Farm vacation host Mies shore knowledge income supplement with other formers seeking BY MAR Y MAXWELL Staff Correspondent STATE COLLEGE - It isn’t often that those who run a suc cessful business are willing to share their secrets of success with potential competitors. But that’s what happened at a recent meeting of the Pennsylvania Farm Vacation Association in the typical farmers-cooperating-with-farmers spirit. Farm Vacation host families are eager to have other farm families experience what they describe as “terrific.” They invited prospective farm vacation host families to come to their spring meeting held at the South Ridge Motor Inn. Members with extensive ex perience - 36 years in the case of Lucy and Jane Gangloff - provided valuable information to others who were looking for a supplement to farm income. Several women found that it was the ideal part-time job. They could stay at home and do what they do best-provide good meals and comfortable lodging for guests. “It works well for a mother with children at home,’’ reported Joyce Renshaw who operates Rennell Farm. “We used to all go hiking and swimming with the guests when the children were at home. But now I send a Sullivan County vacation brochure with the reservation confirmation and expect guests to plan their own days.” Prospective hosts had questions about the amount of time hosting guests would require. If there are not children at home to help with laundry, cleaning and cooking, veteran members suggested hiring a teenager to help. Some host families want to be involved with their guests throughout the day. Others, par ticularly those in the southeast comer of the state, find guests like Volunteers study farm accident rescue techniques BY MARY MAXWELL Staff Correspondent UNIVERSITY PARK - Sixty Pennsylvania emergency care and rescue volunteers will be better able to handle farm accidents because of a four-day training course. When they return to their hometowns, they will know rescue techniques which prevent further injury to farm accident victims while preventing injury to the rescuer. Course instructors Dennis Murphy, Agricultural Extension safety specialist and David Lind strom, director of Penn State’s Office of Emergency Medical Services, combine their ex perience and knowledge to make rescue effective and safe. Murphy and Lindstrom use a varied format of instruction: video tape presentations (“We can’t dismantle farm equipment at every workshop,” says Murphy), graphics to point out rescue techniques, workbooks, and hands on experience with farm equip ment. Last Saturday the course focused on tractor accidents. Participants first studied tapes on tractor operations, tractor over turns and PTO accidents, then they operated tractors to develop familiarity with those machines. On Sunday the group again viewed tapes, now on rescue techniques involving conventional balers, large round balers and silage wagons. In the afternoon the participants examined that equipment with the instructors to reinforce learning from the video tapes. The rescue volunteers will to be on their own but appreciate a quiet, rural home to come back to after a day of sightseeing. The flexibility of the operation appealed to many. “Even though we’re open year-round,” said Alberetta Wanner who lives with her family on a 245-acre dairy farm, “July and August are our busy months and again during the hunting season here in Tioga County. That suits us.” Joseph Cardenuto, representing Penn State’s Department of Agriculture Economics and Rural Sociology, co-sponsor of the workship with the Farm Vacation Association, discussed advertising with the group. Steve Williams, photographer for Ag Communication on the campus, showed how a good pic ture in the Pennsylvania Farm Vacation Directory can promote business. He was followed by Sam Wasson, an insurance agent. Wasson urged old and new group members to re evaluate their insurance coverage. He believes a farm owner’s policy without special endorsements or a farm owner’s comprehensive personal liability policy are not adequate. Because of liability concerns, the audience agreed that they would be less likely to invite guests to help with farm work when it in volves potentially hazardous equipment. This was a change from a farm vacation tradition ef involving guests in all aspects of farm life. New families asked how to handle problems and Cardenuto suggested that hosts, “Spell out acceptable and unacceptable behavior as soon as the guests arrive. Tell them about the electric fences, which animals can be approached and which can not. If an agreement is reached right away, then you will just need to remind them later.” return to