812-Lancast»r Firming, Saturday, May 22,1993 Prince Is popular with children who come to Tracey’s Orchard. His favorite snack is apples, of course, said Franklin County Apple Queen Heidi Martin. Heidi Martin Franklin County BONNIE BRECHBILL Franklin Co. Correspondent GREENCASTLE (Franklin Co.) Franklin County’s Apple Queen finds fruit-growing to be a family affair. A fifth-generation member of the family who oper ates Tracey’s Orchard, Heidi Mar tin, 18, has been involved with fruit all her life. She is the daugh ter of Randy and Sandi Martin. Her grandparents, Ralph and Connie Tracey and their two sons, Edwin and Denny, run the or chard. Heidi’s mother, who is the Traceys’ daughter, helps with the bookkeeping. The daughters-in law and grandchildren help as needed. The orchard was original ly purchased by I.C. Barr, Connie Tracey’s grandfather, in the 19305. Apples, peaches, pears, cher ries, plums and nectarines grow on 86 acres. Some of the apples arc wholesaled to Knouse Foods; everything else is sold retail at the sales shed from June through Christmas. The operation includes a 2,000-bushcl cold storage build ing. Heidi has helped to sell the fruit ever since she was a child. She now also works at Klein’s Gro cery Store in nearby Shady Grove, and enjoys waiting on many of the same customers at both places. A senior at Greencastle-Antrim High School in the business curri culum, Heidi is as yet undecided about her future plans. She would like to either go on to school or en ter the secretarial Held. She is tak ing a class on Lotus computer pro gram basics because “the business field is changing fast, and if you don’t know what you’re doing, you’re ancient,” she said. No matter what she does after high school, she plans to continue her involvement at the orchard. “This is my second home here,” she said. “They always find some- Growers HARRISBURG (Dauphin Co.) Pennsylvania vegetable pro ducers approved the referendum to continue the Vegetable Market ing and Research Program by a vote of 374 to 246. The approval ensures the continuation of the program for the next five years. An impartial teller committee counted the ballots in Harrisburg recently. A simple majority among the state ; s vegetable pro ducers who use one or more acres of farmland or 1,000 square feet or Reigns As Apple Queen thing for you to do.” “We always enjoy having an extra hand,” her grandmother add ed. The grandparents lived in the farmhouse across from the sales shed until last January, when they switched houses with Edwin and his family. Heidi is not the first in her fami ly to wear the crown of apple roy ally. Her cousin Brandi served as 1992 Apple Princess. The girls had agreed years ago not to run against each other in the pageant. Brandi is older, so she ran last year. Now both girls are encourag ing Brandi’s younger sister Lori to enter. Another cousin, Edwin’s daughter Megan, 7, is already talking about entering, according to the family. Both Brandi and Heidi were sponsored by their grandparents in the apple queen competition. Heidi had been looking forward to competing in an Apple Queen pageant for several years. “Ever since 1 was little, we al ways got dressed up and went to the Queen banquet it was the thing to do,” she related. “The contestants were always asked the question, ‘What is your favorite apple?’ and I would sit and think, ‘What will 1 say?”’ In preparing for the 1993 pageant, Heidi did more than de cide upon her favorite apple; she read up on the latest technology in the industry, such as new spray materials and storage techniques. She has heard her grandfather and uncles talking about the new tech nique of taking oxygen out of the apples to stop the ripening pro cess, and decided to become in formed about it. She visited the Penn State Fruit Research facility in Biglcrville to learn about it. Af ter the removal of the oxygen, the apples are stored in a carefully Approve Referendum more of greenhouse area to grow the Pennsylvania Agricultural vegetables for sale in Pennsylva- Commodities Marketing Act nia was needed for approval. (PACMA), the program has pro state Agriculture Secretary vided more than $70,000 to sup- Boyd E. Wolff accepted the port 36 research projects. The results of the Teller Committee’s program has also reached more ballot count. “Research to than 7 million people through its improve productivity and promo- news releases and has created lions to increase market share will point-of-purchase kits and matcr continue under this program,” ials, the “Know Your Vegetables” Wolff said. “Our producers still consumer brochure, and the “Pick have a powerful tool in their 5. Get 10%” vegetable sale prom comer." otion at 100 farm markets across Since its creation in 1988 under the state. controlled environment. Later, oxygen is pumped back in to re start the ripening process. She also read up on Johnny Ap pleseed, and will use some of what she learned about him when speaking to children. Johnny Ap pleseed went west ahead of the settlers planting apple trees so that the fruit would be ready for the immigrants to eat. A very reli gious, simple man, he was also a missionary to the Indians. “Al most everyone had heard of him,” Heidi said, “and there was never a bad word said about him.” Heidi will be speaking to a Brownie troop later this month. She will tell them about the many different varieties of apples and impress upon them that it is “fun and interesting to have an apple as a snack,” she said. Heidi’s favorite apple recipe is Fresh Apple Cake. “This is very moist; the butterscotch and the ap ples enhance each other,” She said. Although Heidi makes this recipe often, she asked her grand mother to make it for her birthday. “Grandma makes it the best,” she explained. FRESH APPLE CAKE 2 cups sugar 2 eggs 1 cup cooking oil 2'/i cups flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon baking soda 3 cups Finely chopped apples 1 cup chopped nuts 1 package butterscotch chips Beat sugar and eggs together; add oil. Sift dry ingredients. Add apples and nuts. Mix all together. Pour batter into greased and flour ed 9” x 13” pan. Sprinkle butter scotch chips over batter and bake at 350* for 45 - 50 minutes. Can also be made as muffins. See your nearest NEW HOLLAND’ Dealer for Dependable Equipment and ENNSYLVANIA AnnvUle, PA BHM Farm Equipment, Inc. RDI, Rte. 934 717-867-2211 Carlisle, PA RAW Equipment Co. 35 East Willow Street 717-243-2686 DavMsburg, PA George N. Gross, Inc. R.D. 2, Dover, PA 717-292-1673 Elizabethtown, PA Messick Farm Equipment, Inc. Rt. 283 - Rheem's Exit 717-367-1319 Halifax, PA Sweigard Bros. R.D. 3, Box 13 717-896-3414 Honey Brook, PA Dependable Motor Co. East Main Street 215-273-3131 215-273-3737 Honey Grove, PA Norman D. Clark & Son, Inc. Honey Grove, PA 717-734-3682- Loysville, PA 717-789-3117 MARYLAND Frederick, MD Ceresville Ford New Holland, Inc. Rt. 26 East 301-662-4197 Outside MD, 800-331-9122 NEW JERSEY Bridgeton, N.J. Leslie G. Fogg, Inc. Canton & Stow Creek Landing Rd. 609-451-2727 609-935-5145 Woodstown, NJ Owen Supply Co. Broad Street & East Avenue 609-769-0308 Hughesvtlle, PA Farnsworth Farm Supplies, Inc. 103 Cemetery Street 717-584-2106 New Holland, PA A.B.C. Groff, Inc. 110 South Railroad 717-354-4191 day, PA * C.J. Wonsidler Bros. R.D. 2 215-987-6257 Pitman, PA Schrefller Equipment Pitman, PA 717-648-1120 Quakertown, PA C.J. Wonsidler Bros. R.D. 1 215-536-1935 Tamaqua, PA Charles S. Snyder, Inc. R.D. 3 717-386-5945 West Grove. PA S.G. Lewis & Son, Inc. , R.D. 2, Box 66 215-869-2214 Washington, NJ Smith Tractor & Equip., Inc. 15 Hillcrest Ave. 201-689-7900
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