A24-Lancaster Firming, Saturday, December 12, 1992 (Continued from Pogo A 1) sion. Lyle, however, has a more modest answer. “We just try to do what our feed people tell us to do. We have the feed company do our feed prog ram for us. That’s part of it. And we just try to balance their rations.” Laureen, who oversees the herd’s milk production, deter mines how much feed each cow gets. “One thing that has helped is we bought a meter to measure how many pounds the cows are milk ing. This provides a better, overall accuracy than simply relying on the milk tester who comes once a month.” The Wrights feed their herd com silage which Lyle distributes from a feed cart prior to milking. “It saves a lot of work, he said, commenting on the cart’s efficiency. Way View Farm welcome sign extends a friendly greeting to all who visit. Dairy Farmers Force Historic Referendum BARABOU, WI. Organizers of the Dump the National Dairy Board Campaign tallied 15,000 signatures on petitions from 45 states calling on the U.S. Sec retary of Agriculture to hold a referendum on the continuation of the national check-off. This is 500 above the 14,500 needed to legally force a referendum vote (10% of all U.S. milk produc ers), with more signa tures still coming in. On Dec. 10 farmers from seven slates will carry the petitions to Washington, D.C., for a meeting with United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) officials. After verify ing the signatures a referendum will be called, probably in early Spring. The 15,000 petitions conclude a year-long effort begun in Wiscon sin and spread nation wide through a coalition of independent produc ers and grassroots farm organizations. The herd also gets feed pellets eight times a day. The pellets are distributed automatically by a magnetic feed car that runs on a rail around the perimeter of the stalls. Laureen sets the magnetic codes in front of each cow to determine how many pellets that cow gets. “We used to feed high moisture com,” said Laureen, “but the crop hasn’t been that great in the last two years, so we switched to pellets.” In their latest DHIA report, the Wrights’ herd average was 15,663 pounds, with 546 in protein, and 716 in fat for 46.7 cows. In 305 days, their top three cows were Brenda, with an average of 20,480 pounds, 6% in protein, and 890 in fat; Pixie, with a 19,324 average, 654 in protein, and 888 in fat; and Brandy, with a 17,542 average, 626 in protein, and 851 in fat. UP TO 45% DISCOUNT ON PARTS & EQUIPMENT PLUS: Discounts on Twine! See Our Ad Sec. C! Buy Now For Tax Savings! MESSICK FARM EQUIPMENT, INC. Rheems Exit - Rt. 283, Elizabethtown, PA 717-367-1319, 717-653-8867 Toll Free In PA: 1-800-222-3373 Wrights Receive Guernsey GIANT YEAR-END SALE * NOW THRU DEC. 31. 1992 Laureen also keeps a close watch on somatic cell count and plate count. The lower these counts, the higher their milk pre miums are with Eastern Milk Pro ducers in Waverly, N.Y. The incentive has worked to make the Wrights a Gold Seal winner and recipient of the Eastern Milk Pro ducers Quality Award. The Wrights have a milking herd of 61,50 of which are Guern seys, with Holsteins making up the rest. The total Guernsey popu lation at Way View Farm is 90 head (including dry cows and young stock). Lyle oversees the breeding and dispensing of medicine when needed. Their cows’ comfort is a priori ty to the Wrights. The recently remodeled bam has 61 stalls. Eli minating 11 stalls in the process, Lyle said of the new stalls, “We made them all bigger, longer. It’s more comfortable for the cows and easier to handle.” Another example of Lyle’s con cern for their animals’ comfort is evident in the homemade wrap pings around the legs on various cows. The wrapping consists of a piece of carpet as a padded ban dage adhered to the legs of cows with injured hocks. “We’ve had great success with this type of bandage,” said Lyle. “The trick is to first cut up your wife’s rug.” His chuckles faded as he pointed to a bandaged cow and on a more serious note added, “it saved her life.” He further explained that her injury had been so severe that the padded bandage not only helped prevent further damage to the leg and enabled it to heal, but also helped ease pain and stress on the leg. Without it, Lyle was certain, she would have died. When their morning chores are completed and the Wrights leave the bam, they have a hired man come in to watch over the herd throughout the day during the winter. In the summer months, when the cows are pastured, he helps Lyle and Laureen with field work. On the 370 acre farm, the Wrights plant about 70 acres in com, and have about 100 acres in hay, of which IS acres are reseeded annually. Com silage is stored in two silos measuring 18’x60’ and 14’x60’. Haylagc is stored in an 18’xSO’ silo and 6-8,000 square bales go into the bam. When they’re not working on the farm, the Wrights are active in their community church. Laureen .*• v f * •* PAUL B. PAUL B. Call or Writ* For Additional Information And Your Naaraat Oaalar Award is the organist and Lyle is chair man of the East Canton United Methodist Church Building Pro ject. The church is in the process of doubling the size of its sanctu ary and making the Sunday school room and fellowship room larger. “We’re planning a work camp,” said Lyle. “You know how the Mennonites get together to build lhings...we’re planning on doing that this coming summer.” “It’ll be for a three-week per iod,” added Laureen. “We went on a work camp this last sum mer...bctwccn Jersey Shore and Williamsport.” “We went down there to work on one so we would know what to expect,” said Lyle. Their excitement in seeing the project through to its completion is immediately understandable to anyone standing on the Wrights’ front porch. The picturesque scen ery offered beyond the span of valley to the hill on the other side includes the church in question. To them, taking part in changing the looks of this quaint country church must be akin to raising one of their offspring, watching it grow into an adult. Their other interests lie, of course, with their children. Lyle and Laureen are the parents of two girls, Michelle, a recent graduate of Mansfield University, and Sharia, a sophomore at Clarion University, and a son, Darrin, a junior in high school. Lyle explained, “The kids have all played Little League and we followed them through softball, volleyball, football, basketball...” Laureen added, “It was more (Turn to Pug* A 25) ZIMMERMAN, INC. »2M Woodcomwr Road « ,JOSMm «• 7 “ 11 mn raa-7368
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers