. ..-us x, '-- < T -f IK — ■ II 7 *•' ” '’l «x« - '• • « -wmooiuu* uauuj _ ' t . PAnct MHKAf<y / * ■-» **• ' 'I PENNSYLVANIA STATE (JNIVERSiry I J Vol. 20 No. 25 Dana Irving, an Oxford potato grower and horse breeder, doesn't often have the time to lean on the fences of his 600-acre Chester County farm. In addition to 120 acres Potatoes and Horses From Maine to Pa. One of Pennsylvania’s busiest farmers lives in Chester County, with 250 horses and 120 acres of potatoes The morning we visited Dana frying at his Oxford R 3 farm, we bumped around with him in a pickup truck while he talked to helpers, and checked on the construction of a diversion ditch around his half-mile race track. We somehow managed to cram a two-hour interview into a much smaller time slot in Irving’s packed schedule. Franz Appointed Agent Mrs. William (Linda) Franz has been appointed as Youth Agent in the Lan caster County Extension Service Office. Mrs. Franz is working as an assistant under the Manpower Program for the coming six months and will be coor dinating the 4-H programs in Lancaster County. Along with working with 4- H Youth, Mrs. Franz will be helping to train adult 4-H leaders and officers of the Linda Franz of potatoes, Irving farms 100 acres of hay and 150 acres of small grains which he uses to feed the 250 horses boarding on the farm. Irving has been involved with both potatoes and horses for the past 30 years. He began farming in Maine, where potatoes are the leading cash crop. And, when he wasn’t growing potatoes, Irving was sitting on a sulky, urging one of his trotters towards a finish line. One of his favorite race tracks was Brandywine just outside Philadelphia. Finally, some 16 years ago, Irving moved to Chester County. “We wanted to get county clubs. Before entering the assistant program, Mrs. Franz worked with youth projects in the Community Action program and under the Neighborhood Youth Corps which employ youth in summer volunteer programs. Mrs. Franz graduated from Buffalo State College with a degree in Secondary Education and Social Studies. She enjoys gar dening and raising indoor plants as a hobby. The youth agent resides with her husband at 26 S. Ann St., Lancaster. Also to be assisting the Extension staff with 4-H activities this summer will be Debra Gregory, Lititz R 2. Miss Gregory will be acting as a 4-H Summer Assistant helping to coordinate the 4-H program and activities. Both Mrs. Franz and Miss Gregory will be working with Extension personnel. Max Smith, Doris Thomas, Alan Bair, Jay Irwin and Anne Hinkle. Serving The Central and Southeastern Pennsylvania Areas Lancaster Farming, Saturday, May 3, 1975 our potatoes closer to market,” he said, “and I was convinced we could grow a lot of potatoes here. It is the garden spot of the world, you know.” Some local farmers told Irving that he wasn’t going to be able to grow potatoes here. His first year on the farm, though, the Maine transplant harvested close to 600 bushels per acre from his (Continued on Page 12] Donald Bollinger, Myerstown R 2, is a youhg farmer who is now serving his community as an adult 4-H leader for the Fort Zellers 4-H Community Club. Like Apples and Oranges . . . Comparing Pa. and Md. Tobacco Prices by Dick Wanner Farmers everywhere are at the mercy of the marketplace, and tobacco growers are no exception. Pennsylvania and Maryland tobacco producers market their output in markedly different ways. Lancaster County growers sell their tobacco right out of the shed, while in Maryland, farmers take their tobacco to one of eight central auctions. Four of the Maryland auctions are in or near Upper Marboro, which is a few miles outside Washington. Most of the tobacco that does through these auctions is Maryland Type 609. This type, in fact. In This Issue r4rm CALENDAR 10 Markets 2-6 Sale Register 64 Fanners Almanac 8 Classified Ads 29 Editorials 10 Homestead Notes 38 Home on the Range 44 Organic Living 49 Junior Cooking Edition 47 Sale Reports 71 Farm Women Calendar 41 Berks DHIA 56 Farm Women Rally 48 Com Growers 64 accounts for about half of Maryland’s 30 million pound annual crop. The day this reporter visited the auctions, the good Maryland tobacco was selling for 85-cents to $l.lO per pound, a price which disappointed most of the growers who were standing on the auction floors. Until recently, there was little similarity between the Pennsylvania and Maryland crops. Nearly all the Penn sylvania crop has traditionally gone into cigars or chewing tobacco. Maryland’s crop is nearly all destined for the cigarette markets and some 25 percent of the crop is exported to Swiss tobacco merchants. But about three years ago, a few Lancaster County farmers began growing Maryland Type 609 tobacco. Their reason for doing so was its resistance to black shank disease, a problem that had been plaguing farmers particularly in the eastern part of the county. Last fall, this writer watched three tractor trailer loads of 609 tobacco pull away from a gathering point near Hinkletown. The buyer, a partner in a Hughesville, Md., tobacco auction, had Donald Bollinger Young Lebanon Farmer Serves As 4-H Leader by: Melissa Piper After spending nearly eight years as a 4-H mem ber, Donald Bollinger, a young Lebanon County farmer has found himself in a new role, that of being an adult leader for the Fort Zellers Community 4-H Club. The young man certainly has quite a successful background to aid him as he was an active 4-Her both in Lancaster and Lebanon Counties. Donald, who is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Bollinger, Myerstown R 2, began his 4-H work in Lancaster County as his parents then lived in the Middle Creek Area near Ephrata. A member of the Lincoln Community 4-H Club and the Red Rose Baby Beef and Lamb Club, Donald became well known for his out standing work with livestock. During his years in 4-H Donald had numerous Grand Champion hogs at the County $3.00 Per Year paid from 70- to 75-cents a pound for the tobacco. The price was a notch above the 60-cents or so paid to growers here of traditional Pennsylvania types. The growers’ net income, though, was about the same with 609 because the leaves tend to be light than Pennsylvania tobacco. But, 70-cents a pound doesn’t come close to the top price of $l.lO that we saw on the Maryland auctions. One’s first reaction would be to think that Pennsylvania growers should hold their tobacco and take it to the Maryland auctions to sell it. After looking into the matter though, we came away with the impression that holding onto the crop might not be an automatic path to a higher income for the producer. Tobacco on Maryland auctions is very dry, very brittle, very light in weight, and it’s tied in bunches called hands, The leaves are separated according to color. The 609 tobacco that left Pennsylvania was more moist, the leaves were thicker-bodied, and all the leaves are baled together. A pound-to-pound price [Continued on Page 17] 4-H Roundup and for three straight years took showmanship honors. The young Lebanon County farmer, also showed many award winning steers both at the Ephrata Fair and the 4-H Round-ups. In 1970 the Bollinger’s were forced to move as the Middle Creek Project took their farm. The family relocated in Lebanon County north of Schaeferstown and Donald finished his 4-H activities for the last three years as a member of the Fort Zellers Community 4-H Club and the Lebanon County Livestock Club. Donald has been vice president of the Lebanon Livestock Club for two years and also gave his time as a teen leader. His outstanding work with the club helped him to become a member of the livestock judging team and during 4-H activities Days become the out standing judge in the state. IGonKmod on Pit* 21)
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