Reading Terminal Market Needs Farmers’
(Continued from Pago A 1)
fishing a meeting in January this
year to discuss some options to
increase the food distribution sys
tem in the city of Philadelphia,
home to about 5 million people.
Already, three fanners markets are
in place, including the Reading
Terminal market in center city Phi
ladelphia. Two ate scheduled to
start in May, with a plan to bring a
total of 10 markets altogether to
the city during the next year and a
half, according to Perry.
The Reading Terminal market is
a “traditional” fanners market,
selling food directly to institutions
in the city and providing for the
sale of produce at the Reading Ter
minal Market The Trust is work
ing to make sure “more
Pennsylvania-grown farm-fresh
food ends up in stores in the area,”
said Perry.
In a telephone interview. Perry
indicated the Trust is more inter*
ested in having fanners set up
direct-sale contracts rather than
setting up specific auction sites
such as exist throughout the reg
ion. They want to elminate the
“middleman” and keep bureauc
racy to a minimum.
The Trust conducted a meeting
late in January this year to obtain
input from farmers. Another meet
ing is planned for next month,
according to Perry.
Get The THE ONLY
* OUT front ZERO
P TURNING RADIUS
UjfTr MOWER MADE IN 30”
/] I TO 50” CUTTING WIDTH
r AT AFFORDABLE PRICES
■1 '%
**
' - Xi
hcreaie production with ■ new Spirit. The Oufriefnrfc Spirit ZT with exclurive Q Drive or
hydrostatic drive and unique natural lever Meeting allowi the operator complete control of
the low profile full floating 30", 36”, 42” or SO” mower deck. Deck height adjuMment and all
contrail are eaiily acoenihle from the fully cushioned operator teat Powered by an electric
■tan BAS 12-hpDC, 14 HP or 16 HP Vanguard engine mounted behind the operator. Avaial-
Ne w/optional 4-bu. grail collection! yitem. Spirit., an innovative outfront zeio-tuming
ndiui mower at tn affordable price, ("limited time offer - tee dealer for details)
THE NSW SPIRIT AT ONE OF THESE DEMERS:
EENNBYLVAMA
krksco
•jtm PA INO7
titmhtn
DAUPHIN 00.
Arturt BMgom UnO
MM. PA 170)2
717 AM INI
FRANKLIN CO.
AuJu
■MI M%NM MVM
PA 17201
717 MO MM
CENTRE CO.
®MoW«gtul Bight RM
Cm* Htl, PA IM2I
KOAM-1441
|U MM Bight Suoltt
Pm Qmo MM. PA INN
N4S3I4SM
LANCASTER CO.
ImMiNN
UartodaM, PA 17040
717-40MMI
Wot Ihulu Engbita
AEou^wit
Ephnk, PA 17572
717-7JM210
LYCOMING CO.
Hur IMtt A Outlet
Hmr, PA 17750
7174404M0
UNION CO.
J.L MaMy Ant torn
YMM, MI7OM
7170M04M
CHESTER CO.
JjMfc'* MM Bight
•win
Sfwn. W I*MO
•WMMTiI
CUMBERLAND CO.
W a CukbM
JjhAgmht
•WMlMtal, PA 17NC
PMH-TIK*
The Reading Terminal Farmers*
Market is working to contact far
mers groups, such as the Lancaster
Farmland Trust and others, to
spread the word about the potential
of marketing produce.
Also as important, the Trust
wants to help market the products
with a specific label, such as used
by New Jersey markets (“Jersey
Fresh”) or statewide commodity
organizations (“Washington State
Apples”). The label cannot be lim
ited to Pennsylvania-grown pro
duce, since iriuch of die produce
comes from the tri-state region. A
suggested name would be “Dela
ware Valley Produce.”
Interested farmers should con
,tact Perry at Reading Terminal
Fanners’ Market Trust, 1411 Wal
nut Street, Suite 200, Philadelphia,
PA 19102, (2 IS) 928-1029.
Project groups such as the Reg
ional Infrastructure For Sustain
able Agriculture (RISA), a part
nership which includes Penn State
University, the Rodale Institute,
and the Pennsylvania Association
for Sustainable Agriculture, are
working to help,farmers market
their produce, according to Jonda
L. Crosby, RISA project associate.
RISA sponsored the January
meeting with farmers and the
Reading Terminal.
RISA examines “what is hap
pening at- the farm level and its
effects on food distribution in the
Wfjk
Z /»'?M
, ■y* r M A
y ' 'A*
,z vv. ~ *>\
mtoASp&py f / \
at.”' i, Zi
YORKca NEW JERSEY
aegpft !£££,..«
Bmr, HJ OHIO
MARYLAND
DORCHESTER CO.
Eoohm Snvltt Cup
CamWdgt, MD 2101 J
4IM2MHO
FREDERICK CO.
IkMMM SUM Btfnt
SwiMnL HD 217 H
*1471-2717
TALBOT CO,
MotCt he
Emm. MO 21001
MI4M-17N
WASHINGTON CO.
Onoriir Ua A Ptuu
Mgnitan, MO 21740
201-70MM0
’ *°94\
10.,.
* '
\'W‘
¥ %'*
SOMERSET CO.
Morton*. NJ 00030
OMAH-IIN
DELAWARE
KENT CO.
