When loved ones enter a nurs
ing home, often they must leave
identities behind. And, care
givers, knowing little or nothing
about those under their care,
tend to refer to our parents or
grandparents only as patients in
Dairy Of Distinction Seeks Nice Looking Farms
STATE COLLEGE (Centre
Co.) Do you take pride in
maintaining your dairy farm?
Does your farm project an at
tractive, wholesome image to
consumers? If so, the Dairy of
Distinction Program of Pennsyl
vania, New York, New Jersey,
and Vermont is looking for you.
The Northeast Dairy Farm
Beautification Program that
oversees the Distinction pro
gram was first started in 1983 in
Pennsylvania. The Dairy of Dis
tinction recognize the hard work
and dedication of the farmers
who maintain attractive farms.
The purpose of the program is
to instill a greater sense of confi
dence in the wholesomeness of
dairy products, thus increasing
sales.
Farms that apply are judged
on the roadside appearance of
building, grounds, and sur
roundings, since this is what our
dairy product consumers ob
serve as they drive by the farm.
The cleanliness of the barn
yard, feed areas, and manure
management are all areas taken
into consideration when a team
of judges takes a look at your
farm from the road. Your milk
cooperative or handler will be
contacted to approve your milk
quality.
Judging is conducted during
the month of May. Award
winners are announced during
local June Dairy Month activi-
••••••••••••••••••••••••A I
• Dairy of Distinction
! 2000 Pennsylvania Application
Northeast Dairy Farm Beautification Program Inc. •
Awards will be based upon neatness, good maintenance, and other •
factors that can be controlled by the farmer. Attractive background seen- • PURPOSE OF PROGRAM
ery should not be weighted heavily in judging. All judging observations •
should be made from a vehicle at one or more points on an adjacent • Attractive dairy farms give the consumer greater confidence in the wholesomeness of milk and stimulate milk
public highway. If the farm is off the road, the judging will take place • sales which encourages public support for the dairy industry The award gives recognition to the dairy fanner for
from the nearest lane. Judging should give equal consideration to old • maintaining a well-kept farmstead
wood construction and new construction of metal or concrete block. •
The award program may be used for subsequent advertising or pro- • ELIGIBILITY
motion activities for dairy products or dairy farming. Farmers who •
apply for the award agree that if selected they will cooperate with these • All Northeast dairy farms producing milk for sale are invited to submit an application for the award Dames
promotion activities and make all reasonable efforts to maintain both * receiving the 10 highest scores in each of the 21 districts will receive an 18” x 24” Dairy of Distinction sign to
the exterior and interior of heir properties in an acceptable manner. • be displayed m front of their farm
HOW IS YOUR FARM SCORED?
HOW THE APPLICATION WORKS
The owner or operator of the dairy farm should sign the application • Your Name
and send it to the Dairy of Distinction state secretary by April 15. •
v Mailing Address.
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 • Cooperative or Handler (where you ship your milk, be specific),
dairy failing to maintain appearance standards will be asked to remove •
their signs. The Dairy of Distinction signs remain the property of the •
committee, not the property of the dairy farmer. All farms must achieve • (YoMf H»ndler will be contacted to approve jour milk qualm)
a compliance score of 90 percent on their Dairy of Distinction score card. •
Your cooperative or milk handler will be contacted to approve your milk • Location (driving directions forjudging team)
quality. •
R ULES FOR THE DAIR Y OF DISTINCTION AWARD
1) The Dairy of Distinction sign remains properly of the Northeast
Dairy Farm Beautification Committee. *
2) The post and bracket shall be supplied by and maintained by the • County (where your firm is located)
dairy farmer. It is suggested that a wood post 4’ x4’ x 12’ or iron pipe •
2’ x 12’ can be used. Posts or pipe should be installed and main- • 1 hereby apply to the Northeast Dairy Farm Beautification Committee to have my dairy scored m accordance
lained in true vertical position with 8’ above ground. Top of the • with the rules of the program for the purpose of obtaining a Dairy of Distinction sign to be displayed on my
bracket should be lower than six inches from the top of the post. • premises (No producer will be charged for seonng or sign expense )
3) Signs shall be displayed in front of the dairy at roadside. An attractive •
