Fanning, Saturday, February 22, 1992
LOU ANN GOOD
Lancaster Farming Staff
MYERSTOWN (Lebanon Co.)
Barbara Grumbine, always a
staunch supporter of family and
farm, is moving to Washington
D.C.
Grumbine is the newly assigned
Northeast area director of the Agri
cultural Stabilization and Conser
vation Service of the U.S. Depart
ment of Agriculture.
That means, she is responsible
for the coordination and admi
nistration of all Federal Farm Prog
rams in a 12-state area covering
Connecticut, Delaware, Massa
chusetts, Maryland, Maine, New
Hampshire, New Jersey, New
York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island,
Vermont, and West Virginia.
Barbara, her husband Dennis,
and sons Daryl and Darren are well
known in political and agricultural
circles. It is the combination of ag
and politics that has given Barbara
the expertise needed for this
government-appointed job.
“The government needs people
who are sensitive to community
needs in order to do what is best for
constituents," Barbara said.
“My goal is to go to Washington
and do the best job that I can for the
people in the Northeast,” Barbara
said.
As far as Barbara has been able
to determine, she is the first woman
appointed to this position that
serves as a liaison between the gov
ernment and those who request
public aid for drought, depressed
milk prices, and other ag-related
problems.
The Grumbines are well
acquainted with the concerns of
fanners since they have been farm
ing for 22 years. They own a
ISO-head purebred hog and a
125-head Dorset sheep operation
that has received national and state
recognition for its champions.
They also raise com, wheat, beans,
and hay on their 125-acre Myer
stown farm.
Politically, Barbara and her hus
band Dennis have been involved at -
local, state, and national levels for
25 years. Barbara has served as
past president of the Lebanon
County Council of Republican
Women, as Judge of Election, with
Pennsylvania Ag Republicans,
with the Fanners for Thornburgh
campaign, with the Farmers for
Scranton campaign, with the
Reagan-Bush campaign, with the
Farmers for Bush campaign, and
attended the last three inaugurals.
Barbara recalls that when she
Barbara will miss the . jg house v jinal log walls when she
moves to a Washington O.C. highrise to begin her government appointed Job. She will
return to the farm weekends to be with her husband Dennis and two sons.
Barbara Grumbine Appointed
To U.S. Department Of Agriculture
first heard about the position, she
knew right away that it was some
thing that she wanted to do. She
said, “It was too good of an oppor
tunity to turn down.”
The only drawback seemed to be
the distance, which would require
that she live in the D.C. area during
the week.
Barbara, who has always made
her family a priority, is a bit con
cerned that she will be separated
from her family during the week,
but her 19-year-old son Darien
advised her, “Go for it. Mom.
You’ve been here for us, now it’s
your turn.”
After considerable discussions,
the family decided that the move
will not be detrimental to family
life since Barbara will be able to
come home weekends. “Besides,
Barbara said, when I’m home, we
don’t get to see each other much in
the evenings because we are
involved in so many community
organizations, school sporting
events, and meetings.”
The big attraction to accepting
the position is that it gives Barbara
a chance to do what she seems to do
best speak up for agriculture.
“No matter what I do or where I
am, I seem to always end up talking
about agriculture,” she said.
“Agriculture is our life not
just a way of life,” she continued,
“I’ll do anything to promote
agriculture.”
While Barbara packs her bags to
move to a Washington D.C, high
rise, Dennis and the boys stack up
cookbooks in an effort to develop
some culinary skills.
But forget about cleaning. Den
nis said, “As meticulous as she is
with cleaning, we aren’t even
going attempt to tackle that.”
Naturally, Barbara doesn’t want
to fill her weekends with cleaning
either so she is hiring a
housecleaner.
Although Barbara will be separ
ated from her family during the
week, she said that her personal
goal remains the same. “To have a
strong family unit and do what I
can to support them. I’m old
fashioned in that respect”
Barbara applied for the govern
ment position in October. Several
national committee people wrote
letters on her behalf. Congressmen
Bob Walker, Arlin Specter, and
farm organizations such as the Pen
nsylvania Farm Bureau also
backed Barbara’s appointment.
On November 21, Barbara was
interviewed by six people such as
the administrator of ASCS, the
Scenes like these will be rare when Barbara moves to Washington D.C. while Den
nis and the dog remain on
U.S. Sec. of Agriculture, and Presi
dent Bush’s personnel director.
Because the assignment is a
political appointment, it may end
in one year if a new President is
elected. On the other hand the term
may be extended indefinitely or it
may be the stepping stone to a
higher government appointment
Barbara said a big part of her job
will be to learn to know people in
the 12-state area. But the immensi
ty of meeting so many new faces
doesn’t bother Barbara who said,
“I can be in a group of strangers
and strike up a conversation with
anyone.”
Leadership skills have also been
honed in Barbara through her six
years of serving on the Friedens
Lutheran Church council. At
church, she has also been chairper
son of the Social Ministry commit
tee; served on Christian Education
committee; acted as substitute
Sunday School teacher, and as co
chairperson of Bible School for
several years.
She is a member of the Pennsyl
vania Farmers’ Association,
American Farm Bureau, and Myer
stown Junior Woman’s Club,
where she was past club president
and is currently chairperson of the
Homelife Committee. Twice Bar
bara was named the outstanding
club woman of the year for her
involvement in talcing charge of
projects and for her commitment to
club projects and leaders.
She is legislative chairperson of
the Lebanon County Federation of
Women’s Clubs, past president of
the ELCO Football Boosters, past
president of the Lebanon County
0 ag . poi.
ground, Barbara was appointed Northeast area director of
agricultural stabilization and conservation service of the
U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Society of Farm Women, and on
the Lebanon County 4-H Develop
ment Board.
She was past president of the
Lebanon County Council of Repu
blican Women, Eastern Star mem
ber. Lebanon Valley Chamber of
Commerce member, and served as
Jackson Township Assessor.
Recently, Barbara received her
real estate license and works for
Century 21. She has driven school
bus full time for 10 years and part
time for the past 10 years.
For the past nine years, Barbara
has worked full and part time in the
business co-owned with husband.
Evergreen Tractor Company, Inc.,
a John Deere and Bobcat dealer
ship located in Lebanon. In 1987,
the John Deere Company recog
nized their dealership as being the
largest John Deere Ag tractor deal
er in Pennsylvania that year. In
1990, the business was named
Bobcat Dealer of the Year.
when Dennis was 14, he started
raising purebred hogs, which he
continued on a larger scale after his
marriage to Barbara. The Grum-
*i(omes^eai
c foies
bines got into the sheep business
when Daryl wanted a market lamb
for a 4-H project Immediately, the
Grumbines became successful in
showing sheep. Dennis explained
that being in the hog business gave
them an edge in the sheep business.
He said, “If you understand lives
tock, you can move into another
species and take a lot of the general
knowledge with you.”
“We are of the opinion that if
you don’t allow children to use
their own ideas then they will lose
their interest in farming,” Barbara
said. “When they are interested,
they take the time and energy to
read and find out what’s
happening.”
Dennis said, “We’ve always
taught them that if you want to dd
something badly enough you cad
achieve it.”
The sons have achieved recognfc
tion in state and national shot#
from the swine and sheep industtjl
As they become to old to compett
in 4-H, they are competing in op#
shows. Barbara said, ‘They (son^f
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