From Madison Avenue To Bradford Con
Bill and Helen Olewnik take a break from the mornl
milking.
(Continued from Page A 1)
In 1988 they made the decision
to give up successful careers and
go into fanning.
Not that either had any back
round in farming Bill grew up
in northeast Philadelphia; Helen
hails from Kalamazoo. Mich.
Nevertheless, the two were
exposed to agriculture. When they
would visit Helen’s brother in
Michigan, Bill would sometimes
go along to his brother-in-law’s
workplace a dairy farm.
Bill would tag along while his
brolhcr-in-law worked, at the time
not aware that city life would soon
become unsatisfactory and that he
would be considering farming as a
career.
But the seed was planted, and
when the couple decided to go into
agriculture, dairying was the cou
ple’s only reference.
Before jumping into farming
without having'any experience at
all, the couple went to New
Jersey’s Somerset County Exten
sion Office and told the staff that
the couple was willing to work free
on weekends at whatever farm
and reputation for minimum
maintenance can help you
make hay in a day Better
faster
800-368-1516
HARVESTING SPECIALIST m u.s. and Canada
would allow novices willing to
learn.
The Olewniks were offered
work at a horse farm, sheep farm, a
beef operation and two dairies.
Bill said he always loved cattle,
so he decided to accept an offer
from A 1 Puskas, of Middlebush
Farm, located in Somerset County.
His first day of work was July 1,
1988.
An extremely hot and humid
day, is how Bill said he remembers
it. The farmer was harvesting
wheat. That day. Bill helped put up
1,000 bales of wheat straw.
Bill said that during that even
ing, while silting at the table, fell
ing hot and exhausted, he knew he
had found his way of life.
Bill continued working for
Puskas and family Al, Julie
and their two sons Bobby and
Jimmy.
He said that he not only learned
a tremendous amount about farm
ing while working with the family,
but he said he also developed a
great friendship.
It was through the help of the
Puskas that the Olewniks now own
CLAAS can’t do anything
about your seed, the rain, or
other things out of your con
trol. But we can provide
quality hay tools that insure
a successful harvesting.
CLAAS® hay tools meet
your needs, exceed your ex
pectations, and can help turn
your harvest into a profit
able one.
First, three high-speed
Corto drum mower mod
els work in any crop or ter
rain to cut up to a 10 ft
swath. Each model offers
stepless cutting height ad
justment and ground level
tilt adjustment for a clean
cut.
Second, four Volto ro
tary tedders reduce field time
by spreading cut crops 15 to
24 ft. Gentle, thorough lift
ing and uniform spreading
cut drying time in half and
insure quality bales.
Next, three Liner rotary
rake models gently sweep
crops into fluffy windrows.
Double your capacity in a
single pass with two twin
rake models that clear a
swath up to 24 ft wide. Twin
rotor action captures all cut
crops for maximum yield,
delivering a neat, loose wind
row to the center for easy
pick-up.
Call and ask how CLAAS
hay tools' rugged reliability
and operate a 225-acrc dairy farm
and milk SO cows, Bill said.
The Olewinks didn’t just go
from “point A” to “point B.”
Puskas helped them locate a farm
that would suitable for their needs.
He traveled miles with the couple,
visiting farms and offering advice.
Puskas died recently. The loss
has been great. Bill said, adding
that Puskas was the Oiewniks’
great friend and inspiration.
The changes (hat occured for
Bill during the transition from city
to country can be traced through
the jobs he held and (he situations
the family encountered prior to
moving into Standing Stone Farm.
After leaving the security of the
well-paying typography work, and
the guidance from Middlebush
Farm, the couple went to work full
lime milking 200 cows and Helen
took care of the heifers.
It was at this farm that Bill
learned how to artificially insemi
nate a cow. He still does that on his
own herd, only calling for a techni-
At the wheel of his tractor, Bill Olewnik heads out to his hay fields.
Thanks and Congratulations
ROBERT BARLEY & ABE BARLEY, JR.
Star Rock Farms, Conestoga, PA
On Their New 38’x480’ Heifer Facility
This Facility Features:
★ 40 pen facility
★ Curtain ventilation
> '
-
Custom Builders of Dslry, Horss, Storage, Residential And Commercial Buildings.
nty In Search
cian when he has failed to get a
cow settled on a third try.
The next step the couple look
was to rent a farm of their own.
With the help of Puskas, the Oiew
niks pursued an advertisement
about a farm for rent in
Pennsylvania in Durell, Brad
ford County.
Bill and Helen said they fell in
love with the area and the people.
On April 1,1991, the Oiewniks
started their own dairy in
Durell they bought a herd of SO
cows in New Jersey and moved in.
However, renting was not for
the couple. “Renting does not
work, or at least in our situation it
didn’t,” Helen said.
With the help of new-found
friends in Bradford County, the
couple found out about and pur
chased Standing Stone Farm
already a Dairy of Distinction
located ajong the Susquehanna
River. The farm contained every
thing the couple needed, and the
previous, now-retired owners, Sid-
★ Roof system with anti-bird perching features
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, Jurw 19, 1993-A33
11 •
-X ,
t£e
To
it Manure push-off system
it Glue laminated posts
717-738-2142
1-(800)-TRIPLE-1
1-(800)-874-7531
TRIPLE H Construction
430 Springville Road Ephrata, PA 17522
Of Farm Life
ney and Fran Lewis, continue to
provide advice and help.
At the present, the family dairy
farm is operated by Bill, Helen and
their children, who do some
chores, 11-year-old Jennifer and
6-year-old Mike.
The herd had a rolling produc
tion average of 16,000 pounds of
milk when it was purchased, and
now, with 75 percent of the origi
nal herd remaining, it’s up to about
18,500 pounds.
Olewniks grow com and hay
and they have a nutritionist from
the local feed business to help
balance rations for optimum
production.
They feed 40 pounds of com sil
age per cow, per day in two feed
ings; free choice hay; and grain
four times per day.
Bill and Helen said they learned
the importance of cleanliness in
farming and pay attention to main
tenance details, the result of which
(Turn to Page A 36)
, i!!p£
Jr *
'/
/*■