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Vol. 40 NO. 13
STATE COLLEGE (Centre
Co.) The Pennsylvania Asso
ciation of County Agricultural
Agents announces the election of
new officers. Dave Filson was
elected president, Phil Durst, pre
sident-elect, and Laura Watts, vice
president In addition, Toni Bilik
and Carol Schurman were elected
secretary and treasurer respective
ly.
PACAA is an organization of
110 Penn State Cooperative Ex
tension agents from all 67 coun
ties in Pennsylvania. PACAA is
affiliated nationally with associa
tions from each of the SO states.
This is the 7Sth anniversary year
of PACAA.
Filson began his Extension car
eer in 1984 and is now the County
Extension Director for both Mif
flin and Juniata counties. His pro
gram area is agriculture with a
special interest in agronomy and
Vegetable Conference Research Examines Stake System, Transplants, Planters
Stake System Provides Better Tomatoes, Income For Growers
ANDY ANDREWS
Lancaster Farming Staff
HERSHEY (Dauphin Co.)
Fresh market tomato growers who
stake their plants can benefit from
larger, firmer, mote uniform fruit
and obtain a higher percentage of
grade 1 tomatoes, according to an
expert from North Carolina State
University.
Dr. Douglas Sanders, extension
specialist with the North Carolina
State University at Raleigh, pre
sented information about staked
tomato plant research to a roomful
of vegetable growers on Tuesday
at the 1995 Pennsylvania Vcget
The 4-H family of Tad and Mary Balzano from Cambria County hava a room
full of trophiaa to show tor thair afforta. From laft, Cousin Shannon McClo
skay, and Bobia-Jo, Ryan, and Paul Balzano. Saa thair story on paga 814.
Photo by Loratta Qoklan, Cambria County eonaapondant.
604 Per Copy
Pennsylvania County Agents Name Officers
dairy. He has served PACAA on
the Communications and Scholar
ship committees and was a region
al director for the association. He
completed terms as vice president
(Turn to Pago A 36)
Get Back Your
Milk Assessment
Money 1f.,.
VERNON ACHENBACH JR.
Lancaster Fanning Staff
NORTH CORNWALL (Leba
non Co.) While it is expected
that some confusion may linger
with the name changes of some of
the agencies within the ' U.S.
Department of Agriculture, there
should be no confusion among
dairy fanners about how to get
back the federal milk assessment
(Turn to Pag* A3S)
able Conference and Trade Show.
Studies examined the practice of
staked tomatoes used by North
Carolina, Florida, and other fresh
market tomato farms in the
Southeast.
Sanders said there are lot of ben
efits to having a staked plant,
including easier pruning, more
fruit, less sunburn, and more uni-
form plants. Also, by incoiporat
ing chip irrigation and plastic
mulch, fruit harvest can reach as
high as 80 tons per acre, according
to a system used in North Carolina.
North Carolina has a similar, but
earlier, growing season compared
Lancaster Farmlnfl, Saturday, Fabruary 4, 1995
The Pennsylvania County Agents Association elected officers for 1995. They are,
from left, Carol Schurman, Indiana County; Larry Yager, Adams County; Toni Bilik,
Blair County; Phil Durst, Montour County; Laura Watts, Cumberland County; and
Dave Filson, Mifflin County.
to Pennsylvania.
The staked tomato systems use a
form of trellising, much like grape
growers. Stakes made up of Hon
duran pine, measuring about
Y> inch to 1 inch wide and about
four feet tall, are driven into the
ground about 8-12 inches deep. A
system used by Florida growers
uses a pneumatic hammer to drive
stakes between every tomato plant
Spacing is every 24 inches.
A North Carolina system uses
stakes every two plants, with a
spacing of 18-20 inches between.
The system uses a regular sledge
hammer because the pneumatic
hammer often breaks the stakes.
(When storing the stakes, which
can last from 3-5 years, it is impor
tant to clean and stack them and
treat them with antifungal and anti
bacterial agents to control
disease.)
Every 100 feet a double stake is
inserted at each end to support the
trellising method. About 3 to 5
rows of string is used, either vinyl
or plastic twine (binder twine is not
used because it stretches too much
when wet). About 40 plants are
accommodated with the trellising
method every 100 feet
In the Florida system, the twine
Fruit Grower, Ag Lender
Honored In York County
JOYCE BUPP
York Co. Correspendent
YORK (York Co.) Hard
work, meditation and a goal to
fight for sums up the philosophy
that made long-time York County
fruit producer P. Joseph Raab a
suQcess.
Raab and his family were hon
ored with the farm family award
presented annually at the York
County Agriculture Recognition
banquet. The eighth annual dinner
event was held January 26 at the
Wisehaven Social Hall, jointly
Maryland Holstein Assn.
Sets Annual Meeting
WESTMINSTER, Md. The
Maryland Holstein Association
has announced details for its 199 S
convention, to be held March 3-4,
at the Comfort Inn, in Westmin
ster, Md.
The deadline to order tickets is
Feb. 10, and tickets are required
for three meals: the business lunc
Four Sections
is moved through the stakes,
wrapped around, and tied. Work
ers who tie the trellises are trained
to tie the tomatoes at normal walk
ing speed.
The North Carolina and Florida
systems prune once, taking off
suckers measuring no more than 4
inches long, before the plant reach
es 12 inches high (pruning later
than that has little effect on tomato
yield). “It’s critical to prune ear
ly,” said Sanders.
When the plant is completely
trellised, before tomato harvest
the canopy should fill so when you
‘sponsored by the Cooperative Ex
tension Service, York County
Farmers’ Association, and York
- County Chamber of Commerce.
At age 14, Raab went to work at
(he Yoe Orchard Company. He
later furthered his education with
studies at Thompson Business
School in York. In 1935, he pur
chased the family fruit and farm
ing operation from his parents, be
coming the fifth generation on the
original 40 acres acquired in the
1700 s by Peter Joseph Raab.
(Turn to Pago A 25)
heon, the ladies luncheon, and the
convention banquet
The hotel reservations had a
special rate set for the convention,
however that ended yesterday.
However, rooms may still be avail
able, call (410) 857-1900 or (410)
876-0010. for more information.
(Turn to Pag* A3O)
$21.00 P«r Year
(Turn to Pag* A 32)