Janet Dyk has a passion for quilting.
It’s been her hobby since 1996. She estimated making over 400 quilts since that time, incorporating antique and vintage items not to mention some cherished memories.
“I made (quilts) using clothes that belonged to my brother Joey, who passed away in 1994,” Dyk said Thursday from her Machado Family Farm home.
Altogether, she made six such quilts, presenting them as gifts to her parents and siblings.
“Quilting can be a really nice way to memorialize someone,” said Dyk, who is planning to do likewise for her husband’s side of the family.
She’s also hoping that her hobby will help raise money for a pair of Saturday fundraisers.
Dyk, for example, is parting ways with her framed crazy quilt piece consisting of some vintage materials.
“It has $200 worth of old jewelry and trim,” she said.
The piece will be auctioned off during the annual dinner and dance for Friends of the San Joaquin County Fair at the fairgrounds.
Another of her quilts was donated to the Weston Ranch High BBQ Dinner event benefiting Kyla Virtue, who has been battling Stage 4 Sarcoma.
Dyk is the coordinator for AgVenture. She’s been the full-time coordinator for the San Joaquin County agriculture program for third-grade students since 2007. Before that, Dyk spent 21 years at Manteca Unified, where she also helped introduce farm days to the various elementary school sites.
She just completed another AgVenture season. Featured were three county-wide Ag events consisting of over 500 volunteers and made possible by a combination of funding – the San Joaquin County Office of Education budgets $46,000 for the cause – grants and sponsors.
Her works on AgVenture begins in the late summer months.
“Manteca is by far the largest. We get over 4,000 (third-grade students) at the school farm,” said Dyk.
The other two are held at the fairgrounds in Stockton and the Lodi Grape Bowl, with each attracting about 3,000 youngsters.
“I’m in the process of sending my personal thank you (cards),” said Dyk, who had about 640 to mail off to her volunteers.
She also received plenty of thank-you letters written by students attending the recent AgVenture held in Lodi. “They were all wonderful to read,” Dyk said.
She and her husband, Daryl – he’s a foreman at the Machado Family Farm – have three children; Amy, the eldest, is married to Lance Bavarro; and sons, Daryl Jr. and Ryan, are also involved in the family business.
Her brother, John A. Machado, is now in charge of the dairy, taking over from her father, Joe J. Machado, who recently retired.
The farm was founded by Dyk’s grandfather, John R. Machado.
Janet Dyk is a graduate of the Ripon High Class of 1971. She also attended Modesto Junior College and California State University at Stanislaus.
She often starts her day at 4 a.m.
“I was getting up that early when I was still working (at August Knodt School),” she said. “I had to be the first one there.”
Whether it’s AgVenture or quilting, Dyk will put forth her best effort from the opening bell.
“Anything I do is full steam ahead,” she said.
It’s been her hobby since 1996. She estimated making over 400 quilts since that time, incorporating antique and vintage items not to mention some cherished memories.
“I made (quilts) using clothes that belonged to my brother Joey, who passed away in 1994,” Dyk said Thursday from her Machado Family Farm home.
Altogether, she made six such quilts, presenting them as gifts to her parents and siblings.
“Quilting can be a really nice way to memorialize someone,” said Dyk, who is planning to do likewise for her husband’s side of the family.
She’s also hoping that her hobby will help raise money for a pair of Saturday fundraisers.
Dyk, for example, is parting ways with her framed crazy quilt piece consisting of some vintage materials.
“It has $200 worth of old jewelry and trim,” she said.
The piece will be auctioned off during the annual dinner and dance for Friends of the San Joaquin County Fair at the fairgrounds.
Another of her quilts was donated to the Weston Ranch High BBQ Dinner event benefiting Kyla Virtue, who has been battling Stage 4 Sarcoma.
Dyk is the coordinator for AgVenture. She’s been the full-time coordinator for the San Joaquin County agriculture program for third-grade students since 2007. Before that, Dyk spent 21 years at Manteca Unified, where she also helped introduce farm days to the various elementary school sites.
She just completed another AgVenture season. Featured were three county-wide Ag events consisting of over 500 volunteers and made possible by a combination of funding – the San Joaquin County Office of Education budgets $46,000 for the cause – grants and sponsors.
Her works on AgVenture begins in the late summer months.
“Manteca is by far the largest. We get over 4,000 (third-grade students) at the school farm,” said Dyk.
The other two are held at the fairgrounds in Stockton and the Lodi Grape Bowl, with each attracting about 3,000 youngsters.
“I’m in the process of sending my personal thank you (cards),” said Dyk, who had about 640 to mail off to her volunteers.
She also received plenty of thank-you letters written by students attending the recent AgVenture held in Lodi. “They were all wonderful to read,” Dyk said.
She and her husband, Daryl – he’s a foreman at the Machado Family Farm – have three children; Amy, the eldest, is married to Lance Bavarro; and sons, Daryl Jr. and Ryan, are also involved in the family business.
Her brother, John A. Machado, is now in charge of the dairy, taking over from her father, Joe J. Machado, who recently retired.
The farm was founded by Dyk’s grandfather, John R. Machado.
Janet Dyk is a graduate of the Ripon High Class of 1971. She also attended Modesto Junior College and California State University at Stanislaus.
She often starts her day at 4 a.m.
“I was getting up that early when I was still working (at August Knodt School),” she said. “I had to be the first one there.”
Whether it’s AgVenture or quilting, Dyk will put forth her best effort from the opening bell.
“Anything I do is full steam ahead,” she said.
