Family Enthusiastic About Dairy Farming B —» H,y H
(Continued from Pago At)
sary,” says the younger -ijes» of'
RCMA. The faiher-son partner
ship were cooperative members
before deciding to go the indepen
dent route with Johanna. Little in
their relationship with their milk
dealer has changed since joining
RCMA.
Milk tests, hauling and quality
work are handled by Johanna. The
dealer also writes the regular milk
checks. RCMA bargains for over
order prices and the money is
passed on to each farmer as it is
received by RCMA.
Neighbors want to know if the
Hesses have any second thoughts
on the “co-op” in RCMA. Not
according to the younger Hess. “I
think of RCMA as a farmer-owned
operation doing business for far
mers. It doesn’t charge dues. And
it can’t assess me. That’s all in the
contract”
At current levels, the Hesses
will receive more than $3,000 a
year in RCMA premiums. Still,
these premiums are running lower
than expected due to the ongoing
difficulties RCMA is having with
Farmland Dairies and the need to
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738-1131
1755 W Mam St
EPHRATA
656-2710
2274 New Holland Pike
LANCASTER
BJ '
Nutri-Shield (Patent Pending) is manufactured in
the farming community of Courtland, Kansas.
Population 377.
Spray equipment is available
through your Nutri-Shield dealer.
increase RCMA membership in
sections on New York and
Pennsylvania.
“If the remaining independents
join RCMA, we could see 40 to SO
cents per hundredweight” said
RCMA President William Zuber.
He said the organization is work
ing hard to sign-up new members
to join the more than 22,000 far
mers who already belong to
RCMA. During April, 43 dairy far
mers joined RCMA.
Joe Hess Jr. likes the idea of far
mers having a say in pricing their
milk. He says RCMA premiums
“help make up for lower federal
order prices.” He would also like
to see more dealers offering qual
ity premiums.
“By upgrading milk quality,”
the younger Hess points out
“dairymen can improve shelf life
and increase sales.” He also feels
that protein pricing has a place in
the farm income picture.
RCMA’s leadership in paying
over-order premiums a total of
more than $ll million in six
months has spawned many pri
vate dealer premiums. The Hesses
get premiums from both RCMA
533-4060
1515 Chocolate Ave
HERSHEY
and Johanna Farms.
“I’ve had calls from Farmland
Dairies, but we weren’t about to
change handlers again,” Joe Jr.
says. “With RCMA you don’t have
to.”
The Hesses don’tdo anything in
halves. When they decided to go
dairying in 1973, the farm team put
up a 140-cow free stall bam and
double eight parlor, all in one shot.
Then they bought three herds to fill
it
Penn State plans were used in
building the free stall bam and
converting a tobacco shed. The
farm team did most of the work.
It was a busy first year. Joe Jr.
married Linda Wilson; father and
son formed a partnership; and the
Hesses hired Linda’s dad as herds
man to keep them on track.
The partners own the cattle and
machinery, and rent the land and
buildings from Joe Sr. The herd is
strictly grade with just a sprinkle of
registered animals.
“You can’t beat your own
replacements,” the young dairy
man notes. The Hesses carry 120
heifers, grouping them according
to age and size.
“Bringing cows together in
1973 created a lot of health prob
lems,” Joe Jr. recalls. “Home
growns are acclimated and better
adjusted.”
‘The only other animal on the
farm is a dog,” Joe Jr. says.
“And cats,” adds Linda.
The Hesses feed cows a total
mixed ration, with all com and
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isses are significantly reduced..
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TWIN OAK FARMS
372 Puseyville Road
Quarryvllle, Penna. 17566
Phone 717-786-2146
1278 Loop Rd.
Lancaster, Pa.
17604
717-397-3721
Since 1928
Pest control is too
important to trust
to anyone else
alfalfa home grown, protein
bought in bulk. The latter includes
wet brewer’s grain, whole cot
tonseed and soybean meal.
Milkers are divided into two
production groups, with top pro
ducers fed for 65 pounds produc-
tion, and a second group for 40
pounds. In April, the Hesses were
shipping 31 pounds per cow. Dry
cows make up a third group.
Com is the big crop, some 200
"acres. It’s blown into concrete
stave silos as silage and high mois-
RCMA Names Howalk
Division Services
BATAVIA, N.Y. The Reg
ional Cooperative Marketing
Agency Inc. has named John D.
Kowalk as its Central Division
field services manager.
Kowalk will be responsible for
member relations and membership
sign-up activities in New York
Slate and sections of adjacent
states. RCMA has 22,000 mem
bers in 11 Northeastern states. The
organization collects over-order,
premiums and distributes that
money to its member dairy
farmers.
Prior to joining RCMA, Kowalk
O
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(717) 733-7951
ture ear com. Some silage is baled,
but most of the 65 acres is put up as
haylage. Partners count on four
cuttings every year, some yean
they get five. Fill-in crops include
wheat and soybeans, both at 30
acres in 1987.
Joe Sr. agreed to go dairying,
but he wasn’t about to quit toma
toes. The Hesses contract 50 acres
of a meaty, Italian-type tomato
with Furman Foods of Northum
berland, Pa., that ends up on pizzas
and as spaghetti sauce.
Manager
was with the New York Farm
Bureau as a regional organization
director. He has spent time teach
ing with the Brigham Young Uni
versity Department of Agriculture
Economics, and in managerial
roles with companies involved in
processing and distribution of
commodities.
Kowalk holds a bachelor’s
degree from Brigham Young Uni
versity in food industry manage
ment and animal sciences and a
master’s degree from BYU in agri
business management, marketing
and finance.