16—Lancaster Farming. Saturday, Sept. 11. 1976
Corn is measuring up to expectations
By DIETER KRIEG
An exceptionally favorable growing season, coupled with near excellent being tackled to put into the silo and it’s measuring up to be just as great
results in weed control programs, has produced a corn crop which some (or even greater) than what was hoped,
farmers are describing as the best they've ever seen. Rumors of an ex
cellent corn crop emerged two and even three months ago, but all doubts
have been removed now. With forage harvesters humming, the crop is
York County dairyman, Clair Myers, who on Wednesday
hosted a forage field day for the Dover Area Young Farmers,
says the corn in his area looks “real good.” Approximately
125 farmers from the area visited his farm for the forage field
day, to witness as many as six different machines in action.
One indication of the fine crop, Myers pointed out, is that
some participants in the field demonstrations didn’t come
equipped with enough horsepower to pull their two-row
choppers through the thick com rows. “Tractors with 70 to 80
horsepower didn’t work,” Myers declared, “one fellow with a
115 horsepower ... he could move.”
Myers planted 90 acres of com this year, about 25 acres no
till. Aside from a late-starting grassy condition of some
fields, he reports no problems. “The com is better than it has
been for the last three or four years,” he said. As for thft.
grass, he’s not sure why it might have come up, but adds that
the com was well enough advanced to not be affected by the
competition.
Down in the southern end of York County, Walter and
Robert Kilgore, report having a wonderful crop of com one
of the best in recent years but not necessarily better than
last year’s. Robert noted that there really hasn’t been a bad
com crop in the area since the early 1960’5. The two brothers
began filling silos on the last day of August and made their
judgement on the basis of the acreage it took to get the job
done. It was not noticeably less than last year’s.
Don Landis at Mount Aetna, near the Berks-Lebanon
County line, reports having had excellent growing conditions
in his area. The last few days the crop has really become dry
due to a lack of rain for several weeks, but the crop is far
enough advanced to not be hurt by it. Although Landis has not
yet started to fill his silo, he is confident of being well pleased
once he moves his equipment into the field. He credits the dry
weather in the Spring for the good weed control and abundant
rainfall throughout the growing season for the excellent
growth.
“The best com crop we’ve ever produced, and the best
growing season I can remember in my years of farming,” is
how Daniel Martin of Manheim describes his crop. He says
he doesn’t remember a year when things worked as
favorably as they did this year. “We had rain when we
needed it, and it always stopped long enough to get the work
done,” he explained. Weed control was also good, he added,
with the only problem being this:
“Getting enough ground cleared off to seed this Fall.” In
spite of the lack of rain in recent weeks, Martin reports com
in his area as being a bit on the green side yet, and so far he’s
not pushing the forage harvester too hard.
Carl Miller, Kutztown, operates 24 farms of all sizes, which
gives him a total of 1400 acres. His main farm is pictured on
page 1. More than 500 acres is in com and all of it was put in
by minimum tillage methods.
“O yes, it definitely will take less to fill this year,” Miller
began. “It’s the best crop I’ve had since I’ve been farming
... by far.” He planted some 90-day com in late April which
he Haims is ready for shelling on Tuesday and he’s confident
of taking 100 bushels to the acre. He’s moving into the fields
early because of the presently high price over $3.00 per
bushel and the fact that mills in his area are anxious to
replenish their short supplies. “Com is scarce around here,”
he said, referring to stocks at the mills and in the farmers’
storage bins.
While Miller is well pleased with his crops, he noted that
some of his later com is not measuring up to the excellence
he finds in earlier planted varieties. It’s too dry, and a little
rain right now would be welcome. Weed control, he said, was
no better than in any years previously, in fact in some cases
it was worse.
Bob and Jim Pepple are in full agreement that they have a
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very good com crop on their farms near Oxford. “It’s going silage, I’m very pleased,” he added. As was reported by
to take an awfully good crop to beat what we have this year several others, some of the later com does not quite measure
I’ll take this year’s crop every year,” Bob said con- up to the earlier planted varieties, but it’s still nothing to
vincingly. Yields are being reported as being better than they complain about.
have teen for the last several years. Richard Maule, near QuarryviUe will start fdhng silo
Weed control was described as very good and is being today (Saturday). He has lived on his farm for all his life, and
claimed as one reason for the excellent crop. Like the growth as a grandfather several times over, can bring quite a few
of the com itself, this ties in with the weather. Last year, growing seasons into his memory. “I have never seen tetter
explained Pepple, the wet Spring prevented good weed com on this farm ... the com is thick, me ears are large,
control from taking place, but this year’s relatively dry stalks are thick and ta11... we’ll fill silo in a hurry, he
Spring made things work properly. exclaimed. Weed control was excellent.
A good population stand and good growth is being reported. Lester High, who farms in northern Chester County, south
Also? me crop is holding its greenness longer than last year, of Pottsville, reports that com in his area is good. It s been
The ears are drying off nicely, but me stalk and foliage are maturing rapidly lately due to lack of moisture. Weed control
retaining moisture, Pepple said. “It’s making real good was good.
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