D24—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 20,1984
Brockett’s Ag Advice
ef -■
FinanciafcManagement - A
Sacrifice
Many farmers would rather go
out of business than learn to be
financial managers. They are
producers or growers and would
probably do a great job working
for someone else. Especially if that
someone else was a successful
businessman. Every business
needs someone on top who looks at
the proverbial “bottom line.”
Recently “Newsweek”
magazine carried a very thought
provocative article by Lee
lacocca. I believe that you as a
farm manager could learn some
business principles if you would
read it. He tells of his down fall at
Ford. He tells of hanging on too
long there due to not wanting to
lose the security the job gave him.
He also tells of the tough per
sonally heart rending decisions he
had to make when he took over at
Chrysler. One was firing a large
number of people. Let no mistakes
be made, despite his stated
abhorrence for this task he did it
because he saw his number 1 job
being to save the business, he could
rationalize that saving the
business meant future jobs in
cluding his own.
But isn’t that also your job. I
guess the question is are you tough
enough to save your farm? Are you
really willing to go all out and
become a manager if that would
save your farm? Don’t say yes to
this question without considering
the consequences.
The Consequences of Saying Yes!
If you say yes I do want to
become a financial manager, you
will have to make some drastic
changes. You will have to forcibly
budget time into a very busy
schedule to work on, use, analyze,
and project from your records. The
minimum time a farmer should
spend with records is 10%. Tnat
means 250 to 400 hours per year or
20 to 35 hours per month. Can you
do that?
Second you will have to be
willing to budget your income and
expenses until you can see how to
balance them. That will be part of
that 250 to 400 hours. Is this a bunch
of nonsense?
Third, you will have to be willing
to do more than have an analysis
run on your operation. You will
have to be willing to tear it apart
and ask where can I improve? No
fair sitting there while your wife
does it (and falling asleep when the
MAILBOX MARKET
For Sale 200 bu small
seed rye bagged, $3 00
per bu Potter Co , 814
848 7421
Wanted Coal stove,
Caloric U S Army con
servation type 4, Chester
Co 215 869 3877
For Sale Combine, IH
#93 10' pickup reel,
straw spreader, $995, IH
truck 300 bu body $5OO
Mercer Co , NJ 609 586
2869
For Sale Waterfowl &
Rabbits, Swan & Ducks-
New Zealand Reds & Mini
Lops Cecil Co 1 301 885
2134, after 7pm
For Sale 500 pullets 400
B X hybred, lay Brown
eggs 20 wk old Oct 31
Lane Co 717 733 6697
For Sale Typewriter desk
65 00 Royal manual
typewriter 35 00 Callier's
encyclopedia 20 vol w/10
yr books 65 00 York Co
By John E. Brockett
Farm Management Agent
Lewistown Extension Office
figures become boring). Are you
still there?
It is easy to say I want to farm, it
is easy to complain about the
government, the weather, prices,
etc. It is even relatively easy to be
on or near the top in DHIA or win a
crop production contest. Notice I
said relatively because for most of
you it is easier to do those things
than to keep and use records,
analyze your business, use
budgets, or project or plan for the
future.
In the 25 plus years I have been
working with farmers, I have
probably heard every reason why
a farmer is in trouble. Most of
them hundreds of times. I do
sympathize with farmers. I have
wanted to help people help them
selves since I was a boy and
traveled with my Dad who was a
county agent. He told me when I
started in as a county agent that
the biggest criticism I would get
was “if you know so much about
farming why aren’t you out there
doint it?”. He said “you won’t have
a good answer so don’t bother
commenting - for the most part the
questioner doesn’t mean it - he is
just venting a frustration because
something is not going right”.
So say it to me if it helps then
let’s get down to the business of
salvaging your business. I guess
the bottom line question is “How
about you - how bad do you really
want to farm?”
Pen-Hort
meetings
scheduled
SALISBURY, Md. - Dates have
been set for this year’s Peninsula
Horticultural Society Meetings.
The program for greenhouse and
nursery operators will take place
Tuesday, Nov. 20, from 9:15 a.m. to
3:30 p.m. at the Wicomico Youth
and Civic Center in Salisbury,
Maryland. The session for com
mercial vegetable growers will be
held at the same place on Thur
sday, Dec. 6, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30
p.m.
For further information on
either session, contact county
extension agents in Delaware, or
Eastern Shore Maryland and
Virginia.
