PwiUnfl. Saturday, Nowmbf 13,1998
MONTROSE (Susquehanna
Co.) Rainy weather was cer
tainly not enough to convince far
mers and area agency people not
to come along on the third annual
Susquehanna Co. Fall Pasture
Tour.
This year’s tour was cospon
sored by Sonny Golden of Golden
Associates in Sprmgvillc and the
Resources Available to Farmers
(RcAF) program, which is one of
several Susquehanna Conserva
Vegetable Estimates
HARRISBURG (Dauphin Co.)
Contracted production for
Pennsylvania processing sweet
com in 1993 is estimated at 8,360
tons, down from last year’s 15,210
tons. Area for harvest is estimated
at 2,200 acres, 400 acres more
than the 1,800 contracted a year
ago. Expected yield is 3.8 tons per
acre, down from last year’s yield
of 8.45 tons.
Contracted production for pro
cessing tomatoes is expected to to
tal 16,110 tons, compared to
34,200 tons contracted in 1992.
Feed
Set For
LEESPORT (Berks Co.)
Feed grain producers in Berks
County plan to enter 107,000
bushels of 1992-crop com, grain
soighum, and barley in the farmer
owned reserve loan program,
according to Richard Troutman,
chaiiman of the Agricultural Sta
bilization and Conservation Ser
vice (ASCS).
USDA authorized up to 900
million bushels of 1992 crop feed
grains for entry in the reserve.
Eligible fanners had to obtain a
regular price suppon loan and file
their intentions to participate by
April 30, 1993. During this sign
up period, Berks County farmers
filed intentions to place 107,000
bushels of feed grains in the
reserve.
An additional sign-up period
Resources Program Features Pasture Tour
tion District projects.
Some people travelled from as
far north as Canada and as far
south as Lancaster and the State
College area.
This group of as many as 110
people had two things in mind that
day. to view the intensively
grayed pastures of five farmers
and to speak to these farmers and
ask questions. The tour provided a
real variety of pasture designs,
water systems, and supplemental
Harvested acres should total 900,
300 acres less than a year ago.
Average yield per acre is expected
to be 17.90 tons, compared to last
year’s yield of 28.50 tons per acre.
Contracted production for
Pennsylvania snap beans in 1993
is estimated at 6,600 tons, com
pared to 13,620 tons in 1992. Area
for harvest is estimated at 3,300
acres, down from 5,400 harvested
acres in 1992. Expected yield is
2.0 tons per acre, down from last
year’s yield of 2.52 tons per acre.
United States’ sweet com pro-
Grains
Reserve
was later announced and farmers
had an opportunity to file addi
tional intentions to participate by
August 31,1993. However, Berks
county farmers did not file any
additional intentions.
Troutman said a stated intention
to place feed grains into the
reserve does not obligate the pro
ducer to enter the crop into the
reserve.
Farmers will earn quarterly
storage payments for reserve com,
grain sorghum, and barley at an
annual rate of 26. S cents per
bushel. “These payments will be
earned until market prices equal or
exceed 95 percent of the estab
lished target price for these
crops,” Troutman said. The cur
rent target prices per bushel are
$2.75 for com, $2.61 for grain
soighum, and $2.36 for barley.
feeding, but all agreed that inten
sively managed pastures is the
most profitable way to feed dairy
cows.
The tour started at the Dean
Mack farm ih Brooklyn Twp.
Mack milks about 70 Holstcins in
a frccstall setup and supplements
his pasture with a total mixed
ration (TMR) fed in the bam.
Mack has been using rotational
grazing for two years. This year he
Released
cessing plants expect to take in
2.67 million tons of sweet com
this year, down 18 percent from
last year and 21 percent less than
in 1991. Area for harvest, at 450
thousand acres, is down 7 percent
from last year and 18 percent be
low 1991. The average yield is
projected at 5.9 tons per acre,
down 11 percent from a year ago.
Tomato canning contracts call
for 9.69 million tons of tomatoes
this year, up 12 percent from last
year and 11 percent below 1991.
Area for harvest, at 308 thousand
acres, is up 15 percent from last
year. The average yield is 31.47
tons, a 2 percent decrease over last
year’s yield.
Processors expect to harvest
596,120 tons of snap beans, down
7 percent from last year and down
22 percent from 1991. Area for
harvest, at 184 thousand acres, is
down 4 percent from last year and
down 21 percent from 1991, The
average yield is expected at 3.24
tons per acre, down 4 percent from
last year’s yield.
I Layer Contracts
Available For
• Tom & Hen Turkeys
7.200-15,000 bm*
10Vx245' 3000 head tunnel ventilated hog finishing house
PENNSYLVANIA AUTHORIZED
has documented savings averag
ing 42 percent of feed cost over
the pasture season, which
included some very hot, dry
weather.
The next slop toas Dave Laucr’s
farm in Springvillc. Laucr has
been using rotational grazing for
seven years. He has solved his
problem of providing water to his
cows on pasture by building a
trailer with a water tank on it.
Also, on this trailer, he keeps a
fresh supply of dry hay or balage
and minerals. Laucr, like the other
farmers visited during this tour,
arc very conscious of cow com
fort. During some of the hottest
weather, the cows were allowed to
return-to the bam early for shade,
where they were kept cool with
fans.
Daryl Button’s farm was (he
next stop for the day. One of the
first things you notice here is that
there arc no electric fences at all.
The next thing you notice is the
lush green grasses and clovers on
the hillside by the bam. Instead of
confining cows in a small area
with electric fence, he employs a
unique clipping strategy. Each
week he mows a small section of
the pasture. The cows then have
the choice of eating fresh mowed
willed matter or lush regrowth in
another spot. Button’s only equip
ment is a tractor, a rotary mower,
and a manure spreader. Winter
feeding consists of grain and hay,
all of which is purchased. Button
has one of Susquehanna County’s
top producing dairy herds while
maintaining very low feed costs.
Jim Gamer’s farm in Montrose
has been involved with intensive
Needed
new housing for
■ Turkey Contracts
I Hog Finishing Contracts
r
1-800-673-2580
For information on new contracts being
offered by local feed and livestock companies
Northeast Agri Systems, Inc.
Flyway Business Park
139 A West Airport Road
Lititz, PA 17543
Ph (717) 569-2702
grazing for three years. Much of
the pasture improvement here has
been implemented as pan of his
Chesapeake Bay Program conser
vation plan. Another integral part
of this operation is the manure
composting. Much of the manure
and bedding is composted and
sold bulk to local homeowners. A
spring development was installed
two years ago, which provides
water to each paddock. Gamer has
minimal equipment and purchases
most of his winter feed. He also
stresses the importance of grazing
a follow-up group behind the
milking cows. This leads to better
quality pasture and provides very
inexpensive feed for heifers or dry
cows. During this part of the tour,
participants looked at several dis
plays. Duane Pyshcr from SCS
showed many types of fencing
materials and gadgets. Wayne
Ray, Endless mis. RC&D, demon
strated a Rife water pump.
+ The last stop of the day was
Winston Wright’s farm in Rush
Twp. The Wright’s dairy consists
of about 65 milk cows. Prior to
setting up this grazing system, the
herd had been totally confined.
Wright has been experimenting
with different sccdings to help out
duringltis summer slump. He has
tried such things as clovers, tail
fescue, matiua, gammagrass, and
perennial rye. Wright also told
about his experiences raising
calves on pasture. They have been
feeding milk in New Zealand -
style nipple barrel feeders. They
have had very comparable results
with the calves grown int he bam
but with much less labor and low
er feed costs.
immediately:
I Pullet Contracts
Contracts Available For
• Hog Finishing:
1,000-3,000 HMd
• Sow Unlit: 200-1,000 Sow*
STORE HOURS- Mon -W 730t0 A 30 RR
Set 8 00 to Noon
1-800-673-2580 H
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