\ Grower & Marketer
ll /A Promoting The Eastern Vegetable, Fruit, Nursery, And
For Masts, Strawberry Picking Time Generates Its Own Advertising
ANDY ANDREWS
Lancaster Farming Staff
MORGANTOWN (Por
tion of Lancaster Co.)
Paul D. Mast and family of
Conestoga Meadow Farm
understand the importance
of advertising.
They recently planted ad
ditional strawberries behind
their farm stand on Rt. 23
about a mile west of Morgan
town.
“People drive by and they
see you picking strawber
ries,” said Paul at a recent in
terview at his farm. “So you
don’t need any signs.”
Many who drive by the
bright white stand, less than
a quarter mile east of the
Little Red School House tour
ist information site, come
from Philadelphia and New
Jersey.
Jim Groff, a full-time hired
»t HortiGountry
L l *\ Tim Elkner
*' t County
Horticulture Agent
STRAWBERRY
QUALITY
One of the advantages you
have as a local grower is the
ability to let your strawber
ries remain in the field until
they develop excellent flavor,
color, and aroma.
Strawberries found in the
grocery store are frequently
not fully ripe and have poor
Team Effort Will Help
Eradicate Plum Pox
ANDY ANDREWS
Lancaster Farming Staff
BIGLERVILLE (Adams
Co.) A video was shown at
a series of recent fruit grower
meetings throughout the
southeast and central parts of
the state detailing ways in
which, through a joint agri
culture department/univer
sity effort, growers and agri
industry are working
together to contain and con
trol the plum pox virus
(PPV).
The virus was first identi
fied in an Adams County or
chard seven months ago. The
PPV Virus Strain D can add
up to big losses for growers,
man who manages the
strawberry fields and helps
run the farm stand, said that
“you wouldn’t believe how
far they come for our
strawberries. In Jersey, they
don’t like their berries.”
Groff noted that the sandy
soil in the neighboring state
could have something to do
with the effect of taste on cer
tain strawberry varieties. Ap
parently some better
Northeast-type berries, such
as Jewel and Early Glow, do
well on the clay loam in the
eastern part ot Lancaster
County.
The Masts have planted
equal amounts of both
strawberry varieties.
Conestoga Meadow Farm
is home to about 500 tillable
acres, including rented
ground, noted Paul Mast.
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flavor. Once a berry is re
moved from the plant it will
develop little (if any) addi
tional flavor. While the ber
ries you harvest early will
continue to develop red color,
their lack of flavor and
aroma will make your berries
similar to those in the gro
cery. This may cause your
(Turn to Pag* 3)
reaching as high as 80-100
percent.
The virus first showed up
in Macedonia and Eastern
Europe in about 1910-1913
and has spread all over the
world.
The virus was introduced
to the U.S. a few years ago,
brought in by infected mate
rial.
In a survey conducted in
Adams County, two town
.ships showed positive tests
for the virus Latimore and
Huntington, near York
Springs. A quarantine was es
tablished, extending to a two
mile radius around the
infected zone.
(Turn to Pag* 2)
Ernie Mast, at right, cares for about 3-4 acres of strawberries. The Masts have
been growing strawberries since 1984. At left is Jim Groff, strawberry field
manager. Photo by Andy Andrews
Adams County Fruit Farm And Market
Emphasizes Ag Education
JAYNE SEBRIGHT
Lancaster Farming Staff
BIGLERVILLE (Adams
Co.) Education is an es
sential part of the business
for Hollabaugh’s Fruit Farm
and Market, located here.
Kay Hollabaugh, who
Kay Hollabaugh manages the family fruit farm’s
market for Hollabaugh Brothers Fruit Farm and
Market in Biglerville. The market emphasizes educa
tion by hosting farm tours and seasonal fruit festi
vals. Photo by Jayne Sebright
manages the market, keeps
books and handles the school
tours for the fruit farm. She
gets really excited about edu
cating children and adults
about where their food comes
from.
“Children are becoming
more and more removed
from agriculture,” said Hol
labaugh. “They need to learn
more about where their food
comes from and not take it
for granted.”
Kay’s husband Brad is a
co-owner of the 500-acre fruit
farm, along with his father
Donald, Uncle Harold, and
brothers Neil and Steve.
Twin brothers Donald and
Harold purchased the family
owned and operated farm in
1955.
Management responsibili
ties are divided among the
family members. Donald
handles pest management
and Harold is the assistant
production manager. Brad is
the personnel/production
manager, and Neil is the sales
manager. Steve handles ser
vice, maintenance, and con
tainer management. Steve’s
wife Vicky also works on the
farm as shipping manager.
On the 500 acres, the Hol
labaughs grow 350 acres of
apples, 75 acres of peaches,
and have the balance in
plums, apricots, nectarines,
pears, and Asian pears. They
produce about 100,000 bush
els of apples annually.
About 60 percent of their
(Turn to Pag* 7)