A36-L«nc*ster Farming, Saturday, February 2s, IMS
Market
ANDY ANDREWS
Lancaster Farming Staff
NEW HOLLAND (Lancaster
Co.) Attempts to try to get
potential customers “to stop at
your place” through the use of
attractive signs, frontage, lights,
and displays can work big
dividends for farm market opera
tors, according to a Penn State
marketing expat.
Larry Yager, marketing special
ist with Penn State, provided tips
on ways to increase the success of
farm market stands to about 2S
growers on Monday at the New
Holland Vegetable Day at Summit
Valley Elementary School.
Yager showed a series of slides
that detail some of the more suc
cessful market stands throughout
the state and country that use diffe
rent techniques to promote pro
ducts to customers.
“We shop with our eyes,” said
Yager. “We have to get their
attention.”
Growers should understand the
importance of image to the
consumer.
A farm stand does not have to be
complicated and expensive,
according to the Penn State mark
eting specialist. A simple tent set
up in an area easily accessible to
traffic may be all that’s necessary.
Also, have the “power items,”
such as the sweet com. tomatoes,
and cantalope, when in season,
placed in such a way that custom
ers have to move through the store
and beyond the other items offered
for sale.
Yager provided the example of
one grower who placed the sweet
com out front People stopped and
purchased only the com. When the
com was moved to the back, inside
the store, the sale of other items
“quadrupled,” according to Yager.
Also, proper display is impor
tant He said producers have been
very creative in their use of exist
ing materials, such as bulk boxes
(with raised, false bottoms) to pro
vide a display. Also, use of
wooden cable spoolers and tables
have worked to promote products
and increase the sale of items at a
farm stand.
Lighting is also essential,
according to Yager. The use of
natural light is best, and when
using artificial lighting, stand
owners should beware that using
fluorescent or incandescent light
ing can make produce look diffe
rent to the consumer.
In the past, the adage, “Pile it
high and kiss it goodbye,” made
sense, and that was how produce
was displayed. In the '9o’s, how
ever, the consumer wants more
value-added produce. Adding that
special touch, including packaging
fruit baskets or special holiday
treats, or something as simple as
tying a ribbon onto produce, can
boost sales at a farm stand and
keep customers coming back for
more.
Providing free samples for cus
tomers has proven time and again
to boost purchases of the product.
Also, in displaying items, make
sure the items are placed in such a
way that is easily accessible
especially off the floor or ground.
Yager showed slides of apples that
literally gathered dust, even being
on the floor in a bushel basket for a
short time.
Provide sufficient width
between the aisles. To place items
for display, use the “ribbon
effect” alternate items such as
red tomatoes and green peppers to
provide an attractive* contrast.
Greenhouse Plant Health, Diseases Focus Of Vegetable Da
Stand ‘lmage’ Helps Draw, Keep Customers
Yager said it is important to make
sure the displays are full and well
dressed.
By allowing customers to pick
up produce and smell it, people
have the chance to experience the
freshness that many stands guaran
tee. A big selling point is placing
literature and other items nearby.
For more information, stand
managers can consult two publica
tions: Co-Op Bulletin #52, “A
Guide To Planning The Farm
Retail Market,” published in 1994
by the University Of Delaware
Cooperative Extension and Penn
State’s “Managing For Success: A
Manual For Produce Markets,”
published in 1986, from Penn
State.
Greenhouse Plant Injury
The most common reason for
problems with greenhouse plant
health stem from watering,
whether it is too little, too much, or
the composition of the water itself,
according to Robert D. Betghage,
assistant professor of horticulture,
Penn State.
Berghage reviewed the follow
ing main causes of problems when
diagnosing greenhouse plant
injury:
• Over- or underwatering. Parti
cularly overwatering, which can
generate a variety of root and stem
diseases.
• Fertilization. Without the
proper balance of nutrients, too
much nitrogen, phosphorous.
Dauphin
DAUPHIN (Dauphin Co.)
