St. Patrick`s Day Shamrock Shake Recipe

St. Patrick’s Day
Maddie Jorolemon
Senior Columnist
Each year, St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on March 17th. Although it is often
celebrated socially, it began as a religious holiday that is known to recognize the
anniversary of St. Patrick’s death. People of Irish heritage have
celebrated this religious day for over 1,000 years.
St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated during the season of Lent.
Families often go to church in the morning and celebrate later in
the day.
During lent, people who celebrate various practices of
Christianity would not eat meat (this tradition still occurs in many
religious households today). St. Patrick’s Day was a special occasion during Lent in which people could drink, dance, and eat
traditional meals and is still the case today. St. Patrick’s Day began as this religious
feast day for Christians, but is now widely celebrated across the world with parades,
dancing, and the color green, symbolizing the Emerald Isle.
Taylor Cuff
Columnist
Shamrock Shake Recipe
Printing
Brought To
You By:
Panther Press Staff
Questions? Comments? Concerns?
Feel free to contact us!
panther.press1@gmail.com
Staff Editor: Miss Rao
Editing Chief of Staff and
Senior Columnists:
Tyler Guarnieri
Maddie Jorolemon
Katie Locastro
Molly Ryan
Kaitlyn Sevilla
Eric Stabinsky
Columnists:
Taylor Cuff
Jessi Menotti
Lexi Vitale
Kaleigh McLoughlin
Kristen Sevilla
Marissa Recckio
Emma Redmond
Sophie Redmond
Emily Ryan
Abbey Vincent
Anna Vincent
On behalf of the Panther Press Team, we’d like to thank you
for reading this issue! Be sure to come back for more of Port
Byron’s best newspaper!
INGREDIENTS:
-1 1/2 cups vanilla ice cream
-1/2 cup whole milk
-10 drops green food coloring
-1 teaspoon peppermint extract
-Whipped cream (optional)
-1 Maraschino cherry
PREPARATION:
In a blender, combine the vanilla ice cream,
milk, green food coloring, and peppermint extract, and
process until smooth, about 30 seconds.
Pour the shake into a glass and top with the
whipped cream and maraschino cherry.
PANTHER PRESS PRINT EDITION: PART OF PORT BYRON’S STUDENT MEDIA GROUP
Generating opportunities for students to create media; broadening perspective, increasing marketability upon
graduation, and reaching out to the local and global community.
Port Byron High School’s Newspaper
Emily Ryan
Columnist
Only the Best From the Panther Press
March 2016
Established 2011
Volume 6, Issue 13
Sister Goal(ie)s
Younger siblings often follow in their older sibling’s footsteps in sports; the Lupo sisters are
no exception. Port Byron freshman, Morgan Lupo, takes after her older sister, Port Byron alumna,
Amanda Lupo. Currently, Amanda is a sophomore at Utica College and the backup goalie on the
women’s ice hockey team. Never short on determination, Amanda has started four games and played
five in total.
As said by her coach, “Amanda works tremendously hard and she’s always ready to go.”
When asked if Amanda influences her participation in sports, Morgan replied, “yes.”
“In the fact, when I was little, we both played hockey,” said Morgan.
Morgan is very supportive of her sister, having gone to most of her games, only missing one
due to her own commitment to soccer.
This season, Amanda has an impressive .917 save percentage and a 2.26 goals against average. Amanda and Morgan credit their father with having a heavy influence on both girls playing the
goalie position in hockey and soccer, respectively.
Their father, Mike Lupo, was a goaltender himself, playing lacrosse, soccer, and hockey.
Most likely influenced by her father, Amanda has decided that she is going to play lacrosse for Utica
this spring as well. Although it is a sport she has never played before, her athleticism shined true and
she made the team and is excited to start.
Not only are both sisters goalies, they also look alike.
“People always mistake me for my sister. Everyone is constantly congratulating me on Amanda’s articles online,” said Morgan.
But, Amanda isn’t the only Lupo sister being recognized for
her athletic talent. Morgan is a part of a U.S.A. Olympic Development Program (ODP). She has always had a love for soccer and is
successful because of her hard work and determination.
