Pennsylvania Hosts Convention
(Continiwd from Pago A 1)
for the convention. Next year
Vermont will host the conven
tion.
“People come to visit each
other and compare notes on
management practices,” said
Dean Daubert, McElhattan,
president of the Pennsylvania
Brown Swiss Association.
Heilinger Swiss
Rolling hills, well-kept
Jan Harding, Clarion, executive director for the Pennsyl
vania dairy princess and promotion services enjoys the
banquet with Becky Kilgore, Airviile, Heidi Miller, Harris
burg, and Holly Miller, Harrisburg.
Brown Swiss Convention Banquet
MICHELLE RANCK
Lancaster Farming Staff
HARRISBURG (Dauphin
Co.) Approximately 225
people attended the Pennsylva
nia Showcase Banquet during
the convention. Robert Rugaber
served as the master of ceremo-
Several dairy princesses and ambassadors came to Harrisburg to show their support
of the Brown Swiss breed, (left to right) Heidi Miller, Harrisburg; Becky Kilgore, Airviile;
Liz Smith, Ambassador, Denver; Sarah VanOrden, ambassador, Catskill, New York; Lori
Connelly, PA State Dairy Princess, State College; Holly Miller, Harrisburg; Amy Shanks,
Garden Prairie, 111.
The display in the background celebrates 44 years of grassroots promotion by the
dairy princesses. According to information on the display the dairy princess program is
designed to increase dairy product sales and improve farm/city understanding. Respon
sibilities of the young women include news articles, radio spots, farm tours, parades,
non-farm speeches, and store and mall promotions.
corn provided a showcase for
Pennsylvania farmland as con
vention participants toured
three Brown Swiss farms on
Thursday.
Bruce, Laura, and their
daughter Emily, 2, established
Heilinger Farm two years ago
when the couple moved from
Newmanstown, New Jersey.
Besides their own cattle they
house cattle for Mike Kunkle,
Jonestown, and Bill and Cindy
W Frederick, Maryland.
nies. Dean Daubert, president of
the Pennsylvania Brown Swiss
Association and co-chair of the
national convention, welcomed
the group.
Don Trimble, co-chair of the
banquet committee gave the in
vocation and Lori Connelly,
In addition to the herd the
couple raises corn, alfalfa, and
soybeans on 300 acres. The Hett
inger herd, made up of about SO
homebred Brown Swiss and SO
Holsteins, has a 23,500 pound
rolling herd average.
Not only economics but also
disposition make the Brown
Swiss a favorite of the Heil
ingers.
“The Swiss have personal
ity,” said Laura. “They’re
calmer and more easy-going. I
don’t have to worry about Emily
around them, that’s why we put
mostly Swiss on the ends. They
also keep the protein and fat
levels up.”
“Norm,” the Supreme Cham
pion of Pennsylvania Farm
Show, and her sister “Nadia”
were honorable mention all-
American produce of dam.
“Roseanne” was first in the
state for milk production in
1999.
Little Hill Farm
Guests traveled to Little Hill
Farm to tour the family opera
tion of the Hills and Shueys.
Jim and Billie sold the farm to
children Rich and Terry and
Terry’s husband Kevin Shuey as
of January 1, 2000. Since Jim’s
father also owned Swiss, this
sale marked three generations of
dairying with Swiss for the
family.
As with the Heilingers, devel
opment pressure forced Jim and
Billie to relocate to Pennsylva
nia in 1987.
(Turn to Pago A 27)
Pennsylvania State Dairy Prin
cess, gave the milk toast.
After the meal six young
women competed in the national
youth ambassador contest. En
tertainment and dancing fol
lowed the meal.
Billie, Jim, and Rich Hill (top row), along with Kevin and
Terry Shuey and their children, Kyle, 4, and Allison, 2, op
erate Little Hill Farm. According to Billie Hill the whole op
eration, beginning with construction of the silos, was built
in 1979.
Lebanon Country Dairy Princess Sarah Krall (left), and
Jessica Brass, Dairy Maid from Myerstown, pass out the
famous “milk punch” during the tour.
A regular practice in Switzerland, braiding and tying up
the tails keeps the cows’ tails cleaner. Here Mark and Sue
Mapes of Mifflinburg investigate the technique. “It’s nice
not getting hit with wet tails,’’ said Terry. “This is the first
time we’ve washed the tails since January.”