Bie-lancaster Farming, Saturday, Novambw 28, 1992 Classes In The Country Held In Summerhouse At Vista Grande Farm LOU ANN GOOD Lancaster Fanning Staff FLEETWOOD (Berks Co.) The' heart-shaped sign lettered with “Classes in the Country,” on the lawn of Vista Grande Farm proclaims the most recent diversi fication of the family farm. Vista Grande Farm owned by Phoebe and David Bitler, is the farm where Phoebe was bom, where she lived when she became the 1973 Berks County Dairy Prin cess, the National Spokesperson for Agriculture, and the Berks County Extension home econom ist. It’s the 164-acre farm where she and her husband and nine year-old son milk 90 registered Holsteins and crop farm a total of 400 acres. This new diversification doesn’t mean that hands-on farming for Phoebe has come to a halt. Instead, it’s another activity that Phoebe does in addition to daily feeding calves and heifers, racking hay in the summertime, and milking on weekends. “I like to do lots of things. I like the farm, the animals, and making things with my hands and I like to teach,” Phoebe said. Because she wanted a way to combine all her loves and remain at home, Phoebe recently adapted the summerhouse attached to the Welcome guests with this needlepoint rug or use as a wall hanging. Wc .hops to make a welcome rug, a picnk and a country Jumper are a few of the classes 01 ta Grande Farm. spacious stone farmhouse for craft workshops called Classes in the Country. “Here, in a relaxed farmhouse atmosphere on our operating dairy farm, amidst our spacious yards, flower, and herb gardens, small groups can gather to learn skills and create heirlooms,” Phoebe said. The one or two-session work shops enable participants to com plete projects such as a braided wool rug, dried country wreath, eucalyptus swag, Christmas wreath, canvas floorcloth, needle point rag, appliqued wall hanging, patched tablecloth runner, appliqued Christmas stocking, paper angel, quilting, knotted wall hanging, country jumper, Flopsy- Mopsey doll, and more. Most of the classes are taught by Phoebe, who is a graduate of Albright College with a degree in home economics. She has plenty of experience teaching crafts with her background in teaching co operative extension workshops and as“a custom scam tress. Phoebe said that her teaching experience plus her lifetime of Mennonite and Berks Country Dutch Heritage is reflected in her classes. “My dream has always been to own something like this,” Phoebe •suitcase, feredatVls- Classes In the Country by Phoebe Bltler Include workshops on making the dried flower wreath shown as a centerpiece and the quilted star table runner. said. “I don’t want a store. I want Some of the sessions are called and other standard equipment something that allows me time for Lunch and Leant workshops, in owned by most seamtresses and the farm and that doesn’t run me.” which Phoebe provides the lunch do-it-yourselfers. in addition to the supplies and Most of the workshops offer instruction for projects. Other participants color preference workshops do not include lunch, choices for their projects, but the workshops always include For a complete listing of sche the materials needed to complete duled classes, write to Phoebe at projects with the exception of sew- Classes in the Country, R.D. #4, ing machine, scissors, glue guns. Box 4176, Fleetwood, PA 19522 or call (215) 944-0541, Classes are limited to eight people. “I’m trying different things to see what people want,” Phoebe said. In response to requests, Phoebe has scheduled several Saturday workshops. Precut wool fabric strips and two classes with Phoebe make It easy to cre ate hand braided rugs. Participants at a Lunch and Learn workshop will make'thls 40 Days and 40 Nights Wallhanging. Results of Pork Low-Fat CHICAGO, 111. Members of the American Academy of Pediatrics and American Dietetic Association Ambassadors tasted first-hand the results of checkoff funded research during their annu al conventions. More than 700 pediatricians enjoyed low-fat pork sausage, served up with nutritional analysis of the product at an October 11 breakfast sponsored by the Pork Industry Croup. Likewise, 75 media representa tives for the American Dietetic Association sampled the product which Pheobe Bitler will teach to students in the classes In a two-session workshop, participants paint a canvas floorcloth with a version of the popular Star of Bethlehem quilt pattern. supplied by (he Pork Industry Group during a breakfast spon sored by Monsanto. The speaker at the breakfast sponsored by Monsanto. The speaker at the breakfast presented perspectives of the biotechnology issue. The technology to make the low-fat pork sausage was the result of a Pork Industry Group research project funded by the checkoff. The end product is 46 percent lower in fat than tradition al sausage. A major marketer of the pro duct, Fairbans Farms of Ashville, Technology N.Y., says it is selling the product in 1,000 supermarkets, including the states of New York, Alabama, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Mississippi, Georgia, Massachusetts and Tennessee. The Pork Industry Group, a division of the National Live Stock and Meat Board, conducts demand-building information, education and research programs funded by the pork checkoff through the National Pork Board, and by voluntary contributions by packers and processors.
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