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LeaderFarm Credit

Financing Rural America for More Than 90 Years

We LOVE agriculture: ice cream, flowers, wine and cheese(and that’s just the beginning)

Walk the Talk: Annual Meeting Info

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farm | land

4 A Sweet Approach to the Dairy Business in Rising Sun, Maryland

6 Don’t Fence Me In: From Wine to Bison on the Eastern Shore

8 Weber’s Nursery: A Business with Deep Roots in Agriculture

10 Enjoying Cheese with Ease: Wakefield Dairy Gives a Home to Artisan Cheese-making

your association

12 Information on our Annual Stockholder Meetings

community

13 Properties for Sale

Leadervolume 16 | issue 1

MidAtlantic Farm Credit, ACAJ. Robert Frazee, CEO

MidAtlantic Farm Credit Board of Directors

Gary L. Grossnickle Chairman

Fred N. West Vice Chairman

Paul D. BaumgardnerDeborah A. BennerBrian L. BoydDale R. HersheyWalter C. HopkinsT. Jeffery JenningsHarry M. KableChristopher KurtzmanM. Wayne LambertsonJim A. LongFred R. Moore, Jr.Dale J. OckelsJennifer L. RhodesDudley H. Rinker Ralph L. Robertson, Jr.Paul J. RockLingan T. SpicerChristopher R. StilesRodger L. Wagner

The Leader is published quarterly for stockholders, friends and business associates.The Farm Credit Administration does not require the association to distribute its quarterly financial reports to shareholders. However, copies of its complete report are available upon request or see quarterly updates online at mafc.com. The share-holders’ investment in the association is materially affected by the financial condition and results of operations of AgFirst Farm Credit Bank and copies of its quarterly financial report are available upon request by writing: Susanne Caughman, AgFirst Farm Credit Bank P.O. Box 1499, Columbia, SC 29202-1499Address changes, questions or requests for the association’s quarterly financial report should be directed to: MidAtlantic Farm Credit, ACA by calling 800.333.7950 or writing: MidAtlantic Farm Credit P.O. Box 770, Westminster, MD 21158-0770

Questions or Ideas If you have any questions or ideas for the editorial staff of the Leader, contact Donna Dawson at 800.333.7950, e-mail her at ddawson@mafc.com or write her at MidAtlantic Farm Credit, 680 Robert Fulton Highway, Quarryville, PA 17566. This publication is for you, our reader. We’d love to hear from you!

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See Bob’s latest blog, more photos and a whole lot of other good stuff by visiting our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ midatlanticfarmcredit

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message from the president

I enjoyed reading about Weber’s Nursery in

Winchester, Virginia, on page eight. I don’t

need to tell you that this year has already

been awfully snowy…seeing the photos of

flowers in their greenhouses was a great

reminder that spring is on its way (even if it

doesn’t feel like it right now!)

Of course, no matter how cold it gets

outside, it’s NEVER too cold for a nice bowl

of ice cream with your sweetheart. Check

out the sweet rewards of working with Kilby

Cream in Rising Sun, Maryland on page four.

Their family business puts the “eat” into

“treat”, from their homemade ice cream to

their amazing chocolate milk.

As you can see, we’ve got a jam-packed

issue for you, full of lots of reasons to love

agriculture here in the mid-Atlantic states!

Of course, there is one thing that I love more

than all of the products grown locally…and

that’s meeting the people who make those

products. Our annual stockholder meetings

are coming up in April…I hope you’ll take

some time from your schedule and come

out to learn more about your cooperative.

After all, we’re only here because of you…so

please come out and say hello.

Besides, the truth is that I would just LOVE

to see you then!

Bob FrazeePresident, MidAtlantic Farm Credit

Valentine’s Day may have been last week,

but it doesn’t matter—here at Farm Credit,

we love agriculture and our members every

week of the year!

Of course, it’s easy to love an industry that

does so much for so many. America’s farmers

literally feed and clothe the world…and you

do it with very little fanfare.

That’s why this month we decided to

focus on some of the farming enterprises in

our area that we love…and that just happen

to tie in nicely with February’s Valentine’s

Day holiday.

You can’t celebrate Valentine’s Day with-

out a nice bottle of wine (at least I can’t…

maybe because I’m not much of a cook!)

That’s why I found Al and Jennifer Cassinelli’s

story to be so interesting…especially learning

how they kept working towards their dream,

moving from farm to farm until they ended

up on their current property in Queen Anne’s

County. Theirs is a diverse operation; I’m

sure you’ll enjoy reading about it on page six

(maybe with a nice glass of Merlot).

You know what goes well with wine?

Cheese, of course! And Wakefield Dairy in

Peach Bottom, Pennsylvania, makes some

awesome ones—aging them right on the

farm in their own personal “cheese cave.”

You can read more about them on page 10.

Speaking of caves, when I get tired of

hibernating, I love to visit one of the many

beautiful greenhouses in our area. That’s why

MAR event place 4 Queen Anne’s Agronomy Day Centreville MD

4-5 Maryland Cattle Industry Convention & Tradeshow Hagerstown MD 5 Breezy Run Farm Horse Show Church Hill MD

5-6 Washington County Home Show Hagerstown MD

10 Young Farmer Institute Goochland VA

10 West Virginia University Extension Dinner Meeting Kearneysville WV 11-13 Eastern Panhandle Home Builders Assn Home Show Martinsburg WV

12 Delaware Equine Council Banquet Harrington DE

12 Maryland State Holstein Convention Frederick, MD

13 Daylight Savings Time Begins

15 Deadline: sales closing for corn, soybeans, AGR lite, etc

19 Wicomico County Farm Bureau Banquet Sharptown MD

20 First day of spring

25 Pennsylvania Holstein Show Harrisburg PA

APR event place 5 WV Young Farmer Institute Weston WV

5 Annual Meeting Salisbury MD 6 Annual Meeting Dover DE 7 Annual Meeting New Holland PA 12 Annual Meeting Walkersville MD 13 Annual Meeting Winchester VA 13 DPI Booster Banquet Salisbury MD 15-17 Virginia Beef Expo Harrisonburg VA 30 Deadline: spring production

MAY event place 30 Memorial Day MAFC offices closed

For a complete list of fairs and events, visit our website at mafc.com

Feeling the love

A sweet approachto the dairy businessstory and photos by SUSAN WALKER

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1 According to MAFC Loan Officer Bruce

Yerkes (far right), a longtime family friend, Bradley, Megan and Lisa (l to r) each put their talents to work at Kilby Cream. Bradley manages operations and handles equipment upkeep, Megan handles sales and marketing, and Lisa is the chef.

