814-Lancaster Farmlnfl, Saturday, April 22, 1995 LaVerne both wears ai her knitting group. A Cottage Industry Is Bom LINDA WILLIAMS Bedford Co. Correspondent DANVILLE (Montour Co.) Never one to be afraid of hard work, LaVeme Hensley’s only complaint is not having enough hours in her day. Running a knitting business from her home while tending the Hock of Merino sheep that reside on the hillside of Whispering Oaks Farm would easily fill a 40-hour week. But, LaVeme is also a mother of three active chil dren and the wife of busy pediatri cian Steve Wolfe. LaVeme began knitting as a child and first learned of cottage industries when touring England as a college student. “I found it fascinating that freelance knitting could be done in the home and sold all over the world. A seed of inspiration was planted and it kept growing until I finally started my own business right here in Penn sylvania.” It was in England that LaVeme also became aware of the many beautiful patterns of crocheted wool as well as the textures of the wool from various breeds of ■hz ~ * ♦ »» „ * £.u - LaVerne pets her Haflinger colt while the Border collie looks on. tys some of the elegant items made by the women In Climbing the hill to the flock wnlch has been rounded up by the collie. sheep. Her flock bf 45 Merinos, sea soned with a few Rambouillets thrive on 35 acres carved out of virgin Pennsylvania land. A former pediatric nurse, La- Veme says she met her husband while both were taking care of premature babies at a hospital in Virginia, “One night during the winter of 1994, when the snow was deep and the wind was howling, we were delivering lambs, hooking the preemies up to IVs, and setting up our own intensive care unit, when we looked at each other and both started to laugh,” LaVeme says. “We realized we’d both been working in pediatrics of one kind or another for a very long time. It’s amazing how one aspect of your life will carry over into an other.” It was only a little more than a year ago that LaVeme was finally able to realize her dream of em ploying local residents to knit or crochet items from wool. Ladies, from young mothers to senior citi zens, have been skillfully and creatively turning out dresser scarves, table runners, tablecloths, and sweaters in a variety of pat terns completed with authentic an tique buttons, and socks. Prices range from $lO for a pair of socks to $2OO for a tablecloth. “We like to think of our products as heirlooms to pass on to future (Turn to Page B 17) SEE YOUR NEARE 58 DEALER FOR DEPENDABLE EQUIPMENT & SERVK Annvllla. PA Honey Grove. F BHM Farm Norman D. < Equipment, Inc. & Son, Inc. RDI, Rte. 934 Honey Grove, P 717-867-2211 PA New Holland. Pi R&W A.B.C. Groff, Equipment Co. no south Raiiro 35 East Willow Street 717-354-4191 717-243-2686 Elizabethtown. PA OltY. PA Messick Farm CJ. Wonsii Equipment, Inc. Bros. Rt. 283 - Rheem's Exit R.D. 2 717-367-1319 215-987-6257 Halifax. PA Sweigard Bros. R.D. 3, Box 13 717-896-3414 Honey Brook. PA Temeaua. PA Dependable Charles S. Motor Co. Snyder, Inc, East Main Street R.D. 3 215-273-3131 717-386-5945 215-273-3737 Wait Grove. PA S.G. Lewis & Son, Inc. R.D. 2, Box 66 215-869-2214 Frederick. MD Ceresville Ford New Holland Rt. 26 East 301-662-4197 Outside MD, 800-331-9122 Bridgeton. NJ Wtehlnoton. NJ Leslie G. Fogg, Smith Tracto Inc.- Equip., Inc. Canton & Stow Creek 15 Hillcrest Ave. Landing Rd. . 908-689-7900 609-451-2/27 609-935-5145 AEWHOUAN) S YtVANtA 717-734-3682 Loysville, PA 717-789-3117 Pitman. PA Schreffler Equipment Pitman, PA 717-648-1120 Woodstown. NJ Owen Supply Broad Street & East Avenue 609-769-0308
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