Throughout thetancasterFarrnjngarea.farrners could be seen working in tHeir tields, preparing the soil and planting crops. Although a survey at the beginning of the week reported dry conditions, the rain that started Com planting started, conditions now good By KENDACE BORRY LITITZ - “Extremes” is the way one fanner put it when be described the Beef cattle prices continue escalating trend LANCASTER - Cattle prices have been moving upward since the beginning of Spring and are continuing to climb. If the trend con Tractor palling season is starting again By DIETER KRIEG LANCASTER - Tractor pulling contests are pulling Gloomy, cold weather has orchardists on thin ice By JOANNE SPAHR LniTZ - Growers report that this weeks early mor ning freezing temperatures Betty Trimble Serving and Southeastern Pennsylvania Areas - Also Maryland, New Jersey and Delaware VOL 23 No. 27 condition this Spring. “A couple of weeks ago we were all worrying because we thought it might be too wet,” tinues, some new records may be set. Nationally, the average for all beef cattle prices for enthusiastic fans to trackside faster and faster each year. Whereas 10 years ago the sport was virtually did an undetermined amount of damage to fruit crops in Lancaster Farming’s coverage area, and at least Solanco FFA land judges are fifth, nationally OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - Solanco High School’s FFA Chapter perennially a powerhouse in land judging competition is bringing back unprecedented honors this weekend after having placed fifth in the nation in an international FFA land judging contest. Coached by Dr.,William Fredd, the team consisted of Doug Hershberger, Tina Bucher, David Holzhauer, Lancaster Farming, Saturday, May 6,1978 ln this issue * Farm Calendar 10 Editorials 10 Sun Day feature 18 Nebraska hog unit 32 Barney Nixnutz 45 Mules story 46 Classifieds 51 he explained on Wednesday. “Now it’s too dry and dusty and what we need is rain.” Farmers were happy to the month of April advanced an average of $3.50 per hundredweight to $47.50. According to USDA statistics, that average price unheard of in the East, tractor pulling events are. now being scheduled in many Pennsylvania coun one orchardist is concerned for the days ahead with their gloomy, rainy, cold weather forecasts. Dwayne Pifer, Steve Herr, Margo Armstrong, and Sam Long. Hershberger placed second nationally in in dividual competition. Betty Trimble of Holtwood placed third. Held here at the Oklahoma City Fairgrounds during the middle of this week, the contest had more than 950 entrants from 32 states. The fifth place taken by Solanco is the highest placing a 3 " Thursday eased the situation. This tractor was seen working in the fields farmed by Don Hoover, near Lawn, in Lebanon County. <_ see the rain which arrived in the area on Thursday. Earlier some of them had been holding back on is the second highest in the history of the cattle business, with the record average having been set in August of 1973 when the peak ties, as well as other states and even other countries. The tractor season for 1978. Donald Haas, owner of Overlook Orchards, Inc., Copley, in Lehigh County, is typical of most fruit growers Pennsylvania team has ever received. Led by Doug Hershberger, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Her shberger, Quarryville, the team and coach received their awards at a banquet held here on Thursday night. Hershberger, a junior, was high individual in the state a year ago. In addition to the achool’s FFA team, Solam.o had a second team their Red Homestead Notes 82 Joyce Bupp 84 Doris Thomas 86 Jr. Cooking Edition 87 Ida’s Notebook 88 Home on the Range 90 Com planting feature 92 planting their corn, hoping rain would come and put some moisture back in the topsoil. reached $51.70 per hun dredweight. In southeastern Penn sylvania, some auctions are registering prices of more Pennsylvania’ s> 1978 tractor pulling season has already begun. It began yesterday with a pulling contacted this week. Monday morning’s mid-twenties temperatures created concern in his mind and has Rose team entered in the contest. That team, which placed first in Lancaster County, a week ago, did not place within the top 10. Also going to the contest was a Pennsylvania FFA team consisting of Sam Long, Solanco; Gerald Martin, New Holland; and Marty Hoover and Willard Good, both from Eohrata. 4-wheel dnve tractors 96 ! Apple queen 97 j Kendy’s Kollumn 99 j Steam power m j Chester DHtA 118 I Beekeeper 122 I Ribbon making 124 j .....t Jay Foreman, Lititz, who does custom fieldwork in both Lebanon and Lancaster (Turn to Page 14) than $57 per hundredweight for high choice and prime slaughter steers, compared to $55 a month ago and $4B in (Turn to Page 17) event near Chambersburg. Tomorrow (Sunday) ac tivities get underway at (Turn to Page 17) him wondering how much of his crop was lost. “I can’t ascertain the (Turn to Page 15) Doug Hershberger $6.00 Per Year