SHAMOKIN (Northumberland
Co.) George Phillips of the
Northumberland County Conser
vation District announces that nu
trient and pesticide management
farm Held days will be held on
Tuesday, Aug. 1, at Meckley’s
Limestone Products, located ap
proximately 1% miles southwest
of Mandate on Township Route
337, from 9 a.m.-11:50 a.m. and
on August 3 at Pine Hurst Acres
(Stanley and Richard Crone farm),
located approximately 4'A miles
southwest of Riverside on State
Route 4001, from 9:30 a.m.-l 1:55
a.m.
The field days are cosponsored
by the host farms, Northumber
land County Conservation District
and Penn State Cooperative Ex- NEW HOLLAND (Lancaster
tension, to demonstrate and pro- Co.) —The Regional Infrastruc
vide information on the latest h* Sustaining Agncidture
equipment and methods for man- (RJSA) Program, which is'
aging manure nutrients and for addressing long-term farm “sues
pesticide handling and sprayer in soutiieast Peimsylvania. will
systems hold a field day highlighting a sus-
At the Meckley field day on ***** ***** »
Aug. 1. Deerfield Ag A Turf Gen- cooperation with Don and Nelson
ter will be demonstrating a John- Holland,
Deere Mulchmastcr tillage tool Thc Wl i 1)0
that is designed to leave a high August 3 from lp.m.-3p.m.atthe
VMS S Morrow Is National Outstanding Youth
tillage operations. This and simi
lar equipment could be used in
many situations to incorporate
manure after spreading, allowing
maximum utilization of the man
ure plant nutrient for crop produc
tion. while still allowing enough
crop residue on the surface to be in
compliance with the Food Securi
ty Act (FSA) conservation plan
for the farm and remain eligible
for USDA benefits
Mark Groshek, engineering
technician. Natural Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS),
will lead a tour of a cropland sur
face water control system installed
on the Meckley farm that includes
the use of cropland storage ter
races with underground outlets,
diversions, and a grassed water
way with a water control structure.
Groshek will also explain the in
stallation and use of a agrichemi
cal handling and containment fa
cility installed on the Meckley
farm. Fred Meckley, of Meckley’s
Limestone Products, Inc., will
lead a tour and explain the use of
sediment traps for runoff control
in the limestone quarry operation.
At the Pine Hurst Acres farm on
Aug. 3, Snook’s Equipment will
demonstrate one of the latest me
thods for incorporating manure in
to heavy residue cover. Manure is
incojporated for maximum utili
zation of manure plant nutrients,
and this method is especially
beneficial for manure applied in
the fall. The system leaves a rough
surface with a lot of residue that
increases water infiltration and re
duces water and nutrient runoff as
well as soil erosion during the
winter. Snook will also cover the
use of alternative tire sizes to re
duce soil compaction while
spreading manure. Mark Groshek
will also be on hand at this meet
ing to explain the use of agri
chemical handling and contain
ment facilities. The Crones of Pine
Hurst Acres will have their pesti
cide sprayer with an in-field
sprayer rinsing and cleaning sys
tem on display and will explain its
operation and benefits. The
Crones will also be at the Meckley
field day with a sprayer to show
and explain the rinsing and clean
ing system.
The following people will be at
tending both meetings:
• Barry Frantz, NRCS, will
have information on a cost-share
Fariii Field Days
program to help fanners install the • Doug Goodlandcr, conscrva
in-ficld sprayer rinsing and clean-, tion program specialist for the
ing system on their pesticide Bureau of Land and Water Con
sprayers, and will explain the * servation (BLWC), will cover the
benefits of this system. With the new Pennsylvania Nutrient Man
system, a small tank of clean wa- agement Law and explain, who
ter is carried on the sprayer to the and what situations will be affect
field and used to rinse the main ed.
pesticide tank, allowing the rinse
water to be sprayed on the crop
where the pesticide was applied
and avoiding the need to rinse and
hold the rinse water at the farm
stead, where there is the possibili
ty of contaminating other water or
soil.
RISA, Weaver Farm To Hold Dairy
REYNOLDSBURG, Oh.—
Their reactions to the physical and
mental labor and challenges of the
dairy industry today are what
brought these two outstanding
individuals to the top of the
National Outstanding Youth
Contest
Kenlee Calvin of Ml Vernon,
Missouri, was named the 1995
National Outstanding Guernsey
Youth Winner at the National
Guernsey Youth Banquet in Hills
boro, Oregon.
