Farm Bureau News
Local Farmers Feeding Your Family
County Farm Bureaus present awards at banquets
Above, the Killen family of Felton was named Kent County Farm Bureau 2018 Farm Family of the Year. At the podium is Bobby Killen, one of the three original "Killen Brothers." Keep reading for more on all three state banquets.
Forum addresses farm health, vitality
The health of a farm operation depends on the health of the operators. That sounds obvious, but often farmers are so busy farming that they don’t take time to think about their own health. Or, they find access to health care is limited in rural areas and health insur-
ance too expensive, so they ignore symptoms. The farm community, however, is not being ignored.
Representatives of agricultural, health, insurance and educational organizations attended a “Linking Farm Vitality and Health Forum” in Dover on Sept. 20 to brainstorm ideas to support farmers and link them with resources that can help. A similar forum was held Sept. 21 in Maryland. “We are all fixers, that’s why we are here,” said Maria Pippidis, conference chair, who is with Delaware Cooperative Extension.
Dr. Shoshanah Inwood, now assistant professor at The Ohio State University, has been working on these issues for two decades. Her 2007 study, “Barriers to Farm Persistence and Growth,” found the No. 1 health issue for farmers was the cost of insurance. Her study led to the creation of a website, www.hirednag.net, which address-
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Above, the Jester family of Townsend was named New Castle County Farm Bureau's 2018 Farm Family of the Year.
At right, State Rep. Dave Wilson, right, gives an emotional salute to Rep. Harvey Kenton, Sussex County Farm Bureau's Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award recipient.
From the President's desk ...
The 2018 harvest is in full swing now. Ask any farmer and he or she will tell you this has been an extreme weath -
er year for planting, growing and harvesting crops here in Delaware. Other areas of the country have certainly had their share of unusual weather as well.
Fortunately, we finally have the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) replacing the NAFTA agreement that benefits agriculture nationally, expands exports of U.S. agricultural products, including dairy and poultry, and enables
us to trade more fairly. The three countries agreed to enhance cooperation on agricultural biotechnology trade-related matters and strengthen disciplines for sanitary and phytosanitary measures. We need solid, long term trade agreements to keep agriculture strong.
The Farm Bill continues to face delay due to the upcoming election, leaving farmers in limbo — not knowing if the risk management programs they need to qualify for operating loans will be there. As American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall said, “The longer it takes to get the new farm bill passed, the greater the harm to confidence in our farm economy.”
USDA has projected this year’s net farm income would be the third-lowest of the past decade. Farm debt is projected to hit a record high in 2018.
The production of crops always
has risks that are out of our control. Weather and pricing are always at the top of the list. Farmers cannot control the weather just as they cannot control the price they receive for their crops or pass along the increase cost of doing business. Those things that are out of our control create the greatest hardships and challenges.
I have always said that farmers are eternal optimists, and most are. They always find a reason to keep going when all looks grim.
Some farmers, however, feel the stress of this unreliable economy, declining income, low prices and increased costs more than others. Farmers across our nation have been forced to parcel off their land, take jobs off the farm, even file for bankruptcy.
These stressors can lead to mental and emotional distress, substance abuse, anxiety, depression
Forum addresses farm health, vitality ...
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es how health insurance affects the quality of life.
In an occupation where so many factors are beyond one’s control, it’s no wonder farmers are stressed. Studies have shown farmers suffer as much, or perhaps more, than non-farmers from stress, depression, substance abuse and suicide.
Dr. Bonnie Braun, University of Maryland professor emerita, has worked with Inwood. Braun discussed the toll of stress on farm communities. Some of the barriers to health care, she said, are stigma (for mental health issues), self-medication, lack of care in rural areas, the cost of time away from work and the cost of health insurance. Braun shared the story of a farmer who had attempted suicide. The only advice he had been given was, “Suck it up, Buttercup.” He now helps others who find themselves feeling hopeless.
Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long was among those who welcomed attendees. She has long been interested in behavioral health, cancer, education and the environment. Her own father, who is a farmer, was diagnosed with advanced colon cancer, despited the fact that his daughter was stressing prevention and screening. Hall-Long said
Gov. Carney recently signed a law calling for creation of the nation’s first Overdose System of Care model to better transition individuals after an overdose or crisis from an emergency room setting to more comprehensive treatment for their addiction.
Michelle Rodgers, associate dean and director of University of Delaware Cooperative Extension, is familiar with health problems and their affect on farms. Cooperative Extension has developed a framework for dealing with health and wellness, she said. “Delaware can be a model of working across politics and other difficulties to set the tone for the country.”
Mark Rieger, dean of the University of Delaware College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, said the forum made him think about farmers in a new way, in regards to their health.
Rieger was only one of the nonfarm attendees who left the forum with increased awareness of the diversity of issues being faced by farmers. Likewise, farm-oriented attendees gained awareness of the breadth of health care resources available.
