3&—Lancaster Farming. Saturday, May 3. 1975 For Doris Ho\ Helping With A Dairy Herd Is Just One of Her Interests Mrs. George (Doris) Hough, Peach Bottom R 2, who always loved animals and as a girl wanted to be a veterinarian to doctor large farm animals such as horses and cows, loves to work with their registered Jersey dairy herd. Last week their herd averaged 82.7 in their fourth classification by the American Jersey Cattle Club. The Houghs received the 1974 Red Rose DHIA plaque for the high Jersey herd in Lancaster County with an average of 10,580 pounds of milk and 496 pounds of fat. They received a DHIR certificate for 1974, in which 57 cows completed their lactation with an average per cow of 11,318 pounds of milk and a 4.6 test or 523 pounds of fat. The Houghs are relatively newcomers to Pennsylvania since they moved here only in September of 1971 from their 100 plus acre dairy farm near Readington, Hun terdon County, New Jersey. Actually they had never seen Lancaster County until an American Jersey Cattle field man from New Jersey took them to Tukey Hill Farm as it Country Corner Don’t Panic Over Canning Jars This Year Although many gardens are still waiting to be planted, the rush for canning jars and lids to preserve all those vegetables has begun for another season. Many homemakers (and their husbands) remember last year's panic over the possibility of not having sufficient glass jars and lids. Often people drove for miles checking in every store and often at public sales for the items which con sequently made buying a high-priced business. A recent report from the Department of Con sumer Affairs has estimated that some 400 million new jars with lids will be produced this year with the bulk of this number going to first time canners With the increase in gardening this year, it is evident that there may be some shortages but the two largest makers of the jars, the Kerr Glass Company and the Ball Company, have reported that their production will hopefully cover the needed amount. Differing amounts of jars and lids will be sent to varying portions of the Country according to the time of expected use. In other words, more lids and jars may go to the southeastern and southwestern portions of the United States before coming to Pennsylvania. This does not mean that homemakers should panic if they do not arrive at stores within the next few weeks They will be coming soon enough Two good ideas for canners are to save jars from year to year and if the supply does get tight to preserve produce by drying or freezing. If however, jars are used from year to year, they should be inspected for wear. The tops of the jars should be smooth and free from nicks and chips This insures that the seal will be tight without air leakage. The body of the jar should be in perfect condition without cracks or chips. Canning can be both fun and money-saving but must be done with extreme care and planning. If for any reason you are unsure of the processes of canning or need further information, contact your local extension service or health department. Many of the local Extension Services will soon be giving seminars on home canning so be watching for their announcements. by Mrs. Charles McSparran Farm Feature Writer with: Melissa Piper ASSOCIATE EDITOR was a Jersey milk market. George proudly states “Now, we wish we’d lived here all our years.” He had the misfortune to lose parts of four fingers of his left hand August 10, 1974 when they were caught in a V belt on the silage auger on the feeder. His neighbors came in and cut and harvested his second cutting of hay at that time so it is understandable that Houghs appreciate their new community. Their New Jersey farm, being only seven miles from the suburbs of New York City, went for a development. That is why they were relocating. Prior to that the New York Port Authority wanted it for a fourth major jet airport. That didn’t materialize because of the farm being in another state. Now the Philadelphia Electric Company is very desirious to obtain 35 acres of their property for construction of the Fulton Atomic Generating Station. The Houghs, as well as other adjoining land owners, have reason to be concerned over their eminent plight. Houghs’ farm contains 317 acres of which they till 210 acres. Of this acreage they plant one third in corn, one third in hay and the other one third in soybeans, oats, rye, barley and wheat. They use all of their crops for feed and grind and mix their own feed. They harvest all of their own crops except they have their com silo custom filled. Doris named this farm on Cherry Hill Road, Fulton Township “Milknhoney Farm” because, said she “It was a natural. We had kept honey bees and produced mUk from our Jersey herd in New Jersey so when we came here it seemed like a land flowing with milk and honey.” Neither George nor Doris were raised on a farm although they lived in the country. Both of their grand parents lived on farms and Doris’ father managed a farm a couple years before she was bom. She spent the sum mers on her grandfather’s farm. When they were first married they lived on a ten acre place. They bought a registered Jersey heifer in 1958 so they could have their own milk. This was the beginning of their registered herd. Most of their herd has been sired by H. L. Torono Orator. He was the highest predicted difference bull in the Jersey breed ever. They moved from the 10 acre farm to the one with slightly over 100 acres, near Readington, where they fanned 13 years. They brought all of their animals with them from New Jersey to Pennsylvania. In fact they also brought their 800 gallon bulk milk tank with them. They wereready to hook it to their pipe line here so were able to niilk their cows and put their milk in it in New Jersey in the morning and milked and put their milk in it here in Lancaster County the same evening. They now have a herd of 142 registered Jerseys: 69 cows, 68 heifers and 5 bulls, 2 of which they hope to sell for breeding purposes. They have sold some breeding stock. One bull was sold to Jersey Genetics, an affiliate of Genetics Inc. in California and another one to a Syndicate of Breeders and Northern Ohio Breeding Association. They also sold six or seven cows for breeding stock. To have cattle classified the cows must be in milk and the bulls must be over 18 months old. They classify them every 16 months so they eventually do them all. Classification differs from judging in a show ring. Each animal is judged against a breed ideal for their age. Houghs had 69 in the classification April 25 which resulted with this rating; 1 excellent, 15 very good, 3 acceptable, 50 desirable, 1 very good bull and 1 desirable bull. Houghs have been exhibiting their Jerseys at the Southern Lan caster County Community Fair at Quarryville for three Doris Hough working among her many house plants and seedlings in her small hothouse. years. They had the grand champion cow there in 1973. They are planning to exhibit at the fair again this fall. George and Mrs. Hough do the milking regularly. Mrs. Hough keeps the breeding and calving records and selects the bulls to raise. She is interested in pedigrees. She also takes care of the registrations. She helps deliver the calves and gives shots to the animals when necessary. She is very proud of a plaque she received from the FFA. The boys from Hunterdon Central High School, the North Mrs. George Hough, Cherry Hill Road, Fulton Township, showin£ ter pride and joy "Milknhoney Secret Linda Ann”, who classified Very Good again last week by the American Jersey Cattle Club. She produced 15,900 pounds of milk last year on a 305 day lactation. Hunterdon regional Jersey judging contest, Somerset and Mercer Counties judging contests were held there several years and even the state judging contest was held at their farm one year. The plaque was given to her in ap preciation as Goerge was working in the evenings when most of the judging took place. They also held 4-H judging there. The Lancaster County Plowing Contest was held on Houghs’ farm August 6,1974 in which 12 or 13 took part. A winner in straight plowing and a winner in contour far- Homestead ming were selected and went to the regional contest. Doris and Goerge enjoy working in the garden. Doris’ gardening starts with planting seeds in Jiffy 7’s in her small hothouse they built on the end of their porch. She buys the Jiffy 7’s by the carton of 1000. She not only grows vegetable plants but also flowers, flower plants, herbs and a few trees. She has a very unusual tree, given to her by friends, a corkscrew willow. She has given them and other trees and plants to friends. She says “To me, it’s fun starting things and giving them away.” She has many, many kinds of house plants in the hothouse and on window sills. She grows lettuce and tomatoes to use all winter. She has an herb garden and has been starting herb plants for the Robert Fulton Birthplace herb garden which is planted and cared for by the Drumore Flower Club. She also goes there once a week to plant and take care of the herbs. Doris has belonged to it for a year. She has many spring flowering bulbs blooming now. She grows tea roses and plants a lot of annual flowers. Doris is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. DeWitt Bacorn who moved to a house on Houghs’ farm from New Jersey eight months after Houghs came there. They loved the country here. Mrs. Bacorn enjoys working with the calves for Houghs. DeWitt is a retired carpenter. They are very active in church and community activities. Doris graduated from Summerville High School in New Jersey. From the time she graduated until she was married she took care of a man’s horses near Far Hills, New Jersey, grooming and exercising them. They were hunters and jumpers, as many as seven of them at times. She rode, showed and fox hunted them with Essex Fox Hounds. Doris, a talented artist, has sketched animals since she was 3 or 5 years old. She says “Every place I go I take a sketch pad. As a child I had the privilege of taking art lessons from Van-Dearing Perrine at Millburn, N. J. I also took a couple adult classes.” She has given away and sold many animal portraits. She has always been especially interested in horses and through her paintings she shows the affection of a mare to her colt, the patience of a horse being shod, the spirit of the horses at a fox chase, and you can practically see every muscle at work as she puts a team to a plow. She paints in oils, pastels and water-colors flowers. George also graduated from Summerville High School and took a correspondence course in radio and TV repairs. He sold and serviced radios, television and antennas until he moved to a larger farm and the farm demanded more time. Houghs have four children: Glenn, Brian, Neal and [Continued on Pace 40] Notes
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