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Vol. 48 No. 38
Berks Outstanding Farm Family Seeks To ‘Keep It Simple’
MICHELLE KUNJAPPU
Lancaster Farming Staff
BETHEL (Berks Co.) “We
try to keep it simple. Our main
priority is making a living and
raising these guys. I like being
here when they get off the school
bus,” said Larry Grumbine, dairy
farm operator.
Grumbine, along with his wife,
Denise, and children Brandon,
10, James, 6, and Natalie, 1, win
ners of this year’s Outstanding
Farm Family designation from
the Reading Fair Board, will be
recognized at an upcoming ban
quet.
Although she did not grow up
on a farm, “I wouldn’t trade it,”
said Denise. “I would have a
hard time moving back. It makes
me feel good that we’re putting in
the hard work and selling it to
consumers. It makes me proud
that we did it ourselves,” she
said.
The family will be honored at
Reading Fair’s annual Outstand
ing Farm Family Awards Night
Dairy Farmers To Boost Cull Cow Value By Assuring Beef Quality
DAVE LEFEVER
Lancaster Farming Staff
LOYSVILLE (Perry Co.)
More than half the beef from
dairy cull cows goes for whole
meat cuts not just hamburger
according to organizers of a
new dairy beef quality program
in Pennsylvania.
That means dairy farmers
need to be paying a lot of atten
tion to the quality of the beef
they’re putting on the market.
Ag Spokesperson Phoebe Bftler isn’t merely a “talking
head.” Her extensive involvement in agricultural organiza
tions complements her everyday farming involvement with
husband David, right, and son Jesse. Turn to page B 2 to
read about her ag spokesperson’s appointment and the
Bitlers’ diversified Vista Grande Farm in Berks County.
Photo by Lou Ann Good, food and family teaturaa adltor
www.lancaaterfanning.com
Larry and Denise Grumbine, with children p) tendon, 10, James, 6, and Natalie, 1, are
Reading Fair’s Outstanding Farm Family. Photoßy Michelle Kunjappu
Banquet Wednesday, July 23 at 7
p.m. at Virginville Grange Hall.
By collectively using good
medical injection techniques in
particular, dairy farmers may
come to gain about $7O more
profit on each cull cow, according
to Paul Slayton, director of the
Pennsylvania Beef Council
(PBC).
“What we’re really working on
is to add value to your cull cows,”
Slayton said at the first-ever
Dairy Beef Quality Assurance
(DBQA) meeting, on the dairy
Four Sections
In addition, two outstanding
4-H’ers and two FFA members
farm of Duane and June Hertzler
near Loysville, Perry County.
The pilot program is a cooper
ative effort between the PBC, the
National Milk Producers Federa
tion (NMPF), and Penn State.
Leaders on hand for the meeting
included Slayton; John Adams,
State FFA officers relax after a hard day of delivering water by cart to about 239
golfers at the Hatfield Fore FFA tournament Monday. In driver’s seat is FFA Presi
dent Eric Rubenstein, Danville FFA. Next to him seated is Amy Kaucher, south cen
tral region vice president. Standing, from left, Brian Oberholtzer, eastern region
vice president; Melissa Sankey, north central region vice president; Becky Hedges,
western region vice president; Bernadette Nace, reporter; Laura Grove, sentinel;
Amber Frank, vice president; Jason Klouser, chaplain; Eric Chamberlin, treasurer;
and Heather Sisto, secretary. See story page A2O. Photo by Andy Andrews, editor
Saturday, July 19, 2003
will be honored during the eve
ning.
NMPF director of animal health
and farm services; Larry Hutchi
son, Kim Nelen, and others from
Penn State’s Department of Vet
erinary Science; and Dave
Swartz, Perry County extension
(Turn to Page A 33)
$37.00 Per Year
The Outstanding Farm Family
Award is given based on a point
system. The family’s level of
Grange involvement, farm man
agement, community, school in
volvement, and hobbies, sports,
and recreation contribute to the
points they receive for the award.
The dairy consists of 60 cows
and 45 calves and heifers.
The Grumbines raise the heifer
calves until they are six months
old, then send them off to be
raised until they are ready to
freshen. They provide the feed
for the animals, then pay for
labor, said Larry.
The DHIA rolling herd aver
age is about 24,000 pounds of
milk, 851 pounds of butterfat,
and 745 pounds of protein.
The couple has worked on the
farm since 1991, when Larry’s fa-
(Turn to Page Al 9)
Inside
The Farmer
✓ Lancaster Dairy
Shows page A 22.
✓ Meat Goat Test Be
gins page A 32.
✓ Inside Scoop On Ice
Cream page 821.
$l.OO Per Copy
A Holstein Herd