A2O-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, February 10,1990
(Continued from Page At)
top yield nutrients have a lot to do with
growing a championship crop.
“I use a special way of inserting nitrogen
into the ground,” said Miller. The 30 percent
liquid nitrogen is placed in the ground by a
process which injects it, using a tool bar
with knives, between rows of com at a depth
of 8 inches. The nitrogen is inserted into the
ground at the root locations, and all acres are
covered with this process.
“The nitrogen is actually ‘knifed’ into the
soil,” said Miller. “Because the knives are
skinny, they loosen up the ground between
rows. This allows air and water to penetrate
deep into the soil.”
Soybean stalks left from the previous
harvests are ground up and mulched into the
ground. Miller said the stalks arc an excel
lent way to ensure water retention in the
soil.
Average corn yield
With this method. Miller has been able to
obtain an average com yield of about 200
bushels per acre. The seed yield estimate is
203 down to 151.
“I plant the crop early in April, about
April 10 each year,” he said. “A lot of far
mers think that is too early, and it may be too
cold yet. They wait till the last week in May
or early June. But I’ve had good success
Computer
Helps Match
People
With Jobs
ANDY ANDREWS
Lancaster Farming Staff
CAMP HILL (Cumberland
Co.) Looking through the
classifieds used to be one way to
find a job. Now, with the help of a
computer program, an employer
looking for help or an employee
looking for work can sign up with
the Pennsylvania Farmers’ Associ
ation (PFA) Member Services
Organization to find what they
want.
Using a special computer datab
ase, PFA’s Farm Labor Listing
Service can match people with
available jobs by job category.
“Certain farmers need help and
people who arc looking for work
can use this information service,”
said Richard E. Denison, general
manager, PFA Members’ Service
Corp.
A prospective employer or
employee can fill out a Job Search
Assistance form, available from
PFA, and describe their job abili
ties and requirements. The PFA
will then run the data through the
computer and match employee
needs with employer wants.
The PFA began the special ser
vice m September 1989 after
requests were made by several far
mers in Indiana County, Pennsyl
vania. An employer must be a
member of PFA to use the service,
but prospective employees do not
have to join PFA.
Since late last year, ads have
appeared in various publications
listing the service.
“We’ve had about half a dozen
responses so far,” said Denison.
4 4 We’ll continue to run the service
for a couple of years to see how it
works.”
State Five-Acre Corn Winner' Grows Only Record Ovi
planting com early. It seems the variety of
com has extra vigor and provides a good
crop under cold conditions.”
Miller has done well with his method of
farming. Many contests he has entered have
proven successful. Last week he obtained
the results to the National Com Growers
Association contest, where he placed first in
Pennsylvania for his non-till, non-irrigated
crop. Nationwide, Miller placed ninth out of
241 entries. For the 1989 crop at the state
farm show, he won the Five-Acre Com Club
contest, up against 96 other entries.
In addition, Miller won the 1987 and
1988 National Com Growers Association
Com Yield contests. In 1988, Miller was
awarded the Young Farmer Earn Com
Contest.
In 1984, Miller became a Cargill dealer.
“There were no distributors or dealers of
Cargill Hybrid com in the area,” he said.
“They’re one of the five major seed manu
facturing companies.”
Miller said companies such as Cargill
produce all in-breds and genetic stock.
“Smaller companies purchase genetic
stock that isn’t owned privately from uni
versities,” he said. “Cargill produces its own
stock. But no other com variety can with
stand this year’s amount of rain. It really has
the yield punch compared to other varieties.
Research has shown Cargill com has the
highest yield of any they have released. This
y ear, the weather cooperated and we had the
right soil conditions and fertility.”
Enjoys the challenge
Miller has been farming for most of his
life and enjoys the challenge. “I grew up
with my father on the farm, so I’ve been
farming all my life,” he said. “I’ve been
operating cash-rented land for 11 years.”
Miller’s farm covers 90 acres, owned by
his father, Andrew G. Miller, who will turn
51 this year. Miller’s grandfather, Andrew
N. Miller, bought the land in 1929.
Miller rents land in 12 other locations,
including 210 acres nearby, 200 acres in Eli
zabethtown, and 200 in Hershey.
Miller works with his father on a dairy
business, with 80 head of Holstein.
“We raised Holsteins ever since Grandpa
purchased the farm. Dad married and
moved in to take over the operation. I
haven’t taken over the dairy business yet.
“I like crop farming better. I work with
the cows every morning and night, except in
the prime of planting or harvesting. Dad
runs the dairy operation and I help. I drive
the tractor around a bit.
“I also do custom com planting for far-
HOW TO AOD GETTING BUCK..
Raised Holsteins
mers. They count on me doing it. If I have
time, I’ll do it for them.”
The Millers also raise wheat, barley, and
soybeans as cash crops. They grow alfalfa
and hay for the dairy operation.
Successful farming
Miller’s successful farming involves an
exact combination of soil fertility and the
right seed genetics. "It’s a lot of both mixed
together,” he said. “We used a variety plow
of seed. We planted four rows of different
varieties of com side by side and the best
harvest we placed in the contest.”
Miller lives with his wife, Tricia, and two
dogs, Cody and Princess, just outside of
Manheim. “The dogs are often hard to
watch after,” Miller said. But he enjoys the
time he spends with his family, as well as the
farm work.
“I enjoy farming because it’s a challenge.
I don’t like the early hours I prefer late
hours, actually.” He is awake at 6:00 a.m.
for farm chores. But he is used to putting in
long hours, especially in the harvest season,
where rest is at a premium.
“Sometimes, if it’s going to rain during
harvest or planting. I’ll go all night without
stopping, and do 800-900 acres of custom
combining for other farmers,” he said. “It’s
what you have to do sometimes.”