824-Lancastef Farming, Saturday, Dacambar 5, 1987 BY USA RISSER EPHRATA For one hundred and nine years, a Becker has toiled on the tidy 112-acre farm tucked just beyond the Reading Pike between a creek and another farm. The current owners. Harry and Ruth Becker, run a dairy operation with daughter Sylvia Trupe and Harry has a working 1935 Case tractor that he stores In a horse-power shed 90 BU. PER ACRE SOYBEANS 250 PODS PER STALK How is it done? Call for the answer. We sell this seed. It gets better every year for last 5 years, on the same farm, using this seed. Then you can grow this good seed for planting. Same pattern with open pollinated corn with 12% protein, that doesn’t lodge more than hybrids on organic soil. Grow your own superior seed. Health and feeding efficiency of livestock that eat the above crops is much superior (especially the corn) with less bought supplement. Hybrids lack minerals. Figure your extra yield, your saving on seed and protein and vet and drug bills, and please stop complaining about profit. ORGANIC CENTER 217 South Railroad Ave., New Holland, PA 17557 Phone (717) 354-7064 • Call me Mondays all day, Tues.,-Frl. 8 to 9 a.m. Home Ph. (215) 273-2683 Mornings & Evenings ARROW Your Best Defense Against the Major Alfalfa Diseases for Top Yields. • Very high yield potential. • Drought tolerant • Good leaf retention. • Excellent color. P. L. ROHRER & BRO.. INC. SMOKETOWN, PA PH ONE OF AMERICA’S opr Nickenon AmerisanPlanißreedenlru PO Bok29SS Million K 566201 U S Plant Variety Protection granted or applied (or NAPB qjlglfa varieties Unauthorized multiplication prohibited The Dmclaimer of Warranty and Limitation if Ren I -ach hagofteed sold is pan of the lermaof the sale Ephrata Farm Becomes her son, Jeff, and son Harry Jr. and his wife, Sue. Last week the Beckers became members in the state’s Century Farm program, where families liv ing on the same farm for 100 or more years are honored. Becker, a trim man with salt and-pepper hair, has \t consid- Call today! erable time researching the farm’s history. He has traced it to the 1870 s, when it was owned and operated by John R. and Mary Keller. At that point it was a gener al farm, raising animals and crops, with a lovely field stone house and bam. eat-grandfather, Israel B ... and save money and critical time. Spread damp lime, fertilizer, poultry waste or industrial lime. Stockpile your lime and spread it when your fields are ready. C.U.Stoltzfus MANUFACTURING. INC (215) 286-5146 P.O. Box 527 Morgantown, PA 19543 Century Farm Becker, bought the farm in 1878,” Becker said. “At the time he own ed and farmed the Becker Home stead Farm, which was sold to his ancestor in 1738 by Thomas and Richard Penn.” When Israel B. died, the farm went to his oldest son, Henry. Unfortunately Henry didn’t keep it for long. “Henry was 29 years old at his death,” Becker explained. “He was leadiing two mules to the watering trough, when one kicked him in the hip area, and he died four days later.” Israel’s widow purchased the farm at a public sale only to sell it a few years later to another son, Levi, Becker’s grandfather. From there, it was sold to Becker’s father, from whom he purchased it in 1968. Last week Harry and Ruth became members of the state’s Century Farm program. The farm remained essentially the same from owner to owner until Harry and Ruth bought it. His grandfather had added tobacco to the wheat, com, and soybeans being grown, but kept basically the same number of cows, chickens, steers, and pigs. Harry turned the farm into strictly a dairy operation. He also does custom crop spraying. “I felt milk was a more worth while product,” Becker explained. “It is more beneficial than tobacco. We did have some chickens for the first few years, but when the big poultry operations began, I got out of it It wasn’t profitable any more.” During the years that Becker’s great-grandfather, Israel, owned (Turn to Page 825)
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