post or bracket, or other frame, shall be used to display 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 application by April 15 to:
to avoid wind damages. rr r
4) signs shall not be moved to other premises. New owners of a Dairy ✓ PENNSYLVANIA Michael O’Conner, 324 Henning Building, Dept, of
of Distinction farm must apply to retain the sign Dairy and Animal Science, Penn State University, University Park, PA
5) Replacement of damaged signs is at the committee’s discretion. afUV)
6) No producer shall be charged with scoring or sign expenses. 1 OOUi
7) Judges’ decisions will be final. ✓ NEW YORK Carol Keene-Ainsille, 3993 Jordonville Road,
8) Judging will take place between May Ist and May 31st. Inrdnnville NY 13361
9) Farms awarded a Dairy of Distinction sign in previous years will be JUI uuu vine, iv i ujwi
judged between April Ist and April 30th. if they do not qualify, ✓ NEW JERSEY Joy Ricker, 91 Beemer Road, Sussex, NJ 07461
they will be rejudged between May Ist and May 3ist so they have VERMONT Elisa Clancy, Vermont Department of Agriculture, 16
HOFam^that^ return the sign to their regional State St., Drawer 20, Montpelier, VT 05620-2901
Dairy of Distinction committee
Visual History Will Help Loved Ones In Nursing Homes U|CMI ” F«min,, m-* 4, aoum
beds 2A or 38,
Building a shadow box and
filling it with mementos of a per
son’s life, could help solve this
problem. A shadow box (or a
collage) could contain pictures
and treasured items from a per
Del-Jame Farm near Hamburg in Berks County is a 1999 Dairy of Distinction
winner. Since the program began in 1987 in Pennsylvania, more than 700 farms
have been given this farm beautification award. Entries are now being received
for the year 2000 program. Take time to enter your farm now.
ties. 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.
New York State applications
are available from Carol Keene-
Ainsille, 3993 Jordonville Road,
son’s life-travel photos, pictures
of pets, samples of needlework
or woodwork; a favorite baseball
cap. From time to time, the con
tents could be changed. Not only
would nursing home residents
enjoy these familiar items, but
Jordonville, NY 13361. Phone:
(315)858-2770.
For New Jersey applications,
contact Joy Ricker, 91 Beemer
Road, Sussex, NJ 07461. Phone:
(973)875-4803.
For Vermont applications,
send to Elisa Clancy, Vermont
Department of Agriculture, 16
State Street, Drawer 20,
Montpelier, VT 05620-2901.
Phone; (802) 828-3835.
All applications must be com
pleted and returned to your re
Phone Number
care givers, as well as visitors,
would find them to be topics of
discussion with patients. This is
a simple way to improve com
munication and to increase eve
ryone’s satisfaction with a
difficult situation.
spective state secretary by April
15, 2000.
The Dairy of Distinction pro
gram is financed in Pennsylva
nia by dairy farmers through the
American Dairy Association &
Dairy Council Mid East and the
Pennsylvania Dairy Promotion
Program in cooperation with
many' local agribusiness organ
izations. The program is con
ducted with advice and help
from the Penn State Coopera
tive Extension.
APPLICATION
Farm Name
Dale.
Wikers
(Continued from Page B 12)
planting, and spray
ing. About 75 percent
of the alfalfa is
chopped and har
vested as haylage, and
25 percent of the al
falfa is used for hay.
About 60-acres of corn
is used as silage and
140 acres is sown for
grain.
Twelve years ago, a
manure storage struc
ture was erected,
which has proven to be
effective in saving
time and labor.
Recently a spring
system was developed
in the heifer pasture.
Wiker said, this allows
a larger grazing area
and reduces the silting
of the spring that feeds
into a nearby stream.
The Wikers believe
that family time is im
portant. During the
slow seasons, Matt or
Emily choose an activ
ity for a family fun
night. During the
planting and harvest
ing seasons, time
scheduling is a bit dif
ficult, but the Wikers
try to fit time for
family fun into their
schedule.
The children are
active in 4-H activities.
Matt plays baseball,
and Emily plays the
piano. They also
spends some days at a
family cabin in Tioga
County.
The family is active
at the Brethren In
Christ Church,
Refton, where Lisa
teaches a Sunday
school class.
The Wiker home is
freshly remodeled and
each room has many
Longaberger baskets
used as accent pieces.
When asked what
he would like to ac
complish in the future,
Wiker quickly an
swered, “More free
! time.”
That’s an answer
that confirms that
Wiker is indeed an or
dinary guy it’s a
wish that most every
farmer desires.
PREHERIHDBBMP
Personal Growth
CAREER SUCCESS
Through Agricultural Education