When Roy Crow left home in 1974 to attend University of Maryland, his father dispersed the farm’s dairy herd. So when the young fanner from Kennedyville, Md., decided to go back to the farm after graduating, he had to start his herd from scratch. Not to be deterred, he started by buying 23 of his father’s heifers. At the end of 1978, he owned 35 cows, 20 heifers and a Farm Cre dit Loan. Feed and facilities at the home farm were first leased for SO per cent of the milk check plus his helping hand with cropping opera tions. After dairying for four years, he started purchasing used equipment, and in 1987 began tenting the entire Kent County farming operation. Today’s operation. Caw-Croft Holsteins is a 450-acre operation with 130 acres of mostly cropland owned and 235 acres leased from his family trust With one hired employee and family help. Crow milks 70 cows, averaging close to 23,700 pounds, using a pipeline miUting system. Milk is shipped to Land-O-Lakes. Over the years, longevity and pedigrees were bred in via artifi cial insemination to where he now sells purebred animals domesti cally and abroad, and is a recog nized Holstein breeder. NFO Meeting Set PLUMSTEADVILLE (Bucks Co.) The 32 annual meeting of the Bucks County National Far mers Organization will be Satur day night, March 28,1998, in the Plumsteadvilte Fire Hall. Starting time is 7 p.m. New Master Farmer Named This farm’s equipment costs are low; all equipment is kept well maintained and shedded when not in use. The newest tractor is al most 10 years old. Average per-acte crop yields on this farm are: 140-bushel com, 22-lon com silage, 49-bushel full season soybeans. 35-bushel doublecrap soybeans, 105-bushel barley and 75-bushel wheat. Crow does his own planting and haying. But he custom-hires com, wheat, barley and soybean har vesting, plus com silage chopping. “What took us two to three weeks is now done in three days,” he notes. “Now, we have no dips in milk production due to silage changes from one silo to another.” Relies on expert help. Crow strongly believes in relying on ex pert help. He readily credits his employee for his cow manage ment skills. His veterinary and feed com pany keep him informed of new products and technologies on the dairy side. He works with a local fertilizer company on a nutrient management plan involving test ing manure and soils in all fields. “Good relationships with these people are as important to our suc cess as well as theirs,” notes Crow. Land’s caretaker. Crow’s home faim was tilled by his great- George Donnon, a Maryland fanner and promoter of ARMPPA, will be the speaker. The cost for tickets is $14.00. For reservations call William Garges at (215) 348-5514. Deadline for reserva tions is Saturday, March 21. (Continued from last week) Roy William Crow grandfather in the early 1900 s. Four generations later, “Now it’s my turn,” notes Roy. “As a farm er. I’m just a caretaker of what God created. My responsibility is to preserve the land for future generations to enjoy.” Is expansion in the future? “Our choice is to not get bigger. We’ll continue to make changes that make the operation easier to run," he says. “But to size-up, that’s the next generation’s decision.” The personal side. Roy and wife Elizabeth (Sue) devote much of their non-farming time to their three teen-agers. Karl. Robert and Roy (RJ.). “We spend as much time with them as we can, and provide the best education possi ble,” notes Sue. That involvement for Roy has included being a coach and referee for youth bas ketball teams and hosting school tours of the farm. Crow has served on two com mittees urging development of a new comprehensive plan for Kent County. Among many other acti vities, he’s been a delegate of At lantic Dairy Co-op, a director of Kent County Farm Bureau, and in 1996 was one of four outstanding young farmers honored by the Na tional Junior Chamber of Com merce. rnsm MFG. CORP. 390 Series ROLL-A-WAY CONVEYOR , 1C Z/yQjfy Useful For Conveying ' Ear Corn, Bulk Feeds, Small Grains, &*Silage or Manure A Full Line Of Exhaust Fans I Including Efficient Belt Drive Units With Housing & Shutter *W JPPf 24 ’ 3o "’ 36 ” and 48 Check our inventory of trailers currently in stock, ready to go. RT and FRT Series Trailers Avail; We Also Build Other Models, Sizes, i Zimmerman Custom 125 King Court/ Hollander Rd. New Holland, PA 17557 (717) 354-9611 A Versatile Economical Elevator For Bales WELL BALANCED, RUGGEDLY BUILT FOR MANY YEARS OF TROUBLE FREE SERVICE ZIMMERMAN HEAVY DUTY HAY TEDDER - 790 SERIES Increases hay crop value with faster drying ,ime - ZIMMERMAN WAGON GEAR RUGGED HEAVY DUTY MODELS 6,8,10 & 12 TANDEM Built Utility Trailers FRT SERIES ible In 5000# thru 12,000# GVW md Capacities. Call For Information Contact Ls For Literature Or I lie Dealer Nearest You! 880 SERIES AND
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