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
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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
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