Holstein Club is the place to be

PINE PLAINS — For students interested in agriculture, the Eastern New York Junior Holstein Club is the place to be. The club held a banquet Nov. 15 at Copolla’s Restaurant in Hyde Park.

The club includes students from both Dutchess and Columbia counties who work with Holstein cows and participate in showings at local fairs.

Debbie Phillips, who is on the Agricultural Advisory Committee, reported that new officers are elected at the annual banquet, but that most positions stayed the same, with a few new openings.

Coming up in the new year will be a convention held in Corning on Jan. 17, 18 and 19, for both the junior and senior Holstein Clubs.

There will be a DJM (Distinguished Junior Member) award that students all over the state will compete for, as well as All New York awards that pertain to cows and how well they place, dairy bowl contests, and production awards for the cows, as well as an annual meeting.

"Last year our club hosted the convention in Albany," Phillips said, who added that there will be fun activities such as dances for the students.

While the Holstein Clubs hold their convention in the winter, the FFA holds a national convention in the fall (this year, Pine Plains didn’t have any students attend), as well as a state convention in May.

In other FFA news, two students were involved in helping with town decorations. While Decorating Day was officially last Saturday, Nov. 29, on Nov. 15 trees had to be set up and on Nov. 22 all the electrical wiring was put in place.

"The Pine Plains Business Association has been running Decorating Day," Phillips said. "We try to get FFA and other local civic groups to come out and participate."

Phillips also mentioned that the Agricultural Advisory Committee has funded FFA trips this year, including a busing issue with the school, which is currently on a contingency budget.

"We’re picking up the tab so the kids can go," she said.