MILLHEIM (Centre Co.)
Virginia grazier/farmer Joel Sala
tin and Loma McMahon, a crop
fanner from west Tennessee, will
be among the farmers to address
the Pennsylvania Association for
Sustainable Agricultures’ (PASA)
annual Farming for the Future
Conference to be held Feb. 4-5 at
the Nittany Lion Inn in State Col
lege.
Salatin, who raises “pastured
poultry” and grass-fed beef on his
Blue Ridge mountain farm, will
discuss his use of grazing in what
he terms “Plants and Animals in
Environmental Symbiosis.” Sala
un raises thousands of broilers
every year in portable outdoor
pens and markets them directly to
consumers from his farm. His beef
is also marketed directly, thus in
suring higher profit per animal.
There is generally a waiting list
for all of his products.
Salatin and his family are noted
for their cost-cutting and biologi
cally sound farming methods. His
farm is unique in that there are few
buildings and relatively few
pieces of equipment. A combina
tion of grazing and composting
has provided fertility for the land
and solved manure management
issues. The daily movement of
cattle and poultry avoids excess
nutrient buildup and breaks up
disease cycles.
In many other ways, the Sala
tms have managed to work with
nature in ways that are beneficial
to the environment as well as the
farm family. Through innovative
marketing, the sustainability of
the family on the farm is insured.
Loma McMahon is a fifth gen
Needed
new housing for
■ Breeder Contracts
■ Layer Contracts
■ Hog Finishing Contracts
101'x245* 3000 head tunnel ventilated hog (Irilshlng house
1-800-673-2580
For information on new contracts being
offered by local feed and livestock companies
Pennsylvania’s Authorized Master Distributor
Northeast Agri Systems, Inc.
Flyway Business Park
139 A West Airport Road
Lititz, PA 17543
agrl
systems
Northeast
Ph (7-17) 569-2702 1-800-673-2580
Va.,
Tenn. Farmers To Address Conference
eration farmer in the Mississippi
Delta lands of west Tennessee.
She took over the 2,300-acre farm
in 1987 and immediately convert
ed 230 acres to organic crop pro
duction. The remainder of the land
is leased out to other farmers. She
produces a variety of field crops,
including com, wheal, soybeans,
and cotton, as well as approxi
mately 14 acres of high value ve
getables and pecans and 40 acres
of cover crops. Much of her 230
acres is certified organic, and she
receives premium prices for cot
ton (about twice the going rate),
soybeans, (used by tofu makers),
and com (sold to organic beef pro
ducers).
McMahon will address the
PASA conference on the issue of
“Making the Transition to Farm
ing Organically” and on “Improv
ing the Farm and Community Na
tural Resource Base.” Stressing
diversity and alternative market
ing as cornerstones to farm profit
ability, McMahon will offer her
own experiences as a testament to
how organic farming is helping
her utilize her farm resources.
A large number of Pennsylva
nia farmers will also address the
conference and a number of
farmer-to-farmcr workshops arc
planned as well. Of particular in
terest to those considering the
transition to more sustainable
methods will be sessions led by
Ron Gargasz on “Considerations
for Economic Viability in the
Transition Years” and Dale Good
on “Integrated Dairy Systems.”
Both Gargasz and Good arc Penn
sylvania farmers.
A panel on “How to Start and
immediately:
I /Mi
■ Turkey Contracts
■ Pullet Contracts
/ Contracts Available For
| • Tom & Hen Turkeys
I 7,200-15,000 Bird*
I Two 50'x620‘ Tom Turk*y Houses
Contracts Available For
• Hog Finishing:
1,000-3,000 Head
• Sow Unlta: 200-1,300 Sowa
STORE HOURS Mon-Frl 7 30 to 4 30
Sat 8 00 to Noon
24 Hr 7 Day Repair Service
Sustain a Farm” will be led by Jim
Crawford, Ward Sinclair, and
Garry and Linda VanDcWecrt.
