‘Nature’s Best’
(Continued from Pag* EI4)
hot, then completely re-blended
using a centrifuge.
‘That’s why our milk tastes so
good,” says Jeff Flora.
Blending creates whole choco
late or lowfat chocolate. Milk is
then pumped through six filling
lines to tanks, where it is held until
packaging.
A water conservation program
was implemented about five years
ago, and has cut the amount of wa
ter used during these processes in
half.
Milk is packaged in a complete
ly automated environment in half
pints, gallons, or half-gallons. The
only thing manpower is needed
for is to feed the containers into
the machines. Three hundred 'A
pints a minute can be filled using
this system, 110 gallons a minute,
and about 140 half-gallons per
minute. Milk is pumped into the
containers in preset amounts, then
the containers are sealed by ma
chine. Letting machines do so
much of the work is something the
Vonas have achieved through an
extensively computerized system.
From the filling lines, contain
ers of milk go to a 65-foot high,
eight-level storage building, from
which they are loaded out. One
hundred-fifty thousand gallons of
produce can be stored at one time.
Containers are stacked in groups
of nine of a like kind in complete
ly cleaned and sanitized cages.
All product is rotated on a first
in, first-out basis, monitored by
computer. A philosophy of mak
ing everything easier for the tech
nician pervades this and all parts
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of the operation, according to Jim
my Vona.
“Everything is controlled by
computer to within 'A an inch.
The concept is to make the job
easy for people. That also leads to
a better product."
Levels 2-8 are devoted to stor
ing the milk; the first level is
where the trucks pick it up.
Dairy Maid maintains its own
fleet of 55 of the familiar red and
white trucks. Trucks are lifted to
dock level for loading.
A whole floor of the plant is de
voted to the engine room that
keeps everything operating
smoothly, and to other support
systems. Dairy Maid maintains its
own in-house maintenance staff,
and keeps parts in stock should
anything need fixed.
There is no backup generator;
the plant is on a priority electrical
line with the nearby hospital. They
did lose their electric for a short
period of time two years ago, but
that was in December, so there
were no problems. Should any
thing go wrong with the refrigera
tion. the product could be taken
out and stored in refrigerated
trucks.
Dairy Maid places a strong em
phasis on quality throughout its
whole operation. There is an on
site laboratory for quality control.
Tests for butterfat analysis, stand
ard plate count, coliform bacteria,
freezing point, antibiotics, and
many other tests are run on a regu
lar basis.
Said Jimmy Vona, “We’re in an
industry that expects that every
thing is perfect”
• HYDRAULIC DRIVE.
Dnivim pgiiff' pppiipng
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Somerset County FFA Association winners in the 1995 Skills Judging Contests,
seated from left, Rachel Wright, Jeremy Bartels, Jonathan Smiley, Don Speicher Jr.,
and Joel Smiley. Standing, Steve BenfOrd, Matt Brant, Dennis Stevanus, Jason Ickes,
Jeremy Walters, Eric Lohr, and Josh Glessner.
Somerset County FFA
Honors Members
GAY BROWNLEE
Somerset Co. Correspondent
BERLIN (Somerset Co.)
The annual Somerset County FFA
Parent and Member Banquet was
held on May 25 at the community
building here.
The FFA,chapters represented
were Brothersvalley, Meyersdale,
Mount Davis. Somerset and the
Somerset County Area Vocational
Technical School (AVTS).
County officers for 1994-1995
conducted the program: Jonathan
Smiley, Brothersvalley, president;
/> ■«.
Allen Durst. AVTS, vice presi
dent; Ben Shipley, Meyersdale,
secretary; Jeremy Bartels, Somer
set, treasurer, Valerie St. Clair,
Somerset, reporter; Dennis Ste
vanus, AVTS, parliamentarian;
Matt Coleman, Brothersvalley,
sentinel; Matt Hay, Meyersdale,
chaplain; and county adviser, John
Hartman. Meyersdale. Each was
given a plaque for serving in the
county association.
In addition to Hartman, other
chapter advisers making presenta
tions were Doyle Paul, Brothers
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LancMtar
valley; Andy Hippie, Somerset;
James Harrold and Jay Bebin,
AVTS. Douglas Baer from Mount
Davis is also an adviser.
Jeremy Bartels received a $5O
savings bond for the county agri
cultural record book contest from
Farm Credit The award was pre
sented by Jeff Moser.
Brothersvalley Chapter won
first place in parliamentary proce
dure and received the G. Floyd
Dye Memorial Trophy. The rotat
ing memorial honors the late Mr.
(Turn to Pag* El 6)
MODEL
Max. Bale Size
Height
Length w/i
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Width
Roll Height
Engine Size
Air Tires
Gross Wt. (approx.)
1400 Lbs.
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(Opaque) s’x6’6”
Jum 3, i!
650
• 440
4x4
5x6
55"
55”
84"
94”
41”
64”
41”
30"
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11HP
19" Lui
16" Lu<
2900 Lbs.
15