This 20-year-old is the son of
Kenneth and Marilyn Calvin. Cal
vin has been very involved with
Guernsey associations on state
and national levels for the past 13
years. He has served as a field rep
resentative, president, vice presi
dent and reporter for the Missouri
Junior Guernsey Breeders’ Assoc
iation.
Franklin County Holstein
Hold Field Day
CHAMBERSBURG (Franklin
Co.) The Franklin County
Holstein Club has scheduled its
annual field day to be held August
1 at Ricecrest Farms, in
Chambersburg.
The deadline for meal reserva
tions is Monday, July 24. The cost
per dinner is $4 with an option of a
barbequed half chicken platter, or
a barbequed 3/4 rib platter. Con
tact Kevin Horst, at 8417
Edenville-Cheesetown Road.
Chambersburg Pa. 17201.
Ricecrest Farms is owned and
operation by the Fred and Dale
Berks Holstein
Picnic July 28
MOHRSVILLE (Berks
Co.) The Berks County Hols
tein Club has scheduled its sum
mer picnic and field day to be held
at theßeu-Hel Farms, in Mohrsvil
le, 7 p.m. July 28.
There is no charge for the picn
ic, but reservations must be made
in order to get an accurate head
count. Those who intend to attend
should call Connie Troutman at
(610) 926-3075 by July 18. *
Rebecca Takacs, nutrient
management specialist, BLWC
will explain the DER stream bank
fencing program and will have a
model of the fencing on display
for your inspection. This program
provides fencing for streams in
pastures at no cost to the landown-
Weaver Homestead Farm.
RISA is working with dairy
operators and vegetable producers
in the region who are evaluating
sustainable farming technologies
and other innovative strategies for
sustaining the long-term viability
of their farming operations. The
purpose of the Farm Field Days is
to provide other farmers and inter
ested non-farmers with the oppor
tunity to observe and evaluate
Calvin credits the Guernsey
Genetic Recovery Program for
allowing him to begin to register
his herd, which consists of 41
registered Guernseys. Starting a
rotational grazing system for his
herd is one of his primary goals
for the future.
Calvin attends Crowder Col
lege where he is majoring in farm
business management. For his
outstanding accomplishments,
(Calvin received the $5OO Law
rence A. Colebank award and
$l5O for travel expenses.
Emphasizing milk production
and genetic progress is the breed
ing program Melissa Morrow of
Tyrone, Pennsylvania, employs
on her 17 registered Guernseys.
Morrow is the first runner-up in
the 1995 National Outstanding
Guernsey Youth Contest. This
20-year-old is the daughter of
To
Rice families. They have 230 cows
with a rolling herd average of
about 20,500 pounds of milk,
including an outstanding sister to
RC Matt, and a cow in the Noreen
family, which has several sons in
artificial insemination use.
The field day event is to include
registration from 10 a.m. to 11
a.m.; cattle judging from 10:30
a.m. to 11:30 a.m.; lunch from
noon to 1 p.m.; and a speaker from
1 p.m. to 2 p.m., followed by door
prizes and judging results.
The speaker is to be Albert Cor
mier. from Ontario, Canada. Cor
mier is a Holstein breeder and
owner of Cormdale Genetics Inc.,
a worldwide dairy export business.
There is also to be a chug-a-lug
contest sponsored by the county
et
er, however, the landowner is re
sponsible for maintaining the
fence.
• Dave Bailey, extension agent
from cooperative extension, will
be presenting a program on inte
grated pest management, covering
biological methods and manage
ment, and George Phillips from
the Northumberland County Con
servation District will explain the
sign-up period for farmers who
may be interested in participating
in die Chesapeake Bay Financial
Assistance Funding Program,
which cost-shares best manage-
these practices being used on
working farms. The Weaver Field
Day will focus on the whole farm
system, especially changes over
time that have been made to
improve the productivity of the
soils and animals on the farm.
The Weaver Brothers are the
ninth generation to farm their
106-acre dairy operation, which
includes 90 cows and 90 young
John and Karen Morrow.
Morrow attends Pennsylvania
State University, majoring in agri
culture business management. She
is active in University Scholars,
Sigma Alpha, Ag Advocates.
