Vol. 42 NO. 41 Penn State Alumni Society Holds Meeting, Pasto Honored, Hayes At Government Day EVERETT NEWSWANGER Managing Editor ROCK SPRING (Centre Co.) - The new dean of Penn State’s Col lege of Agricultural Sciences. Dr. Robert Steele, gave his first college report; Dr. Jerry Pas to, founder and benefactor of the Pasto Agricultur al Museum, received an unex pected commendation in the form of a resolution, and Samuel Hayes, Jr., Pennsylvania agriculture sec retary, reiterated the Ridge Adminstration’s support for agri culture. These were among the noteworthy events at the College of Agricultural Sciences Alumni Soc iety’s annual meeting, and the Dr. Jerry Pasto, creator and benefactor of the Pasto Agri cultural Museum, received a resolution of honor from the board of directors of Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences Alumni Society at their annual meeting at Ag Progress Days. Leadman Daughter Champion At Kutztown Fair EVERETT NEWSWANGER Managing Editor KUTZTOWN (Berks Co.) - A tall Leadman daughter became the grand champion of the Kutztown Fair Holstein open show, Thurs day. Topping the five-year-old class, Daview Leadman Macy was shown by Erica Davis, Kutztown. The reserve grand champion was the first place dry cow, Reu-Hel Gabriel Surf shown by Trisha Geist, Mertztown. Both these champions were also top in the youth division. Four Sections Government Day luncheon held in the special events building at Ag Progress Days, Tuesday and Wednesday. At the Alumni Society’s meet ing Steele said, “This is my first experience at Ag Progress Days. I’m very impressed. We are grate ful for die alumni involvement and interest in the activities of the uni versity and college. The support of the alumni is so critical to the suc cess of what we do as a college. “Coming from Wisconsin, I noticed Pennsylvania is really rec ognized nationally and internation ally as one of the very best Look- (Turn to Page ASS) Jason Troutman, Mohrsville, had the junior champion of both the open and junior divisions with Reu-Hel Bellwood Oco-ET, a senior calf. The reserve junior champion in the open show was the intermediate calf owned by Philip Werley, Hamburg. The reserve junior champion in the youth divi sion was the junior calf owned by Jessica Luckenbille, Bemville. Both* the premier breeder and exhibitor went to Stumpland Farm, owned by John and Rita Stump, (Turn to Page A 26) Lancaster Farming, Saturday, August 16, 1997 The field demonstrations at Ag Progress Days provide a focal point for people to gather around to see competing machines do their work. Here the first field demon stration of the event Is held Tuesday morning with hay making equipment the star attraction. Photo by Everett Newewanger, managing editor. Precision Ag Tools Very Precise, Perhaps Practical VERNON ACHENBACH JR. Lancaster Farming Staff ROCKSPRING (Centre Co.) “Just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should,” is one of the recommen dations from Penn State research ers working to understand the application and relevance of “pre cision agriculture” equipment for Pennsylvania farmers. Penn State researchers and extension staff presented an over Research Indicates Planting Depth Crucial To Good Corn Stands ANDY ANDREWS Lancaster Farming Staff ROCKSPRING (Centre Co.) — Whether there’s a drought in store for the season or not, com growers should know the proper seed plant ing depth. If they don’t, there could be big variations in standability and yield. Penn State studies prove true, even during a drought, an old rule of thumb: if planting com early, choose a shallower depth. If planting late, plant deeper. For com planted only a week before Ag Progress Days, the “worst stands came from com planted too shallow,” said Mark Anile, research technician with Penn State’s Department of Agronomy. Antle reviewed some of the work on a demonstration test plot Wednesday in front of the Crops and Soils Tent at this year’s Ag Progress Days. The plot size, measuring 6 rows view and explanation on the equip ment and how it is used and what it can do, this week during Ag Prog ress Days at the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center in Rockspring. What they weren’t able to explain was how the equipment and approach to farming benefits the average Pennsylvania farmer. But, the location and data col lection equipment, as well as the software programs that can con- at IS feet long, studied six diffe rent planting depths, ranging from one-half inch to 2'A inches. Com used was Pioneer 3S2S, a 105-day medium-season variety using a no till, two-row com planter. Antle indicated the effects of planting this late in the season and compared the stands. It was clear that the best row was planted at approximately 2'A inches. The test proved that growers “need to check planting depth carefully,” Antle said. Growers need to adjust planting depth to time of planting and be careful not to plant too deeply or too shallowly. The reason? Early plantings require warmth, and the moisture is usually readily available near the surface. Com needs ready access to moisture. Late in the season, too shallow planting depths deny access of the seed to moisture. This year proved especially challenging for growers who were $28.50 Per Year vert the data into color computer maps with the ability to overlay maps for comparisons, has been used by Midwestern farmers for some time and by commercial crop variety researchers. The question of whether it has practical application for the Pen nsylvania farmer remains to be seen. That is because the difference between using the precision agri- (Turn to Page A2B) trying to get the crop in while temperatures remained cool and in between rains. In many parts of the state, the season is short enough. Depending on soil type and land layout, Antle has seen some grow ers who planted shallowly early on into cool, wet soil and, as a result, com stands varied greatly. At planting time for the test plot early last week, conditions were hot, bu f rain arrived promptly and the com “came up real fast,” Antle indicated. Growers need to “get off the tractor and take a look” at how deep the planter is putting down the com. “Don’t go on the settings you made last year to the planter. Pig around, scratch around,” he said, to see planting depth fre quently when planting. Antle noted that growers also need to properly fine-tune the planter and make adjustments as necessary. 601 Per Copi f
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