At-Home Schooling Helps Chester Dairy Farmers Thrive
(Continued from Pago A 26)
more to replace it, according to
Jesse.
Urban pressure
But tornadoes are the least of the
worries for fanners living in a
county that is constantly feeling
the pressure brought on by urban
development Houses are taking
the place of what was once lush
farmland. Where mice the county
had hundreds of dairies, now there
is only a handful.
Taxes keep rising. The property
value for development keeps
increasing. More farmers are quit
ing the dairy business to go into
what many refer to as “house'
farming.”
putar fMdar systtm on tha
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But the Lairs see a recent change
in the community that may hold
some hope for fanning. .
More and more Amish fanners
are starting to farm the Chester
County acreage. According to
Martha, younger, plain farmers arc
beginning to see die possibilities of
caring for the good agriculture
land in the county.
Image changing
The image of farming is chang
ing as the population changes. The
farm families have to deal with
more urban people (who know
little if anything about farming) as
they move in.
“A lot of people think that far
mers are nothing but ignorant
hicks,” said Martha. ‘‘They’re
not”
“It’s getting harder and harder
to have a dairy farm.” said Jesse.
Equipment is expensive, and
expenses keep increasing.
Jesse has employed many mod
em methods on the farm to help
educate the public that formas are
responsible for the land and can
make a positive contribution to the
community.
Conservation practices
Through the Chesapeake Bay
program, in 1992 Jesse installed a
12-foot deep by 60-foot wide con
crete manure storage structure.
Through die years, Jesse has
installed a wide range of conserva
tion practices that have helped
benefit the land apd increase its
overall productivity.
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According to district records, since sighing up with the program, the Lairs have
installed 2,712 feet of diversions, 3,150 feet of storage terrace, 1,320 feet of under
ground outlet, 900 feet of grassed waterway, and 96 acres of contour farming. Jesse,
left, and David Lair Inspect a chisel plow.
According to district records, back into strips a few years ago,
since signing up with the program, according to Jesse. In addition,
the Lain have installed 2,712 feet more diversions were installed
of diversions, 3, ISO feet of storage according to plan,
terrace, 1,320 feet of underground ' In 1988, he installed waterways
oudet, 900 feet of grassed water
way, and 96 acres of contour farm
ing. Also, the Lairs installed a
stream crossing for dairy cows.
They follow a nutrient manage
ment plan and make use of cover
crops.
Some grassland was placed
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National Certifies Mid-East DHIC Labs
HAGERSTOWN, certified the field and laboratory
Md. National Dairy Herd operations of Mid-East DHIC for
Improvement Association recently the next 12 months, according to a
recent news release.
According to the
release, “All standards
for the field services
were met as they are
required for this year.
The lab scored 98 points
out of 100.
Mid-East DHIC
serves members in
Delaware, Maryland,
West Virginia, and in
Lancaster and Crawford
counties in Pennsylva
nia, with some other
herds in Franklin
County.
More than 60
supcrvisors/tcchnicians
arc employeed to serve
the membership.
The Mid-East DHIA
Lab, located in Hager
stown, Md., currently
analyses more than
110,000 milk samples
per month for fat and
proticn content, and for
somatic cells.
The milk samples
average '/: -day in the
laboratory until the
results arc transmitted to
the dairy record pro
ccssmg centers
(DRPC’s).
According to General
Manager George Gra
nting, “This is about as
fast as we can operate
while maintaining the
strict standards for qual
ity mandated by Nation
al DHIA.”
Steve Bank, laborat
ory manager, oversees
six lab employees,
while Kelly Fisher,
office manager, heads
up data entry, assisted
by two employees, one
working part time.
Bob Hope Jr., is
director of field services
and works with the DHI
supervisors.
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Iwcmir Farming, Saturday, Juna 4.19M-A27
Jesse said that he is honored by
receiving the award, although he
said that many other farmers
deserve it as much as he does, con
sidering all the hard work they
have done to promote
conservation.