86-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, December 20, 2003
Cooperation Builds Successful Grove Family Farm
LOU ANN GOOD
Food And Family
Features Editor
SHIPPENSBURG (Franklin
Co.) News keeps happening at
Gro-Lan Farms, where Jeff and
Linda Grove are raising their
four children.
The 300-acre farm with 160
milking Holsteins recently was in
the news when the Groves re
ceived the first agricultural loan
for expansion offered through the
Small Business First (SBF) Pro
gram.
While the family farm opera
tion expands, the children of Jeff
and Linda Grove are growing up
and enlarging their own spheres
of influence.
Emily, who celebrated her 20th
birthday Wednesday, is the
Pennsylvania Alternate dairy
princess. Laura, 18, is a state
FFA officer. Caleb, 12, and
Renee, 10, are assuming more
farm chores to enable their older
sisters to crisscross the state, ful
filling demanding schedules.
Those responsibilities are only
the beginning of a very involved
family in community and ag-re
lated affairs.
“Not everything is perfect
here, but we live here and make
it work,” Jeff said. “We laugh a
lot, and mealtime gets quite loud
at our table.”
Jeffs wife Linda works for the
local Agway while he farms in
partnership with his brother Jay.
“We’re a four cell-phone fami
ly,” Grove said of synchronizing
family togetherness, while each
pursues individual interests.
Jeff said of his daughters Emily, left, add Laura, “They
are always responsible and eager to help on the farm. I
never need to call them twice for the 3 a.m. milking.”
Jeff and Linda Grove with their children Emily, Laura,
Caleb, and Renee walk toward the 186x113-foot freestall
barn that is under construction. The Grove family was in
the news recently for being the first farm to receive a
low-interest loan through the Small Business First Pro-
Morning milking starts at 3
a.m.
“Everyone pitches in. It takes
cooperation to see the work gets
done.’’ Emily said of taking her
turn milking, feeding, and bed
ding the cows and scraping the
bam despite a busy off-farm
schedule.
“We wouldn’t be able to do all
we do if our parents didn't re
spect our desires to become in
volved (in off-farm activities),”
Emily said.
Her dad said, “Our children
have never given us any reason
not to trust them. 1 don’t need to
call them twice to get up to milk.
They are always in the barn on
time and willing to take responsi
bility. They work together and fill
in for each other.”
Linda said with three daugh
ters she had expected to be as
sured of having plenty of house
hold help. “But by age 2, they’re
out with their dad working in the
bam.”
That doesn’t mean the girls
don’t do kitchen duty. Linda
said, “We all help whomever
needs help.”
“We cook,” Emily said of her
and Laura’s chores, “but it’s not
our favorite thing. We’d rather be
in the bam.”
Laura said that growing up
with assigned duties on the farm
taught her hard work, responsi
bility, and time management, a
state sentinel needs.
“In a way, growing up on a
farm involves us somewhat in the
workplace before we even leave
the farm,” Emily said.
Gro-Lan Farm has been in the Grove family since 1918. It is home for Jeff and Linda
Grove and their children Emily, 20, right, Laura, 18, left, Caleb, 12, and Renee, 10.
Emily said that comparing her
life with her peers isn’t an option.
“Each person has her or his own
way of life, and this is what we
have been born into. It’s a bless
ing most of the time,” she said.
The sisters are grateful their
dad is in partnership with his
brother. This relationship enables
them to have every other Sunday
free from farm chores and allows
them annual vacation time. In
fact, the Grove family is spending
five days in New York City dur
ing the Christmas holidays.
Gro-Lan, which stands for
“Grove” and the old spelling of
“land,” was established in 1918,
when Jeffs grandfather pur
chased the farm. Jeff and his
brother Jay established a partner
ship in 1977. His grandfather
died about 10 years ago, but his
grandmother continues to. help
on the farm when needed. Their
Aunt Esther, who lives nearby,
often helps with the cooking and
laundry.
Although Emily and Laura are
only 19 months apart and involv
ed in many of the same activities,
sibling rivalry is of little conse
quence. Instead, they freely offer
each other advice and help each
other out with scheduling con
flicts.
Emily was state FFA secretary
last year. Her sister is the state
sentinel this year. Emily freely
shares advice and perspective
that Laura finds useful in her du
ties of visiting FFA chapters
across the state.
As the county dairy princess
and as state alternate, Emily ap
preciates that Laura and Renee
help with dairy promotion.
“Laura is walking in my foot
steps, but leaving her own foot
prints,” Emily said in recognition
of her sister’s similar choice of
activities, but adding her own
personal touch.
Emily served as a second-year
scholar on the State Legislative
FFA Conference, attended Mid-
Atlantic Alliance of Coopera
tives, and later returned as schol
ar staff. She was one the state
representatives to the National
Institute of Cooperative Educa
tion Conference, and served as
the Pennsylvania agriculture am
bassador for young farmers to a
conference in Oklahoma City.
Although only 10, Renee is al
ready showing signs of leadership
and interest in pursuing FFA and
dairy promotion activities.
Of dairy princess promotion,
Emily said, “It’s awesome to
meet so many farmers and learn
about their farm operations. And
it’s a great opportunity working
with Carla Martin (state dairy
princess) and Pam Werley (first
state alternate).”
Emily was named Miss Conge
niality and a top award for her
presentation at the state pageant.
The whole family extends hos
pitality to acquaintances who
often hang out at the Grove farm.
It’s a Sunday evening tradition at
the Grove family to have friends
and relatives drop by for pizza
and fellowship.
Emily said, “It started because
we are busy milking every other
Sunday evening. Our friends
come and hang out here while we
are cleaning up.”
The family is active at Cham
bersburg Brethren in Christ
Church.
“God is number one priority
for us, family second, and friends
Who would think you could laugh with your father at 3
a.m. in the milking parlor? Emily said of the camaraderie
that exists among family members. From left are Laura,
Emily, their Uncle Jay Grove, and their dad, Jeff.
next,” Laura said of the family’s
goals.
“Dad has always taught us to
give 100 percent of ourselves,”
Emily said of their enthusiasm
for farming and activities.
Laura and Emily refrain from
taking credit for their
achievements. Instead, their con
versation often includes com
ments such as “It was God’s
will” and “If it’s meant to be, it
will happen.”
Both Laura and Emily are un
sure of definite careers.
“1 know I want to stay in agri
culture, but I’m not sure where
school will lead,” Laura said of
her plan to study ag business
management at Penn State.
“Ag is so broad, and offers so
many opportunities,” Emily said.
She is finishing a term in ag busi
ness at Penn State Mont Alto
Campus and plans to take off the
next semester to devote to dairy
princess responsibilities. By that
time, she expects to have a more
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