B&Lancasttr Panning, Saturday, April 4,1992
Farm Women Influence JuliaZahn’s Home, Values
LOU ANN GOOD
Lancaster Farming Staff
WEST CHESTER (Chester
Co.) —“A farm wife looks attrac
tive, she lives in an attractively
decorated home, and feeds her
family nutritionally while instill
ing eternal values in her family,”
Julia Zahn said.
This petite woman with soft
white hair and shining dark eyes,
although never actually a farmer’s
wife considers herself a farm
woman.
“We share the same values and
the same love for rural living,” she
said.
The Society of Farm Women
has influenced Julia’s life so much
that she said, “I believe I have
Farm Women blood flowing
through my veins.”
Indeed, her mother, Barbara
Moore, did what she could to see
that the attributes of Farm Women
were transmitted, if not through
blood, through osmosis, to her
daughter. Mrs. Moore helped
organize the Society of Farm
Women in Lancaster County,
which grew to include more than a
thousand members. A faithful sup
porter at Farm Women meetings,
Mrs. Moore even attended a meet
ing the day that Julia was born.
Julia grew up accompanying her
mother to meetings, memories of
many linger in Julia’s mind.
“I remember one of the nicest
activities was when the Farm
The crewel picture behind Julia shows off her flnely-stltched needlework. Julia
said, “A farm women looks attractive, lives In an attractively decorated home, and
feeds her family nutritionally while instilling eternal values in her family.”
Julia Is the daughter of the late Barbara Moore, well known tor her work in Farm
Women and tor living to be almost 106 years of age. Julia sits on the sofa, which her
parents furnished their home In the beginning of the century.
Women held a Christmas program
for the Moravian Manor Home,”
Julia said.
Each member brought her chil
dren and grandchildren to help
entertain the guests by telling sto
ries, reciting poems, and singing.
At this meeting, Julia remem
bers her grandmother, who had 12
children, recited the poem, “Which
Shall It Be?” It was a poem about
the possibility of giving one of her
children to a childless couple and
why she could not part with any of
her children.
Many lasting, friendships were
forged, when individual societies
entertained other societies. It was
an opportunity to meet people
throughout the county, and at the
state conventions, people across
the state. When Julia became old
enough to become a member of
Farm Women, she already knew
many of the members from accom
panying her mother to the
meetings.
The Moore family operated Pine
Hill Fruit Farm in Lititz. It was
there that Julia remembers her
father giving her a banana apple
tree of her own. Julia became
known as the “apple girl,” and
women at market eagerly bought
the sweet apples to make their
snitz.
Julia graduated from Penn State
with a degree in home economics.
At college she met W. Dean Fyock
from Cambria County. The couple
married. He worked as an agro
nomist and with the government
with the on-the-farm training prog
ram in Franklin County, where
Julia helped organize Farm
Women Society S. Because Dean
had his own radio program about
agronomy, Julia said that she
became quite “famous” from her
husband’s radio exposure and she
was often asked to appear as a
judge or speaker for agriculture
related organizations.
The couple had one child,
David. When he was 10, his father
died from heart deterioration dur
ing the Asiatic Flu epidemic. After
his death, Julia and her son
returned to Lancaster County to be
near family members. Immediate
ly, Julia rejoined Lancaster Farm
Women Society 1. To support her
son and herself, Julia taught school
at Shippensburg University during
the summer months and at Lancas
ter school during the other months.
When Julia’s father, Martin,
died in 1960, Julia and her son
moved in with her mother at the
Lititz orchard. *
Julia was widowed nine years
before she married George Zahn
and moved to Chester County.
They were only married five years
when he died.
Julia said, “Having two hus
bands who died, taught me that
relationships on earth are only
Although Julia Zahn treasures her heirloom china, she
allows guests to chose a teacup for sipping herb tea during
a visit with her.
temporary, but it’s my relationship
with the Lord that continues.”
Her attitude, Julia said, is not to
complain about life. “Whatever
happens, God sent, so we go on
from there.”
After her husband’s death, Julia
remained in Chester County
because she had made many
friends in the area and was teach
ing music in a Christian school.
“I like to think that lots of people
love music because they were in
my class,” Julia said.
Another reason that Julia chose
to remain in Chester County, she
said, was because “Lancaster
County isn’t the only wonderful
place to be.”
Although she no longer teaches
full time, Julia teaches music to 4-
and S-year-olds in a Christian
school.
Julia keeps her membership in
the Lancaster Society of Farm
Women although there is a Chester
Society that meets nearby.
“At first, I kept my membership
with Society 1 because I went back
home to take mother to the
meetings.”
Mrs. Moore died two years ago,
three weeks before her 106th birth
day. Her mind was alert until her
Jeath. Julia said, “She was beating
me at Parcheesi and other games
two days before she died.”
■ One of Mrs. Moore’s great loves
was interior decorating. In fact,
two weeks before she died, she had
Julia rearrange the living room
furniture.
Julia’s two-story home in West
Chester is filled with antiques and
family heirlooms. She has all the
furniture that her parents pur
chased when they were first mar
ried. Julia, an accomplished seam
stress, has made many of the
draperies and crewel wall hang
ings and other accessories. Numer
ous sets of china and tea cups from
Lil’ Miss Needed
For Lebanon County
LEBANON (Lebanon Co.)
Five-year old Bethany Heagy is
currently reigning as Lebanon
County’s Lil’ Miss. Bethany’s
term ends in June and the Lebanon
County Dairy Promotion Commit
tee is looking for a bright, enthu
siastic, charming little girl to be
Lebanon County’s Lil Miss for
1992.
Contestants need to be 5 to 7
years old. They also must be the
daughter of a dairy farmer or dairy
her mother are stored in antique
corner cupboards. Julie tells
delightful stories about the fami
ly’s heirlooms. She even has clo
thing from her parents’ childhood,
her mother’s wedding dress, and
other special occasion pieces.
Julia continues to travel to each
Farm Women meeting because of
the strong friendships forged in the
group. Altough Julia is president
of Society 1 and appointed chap
lain for the state organization, she
finds time to be a board member
for Calvary Home and on the mis
sions committee. She is a speaker
at many church retreats, a member
of the Ridly Community Chorus, a
member of a sewing group called
the Klub, and she teaches music
one day a week at a school.
Here is one of Julia’s favorite
recipes. Because the batter may be
kept refrigerated, muffins may be
made on the spur of the moment
for unexpected guests. A gracious
hostess, Julia serves the muffins on
antique china and allows guests to
choose an antique teacup in which
to drink herb tea garnished with
orange slices, just like her mother
taught her to do.
SIX-WEEK BRAN
MUFFIN BATTER
Combine in a large bowl:
16-ounce box raisin bran
3 cups sugar
S cups flour
S teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup shortening, melted
4 eggs, beaten
1 quart buttermilk
Mix together dry ingredients
first; add beaten eggs, shortening,
and buttermilk. Stir well. Store
covered in refrigerator for up to six
weeks. DO NOT STIR BATTER.
Dip batter into greased muffin tins
or paper-lined cupcake tins. Bake
at 400 degrees for 10 to 15
minutes.
industry employee.
The responsibilities of the Lil’
Miss winner include public
appearances and dairy promotion
functions. Many times she will
assist the reigning dairy princess
and dairy maid in promoting dairy
products in the community.
Anyone who knows an eligible
young girl who would like to com
pete for the title of Lil Miss of
Lebanon County is asked to con
tact Mrs. Barbara Lentz
717-933-4786 before April 13".