Bfi-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, May 30, 1998 Age LOU ANN GOOD Lancaster Farming Staff WOLMELSDORF (Berks Co.) For the first time since he started farming, McCullough Hook did not do the bamwork on his birthday. “They wouldn’t let me do it,” the 85-year-old Hook said of the 38 family members who came to celebrate his birthday on May 24. Despite their protests, his child ren couldn’t prevent Hook from baking a ham and 12 quarts of macaroni and cheese for the celebration. The industrious Hook is deter mined that age will not idle him. He’s out every day managing his three farms and planting com. Under his tutelage, two of his grandchildren milk 80 cows. But Hook said, “I do the managing and pay the bills.” Last year he put up a new silo and a feed room with an automatic mixer. Some years ago, Hook built a home on a ledge that enables him to see for miles around and keep a sharp lookout on his dairy farm in the hollow. “It’s good to get out in the fields In his lifetime McCullough Hook has received numerous awards for outstanding farming practices. A former Master Farmer, Hook continues to receive press coverage. He holds an award he received recently from Berks County Ag Land Preservation for his long-term commitment to agriculture. More than 25,000 students have toured the Hook farms according to records. Here Hook answers questions and poses with a group who just took a hay ride tour of the farm. Does Not after sitting up here all winter.” Hook said recently at the end of a hot day. When asked what he attributes his unusual energy to as an BS-year-old, Hook answered, “Faith in God and hard work." His father died when he was 13 years old. As the oldest child. Hook took over farming responsi bilities to enable his mother to keep together the family that included an 8-year-old sister, a 2’/j -year-old brother, and a 6-week-old baby. He used three horses and a walk ing plow while his mother used three horses and a riding plow to farm the land. “My mother told me that hard work won’t kill anybody.” Hook said. It’s a saying that he is prone to repeat as he finds much satisfac tion in hard work. Hook married a city girl who learned to “outmilk me,” he said of the time when cows were milked by hand. As time went on, the Hooks had five children, acquired seven farms, and were recognized for progressive conservation practices. Idle The Industrious Hook * i *t‘ A * . »* *v ,* rw ’V <■» 'ZiJU'tb I K" • -*% ' * A»* v ‘ *• ■' Although he is 85 years old, McCullough Hook has no Intention of taking it easy. He’s out In the fields plowing and planting on his Wolmelsdorf farm. * * “I was the first guy in the area in 1940 to lay the farm in contour strips,” Hook said. He was named a Master Fanner by Pennsylvania Farmer Magazine. Despite his age, awards keep coming. This month Hook received an award from Berks County Ag Land Preservation for his long-term commitment to agriculture. Although Hook became a well lauded farmer, his life was not without pain. He nursed both his mother and wife through years of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s dis eases. His oldest son, who farmed with him, died of cancer in 1992. His son’s wife Loretta Hook con tinued to work on the dairy farm, but in 1995, a 230-pound doe ran through the car’s windshield and killed her. That was the year Hook’s wife also died. Hook himself has had some heart problems and a bout with cancer. “My knees give me a little prob lem, and I get stiff if I don’t keep active,” Hook said. “I still drive the car but not in the city,” Hook said. He added some what abashedly, “1 can’t back machinery like 1 used to. I’m start ing to go back, I can tell.” Nonetheless, Hook finds great delight in continuing to open his farm to the Berks County School District. His carefully tallied records show that more than 25,000 children have visited his farm over the years. His favorite question asked by a student is “Which cow gives the chocolate milk?” An annual outing on the farm is held by Hook's church. “We have about 210 children coining on one day. Pastor Philip * * *