The date of 1837 is marked on the Century Farm’s barn. The farm was first run by John V. Ballard and those that followed were: Job Ballard, Ben Ballard, Leon Ballard, Dick Packard and now Eric and Amy Packard Kneller.
The family has a long history with the Troy Sale Barn. Amy and Terri’s grandmother, Marion Parmeter Ballard, first met their grandfather, Leon Ballard, at the Troy Sale Barn.
In 1924, the Troy Gazette Register ran this article: “Not since the war has a sale of purebred cattle in Troy been so well attended and have buyers been so willing to pay a price for choice offering as on Saturday at the Fourth Annual Sale of the Troy-Canton Holstein Breeders Association. Fifty-four head sold for an average of $157 per head. Twelve year old Leon Ballard got the price of $325 for a six year old cow.”
With family farms dwindling in numbers, it is really great to see a Century Farm that is still in full operation, with family members willing to make a donation to help save the Troy Sale Barn.
On the coldest of days. the crew has been working inside the sale barn, preparing for footers to be poured, which will support the steel beams replacing the wooden beams. Our Architect, Andy Harding, has been making sure that everything the crew has been doing will pass state inspection. Gene Wilston has been given the final dimensions and will be pre-cutting the steel before it is delivered to the barn.
Although the Troy Historical Society is pleased with the donations that have been coming in, we still need your help. Send donations to Bill Bower, 1244 Redington Ave., Troy, PA 16947. If you would like more information on the plans for the sale barn, call 570-297-2943. Your donations are tax deductible.