Seven named 1984 Master Farmers
Seven Pennsylvania fanners
have been named Master
Fanners for 1984 for their
business expertise and
management efficiency.
The Master Farmer program
now in its 51st year, is
sponsored by the Pennsylvania
Farmer magazine and
Cooperative Extension Services
of Pennsylvania, New Jersey,
Kieffer father-son team excel in grain farming enterprise
DORNSIFE - Hard work, ef
ficient management techniques
and the ability to adjust to varying
farm conditions are some of the
ideals that have spelled success for
Mark and Paul Kieffer, a father
and son team from Domsife, R.I.
Partners in a cash grain farming
enterprise, they annually grow and
market 1,600 acres of crops, in
cluding com, soybeans and small
grains on their Northumberland
County farm and 2 i other farms
leased by the family-owned cor
poration.
The Kieffers grow 1,200 acres of
com, more than 370 acres of wheat
and oats, and 70 acres of soybeans.
Yields are constantly well above
the statewide average. Although
changes are continuously being
made to improve crop production,
they never leave the operation’s
need for profits overshadow the
land’s need for good soil steward
ship.
“It all started in 1951 when I
bought my first 46 acres,” the 54-
year-old Mark Kieffer pointed out.
“Two years later my wife Velma
and I rented my father’s farm. We
raised hogs, beef cattle and
poultry.”
When margins in the poultry and
beef feeding enterprises did not
meet expectations, they were
scaled .down or completely
eliminated. Grain production was
MILLERSTOWN - In 1969,
Kenneth and Jane Benner, of
Millerstown R 2, managed to
scrape together $5,000 for a dowi<
payment on a rundown farm
straddling the Perry-Juniata
County line. Although the odds of
their ever becoming free of debt
and successfully operating a dairy
enterprise were slim, they had a
dream and a plan.
During the next 15 years, they
sold 100 acres of woodland and
acquired an adjacent 20-acre
parcel of cropland. They also sold
an extra set of buildings and ad
ditional acreage. The money from
these sales went for equipment, a
new bam, and to reduce the
mortage on the 386-acre farm.
Benner terraced the hilly land
and put in sod waterways. He also
brought the soil back to its fertility
potential to the point where only
the fertilizer that is used by a crop
needs to be replaced.
py, the couple milks 60
Holsteins that produce
than a half-million quarts of
annually. Corn yields average
(more than 100 bushels per acre,
com silage production exceeds 16
tons per acre and alfalfa tonnage
averages 7.5 tons per acre.
“Last March we made out last
payment on the farm. I guess you
expanded and buildings used for
laying hens were converted into a
grain drying and storage center.
All changes were geared toward a
growing and thriving cash gram
operation, being put together by
buying and leasing farmland.
In 1980, after 27-year-old Paul
decided he wanted to farm, the
Kieffers formed a corporation.
“We thought that incorporating
would be a good way to get the next
generation involved in farming
and help with management
decisions,” Mark Kieffer said.
Mark and Velma own most of the
land and lease it to the corporation.
Some of the land, however, is being
transferred to Paul and his wife
Gail. Any further land purchases
will be owned by the corporation.
“We try to give crop production
the ‘golden glove treatment’ on our
farms,” Paul Kieffer emphasized.
“All land is soil tested, then limed
and fertilized according to test.”
In the mid-19705, the Master
Farmers adopted a newer farming
practice, minimum tillage. The
chisel plow replaced the mold
board plow to help control erosion
and increase output by eliminating
conventional plowing and
harrowing.
“By using the chisel plow, you
can double acreage in a day’s
work, especially when you use the
larger tractors,” Paul Kieffer
Kenneth Benner made his 6 dream farm 9 come true
might say our dream and plan
worked out the way we wanted it
to,” he said.
“I cried the first night here,”
Jane Benner recalled. “It was cold
and the furnace didn’t work. But I
told my family in Virginia that
everything was just fine.”
Kenneth and Jane Benner met at
Virginia Polytechnical Institute in
1966. He was manager of the
research herds and she was
graduating with a degree in dairy
science. A year later they moved to
Princeton, N.J., where he was
employed as a herdsman at a large
Guernsey operation. It was then
that they started saving for the day
they could buy a farm in Perry
County, Kenneth’s home area.
“The farm we bought is next to
my father’s property so he and I
farmed in partnership until 1973
when I financed his share of the
operation,” the Master Farmer
said. “In June 1983, my dad was
paid in full.”
Benner produces all food for his
60 milk cows and herd
replacements. By doing this,
coupled with high milk production,
he is able to produce milk for $9.61
per hundredweight, which includes
the family’s living expenses.
