816-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, Saptembar 3,1994
4-H’ers, Leaders Talk About Their Work In Poland
ANDY ANDREWS
Lancaster Farming Staff
LANCASTER (Lancaster Co.)
With time and patience, the
people of Poland will have the 4-H
leaders they need to continue to
make 4-H wok in their country,
according to Connie Rutt, Quany
ville, a volunteer 4-H club leader.
Recently, a Lancaster County
4-H delegation returned from a
three-week exchange trip to the
Leszno area of west central
Poland. The group, consisting of
4-H’ers and leaders, spoke about
the trip on Tuesday at the Farm and
Home Center during a news
conference. *
What the 4-H leaders and
ambassadors found is that, for a
people struggling with democracy,
the seed has been sown for 4-H to
grow.
Rutt and Lancaster County
extension agent Glenn Shirk, with
Glenn’s wife Carol Lee, accom
panied Kim McLaughlin, 4-H’er
from Quanyville and Eric Wen
ger. 4-H’er from Manheim, on the
exchange trip. Shirk said that the
trip was part of an ongoing prog
ram to provide international exper
ience and cultural exchange for
4-H’ers.
Rutt said that the 4-H program
was set up there about three years
Even though Poland Is struggling with democracy, the seed has been sown for 4-H
to grow. Connie Rutt, far right and Lancaster County extension agent Glenn Shirk, far
left, accompanied Kim McLaughlin, 4-H’er from Quarryvllle, second from left and Eric
Wenger, 4-H’er from Manheim, on the exchange trip. On the table are gifts from the
Polish host families. Shirk said that the trip was part of an ongoing program to provide
International experience and cultural exchange for 4-H’ers.
B&B SPRAY PAINTING
SANDBLASTING
Quality Spray
Affordable Brush
Specializing In Farm Buildings, Feed Mills - Roofs -
Tanks - Etc., Aerial Ladder Equip.
Stone - Brick - Restoration
Gibbon’s Rd. RD #1 Bird-in-Hand, Pa.
Answering Service (717) 354-5561
ago by the Michigan 4-H. Several
programs were put in place in
Poland by various Pennsylvania
4-H groups since.
Shirk said that the group visited
Leszno, an area in west central
Poland. The area is similar to that
of die midwestem U.S. Shirk said
he was pleased with the visit and
found the Polish people very
hospitable.
Eric Wenger, 18, son of Nelson
and Alma Wenger, Manheim, said
that he stayed with a family that
maintained a hog farm, which tot
aled about 180 hectares (about 450
acres). At the time, he was helping
two Polish brothers, aged 16 and
17, and a sister, age S, helped with
the straw harvest. They all were
very kind to Eric and introduced
him to the Polish way of life.
At the same time, the family was
extremely interested in things
American.
“They were very interested in
America, especially Hollywood
and music,’* said Eric. He said
they had some very good Ameri
can music at their “discos,’’ but he
also experienced some traditional
Polish entertainment and food.
Eric said he was impressed by the
the Polish cities, by “how beauti
ful and clean and safe they are.’’
Always, the Polish people were
“very generous and respectful”
Many of the Polish students
study different languages, particu
larly German, English, and Rus
sian. The younger people ufader
stand more English, since tradi
tionally Russian was the more
common second language until the
fall of communism. Rutt said that
the Polish-English translation
book “came in handy all the time”
for the group.
Eric, a Penn State 4-H ambassa
dor and Manheim Central High
School senior, said the Poland
4-H’en had some public speaking
experience, but never tried
impromptu speaking. “That was a
first for nearly everyone,” he said.
Rutt said that many of the
4-H’ers and Polish families have
the perception that all American
4-H’crs have vacation homes in
Florida. She had to explain that
Florida would have to be a big
place to accommodate everyone
with homes.
Rutt said that the group ate vari
ous traditional Polish foods and
cabbage “in every form
possible.”
Kim McLaughlin, 16, daughter
of Ralph and Vonnie McLaughlin,
Quanyville. visited a Polish horse
form. She took horse riding les
sons, something she had never
done. “To me, it was an adven
ture.” she said.
