A3O-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, November 15, 2003 Don Robinson Reflects On 36-Year Career (Continued from Page A 1) awareness course taught by a sci ence teacher. The class was not vocational agriculture or affili ated with FFA,” Robinson said. But the introduction to agri culture so fascinated Robinson that he chose to study ag educa tion at Penn State. After earning his degree, Robinson married Evelyn Gustavsen from Lancas The opportunity to serve Lancaster Coun ty as the conservation district administrator and as an ag teacher has been a richly re warding experience. I feel blessed to have worked with so many fine people who share the values and appreciation for our county, its natural resources, and its people. 5 5 Don Robinson ter County and taught vocational agriculture in Pottstown for four years. Robinson’s next three years as an Army officer may appear to be unrelated to his career, but even that prepared him for his eventual managerial position, he said. As an administrative officer, Robinson helped organize a MASH unit for a civilian hospital in Vietnam. Just like the popular MASH television series, Robinson experi enced living with three doctors and helping operate, sometimes by sheer candlelight, while the hospital was under enemy fire. By the time Robinson had gone to Vietnam, he and his wife had three children. Robinson moved his family to Lancaster County so that relatives could provide moral support to his wife and children during his stint in Vietnam. After three years in the Array, Robinson was hired as a voca tional agriculture teacher at Gar den Spot High School. In the first years, Robinson taught two high school classes and spent the remainder of the SUEVIA Wflf er j) day with adult farmers. His du ties in working with individual farmers increased, and by the fourth year of his employment, Robinson was appointed to work full time with farmers through the adult farmer program. In this position, Robinson said his duties were similar to an ex tension agent, except he worked only within the school district. The plan was to include Plain Sect farmers, who paid taxes but were not utilizing any education al opportunities. Because Robin son worked with the school dis trict and not a government office, the plain sect farmers were more inclined to learn about conserva tion practices and crop manage ment and receive pesticide train ing. In succeeding years, the face of agriculture begin to change re quiring Robinson to learn new technology and teach such things as trickle irrigation, greenhouse management, and vegetable and bedding production. “In the beginning, we were cow and com people who didn’t known anything about produce,” Robinson said of he and his col league Bob Anderson. “We learned with them (produce farmers).” One of the best learning meth ods was the trial vegetable plot, established at the Leola Produce Auction site, used for demonstra tion purposes. “We’d experiment with differ ent methods, such as using mulch, raised beds, and row cov ers,” Robinson said. Farmers could visit the demonstration -ilg CUi/w or low water pressure • Flow: more than 5 gal/min, • 112 " NPT connection from above and below • Stay clean bowl design &*&- ENDALE'AG & BARN INC. 1300>Susquehanna trail PA 17777 or 742-4226 Fax: 570-538-5017 wl Distributed by: We honor: Farm Plan QS we shj p ups garden throughout the growing season. “We’d follow the results, and at the end of the growing season, conduct meetings to share the re sults of the research.” The meetings were well attend ed, even drawing many farmers from surrounding states. Robinson was instrumental in helping develop the Leola Pro duce Auction, which has more than $6 million annually in sales. Since then, the Leola Auction has been used as model for the devel opment of two additional county auctions and at least six others in neighboring counties and states. Robinson worked one-on-one with farmers by day, and con ducted educational meetings many evenings, drawing on ex perts in the fields. He helped farmers lay out con tour strips and waterways and worked closely with the LCCD. At age 55, Robinson took early retirement from the school dis trict to become administrator of LCCD. For the seven prior years, he had served on the board of di rectors for LCCD, and his close relationship with many farmers and business persons helped in his responsibilities $t LCCD. CALL THE SPOUTING Turn Y °ur Gutters Into Virtually SPECIALISTS SELF CLEAN 'NG CUTTERS For With • 5", 6" & 7" Seamless Gutters in 32 Gutter Pro Tech Colors • 027 Aluminum - Never Rusts • Half Round Gutters • 20 Yr. Limited Warranty • Windows & Doors * 32 Colors Available • Tubular Skylights * Affordable r 's-t L- JPOUTIKTG • Call Today For A Free Estimate 265 E. Meadow Valley Rd., Lititz, PA 17543 mm mm ■ Lancaster Chamber cf Commerce 6- Industry Cost - $4O for Chamber members; $55 for non-members To register, to go www.lancasterchamber.com/ ag or contact June Mengel at (717) 397-3531 x 134 or ag@lcci.com. Don Robinson, left, discusses his retirement with Don McNutt, who replaces Robinson as the district manager of the Lancaster County Conservation District. Photo by Lou Ann Good, food and family features editor “The biggest change was leav ing the field to manage people and programs,” Robinson said. Under his directorship, LCCD grew from 13 employees to 23 to meet the demand for nutrient management programs, engi neering, and environmental regu- The 27th Annual Agriculture Ind sS£Banque "Embracing Change " Monday, November 24, 2003 5 p.m. - networking reception 6:30 p.m. - dinner & program Willow Valley Resort & Conference Center Register today to be part of the largest chamber banquet in Pennsylvania honoring the agriculture community! featuring Keynote Speaker Jolene Brown, International Speaker & Farmer lations. “One of the biggest and unex pected changes was the political ramifications involved in this po sition,” Robinson said. Although the political chal (Turn to Page A 35)
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