SPRING 2000 NEW SEEDING ALFALFA STANDS Mike Brubaker Brubaker Consulting Group New seeding alfalfa stands across the Mid-Atlantic were very variable this year. The primary cause of the variability was weather related. Alfalfa growers that prepared a proper tilled seedbed seeded and then received heavy, pounding rains, ended up with tight com pacted soils that made it very diffi cult for the alfalfa seedlings to emerge. Most of these stands have Wedge-shaped Well sealed gears cutter bar and bearings hm Fully protected cutter her bottom VICON’S KMR Trailed Mower Condi tioners combine a superb cut with excellent conditioning performance. Available in 7’10”, 9'10”, 10’, 10’6” and 12' 6” widths. VICON is bringing tech nology down to earth. Top service hubs CM & DMP MOUNTED DISC MOWERS • Cutting Width from s’B” to 10’6” • Unique 3 Blade Discs perform well in all crops * For tractors as low as 36 HP • Flail Conditioner models available, 7’10” and 9’10” only Distributed By: CUMMINGS and BRICKER, INC. ‘WhoksaCe 'Distributors . . 100-120 Lehigh Ave. •PO Box 928 Batavia, New York 14021 -0928 100 Stover Drive, Carlisle, PA 17013 (716) 343-5411 (717) 249-6720 Visit Our Web Site at; www.cummlngtandbricker.coin • E-Mail Us At: info@cummingsandbricker.com man acceptable populations of alfalfa be cause of the frequent rains that kept the soil from crusting. The alfalfa stands in these fields are still not growing as productively as possible, but improvements are visible each week. In addition to the pounding rain, some alfalfa fields received lack of sunshine that also invited leaf dis ease to prosper and grow. Numer ous alfalfa leaf and stem diseases were observed (downy mildew), causing some stands to appear chloritic and lack vigor. As the sunshine increased, the leaf diseases subsided. SPECIAL FINANCING IN EFFECT j ■ Mm on thes »<■*• e Foraging Around, Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 15, 2000—Page Be sure to inspect your fields closely for potato leafhoppers. With all the stress alfalfa has received this spring, it will be important to keep the leafhopper in check. ;; v: v ;-rj s " * ->iJ'. President’s Corner ❖ fS ''f a f; , from Pago 1) an industry. I hope you will join me in commemorating the PFGC’s tradition of excellence by attending the 40th Anniversary Celebration Wednesday, Aug. 16, at the “cov ered bridge” of Wayne Harpster’s Evergreen Farms near Seven Stars. Order your tickets now! We are expecting more than 350 members and key forage producers to attend our anniversary celebra tion. Several forage leaders will present the history of the PFGC “by decade” as the “40-Year History of the PFGC,” a book written by Dr. John Baylor and Richard Hann, is scheduled to be released that day. The president of the American Forage and Grassland Council, other keynote speakers, and PFGC past-presidents will also be there. Meanwhile, on the national front, the American Forage and Grassland Council is conducting its annual conference, July 16-18, in Madison, Wis. The conference program in cludes a hay show, the national photo contest, a forage spokesper son contest, and an international panel discussion on the future of al falfa as a grazing crop. Roman Stoltzfus, Kinzers, will be representing the PFGC in the forage spokesperson contest. We wish him well! One final note: a plot of cool season grasses and alfalfa variety trials are ongoing at Penn State’s Rockspring Research Farm. A group of us from P.L. Rohrer toured the plots. I believe you would find a visit to the farm very interesting. If you would like to see the plots, con tact your county agent. As always, I welcome your input. If you would like additional infor mation or have questions, contact me by phone (717) 299-2571 or by e mail at PL-Rohrer ©CompuServe, com. I look forward to seeing you at the 40th Anniversary Celebration! Kverneland BALE WRAPPERS SPECIAL $13,500 one only Sales & Service ROVENDALE AG & BARN EQUIP. WATSONTOWN, PA 17777 I ■' 570-538-9564 OR 570-742-4226 -JL -1-80 to -180 Watsontown Exit IUNUIWkT ■ i ..... Ii j ■“ VAN DALE' ' y>i- v 'x^i i..'* 195