National Agri-Marketing Associa
tion, Coaly Society, and the Dairy
Science Club. Aside from college,
Morrow is extremely active within
the Pennsylvania Junior Guernsey
Breeders’ Association, where she
has served as president, vice presi
dent. and secretaiyAreasurer.
A goal of Morrow's is to
improve the recordkeeping system
on her farm. “I would like more of
the management and herd health
information to be on the computer
where anyone could access the
information as they needed it,” she
explained. Morrow received $75
to assist with her travel expenses
to the national convention.
junior Holstein club.
Each team is to consist of four
members and all the team mem
bers must belong to a specific age
group entered: Level A, ages 8-IS;
Level B, ages 16-21; and Level C,
ages 22 and older.
Of the four members on each
team, each is to have a different
milk consumption task: one is to
spoon a cup of milk from a bowl;
another is to suck a cup of milk
from a baby bottle; another is to
drink a cup of milk poured into the
mouth via a funnel; and another is
to chug a quart of milk.
Each team may participate only
once and time is to be monitored
by a judge with a stopwatch. A par
ticipant may only be on one team.
To get to Ricecrest Farm, from
Exit sof 181, turn left and go south
on Rt 316 (Wayne Avc.) for four
miles. Turn left onto Church Road
and travel two miles to the farm
lane marked by a sign.
From Exit 6 of 181, travel east
on Rt 30 for 4.8 miles, turn right
onto Mont Alto Road and travel
south for 2.3 miles to Duffreld vil
lage. At Duffreld turn right onto
New Franklin Road and travel tine
mile. Turn left onto Church Road
and go about one-third mile to the
farm lane.
mcnt practices (BMPs) to correct
nutrient management problems.
Farmers and other holders of a
private pesticide applicator’s li
cense will receive 2 credits (1 core
& 1 category) toward certification
renewal for attending one of these
field days. The Pennsylvania De
partment of Agriculture has ap
proved this program as an update
training session.
For more information on the
field days, contact the Northum
berland County Conservation Dis
trict at (717) 988-4224 or North
umberland County Cooperative
Extension at (717) 644-44 SS.
Field Day
stock. In the 19705, the Weavers
expanded their herd and manure
storage. By the early 1980 s, they
were experiencing problems with
compacted soils, high levels of
coty mortality, and decreasing
productivity. Additionally, water
nitrate levels of 40-S0 ppm were
discovered in the Weavers’ well.
During the mid-1980s, Don and
Nelson began to initiate changes
toward a more biological method
of farming, one which stressed the
economic sense of good steward
ship. This year they have begun
the transition of certified organic
production to take advantage of
value-added markets for organic
milk.
Changes in the Weavers* pro
duction system were developed by
taking farm soils, records, resour
ces, and family goals into account.
A new emphasis on soil quality
was begun with the establishment
of a more diverse crop rotation.
The new rotation of- alfalfa and
small grain followed by two years
of haylage, com silage, rye into
soybetms, and high moisture shell
com, along with more strategic
use of manures has allowed the
Weavers to eliminate use of all
synthetic fertilizers. Don feels that
the rotation along with pest scout
ing helped reduce herbicide and
insecticide use to spot spraying
only for the past several years.
“We hate weeds,” said Don.
“Our system of tillage does a good
job of eliminating weed popula
tions over time. And of course,
now that we aren’t using any her
bicides we’ve learned to live with
a few more weeds, but our yields
are comparable to others in this
area. That is the important thing,
not completely clean fields.”
Their system of shallow tillage,
combined with fall incorporation
of manures contributes to the goal
of increasing biological activity in
the soil, while reducing pests.
Over the past 10 years, Don and
Nelson believe they have seen
dramatic and positive changes in
their soils, their crops, their ani
mals. and their profitability. “Our
soils are looser, spongy and we no
longer need lime. We even sold
some manure in 1994,” Don said.
“We’ve raised the organic matter
content of cur soils from 1.9 to
over 3.1, which I believe has
increased our drought tolerance.
And very importantly, our nitrate
levels in the water have dropped to
5-6 ppm.”
The Weavers will discuss all
aspects of their operation during
the field day. Anyone interested in
learning morp about how
improved stewardship can trans
late into higher profitability is
encouraged to attend.
To get to the Weaver farm:
from the intersection of Route 322
and Route 23 in Blue Ball take
322 west to second road right
(White Oak Road). Bear left at
“Y” to the first farm on right.