E2-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, February 28,1987
Saving Soil Important To Chester County Dairyman
BY MARJORIE KEEN
Chester Co. Correspondent
Chester County’s Conservation
Farmer of the Year, Charles H.
Gable of Elverson, found that he
had two additional acres of pasture
on Conebella Farm when he
completed his soil conservation
plan. By building a pond and in
stalling 1150 feet of tile he drained
low, wet ground and increased the
pasture for his 130 head of Ayrshire
cattle.
Gable said new marshland
ecology legislation would prevent
him from following the drainage
plan in the same way today.
However, he began the con
servation measures in 1968 at the
time 38 acres were added to the
farm. Over the next 10 years Gable
removed 2000 feet of fence rows
and put in 8600 feet of terraces and
2500 feet of waterways to prevent
erosion.
Recently Gable installed 250 feet
of waterway in a rented field.
“People said I was crazy,” he
smiled. He explained his
philosophy of “leaving more wood
on the pile” than he found.
Gable grows basically alfalfa
and com, with some wheat. His son
Donald returned to work on the
family farm after completing a
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degree at Penn State in 1985.
Donald’s wife Pam, has also been
handling farm chores.
Gable was born on the farm
purchased by his grandfather
about 60 years ago. Conebella was
named for two stations on the
Reading branch of the Wilmington
and Northern Railroad-Conestoga
and Isabella. The railroad tracks
cross a corner of the pasture.
In the 1930’s Gable’s father
started the Ayrshire herd. Today
100 percent of the herd is homebred
and the Gables are noted as
breeders of registered Ayrshires.
At the National Ayrshire Breeders
Association meeting in New
Hampshire in late April Gable
expects to be elected a national
director and also to receive the
Constructive Breeder Award.
At one time Gable was president
of the Pennsylvania Ayrshire
Breeders Association. When the
world conference of Ayrshire
Breeders meets in Pennsylvania in
the fall of 1988 Conebella Farm will
be a stop on the tour for delegates.
The Gable home proudly displays
the red ribbon won by a Conebella
Farm Ayrshire at the national
show in 1980.
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Lancaster, Pa.
717-393-3612
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In addition to his interests in
dairying and soil conservation,
Gable is a director of the Chester
County Water Resources
Authority. He has also been active
in the Chester-Delaware County
Farmers Association.
The 1986 Soil Conservation
Award was announced at the
February Crops Day by Charles
Harris, Chairman of the Chester
County Conservation District,
Elbert Wells, District Con
servationist of the U.S. Soil Con
servation Service, said that
determining factors in Gable’s
selection for the fourth annual
award were (1) an innovative
approach to protecting the
resource base, (2) use of the
newest methods and techniques
and (3) the amount of work
required to implement the farm
plan. Approximately 3000 Chester
County landowners have applied
for plans to combat soil erosion.
* r
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With help from his son Donald and his wife Pam, Charles
Gable (right) operates Conebeila Farm, a 130-head Ayrshire
operation. Gable was named Chester County Conservation
Farmer of the Year.