Forum participants were challenged to identify short-term strategies to help connect farmers with
and even suicide. A recent forum on “Linking Farm Vitality and Health” called attention to these matters, to the difficulty rural residents sometimes face in obtaining health care, and to the high cost of health insurance. Steps are being taken to provide resources to farm families and tools that educators and advisors can use to help farmers make informed decisions for their health and the vitality of their farms. University of Maryland Extension, for example, has created a website, https://extension.umd. edu/FarmStressManagement, to help farm families navigate online resources and provide information to support prosperous farms and healthy farm families.
If you are a friend or neighbor of a farm family, thank them for what they do for all Americans. They would appreciate the acknowledgement and encouragement.
available resources and to develop more resources for them. As a result, a list of resources is being prepared to post online by January; a special supplement is being prepared for publication in The Delmarva Farmer; and health care screenings, information and resources are being made available at upcoming farm meetings.
The effort continues with a free webinar, “Strengthening Health
and Farm & Ranch Vitality: Tools You Can Use” on Oct. 24. Intended for Extension, agricultural advisors, tax, loan, health insurance and health professionals, It will offer information about impacts of stress on mental, physical and financial health and well-being of farmers. Register at https://www.eventbrite. com/e/strengthening-health-andfarm-ranch-vitality-tools-you-canuse-tickets-48219795707.
Delaware Farm Bureau News
Editor
Carol Kinsley carol.kinsley@defb.org Graphics/Production Designer
Heather Kline heather.kline@defb.org 302-697-3183
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Delaware Farm Bureau
President Kitty Holtz
Killens, Franczek honored by Kent County Farm Bureau
The Killens of Felton and Dr. Ruthie Franczek were top honorees at the Kent County Farm Bureau’s annual banquet held Sept. 24 at Felton Fire Hall.
Greg Knutsen introduced the KCFB 2018 Farm Family of the Year, the Killens. Patriarch of the family, Edgar Killen, who was born 1917, began the farm with dairy, grain and horses.
Lester, his son, continued the operation. He owned the first John Deere tractor in the area equipped with rubber tires.
Lester and his wife, Catherine, had 11 children: Robin, Eleanor, Connie, Faye, Ellen, Peggy, Nancy, Bobby, Donald, Tom and Roy. Bobby, the oldest boy, began farming with his father, helping with the dairy cows and farming some on his own.
When Lester retired in 1979, Bobby, Donald and Tom formed Killen Brothers Farms. Roy, who works for the state of Delaware,
farms in his spare time.
In 1983, the brothers sold off the dairy cows and purchased beef cattle from Mr. Schabinger. They also bought viners and began growing lima beans and peas for King Cole.
Cody, Donald’s son, began working on the farm at age 12 and upon high school graduation joined the operation full time.
Tom passed away in 2014 and Donald passed away last fall, leaving Bobby and Cody as owners of Killen Brothers. The operation continues, however, with the help of younger family members, including Billy and Roy Killen, Daniel Dickerson, and Matt and Michael Dill.
Lester and Catherine’s daughters are also part owners. Among their responsibilities are providing daily lunches and, Knutsen said, “making cookie deliveries during harvest season.”
The cow-calf operation now
The nine surviving Killen siblings and Cody, Donald's son, attended the Kent County Farm Bureau banquet. From left are: Nancy Dickerson, Roy Killen, Peggy Ivory, Cody Killen, Bobby Killen, Eleanor Killen, Ellen Mitchell, Robin Killen, Connie Billings and Faye Dill, seated.
numbers about 80 head of cattle. Thirty-six calves were born this year. Killen Brothers also tills about 2,000 acres of corn, soybeans, wheat and lima beans.
The family is active in community affairs. Donald Killen was a chief engineer and Life Member of the Felton Fire Company. Bob-
by Killen, also a Life Member of the fire department, serves on the FSA board and Delaware State Fair Board and is a Kent County Conservation Chairman. Bruce Dempsey introduced the Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award recipient, Dr. Ruthie
As Bruce Dempsey, left, looks on, Kent County Levy Court members pose with Dr. Ruthie Franczek, recipient of the KCFB Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award. From left are Commissioners Brooks Banta, Jody Sweeney, Franczek, Terry Pepper, James Hosfelt and Administrator Michael Petit de Mange.
Kent County Farm Bureau ...
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Franczek.
Born in Utica, N.Y., she was one of four daughters of Henry and Julie Franczek, who instilled in their children the importance of having a professional career. The family moved to Florida, where Franczek earned a doctor of veterinary medicine degree from the University of Florida. In 1981, she started work at a veterinary practice in Pennsylvania, mainly working with pigs. She soon decided to open her own large animal practice in Newark, Del. About that time she met Dr. Rich Barczewski, an associate professor at Delaware State University. They married in 1984 and moved to Smyrna, where she opened Farm and Field Veterinary Service.
The couple has three children, Adam, Stephen and Sarah. Well-respected and successful, Franczek had clientele all across Delaware. In addition to her busy practice, she was the president of the Delaware Veterinary Medical Association and active in the American Association of Bovine Practitioners, American Association of Equine Practitioners,
American Association of Small Ruminant Practitioners and the American Veterinary Association. Dempsey said, “Ruthie is a passionate advocate for Delaware agriculture. She was the driving force behind the Birthing Center at the Delaware State Fair. You could find her there, on the microphone, speaking to the public about the cows and the birthing process. She has been a leader in educating Delawareans about large animals, and the Birthing Center is just one way in which she was able to do so. Franczek has spent more than 36 years caring for dairy cows and livestock throughout the state of Delaware.
“We, as farmers, greatly appreciate her dedication, expertise, and her passion to provide the best care possible for our animals.”
Franczek retired in 2017 in order to spend more time doing the things she loves — horseback riding and traveling.
Among the special guests at the banquet was Congresswoman Lisa Blunt-Rochester. Showing great enthusiasm, she said how important it was for her to represent all of Delaware. She was pleased to get
Susan Garey, left, state 4-H animal science program coordinator, poses with her daughter Miranda, who won two awards in the rate of gain competition. Ron Harris accepted the award for his son, Drew. Other winners were Maura Breeding, Regan Walter and McKenna Breeding. Jacob Urian, YF&R chair, helped present the awards.
to serve on the House ag committee, but sad to see that the bipartisanship therein had broken down.
“There is no farm bill yet,” she said. “But stay strong. Hold on… I’m not frustrated, I’m motivated!”
As she later tried to slip out before end of the meeting, KCFB President Richard Wilkins challenged her: “You can only leave if you promise we’ll get a farm bill by the end of the month.”
Blunt-Rochester replied, “I’m good, but I’m not that good.”
In his president’s remarks, Wilkins said Delaware farmers have faced challenges this year, especially from the weather and from decision makers. He acknowledged, however, that those “in Delaware are doing good work for us.” He expressed appreciation for the state’s new deer plan which increased the number of Sunday hunting days and provided steps for harvesting additional antlerless deer out of season for farmers who have suffered severe damage.
Farmers have seen a 50 percent reduction in income from a few years ago, Wilkins said, and “a lot of good farmers have had to leave agriculture for a variety of reasons, especially young people.”
He continued, “The best way to solve problems is to be engaged with decision makers at the local level and in D.C. in groups like Farm Bureau. When we gather together, we speak with a louder voice.”
Wilkins presented a plaque to retiring board member Jonathan Thompson. Thompson said, “It has been an honor to serve, but my season here, at least for now, is up.”
Susan Garey, Extension agent in Animal Science and State 4-H Animal Science Program coordinator, and Jacob Urian, chair of the Young Farmers & Ranchers Committe, presented awards for the rate of gain competition. Miranda Garey, daughter of Susan and Ashton Garey, won awards for both her 4-H sheep and her 4-H swine. Regan Walter, daughter of John and Wendy Walter, won for her 4-H goat. FFA winners were Drew Harris, son of Ron and Jennifer Harris, for his sheep; Maura Breeding, daughter of Mark and Ann Breeding, for her first-ever swine; and Maura’s older sister, McKenna Breeding, for her goat.
Urian reported the YF&R had a successful year of activities, including a tractor pull with a record 140 hooks in July. He thanked the audience for their support of the gun raffle that evening, noting the money would be used to give back to the community, purchase livestock at the state fair, and give scholarships to deserving students.
Sandy Virdin, Kent County Women’s Committee chair, presented the Women’s Committee $1,000 scholarship to Adam Collier. Ryan Wheatley, recipient of the KCFB Hubert Cannon Scholarship, was unable to attend.
Richard Wilkins presents a plaque to retiring board member Jonathan Thompson.
Rep. Kenton, Baker family receive Sussex County Farm Bureau awards
State Representative Harvey Kenton and Vernon (Chip) Baker Jr. of Millsboro were the top honorees Oct. 6 as Sussex County Farm Bureau held its annual banquet at the Bridgeville Fire Hall.
SCFB President Jesse Vanderwende, who is stepping down after winning the primary election for State Representative in District 35 and is unopposed in the general election, kept his remarks brief. He applauded the new deer control plan achieved this year; however, he said even more work needs to be done to achieve deer control.
State Farm Bureau President Kitty Holtz, who announced in June that she will not seek re-election, also was brief. She said interviews will begin soon for the position of Delaware Farm Bureau executive director, vacant since Pam Bakerian retired July 31 in order to spend more time with her family. Sadly, Dave Bakerian passed away on Friday, Oct. 5.
Steve Breeding took the podium as SCFB members voted unanimously to accept the slate of delegates for the state convention in December. He continued with the Young Farmers and Ranchers committee report, thanking all for their support. The YF&R, he said, allows young farmers to prepare to move into positions of leadership.
The YF&R raffled off a handgun, which was won by Laurence Jestice. Jestice later also won, as a door prize, one of Barbara Sapp’s famous pumpkin pies. The second pie was auctioned by State Rep. Dave Wilson, and even U.S. Sen. Tom Carper got in on the bidding.
Wilson introduced the winner of the 2018 SCFB Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award, Harvey R. Kenton Jr.
Born in Milford in 1941, Kenton is a 1959 graduate of Milford High School, a 1964 graduate of Wesley College, and proudly served as a member of the United States Navy from 1959 through 1962.
Elected to the Delaware House of Representatives in 2010, Kenton has worked for a variety of companies, including DuPont in Seaford, United Parcel Service, Home Beneficial Life Insurance, Milford Fertilizer Company, and, most recently, the Marvel Agency.
Kenton has garnered many awards over the years, having been named the Alumnus of the Year for Wesley College in 1998, Person of the Year for People’s Place II in 2006, Legislator of the Year for Future Educators Association 2014 and Best Buddies Person of the Year in 2016.
He was elected to Milford High School Football Hall of Fame in 2009 and to the Wesley College
Athletic Hall of Fame in 1984. He received an Honorary American Farmer Degree from the National FFA; Outstanding Service Award for the Advisory Council on Career and Vocational Education in 1999, Distinguished Service Award for the Milford Housing Development Corporation 2015 and two National Defense Medals from the U.S. Navy.
He and his wife, Bonnie Jean Warnick Kenton, have been married for 54 years, and have three children and five grandchildren.
Recently, Kenton announced that he will not be seeking reelection in 2018. Instead, he plans to go back to college, to pursue a degree in Agriculture Business Management from Delaware Technical and Community College.
Full of emotion as he called Kenton to accept his award, Wilson said, “He always made sure we had money coming our way for agriculture. This guy is remarkable.”
The family of “Chip” Baker of H & V Farms Inc. in Millsboro was
tapped as SCFB 2018 Farm Family of the Year. The Bakers were introduced by Burt Messick. Baker has been involved with agriculture almost his entire life. He first worked at H. E. Williams & Co. feed mill in Millsboro and later took over his family’s farming operation. He is married to the former Judy Wharton.
Farming is Baker’s passion and he has always been willing to try new and innovative techniques to make the operation more productive, while at the same time preserving and enhancing the soil for future generations and protecting the environment. He stays updated on new technology or software programs to be more efficient.
A Farm Bureau member since 1995, Baker has served as a Sussex County Farm Bureau director in the past. He currently tills 621 acres of corn and soybeans and has a 50,000-capacity broiler operation.
In past years, he has grown watermelons and some vegetables. His
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Hero Hunts seeks farms for day of hunting
Hero Hunts was founded in 2016 as a way for the Nunan family to express their gratitude and admiration to service members and veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces. The mission of Hero Hunts is to recognize those who have served and sacrificed for our country by providing them the opportunity to reconnect with the outdoors.
Hero Hunts seeks hunting privileges on farms to help with its third annual hunt in November. Organizers also seek sponsors for active members of the military from the Dover Air Force Base for the day/hunt, including a celebratory dinner. For more information, email herohuntsinfo@gmail.com or talk to Dave Marvel, a seasoned supporter.
Jesse Vanderwende, left, poses with members of the Baker family, honored as Sussex County Farm Bureau 2018 Farm Family of the Year: Mark Bahn, Tanya Bahn, Jay Sammons, Tyler Sammons, Danna Sammons, Judy Baker, Don Wingate, Chip Baker, Amy Wingate, Shannon Pusey, and Adam Pusey.
Sussex County ...
farm has been no-till for 25 years and he plants different blends of cover crops on all his acres. He participates in the Conservation Stewardship Program for nutrient management, irrigation water management, conservation tillage and pest management.
Because of his interest in improving soil health and promoting soil health practices, Baker became a Delaware Soil Health Champion, joining a large national network of more than 200 soil health champions.
In 2017, he received the Governor's Conservation Award for Agriculture. He currently serves on the Soil Health Advisory Committee, providing guidance and direction in regard to soil health outreach and education efforts.
Young members of 4-H and FFA also received awards for the Rate of Gain competition in Sussex County. Claudia Warren, daughter of Elizabeth and Tom Warren of Georgetown, had the winning 4-H sheep. Her brother, Thomas, won with his 4-H market hog. Ben Syester, son of Skip and Amy Syester, won in the FFA swine category. The winning goats were raised by Rachel O’Day, daughter of Billy and Robin O’Day of Seaford, for 4-H, and Alyssa Conti, daughter of Jennifer Conti of Lewes, FFA.
