WEST MEAD TOWNSHIP — “These are very unselfish people,” said Crawford County Commissioner C. Sherman Allen. “They put their heart and soul into what they do.”

In those few words, Allen summed up the credo by which three giants in Crawford County agriculture have lived and conducted themselves, a distinction for which they were honored Sunday.

The 2012 Agricultural Hall of Fame and Ag Industry Awards were presented at the Crawford County Fair honoring J. Howard Caldwell of Woodcock Township, Robert T. Rose of Cochranton and Allan Hart & Sons Farm Machinery of Cochranton.

The Ag Industry award, presented by Hall of Famer Eleanor Kalinowski, honored a true family effort as Allan Hart & Sons Farm Machinery includes Hart, his wife, Betty, sons Ron and Jim, grandson Joe and daughter Karen. Karen accepted the award on their behalf.

“My parents worked very hard for the ag industry; they live for farming,” she said. “I’m proud for both of them.”

Allan Hart, 81, has remained active since his FFA Star Farmer status in 1950.  He and his family have expanded their business to an export market and offer what community members agree is an all-encompassing array of industrial and farm equipment all the while maintaining a farming operation of 1,000 acres.

“If we had more families like that in America, we wouldn’t have so many problems,” said Kalinowski.

J. Howard Caldwell of Woodcock Township received the Hall of Fame Award for his lifetime dairy-farming efforts as well as his service to agriculture and the community as master of Woodcock Center Grange, director and president of the Crawford County Holstein Club and chairman of the Crawford County Fair Sale & Show Committee.

Caldwell also helped organize “Farm-City Day,” an effort to educate the public about farming, as director of the Crawford County Farm Organizations and director of the Farm Credit Board.

“The leadership these people have provided keeps agriculture viable in Crawford County,” Caldwell said of past Hall of Fame honorees. “I’m overwhelmed and humbled” to now be among them, he said.

He thanked his family as well as the friends and neighbors who served with him over the years. “Without their cooperation, my job would’ve been impossible.  I couldn’t have done it without them.”

Hall of Famer Bruce Stainbrook described the 2012 recipients as respected, trustworthy, selfless and responsible leaders and educators. “Looking at past recipients as well as today’s, it’s very obvious.”

He presented a Hall of Fame Award to Westmoreland County native Robert T. Rose, who rose through the meat business ranks, from cutting meat in a Cochranton store at 14 to serving as president of the Pennsylvania Association of Meat Processors Board of Directors.

“My wife would always ask me, ‘What hat are you wearing today?’ depending on what meeting I had or what job I was doing that day,” Rose laughed.

Like his fellow recipients, Rose encouraged kids and young adults to enter agriculture, serving as a 4-H and Resource Leader for 31 years, organizing new clubs and shows along the way.

“You do things for the kids,” he said. “If you always go through this thinking it’s for the kids, you’ll always do the right thing.”

As 15-year president of the Crawford County Fairground Building Association, Rose helped the initial construction of the Livestock Complex and later served as chairperson of the Crawford County Fair Beef Department.

“It’s been quite a ride,” he said. “This is a fantastic award.  I really appreciate it.”

This year marked the first presentation of the awards at the Crawford County Fair, a move many would like to see continue, according to Susan Tau, past Pomona Grange master and Hall of Famer, who also pointed out that agriculture is the number one industry in the county.

“Crawford County is no slouch for the agriculture industry,” said Crawford County resident and state Secretary of Agriculture George Greig. “Everyone knows Crawford County because of all the work done here. I’m honored to be in the same room as these people and I’d like to thank the recipients for all you’ve done for agriculture.”

Nominations are solicited from interested ag-related organizations and businesses as well as former recipients of both awards.



Konstantine Fekos can be reached at 724-6270 or by e-mail at kfekos@meadvilletribune.com.