Minutes of Hardin County Retired Teacher Association May Meeting

Eighteen members of Hardin Co. Retired Teacher Association and guest speaker gathered at the Kenton Elks at noon on May 20.

Pres. Madelyn Lowery welcomed all. A prayer was offered by Melanie Kindell before enjoying a delicious lunch of quiche, fruit cup, beverages, and cookies. Lowery thanked the committee of Sandy Moore, Kim Thomas, Nancy Rickenbacher, and Reba Coats for the lovely arrangements.

Pres. Lowery introduced speaker Mark Badertscher. He is an OSU Extension Educator of Agricultural and National Resources in Hardin County. He had arranged a sheep and agriculture tour in Argentina from October 19 to November 1, 2019 for 21 mostly Ohioan farmers. Local sheep producers Dave Burkhart, Nancy Wilcox, and Madelyn Lowery accompanied the group of sheep producers and current and retired OSU Extension Educators on the 2 week trip.

Badertscher presented a slide show of various farms that were toured by the group. The season was spring in Argentina so that various types of farming could be viewed easily. The ag production sites and related industry range from sheep, beef, and poultry operations, field crops, a huge livestock market, a fruit tree farm, an olive plantation and processing facility, a vineyard and winery, and some cultural tours. Argentina exports around one-third of its crops.

The tour included some farms. The education included 4,000 of Merino sheep, Corino sheep, Corriedale sheep, and Poll Merino. The farmers have learned to diversify their production by farming corn, soybeans, wheat, barley, oats, green peas, etc. A fruit farm producing peaches, cherries, etc. along with an olive plantation offered interesting new views. This area of Argentina has an annual rainfall of about 12 inches so irrigation of water from ice melting in the high Andes Mountains is needed.

The tour included other interesting areas. They saw Perito Moreno Glacier and museum plus city tour of Buenos Aires. A tango show was enjoyed. Another was Three Borders Point so as to view Paraguayan and Brazilian coasts, penguin colonies, and Iguazu Falls National Park in a sub-tropical forest to see Devil’s Throat, a large waterfall. The trip was a great experience. He stated the next ag trip is planned to go to New Zealand in 2023.

Pres. Lowery led the group in thanking Badertscher. The business meeting began. Sec. Norma Frederick’s minutes were sent digitally and accepted. Thank you cards were read from Dolly Parton Imagination Library and the Mary Lou Johnson Hardin Co. District Library for the summer reading program. The 3 scholarship winners had orally given their thanks in April after the last meeting. Treas. Joan Mouser had her report filed for audit. Scholarship donations of $84 were gathered. Volunteer hours were 263 hours.

Sandy Moore announced that the STRS election board has announced the winners. The three new members are Elizabeth Jones, Steven Foreman, and Julie Sellers. It is hoped that this will be the start to recovering the COLA for Ohio’s retirees.

Having no other business, Lowery announced that the next meeting will be September 16 at noon at the Kenton Elks. The speaker will be Mary Roby to speak about Angels for the Elderly. Donations will be accepted for this as well. Melanie Kindell offered a closing prayer. The meeting was adjourned.