D2B-Lahcaster Fanning, Saturday, March 21, 1998
Timothy Elkner, Penn
Stat« Cooperative
Extension, Lancaster
County
Last month I talked about ways
you could consider marketing your
vegetable and fruit crops. This
month I'd like to continue in the
area of crop sales by discussing
produce quality. I know that we
can produce top quality fruits and
vegetables here in the county but
unfortunately I don't always see
top quality at the point of sale
More than ever before you
need to be marketing only the
highest quality produce in order to
get the highest prices for your
Ridge Administration
Awards Grants
For Youth
HARRISBURG (Dauphin Co.) On behalf of Gov. Tom
Ridge, Agriculture Secretary Samuel E. Hayes Jr. announced
that 24 youth organizations have been selected to receive a total
of $57,551 through the Agricultural and Rural Youth Organiza
tion Giant Program.
“Gov. Ridge and I are pleased to present these grants which
support our agricultural youth and help to ensure that Pennsylva
nia’s strong agricultural tradition is continued for generations to
come,” Hayes said. “The Agricultural and Rural Youth Grant
Board chose the winning projects from 64 submitted applica
tions based on he each would impact the greatest number of
youth and best utilize existing or volunteer resources.”
The program, started in 1991, allows agriculture youth or
ganizations to apply for direct grants up to $2,500 to fund educa
tional projects, programs and seminars. This year’s grants will
fund programs ranging from 4-H camps and educational trips, to
a county food-safety program.
Grant recipients were selected by a board comprised of repre
sentatives from die departments of Agriculture and Education;
the Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association; 4-H; FFA; voca
tional agriculture teachers; Penn State Cooperative Extension;
Pennsylvania State Grange; Pennsylvania Council of Coopera
tives Representatives; and members of the state General Assem
bly.
Following are recipients of this year’s grants, listed by county:
• Beaver Blackhawk FFA, Beaver Falls, $2,213 to provide
equipment for the production of redworms to process organic
waste.
• Berts: Kutztown High School FFA, Kutztown, $2,495 to
provide an environmental learning lab related to wildlife habitat,
water quality and soil conservation for students in elementary,
junior and senior high schools
• Bucks: Warminster 4-H Club, Doyles town, $2,500 to pro
vide a field, bam and pasture for a gardening and livestock pro
gram for suburban youth.
• Cambria: Pennsylvania Council of Cooperatives (PCC), Pa
tton, $2,500 to provide for PCC’s 1998 four-day summer youth
institute at Shippensburg University.
• Centre: State College Little Lions FFA, State College.
to provide a mobile resource center for food and fiber
along with pilot Ag Science Academics one-day
camps.
• Columbia: Columbia-Montour A.V.T.S.. Bloomsburg,
$2,500 to provide a “Horticulture, a Growing Experience” pro
gram for third and fourth graders.
• Cumberland; 4-H Development Fund, Carlisle, $2,500 to
provide a three-day Agricultural Science Camp; and Shippens
burg High School FFA, to provide a workshop/instruc
tion program to properly train individuals to enter and excel in
the commercial and dairy farm business.
• Delaware: 4-H, Springfield, $2,500 to provide an Ag in the
Classroom project
• Franklin: 4-H Development Fund Committee, Chambers
burg, $2,500 to develop an Ag Learning Center.
fruits and vegetables. I expect
that this year we may have a very
tight market due to more produc
ers. With milk prices still fluctu
ating and tobacco prices off, many
people may look to fruits and
vegetables as alternate crops to re
place income from those areas. In
addition. I'm always receiving
calls from "gentlemen" farmers, or
people with small farms who are
looking for ways to make money
from their land
These part-time fanners are
usually considering growing some
type of vegetable, most frequently
sweet corn or pumpkins. All of
these producers mean that you are
going to have to distinguish your
prodr.c from everyone else's. But
how?
The two options you have are
to grow something that few, if
any other people are producing lo
cally or to consistently sell only
the highest quality produce. The
first option is probably going to
require more effort because you
may have to develop the market
for that new type of fruit or vege
table.
If you have the time and desire
to do this then you may be able to
develop a successful niche market
for the new crop and enjoy the
benefits of reduced competition.
However, I expect that the major
ity of growers are going to be
more successful by improving the
quality of the produce they mar
ket.
There are many factors that
control the quality of a fruit or
vegetable when it is sold. Stress
from weather conditions, insects,
and diseases as well as cultural
practices influence quality before
you even enter the field to harvest.
While most weather conditions are
beyond our control, drought stress
can be relieved by using irriga
tion.
All fresh market vegetable pro
ducers should have an irrigation
SEE ONE OF THESE DEALERS FOR A DEMONSTRATION:
CARROLL’S DEER CREEK ELDER SALES &
EQUIPMENT EQUIPMENT. INC. SERVICE INC
Route 235 Ontord PA Sloneboro, PA
Dimeron, MD 610-932-8851 412-376-3390
301-672-5553
ADAMSTOWN
EQUIPMENT, INC.
Adamstown, PA
717-4 M-4391
BARTRON
SUPPLY, INC.
Tunkhannock, PA
717-836-4011
CARLYLE &
MARTIN, INC.
Hagerstown, MD
301-733-1873
NEW 7810 and 7710 Tractors
give you 50 percent torque rise
New 8.1-liter Power Tech™ engines deliver fire-breathing torque
New piston design delivers more power,
Larger crankshaft, rods, and bearings ensure strength.
Turbocharger matched to increased power.
Choice of two transmissions.
New reverser with left-hand lever for 16-speed
PowrQuad IM transmission.
New comfort with more cab ventilation and cooling.
system in order to produce a top
quality crop. The main way to
control excess moisture is to se
lect the best fields for fruit and
vegetable production and to put
crops that tolerate more water
such as corn on your low areas.
Damage from diseases and insects
is controlled by applying labeled
compounds when needed. Be sure
to closely monitor your crop so
that you are not applying the ma
terials too early or too late.
Cultural practices include se
lecting a variety adapted to your
marketing method and proper fer
tility management. Variety selec
tion is very important because
you do not want to be selling
processing vegetables in a fresh
market.
Fresh market varieties will
usually be softer and store for
shorter periods of time but the eat
ing quality will be higher. Fertil
ity management will also influ
ence quality and storability of pro
duce. Excess nitrogen will reduce
yields, quality, and storability.
Deficiencies of any other nu
trient will also result in decreased
yields and quality. Use regular soil
tests to monitor soil nutrient lev
els and carefully monitor nitrogen
applications during the growing
season.
CLUGSTON AG
& TURF, INC.
Chambersburg, PA
717-263-4103
DEER CREEK
EQUIPMENT, INC.
720 Wheeler School Rd
Whiteford, MO
410-452-5252
JOHN DEERE
'ML
DEERFIELD AG & FINCH SERVICES
TURF CENTERING. HANOVER INC
717*3*3557 H«nov«r, PA
717*632*2345
DUNKLE &
GRIEB INC.
Centra Hall. PA
814*364*1421
DUNKLE &
GRIEB INC.
m\ Hiu. pa
717-726-3115
Many growers do a good job
with the field portion of crop pro
duction but then destroy some of
that quality during harvest and
handling. Always start by harvest
ing the crop, whether fruit or
vegetable, at the best maturity for
your intended market. If your pro
duce will be consumed shortly af
ter harvest, why harvest it early?
Let the crop stay in the field
until it reaches peak eating quality
and then harvest. In that way your
fruit will be sweeter and your
vegetables will taste better as
well. If your crop will be shipped,
leaving it in the field until it is
very mature will result in over
mature produce at the point of
sale.
For shipping produce, you
need to harvest the crop before
you would for immediate con
sumption and thus some potential
quality is lost. However, this pro
duce has to be able to stand-up to
the rigors of transport and still be
in good condition when it reaches
the consumer.
But why do so many growers
harvest fruit that will be con
sumed rapidly and transported very
short distances like it will stored
for long periods of time? I've seen
lots of "green" produce on the
market, especially fruit.
GREENUNE SUPPLY, NC.
Unlontown, PA
412-439-1234
A.B.C. GROFF, INC.
New Holland PA
717-354-4191
GUTSHALLS INC,
RD #2 Box 74-A
Loysvllla, PA
717-789-4343
GUTSHALLS INC.
Cartltl*. PA
717-249-2313
K & W
EQUIPMENT INC.
502 Clement* St
Moorefield, WV 26836
304-538-6003
LANDIS BROS. INI
Rt 283 & Rt 772
2710 Mt Joyßd
Manheim, PA 17545
717*653*2340