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.