The Lesher family of Bernville have been awarded the 2018 Berks County Outstanding Farm Family.
“The Leshers are a super family. They are passionate about agriculture and the dairy industry,” said Reading Fair Association President Steve Mohn, chair of the Awards Banquet. “William and Lolly are involved in many agricultural organizations. Their support of the community is tremendous. They give back in so many ways.”
The award is sponsored by the Berks County Grange and the Reading Fair and presented during a banquet held at the Berks County Agricultural Center on July 25.
“They are passionate and enthusiastic about agriculture especially the dairy industry and their community involvement in the area. They are currently a stop on the Pennsylvania Ice Cream Trail supporting farm to ice cream operations,” said Mohn. “All of the children were involved or are currently involved with showing at the fair through 4-H. Several generations of the Lesher Family have been members of the Shartlesville Grange.”
“We’re humbled and flattered that they would select us but we’re just like any other farm family,” said Lolly. “We’re just trying to do the best job we can do with our family, our farm and be a part of the community.”
Their involvement in the community includes Lolly serving on Hamburg School Board and Kutztown Fair Board as well as dairy committees. William serves on the Upper Tulpehocken Township Planning Commission and is President of the Holstein Club.
“We have a passion for farming,” said Lolly. “Dairy farmers are attacked every single day for what we do and how we do it. We’ve always had the approach that what we do is good and really important. Instead of attacking us, we want you to ask us questions. We spend a lot of time outside of the farm volunteering, trying to help people understand more about what we do and why we do it.”
The Leshers operate Way-Har Farms, a family owned milk and dairy farm in Bernville, and Way-Har Farm Market, a third generation family-owned country store on Route 183 in Bernville. Their ice cream is featured on the new Pennsylvania Pursue Your Scoops Ice Cream Trail created by Visit PA and the PA Department of Agriculture (https://visitpa.com/scoops).
William’s grandfather Arthur Lesher purchased the farm in Upper Tulpehocken Township in 1952. In the 1960s, William’s father and uncle, Wayne and Harold, created Way-Har and built a brand new barn. In 1970, Wayne and Harold established the farm market. At one time, William went into a partnership with his father and more recently in 2013, William and Lolly created a partnership for the farm market and the dairy farm, creating two LLCs with them as owners.
“The Leshers have always been dairy farmers,” said Lolly. “Our family has been farming a long time. I came from a farm family. It’s what we do.”
They have a total of 500 dairy cows of which they milk 230. On 350 acres, some of which they own and the rest they rent, they grow corn and hay to feed their herd. There are five employees working at the farm and 24 at the market, mostly part time.
Technology and upgrades are a big part of their farm operation also. Select dairy cows wear FitBits, a computer chip on the collar that tracks the cow’s temperature and number of steps taken to help with healthcare of the cows. The new barn also features more than 60 fans, water misters, back scratchers, Juno the robot and an open stall layout. Their goal is to keep their cows happy, healthy and comfortable.
Their children continue the farming tradition, both on the family farm and beyond. Joshua, 26, runs his own custom harvest business. Jaylene, 24, works at dairy farm Kings Ransome in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Laura, 22, works at dairy farm Budjon Farms in Lomira in Wisconsin. Olivia, 16, a junior at Hamburg High School this fall, is a Berks County Dairy Ambassador for the Berks County Dairy Princess. They all have a part of the family farm business from harvesting crops to taking care of the calves.
“We’re really lucky that our kids want to farm,” said Lolly, anticipating that their children will continue the operation of Way-Har Farms in the future.
In response to receiving the Outstanding Farm Family Award, Olivia said, “All of the hard work we put in to help educate the community and getting what we do out to the public and being recognized for all of the hard work we do is really nice. I think our family is really honored to receive this award.”
