wLsfllSflF Pennsylvania Forage and Grassland Council
’Gif FORAGING AROUNDXif
‘lndustry, Farmer, Scientist Working Together Toward A Sounder Grassland Program 9
This Grazier Would Rather Work With Cows Than Equipment
ANDY ANDREWS
Lancaster Farming Staff
KIRKWOOD (Lancaster
Co.) —Like a patient bricklay
er, Lancaster County Grazier
Arden Landis puts in place the
pieces needed to conveit his
dairy to all-organic.
Like many organic dairy far
mers, Landis measures the ben
efits of a better milk check. He
weighs the benefits of product
marketing.
But first things first.
Those who want to see the
Considerations For Growing Hay
For Competition, Quality
UNIVERSITY PARK,
Md. The key to raising award
winning hay is doing everything
right and having the fortune to
have cooperative weather, accord
ing to University of Maryland
'Extension hay specialist Lester
Vough.
Vough is not only a hay special
ist and researcher, but he has been
and is expected to return as the
judge of the Pennsylvania Hay
Show, held annually during Penn
State University’s Ag Progcss
Days, August 12-14 at Rockspr
ing, near State College.
The samples entered in the con
JONATHAN RUPERT
Product Development
Manager
Ampac Seed
Like most things in life, a
“Perfect Pasture” does not
seem to just drop out of the sky
into your field. Rather, it is a
result of seeking the best, aban
doning the comfortable, and
exploring the unknown.
Say what? Seek, abandon,
explore? What do these words
have to do with establishing a
perfect pasture?
To some, they are rather
Pennsylvania Forage & Grassland Council
Newsletter Section July 12, 1997
benefits of grazing and making
the change to grass-based
dairying must consider the
details. “The pasture has to be
treated like a crop as much as a
fellow treats com as a crop,” he
said.
Late last week, with the help
of his wife Caroline, Arden was
“making fence” in his field,
moving the rotational system so
cows could enjoy some fresh
grass.
The grass is a complex mix
of barcel fescue, fallopia festo-
test receive two reviews for
judgement
The first day, the entry samples
receive visual and other sensory
judgements. Vough looks for a
good green color, good odor, leafi
ness, texture, as well «hi Jaek-ef
steminess and foreign objects.
All the entries receive nutrition
al analysis and the results ate
reviewed by Vough and compared
with the first day’s judgement to
come up with the final results in
the three section, 30-class hay
competition.
Generally, Vough said, the
(Turn to Page 7)
scary words, especially to the
farmer who feels most com
fortable buying the same mix
that his father planted 20 years
ago ... (What’s in that mix,
anyway?)
If you want to improve your
pasture you must do something
different. For the only thing
that is going to fall out of the
sky and grow in your pastures
are weeds.
So how does a Pennsylvania
farmer get a perfect pasture?
Much of the quest begins with
(Turn to Page 6)
lium, and ryegrass with clover
mixed in. In some spots he has
been interseeding with orchard
grass and chicory. Paddocks are
arranged in segments measur
ing from three to 12 acres, and
are fenced depending on the
feeding rate of the cows.
Landis, president of the Lan
caster County Graziers, has
been leasing the farm since
1975 from Mrs. Lottie Stoner,
Quarryvillc.
The farm has always been a
dairy, according to Landis.
Landis manages about 140
acres at his Kirkwood farm. Of
the 140 acres, 125 arc in grass
and 15 are in woodland and
buildings.
Landis milks about 60 cows
(increasing to 65 this fall, he
said), predominantly Holstein,
about 25 percent registered and
the rest grade. Landis said an
additional 10 heifers will be
coming in next spring.
The dairyman tries to get as
many cows bred between May
25-July 25 as possible to calve
(Turn to Pago 2)
Popular Summer Pastime:
Entering A Hay Show
PAUL H. CRAIG
Dauphin County
Extension Agent
Although the weather this
year was not the greatest for
timely hay harvest, (when is it
ever ideal?), there was ample
opportunity for the production
of a lot of hay show quality for
ages.
Entering forage and grain
samples in county fairs, Ag
Progress Days, and Farm Show
can be an educational and fun
activity for all forage pro
ducers, young and old.
Most county fairs have agri
cultural departments that
award ribbons and cash incen
tives for participants. A few of
the larger shows will also pro
vide a forage analysis for each
entry.
Forages are entered in local
“Production Is not the driving force on this farm,”
said Arden Landis, a member of the Mount Joy
Cooperative, right. With him Is wife Caroline.
and state contests in many percentage of species in the
different classes. Unlike live- stand. An example would be a
stock shows, classes arc deter- 0 f alfalfa, clover, grasses
mined by forage species or frum to Page 4)
,luh 22
Penn State Agronomic Field
Diagnostic Clinic, Rockspr
ing Research Farm, 9 a.m.-4
Tour, Tim Kurtz, Kurtland
Farms, Elverson, 10
Tour, Aaron Stoltzfoos,
Welsh Vue Farm, Gap, 10
Waterman Learning Labor-
Tour, Samuel K. Glide, Leo-
Tour, Alvin J. Stoltzfus,
Paradise, 10 a.m.-noon DST.
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