C4—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, April 25,1981
Broadcast for formers
(Continued from Page C 2)
public is through remote broad
casts, of which he does about 25-30
per year, including reports from
such places as Farm Show, Ag
Progress Days and events like the
Pork Congress He also attends
many meetings simply as
background for him in his work
He says, “I enjoy being where
the farmers are, but it is more
convenient to do our programs
here." When he goes on location,
his trusty wire service machine
goes along and is usually a great
attention getter because farmer
enjoy seeing the prices roll out the
machine.
There is one other aspect to the
Network in addition to price
reports there is commercial air
time. Les explains that the news
programming is offered free to
radio stations which trade air tune
for advertising. Houck states,
“We’re only as good as our ad
vertisers ” Brubaker makes the
local advertising contacts and
there are national advertising
representatives for that trade
Simply put, it is the paid ad
vertising that supports the net
work. Commercial spots are
mailed to the stations and played
on tape.
Houck recalls that he became
involved in his present occupation
as a result of being active in the
National Tractor Pullers
Association, of which he is
currently serving as president. In
his previous job with C.B. Hoober,
Intercourse, he got interested in
pulling and had his own tractor.
During his work with the pulls, he
met Ed Johnson who had started a
farm broadcasting network in
Pennsylvania, but was broad
casting from his own facilities in
Ohio. The situation was not
working becaue of the distance, so
Houck made the decision to take
over. Since then, the station has
grown continually.
Houck compares his going into
radio broadcasting with going into
farming, with some of the same
pitfalls and investment problems
But he adds, “I was fortunate. I
just went in and hoped to get
10% Off - all living
room suites and reciiners
(200 pieces or more in stock)
‘lO.OO off rag. price on sofa beds
(50 or more in stock)
A FEW DISCOUNTS ON WOODEN ROCKEIIS
AND BEDROOM SUITES
10% rff all new bedding
With purchase of any now bedroom suite
A few good used sets in stock
7 Place Matal Breakfast Sat
5 Place Matal Braaktast Sat
• Large selection of Used Furniture
• Box Springs and Mattresses-Beds.
• 6 Good Used Bedroom Suites.
• 6 Empire Bureaus
• Some Fine Antiques in Oak, etc.
FISHER’S FURNITURE
■ART. PA 17503
RT. 196 IN GEORGETOWN
Men ,Tuk W*d I, Sat i-s,Thurs *Fri 1-9
ahead ”
Although he had no broadcasting
training, he says, "My voice comes
out very well And engineers at
stations can do wonders - that’s the
secret ”
He said phone lines allow good
quality tapes with the quality
recorders available
How is the competition m the
farm broadcasting business 9
Houck answers with a smile,
"Every radio station is our
competition Every one could do it.
I wish there were more com
petition so we would have more
farm programming. But the only
way for that to happen is for far
mers to call up and say they want
it. Mostly the farm population is a
silent population.” The interest is
there, he points out, adding “If
there is more expansion and more
emphasis it would help our
business.”
When Houck sits down to the
microphone, he assembles the
latest news from the wire service
and from forms filled out by phone
calls, then proceeds to read. There
is no writing out the report before
he gives it; it just flows. However,
he acknowledges, “You always do
some dumb things. You get into the
flow, and have to be able to read
with your mouth saying one thing
and thinking ahead.”
The service Houck and his
Network provides is one which fills
a need for fanners everywhere -
keeping them in touch with prices
of commodities which affect their
planning and decision-making. For
Houck, providing this service not
only keeps him in close contact
with the farming community
which is so close to his heart, but
also helps him contnbue to keeping
farms strong.
Spring
Clearance
Sale
m.w
10% off all stoves
and accessories
Ashleys and Warm Mornings
While supply lasts
WASHINGTON, D.C. -
Secretary of Agriculture John R.
Block last Friday announced the
appointment of George Steele,
Pennsylvania dairyman and
leader in the agricultural
cooperative movement, to serve as
his representative on the Federal
Farm Credit Board.
Steele is president of George
Steele and Sons, Inc., a family
dairy farm of 100 milking cows and
100 young stock. He operates the
farm in conjunction with two sons,
James and Richard.
Steele has wide experience in the
Farm Credit System, currently
serving in his seventh consecutive
term as a director of the Baltimore
district board.
Recognized as a cooperative
leader, Steele currently is
chairman of the board and
president of Agway Inc., a
Syracuse, N.Y.-based, 123,000-
member purchasing and
marketing fanner cooperative
with annual sales of over $2 billion.
The 13-member Federal Farm
Credit Board is the policy making
body for the Farm Credit Ad-
Here's What
You Get For
Less Than
15* A Week!
f
V I t
a I *«** sg^gfep^'
* |
ARTICLES OF INTEREST on the latest trends in farming and
feature stories about your farming friends and neighbors!
A WHOLE SECTION OF WOMEN'S NEWS and features,
recipes and columns written just for our female readers!
REPORTS ON OUR YOUTH,. .photos and articles about the
next generation of farmers...our farming youth!
Our total farm coverage also gives you
NEWS (including Dairy & DHIA
Reports)... MARKET REPORTS...BEST
BUYS ON PRODUCTS AND EQUIP
MENT...FREE MAILBOX MARKET...and
much, much more!
George Steele to serve
on Farm Credit Board
. # P-O. Box 366, Lititz, PA 17543 ti
7 17-626-1164 or 394-3047
George Steele
KNNSYIVANIA AGRICULTURE
lla>
WE’RE GROWING REITER
At LANCASTER FARMING, we think we
do a good job of keeping you in
formed... and we have over 39,000 paid
subscribers who think so too!
ministration Members serve part
time; 12 are appointed by the U S
president for 6-year terms. The
13th member is appointed by the
secretary of agriculture.
The Farm Credit System is
comprised of federal land banks
and federal land bank
associations, federal intermediate
credit banks and production credit
associations and banks for
cooperatives.
The system is designed to
provide adequate and dependable
credit and related services to
farmers, ranchers and their
associations.
THOMASVILLE COMMUNITY 4-H
OO CLUB MEETING aa
So niEsoAv.mzs So
1 7:30 p.m.
At York Co. 4-H Center
Program:
Magic Show by David Thoman
Mike Welsh - News Reporter
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