VERNON ACHENBACH JR.
Lancaster Farming Staff
HARRISBURG (Dauphin
Co.) For the first time, the Pen
nsylvania Dairymen’s Association
has made equal recognition of the
work of women in the promotion
and success of the dairy industry as
its men.
On Monday night, during its
annual meeting and banquet, the
members of the Pennsylvania
Dairymen’s Association presented
a Distinguished Dairy Women
award to Janet Harding Ruslavage,
better known as Jan Harding, coor
dinator of the state Dairy Princess
and Promotion Program.
Dave Slusser, general manager
of the the Pennsylvania Dairy Herd
Improvement Association, served
as master of ceremonies, and when
he announced the award, he said,
“It’s about time we did this.”
He was joined in that sentiment
by several others during the even
ing meeting, including outgoing
state Secretary of Agriculture
Boyd Wolff, who was the featured
speaker.
The organization annually rec
ognizes an outstanding extension
agent, and a member of the com
munity who receives the Charles
E. Cowan memorial award.
The Cowen Award is presented
to a dariymen who has demon
strated superior management capa
bilities and provided outstanding
leadership in the dairy industry.
Cowen was secretary/treasurer for
the association for many years.
The members of the 1994 state Dairy Bowl Team are rec
ognized by the Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association for
the efforts in representing themselves and the state. From
the left are members John Zaktansky, Melissa Dugan,
Amanda Alpaugh, and Brian Landis. Not shown is coach
Patty Kitchen.
Milton Brubaker receives the Charles E. Cowan Award
from Logan Bower, president of the Pennsylvania Dairy
men's Association.
Pa. Dairymen’s Association Recognizes
- Distinguished Dairy Woman, Others -
Harding received the award, to
be an annual recognition, for her
years of dedication and devotion to
the dairy industry.
Patty Murray, a director of the
state Dairymen’s Association, and
Mend of Hardings, presented the
award and talked about the many
contributions that women have
made to the health of the dairy
industry. “They are partners con
tributing to everything,” she said.
Murray said that while conceiv
ing of the award, a committee
decided that the criteria should
include that the recipient be a dairy
farmer in Pennsylvania; be a prom
oter of the dairy industry; and have
been involved in showing and/or
involvement in a national or local
breed organization.
She said that the description
couldn’t have fit someone better
than Jan.
A special pendant was made for
the award: a 14 karat gold cow sus
pended inside a sterling silver
heart, on a gold necklace.
Jan Harding Ruslavage grew up
in Montclair, NJ., and while her
father owned a lumber business in
New York City, she spent sum
mers on a Jersey farm on the East
ern Shore of Maryland.
A 1951 graduate of Vassar with
a degree in political science and
economics, she followed in 1952
with a short course in dairy pro
duction at Rutgers University. She
then became director of promotion
for Golden Guernsey Inc., until
1958, when she met Guernsey
breeder Charles Eugene Harding
in an elevator at a Philadelphia
Guernsey Convention, and then
moved to Maplevale Farm in
Brookville.
She and her husband built and
managed an on-farm milk jugging
operation and farm market with a
deli, bakery, fresh produce,
nursery, wholesale frozen foods,
and gift items. She was active in
the county 4-H dairy club, her
church and served on the local
school board for 17 years, several
as its president.
At the same time, she remained
active with the Pa. Guernsey
Breeders and the American Guern
sey Cattle Club, serving on its
national board of directors.
Her husband was killed in a car
accident in 1974, leaving her with
five children to raise and the farm.
In the early 1980 s, she became
the coordinator of the Pennsylva
nia Dairy Princess and Promotion
Program, traveling 50-60,000
miles escorting and chaperoning
the state dairy princess. She organ
ized county promotion committee
meetings, put together the annual
state princess pageant, and pub
lished related information. She is
still coordinator.
