Yale Wood Farm Builds On Generations Of Customer Service
LORETTO (Cambria Co.) When they made their way from Swit
zerland to America in 1816, John and Joseph Itei had no idea the land
they would nurture in their life time would nurture generations of Itels.
Shortly after the newly arrived immigrants set foot on American
soil, they learned of a small town in western Pennsylvania and made
their way toward Loretto, a place they believed they would call home.
The original land was acquired through a land grant that at the time
was intended to lure settlers into this part of Pennsylvania. Now al
most two centuries later, the original five acres has grown into nearly
500 acres with the original plot at the heart of the farm.
Over the years, the family became known as Itle, a slight variation
on the original Itei name.
This family of farmers has toughed out many trying times in Ameri
ca’s history including the Great Depression and the Civil War. John’s
son Francis, a Civil War veteran, in time found himself at the helm of
the family business.
Francis, a second generation American Itle, eventually passed the
farm onto his son Charles. Charles increased the acreage and began to
sell milk to residents in the nearby town of Cresson. In 1933, he named
the business Vale Wood Farms describing the farm’s location “in the
valley by the woods.”
Today, Vale Wood Farms employs 30 full-time and 15 part-time
employees. The cattle count has grown to 200 milking head of register
ed Holstein dairy cows.
With the processing plant in eye shot of the grazing dairy herd, the
Itle family provides residents, restaurants, and schools with a dairy
product they boasts comes straight from the cow and to consumer,
right off their farm.
Bill Itle has been president of the company since 1985. The company
is owned by Bill, his six brothers, and one sister. Preceding the current
generation, their father Russell and Uncle Gerald had a family part
nership.
“We have 30 full-time employees,” Bill said.
“And of those thirty, ten are family members.”
Bill said he is the third generation of Itles who
have been in the dairy business.
The land has been farmed under six
generations of Itles.
Bill said the original land grant enticed his
forefathers into making Loretto their home.
“That is how they got people to settle up on
this mountain,” he said. Close to 200 years later,
the Itle family farm continues to thrive.
When asked why that is, Bill attributes it to
the diversity of his workers.
“It is'the fact we have the ability to help out in
different areas,” he said. “We don’t specifically
have to train new people in different areas. We
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George Soisson, a 35-year employee
at Vale Wood Farms, operates the butter
printer.
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Vale Wood Farms offers a wide range
of products.
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We Love Oar
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The Cream Of The Crop
Dairy Offers Milk Delivery Route, Wide Product Line
DEANN CARDARELLA
Special To
Lancaster Farming
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Carissa Itle Westrick explains a home delivery truck to a group of school children.
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