—Lancaster Farming, Saturday. June 19, 1976 22 This cattleman chose to cut middleman By DIETER KRIEG STEWARTSTOWN - John Marsteller, a York County cattleman who last year fed 380 steers, believes there are a lot of consumers “out there” who would prefer buying their meat right at the fhnn instead of in the supermarket. He has been trying the retail route for a couple of years and is now so sold on the idea that he’d like to put up his own butcher shop. One of the major reasons for Marsteller’s unorthodox method of marketing is that beef prices have not been at the level they should be. One yardstick he uses to illustrate the fact is that land in this part of York County was selling for $250 per acre in the 1960’s and now it’s up to $llOO per acre. Beef prices, in comparison, haven’t quite doubled. Marsteller, like many of his fellow cattlemen, says he should be getting around 50 cents per pound for his better animals. If prices don’t improve, he predicts more cattlemen will try direct marketing. Located a half hour’s drive south of York, and an hour’s drive north cf Baltimore, the York Count:' cattleman has no real population centers close to him. In spite of this, he managed to sell 80 head directly to customers last f What's A/ei/y j Heavy Doty, principles and mounting Quick Attach Loader procedures as the small MF A heavy duty, quick attach 236 QA loader, loader for MF tractors has After permanant mounting been introduced by Massey- brackets have been installed Ferguson. The MF 246 Quick on a tractor, the MF 246 can Attach Loader is designed be attached or removed in for use with MF tractors of less than five minutes by 80 to 120 PTO bp and will using tractor hydraulics and feature a lift capacity of movement. The loader locks 4,900 lbs. Combination firmly into the mounting buckets will be available in brackets with two over -60-, 72- or 84-in. sizes. center wedges under spring The new MF 246 loader pressure. No tools are utilizes the same design required. GEO.V. SEIPLE & SON R.F.D. No. 2, Van Buren Road, Easton, PA 18042 Phone 215-258-7146 MEYERS FORAGE WAGONS Ernest Sipel, well known cattle dealer of Columbia, N.J. is shown standing beside a new Meyers Forage Wagon he recently purchased from Seiple’s. This is the second Meyers Forage Wagon he has purchased- from Seiple’s in the past several years. The first Meyers was so satisfactory, that he decided that he would like to have another one. In Mr. Sipel’s opinion, the Meyers Forage Wagon is as good as any and better than most. DEALER INQUIRIES ARE INVITED year. His primary method of advertising has been through the customers themselves. “People say it’s the best beef they ever had,” claimed Marsteller, adding that they always come itack and tell others about them. Aside from this word-of-modth advertising, ie places a small ad in the York paper. Business is expected to grow and Marsteller and his wife are preparing themselves for it. A recipient of the American Fa mer Degree in 1954, and an Outstanding Young Farmer Award winner 10 years ago, Marsteller sees no clear-cut disadvantage to being in a rather remote area. For one thing, small towns are all around him and develop ments are s* routing right next to his farm. Secondly, he’s within reach of workers who commute back and forth to either Baltimore or York. In fact, he even has customers in Washington and Philadelphia. Retail customers prefer a different kind of animal than buyers at the stockyards, Marsteller found out. For this reason he keeps a herd of Charolais cattle on hand since they lose less than 25 per cent of their weight when dressed and the cuts contain less fat. Fatter animals go to stock yards in Lancaster County, Marsteller ex- his own and an additional 125 plained. ' acres of rented ground. Buying nearly all of his Cattle come in at a weight of feeders from Virginia, 600 to 700 pounds, and go out Marsteller raises them on at approximately 1000 to 1100 corn silage and high pounds. The farm couple is moisture corn. He grows his especially proud of one of feed on 375 tillable acres of their Charolais which Mr. and Mrs. John Marsteller, York County, are very happy with the results they’ve had in selling their beef animals directly to customers. If you're in the market for: Madison Silos (Conventional and Sealed Units) Shuttle feeders Single chain conveyors Auger Plank feeders Roller mills Channel feeders Barn cleaners Starline unloaders models No. 101 and 70 Automatic waterers Sohlstrom liquid manure pumps Tank spreaders - 2200 and 3250 gal. tanks Used ★ Starline Silo Unloaders 1 - No. 70 - 12’ Unloader 1 - No. 70 - 14’ Unloader n\\ 1 - No 70 - 16’ Unloader *— SPECIAL NEW TOTALLY ENCLOSED. 5 H.P. ELECTRIC MOTORS *300.00 Good till July 15, 1976 WILL SERVICE ALL EQUIPMENT DONALD L NISSLEY— “Low-Over Head” ★ Starline Dealer PH: 717-786-7654 Box 170, New Providence, PA 17560 SILO dressed out at 833 pounds. MarsteUer offered Marsteller has cut out the definite answers. middleman in more ways opinion he shared is than one in that he also sells cattle predictions a number of his cattle especially those put out directly to dealers in the government - tend t Maryland. “I’m omitting the “mess up the market* commission,” he explained That’s another reason simply. he’s decided to take more] Asked for his thoughts on the meat producing busing the fluctuating beef market, into his own Hands. J. B. KELLER & BRO. DAIRY COWS Mount Joy, PA 17552 REGISTERED SUMMER COWS Kingstead Ivanhoe St. Croix Theo Gale Romandale Dividend Performer Cold Springs - Acres Chief Lewie Prestige of Lakehurst Heatherstone Lucky Type Blazer Kilinsdale Ivanhoe Jack Allen Dairy Caper due 8-11-76, (net profit) 2nd calf. Simpson Farm Tidy Gent VGBS, due July 28, 1976; 6-8- 305 17,200, 675, 3.9 REGIS Pen State Ivanhoe Star Heatherstone Lucky Type Blazer Jo-Sieber Whirlhill Gent Round Oak Rag Apple Elation Fair-Hill TB Elevation Pontiss GRADE SUMMER HEIFERS Performer Granddaughter. Dam milked 80 lbs. per day Simpson Farm Tidy Gent. Dam 5-9 384, 23,452,681,2 8 Performer Granddaughter. Dam milked 75 lbs. per day (2) Ecroso Golden Topper Granddaughters (2) Tidy Burke Transmitters Plus 6 more late July Heifers all in good flesh with well balanced udders. . - - Tidy Burke Transmitter - due 8-24-76 (Cotterdale Astronaut King) Ist Dam 6-7 347, 24,105, 935, 38 (King Pin) Vigo Charm Cross - due 7-26-76, Dam Kingpin 5-0 305, 21,196, 801, 3.8. Pencor G Ivanhoe Pabst Milu Ivanhoe BB Lad Nelacres Sovereign Pierre - Twin Dam Garberdali Burke Kate 75 lbs. per day, 2nd calf. Welsh-Vista Wendy Matthew (Arlinda Chief Grand- daughter) Dam Hilltop Apollo Ivanhoe 90 lbs. per day. ALSO MANY HIGH QUALITY GRADE COWS. Transportation and financing available. STIVE KILLER 808 KELLER 717-653-2284 717-426-1075 Office: 717-653-4851 IIFEI
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