Hostetters To Retire
(Continued from Pag* ,
Breeders Shows. They talk about
the large national shows and the
little fairs with the shows that kept
them busy for a week at a time.
Most of these shows are history
now.
They like to talk about one of Groff put together to go to Califor-
their drivers who, in his lifetime,
worked an eight-mule team and
drove a 40 foot tractor trailer. Not
many people do that in one
lifetime.
They like to talk about the load
of Ivanhoe daughters that Earl
nia. These Ivanhoes were pictured
on the cover of The Holstein
World. And the Hostetlers hauled
them with such care they got a
$lOO tip from the California buyer.
Clean trucks and expert care of the
cattle on long trips became the
trademark of these truckers.
On long hauls they would stop
and milk the cows along the way.
And the animals were delivered in
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, August 1, 1987-A35
excellent condition. “We drove
and handled all the animals the
same,” Melvin said. “It made no
difference to us if the cow cost
$lOO,OOO or some lesser amount.
We haven’t made a lot of money. It
was not a get-rich scheme. But we
have met a lot of nice people, good
people,” Melvin said.
“Almost anywhere in the U.S.
we get invited to eat a meal or stay
over night About two weeks ago
we took a load of cattle to Tennes
see and were treated to overnight
accomodations and a breakfast of
fresh biscuits, ham and eggs the
next morning. We really didn’t
know the people that well. But
they knew us.”
“No you can’t get us lost any
where in the United States,” Nel
son agreed.
“Of course a lot of things have
changed in our lifetime. Dad
bought gas at the Millersville Ser
vice Station for six gallon for a dol
lar. And our first new tractor and
trailer cost us $6,500 in 1956.
Today the same comparable rig
would cost $llO,OOO. Insurance
has tripled. And diesel fuel has
gone up from 15 cents a gallon.”
“But most of all, the production
of the dairy cow has gone up tre
mendously. Artificial breeding
helped it along. When we first
started, a 10,000 pound cow was
tremendous. And you didn’t hear
of a 3.5 percent testing cow.”
“You must hand it to Austin
Backus. He promoted the cows
that were high in test. We remem
ber the first four percent cow that
was sold in the Garden Spot Sale.
She was an Ivanhoe, but she only
gave about 8,000 pounds of milk.
Now these cows give 30,000
pounds of milk and lest five
percent.”
Will the Hostetlers miss truck
ing when they retire in October?
“No,” says Nelson. But Melvin
corrects him. “Sure we’ll miss it.
You can’t do something this long
and just walk away without some
feeling. But we are getting too old.
But I suppose like everyone else
who drove for us and retired, we’ll
likely be back just to go along for
the ride when Daniel Charles and
Paul Booth continue to operate
under the Hostetler name.
“Well, we may be back,” Nelson
concedes. “But I have a lot of
catching up to do at home first.”
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