Bio-Lancaster Farming,
Students Visit Modern-Day Old MacDonald’s Farm
BETH MILLER
Cumberland Co. Correspondent
BOILING SPRINGS (Cumber
land Co.) Lee Hoover really
has an Old MacDonald’s Farm on
his 180 acres near Boiling
Springs.
He has beef animals on his
farm, plus goats, sheep, chicken,
guineas, ducks and all sorts of
things with feathers and fur.
Hoover said he didn’t plan to
have such a variety. It just happen
ed all on its own.
The way the ducks came to be
on the farm is an example of how
things worked out.
The first of the ducks arrived
when the Hoover’s daughter. Lm
nca, was in first grade at Rice Ele
mentary School. The little girl’s
class incubated duck eggs. The
hatchlings stayed in the classroom
for a little while, but after a time,
they needed somewhere else to go.
The Hoover farm became their
new home and, ever since, there
have been ducks on the place.
That was six years ago. Hoover
said.
School children still come to
visit the ducks, and sec all the
other animals at the farm.
But the farm isn’t a zoo. It is a
real working operation.
The Hoovers milk 50 cows on
their 180 acres and have another
50 heifers and calves. They also
grow com, hay, and barley.
The Hoovers do like variety.
For example, they don’t have
just one or two breeds of cows like
many farms. Instead, they have six
breeds.
They have Brown Swiss, Milk-
Step right up and enjoy a s|
, Saturday, June 18, 1994
mg Shorthorns, Guernseys, Ayr
shires. Jerseys, and Holsteins.
Hoover said they show all the
breeds except the Jerseys.
Holsteins are the main milkers,
he said. Hoover said the various
breeds mainly were gotten for the
Hoover children to show.
In addition to Linnea, who is
now a student at Boiling Springs
Junior High School, there are Lar
ry, who is going to Penn State for
a two-year degree in agricultural
engineering; Loren, who is a die
sel mechanic; and Lynn, who is
studying welding in high school.
Hoover said all of his three boys
still want to farm, but they are also
determined to leam another trade.
Living on a farm like the Hoov
ers’ makes one a jack-of-all
trades.
Not only do the Hoovers have
to deal with the cows, they also
have to know how to handle their
four sheep, 10 goals, and 10 rab
bits.
The goals are used for breeding
and the Hoovers sell the kids. In
addition, Lmnea milks two of the
goats.
The chickens that are all over
the place are used for their eggs,
which the Hoovers sell fresh
directly from their farm.
To keep track of all their fea
thered friends, the Hoovers buy a
different chicken cock each year
so they know exactly how old
each different group of chickens
is.
One thing is certain on the
Hoover farm. The Hoovers may
be rather busy, but they never are
bored.
ilash.
Mta* ;v
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The kindergarten students play with the Hoovers’ goats and si
4-H Summer Day Camps Offered
CREAMERY (Monigomery
Co.) School will be out shortly!
How do your children plan on
spending the summer? Here arc a
few ideas. The Monigomery
County 4-H Center is offering two
day camps this summer. The Ani
mal Science day camp is being of
lercd for youth ages 9-14 the week
of June 27. Youth will be able to
leam more about and work with a
variety of farm animals. During
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V.
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The Hoovers’
the week of July 25, there will be
an Environmental day camp for
youth ages 8-12. Both camps will
have lots of hands-on experience
and will be run by teen leaders of
the 4-H community. A small fee
will be charged and parents must
provide transportation to and from
the 4-H Center located on Route
113 between Routes 73 and 29.
Scholarships will also be avail
able.
m
&
loats and sheep
ieep.
Please consider these great
summer opportunities and mark
them on your summer calendars!
Brochures and registration forms
will be available shortly. Call the
4-H office at (610) 489-4315 to re
quest one. Inquiries about the Ani
mal Science day camp should be
directed to Nancy Kadwill and
questions about the Environment
al Day camp to Ann Wct/cl.