V 01.43 No. 22 VERNON ACHENBACH JR. Lancaster Fanning Stall BOILING SPRINGS (Cumber land Co.) The general public appreciates and desires farmland preservation, but not necessarily for the same reasons cited by most farmers, according to Ralph Gros si, president of the national farm land preservation organization, American Farmland Trust. On Tuesday, Gross! was the key speaker to a group of about 125 people representing a variety of farmland preservation programs in Maryland/Virginia Reviews Year, Honors Young Cooperators KAREN BUTLER Maryland Correspondent HAGERSTOWN, Md. In spite of a changing business land scape, Maryland and Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative was able to meet the challenges of 1997 and has a vision for the fu ture, according to John Hardesty, president Of the co-op. Mr. Har desty shared Ms optimism with' dairy produced at die 78lb annual meeting of the association held at the Ramada Inn at Hagerstown. “As your president I am pleased to report that your co-op had a successful year, despite the chal lenges,” Hardesty said during the business meeting. Challenges he Fletcher Named Adams County Conservation Farmer JINNY WILT Adams Co. Correspondent YORK SPRINGS (Adams Co.) The district has a dream. Harry Fletcher of Reading Township was named Adams County Conservation Farmer of the Year at the district’s annual meeting. Photo by Glnny Wilt, Adam a Co. Correspondent Four Sections American Farmland Trust Supports Fainffy jFarming 20 states from California to Pennsylvania who attended a regional national convention of American Farmland Trust at the Allenbeny Resort Inn and Play house in Boiling Springs. The three-day convention emphasized technical aspects of preservation programs ranging from fund-raising possibilities through directing a portion of real estate transfer taxes to local farm land preservation programs, to programs designed to inform potential residential urban home perceived lor the upcoming year focused on the volatile issues sur rounding die reorganization of the industry and tensions between en vironmental concerns and agricul ture. Specifically, Hardesty identi fied three areas Maryland and Vir ginia could concentrate on during 1998 to ease the transition into the future and provide equitable re tuntf*to producers. “Developing cloasr working relationships with others, helping other regions bal ance their markets in terms of sur plus and shortage, and developing expanded class I sales in the South” will be key to a successful 1998, according to Hardesty. (Turn to Pago A 24) Those attending the district’s 23rd annual awards banquet in the York Springs Fire Hall last month heard about that dream which in- Lancaster Farming, Saturday, April 4, buyers that the property is located in a farming area and what that means. Participants attended a series of Leonard and Bonnie Jo Greek, Delta, were named Out standing Young Cooperatora at the Maryland and Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association annual meeting. Photo by Karon Butior, Maryland Correspondent. eludes a new building that would not only house the agency, but some Adams County offices. Gary Shaffer of Gettysburg, the project’s consultant/architect for the district, explained very early plans set an estimated cost of the Surrounded by her lour daughters, Laura-Jean Watson, center, telle how she and her husband Jeff found homeschooling, 4-H, and God’s wisdom profound In helping each daughter develop her unique personality. Many In the fanning community are familiar with Jessica, second from right, who Is Lebanon Fair Queen and the Pennsyl vania Runner-Up Fair Queen, but her sisters, Joyce, left, Jennifer, and Jacqueline, right, also excel in leadership and talent. Turn to page B 2 for the Watson family story. Photo by Lou Ann Good. workshops me course of the ynth speakers representing various agencies and preservation prog- building at $2.4 million that would be funded through a mortgage or bonds. There would also be a capi tal funds campaign. The building is expected to be 32,000 square feet and would be located on county land where the 600 Per Copy rams in the various states with established farmland preservation programs. The purpose of the convention was to bring together active preser vation leaders from around the nation to share experiences, with the goal of better arming the entire group with ideas to use to further efforts back home. Gross! was the key speaker dur ing the final day of the convention. He told the group that their pre sence at the convention indicated the growth of the farmland preser vation movement in its short life of 10 to 15 years. “It’s a very short time,” he told them, citing a national effort to protection wilderness afeas that (Turn to Pago AS 2} Daylight-Saving Time Starts Sunday Officially, at 2 o’clock Sunday morning, April 5, daylight-saving tjpte again makes its debut in pre paration for summer. Homers .with livestock, especially dairy men, will want to make a gradual change in feeding and milking schedules to minimize the disrup tion. To be sure you are on time, set your clocks one hour ahead Satur day night before you go to bed. Almshouse a county home once stood north of Gettysburg along Business Route IS. Shaffer said the current build ing plans include meeting rooms, display areas, educational facili- (Tum to Pag* A 22)