A24-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, August 6, 1994 Lancaster Sets Fir ANDY ANDREWS Lancaster Farming Staff ELIZABETHTOWN (Lancas ter Co.) For the first time, the Lancaster Conservation District is sponsoring the Lancaster County Conservation Exposition on Satur day, August 27, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Dave Becker Farm here on Hereford Road. The exposition will focus on ways that farmers can make suc cessful use of contours and grass waterways to help control soil ero sion. Also, tillage demonstrations of various sorts and equipment dis plays from (dealers will be provided. This summer has been especial ly trying to many farms, with the heavy downpours and sudden flooding. Becker spoke about his nearly 3,000 feet of large waterways that separate various carefully con toured fields of com and soybeans during a recent interview at his 100-acre farmstead. “If you come here in a heavy rain, you can definitely see the advantage of contour fanning,” said Becker. “You don’t see, too often, any mud coming out of my fields and onto the highway. After a rain, you have water in the water ways, but it’s not real muddy. The waterways filter it out.” Becker said that he maintains about eight feet of grass strip all the way around the farm. While the additional feet is taking land out of production, it is providing a reten tion for soil near roadways and other erodible sections of land. Too often, in many parts of the county, that’s not the case. The dis trict has had to handle a barrage of phone calls from people complain ing about mud on roads all over the county. Waterways “make a big differ ence,” said Jim Shirk, Lancaster conservation technician. “We’re getting a lot of complaints because of the heavy rains.” “It’s doing us some good, because we’re getting guys talked into more strips and stuff like that (on the farm),” said Shirk. “We’re getting more urban neighbors, with the houses and everything, and you got to keep your act a little cleaner, or you’re going to hear about it,” said Becker. Becker farms about 200 acres on the home farm in Elizabethtown, which includes rented ground. He also maintains some ground at the old farmstead in Donegal. Becker finishes out about 200 head of beef cattle each year for a private contractor. He also man ages about 200 head of dairy heif ers for a major supplier. All the corn acres (175) are contoured In Becker’s opera tion. Also, the 175 acres of soybeans are contpured. Becker was able to obtain a 150-170 bushel per acre harvest last year. Half of the corn goes to silage and the other half to high moisture corn. Becker purchased the farm in 1980 and immediately signed up with the district. He purchased the farm on Hereford Road from Thome Farms, an egg wholesaler. “This was all laid out in contour strips when I came here,” said Becker. The work was completed by Thome. Becker said that on the farm in Donegal, he did all the con tour work. Becker has about a half acre in feedlot that is exposed to the weather. A heavy rain works on the manure in the lot, but is fun neled through a concrete thruway into a 200,000-gallon capacity cir cular in-ground concrete storage structure. The structure, installed in 1991, is emptied twice a year. The structure captures runoff to prevent it from going into a large spring, which feeds into a nearby stream. All the com acres (175) are con toured in Becker’s operation. Also, the 175 acres of soybeans are contoured. Becker uses a combination of nutrient management techniques to match his requirements. Included is about 100 pounds of liquid nitrogen per acre applied before planting, and for remaining acreage, about 100 pounds per acre of dry starter. He plants the corn on 30-inch rows for a plant density of about 27,000 per acre. He no-tilled about 40 acres of corn. Becker was able to obtain a 150-170 bushel per acre harvest last year. Half of the corn goes to silage and the other half to high moisture com. For the soybean acreage, Becker plants about 50 acres of early beans, and then doublccrops bar ley beans. He harvests about 60 bushels per acre of early beans and about 25-30 bushels per acre of barley. Becker also maintains about 20 acres of tobacco, a crop he calls the “mortgage burner.” Farmers will benefit by seeing some slit tillage by the district, according to Shirk. The program promotes soil conservation and helps reduce the effects of com paction, according to Shirk. The slit tillage demonstration will take place at 9 a.m. on August 27 during the exposition. The district, said Shirk, has two different slit till implements for rent at 52.50 per acre. The demonstrations will run from mulch management cquip 'ment to slit tillers. Various equip ment dealers were invited to attend. Also scheduled will be discus sions regarding rotational grazing from Ed Hits, a nitrogen quick lest st-Ever Conservation Exposition demonstration by county agent Bob Anderson, information on lawn care and maintenance by hor ticultural agent Bruce HcHcrick, and a demonstration by Marvin' The Lancaster Conservation District is sponsoring the Lancaster County Conser vation Exposition on Saturday, August 27, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Dave Becker Farm here on Hereford Road. The exposition will focus on some ways farmers can make successful use of contours and grass waterways to help control soil erosion. Becker, left, points to his nearly 3,000 feet of large waterways that separate various carefully contoured fields of corn and soybeans during a recent Interview at his 100-acre farms tead. At right is Jim Shirk, conservation technician. Photo by Andy Androws “If you come here in a heavy rain, you can definitely see the advantage of contour farming,” said Becker, left. “You don’t see, too often, any mud coming out of my fields and onto the highway. After a rain, you have water in the waterways, but it’s not real muddy. The waterways filter It out.” At right Is Jim Shirk, conservation technician. A heavy rain works on the manure in the lot, but Is tunneled th rough a concrete thru way Into this 200,000-gallon capacity circular In-ground concrete storage structure. The structure, installed in 1991, Is emptied twice a year, according to Dave Becker, right. Stoner on septic system management. Admission is free, and the exposition will be held rain or shine. For informalion about the Lan caster County Conservation Exposition, contact the conserva tion district office at (717) 299-5361.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers