Thompson Inducted To York Holstein Hall Of Fame
JOYCE BUPP
York County Correspondent
BAIR (York Co.) Long-time
dairyman, Holstein breeder and
cattle exhibitor Rodman “Rod”
Thompson was inducted into the
York County Holstein Hall of
Fame as the highlight of the Nov.
21 county dairy awards program.
The annual awards dinner sa
luted a broad scope of
achievements in Holstein, 4-H,
and DHIA programs.
Thompson’s dairy career span
ned a half-century, beginning as
a young man farming with his
family on a rented farm in Bucks
County. In 1944, he and his
brothers pooled their savings to
invest in five registered Holstein
cows, paying Chris Erb of Mid
dletown $3OO per head. The fol
lowing year, the family drove
their 25 head of milking cows to
a farm they had purchased on
the opposite side of town, and
named their new location Foun
tain Farm.
In 1951, Rod married Jane
Taylor, a former Bucks County
4-H beef member. The couple
began dairying on their own with
a dozen cows, on a rented farm in
Bucks County owned by the
Grand Dutchess of Luxembourg,
who had fled her native land dur
ing the war. Core Creek ran
through the farm, lending its
name to the Thompson’s Core
dale herd prefix. In 1959, when
the rented facility was to be con
verted to horse raising, they relo-
Outstanding York County 4-H dairy members for 2003
are Lydia Eddinger, Trisha Knight, and Cory Thompson.
Members of the Rod and Jane Thompson family were on hand for his induction into
the York County Holstein Hall of Fame. Front are Rod and Jane; from left, second row
are Angela Trimmer, Amanda and Tammy Thompson, Amy, Shirley, and Larry Trimmer;
from left, third row, are Chad Trimmer, Cory and Roy Thompson, and Waylon Yohe.
cated their 26 head to the farm
they purchased near East Berlin.
In 1961, the Thompson began
exhibiting their best animals at
the York Fair, a tradition which
continues today with their grand
children exhibiting descendants
of some of their prized cow fami
lies. Over the years, the Coredale
show string took numerous
championships and premier des
ignations at local, regional, and
state competitions, as well as tal
lying up some All-Pennsylvania
honors. During that time, Rod
and his family bred 12 Excellent
cows, merchandised their herd
genetics, and worked with em
bryo transfer.
Rod has been active in county
and state Holstein programs, in
cluding stints as county club
president and secretary. Both
Rod and Jane served as 4-H lead
ers, giving generously of their
time to area youth. They have
been honored as 25-year mem
bers of the former Interstate Milk
Producers and won production
honors for both crop and herd
achievements.
The Coredale milking herd
was sold in 1994, giving Rod and
Jane a well-earned chance to
slow down. They kept the heifers,
merchandising them as they
freshened. Only a few heifers re
main on the farm now, along
The Ist1 st Annual Lancaster County
4-H Open House .
Thursday , January 8, 2004
6:30 - 8:30p.m.
Farm and Home Center
1383 Arcadia Road, Lancaster, PA 17601
Club Displays jF Demonstrations A Door Prizes
Interested in finding out more about the Lancaster 4-H program?
Do you want to volunteer in your community?
Come and see what 4-H can offer you!
4-H is a youth program for ages 8-18 committed to enhancing
leadership, citizenship, and personal development skills through club
and project activities.
For more information, contact the Penn State Cooperative Extension
Office at (717) 394-6851 or email LancasterExtfcfpsu edu
This publication is available in alternative media on request.
Penn State is committed to jfTirmati\e aetion equal oppoitunilv and the dixersilx ol
Pe'iin State cm. out ages pet sons \x ith disabilities to participate in its ptogiants
and actix dies It you anticipate needing am tx pc ol accommodation or haxc
questions about the physical access pioxided please contact 1 on I itlle at
idd-O.Ss 1 in icKanceot xont pailicipation 01 \ isit
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, December 27, 2003-A35
with some Black Angus cross
breds and Jane’s two pet alpacas.
