A22-C«ncaster Farming, Saturday, November 20, 1999
*Winter Woes ’ Don’t
Distract Kile Turkey Farm
(Continued from Pag* At)
But ongoing challenges to pre
serve the farm’s water quality and
to provide the best turkeys at table
carving season continues at the
farm.
Jeff, a 1976 graduate of Cones
toga Valley High School, grew up
working for the Levi Hertzog farm
near Bareville. Jeff said he enjoyed
doing a lot of different types of job
for Hertzog, including fieldwork
and other chores.
“I enjoyed growing up and
spending time there," he said. “But
I also enjoy being at home. I was
always looking to do something
like this.”
Jeff began thinking about
becoming a turkey farmer after
delivering fuel to Nelson Fitz in
York County. Then, after the deci
sion was made, Jeff and Diane
considered purchasing a farm in
Port Royal, but turned it down
because of the renovation work
required. They then examined the
work of the Junkins farm near Wil
low Hill, a tom turkey grower.
Not long after, land owned by
Leon Fisher went for sale near
New Providence. Jeff and Diane
sold the house nearby (which Jeff
built from scratch over a three-year
period in the 1980 s) to Jeffs
parents. Bill and Eleanor. The
Out* Qualify Shows We Built
H Construction
430 Spnngville Road, Ephrata, PA 17522
717-738-2142 • 1-(800)-874-7531 • 1-(800)-TRIPLE-1
Custom Builders of Dairy, Horse, Storage, Residential & Commercial Buildings
Kites purchased the Fisher land
upon which the farm stands.
Kile, who began growing turk
eys in August 1994, manages 35
acres (which ate tented out to local
operators). The farm maintains
21,000 turkeys every nine weeks
for a total of 120,000 per year for
Wampler Foods, New Oxford.
There are two houses. Each
house is composed of a brooder
area, where the poults arc brought
in, and a finishing area. The areas
are separated by a small mainte
nance room.
Recently turkeys were shipped
for market during the holidays.
They receive BUTs or Hybrid
poults that are about 24-36 hours
old. The poults are obtained from
Wampler or Cuddy Farms in Ohio
or Virginia. Pine shavings are also
brought in, spread out, and card
board circles are made to keep the
poults at the brooder stoves. Feed
pans ate placed in for the young
birds.
The poults are fed crumbs, or
mush, from Wenger’s Feed. The
feed consists of grain products,
plant products, vitamins, minerals,
and plant protein.
In the first two to three days, Jeff
noted, he is out there every two to
three hours checking up on the
turds, ensuring they are healthy
and have proper feed and water.
Kreider Dairy Farm, Manheim, PA (Lancaster Co*)
Frey Daily Farms, Conestoga, PA (Lancaster Co*)
A new nitrate removal system
was installed for the water supply
recently. "There’s nothing like
good water," Jeff said.
After the fifth or sixth day, the
cardboard circles are removed and
the auto feeders arc lowered. The
birds remain on the autofeed
equipment until about 5-6 weeks
It 00-Cow Freestall
560-Cow Freestall Bam & Milking Center
The Kile family prepares for the holiday season at their New Providence Farm. From
left, LeAnne, Diane, Christine, and Jeff Kile. Photo by Andy Andrews
tarn & Milking Center
and are moved to the back portion
of the houses in an area measuring
400 feet long by SO feet wide.
Wampler is concerned that the
houses are biosecure. They are
locked always. People movement
is reduced. And dip buckets for
boots are required.
Two-thirds of all the work done
in a turkey house involves cleaning
and disinfecting, noted Kile. If you
don't like to clean, you wouldn’t
like to raise turkeys, he said.
Cleaning, before new birds
arrive, is done all in about a day.
One day is taken off to remove the
birds. Both buildings can be
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