Bl2—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, January 12,1980 _ . , , ‘ Includes 208 hu, ear corn yield State Corn Growers Assn, annoim BYCURTHARLER HARRISBURG - A yield of 207.9 bushels ear corn was not enougji to take the top spot in this year’s Master Corn Growers’ Association yield contest. K. Earl Gordon, Mc- Connelsfaurg, took the top spot, by a narrow margin, with a yield of 208.1 bushels The Fulton County fanner edged out Raymond J. Diebold, R 3 Altoona, who produced the 207.9 bushel entry. Third place in the ear com division went to Sam Conrad, Wamors Mark. The Huntingdon County farmer produced 189.5 bushels. In the Shelled Gram Class a yield of 190.7 bushels per acre was sufficient to gam top honors for Milton Her shey School Farms. The Hershey School Farms yield was certainly no fluke. The yield was measured on a nine acre field. It seems there wasn’t tune at harvest to play around with the stop and go to measure the required smaller plot. Close behind m second place was Merle Omer, R 2 Dillsburg, York County, with a production of 188.2 bushels per acre Third place went to Harold Ealy, R 2 Sharpsville, Mercer County. He produced 173.5 bushels shelled gram per acre. In the three year average, Jeff Pontius, R 3, Sunbury, Northumberland County, had the top ear corn yield with an average over the past years of 193.8 bushels. That he should be head and shoulders above the crowd was little surprise. Last year Pontius took the state ear com title with a record splitting yield of 239.2 bushels to the acre. In the shelled gram three year average class, Piwowar Farms, R 6 Uruontown, Fayette County, took top honors with an average 184.8 bushels. The Piwowar brothers also were helped by a big yield m last year’s contest, a 202.2 bushel production which gave them a boost over the second place finisher, Merle Omer. Penn State Agronomist Joseph McGahen, executive secretary of the Corn Growers Association, said there were 253 farmers who had a yield check The state average 138.1 bushels per acre, down seven bushels from last year. The state-wide result reflects trends McGahen noticed m the state variety plots, he said. In the Penn State research plots, yields were down a startling 20 bushels per acre “This is showing up on our good soils, our heavy soils,” he said. Soils that are a bit drouthy in other years were top this year “It proves Mother Nature still dictates yield,” McGahen said He pointed out farmers who said they had good weed control m 1979 averaged 140 bushels per acre Those who said weed control was average made 128 bushels, those with poor weed control made 121 6 bushels to the acre Al Dugan, representing Milton Hershey Farms in Dauphin County, accepted the 1979 trophy for top shelled corn yield in the state, 190.7 bushels. Presenting trophy is Ag Secretary Penrose Hallowell as Penn State Agronomist Joe McGahen looks on. A yield of 208.1 bushels ear corn won K. Earl Gordon the state yield championship in the 1979 ear corn class. Presenting the trophy is Penrose Hailowell, State Agriculture Secretary. Another interesting ob- Com costs are likely to be servation was farmers who U P some more > McGahen used both commercial told farmers, fertilizer and manure While the average cost per averaged 141.9 bushels com acre com, excluding drying to the acre. and storing, was $lBO m 1978 Those who used only R rose 5207 in 1979. commercial fertilizer McGahen said he predicts realized yields of only 134.4 similar increases in cost m bushels. the coming season. How top corn growers made their yields HARRISBURG - It was no mere fluke that won Earl Gordon and the Hershey School Farms the top yield tropheys m the 1979 Master Com Growers Association contest Gordon, of Me- Connellsburg, Fulton County, used Pioneer 3184 to produce a yield of 208 1 bushels shelled corn. Master Corn Growers Association elected three new directors at their Monday annual meeting Among them were Joseph Hartle, Centre County dairy farmer; John Smith, York County Extension Director; and John Swartz, a com mercial representative with PAG seed corn. COMPARE OUR PRICES $ SAVE $ AUTOMATIC HEATED CATTLE WATERERS i ; y PARTS IN STOCK TINGLEY BOOTS & RUBBERS FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY Baymix, Tramisol & Thiabendazole Wormer in Stock. ZIMMERMAN ANIMAL HEALTH SUPPLY R.D 4, Lititz, PA 17543 717-733-4466 New Store Mrs Mon tThurs 7AM to 8 P M lues I Wed 7AM to 5 P M Fn 7 AM to 9 P M Sat 7AM to 12 Noon Chris and Jim Piwowar, Fayette County, averaged 184.8 bushels over three year’s time to take the state three year shelled grain championship. Ag Secretary Penrose Hallowed made the presentation. Hershey School made its applied a healthy dose of yield of 190 7 bushels shelled manure on their land, both corn with the same hybrid were planting their crop in There were several other Hagerstown Class I soils, similarities between the two Gordon planted his crop in farms, although Gordon 38 inch rows, 6.9 inches grows 100 acres of corn while betwen plants in the row. the Hershey School had 2300 acres in field corn last year Both programs were harvest conventional corn, both kept The field previously had the soil sweet with lime, both (Turn to Page BI3) TRYAFORD OH FOR SIZE! 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