Al2—Uncastw Farming, Saturday, August 25,1984
Now is
the Time
(Continued from Page A 10)
stands Decause of the nitrogen
content. Some growers will top
dress with fertilizer in the fall and
again after the removal of the first
cutting in the spring.
This should result in maximum
yields with a healthy stand. When
alfalfa plants are well fed and
treated for insect injury, they
should be able to stand weather
adversities. Alfalfa plants are
heavy feeders on both phosphorus
and potash. Unless these elements
are replaced each year, the plants
and yield will suffer.
To Keep Standby
Generators In Order
The value of standby generators
is evident when power failures
occur from lightning or flooding
conditions. The important thing is
to have a generator that is in good
working condition. We never know
when we will have additional
storms (rain, snow or ice) that will
take away our regular power
source.
Highly mechanized farmers are
urged to test their generators and
be sure they are in top condition. If
the generator is old, or not in good
condition, it might be wise to invest
in another one. Some losses have
been very high due to the lack of
electricity for a short period of
time. Planning for emergency
action when electric power if off is
very good management.
The Penn State Extern ton Service la an
affirmative action equal opportunity
educational insUtaOoo.
Farm Calendar
(Continued from Page A 10)
stration, 10 a.m., Larry
Wilkinson farm, Gettysburg.
Wednesday, Aug. 29
Com/soybean field day, 9-11:30
a.m., Delaware Extension
demonstration farm.
Methane digester meeting, 9 a.m. -
4 p.m., Rama da Inn, Somerset.
Big Knob Grange Fair continues
through Saturday. „
Great Stoneboro Fair continues
through Sept. 3.
Thursday, Aug. 30
South Mountain Fair continues
through Sept. 3.
Friday, August 31
Quarter Horse Show, Farm Show
Complex, continues through
Sunday.
Bradford Dairy Day, 4-H Building,
Troy Fairgrounds.
INSURANCE WITH ASSURANCE
• ESTATE PUUMMQ
• MAJOR MEDICAL
• HOSPITALIZATION
• GROUP NMURANCE
Sris
Steward Pillow
OUR READERS WRITE
God help us
Dear Editor:
In a recent article Jerry Webb
wrote about how part-time far
mers decide to become fulltime
farmers. Somehow reading the
article it sounded like an easy
decision to make. However to me,
a part-time farmer this decision
does not seem so easy.
The cost of going fulltime is so
tremendous and risks are so real.
After two years of drought, many
local farmers sold out. All had
farmed for many years, but they
lost everything. They were good
farmers and hard workers.
When you look at the traditional
farming methods: dairy (too many
cows), poultry (going toward big
operations), swine (same as
poultry.) In the same issue as
Jerry’s article was the Pennfield
story about the 1250-sow complex.
Bradford Dairy Day set
TOWANDA - Bradford
County’s Dairy Day on Friday will
feature “Dairy Farm Computers”
and “Embryo Transplants”. Top
notch speakers with plenty of
experience will be featured along
with commercial exhibits at the 4-
H building on the Troy
Fairgrounds.
The morning program on
computers will have a presentation
on dairy farm computers by Jud
Heinrich, Penn State Extension
dairy specialist. Jud also will
moderate a panel discussion by
local computer owners. Roy
Beardslee has used a computer to
analyze his operation and develop
feeding programs. Duane Mat
tocks has used his computer to do
business analysis, tax work and
record keeping Harold Moyer uses
his computer to store farm records
and help with a farm analysis and
Archie Williams uses a computer
to help feed his cows.
The afternoon program is
devoted to a discussion of “Em
bryo Transplants” in dairy cattle.
Larry Specht, Penn State Dairy
Specialist will lead off the program
discussing “Indexes and the
Economics of ET”. Dr. Alan
McCauley, of Em-Tran, will
discuss proper techniques in ET.
Following will be a panel of suc
cessful dairymen with much ex
perience with ET. Between them
FORFARMERS
BUSINESS MEN’S ASSURANCE
1301 N. Hamilton Street, Suite 108
Richmond. VA 23230
(804)355-7447
Bob Wehking, Manager
Serving more tnanso,oooagri -producers
LEB CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE
> or Contact in Confidence - Bob Walking at the above address
How many family farmers will
that complex force out of business?
