82-Lai.:astw Firming, Saturday, July 22, 1995
LOU ANN GOOD
Lancaster Farming Staff
CARLISLE (Dauphin Co.)
Martee Mentzcr keeps about 1,000
chickens in her home.
To make room for the flock that
keeps expanding, her husband
Elmo converted the carport into
another room complete with
carpet to house her chickens
and dubbed it the Chicken Coop.
Considered an expert on chick
ens, the diminutive Martee is in
demand as a speaker at Farm
Women, senior citizens, church.
Lion’s and other community
groups. |
People even busloads
come from around the state to see
Martee’s chicken collection.
“Each piece has a story con
nected to it,” Martee said of the
chickens made from glass, peanut
shells, wicker, brass, sea shells,
taxidermy, counted crosstitch, and
more in every imaginable object
including a music box, rooster
Martee’s collections are not limited to chickens. She also
collects baskets and keeps heirloom dishes In this corner
cupboard.
Imagination knows no limits
A Peek Into Martee's Chicken Coop
alarm clock, lamp, vase, checker
board, stamps. . . .
Martee said that her interest in
chickens developed by accident in
1964. That year, she emceed the
Pennsylvania Farm Women State
banquet.
To lighten the atmosphere, Mar
lee told the story about three hens
that were exhibited at the Pennsyl
vania Farm Show. According to
her, the hens wanted to date three
roosters exhibited nearby. The day
after their first date, the hens were
discussing their dates.
The first hen reported that she
had an enjoyable evening with a
Rhode Island Red. The second hen
said that things went so well on her
date with a Plymouth Rock that
they decided to go steady.
the third hen, a bit hesitant to
talk, admitted that she had a date
with a capon, but all he wanted to
talk about was his operation.
Her joke brought the house
down, and folks have been sending
comes to chickens In all shapes, sizes, at
To make room for all Martee’s chickens, Elmo converted a former carport Into Mar
tee’s Chicken Coop. Now hundreds of visitors come to see her chickens and of
course give her another one to add to her collection.
Martcechicken jokes and chickens
ever since.
Martee said that the whole inci
dent taught her an important les
son: “Be careful what you say or it
can follow you.”
But making the most of the situ
ation. Martee compiled the jokes
and facts about chickens and now
has a collection of tidbits for her
humorous chicken talks.
One person reported that “this
chicken lady has more than fair
knowledge of fowl.”
Martee’s talks are peppered
with humor. She said that she
developed a great sense of humor
from her father, who constantly
told jokes. Humor, she said, prom
otes good health. It eases muscle
tension, reduces stress, lowers
blood pressure, improves commu
nication, and creates good will.
One day, her husband was flip
ping through her file of chicken
jokes. He said, “You know, you
have a lot of bum chicken jokes in
here."
Martee disagreed. §he said.
put a bunch of them in the fireplace
and the fire just roared.”
Occasionally Martee will see a
chicken that she likes and buy it.
“My husband is a good guy to go
shopping with. He always tells me.
‘lf you want it, get it,’” she said.
But most of the chicken collec
tion are gifts.
“I don’t go anywhere that some-
one doesn’t give me a chicken.”
she said.
Martee grew up on a Cumber
land County farm where she
showed cattle and belonged to
every 4-H club imaginable.
Martee said that she joined Farm
Women in 1956 at her mother’s
insistence. True to her character.
Martee immersed herself in doing
her best and has served almost
every local and county office. She
served as the 1966 state
president and now as chairperson
of the advisory committee. She is a
member of Cumberland County
Society 15.
Martee is the person who came
up with the idea to hold a state
Farm Wohien’s Spring Rally. That
was 30 years ago, and the organi
zation has been holding an annual
spring rally ever since. The first
year it was held and this year—the
30th anniversary Martee
emceed the event.
The first year was the year she
told her chicken joke that prop
elled her into becoming one of the
largest chicken collectors in the
world.
Although she and Elmo were in
the same high school class, Martee
said that he didn’t pay attention to
her until after they graduated and
they met each other toller skating.
The happy marriage is on its
48th year. The Mentzlers have one
married son and two
grandchildren.
In addition to her chicken col
lection. Martee also collects
baskets that hang from the rafters
in the enclosed porch and the
kitchen. She also has a collection
of heirloom dishes stored in an
antique comer cupboard.
The Mentzers home overflows
with Martee’s projects rug
hooking, quilting, and crocheting.
She keeps scrapbooks to organ
ize everything. This includes a
scrapbook for each year of her
involvement in Farm Women, and
a scrapbook charting her employ-
Homestead
NOTES
£
u
k
Mi
ment as a secretary for 30 years at
the nearby Army and War College,
for which she received outstand
ing ratings with each of the nine
colonels under which she worked
and was named federal employee
of the year out of 20,000 employ
ees. At her retirement, she received
the Commander’s Award, the
highest award presented to a civi
lian. Martee was also the first
woman to ever receive the award.
Martee, retired in 1980. Her
husband retired from his job as
school principal two years later.
But the couple say that they are
busier than ever. In addition to the
chicken talks and tours, the couple
are active in the American Associ
ation of Retired Persons.
Martee, who often has no inten
tion of becoming involved in lead
ership, will find herself again and
again in leadership roles ones
that others who are aware of her
reliability and competence con
tinue to assign her. One example is
when the AARP asked her to be
secretary for the local chapter, she
ended up being a state director
overseeing 18 chapters, which
took her to workshops as far away
as California.
The Mentzlets are also active in
the local Zion Lutheran Church,
where Martee has been adult Sun
day school superintendent, class
president, and president of the
Lutheran Church Women.
She and her husband vacation in
Florida every year during January
and February. The couple have
gone on five cruises and traveled
abroad. Their big hobby is attend
ing dinner theaters and river boat
ing in areas across the country.
Whenever people visit Martee’s
Chicken Coop, she also serves
them a variety of beverages and
her specialties—zucchini bread or
baked apple crescent rolls.
Here is the recipe that Martee
serves to guests who visit her
Chicken Coop.
(Turn to Pago B 3)