P o odi D^vi^ on _
r ol. 17 No. 31
Agnes Plays Havoc
With County Crops
The dollar figures on storm
damages during the past ew days
has not been assessed, nor will it
be for a few more days.
Clean-up for rural dwellers will
begin immediately, and one thing
can be counted on—help will
come from friends and neigh
bors, and strangers will soon
become friends as they too pitch
in.
For farmers, the crop damages
FFA Activities Week
About 119 FFA members from
Lancaster County will be among
the approximately 1,500 FFA
members who will be competing
in contests of agricultural skills
and abilities to represent Penn
sylvania m Regional and
National contests, according to
Henry E. Givler, area vocational
consultant.
County quotas are on the basis
of one contestant for every eight
In This Issue
Classified Ads 28 thru 31
DHIA 12
Editorial Page 10
4-HNews 9
Market Section 2,3,4
Thoughts in Passing 19
Women’s News 20
Country's First Mobile Processor
Will This Truck Revolutionize Jugging?
A Lancaster Farming Special Report
by
Richard E. Wanner
Six months ago, a truck like no other in
the world was built in Lancaster County. In
their own quiet way, the owners of this
truck hope to improve the milk jugging
industry. It they succeed, the effects of
their work will, without a doubt, be felt by a
major portion of the dairy industry.
The truck is a fully mobile milk processor.
It was built by Dutch Farm Dairies,
Manheim RDI. Presently there is one truck
in operation. A second unit is nearly
completed, and there are plans for more.
cannot be estimated as yet. In a
telephone interview with Jay
Irwin, associate Lancaster
County agriculture agent, he
made the following comments
concerning area crops:
The barley crop is flat. Since
the crop is ripening it will be the
hardest hit crop. The wheat crop
might come back, since it is not
as far along as the barley.
The corn is leaning badly,
according to Irwin, but said most
members in the local chapters.
There are contests in public
speaking, parliamentary
procedure, dairy cattle judging,
judging of dairy products,
livestock judging, meat judging,
poultry judging, land judging,
agronomy, salesmanship, or
namental landscape and floral
design. In addition, there is a
farm mechanics skills contest, a
farm power and machinery
adjustment contest, a small
gasoline engines contest, and a
safe tractor operation contest. In
these contests, the boys and girls
must perform a variety of shop
and mechanical skills and
troubleshooting. They are judged
on the basis of their proficiency
and safety with which they
(Continued On Page 4)
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, June 24, 1972
Tropical Storm Agnes is at least partially
responsible for this flooded field. But
responsibility must be shared by the
of it should straighten out. Much
tobacco is standing under water
and probably at least part of the
crop will need replanted.
The hay should come back but
the headache will be the debris
which settles in hayfields which
The reason for building the truck are
quite simple, according to a Dutch Farm
spokesman. “A jugger just starting has two
major expenses,” the spokesman said. “He
has to build a store, and he has to build a
processing plant. The processing equip
ment he needs for state certification will
run from about $30,000 for used equip
ment to $50,000 if he buys everything new.
We can save him that $50,000.”
Others have tried to build mobile
processors, but all have failed. The most
notable attempt was made in California,
where a group is reported to have tried to
put a milk shed on wheels. The equiment
will need removed before
harvesting.
Many bams had water seeping
into lower levels. Trees, roots
loosened from high water levels,
were pushed over from the high
winds.
was unsatisfactory, unreliable and un
profitable. It was ditched.
Until now, the control devices for
processing equipment have been nearly as
bulky as the equipment itself. The Dutch
Farms group has developed support
mechanisms that fit into a fraction of the
space normally required. This
miniaturization is the mam reason they’re
able to fit everything into a 40-foot trailer.
The first unit services accounts in
Waynesboro, Greencastle, Shippensburg,
Reading and Lititz. It visits each account
two or three times a week.
(Continued On Page 15)
farmer who neglected to follow proper
water conservation practices. Notice that
the water simply has no place to run off.
Tropical Storm Agnes will long
be remembered by us all. But she
will probably be remembered
longest by the farmer because it
is he who will feel her financial
ramifications long after she has
blown harmlessly out to sea.
$2.00 Per Year