On Being a Farm Wife (and other hazards) Joyce Bupp Go ahead. Laugh if you like. But I hap pen to like this hat. “Mom, how long have you had that hat?” asked our son a few weeks ago, a mix of wonderment and exasperation evident in his voice. “Funny you would ask,” I grinned. “I was just telling someone not too long ago, how you kids threatened to burn this hat 20 years ago.” Go ahead. Laugh at my old, bright red, fuzzy, shapeless, sawdust and straw-bit decorated barn hat. I happen to like this hat. Where it originally came from, I haven’t the slightest clue. But it’s comfortable. It’s Dairy Of Distinction Program Again Seeks Nice Looking Farms STATE COLLEGE (Centre Co. ) - Do you take pride in main taining your dairy farm? Does your dairy farm project an attrac tive, wholesome image to con sumers? If so, the Dairy of Dis tinction Program of Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey, will consider your farm for the pro gram’s annual recognition awards. The Northeast Dairy Farm Beautification Program that over sees the Distinction program was first started in 1983 in Pennsylva- I 1 ij Dairy of Distinction 1999 Pennsylvania Application ll ||rURFOSE OF PROGRAM 'Attractive dairy farm pvt the consumer greater confidence in the whotasomeness of milk and I IJ stimulate milk salea which enoouragea public support for the dairy industry The award gives I I recognition to the dairy farmer for maatmung a well-kept farmstead ■ | ELIGIBILITY ■ AD Northeast dairy farm producing milk for sale are invited to submit an application for the award. I i! Dames receiving the 10 highest scores si each of the 21 districts will receive an ll* * 24” Dairy sf | '[ Distraction sign to be displayed in front of dies farm. I |l APPLICATION .1 | Your Name. Addraaa. |i Cooperative of Hndte (when you step your milk). Ii (VnHadvwill be cxMaaeuappnve VTMT mifc quality) 1 1 Locatm (driving dnecsone for judging vara) The Daily of Distinction pro gram is financed in Pennsylvania by Dairy Fanners through the American Dairy Association Dairy Council and Pennsylvania Dairy Promotion Program in coopera tion with many local agribusiness organizations. The program is conducted with advice and help from Penn State Cooperative Ex- Retum your application by April IS. Send to: tcnsi.on. • PENNSYLVANIA, Michael O’Conner, 324 Homing Building, Dept of Dairy and Animal Science, Penn State University, University Park, PA 16802. • NEW YORK STATE, Carol Keene, RDI, Box 31, Gilbertsville, NY 13776. • NEW JERSEY, August Knispel, 641 Sidney Road, Pittstown, NJ13077. •VERMONT, EUsa Clancy, Vermont Department of Agriculture, 16 State St., Drawer 20, Montpelier, VT 05620-2901. bna 1 1 haraby apply to te Nonhaaat Duty Farm Baoubficanoo Conmanaa to Kava my dauy soond ml ■ amawilanrn wtdi th« mlaa rf di« program fer *« purpnaanf ntmmmg a Duty rf tliamm. «ign m ha| on my pi— (No producar will be chargad for sconig or ityi acpcoao.) | l| Simanreof OramOpmat I i ! roomy. Not tight on your head like so many of the ski-type hats that leave you feeling like you were wearing a vise around your ears. And I do need something to cover my ears, since they are susceptible to irritation from cold drafts. About the only time I catch colds is if I’ve been run ning about in the wind with my bare ears exposed to the chill. My mom says it’s because I had a very severe ear infection as a child. The Farmer claims it’s because the draft goes straight through the hole in my head connecting my ears. Whatever. But the shapeless, fuzzy, bright red hat goes back on my head for winter barn use. If I could find a similar one in nia to recognize the hard work and dedication of the farmers who maintain attractive farms. The purpose of the program is to in still a greater sense of confidence in the wholesomeness of dairy products, and increase their sales. Farms that apply are judged on the roadside appearance of build ings, grounds, and surroundings, since this is what our dairy prod uct consumers observe as they drive by the farm. , Fra Nan. a darker color, say black or dark brown or navy blue, I’d grab it up in a minute. But I’ve never found another warm, wooly-type winter hat this loose and comfy. Let’s face it, this hat has become my barnwork, wintertime secu rity blanket. It’s actually the finishing touch for my stylish and colorful wintertime barn garb. Indeed, my barn-chores wardrobe selec tions come from the most dis criminating collections of hand me-downs from my kids (or would those be considered hand- me-ups?), clothes outgrown or unwanted by others and individ ual pieces selected from the most discriminating local thrift and consignment shops. Face it. Why would anyone pay a day’s salary for a pair of jeans one intended to purposely don for exposure to mud, manure, splattered milk, and chlorine? The mud, manure and milk are alone hard enough on clothes. When we began a year or so ago pre-dipping our girls’ udders with a chlorinated solu tion prior to milking, for sanita tion and anti-bacterial purposes, it really pulled the plug on any ideas about fine barnyard fash ions. Because every garment one The cleanliness of the barnyard, feed areas, and manure manage ment are all areas taken into con sideration when a team of judges takes a look at your farm from a roadside point of view. Judging is conducted during the month of May. Award winners are an nounced during your local June Dairy Month activities. To qualify for consideration, you must be actively dairy farm ing and shipping milk. Applications are available for Pennsylvania dairy farms from Michael O’Conner, 324 Henning Building, Dept, of Dairy and Animal Science, Penn State Uni versity, University Park, PA 16802. Phone: (814) 863-3913. For New York State applica tions ate available from Carol Keene, RD 1, Box 31, Gil bcrtsville, NY 13776. Phone: (607) 783-2169. For New Jersey applications, send to: August Knispel, 641 Sidney Road, Pittstown, NJ 08867. Phone: (908) 735-4989. For Vermont applications, send to: Elisa Clancy, Vermont Depart ment of Agriculture, 16 State SL, Drawer 20, Montpelier, VT 05620-2901. Phone: (802) 828-3835. All applications must be com pleted and returned to your respective state secretary by April 15. 