82-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 19, 2003
Bitler Well
LOU ANN GOOD
Food And Family
Features Editor
FLEETWOOD (Berks Co.)
The media often gets a bad rap
when it comes to reporting on ag
ricultural-related subjects.
Oftimes outlandish claims are
not meant to construe the facts.
Instead, the statements can be at
tributed to misunderstanding.
In an effort to better commu
nicate agriculture’s message,
Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association
has recently appointed IS dairy
farmers to fill ag spokesperson
roles in designated areas.
Phoebe Bitler is one of the re
cently appointed ag spokesper
sons, whose job is to bridge the
gap between farm and city per
spectives.
She isn’t merely a talking
head, but has garnered a harvest
of knowledge from growing up
on a family farm, farming in
partnership with her husband,
and working in numerous ag-re
lated organizations.
She is a former Berks County
dairy princess, a home economist
for Penn State extension, Penn
sylvania Young Farmer’s Nation
al Ag Spokesperson, and much
more.
As the youngest of five siblings,
Phoebe said during her growing
up years, she often accompanied
her parents to dairy cooperative
leadership meetings and to Na
tional Holstein Conventions,
where her dad served as a dele
gate.
“I think that influenced me
more than anything to farm and
to promote the industry,” she
said of the various opportunities
she has taken advantage of as an
adult.
“I considered taking ag sci
ences in college, but not many fe
males enrolled in that course
when I entered,” Bitler said. In
stead, she was graduated as a
home economics major at Del
Val College. Subjects studied
there continue to intrigue her and
have influenced many of her ac
tivities such as teaching crafts.
Through 4-H activities, Phoebe
met her husband-to-be David Bit
ler, who grew up on a dairy farm
there. After the couple married in
1977, they farmed two years in
Southern Lancaster County.
Phoebe took her 17 4-H cows and
the couple purchased her hus
band’s dad’s herd to farm on
shares with another farmer.
“It was a good way to get
started in fanning without hav
ing a lot invested in machinery
and other overhead,” she said.
In 1979, the couple purchased
Bitler’s childhood farm in part
nership with her brother and his
wife. The partnership continued
until 1986, when health issues
forced her brother to sell out.
Phoebe and her husband traded
As the ag spokesperson, Phoebe Bitler helps bridge
the gap between farm and city. Recently a Philadelphia
television station interviewed her on biosecurity issues
and the steps dairy farmers take to keep farms safe and
secure.
Qualified To Deliver Ag’s Perspective To Media
Ag spokesperson Phoebe Bitler farms full time, helps her herb garden flourish, and
participates in many ag-related organizations.
Phoebe Bitler consults with her husband Dave, who oversees the herd’s breeding
program, and son Jesse, who repairs the farm’s equipment and has his own tractor to
do custom farming.
some equipment for her brother’s
share of cattle.
“Milk and genetics make the
income,” Phoebe said of the deci
sion to keep the herd intact and
sell some of the equipment.
“I like milking cows that are
clean and look attractive,” she
said of her twice daily responsi
bility. The farm employs several
part-time workers to help milk
about 105 cows and farm about
400 acres. About 182 acres are
part of the Vista Grande farm.
David oversees the breeding
program. The Bitler name has
become synomous with good
breeding stock.
Phoebe said that 94 percent of
their bulls are sold for breeding to
other farms.
“We don’t worry so much
about genetics and numbers. We
look at production and longevity.
It helps to keep a cow a long
time,” she said of financial ad
vantages.
David also serves as an agent
or as “matchmaker” between
buyers and sellers for herds. He
has a set fee per head, which en
ables his clients to know exact
costs before contracting his serv
ices.
Phoebe helps out with the re
quired digital photography, post
ing Website information and fax
ing paperwork with clients.
Son Jesse is 19 years old. His
interest lies heavily with the
equipment end rather than in
milking. He recently returned
from participating in national
competition for diesel technology,
where his team placed 12 in na
tional competition. Last year,
Jesse was a member of the FFA
team that placed third in nation
al competition for tractor restora
tion.
His mechanical prowness is a
huge benefit on the farm for re
pairing equipment. He also re
pairs equipment for other farm
ers. He also purchased equipment
to develop a custom farming
business and custom raises heif
ers and also some to sell.
Two years ago the Bitlers faced
a'choice. Did they want to ex
pand or remain a small family
farm?
After crunching numbers and
taking an in-depth look at possi-
Me outcomes, the Bitlers chose to
remain small but do some bam
remodeling. In 1999, the Bitlers
sold 100 head of heifers the
prime of their herd ranging be
tween two to five years of age
and 14 dairy bulls.
This herd reduction enabled
them to move the remaining 39
cows to one side of the bam while
all-new steel beams and posts
were installed. They removed the
concrete floors, increased the
length of stalls on one side of the
bam, and installed a new water
system and water beds for cow
comfort. The stalls were reduced
three inches in width to prevent
the cows from turning sideways.
This change gained space for two
new stalls. When half the bam
was finished, the herd was moved
into the new part so that the next
phase of rennovation could be
completed.
This method enabled them to
continue milking the herd during
the complete rennovation phase.
This change enables tractor
and trailers to back in the bam
and unload grain with ease.
“We are content not to be big.
We haven’t regretted it,” Phoebe
said. “Expanding would have re
quired a whole new employee
management program, which I
did not want to be saddled with. I
do not enjoy managing employ
ees,” she said.
Dwindling milk prices this
past year have also confirmed
their decision not to expand.
“Last year was the tightest
(financial) year we ever had in
farming. It has caused us to di
versify more,” Phoebe said.
She thinks it is important for
children to have diversified op
portunities that they alone are re
sponsible for, which is why Jesse
is pursuing the custom farming
route.
One of the extracurricular ac
tivities Phoebe oversees is farm
tours. She plans yearly
sions of 7-8 days.
This year she has planned a
farm-focused trip to New Eng
land from Sept. 28-Oct. 4. The
bus capacity for 49 people was
quickly filled. Many of the partic
ipants accompany the Bitlers an
nually. She attempts to keep off
the beaten path of tourist traps
and find fascinating places to
visit, not necessarily dairy but
farm related with a mix of cul
ture activities.
“Farm people don’t know how
to take a vacation,” Bitler said of.
their notorious work ethic. They
like to participate in these bus
tours because the participants
share similiar interests. Not all
the participants are farmers, but
generally have a farm back
ground. Participants range in
ages. Some take their whole fami
ly.
The trips require some exten
sive scouting out ahead of time.
Phoebe and her husband like to
visit the planned spot a year in
advance at the same time as the
tour so they can judge traffic,
weather, and other things. These
are working vacations as they
sleuth out prospective leads and
discard those which they believe
will lack appeal to their clients.
It’s an opportunity for the Bit
lers to travel, but it is no vacation
managing a busload of people
and the logistics required.
Bitler also serves on the Berks
County Conservancy board, is an
(Turn to Page B 3)