—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, August 25,1979 18 Wolfe Farms, Inc, (Continued from Page 17) tank holds one million gallons. Twice a year the manure is taken to the fields. The Wolfs’ use a four high reverse cage setup, with five birds in a cage. The feeding is done by a feed saver tram powered by batteries, which travels up and down the aisles 17 times a day. The Wolfs believe that by feeding more often the chickens are stimulated to eat more often and waste is discouraged. Eggs are collected automatically, and processed in the same building that bouses the chickens. The first of three such systems is now complete at the Wolf Farm and two more to be completed m the next two years are planned. All of the eggs which the Wolfs produce are marketed m a fifty mile area. Jim Wolfe is optimistic about the future of the egg industry, saying that there is plenty of opportunity and that farmers can make money with eggs, although they can go bankrupt too. “It’s up to the manager and how he handles its,” he commented. “One penny difference m price per dozen m a 30,000 house can mean $7200 a year.” Then he smiled, “But I think we can do the job.” The Wolfs make their own feed, and have done so smce 1969. They grow their ingredments, and note that there is a substantial savings m then- operation. They buy the concentrate and mix it with com and barley, home grown grams, and it is augered from the feed mill to the chicken house, saving handling costs. “In fact,” Jim Wolf stated, “We go from the com m the field to the egg m the carton without a human touching it.” Fifty per cent of the Wolf eggs are packed under their own label, and they pack none under private labels. Their poultry housing is 40 by 300 feet, with five aisles, and the birds stay about one year. Bill Workman is flock manager for Wolf Farms. The Wolfs also raise their SOYBEAN ROASTING ON YOUR FARM DON'T WASTE IT ROAST IT This little piggy went to market, This little piggy stayed home, This little piggy had ROASTED SOYBEANS MOLDY GRAIN REST' Ginger Wolf, the youngest of the children, is the newest addition to Wolf Farms Inc. She is promotion and advertising manager and her duties include promoting eggs through television ap pearances mall promotions, and even organizing a hard boiled egg eating contest. own pullets, buying 37,500 of them at four days of age. They’re moved up to the chicken house at 22 weeks of age. The potato operation is a full time operation at Wolf Farm also. The crop is trucked m during the off season. Rigged for big-time, the cording to David Wolf, “is RED - CONTACT US NOW - ANNOUNCING - New Portable Soybean Roasting Unit located in Rising Sun, MD Owned & Operated by; ALLEN SUMMERS RD #2, Bo* 67, Rising Sun, MD 21911 Phone 301-658-6103 PLANT NOW FOR BENEFITS OF RAISING & FEEDING YOUR OWN PROTEIN. CUSTOM GRAIN ROASTING DONE IN PA. AND SURROUNDING STATES DALE L. SCHNUPP RD 6, Lebanon, Pa. 17042 Ph: 717-865-6611 asararlt!^ Wolfs have a 50,000 pound holding bin which is refrigerated. They can store 35,000 bushels of potatoes in a climate controlled building. All the potatoes are too marketed m a 50 mile radius. “The biggest problem in potato production,” over-pi eduction. It’s more so in the West than in the Northeast this year,” he dded. “It’s been terrible for five years now,” he noted. “But we will finally have a short vear. and then prices will use, ana the vicious cycle will start again.” “Farmers just can’t stand prosperity,” he smiled. Brother David can be found out working with the crops and field equipment. When asked about the work that he is in charge of, he tells of applymg the nitrogen late m the season as a side dress, putting the nitrogen on the ground for less loss. He mentions using helicopters for aerial ap plication of sprays, fungicides, and insecticides on the potato crop. He notes that 25 people now work at Wolf Farms, 35 people if one counts all the part-time workers. He adds that Wolf Farms is involved in profit sharing, has a pension plan, life insurance and year end bonus, as he tries to explam how the farm must compete with other jobs to better employee relations. Back in the office, sister Susan handles the sales and does the records and ac counting. She, along with Jane Snook, egg production manager, and office worker,Sue Boyer, are given the credit for the 30 per cent increase in sales. Mr. and Mrs. George Wolf are both happy that five of ELECTRIC GENERATOR SYSTEMS • DAIRY FARMS • POULTRY FARMS • FARROWING HOUSES • CONTRACTORS • ETC DETROIT DIESEL UNIT SIZES 60 KW to 1050 KW MANUAL OR AUTOMATIC ac- ISUZU DIESEL UNIT SIZES 12 KW to 60 KW MANUAL OR AUTOMATIC WE CARRY DETROIT ENGINE PARTS SALES i SERVICE 15 OF c exp er\ence their six children are in involved in the farm and their price in the family’s work shows through as they speak of their children. It’s as George Wolf puts it, IN STOCK NOW BLACK FUSTIC TO COVER SILAGE PILES 4 MIL & 6 MIL sTe ROUND PLASTIC CAPS FOR UPRIGHT SILOS IMPROVE CORN SILAGE Use SBla»?iinii= AARON S. GROFF & SON FARM & DAIRY STORE RD3, Ephrata. PA 17522 (Hmkletown) Ph. 717-354-4631 Store Hours 7 A M. to 9 P M Closed Tues , Wed. & Sat at 5 30 P M TT , * * -«, ( \_-v 5 V# 4 'W* '* - --» ** *•< ' **■% MARTIN ELECTRIC PLANTS ISSAC W. MARTIN, OWNER PLEASANT VALLEY RD„ RD 2 EPHRATA, PA (717) 733-7968 *•** ' *< ''i "Sw. f ■Sjf'’*' /•<< - '%T*fl£' *'L C * &^/j > *4 - ’I 7 f'*' vi •* ! fTS - * - “I never really thought it would get like this, when I first started to farm, but it’s great. I don’t what the future will brmg, but it should be good.” - ■&
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers