Vol. 17 No. 18 Manheim Farmer Named 1971 Outstanding Cooperator Lester Stehman Recognized at Conservation Banquet A Manheim area farmer who has been an active cooperator with the Lancaster County Soil and Water Conservation District for many years received the 1971 Outstanding Cooperator Award at the annual banquet at the Farm and Home Center Thur sday night. Lester Stehman, Manheim RD2, operates a 76 acre beef farm in Rapho Township. A soil Conservation Cooperator for 23 years, he has been actively stressing conservation practices on his farm for the past five years. The award presentation to Mr. and Mrs. Stehman was a color aerial photo of the Stehman farm, taken by Grant Heilman, local photographer. The award was presented by Abe Dombach, chairman of the County Com missioners. Stehman’s list of conservation practices include: —Built 2.2 ,acres of sod waterways, > .. ■ > —Constructed 12,461 feet of terraces. Of this, 4,140 feet are parallel, 8,321 feet are cropland terraces. —Constructed 10,025 feet of tile drain. '—One grade stabilization structure. —Has 60 acres of contour farming. Two other prominent Lan caster County Conservation men were honored for their services to the Conservation District. In surprise acknowledgements, Amos Funk, Millersville RDI, fit This Issue Ag Teachers Report 22 Classified Ads 34 thru 39 Editorial Page 10 Market Section 2,3,4 Sale Register 28 thru 32 Women’s News 24 thru 27 Steve Spencer, dairy specialist at Penn State University, makes a point during the library See cl n -? « ™v.' 107 Tattoo Lld°" Asilcul ’ cu re University Pnrk’ ( and Henry Hackman, Manheim RD2, each received an engraved watch from Comissioner Dom bach in appreciation of the 20 years' each has served in the District. The film “American the Beautiful” was shown by Hack man, executive assistant ot the District. This film has been prepared for use in local school to develop attitudes and awareness in elementary school children on ecology and- con servation. The script and film strip were prepared by Mr. and Mrs. Henry Hackman. The annual report was given by Mrs. Nancy Burkhart, Con servation District secretary. In her report, it was noted that in 1971 the federal government paid Lancaster County land owners nearly $75,000 for conservation work on their farms, comprised mostly of installing sod water ways and cropland terraces. She stated that a total of 86 landowners became cooperators during 1971, making a total of 1,586 cooperators in the District. Fifty-nine basic conservation plans were prepared and 15 old plans were revised and technical assistance provided to 574 lan downers. Speaker for the evening was R. M. (Mel) Davis, Camp Hill. Davis cataie to Pennsylvania in Dairy Calf “Lancaster County Dairymen lose between 2000 and 3000 calves each year. Most of this loss can be attributed to the facilities in which the calf is born and raised. If the dairyman can improve his facilities for calf birth and raising, this mortality rate can be cut.” So says County Agent Max Smith. Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 25,1972 Mr. and Mrs. Lester Stehman are shown with the photo they received after being named Outstanding Cooperator at the Management Discussed On Tuesday his thoughts were backed up and amplified by two calf experts from Penn State University as they talked to Lancaster County Dairy Far mers at a Calf Raising and Replacement barn meeting. The meeting actually took place on two Lancaster County farms so that the specialists Calf raising and barn replacemnt meeting at the John B. Groff farm, R.D. 1, Mt. Joy. could demonstrate what they were talking about. Steve Spencer, dairy Extension specialist, Penn State University and Jerry Bodman, Extension engineer at Penn State, pointed out the advantages of the calf facilities on the John B. Groff farm, Mt. Joy RDI, and the Nelson H. Hershey farm, Columbia RD2. They noted that many dairy farmers lose calves at birth or shortly thereafter because the calves may be born in unsanitary quarters such as manure gutters or dirty box stalls. Other poor practices which contribute to calf mortality in cludes tieing the calves with bailer twine to a post at the end of the bam or putting a number of calves in box stalls to run free. They noted that when this occurs quite often the calves will suck each others ridders, thus many times ruining udder tissue causing the calf to be a poor milker when she is older. The specialists encouraged dairymen to think a bit more of their calves when they construct new facilities. They pointed out that the Groff farm has in dividual stalls for calves, slatted floors, and maternity pens. The bam is dry and draft free and is highly conducive to problem free calf birth and growth. (Continued on Page 4ft annual Lancaster County Soil and Water Conservation District banquet Thursday night at the Farm and Home Center. Farm Calendar 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Southeast Pennsylvania Ayrshire Club barn meeting, Kennard Henley farm, Cochranville. Oakryn Grange 66, Conferring first and second degrees, Oakryn Grange Hall. I p.m. New Holland Young Farmers concrete workshop, New Holland Concrete Company. 7:30 p.m. Lancaster County Soil Conservation District educational meeting, vo-ag department, Elizabethtown Area High School. 7:30 p.m. Dairy Herd Management meeting, Farm and Home Center. Swine Management Conference, Penn State University, March 28 - 30. 9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. Farm Vacation Workshop, ag building, Tunkhannock. Milking Short Course, Penn State University, March 29 - 31. 7 p.m. No-Til Com Planting meeting, Roy H. Buch, Inc., Ephrata RD2. 7:30p.m. —Farm Water Supplies meeting, Farm and Home Center. $2.00 Per Year Saturday, March 25 Monday, March 27 Tuesday, March 28 Wednesday, March 29 Thursday, March 30 (Continued on Page 4)