AlB-Unostef Firming, Saturday, May 16, 1992 GAY BROWNLEE Somerset Co. Correspondent BERLIN (Somerset Co.) Jozefa Wilczak and Jozef Flaga from Rzeszow, Poland, spent Wednesday, May 6 visiting Somerset Co. with Penn State ag economists Tom Brewer and Lou Moore. The purpose of their journey was to see several potato farms and the modem Snyder Potato Chip factory situated at the town’s east end. With duties equal to their United States counterparts in cooperative extension service offices, Wilczak is an economics specialist and Flaga is a director. Last year they were hosts of Bre wer and Moore, who were in Poland to observe, among other things, that country’s production of its number one crop potatoes. Wilczak spoke the English lan guage well. She said of her coun try’s potato industry, “The people look for new processing lines, but we don’t have the experience. We Bonnie Ringler, shown at her computer, says she will do anything to stay away from the barn. ndsor Knits, Flannels, Jinny Beyer, VIP, Concord, Etc. All Sewing Notions, Quilt Books, Embroidery Supplies, Pillow Forms. ★ Free Yardstick w/$50.00 Purchase Combined Store & Warehouse ★ IN WAREHOUSE SALE! • Huge Selection Fabrics Starting At $l.OO Yd. • Quilt Batting 110” 60 yds $53.00 Roll 47” 6 oz. 25 yd $17.50 Roll • Economy Stuffing 50 lb. pkg $32.50 20 lb. pkg $15.00 * Many Unadvertised Specials - Shoes, Lace, Etc. MEMORIAL DAY MAY 25 COMMUNITY YARD SALE 7 AM ■ ? WEAVER S DRY GOODS 108 W. Brubaker Valley Rd„ Lllltz, PA 17543 1 Mile South of Brickervllle (717) 627-1724 Foreign Visitors Come To Somerset County make french fries and potato pancakes.” As she spoke, Wilczak, like the others congregated on the upper level of Jim Ringler’s bam, she shivered under her raspberry colored all-weather coat The cul prit was a damp -east wind that sliced menacingly through the parted sliding doors. If she failed to understand a question, she simply called, ‘Tom! Tom!” and Brewer came to her aid. While Flaga toured the farm buildings with Ringlet, she talked. “I would like to receive more knowledge about cooperative,” she said. “It is very difficult to talk to farmers (in her country). I would like to know who is resoon sible in cooperative.” She said potatoes are a big crop of Poland’s many farmers but they are looking for a good market In fact, Poland is said to rank second in world production of the tuber vegetable. The other challenge to Poland’s potato industry deals with the need for clean water during pro- MEMORIAL WEEKEND FABRIC SALE! May 21 - 8 am to 9 pm May 22 - 8 am to 9 pm May 23 - 8 am to 5 pm May 25 - 7:30 am to 5 pm 10% OFF EVERYTHING! Standing in front of Jim Rlngler’s barn are, front, left to right, Jozef Flaga, Bonnie Rlngler, Jozefa Wilczak, Mildred Rlngler, and John Blough. In back are Dan Sharrett, Jim Rlngler, Tom Brewer, William Rlngler, and Lou Moore. cessing prior to marketing the var- “Our potato ground is too valuable trial, and error and reading the ious potato forms. to pasture, that’s all there is to it.” instruction book. Jim and Bonnie Ringler, even Bonnie said that in the summer Despite her sentiments about with three hired men, are pretty the cows are put out only at night farming, Bonnie is active on the much tied down to the family farm «j t * s too hot in the summer,” Somerset County Dairy Promo — the posterity of countless Rin- sa j,j jj m a Pennsylvania Dairy tion Board. She and Jim, with their glcr generations inhabiting the promotion Board member, “and f° ur children, have always been a 174 original bicentennial acres, we have plenty of fans in the bam farm family, as were Jim’s Ringler Besides operating a Holstein to keep them cool. We can keep a ancestors, dairy, they raise hay, com, small (milk) production ” The offspring, however, aren’t While she knows everything showin ? m “ ch P«>™se as next- SS about the business because she’s generation farmers..ln fact, the s °? “S the bookkeeper. Bonnie said that onl 3[ one coming close; right now areas are rented. farming ic “V nain in the neck ” 15 daughter, Joyce, who has her Theirs was one of the two farms ® own livestock artificial breeding visited by Flaga and Wilczak. Besides Brewer and Moore, two representatives from Snyder of Berlin John Blough and Dan Sharrett—joined the company of the visiting couple. Ringler values the potential of his land. “There’s no intensive grazing (of livestock),” he said, • Agricultural • Commercial • Residential Beef Operation Featuring 8' Deep Manure Storage System With Waffle Slats LET OUR EXPERIENCE WORK FOR YOU-ESTABLISHED SINCE 1979! WE ORIGINATED THE CONCRETE SYSTEM! 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