In 1984, she remarried to Char
les Ruslavage. an ex-football
coach at Clarion University, and
who also helps with dairy promo
tion (See the back cover of the
1994-1995 dairy princess recipe
booklet.).
This year’s Cowen award reci
pient was Milton Brubaker, of
Lititz.
Brubaker has been a lifelong
resident of the Lititz area, and is
affectionately known as “Mr.- Ayr
shire.” After graduating from high
school, he began attending Penn
State University, but then returned
to the family retail business.
Spruce Villa; to help his family.
Spruce Villa was a door-to-door
dairy business in the 1940 s
through the 19705, and then a jug
ging operation until the early
1980 s.
Brubaker bought his first Ayr
shire in 1934, and developed a fine
herd, until it was dispersed in the
late 19705.
In 1986 he was selected by the
National Ayrshire Association to
receive its distinguished service
award.
He has served as a national con
sultant for the breed, and on the
state level, he was state sales direc
tor and also secietary/tteasurer. He
has traveled extensively on behalf
of the breed, into Canada, Green
land, and Australia. To date, he has
given more than 60 years of ser
vice to the breed.
A 4-H leader in Lancaster Cou
nty for SO years, and involved with
his church, also serving as its trea
surer and as a Sunday School
teacher, he continues to serve as an
advertising representative for the
Ayrshire Digest
The extension award was pre
sented to Bob Brown, of Somerset
County.
Brown has worked as a dairy
and agronomy agent as well as
coordinating 4-H dairy activities.
His 4-H dairy club program has
mote than 90 youth enrolled in loc
al dairy groups. According to
background information, “The
educationprogram are outstanding
and volunteer leadership has
helped to expand his extension
program.
“The leaders receive training
and their efforts have produced
Janet Harding Rualavage, seated, is surrounded by this
year’s state and alternate state princesses; from the left,
Rachel Tanis, Natalie Welch, and Melissa Bicksler.
From the left, Bob and Carol Brown receive the Pennsyl
vania Dairymen’s Association Extension Award which is
presented to Bob by Logan Bower, president of the
association.
noteworkthy results at local, reg
ional and state levels. Competi
tions at the county fair, the region
al and state 4-H junior dairy shows
and the state 4-H dairy bowl round
out an outstanding program.”
Further, the 1990 Somerset
County dairy bowl team was first
in the state and first at the national
contest; the 1993 team was first in
the state and fifth nationally; the
1992 junior division dairy cattle
judging team was first in the state.
State Dairy Princess Natalie
Welch is also from Somerset
County and spoke highly of
Brown’s dedication and enthu
siasm to helping the county’s
youth understand agriculture and
the dairy industry.
He has worked closely with sup
porting the local Dairy Herd
Improvement Program, and other
county dairy organizations, he has
worked with dairy men, feed sup
pliers, veterinarians, milking
machine dealers and helped to
fight mastitis through education.
He has assisted Penn State special
ists in teaching dairy nutrition and
milking schools and he has
assumed leadership in creating
some local and regional milking
schools.
He also woiks with the county
dairy promotion committee, and
he serves in helping to operate reg
ional youth dairy shows, state 4-H
Achievement Days competitions,
on the dairy committee for the state
Farm Show, and on the All-
American Invitational Youth
Dairy Judging Contest.
He is a member of Dairy Shrine,
and was awarded the Honorary
Keystone Farmer Degree by the
state FFA Foundation in 1979.
Also recognized was the state
dairy bowl team from Somerset
County. They were invited to the
banquet especially for recognition
of their efforts in pursuing a know
ledge of the dairy industry, and
also for representing their com
munity and the state in
competitions.
Members includ Brian Landis,
captain, son of Daryl and Nancy
Landis; Melissa Dugan, daughter
of George and Barb Dugan, Wat
sontown; John Zaktansky, son of
John and Deb Zaktansky, Watson
town; and Amanda Alpaugh,
daughter of Daniel and Deb
Alpaugh, Turbotville. Team coach
was Patty Kitchen.