A24-Lsncastsr Farwlno, Saturday, July 29, 1995 Vanishing Acres: Pressured By Development, Farmers Become Neighbor Relations Experts Last Of A Scries Editor’s Note: In the final part of the series, farmers realize that farming in file 1990 s is not only crops and cows—it’s nurturing communications skills and Valkovec was told that, according to the calculations, ‘this is not a problem,.* But Valkovec told the engineer, ‘Accord ing to the calculations, that f s great, but look at the ditches I have in the field,* learning how to deal with an increasingly urban public. Despite development pressures, these farmers have learned to communicate their problems and work to solve “neighbor relations’’ challenges. Neighbor relations skills will be essential. The farmer of tomorrow will have to be a good neighbor. Charles Wille N.Y. Farm Bureau President Headline from June 5, 1993 Lancaster Farming: ‘Key To Successful Farming *Once the houses are up, the developer is gone/ Among Urban Neighbors: Be Firm, Be Friendly, But Don't Be Frustrated’ ANDY ANDREWS Lancaster Fanning Staff KLECKNERSVILLE (North ampton Co.) —One day, it rained. It rained heavy and hard, and flooding ensued. John Valkovec, dairy fanner, received the call from one of the Moore Township supervisors. Stormwater was causing enormous flooding in one of Valkovec’s fields, pouring dirt, stones, and muddy water onto Rt 512, a major highway that runs adjacent to fields he farms. Valkovec tried to deal with the problem. Confused and perturbed, he asked for help. For one thing, the catchbasin created by the develop ment architects next to his field was overflowing. The water was coming from the development property. The engineers assured him that the basin was designed correctly. John Valkovec said that zoning laws don't specify how many developments are constructed. While many supervisors remain “antidevelopment,” said Valkovec, still, many developers come, build, and leave.' , Valkovec said he called every body. “I called the township. I called the conservation district The conservation district said it was the township’s problem, the township said the engineer calcu lated it so it should be right” An engineer came out and installed some plywood to redirect the flow. But the stormwater caused enormous gullies in the field. Valkovcc was told that, accord ing to the calculations, “this is not a problem.” But Valkovec told the engineer, “According to the calculations, that’s great, butlook at the ditches I have in the field." Valkovec couldn’t get any where with the situation. Instead, he took matters into his own hands. He constructed a waterway, losing almost an acre of land from production. To this day, Valkovec believes he made the right decision. “I would rather lose the acre of land than have to go through gull ies like that’ ’ with field equipment, he said. Valkovec said that zoning laws don’t specify how many develop ments are constructed. While many supervisors remain “antide- In the end, the communications skills that farmers cultivate with their non-farm neighbors could prove even more success ful for farm survivability. velopment,” said Valkovec, still, many developers come, build, and leave. “The developer, he’s long gone. Once the houses are up, the deve loper is gone. The township keeps money to make sure the roads are built, but forget the rest of it” Left and right, in all areas of the township, Valkovec, who milks 50 ' *? <* - , * «K ? ' ► Tim Fritz, part-time Lancaster County dairy farmer and Montgomery County exten sion agent, said his father, Harold, purchased the 70-acre dairy in 1979. But it has only been since the spring of last year that 15 acres, a small parcel of the total operation, was sold to development. cows and farms a total of 500 acres, said similar problems con front those who farm. This is not only true of towns in Pennsylvania, but in other parts of the country. According to the Vol 11., No 2 issue of “Farmland Update,” the newsletter published by the American Farmland Trust, between 1990-1992, a place in Illi nois called McHenry became the fastest-growing county in the state. The populated exploded by 90.2 percent to 200,000 residents. No other counties in Illinois came close to meeting that growth rate. Since then, development pres sure has increased. Farmers have sold their land to residential and commercial developers. Those who remain in agriculture are changing their cropping patterns. John Pihl, McHenry County Farm Bureau president, indicated that as a result of fast “upzoning,” development is occuring far too rapidly. “We are being taken for a ride,” said Pihl, co-owner of a * * * ♦<* > + 1,000-acte farm. “Everything is ery County, more complaints happening so fast The disturbing occur because there are a lot more thing is we knew ‘progress' was farms around and neighbors don’t coming, but we didn’t plan for it” have the same concerns. The ‘When you look at a map of southeastern Pennsylvania , it’s pretty scary/ he said. *Growth is just coming from all over.’ Like Lancaster*, according to the newsletter, the county has to work out the problems encountered with encroaching urban development in a rural setting. But Lancaster’s zoning is successful because of 7/i the seven years Vve been in Montgom ery County , I just watched the line move . You can see it by the signs for landfor sale, land available . You can see it by the new houses going in.* tight regulations created by urban growth boundaries. But growth boundaries and ag zones to help contain development may not be enough. In the end, the communications skills that far mers cultivate with their non-farm neighbors could prove even more successful for farm survivability. Tim Fritz, part-time Lancaster County dairy farmer and Mont gomery County extension agent, said his father, Harold, purchased the 70-acre daily in 1979. But it has only been since the spring of last year that IS acres, a small par cel of the total operation, was sold to development The Fritz dairy rarely gets com plaints. Tim Fritz, who also serves as Montgomery County crops agent has to handle many com plaints from the urban and farm sector in a county which has seen as much, if not more, development pressure as Lancaster. “When you look at a map of southeastern Pennsylvania, it’s pretty scary,” he said. “Growth is just coming from all over.” For Montgomery County, the closer farms are to the urban cen ter, the more pressured the farm is, but the less complaints, less con flicts from urban side. Fritz said, “They appreciate the farm when there’s so few left It’s more favor able for them to see the farm.” However, Fritz said that in the more rural portions of Montgom •*' w s 4 A f * f»*~ i. v* > ( i neighbors “don’t appreciate the farm as much.” In Montgomery County, deve lopment pressure has been grow ing exponentially. “It just keeps on pushing. In the seven years I’ve been in Montgomery County, I just watched the line move. You can see it by the signs for land for sale, land available. You can see it by (Turn to Pag* A 25) A sign near the Valkovec property In Northampton County. Lancaster County farmer Joe Stahl said the chance to meet many more urban neighbors allows him to talk to many different and Interesting people. And build ing those relationships working together may be the key to survival for many fanners. -r" I -„ c ‘k
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