UpDate - Vol. 13, No. 35, Page 10
June 23, 1994
Timkos share life and work on Newark campus farm

     Tony and Cyndi Timko have seen Newark go through many changes in
the last 20 years. Theirs is an unusual perspective, having lived all
that time on the University farm, located south of the Pennsylvania
Railroad tracks off Library Avenue.
     As farm manager, Tony is responsible for helping meet the needs
of researchers, other faculty, staff and students in the College of
Agricultural Sciences. With the help of three full-time employees and
new students each semester, he plants, fertilizes and harvests such
crops as corn, soybeans, potatoes, wheat and barley, which are used in
research. He also maintains equipment used for teaching, research and
general farm practice, provides equipment to such other units as the
poultry and dairy operations, provides feed for livestock and takes
care of general building repair and construction on the farm.
     In addition to maintaining research plots in Newark, Tony also is
responsible for other University research areas in Middletown, Smyrna
and Dover. While his set hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m, as he and his wife
pointed out, farming depends heavily on the weather, which means the
work gets done when the weather permits. Some days, Tony may start
work as early as 5 a.m. or finish as late as midnight.
     Researchers submit proposals that specify certain dates for crops
to be planted, and Tony must come as close as possible to the dates.
Tony said the various units often work together and help each other
get their work done when weather and time are important factors.
     In addition, Tony is on call 24 hours a day and must take care of
problems that occur. Once, in the middle of the night, he got a phone
call from Public Safety telling him a cow had gotten loose and was
wandering down South College Avenue.
     Except for working in inclement weather, Tony said he loves every
aspect of his job. One of the best parts is that it changes all the
time.
     "There is always something new each year," he said. "Every day
brings a new challenge."
     He said his job is unlike running a family farm because it is a
year-round commitment. Winter is when Tony makes repairs and works
with researchers to plan for the spring. Most family farmers plant in
spring and summer and harvest in fall. Then they have a downtime in
winter.
     "Tony's the only guy I know who would go to work seven days a
week if they'd let him," said Cyndi, who is senior secretary to the
assistant director of Delaware Cooperative Extension. Actually, the
couple does work seven days a week, helping out on weekends at the
family farm, Maple Springs Farm in Elkton, which is run by Tony's 82-
year-old father, Nick.
     Tony said he also enjoys his job because he is able to spend a
lot of time outdoors and to work with a variety of people, including
the young children who come on class trips to see the animals at the
farm.
     The Timkos have two children. Their son, Mark, is a senior
sociolgy major at Delaware, who will graduate in January, and their
daughter, Jennifer, is a University junior majoring in English
education.
     "We'll always farm as long as Tony's dad's farm is there," Cyndi
said. Eventually, when they take over the family farm, they will plant
every spring and harvest every fall. Over the years, they have
compiled a list of all the places they have always wanted to see.
During the winter downtime they say they hope to travel to those
places.
                                                         -Gina Poltrok