25 Years As County Agent The many tacets of agriculture are especially visible in Lancaster County, home of Pennsylvania’s strongest and most diversified ag economy. The job of a county extension agent in Lancaster is demanding and everchanging, requiring the skills of an adap table, dedicated person. Someone like Arnold Lueck. Lueck, who joined Penn State’s Cooperative Extension Service in 1961, is marking his 25th an niversary as an extension agent. His work delivering information and coordinating programs on agronomy and horticulture has brought him together with farmers growing com, alfalfa, potatoes, tobacco, celery, grapes and ap ples, as well as numerous other crops. Lueck’s programs also have been designed for home gardeners, 4-H clubs, and agribusiness representatives. He has been influential throughout the years in helping farmers adapt their growing practices to include integrated pest management, a program that has led to increased efficiency and reduced the environmental impact of pesticides. “This was just one part of my main concern,” ex plains Lueck, “which was to keep the farmers up to date on the results of changing ag technology and to see them adapt and use practices that help in their production and marketing.” Lueck says he still pays “house calls” to his clients, the farmers and home gardeners of Lancaster County. He also has worked with area business people to organize seminars and community meetings, where he supplies in formation on recent research results and practical suggestions on how to apply them to the daily operation of farms and agricultural businesses. Over the years Lueck has created a special niche for his extension programs with area newspapers and television stations. He has received two awards from the Pennsylvania Association of County Agricultural Agents for writing two columns that appear weekly in local newspapers. He also received WGAL-TV’s Green Thumb Award for a series of gardening programs that aired several years ago. Recently Lueck was presented with a hand-made plaque honoring his service to a county 4-H club. Although he isn’t officially a 4-H coordinator, he says he finds great rewards from working with the kids involved in 4-H. “The thing that gives me the most satisfaction is watching youth as well as adults make changes that improve their lives,” he says. “It’s most rewarding to watch them achieve something and know that it is the result of Extension.” In recent years Lueck has directed more of his energy working with farmers on their marketing skills and programs. “The farmer has to look far beyond the farm gate to market his product today,” he says. “Now he have a world market that is much more competitive. And I intend to continue working more and more in this area.” Before coming to Penn State, Lueck grew up on a Wisconsin dairy farm and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture from the University of Wisconsin. He came to Pennsylvania in 1942 as an assistant in the Regional Pasture Research Laboratory located in University Park. After completing some graduate studies in agriculture at the university, he taught vocational agriculture in public schools for several years. In 1961, Lueck joined the extension staff and has been working in Lancaster County since. Active in many community service groups, Lueck is a member of the Pennsylvania and National Associations of County Agricultural Agents, three honorary fraternities, the Penn sylvania Forage and Grassland Council, the State Horticultural Society, and the Master Com Growers Association. Lancaster Farming, Saturday, May 3,1986-A3l Lebanon County Beef Benefit Raises $11,766 LEBANON - Lebanon County’s Farm Show champion beef “Colonel” did more than put Lebanon’s 4-H program in the limelight at the Farm Show. He became an excellent fund raiser for the Lebanon Valley Exposition Corporation. Mr. and Mrs. Carlos R. Leffler, "owner of Leffler, Inc., purchased the popular Colonel at the Farm Show Youth Livestock Sale. Lef flers’ then donated the steer to the Lebanon Valley Expo Corporation to serve as the basis for a fund raiser to benefit the Expo Cor poration grounds, otherwise known as the Lebanon Area Fairgrounds. Lefflers’ goal was to help out Lebanon County’s youth programs through improving their fairgrounds. That it will do because $11,766 was raised from the “Beef Benefit” Raffle. “This fundraiser was a huge success because we had a great bunch of kids and local businesses working on it,” states Harry Bachman, Lebanon Valley Ex position Corporation chairman. “Furthermore, we’re deeply in debted to Mr. Leffler and Leffler, Inc., for their generous donation and support of Lebanon County Youth. Nearly 300 4-H and FFA mem bers and local business persons helped to sell raffle tickets. The top ten sales persons who received cash awards for their efforts were: Amy Bachman, Matt Bushong, Daryl Grumbine, Brian Kreider, Gretchen Fasnacht, Melanie Bow, Jenny Lentz, Shelby Heagy, Leigh Hitz, and Charity Farrell. Numberous 4-H clubs and FFA chapters contributed by selling raffle tickets or collecting donations. The Lebanon County 4- H Livestock Club led the way selling 3,850 tickets. Cedar Crest FFA was second, followed by Campbelltown 4-H, third; the 4-H Tractor Club, fourth; and No-So- Ann 4-H Dairy Club, fifth. Ethel Sheldon, Quentin was the winner of the first prize, a hin dquarter of Choice Beef. To show their support for those selling tickets or collecting donations, the Expo Corporation is planning a “Youth Fun Day” at a local park. Details are not yet finalized, but there will be swimming, volleyball, basketball, baseball, and just an all around good time for the day.
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