Bi4-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 1. 1994
Away From The Midway,
LOU ANN GOOD
Lancaster Farming Staff
EPHRATA (Lancaster Co.)
Parades, food, amusement rides,
and contests attract large crowds to
county fairs. But the average visi
tor misses a lot of the behind-the
scenes happenings that weave
interest into the lives of local
residents.
Did you know that the first
place winner of the chocolate cake
contest at Ephrata Fair had never
tried the winning recjpe before
entering?
Did you know that several life
liasons develop among youth
showing livestock in competition
at the Fair?
Did you know that the livestock
bams are also study halls for self
disciplined teen-agers who want to
keep up their grades during the
busy fair season?
Here’s a “sort-oF’ behind the
scenes capsule about several hap
penings at the Ephrata Fair held
last week.
Jeff and Jerry Bollinger are twin
sons of Ray and Sharon Bollinger
of Ephrata. Fairgoers have
watched these two identical twins
and their younger brother Keith
maneuver their sheep into the win
ner’s circle for years. This season
was no exception and a story about
the twin brothers’ capturing both
champion and reserve breeding
sheep trophies appeared in last
week’s issue of Lancaster
Farming.
But it’s the unpublished news
that is making life-changing deci
sions in the twins lives.
Both are 19 years old. Both are
engaged.
Both met their Fiancees through
FFA events.
It all started several years ago
when Jeff met Andrea Noll, who is
from Perry County, at an FFA state
activity.
At first, there was some confu
sion for Andrea, who, not realizing
Jeff was a twin, struck up a conver
sation with him. She had met him
before, she said, at another event.
Jeff, who is accustomed to mis
taken identity with his twin, ack
nowlcged that it was probably his
brother.
“Now, I would never mistake
the two,” Andrea said. “There are
many different' comparisons
between them, and I can tell the
differences immediately.”
It was, Jeff said, Andrea’s long
blond hair that first caught his
attention. But it is their common
bond for the farm that causes their
relationship to grow.
“We both want a farm. I plan to
have sheep until I die,” Jeff said.
“And I want to raise
throughbred race horses,” said
Andrea, who already owns one.
Much of their dating life during
the past two years has been spent at
horse and sheep shows where they
help each other with the showing.
A damper was put on the lime
they spent with each other when
Andrea became the state FFA pres
ident last year.
“Last year, he sacrificed his life
for me,” Andrea said of the cou
ple’s inability to see much of each
other while she traveled across the
state fulfilling FFA duties.
Jeff is now in his second year at
Penn State Berks Campus. His
career goal is set on becoming an
extension agent. This past sum
mer, Jeff worked as an intern with
Chet Hughes, livestock extension
agent in Lancaster.
Several months ago, Jeff pre
sented Andrea with an engagement
diamond. *
“But he never lets me forget that
Love sparked for these two couples through FFA activities. Twins Jeff, left, and Jer
ry have been showing sheep at the Ephrata Fair for years. This year Jeff clinched the
top trophy In breeding sheep and his brotherthe reserve. With them ate their fiancees,
Andrea, right, and Chrlssy. Chrlssy Is from Bradford County and Andrea Is from Brad
ford County. When the couples flrsj met, they found they had a lot to talk about
because of the common bond of showing livestock and FFA membership. PhotobyLou
Homework can’t wait for Amy Bollinger, right. The 15-year-old snatches some time
In-between sheep showing to catch up on homework while her friend Lisa Pfautz
offers some assistance. “My algebra teacher Is ‘Queen of Homework,’” said Amy who
had problems finding a spot to use her solar-powered calculator. Photo by Lou Ann
Good.
he could have spent all that money
on sheep,” Andrea said of what
Jeff considers a supreme sacrifice.
Now, it is Andrea that is sacrif
icing her life, she said. She gave up
college to work at a secretarial job
in order to save money for
marriage.
Until last week, the couple were
planning on getting married next
year. But they decided it is wiser
financially to wait until Jeff gradu
ates from college. After their mar
riage, Andrea plans to attend col
lege for an ag-related degree.
Although twin brother Jerry Jiad
met Chrissy Acompora from Brad
ford County at an FFA event three
years earlier, the couple did not
begin dating until she moved into
the area to attend Penn State Berks
Campus. While working at McDo
nald’s part time, Chrissy met Jerry
when he came in with Jeff and
Andrea.
“It was really us (Andrea and
Jeff) that got them together,” said
Jeff, who now regrets it because. “I
liked it better when he wasn’t dat
ing then he gave me money for
college.”
“All we talked about on our first
date was FFA we were both
county officers and livestock
judging,” Chrissy said.
The following week after their
first date, Chrissy ended up in the
x»C
v 4?
hospital for an emergency opera
tion. A ruptured cyst resulted in a
seriously ill Chrissy.
Jerry showed up every day at the
hospital. According to Chrissy,
Jerry aided in her recuperation by
sneaking food into the hospital.
It was through this experience
and their interest in agriculture that
caused the relationship to bloom.
Chrissy now wears a diamond.
The couple plans to marry in
April. Chrissy suspended her col
lege education to save money for
the couple’s wedding. She plans to
resume college studies next fall.
Jerry works full time for a cabinet
shop.
Because Chrissy grew up on an
145-acre farm where they raise
Black Angus cows, she showed
cows. Since she met Jerry, she
grew to love sheep. She plans to
raise her own sheep and both will
exhibit sheep next year.
Not every thing that goes on in
the sheep pen is fun and games.
Amy Bollinger can attest to that
The 15-year-old from Manheim
has been showing sheep at various
county fairs for years. This year at
Ephrata, she showed the reserve
champion market lamb.
While some teachers may be a
bit lenient with students competing
in livestock showing, Amy said
that her algebra teacher is “Queen
A Fair Of The Heart
Jrst-place winner In t
Is Eleanor Hartrenft.
of Homework.” After all the
excitement of showing the champ
ion reserve, Amy hit the books in
the sheep pen. She was trapped at
the Fair because the parade had not
ended. With the sound of pounding
drums in the distance and the
accompaniment of nearby sheep
bleats, Amy was finding it a bit dif
ficult to concentrate on algebra
formulas.
“But I need to 'work here
because I have a solar powered cal
culator and it’s too dark outside,”
Amy said.
Several blocks away from Tent
City and the bleating sheep are the
food displays.
Winner of the Blue Ribbon
Apple Pie Contest was Eleanor
Hartraft. The local win means that
she is eligible to enter state com
petition at the Harrisburg Farm
Show in January.
A seasoned baker of apple pies,
Eleanor said that for the last six
years her apple pie has made it to
top three placings at the Ephrata
Fair.
Her first place win was her old
favorite standby recipe.
“Through the years. I’ve tried
every prize-winning recipe, but
my family always says that mine is
best,” Eleanor said.
She got up early to pick her own
apples before baking the pie.
Since she grew up on an apple
farm in Ephrata, she knows about
everything there is to know about
apples.
One thing, she stresses, is that
cooks should always be open to
trying afferent varieties of apples.
‘There are so many delicious
varieties,” she said. She prefers
Crispin apples for pies. For eating,
she said Pipen are the best “They
are ugly looking,” Eleanor said of
the old variety.
Her brother, who took over the
family orchard, always saves a tree
for Eleanor to select her apples.
Eleanor said that she has been
entering baking and flower com
petitions at Ephrata Fair for 45
years. This year alone, she won 25
ribbons for her entries. She’s pass
ing on the tradition to her grand
children. This year, a granddaugh
ter took a fourth place ribbon.
(Turn to Pag* BIS)
leplecoi
ie appi