Solve Labor Problems (Continued from Page 12) pick-it-yourself marketing to sell other crops in addition tp strawberries Lowe has peas, beans, raspberries and black berries for customers to pick, while Uniatowski markets some peas, snap beans, lima beans, peppers and tomatoes from the field. Before customers are allowed in the fields to pick their ber ries or vegetables, Umatowski and Lowe have them check m at market stands Here they ob tain picking containers and in formation on pricing policies how they should seiect the best fruit and which areas aie to be picKed over S.nce some ot the fields in Lowe’s operation are located <t good distance from his market stand, two employees are sta tioned in the fields with custo mers One is responsible for directing traffic to the picking areas and showing customers where to park, the other helps customers in the field Uniatowski uses less super vision in the fields, but both Martin's LIMESTONE Be sure vou apply enough The new higher-powered fertilizers often require more lime each application to maintain a neutral soil that" tests to pH7. - * -r IVAN M. MARTIN, INC. A "LITTLE LITTER” HURTS ...in fact too many Little Litters can put you out of BUSINESS When used with exclusive Big Dutchman electric heat mats, properly placed Alum inum slatted floor and controlled ventila tion, this unit provides an ideal farrowing arrangement and a disease-free environ ment. If you are concerned about today’s litter problem, see us. We’ll help you “solve” the litter problem. LET US HELP YOU PUT IT ALL TOGETHER growers agree it is important to control the size of the pick ing area opened to the public at one time. “We try to have customers pick over a particular plot at one time so that all of the ripe fruit in that area is harvested,” says Lowe. “When nearly all of the mature produce has been picked in that field, we close that area and open another This practice enables the fruit to mature uniformly and causes less stress on the plants Most farmers are price takers wnen they sell their products As individual growers they have little influence 01 contioi over the market price In pick it yourself operations, prouuc ers have more flexibility m the market Uniatowski and Lowe know that the price of their crops will be the cost of produc tion, plus a small markup Although a pick-it-youiselt operator can’t let has prices get way out of line with local retail prices, he can usually set them above wholesale prices, accord ing to Ginder. Blue Ball, Pa. 354-4125 Gap, Pa. 442-4148 Set Own Price BIG DUTCHMAN SOLVES THE “LITTER” PROBLEM Mortality rates due, to scours and accidental crushing have been sig nificantly reduced by the farm test ed and farm proven Big Dutchman farrowing system; a complete sys tem designed and built by people who understand the sow and her needs. The farrowing unit construc tion features embossed draft panels, heavy galvanized side walls, adjust able bottom rails, welded steel tub ing joints, doors that open at either end, welded steel bars, 17-gauge square steel tubes, feeder adaptable to either dry or liquid feeding and a back up bar adjustable to the size of the sow. BIG DUTCHMAN A Division of U.S. Industries, Inc. 215 Diller Ave., New HoUand, Pa. 17557 “Few consumers realize what the normal spread between wholesale and retail is. Thus, a price that is somewhat below re tail is usually considered quite reasonable by pick-it-yourself customers.” Umatowski supplies free pick ing containers for customers while they’re in his fields, but the boxes are turned in when customers check out with their purchases As long as each cus tomer is using the same sized picking container, there is no trouble determining the total quantity of fruit each customer picks Lowe, howevei, lets his cus omeis keep their picking boxes, adding the cost of the containers to the pi ice of the fruit Consumer Demand One of the keys *o successful pick-r-y ouiselt maiketms is to nave a xa.ily aige nopmation to serve A good adveiUsing pro gram also neips Uthough men faciht.es are some distance fiom ? major highway or large urban center. Umatowski and Lowe have had little tiouble in estab lishing a prosperous trade “Although we promote our pick-it-yourself operation by ad vertising through newsp pers and radio, the most effective ad vertisement is a satisfied cus tomer who goes out and tells his friends and neighbors about our farm,” says Umatowski. Good will also brings back the customers for Lowe However, he prefers radio spot announce ments to advertising in print. “You can let your customers know from day-to-day exactly what you have to pick and how much with radio,” he explains Most of their customers live within a 30-mile radius of their operations, but Umatowski and Lowe note that some families drive as much as 60 or 80 miles to pick their own fruit and vege tables. Pick-it-yourself marketing is not for every farmer, however. A grower must possess certain qualities to make this type of marketing program work. And maybe one of the most impor tant qualities a farmer should have is the ability to get along with the public, says Cinder. “A pick-it-yourself operator will face all of the aggravations EASTERN BRANCH Pb. 3545168 Lancaster Farming, Saturday, August 21,1971 jthat most retailers have. He will have to be able to firmly enforce his regulations without offending customers and at the same time be fair and patient,” he explains Rules For Picking Few businesses can operate without some rules or regula tions A grower who goes into pick-it-yourself marketing should attempt to make sure his cus tomers understand the lules he has established, adds Gmaer Some of the items that should be spelled out include —The minimum quantity oi produce that must be pieced each time a customei visits the utm vVith man' crons, now ovei, growers do rot nke to set l minimum - ‘VhethCi on o. I ne custom ei supplies the contameis o pick n and wnethc the nickers oar take them home —The standards used r o de termine puichases Wul you sel 1 jour crops by weight or volume’ —The policy on allowing chil dren in the fields Some glow ers have an age limit for chil dren in their fields ■ —The picking procedures in the fields Include the size of For good production next lactation, FEED PURINA DAIRY CONDITIONER As a dairyman, you know that good milk production doesn’t just happen It’s something you plan for by establishing a herd with the genetic potential for good production, then managing and feeding your cows so they’ll produce up to their bred-in ability. Many successful local dairymen also plan for good pro duction with a proven program of dry cow feeding. They need Purina Dairy Conditioner, a research proven ration to help give dry cows body condition they need for good production after they freshen. Purina Dairy Conditioner is an extra-palatable 12% percent protein ration It’s fortified with vitamins A and D plus extra phosphorus to help guard against milk fever. Purina Dairy Conditioner is low-cost, too, because the amounts you feed depend on your cows’ condition and on the quality of the roughages you feed. For example, a cow dried off in good condition being fed high-quality roughages would require less Dairy Conditioner than a cow in only fair condition being fed fair quality roughages. Drop in soon and get your free copy of the Purina Dry Cow Program folder. We’ll be glad to show you how Purina Dairy Conditioner can help you prepare your dry cows.for good pro duction next lactation. John J. Hess, li, Inc. Ph: 442-4632 Paradise West Willow Farmers Assn., Inc. Ph: 464-3431 West Willow John B. Kurtz Ph: 354-9251 R. D. 3, Ephrata the area to be opened to picking each day and the pattern pick ers are expected to follow. —Opening and closing hours and the days of the week the farm will be open. —A clearly stated price per unit —The span of weeks or days the farm is expected to be open during the season —lnstiuctions as to how to choose ripe, high quality pro duce —lf produce that ’s already piCKed and packed is available -bate the cost and -unere it can le obtained Gmdei Sats gio.ver=; ,vho aie ainsang aouut nturang a mck- it- ouisdt ooeiation sheila .eali7e hoe' ’C saiarg .core .nan pioduc" Uthougn high . quality n ounce i, important -'•oweis sneu'd .smemoei hey uii Uso veiling an expenence TV" aic sellmg an alternoon on f he farm ' They aie selling top auantv pioduce oecause I pick ed it myself ’ “Pick - it-youiself marketing should he an experience that makes customers willing to drive some distance to get be cause they can’t get it anywhere else.” Ira B. Landis Ph: 394-7912 1912 Creek Hill Rd., Lane James High & Sons Ph: 354-0301 Gordonville Wenger's Feed Mill Inc. Ph: 367-1195 Rbeems 13
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers