BlfrUncastor Farnttag, Saturday, March 13 1993
LOU ANN GOOD
Lancaster Farming Staff
MOUNT JOY (Lancaster Co.)
—Things are not always what they
appear to be.
Look at Joan Hershey. Because
she is an active farm wife on a
124-acre Elizabethtown farm and a
board member of several agricul
ture organizations, many are sur
prised to learn that Joan grew up in
the city. As a gracious hostess of
the attractive farm house filled
with family heirlooms, many refin
ished by Joan, she would appear to
have little time for other duties.
But, Joan maintains leadership in
local, national, and international
church affairs and is a renowned
speaker for many agriculture and
church events.
Even Joan’s name is pro
nounced differently than it
appears. Called “Joanne,” she
appears to be sunny, confident, and
a take charge person who is not
afraid of anything.
“But that wasn’t always true,”
said Joan. “I always had an overac
tive fear.”
That was until 1974, when just
two days after Mother’s Day, Joan
said that every thing changed.
That was the day, she prayed
that God would remove the con
stant fear of “what ifs” that often
kept her from joyfully living each
moment.
It was also the day that her
14-year-old son Steve was severe
ly injured, hemorrhaging from a
damaged kidney.
In the weeks ahead, the threat of
death, of permanent injury, and of
financial rum hung over the family,
for they had no health insurance.
But to Joan’s amazement, she
felt an undescribable peace even
when her son’s kidney needed to be
removed two months later.
Joan is convinced that those
weeks would have been filled with
constant agony of fear if she had
not prayed that little prayer of
relinquishment.
Another surprise for her was to
hear the doctors say that Steve had
been bom with a hydronephrotic
kidney. If he had not been injured
md the kidney removed, he might
have died suddenly or the kidney
deformity could have destroyed his
other kidney.
“So the accident was really a
blessing in disguise,” Joan said.
The operation was successful,
the hospital bills paid from com
munity fundraisers, fear con
Joan’s book, Happiness, Hollyhocks, and Heaven, Is a
collection of Joan’s poetry, recipes, and “heavenly
thoughts.”
Childhood, Farm, Church Impact
Joan Hershey’s Life
quered, and Joan’s faith secured.
Since that time, Joan said, “I
have not been crippled by fear like
I would have been before I prayed
that prayer.”
It is not that she has not had plen
ty of things to worry about.
In fact, within a year of her son’s
injury, Joan’s husband suffered
hemorrhaging behind his eye when
a nail from an electric nailer rico
cheted and hit his eye, and her
daughter was beat up by school
bullies and was terrified of going to
school for a year.
“Cancer has not escaped our
family; Harry’s father was killed in
a car accident; we lost our birds
during the Avian Influenza, and
our chicken house went down
when we had 7'A -inches of rain
within I'A hours,” Joan said.
But those experiences only
made Joan stronger. She said, “I’m
not afraid of tomorrow, I’ve seen
yesterday, and I’m in love with
today.”
Because she is aware of how
much fear can rob people from
enjoying life, Joan wants to help
others conquer fear. For that rea
son, she commits herself to inspira
tional and motivational speaking
and involvement in many church
offices at the local, national, and
international levels. Her involve
ment has taken her across the U.S.
and to Korea.
Joan and her husband serve as
deacon and deaconess of the Florin
Church of the Brethren. She teach
es a married young adult Sunday
School class, is on a local board
ministry commission, a district
board, church development,
Korean advisory committee, gifts
discernment and structure team,
moderator of the chair steering
committee, evangelism director,
and numerous related committees.
Joan is a charter member of
Farm Women Society 26. She
joined about 25 years ago. In addi
tion to leadership in Society 26,
Joan also has been county secretary
and president.
After completing a term as Can
ister County Farm Women presi
dent, Joan published a book. Hap
piness, Hollyhocks, and Heaven, in
appreciation for the farm women
members. The book, which is in its
third printing, is based on the say
ing that happiness, hollyhocks, and
a touch of heaven are three special
gifts that Farm Women freely give.
The book includes Joan’s poems,
wise sayings, and favorite recipes.
The Hersheys are uncertain when their farm house was . was owi
Simeon Cameron, Sec. of War under President Abraham Lincoln. The house has had
two additions and its spaciousness allows Joan to entertain large groups.
COCOA CHIFFON CAKE
Stir together and cool:
% cup boiling water
'/} cup baking cocoa
Mix together in bowl:
VA cup cake flour
I V* cup granulated sugar
VA teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Add:
Joan said that her childhood had
a large impact on her involvement
in church and community.
“When 1 grew up, it wasn’t a
question on whether or not we go to
church. We went As a teen-ager,
she spoke on Youth Sunday, parti
cipated in district youth cabinet,
and in national youth conferences.
She was active in plays, choir, and
other activities.
During her childhood, Joan was
encouraged to memorize poetry
and expected to recite it at family
reunions.
“I didn’t exactly love that,” said
Joan. But she believes that reciting
poetry developed her public speak
ing ability and influenced her love
for poetry, which she began writ
ing in later years.
A city girl, daughter of a chiro
practor, Joan eased into farm life as
a 19-year-old bride of Harry
Hershey.
They settled on the farm where
they still live. The farm is one of
nine farms originally belonging to
Simeon Cameron, who was the
Secretary of War under President
Abraham Lincoln. Maple trees line
the road and the long lane leading
into the Hersheys' 124-acre farm
that borders Joan’s husband’s
home farm.
The Hersheys have 172 head of
steers and 110,000 layers in part
nership with her husband’s brother
John.
When first married, Joan learned
to bale, fill silo, and help with
tobacco.
I had a wonderful mother-in-law
who made my transition from city
to farm easy,” Joan said.
Joan no longer works daily on
the farm, but she does keep the
farm records on the computer and
help with egg packing when
needed.
She is a second term board mem
ber for the Farm and Home Found
ation and a former director of the
Lancaster County Extension
board.
Although the Hersheys plan to
move this spring from their farm
house to a rancher built on their
property, Joan stresses that they are
not retiring. Her husband will con
tinue to farm with son Steve, who
also does custom silo filling. The
Hersheys also have a daughter Sha
ron, married to Barry Kreider,
Mount Joy.
For recreation, Joan is part of a
women’s bowling league and
delights in entertaining her five
grandchildren.
Joan’s book. Happiness, Holly
hocks and Heaven is available for
$S plus postage, which varies
according to where it is shipped.
For a copy of the book, which is a
collection of Joan’s poetry, wise
sayings, and recipes, call Joan at
(717) 653-5808.
Joan is famous for her Cocoa
Chiffon Cake. Here is the recipe,
one of those which appear in her
book.
Many of tho antiques are family heirlooms, which Joan
has refinished in between her speaking engagements and
leadership duties.
14 cup vegetable oil
7 egg yolks, unbeaten
2 teaspoons vanilla
Add chocolate mixture. Beat.
In clean bowl, measure and beat
until stiff:
1 cup egg whiles
14 teaspoon cream of tartar
When egg whites are stiff, pour
chocolate mixture over whites.
Fold in carefully. Pour into
ungreased lube pan. Bake at 325
degrees for SS minutes then at 350
degrees for lOto 15 minutes. Invert
to cool.