D24-Lancaster Farming Saturday, June 1,1985 Using your time wisely What’s a farmer’s tune worth? look into more than 800 com- That’s the question raised by a binations of planting dates, har group of economists at Purdue vesting dates, tillage methods, University. They went about an- machinery sizes, soil types, swenng the question in a con- technology packages, land rental, vincing, even amazing way. For irrigation options, weather data instance, an hour gamed at the and whatever else affects farm right time might be worth as much output. as $3OO. The computer was programmed To figure this, the economists for a 1000 acre com operation and developed a computer model to optimum planting dates between NOW! 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Boiled down to farmer language, it said; • Do every job possible outside of the critical planting period spreading fertilizer, preparing a seedbed, etc. • Use large equipment to cover maximum acres in minimum time. • Hire the extra labor needed to u?e expensive power and equip ment to best advantage. • Work longer hours during the critical period. • Switch to a tillage system that takes less time per acre during critical time period. • Hire some jobs done on a custom basis. One thing for sure for corn and soybean farmers, there are a few FARM TIRE SALE very higi t .lying days during planting and harvesting when things just have to go right. A one day delay, especially at planting, could cost hundreds of dollars. This leads to a very important problem that the computer isn’t able to deal with-the state of mind and body of that farmer during those critical days. What if he’s sick for a couple of days, or worried about being overdrawn at the bank, or there’s an ill-tempered creditor hounding turn or a thoughtless neighbor or city dweller calling him up at night to discuss some non-essential problem. Or maybe his wife is bugging him to cut the grass or plow the garden or plant the mailbox or take her out to dinner. And the kids are in a play at school, and 4-H meets tomorrow night and Johnny needs help with his project report. There are a thousand and one problems that a farmer faces and solves each day as he manages his business. But there are times- especially planting and bar- SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Earl R. Forwood, president of Eastern Milk Producers Cooperative Association, Inc., joined prominent agriculture leaders Friday, May 17, in testifying before the United States House of Representatives Standing Committee on Agriculture. The Committee was in Syracuse to hold a public hearing on the 1985 Farm Bill. Forwood urged the committee, farm bill, said Forwood. chaired by Representative E. ‘The future of our industry and “Kika” de la Garza, to support the ability to provide an adequate dairy industry by implementing a supply of nutritious dairy foods to dairy plan based on the recom- tbe American public at reasonable m,, r.diit!'' T ir hv ti|p National cost is in your hands. The bottle beats the bag. One thousand times more silage-making bacteria per gram for about the same price. Here’s why you will want new BioPower. ■ It prevents spoilage and caramelization by keeping heat down. ■ BioPower ferments silage faster and more completely. ■ More dry matter is retained along with important beta-carotene. ■ Silage keeps its fresh smell and palatability. ■ Works on all types of silage, including corn, grass, alfalfa, and high moisture grain. ■ Works in all types of storage: concrete silos, oxygen-limiting structures, bunkers and trenches. / TX WATER-ACTIVATED - BioPower ... SILAGE INQCULANT P. L. ROHRER & BRO. INC. SMOKETOWN, PA Forwood testifies before U.S. House ag committee vesting-when everyone who has » stake in the success of that farm or the well-being of that farmer and his family needs to swallow those unnecessary bothers that keep a farmer away from the business at hand. A little patience and un derstanding, a hot meal whenever he wants it, an avoided con- frontation over any of a hundred little things that are part of farm life will help this man focus on the job that must be done. Maybe this is one of the traps that a farmer can’t avoid. His home is his business. He can’t go off to work. It’s like the artist or writer who works at home and so often gets nothing done because of the interruptions from family, friends, salesmen, and all the other door knockers and problem bnngers. But through awareness maybe a family, even a community, can be trained to respect these periods of deep concentration and devotion to the job. It could be money in the bank. Milk Producers Federation. The Federation’s plan includes the continuation of the dairy price support program, the use of a dairy specific pricing index and the implementation of a supply demand adjuster to the prices generated by the price index. “We hope these recom mendations will be helpful as you forge the dairy provisions of the PH: 717-299-2571
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers