Page 12—Foraging Around, Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 11, 1998
Nazareth
To
(Continued from Pago 4)
although Eiebe. - is using plastic twine
to see how it works.
“In two days I can make hay, bale it,
and dry it,” said Bieber. “I’ve already
baled hay at 8 in the morning when it
was cloudy and wet.” B.des as high as
40 percent moisture have been dried.
“But we got the hay and the hay was
beautiful,” he said.
The important factor, noted Bieber,
is to ensure the hay is baled with the
leaves on it. The nutrients in the leaves
are essential for livestock the pro
tein content is improved.
Bieber said he got the ideas off
“other fellows with driers,” he said. “I
combined these ideas in one design.
But mine is more efficient than the
others.”
Other driers use about six gallons of
oil per hour, but Bieber improved the
drier’s efficiency. Now he can dry hay
at a cost of 32-40 cents per bale.
Bieber has about 12-15 customers
for hay, including horse and goat far
mers. He has clients from as far away
as ’’hiladelphia and in New Jersey.
One client lives about 15-20 minutes
away from New York City.
Bieber delivers about 10,000 bales
of hay per year. The bigger customers
purchase about 800 bales at any one
time. “I have another who wants 1,500
bales,” said Bieber.
Bieber has a machine shop at the
farm and has custom-built hay wagons
measuring 8 by 14, with a, false back
ing to allow the handling of pallets.
The wagon’s sides are made of 1-inch
black iron pipe and are removable.
Bieber farms with Dennis Newhard,
and Dennis’s son, Douglas. Bieber
hopes that Dennis would take over the
farm someday.
For information about the care of the
hay acres, Bieber relies on the Lehigh
Valley Crop Management Association
to take soil samples and scout the fields
for insect, weed, and disease pressures.
Bieber attributed a lot of good infor
mation he picked up from the associa
tion and from Penn State to ensure the
success of his hay drying operation.
Bieber’s management of the crops is
just as efficient.
The hot air furnace takes In hot air from a connected structure and Is taken through a “trench”
neath an 8-foot by 8-foot by 38-foot precast concrete-walled structure with an open roof. Here,
inspects the trench with his dog, Mitze.
Farmer Learns That Drying Can Lead
Some Really Great Bales Of Hay
Bleber delivers about 10,000 bales of hay per year. The bigger customers purchase about 800 bales at
any one time. “I have another who wants 1,500 bales,” said Bieber.
Bieber apphes a dry fertilizer,
6-32-22, in early spring. The soil tests
low for phosphorous and potash. After
the first cutting, the fields are sprayed
with a 10-20-10 fertilizer if they need
it, about three gallons per acre and then
the same amount after every cutting.
For weed control, Bieber relies on
Velspar for broadleaf and grass con
trol. They “try to get out in the early
spring,” said Bieber, but unsettled and
almost constantly wet conditions kept
them out of the fields for some time in
the spring. The material had to be
applied with a 35-foot boom sprayer
late in the spring.
Insects particularly alfalfa leaf
hopper and alfalfa weevil—are moni
tored ihTt'igh the association. They
spray when insect challenges dictate.
First cutting occurred May 10 and
continued through into June. The farm
makes hay until late October and the
beginning of November.
The problems faced this year, with a
wet, cool spring, included stunting.
The hay “went oo ,vn from all the mois-
hay,” says Bieber as he lifts a bale of alfalfa-orchardgrass back onto a
pallet. But the Nazareth-area crops farmer points out that how hay is
baled and dried down can alter the product’s price substantially.
ture,” Bieber said, and browned out.
Bieber said some of the evidence of the
browning out from lack of sunlight
showed up in some alfalfa bales.
However, the orchardgrass “looked
perfect this year,” he said.
Bieber hopes to acquire additional
leased acres—about another 30-40
to add to his haymaking operation. He
would continue with a 50-50 balance
of pure alfalfa and the orchardgrass
alfalfa combinations.
For the alfalfa, Bieberused different
varieties, including Doeblers,' Beech
Hardy, and AgriPro. For the first time,
he used a special leafhopper-resistant
variety from AgriPro and an
orchardgrass-alfalfa mix from P.L.
Rohrer. He’s also using a Tekapo
orchardgrass this year on one field.
Each year Bieber brings samples of
his work to the Ag Progress Hay Show
during Ag Progress Days in Rockspr
ing, scheduled Aug. 18-20 this year.
This is the seventh year he has entered
the contest.
Bieber fanns with his wife, Velma.
He has been a member of the Pennsyl
vania Forage and Grassland Council
for about seven years.
under-
Bleber