“They were very, very gener
ous to me,” said Kim. “They
made sure I felt at home.” She said
he felt very close to the fiunily
“and it was hard to say goodbye.”
Kim said she was impressed
with their efforts after World War
H and the fall of communism to
restore the architecture to its origi
nal design. She equated her trip
with a voyage “into history” and
liked to imagine what the place
was like when it was first built
* ‘American is a fairly new country.
Food Safety Applies To Backyard Grilling
UNIVERSITY PARK (Centre cooler until you are ready to grill
Co.) You’ve made it through them," Knabcl says,
the entire summer barbecue sea- —Cook hamburgers and other
son without incident Congratula- ground meat until the center is no
tions. There’s still Labor Day. longer pink and the juices run
however, and a Penn State food clear,
safety expert counsels caution —Marinate raw fish, meat or
when grilling up a feast for fiiends poultry in a glass dish in the
and relatives. refrigerator. Do not use the maii
“lllncsscs from undercooked nade as a basting sauce or dip if
foods and improper food handling raw meat has been placed in it
skyrocket during barbecue sea- —Pre-cooking meat in the
son,” says Stephen Knabel. assis- microwave or range is a time
tant professor of food science in saver, but make sure the meat goes
Penn State’s College of Agricul- directly from the oven or micro
tural Sciences. wave onto the grill Do not let par-
Such food-borne illnesses as tially cooked meat sit out on the
campylobacteriosis, giardiasis, counter,
salmonellosis and shigellosis —Charcoal should bum for 30
strike most frequently during the minutes before cooking. The coals
summer season particularly in should have a light ash coating for
children under 4 years old. best results.
Symptoms of such illnesses —Always make an exploratory
include stomach pain, nausea, cut into meats to check doneless.
vomiting, diarrhea, headaches and —Use a meat therometer for
fever. Healthy adults often weath- large cuts of meal Roasts should
er the sicknesses in a day or two. reach 14S degrees Fahrenheit for
However, young children, senior medium rare and 160 degrees F
citizens, pregnant women, and for medium. Whole poultry
people with impaired immune sys- should reach 180 degrees,
terns can die if not treated —Do not put cooked food on
immediately. plates that have held raw meal
Knabcl suggests a few simple “Any containers, cutting boards or
guidelines to make sure your holi- utensils used to prepare raw meat
day weekend doesn’t include a for the grill should be washed
trip to the emergency room. before being used again. Also,
—Keep hot foods hot and cold wash your hands in soapy water
foods cold. “Leave meats and before and after handling meat,"
other food in the refrigerator or Knabel said.
97iiaaagBBB M
I !K%fflHlPHlll I
K \\ "' me. \\„.
AUTOMATIC HEADGATE
FINISHED WITH BAKED ON TOP GRADE
POLYESTER TGIC POWDER COATING
FABRICATION.
a PAUL B. ZIMMERMAN, INC.
..... - Hours 295 Woodeomsr Rd.
I «Mm nnil^ntnrm^linn Mon - ThrU FrL U,ltt ’ PA "548
1 Additions! Information 7|06 i Mils Wsst of Ephrata
9 And Your Nsarssl Dsalsr SaL 7So 11 717-738-7365
Wiaammi ?2uaaflDMBL TZiaaflEMß.
We have nothing old like they do
there.”
Kim. a junior at Solanco, said
the people of Poland “are the
nicest people that I have ever
met”
Rutt, 4-H leader, said this is her
third trip to Poland. “The Polish
people are very excited about the
future, about the youth and the
possibilities.” Now, if only the
Polish people can make time away
from the constant struggle to “get
a job, hold a job,” said Rutt, and
devote precious energies, 4-H
clubs in Poland can grow and
prosper.
FEATURING:
• Full roof cover for outdoor
protection
• Heavy duty latch for positive
locking
• Double linkage for extra
stability
• Control handle operated from
either side
• Fast, easy adjustments to match
animal size and neck size from
5" to 7”
• Handle to manually operate for
slow or homed cattle