Vol. 42 No. 8 This farm family is the Maryland Farm Bureau Young Couple of the Year. They are George and Debbie Donnonand their two children LindseyS, and April 18mo. Photo by Evaratt Nawawangar, managing adltor. Dairy Fanners Want Immediate Action COLUMBIA CROSSROADS (Bradford Co.) Nearly 100 dairy farmers and business people attended the spirited Dairy Rally conducted by Pro Ag last Wednes day in Columbia Crossroads. They shook their heads in dis belief as Pro Ag Manager Arden Tewksbury revealed how low milk pices were going to decline. Tewksbury said, ‘‘Dairy far mers will really get the message when they open their milk checks on January Ist and realize their payment for the first fifteen days of milk in December will be $11.67 per cwt with the price probably declining more on February Ist” Tewksbury read letters from both Senator Arlen Specter and Congressman Joe McDade, but the letters failed to really address the seriousness of the situation. All three County Commis sioners from Tioga County attended the Rally, as did Rep resentative Scott Chadwick and personnel from the Pa. Milk Marketing Board. Paul “Hap” Schatz, Agriculture Aid to Congressman Paul Kan jorski, addressed the Rally. Schatz said, “Congressman Kanjorski supports the efforts of Pro Ag.” He told the farmers present, “I can’t illustrate strong enough to you people how important it is for you to contact your Congressman on this and any issue.” Schatz said, “If your elected officials don’t hear from you, then they simply apply their lime to other things.” A warm reception was Four Sections given to Schatz from the crowd because of his willingness to attend the Rally. Tewksbury praised local far mers and business people for the significant number of calls they Although Ken and Denise Sanner, 'ADC’s Outstanding Young Cooperative Couple, were intent on farming suc cessfully before attending the National Milk Producers Fed eration annual meeting and still are, they have redefined what that means. Read about the Banners and their Berks County farm on page 82. Photo by Lou Ann Good. Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, December 28, 1996 made to Washington. He said, “Many times I’ve been told that mote calls have been made from northeastern Pa. than any other area in the United Stales.” (Turn to Page A 25) $27.50 Per Year Maryland Young Couple To Prove You Can Make It Farming EVERETT NEWSWANGER Managing Editor RISING SUN. Md.—At Miner al Springs Farm, George and Debbie Donnon and their two small children, April, 18 mos., and Lindsey, S, are out to prove you can make it in farming even if you don’t have a farm handed to you on a gold-plated deed. This Maryland Farm Bureau Young Farm Couple of the Year started from scratch and have deve loped a nice 85-head Holstein milking cow herd, along with 80 heifer replacements. Their herd average is just over 20,000 pounds and they farm 250 acres of com silage, haylage, ground ear com and use a by-pass protein product to balance the TMR ration. Their herd is housed in free-stalls and milked in a double-four parlor. Organic Dairy Co-op Seeks Regional Producer Interest VERNON ACHENBACH JR. Lancaster Farming Staff EPHRATA (Lancaster Co.) The town of Colby, Wis consin, is the namesake and found ing location of the mildly flavored, soft, popular American cheese. It is also the home area of Aaron Hoover, a dairy farmer who grew up on a family farm in Reamstown, Lancaster County. Hoover was in town recently to visit with relatives and was accom panied by a regional organizer for a cooperative to which Hoover belongs: Coulee Region Organic Produce Pool (CROPP) Cooperative. CROPP is headquartered in LaFarge, Wisconsin and is eight years old. Though “produce” is generally Advertising/News Deadlines For Holiday, Farm Show Issues The new year begins with a holiday next Wednesday and then comes the next big event for farmers 1n Pennsylvania—the state farm show In Harrisburg. For Lancaster Farming this means many of the advertis ing and news deadlines will need to be early this week and also for publication of the January 10 Issue. Some of these deadlines are the week prior to the week of publication. These deadlines are as follows: January 4th Issue Public Sale Ads 5 p.m., Monday, 12/30. Mailbox Markets 5 p.m., Monday, 12/30. Classified Section C Ads 5 p.m., Tuesday, 12/31. All Other Classifieds 9 a.m., Thursday, 1/2. General News Noon, Thursday, 1/2. January 10th Issue Public Sale Ads 4 p.m., Friday, 1/3. Classified Section C Ads 5 p.m., Tuesday, 1/7. All Other Classifieds 9 a.m. Wednesday, 1/8. General News Noon, Tuesday, 1/7. 601 Per Copy They have done all this by work ing for other dairymen, renting farms, buying used equipment, and sleeping on the floor until they could barter for beds and living room furniture. But they are not complaining. “What you work hard for you appreciate more,” they say. In fact, you could not find a more enthusiastic young couple with a positive outlook on life. Many times George has been on the manure spreader, fixing a bro ken chain under a full-load, on a cold, windy, winter day. But the Donnons say these bad days only make the good days all that much more enjoyable on the farm. This couple works as a farm team, and they are adamant that husband and wife must work together on the farm if you are (Turn to Page A2B) associated with truck patch crops. Hoover is a dairyman with about 117 acres and a herd of 30 milking Holsteins that he has maintained for the past eight years using rota tional grazing. CROPP is his dairy market. The cooperative is marketing a variety of “organic” foods, under the Organic Valley brand name, that its members raise according to a self-created set of rules. Its dairy products line includes cultered unsalted and salted butter; whole milk, 2-percent milk, skim milk and half-and-half; mild, sharp, Colby, Monterey Jack, petite Swiss, and aged Swiss raw milk cheeses; reduced fat farmer, Monterey Jack and low-sodium Cheddar, mozzarella, provolone (Turn to Page All)
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