Elwillo Farms, Hershey, was re
cently recognized for their out
standing production and manage
ment in'l994 by the Dauphin
County DHIA membership. Wil
liam Capp, Sr., and his son Wil
liam Capp Jr., were recognized for
top herd management, high milk
production, and high protein pro
duction in Dauphin County. The
190-cow herd of the Capp’s aver
aged 22,335 pounds of milk and
718 pounds of protein.
Restful Acres farm owned and
managed by Frank Greybill, Her
shey, averaged 832 pounds of but
terfat to qualify as high herd in
butlerfat. Leroy Reihl, Lykens,
and Catalpa Farm, managed by
Dale and Ray Kennedy, Middle
town, were recognized for having
the lowest somatic cell counts.
The Dauphin County DHIA
program was held in association
with the Dauphin County Holstein
Club annual meeting. This pro
vides an opportunity for recogni
tion by peers, socializing and mer
riment. DHIA President Leon
Cnssmger, Gratz and Holstein
(Turn to Pag* A 37)
Low somatic cell count award waa presented to Catalpa
Farms, Middletown, prom left, Dave Shenk, Southeast
region OHIA manager; Ray Kennedy, Catalpa Farms; and
Leon Crlsslnger, Dauphin County DHIA president.
potassium, or micronutrients can
lead to an array of problems asso
ciated with salt toxicity.
• Insects and diseases. Proper
biosecurity is important Make
sure weeds are removed from
inside and outside the building.
Weeds can carry thrips and other
insects that can prove harmful to
greenhouse plants.
• Chemicals from other sources.
Spray drift from nearby operations
can affect greenhouse plants.
• Temperature and lighting.
Improper night and day tempera
tures can wreak havoc with green
house plants.
• Handling. Improper handling
can bruise plants and make them
susceptible to disease and insect
damage.
Growers should observe the
plant by picking it up and looking
at the root system. By looking at
the roots, you can leant a lot about
what type of disease or problem
the plant has. Waterlogged root
systems can serve as a breeding
ground for fungus gnats. Also,
high salt concentrations from
excess nitrogen fertilization can
pose problems, and the type of fer
tilizer is critical, because ammo
nium nitrate at high levels can
prove toxic to plants.
Late Blight
Alan Mac Nab, Penn State
extension pathologist, spoke about
the importance of crop rotations to
stopping fungus problems.
County DHIA Recognizes
Dauphin County. members recognized. _ g average in protein
are from left, front row, Kenneth Crissinger, Gratz; Eugene Feldt, Millersburg; and
Tom Tobias, Halifax. Back row, Galen Lehman, Elizabethtown; Bill Capp Jr., Hershey;
Jay Brandt, Hershey; and Ray Kennedy, Middletown.
The most common reason for problems with greenhouse
plant health stem from watering, whether It Is too little, too
much, or the composition of the water Itself, according to
Robert D. Berghage, assistant professor of horticulture,
Penn State. Here, Berghage holds up examples of diseased
plants, caused by Iron toxicity, high salts damage, overfer
tlllzatlon, temperatures, and other causes.
“Fungicides do a great
job ... but also, rotation is very
important,” he said.
Mac Nab said it is possible
growers could experience prob
lems with late blight with tomato
and vine crops this year, if condi
tions are right.
Mac Nab urged the growers to
communicate with each other to
Top management, high milk, and high protein awarde
~. e presented to Elwillo Farms, Hershey. From left, Dave
Slueeer, general manager Pennsylvania DHIA; Sally and
Bill Capp Jr., Elwillo Farms; and Loon Crissinger, county
board president.
help identify and control the
disease.
In all, about 200 growers
attended other sessions at the Veg
etable Day. focusing on fall root
crop production, vine crop insects,
sweet com IPM, vegetable irriga
tion, pumpkin disease control,
greenhouse design and ventilation,
tree fruit insects, fumigation, and
other sessions.
Members