2Megan (pictured) and Lisa make

sure the names of their ice cream flavors evoke their farm-fresh origins as they hand-dip scoops of Tractor Tracks, Minty Moo and Udderly Chocolate.

3The playground behind the Rising

Sun retail store invites families to come, enjoy some ice cream, and stay a while.

4If you can’t get to Kilby Cream, Kilby

can come to you. The ice cream van is a popular fixture at several large corporate events including ones hosted by the Exelon Energy Corporation, Clorox, and W.L. Gore & Associates.

5Kilby Cream recently began

home delivery of their products, bringing milk, cream, half and half, eggnog and butter to the door of customers in Cecil County, Southeastern Pennsylvania, and Northern Delaware.

6The retail store’s location is set

back from the main road, but the towering strawberry ice cream cone painted on one of the barn’s silos makes Kilby Cream easy to find.

IT’S 29 DEGREES OuTSIDE AND THE WIND IS BuFFETING THE COWS WHO HuDDLE TOGETHER IN THE FIELD TRyING TO KEEP WARM. ON A DAy LIKE THIS, WHO COuLD POSSI-BLy BE THINKING ABOuT ICE CREAM? LISA KILBy AND MEGAN (KILBy) COLEMAN ARE.

As part of the team that owns and operates Kilby Cream in Rising Sun, Maryland, Lisa and Megan (along with Lisa’s husband Bradley and her mother-in-law Phyllis Kilby), make ice cream with milk from the family’s adjacent dairy, bottle their own milk, and sell both products at their two retail locations as well as at farmers markets and a number of restaurants, cafes, and ice cream shops in the region.

“About five years ago, we were looking for ways that we could expand and diversify the family dairy business and create more income to help support our

growing families,” explains Lisa. “After briefly considering organic farming, we settled on something more connected to the dairy business—making ice cream. We talked with a dairy farmer in Delaware

who was doing the

same thing and had good success with his effort, so after some additional research into what the business involved and what equipment we would need, we decided that this was the right path for us.”

Lisa took courses in ice cream making and equip-ment operation, while Megan, her mother Phyllis, and Lisa scouted locations for their ice cream manu-facturing facility and retail store. They settled on a location across the road from the local elementary school, a decision that’s proven to be smart market-ing, with parents stopping in after school with their kids for a treat. Kilby Cream has a second retail store in Chesapeake City, Maryland.

Kilby Cream is one of only a handful of dairies in Maryland that completes the entire ice cream making process on the farm. Their product is always fresh, going from cow to cone in two days, and they try to incorporate local ingredients into their flavors when-ever they can. Over the years, they’ve made more than 100 flavors, including wine-flavored ice cream made with local red wine, black cherries and choco-late chunks. The shop always has 23 flavors available and customers can also purchase ice cream cakes, pies and bonbons.

The 1,500 square foot Rising Sun facility originally included 800 square feet for the retail operation and 700 square feet in the back for ice cream production.

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On an average day, they serve about 400 customers. “During the spring and summer, it got pretty tight in there,” says Megan.

The Rising Sun store is more than just an ice cream shop, however. It includes a playground, petting zoo, and a ceramic studio where a family friend offers workshops for kids and adults. Seasonal events including a corn maze, flower and plant sales, Easter egg hunts, visits from Santa, tractor pulls, and events like a celebration on National Ice Cream Day bring in customers year-round. “By making this a destination for fami-lies, we’re able to extend beyond the usual ice cream season which increases our overall income,” Megan adds. In addition, Kilby Cream caters a number of corporate events each year, creating another revenue source.

hitting the bottlesThis past June, Kilby Cream kicked off another venture. They

opened their own milk bottling and ice cream production facil-ity next to the family farm’s milking parlor. Milk from the dairy’s group of 60 Jerseys, part of the 575 cow herd, travels through stainless steel tubes from the parlor directly into the raw milk room, where it is heat pasteurized then cooled. From there it flows through a second network of stainless steel tubes to the bottling and ice cream production area. There, the staff of 10 employees bottles whole, 2 percent, and skim milk, as well as what is argu-ably the best chocolate milk you’ll ever taste. They are also in the process of starting a home delivery milk service. The operation produces 13,000 to 16,000 gallons of ice cream a year and bottles 2,500 lbs. of milk a week.

The new facility, which was financed through MidAtlantic Farm Credit (MAFC), is large enough for future expansion which will allow the Kilbys to both produce larger quantities of milk and ice cream and also expand their product line to include yogurt, butter and buttermilk if they desire. The family has worked with MAFC since the 1960s and Bruce Yerkes has been their loan officer for 29 years.

“The Kilbys are always looking ahead, trying new innovations,” says Bruce. “They treat MidAtlantic Farm Credit like a partner and seek our input when planning to expand or upgrade their opera-tion. They also have a long history with our organization, with

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two generations of Kilbys serving as directors on our board. The bottling facility and ice cream operation are good examples of their innovative approach to expanding the family business.”

The Kilby family is also very involved in the community. Phyllis, who handles the farm’s financial operations and marketing and farmer’s market sales for Kilby Cream, was a two-term county commissioner, as well as a member of Governor Martin O’Malley’s first-term transition team and a member of the MARBIDCO board. Bill Kilby, Bradley and Megan’s father, who works seven days a week on the family farm, has served as president of the Cecil County Land Trust.

family styleThe Kilbys have been in the dairy business for more

than 100 years, starting in North Carolina and moving to Pennsylvania; Harford County, Maryland; and finally their current location in Cecil County. Bradley and Megan grew up on the farm and started helping out when they were kids. After college, Bradley returned to the farm but Megan became a French teacher. She returned to work with her family after she and her husband had children and Lisa was looking for someone to help with the ice cream business.

Kilby Cream and the dairy operation continue the tradition of being a family business. Lisa and Bradley’s twin 15-year-old daughters milk cows, take care of calves, and plan to work in the ice cream shop this summer. Their younger children date milk caps. Though Megan’s daughter and son are too young to lend a hand yet, they live just a few minutes from the farm and spend a good part of each day there. Megan and Bradley also have two sisters who do not work on the farm, but they still contribute. Becky makes the hot fudge used to top sundaes and Nikki often works at farmers’ markets with her mother.

