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