Dl4-Lancaster Farming Saturday, June 1,1991
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DAIRYING IN THE HEART
Phil Durst
Snyder Co. Extension Agent
Dairy is the primary agricultur
al enterprise in Snyder, Union,
Northumberland, and Montour
counties, the so-called SUN Area
in the heart of the Susquehanna
River valley. This is the area
where I work, and while it is not
the premier dairy area of the state,
it is an area where dairy farming
will survive and be successful.
The reasons for its success, both
now and into the future, are not
related to its fine valleys, major
transportation routes, or well
developed support industry.
Rather, my confidence is placed in
the quality of the dairy farmers
here.
Tim and Arlene Yoder, of
Selinsgrove, are milking cows
again after a December 23 fire
destroyed their bam, cows, and
equipment. This couple, in their
late 20’s, illustrate four reasons
why dairy fanners in the SUN
Area will survive troublesome
times and shine in their industry.
1. The help of friends, neigh
bors, and strangers. The Tire at
Yoder’s started in the early morn
ing hours, and word of it spread as
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quickly as the fire had. On Mon
day morning, the day before
Christmas, when people usually
have much yet to do, more than
100 came out to help clean up the
mess left by the fire.
I’ve seen that type of response
repeatedly demonstrated in this
area whenever a farm family has
been struck by a death, sickness or
disaster. In fact, on the same day,
just over the hill from Yoder’s
friends and neighbors were work
ing to put up a bam at Clair Heim
bachs to replace one lost by a fire
several weeks earlier. On this day,
both the Yoders and the Heim
bachs said that if they got too
many volunteers to help them,
they would send some of them up
to the other’s farm. Both the Yod
ers and Heimbachs sent crews.
Business with whom the Yod
ers deal gave them breaks; semen
was replaced or credit was given,
the veterinarian reduced his bills
and farmers donated cattle. Not a
herd test was missed on DHIA
because the remnants of the herd
and the donated cattle were
milked on another farm.
2. Parent’s help in establish
ing the next generation. The dif
ficulty that a young dairyman
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faces in getting started on his or
her own may be great enough to
severely constrict the industry in
the next 20 years. But, over and
over I have seen a parent’s help
make it possible for the younger
generation.
Tim’s parents owned the bam
that burnt and the land that Tim
and Arlene farm. They worked
hard to rebuild not only the physi
cal barn, but also the dairy future
of Tim and Arlene.
On this and other dairy farms, I
know the farm only continues
because of the sacrifice of the old
er generation who worked their
lives to make a farm and who now
give up some of the value of that
farm so that another generation
can carry on. Their labor and the
knowledge they have gained
through the years are also essen
tial on many farms now run by
their offspring.
3. Involvement in farm orga
nizations. Tim has served as
Snyder County DHIA president,
county Holstein Association
director, and as a junior director
with Sire Power. Although busy
with the farm, his family, and their
church, he has made time to be
involved with organizations
which provide services, products,
and management information that
farmers depend on.
Like other young dairy farmers
in this area who are similarly
involved with farm organizations,
Tim has shown a commitment to
serve and to work with other
dairymen for the sake of the indus
try. All dairy fanners benefit by
this local leadership.
4. Hard work and good man
agement No farm can survive
without these ingredients and they
certainly are not lacking at Yod
ers. Tim and Arlene milk 44 cows
with a punctuality that cows pre
fer. Tim says that he would rather
be in the bam than in the field, and
it shows with the cows. Their herd
SCC of 120,000 is proof of the
commitment they have made to
producing premium-quality milk.
Two years ago, I asked one
young couple* whose SCC had
been averaging less than 125,000,
why they came to a cooperative
extension mastitis clinic. Their
reply was that if they learned one
more thing that would help them,
it would be worth it.
Those who put a priority on
producing quality milk promote
their product like no commercial
can do. And those who make a
commitment to constantly sharpen
their management skills by con-
Greater Flexibility In
Corn Weed Control
WILMINGTON. Del. Re
cent label updates for Accent
herbicide mean greater flexibility
this year for com growers fighting
tough grassy weeds, including
shattercane, foxtail and woolly
cupgrass.
The EPA-approved revisions
extend the size range that Accent
can be applied on some grasses
and add several tank-mix partners
to the label.
“Growers throughout the Com
Belt now have even greater flexi
bililly and a wider window of ap
plication to fight tough grassy
weeds that are costing millions of
dollars in lost yields,” said Mike
Dobrotka, Du Pont product devel
opment specialist for Accent.
The Accent label changes ex
tend the weed control height of
shattercane to 12 inches and wool
ly cupgrass to four inches. Accent
also provides control of foxtail up
to four inches, quackgrass up to 10
inches, and wild proso millet up to
tinued learning are preparing for
the future.
Looking around, it is easy to see
these characteristics! of success on
farms throughout these four coun
ties. The heart of the Susquehanna
Valley is home to farmers with
dairy in their heart
Like Tim and Arlene Yoder,
there are many dairy families who
work hard and well, have the sup
port of family and the help of
friends and neighbors, and who
work together to boost the dairy
industry. That is the secret to suc
cess, and I’m pleased to be able to
work with these farmers.
three inches,
For com growers fighting John
songrass, Accent now can be ap
plied to seedling Johnsongrass up
to 12 inches and rhizome Johnson
grass up to 18 inches.
“Due to the competitiveness of
these tough grasses, many grow
ers are finding that the control of
fered by an effective post program
including Accent just makes good
economic sense,” Dobrotka said.
Other recently approved label
revisions allow com growers to
achieve greater broadleaf control
by tank-mixing Accent with atra
zine, Buctril, Buctril/atrazine,
Banvel or Marksman.
Com growers rotating to other
crops now have greater flexibility
in using Accent Shorter crop rota
tion intervals mean growers can
rotate to spring wheat barley, and
oats after eight months and to win
ter wheal after four months.
In addition, Accent can be ap
plied to seed com and popcorn.