Connie Fox gave a report from the Women’s Committee, of which she is Sussex County chair. Highlights of the year were packing boxes of food before Thanksgiving at Mountaire in Millsboro, a toy drive for patients, and their
siblings, at A. I. duPont Hospital for Children. The food booth at the fair was again successful, she said, thanks to the “marvelous workers’ group.”
Fox explained that the ambassador program had been changed so that applicants are a little younger and won’t be away at college during their year of service. This way, they are more likely to be able to attend such events as banquets and the State Fair. Blair Hill, the outgoing State Youth Ambassador, was unable to attend. Her grandmother, Laura Hill, accepted her award for her.
Plaques were also presented to retiring directors Jesse Vanderwende, Doug Corey, Fred West and Dale Ockels, although Vanderwende was the only one present. He closed the evening with encouragement to fellow farmers to “keep fighting.” He said, “A lot of people want to tear us down,” but their notions “are not science-based, but based on emotions.”
Oct. 31 is deadline for Young Farm Loan Program
Delaware farmers 18 to 40 years old have until Oct. 31 to apply for the Young Farmers Loan Program. The program provides long-term, no-interest loans to help eligible farmers purchase land, reducing the financial impact on farmers just starting out or looking to expand.
“This year was extremely important legislatively because the AgLands Preservation Program was funded for the full $10 million,” said Secretary of Agriculture Michael Scuse. “Not only will this help increase the percentage of farmland preserved, but it will guarantee that there is a future in Delaware agriculture for a younger generation.”
Applicants must have at least three years of farming experience, and their net worth must not exceed $300,000. Eligible farms must contain at least 15 acres of cropland and must not be enrolled in a conservation easement at the time of purchase. The 30-year loans may fund up to 70 percent of the value of a property’s development rights, up to a maximum of $500,000.
Since 2011, 33 farmers have purchased a total of 2,517 acres of land, using $7.4 million in loans. Land purchased through the program is permanently preserved through the Delaware Agricultural Lands Preservation Foundation.
For an information and application packet, visit the Department of Agriculture website, agriculture.delaware.gov, or contact Deputy Secretary Austin Short at (302) 698-4500 or austin.short@state.de.us.
SCFB President Jesse Vanderwende, left, presented Rate of Gain awards and checks to Claudia and Thomas Warren, and Rachel O’Day.
Retiring board member Jesse Vanderwende, left, receives a plaque from Steve Breeding.
Jester family, Desmond receive NCCFB honors
At the New Castle County Farm Bureau annual banquet held Oct. 8 in Townsend, Gov. John Carney said deer damage had been a big issue for farmers this year and said the General Assembly had overwhelmingly provided support for their control. The state’s new deer control plan includes 12 additional Sunday hunting days, “Severe Damage” designation that, under certain circumstances, will permit farmers to take deer any time of the year, and the ability to use pistol caliber rifles. In addition, the state committed $10 million for Farmland Preservation.
Also in attendance was Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long, who said, “Nothing is more important than making agriculture thrive. Bottom line, you are the most important industry in the state.”
Sen. Tom Carper commented that the press focuses on the conflicts in America today. “We got through the Civil War and the Great Depression,” he said. “We can get through this.”
In her State President’s remarks, Kitty Holtz thanked the governor and senator “for always giving us your ear” and thanked everyone for their
support in the last four years.
NCCFB President Stewart Ramsey said Holtz had put in “an incredible amount of time” in that period, which “is not something everyone is willing and able to do.”
Delaware Farm Bureau is working on a five-year strategic plan and looking at new ways of getting things done, Ramsey said. “As a team, we get dramatically more done than as individuals.”
After a brief business meeting, Ramsey presented the Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award to Marty Desmond, regional lending manager for MidAtlantic Farm Credit. June and Tommy Unruh took pleasure in introducing the Farm Family of the Year, the Jesters of Townsend.
Larry Jester was born on a Delaware farm and began farming in 1979. He and Patti have been married for 38 years and have two daughters, Lisa, who is married to Steve Porter, and Sara, who married Louie Austin. They also have two farm-passionate grandsons, Brent, 9, and Kellen, 5, as well as a brand-new granddaughter, Kati. Sara and Louie have decided to move back to the farm with Kati, and
Let’s do this.
Do people ever ask you why you do what you do?
Farming is hard work. And there are lots of obstacles. We get that. But we also know that you’re doing what you love. And a visit to the fair reminds everyone why agriculture is so important.
There’s nothing we’d rather do than provide financing to the farmers in Delaware. For over 100 years, we’ve been helping rural America grow great things—whether it’s crops, cattle, or kids.
So, give us a call. Together, we can help you keep doing what you love.
Lt. Gov Bethany Hall-Long, center, joined State Rep. Earl Jaques Jr., left, Rep. Kevin Hensley, and Sen. Bruce Ennis, right, in presenting a resolution saluting Marty Desmond of Farm Credit as recipient of NCCFB's Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award.
will be building a home there soon.
Jester tills 3,200 acres of corn, soybeans, wheat and barley. He also runs an on-site grain storage facility. He has recently implemented solar energy at the home farm to offset the costs of storing and drying grain.
Tommy Unruh said, “A few years ago, Larry found some of the fun had gone out of farming. After long days in the field, he would come home to spend evenings doing all the recordkeeping for taxes, crop insurance and FSA. His wife would do payroll and help with paying bills on top of her full time job as a teller supervisor at
a bank in town. In 2013, he brought their older daughter, Lisa, on board to handle the office work. It was an obvious solution, given her background as a grain merchandiser for Mountaire Farms for six years, along with a degree in business and accounting.”
The Jesters have been members of Delaware Farm Bureau since 2009. Jester has served as New Castle County Delegate. He currently serves on the New Castle County Agricultural Advisory Committee and was appointed Commissioner in March
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NCCFB honors...
2017. In 2007, he was awarded the Governor's Conservation Award. In 2011, he was awarded the Water Resources Association of The Delaware River Basin Government Award.
Ed Kee, former Delaware Secretary of Agriculture and a close friend, once said, “Larry was born to farm. I've known him since he was just out of high school and one could tell he just plain wanted to farm. That desire and love of his profession is one reason why he has been successful. He also appreciates his farming roots going back to his Mom and Dad and his grandparents on both sides. Larry loves to farm, but he is also a businessman. He makes good business decisions. As he said in the video we did in the department a few years ago, he looks for things that help make things better, faster and profitable. Larry is also proud of his family, his wife, Patti, his daughters and now his grandchildren. He appreciates the interest, support and cooperation of his three sisters, all of which goes back to his respect to his parents.”
Ramsey said of Marty Desmond: “For more than 40 years, Marty has been an advocate for Delaware agriculture. He has worked tirelessly his entire career to support, promote and enhance Delaware's family farms. Marty has spent considerable time educating and supporting programs such as FFA, ag-related vo-tech programs and the poultry industry. He recognizes the importance of hard work and dedication to the industry and to the farmers who are part of this industry. His career is a testament to helping our Delaware farmers thrive and grow.”
Desmond graduated from the University of Delaware with a degree in agricultural economics in 1979. He worked for Rotoveel’s Greenhouses during high school and college years and was a member of the University of Delaware Collegiate FFA program. Desmond was employed by the
USDA Farmers Home Administration as a county supervisor in several offices throughout the Delaware and Maryland area from 1979 until 1987. He then began his employment with Farm Credit, starting as a loan officer. He moved into management roles as branch manager, area manager and now regional lending manager.
Desmond was appointed to a Task Force for Financial Sustainability in Delaware Agriculture during Gov. Ruth Ann Minner’s administration. He is a graduate of the inaugural LEAD Delaware class. For the past five years, he has served on the board of the Delaware Farm Bureau Foundation.
Desmond and his wife, Jan, live in Middletown. They have two daughters, Annie, a senior at the University of Delaware, and Sara, a sophomore at Immaculata University.
Bill Powers, who initiated the Rate of Gain competition in New Castle County years ago, said people don’t always understand that the champions of various livestock classes at the State Fair are not always the best in feed conversion. New Castle County Rate of Gain winners were: Victoria Fuller of Wilmington, for her 4-H sheep; Andrew Shaffer of Middletown, 4-H swine; Payton Price of Newark, 4-H goat; Sydney Poe of New Castle, 4-H beef; and Morgan Brellahan of New Castle, both FFA beef and goat.
June Unruh introduced the new Delaware Youth Ambassador, Helena
Congratulating Victoria Fuller, center, for her Rate of Gain win are, from left, Karen Hartley-Nagle, New Castle County Council President, Matt Meyer, NCC Executive, Councilmen Bill Bell and William Powers Jr. and NCCFB President Stewart Ramsey.
Kirk, daughter of Toby and Debbie Kirk of Townsend. The announcement of her selection in the last issue of Delaware Farm Bureau News eroneously mentioned representation of her school as Ag Ambassador at the 2018 State Fair, a position she had applied for before that program was cancelled. A senior at Middletown High School, Helena is active in FFA, 4-H, church, wildlife and deer management groups and the National Rifle Association. She served as 2017-2018 New Castle County Youth Ambassador. Her mother was 1991 Delaware Farm
Bureau Queen. Helena will soon attend the Global Youth Institute in Iowa and then the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis.
Unruh also shared highlights of the Women’s Committee’s activities in the last year, including helping pack boxes for Thanksgiving at Mountaire and a toy drive at Christmas for children at the Ronald McDonald House at A.I. duPont Hospital for Children. Travis Voshell gave the Young Farmers and Ranchers report, saying this had been the most successful year yet in outreach and fundraising.
Helena Kirk, State Youth Ambassador
Members of New Castle County Farm Bureau enjoyed a picnic crab feast at Boondocks in Smyrna on Aug. 18.
Meet Your Farmers: Jim and Janet Mitchell
Jim Mitchell, second vice president of the Delaware Farm Bureau, is the seventh generation of his family at Woodside Farm in Hockessin, a few miles from the Pennsylvania state line. The farm was established by Jim’s great, great, great, great grandparents in 1796 and was mainly a dairy operation for its first 165 years. Jim’s parents, Joe and Kathy, gave up milking cows in 1961 and produced various other crops until 1995, including poultry, eggs, sheep, flowers and pumpkins.
In 1996, the Mitchell family celebrated its 200th year of family-owned farming in New Castle County and the farm was recognized by the state of Delaware as one of the few remaining Centennial farms in the First State.
Also that year, the cows returned. Decades earlier, the dairy’s main source of income was butter, made from the cream of their cows’ milk.
Jim and his wife, Janet, and his sister, Debbie Mitchell, looked for a new way to add value to the milk.
Jim attended an ice cream making short course at Penn State University, then came home to turn a farm
building into an ice cream plant. An old wagon shed was converted into a retail stand.
By 1998, Woodside Farm Creamery was producing some of the best ice cream in Delaware from their own Jersey cows. About a third of their milk production goes to a company that makes ice cream mixes for the Mitchells. The rest is sold through a cooperative.
The Mitchells add ingredients to create as many as 35 ice cream flavors which include Bacon, Butter Brickle, Cotton Candy, “Dirt” (for the kids), and “Motor Oil,” a flavor developed for a nearby steam museum. This blend of ice cream, coffee, fudge ripple and caramel ripple dyed green may look strange, but people really like it, Jim says.
Ice cream is sold in cups, cones and sundaes or by the pint or quart, and in milkshakes, banana splits, ice cream cake or pie.
A section of the farm is available for birthday parties under a tent, with cups of ice cream provided, of course. Or, the ice cream makers will “hit the road” to bring a trailer with freezers and staff to your party, reception or barbecue.
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Once the farm was a sprawling 1,000 acres. For a time it was reduced to 75 acres, split by two main roads. The cows are rotated daily to pasture in one of 22 paddocks, with hay and silage growing on the other side of the road. Sometimes the cows even graze in the front yard of the Mitchells’ home.
Recently, though, the Mitchells were able to purchase an adjacent farm that was part of the property originally, which brought total acreage to just under 90 acres.
Location is a key factor in the success of Woodside Farms, which is located about 20 minutes from Wilmington and 15 minutes from
Newark, in a suburban area that encompasses thousands of people. Unfortunately, most of those people do not know much about farming. While the Mitchells don’t open their farm to the public for general tours or visiting, visitors are welcome on special occasions such as National Ice Cream Day, the third Sunday in July. Visitors can see the production room, double-three milking parlor, and learn about manure composting and soil conservation. For other special dates, the farm maintains a “Cowender of Events” on its website.
The Mitchells have worked to
Monsanto grant to DFB Foundation aids new outreach to consumers
Every year, grants are given by The Monsanto Fund, the philanthropic arm of Monsanto Company, to organizations designated by winning farmers, through The America’s Farmers campaign. The campaign highlights the importance of modern U.S. agriculture through communications and community outreach programs that partner with farmers to impact rural America. Richard Wilkins, president of the Kent County Farm Bureau, was one such winner this year and directed the $2,500 donation to Delaware Farm Bureau Foundation.
As part of its mission, Delaware Farm Bureau Foundation will use the funds for an outreach program informing consumers and the public about the benefits of innovative agricultural production techniques.
Delaware Farm Bureau President and Foundation Chairman Kitty Holtz said, “We appreciate the opportunity to be able to reach consumers through an upcoming project called ‘My Delaware Farmer.’ We hope to provide stories of how local farm families are utilizing science and technology to provide more nutritious foods to our consumers.”
Since the program began in 2010, the Grow Communities program has partnered with farmers to support nonprofit organizations important to them in their local communities. The program has given more than $29 million to farming communities since its inception, including more than $3 million in 2018. Each year, farmers enter for a chance to direct a $2,500 donation to a nonprofit they care about in their community. The organizations reflect the makeup and character of rural America, including emergency response organizations, schools, youth agriculture programs, food banks and many others.
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Richard Wilkins presents a check from the Monsanto Fund to Kitty Holtz, chair of the Delaware Farm Bureau Foundation.
