Years Of Successful Poultry Breeding For Roland Romig
CAROLYN MOYER
Bradford Co. Correspondent
SAYRE (Bradford County)
Hanging on a living room wall is
one of Roland Romig’s most
prized possessions an intricate
wood inlaid picture of Noah
gathering several different breeds
of birds into the ark.
The picture is valued not just
because of its beauty, but it speaks
to Roland about two of his lifelong
pursuits: being a servant of God,
and of caring for and breeding
many different breeds and variet
ies of poultry.
Roland comes by his love of
poultry honestly. His father,
Arthur Romig, was a well-known
breeder who showed throughout
the United States.
“My dad was in the exhibition of
poultry from before the time I was
bom, and he showed at the old
famous shows of Boston and
Madison Square Garden and some
other shows,” Romig said.
“He’d always send the poultry
away with a price on them, and if
somebody bought them they just
didn’t send them back. They
always, in those days, sent them by
railway express. Very seldom did
they ever come back. He had such
quality birds.”
However, in the early 19S0s,
when diseases became more pre
valent, Arthur Romig stopped
exhibiting the birds and started
concentrating on breeding.
Roland was only 18 years old
when his father died, but he carried
on the poultry tradition by working
for the Turner family in nearby
Horseheads, N.Y.
The Turners, at Pleasant View
Farms, not only bred poultry but
also exhibited at many fairs and
shows.
“Because I came in (to the job)
knowing poultry, they gave me a
lot of the responsibilities of the
exhibition of poultry,” Romig said.
"I knew where all the breeders
were in the East, and so, any bird
that we did not have, come fair
time, I would go make several trips
around the countryside to find the
birds we needed.”
In 1964 Romig began his other
career, that of a Baptist minister,
by attending seminary.
‘Tor a few years I didn’t have
AGWAY
Your Yard, Garden
VEGETABLE
GROWER
SPECIALS
WE SHIP UPS
15x100 Black Plastic
5 Mil
24.99 Reg. 48.95
HENRY B. HOOVER, INC. H OS
1731 W. Main St., Ephrata, PA 17522 |^|
A RIA/AV QUANTITIES
mww% LIMITED Mon -Thurs 7 30am-600 pm
-7-4 -f 744 ecno Frl 7 30am-8.00 pm
. I\l m t oo-0599 Sat. 7:3oam-4:00 pm i
poultry, but most every place I
ended up pastoring, after I started
pastoring. I’ve had poultry.”
He often got the whole family
involved, including his wife,
Beverly, who grew up on a farm,
and their five children: Arthur,
who is now the superintendent of
the Chemung County N.Y. Fair
poultry show; Audrey, Brenda,
David and Joy.
When his ministry brought him
back to Elmira 12 years ago, Rom
ig decided to expand his poultry
flock. Because he lived in Pennsyl
vania, he was able to show at the
Pennsylvania Farm Show as well
as many other state and county
fairs.
“My sons were bigger and they
had some interest in the showing,
and we started traveling to the fairs
and had a string similar to what the
Turners did in years past,” Romig
explained.
“About the time I started show
ing poultry again, I joined the
American Poultry Association and
had points started to build toward
the master exhibitor (honor).”
Points are accumulated through
having champion and high-placing
poultry at all the shows. Although
achieving master exhibitor status
wasn’t first on his mind, Romig
was honored to receive his master
exhibitor award in 1991.
“My number is *lBs’ and no one
else will ever have that number,”
Romig said with a satisfied
chuckle. “I’m number 185 Master
Exhibitor.”
Just over one year ago. however.
Romig moved to Sayre where he
was unable to keep poultry on his
property.
“I had a public sale,” Romig
explained. “I had the largest sale of
exhibition poultry except maybe
one other in the last 30 to 40 years.
I had nearly 3,000 head that I
sold.”
That was in December 1995.
However, in January 1996 Romig
did exhibit the poultry of which he
retained ownership in partnership
with other people.
Now his birds are scattered
throughout Maryland, New York,
Pennsylvania, Virginia and Ohio,
and Ontario, Canada. In total, he
has about 100 birds.
(Turn to Pago G3O)
White Argent Corn
Silver Queen
Fordhook
Dwarf White Sugar
Strike Beans
New White Rapture
5 lb mm. 76 days $5.45 Lb.
$10.50 lb.
....$ll.OO lb.
5000 mm $12.50/1000
5000 mm $21.00/1 000
$13.50
250/case $16.50
600/case $21.90
$2.99 Bale
Corn (SE SE)
Neck Pumpkin
Baby Pam Pumpkin
Mt Spring Tomatoes
King Arthur Peppers
Pro Mix-BX 3 8 Cu Ft
1 Qt. Berry Boxes
1 Pt Berry Boxes
Pine Shavings.
5 Lb Mm $4.00 Lb
. 5 lb min $3.70 lb
5 lb mm $1.20 lb.
5 lb mm 900 lb.
5 lb mm. $1.65 lb.
Roland Romig shows off some of his prized memories from years In the poultry
business. Included In the display Is his master exhibitor plaque which he received in
1991, a sawmill blade painted to depict two Buff Brahma bird, one of his many trophies
and an Inlaid-wood picture of Noah gathering several different breeds of foul into the
arfc.
ROHRER'S QUALITY SEEDS
Arrow Alfalfa
Apollo Supreme Alfalfa
Aggressor Alfalfa
Alfa Graze Alfalfa
AmeriGraze 401+Z Alfalfa
Affinity +Z Alfalfa
Innovator +Z Alfalfa
Total +Z Alfalfa
Redland 111 Red Clover
Ladino Clover
Birdsfoot Trefoil
Mariposa Timothy
Climax Timothy
Toro Timothy
Crown Orchard Grass
Penrllate Orchard Grass
Cert. Palaton Reeds Canary Grass
Perennial Ryegrass
Tonga Perennial Ryegrass
Saratoga Bromegrass
Highland Pasture Mix
Horse Pasture Mixture
Triple Purpose Hay & Pasture Mixture
Waterway Grass Mix
L. ROHRER & BRQ., INC.
Smoketown, PA PHONE 717-299-2571
HOURS: Monday-Friday 7:30-SPM, Closed Saturday & Sunday
FOR OVER 77 YEARS
• Special Hay Mixture
• Hairy Vetch
• Cert Ogle Oats
• Agri Pro Seed Corn
• Agri Pro Soybeans
• Rohrer Brand Soybeans
• Tastemaker 111 Sorghum Sudangrass
Special Grazing
Grasses
• Intensive Grazing Mixture
• Matua Prairie Grass
• Forage Feast Chicory
• Dairymaster Perennial Ryegrass
Mixture
• Zero Nui Perennial Ryegrass
• Tekapo Orchard Grass
• Dovey Tall Fescue
• Southern Cross White Clover
• Rangiora Rape Seed