MOO News issue VI - Winter 2026

Teamwork, Life Skills & Leadership Qualities

When I joined 4-H and FFA I also learned many skills such as, public speaking, record keeping, parliamentary procedure and leadership qualities.  All of these skills would serve me well in later life. 

At eight years old I never realized it was work to get up early to do chores, it was simply a way of life. One example was feeding the calves early in the morning before school.  As a youth milking and feeding the dairy herd was always a priority. It was understood that until the chores for the day were complete there would be no down time. 

A strong connection with my family working together gave meaning to the word teamwork.  We had a person to person interaction and always communicated to get the job done.  The work was a connection between family, the land and our animals.  Living in an old stone house circa 1842 was on the chilly side in the winter. Some mornings were downright cold!

Life on the Dairy Farm

On a dairy farm the cows are milked two times a day and seven days a week 365 days per year with no exceptions.  Farm work was part of the holiday tradition!  Hosting 4-H project field days and reviews by the extension agents were always challenging and a meaningful learning experience. 

I learned to drive a tractor at a very early age not as just a fun thing to do but to help with work on the farm.  Raking and tedding hay, picking up loose hay with a hay fork, grinding feed with a hammer mill and spreading manure are mere examples of how I was using the tractor. 

I frequently had fun fishing in our stream with friends, and riding my bicycle gave me a way to visit neighbor hood friends.  My uncle Jeffrey Griffith gave me my first Guernsey calf Plain Views Betty Anna which set the tone for my judging and showing cattle in a successful manner.  Tragedy occurred when lightning struck our large hay and horse barn and burned these buildings which were a total loss to the ground. 

Continuing the Legacy

To replace the barn we set up a saw mill on the farm cut trees off the property and rebuilt the barn.  That barn still stands on the property and stores our farm equipment and hay.  No leash laws were in affect when I grew up so we always had several dogs usually beagles and coon hounds running free but staying on the property.

During my childhood we also raised chickens, pigs, horses and sheep. We continued to milk until 1967.  In short I would not trade learning life experiences on the farm for anything and am proud to share what an influence it had on me to become an agriculture educator.  

Nancy and I consider it a joy to continue our family’s legacy at Retirement Farm and hope our next generation will be able to continue our tradition and pride living in Montgomery County, Maryland.