VERNON ACHENBACH JR. Lancaster Farming Staff STRAUSSTOWN (Berks Co.) Mary Ann Keith is talka tive, outgoing, friendly and informed, according to many who have been in her company. Almost a natural spokesperson. Speech judges apparently also agree the young agricultural lending agent and director on the board of the Pennsylvania State University Dairy Sciences Club can talk effectively. Recently she won the national Young Farmer’s Education Asso cation Spokesperson for Agricul ture contest, beating out two other finalists in a showdown in Des Moine, lowa, that Keith almost didn’t make. Because of heavy snows, she missed a Friday flight and instead her family helped drive her to Pittsburgh to catch a flight onto Des Moine. At the Des Moinc airport, she stepped out of the plane to great some people from the convention, just in time to be rushed to a wait ing car and be taken to the conven tion center. She walked on the stage just as the last of the contes tants finished and she was to go on. Her speach was prepared. She said she wasn’t nervous. “It’s easier to talk to 800 or 1,000 people than to get up in front of your own family,” she said, laughing. Her topic was, ‘The Importance of Farmer in Our World Today.” She started out with a short but effective introduction that pro vided the talk with a personal and easily understandable setting the dinner table. From a brief description of the home-raised foods she and her family ate during that meal, she said that during the course of din ner table discussion, a comment was made about the future. The comment was that with newer and newer technologies being developed, there is an appa rent lack of need for the farmer in the future, because people can be fed with artificially manufactured, nutritive pills or tablets. Then through a description of what a modem farmer actually is, compared to the antiquated imago, and through a quick outline of the functions and interdependence of economies on agricultural produc tion, she argued against the portent of the end of the farmer. In fact, she argued for a stronger need in the future for the strongly educated and practical farmer. “Agriculture drives even the industries of steel, chemicals, plas tic, glass and especially food ser vice,” she said in the speach. “Everyone in the world is some how affected by our friends who work the land. “In countries where proper farming methods are not adequate, the standard of living is very low and thousands go hungry,” she said. “Thialand is an important exam ple in my own mind because I lived there for a year. Thais have very little knowledge of modem farm ing practices and rely a great deal on other countries, such as our United States, to survive,” she said. Later in the speach, near the end, she reverts back to the dining room with her family and said that the meal conversation turned. “We are Keith Wins National Young Farmers Competition no longer discussing the insignific ant occupation of farming, but an important profession in our world today. We are in turn, no longer the greedy consumer. “The farmer is ultimately responsible for our existence and comfort, and we are more aware of our dependence on the products and grateful for what the farmer provides.” She finished the speach in five minutes or less, as is the require ment, and took questions for 10 minutes from the judges. She said the was told to be pre pared for any questions, because the judges may not necessarily be farming enthusiasts, or they may have personal arguements with the farming industry. But Keith shined. Her modesty is not embarrass ment, but acknowledgement that she has been blessed with a certain talent for talk. She doesn’t take credit for it, as though she could have created the talent. However, she attributes the refinement of her speaking and communicative abilities as the result of being active in 4-H, FFA, high school, college, dairy clubs, etc., and being and slaying informed. She has invested energy in getting and sharing knowledge. The effectiveness of her com munications is a result of practic ing, which isn’t just talking, she said, but is just as much listening —to others, and to herself. To qualify for the national con test, she got a bye because she qualified from speaking as several meetings, doing several inter views, speaking in front of groups, and writing letters to the governor, liuetenant governor and a town major. A speach she gave to the Pen nsylvania-State Grange, and later to the national Grange in Denver, Colo., was about changing the Grange. Her speach to the PSU Dairy Science Club was on being an agricultural lender. She also won the state Grange speach contest and recognition at the national contest Her involvement in communi cations through the Young Far mers Association was intensive. She said she and the other contes tants participated in a two-day media blitz about the convention while in Des Moine. The blitz included writing newspaper, radio and television releases, including being part of live broadcasts. There were three judges for the Young Farmers contest one representing the industry, one rep resenting non-farming concerns, and the other was an agricultural radio personality. Although