Nov 25, 2017 5 min read

In 1973, Nancy Midla came to her husband’s family farm in Marianna with no agricultural background and no experience living in a rural area.

Born in suburban New Jersey, Midla, who also lived in Philadelphia and Chicago, and her husband, Dr. Leslie Midla, a dentist, were at a crossroads when Leslie completed his service with the U.S. Navy.

“When we were done with the military, it was like, ‘Where are we going to live?’ We talked about places all over,” she said. “Finally, it kind of dawned on me, ‘We’re going back to his roots, his home.’ The cows were something he really loved. And he wanted to set up a small dental practice.”

Back to Leslie’s hometown they went. Leslie set up a practice in Beallsville, and, after the births of a son and daughter, Midla slowly started to adapt to her new way of life.

“Initially, it was culture shock. It took quite an adjustment, dealing with a farm and taking over more responsibility,” she said.

But her comfort grew, and soon, working the farm became a passion.

“I had no farm background, whatsoever. But it’s a lifestyle,” she said. “It becomes a part of you.”

Almost 45 years later, Midla is being recognized for years of hands-on farming and a commitment to agricultural education by being named the 2017 Outstanding Woman in Agriculture by Pennsylvania Farm Bureau’s Women’s Leadership Committee.

The award was a surprise and an honor, said Midla, who didn’t know she was in the running until October. The nomination came from a member of the Washington County Farm Bureau. Her husband and children handled the application forms and sent them in without her knowledge.

When Midla won the regional title, she thought she had no chance at the state.

“I’m thinking, ‘I know a lot of women very involved in agriculture. It’s silly to think I could win,'” she said.

The honor was bestowed during the bureau’s 67th annual meeting in Hershey Nov. 13-15, when hundreds of farmers from across the state come together to set policy for the organization on issues affecting farm and rural families.

“Nancy’s passion for agriculture is contagious, while her commitment to educating children and adults about the many aspects of farming and food production is renowned in her area of the state,” said Rick Ebert, president of the farm bureau. “Nancy is also a role model for young women and I’m proud to recognize her as Pennsylvania Farm Bureau’s third recipient of the Outstanding Woman in Agriculture Award.”

The Midla farm started as dairy farm. Leslie’s parent’s had dairy cows and a milk processing plant. His father, Joseph, delivered milk door-to-door in Marianna.

By the time Nancy and Leslie were married, the dairy cows were gone. Soon after, so was the plant. The family purchased beef cattle, and Nancy and Leslie purchased a neighboring farm – bringing the total land to 500 acres – with a 200-year-old stone house, in which they currently live.

Midla, with the help of one full-time employee, runs their purebred Hereford beef operation, including their artificial insemination program, breed documentation and finances. She also handles all of the other chores that go along with running a farm – growing corn and hay and selling bulls and females for breeding. In January, one of her busiest times of the year will commence as the cows begin to give birth.

“Once we start calving, I’m the one checking to make sure everything is OK at 3 in the morning,” she said. “The weather can be crazy and we have to watch them closely. We shelter them close to the barn. Most are bred artificially, so I have a good idea when they will give birth. You keep a cow for an entire year for the sole purpose of getting a live calf.”

While it’s a difficult job, it’s one that Midla finds vastly rewarding.

“I have, over the years, really grown to love it,” she said. “Every time I watch a cow lay down and push out a live calf, and watch that calf take its first steps, there’s something pretty magical,” she said. “Mother nature is pretty amazing. To be able to witness that first-hand is pretty special.”

Midla has also devoted much of her time to education. She was instrumental in bringing the “Ag in the Classroom” movement to Western Pennsylvania, and has been a member of the Washington County Farm Bureau for more than 40 years, participating in the group’s “Ag Days at the Mall.” Through membership with the American Association of University Women, she has mentored girls entering middle school.

“Most people have no concept of where food comes from. They go and buy it and don’t event think twice about the hard work and effort that went into producing food,” said Midla. “If you give children information, they tend to appreciate more when they understand where their food is from. Having that exposure is pretty significant.”

Midla, who hosted family, including her children and five grandchildren, on the farm for Thanksgiving, turned 70 last month. She said the milestone made her stop and think about the hard work she puts in daily. But, she said, she and her husband are in good physical shape and enjoy what they do.

“There are days we question why we’re doing this. The machinery breaks down or a cow loses a calf, and it takes something out of you,” she said. “But let’s put it this way, I’m not talking retirement. That’s the way it is with farmers. You keep going until you can’t do it anymore.”