A22-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, February 22, 2003 Snowstorm Challenges Producers Across Southeast Pa. (Continued from Page A 1) After weathering the first big snow, the Click family’s Hol steins experienced a second del uge when the roof, snow load and all, caved in T uesday morning. At 8:30 a.m., the trussed roof fell in on the 49 Holsteins below, according to Jonas Click, Leola farm owner. “They all walked out with scratches,” he said. “It was surprising, the way it looked. Some of them, of course, were trapped until we got to them.” The morning milking, which began at 5 a.m., was already completed. Click’s son Samuel operates the dairy. The roof, built in 1993, was al ready weighted with the first snow load when the wind blew snow from the other, steeper sloped roof two feet above. The additional snow proved too big a load. “When we get wet snow, I think about it (shoveling it off), but this snow was dry and fluffy, so I never gave it a thought,’’ said Samuel Glick. Instead of the trussed roof, “it’s going to be a new design,” he said. The Clicks were hoping (o Tfflaer cover to milk that evening, with help from the 50-60 volunteers that showed up at the farm throughout the day. Jonas Click is “not sure” how the word got around so quickly. “One man told the next, I guess,” he said. “We had the fire company here, too I guess that’s how it got around.” Situ/ (Re ffledl sml Sfmme %uMm% MeUemh. Grandrib 3® PLUS Distributors 0f... Equus Horse Stall Systems Equus Dutch Door Systems Plyco Sliding Door Components Fabral Metal Roofing and Siding Complete Building Packages, Trusses And Glue-Laminated Timbers sss, Richland, PA 17087 The cows were relocated out doors, where they snacked at a bunk feeder all day. “We kept feed in front of them all day long they were happy,” said Samu el. Hauling Milk Milk haulers throughout the region worked overtime from Sunday through Wednesday to keep bulk tanks on dairy farms from overflowing before the milk truck could reach them. “For the conditions, things went really well,” said Clair Hoo ver of H&H Liquid Transport, New Oxford, Adams County. “We have a lot to be thankful for. “There was very little milk dumped. We put chains on the trucks and made use of all our equipment.” Hoover said that all 27 of his crew of full- and part-time driv ers were on duty making the rounds to 100 dairy farm clients in Adams, Lancaster, and York counties, as well Frederick Coun ty, Md. H&H uses 16 tractor-trailer trucks to haul milk for compa nies and cooperatives including Rutter’s, Land O’ Lakes, Mary land and Virginia, Dairy Farmers of and riimlwrlimd Some of the milk goes as far south as Georgia. “It was rough going for the drivers,” Hoover said. “They were maxed out.” According to Hoover, the snow was the most challenging storm since the blizzard of 1996. That blizzard dropped 30 inches of snow in southeastern Pennsylva nia, setting the record. www bluechipstructures coin “No problem here.” Scottish Highland cattle gather around the hay feeder Tuesday on the farm of Peter Sheppard, a few miles south of Hanover in York County. Photo by Dave Letever Larry Mummert, York County dairy fanner, said that H&H hauled his milk out on time throughout the snow crisis. “We’ve been very lucky,” said Mummert, who milks about ISO Holsteins along with his.-family on Yellow Buttercup Farms just cm ith fti Geoot -B«rlsn.*Tht "Tc*l 111 IS situated along Rt. 194, a major road and snow emergency route. The milk truck came and went smoothly, except for one small hangup when it got stuck negoti ating a comer of the lane. “We had to pull him out,” Mummert said. Mummert is looking ahead to spring and anticipating a good crop season. He grows about 800 The Best Metal Warranty 10 Layers of Protection Up to 50% Stronger Thicker 29 Gauge Steel 25% - 50% More Galvanized Coating |l FABtaALI) TRUSS PLATS INSTITUTE ACTIVE MFMBER 301-334-3977 1283 Joni Miller Rd. Oakland, MD 21550 acres of alfalfa, com, barley, and soybeans. The snow helps restore groundwater levels after last year’s drought, plus the long, hard freeze should serve to loosen the soil, Mummert said. Calving Time In Virginia Thirty- inches of aiIUW IUppCCI with sleet on Sunday night has also posed challenges to Virginia producers. “We’ve had probably around 14 calves since Sunday, and we hadn’t had but one or two be fore,” said beef producer Roger Hockman, Hockman Farms. The farm is located in Stras burg, Shenandoah County, Vir ginia, 80 miles west of Washing ton, D.C. Transform your tie stall barn into ... The Comfort Zone 1 The Comfort Zone Tie Stall > Designed to maximize cow comfort > Available in stainless or galvanized steel ► Perfect for new or remodeled facilities No cow mattress system mimics mother nature bettert Pasture Mat and PM Plus installation in an old tie stall barn, Rapid Flow Water System Provides a constant supply of fresh clean water to your cows! "Cow Comfort is Our Specialty f" g^g^g Petersheim’s Cow Mattresses It 7 Christiana Pibe (Rte. 372), Christiana, PA 17509 610-593-2242 Serving DE, MD, N), PA, and western NV lor 9 years! The farm’s heifers are sched uled to calve within about a two month period. “We’ve done this for about 10 or 15 years and we didn’t expect anything like this,’’ IfesMd. V ■ Pasture Mat ► Increases cow^ingjtirfte ► Reduces leg injuries ► Most durable top cover on the market Hopkman operates the more than 1,200-acre farm with his fa ther, John, and brother, Wesley. The commercial herd includes heifers, cows, and steers of main ly Angus but also black white face and 15-20 Charolais cattle totaling 300 head with the 150 first-calf heifers. Since the cows have already calved, it is the first>«a|o&tfiers whose numbers are up foray ing. (Turn to Page A 23) way PROMAT LTD . i -
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers