been awarded many
honors in both 4-H and FFA but one
of the most important has been the
Outstanding Pennsylvania Ayr
shire Girl award. Heather has
4-H helped Don decide to study
dairy production in college. Now a
freshman at the York Campus of
Penn State, Don is looking forward
to studying at main campus. “I
would like to have a milking herd
of Registered Holsteins,” he notes.
4-H has helped Don Welk decide to pursue a career in dairy
production.
Supplement to Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 5,1985-
Melanie Bow's sheep projects have been an important part
her 4-H experience.
Outstanding Ayrshire Girl
received this honor twice and has
placed second in national com
petition.
Currently finishing her last year
in 4-H, Heather has exhibited
many champions at county,
district, and state shows. Her
winnings have included the
champion at the Farm Show and a
second place at the All-American
in a class of 32 junior calves.
Heather brought the first Ayr
shire into her father's Holstein
herd. Eventually their herd has
into dairy career
He hopes having a herd is in his
future, but says if that doesn't
work out he will go into an ag
related field. He believes the
future of agriculture will be good,
but adds that the skills and con
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become integrated as a result of 4-
H and FFA projects. Currently,
she owns 17 registered Ayrshires
and is very active on the family
farm.
In addition to claiming awards
on the tanbark, Heather’s herd has
won state butterfat and production
awards. She has received other
honors in FFA for Proficiency and
Dairy Herd Project Books, has
held a state office and received the
Keystone Farmer Degree.
Heather proves her ability in all
around dairy knowledge by
competing in dairy bowl com
petition all the way to the national
level.
As Heather reflects on her 4-H
experience, she is quick to credit
her family with giving her support
throughout the years.
Her father has been a 4-H leader
for 19 years and her mother un
dertakes the critical task of
“holding down the fort when we
are showing.”
“As I look back over the years
there were times when I know
funds were low, yet somehow my
parents found what was necessary
for me to continue to move along. I
don’t know where it came from,”
notes Heather. That determination
and encouragement by the whole
family has given Heather the
support to excel in the dairy in
dustry.
Heather also praises the Penn
sylvania Aryshire Breeders
Association for pushing her along.
They have encouraged her to move
beyond the county and state levels
to national competition.
As she faces the end of her last
year in 4-H, Heather looks to the
future. She also hopes to remain
involved in 4-H by serving in a
leadership role.
“Now-a-days everyone is
waiting to be asked to do
something-why not just volunteer.
The Lord gave me this experience
to use-not just forget.” She plans
to encourage others aS she was
encouraged.
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