Dl2—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, June 18,1983
Crawford farm
(Continued from Page DIO)
originally intended for use as
bedding but the cattle liked it so
well they ate it. Bruckner plans to
do the same thing this year for
bedding the beef cattle.
The dairy herd is fed com silage,
grain and hay along with “Agn-
Kmg” minerals. Custard feels it is
a good mineral program although
some feel its expensive. He says it
pays in the end with reducing milk
fever and ketosis problems.
An interesting point Custard
made is that there is no noticeable
gam in milk each Spring when the
cows are turned out for the first
time. "The clover is deep in the
pasture so we must be feeding
right all year long,” Ken con
cluded.
The forage and gram are sample
tested and the feed ration is
determined by that and the DHIA
test. The amount of feed vanes per
cow.
The farm at the home produces
ail of the beef, pork and milk
needed for the residents. “We sell
more than we consume to be
viable,” Bruckner pointed out.
Many County Home Farms have
ceased production but although
regulations are more strict the
Crawford Co. Home Farm is still
very productive. The butchering
can no longer take place on the
ARCADIAN liquid gives a
profitable boost to alfalfa
after every cutting.
Give alfalfa a liquid boost after the first cutting.
That's when topdressing N-P-K, and micronutrients
in an Arcadian® liquid fertilizer made with POLY-N®
pays big dividends in high yielding, high quality alfalfa.
You can even add insecticides if you need to.
When it’s done right, a topdressing after every
cutting will increase the yields. It will raise the protein
content. Help the crop compete better against
grasses. And improve the vigor for a long stand life.
Arcadian liquid makes it easy. Made the SLP way.
Arcadian liquid gives you uniform distribution of
fertilizer ingredients from start to finish. It’s truly the
efficient way to turn alfalfa into green gold.
Any kind insecticide with fertilizer top dressing
on alfalfa fields plus paraquat for grass &
'NI Plant Foods
MARTIN’S AG SERVICE
RDI, Box 716, New Holland, PA 17557
Phone: 717-354-4996 or 717-354-5848
farm and everything is USDA
inspected since the dining area is
classified a "public dining
facility.” The purpose of the farm
is to produce low cost high quality
food and as Bruckner stated
"There is nothing fresher than
garden vegetables with dew on
them.”
The garden is filled with
thousands of broccoli, cabbage and
tomato plants among other
vegetables. Last year after
calculating the cost of 5000 tomato
plants at $l.OO per dozen (around
$400.00) Bruckner and Custard
decided to build a greenhouse.
They were able to construct a
fiberglass structure using plastic
pipe as the framework for under
$lOO.OO. They have constructed a
second larger one at just a little
over that figure. They now plant
their own seeds and have saved
substantial amounts through their
ingenuity.
Bruckner mentioned that the
Farm has been working to build up
the soil and hopes to be one of the
first farms in Crawford Co. to join
the Crop Improvement Assoc. The
new program will go into effect as
soon as a few more sign up,
although Bruckner is anxious now.
Since the herd and soil are being
improved Charlie plans to update
some equipment that is needed
c/o JOHN Z. MARTIN
daily. He said that it pays to nickel
and dime the seasonal machinery
but some things are basic
necessities.
Bruckner and Custard em
phasized that they try to purchase
feed, seed and fertilizer within the
county: “We want to keep the
taxpayer’s dollars within the
county.”
Bruckner mentioned with a grin
that the farm has $85,000 bosses -
the number of taxpayer’s m the
county” and any or all of them
could stop by at any tune.
Bruckner is a busy man helping
and supervising the County Farm
but he finds time to attend college
in Goddard, Vt. for ten intensive
days every four months. Although
it’s hard Bruckner says he has
learned to main tarn a good sense of
humor and so has his wife. They
live near the farm with their six
year-old son.
The Crawford County Home
Farm is a unique operation from
the grounds to the people to the
animals. It is open to visitors daily
but will especially be bustling next
Saturday. The Crawford County
Farm-City Day which attracts 3000
annually will be held at the farm.
There will be wagon tours,
displays and contests for everyone.
The dairy princess pageant will
conclude the day’s activities in the
nearby Saegertown High School at
8 p.m. Plan to attend the f un!
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forest mgt, program
NEWARK, Del. A one-year
cooperative educational program
for forest land owners has been
established by the Delaware
Cooperative Extension Service and
the Delaware Department of
Agriculture with funds provided by
the Federal Extension Service
under the Renewable Resources
Extension Act (RREA).
The new forest land
management program is intended
primarily for private woodland
owners and Christmas tree
growers. State forester Walter F.
Gabel will assist with the project
under a cooperative arrangement
among the Delaware Department
of Agriculture Forestry Section,
the University of Delaware Ex
tension Service, and the 1890 ex
tension program at Delaware State
College.
Purpose of the program is to
provide private forest land owners
with information on management
techniques which will improve and
increase the value of timber
stands, and improve them en
vironmentally.
Nearly 400,000 acres (30 percent)
of Delaware forest land belongs to
over 11,000 private owners. The
average wooriW i' 32 In-
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dividuals hold three-fourths of this
land and corporations own the rest.
Half of it belongs to farmers.
Forestry officials say that nearly
40 percent of the state’s com
mercial forests are overstocked. In
many cases harvest of loblolly pine
and other softwoods for pulp, poles
and lumber leaves abundant
stands of less commercially
desirable hardwood. Projections
are that if present removal trends
continue, the state’s total tree
inventory will increase by 55
percent, but softwood volume will
decrease 44 percent. Privately
owned forests must be better
managed to continue to meet the
demand for softwood without
depleting this resource base.
Proper management also is
important when woodlot owners
wish to encourage wildlife, achieve'
privacy, or use their woods for
other purposes.
Goal of the new extension
program is to show how to do this
effectively. Gabel and his foresters
will work with county extension
agents in preparing demon
strations, tours and other
educational programs on aspects
of forest management.
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