B2>Lancaster Farming, Saturday, January 2, 1993 Reviewing the Old, (Continued from Page A 1) Barbara said the area offices served as a liason between 12 states in the Northeast and Washington. “We had to make sure the informa tion got out and was followed. If people had questions, we needed to get answers.” One of the most mind-boggling issues was learning to deal with employee problems. “It’s a lot dif ferent in government than dealing with employee problems in private industry,” she said. “Long, drawn out procedures take time. Equal employment opportunity laws give everyone the opportunity to pre sent their cases and appeal. It’s a real learning experience.” ..Another area that required dili gent study was , the acroymns, which every government agency has. “It was like learning a new lan guage. It was one of the first things I really needed to leam otherwise I couldn’t understand what I was reading,” she said. In all, Barbara said it was a chal lenging year. ‘The neatest part of the whole job was to meet all the people in state and county offices.” “I have been able to hang onto my cows that’s the Important thing,” said Becky Crombert of Chester County. A vow made years ago came to fruition for Naomi Bupp with successful sales from the Farm Women cookbook, which she funded. , Barbara said that she owes a lot to her husband and sons, who had told her, “You’ve been here for us, now it’s your turn to do something you want to try.” The Gumbines own a 150-head purebred hog and 125-head Dorset sheep operation on their 125-acre Myerstown farm. “Adjusting to life in Washington was wonderful. It was similar to college life. It taught me to be inde pendent and function on my own. I enjoyed my time in the city. There was always so much going on.” She said, “I have no regrets. I would do it all over again.” Since the New Year brings installation of the newly elected president, Barbara assumes that her politically appointed position will end on January 20. Although Barbara was disap pointed by the election results, she said, “This is what makes govern ment work. I can’t be upset. I knew when I accepted this position that it would last one or five years, depending on the election. 1 have accepted that this is it. I look for ward to another opportunity, pos sibly in four years.” Looking Forward To The New Jim, left, and Gene Schopf experienced a successful year with their produce and capon business enough to encourage them to expand their operation. one of the recipients who benefit- house, but I added a downstairs ted from the scholarships. bathroom and laundry. If the time Of the hard work required, the comes that I need to live on one 70-year-old Bupp said that she was floor, my house will be accustomed to it. Her husband had wheelchair-accessible. I’ve lived died at 61 years of age. Bupp did here for 47 years, and I want to stay not want to sell her farmland. She here,” she said, established her own drapery and Of her outlook for the future, slip cover business, which she con- Bupp said, “No cookbook lasts tinues on a part-time basis. forever. This will run its course This year, she added an addition eventually. Everybody says, to her house. “It’s already a big (turn to Page B 3) During the next year, Barbara hopes to stay active in agriculture. Her immediate plans are to sell real estate. Long-range plans arc to remain involved in Pennsylvania politics. For Naomi Bupp, 1992 brought unbelievable success to the “Soci ety of Pennsylvania Farm Women Cookbook.” Bupp masterminded the cookbook for die Pennsylvania Farm Women Society, which was nine years in the making. Because the organization did not have the money needed to invest in such a large project, Bupp emptied two of her personal savings accounts and borrowed $12,000 for a total of $17,000 because she believed in die project. She thought it would take five years to sell 2,500 copies, which she needed to order for the first printing and to break even with the money invested. Now, the cook book is in its sixth printing with a total of 15,000 copies sold. The biggest changes for her dur ing this past year relate to her involvement with the cookbooks. She said, “I tout cookbooks everywhere.” It also has been a time consuming project. “If I was not semi-retired, I could not have done this because it needs to be top priority all the time,” Bupp said of the required mailing, bookwork, and trips to the bank. “Because the cookbooks are not tax exempt, I need to pay taxes monthly.” Bupp is thrilled that the project was so successful. “My dream was that the cookbook would not be so expensive that older farm women could not afford to give cookbooks to their children and grandchildren for gifts. It has served the purpose that I originally wanted.” Profits from cookbook sales are earmarked for the Society of Farm Women’s scholarship fund. Bupp said that it was really the scholarship fund that inspired her to undertake the cookbook project “Years ago, my daughter 'got a $3OO scholarship from the Farm Women. I vowed'that somefiow, sometime, I would replace that money plus the amount for another scholarship,’’ she said. This year, her vow came to frui tion when cookbook profits enabled Farm Women to award six $l,OOO scholarships. ‘The scholarships enabled some to’attend college that could not have otherwise,” Bupp said. In fact, her own granddaughter was ios Funk has retired from the Ag Preserva tion Board and the Conservation District Board after decades ofservlce, the 81 -year-old plans to work in the bus iness he started as long as he can navigate. wmesfead wtes
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