A3B-L»hctBtcr Farming, Saturday, July 24, 1993 Farming Celebrated In Chester County UPPER OXFORD TOWN SHIP (Chester Co.) Chester County’s new public-private farmland preservation partnership brought its message of support directly to the farmers on Sunday, July 18, at Upper Oxford Town ship’s community park. Hosting a picnic barbecue in honor of the county’s 57 registered Century Farmers, representatives from the Agricultural Development Coun cil, the Agricultural Land Preser vation Board, the Brandywine Conservancy and Penn State’s Co operative Extension let the west ern Chester County farmers know that they intend to use their com bined knowledge and energy in helping to provide another hund red years and more of active, pro ductive farming In the county. This was a day to “celebrate farming.” In a society where some families move every three or four years, there is an incredible sense of continuity and stability in re cognizing the presence of the same family on the same land for over a hundred years. Eighteen Century Farm families attended the barbecue and were easily identified by the blue and gold rib bons attached to their nametags. They included the H. Wheeler Amans who are nearly two-cen Public Auction Register Closing Date Monday 5:00 P.M. of each week's publication JULY North Of Evans City, Pa, Or .... «? / ' Just for gsl* airscrews. >s Planning your first or second turkey house? Call Northeast Agri Systems for a free estimate: 1-800-673-2580 partners can offer the farming community. Take-home packets of information were available, and staff members spent the afternoon getting to know the farmers. A chance to sign up for information from Chester County’s Task Force on Tax Reform resulted in a bask et full of requests. The Conservan cy gave away posters of James Wyeth’s painting “Hay Bales," and country music was supplied by Chris Ferrier and his Cacklin’ Hens & Roosters Too. The newly signed cooperative agreement was good cause for celebration. The innovative part nership prepares the way to com bine the county’s ability to pur chase development rights from farmers with the Brandywine Conservancy’s expertise in help ing landowners plan for the future of their property and the Coopera tive Extension’s work with finan cial planning. As Ray Pickering, director of the Agricultural Land Preservation Board, stressed, “Rather than competing for the scarce hours in a farmer’s day, the partnership will work together in bringing information to the farm ers.” AVAILABLE NOW - Now Available With New All-Plastic Pan NORTHEAST AGRI SYSTEMS, INC. Flyway Business Park 139 A West Airport Road Lititz, PA 17543 Ph: (717) 569-2702 <*» 9B 1^ * BUILT-IN HIGH CONE distribute* feed In pan. avoids build-up In tube. STORE HOURS: Mon.-Fri, 7:30 to 4:30 Sat. 8:00 to Noon mxrM 24 Hr.-7 Day Repair Service ■Hll 1-800-673-2580 3B Authorized Master Distributor The other hosts included Joyce Hershey for the ADC, Colin John stoiie who spoke for both the ALPB and the absent chairman of the County Commissioners, Karen Martynick, who was in Chicago accepting an award for Chester County’s farmland preservation program. Bill Sellers of the Bran dywine Conservancy whose re cent environmental trip to Hun gary dramatically increased his appreciation of the productivity of Chester County’s soils, rainfall and farmers, and Laurie Sickow- Sandow from the Penn State Co operative Extension. Farmers have serious personal concerns about estate planning and inheritance taxes which they can plan for to some degree. How ever, there are also many chal lenges that are totally beyond their control. For instance, develop ment pressures in other sections of the county have a domino effect on this area of seemingly endless com and grain fields. As people flee higher cost housing and taxes in central and northern Chester County, their arrival in the west ern townships and school districts places a greater financial burden on the fanners. One farmer at the picnic thought he had his 1993 school tax payment pretty well taken care of • until the bill arriv- LOW ENEBGY USE laaa than half the pnnr uaad by chain. Straight-' * ** FEED-SAVES FEA TUBES: unique “V” pan ahapa lata you maintain a low (aval; facd-aavcr rinf: 2% pan Up to catch feed. 19-YEAR AUGER war rinty: no one else comas dost. ed. His land straddles 2 school dis tricts; the bill is $4,000 higher than last year. According to Cen tury Farmers David and Annabclle Light, they were recently faced with the choice of selling 64 acres of their farm or going broke. The Century Farm picnic’s spe cial guests were enthusiastic in their support for the new effort. They included home district State Representative Arthur Hershey, a farmer himself, who is working hard to establish a new 4-H center in the county; Congressman Ro bert Walker who is working to ward relief from inheritance taxes for farm families that keep on farming: Slate Senator Earl Baker, just home from a trip to China and renewed awareness of both our democratic traditions and rich agricultural resources; County Commissioners Joe Kenna and Andy Dinniman; former State Representative Sam Morris who still speaks for the farmer as a member of the State Agricultural Land Preservation Board; Chester County Historical Society’s Bob Thompson; Leroy Bruce, Farm Manager for the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Cen ter and also Barclay Hoopes, pre sident of the Chester-Delaware Farm Association. *' Chore-Time H 2 ALL-PLASTIC feeder floods feeder pan with plenty of feed to attract and start poults from the first day. «««««*** r S*. 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