812-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 27, 2001 Poultry Ambassador Does More Than Crack Eggs LOU ANN GOOD Food And Family Features Editor DENVER (Lancaster Co.) Why is a 17-year-old Rebecca Highley—with no farming roots — named the Lancaster County Poultry Ambassador? Rebecca might not have farm family roots, but she certainly has more hands-on agriculture in volvement than most students. She works on two neighboring dairy farms—which means milk ing cows and baling hay. And she raises a Brown Swiss heifer. Of course, milking cows has nothing to do with chickens, tur keys, or eggs. But Rebecca is also immersed in poultry knowlege. This year she joined the FFA poultry judging team. After hours of studying stacks of in formation on eggs and the poul try industry, Rebecca and her teammates (Brandon Gingrich, Dan Fox, and Sarah Nolt) placed first in the state and headed for national competition in Louis ville, Kentucky on Tuesday. (However, no results were avail able by presstime). Today Rebecca is quite versed in explaining such subjects as the interior and exterior of eggs, cul ling, broilers, and laying hens. “I have a good memory if I want to use it,” Rebecca said of her ability to retain scientific de tails related to eggs and poultry. Another plus is that Rebecca wants to be a teacher. As the poultry ambassador, she is re quired to present programs through the Ag in the Classroom program. “I’m really looking forward to that. 1 have some ideas on some things 1 might do,” Rebecca said. She especially is eager to don the chicken outfit she’s been offered Rebecca, her mom, Patty, and a sister, Rachel, check out FFA literature. Grants Available For Agricultural, Rural Youth Organizations HARRISBURG (Dauphin “We continually need to de- ing grants to 4-H and FFA or- grants to qualifying projects. Or- For more information about Co.) State Agriculture Secre- velop innovative educational ganuations and vocational agri- ganizations can apply for the program or to receive an ap tary Sam Hayes recently an- programs to provide our youth cultural programs, to fund matching grants of up to plication, contact the Depart nounced that grants through the with the tools they need to sue- educational projects, seminarsm JP -311 * 8 3 P °f Agriculture’s Bureau of department’s Agriculture and ceed and to keep our agriculture and field trips that increase t 0„. ’ .l. j mUSt -707% 101 ev ®?P™ ei *f ... „ ~ .. postmarked by Nov. 15. 787-3181 or visit the department Rural Youth Grant Program are industry strong, Hayes said awareness of agricultural and A 13 . me mber Agricultural on the Web through the PA available to foster educational Our Agriculture and Rural rural issues. and £ ura j Youth Grant Advi- Power Port at www.state.pa.us projects and activities for Penn- Youth Grant Program helps us A total of $lOO,OOO is avail- S ory Committee will review the or directly at www.pda.sta sylvania’s youth. accomplish this goal by award- able for direct and matching applications. te.pa.us. Poultry Ambassador Rebecca Highley serves Savory Eggs and provides the recipe to readers. and looks forward to hamming— or is that “clucking it up” a bit. “Farming is a good fit for her,” Patty Highley said of her daugh ter. “She’s always been a hard worker and she never minded getting dirty, unlike her two sis ters.” Patty, her husband Robert, and two other daughters are a bit amazed at how quickly and thor oughly Rebecca immersed herself into the farming industry. Although Rebecca was bom with a love for the outdoors, dirt, and work, it wasn’t until she chose an ag science class in ninth grade at Garden Spot High School that involvement in farm ing-related activities became a part of her life. She was so in trigued by the subject matter, im pressed by the ag teachers (Rob ert Lauffer and Cliff Day) that she joined FFA. “I love FFA. It opened so many doors for me. I wouldn’t be the same without it,” she said. In FFA she needed a super vised ag experience project. She applied for a job on a dairy farm. She was the first girl hired to milk cows. During the summer she worked seven-hour days six days a week. “I like working on a farm be cause every day is different. Some days, you get kicked by a cow and the next day she’s nice to you. Some days there’s hay to bale every day is different that’s what I love about it,” Re becca said. Rebecca is now a senior, vice ' I Yi'Ai In addition to competing nationally in poultry judging, Rebecca raises a Brown Swiss heifer, and milks cows on two farms. president of her FFA chapter with about 100 members, and still milking cows. She also plays on the school volleyball and softball teams, is a member of school band, jazz band, orchestra, chorus, and marching band. Scheduling conflicts are com mon in the fall, but Rebecca said her teachers are very understand ing and compromise their re quirements to allow her to partic ipate in so many activities at the same time. With so many activities, Re becca makes a startling confes sion. She said, “I’m a nator. I end up studying lots of late nights and Sunday after noons.” At Pine Grove Mennonite Church, Rebecca is active in the youth group and participated in a mission trip work camp to Puerto Rico. “It was called ‘The Hole’ where we went. People lived in houses that looked like a hut that a kid could build. But the people are so kind, gentle, and open,” Rebecca said. She even got to practice speak ing Spanish, which she had stud ied three years in high school. After high school graduation, Rebecca wants to study ag educa tion at Penn State. She said that by becoming en trenched in farming activities, she has more appreciation and respect for farmers than ever. She plans to portray that mes sage while encouraging others to use more poultry products. While most ambassadors learn to make the perfect omelet, Rebecca sees her role encompassing more than cracking eggs. Nonetheless, she hopes readers will enjoy this fam ily recipe. Va cup butter 2 cups grated American cheese Va pound chipped ham 1 dozen eggs, beaten Cream mixture: Va teaspoon Worcestershire sauce VA teaspoon dry mustard 1 cup light cream 1 teaspoon salt Va teaspoon pepper • Spread cheese and ham on bottom of 9x13-inch pan. • Dot with butter. • Pour half the cream mixture over the cheese and butter. • Add beaten eggs • Pour remaining cream mix ture over the eggs. Bake at 30-35 minutes in 350 degrees. Savory eggs are finished when the mixture is stable and set. Savory Eggs
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