Puree Family Works Behind The Scenes At Butler Perm Shew
BY BARBARA RADER
Butter County Correspondent
BUTLER Year after year
annual fairs and farm shows draw
exhibitors from across the
Keystone state to compete for blue
ribbons.
Behind the scenes of these an
nual events are groups of hard
working volunteers who accept the
entries, categorize them into
classes and help the competitions
run smoothly.
Among the volunteers who make
up the Butler Farm Show Com
mittee are Robert and Gloria
Pearce and their children, Bonnie,
Stacie and Drew.
Twelve years ago Gloria
exhibited a jar of orange mar
malade at the Farm Show. To her
surprise and excitement she was
awarded a blue ribbon. Through
her participation, she learned of
the need for committee people,
applied and was immediately
accepted.
Year after year she and her
husband, Bob, put many hours into
preparing display shelves, table
coverings and skirtings, and
hanging class banners in
prepartion for the annual farm
show. In the beginning, Gloria
entered many of her garden
products, which she canned for
winter storage, along with hand
sewn, knitted and baked items.
But as their children grew and
joined 4-H, Gloria and Bob entered
The Pearce's youngest child, Drew, feeds his Mini Lop
rabbit and her litter.
Gloria does a spinning demonstration for the public. This
hobby originated with her children's 4-H sheep projects.
fewer items and allowed their
children to carry on the tradition.
Stacie, the eldest at 18, is in her
second year of studies at Butler
Community College and is working
toward an associate degree in
agriculture. Her involvement in
the fair began seven years ago
when she joined a small com
munity 4-H club called Dunbar 4-H.
She is currently serving her second
year as president of the club. Her
projects include vegetables and
flowers.
Stacie also became interested in
sheep and began seeking
registered colored sheep to pur
chase.
A four-year member of the
Butler County 4-H and FFA
Livestock Club, she has earned a
few top awards, including two
trophies, with her sheep entries.
She has won awards in the rate of
gain class with average gain per
day of over % pound.
She also shears all of her
breeding sheep and keeps the wool.
Gloria eventually turns the cured
wool fleeces into beautiful knitted
items like woolen sweaters and
warm mittens.
Stacie is a national member of
the Colored Wool Growers
Association.
Second daughter Bonnie, now 16,
will be a junior at Seneca Valley
High School and is looking forward
to becoming a member of the FFA
and vo-tech programs this year.
The Pearce family have been active partial
Here, family members Drew, Gloria, holding
a quiet moment with their English Angora
oldest daughter Bonnie.
She is as active as her sister and
has been a member of the Dunbar
4-H Club for seven years. The vice
president of the Butler County 4-H
Cottontails, Bonnie has entered
four English Angora rabbits and
five Siamese Satins in the Butler
Farm Show.
She shears her rabbits and keeps
the wool for her mother to use in
making homemade clothing.
Bonnie is knowledgeable about
spinning and has a unique talent
for her hobby. Both Bonnie and
Gloria are members of the Butler
County Spinners and Weaver’s
Guild.
During this year’s Pennsylvania
Farm Show, Bonnie participated
as a member of the junior wool
team that spun and wove a scarf
which was sotd immediately after
the demonstration contest. She
earned a blue ribbon at the Bulter
County and regional sheep to shawl
contests.
Like her mother, Bonnie enjoys
sewing and has entered garments
in the regional fashion revue for
three years. The women in the
Pearce family have also entered
the district Make It With Wool
Contest.
The youngest member of the
household is 12-year-old Drew, who
is very involved in the rabbit club.
He has seven Mini Lops entered in
the Butler Farm Show.
He doesn’t miss out on the
baking contests either. Proud of
his baking accomplishments,
Drew has entered cookies this
year. Two weeks ago, his cookies
earned a blue ribbon in the adult
class, even though they were
supposed to be entered in the youth
division.
In the fall, Drew will be entering
the seventh grade in junior high
school. In a few years he will
probably be even more involved in
the Farm Show, but for now he’s
wtnesiead
Stacie feeds her pen of sheep at the Butler Farm Show,
quite busy with his bunnies and
baking!
The head of the household, Bob
works as a truck driver on a daily
route and enjoys being a
blacksmith when he has time to
devote to his hobby.
c H/Sffis
ipants in the Butler Farm Show for 12 years.
; Prixie, Bob, and Stacie, holding 0.C., enjoy
rabbits. Missing from this family photo is
By participating in and helping
to run the events at the Bulter
Farm Show, the Pearce family has
become an integral part of this
yearly event. They, and other
families like them, make these
end-of-summer events an integral
part of the farm community.