Campbelltown – This past Saturday, September 4^th,  saw the PA State Grange come to the aid of a dairy farm in Campbelltown that was severely damaged by the tornado that struck the area this past July.

Wednesday evening, September 1, 2004, PA State Grange President Betsy Huber watched a news story on the local news, WGAL TV Channel 8, that covered the story of the Brandt-view Farms, just east of Campbelltown. 

The farm, operated by brothers Carl and Daniel Brandt, was struck by the tornado, causing extensive damage to their dairy operation, injuring family members and killing 6 of their cows.  Immediately following the storm, hundreds of volunteers helped around the farm cleaning up demolished buildings and assisting with the rebuilding of many structures.  As time passed and the rebuilding continued, fewer and fewer people came out to help.

But it wasn’t until this past week, that the brothers realized that they had a much more long-term problem as a result of the storm…DEBRIS…and lots of it.  Daniel found that there was so much debris in their corn fields that they could not get equipment into them to harvest the corn and chop it into silage, a primary feed source for their cattle.  The debris was so extensive that it either would have damaged harvesting equipment, or, if it got through the equipment, it would have harmed the cattle.  And this week is the week that they must begin harvesting to gain the most nutrition from the silage, before the corn begins to turn brown.  The Brandts were again asking for help to clean up their nearly 150 acres of corn.

It was in this request, that President Huber saw an opportunity for the Grange to help.  The Grange is a family fraternal organization with its roots in agriculture.  The National Grange was organized in 1867 and the PA State Grange was chartered in 1873.  Today, the PA State Grange with 340 Community Granges and nearly 16,000 members, serves the needs of agriculture and rural living by striving to improve conditions throughout rural Pennsylvania through community service, legislation, education and fellowship.  And Mrs. Huber saw this as a perfect opportunity for the Grange to serve a community.

Upon arriving at the PA State Grange office at 1604 North Second Street in Harrisburg, Pres. Huber went directly to Public Relations Director Carl Meiss’ office and told him what she had seen the previous evening.  And from this, the wheels begin turning. 

Mr. Meiss contacted the Channel 8 reporter, Bob Simmoneau, who had done the story and got the name of the farm involved.  In speaking with the reporter, Mr. Meiss was able to get Channel 8 and Mr. Simmoneau to agree to cover the clean-up on Saturday as well.  Mrs. Huber then contacted directory assistance and was able to call Daniel Brandt.  When she asked him if he could use some help from the Grange to clean up his fields on the upcoming weekend, he jumped at the opportunity with an open invitation and 9:00 a.m. was agreed upon as a good time to begin.

Emails were then sent from the State Grange office to members in a five county area around Campbelltown.  Additionally, Pres. Huber personally contacted some Grange members and asked them to pass the word throughout their membership of the need for help.  P.R. Dir. Meiss issued a press release on Friday, September 3, explaining what the Grange planned to do.  This was picked up by Fox 43 News and a news director called Mr. Meiss and agreed to come to Brandt-view Farms to cover the story.

Saturday morning arrived.  By 9:00 a.m. PA State Grange President Betsy Huber (Chester County) had arrived at Brandt-view Farms along with P.R. Director Carl Meiss (York County).  Grange members Paul and Dorothy Miller had already arrived from Berks County. Dan Brandt took Mr. Meiss around the farm to show him which fields needed clean-up and where the property lines were.  Carl Brandt was busily doing the morning milking of about 90 cows.

Jennifer Sherlock and a Fox 43 cameraman arrived and conducted interviews of Grangers and the Brandts. 

Three more Grange members arrived from Berks County, Wendy Kerschner along with her two young sons Casey and Conlin, as well as about 5 or 6 neighbors and family friends.  With Fox 43 following, we drove through an alfalfa field to the corn fields that needed attention. 

We split up into two groups to cover the fields on the west end of the farm and began to enter the fields.  The group I was in didn’t get two rows inside the field before we began to find vinyl and aluminum siding.  We dragged the items out of the corn fields and stacked them for the Brandts to pick up after the corn is harvested.  This continued through about 30 or 40 acres of corn until almost noon.  Items found ranged from siding, to a toy horse, plastic tubs, steel sheeting, insulation, trash cans and 50 feet of down spouting.  Channel 8 News arrived before we finished up and interviewed various Grangers and taped many of them dragging items out of the corn.

The Brandts surprised everyone who helped in the clean-up by serving up a fantastic lunch of barbeque, baked beans, chips, desserts and plenty of soda and drinks on the front lawn of their newly repaired home.  This gave everyone,

including the Brandt brothers’ parents, Amos and Ellen Brandt, an opportunity to meet, talk and enjoy each other’s fellowship, something that the Grange takes special pride in.