A34-ly\MBler Fanning, Saturday, November 6, 1993
Joyce Slaymaker Becomes County Farm Women President
LOU ANN GOOD
Lancaster Farming Staff
STRASBURG (Lancaster Co.)
—Today, the reins of leadership to
one of the county’s largest
women’s organizations will go to
Joyce Slaymaker.
The Society of Farm Women of
Lancaster County, with its 741
members in 29 societies, meets for
its annual day-long convention at
the Farm and Home Center today.
This marks the 76th year for the
organization that was first founded
in 1914 by Mrs. Frank Black.
Joyce, who just completed a
. two-year term as first vice presi
dent, said. “The best part of Farm
Women is that our motto, ‘For
Happiness,’ is carried out by each
society finding ways to help needy
families and organizations.’’
Joyce seems to be the perfect
candidate to promote the Farm
Women’s motto “For Happiness.”
A glow of happiness emanates
from her as she discusses Farm
Women, family, and life.
A relaxed, gracious hostess.
Joyce finds pleasure in her every
day life as wife, poultry farmer,
market s landholder, and church
and community affairs.
Although the Farm Women
organization was founded for farm
wives, change in society has
resulted in fewer people being
involved in active agriculture. This
has resulted in many members no
longer being farm wives.
“But even if they aren’t farm
wives, members must be commit
ted to agriculture and its concerns
to be part of Farm Women,” Joyce
said.
Legislative meetings are held
annually to inform members about
the concerns that affect farmers.
“Farm life is a base for so many
things that happen. Although the
family farm is almost getting
extinct, we don’t want people to
forget the work that goes in getting
food on the table,” Joyce said.
Joyce is no stranger to the work
it takes to put food on the table. She
and her husband Clyde own a
75-acre farm along Rl 222 near
Hessdale. They raise 65,000 caged
pullets. But the biggest part of her
job is working three days a week at
their Central Market Stand
Slaymaker’s Poultry.
The Slaymakers buy already
processed turkeys, ducks, geese,
chickens, comish hens, and rabbits
to sell. Joyce makes bread filling to
stuff chicken breasts and turkey
cutlets.
Consumer wants have changed
since the Slaymaker family began
the stand more than three genera
tions ago. Customers buy less
•ter is on* of the Homs Joyce makes to
•ell In local gift shopjp.
whole fryers and turkeys.
“The housewife today wants
fast dinners that she can get
together in 20 minutes or less.”
Joyce said.
Deboned turkey and chicken
breasts, turkey cutlets, and ground
turkey are the most popular
choices for fast dinners.
“We say we do everything for
the customer but code it,” Joyce
said of the many ready-to-cook
cuts the market stand offers.
Joyce also makes ceramics and
has her own kiln in which she fires
items to sell at local gift shops. She
enjoys flower gardening and cook
ing.
Since so much of her life
revolves around poultry, it is not
surprising that Joyce collects
chickens.
Joyce grew up on a dairy and
poultry farm in Manheim. After
she married Clyde, the couple
moved onto one of his dad’s farms,
where they still live. About 16
years ago, a friend invited Joyce to
one of Farm Women Society 28’s
meetings.
She liked what Farm Women
stands for and joined it right away.
Society 28 now has 21 members
who meet monthly in each other’s
homes or at the Farm and Home
Center.
“It’s a great organization, but
it’s a big concern that membership
is dwindling overall,” she said
Many of the original members are
now in nursing homes and cannot
attend.
Joyce believes that many non
members are unaware of the Farm
Women and what they do. A visit
to one of the societies, she
believes, would entice a prospec
tive member to join.
As first vice president of the
county organization for the past
two years, Joyce has had the
opportunity to visit the 29 societies
in the county. “You can tell many
of them are from the farm because
they know how to work,” Joyce
said of the many activities and
fund raisers in which the societies
participate.
As president, Joyce presides
ova* county board meetings and
gives a report at the annual state
convention in addition to planning
the county convention and Farm
Women’s Day. She is also
expected to visit the 29 individual
societies throughout the year.
Other interests include being
organist for the Refton Brethren-
In-Christ Church and being
“Grandma Joyce” for the women’s
Sonshine ‘N’ Coffee group that
meets weekly.
Because her husband Clyde,
home in Strasburg.
was a former county Poultry Asso
ciation director, Joyce helped with
the poultry queen committee.
The Slaymakers’ three children,
Doug, Duane, and Dena, are pur
suing careers outside of agricul
ture. The couple have two
grandchildren.
Joyce and her husband have
traveled a great deal, mostly to vis
it Doug, who lived in Japan Tor
several years and now lives in
Seattle. In addition to Japan and
the West Coast, the Slaymakers
have visited Europe and Hawaii
and have hosted several exchange
students from Japan.
Joyce loves to entertain guests
in the family’s farmhouse. Here
are some of her favorite recipes
using poultry, of course.
GROUND TURKEY
MEATBALLS
1 pound ground turkey
A cup onion, finely chopped
cup celery, finely chopped
'A cup fine dry bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon soy sauce
'A teaspoon freshly grated gin :
ger root
Combine all ingredients. Shape
into balls. Place in jelly roll pan.
Bake at4oodegrees for 15 mintues
or until done. Stir turkey meatballs
into Sweet and Sour Sauce.
Sweet and Sour Sauce:
8 ounces crushed pineapple
14 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
Combine ingredients. Cook and
stir until thickened. Add meatballs.
SWEET AND SOUR
CHICKEN
8-ounces Russian dressing
1 envelope onion soup mix
10 ounces apricot preserves
4 small chicken breasts
Split into halves or use deboned
breasts. Combine dressing, soup
The Slaymaker poultry farm Is located along Rt. 222 near
Hessdale. Joyce checks the 65,000 pullets, tends the fami
ly’s Central Market stand, makes ceramics to sell, and Is
active in Church activities In addition to being president of
the Society of Farm Women of Lancaster County.
mix, and preserves. Place chicken
in well-butter shallow baking dish.
Pour sauce over chicken. Bake at
350 degrees for 114 hours. Baste
several times while cooking.
TANGY BAKED
TURKEY CUTLET
1 cup dairy sour cream
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons Worcestershire
sauce
1 teaspoon paprika
'A garlic clove, chopded fine
114 pound turkey cutlets
many flowai
•round her
'A cup dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons melted butter
Mix together ingredients except
turkey cutlet, crumbs, and butter in
a large shallow glass dish. Cut
each cutlet crosswise into 3 pieces.
Salt and pepper to taste. Add turk
ey to sour cream mixture. Turn to
coat. Cover and refrigerate at least
Shouts. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Remove turkey from marinade.
Coat with bread crumbs. Place in
9x13-inch baking dish. Drizzle
with butter. Bake 30 to 35 minutes
until brown. Serves 4.