Bie-Lancastor Farming, Saturday, January 25, 1992
LOU ANN GOOD
Lancaster Farming Staff
LERAYSVILLE (Bradford
Co.) “Moo Queen” is the name
Robin Wilbur is affectionally
dubbed by her teachers and friends
in Bradford County, but in other
counties across the state, Robin is
known as the Pennsylvania Dairy
Princess.
Regardless of whether she is
called Moo Queen, Dairy Princess,
or Robin, she responds with the
same cheery smile and enthusiastic
conversation that ultimately
includes plugs for using dairy
products.
“I want to tell everyone I meet
the truth about dairy products. So
many people have so many mis
conceptions about dairy products,
especially butter,” Robin said. “I
like to tell people: “Can you
believe it? A cow eats 50 pounds a
day to make milk for us.”
To impress the nutrient value of
milk upon her listeners, Robin tells
them, “One glass of milk has more
calcium than eight pounds of tuna.
Just imagine, to get the same cal
cium from tuna that you do from
daily drinking four glasses of milk,
you would need to eat 32 pounds of
tuna every day.”
Robin said that her reign has
been a learning experience about
the dairy industry and life in
general.
As parents of Robin, Arlene and Arlyn Wilbur said that
their life has changed. By chaufferlng Robin to the many
promotional events, they have learned much more about
the dairy industry In the state. “After Robin’s reign is over, I
think we will still warn to attend many of the farm organiza
tions,” Arlene said, “because we learn so much.”
her numerous scheduled promotions on behalf of the dairy Industry.
Life On The Farm For I Moo Queen '
“Before I was dairy princess, I
knew what it took to raise cows
and work on the farm, but since I
became dairy princess, I under
stand all the work that is done by
farm organizations and the promo
tional services.”
Robin lives in a very rural area
of Bradford County that has most
ly dirt roads. “If a car is coming,
you get in the Held. Our lifestyle is
a lot different than the places 1 go
for promotional activities like Har
risburg,” Cindy said.
Robin prefers Bradford County.
She said, “It’s a pretty area. We
live on a hiU with a beautiful view.
Farming’s a great life and allows
me to spend more time with my
parents than most of my friends
spend with theirs. We learn to
work together as a family. Even
my 70-year-old grandmother goes
to the bam every day.”
As far as the farm work goes,
Robin said, “I’d rather be in the
bam than work in the fields.”
“She never complains about
helping," her dad, Arlyn, said.
“If we get home late, and say tell
the kids we need extra help in the
bam, they never argue or com
plain, they get dressed in bam
clothes right away,” Robin’s
mother, Arlene, reported.
Robin said that when the hired
man has his weekly days off, it is
she who carries 35 bushel baskets
I'ua nn^ e «l y „l! arm « 9,rl 8 a^' ” p ® nns y ,van, a Dairy Princess Robin Wilbur said. “And
Ive got muscles from all the lifting I do on the farm to prove It."
Robin hopes this little one Jl win her some ribbons at the many shows In which
she participates both In New York and In Pennsylvania.
of silage to the heifer bam. The
Wilburs have 51 milking cows and
use a pipeline milking system with
five milkers.
Robin is not paid for her chores
nor does she think she Should be.
She said, “My parents provide a
roof over my head and feed me. I
believe it is my responsibility to
help them with the woric.”
Each she sells the 4-H pig
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Robin Wilbur prepares for milking Holstelns on their
110-acre farm In Leßaysvllle, Bedford County. j
that she raised in order to have Some teachers tape the
money to buy her school clothes, discussion and my friends shirt
She said that she also is responsi- their notes with me, Rohm sai
ble to pay for her own college. For “Everyone is so supportive,
that reason, she is hoping that the Because of schedule conflic ■
many scholarships for which she this is die first year that R° * j
applied will materialize. With her able to be an FFA member. S *
grades, she should not have any reporter for her chaptw and wisW;
problem. that she could have been in w*a
Because of all the promotional before this year. . J
events she attends, Robin hasn’t In a school of 500 students
been able to spend a full week at on ty 77 in her graduating c ,
school since she was crowned in Robin said she knows al J
September. But that hasn’t hin- everyone. School and commumw
dercd her straight A status. ™ h jB h -“ w ® Uvc,n
“My teachers and classmates rural area that is an hour away ftw
have been great about helping me. (Turn to Pag* B 17)
* 4
, At*