A34-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, January 6, 2001 Tobacco Ch ANDY ANDREWS Lancaster Farming Staff LANCASTER (Lancaster Co.) For the third year in a row, Garrett R. Neff picked up cham pion Maryland 609 smoking to bacco Wednesday afternoon here at the Lancaster County Tobacco Show. Garrett, 18, son of Dianne and Gary Neff, Millersville, grew the Maryland tobacco on about a half acre of land. Neff attributes the champion to uniform color. Obtaining that uniformity of a “reddish copper plant color,” he said, with leaves as smooth as silk and free of holes, sunburn, blue mold, and blemishes, is key. “That’s what Lancaster Leaf wants,” said Neff. “They want more quality than quantity.” Garrett’s been trying for years, he said, to get champion with Pa. 41 wrapper tobacco. He even planted two acres of 41 without a contest winner. It seems the “less you have, the more you tend to it,” Neff said, resulting in better quality tobacco. Garrett noted that growing a quality tobacco starts with loca tion. Having an open place where you can watch it for pests, a sunny, open area away from trees, can provide improved leaf quality control. Neff, a senior at Penn Manor, obtained transplants from Eric Probst. Neff said he planted them at the end of May with a mechanical transplanter with help from his family. The tobacco was tractor-culti vated. Neff’s spray program was intensive for control of blue mold and to treat for aphids and worms. Harvest was in late August. Neff uses an antique sizing box, two feet long on the side, which allows him to sort and se lect for the best plants. He selects Hltmt Imruce Much '’We're H eTe To sT rve" POULTRY FARMERS We Can Insure Your Buildings For As Little As $3.50 Per Thousand Of Coverage. 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The leaves going to the contest have no discoloring or holes, “with an even, flowing color,” he said. Garrett won grand champion from the Vo Ag middle leaf class. This is the sixth year of the com petition for him. Garrett said he had best of show with the Mary land tobacco at last year’s Farm Show. Winner of the Pa. 41 type to bacco went to Raymond Bur kholder, Washington Boro. Burkholder said he won grand champion Pa. 41 in 1999 and has been competing for 30 years. He grows seven acres of the tobacco. This year was good in terms of rainfall but bad during curing time in September. He said there was too much humidity, which caused “shed bum.” He grows the seven acres on land from his nephew, Jim Bre neman. Burkholder said he raises his own seed and transplants. The plant is a narrow-leaf Type 41, which he planted the past year on June 10. Burkholder sprays for weeds, blue mold, and insects. Company With (Continued from Pago A 1) up greenhouses to grow the proprietary tobacco plant in sev eral locations. The company is not looking for any specific number of growers or acreage. At the meet- ing Wednesday evening, they were trying to determine interest and commitment by growers in this area. “We think the state of Penn sylvania is a good candidate to produce our tobacco,” said Harvest began Aug. 15. Stripping was the first week of November. He picks the best leaves, with oil to give them stretch, with no holes from insect damage. He said he likes the color to be “red dish brown.” There was a total of 30 entries from 16 exhibitors, down from last year’s 18 exhibitors and 46 entries. The county show is a prelude to the state Farm Show tobacco judging event, scheduled Friday, Jan. 5, at 9 a.m. at the Farm Show Complex North East Upper Section. Following is a list of Lancaster County Tobacco Show placings. LANCASTER COUNTY TOBACCO SHOW RESULTS OPEN SHOW Binders' 1 Gary Neff 2 Raymond Bur kholder. 3 Dianne M. Neff. Fillers 1. Mike Nissley 2 Dianne Neff. 3. Gary R. Neff. Wrappers: 1. Raymond Burkholder 2. Gary Neff 3. Dianne Neff Tops: 1 Jessica Neff. Middles. 1. Jessica Neff. Bottoms: 1. Jessica Neff VO AO Binders. 1. Garrett Neff Fillers; 1. Korte Shearer 2. Ryan Hoover 3. Allan R Herr Jr. Wrappers. 1. Garrett Neff 2. Andrew Herr 3 Brian Rankin Tops. 1. Garrett Neff 2 Robert Garrett. Middles. 1 Garrett Neff. 2. Robert Gar rett Bottoms. 1 Garrett Neff 2 Robert Gar rett ‘Nicotine-Reduced’ Coyte. “Tobacco growers need some continuity... as far as price.” Field contracts would be es tablished to determine how much the farmer would grow. There are some requirements, such as setback distances away from non-genetically modified tobacco, Coyte noted. By reducing nicotine, the plant reduces the amount of ni trosamine, or cancer- causing substances, it carries. TOM® PQEOatL s\w®wsm AT THE PENNSYLVANIA FARM SHOW Other promotion activities include: Butter Sculpture “New” Cheese Display Nutrition IQ Game Cheese Carving Contest (booth numbers 353, 339.345. 349 main exhibit floor) V AMERICAN DAIRY ASSOCIATION DAIRY COUNCIL MIOOK AUANTIC Garrett Neff, left, won grand champion Maryland 609 tobacco Wednesday afternoon at the Lancaster County Tobacco Show. Judging the event and holding onto a “hand” of the champion Pa. 41 type tobacco is Raymond Rinehart, leaf purchaser, Lancaster Leaf. Photo by Andy Andrews A typical leaf of Maryland 609 tobacco, said Coyte, is about 3.5 percent nicotine content by dry weight. The genetically modified tobacco has one-tenth the percentage of nicotine in it. . Several “focus groups,” said Coyte, have been supplied ciga rettes with the modified tobacco. . According to Larry Weaver, New Holland, the acceptance to the lower nicotine cigarette has been good “but it’s not for every body,” he said. Vector, though, realized the January 6-11, 2001 Farm Show Complex • Harrisburg, PA Visit your dairy promotion & booth to see the new MKI® IT® & American Dwy Aaeoaefon &DMyOoudMdEi9t need for a “healthier cigarette,” according to Weaver. A Vector contract sign-up ses sion is scheduled Wednesday, Jan. 10, from 1 p.m.-4 p.m. at the Hoffman Building at the So lanco Fairgrounds in Quarry ville. Or growers can sign up at Trileaf Tobacco Company Inc. receiving station, Larry Weaver’s Farm on Spruce Road in New Holland, from Monday to Friday, 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. Growers can call Weaver at (717)354-7477. Rick Coyte can be reached at (919)683-8864. Pennsylvania Dairy Promotion Program
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