GETTING THE CROP DRYER READY for the first cutting of alfalfa is one
he early spring chores for Galen Crouse, Stevens Rl. He uses a converted corn
►•wagon shed as a drying shed. Up to 1,000 bales of hay can be piled three lay
deep on the wooden skids inside. When drying is complete, after about 18
rS) the hay is stored in the barn. Tank in right foreground holds fuel oil for
burner. L. F. Photo.
Plant Food Is A Sound Investment
We Offer The Right Granular
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ELIZABETHTOWN
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Jacob L. Kurtz Wilson Scott
Elizabeth town West Willow
Evan E. Dinger
Keinholds & Richland
Stephen Kurtz
Morgantown
Prescott Service Cenier
Annville Service Center
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, May 23, 1964—9
• Hoy Champion
(Continued from Page 1)
day afternoon.
Crouse converted an old
corn crib-wagon shed into a
drying barn by building a duct
work through one crib and lay
ing a series of skids on the
floor. A fuel oil fired crop
dryer outside the shed forces
hot air through the ducts and
up through the partially cured
hay. He has found that three
layers, or about 700 to 1,000
bales, will cure -in 18 hours un
less the weather is extremely
damp. Four layers in the shed
takes more time and pushes
the cost too high, he says.
He estimates’ that he can
finish his alfalfa for about $3
to $4 per ton, but he says the
worst problem is moving the
hay after is it cured. He un
loads the wagons in the drying
shed, and after the hay is cur
ed he loads it again and moves
it to the barn for storage. But
this is work that can be done
when it is not fit to work out-
In Bags or Bulk
Fertilizer . . .
And Call . . .
Harvey J. Miller
Henry S. Hoover
Jonestown
I'phrata
side, he points out.
But championship hay does
not start at harvesting time.
Crouse seeds alfalfa nearly
every spring with oats as a
nurse crop. He puts on about
one and a half bushels of oats
per acre and band seeds 25
pounds of alfalfa as early as he
can work the ground.
He eliminates competition as
soon as the alfalfa is establish
ed by making oats silage. Last
year he harvested over a ton
of alfalfa hay on the first cutt
ing of a new stand. His esta
blished stands average better
than five tons of cured hay
per acre most years.
Crouse cuts his Flemish type
alfalfa four times during the
season, harvesting as soon as
the plants reach the bud stage,
or about every four weeks. He
topdresses with 0-20-20 fertiliz
er after the third cutting and
spreads the manure from his
100 head of holsteins on the
hay fields during the fall and
winter. With this care he can
usually keep a stand in good
condition for about five years.
He has 36 acres of hay,
about 24 of it alfalfa and the
other 12 mixed mostly
brome, on his 72 acre farm.
He makes Rye silage in the
spring and corn silage in the
fall. With this kind of forage
program, he purchases his
grain needs.
Earlier in the spring, Crouse
turned his 59 milkers out in
rye pasture but found they
dropped about 150 pounds pro
duction per day. When he be
gan chopping the rye and haul
ing it to them in the barn, pro
duction came back to previous
levels. He turns the cows out
in a 10 acre permanent pas
ture “mosjly for exercise”
every morning. They get two
feedings of the high quality
hay and four feedings of silage
every day.
Crouse protects his alfalfa
from pests with recommended
spray schedules, but this year
found that even though he fol
lowed directions and sprayed
last fall with Dieldrin, he did
not get control of the weevils.
He plans to spray the stubble
as soon as the crop is removed
to try to get more time and a
better second crop. That’s
what it takes to make
championship hay.
Farm Women 2
Add 2 Members
Society of Fanti Women 2
met at ' ie home of Mrs. Jay
Witme’% Manheim IR2. Mrs. Mar
lin 1-1' ler was assisting hostess.
Mr 3. .Ronald Gordley led the
group in devotions.
In response to roll call, each
member gave a Bible verse be
ginning with the initial of their
first nar.3. Mrs. Alvin Gray
bill, president, presided over
the meeting and the installation
of two new members, Mrs. Lay
ser Shenk o£ Manheim R 4 and
Mrs. Warren Kline of Man
heim R 2.
Society 2 will 'be the guests
oif Society 17 Saturday, June 6
at the Refton 'Fire Hall. A. do
nation was given to Darwin
Boyd, an exchange student to
be located in Korea. Donations
were also given, to two local
families.
The Society Wall have a food
stand at an antique sale in
Lititz on May 30. Chicken corn
soup, beef pot pie and home
made ice cream and pies will
be sold.
The next meeting will be held
in (East Petersburg with Mrs.
Sadie Shenk as hostess.
There is no such thing as re
forming the mass without re
forming the individuals who
.compose it. Henry. Ward
r ’Beecher,
i l-