Crawford and Sinclair are both or
ganic vegetable producers in
southern Pennsylvania and the
VanDeWeerts operate a dairy
farm on the Pennsylvania, New
York line near Athens. Garry and
Linda started out five years ago
with $lOO in cash and have used
intensive grazing as a way to im
prove profitability. Sinclair is a
former newspaper reporter who
operates a truck farm selling
largely through farmers’ markets
in the Washington, D.C. area.
Hereford Breeders Experience
Record-Breaking Bull Sales
KANSAS CITY, Mo. Here
ford bull sales set a record of
$2,260, for the average price paid
in 1993, a public auction sales
across the nation. This is the high
est sale average documented in the
113-year history of record-keep
ing by the American Hereford As
sociation.
The 1993 bull demand follows
the pattern of the last five years, as
national sale averages have ex
ceeded $2,000. Following is a list
ing of national bull sale averages
by year from 1989 through 1992;
1989 - $2,108; 1990 - $2,053;
1991 - $2,210; 1992 - $2,194.
National bull sale averages for
the Hereford breed in 1993 were
compiled from 182 public auction
sale reports from coast to coast. Of
these auction reports, 129 were
breeder production sales and 53
M
trawford uses various marketing
methods, including coop sales for
his organic vegetables. All of
these farmers have a wealth of re
cent experience to present and will
not hesitate to tell you what has
and has not worked for them and
why.
Farmcr-to-farmer exchange
sessions arc planned in the areas
of grazing; compost production
and utilization; pest management
strategics in vegetable production;
and tillage, cover crops, and rota
tions.
In addition to the farmer ex
changes and workshops, Pcnnsyl-
were consignment sales. The sale
of 7,871 '/ bulls amassed a gross
of $17,791,351, to average
$2,260.
Sales of Hereford females were
brisk in 1993 as 3,855 lots sold at
auction for $5,886,427, to average
$1,527. This average compares
well with the averages of the pre
vious four years: 1989 - $1,394;
1990-$1,442; 1991 -$1,669; and
1992 - $1,608.
OetMOOOvln'
owlthMllkl
SPiaaagaaia SPißHanaap SPimatagama
PAUL B.
HEADLOCKS
THREE SIZES AVAILABLE TO MEET M
ALL YOUR CATTLE HANDLING NEEDS |
EXTRA HEAVY CONSTRUCTION FEATURES |
* 1.9” O.D. High Yield Tube Top & Bottom Frame g
* 1” structural pipe on verticals & locks
* All yokes lock on individual catches, no strain on control rod
* Yoke stabilizer on large sizes K
* Unique design allows more head room g
* Neck bar can be removed or adjusted without tools g
* Individual lock on each yoke for holding one or more P*
animals
* No loose pins or parts to get lost in manure or drop in pit B
PAUL B. ZIMMERMAN,
Call or Write For
Additional Information
And Your Nearest Dealer
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, January 22, 1994-03
vania farmers will make presenta
tions on insect management in
fruit trees, alternative marketing
of livestock and livestock pro
ducts, fitting cover crops into field
crop rotations, and supporting
producer-only markets. Univer
sity and agency representatives
will also address topics such as
soil health, sustainable vegetable
growing, sustainable fruit produc
tion, grazing, marketing, green
houses, the environment and
much more.
For more information and regis
tration forms, contact PASA, P.O.
Box 316, Millhcim, PA 16854,
(814) 349-9856.
The combined average of bulls
and females was $2,019. This
average was established on the
sale of 11,726 'A head of register
ed Herefords at 1993 auction sales
for a gross of $23,677,778.
The top Hereford bull sales in
1993 were recognized in two dif
ferent sale categories, production
and consignment. Within each
category, sales were broken down
according to the number of bulls
sold.
HliM
INC.
295 Woodeornar Fid.
Ulitz, PA 17543
1 MM* Waat of Ephrata
PH: 717-738-7365