.
Kill Deer, The
Strawberry Farm
Living Today
Thursday, February 1,1979
By ELIZABETH STEWART
StettWHter
Kill Deer Farm, the home of
Harold and Patay Uineberger and
their three children, le often
referred to by area cltlsens aa "the
atrawberry farm."
It la that and more.
The Unebergera operate a pick-
your - own operation on 10 acrea of
their aprawUng 116-acre fruit term
on CherryvlUe Rd., which alao
producea grapea and peachea, and
which haa won three top awarda
recently for the famlly’a con-
aervatlon efforta.
In a atate where ao many farma
tell a conaervatlon atory, placing
cloae aecond In the annual atate
competition for Conaervatlon Farm
Family of The Tear la high pralae
and honora the family of five, aa
excellent conaervatlonlata and
active church and community
leadera. Prevloualy, the family won
the area award and were tapped
Cleveland County'a Conaervatlon
Farm Family by the Cleveland SoU
and Water Conaervatlon Dlatiict
SupervlBora.
Strawbeniea, that Juicy red fruit
ao popular for deaaerta, aalada, jama
and preaervea haa played an Im
portant part In the Uvea of Harold
and Patay Llneberger and their
chUdren, Barry, a aenlor, at KMHS,
Jeff, a aophomore at KMSHS, and
Lee-Ann, a aeventh grader at
CherryvlUe Junior High where
Patay Llneberger teachea aervlce
occupatlona and careera.
"We uaed to grow atrawberrlea on
my father’a farm In DaUaa," aald
Harold, but we picked the berrlea
curaelvea for aale In the marketa. I
decided when I grew up I'd try to
find a better way to do It, becauae we
didn't have Irrigation at home and
became dlacouraged. Dry weather
would UteraUy ruin aU our work."
Mr. Llneberger, a former 4-H
extenalon agent In Anaon County and
for 18 yeara newa editor for
Rutherford Electric Co-op, atarted
hla own atrawberry bualneaa with
of an acre In CherryvlUe, "becauae a
little extra caah never hurt
anybody."
Ten yeara ago the famUy buUt
their four-bedroom home on Rt. 1
and appUed for conaervatlon plana
with the Cleveland SoU and Water
Cbnaervatlon Dlatrlct to be uaed on
hla farm, which up untU Jan. 1977
waa for them a part-time Job. "We
Inveated money and developed the
farm Into what haa become a fuU-
tlme Job," aald Mra. Llneberger,
who aaalata her huaband with
pruning grapea and hoeing, along
with their two aona. Lee-Ann la chief
aalea lady at peak aeaaona In AprU-
May when hundreda of cuatomera
atart before daylight picking
atrawberrlea. Lee-Ann enjoya aeelng
the carloada of people who take
gallon boxea to the flelda and pick aa
many aa 1600 gaUona In one day. The
Unebergera offer their gueata hot
coffee and pubUc reatroom facUltlea.
"It'a a buay time for aU of ua,
from morning until dark," aald Mra.
Llneberger, "but we love It and
that'a why we've become auc-
ceaaful."
Mr. Llneberger agreea. He aald
hla parenta, Mr. and Mra. Qraham
Llneberger of Gaaton County, ralaed
atrawberrlea and other truck
produce on a 82-acre term to aend
their aon and alx other chUdren
through coUege. Llneberger la a 1960
graduate of N. C. State University.
Mra. Llneberger, the former
Patay Baker of CherryvUle, la the
daughter of Mra. OecU Baker and
grew up on a dairy term In Oaaton
County. She haa taught achool for 16
yeara.
Patay and Harold have Uved on a
term aU their Uvea except two yeara
In Wadeaboro when Llneberger waa
an extenalon agent.
The Llnebergera are aetting
conaervatlon examplea with a
conaervatlon cropping ayatem,
managed graaalanda, graaaed
waterwaya and terracea, among
other thlnga. Mr. Llneberger notea
there are three thlnga eaaentlal In
growing atrawberrlea, weed kiUera,
mulching and Irrigation. Mra.
"Llneberger adds a a fourth, "con-
atant hoeing."
"We'd loae oiu- cropa without
Irrigation," aald Mr. Llneberger,
explaining that water, pumped from
a pond below the wooda, la aprlnkled
over one and one-half acrea at a
time. The pump la turned on every
three daya or ao when It doesn't rain
and the berries are watered for
about three hours. He is In process of
constructing another pond for a
more dependable water supply since
the crops have been expanded. He la
also in process of buUdlng a cold
storage room to keep the fruits In.
Fruit farming la expensive
business and requires planning to
succeed. Gasoline to run their
irrigation pump la the moat ex
pensive Item, according to
Llneberger, who estimates that cost
in winter la about $60 a night to keep
the frost off. He estimates that a
good crop wlU produce 1600-2000
gaUons an acre.
"With irrigation a termer can
cover some of hla bets and doesn't
lose It all," says Llneberger, who
aald that the addition of a backup
pump to hla Irrigation system has
paid off.
Mr. Llneberger credits the
temUy'a success to the fact that all
of them work together. "Everybody
helps," We're a team."
Three of the five members of the
family like to cook. Harold
Llneberger rises at 6 a. m. every day
and prepares a big breakfast for the
whole famUy before they go off to
school. Barry Llneberger drives a
achool bus. Both Barry and Jeff
Llneberger are active In school
activities. Jeff la president of the
Science Club and FFA. Lee-Ann
plays clarinet In the band at
CherryvlUe Junior High and haa
taken up her brother's love for
I ^
5' "rV.?
STRAWBERRIES ARE FAVORITE DISHES - Lee-Ann Llneberger
and her mother, Patsy lUneberger, eitjoy preparing vummy dishes for
tbe family to enjoy from the strawberries the family harveata on their
116-acre fiult farm on Rt. 1. Froaen strawberry Jam Is a favorite bieak-
^test treat for the family of five.
cooking, decorating and crafta. Lee-
Ann prepares lunch for the famUy
during ^sy seasons and does all
the housework In summer montha
for her mother to help on the farm.
The Llnebergera are active In
Resurrection Lutheran Church.
Strawberry terming la a continual
"setting out, spraying and hoeing
process aU year round" and all the
Unebergera adviae that "you have
to love It becauae It’s woric." Mrs.
Llneberger admlte that "It Isn’t
reaUy work to Harold and me
because we love It ao and can see the
results our family la ac
complishing.”
Where did the famUy get the name
of their farm? KUl Deers are birds
which build their neats In
strawberry patches. And since
strawberries are the main crop,
Harold and Patay named their term,
"KUl Deer.”
Do the Llnebergera like to eat
strawberries after aU the work In
growing and harvesting the fruit?
"Tou bet we do,” smUes Lee-Ann,
who says that strawberries are
froaen during the spring and sum
mer months and are enjoyed year-
round for special breakfasts, lunch
and supper.
"Strawberry milkshakes are a
favorite of her brothers at any time
during the year and nothing la better
than strawberry Jam from the
freezer in the cold, winter months of
February.
(Turn To Page SB)
RUNNER-UP CONSERVATION FARM FAMILY IN
N. C. — The Harold Llneberger family on Route 1 are
runners-up to North Carolina’s Conservation Farm
FamUy of the Year, nominated one year after they
began their "pick It yourself” strawberry operation on
fuU-Ume basis. Tbe Llnebergera are pictured with
daughter, Lee-Ann, with the plaques the temlly has
earned. Not pictured are Bariy and Jeff Llneberger,
who were participating In high school events when tbe
pictures were made.
-■L
u T .1 . X STRAWBERRY FARM - KUl Deer farm on
rTiOTOS Dy I Om McIntyre CherryvUle Rd. is the home of Harold and Patsy
Llneberger and three children who operate a “pick It
yourseH" strawberry term which has been honored for
top conservation efforta recently In the county and
state.
Of irrigalj" toTiiirter^f?!::
Harold Llneberger Is quite proud of his efforts on "KUl
Deer Farm.” Strawberries are the main crop.