NYFEA ESSAY
CONTEST WINNER
The National Young Fanners
Educational Association (NYFE-
A) has announced that Melinda
Tercha placed 2nd in the national
essay contest held in Charleston,
S.C. recently.
Melinda and her husband
Robert live in Mertztown, and
they belong to the Kutztown YF
chapter. They farm in partnership
with Robert’s patents managing of
500 acres, owned and rented.
They grow com, soybeans, hay,
and wheat, and raise some beef
and hogs for market
Melinda teachers preschoolers
nine months out of the year. Her
hobbies include photography,
sewing, crafts, and writing poetry.
The Tercha belong to many
farm organizations including
young farmers. Grange, church,
Berks extension board, and Christ
UCC Church in Bowers, where
Melinda sings on the choir.
The following is Melinda Terc
ha’s winning essay.
Farmers Are Abo
Consumers
Consumers in uie '9os, as they
drive through the countryside,
view us simply as “the farmer
down the road.”
These consumers are giving us
more than a compliment They are
speaking about a diverse minority
of people that have come about
through generations of hard work.
• Agricultural • Commercial • Residential
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• Manure Storage, Etc.
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We Work
Herd For
Customer
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tilling the soil, and those same
people harvesting a crop.
As we near the turn of the cen
tury. it is a task we farmers will
have to undertake as we update
our consumer neighbors to just
what it is we do on the farm. Far
mers can now inform these people
that our farming practices of today
not only are adding yields, but are
adding quality and safety to the
nation’s food supply.
Farmers are able to do this with
the assistance of extension agents,
help from agronomy consultants,
and attending young farmers
workshops.
Safety plays a big part in
today’s farming schedule. Pesti
cides and herbicides are being
used at lesser rates and with safer
application practices and equip
ment Consumers should be made
aware that government regulates
'and restricts the use of chemicals
on the farm. We all need to be
aware that chemicals used proper
ly at recommended rates are a
needed tool that help us to provide
consumers with quality food at
economical prices.
There are research-based exten
sion education programs on inte
grated pest management that help
farmers to reduce the use of pesti
cides. Also, researchers have
developed soil nitrogen tests that
allow us to reduce the amount of
fertilizer that we as farmers need
to apply to our fields.
INC.
430 Concrete Ave., Leola, PA
717-656-2016
Melinda Tercha
Through continued use of soil
conservation practices, consumers
should note that soil erosion is
kept at a minimum. Farmers are as
serious about solving soil erosion
problems as many consumers are.
Many farmers plant waterways to
help control washing and runoff in
fields. Contour planting and ter
races also aid in prevention of
water damage to sloping or hill
side fields.
One out of every five jobs in
America is related to some form of
agriculture. That is one large rea
son that farmers need to continue
with some form of agriculture
education. Young farmer conven
tions and local young farmer
chapters provide workshops and
seminars on current issues involv
ing the farm.
I wonder how many consumers
realize that computers play a big
part in many dairy operations in
many different capacities. There is
a great need in rural economics in
Pennsylvania today for the dairy
industry. So, in effect, farmers
have to make better management
decisions to keep costs on the farm
down. These same farmers also
have to improve herd health status
and emphasize problem solving
on the farm. More important key
Authorized
Dealer For
KEYSTONE
CONCRETE
PRODUCTS
* H-Bunks
* J-Bunks
* Trench
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* Hog &
Cattle Slate
words we are looking for are “pre
vention of problems.” Along with
all the things I have mentioned,
we need to look for labor saving
practices.
There are many different and
diverse farming operations out
there in the '9os. As a dwindling
minority, we need to continue to
Water Law,
LANCASTER (Lancaster Co.)
—ln May. the Susquehanna River
Basin Commission approved
changes to water use regulations.
Some of these changes will impact
agriculture, especially those who
irrigate.
As a result, a meeting has been
scheduled to update the agriculture
community on Jan. 3 in the base
ment meeting room of the Farm
and Home Center in Lancaster
from 8:30 a.m. until noon.
All new surface water with
drawals greater than 100,000 gal
lons per day must be approved by
the SRBC and all surface and
groundwater withdrawals greater
than 10,000 gallons per day must
bp registered with the SRBC upon
the consent of the SRBC member
states. The registration period for
current users runs until March 31,
1997. Pennsylvania and Maryland
support the registration program.
At the meeting, topics will
include benefits of registering
water use for the agriculture com
munity, consumptive water use in
agriculture, and managing irriga
tion systems to conserve water.
mnn.ll.
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PAUL B. ZIMMERMAN, INC.
Call or Wrlta For Houra 295 Woodcomer Rd.
Additlonallnformatlon Mon.ThruFri. LititZ, PA 17543-9165
And Your 7 to 5 i Mile West of Ephrata
Naaraat Daalar y-j 7.738-7365 *
y2BBIMSZIBiBISi
Ijncaalir Farming, Saturday, December 30, 1995-A27
educate ourselves as well as the
consumer. We can and do strive to
wok for a safe and efficient way
to provide consumers with our
products.
Farmers are also consumers,
and along with our consumer
neighbors we deserve quality pro
ducts at an economical and fair
price.
Meeting
To register, contact Leon
Ressler, Penn State Cooperative
Extension at (717) 394-6851.
HARRISBURG (Dauphin
Co.) Senator Rick Santorum
will be the keynote speaker at the
1996 annual meeting of the Pen
nsylvania Ag Republicans. The
meeting is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
on Monday. Jan. Bth in Room C of
the Farm Show building in Harris
burg. The entire membership is
encouraged to attend this meeting.
Agenda items for the meeting
include upcoming dates, event
announcements, and committee
reports on membership, public
relations, legislation, and state
committee, given by the various
chairpersons. See you at the Farm
Show.—Bev Gruber.
HEADLOCKS
Rights
Set
Santorum
To Address
Republicans