: ' i'«v'.' ;, '« , i , \ v;-,u!>v,’"' 1 11 ’ 1 >^=r ~^> ,A ■-victQi»^iiCaiimmfi - 3SSP^ss^s^ - iOwn— JClr*m€ «.B ■pl Tn Nil TlimnrK3HKdßKßl^^l^MPtQS^. VOL 36 NO. 14 John Peter Stees was recently honored as Conservation Farmer of the Year by the Chester Co. Conservation District. Stees’ work on rebuilding the farm, In cooperation with the district during the past 24 years, garnered the dairy farmer the award recently at the Chester Co. Crops Day. Photo by Andy Andrews. JUDY PATTON Centre Co. Correspondent STATE COLLEGE (Centre Co.) The Pennsylvania Young Farmers’ Association (PYFA) honored fanners with the Out standing Community Service and Outstanding Young Farmers awards at the 31st annual PYFA banquet here on Feb. 6. The convention, held from February 5 through 7 at the Days Inn, also featured educational workshops and speakers, farm and Dairy Of Distinction Seeks Farms For 1991 Recognition EVERETT NEWSWANGER Managing Editor COVINGTON (Tioga Co.) —The Northeast Dairy Farm Beautification Program, Inc., is ready to receive applications for 1991. This program rewards clean, well-kept farmsteads to help with consumer acceptance of dairy pro ducts in the store. State President Dan Baker, dairyman from Covington, Tioga County, said the program has received great acceptance in the past and officers look forward to a good response again this year. “There are plenty of good looking dairy farms out there that have not been judged,” Baker said. “And Five Sections State Young Farmers Hold Convention Penn State tours, election of new officers and a variety of social activities. The Outstanding Community Service Award went to Don and Cherrie Wenger of Manheim. Cherrie is the assistant director of Living Water Ministeries in Main tenance, a rehabilitation center for women. Don also helps at the Ministries, is a part time driver for Graybill’s Dairy, assists with local FFA projects, and umpires com munity softball games. even those who have entered the selection process in past years should enter again.” The program provides rewards of recognition to producers who maintain attractive production sites. This recognition benefits the entire dairy industry as well as individual dairymen. Not only does the favorable publicity gener ated by the program in the general press help bring modem farm prac tices to the attention of urban peo ple, farmers lise the distinction to promote their own operation or seek and hire farm labor. Paul Nichols, the secretary for the Pennsylvania program, said applications may be sent in now to (Turn to Page A2O) Lancaster Farming, Saturday, 6, 1991 Together the Wengers coordi nate Family Fun Night activities at the Pennsylvania Farm Show. Phil and Cindy Garber run a top-notch farming operation with dad James and brother Roger. They farm 1,000 acres In additional to truck, feed mill, custom combine, and poultry operations. The Garber family Includes, from left: Scott, Cyndl, Ryan, Rodney, and Phil. Turn to page B 5 for story. Photo by Lou Ann Good. Effort By Conservation Farmer Restores Farm Vitality ANDY ANDREWS Lancaster Farming Staff ATGLEN (Chester Co.) Conservation fanning know-how and lots of hard work helped John Peter Stees lake an eroding, dilapidated beef farm in shambles and turn n into a strong and successful dairy operation. Stees’ work on the farm, in cooperation with the Chester Co. Conservation District during the past 24 years, garnered the dairy farmer the Conservation Farmer of the Year Award recently at the Chester Co. Crops Day. Stees milks a herd of 50 registered Holsteins on a 106-acre (70 tillable) farm m West Fallowfield Township, where he lives with his wife Sally and two sons, Hutch, 14, and Clinton, 12. Stees has managed the farm since 1965. He took grazing pastures that showed clear signs of erosion and ‘ ‘gullies that we could drive a little Ford tractor through,’ ’ he said, and turned them into grassland waterways and contour strips. First Maryland Farm Families In Hall Of Fame BALTIMORE, MD. Three Maryland farm families were inducted into the first ever Maryland Agriculture Hall of Fame on February 7 near Baltimore. Over eight hundred people attended the fifth annual Maryland Agriculture Dinner in honor of Gov ernor William Donald Schaefer, members of the Maryland General Assembly, and the U.S. Congressional delegation. Sponsored by Maryland Agriculture Week, Inc., the purpose of the evening was “to celebrate the importance of Maryland agriculture, its people, and its products.” The first ever inductees into the Governor’s Agriculture Hall of Fame represented various facets of the industry from dairy to sheep to gra«ioperations. Maryland’s Sec retary of Agriculture, Wayne A. Cawley, Jr., introduced the recipients of certificates from the Governor, who said that “it’s important to give credit to people who work hard. These fanners are symbolic of farmers who work so hard.” Y.D. Hance said he was “overwhelmed and humbled by receiving the honor.” The Calvert County farmer was the first secretary of agriculture in the state. He also raised grain and sheep. They milk 25 Brown Swiss cows and raise crops on 130 acres. Winner of the Outstanding 50t Per Copy (Turn to Page A 36) SHARON B. SCHUSTER Maryland Correspondent (Turn to Page A 26) $15.00 Per Year Young Farmer Award in the Under 30 category was John (Turn to Page A 34) Pork Congress Set CAMP HILL (Cumberland Co.) The 13th annual Keystone Pork Congress (KPC) will be held February 20 at the Penn Harris Inn in Camp Hill. This year’s KPC will feature a trade show with more than 40 exhi bits, a “Pork Bowl” contest and public speaking competition for 4-H and FFA members, education al seminars, and the annual ban quet of the Pennsylvania Pork Pro ducers Council. Dr. Kelly Donham, a veterina rian from the Institute of Agricul tural Medicine at the University of lowa, is the featured speaker on the educational program and will dis cuss “Human Health Risks in Your Swine Facilities.” Banquet speaker is Jane Hicb, of Slone Meadow Communications in Strum, Wis. For a program copy, contact your county extension office. To make banquet reservations, call Stephen Burkholder, (215) 682-2871.