Morgan plans to continue playing soccer throughout college.
She has already started researching colleges and making lists of ones
she finds interesting. Her goal is to major in kinesiology/exercise science and go to college in a warm climate.
Lexi Vitale
Columnist
Distance Running
Distance running to me is likely very different than how most people
probably view it. Most think that the mile (1.6K) and two mile (3.3K) in
track and field are considered “distance running,” however, I would honestly
consider a 5K (3.1 miles), 10K (6.2 miles), 15K (9.3 miles), half (13.1 miles)
or full marathons (26.2 miles) to be true “distance running.”
If you are a runner, then maybe you are ready to challenge yourself with a
race of some type. If you are not a runner, but are looking for a great way to
either get in shape or stay in shape, there are plenty of ways to train to run at
a variety of distances.
Initially, I had no idea I would love distance running as much as I do, but I have come to
learn that it’s really about the mental mindset. I trained hard for my first 15K, and my first half
marathon.
My suggestion would be to find out about the race you want to enter. There are many
important factors to consider, such as the elevation. My mom accidently signed me up for a 15K
that involved a ton of hills. It was a tough run.
The number of runners in the race is also important to know. For example, 15,000 people
run the Utica Boilermaker; it is considered to be in the World Circuit for races, so it can qualify a
runner for the Boston Marathon or the NYC Marathon. There are large monetary prizes involved
in this race as well, so athletes come from all over the world to participate. Last year’s winner
was from Kenya, a country that turns out many of the world’s best distance runners. I enjoyed the
Boilermaker, but it is certainly intense, and not as much of an enjoyable run as others I’ve done.
I have also been fortunate enough to run two of Disney’s Half Marathons. This year, I did
a 10K and a half marathon back-to-back. The difference between the Disney Marathons and a
marathon you might run somewhere else is the number of participants; there are typically 24,000
people that run. Another thing that makes the Disney Marathons different
is that there is entertainment on the course. While a handful of runners
don’t stop for a picture in front of the castle – most do. I am far less worried about my time for the Disney races.
Another thing to consider when picking a race is the time of
year. My best time was at the Empire State Half Marathon, right here in
Central New York in November. Sometimes the heat can be draining, so
it may be better to run in the fall, rather than the summer.
Running long distance has definitely given me longer and stronger muscles and a more efficient metabolism. I love that you can train by
yourself or run in a group.
Our Port Byron Dance Team ran a 5K in December and it was a ton of fun for everyone,
even those who considered themselves “non-runners!” I would love to help anyone interested in
distance running, so don’t be afraid to reach out to me!
Eric Stabinsky
Senior Columnist
Tropical Cyclone Winston
causes Havoc in Fiji
Natives and relief workers rush to begin cleaning up the aftermath and resuming business as usual.
The night of Saturday, February 20th saw one of the most terrible tropical storms recorded in the Pacific.
The government of Fiji announced that a massive category five cyclone (more commonly known as simply a
“hurricane” in the Pacific), known as Tropical Cyclone Winston, had touched down over their small island nation.
According to a tweet from Australia’s agency of CARE (Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere), there were reports that the “Fiji Govt has confirmed the death toll… has risen to 28.” Thankfully the
storm has passed, but the hard work is far from over.
According to many, Winston was the second most powerful land-touching tropical cyclone ever recorded (and the strongest ever in the Southern Hemisphere) and thus has caused much property damage and loss of
life. Roughly 28 casualties were confirmed during and just after the storm, but according to The Weather Channel, the counting of casualties after the storm has jumped to be as high 42, one of them being a 10-month-old
baby. In addition to the large number of deaths, more than 13,000 people have been forced to leave their homes
due to extreme winds and flooding.
The island has also issued a month-long state of emergency during which they will begin reconstruction.
The Foreign Minister from New Zealand (Murray McCully) informed NBC News that “...reports of widespread
damage are coming in from across Fiji… It is clear that Fiji faces a major cleanup and recovery operation.”
Many charity organizations and national governments have pledged support to the relief efforts in Fiji,
one of the leading supporters being Australia with a $5 million pledge. Unfortunately, this is most likely nowhere
near the needed amount of resources for cleaning up the island.
