Bedford Family Builds For Dairy Herd Expansion LINDA WILLIAMS Bedford Co. Correspondent BEDFORD VALLEY (Bed ford Co.) “We all have our tal ents and our jobs to do,” said Don Llewellyn of the two-family farm he and his brother, Steve, own in lush, green, Bedford Val ley. “It’s going into the fourth generation and we want to keep it that way,” Don said. The Lle wellyns are presently undertak ing a huge expansion, which in cludes a new barn and manure lagoon. The Llewellyn farm includes 500 acres of land in this pictur esque area. They are milking 125 Holsteins and have an additional 125 young cattle. Another herd of Holsteins is already purchased Don Llewellyn at work keeping the new dairy setup clean. Maximum Outdoor Protection V / /Z/nVn^ aimmssmsnmißucK 80ZPERSA.TD * 1600 DENIER, 14x14 COUNT - MOLL THICKNESS-. 13-14 (PAUL B. and will arrive as soon as the new bam is completed. “We had to expand,” Don said. “We have two nephews who want to join in the business and Steve has a son who may be join ing us in a few years.” Don’s daughters have pursued interests other than farming. Steve and Don gave much seri ous thought to their expansion program before attacking the venture, doing two years of re search before turning a shovelful of dirt. “We visited farms in three counties, gathering ideas from each,” Don explained. “We tried to take the ideas we liked best and incorporate them into what we are doing here.” Bright and spacious, the new bam will allow for milking 200 8® ID (§1? ODD a DO dairy cattle allowing IS square feet per cow. It includes and area for young cattle and even a hos pital section for sick cows. “With this many dairy cattle you usually have at least one which is not feeling well,” Steve said. A cow with a sore foot or one having trouble calving will be put in the hospital area to relieve stress. “Another thing we have learned is the importance of keeping the cows cool,” Steve said. “We placed the bam with a good east/west air flow. We will have large patio doors by the milking parlor which will allow for both light and ventilation. “We needed an easier way to milk cows and we think we have found it.” Don extended thanks to all of the farmers who contibuted ideas for the expansion. “We talked with farmers all over the state. Locally we relied heavily on ideas from Alan Ickes, Russell Wyles, Sollenbergers, and Frosty Hollow. We interviewed equipment dealers and they had a lot of patience with us. While the farm will not be to tally computerized, there is a trend in that direction. Cow re cords for breeding and produc tion will be kept on the computer and the sorting gate will also be computer operated. A lined manure lagoon will add to the efficiency and cleanli ness of the new facility. Everyone in the Llewellyn family is excited about the new facilities. Twilight Farmers’ Market Opens BEL AIR, Md. The last of the Harford Farmers’ Markets was set to open this week with the start of the Friday Twilight Farmers’ Market from 5 p.m. to dusk at Rockfield Manor off Maryland Rt. 22 in Bel Air. Conducted the last Friday of each month through October, this particular market is the only one in Maryland to feature musical entertainment, wine, and quick supper items. Also, since this market is located at Rockfield, customers can enjoy the park’s hiking trails and grounds. The Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation and the Harford County Office of Economic De velopment sponsor the market. According to Harford County Agricultural Coordinator John Sullivan, many of last year’s twi light market vendors are sched PHONE 717-738-7350 Woodcorner Rd., Lititz, PA 17543 1 Mile West of Ephrata Hours: Mon., Thurs., Fn. 7am -8:30 p.m , lues. & Wed. 7 a.m.-6.30 p.m.; Sat 7 a.m.-4 p.m Sue, Mike, and Steve Llewellyn take a break at the new sorting gate installed on their Bedford County farm as part of a dairy facility expansion. Photo by Linda Williams, Bedford Co. correspondent “We all pitch in and help here,” Don said. “Everybody has talents and chores. And everyone has helped with the construction. We have all wielded a broom and swung a paint brush. We’ve all uled to return along with new sellers. Kate Dallam’s, of Broom’s Bloom Dairy of Bel Air, will be back with a variety of cheese and milksoap along with lamb. David Keyes, Mount Felix Farm in Havre de Grace, also will have a variety of cheese to sell. Organic compost and fresh vegetables will be for sale at the booth, belonging to veteran farm ers’ market vendor Richard Watters, of Sweet Potato Hill Farm of Forest Hill. Cybil Pres ton, Jarrettsville, will have fresh vegetables, honey and bee’s wax products. The Lohrs, Church ville, will sell fresh fruit. Fiore’s Winery, Pylesville, will sell their We Salute Our faming Industry LancasterTarming, Saturday, June 1,2002-A43 had to double up on the routine farm chores in order to keep ev erything running.” The old bam will remain intact and become a shelter for dry cows and young heifers. products. Other vendors will have baked goods. Bel Air’s other two markets operate Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and on Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Mary Ris teau State Office Building on South Bond Street. The Havre de Grace Farmers’ Market is open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon on Pennington Ave nue between Washington Street and Union Avenue. Vendors at Edgewood’s Farm ers’ Market sell farm-related goods on Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. next to the MARC Train Station on Edgewood Road. For more information, contact John Sullivan at (410) 638-3059.
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