A26—Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, October 20,1984 Dairyman and utility head exchange jobs BY ROBIN PHILLIPS Staff Correspondent WOMELSDORF - “There’s a lot more to this than meets the eye,” stated Floyd Smith, president of Metropolitan Edison Company, Reading. Smith started working before the sun came up one day last week as he arrived at the farm of Clarence Sattazahn, Rl, Womelsdorf, to participate in the exchange set up for Farm-City Relations by the Berks County Extension Service. Smith arrived at the farm to begin milking the 100 Holstems that the Sattazahns maintain on their 300-acre dairy farm. They milk them in an eight-cow carousel milking parlor with Mrs. Sat tazahn, and 21-year-old son, Kevin, - ! Jr"" -■*«, »yd Smith became more adept at removing milkers on the Sattazahn dairy farm. Floyd Smith, president of Metropolitan Edison Company, Reading, helps Clarence Sattazahn, R 1 Womelsdorf, feed replacement heifers and feeder bulls. doing much of the milking chores. “I’m a little more familiar with the engineering,” Smith stated about the clean and efficient carousel parlor. “I can understand more about how the carousel works than how the cow works,” he explained with a smile. Smith confessed that he was not accustomed to getting out of bed this early, but added that it took him about an hour to drive to the farm. He added that he looked forward to this "short course on farming to fill up some of the vacuum I have about agriculture.” No farm experience As President of Met-Ed, a subsidiary of GPU, (General Public Utilities), Smith oversees the entire operations of the four Country breakfast is enjoyed by, from the left, Floyd Smith, president of Met Ed; Clarence and Kevin Sattazahn. divisions and the corporate division of Met-Ed that services Eastern Pennsylvania. “My job does not get me as close to our work as his does,” Smith said about Sattazahn’s dairy operation as compared to his occupation. Although Smith replied that he visited farms before, he has no farm work experience and often took agricultural products for granted. After learning the milking procedure and short explanations about udders, milking machines, and milk sanitation, Smith ac companied Sattazahn through the daily routine of feeding heifers, mixing gram and silage for the cows, and cleaning up after milking. He also was able to see Kevin artificially inseminate a cow and witness the proper procedures in handling a semen tank and frozen semen. Visitors to the farm that morning included the milk truck driver to pick up Sattazahn’s milk, the milk inspector from Freemans Dairy where Sattazahn sells his milk, and several feed salesman who for mulate the feed rations for the Sattazahn herd. Milk auditor "He’s like our auditor,” Smith compared the milk inspector to his own operation. The feed salesmen also enjoyed explaining their services to Smith who replied, “We’re always trying to improve our services.” “It’s not what it used to be,” Sattazahn commented about dairy farming and its complexities. 'lnflation is killing everybody,” Smith added Concerning the current surcharge that Med Ed includes in their monthly bills. Smith added, I’d like to stop being a tax collector ” Some things c oine quicker than others," Smith said about the skills required for the many farm chores When it was time to load the wheelbarrel to feed the heifers, Smith said, “this is one of the things I know how to do.” Enjoys Tractor He also enjoyed learning to drive the 4640 John Deere fully equipped tractor that Sattazahn uses in his daily operations. Along with a slurrystore, free stalls, and the carousel milking parlor, trench silos are also utilized on- the Sattazahn farm. Haylage, corn silage, high moisture shelled corn, along with supplement and buffers are used in a total mixed ration to feed the 80 percent registered Holstein herd. DHIA records, in addition to registration papers, and a daily gestation wheel were explained to Smith by Kevin who oversees the dairy part of the farm. "I don’t think I’d want to trade jobs, but I have a better ap preciation for it,” Smith concluded Utility president Floyd Smi enjoys driving Deere 4640, with Clarence Sattazahn explaining controls. after his day on the farm. He was also treated to a ‘farmer’s breakfast” by Mrs. Sattazahn who had the table set and waiting when the men arrived from the barn after milking. 'We take a lot of these things for gi anted,” Smith stated about milk and cheese To The Office- to complete the exchange progiaui, Sattazahn and his wife, Marlene, and oldest son, Kevin, were invited by Smith into the Central office of Met Ed to see the daily operations "We had no idea that Met Ed had so many facets,” the Sattazahns exclaimed after viewing the extensive operations at the central office in Reading recently. Smith explained that many professions are employed by Met Ed in their services. The Sattazahns arrived in mid mormng after milking chores. After being served milk in a "gigantic office”, they were able to meet the various officers that have charge of the divisions of Met Ed. “The day went so fast,” a secretary explained as the Sat tazahns were ushered through many of the process centers in the office. They were introduced to the Remittance Center where 600 djecks are processed each hour. were also able to view the J l£* ’ m, #** •' -*«%>'-! . Jr # V records of their own account in the Customer Inquiry Center that houses a computerized system for the records Rate of payment, location of property and electrical poles and lines are displayed on a screen to facilitate viewing On the da> of the visit, a lineman’s training session was also being conducted on the grounds and Sattazahn and Kevin vv ere hoisted in a bucket truck. Safety demo One of the most interesting demonstrations of the day, ac cording to the Sattazahns was the safety demonstration given to them in the office. Using models including a "live” wire on scaled down poles, and a hot dog with pipe cleaners attached to resemble a lineman, the Sattazahns witnessed the effects of touching a "hot wire.” The hot dog burned im mediately and created quite an impression. Safety factors and measures were also demonstrated along with the many con siderations an electric company must take when installing elec trical service. The Sattazahns were treated to lunch by Smith and were reluctant to leave when it came time to returning back to the farm for evening chores. When Smith replied that a lot of (turn to Page A 39) 1* . 1
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