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Henrietta S. Dreyer - Click to enlarge
Henrietta S. Dreyer
Since her birth on a farm in Springfield, New Jersey in 1913, Henrietta S. Dreyer's love of agriculture has been a driving force in her life.

After graduating from Newark State Teacher's College, Dreyer taught school for nine years. One of the key concepts she instilled in her pupils was the importance of agriculture to each of their lives. Her two sons, Henry and John, learned this lesson well and have remained on the farm which they now run. In addition, her granddaughter, Jessica, has just received her degree in horticulture from the University of Massachusetts and has joined the family farm.

Dreyer has combined her teaching career with her love of agriculture through her active participation in the Ag in the Classroom program. Over the years, she has hosted tours of the farm and roadstand for more than 3,000 children.

The Dreyer Farm celebrated its 95th anniversary last July. During that time, four generations of Dreyers have worked the land. Dreyer's role of Secretary/Treasurer of Dreyer's Farm continues to this day. She still works at the farm stand which marked its 50th year of operation in 1999.

Dreyer joined the New Jersey Farm Bureau in 1942. Since then, she has served as a member of the Board of Trustees, been Union County's representative to the Farm Bureau's Women's Committee since 1968, and served on the Board of Directors for six years. She also served as a delegate and alternate to the State Agricultural Convention for eight years. Dreyer was named Farm Bureau Woman of the Year in 1981 and received the Arthur West Distinguished Service Award to New Jersey Farm Bureau in 1991.

A member of the Union County Board of Agriculture since 1938, she served one term as President and has been the membership Chairwoman since 1975. She was made an Honorary Member of the Union County FFA Chapter in 2000.

Locally, she is active in the Historical Societies of both Cranford and Springfield and has been a trustee of the Cranford Historical Society for more than 22 years. Dreyer is a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Cranford where she has served as deacon and as a member of the Board of Trustees. She is also a member of the Cranford Business and Professional Women's Association. A strong supporter of local garden clubs, she has often served as a speaker for many of their programs.

In recognition of her lifetime dedication to agriculture in the Garden State, the State Board of Agriculture is proud to present Henrietta S. Dreyer with its citation for Distinguished Service to New Jersey Agriculture.