CB‘Lancaster Farming, Saturday, June 19, 1993 BETH MILLER Cumberland Co. Correspondent SHIPPENSBURG (Franklin Co.) Fred Dillner, who is retir ing this year as an ag teacher for the Shippensburg School District, has some advice for today’s young fanners. “Today’s farmer has to be bet ter prepared,” said Dillner. “Today’s farmer is cutting a closer margin.” Dillner has spent the last 34 years helping young farmers leant to be better prepared. He has a lot to look back on as he ends the teaching career he staned in 1959. Dinner’s time in farming goes back even farther than that, actually. It dates back to his childhood on the small farm in Allegheny County, where his family lived and raised livestock and crops. Farming also was on his mind when he attended Penn State Uni versity, where he earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. His real love was working with the young adult farmer (YAF) programs at the Shippensburg High School, he said. That prog ram, which presently has 62 mem bers, was started in Shippensburg in 1948-1949. Shippensburg’s program is the longest continually running YAF program in Pennsylvania. Under Dinner’s teaching, the program’s evening classes pro vide discussion panels, updates on new technology, and on advances in crops and livestock. One of the most important things the program offers is on-site instruction, Din ner said. Recently the YAF members and Potato Diversion Program Authorized LANCASTER (Lancaster Co.) U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Espy has announced the authorization of the Potato Diver sion Program. The program will assist Round White Potato grow ers with oversupplies and low prices. “The objective of the potato program is to encourage the domestic consumption of 1992 crop Fresh Irish Round White Potatoes by diverting them from normal channels of trade and com merce,” said Paul Kline, chairman of the Lancaster County (ASC) Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Committee. Pay ments will be issued to producers who divert potatoes that they pro duced by either donating them to Swather's Choice Alfalfa Hay Drying Agent Swathar'a Cholca is a liquid hay drying agent that will reduce curing time by one-third, soften hay stems and help retain general hay quality. Long-Time Ag Teacher Retires the local Future Farmers of America group showed their appreciation for Dinner’s work by honoring him at a surprise banquet. Dillner was grateful for that recognition, but he said he isn’t ready yet to say good-bye to the YAF. He said he plans to still be a volunteer for the group but noted that he no longer plans to be mak ing decisions for its activities. Dillner has managed to pass on a lot of knowledge during the years and he has seen a lot of changes in the farming industry. He said the biggest change he has seen is the major advance in technology for the farmer, who now has larger, high-tech machin ery, computers and sophisticated marketing programs, and new types of spraying programs that do the job but keep the environment safe. Dillner said he definitely plans to keep busy in his retirement. For the first year he said he plans to do more restoration work on the outside and inside of his home, which was built in 1754 and is on the State and the Nation al Register of Historic Places. He said he also plans to work on developing the gardens around his house. Also, he said he plans to slay active in the community. Dillner has always done that. For instance, he is treasurer of the Shippensburg Fair, a job he has held since 1959. During that time, he has seen the fair grow from a $30,000 - $40,000 event to a $300,000 one. He and his wife, Rose, operate the Saturday morning farmer’s charitable institutions, using them for livestock feed, or using them for compost purposes. Eligible potatoes are all pota toes grown in Lancaster County except sweet potatoes, red pota toes, and russet. According to Kline, they must currently be in storage to qualify for program benefits, which is $3 per hundredweight. Before diversion, the potatoes must be inspected by the Agricul tural Marketing Service to certify the class, quantity, and condition of eligible potatoes. Eligible producers must file an application in the Lancaster Coun ty ASCS Office as soon as possi ble, but no later than July 2. The method of disposal must be indi cated on the application. HAY CHEMICALS AND APPLICATION EQUIPMENT av/aitahlo frnm HARVEST available from Available from: • Hoober Mill 717-768-3431 • David O. Fink 215-767-1408 market at the Shippensburg Fair grounds, with the proceeds going back to the fair. In addition, the Dinners are a leader co-op couple in the Co-Op Leader Educational Program that was started in Shippensburg in 1971. Dillner said he and Rose plan to continue that. He said they find it very rewarding bringing young farming couples together to teach them about cooperatives and their benefits. The Dillners also have been instrumental in promoting the very successful Shippensburg Garden Tour. With whatever time they have left, Dillner said he and his wife plan to travel through Pennsylva nia on short trips to get to know the State. He said he will always look back fondly on his career in teaching. 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