Nationwide's 'Nominate Your Fire Department Contest' winners announced
29 fire departments awarded life-saving Grain Bin Rescue Tubes
The following information is provided by Nationwide®, the #1 farm and ranch insurer in the United States.
Each year, tragedy strikes across rural America when lives are lost due to grain bin entrapments. To help lead the fight against these accidents, Nationwide, in partnership with the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety (NECAS), selected a record 29 fire departments as winners of the fifth annual Nominate Your Fire Department Contest. As recipients of the award, each department has been provided specialized bin rescue tubes and training courses.
Nationwide, the No. 1 farm insurer in the United States1, created the Nominate Your Fire Department Contest, in accordance with Grain Bin Safety Week, after identifying a lack of specialized resources available to rural fire departments, who are often the only line of defense against bin entrapments. This year, more than 400 contest submissions were received and tubes were awarded to following fire departments:
1. Golden City Fire Department (Missouri)
2. Carthage Fire Department (Missouri)
3. Okeene Fire and Rescue (Oklahoma)
4. McPherson Fire Department (Kansas)
5. New Raymer/Stoneham Volunteer Fire Department (Colorado)
6. Toledo Fire Protection District (Illinois)
7. Stilesville Volunteer Fire Department (Indiana)
8. Albert Lea Fire & Rescue (Minnesota)
9. Hutchinson Fire Department (Minnesota)
10. Detroit Lakes Fire Department (Minnesota)
11. Langdon Fire Department (North Dakota)
12. Greater Carson Rural Fire Protection District (North Dakota)
13. Bridgewater Fire Department (South Dakota)
14. Creighton Volunteer Fire Department (Nebraska)
15. Kewaunee Fire Department (Wisconsin)
16. Wauzeka Fire and Rescue (Wisconsin)
17. St. Ansgar Fire Department (Iowa)
18. Livingston-Clifton Fire Department (Wisconsin)
Meet Your Farmers...
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reduce their carbon footprint and their impact on the environment. They installed solar panels in 2009 which now provide about 85 percent of their energy needs. They also use bioplastic containers made of dextrose (corn) that are biodegradable and compostable. Their ice cream is also manufactured directly into biodegradable cardboard boxes instead of plastic tubs.
For their efforts, and their demonstration of adaptability to bring the farm into the 21st century, the Mitchells were presented the 2009 Family Owned Business of the Year award from the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Delaware office.
Woodside is one of only four remaining working dairy farms in New Castle County, and the only one currently with its own creamery onsite. The business is still a family affair. Jim’s father,
19. Tampico Fire Department (Illinois)
20. Howard City Fire Department (Michigan)
21. Moorland Township Fire Department (Michigan)
22.Almont Fire Department (Michigan)
23. Middlefield Fire Department (Ohio)
24. Defiance Fire Department (Ohio)
25. Capon Valley Fire Company (West Virginia)
26. Funkstown Volunteer Fire Company Inc (Maryland)
27. Beaver County Technical Farm Rescue Team (Pennsylvania)
28. Westons Mills Fire District (New York)
29. Star Hose Fire Company No. 1 (Pennsylvania)
“This year, I’m happy to announce that we’ve supplied rescue tubes to more fire departments than ever before,” said Brad Liggett, president of Nationwide Agribusiness. “Grain bin entrapments can devastate a family in a matter of seconds and we hope that this effort will help save lives that would
otherwise be lost. Until we can convince all farmers to develop a zero-entry mentality, we will continue to make rescue resources as widely available as possible.”
Over the last 50 years, more than 900 cases of grain entrapments have been reported in the United States, and have resulted in a 62 percent fatality rate2 .
Since 2014, Nationwide’s annual safety contest has awarded rescue tubes and specialized training to 77 fire departments across 24 states. Nationwide provided tubes have been used to save the lives of three individuals. This year’s Nominate Your Fire Department Contest was supported by Nationwide and 25 partners.
1A.M. Best Market Share Report 2017
2 Source: Research from Purdue University Nationwide, Nationwide is on your side and the Nationwide N and Eagle are service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. © 2018 Nationwide.
Joe, milks the cows twice a day and grows 1,500 chrysanthemums to sell each fall. Jim’s wife, Janet, along with managing the ice cream stand, is a small-animal veterinarian. The family sells farm fresh brown eggs and frozen grass-fed beef.
Several dozen sheep and goats also are raised on the farm. Jim’s sister, Debbie has the sheep sheared for their wool which she spins into yarn and puts to various uses including the making of crafts and clothing.
The Mitchells are hoping that someone from the next generation may be interested in continuing Woodside Farm for at least the eighth generation.
Mitchell said, “People really appreciate the fact that we're still here with the farm. And they appreciate the fact that we have a place they can come and spend some time with their families and friends, sit under the oak tree and relax.”
