Change It’s What
Sands Thrive On
(Continued from Pago B 2)
tanks with quality grains and sell it
for less than what it costs to grow
it. Pay fanners what it’s worth and
they’ll keep the ground in produc
tion. A farmer has as much right as
any other business to change direc
tion to make it more profitable.”
He doesn’t see lack of land a
problem for farmers now or later.
He states two reasons.
“One, when you travel, you see
miles of empty spaces everywhere.
Two, when I first began farming,
SO bushels to an acre was consid
ered a really good crop. Now, 100
bushels to an acre isn’t uncom
mon. That’s the same as doubling
acres.”
Sands likens farming to moun
tain climbing. “Mountain climbers
climb by taking hold of projections
of rocks. That’s a good picture of
the life of a farmer,” he said.
“I started farming on a shoe
string. I clawed up the ladder, one
rung at a time.”
He refers to the first 10 to IS
years of fanning as the most diffi
cult. He remembers picking com
when the cost to grow it hardly
paid to pick it because of drought
conditions.
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“You need to plan and budget to
realistically build in a cushion for
rough times.” he said.
For the first eight years of farm
ing. Sands didn’t miss one milk
ing. As the kids got bigger and
took more responsibility, he was
able to take some time off and later
to hire someone so the whole fami
ly could go camping.
In those beginning years, Sands
said that necessity prevented him
from taking a break. That’s when
he learned that participating in
farm tours and Penn State Exten
sion programs not only was an ide
al way to learn but it also gave him
a break.
“In the winter, I didn’t waste my
time standing around at farm
sales,” he said. “I went to classes
offered by Penn State. Part of the
excitement in learning is what’s
near and changing. I want to help
(Turn to Pago B 4)
1
ra
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CONTACT:
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Gettysburg, PA 17325
It’s hard to believe that Paul and Helen Sands farmhouse was once a delapidated
farmhouse where chickens had roosted. Paul said, "Buy a place for the land, not the
buildings. You can always change the buildings, but you can’t change the land.”
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Lancaster Farming, Saturday, Dacambar 23, 1995-B3
908/454-7900
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Phillipsburg, NJ 08865
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