Page 12—Foraging Around, Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 15, 2000
Alfalfa Trials Offer Farmers Unbiased Information
GAIL STROCK
Mifflin Co. Correspondent
ROCKSPRING (Centre Co.)
Dick Todd could be the most meti
culous alfalfa producer in the state.
He intensively manages more
than 200 varieties at two Pennsylva
nia locations, carefully recording al
falfa variety, weather conditions,
planting and harvesting dates, soil
test information, disease and pest
resistance, and use of crop fertiliz
ers, insecticides, and pesticides.
Unlike most alfalfa producers,
though, he doesn’t care which vari
ety yields the most. It’s his job to
remain unbiased.
Todd is senior research aide for
the Penn State Alfalfa Variety Test
ing Program at the Russell E.
Larson Agricultural Research
Center at Rockspring and the
Southeastern Field Research Lab at
Landisville. For a $3OO entry fee,
seed companies and breeders submit
their choice of commercially avail
able and advanced experimental
varieties for yield testing. The fee
covers the cost of testing for a four
year period.
Each year, Todd records the data
on each variety and compiles this in
formation in the “Forage Trials
BUY,
SELL,
TRADE
OR
RENT
THROUGH
THE
CLASSIFIED
ADS
IN
Lancaster
Farming
PHONE
717-626-1164
OR
717-394-3047
FAX
717-733-6058
Mon., Tues.,
Wed., Fri.
8 AM to 5 PM
Thurs.
7 AM to 5 PM
Report,” a publication available free
at most cooperative extension of
fices, at the Farm Show, and possi
bly online by the end of the year.
QUALITY HAY EQUIPMENT
TO PRESERVE QUALITY HAY CROP
THE WRAPPER
THAT WRAPS BALES
OTHERS WONT
A complete range of Round, Square &
Rectangular Wrappers.
Patented advantages like the unique “Deep Cradle”
continuous full width belt, and fully supported turntable
where four poly-urethane wheels provide Tanco’s
renowned even and balanced operation, even with
overweight and misshapen bales. Quality wrapping
and quality machines that has made Tanco among the
World’s leading manufacturers.
Senior Research Aide Dick Todd maneuvers his custom-designed harvesting machine through
orchardgrass trial plots at the Agronomy Research Farm near Rockspring.
“We are an unbiased testing
source,” Todd said. “The testing is
open to any company, and we don’t
recommend any particular variety.
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:es a qual
We offer the information to back up
our results, and let the alfalfa pro
ducers make their own decisions.”
(Turn to Pago 21)
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