Cooperators Honored By Frederick Soil Conservation District \ KAREN BUTLER Maryland Correspondent WOOOSBORO. Md. The Frederick Soil Conservation Dis trict held its annual cooperators banquet here at the Woods boro Activities Complex. Awards were presented to three farm families following a social hour and din ner. The cooperator of the year award is granted by the conserva tion district to a cooperator who has shown a continuing commit ment over a period of years to con servation of their land. Generally the cooperator has installed best management practices to limit soil erosion and improve water quality. This year Steve Cassis, Whis key Ridge Farm, was honored as cooperator of the year. Cassis rais es feeder cattle on his him near Libeitytown. He rotationally graz es about SO head on 12S acres. ‘Tm trying to plant warm sea son grasses to graze all year,” he explained. Cassis purchased his farm in 1988 and became a cooperator shortly thereafter. The cropland acreage on the farm had been en rolled in the CRP program by its previous owner, and is in perman ent cover. Almost '/ of a mile of Ling anore Creek borders and runs through the farm. Riparian buffers have been enhanced by fencing out the livestock. Troughs have been installed and are gravity fed by springs. The Raymond Keilholtz Mem orial award is granted each year to the cooperator who has installed the most effective variety of prac tices, accomplishing soil conser vation and improving water qual ity within a two-year time period. Winners of this year’s Ray mond Keilholta Memorial Award are James and Louise Ship and family, Teabow Inc. The Stups purchased their original home farm near Walkersville in 1965 and since that time have added three mote farms to their dairy operation. Jame Stup became a district cooperator in 1981. In 1995 Stup retired, but his wife Louise still keeps the books for the 400-cow dairy. Son James is farm manager, and his wife Terrie manages the calves. Daughter Melissa Jarvis manages the dairy, and her hus band Larry Jarvis Jr., is feed and breeding manager. Over the years Teabow, Inc. has established many conservation practices, including conservation tillage and crop rotation, grassed waterways, troughs, diversions, and an animal waste storage struc ture. They have implemented a nutrient management plan, fenced out a stream that runs through the farm, installed stream crossings to allow access to all pastures, and utilized fall cover crops. The Take Pride In Frederick County Award goes to a farm that has well-executed best manage ment practices installed with prop er maintenance. The conservation district is interested in overall ap pearance of the farm and the co High School Agricultural Education operator’s promotion of water quality practices. This year the Take Pride In Frederick County Award went to Larry and Judy Piggs, Leighcastle Holsteins. The Riggs purchased a farm in Union Bridge in 1987 and have expanded their operation to include 42S acres. They have grown the milking herd from SO cows to 130, and raise 100 re placement heifers. Judy is responsible for calf care. Franklin Burner, from whom the Riggs purchased the original hum, is employed on the farm and is re sponsible for the crops. Ted Wolfe also works for Leighcastle with their fertilizer program. The Riggs have four children; Christina Crum, Andy Riggs, Carolyn Riggs, and Chad Hylan. Leighcastle has installed a spring development and trough, 700 feet of subsurface drainage, an ag waste storage structure, 2,500 feet of fencing, and conser vation tillage and cropping sys tems. In 1993 they started using field strips to protect the soil from erosion. The Take Pride In Frederick County Award was pre sented by Dwight Dotterer, supervisor of the Frederick County Soil Conservation District, to Larry and Judy Riggs, Lelghcastle Holstelns. From the left are Dwight Dot terer, Judy and Larry Riggs, and Jesse Burall, chairman of the Frederick Soil Conservation District. Animal Housing Expo Nov. 18-19 NORTH CORNWALL (Leba non Co.) Northeast farmers can Icam more about how to remodel and expand their livestock, dairy, and poultry facilities at the sixth annual Animal Housing Expo, Nov. 18-19 here at the Lebanon Fairgrounds. The Expo is sponsored by Penn State Cooperative Extension and various agribusinesses. Hours arc 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is free. Designing and constructing ani mal housing facilities is a major financial commitment It is some thing that may farmers will do only once or twice in their fanning career. Thus, it should be done right the first time. The building and remodeling decisions farmers make today will have a significant impact on how competitive their business will be in the years to come. It will affect the health and productivity of their herd or flock, worker output, publ ic relations, cash flow, and farm profits. Farmers should take time to look at a lot of different facilities and talk to a lot of people before they make major remodeling and expansion decisions. The Animal Teabow, Inc. was honored with the Raymond E. Keilholtz Award. Roger Troxell, vice chairman of the Frederick Soli Conservation District, presented the award. From left to right are rear, Roger Troxell, Larry Jarvis Jr., Melissa Jarvis, Louise Stup, James Stup, Jimmy Stup, and Jesse Burall, chairman of the Frederick Soil Conserva tion district. Center row: Stephanie Jarvis, Crystal Stup. Front: Andrew Jarvis and Adam Stup. Housing Expo helps fanners in the Northeast accomplish this by pro viding them an opportunity to: > Visit with approximately 40 different commercial exhibitors who can supply the products and services they might need. • Hear presentations by nationally-known and local exper ts and producers. • Observe a variety of educa tional demonstrations and exhibits. • Share ideas with other farmers in attendance. This year's program features swine topics Nov. 18 and dairy topics Nov. 18-19. Primary speakers include John W. Ferry, a veterinarian and finan cial consultant from Belleville, N.Y. and Lany Jacobsen, agricul tural engineer from the University of Minnesota. Panels of dairy pro ducers will share their remodeling and expansion experiences. John Ferry’s presentations on Nov. 18 will focus on “Expansion Preparations” and “Planning the Expansion Project and Working the Plan.” On Nov. 19 he will focus on “Managing the New C. Ellis Hood, left, treasurer of ths Frederick Soli Conser vation District board, presented the Cooperator of the Year Award to Steve Cassis of Llbertytown. On the right Is Jesse Burall, chairman of the Frederick Soil Conservation district board. Facility” and “Getting the Best Performance Out of Your Two- Legged and Four-Legged Employees." Larry ‘Jacobsen’s presentation will focus on “Wean-to-Finish Production.” John Chapman of White Oak Mills will talk about “Three Site Swine Production” and “Finishing Swine on Your Dairy Farm." D.L. George from Hatfield Quality Meats will explain “The Autofom Carcass Payment Program,” and a panel of pork producers will share their BREAKING MILK RECORDS! Lancaster Farming Carries DHIA Reports Kach Month! thoughts and experiences. Producers who want to expand or remodel their facilities and become mote efficient, and agri business people who are interested in animal housing facilities and equipment should reserve the dates of Nov. 18-19 and make plans to attend. For more information about the Expo and about exhibit details, contact Expo Chairman Dan McFarland, Penn State Coopera tive Extension, York, (717) 840-7408. 2?
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