Normally Fiji is prepared to deal with tropical weather, but the power of
Tropical Cyclone Winston was enough to overcome any weather protection they
had and deal serious damage, which speaks volumes to its destructive power.
Hard times are ahead for citizens of Fiji, especially with the drop in tourism that is sure to follow. Storms of this magnitude are relatively rare in Fiji, as
the island is comparatively small and therefore makes a difficult target. However,
this is far from the first storm to test them, and much like all the ones before: the
people of Fiji will rebuild.
Horoscopes with Madame H
Aries: Take pride in your accomplishments! You’ve had so
much success so far, so keep it up!
Taurus: Don’t let anything get you down, there’s only
three months left of school! You can do it.
Gemini: Don’t count on others to make you happy; create
your own happiness.
Cancer: When school gets you down, try some new studying tactics.
Leo: Last week may have been draining, but go into this
week with a positive attitude and things may turn around!
Virgo: Don’t let others stop you from achieving your
goals.
Libra: Remember to stay calm in frustrating situations.
Scorpio: Try something new; let problems take care of
themselves and take care of yourself for a change.
Sagittarius: Get ahead on your work, try not to procrastinate as much!
Capricorn: When you come across a problem, be clever
and resourceful to solve it.
Aquarius: Push yourself to achieve, but also remember to
enjoy yourself.
Pisces: When things get overwhelming, remember to
breathe.
Anna Vincent
Columnist
Sweet Corn:
More Than Just A Vegetable
A summertime favorite that most people can
agree on is delicious sweet corn. Families across
the state know it is finally that special time of year
when they see fresh sweet corn at their local supermarket. This summertime treat is as yummy as it
is incredibly valuable to our state economy. That is
why students at our very own Dana L. West High
School have been working so hard to get sweet corn
approved as the New York State official vegetable.
It all started in 2007 in Dr. Townsend’s
Civics class. The students were searching the web
looking for a civic engagement project when they
came across sweet corn.
“The students discovered how valuable sweet corn
is to New York State agriculture and thought it
would be a neat idea to see if they could get sweet
corn approved as the state vegetable,” said Dr.
Townsend.
Throughout the years, many of Dr. Townsend’s
classes have worked to achieve this goal. Some of
which include civics, street law, social studies, and
a variety of others.
As mentioned above, sweet corn’s value is
what inspired students to take on this grand task. In
New York State alone, 18,000 acres of sweet corn
are harvested with an annual production figure of
$42,399,000. New York is ranked fourth in the nation for production of sweet corn. Top-producing
counties include Cayuga, Orleans, and Genesee.
There are many other values of sweet corn other
than just its economic benefits. Corn helps to
improve bone strength, prevent anemia, boost the
immune system, and many more reasons beneficial
to your health.
The process in which the students are going
through to get the bill approved is no easy task.
Petitions have been spread throughout the school,
collecting signatures from the faculty and students.
The students in the 7th grade Honors social
studies class have been writing petition letters to
send in. Many phone calls must be made to coordinate with New York Senator Nozzolio’s office.
The original goal for Dr. Townsend’s
students was to be the first state in the country to
have sweet corn as their official state vegetable.
However, in 2015, Illinois announced sweet corn
as their official state vegetable.This announcement surprised Dr. Townsend and her class.
“Illinois is not a major corn producing
state in terms of sweet corn compared to New
York State,” said Dr. Townsend.
This new change of events is only motivating Dr. Townsend’s students to get the bill
approved.
Everyone is eagerly waiting for the bill,
that is now sitting before the Senate and the Government Operations Committee, to get approved.
If the bill is passed, the students who have signed
the petitions can know that they are the ones who
allowed for this to happen, and that they put the
power behind our beloved sweet corn.
“It is the power of the students being
future leaders,” says Dr. Townsend.
Hopefully in the near future, you will
walk into the New York State Fair being greeted
by a sign that announces sweet corn as the official
vegetable of New York!
Macenzie Reese
Columnist
Untold Features of the iPhone
You can never know too much
about your smartphone. It is hard to keep
up with all of the Apple updates and all
the features the updates include. iOS has
grown more and more feature-rich over
the years. Some people who work at Apple
don’t even know all the tricks and features
put into the new iOS updates. Here are
some features that are very handy and
allow users to understand their smartphone
better.
Custom Vibration Alerts:
Open “settings,” go to “sounds,” open
“ringtone/text tone,” select “vibration,”
and at the bottom, choose “create new
vibration.” This allows you to tap out the
vibration pattern you would like for your
texts and calls; you can also set it for just a
specific contact.
and select the plus symbol. For example,
if you were to use the word “photography,” type that into the “phrase” field and
then type a shortcut, such as “phy,” into
the “shortcut” field. Now, every time you
type “phy,” your phone will autocorrect it
to “photography.”
Blinking Message Alerts:
Open “settings,” go to “general,” open
“accessibility,” and then turn on the “LED
Flash Alerts.” Now, your camera flash
will blink whenever you get a new text
message.
Head Control:
Open “settings,” go to “general,” open
“accessibility,” turn on “switch control,”
click on “switches” and add “camera” as
a new switch. After you do that, you’ll be
able to use specific actions that will take
place when you move your head to the
Text Shortcuts:
right or to the left when looking at your
Open “settings,” go to “general,” open
“keyboard,” then select “text replacement,” iPhone’s display. This feature is aimed at
Sophie Redmond
Columnist
users with special needs, but can be handy
for anyone.
Hide Unwanted Apple Apps:
Do you ever just want those unwanted Apple
apps to go away? Go to “settings,” open
“general,” go to “restrictions” and enter
a passcode to enable them. Then choose
the apps you want to hide from your home
screen and turn them off.
Make TouchID Work Faster:
If you save the same fingerprint more than
one time, the different entries and TouchID
will work faster. This is helpful for older
iPhones with finger scanners.
Deleting Numbers in Calculator:
Are you always having to delete the whole
number when using the calculator on your
iPhone? You can delete single digits by
swiping the number to the left or right where
the numbers appear.
The Importance of Amber Alerts
An AMBER Alert is an emergency response system that gives information about a missing person
(usually a child), by media broadcasting or electronic roadway signs. Many people probably only know them
from the alerts that they get on their phone when a child goes missing; however, because of advancements in
technology, these alerts that show up could help save somebody’s life. Next time there’s an AMBER Alert,
take the time to read more into the location and details to see if you can help.
The AMBER Alert originated in the United States in 1996. It was created in remembrance of a 9-yearold girl, named Amber Hagerman, who was abducted in Arlington, Texas. Although this abduction was not the
first, or even the first to be recognized, it was the beginning of this style of reporting these traumatic events.
These alerts are distributed throughout radio stations, television stations, e-mail,
electronic traffic-condition signs and many more. Recently, AMBER Alert
teamed up with several websites to help spread the word for emergencies more
quickly.
Many people have probably only heard of an AMBER Alert from the
alerts that are automatically sent to millions of cellphone users. These are sent
because of a program started on January 1st, 2013. If a cell phone is WEA
(wireless emergency alerts) enabled, then it is automatically set up to receive
three alerts: President, Imminent Threat, and AMBER alerts.
So, the next time an AMBER Alert comes out, don’t ignore it. Find
some information on what happened and where it happened, in case you can
help. Take advantage of the new technology that has been created for our benefit.
Molly Ryan
Senior Columnist
The United States has not been nicknamed the “melting pot” of cultures for
nothing; being 100% of one ethnicity is pretty rare in America these days because of
the great diversity in our country’s population.
My grandmother on my mom’s side, Sue Butera, is 100% Irish. Her grandparents (my great-grandparents) came to America directly from Ireland. Her maiden
name is “Maloney;” it doesn’t get much more Irish than that. Both her parents were
100% Irish, which is what makes my grandmother solely of Irish blood as well.
My grandfather, John Butera, is 100% Italian, making my mom’s heritage
half Irish and half Italian. Going down a generation further, my sisters and I are
almost fully half Irish and half Italian as well (because my father’s parents were
almost fully or Irish and Italian ancestry too, with a little English and Scottish thrown in there somewhere).
St. Patrick’s Day holds a special place in my grandmother’s heart due to her lineage. It’s one of her favorite holidays, but shamrocks and the color green are seen around her house all year round. To my grandma, St.
Patrick’s Day is about celebrating your heritage.
“I eat, drink, and be merry,” she said when asked how she celebrates the holiday.
My grandma has visited Ireland twice, and would like to go back again. My cousin studied abroad in
Ireland, and the country is number one on my travel bucket list. My grandma’s love and passion for Ireland and
the Irish culture sparked our interest in that branch of our family tree.
To those who are of Irish descent, St. Patrick’s Day is a sentimental holiday. It is more than just a day on
which we hunt for leprechauns and wear green. It is a day to think about what it means to be Irish and be thankful
for family, friends, and our Irish ancestors. I believe I inherited “the luck of the Irish,” because I am truly lucky to
have a grandmother so happy, proud, and aware of where she (and I) come from.
An Irish Tale
Emma Redmond & Abbey Vincent
Columnists
Shaken Taiwan
Recently, Mr. Hsu, Port Byron’s own technology guru, traveled to Taiwan to visit his family and
to celebrate the Chinese New Year. During his first night in Taiwan, he experienced an earthquake that
registered 6.4 on the Richter scale. Although he wasn’t directly at the epicenter, he still felt some rumbles
of the massive quake.
Mr. Hsu is originally from Taiwan. He moved to the United States to go to college and because he
wanted a change after high school.
This earthquake was not out of the ordinary for him, however, his wife had never experienced
anything like this, as she has only experienced what little rumbles we have here in Central New York. Mr.
Hsu said she described it as, “just like the turbulence on an airplane.”
Across the country, the damage was far more extensive and even
deadly; international news reported that 116 were killed and over 500
were injured, raising concern here at home for Mr. Hsu and his family.
According to CNN, 11 high rises collapsed due to the deadly quake.
Earthquakes are not out of the ordinary for Taiwan. Taiwan is
located on top of the Circum-Pacific seismic zone or the ring of fire.
Thankfully, the Hsu family was safe and sound and all of us here at Port
Byron are certainly glad that they weren’t closer to the epicenter.
Jessi Menotti
Columnist
The Fear of Trump
After winning both New Hampshire’s and South Carolina’s primaries, it
seems increasingly likely that Donald Trump will be the Republican party’s choice
for the presidential nomination. For some, this is a terrifying possibility. Since
Trump has engaged in a war of words with dignitaries including the Pope, he is
viewed as a loose cannon. In the event that Trump does become the official nominee, or possibly president, other countries are already taking measures to protect the
world as we know it.
Cape Breton, island in Nova Scotia, Canada
Cape Breton, located on the East Coast of Canada, is around the size of
Hawaii’s Big Island, and is currently experiencing a problem with their population. Instead of having too many
people, the island actually has too few. This quote is from Cape Breton’s website: “Hi Americans! Donald Trump
may become the president of your country! If that happens, and you decide to get the hell out of there, might I suggest moving to Cape Breton Island!”
At first people thought that it was a joke, but it turns out this small Canadian oasis is quite “for real.” Cape Breton
really is accepting American immigrants, should Trump receive the nomination or win the presidency. On their
website, readers are encouraged to find out more about the immigration process and Cape Breton’s diverse culture.
Interested? Just go to http://cbiftrumpwins.com for all you need to know. (And yes, that really is the website.)
In January, Britain considered a ban on Trump. Several Brits started a petition that would have kept Trump
from being allowed to enter the country. After receiving 574,000 signatures, the petition traveled to Parliament to be
voted on. Surprisingly, it in fact was seriously considered, but the ban on Trump did not come to fruition, because
it would have gone against the ideals of free speech and tolerance that Britain boasts. British Prime Minister David
Cameron was quoted as saying: “I think if he came to our country, he would unite us all against him.” There is still
some hope for the British. Another petition was released recently to send Trump to space... and leave him there.
Although certainly the beauty of America is that anyone, even Mr. Trump, could become president, there
are some people who have thought ahead for what this might mean for them should they disagree with his politics.
The Americans who fear for their safety will be able to escape to an island with a fascinating culture and amazing
views. I hear they have nice weather in the summertime.
Marissa Recckio
Columnist
Ask A Panther
“If you could attend any concert for free, what would it be?”
10th grade:
“A classical
music symphony”
-Addie Bisnett
8th grade:
“Fifth Harmony”
-Chloe Skutt
7th grade:
“Zayn Malik”
-Abbey Ryan
9th grade:
“Justin Bieber or
One Direction”
-Jessica Suslik
12th grade:
“Luke Bryan”
-Abby Leonti
11th grade:
“Florida
Georgia Line”
-Olivia Leonti
Katie Locastro
Senior Columnist
The Inside Scoop
After a long, dormant winter, the Ice Cream Shoppe, located at Ed and Jean’s in Port Byron, is
finally open again. It isn’t open for its usual summer hours yet, but it is open from 11am to 7pm, Monday through Saturday.
The Ice Cream Shoppe has always been a hot spot in Port Byron where kids can go to hang
out with friends and enjoy a delicious treat. There are even some Port Byron seniors that work in the
shoppe. Carrie Martens and Brittany Westover have been working there for quite a while now, and
both really enjoy their jobs.
“I like working at the Ice Cream Shoppe because I work with good people that make it enjoyable,” Carrie Martens says.
Both Martens and Westover are excited for it to open back up again, not only because they enjoy working (and getting paid), but also because they love the ice cream and the assortment of cooked
foods that they have.
Some of the specials that the shoppe serves include:
Monday: Large cold sub with fries and a large drink $6.99
Tuesday: Soft or hard taco $3; Taco salad $6.25
Wednesday: Pepperoni or cheese pizza $6.99
Thursday: Hamburger with fries and large drink $5.00; two hot dogs with fries
and large drink $5.50
Friday: Fish dinner with fries $8.95; fish dinner with onion rings or macaroni and
cheese $9.95; fish sandwich $4.95
Some of their best selling ice creams also include:
Piece of Cake: A favorite of every cake lover
Queen of Hearts: Perfect for chocolate lovers
Classic Swirl: Great for anyone who can’t decide between vanilla and chocolate
Martens and Westover really enjoy the staff and the experience working there.
“My favorite part is working with my friends and creating memories,” says Brittany Westover.
If you’re looking to satisfy your hunger (or your sweet tooth), head down to the Ice Cream
Shoppe soon!
Kristen Sevilla
Columnist
Urban Decay’s Naked Palette Dupes
The famous “Naked Palette” is known to be the best eyeshadow palette for
creating perfect neutral looks. There are a wide range of colors and sparkles ensuring
the creation of numerous looks. The only con of this palette is that it is $54, because
those of us who are on a budget don’t have that kind of money to spend on eyeshadow. Besides, who would spend $54 on something that they can purchase for a fraction
of the cost? Luckily, there are a few eyeshadow palette dupes (the word “dupe” is
short for duplicate; it's a cheaper copy of a high-end item) that are not only similar to
the Naked Palette, but a lot more affordable. Purchase the palettes below to prevent
from breaking the bank.
W7 In The Buff Palette in Lightly Toasted - $8.29
Pretty much all of the colors in this palette are
identical to the Naked Palette, even the order of the
eyeshadow colors.
MUA Undressed Palette - $6
This crazy affordable palette includes shades
very similar to those in the Naked Palette, one can’t even tell the difference.
E.L.F. 32 Piece Eyeshadow Palette in Natural - $9.64
This huge palette has six exact dupes for the Naked Palette, and even more
neutrals and taupes to choose from.
Makeup Revolution Iconic 1 Palette - $7
The shades in this palette are completely
identical to the Naked Palette. Who wouldn’t want
to save $47?
Coastal Scents Revealed Palette - $20
Although this palette is more expensive
than the others, it is definitely worth it. It offers
amazing quality at a low cost and there is a dupe
for every shadow shade in the Naked Palette.
Kaitlyn Sevilla
Senior Columnist
Donna Todd: Not
Eighth-grader Donna Todd isn’t sheepish about her obsession with her farm animals.
One can easily spot Donna; she is always
sporting some variety of sheep-patterned attire, whether it be on her socks or her ever
adorable “Fleece Navidad” shirt.
But Donna isn’t the only one in her
family who is proud of their animals, her
whole family is in it together. The Todd Family Farms is located in Throop, and has been
in the family for quite some time.
“I’m the third generation. My grandpa
bought the farm 42-43 years ago,” explained
Donna.
“Everybody helps work, but my grandpa, dad, and uncle mainly. My grandma, mom,
aunts, cousins, brother and sister and I all help
out, too.”
While sheep are Donna’s favorite animal, they surely aren’t the farm’s only inhabitants.
“We have sheep (obviously), chickens,
ducks, beef cows, pigs, and turkeys, sadly. We
had a tom [a tom is an adult male turkey] and
when it was mating season, he liked to chase
after me,” Donna said. “But it was only me he
chased after! I went in with a stick one time.
Yeah, he got it!”
The Todd family breeds their own
sheep, raising different flocks for different
purposes.
“For the show sheep, we have to have
a special lamb, it has to be 100% Tunis or
Romney or Horn Dorset because if it’s not,
they won’t let you show it, and for the commercial flock, we just breed it with whatever
ram,” explains Donna.
“With the rams, we either keep them
or bring them to the market, I don’t like to
think about that, but we take them to the
market, and with ewes, we keep them to
breed.”
“We also sell the wool from the
sheep. I want to get into spinning the wool,
so we started saving bags of wool,” said
Donna.
When Donna was 10, she attended
her first sheep show at the Cayuga County
Fair.
“The sheep I took to my first competition was Sammy. We didn’t win because
there was another guy that was much older,
and he spent two hundred dollars on sheep
or something! But this year, they found him
cheating!” said Donna.
“He crossed the sheep, you have to
have full purebred, but he crossed it and
painted the nose to make it look like it was
purebred.”
At the competition, there are several
rules a competitor must know.
“We walk them around the ring, you
always have to stay on the other side of the
“Sheepish” About Her Hobby
judge, or they count off points, and you have
your hand under their chin, and one behind
their ear. When the judge wants to look at
them, you stop them and put two of their legs
straight across from each other, and the back
legs straight across from each other,” the
sheep-enthusiast explains.
The woman from whom Donna
bought her sheep, Sammy, is in the show
business and taught Donna all about how to
show sheep.
“Sammy was already trained, so I just
had to learn how to show her,” said Donna.
The Cayuga County Fair isn’t the
only place Donna has been asked to show.
“I got asked to show at the New York
State Fair, but I didn’t go… I’m bad at leaving my sheep. I’m fine being away with my
family, but I don’t like leaving my sheep,”
said Donna.
“My younger sister Ashley shows
sheep, but she doesn’t want to anymore; she
actually wants to show chickens. My brother,
Jacob, is only five years-old, so he can’t
show yet; you have to be seven years-old,”
explained Donna.
The Todd Family Farm truly is a family oriented farm. Everyone helps out with
chores, even Donna.
“I have to hay, grain, and water my
sheep. I also go down to the barn and run the
skidsteer to bring down hay or grain for the
sheep. I am learning how to drive the tractor,
too!” said Donna.
“I got scared one time; it was icy and
we had to go uphill, and it tipped back on
only two wheels, and I screamed and started
to cry!” said the young, fearless farmer.
Despite this scary moment, Donna
finds her home at the farm, and wants to continue working on the farm when she’s older.
“I also want to be an elementary
teacher. I think my oldest cousin is going to
beat me to owning the farm, he’s already 19,
but I want to make money as a teacher, but
still work on the farm,” said Donna.
Donna has seen all aspects of a sheep’s
life, from birth to death.
“When the sheep are born, the show
sheep, we get to name them, if they live. I’ve
pulled lambs before,” Donna said, nonchalantly.
To “pull a lamb” means to, quite literally, pull a lamb from the mother ewe during
the birthing process.
“The craziest experience with my
sheep was probably the first time I pulled a
lamb. I wasn’t scared, though, I was really
happy! Like, I was trying to settle down. It
wasn’t gross, really,” said Donna.
Donna is a perfect example of how one
can have a passion and follow through with it,
even at a young age.