E. Ralph Hostetter, a crusading newspaper editor, owner and publisher for a half-century, and a
champion of individual liberty.

In his columns Hostetter consistently warns of the harmful erosion of our constitutional rights.

Born and educated in Maryland, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1941 and was assigned in 1943 to the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps at Harvard University, where he earned a bachelor of science degree in 1945. He was released from World War II service in 1946 with the rank of Ensign. Recalled into the U.S. Navy in 1950 during the Korean War, he served as a Naval Intelligence Officer until released in 1952 with the rank of
Lieutenant, Senior Grade.

Hostetter is chairman and publisher of American Farm Publications Inc., Easton, Md., and former president and owner of TriState Publishing Company, Elkton, Md., a chain of 13 community newspapers.
He was elected to the Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Press Association Newspaper Hall of Fame in 1990.

The New Jersey Agricultural Society awarded Hostetter its highest award, the Gold Medallion, in 2003.

Hostetter is also Vice President of the Strasburg Rail Road Co. (PA), Chairman of Ambassador Travel Service (DE), Chairman, Southside Virginia Auto Auction, (VA) and owner of Camelot East Farms, Prince Edward
Island, Canada.

Active in civic affairs, Hostetter is presently a member of the Board of Directors of Free Congress Foundation,
Washington, DC.

In nearly 50 years of travel, Hostetter has made three round-the-world trips, visiting 113 countries, including traveling to Antartica, going through the Northwest Passage on a Russian ice breaker, and to the North Pole on an atomic-powered Russian ice breaker.

He married the former Edith White of North East, Md., in 1947 and they have five daughters, one son
and 13 grandchildren.

Marc has been with AFP, Inc for twenty years and started out in sales two days a week at the beginning of his career working up to a full time status in under one year. He started his newspaper career in Centreville, MD. at the Record Observer newspaper. He can be reached at admin@americanfarm.com

Bruce Hotchkiss was born into a large Wisconsin farm family and grew up on a 1,000-acre dairy farm in Hunterdon County, N.J. He attended The Lawrenceville School and then Princeton, Columbia and Rutgers universities before beginning his 57-year newspaper career as a cub reporter for a large New Jersey daily. In the intervening years, he has edited and/or published both daily and weekly newspapers in New Jersey, Colorado and Maryland. He launched The Delmarva Farmer in the late 1970s and The New Jersey Farmer several years later. He made an unsuccessful attempt at retirement in 1995 and is now senior editor and senior vice president of American Farm Publications Inc. He and the newspapers have received numerous awards over the years from farm and Extension organizations in Maryland, Delaware, Virginia and New Jersey. He may be reached at hotchkiss@americanfarm.com

Editor - Kevin George

Kevin George has been the editor of the Delmarva Farmer, New Jersey Farmer and Shore Home & Garden Magazine since February 2006. A graduate of West Virginia University and Chesapeake College, he previously was the assistant sports editor at The Star Democrat, where he was employed for 13 years. In his spare time, he enjoys playing softball. Kevin lives in Easton Md., with his wife Kris and their son Noah. You can reach Kevin George at editorial@americanfarm.com.

Editor - The Mid-Atlantic Grower - Carol Kinsley - Delaware Staff Reporter

Working from her home office in Delaware, Carol Kinsley is editor of the Mid-Atlantic Grower and frequent contributor of stories and photos to other AFP publications.
Kinsley started with The Delmarva Farmer in June 1980, becoming circulation manager, proofreader and administrative assistant to then-editor Bruce Hotchkiss. She wrote a question-and-answer column and occasional features. She helped with the newspaper's recipe contest, compiling entries into The Delmarva Farmer Country Cooking Cookbook in 1983. In 1990, while finishing up a bachelor's degree at University of Maryland University College, she officially became a member of the editorial department. She has won several regional and national awards for her writing and is remembered for her column, "Family Stew." She was editor of The Mid-Atlantic Aquafarmer and in 1995 helped launch the Mid-Atlantic Grower. She "semi-retired" in 2004 from the position of editor in order to have more time with her grandchildren and to operate her own business, Kinsley Communications. She and her husband, John, have two grown children. 
She can be reached at kinsley@americanfarm.com

Stephanie Jordan was born and raised on a small family farm in Clinton, N.C. She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, with a Bachelor of Arts in journalism and mass communication and psychology. She has lived on Maryland's Eastern Shore and worked for The Delmarva Farmer and Shore Home & Garden Magazine since September 2005. Jordan is chairwoman of The Delmarva Farmer Scholarship Committee and can be reached at stephanie@americanfarm.com.

Sean Clougherty, originally from Felton, Del., is a 2002 graduate of Marquette University with a degree in journalism. After working at Oscar Mayer Foods as a Weinermobile driver across the nation and at Winkler Farms in Harrington, Del., Sean became a staff reporter at American Farm Publications inc. in January 2006. You can reach Sean at 410-822-3965 or sean@americanfarm.com

Reneé Larrimore grew up on a small farm in Sherwood, Md., and was hired fresh out of high school as a typesetter, took evening classes at Chesapeake College. From there, she moved to the accounts-receiveable department, then to the graphics department. I also sell ads for Mid-Atlantic Grower and manage the Shore Home & Garden Magazine. She has worked with American Farm Publications for 24 years.
She resides two miles from the farm she grew up on and has two daughters, Natalie and Morgan. She enjoys spending time with family, volunteering for various school, fire department and church events. Reneé is a self-described “sports nut” and enjoys watching softball and football games. She can be reached at graphics@americanfarm.com.

