Supplement, Saturday, September 25, 1993 ( \ Lancaster Farming V b Farm Calendar liicmLin, Scpliinhci 2<S Northeast Poultry Show, Lan caster Host Resort, thru Sept. caster Host Resort, thru Sept. Health Seminar, Improving Livestock Buildings and Equipment, Kreider’s annual meeting, Delmarva Convention Center, Delmar, *y - y ence, The Mechanicsburg (Turn to Pago 13) Poultry Queen Family LOU ANN GOOD Lancaster Farming Staff EPHRATA (Lancaster Co.) The Clark Stauffer farm has often been featured in the news for its U.S. geological water quality studies and for its inno vative composting system. Now, add another noteworthy accomplishment: It’s home for the Pennsylvania Poultry i V Jay Stauffer farms with his wife Trena and sons Jay Donpld Stauffer, Jr. (J.D.), 7, front and Jefferson, 3. ; &at~ Pennsylvania Poultry Queen Melissa Stauffer grew up on eonservatTon practices. From left, are Michele. 16; Melissa, a poultry farm welMtnown tor being on the cutting edge In 19; parents Clark and Lucy, and Janelle, 13. Queen Melissa Stauffer. Melissa, 19. the oldest daughter of Clark and his wife Lucy, and her sisters, Michele, 16, and Janelle, 13, are involved in the day to day farm operation. Because the Stauffer farm is highly diversified, it cannot be classified as only a poultry farm, although it certainly is a ‘S 't .r *; -V Strives For Excellence In successful one. In addition to raising 22,000 broilers, 235 sows, and a 500-head hog fin ishing business, more than 100 acres are fanned. The biggest scope of work is dedicated to 15 acres in produce and one in tobacco. Stauffer said that his grand father purchased the 67-acre Indian Run Farm during the Depression years. Since then a neighboring 16-acre farm has been added and the Stauffers rent additional acreage to make about 100 acres. The farm still has the original 1788 bam that Poultry They Profit ANDY ANDREWS Lancaster Farming Staff LANCASTER (Lancaster Co.) There’s a way to turn what some consider a liability the tons of poultry manure generated on the fatm into an asset. Several Lancaster County poultry producers have come up with solutions about manure disposal. Rather than leaving the disposal of it entirely to chance, to nutrient manage ment plans and legislation, or the local township, they’ve taken matters into their own hands. Fertility matters, that is. was redone in 1946. Although Clark had studied landscaping and worked in that Held until he purchased the farm, he never regretted his decision to change careers. “But it’s quite a challenge,” Clark said. He is an avid follower of keeping abreast of new and bet ter methods in agriculture. For this reason, the Stauffer farm is often the site where agriculture leaders from other countries visit. Clark’s expertise is in con servation methods and in a Producers Show How From Manure Marketing The key is to take the raw product from layer or broiler houses and dry and/or refine it enough to suit the bill. That “bill” comes in the form of how producers choose to mark et the manure. In the stories to follow about several poultry producers throughout Lancaster, all had one thing in common; a market ing plan. They selected the place they wanted the manure to .go, decided on what price they were willing to accept for it. and worked closely and con stantly with the buyer to ensure a product that benefits both the buyer and the end-market, the Farming composting system he erected on the farm. “A composting system is a great way to go. I think every poultry farmer should have one,” he said. Although skeptical before he installed the composter, Clark said that he had become inter ested in composting by necessi ty after contaminated ground water was tested on his farm. He was also appalled when he dug footers for a building, and found that the chickens he was burying were not (Turn to Pago 2) consumer. “The more you invest in making the better product, the more you have to get for the product, which changes where you market it,” said Leon Ressler, nutrient specialist at the Lancaster extension office. “In other words, the cheaper the product, the more potential buyers you have out there.” Ressler recently compiled a manure marketing buy/sell list from a survey. When it was completed, the list totalled 296 receivers and 110 suppliers. According to Ressler’s annu al report, a follow-up survey (Turn to Page 4)
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