812-Lancaater Farming, Saturday, Ally 8, 1997
From left, Tom, Brenda, Andrew, Jonathan, Taylor, and Travis Pepper with Ted and
Norma Jean Schmelzle take a break from the Farm-City preparations to smile for the
camera. The surrey shown belonged to Tom’s grandfather. Schmelway Farm near
Ogdensburg will be the site of the Tioga County Farm-City Day.
Schmelway Farm To Host
Tioga County Farm-City Day
CAROLYN N. MOYER
Tioga Co. Correspondent
OGDENSBURG (Tioga Co.)
A Tioga County Dairy Farm
will open its doors to visitors from
across the state on Saturday. July
12, as they host Tioga County’s
seventh annual Farm-City Day.
Schmclway Farm, operated by
Tom and Brenda Pepper and sons,
Travis, Taylor, Andrew and
Jonathan; and Brenda’s parents
Ted and Nonna Jean Schmelzle,
will be the site of the event which
will begin at 11 a.m. The farm is
located about 1/4 mile south of
Route 414 midway between Liber
ty and Canton.
Schmelway Farm was founded
in 1930 by Ted’s parents, Maynard
and Helen Schmelzle. After serv
ing in the Army, Ted and Norma
Jean moved back to the family
farm and helped milk the herd of
Holsteins. Today Ted and Norma
Jean live about one mile East of
Ogdensburg.
Ted and Norma Jean’s daughter,
Brenda, and her husband Tom,
who was raised on a Holstein farm
in Leroy, are now partners in the
operation that covers 400 acres.
During the years, many improve
ments were made to the facilities.
The original bam was expanded in
the early 1960 s and additional
ground was purchased.
Last year, the family decided to
enlarge the dairy even more by
adding a 58 by 132 feet free stall
bam. The cows are still milked in
the 50 cow tie-stall bam.
Tom noted that all the cows
have adjusted well to the move, but
they see an exceptional improve
ment in their heifers.
“The heifers are averaging
almost as much milk as the older
cows,” he noted. “Last month on
DHIA, the heifers averaged 64
pounds while the older cows aver
aged 66 pounds of milk.”
“They just stand there and eat!”
added Barbara.
The couple also added two
trench silos. One is 30 feet by 150
feet and the other is 26 feet by 150
feet. These provide additional stor
age space for com silage and hayl
age respectively. In addition two
concrete stave silos are used for
high moisture ground ear com and
high moisture shelled com.
Feed for the cows is mixed in a
3,300 bushel capacity TMR cart.
Much of the feed for the herd is
grown on the farm, including 110
acres of com, seven acres of oats,
300 acres of hay, and 35 acres of
direct seeding. The direct seeding
is usually with a mixture of alfalfa,
timothy, trefoil, reeds canary
grass, and clover.
“When the alfalfa runs out, the
canary grass sure gives you the
tonnage,” Tom said.
The family now milks 120 regi
stered Holsteins and boasts a herd
average of 20,000 pounds of milk,
740 pounds of fat, and 636 pounds
of protein. One hundred and twen
ty replacement heifers complete
the dairy herd.
According to the family, some
of the calves are kept on the farm
until they are three months of age.
Some are then moved to Ted and
Norma Jean’s nearby farm and
some are custom raised by Benny
Thompson.
When visitors arrive at the farm,
they will have the opportunity lo
see how a farm operates from the
inside, including the milking sys-
Visit this farm during the open house.
tem, the feed storage facilities,
and, of course, the animals.
Farm-City Day is sponsored
each year by the Tioga County
County Farm-City Day Commit
tee to bring attention to the family
farm.
“We hope to stress the impor
tance of how society depends on
farming and how many people arc
affected by the everyday deci
sions, products, and work of the
farmer,** stated members of the
Farm-City Day Committee.
Brenda concurred with the idea
of the committee and added, “I
hope that people go away with an
understanding of what fanning is
all about.”
The day’s events are free and
include a pedal tractor contest and
petting zoo for the youngsters,
walking and wagon tours of the
farm, logging demonstrations,
many exhibits and demonstrations
including sheep shearing and wool
spinning.
Concession stands will prove to
be popular stops as well, as various
organizations offer hot dogs, slop
py joes, milkshakes, barbecue
chicken. Moo Koolers, and ice
cream and strawberry shortcake
for sale.
One new event on the agenda is
a farm auction to benefit Farm-
City Day activities. The auction
will be held at 2 p.m. Anyone
wishing to donate items or in need
of additional information should
contact the Tioga County Farm
Services Agency at (717)
724-4812.
Activities will conclude at 4
p.m. with the drawing of the grand
prize—a one-year supply of
Schwann’s ice cream.
SEE YOUR NEAREST
&
NEW HOLLAND
DEALER FOR DEPENDABLE
EQUIPMENT & SERVICE
»wn.P,
Messick
Equipment
RD 1, Box 255 A
717-259-6617
Annville. PA
BHM Farm
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RD 1, Rte. 934
717-867-2211
Carlisle. PA
R&W
Equipment Co.
35 East Willow Street
717-243-2686
Elizabethtown. PA
Messick Farm
Equipment, Inc.
Rt. 283 - Rheem’s
Exit
717-367-1319
Halifax. PA
Sweigard Bros.
R.D. 3, Box 13
717-896-3414
Norman D. Clark
& Son, inc.
Honey Grove, PA
717-734-3682
Loysville, PA
717-789-3117
Frederick. MD
Ceresville Ford New Holland, Inc
Rt. 26 East 301-662-4197
Outside MD, 800-331-9122
Antietam Ford Tractor, Inc.
2027 Leitersburg Pike
800-553-6731
301-791-1200
Bridgeton. NJ WMhlnflten. H 4
Leslie G. Fogg, Smith Tractor &
Inc. Equip., Inc.
Canton & Stow Creek 15 Hillcrest Aye.
Landing Rd.
609-451-2727
609-935-5145
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mwm
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Credit Company
Honev Brook. Pi
Dependable
Motor Co.
East Main Street
215-273-3131
215-273-3737
New Holland. PA
A.B.C. Groff, Inc.
110 South Railroad
717-354-4191
Qley. RA
C.J. Wonsidler
Bros.
R.D. 2
610-987-6257
Pitman. PA
Schreffler
Equipment
Pitman, PA
717-648-1120
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Charles S.
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R.D. 3
717-386-5945
S.G.Lewis &
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352 N. Jennersville Rd.
610-869-2214
1-800-869-9029
908-689-7900
Owen Supply Co.
Broad Street &
East Avenue
609-769-0308