- .rr ■’eni’WMn .wws- wjVfP)
A32*Lancntw Farming, Saturaay, Dacimbar 11,1W3
EVERETT NEWSWANGER
Managing Editor
DUMESTI, ROMANIA In
the village where about 5,000 far
mers live and farm the land around
the town, the people have exper
ienced the love and caring attitudes
of two goodwill educators from the
U.S. And from these ambassadors
the villagers have leamd what real
Americans are like and have
received helpful production infor
mation that we all take for granted.
All this happened because two
volunteers, Jay Irwin, retired Lan
caster County agent, and his wife
Betty went to Romania for five
weeks to assist the people under a
program called Volunteers In
Overseas Cooperative Assistance
from Washington, D.C. Jay and
Betty are quite experienced in this
type of work as they spent six
months in Poland under the spon
sorship of a Penn State program in
cooperative extension. This time in
Romania, the idea was to help farm
people who have just emerged
from Communism in 1989t0 deve
lop the skills and attitudes that will
allow the new democracy to
function.
Right now, the people are angry
because the Communists took all
their land, but now only a small
portion of their land is being
returned to them. After winning the
confidence of the people and bring
ing hope for a belter life through
associations of fanners working
together, the attitudes of the people
noticeably changed by the time the
visit ended.
“We understand their situation,”
Jay said. “They are coming out
from under a government system
that prevented organization and
did not allow for individuals to
make decisions. But we told them
in America farmers have found
they must work together to bettor
themselves. This takes an attitude
, Jay and Batty Irwin treasure gifts given to them by Roma*
nlan farm families.
*4s°° Tax Included
CALL 717-786-7600 • DAILY 8-5
Will Ship Immediately. *2°° Extra For Shipping
Or Pick Up At Shop
Irwins On Goodwill Tour To Romania
that allows-people to trust one
another.
“The mayor of the town was our
sponsor,” Jay said. “He was the one
who requested we come. He had
been in prison for seven years, but
he was not bitter. He could joke
about it. One of the major differ
ences between the poplc of Poland
and Romania is that Polish people
do not laugh much. I think you
have made progress if you can
laugh at yourself,” Jay said.
At first the people were skepti
cal. No one had ever come to their
village who did not have alterior
motives. But after they found that
Jay and Betty just wanted to help
them and give ideas on what work
ed for American farmers, the local
people’s attitudes changed.
The mayor confided at the end of
the visit that his people had
changed attitudes that were more
peaceable. They could sit down
and work out their problems. We
were really pleased to know we had
a positive effect on the people,” Jay
said.
Various problems are evident on
Romania’s farms. Cows are fed
com stover and only a little grain.
On one large farm of 600 cows,
production was about 10 pounds of
milk per day. They didn’t know
about alfalfa.
And quality control in their fac
tories is a major problem. New
equipment often breaks down
shortly after it is purchased. There
is no competition and no incentive
to make things better.
While they have excellent
research facilities at the Universi
ty. they don’t have an extension
system to get the information to the
people. One of Jay’s suggestions
was for the people from the Uni
versity, engineers, and local farm
leaders to meet four times each
year to exchange information. At
(Turn to Pag* A 33)
Jay Irwin gats a tied rida from a local farmer while visiting Romania.
Li}
a
Benuel Lapp, cantar, and Jay Irwin, right, visit Lapp'a demonstration farm in Roma
nia. The intarprator, left, was not needed but was vary Interested fh the conversation.
Irwin said that walking into the Lapp bam felt like being at home in Lancaster County.
QSW
Firestop Attic
Insulation
Shield
Chimney
Sections
Decorator
Ceiling Support
Black
Stove Pipe
v ° ur S
STOVE
Mfg’s Distributor
D.S. MACHINE SHOP
D—tor In quid— Invited
-wm ■* ** *v« ,*v
FULL LINE
STAINLESS STEEL
CHIMNEYS
Deluxe Rain Cap
Storm Collar
t — Adjustable
ii. Roof Flashing
Chimney
must be
enclosed
in living
space
Stove Pipe
Adapter
NEW NEW NEW
BUILT WOOD AND COAL
New
Improved
Automatic
Draft
Air Intake
Regulator.
External
Shaker
Handle
Eliminates
Dust.
WE MANUFACTURE: Hot Wator Bolters, Bucket-A-Day Coal
Stovss (Stool or Stain loss), Baaomant Hot Air Stoves,
Wa Also Will Maks Special Designs If Possible.
2388 Old Leacock Rd.,
Gordonville, PA 17529
717-768-3883
Our New
Style
Champion
Now Has
A New
Redesigned
Efficient
Baffle
System