Rod works part-time on their
township’s road maintenance
crew. The Thompsons continue
to crop their land, including
growing some seasonal produce
which they sell at roadside.
York County’s youth were
honored as well during the pro
gram, including recognition given
to the state 4-H dairy judging
team which won national honors
at the recent North American In
ternational Livestock Exposition
in Louisville, Ky. Three of the
four team members are York
countians Michael Bosley, Tri
sha Knight, and Cory Thompson
while the fourth, Clayton
Wood, is from neighboring
Adams County. Coaches for the
team are Paul Knight and Jeff
Rutz.
Each of York County’s three
dairy 4-H clubs honored out
standing members for the year.
In the Central York Club, honor
ees were Katie Baumgardner,
novice; Nathan Baumgardner,
junior; Amanda Thompson, in
termediate; and Cory Thompson,
senior.
The Milk-N-Money Club
Its uoiktoicc
awarded outstanding recognition
to Jamie Nisely, novice; Chris
Kilgore, junior; Kyle Miller, in
termediate; John Miller, senior;
and Jason Cooper, cloverbud.
Southwest dairy club outstanding
honorees were Aaron Doll, rook
ie; Wren Anderson, junior; Sadye
Anderson, intermediate; and
Lydia Eddinger, senior.
Recognized for achievement in
overall county dairy activities
were Cory Thompson, outstand
ing member: Trisha Knight, run
ner-up; and Lydia Eddinger, sec
ond runner-up. Josh Miller
earned the Justin Loßianco
scholarship, awarded annually to
a deserving dairy youth by the
family of the young man killed
several years ago in a farming ac
cident.
Several junior Holstein mem
bers received awards for milk,
fat, and protein records produced
by their project animals. Christi
na Knight, topped all categories
in the milking yearling division
with Woodbine Storm Lil-TW,
with a 305-day lactation of
19,634 pounds of milk, 922 fat,
and 656 protein.
Two-year-old honors went to
Justin Hall, first, with Woodbine
Durham Macadamia, 305-day,
26,709 pounds of milk, 924 fat,
and 875 protein. Second was
Amanda Thompson with Core
dale Shark Shania-ET, 305-day,
22,938 pounds of milk, 811 fat,
and 687 protein.
In the three-year-old division,
Stevie Greek took top milk hon
ors with Ridge Hill Shark Lacev.
287-day, 30,867 pounds of milk,
859 fat, and 854 protein. First in
protein was Candice Knight’s
Woodbine Mity P Maple,
305-day, 30,787 pounds of milk,
1,171 fat, and 870 protein. Angie
Beshore’s entry, Beshore Encore
Jada, was high fat winner, with
305-day, 29,809 pounds of milk,
1,204 fat, and 831 protein.
Cory Thompson’s Coredale
Linjet R Dazzle earned all the
placings in the four-year-old cat
egory, finishing in 305 days with
27,720 pounds of milk, 1,124 fat,
and 855 protein.
In the aged cow division, Cory
Thompson’s Coredale Chairman
Toola was first in milk and pro
tein with a 305-day lactation of
32,775 pounds of milk, 1,154 fat,
and 958 protein. First in butterfat
was Beshore Mystique Jane,
owned by Angie Beshore, and
finishing her 305-day record with
30,940 pounds of milk, 1,193 fat,
and 903 protein. Cory Thompson
also had a second-place
milk entry, Coredale
Broker Cutie, with a
305-day record of 31,229
pounds of milk, 1,054
fat, and 840 protein.
Progressive junior
breeder awards went to
KC Beshore for Beshore
Shark Goofy, Angie Be
shore for Beshore RM
Jillian, Beshore Encore
Julie and Beshore En
core Jada, and to Shane
Hall for Woodbine Re
gent Ella.
DHIA awards were
presented for accom
plishments in a variety
(Turn to Page A 36)
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selling fat cattle
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Monday, 10 am
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