A3B-LancMter Farming, Saturday, July 11, 1987
Vegetable Plot
(Continued from Page Al)
steps are taken to relieve the plants
of stress from drought, insects and
disease. “When you make the
investment, you need to guarantee
yourself a crop,” Robinson said.
“And water is often the limiting
factor. Even with a good amount of
rainfall this year, I turned on the
Trickle irrigation system one, two
or even three times a week when
we have had a very hot, windy day.
In addition, you save a lot of water.
You keep the water off the folage
to reduce the chance of fungus dis
ease. And you have the opportuni
ty to run a small amount of fertiliz
er through the irrigation system
right to the point where the plant
can use it. The fertilizer applica
tion is limited to what the plant can
use. So you don’t in any way pol
lute the underground streams.
That’s really a key advantage to
this system,” Robinson said.
The vegetable test plot visited
by the FMC tour group is located
beside the Leola Produce Auction.
As part of the education tour, the
farmers were on hand to see how
this auction, owned by a farm
cooperative, handled the days
operation. Oglme explained that
the vegetable industry has grown
quite rapidly so that by now these
kind of produce auctions are in
operation in three other counties
also.
At the Leola facilities, farmers
bring their produce in to be sold to
the highest bidder. About 600 reg
ular producer growers bring their
vegetables to the auction. Addi
tional farmers who sometimes
$lOO Million Bond Issue
(Continued from Page At)
ties would receive money on a
$4-to-$l basis.
Although easements could be
written for as little as 25 years,
Moms said the program would
contain a strong bias for protecting
land for perpetuity. Landowners
selling easements for less than per
petuity would be eligible for only
10 percent of the true easement
Congressional Hearing Set
WASHINGTON, DC Con
gressman Bill Goodling (PA-19),
member of the House Education
and Labor Committee, announced
today that the Subcommittee on
Labor Standards will hold an offi
cial oversight hearing on Monday,
July 13 in Biglerville. The hearing
will deal with aspects of the
Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural
Worker Protection Act.
The hearing will be held in the
auditorium at Biglerville High
School on North Main Avenue in
Biglerville. It will begin at 10:30
a.m. and conclude by 12:00 noon.
Local fanners, migrant workers
and their representatives, and Con
gressional officials are expected to
testify. The hearing will be open to
The hearing will deal specifical- the public and press.
“This hearing will give both
farmers and workers an opportuni
ty to take their cases directly to
Congress. There are several issues
that have divided these two groups
and it is my hope that this hearing
will be a step toward solving some
of those problems,” Goodling
stated.
Makes $20,000
bring vegetables to market
increase the total farm patronage to
about 1,000 farmers. Buyers come
from about a 35-mile radius to buy
for their roadside stands, market
stands and small supermarkets.
“We look at this vegetable busi
ness as having a strong impact on
our local economy,” Ogline said.
“It is especially appealing to far
mers who want a labor intensive
crop but are discouraged with the
tobacco market.”
These vegetables growers also
provide new opportunities foragri
busincss to develop new business
for supplies to this industry. While
the auction provides a means to
bring buyer and farmer together,
the vo-ag instructors also use the
operation to educate farmers on
how to prepare and present their
produce so it satisfies the buyer
and brings a top price.
One day each week the instruc
tors set up a table to display
properly-cut bunched and pack
aged produce. Sometimes they
will show a comparison of a high
selling and low-selling lot. A buy
er may be called on to tell why he
was willing to pay more for one lot
over another. “The buyers want the
produce ready to sell without
further processing,” Ogline said.
“He will pay more if the farmer has
properly cleaned and prepared his
produce. The culls should be dis
carded and a lot should be uniform
and free from defect.”
FMC served a ful-coursc meal at
noon. In the afternoon, the tour vis
ited alfalfa, com and soybean
plots.
value,
While acknowledging that the
bond issue is a good start, Rep.
Morris pointed out that the one
time $lOO million appropriation
undoubtedly won’t be enough to
protect an adequate amount of
farmland. “We can probably
spend the whole $lOO million in
three years,” he estimated. “Then
we might have to come back for
more.”
ly with Section 504 of the Act.
This section gives migrant workers
who feel they have had their rights
violated the right to file claims
agams farmers. The statute pro
vides these workers with certain
labor and housing protections.
Recently, farmers have alleged the
Legal Services Corporation and
others representing workers have
used the law to harrass them.
wagon load of cantaloupes under the gavel of Paul Hurst, auctioneer at
the Leola Produce Auction.
Horses and market wagons; steel-wheeled tractors with farm wagons; pick
up trucks; horse teams with farm wagons all get In lihe to go past the
auctioneer.
* •• '-C., *" ~
T -
Part of the group of about 100 farmers that participated in the FMC Field Day
Thursday examine the vegetable test plots near the Leola Produce Auction.
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Ime to talk harvest.
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