A2B-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, January 27,2001
Operating Wolfe’s Powerline Dairy are dad and sons,
from left, Ernest, Dean, and Ray Wolfe.
Three Generations Work Together
On Northumberland Farm
(Continued from Page A 1) «“» made arrangements for her
' to use school dairy promotions
as credit toward an internship
and toward independent stud
ies. This requires Mindy to treat
each promotion as a classroom
teaching session.
She writes lesson plans and
her presentations are evaluated
by the classroom teachers. On
occasion, her college adviser ac
companies her to the presenta
tions to evaluate her teaching
and speaking presentations.
Mindy thrives on the opportu
nity to work with children. She
said, “It is sad how little most
children know about agricul
ture. But I love helping them un
derstand where milk comes
from and the importance of
drinking milk.”
Although the school district in
which she lived did not offer an
ag program or FFA, Mindy
gained a lot of agriculture
knowledge through the 4-H
dairy club. She also found her
involvement in high school
drama club and participation in
a speech contest sponsored by
the local Elk’s Club gave her a
solid basis in speaking before
tour counties. At the state
pageant, Melinda was selected*
to represent the whole state.
She finds that her non
farming friends are supportive
and receptive to her reign as
dairy princess. “They often give
me recipes and ideas,” Mindy
said.
Being a full-time college stu
dent and the state dairy princess
is not without its perks but also
has drawbacks. Mindy’s grade
point average has dropped a bit
since she’s taken on her new
role.
“It’s a sacrifice, but I think it
is worth it,” Mindy said of not
making the dean’s list the past
semester and of reducing her
workload to 12 credits this se
mester.
Mindy is pleased how recep
tive Bloomsburg University has
been in accommodating her
schedule. One of the require
ments for dairy princesses is
classroom presentations to ele
mentary school students.
Because Mindy is pursuing
childhood education, the school
Pennsylvania Dairy Princess Melinda Wolfe is proud of
the dairy industry and most enjoys teaching children that
milk comes from cows, not supermarkets.
crowds which she must often
do as the state dairy princess.
“If I really believe in some
thing, it’s easy to talk,” Mindy
said. “Otherwise it sounds
fake.”
For that reason, Mindy’s
speeches have proven effective.
At the state pageant, she was a
presentation winner for her
speech, which paid tribute to her
father, who keeps things run
ning smoothly on the farm de
spite never having a day where
something doesn’t go wrong.
“Why run ragged for so little
return?” she asked of a farmer’s
quest to farm despite dwindling
farm prices, weather havoc, and
never-ending repairs.
“Perhaps because farming is
in his blood or that he sees
blood, sweat, and blisters as
battle wounds of his lifetime
dream,” Mindy said of her dad,
“who each evening ignores his
tired body to get one more thing
done around the farm.
“I have the greatest admira
tion for my dad. For this reason
I would like to declare Farmer
Appreciation Day, because men
like my dad make me proud to
say, ‘l’m a farmer’s daughter,’”
Mindy said.
Unlike many of the dairy
princesses who previously filled
roles as dairy maids and dairy
alternates, this is the first year
Mindy has participated in dairy
promotion.
“It’s something my grand
mother always wanted me to do,
but the time didn’t seem right
until this year. Since we put up
the new facility, I was more in
volved with the dairy end. Al
though I was busy with many
activities, I thought if I don’t try,
I’ll never know.
“The way my parents raised
me, the lessons I learned, and
the experience I gained through
high school activities have all
made me what lam today.” ■
Melinda has filled leadership
positions in many organizations
such as Red Cross volunteer, an
assistant coach of the Milton
Little League, school tutor, Stu
dent Council, drama club,
marching band, choir, and vari
ous 4-H clubs.
“Those responsibilities kept
me accountable for what needs
to be done,” she said. Her in
volvement in so many different
organizations also helped her
with time management and goal
setting.
When the Wolfe family
planned their farm expansion,
they were met with some opposi
tion from a few concerned citi
zens who feared farming odors
and devaluation of property
values. But the concerns were al
leviated by explaining the mea
sures taken to reduce odors by
installing a manure pit and ex
plaining the expansion process.
Mindy’s mother Rinda works
as a school secretary but helps
Wayne County Dairy Day Feb. 16
HONESDALE (Wayne Co.)
All area dairy producers and
their families are reminded that
the 23rd Annual Wayne County
Dairy Day has been set for
Friday, Feb. 16, from 10 a.m.-3
p.m. here at the Honesdale High
School.
The annual dairy day will fea
ture commercial exhibits by area
agribusinesses, financial lenders,
government agencies, farm
equipment dealers, feed and nu
trition businesses, dairy and
milk cooperatives, and AI breed
ing cooperatives and others.
Dairy Day will also feature
timely and valuable dairy re
lated educational presentations
by Penn State Cooperative Ex
tension staff members, industry
resourcejieople, Penn State Uni
versity extension specialists, and
This is the third generation on the farm. Back row is
Mindy, Randy, and Deanna. Front, Taylor and Eric.
Mindy is a working princess, both on and off the farm.
with milking on weekends and dairy industry, new technolo
summer months. gies, and the problems that face
Growing up on the farm, Mel- the dairy industry,
inda said she learned hands-on «j i OV e what I’m doing. I have
experience, but her involvement a g rea t time doing it,” Melinda
in the dairy princess program sa id.
has taught her more about the
others.
Some of the dairy related
topics to be addressed at this
year’s dairy day include milk
marketing, the consequences of
insufficient dry matter in dairy
rations, alternative forages to
consider for dairy herds, and
conservation programs for area
dairy farms.
The milk, cheese, and ice
cream bars will be another fea
ture of this upcoming Wayne
County Dairy Day as well as the
noontime lunch provided to area
dairy farm families courtesy of
the exhibitors.
HEALTH KICK
Some health screening, for
area dairy farm families, will be
offered by The Wayne Memorial
Hospital, Wayne Health, and
Pennsylvania Department of
Health.
Wayne County dairy princess
and dairy maids will also be at
dairy day with milk and dairy
product promotions and nutri
tion information.
Also, a series of door prizes
will be awarded to lucky dairy
farm participants.
To attend, call the Wayne
County Cooperative Extension
Office, (717) 253-5970, ext. 239.