—Lancaster Farming, Saturday. August 9. 1975
22
I Continued from Pift 1|
Again, the critical factor to rain - tobacco growers need it
badly within the next few days.
Neidigh, who has been working with tobacco since he
was six years old, and this year has a total of 25 acres to
work with, says his crop to a little leafier this year than it
was in 1974. “A good rain would finish this crop up good,”
he remarked. He added that the rain falling over the
County Wednesday night only amounted to two-tenth of an
inch in his locality.
Fifteen miles to the east, about midway between
Manheim and Lititz, Rufus Molt measured six-tenth of an
inch of rain on his property. But that didn’t seem to make
much difference. Nolt has eight acres of tobacco out and
described it as not beine as cood as last year. The father of
four sons, two of them fully, grown, Nolt is a veteran
tobacco grower, having been at it since boyhood. He
agreed with other reports that if rain comes soon, the
tobacco harvest won’t be too bad. Without rain, the yield
will be on the light side.
Nolt doesn’t expect to cut more than 1,500 pounds of
tobacco per acre this year and expressed some pessimism
about achieving that much. Neidigh, on the other hand, is
counting on 1,600 to 1,900 pounds per acre from his fields.
Since Neidigh didn’t plant his tobacco until June 10,
about two weeks later than he would have liked to, he isn’t
figuring on harvesting until late this month. Many other
growers in the county are in similar situations, although a
few growers are beginning to cut now. Early reports
confirm Neidigh’s and Nolt’s findings that this year’s
yields will be somewhat lower than those of last year.
Asked if there was as much money in tobacco growing
today as what there was five years ago, Neidigh tugged on
his chin for a moment and responded with an affirmative
answer. In fact, he thought there was a little more money
in it now. ‘‘But it takes a lot of work,” he added, “back
breaking work.” He had just returned from one of his
fields where he was topping the plants. He expressed
satisfaction with recent prices of tobacco and hopes for
similar or even improved prices this year.
Nolt commented that “if they need it bad enough, the
price might be as good as last year. Last year’s price of 58
to 60 cents per pound won’t be much, he added if yields per
acre come in with not much weight. He didn’t necessarily
feel that there was more money in tobacco farming today
than what there was five years ago, since all of his ex
penses are going up. Neidigh noted that his production
Ag trends
(Continued from Rase 12]
prices may have an effect on hog prices, as will the
consumer’s willingness to buy comparatively high
priced pork.
Thanksgiving turkeys aren’t likely to be as
plentiful this year as last, and that should call for an
upswing in prices. Turkey supplies are down - with
frozen stocks taking a 30 percent plunge.
The trend for egg prices shows a graudal upward
curve for the next several months. Prices may be
about three cents ahead of last year, while
production is expected to trail by about five per
cent.
The outlook for soybean production is good, not
only in this country, but also in other major soybean
producing countries such as Brazil, where a record
harvest was produced. Prices are expected to go
significantly lower if U.S. production reaches 1.5
billion bushels.
Current utilization rate of soybeans is less than
one billion bushels per year and this year’s
domestic crop is forecasted at roughly 1.5 billion
bushels. Carryover is said to be more than
adequate to maintain a reserve.
Meanwhile, in Russia, soybean research and
production is getting a few shots in the arm to meet
demand and catch up to U.S. production levels.
USDA reports that the average yield per acre for
Soviet soybean fields is a mere 6.8 bushels per
acre, or only about one-fourth the U.S. average
Some experimental plots at Penn State's Lan
disville Agronomy Research farm could attain a
yield of 80 bushels per acre.
Commonwealth Bank’s newsletter suggests that
holding wheat into September may be a good risk,
and a way of preventing major price declines. The
supply and demand situation for that crop points to
lower prices in the future. Poor crops in the
communist part of the world might give demand a
boost, however.
Checking wheat futures on the Chicago Board of
Trade, we find that the September price posted
Thursday night was 3 80, up 13 cents from Wed
nesday. On July 30 it was 3 76, while back on July
18 a 5,000 bushel contract went for 360 per
bushel. Local millers describe the market as
“strong”.
Tobacco needs rain
Charles Neidigh of Marietta, a
tobacco grower for over 30 years,
walks through one of his three fields
to top the plants.
costs have gone up “considerably,” in some cases by 300
percent.
Another grower simply said that if tobacco prices aren’t
what they should be this year, there’ll be less tobacco
grown in the County. He expressed disappointment in
rising prices and observed that the “young people today
don’t want to work like we older people did.”
Kutztown Fair Schedule
The annual Kutztown Area
Fair will be staged August
18-23 with an entire slate of
entertainment and
agricultural events planned
for the whole family.
The following events are
scheduled for the Fair:
Monday, August 18
Fair Preview Evening with
fair opening at 4:00 p.m.
Eastern District Holstein
Show at 3:00 p.m.
Blue Ridge Quartet and
Mark Four Show at 8:00
p.m.
Tuesday, August 19
Dairy Fitting and Showing
Contest at 6:00 p.m.
Porter Wagner Show at 8:00
p.m.
Wednesday, August 20
Judging Holstein Cattle 10:00
a.m.
Weight in for Market Swine
10:00 a.m.
Judging Sheep 4:00 p.m.
Judging Colored dairy
breeds 6:00 p.m.
Weigh in for market steers
1:00 p.m.
Sheep blocking and
grooming contest 3:00
p.m.
Billy Walker Show at 8:00
p.m.
Thursday, August 21
Judging Breeding Swine 9:30
a.m.
Judging barrows 10:30 a.m.
Beef fitting and
showmanship 2:00 p.m.
Judging of beef cattle 6:00
p.m.
Susan Raye Show 8:00 p.m.
Friday, August 22
FFA Dairy and Livestock
Judging Contest 9:00
a.m.
FFA tractor and driving
contest 1:00 p.m.
4-H Dairy Judging Contest
7:00 p.m.
For well shaped big round
bales, Sperry New Holland
engineers say use a windrow
that is less than 3Vz feet wide
or 5% - 6 feet wide. Medium
size windrows, 3V 2 -5% feet,
can produce barrel-shaped
bales. In light crops, rake
two or more windrows into
one to get the benefit of a
heavier windrow.
Jeannie C. Riley Show, 8:00
p.m.
Saturday, August 23
Lawn and Garden Tractor
Pull 1:00 p.m.
Special Matinee 3:00 p.m.
Children’s Day 1-5 p.m.
LANCASTER COUNTY FARM SUPPLY
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FRYING THE LANCASTER
FARMER ON THE FARM
"NOW SITTING
UP ROUTES"
LANCASTER COUNTY FAR
2061 EDGEMONT DR. EAST PETERSBURG, PA. 17520
OR PHONE 717-569-6030
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OFF /EN/TTON WHEN
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ENPS. SWAP A REPLACEMENT OF JINE SAME
CAPACITY/ALTO THE FUSE PANEL.
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