NY Brown
Swiss Association Newsletter
President: Sarah VanOrden Vice
President: Beth Martin
Secretary/Treasurer: Stacia and Jeff True Director at large: Mel Phelps Youth Director: Julie Miesner
Website and Publicity: Diana Curtis-Szalach
Welcome! 2007 has been a great year for the New York Brown Swiss Association! Thank you to all who were a part of it, and if you are learning of our organization for the first time, I invite you to join the excitement!
Nearly three
years of planning and hard work paid off July 11-14th when the 2007
National Brown Swiss Convention came to
The
National Convention was a great example of NY Brown Swiss members from across
the state pulling together to generate interest in NY Brown Swiss! I hope that we can continue to build on this
momentum in 2008 and beyond. First on
the agenda is the All Breeds Convention, coming up soon in
Plans
are shaping up for the rest of 2008, as well.
We should have a dynamite Spring Sale with
early consignments already coming in.
Consider making the trip to
The strength of our organization depends on the active participation of membership. We’re glad to have help with the directory, the raffle, the booth, juniors, show awards, etc. I’m glad to hear any thoughts or suggestions you might have. If you know someone who owns Swiss and is not a member, please copy a form and give them a personal invitation. Or give an officer a call, and we’ll see that they get a copy of this mailing. If you sell an animal to a new buyer, fill out a membership form for them. The more people we can communicate with, the faster the breed will grow!
Sarah Van Orden,
President
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING
January 18-19, 2008 at the Holiday Inn Turf, Albany, NY at the New York State All Breeds Convention with specific time and location for Brown Swiss meeting to be announced on the Brown Swiss website. Election of officers will occur at this meeting. If you are interested in being nominated, please plan to attend, or contact Sarah Van Orden in advance. Registration forms will be available on the website or you can contact Stacia True at (585.237.6144) for a copy of the registration form.
2008 SPRING
Do you have a few extra heifers
in the pens, or a special cow that you’d like to merchandise from? The spring
calf and heifer sale will be held in
We’ll also be looking for junior members to care for and fit the sale animals. If you’d like to participate at Carousel but don’t have an animal to exhibit, this is a great opportunity! Please contact Julie Meisner if you’d like to work on the sale crew.
WEBSITE UPDATE
If you haven’t visited www.nybrownswiss.com, now’s the time! Diana Curtis has been busy updating the site to include current happenings with NY Brown Swiss. You’ll find pictures from the National Convention and State Fair, association minutes, plus an order form for BS apparel. If you need extra membership forms, you can print them from the site. We can also link your farm’s website to our page, just email Diana at website@nybrownswiss.com.
JUNIOR REMINDERS
Cheese Yield, Production, Youth Achievement, and Youth Ambassador Contest entries are due December 15th! Please contact Julie Meisner at 607.343.8351 or jrollingh@aol.com if you have any questions! Awards for these contests, Bell Ringers, and raffle ticket sales will be presented at the All Breeds Convention, January 19th, 2008. Please plan to attend!
We would like to take a group of
NY juniors and heifers to
FUTURITY
NY Brown Swiss once held an annual futurity, and some interest has been expressed in reviving it. We’d like to form a committee to determine when and where to hold it, rules, etc. Something you’re interested in? Let an officer know.
MERCHANDISE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE
Are you looking for the perfect gift for the Brown Swiss enthusiast in your life? Check out the selection of t-shirts, hoodies, and hats at www.nybrownswiss.com . These items are offered to raise funds for the New York Brown Swiss Association.
Hot for fall 2007 is our new “BS”
t-shirt. Available in
We have recently restocked our selection of navy hoodies, which feature the NY Brown Swiss logo on the front chest, and a large Brown Swiss head on the back. At $30, each they’re sure to keep you warm and cozy this winter! Our tan New York Brown Swiss ball caps are also available again, for $10!
“Showtime” t-shirts were created by our own Brown Swiss junior members for a special fundraising project. They feature the “Top 10 Reasons Why My Show Cow Lives Better Than I Do,” and are generic to all cows, so they fit the bill for anyone who’s been bitten by the show bug. These tees are available in red or grey at $15.
Last but not least, the ever popular NY Brown Swiss logo tees are offered in navy blue or forest green. They display the NY logo on the front chest, with a color-blocked “B” on the back, and sell for $12.
Take a few minutes to peruse the photos at www.nybrownswiss.com, or contact Sarah Van Orden at 607.327.0363 to place your order. Brown Swiss merchandise is sure to please this holiday season!
RAFFLE WINNERS
We held another successful cash raffle this summer. Lucky winners were:
1st Prize ($250) –
Sheri Hakes,
2nd Prize ($150) -
Charlene Holmes,
3rd Prize ($50) –
Virginia Dehner,
The juniors also held a “Cow Chip Bingo” at State Fair, raising $850! Thank you to everyone that purchased tickets!!
The competition was fierce at the State Fair for top raffle ticket salesperson! Many juniors did a great job canvassing the barn and the fair goers in search of sales. In the end, one junior outdid the rest by selling 125 tickets: Courtney Baker! With only 2 tickets separating the runners up, Ashley Willits claimed 2nd place, and Patty Morrison placed 3rd. Congratulations and thank you for your hard work! Prizes will be awarded at the All Breeds’ Convention in January!
2008 NY BROWN SWISS DIRECTORY
Ad space is available in the upcoming
Brown Swiss directory, which is distributed at Carousel, State Fair, the
Eastern Breeders’
It’s great to see increased
activity at the canton level. “
Contact Information for
Sarah VanOrden President (607).327.0363
Beth Martin Vice President (315).287.3639
Jeff and Stacia True Treasurer/Secretary (585).237.6144
3086 Route 246
Mel Phelps Director at Larger (315).688.2508
Diana Curtis-Szalach website (315).655.8770
Wendy Baker Capital District
Julie Meisner (607).343.8351