Vol. 47 No. 36
Watermelon queens from many states gathered recently for a Capitol Hill promo
tion. Amanda Brown, third from left, front, represents Maryland and Delaware
states as the Mar-Del Watermelon Queen. Turn to page B 2 to read more about this
energetic queen who also is a motivational speaker for the Maryland Grain Produc
ers, served as beef ambassador for two states, and excels in many ag-related
activities.
Lehmans Review 50-Year ‘Evolution’ In Chicken Business
LOU ANN GOOD
Food And Family
Features Editor
MANHEIM (Lancaster Co.)
An appreciation award from
Sauder’s Eggs sparked 50 years
of memories in the Lehman fami
ly last week.
Anna Mary Lehman pulled out
family photo albums that chroni
cled her and her husband Eldon’s
growing chicken venture with
their four children.
Even before the couple mar
ried and established a layer oper
ation in the Mastersonville area
of Manheim, chickens played an
important role in their lives.
To finance an engagement
present for his wife-to-be, Eldon
raised broilers on his family farm
Holstein Association Amends
Bylaw At National Convention
BRATTLEBORO, Vt. Dur
ing the recent National Holstein
Convention, conducted at the Taj
Mahal in Atlantic City, N.J., Hol
stein Association delegates were
asked to take action on several
lylaw amendments.
One of the amendments in
iuded authorizing the board of
hrectors to establish the fees for
nembership, registration, and
ransfer, in addition to establishi
ng the transfer policy.
The amendments give the
ward the responsibility to set fin
mcial policy and making busi
icss decisions for the organiza
ion.
Since the amendment passed
>y a vote of 93-44, the board of
hrectors could increase registra
ion fees effective July 1.
The board plans to introduce a
nackage plan effective January 1,
iOO3, which includes the cost of
mnual membership, registration,
www.lancasterfarming.com
in Cumberland County. His wife
remembers that it was her re
sponsibility as a girl to “shoo” the
chickens into the coops each eve
ning as darkness fell.
After the couple married, they
settled in the Manheim area and
soon moved into the family farm
from Anna Mary’s side of the
family.
In the poultry industry, inno
vations were constantly changing
the methods for housing and car
ing for chickens.
In the beginning, everything
was done by hand. The eggs were
gathered, washed, and sized be
fore being taken to the egg plant.
Today, hands never touch the
eggs before they are transported
to the plant and then to the store.
Tristar, classification, genetic re-
ports, and pedigrees.
In essence, the board assumes
this power from the delegates.
This avoids the “rubber stamp”
mentality that sometimes dictates
the decisions at the executive
level, according to supporters.
Although the national model
sets a precedent, John Meyer,
chief exeuctive officer of the Hol
stein Association U.S.A., said
that states have traditionally not
followed the national precedent
in pricing issues such as those
changed in this amendment.
“State associations operate
under their own set of gover
nance rules,” he said.
There are 15 board members
on the association, with two offi
cers. In 2003, there will be 12
board members in addition to one
vice president and president.
Four Sections
“We call the changes we've
seen the ‘evolution of the chicken
operation,’” Eldon said. “We
started with everything on the
floor, then we went to cages, and
now the industry is again looking
at floor operations.”
At first the Lehmans raised
chickens in range shelters that
enabled the chicks to be outside
during the day and sheltered at
night. When they reached pullet
size, the chickens were placed in
side a converted barn on the
property. Chickens were placed
on three floors, which required
hand-carrying the eggs from the
top to the bottom floors.
During this time, the Lehmans
had four children. Their second
son Duane grew up to form a
Two generations of Lehmans receive an appreciation award from Sauder’s Eggs
marking the Lehmans’ 50 years of raising layer hens. From left are Guy Martin, produc
er-service manager; Eldon, Anna Mary, Teresa and Duane Lehman; Paul Sauder, presi
dent of Sauder’s Eggs; and Jim Lafferty, vice president.
Photo by Lou Ann Good, food and family features editor
Saturday, July 6, 2002
Allied Producers In New York
Compensated In Cheese Crisis
OGDENSBURG, N.Y. The
bankruptcy earlier this year of
Suprema Specialties, Inc., a na
tional cheese manufacturer, tem
porarily affected dairy farmers in
northern New York state while
an Italian cheese plant near the
Ontario border
here was shut
down.
Producer
members of the
Northco Mar
keting Division
of Allied Feder
ated Coopera
tives, Inc., Can
ton, N.Y., lost
base premiums
of between $.20
and $.40 per
partnership with his dad. During
his growing-up years, Duane re
members working sidc-by-side
with his parents.
“We had to shred the bales of
sugar cane and put it in tubs,"
Duane said.
The shredded cane was then
placed in nests and refilled as
needed.
The Lehmans expanded by
building a three-story chicken
house. A cart hung from a ceiling
rail, which could be pushed
around the chicken house as the
eggs were hand-gathered from
the nests.
“I hated that job,” Duane said.
“1 was scared of the chickens
pecking me. I learned to hold an
egg flap against the chicken so I
$36.00 Per Year
Lanco, Southco Not Affected
DAVE LEFEVER
Lancaster Farming Staff
i 4 The whole
(milk) marketplace
in northern New
York is on shaky
ground.? 5
$l.OO Per Copy
hundredweight for a two-month
period during the high-produc
tion spring period, according to
David Elliott, director of quality
control and membership service
at Allied. Elliott said the coopera
tive maintained milk quality pre
mium payments to producers,
however, and milk checks were
on time
David Elliott
Allied Federated
Cooperatives, Inc.
couldn’t be pecked.”
From the beginning, the Leh
man;. marketed their eggs
through R.W. Sauder.
“I remember Raymond Sauder
coming to our farm with two
little boys,” Anna Mary said.
Those little boys (four of them)
grew up, and the youngest, Paul,
heads the Sauder Company
today.
There was little acreage with
the home farm, so in 1974, the
Lehmans purchased a nearby
farm on which they built a 50,000
layer house. In the 1980 s, they
built a second house for 80,000
layers.
(Turn to Page A 25)
throughout
the ordeal.
“No farmer
ever saw a
late or lost
milk check,”
Elliott said.
He noted the
shutdown
caused milk
supplies to
(Turn to
Page A 26)