A2O-Uncsstw Fanning. Saturday, Octotwr 31.1998
(Continued from Pag* A 1)
com and soybeans.
Recendy the Bishops finished
work for the Deep Run Mennonite
Church East on an annual fundrais
ing project. At the same time they
were busy making final arrange
ments to preserve their own farm
so they can purchase additional
acreage on a neighboring farm.
The farm is located on mod
erately sloping topography adja
cent to a tributary of the north
branch of the Ncshaminy Creek.
The slopes are a challenge not
only to contain erosion but to
ensure the quality of the surface
water that feeds into the north
branch and is used for drinking.
Last fall David installed a stabil
ized agricultural waterway cross
ing at a cost of $350 (he saved by
using inexpensive and sometimes
free items). The crossings protect
the New Glena part of the Nesha
miny watershed. A month ago he
installed another crossing to pro
tect the streams on his property
from livestock damage. A bar
nyard runoff control plan was
implemented two years ago.
Bishop has also installed rain
gutter runoff control system,
directed away from the barnyard.
In addition, runoff water from the
rest of the barnyard is directed
through a picket fence to filter sol
ids and then to a fenced off grass
filter area to treat liquids.
A manure facility a concrete
pad built in 1970 is used to store
manure over winter and spread fol
lowing a nutrient management
plan. From spring to fall Bishop
spreads the manure on a daily
basis. He noted that because of
concerns about the neighbors over
odors caused by stirring the man
ure, he spreads daily.
The Bishops farm 560 acres,
including rented ground. The
home farm encompasses about 37
tillable acres the rest is pasture,
according to David. Bishop pur
chased the herd from his father in
1988. In 1990 David purchased his
way out of the partnership and
owns the farm.
George Bishop started the farm
with a herd of registered Ayrshires
and gradually switched to regis
tered Holsteins. David said his
grandfather, Walter, at one time
maintained a herd completely
made up of colored breeds. George
Bishop had chickens and cows
about 2,500 layers and broilers and
about 58 cows. At one time, they
also boarded hogs.
In 1982, a heifer bam and two
silos were installed. Additional
silos were installed in 1984.
In 199'), the farm maintained
more thai 100 cows. Now they are
milking rbout 120 cows with an
additional 120 calves. The farm,
on Pa.DHIA, averages 25,700
pounds. They milk ticstall to pipe
line twice daily. The 1997 Master
Farmers are members of the Land
O’Lakcs Cooperative.
The Bishops manage about 210
acres of com, 100 acres of soy
beans (which are roasted), 45 acres
UNIVERSITY PARK (Centre
Co.) Lawrence Muller, profes
sor of dairy science in Penn
State’s College of Agricultural
Sciences, was elected president
of the American Dairy Science
Association (ADSA) for its 1998-
99 term at its recent meetings in
Denver, Colo.
Flood, Erosion Control Vital
To Conservation Award Winners
of wheat (for straw), and about 65
acres of alfalfa/rye and
orchardgrass/timothy.
Additional acres are in clover
and grass mixes. Most of the com
acres was in no-till. Much of the
remaining acres are in a rotational
ly grazed pasture system.
According to the NRCS, Bishop
uses a rotational grazing system on
all of his pastures to maximize
their feeding potential. Woodlots
are selectively cut and dead or dis
eased trees arc removed as part of
his regular forestry management
plan.
The toughest challenge has been
dealing with stormwater on the
farm. David noted that much of the
farmland, particularly north and
upslope from the farm, has been
lost to development A huge shop
ping center with a lot of macadam,
according to Sharon, was installed.
Before the shopping center, built at
Plumstcadvillc in 1986, the
Bishops didn’t have to contend
with floods. Also, the housing
boom in the mid to late 1980 s also
increased the water coming
downslopc through their farm.
The biggest accomplishment,
according to the Bishops, has been
preserving their own farm to
purchase bordering acreage. Set
tlement on 37 acres and a house
and bam is set to take place early
next month.
Sharon noted the farm’s goal is
to include owning more land base
for the existing farm to ensure its
survival.
A reason for owning more land,
David noted, was simply to pro
vide space between his farm and
development. In one bam, the
dairy sanitizer is activated at 3:30
a.m. the sound it makes could
concern neighbors. The additional
land will provide that space, as
well as additional cropland acres
for feed.
The Bishops farm with their
son, Josh, 14, in the Bth grade at
Holicong Middle School in
Mechanicsville and daughter
Nicole, 11, in the 6th grade at Gay
man Elementary School in Dan
boro. The family members are
active participants in the 4-H Dairy
Club and the family “leases” Hols
tein calves to other 4-H members,
according to the extension office.
They also have a full-time employ
ee, Mike Lapslcy. They also have
some part-time help from Wes
DeNato and Ruthann Moyer.
George Bishop helps with the
feeding.
They also show during the All
American in Harrisburg and at the
Middletown Grange Fair in
August. The Bishops also compete
at the Southeast District Show, a
prelude to All American.
In the future, Sharon said that
son Josh has plans to increase the
size of the dairy to 200 cows and
perhaps install a carousel milker.
David noted that Josh is “all fired
up” with plans for the farm in the
years ahead.
A Penn State faculty member
since 1976, Muller has taught
courses in dairy nutrition and
management, advised students
and co-advised the Penn State
Dairy Science Club, a student
organization.
His research has focused on
dairy nutrition and manage-
In 1991, pipes to allow flows to pass through the original channel but route exces
sive flows around the buildings and back into the original stream below the farm were
installed with the help of the organization formerly known as the Soil Conservation
Service (now Natural Resource Conservation Service or NRCS). Cost for the pipe sys
tem: about $6,700, including engineering fees, said David.
Runoff water from the rest of the barnyard is directed through a picket fence to filter
solids and then to a fenced off grass filter area to treat liquids.
Dr. Muller/ADSA President
ment, with recent studies
emphasizing dairy cattle graz
ing systems.
He has been a member of
ADSA for more than 30 years
and has served on 15 different
association committees. He pre
viously completed a three-year
term as ADSA director and
A manure facility a concrete pad built in 1970 is used to store manure over
winter and spread following a nutrient management plan.
served as vice-president during
1997-98.
ADSA is a scientific and edu
cational association that pro
vides research and teaching sup
port to the dairy industry in the
United States and internation
ally.
The association has more
than 5,600 members, including
1,000 institutional members and
nearly 800 international mem
bers from more than 40 coun
tries. It publishes the monthly
Journal of Dairy Science.