£4—Unosttr fanning, Saturday, P4fcbmb*r 2S, 1979
Hartle’s herd management centers
Many dairymen, in an
effort to sell more milk to
break even or boost profits,
are adding additional cows
to the herd.
But Joseph R. Hartle, Jr.,
newly elected Master
Farmer for-1979 from R 4,
Bellefonte, feels that the
qualify of the cows in the
herd is far more important
than increasing cow num
bers.
His 68-cow registered
Holstein berd-the number
Christmas morning
blaze levels
Sbippensburg bam
SffIPPENSBURG - \
Cumberland County farm
family lost their barn to fire
early Christmas day, ac
cording to Vigilant Hose Co.
Chief Charles Myers.
Fire equipment was
dispatched at 11:19 A.M. to
the farm owned by Mr. and
Mrs. Henry Friese and Mr.
and Mrs. Carl Kelso. The
farm, occupied by the Friese
family, is located at R 5
Sbippensburg in
Southampton Township,
along Route 533.
Myers said that six fire
companies fought the blaze
until 3:45 Christmas af
ternoon. He explained that
they were hampered in their
efforts by the long lane
leading to the farm.
“With all the-rain we’ve
had, we couldn’t get the fire
trucks into the fields,”
Myers said. “We had a
traffic jam in the lane which
meant keeping trucks
waiting out on the highway
while the empty tankers
came out.”
He explained that the wind
was working in the com
pany’s favor that day,
blowing the flames and heat
away from several other
buildings. They managed to
save a hog pen and silo, and
the main house was only
partially damaged.
The fire chief said that the
Friese family was getting
ready to leave when they
noticed the fire in the barn.
The family turned in the
alarm and worked to remove
30 bead of milk cows and
some young stock from the
barn.
Fire fighters arrived
minutes after the alarm was
turned in. They put on air
packs, breathing apparatus,
and entered the bam to
has remained constant for a
number of years-last year
produced an average of
20,641 pounds of milk and 776
pounds of butterfat, one of
the highest levels in the
state.
Not only is the now Master
Fanner managing a top
dairy herd, he also keeps the
farm ready for visitors.
Fences and buddings are
freshly painted and the
grounds trimmed. But he is
eager to give credit to his
family for their help.
rescue several young calves,
saving all but one calf.
The bam, which was filled
with hay and straw, was lost
to the fire, along with a
wagon, elevator, and some
other miscellaneous items.
The bls£e is believed to be
the result of an electrical
fire, according to Myers. He
stated that it was not con
sidered suspicious.
Chief Myers said his
company was assisted by
South Newton Twp. Co. and
Westend Fire and Rescue’s
whole stations. Extra
tankers were supplied by
Penn Twp., Newburg-
Hopewell, Newville, and
Pleasant Hall fire com
panies. And Cumberland
Valley Hose Co. provided the
ambulance and air wagon.
Several fire fighters
sustained minor injuries. SM
have a
nice weekend..
SHARE SOMETHING-
UGHT&
RIGHT
for rugged work
• Cellulose cushion insole
• Cushion crepe sole and
heel
• Rugged full-grain leather
upper
| WING
BOOKS
SHOE SERVICE
JO7E. STATE ST.
QUARRYVILLE. PA 17566
717-766-2795
1979 Master Farmers named
His wife, Gladys;
daughters Deborah and
Betsy; and son, Thomas, are
all involved in this family
farm operation. Daughter,
Linda, is married and
teaches school in Bedford
County. Another daughter,
Janet works in the field of
mental health in Lancaster
County.
Hartle owns 245 acres and
rents an additional 90 acres
for crops. About 120 acres of
corn are grown for com
silage and hig moisture com.
Also 10,000 bushels of ear
com are sold as a cash crop.
Alfalfa is grown on
another 100 acres, averaging
6.5 tons per acre. This is fed
to the milk cows as haylage
and hay. Another 20 acres of
a grass and legume mixture
are fed as hay to dry cows.
The remainder of the
acreage is either pasture or
small grains.
“We keep trying to im
prove the quality of the
feed,” Hartle points out.
“We regularly lime and
fertilize the fields and use
the Penn State forage testing
recommendations to insure
that the cows have a
balanced diet.”
Probably the determining
factor in increasing milk
production has been har
vesting hay and haylage at
the right stage of maturity,
the Master Farmer notes.
He considers good quality
forage the backbone of any
good feeding program.
“It becomes particularly
frustrating when the
weather doesn’t cooperate at
the time when the hay should
be off of the field,” Hartle
emphasizes. “When the
protein level in haylage
drops below 20 percent, we
topdress it with soybean
meal.”
He feeds the dry cows
grass hay and very little
grain. A mixture of 80
percent oats and 20 percent
ear com comprises the grain
ration.
Haylage, protein sup
plement, and hay are fed
along with high moisture
com to the milk cows in the
morning. Then cows receive
com silage after the milking.
High moisture com is fed in
a ratio of one pound of com
to three pounds of milk.
Last fall, the Hartles built
a bam for older calves and
"Med^
SPECIAL SALE ON
BRUSHLESS ALTERNATORS
Prices ore going up soon. Buy Now & SAVE $ $ $$
Go Completely Brushless!!
• Brush Spring failures
• Brush holder breakage
• Collector ring wear
Results in less
Maintenance, more positive
voltage buildup after long
periods of idleness
HARLAN MARTIN
P.O. BOX 35. MARTINDALE, PA 17549
Bus. Ph; 215-445-4800 Res. Ph: 215-267-7771
into groups in free stalls.
Dry cows occupy one end of
a large loose housing area.
This past spring, a farm
shop was added for
machinery repair and
maintenance.
The Master Farmer raises
most of his heifer calves
although he sells 3 ro 4 each
to 4-H and FFA members.
He also raises 6 to 8 bull
calves each year to sell to
local dairymen. The other
bull calves are vealed.
His advice for young
farmers starting out in the
buisness is buy good quality
cows don’t get too large too
fast. And don’t buy too much
machinery. If you can hire
someone to do custom work
for the season crops, you will
be further ahead, at least in
the beginning.
“And a young man star
ting in dairying should have
wife who is interested in
farming,” Hartle says.
“There’s a lot of hard work
and long hours involved and
it’s important for the wife to
be a part of the total
operation.”
Following graduation
from Bellefonte High School
in 1950, Hartle worked as a
DHIA supervisor for a year
then assisted his father on
the home farm.
In 1955 he married the
former Gladys Waite. A year
later they purchased a 115-
acre farm and started their
dairy operation with five
cows and four calves,
Hartle’s original 4-H
animals.
Throughout the late 1950’s
and 1960’s they remodeled
and added to the barn, but
the herd size remained
between 30 and 40 cows.
Then in 1969, they purchased
an adjoining farm. Herd size
gradually rose to the present
level.
In addition to farming,
Hartle is active in numerous
agriucultural organizations.
He served as president of the
Centre County Holstein Club,
Centre County 4-H Leaders
Forum, Extension
Executive Committee, and
Centre-Clinton DHIA.
He also holds membership
in the Centre County Far
mers’ Association, Nor
theastern Breeders
Association, Pennsylvania
Grassland Council, State and
National Holstein
Eliminates:
MARTIN'S MACHINERY
on feed quality
Hartle advises young farmers that the key to
success is buying quality cattle, not buying too
much cattle or too much machinery right away,
and marrying someone who's interested in far
ming.
Club, Logan and Pomona
Granges, Centre County Ag
Forum, and Crop Im
provement Center. For 29
years he was dairy and beef
superintendent at the
Grange Fair.
Non-farm memberships
include the Knights of
Columbus, St. John’s
Catholic Church, and
director of the State College
Federal Savings and Loan
Association.
Hartle has been recipient
of numerous honors in
cluding first runner-up for
the Pennsylvania Out
standing Young Fanner
Award, Pennsylvania
Granger of the Year, Out
standing Grassland Farmer
Award, and County Con
servation Award. He won
first place ui the county 5-
acre com contest the past
three years.
Hartle will be inducted
into the Pennsylvania
Master Farmers’
Association at a formal
award ceremony to be held
January 8 in Harrisburg.
The association membership
consists of all former award
winners.
• Brush skipping
• Brush sticking
• Brush Arking
John Deere
Handle snow removal the
easy way with a compact
320 Snow Thrower The
320 features a heavy duty (
3-hp engine 20 inch V
cutting width large I
7-mch tires self-priming I
carburetor 2-position II
adjustable handle and I
solid state or standard I
ignition Get a John Deere I
Compact Snow Thrower I
today I
(W
\johw pctre j
LANDIS BROSJC.
1305 Manheim Pike
Lancaster, PA 17601
Ph: 717-291-1046