For Sale 210 Austin
Weston l'/2 ton, rough
terrain cram 35' boom, 4
wheel drive, hyd
stabelizers $B,OOO OO
Somserset N J 201 722
5399
For Sale IH 234 corn
picker Carroll Co Md
301 775 2440
For Sale Oliver 770 2
btm 4 btm & 5 btm plow
One KBA 10' Disk
transport, Warren Co
201 362 6027
For Sale 1 ton elec chain
hoist, 2 Lit hot water
bucket a day stove & 30
gal tank, Sch Co 1 717
385 0723
For Sale Glenwood
hydronic wood furnace,
140,000 BID Asking
$BOO 00 York Co 717
382 4417
For Sale 292 Chev truck
motor for parts, pistons,
bearings internal parts
like new $lOO 00 York
Co 717 993 2848
For Sale 1 Row Potato
Digger (Int )
P T O /Rubber good
cond $595 717 432
4228
What About It?
For Sale Inter 574
Diesel tractor, Salem Co
609 769 4066
For Sale 22 mo old
Jersey bull in good flesh
$450 00, Delivered to
New Holland, Lewis
Swartzentruber R#2
Dover, Del
For Sale Small skid
loader in good cond,
w/manure forks & dirt
bucket, Centre Co eves
814 234 5828
For Sale 2 purebred
Alpine bucks, Hill n Holler
& Raymar bloodlines
young, healthy TB Bruc
free nerd, Northmptn Co
215 253 8951
For Sale 2 Reg Angus
Bulls, Nl Uni system 720
corn head IH fast hitch 7'
mower, Centre Co 814
364 9926
For Sale 1959 Jeep
w/283 Chev V 8 w/plow
$l5OO, elevators on
rubber belt to 75’,
complete $2,000 Bucks
Co 215 348 2116
PENNSYLVANIA
ABBOTTSTOWN
Gerald Hoffheins
717-259-9253
ALEXANDRIA
Gordon Isenberg
814-669-9323
ANNVILLE
Hostetler Brothers
717-867-2633
ATGLEN
Laurence King
215-593-6661
BANGOR
Barry Ott
215-588-0161
BARNESBORO
Lantzy Milling Co
814-948-8640
BATH
Northampton Seed Co , Inc
215-837-6311
BEDFORD
Fred Claycomb
814-623-8375
BELLEFONTE Hmish Feed & Farm Supply
Nittany Valley Feed & Hardware ri a 652-2315
814-383-2809
Kenneth Weaver
814-383-2831
BELLEVILLE
Belleville Flour Mills Co
717-935-2242
Union Mill Soil Service
717-935-2770
BERWICK
William Dagostm
717-759-8129
BETHEL
John Bray, Jr
717-933-4859
BIGLERVILLE
Biglerville-Apple City, F F A
717-677-7191
BIG RUN
Big Run Milling Co
814-427-2075
BLAIRS MILLS
James Speer, Jr.
717-349-2305
BLOOMSBURG
Holdren's Mill
717-437-2549
Klingerman's Mill
717 784-4285
BOSWELL
St Clair Feed Store
814-629-5103
CARLISLE
Peterman Farm Equip. Co
717-249-5338
CATAWISSA
A J Balshi, Inc
717-356-7161
CENTRE HALL
Centre Hall Farm Store
814-364-1393
Harold Wolfe
814-364-1349
CLARKSBURG
James Good Sales & Service
412-4598052
CLAYSBURG
Wright Milling
814-239-2818
COCHRANTON
Cochranton Co-op Assoc
814-425-7401
Don Hart
814-425-7094
COLUMBIA CROSS ROADS
Judson's Inc
717-297-2153 HONEY BROOK
Longenecker's Purina Store Honey Brook Farm Center
717-297-3864 215-273-3546
CRESSON
Cresson Feed Mill
814-886-4171
CURWENSVILLE HUGHESVILLE
Curwensville Feed Store R S Fought & Sons
814-236-1572 717-584-2764
DERRY
Mcßroom's Farm &
Bldg Supply, Inc
412-694-2711
DOVER
Ashcombe Dover Dairy. Inc
717-292-1411
DUSHORE
Dushore Agway
717-928-8228
EIGHTY FOUR
Sichi Farm Supply
412-258-9019
ELIZABETHTOWN
Richard Lemmger
717-367-3642
Norman Zeager
717-367-2015
EPHRATA
Daniel Martin, Jr
215-267-7977
KREAMER _ M °!?o IS *.