“I like making a product that everyone in the community can enjoy,” says Lisa. “Most dairy farmers don’t get to see the consumer enjoy their product and realize that all their hard work is appreciated, but we do.”

“Every time someone says, ‘This is the best ice cream I’ve ever had,’ it makes my day,” adds Bradley. For more information about Kilby Cream’s products visit them at kilbycream.com. n

Serving up a special experiencea taste of home story and photos by GARY HORNBACHER

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IT’S WINTER TIME AND THE FIELDS THAT BORDER ROuTE 213 APPROACHING CHuRCH HILL IN QuEEN ANNE’S COuNTy ARE TOPPED WITH A LIGHT DuSTING OF SNOW. IT’S CLOuDy TOO, AND HOuSE NuMBERS ON A MAIL BOx MIGHT FLASH By uNSEEN, BuT DON’T WORRy, SAy THE LOCALS, yOu’LL KNOW yOu ARE THERE WHEN yOu SEE THE LONG WHITE FENCE.

And there it is—a long, long white vinyl fence. Behind it, rows and rows of grapevines broken by a long driveway that is bordered by fruit trees. There’s even an attractive sign but the fence...well, the fence says it all.

Welcome to Cassinelli Winery & Vineyards. And say hello to Al and Jennifer Cassinelli, who are living—and loving—every moment of an exciting, challenging, still-new farm family life they’ve chosen for themselves.

Mention the fence to Al and it makes him smile.

“Everybody laughed at me for putting in 1,500 feet of white fence,” says Al, whose financial consulting firm, Delmarva Financial Group, is based in nearby Stevensville, “but nobody else on 213 had a white fence so it’s become our calling card.”

picture perfect settingOf course, having a calling card implies offering

a destination and that’s just what this very focused 46-year old former Marine and his wife are creating. Today, Cassinelli Winery & Vineyards sits on 110 acres of woods and rolling farmland and features 13 acres planted with more than 10,000 Chardonnay, Merlot, Viogner, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Sangiovese grape vines; hundreds of apple, peach, pear and plum trees; pumpkin patches; 20 registered Black Angus cattle, two very pettable Spanish donkeys and even two bison.

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1 Al Cassinelli proudly poses

in the newly erected multi-purpose wine tasting and storage building on his Church Hill farm. With seventy percent of winery sales taking place on the farm, the seven year-old agricultural venture is a real success story.

2 Iconic white fencing, rows

of some 10,000 grape vines coming all the way up to Rt. 213, and an eye-catching logo that’s also incorporated on wine labels have helped make the Cassinelli Winery & Vineyards a recognizable and popular Queen Anne’s County destination.

3-5Al and Jennifer,

son Kevin and daughter Carley, pictured in front of wine storage vats in the winery, are all focused on creating a great ex-perience for their growing clientele. A new wine press and wine barrels stand ready. Plans call for expanding the vineyard opera-tion from 13 to 30 acres and doubling the winery’s pro-duction to about 36,000 bottles annually.

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And then there’s the winery operation, with a second multi-functional storage building complete with new press, fermenta-tion vats, barrels of wine, assorted bottles of Riesling, Merlot and Rosé wines, and an expanded tasting room designed to accommodate small group functions.

Whether you’re coming to sample some great local wines, pick fruit in the orchards, maybe grab a pumpkin for your fall decorat-ing or give the kids a chance to get up close to the livestock, the Cassinelli’s seem to be serving up something for everyone.

Small wonder the white fence has taken on almost iconic status locally.

Think destination, think agri-tourism, or think rural agricultural lifestyle and you quickly begin to appreciate what Al Cassinelli and family have accomplished in just seven short years.

In fact, when Al and his wife bought their 110-acre parcel in 2004, it was nothing more than a carved-out piece of farmland that hadn’t been farmed in three years—no roads, no buildings, and no house to call home. But it was a good beginning for someone want-ing to return to his agricultural roots.

By way of background, Al, who grew up in rural Calvert County and recalls working long hours planting, topping and cutting tobacco, happily left the tobacco fields behind when he joined the USMC following high school graduation in 1982.

He credits the Marine Corps for hard-won lessons, valuable experience and making possible his two bachelor’s degrees. The first one in engineering led to a nine-year career with Otis Elevator; the second—in business—became a springboard to American Express, where he worked for more than 10 years.

property huntersFast-forwarding, Al and Jennifer moved to Cambridge in 1997,

relocated to Centreville three years later, and, in 2002, with the help of Farm Credit, bought their first farm near Church Hill.

“What we wanted was for our kids [Kevin, now 11, and Carley, 10] to grow up on a farm,” says Al.

After investigating different value-added agriculture products, everything seemed to fit together when they started thinking about blending fruit orchards, agri-tourism and their vineyard/winery concept.

And then it almost fell apart.

“We made a mistake,” explains Al. “The water table was too

high and grapes don’t like wet feet.”

Rescued by a still rising real estate market, the couple sold their first farm and bought their present farmland in 2004. The rest, as they say, is history. By 2005, the first grape vines were planted; more would follow in the next two years; and the first grapes were harvested and pressed in 2008.

“We started at 800 cases, produced 1,100 cases in 2009 and now we’re at 1,500 cases,” says Al. “At 12 bottles per case, or approximately 18,000 bottles a year, we’re considered a boutique winery—definitely small.”

Currently, more than two-thirds of wine sales are walk-in, meaning a new and steadily growing mix of repeat clientele are finding their way to the Cassinelli Winery. The next larger percentage of sales are made at Maryland wine festivals, and sales to stores account for about five percent.

Of note, virtually all of the grapes used in the Cassinelli winery operation are grown in Queen Anne’s County with most coming from the family vineyard.

Al’s goal is to increase his plantings from the present 13 acres to 30. He also wants to obtain a distiller’s license and begin making liquor from his orchard fruit. And maybe even cater to group func-tions by adding home-grown pit beef to wine tasting events.

For now, though, it’s all about grapes.

experience mattersDuring the summer months, the Cassinelli’s do tastings as

well as host group functions weekday evenings by appointment.

Clients (and that’s what Al calls them, emphasizing his personal service focused sales philosophy) include farm tours, garden clubs and individual families. Visitors are treated warmly, with most tast-ings hosted by Jennifer and her mother, Carolyn Fidgeon. Al’s there too, telling everybody the family’s story, while Kevin and Carley and an exuberant Labrador retriever named Dazy are always eager to take clients to the orchard to pick apples.

“We are trying to make sure they have the best farm experience our clients can have,” says Al, noting that the tasting fee includes actual wine samplings as well as a souvenir glass etched with the Cassinelli Winery & Vineyards logo.

If you would like to learn more about Cassinelli Winery & Vineyards visit cassinelliwinery.com. n

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Weber’s Nursery: A business with deep roots in Agriculturestory and photos by JENNIFER SHOWALTER

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1 The Webers are in the process of

making their newly consolidated business more retail friendly and appealing with the addition of such things as concrete walkways, manicured water gardens, and paved parking lots. Mike also raises Macaw parrots and allows a few to freely fly around, as an added attraction.

2William, Mike, Autumn and

Karen Weber feel it is important to connect with the public and be involved in their community. William volunteers as a firefighter and Mike and Paul stay active in numerous greenhouse associations.

3From potted to hanging baskets,

Weber’s Nursery has a wide variety of plants available year-round.

4The Webers strive to provide

a positive shopping experience for all their customers. From one-on-one advice about maintaining and growing plants to selling products that complement their main sales, the Webers have customers who faithfully return year after year.

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MAKING BIG MONEy IS ONE THING, BuT BEING ABLE TO MAKE A LIvING AND BE CONTENT WITH ONE’S SELF IS ANOTHER. MIKE WEBER, OWNER OF WEBER’S NuRSERy IN WINCHESTER, vIRGINIA, IS THE FIRST TO ADMIT THAT HIS LOvE FOR AGRICuLTuRE AND IN PARTICuLAR THE NuRSERy BuSINESS FAR OuTWEIGHS THE MONEy THAT HE COuLD HAvE MADE WITH OTHER ENDEAvORS.

a family business that keeps buildingMike’s parents, Arthur and Helen Weber, started

Weber’s Nursery in 1946. At the time, they sold plants out of a roadside stand, did some landscaping, raised cattle, and also grew field crops and hay.

In 1951, the Webers expanded their business by leasing a place up the road from their main head-quarters. They then bought the property in 1955 and started converting some of their wholesales over to retail sales.

After being in the military, working at the Bethesda Naval Hospital’s greenhouse, receiving an associate’s degree from

Shenandoah College, and taking a few courses at the University of Maryland, Mike came back home in 1973. One of his brothers had recently passed away and he decided to buy half of the business. Shortly after, in 1975, his father passed and Mike bought the other half of the business.

Mike, along with his wife, Karen, and four children— Autumn, Bobby, Peter, and William—have worked together to expand the family business that now serves the growing population and development around the Winchester area. Even though Mike’s children are starting down their own paths in life, each of them still helps with the family business when possible. William graduated from Virginia Tech in 2006 and is back working at the nursery full-time. Karen stays busy with sales and book- keeping, while Mike tends to the day-to-day chores.

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Depending on the time of year, the Webers rely on 18 to 45 employees to help them out. “We have a bunch of good people who help us make all this work. A few of them have been here 30 to 40 years,” says Mike.

restructuring business to one locationThe Webers were recently able to reduce the number of

employees they need by consolidating operations into one central location. The consolidation, though taking a lot of upfront work, will hopefully save the Webers both time and money in the long run. “We wanted to get everything in one place for the past five to eight years, but the recession really sped things up for us,” says Mike. In addition, last winter’s snow caved in one of his greenhouses at the other location.

The Webers have had to move numerous greenhouses around to make their headquarters more customer-friendly. They are in the process of building a five bay greenhouse to make up for what they gave up when the other location was closed last year. “We are now set in a much better demographic region for retail. We just have to work on making our place more customer-friendly and get our previous customers accus-tomed to the new location,” says Mike.

one singular locationToday, Weber’s Nursery consists of 35 acres with 71,000

square feet of heated green houses and six houses that are not heated. The Webers focus on selling quality plants to local crowds and enjoy connecting with their customers.

All the annuals and most of the perennials sold at Weber’s Nursery are grown on site. “We are constantly planting. We plant every day, year round, inside and out,” says Mike. He then adds, “We do get some plugs shipped in. We don’t do as much seeding as we used to because we can sometimes buy plugs cheaper than the seeds and they are already started.” Mike also brings in some of his nursery stock from other locations simply to provide more variety.

Mike grows a wide array of plants, including some vege-tables. “We have seen a big shift back to growing vegetables because people are trying to be healthier, save money, and want their kids to get their hands in the ground. We also have found that customers are looking for plants that hold up better and have a longer flowering season,” says Mike. In addition to all the plants, customers can conveniently find such things as fertilizers, chemicals, pottery, bird seed, pumpkins, straw, and decorations at Weber’s Nursery.

every penny countsSecond to labor, fuel is one of Mike’s largest expenses.

Part of his success can be attributed to his attempt to keep his expenses in check. “We try to manipulate what we grow, so we don’t have to heat our houses as much,” says Mike. The Webers also save heat by closing off part of their houses and growing their plants in close quarters. As the plants grow, the divider walls can be moved to allow more room.

Mike’s drive to save money is critical to his survival, because like so many agricultural businesses, there is not a steady flow of income throughout the year. “We are in a very seasonal business, with a large percent of our expenses falling January through April when our sales are the least,” explains Mike. He then adds, “Cash flow management kills more businesses than anything!”

As excited as Mike is to have everything in one location and with the new renovation and construction that is being done, he knows that he can’t do everything at once. He pays close attention to details, and tries to prepare for the worst. “I am worried about how the calendar is falling with Easter and Mother’s Day so close together this year. I am afraid that people won’t buy flowers for both occasions with them being so close together,” says Mike.

keeping it localThe Weber family has always been very community oriented

and feels blessed to be able to make their business happen by selling locally. With 90% of their sales being sold retail to local customers, they enjoy the friendships and bonds they form.

Mike’s love for growing plants and connecting with his customers has made for a successful life. “I am at it every day, seven days a week. It’s as much of a hobby as anything else. I was in the service and could have made a lot more money, but I love plants and I love to grow them,” says Mike.

forming a long-lasting relationshipMike just recently started working with Farm Credit and

hopes to form a good working relationship. “Farm Credit is a stable company with long-term employees and a good reputa-tion. So many other banks turn over so fast these days, and I was tired of dealing with different people each year that don’t know agriculture or understand how cash flow fluctuates over good and bad seasons,” says Mike.

Visit webersgardencenter.com or find Weber’s Nursery on Facebook for more information on their operation. n

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Enjoying Cheese with Ease: Wakefield Dairy gives a home to artisan cheese-making story and photos by JENNIFER HETRICK

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1 Paddles and forks are the main

utensils used in the cheese-making process. The paddles are used in the first stage to stir the milk cultures. The forks are used to separate the curds in the later stage of the process.

2John Mylin, MAFC loan officer, shows

one of the wheels of cheese that is aging in the underground cheese cave. The wheels and blocks of cheese produced by Wakefield Dairy are stored in the cave during the aging process.

3On the Lapp homestead

in Peach Bottom, Lancaster County (PA)—the cheese-making equipment is only a few steps away from the house where Henry and his family live.

4Forks are shown fluffing the curds,

bringing the cheese-making process to an end. The curds are moved from the vats to square or round metal forms where they are pressed and compacted. Then they are placed in the cave for aging.

5The cheese is wrapped in

plastic then placed on a rack and lowered into a steamer. The hot steam shrinks the wrapping so it fits tightly around the cheese.

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THE CuLTIvATION OF ARTISAN RAW MILK CHEESES IS DISTINCTIvELy RECOGNIzED IN PEACH BOTTOM, PENNSyLvANIA THANKS TO THE EFFORTS OF WAKEFIELD DAIRy.

As a member of the Amish Community, Henry Lapp grew up in Lancaster County. Six years ago, he bought his current 60-acre farm. He had plenty of history with the property—he had previously rented the acreage and it was just a few miles from his childhood home.

In 2001, after he and a group of fellow dairymen were unhappy with low prices they were receiving for their milk, he and the six other farmers decided to delve into cheese-making as a way to increase profitability.

ode to the cheese caveToday, Wakefield Dairy is made up

of four of those original milk produc-ers. The operation has become fine-tuned, especially with the addition of a cheese cave that Henry built under his cream-ery in 2003.

In the early days, Henry worked with cheese consul-tants, often called cheese masters, who visited the farm and taught him how to do what

now is an everyday set of tasks.

But even with their help, Henry says the business was still struggling. A man from New York stopped by and suggested that what Henry needed was a cheese cave. That suggestion proved valuable, as Henry said his most popular cheeses are those which are aged in the 22-foot by 16-foot cave where he keeps many stored for two to three months. His oldest aged cheese is a 24-month-old cheddar. Henry keeps a sprinkler misting the room to ensure a high humidity level so that the cheeses won’t dry out and crack during the aging process.

production for the palateHenry explains that time, temperature, and the

added cultures are the most influential factors for what tastes of cheese will result. The other factor, of course, is flavoring that is added later in the process.

The cultures Henry adds during cheese-making are produced in France, he says. Cultures are bacteria needed in cheese production, and they determine the cheese’s smell and texture.

Milk from different breeds of cows has varying yields. As an example, when making Colby cheese, Jersey cattle will give you 13 percent yield

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pound sizes. He has the cheeses for sale right at the farm and also ships them out to retail locations in Pennsylvania and out of state through several distributors.

family favoritesThe cheese Henry likes best himself is the cave-aged ched-

dar, while his children prefer Colby because it’s milder and softer. When making Colby, additional water is added, which leads to it being a softer cheese. Cheddar has less moisture, making it a more firm cheese.

“Cheddar is harder and drier, so you can age it for years and years,” Henry says. “Colby has quite a bit of moisture, so you can’t age it as long.”

The dairy keeps Henry plenty busy during the day, as each batch must be constantly watched and tended to between the different processes before the cheese is ready to be aged. In his time away from cheese-making, Henry volunteers as a firefighter for the Robert Fulton Fire Company.

Four days per week, Henry has two employees he brings in to help him keep the cheese batches going. During the remain-ing day each week, his oldest children—Rachel, 19, Katie, 18, Chris, 16, and Annie, 15—keep the operation running.

assistance in agricultureWhen asked about his relationship with Farm Credit, Henry

says “I like all of the information that they offer us compared to other lenders. It’s obvious that they understand agriculture.”

John Mylin, Henry’s loan officer, is equally impressed with Henry. “He and his family are honest, hard-working farm folk who have diversified into other ventures to supplement their farm income and provide work for their families,” says John.

Henry admits that he really likes what he does. His goal is to eventually have one of his sons take over the

property, so that he could keep making cheese. But until that day comes, Henry will remain the key cheese maker at Wakefield. n

and 87 percent whey. In Holstein cows, for the same cheese, it is 11 percent yield with 87 percent whey. A cheese vat filled with 4,500 pounds of milk will eventually become 500 pounds of Colby. But that doesn’t happen overnight.

Time reveals why Henry’s cave houses his most popular-sell-ing cheeses, because longer aging equals more flavor. He gener-ally puts cheddar, smethe, and Alpine Swiss cheeses in the cave, but also allows other farmers to age their cheese in the space.

He estimates that he can have at least 10,000 pounds of cheese in the cave at a time and tries to keep the concrete-walled room at 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

the finer detailsHenry’s 45 Holstein cows graze 15 acres of pasture, and he

uses their milk as well as the milk of others farmers’ cows to create these cheeses.

During the process of making a batch, after the curds are sliced and the whey is drained, Henry lets his pigs drink the whey or uses it as fertilizer. The whey fertilizes soil well, Henry says, and he often has other farmers visiting to take the whey back to their own fields.

Without a pasteurizer onsite, his creamery abides by strict regulation of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, with

the cheese being considered raw. Legally, the cheeses must be aged for a minimum of 60 days. “We need time for the good bacteria to get rid of the bad bacteria,” Henry says, explaining the need for the mandated aging period.

Henry says he finds raw milk cheese to be more easily digestible and also of better taste, as pasteurization destroys both harmful and beneficial bacteria, affecting how palat-able foods are once they reach the consumer. “A lot of people nowadays want more specialty cheeses,” Henry says, and his cave-aged cheeses suit the specialty status.

Other cheeses Henry prepares are bouche, garlic and chive cheddar, smoked cheddar, pepper jack, and an herbal jack which is infused with a medley of Italian spices.

