Lancaster farming. (Lancaster, Pa., etc.) 1955-current, March 21, 1981, Image 21

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    duty
im were presented with the
in District's Outstanding
day evening. During an'on
! duo look over their con
scheduled practices will be
“That first terrace was so high,”
ecalled Jim, “I felt it was
idiculous. But last winter when
(Turn to Page A2l)
BUTLER
5 Years Against
5 Years Against >.
7 Years Against Rv
Effective 1-
All Building FOB Annville
(Buildings not equipped as!
Prices Based on Survey of
Prices Could Vary With Fact
Various Sizes Height and Wj
»E ON BUILDINGS APRIL Ist
D. E. SMITH. INC. PC
Mrtflintown, Pa 17059 1841
PH 717-436-2151 Stree
PH 3
IRIDGEWATER 0 A
>ING SYSTEMS J!
INC. BndgeviH
R D. #2 |»i;
wmpson, Pa 18465 "V
»H 717-727-2868
Conservationists say saving soil
(Continued from Page A2O)
the rams came in January and the
ground was frozen, that terrace
was almost plumb full of water.
That’s when I knew they (Soil
Conservation Service technicians)
knew what they were doing when
they designed it.”
Roy echoed Jim’s enthusiasm of
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This metal riser allows the surface runoff carried in the
cropland terrace channel to enter underground pipes. The
excess water is safely carried in the drains to a stream where
itisoutletted.
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lerrysßoad CONTRACTOR
Md 21154 RO. Box 249
II 692 5350 Loalport, Pa 1662/
814-672-5/51
NEWTON
lON CO.
. Delaware 19933
B2ll
NICKLIN STEEL
BUILDERS
301 N Broad Street
Grove City, Pa 16127
412-458-7243
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the terraces ability to hold back
the runoff water. He recounted an
experience when the terraces
made the difference.
“During a winter storm when the
ground was frozen, the terraces
filled up with runoff water and held
it for 3 days, letting it out slowly.
Without those terraces, that water
—■ **
Sv
-jtfy
1818 GRAIN BIN -4173 Bushel Capacity
LESS THAN s 22oo°°
F. 0.8. Cash and Carry
2718 GRAIN BIN - 9872 Bushel Capacity
LESSTHAN *37so°°
HASCHEN
AGRICULTURAL
SYSTEMS
PO Box 505
Chestertown. Md 21620
PH 301-778-5800
TRI-STATE MARINE
DIST. INC.
Route 256
Deale. Md 20751
PH 301-867-1447
would have runoff the farm m a
couple hours
“And, during the summer of
1977, the new house downstream
from us had its furnace flooded out
two limes m storms where we got 3
mches of ram in 30 minutes that
was before the terraces were in
stalled it wouldn’t happen now.”
Jim pointed out the location of
the new chicken house, con
structed last summer, would have
been impossible before the
terraces were installed on the
fields behind the buildings.
“Water used to come off those
fields in a stream every time it
rained, and it would have run right
through the middle of the house,”
he said.
Since the terraces were in
stalled, what changes in
cultivation practices were needed?
According to Jim, the terraces
forced him to “learn .to drive in
circles and to plow up hill to keep
the terrace ridge built up ”
Although they keep the mold
board plow around for some
plowing, Roy and Jim pointed out
they’ve made the switch to chisel
plowing in the past three years.
"Chiseling lets more trash on the
field and doesn’t let the water run
off as quick, especially in the
winter,” noted Jim He added they
also seed cover crops of rye on the
corn acreage harvested for the
trench silo.
Roy added farming fields with
terraces on them means farming a
lot of short rows. ‘But,” he em
phasized, ‘l’d rather do a few
more short rows than be bouncing
over gutters.”
What did it cost for the 1.6 miles
of terraces, 1400 feet of tile drams,
600 feet of waterway, and 600 feet
of diversion?
In ball park figures, Jim figured
it cost about $17,000 for the con-
IN STOCK FOR IMMEDIATE DELIVERY
IN STOCK FOR IMMEDIATE DELIVERY
F. 0.8. Cash and Carry
IN STOCK FOR IMMEDIATE DELIVERY
TRI-COUNTY
AGRI-SYSTEMS
R D #l, Box 55
Swedes boro, NJ 08085
PH 609-467-3174
WALTER J
CONSTRUCTION
KDI Box 403 J
Strasburg, Pa 17579
PH 717 68/8681
servation work. He pointed out,
however, seventy-five percent of
the cost was paid by the federal
Agricultural Stabilization and
Conservation Service.
“The big thing is we’re saving
our soil,” said Roy. “WeTe not
watching our valuable top soil
. U
V» UOll uu II v T
HARRISBURG - Proposed
changes by the federal govern
ment in the Rural Electrification
Administration’s loan programs,
expected to result in significant
rate increases, have prompted
action by the Pennsylvania State
Grange.
The state Grange, which
represents over 44,000 rural
Pennsylvanians, supports REA’s
loan program in its present form
"Dairy farmers across the
United States are being asked to
forego any price increase in milk
supports at this time” Charles
Wismer, state Grange Master,
said. “Therefore, I believe if we
want them to survive, we have to
do everything in our power to
protect them from energy in
creases m the future.”
Under President Reagan’s
proposal, . Rural Electric
Cooperative" no longer will be
allowed to borrow money through
the Federal Financing Bank. As a
result, these cooperatives will
have to borrow money elsewhere
at higher interest rates. Interest
rates on present loans are ex
pected to increase by 1.25 percent
as of October 1, 1981, and Penn
sv'v?n’a Rural Electric
U- 3
WEETER CONCRETE
CONSTRUCTION
P 0 Drawer V
Knox, PA 16232
Phone 814-797-5122
KELLER BUILDING
SYSTEMS INC.
R.D. 1 Box 203
Lewisburg, PA 17837
PH 717-524-0568
Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, March 21,1981—A21
Grangers oppose
rural electric changes
P.E HESS, BUTLER MFG. CO.
Box 337, Oxford, PA 19363
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“Maybe Jim’s kids might see
those terraces pay for themselves
I can’t put a finger on the worth
of topsoil.”
In summing up then easons for
practicing conservatia farming,
Jim said, “You can’t inn on
subsoil.”
Cooperatives predict this could
mean $65.9 million added onto
present electric bills in rural parts
of the state.
The President also proposes
slashing m REA-Insured Loan
Program by $350 million in the
next fiscal year, resulting in
limited new construction or overall
rate increases.
Wismer said these changes will
hit hard on rural customers
because rural electric companies
only average 4.6 consumers per
mile of line. By comparison,
private compames average 35.8
consumers per mile of line.
In a letter addressed to U.S.
Senators and Congressmen,
Wismer wrote “The proposed
changes really would not reduce
the federal budget one dollar
because neither REA loan
prgoram is a federal bugetary
expenditure.
“Over the years, REA has really
unproved the standard of living for
rural Pennsylvania and has also
contributed very much to the low
cost of food because our Penn
sylvania farmers rely on electric
energy to run these farms,” he
concluded.
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AGRI-BUILDER
.State.