□uUa't Outgo tl Smyrna
Mpna,oE 10077
20AOM-7HI
NEW YORK
SENECA CO.
Butman's ImN
BtfntMgalr
WMte NY 121*
111 IM OOM
region,” said Crosby. “Southeast
Pennsylvania is one of the most
productive agricultural areas in the
world and is among the most
threatened from urban preisures in
the U.S.”
RISA involves 10 counties in
the southeastern portion of the
state. Through meetings, surveys,
and other projects, RISA is trying
“building a unified platform of
issues that affect agriculture,’ ’ said
Crosby. After the assessment
phase is completed in die late sum
mer this year, grant resources will
be allocated to address the barriers
to sustaining agriculture, she
indicated.
According to Rochelle Kelvin.
RISA Metro Fanner Networks
Project leader, the group is analyz
ing the needs of hunters through
three separate surveys and focus
groups. The results will be avail
able sometime in the early sum
mer, according to Kelvin.
One survey, titled “Consumer
Perceptions And Attitudes About
Regional Agriculture In Southeast
Pennsylvania," interviewed 1,214
consumers in a wide variety of
supermarkets and hunters’ mark
ets in southeastern Pennsylvania.
Another survey, sent to more
than 1,500 farmers, asked ques
tions regarding agricultural prac
tices, trends, and barriers to long
term farming for dairy and veget
able farmers in the region. Another
ROHRER'S Quality SEEDS
• Arrow Alfalfa
• Apollo Supreme Alfalfa
•Agressor Alfalfa
• Alfagraze Alfalfa
• Redland 111 Red Clover
• Ladino Clover
• Birdsfoot Trefoil
• Toro Timothy
• Climax Timothy
• Crown Orchard Grass
• Pennlate Orchard Grass
• Reeds Canary Grass
• Cert. Palaton Reeds Canary
Grass
• Perennial Ryegrass
• Tetratolid Perennial Ryegrass
• Highland Pasture Mix
• Horse Pasture Mixture
• Triple Purpose Hay & Pasture
Mixture
• Waterway Grass Mix
• Special Hay Mixture
• Hairy Vetch
smaller survey went to about 35
organic fanners in the region, ask
ing questions about the marketing
needs of these growers.
At a recent meeting, there was
interest by farmers in mrlt-iving
directly at a Carmen’ market that is
taking shape in Norristown. At this
Scientists Study Effects Of
Mastitis On Reproduction
UNIVERSITY PARK (Centre
Co.) Mastitis, the dairy indus
try’s most pervasive animal health
problem, may be costing Carmen
more than they think. Each year,
farmers lose up to $2OO per cow
each year in lost milk, culled
cows, veterinary fees and other
expenses. Annual losses from
mastitis total $l5O million in
Pennsylvania and $2 billion in
North America.
Now researchers in Penn
State’s College of Agricultural
Sciences are learning that mastitis
also may be a factor in bovine em
bryo mortality. Veterinary scient
ists Dale Moore and William Sis
cho are investigating a possible
link between coliform mastitis and
changes in the reproductive cycle
of infected cows.
“Some types of mastitis are
caused by H. coli bacteria or other
organisms that have endotoxins in
their cell walls,” Moore said.
“When those bacteria die inside
the mammary gland, toxins are re
leased. The cow’s immune system
responds and. after a series of bio
chemical events, prostaglandin is
produced. This chemical mediator
is associated not only with pain
but also with reproduction.”
Moore suspects that prostaglan
din released in response to masti
tis short-circuits a cow’s repro
ductive cycle. “A layer of tissue
FOR OVER 75 YEARS
Lincwttf Farming, Saturday, April 23,1994-A25
Produce
tune, about 12-15 fanners are
committed.
For more information about
RISA, contact Crosby at the Berks
County Cooperative Extension,
P.O. Box 520, Leesport, PA
19533-0520, (610) 378-1135.
called the corpus luteum, which
grows on the ovary after a cow
ovulates, may be the key,” Moore
said, “if the cow conceives, the
corpus luteum produces proges
terone, which maintains pregnan
cy.
Progesterone is produced at
maximum levels during days six
through 17 of the cow’s 21-day
cycle. “Normally, if conception
doesn’t occur, the cow’s endo
metrium produces natural prostag
landin, dissolving the corpus lu
teum so that she can ovulate
again,” Moore said. “If bacterial
endotoxin from mastitis stimu
lates her immune system and pros
taglandin is produced, the corpus
luteum could be dissolved. Once
that happens, the pregnancy is
over.”
The researchers have studied 7S
cows from Penn State’s dairy herd
since the project began. “We’re
not inducing mastitis in any ani
mals. but if a cow is diagnosed
with colifonn mastitis, we study
her.” Moore said.
“Because hormone levels re
veal whether the reproductive cy
cle is disrupted, we monitor blood
progesterone every four days for a
whole cycle’ We also check the
ovaries to see if a corpus luteum is
present when mastitis is diagnos
ed, and whether it regresses as the
infection runs its course.”
• Cert Ogle Oats
• Cert Hercules Oats
Sofbuns
• Agri Pro 3220
•Agri Pro 4510
• Rohrer Brand 3750
• Rohrer Brand 3775
• Rohrer Brand 3850
• Rohrer Brand 4010
HOLLAND EXTRA
BALER ■ BENDER
TWINE
7:30