Kreamer Feed Store, Inc Raymond Butters
FALLS CREEK 717-374-BX4B 717-353-6491
Robert Cooper
814-375-9825
FAYETTSVILLE
Arthur Witmer
717-352-7910
FOGELSVILLE
Frank Tercha
215-285-4591
FRYBURG
Fryburg Roller Mills
814-354-2108
GERMANSVILLE
David F ink
215-767-1408
GREENCASTLE
Agnco Farm Center
717-597 7330
Glenn D. Showalter
717-597-3890
GREENSBURG , LEWISBURG
J & M. Machinery Co William A Showers
412-668-7850 717-568-5413
Miller Equip. Inc
412-539-8966
GREENVILLE
Larimer Tractor Sales
412-588-4668
Pringle Feed Store
412-588-7950
GROVE CITY inrKHAWN
McDowell Farm Service
qi a 7pc 77QC Chatham Run Mill
814-786-7735 717-769-6192
HADLEY
Glenn Peterman
412-253-4472
Sommers Warehouse
412-253-3453
HALLSTEAD
Charles Bolles
717-278-1609
HARRISBURG
Glenn Zeager
717-657-0830
HOLLSOPPLE
Hollsopple Feed Mill
814-479-4727
HOME
Gar-Con Enterprises
412-397-8289
HOMER CITY
David Bork
412-479-9595
HOWARD
Nevm Pighetti
814-355-4059
HYDETOWN
Philip Myer
814-827-1617
INDIANA MIFFLINTOWN
Indiana Feed & Supply Jesse Swartz
412-465-4581 717-436-2264
JAMESTOWN MILLERSBURG
Jamestown Feed & Supply Lykens Valley Roller Mills
412-932-3638 717-362-8423
JERSEY SHORE
Kevin Jameson
717-745-7511
KINGSLEY
Ross Feeds. Inc
717-289-4309
„ MONTGOMERY
?,™° h 7 Tn 7 Michael Jarrett
412-783-7107 717-547-1789
KLINGERSTOWN MONTOURSVILLE
Stanley s Farm Service Keebler's Feed & Farm Sup
717-648-2088 717-368-8649
KNOX MONTROSE
Country Farm Supply, Inc Bruce Mitchell
814-797-1256 717-278-1706
KUTZTOWN
Kenneth Stutzman
215-682-2624
KYLERTOWN MT PLEASANT MILLS
Carl Pearce Charles Wochley
814-345-6137 717-694 3684
LAKE ARIEL MUNCY
Wilson Sherwood Kepner Spreader Service
717-698-5857 717-546-3725
LEBANON NEW ALBANY
Evergreen Tractor Co . Inc William Hottenstem
800-441-4450 717-924-3981
Paul Hoover & Son Ivan Hugo
717-933-8441 717-363-2625
LECKKILL . N EW ALEXANDRIA
Felix Masser Lo "« *f torage
717-648-7056 412-668-7306
McNaughton Milling Co
412-668-3253
LERAYSVILLE
Dale BowOn
717-744-2109
LIUTZ
Wilbur Kreider
717-733-8381
LITTLESTOWN
Vernon Arentz
717-359-4689
Sandy Childs
717-359-5206
MANSFIELD
William Smith
717-549-5146
MARION CENTER
Allegheny Farm Service
412397 5534
MARTINSBURG
Martmsburg Milling Co
814793-2137
MCCONNELLSBURG
Harry McMullen
717 485-3891
MCVEYTOWN
William Kenepp
717-899 6354
MEADVILLE
Five M Milling
814-724-1064
MERCER
Dennis Moose
412-662-3880
MERCERSBURG
Ronald Brant
717-328-3725
MIODLEBURG
Karl Zimmerman
717-837-3703
MIDDLE CREEK
Klmgler, Inc
717 658-9782
MIFFLINBURG
Miffhnburg Farmers’ Exch
717-966-1001
MILL HALL
George Dorman
717-726-3555
Ootterer Equipment Inc
717-726-3471
Webb's Super-Gro
717-726-4525
MT HOLLY
Robert Macßeth
717 486-7797
717-677-7282
NEW BETHLEHEM
Hetrick Farm Supply
814-275-3507
Red Bank Mills
814-275-2311
NEW BRIGHTON
Diamond Milling Co
412-846-0920
NEWCASTLE
Riley Equipment Co
412-924-2194
NEW ENTERPRISE
John Fisher
814-224-2678
NEWPORT
H R Wentzel & Sons, Inc
717-567-3135
NEWTOWN
William Gunser, Jr
215-968-2192
NEW WILMINGTON
Hanes Farm Service
412-946-8735
NEWVILLE
Richard Mams
717-776-3690
NICHOLSON
W.S Crock
717-942-6281
OLEY
Eli DeTurk
215-689 5423
ORANGEVILLE
Clyde Bartholomew
717-784-1779
Herbert Fritz
717-683-5950
PALM
J Howard Shelly
215-679-5737
PAXTONVILLE
C W Reigle & Sons. Inc
717-837 3606