she could probably speak on behalf of other interests, she said her desire is to speak on behalf of agriculture. Being raised on a commercial dairy farm near Lake Raystown, she said she grew up with a love of farming that has continued apd grown. Her parents, Harry and Joan (pronounced Joe-Ann), and brother John are in partnership on the 100-acre farm. They rent an additional 200 acres, have 50 milk ing Holsteins and raise their own replacements. After graduating from Penn State College, she worked for the ag lending team at Lebanon Valley National Bank, and then more than a year ago, she took a position serving as an agricultural lender for Mid-Slate Bank, New Enterprise. “I’ll do anything to support the agricultural cause,” she said. “It’s been the backbone of my life.” The Young Farmers association was started to provide continuing education to the rural, mostly agir cultural Americans of the past. The number ot local cnapters has been diminishing as the number of school districts cease to support the organization, citing low num bers of farmers. However, Keith said the impor tance of the oranization isn’t diminishing at all. “The organization is very important. It’s an educational organization that provides conti nuing education. That’s something I think every farmer needs, espe cially the way the world’s chang ing, and this organization provides the opportunity to keep up with the changes.” In the meantime, with her sche dule full with work, and helping out with evening milkings and some weekend duty at the home farm where she keeps her three milking and three heifer registered Holsteins, she said she would still like to find a place to use her speaking skills for more benefit to agriculture. Currendy, she co-coaches the Huntingdon County Holstein Association dairy bowl team with John Andrew Foster 111 and is involved with the Blair County Chamber of Commerce Farm-City Committee. She also holds the office of Ceres in the slate Grange. In addition, she is a member of a sign language group that puts on demonstrations for church and civ ic groups and signs for plays and songs. Lancaster County’s Seven Horse & Pony Clubs Hold Recognition Banquet The December banquet culmi nated a year’s work for Lancaster County’s seven horse & pony clubs Boots & Saddles, Broken Bit, Production, Rough Riders, Saddle Cinches, Sequoia Riders, and Stable Mates. The year included community service projects, clinics, horse shows, and competing on the county, district, and state levels. Guests for the evening were commissioner James Huber, chairman, Board of County Com missioners;,Mr. & Mrs. Jay Irwin, retired Lancaster County exten sion director; and Mr. & Mrs. Ray Brubaker, Farm & Home Center, where the banquet was held with the following results: Club Awards THrM Yurt Or Mer Perfect Attendance Becky Preias (6 yrs.) Kelly Frybarger, Jodell Stahl, Michelle Miller (8 yrs.), Carl Stout. Outstanding Teen Leaders: fcecky Prelss, Eileen Holm, Nathan Stoltztui. Tina Henry, Lavonne Lehman, Kan Moyer, Matth ew Stark. Hjgh Sponorship: Samara Shuster- Edelson (Jr.), Carl Hoover (Jr.), Liaa Pan nebecker (Jr.), the Oblerholtzer's (Jr's) Jeaa lyn, Heather Brian Brent & Delmar, Becky Preiss (Sr). Moat Improved First Year Member; Cori Rile, Lynsday Holton, Mike Heaa, Kane Plahl, Brooke Leggat, Gabrielia Grumelli.' Most Improved Second Year Member: Jennifer Talbot, Maureen Gerhard, Samara Shuster-Edslson, Ably Oagen, Erika Ben der, John Snyder, Karen Wertz, Greg Paxson. Oustandlng Member In Fine! Yeer: Becky Preias, Eileen Holm. Kim Kettering, Mary Ann Keith enjoys promoting agriculture. Here she poses with ice cream in front of Way-Har Farms store in Berks County. A friend of the family, she used some vaca tion to visit. HAPPENINGS (Junior) Karl Moyer (Senior), Manhelm. Bobbi Miller. Michelle Miller. ' Hamish, Roy Haldeman, Sandy Peteerson, Beet Demenetratlen: Samara Shuster- Jeremy Shelly, Jennifer Paxon (Jr.’s), Bobbie Edelson, Kelli Sullivan, Robert Shuster- Miller. Michelle Miller, Jessica Hill (Sr's.) Edelson, Lisa Pannebecker, Sara Harris, Best Project Book: (Horses Are Fun) Kim Kerra Allen, Karl Moyer, Pam Lehman, Wenger, Nichole Rose, Jennifer Brandt, Sar- Heather Oberholtzer, Jessica Pfahl, Kirsten ah Paetz. (Novice) Tim Goodman, Robert Kauffman, Jenny Long. Shuster-Edelson, Jessica Althouse, Lyndsy Trail Ride Awards: Barry Gochnauer, Holton, Brent Oberhoteer. Karen Craven. Sarah Haynes, Angie Moore, John Snyder, Greg Paxson. (Tendertood) Jennifer eooo- Elbe Gage, Connie Stanley (Jr.'s), Kate A ton, man, Melissa Mels key, Karra Allen, Gabr Kristy Fiybarger, Becky Aukamp, Camille Bowman, Alison Longenecker, Karen we^ Long (Sr’s) (Junior) Samara Shudster-Edelson, Becky Outstanding Parents: Georgle Heisey, Aukamp. Kyle Ketter- Donnie Fiybarger, Jeff Edelson, Dolly Shus- in 0. Carl Hoover. (Senior) Becky PreisS'L^ ter, Janet Aukamp, Laverne Oberholtzer, Hamish, Tina Henry, Kerry Moyer, Diann & Gerald Kormos, Betti Qrumelli, Rox- Gage, Connie Stanly. ann Stanley, Dianne Paxton. Holm, Kim Kettering, Bobbi Miller, Giovan* Sportsmanehlp; Elizabeth Heisey, Lori (Turn to Page B 19) Moye
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers