f rpm Local Aa Teachers: Editor’s Note: The article this Alfalfa. A Second Rate Crop? week was prepared by Michael J. Burton, Young Farmer In- Alfalfa has long been a structor at Penn Manor High neglected crop in Pennsylvania. School, Millersville. It has taken second place to corn SPECIAL PRICE ON - GOLDEN MALRIN FLY BAIT - FLY SPRAYS - JET FOGGERS - ACID CLEANERS - TEAT DIP - MAES INFLATIONS AARON S. GROFF Farm & Dairy Store RD3, Ephrata. Pa. Phone 354-0744 17572 (Hinkletown) Store Hours 7 A.M. to 9 P.M. Closed Tue. & Sat. at 5:30 P.M. Improve the profitability of your Dairy operation with new modern buildings from MORIARIY ~ the farm building Prafessioials ot Wickes Ephrato, Pa. oca MEMBER. Thoughts um er in Passing in research and, consequently, on-farm management. Field trials and demonstration plots have been non-existent for alfalfa or other hay crops. On the other hand, research field trials and demonstration plots have long been used to develop and promote new corn management practices such as higher populations, chemical weed control, better fertilization,etc., which have doubled corn yields over the past 30 years nationally. Meanwhile, hay yields have virtually been at a standstill when compared to corn. This gap in advancement of yields has generally followed a gap in research and demon stration plots. Government, industry, and Universities have done mountains of research with Michael J. Burton Young Farmer Instructor Penn Manor High School corn, while doing “just enough” to get by on hay crops. But even worse is the fact that vo-ag teachers, county agents, and other personnel working to educate farmers have not promoted good management ☆ Moriarty ☆ ■& SUBSIDIARY OE~THE WICKES COUP ***** MORIARTY BUILDINGS, Inc. P. 0. Box No. 300 Ephrata, Pa. 17522 Vila J Lancaster Farming, Saturday, June 3,1972 practices or conducted field trials with hay crops as they have done with corn. The one-acre corn contest, five-acre com contest, local Young Farmer corn con tests and others have done an excellent job promoting new corn management practices. The next point brought out by many people is the fact that alfalfa won't return as much as com so why the fuss. But using last winters prices of $1.30 per bushel for com and $5O for hay, it is quite easy to refute that argument With a yield of 150 bushels for com you gross $195 per acre. Costs come to about $95 per acre, leaving $lOO profit. Alfalfa should yield about six tons per acre, or gross $3OO per acre. Your costs will come to about $l2O per acre, leaving a profit of $lBO. If you can raise your yield to eight tons per acre your profit goes up to $2BO per acre after costs. These figures are estimates at best, but they do reflect the potential of alfalfa when com pared to corn With this type of earning potential available to the farmer, he should evaluate his farming program and see how hay would fit in The Pennsylvania Young Farmer’s Association, in cooperation with Penn State, is conducting a much needed farm research program on hay crops and affords the farmer a chance to evaluate his hay crop program while helping complete the University to farm research cycle that doubled corn yields Anyone for 12 ton hay yields 9 Anyone interested in par ticipating in this program contact their vo-ag instructor for more information Such vine crops as cucumbers, squash, pumpkins and musk melons, do best on a rich loam soil containing plenty of organic matter, say extension vegetable specialists at Pennsylvania State University Vine crops also need plenty of fertilizer and insect control If irrigation is needed, supply it during the day. For further information about vine crops, contact your county agent STIHL 041 AV World’s first with built-in Shock to eliminate N Vine Crops Need Rich Soil and only Chain Saw i wmi see it and try it at JOHN L. STAUFFER Repair Service Box 67 R.D.2 East Earl, Pa. 17519 215-445-6175 "See our Field Da> Announcement on Page 40, 13
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers