E26-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, June 3,1989
Robbins Family
selection is high on the list of
computer capability. Boz Robbins
is in charge of young heifers and
calves. He also works on machine
repairs and fence building. Boz
primarily works in the fields.
Hazel Robbins says her sons are
all good mechanics. That’s echoed
by Andy. Referring to mechanical
breakdowns, he says, “Whoever
has it when it breaks down fixes
it”
The various farms which have
been acquired by the Robbins’
family over the years were badly
in need of repairs. Most of the
bam floors would not support a
tractor so the boys are in die pro
cess of or have already finished
jacking up the buildings to place
heavier understructure, remodel
ing to accommodate cows, replac
ing roofs or building additions.
Lumber is milled for the recon
struction from Robbins farm
(Continued from Page E 25)
Beside bam and outbuilding
construction. Hazel enjoys finely
crafted built-ins in her kitchen,
sewing room and an in-house of
fice, all provided by the boys.
Dean Robbins takes care of
building maintenance, does most
of the general mechanical work
and plans new construction. An
addition to the manure pit will
most likely be his next project
The T-shaped bam was in the
planning and design stage for five
years. Farm facilities in New Eng
land area, Maryland and Pennsyl
vania were studied before the final
design was laid out The overall
design of the free stall area is for
air flow. The foundation is of six
foot poured concrete with two feet
underground. At the top of the ex
posed four feet and just under the
roof edge are fold-out windows
which are eight feet wide.
In hot weather, the windows
down and the structural de
sign of the 42-foot high rafters
create a chimney effect by pulling
the window air up through an open
space at the peak of the roof. The
roofing is Onduline®. Andy says
the bam stays so cool in summer
that the herd is reluctant to move
out to the exercise pasture on hot
days.
The main bam doors open auto
matically for the feed wagon to
pass through. The free stall area is
bedded with shavings dispensed
by the feed wagon.
Conservation is an integral part
of the farm management. Wet
lands were tiled more than IS
years ago and strip farming is evi
dent.
Hazel says her five children
were all outstanding 4-H’ers with
varied interests. Her daughter,
Pam, was Columbia County Dairy
Princess for two consecutive
years, 1977 and 1978.
Pam and husband, Dave Mos
teller, live on one of the Robbins’
farms. The Mostellers and their
two children, Jeremy, 3, and
Joshua, 3 months, are not associat-
ed with the farm operation besides
residing on one of the properties.
The boys also reside on Rob
bins’ farms. Andy and wife Tam
my have two children, Jai, 11 and
Jason, 9.
Lancdster Auctioneer
LANCASTER Claude F.
Bechtold has' successfully com
pleted two courses of the educa
tional program offered by the Cer
tified Auctioneers Education Insti
tute at Indiana University in
Bloomington, Ind.
The educational program,
offered in cooperation with the
National Auctioneers Association
and the Indiana University School
of Business, is a three-year course
of study that leads tu the CAI (Cer
tified Auctioneers Institute) desig
nation. The' designations are
awarded annually during the NAA
Convention to candidates who suc
cessfully complete the full Insti-
Completes Program /
Randy and wife Jo Ann have
Bobbi Jo, 11. Janice 10 and Jef
frey 8. Boz and Sam are also mar
ried and each have a wife named
Sandy.
tute program and pass examina
tions at the end of the first-,
second-, and third-year courses,
allowing them to qualify as mem
bers of the Institute.
The Institute program is
designed to educate and train prac
ticing auctioneers in ways to
improve their performances in the
auction business. Included are
courses in finance, legal aspects of
auctioneering, appraisal, real
estate, personal business develop
ment, communications and adver
tising. The faculty includes India
na University faculty members and
nationally recognized auctioneers.