Henry sells cheeses in eight ounce, 20 ounce, five pound, 10 pound, and even 40

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Want to knoW hoW your association did in 2010? or hoW about What is planned for 2011? Mark your calendar and plan to attend one of the five stockholder Meetings Which Will be held in april—not only Will you be updated on your association’s plans but you’ll enjoy an evening With felloW stockholders, a good Meal and great presentations! another incentive to attend one of the Meetings—you can pick up your patronage check! you’ll get it days early…if you don’t pick your check up during the Meeting, you’ll have to Wait until the post office delivers it!

We Walk the Talk

registrationThe doors will open at 6:15 each night, which will give you sufficient time to register for the meeting and catch up with your neighbors before the meeting is called to order at 6:45. Each year we try hard to wrap the meetings up early—so you can be an active participant in your cooperative and still get to bed early!

In a few weeks, we’ll send our annual information statement with details about the meeting and more information on the slate of candidates for our annual election.

With the mailing, you’ll find an RSVP card. Please fill it out and return it as soon as you know your plans—that helps us make ours! Or—if you want to save us some postage and yourself a trip to the post office—you can register online at mafc.com, it is easy and quick!

voting overview: vote at the meetings or by mail

April 5-13 On-site balloting at annual stockholder meetings

April 20 Ballots mailed to all eligible stockholders

May 11 Polls close at end of the day

May 12 Tellers committee convenes to count ballots

May 13 Tellers committee certifies election results

June 6 CEO sends notice of election results to stockholders

This voting procedure allows those who attend one of our meetings to vote that evening, while allowing stockholders who cannot attend a meeting to vote as well. Remember—the chance to vote for your nominating committee and board of directors is an important responsibility for each stockholder—whether you can attend one of the meetings or not.

speakers

BOB PHILLIPS was born in Dallas, Texas and grew up on the family farm near Lake Texoma. His “Texas Country Reporter” television series is a celebration of the Texas way of life and a tribute to the everyday men and women who make the state a special place. Bob’s back roads travels have lasted 36 years and “Texas Country Reporter” is now seen in all

television markets in Texas. This year, his new national program “On The Road With Bob Phillips” will debut on RFD-TV. The new show is a continuation of Bob’s travels with weekly jaunts taking him to all 50 states. He is a frequent consultant to corporations on public relations and marketing matters. Bob will speak to the guests at the meetings in Salisbury, Dover, and New Holland.

EMORY AUSTIN is fascinated by the ways in which different people think, by why they do what they do, neglect what they neglect, choose what they choose, and by the patterns for success or failure they develop in the process. Clients line up to hear and to use her well-defined approaches to leadership, change, balance, customer service and

teamwork. Emory will speak to the guests at the meetings in Walkersville and Winchester.

We look forward to seeing you!

2011 annual meetingsApril 5 The Fountains

Salisbury, MD

April 6 Modern Maturity Center

Dover, DE

April 7 Yoder’s Restaurant

New Holland, PA

April 12 Walkersville Fire Hall

Walkersville, MD

April 13 Millwood Station

Winchester, VA

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PROPERTIES FOR SALE

EQUAL HOUSINGOPPORTUNITY

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REALTOR®

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2.5 +/- acre farmette with 3 stall barn, 3 sheds, large fenced pasture, house with 3 large bedrooms, 2 baths, 24x13 bonus room, 2,000+ square feet, laundry room with pantries & shower. Master bedroom on main floor. $237,000.

Contact Helen Stevens or Jill Cravens, Bob Moore Realty Co., 302.242.7282.

21 acres, farmette in Baltimore County (Falls Road corridor). 3 bedrooms, 2 story farm-house, needs work. Bank barn, woods, stream, possible to create another building site. No restrictions/covenants/HOA. $299,900.

Contact Garry Haines, Haines Realty, 410.984.6556 or 410.876.1616.

Adjoining the Woodstock Equestrian Center, this 26.11 +/- acre property is improved with a 3 bedroom, 2 bath farmhouse. Amenities

include: wood floors, living room with brick fire-place, large country kitchen, main level laundry, patio, detached garage & two storage sheds. $650,000.

Contact Frank Jamison, Charles H. Jamison, Inc., 301.428.8200.

One of a kind eques-trian training facility with 40+ stalls on 47+ acres. Lighted indoor arena with folding doors, convert to covered ring, outdoor ring, paddocks with GEO thermal waters, camper facilities,

observation room, office, rest rooms, wash racks, showers, apartment, plus home building site. $1,750,000.

Contact Laura-Lee Jones, Long and Foster Real Estate, Inc., 410.707.7246.

142.1 total acres consisting of a 137 acre wooded parcel zoned AR and 5.1 acre parcel with cleared frontage zoned PDR. Gravel drive, mature trees, plenty of road frontage on Ingram Branch Rd. Property has produced as deer hunting farm. Interior food plots. $450,000.

Contact Wes Cromer, Masten Realty, 301.448.1032.

Four bedroom, 2 bath, Circa 1879 restored farmhouse on 1.33 acres. Gourmet kitchen, addition with 20x14 deck, covered patio, master bedroom suite & office on main level. Refinished hardwood floors. 3-car detached garage/pub/workshop. $389,000.

Contact Charlie Angle, Mackintosh Realtors, 204.329.5010.

Lovely ranch style home, 4 bedrooms, huge kitchen, family room with fireplace, and fully finished basement. Post & rail fencing, barn with six 12x10 stalls, 1 mini stall, 34x40 hayloft. $465,000.

Contact Connie Miller, Miller Davison Team at Keller Williams, 302.530.9560.

Lovely 8-year old Colonial on 4 clear, flat acres. Great opportu-nity for small farm. Home has 3 bedrooms and boasts beautiful molding, wood floors and stone fireplace. Wood burning stove/furnace in basement heats the entire house. Additional 1.3 acre lot available. $499,900.

Contact Gwen Probst or Colleen Quinn, Riley and Associates, 410.935.3216.

This spacious 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath, 4 level split sits on almost 5 acres. Plenty of room for animals with 3 acres of fenced pasture, 2 large barns with elec-tric, auto waters, hay storage and an overhang with hay rack. $399,900.

Contact Cindy Grimes, J & B Real Estate, Inc., 301.271.3487, Ext. 24.

Bucolic 123 +/- acres, magnifi-cent setting with majestic mountain views in all directions. Includes turn of the century farmhouse, barn, and 5 wells with percs. $1,185,000.