1999. Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 6, 1999-815 wears to milk will, within a few days, look like something yanked right off the racks from the tie-dyed, hippie-era of the 19605. Bright denim blue-jeans promptly become pock marked with round, chlorine-splatter spots of varying sizes, especially prominent on the front of the legs, from approximately the knee to the hip area. Colorful T shirts, flannel shirts and sweat shirts boast similar splotchy, camouflage-type splatters, espe cially in the front waist and lower torso areas. But the splotches can actual ly turn up anywhere on the gar ments, since occasionally one of the girls will lift a foot and bump the dipper, effectively splatter ing the chlorine solution over the human form from head to toe. Or the dipper holding the got mi Dairy of n Distinction HOW IS YOUR FARM SCORED? Northeast Dairy Farm Beautification Program, Inc, Awards will be based upon neatness, good maintenance and other factors which can be controlled by the fanner. Attractive background scenery should not be weighed heavily in judging. All judging obser vations should be made from a vehicle at one or more points on an adjacent public highway tor if farm is off the road, the nearest lane) Judging should give equal consideration to old wood construction and new construction of metal or concrete block. The award program may be used for subsequent advertising or promotion activities for dairy p cducls or dairy farming. Farmers who apply for awards agree that; if selected they will cooperate with these activities and make all reasonable efforts to maintain both the exterior and interior ot their propei ties in a.i acceptable condition. HOW THE APPLICATION WORKS The owner or operator of the dairy farm should sign the applica tion and send i' to NEDFBP secretary by April 15. HOW THE JUDGING WORKS Judging teams will visit farms during the month of May. Farms will be judged each year as the award is presented on an annual basis. Any dairy failing to maintain appearance standards will be asked to remove their sign The Dairy of Distinction signs remain the proper ty of the committee, not the property of the dairy farmer. All farms must achieve a compliance score of 90 percent on their Dairy of Distinction score card. Your cooperative or milk handler will be con tacted to approve your milk quality. RULES FOR THE DAIRY OF DISTINCTION AWARD The Dairy of Distinction sign remains the property of the Northeast Dairy Farm Beautification Committee. The post and bracket shall be supplied by and maintained by the dairy farmer. It is suggested that a wood post 4' x 4’ x 12' or iron pipe 2' x 12' be used. Posts or pipe should be installed and main tained in true vertical position with 8' above ground. Top of the bracket shou' i be lower than six inches from the top of the post. Sign shall b. displayed in front of the dairy at roadside. An attractive post and bracket, or other frame, shall be used to dis play the sign. No more than three signs should be displayed from the sign frame or post, and all shall be of a style, general size and quality comparable to the Dairy of Distinction sign. Sign should be secured on all sides to avoid wind damage. Signs shall not be moved to other premises. New owners of a Dairy of Distinction farm must apply to retain the sign. Replacement of damaged signs shall be the discretion of the committee. No producer shall be charged with scoring or sign expense Judges’ decisions will be final. Judging will take place between May Ist and May 31st Farms awarded a Dairy of Distinction sign in previous years will be judged between April Ist and April 30th. If they do not qual ify, they will be rejudged between May Ist and May 31st so they have the opportunity to keep the sign Farms that do not requalify will return the sign to their regional Dairy of Distinction Committee. solution may fall to the floor, splashing its small amount of solution onto one’s clothing in similar fashion. Regardless of how the chlo rine gets there, it leaves its indelible mark on garment fab rics Which ultimately will wash out into holes after several trips through the laundry Thus, I favor cheap, thrift shop purchases of faded stone washed jeans, light colored T shirts and gray-shades sweat shirts, which, while terribly bor ing, at least don’t show the bleached spots nearly as bad as bright ones. Topped with the fuzzy, shapeless, red hat which has yet to show traces of a single chlorine-splatter residue The hat, kids short of burning is indestructible. And don't you dare even think about it. k
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