Lancaster farming. (Lancaster, Pa., etc.) 1955-current, July 05, 1997, Image 30
bUt'WCi ,o \<ub ,gni(in»n laiimiwj A32-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 5, 1997 (Continued from Pago A 1) The Dreisbach’s Wilderness prefix is well known in Jersey breed circles. Wilderness Chief Allure EX-94 with 8y 23,146 m 4.5% 1,036 f 3.7% 874 p is the mat riarch of a premier cow family that has descendants around the world. Allure’s daughter, Wilderness Duncan Grace is also EX 91 with 3y 17,420 m 5.7% 986 f 3.9% 675 p and is the dam of Wilderness Big D at Select Sires and Wilderness Gambler at ABS. And while this family of cows is the best known, cither excellent and very good cows in the herd help make the top rolling herd average of 17,078 m 796 f 636 p. Because Bob was often working his veterinarian practice, the dairy farming fell to Helene. “My back ground is not in dairy, but we bought a Jersey heifer and then more were added,” Helene said. “Soon we had animals scattered all over Bob’s client herds. So we had to decide what we were going to do. In 1970 we found this place and we have been milking Jerseys for 27 years.” Bob’s version of the story is about the same except he reports that the reason they have Jerseys is because Helene said if she was going to be stuck with the milking, she wanted cows she could see over. Obviously, for whatever reason they started with Jerseys, the breed has benefited from their efforts over the years. Official records were kept, and if a daughter of a young Jersey bull came out good in the proofs, bull stud representa tives and foreign buyers would come to the farm. In addition, they like to attend the state and national conventions and this helped give their cows name recognition. They sold good animals in the breed sales and they flushed their good cows. Their first herd average was If**?, tm,* „ / Helene Dreisbach moves the white electric tape and the beautiful Wilderness Jersey herd moves right into the new lush pasture with enthusiasm. Meeting To Feature Pesticide Storage NEW HOLLAND (Lancaster Co.) Pesticides are effective crop management inputs when properly used. However, each step of pesticide handling from transportation, storage, mixing, loading, application, to cleanup and disposal of wastes —presents potential water pollution and human health problems. According to Jerry Martin of Penn State Cooperative Extension with the Pequea-Mill Creek Pro ject, “When chemicals are not stored and handled correctly, water quality and human health can be put in danger.” Chemicals can escape from the farm directly Jersey Cows Home At Long Meadows Farm in the 8,000 range so they have doubled herd average over the years. Today, they are not pushing the cows as hard. Rotational grazing concepts have given the farm a more relaxed atmosphere. Accord ing to Bob, the cows have better personalities and general health has improved. For young people who want to get into the dairy business, Bob and Helene have some definite advice.“So many young people have the enthusiasm, but they have not been taught to manage debt,” Bob said. "You must operate with less debt, and don’t forget living expenses.” Bob also has a pet peeve about milk prices. “If milk were priced at the value of the steel that goes into into the groundwater through wells or skinholes at the farmstead or flow into surface water. According to Frank Lucas with the Natural Resource Conserva tion Service (NRCS) in the Pequea-Mill Creek Project, one practical and economic option for safely storing pesticides is a small pesticide storage shed that can be located at a safe place on the farmstead away from potential Are damage or unauthorized pesticide use. One of these small pesticide storage sheds will be featured as part of the New Holland Pesticide Update Twilight Meeting on July Overlooking the Long Meadows homestead, Bob Drels bach harvests forage for winter. the farm machinery we buy, we would have $6.00 per gallon milk.” But because New Zealand can produce milk for $7.00 to $B.OO, higher U.S. milk prices will work against exporting on the world market. If we need $ll.OO, we can ’ t compete on the world market And many of the countries that need the milk can’t afford to pay for it. So it must be a gift But here at home, even California’s milk prices are lower than ours in the East. In the future, the Dreisbachs believe young farmers will find a local niche in the market. And with the reduced cost of rotational graz ing, they hope these young people can treat their farm like a business as well as a farm because they love the land and the cows. t ft I.’ . # 14 at 7 p.m. on the Gene Martin farm, 224 Eastern School Road, New Holland. “This small pesticide storage shed,” said Lucas, “allows the far mer to store all chemicals on the farm in one place that is used exclusively for pesticides.” The well-ventilated shed on the Martin farm includes a sealed storage cabinet, shelves, plastic trays to store chemical containers, protective clothing, pesticide application records, and pertinent resource information. The shed is locked and marked with appropri ate warning signs. In addition, the shed is located at a mixing site that t r> Jt ~ With a painting of their most famous cow, Wilderness Chief Allure EX94 that was presented at the recent state Jersey convention, Bob and Helene Dreisbach were hon ored with the distinguished service award. Charolais Seminar, Field Day July 12 CLARKSVILLE. Md. On Saturday, July 12, the 3rd Annual Charolais Educational Seminar and Field Day will be held at the Central Research and Education Center of the University of Mary land in Clarksville. The day is sponsored jointly by the Colonial Charolais Associa tion, the Cooperative Extension Service of Howard County, and the University of Maryland C.M.R.E.C. minimizes potential health and pollution problems in the event of fire or accidents. Lucas notes that local volunteer firemen are espe cially concerned about fighting fires where pesticides are stored. For more information, contact nil f ni Four pens of Charolais cattle will be available for the morning’s judging contest and is open to all 4-H, FFA, and breed association junior members. Official placings and reasons will be given by Cliff Orley of Lebanon. Pa., a national ly recognized judge of many breeds of cattle. For a complete schedule of the day’s activities, contact Bob Bell at (410) 442-2005, Martin Hamil ton at (410) 313-0707, or Tom Moreland at (301) 596-9550. Jeff Stoltzfus, (717) 354-1522 or Jerry Martin, (717) 396-9423. got milk?