612-Lancaater Farming, Saturday, February IS, 1907 Angellque, Alisha, Galen (with Tanner) and Galen II in the award room of the McDo nald farm. Five Family Members Earn American Farmer Degrees LINDA WILLIAMS TMT.F.R (Bedford Co.) Five in one family earned the presti gious American Farmer degree and the next generation is slated to follow in their predecessor’s footsteps. The Galen McDonald family is, without a doubt, an all American farming family. Galen Sr. received the award in 1972 for his wok on the farm where he grew up and still resides. Over the years the McDonald’s four children, Angie, Missy, Ali cia, and Galen n have participated with their registered Guernseys in the Bedford Fair, Cambria County Fair, Morrison’s Cove Dairy Show, Cookport Fair, the All American Dairy Show and have had a Junior champion at Louisvil le, Kentucky. The American Farmer degree is earned by keeping records from ninth grade until three years fol lowing graduation. Records must be kept on all farm projects as well as a show of leadership in the farming community. You must also have been awarded the state FFA degree and have earned the Greenhand, Chap ter, and Dekalb awards. All four of the McDonald child ren participated in FFA at Chest nut Ridge High School. Angelique (McDonald) Walason received her American Farmer degree in 1992; Malissa (McDonald) Garth, in 1994; Alicia in 1995, and Galen in 1996. Still very involved in farming, Angelique, a former Pennsylvania state Guernsey queen, is married to Jeff Walason, and resides on the family farm. She has one child. Tanner. “He’s next in line for the award,” Angie says with a bright smile. Angie is the DHIA technician for Bedford and Blair Counties and is the tester for 42 herds. Malissa, married, another McDonald state Guernsey queen, lives on a farm in Dauphin County and has two daughters. A sign out side of the country decorated home of the McDonalds indicates that “Grandchildren are spoiled here” and the Jwo little girls plus Tanner know exactly what this means. Alicia is the herdsperson for the McDonald farm. Getting up each morning at 5 a.m., she milks the 72 head of registered Guernseys and Holsteins with only some help from a cousin during the summer months. She also takes care of breeding and stock development Galen Q is married to Marjorie Leap and they are expecting yet another “American farmer,” in April. Galen helps his father farm more than 300 acres during the summer months. He is employed by Rockland Inc. Alisha, Missy, and Galen serve on the Morrison’s Cove Dairy Show board. Both Alisha and Angie are 4-H leaders in the Southern Cove Dairy Show. Alisha is on the sale crew of the state Guernsey Con vention which is held in Bedford in April. Alisha and Galen Sr. serve on the Bedford County Fair Dairy Committee. Angie and Alisha has been named outstanding Guernsey youth. The McDonalds have also won the All-American Dairy Show outstanding display herdsman award. Meanwhile, Sonja McDonald, is kept busy being a mother, grandmother, and taking care of her creatively decorated farm Farm Wdman Testifies At Discrimination GROVE CITY (Mercer Co.) Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman called for hearings across the country to allow far mers and ranchers the opportunity to relay to the government any cases of discrimination and lack of service due to either being a minority or a farm woman. Ameri can Agri-Women Vice President for Vital Issues, Carol Ann Gregg of Grove City, a farm woman and agriculture advocate, testified on the issue and spoke for the organi zation which represents more than 50,000 farm, ranch and agri business women. Gregg testified, “As I talked with a number of members across the nation, I found no one who had personally experienced discrimi nation or harassment in working with USDA staff or officials. Many of these women are farm operators, farm wives and family home. The McDonalds have all been active in the Weyant Methodist Church and both Sonja and Galen Maltese now lives in Dau phin County but is still a far mer. She Is the mother of two daughters. Hearing farm corporation officers who have regular dealings with the loc al Farm Service Agency (FSA) or Natural Resources and Conserva tion Services (NRCS) personnel with no apparent problems.” Gregg went on to praise Secretary Glickman for taking the initiative to correct problems that have been brought to his attention. Gregg further stated, "More and more women actively participate in their farm operations rather than only provide support for a husband’s endeavors. Farm real tors and bankers have begun to look at farm women as contribu tors to the management of farm operations whether they are sole proprietors, partners or spouses.” For more information regarding American Agri-Women contact Jean Pettibone, President, 6835 Road 2, Kanorado, Kansas, 67741-9400, (913) 399-2204. SEE YOUR NEARES DEALER FOR DEPENDABLE EQUIPMENT & SERVICE MESSICK EQUIPMENT RD 1. Box 255 A 717-259-6617 BHM Farm Equipment, Inc. RDl.Rte.934 717-867-2211 Carllalfl^PA R&W Equipment Co. 35 East Willow Street 717-243-2686 Messick Farm Equipment, Inc. Rt. 283 - Rheem’s Exit , 717-367-1319 Halifax. PA Sweigard Bros. R.D. 3, Box 13 717-896-3414 Norman D. Clark & Son, Inc. Honey Grove, PA 717-734-3682 Loysville, PA 717-789-3117 Ceresvilie Ford New Holland, Ini Rt. 26 East 301-662-4197 Outside MD, 800-331-9122 Bridgeton. NJ Washington. Mil Leslie G. Fogg, Smith Tracto Inc. Equip., Inc. Canton & Stow Creek 15 Hillcrest Ave. Landing Rd. 908-689-7900 609-451-2727 609-935-5145 ® kwhouand Dependable Motor Co. East Main Street 215-273-3131 215-273-3737 A.B.C. Groff, Ir 110 South Railroi 717-354-4191 QIB&.EA C.J. Wonsidli Bros. R.D.2 610-987-6257 Pitman. PA Schreffler Equipment Pitman, PA 717-648-1120 Tamanua. PA Charles S. Snyder, Inc. R.D. 3 717-386-5945 S.G.Lewis Son, Inc. 352 N. Jennersvill 610-869-2214 1-800-869-9029 LAND Woodatown. W Owen Supply l Broad Street & East Avenue 609-769-0308
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers