Meat & Greet: Anna

A: Now I’m in the bakery as a cashier. First was market in 1954. Then I started packing sausage at the plant on a very small scale in about 1955 or 56. Gradually, we packed more and more product. At first, Amos (Myron’s dad and the company’s founder) did his butchering in at the restaurant before the plant was built. Then I went onto doing more work at the plant, making the sausage on Tuesday and packing on Wednesday. Then I worked at the Stoltzfus Farm Restaurant on Thursday and Saturday and went to market Friday. That was my schedule for a lot of years. I was at the restaurant the first day and the last day from 1968 to 2012. Then 6 years ago I stopped working at the plant due to some family circumstances. I continued at market since then.

 

 

A: It’s been very interesting to see how it’s grown because when I see how it started and what it’s become, I think a lot of the credit goes to Myron for being very generous and patient with his employees. I think that’s one of the big keys to the company’s success. And of course, credit would go to Sally, Myron’s wife, as well because she has always stood by him. She’ll dig in to help out when she needs to. I’m reminded of the quote “to those who much is given, much is required.” Myron has always been willing to share and give God the credit.

 

The very first day we went to market, we took everything on Amos’ little green pick-up truck. No refrigeration. Then the market burned a year later and then we purchased a bigger area of the market. We sold deli meats and cheeses on a much smaller scale along with pies, eggs, bread, and salads. Compared to now, it’s a totally different scale. Everything was much smaller then. Myron would come down as a little tot and run around market when his dad was running the stands.

 

 

A: When we stayed down overnight in a snow storm. One winter we stayed down 3 nights. They would call us and say “it might be bad, you better pack your bags.” We would pack everything: a card game, goodies to eat- it was great. We boarded in a hotel across the street. By the third time, we were not excited anymore. No one wanted to do it the 3^rd time. We could do that when it was only 4-5 people needed to run the stands.

 

A: I spend time with my children and grandchildren when they have time. I enjoy sitting and doing puzzles. For Christmas, I got a hard puzzle to work on. It’s the front page of the NY times from June 1932, which is the year I was born. I have yet to start that one. I go to lunch with friends, especially my niece. We do a lot of things together. I do some reading, but not as much as I used to. If I get a good book, I can get into it. Another highlight of my week is getting together with some friends and doing food packs for Pequea Valley School District. After we’re finished, we go sit at the gazebo at Stoltzfus Meats for breakfast. In 2021, we only missed 2 Wednesdays all winter long.

 

A: Well, it would probably be scrapple. It’s a special treat when I get to eat it. I love to make a piece of scrapple and stewed crackers anytime of the day.