812-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, December 15, 2001 One Hill Farm: Home To LOU ANN GOOD Food And Family Features Editor WOMELSDORF (Berks Co.) One Hill Farm is home for the Moyer family, including Pennsyl vania Alternate Dairy Princess Amy Moyer. Although the farm sits in Berks County, it is on the edge of Lebanon County, which results in the Moyer family participating in ag-related activities in both places. In fact, 18-year-old Amy, a Berks County high school gradu ate, was first crowned Lebanon County dairy princess before cap turing the state alternate title. Several years ago, the Moyers were honored as Berks County Family of the Year but they are also active in Lebanon County’s Holstein Club and 4-H, with mom serving as a leader and Amy and siblings, Jeffrey, 19; Kristen, 13; and Sarah, 12, as members. The family owns a 128-acre farm that her grandfather pur chased in 1980. They have the top-producing DHIA mixed herd in the state with their top cow producing 32,983 pounds. Their 62 milking cows are made up of Holstein and Brown Swiss. The Moyers started with all Holsteins, but in 1989 Amy re ceived a Brown Swiss heifer calf from a friend and her first cow was a Brown Swiss. One Hill’s Brown Swiss and Holstein Farm is named DHIA’s top-produc ing mixed herd in the state. “Brown Swiss seem friendlier and have a pet-like attitude. Hol steins are more standoffish,” Amy said. She added with a laugh, “But in 1997 I saw the light, as people say. I got my first Holstein and now I prefer Hoi steins.” Advantages of having a mixed herd, from Amy’s perspective, are that Holsteins make more milk but Swiss add higher butter- dairy judging and enjoys visiting fat and protein. sales and barns to evaluate ani- Amy said that she began help- mals. ing in the bam when she was six The Moyers are active in or seven years old. “When I was church. Amy and her brother tall enough to reach the pipeline star ‘ ed a Sund ?y sv«5 v «“ ng B,ble and hook up the milkers, that be- sta^J OT r° uth m th f a h A ome - . came my job.” ° ther mterests for Amy m ■ ... elude attending rodeos and an- In addition to owning their ~ , ... , ~ , , , , . ° . tiques shows with her mother, own farm, her dad, in partner- a* eniovs art esneciallv stin ship with his brothers, farm 1,100 . ’ .® 5 f c J F yt.ui iiu w phng, which is a picture formed acres ' in dots. Favorite sports include “Dad’s gone most of the day, volleyball, tubbing down the working in the partnership, so I creek, and s i e dding. often take care of things at She also enjoys traveling and home, Amy said. has been to Madison, Wis. for the Last year, her dad flipped the World Dairy Expo in 1997 and tractor on the big hill for which 2001; to Louisville, Ky. for the ECLAIR DESSERT their farm is named “One Hill „ . National FFA Convention in 24 graham crackers Farm.” He had surgery on his Horse and cow collectl- 2001; and to Florida and ranaHa 2 3-ounce boxes instant vanilla shoulder and has recuperated. “My favorite holiday is Christ- pudding Amy also milks for a neighbor. . . " ..!?■? mas, not because of the gifts I get 3'/j cups milk Between the home qnd neighbor- ■_ _?. y well, Ido like to open presents, 8-ounces whipped cream top in: farms, Amy said some <fcays’ ’‘ ' w ‘ but 1 mokW enjw Christmas Ibe-' ‘’ ' ''"ping '" ’ ‘ : she milks as much as five times daily. “My dad says if I like milking so much, we should expand,” Amy said. “But I’m not ready to be tied down to that yet. “When everything runs smoothly, I‘m relaxed and calm. But when there’s a problem with the cows, I say get rid of them,” she confessed. Amy said that she has been re sponsible for feeding the calves and heifers and milking since she was in sixth grade. “For awhile I got into the bad habit of saying I had lots of homework, so my parents would let me come into the house to do homework; instead, I watched T.V.” But that habit has been re placed with responsibility. Since she graduated, Amy is working hill-time on the family farm. Her daily chores include sweeping troughs, scraping crates, feeding and bedding heifers, preparation for milking, and milking. Amy is responsible for registering Hol steins and preparing classifica tion. Last February, Amy learned how to breed cows and assists her mother in that duty. Amy started fitting dairy cattle in 1997, and has several regular customers. She also assists the Holstein Club with fitting. “I can’t do as well as profes sional fitter, but I’m learning,” she said. She assists a profession al fitter when requested. She has shown dairy animals at local fairs, Southeast District Championship, state, and at the World Dairy Expo. Amy credits FFA participation as the impetus for becoming a vocal spokesperson for the ag community. She said, “I was re ally shy, and hid in the corner rather than talk.” When Amy became active in Conrad Weiser FFA, she found the adviser tough but nice, which meant that she needed to partici pate instead of hide. Still, Amy shied away from public speaking. During her senior year, Amy was FFA president and needed to do most of the speaking at the annu al FFA banquet with 300 people in attendance. Surprisingly, she discovered she enjoyed speaking before a crowd. She was encouraged to run as dairy princess. Amy’s first reaction was that she did not have the time, but she called up the pageant coordinator who in vited her to an informative tea about the program. Amy decided to compete in the dairy princess pageant for Lebanon County. Pennsylvania Alternate Dairy Princess One Hill Farm is home for the Moyer family. From left, Amy holding halter of Hannah, Kristen, Sarah, Jeffrey, and parents Missy and Martin. See page 810 for more about Missy and her favorite cow Hannah. Amy worked on her speech, a requirement for the pageant. Both her ag and English teachers help her perfect it. Although Amy was the only contestant at the county level, she found out just how good her speech was when she competed for the state crown. In Harrisburg, Amy re ceived the outstanding speech award out of 31 contestants. Amy’s speech stresses the im portance of the Real Seal for con sumers and the dairy industry. To the nonfarming community, Amy explains the steps that farmers take to ensure quality milk Amy’s award-winning speech helped thrust her into the final ist’s circle at the state dairy pag eant, where she was crowned sec ond alternate. In dairy promotions, Amy en joys meeting people. “I like when people ask questions and don’t just stare at me,” she said. After her year of dairy promo tion is over, Amy is considering taking a short course in dairy management at a college in Mad ison, Wis. “I plan to attend one year, and after that consider if I want to continue,” she said. “I thought about being an ag teacher, but I don’t want to at tend school that long,” she said. “I’d really like to own my own farm and, as they say, live happi ly ever after,” Amy said with a laugh. “I’d also like to breed good cows and hope to get first in the state someday. Amy has participated in 4-H One Hill Farm is picturesque with swans in a pond and the mixed herd in the background. cause of the music, decorations, dressing up in Christmas gowns, family gatherings, the love that blossoms in the air, Christmas cantatas at church, and the magi cal celebration of Christ’s birth,” Amy said. Here is a recipe for a creamy, sweet, cool-tasting dessert that Amy said is great for holiday gatherings. She promises, “Your family and friends will love it. And don’t forget the cheese and crackers. Have a ‘Dairy’ Christmas and a Happy ‘Moo’ Year!” Frosting: 6 tablespoons cocoa 2 teaspoons light Karo syrup 3 tablespoons butter Vi cup confectioners’ sugar 3 tablespoons milk 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 tablespoon oil Mix pudding with milk; fold in whipped topping. Line bottom of greased 9x13-inch pan with gra ham crackers. Put half the pud ding mixture on top. Put another layer of graham crackers on, then the remaining pudding. Top with another layer of graham crack ers. Chill dessert for two hours be fore frosting it. Beat together frosting ingredients until smooth. Put frosting on top of crackers. J^sEore . 1i1t... . . . a . a a a . . . 1
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