12/03/02
By CARYL VELISEK
Maryland sheep breeders held their 46th annual meeting and banquet Oct. 19, at the Carroll County Agriculture Center in Westminster, Md. The annual business meeting and election of officers was held, and several awards were given including the Shepherd of the Year.
Susan Schoenian of Clear Spring, Md., is the 2002 Maryland Shepherd of the Year. Schoenian is the sheep and goat specialist at the University of Maryland research and education facility in Keedysville, Md. She also raises Katahdin hair sheep and writes a column for The Delmarva Farmer. She is a past editor of the Maryland Sheep News.
Honorary memberships in the Maryland Sheep Breeders Association were presented by Becky Lynch-Benfer, to Mary Streaker, Harvey and Edith Miller, and to Paul and Judy Lynch.
Officers were elected as follows: president, Jeff Hevner, Carroll County; vice-president, George Harkins, Forest Hill, Md.; secretary, Sam Mullen, Frederick County; and treasurer, Connie DeLamater, Talbot County. Directors: Susan Schoenian (to replace Tom Morris); Nancy Greene, Whitehall, Md.; Stuart Greene, Howard County; Dr. Geoffrey Ruppert, Fairfield, Pa.; and Nancy Starkey.
It was noted there was no lamb for sale at the Renaissance Festival which attracts 350,000 people a year, and a proposal was made to see about having a meat and wool booth at the festival in 2003.
Susan Schoenian spoke about the need for sheep producers to network with goat producers in the northeast.
“We are in close proximity to the best lamb and goat market in the U.S.,” Schoenian said. She spoke of a northeast sheep goat marketing program at Cornell University that is being funded through a grant from USDA to improve the marketing infrastructure of sheep and goats in 12 northeastern states.
Schoenian also spoke about direct marketing and efforts to create a better system for ethnic slaughter.
Mary Streaker, who has joined Gwen Handler as co-chair of the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival, gave some remarks about the first sheep and wool festival saying, “we did it, we made it work. Let’s make it better and while we’re doing it, let’s have a good time.”