A24-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, June 1,2002
NEW CONSTRUCTION
EXCITING FOR
AGRICULTURE
There is something else that
must also be done. That “some
thing else” is a new roof for the
existing Farm Show Complex.
While a new roof may not be
“exciting,” it is very important to
protect the investment and to
Brent Landis
Agriculture Services Coordinator
Lancaster'
mm Chamber K "
I ; ■ I Gmmint c - Industry
Phone (717)397-3531 ext 62
E-mail blandis@lcci com
GOOD COMMUNICATION
MAKES GOOD NEIGHBORS
Robert Frost once said, “Good
fences make good neighbors.”
This famous saying may be true,
but if you’re a farmer in today’s
society, you’ll want fewer fences
and better communication with
your neighbors.
Family Farm Days, an event sponsored by The Lancaster Chamber and Oregon Dairy,
is an excellent opportunity to invite your neighbors to attend to give them an enjoyable
perspective of a farm operation. This free event will be June 11-13 from 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
at the Oregon Dairy Farm. Guests will enjoy a tractor ride tour of Oregon Dairy’s modern
dairy facility, ice cream and milk samples, informative booths with agricultural facts and
product demonstrations, a watershed exhibit, chick hatching and sheep shearing dis
plays, and a chicken barbecue dinner for only $3. Children’s activities will include pony
rides, a scavenger hunt, a hay tunnel, and much more. New to this year’s event is The
Lancaster County Conservation District’s “Conservation Expo.”
For more information on strengthening communication with your neighbors or Family
Farm Days, contact Brent Landis at The Chamber at (717) 397-3531, ext. 134 or blan
dis@lcci.com or visit www.lancaster-chamber.com.
provide a facility for exhibitors
without all of the leaks that have
been with us too often for too
many years.
There is more good news! An
other $lO million has been gained
for the Farm Show project to
provide a new roof for the exist
ing facility.
In terms of the new construe-
The understanding of farming
among our neighbors has been di
minished significantly from what
it was only a generation ago.
Taking the first step in improv
ing lines of communication can
help ease misunderstandings and
begin to strengthen your relation
tion, it can be reported that there
are two components that are
“zooming” toward an August/
September completion. They are
the new Large Arena and the
new Livestock Bam.
These new venues were part of
the “Equine Center” which was
contemplated for the PDA Farm
that is located near the Depart
ment of Agriculture. For a host of
very, very practical reasons, I de
cided it would be best to integrate
a bam and a second large arena
into the new construction at the
Farm Show instead of pursuing a
separate Equine Center.
The new Large Arena will be
in addition to the current Large
Arena, which means we will have
two large arenas of world-class
dimensions. The new arena will
have a floor that measures ap
proximately 300 feet long and
150 feet wide, a little bigger than
our current Large Arena floor.
There will be seating for 1,700 in
the new large arena. Seating in
the current Large Arena is ap
proximately 8,000. When con
struction is completed, there will
be two large arenas with a com
bined seating capacity approach
ing 10,000.
The new livestock bam will be
adaptive for various agricultural
events. But, as one example, it
ship. I offer a 21st Century view
on this age-old quote: “Good
communication makes good
neighbors.”
According to Mike Brubaker,
Brubaker Farms, “The key in
good neighbor relations is keep
ing open communication. En
courage your neighbors to come
and talk to you about your farm
operation.”
Another farmer said. “It is im
portant to inform your neighbors
about what you do on your farm,
but there is a One line with how
much information you share. Be
sure to share information that
can be understood at the non
farmer level so you do not devel
op any misunderstandings.”
There are a number of things
you can do to strengthen commu
nications with your neighbors. It
is advisable to include your town-
will have capacity for 140 horses.
The new bam has been designed
and positioned on-site in a man
ner so there can be an expansion
of this livestock component in fu
ture years.
So “good news” continues at
the construction site $lO mil
lion to provide a new roof for the
existing Farm Show Complex
and the new arena and new bam
are scheduled for early comple
tion in August/September.
This is a view of recent construction at the new equine
arena.
ship officials in whatever plan
you develop.
A simple idea is to hold a sum
mer barbecue. Families love to
come out to alarm and enjoy the
many aspects of agriculture. An
other idea is providing a hay
wagon tour of the farm to explain
the different features of your
farm operation. When opening a
new facility on your farm, you
could hold an open house for the
community.
You can even offer farm pro
duce or products to your neigh
bors free of charge to allow them
to enjoy products' grown in their
own community. In whatever ac
tivity you choose, it is important
to point out that the food grown
by farmers in the U.S. is the safe
st and most affordable in the
world. The Lancaster Chamber
can provide you with the “Lan
caster Farming Facts” brochures,
free of charge, which do an excel
lent job of listing the key aspects
and benefits of our farming in
dustry.
There are several possible out
comes to consider when analyz
ing your return in establishing a
U lc i«« stach t te wh° lc
ok >"“1« •” J b '?.w
Oregon Dairy Farm Market
June 11-13,2002
11 AM-7 PM
FflfflThe
Lancaster
[pHlj Chamber
I 1 ▼ U i/Conannit &- Industry
www lanu&ter-chambcr com
(717> 397-3511
"Supermarket •Heetaurent
•Gift Shoppe
2900 Oregon Pike {71“)656 Wt
(LuurirO 5 nnlci N of Lam ou R( 272 1
www. ortgondaxr) tom
Other components of the new
construction are still on schedule
for November/December.
Ongoing construction at the
Farm Show Complex was fol
lowed by a groundbreaking cere
mony last week for the new PDA
Livestock Evaluation Center,
which is another Department of
Agriculture construction project.
Historic construction projects for
agriculture building for the fu
ture. That’s the mission.
community education plan for
your neighbors. You are develop
ing a better understanding of
your farm operationatwjhiie at the
same time highlighting tfce addi
tional benefits of conservation
and environmental practices your
farm *** < j| > P li f < V- g rniinH " /af<> r
recharge mat your open, farm
land provides, and the aesthetics
of the open space in the commu
nity.
Another thing to consider
would be a future expansion plan
your farm may have, which could
be jeopardized if neighbors had
concerns. Bdt by providing them
a better understanding of your
farm and your management
practices and addressing any
concerns today, you will help
ease possible tensions in the fu
ture. You will receive a better
peace of mind knowing your
neighbors on a first-name basis
and forming a relationship with
them.
And beyond these possible ben
efits, you may develop some new
friendships from your willingness
to get to know your neighbors
better.
Family Farm Days Events
Presented h\ The Lancaster Chamber
of Commerce <1 Industry
and Oregon Dairy
• hnjoy a FREE tractor wagon rtde and
informational tow from the store to the farm
(weather permitting)
Sample FREE tee a earn and milk at the Jarm
Watch the dairv cows being milked
daily 2-5 PM
Vtt* the sheep shear hi#
Wed only 12 2 4 6PM
Visit these special exhibits:
"A Day in the Life of a Tom' '
C hick hatching display
Ihe / ancastei Consenation Dish let s
X onset \unon Expo ' including an
etmroscope soil pit and stream studv
Stt the white taileddier
OJ we 're lucky the) e might he a spottedfawn')
• Bring the kids to explot e the sh aw tunnel
andponv ndis from 4 " PM
• Go on a scavenger hunt to karn more about a
farm and t ecene a free sundae coupon
Enjoy a delicious chicken barbecue dinner
for only 53.00
* Don t Jot get \our camera to capiute
the memoi tes
% f
J>\ \ UIHCIS, J
N