Conference Selects Tomato Growing Champions
HERSHEY (Dauphin Co.)
The state’s top tomato growers
were honored recently during the
“tomato day” portion of the Pen
nsylvania Vegetable Conference at
the Hershey Convention Center.
The State Champion Tomato
Growers* Club annually recog
nizes growers who produce out
standing yields of tomatoes for
processing in 1995. sponsored by
Penn State and Furman Foods.
In Class 1, machine harvest size,
60 or more acres. Cliff Charles,
Lancaster, won the award for the
highest tomatd yield. Charles
harvested 3,484.9 tons of usable
fruit for Furman Foods on 107
acres for a 32. S tons per acre aver
age yield.
For Charles, varieties grown
included Early Pear, Peto 696,
Ohio 8245, Ox 42 and 88, and
Heinz 9422, 9423, and 9478. The
338 plug transplants grown in his
own greeenhouses were planted
with a Lannen plug planter at a
population of 13,000 plants per
acre. The double rows were
planted from April 29 through
May 25 on 66-inch centers with a
15-inch spacing in the row and 19
inches between tows.
25-39 acres, at the tomato contest. From left, James Kohl.
Furman Foods; Bernard Nlssiey; Darwin Nlssley; and
Dwight Hess, Furman Foods.
Cliff Charles, center, won Class 1. machine harvest, 60 or
more acres size, at the recent tomato contest. From left,
James Kohl, Furman Foods; Charles; and Dwight Hess,
Furman Foods.
Fred Kistler won Class 4, machine harvest, 15-24 acres
size, at the tomato contest. From left, James Kohl, Furman
Foods; Steve Kistler; and Gary Krum, Furman Foods.
Tomatoes are rotated in a three
year program with com or small
grains in double-crop soybeans.
The rotation consists of tomatoes
corn-small grains. Lime and fertil
izer were applied according to soil
test Some fields had fall applica
tion of manure and. if additional
nitrogen was required in some
fields during the growing season,
calcium nirate was applied.
Charles also made use of vari
ous herbicide treatments. Fruit was
harvested from Aug. 7 to Sept 9.
In the Class 2. machine harvest
size, 40-59 acres, winner was R.
Stewart Ramm, Lock Haven.
Ramm harvested 1,398 tons of
usable fruit for Furman Foods on
41.6 acres for a 33.6 tons per acre
average yield.
Ramm used Peto 696. Heinz
9478, and Laßossa varieties,
grown from tray transplants at a
population of 10,250 plants per
acre and transplaned on May
25-29. The tomatoes were not
grown on beds and the single rows
were spaced five feet from center
and plants were 10 inches in the
row.
Tomatoes are roated in a three
year program with com or small
grains in double-crop soybeans.
Rotation is tomatoes-com-wheat/
soybeans. Lime was broadcast at a
rate of 1 to 1.5 tons per acre and
fertilizer was used in three diffe
rent formulations, depending on
soil tests. Tomatoes were
sidedressed with liquid nitrogen
based on nitrogen test at 30 pounds
per acre. A high phosphorous star
ter fertilizer (10-54-4) at 15 pound
s per acre was applied in die water
at transplant time.
Weeds and insects were con
trolled with a combination of her
bicides and insecticides. First
harvest was Sept. 22 and last
harvest was Oct. 3.
In the Class 3 machine harvest,
25-39 acres size, winner was the
Nissley Brothers, Mount Joy. They
harvested 972.5 tons of usable fruit
for Furman Foods on 25 acres fora
38.9 tons per acre average yield.
Locally grown transplants of
Peto 696 were planted from May
24 through May 27. The tomatoes
were grown in single rows at a
population of 10,500 plants per
acre with a five-foot spacing
between rows and 10 inches in the
row.
A four-year crop rotation is fol
lowed, which includes corn in year
one, soybeans in year two, com in
year three, and tomatoes in year
four. Fifteen tons per acre of steer
manure was applied in the fall of
1994 and soil/dssue tests indicated
no additional fertilizer was
necessary.
Weeds were controlled with a
preplant herbicide, and diseases
were controlled by various combi
nations. Fruit was harvested from
Aug. 30 through Sept. 13.
