HO-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, November 15, 2003 B Kids Korner Somerset County Youngster Wins International Competition SANDRA LEPLEY Somerset Co. Correspondent SOMERSET (Somerset Co.) For 10-year-old Mary Kimmel of Somerset, showing dairy cows is something that just comes natu rally. “I really liked showing my cow ‘Jumper’ last year and then I just kept showing this year with ‘Jive’,” she said with a smile. Mary, the daughter of Jennifer and Dan Kimmel, is a fourth grader in the Somerset County Home Schooler’s program. She may be young and little but she is definitely mighty, even The Kimmels of Somerset have grown as a family through dairy cow showing. Mary Kimmel, a ten-year-old 4-Her who won an international show with her junior calf ‘Jive,’ and her parents, Dan and Jennifer Kimmel, enjoy working with their animals. Dear Twig: My sister caught a woolly bear caterpillar. She’d like to keep it until spring. What's the best way to take care of woolly bears in fall and winter? From The Ohio State University specifically OARDC and OSU Extension if it comes to a heifer stepping on her toes. She’s not afraid of her animal or of competition with older students. In fact, she and her parents went to the World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wis., in September. Mary was one of the youngest competitors in her class of the Red and White Holstein division and she won first place and hon orable mention there. She was also a finalist in the national showmanship contest. There were 281 Red and White Holsteins altogether in an inter- lass jar or a if potting of the the potting , though ;sh, green instance slow down , dead icn place the ;d place, like id wait woolly spin id emerge ige Isabella igger try http // lu/MES/ ■oil down) Then set national show where 77 countries were represented with 1,170 en tries and 55,000 people attended. “At first I wasn’t sure if ‘Jive’ was going to go into the ring, but I thought ‘we didn’t come all this way for nothing,’ so ‘Jive’ just kicked up and went,” said Mary. Mary’s parents agree that it was an experience of a lifetime not only for the 10-year-old but also for the whole family. “lt’s an honor to have a cow good enough to go to this show so we were all very happy about it,” said Dan Kimmel, who showed dairy cows in high school and whose always been intrigued with bloodlines and the Red and White breed. Dan and his wife, the former Jennifer Barnett, actually met through showing dairy cows at the Somerset County Fair in the late 1980 s. Jennifer’s father, Dr. Albert Barnett, a longtime local veteri narian, showed animals while he was in high school so Mary be- Food Chest Dangers LEESPORT (Berks Co.) Food chests used for tailgating or picnics can be added to the list of dangerous items when small chil dren are around. Frequently, children playing “Hide-and seek” find a large-size cooler and ice boxes in campers a deceptive ly good hiding place. When the door is slammed shut the tight-fitting gasket on the device cuts off the air to the child. This, along with the insu lated construction of the appli ance, also prevents the child’s screams from being heard. For safety’s sake: • Know where ice chests are located in your house, garage or recreational vehicles. • Attach a safety door or in terlock device to prevent entrap ment accidents. • Keep children away from coolers still in use. Twij • Lock the door to utility rooms and warn children not to play there. • If a child is missing, the food chest should be among the first places checked. Mary Kimmel, a 10-year-old 4-H student in Somerset County, might be young but she is also determined. Kim mel won in the Red and White Holstein division at the Madison, Wis., international dairy show in September. Here, she is pictured with ‘Jive,’ her junior calf. comes the third generation to take an interest in showing ani mals. Mary plans to become a veteri narian someday like her grandfa ther. Mary is a member of Horse and Rider 4-H Club in Somerset and has also shown her horses ‘Missy,’ a Pony of America (POA), and ‘Trinket,’ an Ameri can Quarter Horse. “My grandfather always tells me that time is never wasted when you spend it with your ani mal,” said Mary, who spends an average of 10 hours a week with her dairy cow ‘Jive’ and other an imals. ‘Jive’ won this summer at the Harrisburg Eastern National Show and had also taken top prizes at New Castle, Lebanon, Somerset and Maryland shows. During the Harrisburg show, the remark was made to the Kimmels that the Madison, Wis., show was “no place for a little girl to go.” That didn’t intimidate Mary. Hayrides: A Real Nightmare UNIVERSITY PARK (Centre Co.) With the fall harvest sea son moving quickly across the nation, the popularity of hayrides as a fundraiser or social event is growing in many communities. Reports of accidents involving hayrides have been on the in crease over the past several years. Unless these events are well or ganized and carefully monitored, tragedy may be just around the next comer. One way to approach the plan ning and coordination of a hay ride is to consider the three H’s Hitching, Highways, and Horse play. Hitching includes the wagon, the tractor or truck that is pulling the wagon, and the safeguards that are used to en sure that the wagon is properly attached. Never attach more than one wagon behind the pulling ve hicle. Extra wagons make the “snaking” action of the caravan more severe and may result in sideswiping or overturning of the trailing wagons. A truck or trac tor should never pull a wagon so fast that it sways out of a straight line. Proper hitching should always include: using a well designed hitch pin with a clip'or lock be tween the wagon and the pulling “We never expected to enter at the Madison show. We thought we would wait to see how she did at the Harrisburg show,” ex plained her mother Jennifer. “When she won at the Harris burg show, we decided to go as a family and it was a great experi ence for all of us. A friend took the cow to Ohio and then onto to Wisconsin, and we drove out to gether.” The Kimmels stopped in each state along the way and got a souvenir postcard and when they arrived at the show, they were impressed with the facility as well as the show. They explained that an orchestra came out to play for the Grand Champions and Japan and Mexico were most represented with entries. “We’ve grown as a family,” said Dan. “We work as a unit. Mary picks up a little more re sponsibility each year and what I’ve noticed is that she knows she has to water and feed her ani mals before she can play. She’s growing up in a good way.” vehicle, and installing safety chains to ensure that the wagon does not disconnect while in mo tion. The hayride route should be carefully planned. Highways with excessive vehicular traffic moving at high rates of speed should be avoided at all costs. Hayride or ganizers should consult with local law enforcement agencies to seek their advice on roads to be used. Some law enforcement agencies may also be willing to provide se curity and safety for the hayride during the actual event. One rec ommendation that may reduce the highway hayride hazard is vehicles traveling in front and in back of the hyride with their emergency lights activated. Horseplay on a hayride has the potential for disaster, thus adult monitoring of the hayride is a must. Hayride participants can easily fall from a wagon or truck being used for the event and be run over by the wagon and truck wheels causing traumatic inju ries. All riders should be sitting down while the wagon or truck is moving. These rules should be clearly stated to all participants before the ride begins. * /. %
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