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