Fred Kistler, Bloomsburg, won
the Class 4 machine harvest, 15-24
acre harvest size. Kistler harvested
772 tons of usable fruit for Furman
on 20 acres for a 38.6 tons per acre
average yield.
Heinz 9478 and Peto 696 trans
plants were grown at a population
of 11,000 plants per acre and trans
planted on May 18. The tomatoes
were not grown on beds, and the
single rows were spaced 56 inches
from center. Plants were 11 inches
in the row.
A three- or four-year crop rota
tion is followed, which includes
soybeans. Soil pH was adjusted
and fertilizer was banded to pro
vide 80 pounds nitrogen, 100
pounds phosphorous, and 250
pounds potassium per acre prior to
planting.
Weeds were controlled with a
combination of herbicides. Fungi
cides were also used.
In the Class 2 hand harvest, 6 to
14 acres size, Robert Macßeth
took home the honor. Macßeth,
Biglerville, harvested 413 tons of
usable fruit for Furman on 14 acres
for a 29.5 tons per acre average
yield.
Plug transplants of Ohio 7681
were planted on May 6 through
May 8 at a population of 8,500
plants per acre. The tomatoes were
grown in single rows with a
46-inch spacing between rows and
16 inches in the row.
A four-year crop rotation is fol
lowed, which includes sod in year
one. wheat in year two, hay in year
three, and tomatoes in year four.
Nitrogen was applied at 84 pounds
per acre, broadcast and plowed
down prior to planting. A sidedress
application of 8-24-8 at 526
pounds per acre with minor ele
ments was applied after plants
were well established.
Weeds were controlled by vari
ous herbicides. Insecticides were
«. —tachlne harvest size,
40*59 acres, at the tomato awards contest. From left, James
Kohl, Furman Foods; Ramm; and Gary Krum, Furman
Foods.
the hand harvest class, 6-14
acres, at the tomato awards contest. From left, James Kohl.
Furman Foods; Macßeth; and Dwight Hess, Furman Foods.
applied on the same spray schedule <■> .. , .
as the fungicides. 52.19 tons of usable fruit on two
Reuben K. Esh won the Class 3. a^ or f“l, t . ons acre yield.
hand harvest size, 2-5 acres con- use( * ® llO tomato
test. Esh, Loganton, harvested vane^‘
Pro Ag’s Board
Reorganizes
MESHOPPEN (Wyoming Co.)
Dennis Boyanowski, dairy
farmer from Laceyville, has been
re-elected president of the Pro
gressive Agriculture Organization
(Pro Ag), Boyanowski will be
starting his third year as president
During Pro Ag’s reorganization
meeting held Feb. 14 in Tunkhan
nock, John Pardoe, a dairy farmer
from Forksville, was re-elected
vice president of Pro Ag.
Other officers re-elected were
Yvonne Arnold of Elk Lake (Sus
quehanna Co.) as secretary and
Mrs. Louise Rinker of Sullivan
County as treasurer.
Two new directors took their
seats on Pro Ag’s eight-member
board of directors. Kirk Rhone, a
dairy farmer from Starruca, be
comes the director representing
District I (Wayne County). Rhone
is a partner in Bucks Dairy Farm
in Starruca. John Tewksbury, a
dairy farmer from South Auburn,
is the new Pro Ag director from
District II (Susquehanna County).
help v OuRsEL f
The executive committee of Pro
Ag consists of President Boyan
owski, Vice President Pardoe,
Secretary Arnold, Treasurer L.
Rinker, Assistant Treasurer J.
Tewksbury, and Assistant Secre
tary Carl Hibbard.
President Boyanowski said,
“Pro Ag is still dedicated to
improving the welfare of farmers
in the rural area. The only way we
can improve the welfare of farm
ers is by implementing a relation
ship between the cost of produc
ing an agriculture product and the
price received by the farmers.”
Pro Ag is continuing to work
with other farm organizations in
an attempt to improve prices to
area farmers through the 1995
Farm Bill.
Boyanowski reports that the
membership of Pro Ag is now
growing in other areas. During
1995, Pro Ag has expanded into
Northampton, Berks, Washington,
and Westmoreland counties.