“We grind our own ieeu. inat
Delaware, Maryland and West
Virginia.
Formal award ceremonies will
be held Jan. IS at a special
luncheon in Harrisburg. The
seven winners will be inducted
into the Pennsylvania Master
Farmers' Association, whose
membership consists of all
former award winners.
The new Master Farmers
named for 1984 are Walter
Wurster of Ottsville RI in
Bocks County; Mark and Paul
Kiefer, a father and son team
from Dornsife Rl in Nor
thumberland County; Herbert
Schick of Kutztown R 2 in Berks
County; Lewis Berkley of Berlin
R 3 in Somerset County; Boyd
Mertz of Northumberland R 2 in
Northumberland County; and
said.
Seed varieties also get special
attention. First of all, they look for
a variety that yields consistently in
both good and poor areas. They
test new hybrids under average
conditions and pay particular
attention to those varieties that
pay the highest returns on all types
of soils.
Paul Kieffer performs the
secondary tillage at corn planting
time and harvests the crops. While
he operates the machinery, usually
in a seven-week period, Mark
hauls the corn to drying facilities.
Velma continuously monitors
drying procedures, making
moisture tests, and weight
calculations as grain leaves the
dryer.
The Master Farmers do some
hedging and forward contracting
on their grain based on weather
conditions and market forecasts.
Most is sold on a cash basis,
however, and the Kieffers haul the
grain to local mills.
“We may be expanding our
soybean acreage next year
because this will give us additional
income and improve the soil.
Soybeans loosen soil particles, add
nitrogen, and eliminate microbe
buildup. The two crops, com and
soybeans, compliment each
other,” Paul Kieffer pointed out.
“The new Master Farmers are
way we know what each cow is
getting. All forages are tested as
well as the home mix. The testing
is done by Penn State through the
mill that supplies the minerals,”
Benner emphasized.
The cows get free choice alfalfa
and some grass hay. Fed
three times a day, each Holstein
cow receives haylage and ground
ear corn at noon. In the morning
and evening, corn silage and grain
mix are fed in the stanchion
milking barn. During the summer,
green chop is put in the pasture
bunk each late afternoon.
Sound breeding principles play a
vital role in the high milk
production levels. “We try to mate
each cow to a bull that will
strengthen her genetic
weaknesses,” he said.
During the last 15 years, the
Benners survived a flood, tornado,
hail storm, and marketing
problems. They currently market
all milk through the Maryland-
Virgmia Milk Producers’
Association.
The 40-year-old Penn State
agriculture graduate’s new goal is
to raise the kind of cattle that will
interest artificial breeding en
terprises. he feels that unless you
sife R 1 are partners in a successful cash grain farming en
terprise in Northumberland County.
involved in improving agricultural
programs,” said Vernon Brose,
Northumberland County Ex
tension agent. Mark serves on the
Cooperative Extension Sendee
executive committee and has
promoted Farm-City Week ac
tivities. Both are members of the
Pennsylvania and National Com
Growers’ Association.
add depth of pedigree the studs
won’t look at your bull calves.
The Benner’s daughter Irene, 16,
also is involved in the farming
operation. They have written wills
to allow her the option of keeping
the farm.
“Ken’s a real asset to our
agricultural and youth programs,”
said John Hams, Perry County
Extension director. “He’s a 4-H
dairy club leader, dairy cattle
judging coach, and junior Holstein
chairman, and dairy bowl coach.”
In 1980, the Benners received the
Young Cooperator Couple Award
Kenneth and Jane Benner of Millerstown R 2 stand on
hilltop overlooking their dairy farm, which straddles the Perry
and Juniata counties line.
Kenneth Benner of Millerstown
R 2, whose farm straddles the
Perry-Juniata counties line.
Judges for the 1984 contest
were Robert Reich of Nor
theastern Farm Credit,
Lewisburg; Dr. Samuel Smith,
dean of the Penn State College
of Agriculture; and Wayne
Cawley, Maryland Secretary of
Agriculture.
Mark has been president of the
joint council of the Hinunel’s
Lutheran Church for 32 years. Paul
is a trustee.
They also are members of the
Pennsylvania Farmers’
Association, Pennsylvania Far
mers’ Union and National
Federation of Independent
Business.
from the Maryland-Virginia Milk
Producers’ Association. They also
have won numerous milk
production awards through the
Dairy Herd Improvement
Association.
The Master Farmer is a member
of the Pennsylvania Farmers’
Association, Pennsylvania and
National Holstein Associations and
National Milk Producers’
Federation.
He also serves as a director for
the Perry County Conservation
District and Perry County dairy
princess committee.