the Penn State campus on pass all examinations will be April 19th for two more days of in- certified as agricultural rescue class instruction and field ex- technicians by the Pennsylvania perience. At that time they will Department of Health as part of study rescue techniques for ac- the state’s comprehensive rescue cidents involving manure storage, certification program. These grain bins, silos, compickers and rescue volunteers will join others combines. trained in the past nine years to Participants who successfully help Pennsylvania farm accident victims. Mike Koon, equipment instructor and director of Seven Mountains Emergency Medical Services points out features on a round baler that hinder rescue operations. Association members reported very few guests they would not invite back. Many reported becoming warm friends with guest families. “We’ve been invited by our guests to visit Long Island and Florida,” said one participant. “We think of it as our vacation too,” said another Association member. “The whole family looks forward to having visitors from maybe the state of Washington one week and then from Japan the next. It’s rewarding and educational for us as well as our guests.” Others saw benefits for the agricultural community, as well. Non-farm guests see how un certain farm life is. What happens when there’s too much rain or not enough. “I know this summer, particularly, there will be lots of discussion at the supper table with guests about farm problems,” speculated a dairy farmer host. The group urged families thinking about becoming farm vacation hosts to join the Association. Not only does it provide advertising for members but an evaluation when a team visits newly-established host farms to help forsee problems or sooth anxiety about the new venture. This on-the-farm consultation occurs before a farm vacation site is listed in the annual directory. The Association’s current direc tory is available free from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, 2301 North Cameron Street, Harrisburg, PA 17110. “Pennsylvania farm families are fortunate to be located where they are”, said Cardenuto. “They have lovely, peaceful farms located within easy traveling distance of major urban areas. Farm vacations is a good business to get into.’’ g See your INEW HOLLAfSD Dealer for Dependable Equipment and Dependable Service: Annville, PA B H M Farm Equipment, Inc RD 1 717-867 2211 Beavertown, PA B&R Farm Equipment, Inc RD 1, 80x217A 717-658-7024 Belleville. PA IvanJ Zook Farm Equipment Belleville, Pa 717-935 2948 Carlisle, PA Paul Shovers, Inc 35 East Willow Street 717-243-2686 Chambersburg, PA Clugston Implement Inc RD 1 717 263 4103 Oavidsburg, PA George N Gross, Inc R D 2, Dover, PA 717 292 1673 'Elizabethtown, PA Messick Farm Equipment Inc Rt 283 Rheem's Exit 717 367 1319 Everett, PA C Paul Ford & Son RD 1 814 652 2051 Gettysburg, PA Yinglmg Implements RD 9 717 359 4848 Greencastle, PA Meyers Implement’s Inc 400 N Antrim Way P 0 Box 97 717 597 2176 Grove City, PA McDowell Farm Implement Co Rt 173 North 814-786 7955 Halifax, PA Sweigard Bros R D 3, Box 13 717-896-3414 Hamburg, PA Shartlesville Farm Service RD 1 80x1392 215-488 1025 Honey Brook, PA Dependable Motor Co East Mam Street 215 273-3131 215 273 3737 Honey Grove, PA Norman D Clark & Son, Inc Honey Grove PA 717 734 3682 Hughesville, PA Farnsworth Farm Supplies, Inc 103 Cemetery Street 717 584 2106 Lancaster, PA L H Brubaker Inc 350 Strasburg Pike 717 397 5179 Lebanon, PA Keller Bros Tractor Co R D 7 Box 405 717 949 6501 'JOBiC VHRh « nearest Lititz, PA Roy A Brubaker 700 Woodcrest Ave 717-626-7766 Loysville, PA Paul Shovers, Inc Loysville, PA 717 789-3117 Lynnport. PA Kermit K Kistler, Inc Lynnport, PA 215-298-2011 Martjnsburg, PA Forshey’s, Inc 110 Forshey St 814-793-3791 Mill Hall. PA Paul A Dotterer R D 1 717 726 3471 New Holland, PA ABC Groff, Inc 110 South Railroad 717 354 4191 New Park, PA M&R Equipment Inc P O Box 16 717 993 2511 Oley, PA CJ Wonsidler Bros R D 2 215 987 6257 Pitman, PA Marlin W Schreffler Pitman, PA 717 648 1120 Ouakertown, PA C J Wonsidler Bros R D 1 215-536 1935 Quarryville, PA C E Wiley & Son, Inc 101 South Lime Street 717 786-2895 Rmgtown, PA Rmgtown Farm Equipment Rmgtown PA 717-889-3184 Tamaqua, PA Charles S Snyder Inc R D 3 717-386 5954 West Chester, PA M S Yearsley & Son 114-116 East Market Street 215-696-2990 West Grove, PA S G Lewis & Son Inc R D 2, Box 66 215-869-2214 Churchville, MD Walter G Coale Inc 2849 53 Churchville Rd 301 734 7722 Washington, NJ Frank Rymon & Sons 201-689 1464 Woodstown, NJ Owen Supply Co Broad Street S East Avenue 609 769 0308 1
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