Contact Tony Checchia, Frederick Land Company, 301.662.9222.

Camden, Delaware

Hampstead, Maryland

Beallsville/Dickerson, Maryland Lothian, Maryland

Harrington, Delaware

Hagerstown, Maryland

Middletown, Delaware

Freeland, Maryland

Emmitsburg, Maryland

Jefferson, Maryland

Beautiful farm just southwest of Milford. 57 cleared acres & 24 wood acres. Tillable land is leased. Parcel is split with potential to subdivide or have more than one home site. Beautiful area with very few homes in sight. Known for deer hunting. Farmland Preservation. $399,500.

Contact Jamie Masten, Masten Realty, 301.422.1850.

Lincoln, Delaware56 +/- acres. Located in the Growth Zone, sewer available. Mostly open with stream that borders the property. $650,000.

Contact Jack Kling, RE/MAX Horizons, 302.270.7480.

Felton, Delaware73.90 acres. 50 acres clear and 24 wooded. 200’ of road front-age. Lowest priced farm in the area. Great for chicken houses, horse farm, hunting, or a resi-dence. $299,900.

Contact Andy Whitescarver, RE/MAX Horizons, 302.242.5557.

Harrington, Delaware

Brick Cape Cod; original hardwood floors, updated kitchen

with breakfast area, living room with fireplace; access to screened-in porch, center hall, dining room and den & laundry room. 3 bedrooms; bonus room upstairs and full basement. 60+ acres includes a 5 acre fenced area & two 30x48 outbuildings. $499,900.

Contact Marcia Rostien, Champion Realty, Inc., 410.310.8195.

Goldsboro, Maryland

Need financing for any of these properties? Call your local Farm Credit office.MidAtlantic Farm Credit is not responsible for content or typographical errors. For more information on any of the properties listed on these pages, please call the Realtor listed. At this time, we can only accept listings from licensed real estate agents.

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PROPERTIES FOR SALE (continued)

183 acres – mixture of fields, woodlands & large pond makes this a lovely farm for multiple uses. Visit: homesdatabase.com/cc736552. $1,000,000.

Contact Wm. David Leager, Sassafras River Realty, Ltd, 410.778.0238 or 410.708.0891.

Beautiful 25 acre lot with expansive views of the Catoctin Mountain range. Gorgeous setting for a custom built home. It has been perked and it has a well. 75% open and 25% wooded. Easy access to Rt. 15 and great area for horses. $299,000.

Contact Maureen Olson, Real Estate Teams, 301.606.8362 or 301.606.3030

Elkton, Maryland Frederick, Maryland

Historic Rockwell Academy built in 1837 situated on 3.91 +/- acres with lots of curb appeal. Home is 4,638 +/- square feet which includes 5 bedrooms, 2 full baths, and 3 fireplaces. Tremendous potential in a rural town. $348,000.

Contact Scott Gove, Frederick Land Company, 301.662.9222.

4.68 acre lot, rare find in this location. Last building lot in the Timberline Park subdivision. Well on lot, perk approved. Last well test was 15 gpm. Perfect flat, tree lined open lot. No builder tie-ins, some restrictions. $450,000.

Contact Laura Christensen, Riley & Associates Realtors, 410.456.4450 or 410.239.2100.Libertytown, Maryland

Lutherville/Timonium, Maryland

Scenic mountain views complement this 11+ acre farmette. Spacious, upgraded, remodeled. Garage/workshop & carport, barn sheds, run-in sheds, and chicken coop. 1-2 level living, in-law suite & built-in. 5 bedrooms, 3+ baths, 2 eat-in kitch-ens, 2 laundry rooms, root cellar, living room, family room, sunroom, & in-home office. $449,900.

Contact Deb Bargeski, Real Estate Teams, LLC, 301.748.6719.

Equestrian charmer located on 50 peaceful acres. 4 bedroom, exposed Chestnut logs in living room, country kitchen, bright great room with lots of windows overlooking the pond & in-ground pool. Outdoor ring & pastures. 75x135 indoor arena, bank barn, 36x72 machine shed, and 7 horse stalls. $799,999.

Contact Ted Lapkoff, RE/MAX All Pro, 301.694.3425.

Beautifully restored for luxuri-ous living, incredible kitchen & butler’s pantry with cherry cabi-nets & granite. Spacious master suite with super bath. Total of 4 bedrooms & 3 full baths. Mahogany front porch, gorgeous wood floors, summer kitchen. $439,875.

Contact Sharon Lapkoff, RE/MAX All Pro, 301.694.3425.

Flemish bond brick Georgian built Circa 1683. Is an excellent repre-sentation of the Old World crafts-manship of yesteryear. Features unique woodworking and mold-ings, wide floor boards, numer-ous fireplaces, and large rooms. 50 acre parcel, open land for the Gentleman Farmer equestrian. 5 bedrooms, 5 baths. $359,010.

Contact Chuck Carroll, RE/MAX Chesapeake, 443.553.6528.

196.19 acres, 40 acres livestock pasture & 140 acres crop fields – all completely fenced. 8 outbuildings, including: 100x40 Morton building, feeder barn with hay storage, over-size 2-car garage. Large pond, plus healthy creek on property. Stone farmhouse. Property is not in Land Preservation Program. $1,999,999.

Contact Barbara Swanhart, Bach & Associates, Inc., 301.514.5997.

285 acres with beautiful views mostly cleared and fenced. 3 development rights, not in pres-ervation. Ranch home, mobile home and apartment. 136x69 and 165x60 loafing sheds, 100x40 machine shed, 38x70 bank barn.All buildings and homes in very good condition. $2,185,000.

Contact Gary Duckworth, RE/MAX Results, 301.644.5968.

Middletown, Maryland

Union Bridge, Maryland

Rohrersville, Maryland

Warwick, Maryland

Rohrersville, Maryland

Magnificent 360 degree views. Bring the animals onto this 23 acre gentlemen’s farm. Low taxes. $525,000.

Contact Jan M. Paskow, Century 21 Call First, 610.698.2061.

Mohrsville, Pennsylvania

Five bedroom brick rancher in a private area. Quality construction throughout. $375,000.

Contact Jeff Wright, Wright Real Estate, 410.829.0467.

Denton, Maryland

Rocky Ridge, Maryland

Three bedroom, 1.5 baths, farmhouse on lovely, quiet 3 acres just outside of Westminster. Surrounded by fields. $185,900.

Contact Karen Carroll, Haines Realty, 410.375.8898.

80 acres, 2 ½ story brick farmhouse Circa 1797 with additions in approximately 1864. Stone foundation, cement cellar floor, baseboard hot water oil fired heat. Summer kitchen with original fireplace & bake oven. Bank barn & block dairy, 2 silos. $695,000.

Contact Larry E. Haines, Haines Realty, 410.876.1616.

Westminster, Maryland

Westminster, Maryland

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Four spring fed ponds, bank barn, and 30x50 workshop, with mountain views. Minutes from Shenandoah National Park & George Washington National Forest. 70+ acres with log & stone home. Three bedrooms, 3+ baths, in-ground pool & separate living quarters. Ideal for horses! $549,000.

Contact Cynthia Dellinger, United Country Shenandoah Valley Realty, 540.477.9791.

Crystal Spring Farm, Circa 1790/1860 – beautifully restored, historically signifi-cant, spacious 5 bedroom, 3 bath Manor home on 9 acres. Surrounded by farmland & mountains. Perfect for horse farm. Bank barn, spring, pond, creek, paddocks, fencing and tack room. 3-car garage and 2 stone fireplaces. $449,900.

Contact Jason Hose, Mackintosh, Inc. Realtor, 301.491.2625.

Keedysville, Maryland

227 acre farm. Great for horses, beef cattle, alpacas, dairy cattle & crops. Two ponds, two houses, Bank barn, machine shed, milking parlor, feeder shed, metal shed, and garage. $1,100,000

Contact John or Bonnie Speak, Long and Foster, 410.984.2302.

Ladiesburg, Maryland

65.3 deeded acres of prime tillable and open land. Level to gently rolling. Great soils. Property subject to Berks County Ag Preservation ease-ment. Also in Act 319 “Clean & Green.” Frontage along Shartlesville Rd (Old Rt. 22) & Schoolhouse Rd. Great views. $539,000.

Contact Chris Taylor, Beiler-Campbell Realtors, 888.786.8715.

Shartlesville, Pennsylvania

Luray, Virginia

Historic farmhouse with unique charm. Restored to offer all the amenities of a modern home. Gorgeous wood floors in the living room and wide wood staircase to the upper level. Huge kitchen with mud room. Family room with pellet stove. Exposed wood beams. Front porch, fenced yard, and detached garage. $317,999

Contact Cynthia Grimes, ReMax Advantage Realty, 410.871.2600, Ext. 207.

Westminster, Maryland

136 acre farm in Frederick County. 4 bedroom brick home with 1.5 baths, living room, dining room, parlor, and eat-in kitchen. Lots of outbuildings: bank barn, dairy/cattle barn, wagon shed, 2-car garage & machine shed. 90+ acres tillable. Pasture, woods, stream bed, and farmstead. $1,400,000.

Contact Lettie Golden, Bach & Associates, Inc., 800.394.2224 or 301.695.9600.

Walkersville, Maryland

Prime location and ideal for an ag operation. 48 acres of very fertile soil that gives high yields of crops. Potential income $20,000 plus per year. Or could be a winery or orchard. Includes farmhouse and bank barn with two streams. $650,000.

Contact Geanie Lockard, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, 410.848.9151.

Westminster, Maryland

Historic estate on 11.95 acres. Landscaping will take your breath away. 5,000 square feet of flawless, historical design throughout. 5 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, 3 fireplaces, many original floors/windows. Gourmet kitchen. Also included is a 2.5 story, 4,700 square foot mill house. $1,350,000.

Contact Michael B. Yingling, RE/MAX Delta Group, Inc., 717.652.8200.

Lebanon, Pennsylvania

Classic stone farmhouse situated on private 87 acres. Large invit-ing home with family room that includes a stone fireplace. Kitchen has high-end appliances any chef would want. Large trx deck over-looking lake. Property is in “Clean & Green.” $1,100,000.

Contact John Gainer, Town & Country Realty, 717.898.9136.

Mount Joy, Pennsylvania

Charming 49 acre farm with beau-tiful storybook setting. Long private driveway leading to the house and barns which are set back 400’ from the road. Magnificent 2 acre pond and peaceful stream. Circa 1850 brick farmhouse, 2 bank barns, and pole barn. Lots of road frontage. Fleetwood schools. $698,000

Contact Gary L. or Jonathan D. Coles, New Pennsylvania Realty, Inc., 570.386.5000.

Kutztown, Pennsylvania

Luxurious, newer home overlooks custom 4-stall barn. 100x160 riding ring & paddocks on almost 12 private acres. $519,800.

Contact Cindy Stys, Cindy Stys Equestrian & Country Properties, Ltd., 610.849.1790.

Kunkletown, Pennsylvania

Tremendous orchard, retail & pick-your-own fruit operation in North Whitehall Twp, Lehigh County. 147 acres including apple, peach, pear, apricot & cherry trees. Multiple barns and outbuildings. Operating orchard generating serious revenue plus long range opportu-nity for development or other ag uses. $2,495,000.

Contact Doug Frederick, The Frederick Group, 610.398.0411, Ext. 218.

Coplay, Pennsylvania

18th Century originality with all the modern amenities. Open beam ceilings, deep window sills, chest-nut floors, chair railings and corner built-in cabinets. Custom band built kitchen with new stone tops, new down draft cook top & double cast iron sink. 3-car detached garage on 1.48 acre lot. $599,900.

Contact Ed Spayd, Century 21 Park Road, 610.378.0471.

Oley Valley, Pennsylvania

Charming restored 1910 farmhouse with many updates. Separate studio/guest cottage. Many outbuildings for your animals: goats, alpacas, chickens, peacocks! $399,000.

Contact Rose Greenawalt, Long and Foster Realtors, 301.393.8326 or 800.448.3105, Ext. 8326.

Clear Spring, Maryland

Updated 3 bedroom, 3 bath contemporary split level with two 2-car garages & small horse barn. All baths are new as is the kitchen. Sits on 17.57 acres, some of which is tillable. $499,900.

Contact Rob Robenseifner, Howard Hanna Real Estate Services, 717.513.9047.

Myerstown, Pennsylvania

MidAtlantic Farm CreditP.O. Box 770Westminster MD 21158-0770

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDBALTIMORE MD

PERMIT NO. 7175

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