MEADVILLE, Pa. — Agricultural organizations and previous recipients of the Pennsylvania Agricultural Hall of Fame and Ag-Industry awards have selected the 2023 award recipients.
Those selected to receive this year’s Hall of Fame awards include Laura Dengler, Dennis and James Rynd and Ag-Industry Marburger Farm Dairy.
Nominations are solicited from interested ag-related organizations and businesses as well as former recipients of both awards. Each organization or individual may submit two nominees for Hall of Fame, which may include those who have retired from farming, are currently involved in farming, or are from the service industry or organization.
Laura Dengler
Hall of Fame recipient Laura Dengler, of Saegertown, Pa., is well-known for her work in the maple industry, but she also has ties to the dairy industry, previously volunteering with the Blooming Valley 4-H Club and as a past Leader of the Kids-n-Kows 4-H Club.
She guided and mentored many children throughout those years helping them to become better showmen and understand the dairy industry and encouraging them to live out the 4-H pledge, “to make the best better.”
While her daughters were both Crawford County Alternate Dairy Princesses, NW PA Maple Queens and PA State Maple Sweethearts, Dengler spent many hours helping them prepare presentations and driving them to their programs.
She also works at the Crawford County Conservation District and works to protect, conserve and restore the natural resources of the county for present and future generations.
Dennis and James Rynd
The second recipients of the Hall of Fame award are Dennis and James Rynd, of Cochranton, Pa.
Dennis began working on the family farm by feeding the animals moving on to working in the fields at age 12. He attended Cochranton Junior-Senior High School and became involved with the Future Farmers of America program, serving as the State FFA Reporter and attending the National Future Farmers of America Convention in Kansas City, Missouri. He was the recipient of the Keystone Farmer Award and has been a member of the Crawford County Holstein, PA Holstein and National Holstein Associations, as well as the Farmer’s Union. He has been a big supporter of the 4-H Youth Program and Youth Holstein Association and served on the Crawford County Conservation District Board.
James began his agriculture career in the 1980s. He also attended Cochranton Junior-Senior High School and attended Penn State University for one year before returning home to work on the farm. He served on the Crawford County DHIA Board, was a 4-H leader for nine years, served on the PA Dairy Promotional Program Board, was president of the Cochranton Fair for four years, served on the Crawford County Extension Board, and was a member of the PA National Guard from 1971-1977.
Dennis and James are the sixth generation to farm the land purchased by their father, Jack Rynd. The current Rynd Home Dairy Farm milks an average of 180 cows and has a total of 410 animals. They own 500 acres and rent an additional 200 acres for growing crops for the herd.
Marburger Farm Dairy
Selected to receive the Ag-Industry Award was Marburger Farm Dairy of Evans City. The purchase of 100 acres of land near Evans City in 1938, Marburger Farm Dairy has been continuously in operation in one form or another.
A German immigrant by the name of George Marburger Sr. first used the land for raising draft horses until his son Adam transitioned the land into dairy production. After approximately 12 years, Adam, and his wife Georgia moved the operation to its present location. Since then, three generations of Marburgers have been operating the business.
Marburger Dairy distributes buttermilk all over the east coast and currently has over 65 family farms supplying Marburger Dairy with milk. Marburger also supplies Fairview Cheese, Titusville Dairy Products and Beaver Meadows with products.
Over 100,000 gallons of milk a week are processed at the dairy now operated by Craig Marburger and Carrie Marburger Robb following the passing of their father, James.
The Awards Program is administered by Crawford County Pomona Grange. The awards will be presented at an open program Aug. 13 at 2 p.m. at the New Beginnings Church, 13226 Leslie Road.
