Master Farmers
(Continued from Page Dl2)
Farmer John J. Park. He has a hero
of 80 registered milk cows and an
equal number of replacements.
Park is known for his breeding
program, which has given him a
number of show and production
winners. The most notable winner
is Parkacres Sun Ivy EX9S with
nearly 40,000 pounds of milk. She
was the Pennsylvania grand
champion in 1981 and 1982 at the
Pennsylvania State Championship
shows. His breeding program also
has allowed him to sell replace
ment animals world-wide.
Park has continued to make
progressive changes to keep the
farm profitable. No-till and mini
mum tillage have reduced energy
and labor costs and soybeans have
reduced costs of protein pur
chases, he says. He also maintains
com test plots to find the best var
ieties for local conditions. His
cattle have received awards at
county, district and state Holstein
sows, and he is a county 5-Acre
Corn Club Champion. Park is
president of the Pennsylvania
Farmers’ Association in Jefferson
jrsburg have dairy
farm that has been featured on farm tours, In field days and
the Franklin County Extension Dairyman’s Open House.
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County. He is a member of the
Masons, served on the Eldred
Township Board of Supervisors,
and was a Brookville Area School
Board Director for two years.
“John Park is a former Exten
sion Association Board member
and has continued to support
extension and other agricultural
programs in the county. I’ve
enjoyed working with him on the
Master Farmer program,” says
Susan DuFour, agricultural exten
sion agent in Jefferson County.
Fred and Dale Rice
Master Farmer partners Fred
and Dale Rice are owners of Rice
crest Farms near Chambersburg in
Franklin County. Their model
dairy farm has been a feature for
farm tours, builders groups, field
days and even the Franklin Coun
ty Extension Dairymen’s Open
House. Fred began farming with
his father in the 1970 s after having
worked for the U.S. Department
of Agriculture at the Beltsville
Research Center in Maryland. He
takes care of the management and
Dale, a Penn State graduate in ani
mal science, is the herdsman.
i ;
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Since going into partnership in
1980, the brothers have been
working toward “cost-efficiency,
time-efficiency and labor efficien
cy” through a number of produc
tion, conservation and manage
ment innovations. The farm has
received several individual cow
production awards. Fred has
served as grade-school basketball
coach and is a member of the New
Guilford Church Board. Dale is
also active in the New Guilford
Brethren Church.
“They are top folks and have
been tremendous cooperators. We
have worked closely with them in
developing their operations and
they have been generous with
their time supporting extension
program and the community. Fred
has been president of our exten
sion Association Board,” says
extension dairy agent in Franklin
County.
Larry Weaver
New Holland Master Farmer,
Larry R. Weaver, is a fourth
generation farmer who concen
trates on diversification. In 20
years he has transformed 45 acres
and rented equipment into a
200-acre farm with an additional
150 acres of rented land. Having
bought his uncle’s neighboring
farm and then the family farm
from his father. Weaver has a 150
sow, farrow-to-finish operation
and feeds 160 head of cattle. He
began with 40 steers, 2500 laying
hens and eight acres of tobacco.
Hailstorms wiped out the tobacco
early on.
Several years later he switched
from poultry to swine in order to
keep his independence and in
increase his profitability. In the
late 19705, he increased his feeder
cattle operation. Farming at the
urban fringe, flexibility has work
ed for him. His goals for the next
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few years are to have a century
farm and to maintain his diversifi
cation. Weaver received a 20-year
service award as a 4-H leader in
Lancaster County, an Outstanding
Farmer award from the U.S. and
New Holland Jaycees and was
named honorary chapter farmer by
the Grassland chapter of FFA. He
.-.iter nearly years as a farmer, George E. Moyer of
Berks County has built up a 128-acre farm Into 450 acres
with a remodeled house and bank barn, three new silos, a
new milk house, and a new milking system. Next to come
will be a heifer barn and a partnership with his sons.
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also serves on the Agricultural
Committee of the Lancaster
Chamber of Commerce.
“Larry got his start in 4-H and
has maintained his interest and
support ever since. He’s very
deserving of this award,” says Jay
Irwin, Lancaster County Exten
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