Tiffany Polly-Foster has been an employee of American Farm Publications since 2001. Serving primarily as sales representative for The Delmarva Farmer. Tiffany resides in Denton, Md., with her husband Danny. In her spare time, she enjoys teaching Pilates and strength training classes at the Talbot County YMCA, shopping, traveling and spending time with her family and friends. She can be reached at 410-822-3965 Or tiffany@americanfarm.com

Advertising Account Executive - Dani Heinold

Dani Heinold has been an advertising account executive with American Farm Publications Inc., since September 1997. A graduate of Seton Hall University in South Orange, N.J., she grew up in Belleville, N.J., a suburb of Newark. Dani currently resides on a small farm in Shamong, N.J. with her husband, Doug and their young children, Chance and Grace. In her free time, she enjoys taking walks with her family, pilates, knitting, going to the beach and reading modern fiction. You can reach Dani Heinold at njfarmer@comcast.net

National/Classified Account Executive - Chris Parker

Business Manager, Accounts Receivable, Country Store - Jessie Stafford

Jessie Lee Stafford was born in York, Pa., and lived there until she was 20. She moved to Maryland’s Eastern Shore in 2002. Jessie, who has worked in the accounting industry for seven-plus years, enjoys hiking, boating and football in her spare time. She is married and has a son, Reed. Contact her at jessie@americanfarm.com

Circulation Marketer - Megan Messix

Megan A. Messix has worked for American Farm Publications, Inc. since 2004. She started as an intern while attending Delaware Valley College in Doylestown, Pa., and graduated in 2006 with a bachelor's of science degree in agribusiness. Growing up in the agriculture industry, she has participated in 4-H showing Guernsey cows, FFA, Dairy Bowl, Dairy Judging, National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) and was the 2001-02 Eastern Shore Dairy Princess. In her spare time she enjoys watching football, traveling and spending time with family and friends. She can be reached at megan@americanfarm.com.

Circulation Manager - William Ball

William T. Ball has been with The Delmarva Farmer for 20-plus years. He started in advertising sales then moved to the circulation department, eventually becoming circulation manager for American Farm Publications. Bill is very active in the church. He served as a pastor for several years in the Chestertown area before moving back home to the Easton area. His is currently Easton District Lay Leader of the United Methodist Church, Minister of Music and Charge Lay Leader for the Riverview Charge of the United Methodist Church as well as organist for the Bozman United Methodist Church. His hobbies include wildlife photography. Contact Bill at bill@americanfarm.com

Ginny Rosenkranz has worked for the University of Maryland Cooperative Extension since 1994, acting as an Area Specialist for Commercial Horticulture for Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester counties. She has her bachelor of science degree in botany from the University of Maryland, College Park and her master of science degree in Extension Education at UMES. Ginny assists greenhouse growers, nurseries, landscape contractors and golf courses with their pest management and production issues. She teaches an annual Master Gardener course that attracts 20 students each year. She also produces Delmarva Gardens, a 30-minute show on a local public access channel delivering up-to-date gardening information to the community. Ginny also has a weekly segment on plant care and gardening on the local CBS station. She can be reached at osnkrnz@umd.edu.

Rocky Womack

A regular Virginia correspondent for the Mid-Atlantic Grower, Rocky Womack has been a writer for more than 27 years. He has served as a staff and contributing writer/editor for several magazines and newspapers. He also produces a newsletter for the tobacco industry, in which he serves as publisher, editor, writer and ad rep. For his efforts, the journalism community has honored him with writing awards in agriculture, business, features and in-depth/investigative reporting. In his limited spare time, he enjoys playing golf and traveling. You can reach Rocky Womack at rockyagwriter@aol.com

New Jersey - Tamara Jean Scully

Tamara Scully is a freelance writer, focusing primarily on agricultural issues. She works in farming — currently growing perennials at Glenn Brook Nursery — and is a local foods advocate with the Foodshed Alliance in northwest New Jersey, working with small farmers and consumers to promote sustainable farming and locally-grown foods. She can be reached at tammy@tamarajeanscully.com.

Sharon Kinsey
Sharon Kinsey began her professional career with The New Jersey Farmer in 1994 after completing a bachelor's degree in journalism at Rutgers University. She served as the paper's only full-time reporter during her tenure, during which she had the memorable opportunity of interviewing then-Gov. Christie Whitman. After moving on to the New Jersey Department of Agriculture in 1999, she worked in agricultural education and for the New Jersey FFA Association as the FFA specialist. During this time, she also completed a master's degree in communications and leadership. Kinsey currently serves as a county 4-H agent in Camden County and stays connected to NJF readers by writing a monthly column called The Kinsey Report. Her family also still operates a dairy farm in Warren County, with the third generation now at the helm. She and husband, Mike, and daughters, Kira and Scarlett, enjoy traveling, hiking, attending youth sporting events and visiting Warren County. She can be reached at kinsey@aesop.rutgers.edu