Vol. 48 No. 49
* Diamond ’ Sparkles At KILE
HARRISBURG (Dauphin Co.) Tom Taylor is at the
reins of the supreme champion Shire mare,
2-year-old Caerberllan Diamond, on Wednesday at
the Keystone International Livestock Expo (KILE)
here at the Farm -Show Complex. Taylor, Lisle, N.Y.,
swept the mare championship, also picking up re
serve wltft a,. 4-year-old, Skelton Sophia, in back
gttrtipd, pxhtbttpd-by Marion Young, Ontario, Canada.
This is Taylttr’s firsthand championship at KILE.
Both horses were imported from Paul and Walt Bed
ford, York, England. See the opening ceremonies
story on page A 42. Photo by Andy Andrews, editor
Small Farm Expo Travels To N.J., Hosts Visitors From 7 States
DEANNA CUNFER
Carbon Co. Correspondent
HARMONY (Warren Co.)
The 2003 Northeast Small Farm
and Rural Living Expo traveled
to the Warren County Farmers’
Fairgrounds, Harmony, N.J. this
year.
Conducted in conjunction with
the Garden State Sheep Breeders
Sheep and Fiber Festival, the
All-American Dairy Show’s supreme champion is Hermitage Councillor Sheba, a
3-year-old Jersey exhibited by Chris Hill for Waverly Farm, Clearbrook, Va. From left,
Mike Pechart, executive assistant to the Pennsylvania secretary of agriculture; Leroy
Plance, All-American Dairy Show promoter; Pam Worley, Alternate Dairy Princess; Hill
with supreme champion; Emily Grove, Alternate Dairy Princess; Carla Martin, Pennsyl
vania Dairy Princess; and Charlie Itle, Pennsylvania Farm Show. Read more about All-
American this issue. Results begin on page A 29.
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www.lancasterfarming.com
event brought large crowds to the
two-day event with gate records
showing visitors from seven
states in attendance.
With Cornell, Penn State, and
Rutgers Cooperative Extension
agencies involved in the plan
ning, it was decided the expo
would be conducted on a yearly
rotating basis moving between
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and
Four Sections
Longtime Banker Selected
To PLA Hall Of Fame
ANDY ANDREWS
Editor
WOMELSDORF (Berks Co.)
Longtime Fulton/Lebanon Val
ley Fanners Bank officer Mike
Firestine, Womelsdorf, has been
selected as this year’s entry into
the Pennsylvania Livestock Asso
ciation (PLA) Hall of Fame.
Firestine, with the bank since
1976 and a senior vice president
and senior ag lending officer, is
no stranger to the work of
promoting ag in the community.
Mike, along with wife Martene
and two daughters Morgan and
Margeaux, care for a registered
herd of Hereford cattle and raise
various crops.
The Firestines are long noted
for work with the Pennsylvania
Hereford Association and have
shown cattle in many shows
throughout the region.
The honor comes at a time
after great success in finally se
curing a national Hereford show
at the Keystone International
Livestock Expo (KILE), going on
throughout the weekend at the
Farm Show Complex in Harris
burg.
Firestine noted “three years of
hard work” to convince the
American Hereford Association
New York. The first expo in 2001
was in Pennsylvania and was a
huge success. The planners de
cided to return to that location in
2002 before they started the
three-state rotation. With each
location within a two- to three
hour drive of each other, any
fears' of losing their following
were quickly calmed this year
after seeing the abundant flow of
Saturday, October 4, 2003
(AHA), in Kansas City, Mo., to
allow a national show at KILE.
About three years ago, Firestine
said that the AHA wanted at
least 160 cattle at the show and
KILE was able to sign on 207 this
year.
“I contacted a lot of farmers,”
said Firestine by phone Monday.
He was able to get the support of
about 75 exhibitors.
This year has been designated
“Year of the Beef,” so it’s appro
priate to promote all breeds.
Herefords were one of the breeds
on parade at opening ceremonies
visitors throughout the two-day
event.
Art Charlton of the Warren
County Department of Economic
Development and Tourism wel
comed visitors during the open
Baltimore County Celebrates
Land Preservation Milestone
TOWSON, Md. Baltimore
County Executive James T.
Smith Jr. announced that Balti
more County landowners have
forever protected 40,000 acres of
rural land from future develop
ment. This brings the county to
the halfway point of an estab
lished goal of preserving 80,000
acres.
“I congratulate these generous
and forward-thinking landown
ers who are protecting a way of
life in the county’s rural areas,
while also helping to protect the
air and water quality for every
one in the region,” Smith said.
Smith, the Baltimore County
Council, the Baltimore County
Agricultural Land Preservation
Board, celebrated this significant
land preservation accomplish
ment at a family picnic for hun
dreds of participating landown
ers, elected officials, land trust
organizations and government
officials at the Morris Meadows
Historic Preservation Museum in
northern Baltimore County.
$37.00 Per Year
Mike Firestine
$l.OO Per Copy
at KILE in Harrisburg Thursday
afternoon.
Firestine noted the 2003 KILE
National Hereford Show is dedi
cated to Charles Itle, who Fire
stine calls an “icon” at the Farm
Show Complex.
Itle is the Farm Show assistant
director and manager of KILE.
Itle began the responsibilities in
1974.
Itle’s involvement with KILE
“has been invaluable,” said Fire
stine. “Under Mr. Itle’s direction,
there have been numerous im
provements made in the show.
He has always been supportive of
the Hereford industry.”
Itle’s emphasis has been on the
educational aspect of KILE, in
cluding the livestock judging con
tests and Keystone Stockmen’s
Contest.
Said Firestine, “Mr. Itle will be
retiring after this year’s show.
But I am quite sure we will still
see Mr. Itle keeping his finger on
the pulse at the Farm Show
Complex.”
The National Hereford Show is
one of six, including the North
American International Live
stock Expo in Louisville, Ky.; the
Kansas City American Royal
(Turn to Pa§e A3l)
ing ceremony. After the flag pre
sentation by Boy Scout Troop
141, Charlton introduced Mi
chael Doherty, N.J. assemblyman
(Turn to Page ASS)
“I can think of no more impor
tant thing for a farm owner to do
than to preserve land for the con
tinuation of the agricultural in-
(Turn to Page A 26)
Inside
The Farmer
✓ New Holland
Swine Show page A2l.
✓ Ephrata Fair
Livestock Sale page
A3B.
✓ West Lampeter
Fair Livestock Sale
page A 39.
✓ All-American re
sults page A 29.