C2-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, August 8, 1998
COLUMBUS, Ohio Ex
tremely rainy weather in some
parts of Ohio may be pressuring
farmers to store hay that is still
wet, a dangerous situation that can
cause bam fires, said Ohio State
University specialists.
Bam fires in west-central Ohio
resulted in losses of property and
livestock this summer, apparently
after wet, stored hay burst into
flames from spontaneous combus
tion. In another case, a fire erupted
when an electrical spark ignited
hay dust
The most common cause of hay
fires is when the crop is stored
wet causing microbial action that
can generate internal bale tern-
Endorse
Proposal
ARDEN HILLS, Minn.
Members of the Land O’Lakes
and Countrymark Co-op boards of
directors have strongly endorsed
and unanimously approved a pro
posal to unify a majority of the co
operatives’ farm supply business
es.
The plan will be pre
sented to members of
both organizations for
their approval.
“Throughout our dis
cussions with Land
O’Lakes we have care
fully considered ways
by which we might pro
vide greater, long-term
value for Countrymark
Co-op members
through an expanded
cooperative system. We
have focused on the
strengths of our respec
tive businesses, which
together will stretch
from coast to coast, and
we believe the proposed
unification will benefit
our combined member
ship,” said Jeff Stro
burg, president of
Countrymark Co-op.
Jack Gherty, presi
dent and chief executive
officer of Land
O’Lakes, said, “Com
bining businesses witih
Countrymark Co-op is
an important strategic
step for Land O’Lakes.
As a 77-year-old market
driven cooperative, our
history reflects many
unifications that have
shaped and molded and
enhanced this organiza
tion. With the boards’
support and member ap
proval, this unification
will move Land
O’Lakes into the east
ern com belt region,
add important critical
mass to our system and
strengthen our core
feed, seed and agro
nomy businesses.
The two cooperatives
will provide members
with comprehensice in
formation on the pro
posed unification prior
to member- voting,
which will take place
during August. If ap
proved, it is expected
the unification would be
implemented October 1,
1998.
Wet Hay Can Cause Ohio Barn Fires
peratures well above ISO degrees,
said forage agronomist Mark Sule,
Ohio State University.
“After a certain point of heating
from the mold growth, other
chemical reactions begin to take
place, and it raises the heat to a
point where the hay can bum,”
Sule said.
In general, hay is considered
100 wet for storage if moisture lev
els are higher than 20 percent in
small rectangular bales, higher
than 18 percent in large round
bales, and higher than 16 percent
in large square bales.
To be sure, farmers can use
one of a number of commercial
moisture sensors and probes to
test hay for moisture content,
Sule said. These sensors are
most accurate when put into the
bale while it is in the baler
chamber. A farmer can also use
a microwave oven to determine
moisture content Refer to Ohio
State FACT Sheet AGF-004-90,
Using a Microwave Oven to
Determine Forage Moisture,”
also available online at (http;//
ohioline.ag.ohio-state.edu/agf-fa
ct/agf-004.html).
However, the persistence of
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MARYLAND
Dameron
Carroll's Equipment
Hagerstown
Carlyle & Martin, Inc.
Whiteford
Deer Creek Equipment, Inc
NEW JERSEY
Elmer
Pole Tavern
Equipment Sales Corp
rainy weather in some parts of the
state are giving farmers limited
choices when they harvest the
crop this year, Sule said. “In some
places great hay is being made,
while other places are getting
rained on a lot.”
One tactic is to use chemical
drying agents that can speed up
the drying of legume hay, espe
cially during the summer months,
Sule said. These chemicals are ap
plied to the crop stand as it is be
ing mowed, he said.
Another tactic is to use hay pre
servatives that allow hay to be la
beled at higher moisture content
without excessive storage losses,
Sule said. A sensor on haymaking
equipment can efficiently regulate
the application rate according to
the moisture level of the hay dur
ing harvest A uniform coverage is
essential, he said. However, pre
servatives are not effective on hay
with moisture levels above 30 per
cent
If equipment is available, the
fanner might think about using al
ternative harvesting methods for
high-moisture hay. “Under poor
diying conditions, put it up as hay
lage or baleage," Sule said.
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PENNSYLVANIA
Adamstown
Adamstown Equipment, Inc
Allentown
Lehigh Ag Equipment, Inc.
Belleville
Miller-Lake, Inc.
Biglervllle
O.C, Rice, Inc.
Carlisle
Cutshalls, Inc
Centre Hall
Dunkle & Gneb, Inc
Chambersburg
Clugston Ag & Turf, Inc
Falrmount City
Miller's Equipment
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about the hottest financing offers -
available now through August 31, 1998.
Halifax
Tobias Equipment Co., Inc,
Hanover
Finch Services-Hanover, Inc,
Lancaster
Landis Brothers, Inc.
Lebanon
Landis Brothers, Inc
Loysvllle
Cutshalls, Inc.
Martlnsburg
Wineland Equipment, Inc
Mercersburg
Smith's Implements, Inc
Mill Hall
Dunkle & Gneb, Inc
New Holland
A.B.C. Groff, Inc
“These are other options to go to
during periods when only a one- to
two-day wilting period is possi
ble.”
In addition to wet hay, fires can
be caused when an outside source,
such as an electrical spark, sets off
high levels of hay dust in the air,
said agricultural engineer Rick
Stowell, Ohio State University.
These conditions are similar to
those that cause grain elevator ex
plosions. However, these kind of
fires are less frequent than those
caused by wet hay.
Modern farm buildings are con-
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SREAD LANCASTER FARMING'S I
ADVERTISING TO FIND ALL I
YOUR NEEDS! J
New Alexandria
Lone Maple Sales & Serv., Inc.
Oakland Mills
Lost Creek Implement, Inc.
Oley
Pikeville Equipment, Inc.
Red Lion
Waltemyer's Sales & Serv,, Inc
Somerset
Scheffel Equipment Company
Stoneboro
Elder Sales & Service, Inc
Towanda
S.P.E., Inc.
Tunkhannock
Bartron Supply, Inc
Uniontown
Creenlme Supply, Inc,
strutted of metal roofing and sid
ing, but that should not lull farm
ers into thinking they are any more
fireproof than traditional wooden
structures. Stowell said. “Once A
bam fire gets started, it’s very
hard to contain,” he said.
Farmers can also limit the po
tential damage of a fire by plan
ning in advance. Stowell said.
New buildings should not be at
tached to existing structures un
less absolutely necessary. The se
paration of structures keeps a po
tential fire confined to a single
building.
Watsontown
Deerfield Ag & Turf Center, Inc,
West Chester
MS. Yearsley 6t Sons, Inc.
WEST VIRGINIA
Moorefleld
K & W Equipment, Inc.
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