A26-Uncast*r Famine, Saturday, April 13,1985
East meets West ... on Lanctister County dairy farms
LANCASTER Three high
ranking Russian agriculture of
ficials toured three southeastern
Pennsylvania farms on Wed
nesday as part of an attempt to
renew scientific and technical
exchanges between the U.S. and
the Soviet Union.
The Soviet - officials, who hold
positions roughly equivalent to an
agency head in this country’s
Department of Agriculture, toured
the dairy operations at Triple G
Farms outside of Denver, Len-Lyn
Farms in Schoeneck, and the swine
farm of Wilbur Lutz, Sinking
Spring, Berks County.
And, whereas the Russians were
reportedly not unpressed with an
earlier trip to U.S. research
facilities, they were said to be
pleased with their reception at the
farms they visited.
Dr. Alexander Konygm, head of
the Soviet agency in charge of
international agricultural
relations, said he was most im
pressed with the “farm to table”
Dr. Aleksandr Konygin, department chief for international
programs in the Soviet department of agriculture, asked
some specific questions about dairy nutrition during his visit
to Triple-G Farms, Denver. Here, Konygin examines the feed
and milk replacer that Steve Graybill, right, feeds the Triple G
calves. Lancaster County Extension Agent Jay Irwin, center,
looks on.
Auction to raise money for
Dauphin County Ag Center
HARRISBURG - The future
Dauphin County Agriculture and
Natural Resources Center is the
theme for a consignment auction
being held today at the Gratz
Fairgrounds.
The auction is part of a project to
raise half of the $500,000 needed to
construct the Dauphin County
Agriculture and Natural
Resources Center. The'Dauphin
County board of commissioners
has already committed $250,000 for
the construction of the Center to be
located at the intersection of
Routes 325 and 225 in Middle
Paxton Township.
According to Merv Adams,
member of the auction committee,
“Farm tractors, tillage, planting,
harvesting and numerous other
pieces of farm equipment will be
available at the auction.”
Items of interest to land-and
homeowners include hardware,
operation at Triple G.
Arthur, Steve, and Doug
Graybill, members of the Triple G
operation, conducted the tour of
theic facilities, taking them
through the free stall bam, dry
cow housing, heifer raising areas,
and the double-eight milking
parlor.
Then the group was lead through
Triple G’s milk processing plant,
which prepares milk for sale in the
Triple G market next door. The
Soviets expressed interest in the
U.S. trend to market whole, 2
percent, skim, and chocolate milk.
At Galen Crouse’s Len-Lyn
Farms, the Soviet visitors were
particularly curious about
Crouse’s use of embryo transfer in
his Holstein herd.
Konygm expressed particular
surprise when told one cow in the
Len-Lyn herd which has a
phenomenal 4.8 percent test and
26,000 pounds milk. Crouse has a
rolling herd average of 18,500
pounds milk and 700 fat.
small tools, plumbing and building
materials, chain saws, and lawiL_
and garden tractors. Other items
include hay,and straw, field lime,
2-4 yard lots of premixed concrete,
and three ten ton loads of stone.
Adams further stated, “The
auction will have items of interest
to farmers, landowners, and
homeowners.”
Ron Kopp, also a member of the
auction committee, stated that
“All of the equipment and items
are being spld on < consignment or
have been donated to the’auction
on behalf of the fund raising effort
for the Ag Center.” He further
added, “The overall interest in the
auction and the future Center has
been tremendous.”
The auction will start at 9:30
a.m. on Saturday, April 13th, at the
Gratz Fairgrounds, Route 25, in
Gratz. Refreihlkents will be
available at theaoction.
The Soviet officials were welf-read on the extensive use of embryo transfers in top U.S.
Holstein herds. They recorded the production records of some of Galen Crouse's top
co'vs as they toured the Len Lyn barn.
'v
w. *
The three Soviet agriculturalists carefully took notes as Galen Crouse explained the
embryo transfer work that he has conducted with his Len Lyn herd.
Doug Graybill, left, explains the milk processing plant to the Soviet visitors. The farm
to market operation was particularly interesting to the agriculturalists.
-
i
p
-mil i—wwfc
1 1
-» -■<
i „ ,
'f ' " j;
‘ »
J%
Wfa
"
*4l
A
I &
J
f
I *
V i
\-