Expand with a grain operation?
Last year, my neighbor idled his
land and had five or 10 big-time
farming operators wanting to rent
it.
Finally, when talking of fulltime
farming you must consider money,
big money. Now, I don’t have any
money, but last year a friend sold
property for $169,000 and invested
that money in tax-free municipal
bonds at 11 percent. Now, he’s
making $350 a week. No work, no
gamble and no taxes.
It seems to me that $169,000
invested into fulltime farming
could be just enough to get a fellow
into trouble.
D. J. Francis
Westminster, Md.
P.S. May God help us folks who
like to farm - to watch things
grow.
they have over 1000 ET calves. The
panel includes Walter Brooks of
Brooks Twain Farm with 150-200
ET calves; Galen Crouse of Len-
Lyn Farm with 200 ET calves;
Lester Poust of Mun-Cre Farm
with 250 ET calves and; Denny
Wolfe of Pen-Col Farm with 450 ET
calves.
DeLaval Dee
DeLaval Do
DeLaval does the
best job of all!
Call
Cecil
Dairy Service
301-658-6923
For the best deal
of all
See Section C
Page 42
• MORTQAQE PnoncnON
• DttAMLITY MCOMC
• PENSION FLANS
• LIFE INSURANCE
PFA establishes scholarship
ROCK SPRINGS - The Penn
sylvania Farmers’ Association
(PFA) this week presented a check
for $lO,OOO to die Pennsylvania
State University’s College of
Agriculture to establish a PFA
Memorial Scholarship Fund.
PFA vice president D. Eugene
Gayman, presented the check to
the College of Agriculture’s Dean
Samuel Smith during the Grass
Roots Day luncheon at Penn
State’s Ag Progress Days.
Gayman said the fund will be
used to provide annual scholar
ships in the University’s College of
Agriculture for sons or daughters
of PFA farm families.
PFA president Keith Eckel
announced earlier that the
scholarship fund was established
to honor the memory of PFA
Pa. Grange is ft 2
HARRISBURG Pennsylvania
State Grange now ranks as the
second largest State Grange
organization in the nation, ac
cording to National Grange
membership statistics.
State Grange Master Charles
Wismer said the Pennsylvania
chapter of the rural farm
organization has had considerable
membership growth in the past
two years, with a gain in mem
bership for the 1982-83 year, and an
anticipated gain for the 1963-84
organizational year. Statewide,
membership totals over 42,000
individuals. Six new chapters
formed during the year bring the
Preparing herd rations to
feed to production without
regard for age/stage dif
ferences between animals.
Establish a Dairy Herd Profile™ that accounts for
body maintenance, growth, production, and
reproduction of each animal in the herd.
Our professional field people, working on
your farm, formulate
a prescription
feeding program
to maximize your
feedstuff potential.
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For more information contact
William H Romberger Pitman, PA (717) 648-1013
Robert E Baker Lebanon, PA (717) 272-8985
Anthony W Eberly Stevens, PA (215) 267-2789
Jay R Beidel Plainfield, PA (717) 243-7441
Thomas Stouffer St Thomas, PA (717) 369-5195
volunteer and staff leaders by
assisting with the educational
pursuits of Pennsylvania’s future
farm leaders.
Money for the scholarship fund
was raised through contributions
by PFA members and fund-raising
efforts by the statewide
organization and its county
associations. Eckel noted that no
membership dues money was used
in establishing the scholarship
fund.
PFA also announced that Ed
ward Brummer of R 2, Port Royal,
has been selected to receive
scholarship aid during the 1984-85
academic year from the PFA
Memorial Scholarship Fund.
Brummer is a Junior in Penn
State’s College of Agriculture
studying agronomy.
total number of local Grange
chapters up to 553.
“For many years, Pennsylvania
ranked third nationally behind
California State Grange in
membership,” Wismer said. “With
our recent gains, we now have
moved ahead of California.”
Washington State Grange has the
largest Grange membership with
around 69,000 members.
Awards will be presented to
county Granges in Pennsylvania
that achieved membership gains
for the past year during the State
Grange’s annual convention in
Gettysburg, Oct. 22-25.
people + your farm =
ncreased rolling herd average.