Consuming
Thoughts
Fay Stxickler
Penn State Extension
Home Economist
For Berks Co.
Nothing is quite as refreshing as
ea ting a slice of ice cold watermel
on or dipping into a watermelon
x>at filled with luscious summer
Farmers
■ Oswalt® Polygon Mixers
The new “1000” Series design,
with its superior horizontal drum
and waterfall mixing action,
maximizes your TMR results
with an outstanding quality of mix
The
Feedroom
Mixer
PENNSYLVANIA
ERB St HENRY
EQUIPMENT INC.
New Berlinville, PA 19545
215-367-2169
LAPP'S BARN EQUIPMENT
SALES Ac SERVICE
Gap. PA 17527
717-442-8134
SOLLENBERGER
SILOS CORP.
Chambersburg. PA 17201 „ RpVEITOALE AO
717-264-9588 * BARN EQUIPMENT
° Watsontown, PA 17777
HARRY TROOP 717-538-9564
Cochranville, PA 19335 OR 717-742-4226
218-593-6731
fruits.
Watermelons are now at their
peak and will continue to be avail
able through October.
Know Oswalt*...
■ Oswalt® TMR Roughage Masters
These rugged four-auger mixers
can process and mix your
ration—including dry baled
hay—into a fully blended TMR...
—better than anyone! And they’re
known for their tougher design,
greater value, and an
unequalled quality of mix.
SOMERSET BARN
EQUIPMENT
Somerset, PA 15501
814-445-8555
STAR SILOS
Myerstown, PA 17067
717-866-5708
PRINGLES FEED
STORE. INC.
Greenville, PA 16125
412-588-7950
Everyone wants a watermelon
to be sweet, have a deep red color
with crisp flesh and minimal num
ber of seeds. Unfortunately not all
watermelons meet the high expec
tations of today’s consumer.
Many folks are apprehensive
about selecting melons because
they are afraid of not getting a
good one. Other people rely on
incorrect techniques for selecting
a melon which often results in
damaging the fruit. Actually the
best guide to choosing a ripe juicy
watermelon is to look at the under
side or belly of the melon that lay
on the ground. The ground color
changes from a whitish green - to
white - to a creamy white - to a
in the Know,
Your Oswalt® Dealer is a feedroom and mixer expert. And he
can help you get the most from your TMR feeding program.
Oswalt Dealerships are one-stop-shops for a full line of
Jamesway® and Starline® feeders, conveyors, silo unloaders,
roller mills and electric forage carts. Plus he handles Oswalt
auger and drum mixers in capacities from 70 to 747 cu. ft.
Need some ideas on how to get more out of your feeding
setup? Then it’s best to check with an expert, and
farmers in the know, know Oswalt!
OSWALT
Mixers by J-STAR
See These Dealers
For Details Now...
GNEGT SURGE SERVICE
Washington, PA 15301
412-222-0444
JAIMES L. HOSTBTTBR
McVeytown, PA 17051
717-899-6380
HOOVER EQUIPMENT
Tyrone, PA 16686
814-684-1777
BOOH I
i BOOH |
BODO 9
USDS I
■ J-Star® Electronic Scales
Dependable, with an
accuracy rate of 99.5%,
J-Star’s new EZ Series <
indicators give you total
control of your feed
rations. And they’re
EZ-ier to use, with
itures & functi
WALNUT BARN
EQUIPMENT
Port Royal. PA
717-436-0420
yellow tinge in the white as it ma
tures. So select one with a creamy
white to yellowish white ground
color.
The only sure way of getting the
perfect watermelon is to buy it cut
If you decide on buying a whole
watermelon, make sure the melon
is symmetrical, attractive, and of
good color for the variety. A mel
on with a pointed end or one that
is misshapen generally won’t be
very sweet tasting. A mature mel
on has a bloom over the surface of
the rind, giving it a velvety or dus
ty appearance. Too often the
bloom gets rubbed off in handling
and moving.
MARYLAND
GLAD HILL
TRACTOR MART
Frederick, MD 21701
301-663-6060
MD & VA MILK
PRODUCERS ASSOC.
Frederick, MD 21701 •
301-663-6552
NEW JERSEY
GEORGE COLEMAN
Elmer, NJ 08318
609-358-8528
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, August 20, 1994-B9
Recently I’ve seen shoppers
thump or slap watermelons to
check ripeness. Generally, this is
too vague a test The thump test is
often used at harvest time in the
field by a skilled person who
knows what sound to expect from
a particular variety. An immature
melon gives a metallic ringing
sound while a mature melon gives
a more muffled or dead sound.
The only trouble is that an over
ripe melon gives the same dull
sound, so this method of testing
has its limitations.
Many supermarkets cut water
melons in pieces since a whole
melon is often too big for a small
family. If you opt to buy a slice,
choose a cut piece with a full red
across the surface. Light color or
streaks of white indicate imma
turity. Seeds should be black or
dark brown, not white, for full
ripeness. For best taste, flesh
should have no cracks or hollows.
In general you can figure on
two-thirds to 1 pound of melon
will yield about 1 cup cubed mel-
__ on -
Jjl HAPPENINGS
Centre Co. 4-H Sheep Club
The Centre County 4-R Sheep
Club held its monthly meeting at
the Penn State University Beef
and Sheep bam on June 1.
The guest speakers for the
evening was Dr. Harold W. Harp
ster, associate professor of animal
science at Penn State, who
addressed the club on feeding the
4-H show lamb. After the speech,
Dr. Harpster gave a short quiz and
held a open discussion on answers
to the quiz. Each member was
given a paper called “Have A
Plan” by Dr. Harpster on feed
rations for the members’ show
lambs.
Club members were informed
that 61 market lambs were
weighed in, tatooed, and taged on
May 21.
A discussion was held and sug
gestions were given by club mem
bers on a club trip.
Committees were set up for a
float and exhibit, both to take
place in August at the Centre
County Grange Fair.
MATTRESSES
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| CALL FOR DETAILS
SAMUEL S. PETERSHEIM
117 Christiana Pika, Christiana, PA 17509
Answering Service 215-593-2242