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UNIVERSITY PARK PA 16802
Vol. 49 No. 1
Pa. State Grange Session Culminates With All-Granger Banquet
CHARLENE M. SHUPP
ESPENSHADE
Lancaster Farming Staff
EXTON (Chester Co.) In
spite of heavy rains and a power
outage, more than 330 Grange
members gathered here at the
Inn at Chester Springs Monday
night for the Pennsylvania State
Grange’s All-Granger Banquet.
The damp weather did not
dampen the Grange members’
spirits as state master Betsy
Huber announced the selection of
the 2003 Granger of the Year.
Margaret Tau of Hayfield
Grange, Crawford County, was
selected this year’s winner. Be
fore calling Tau to the podium,
Huber reviewed several high
lights about Tau’s Grange activi
ties.
“This Granger is always one of
the first to arrive at a Grange
function, and one of the last to
leave,” said Huber.
Huber also said that besides
being a Grange secretary and a
community service chairperson,
Tau is always recruiting other
members of her Grange to help
out with service projects.
J 'djmcaster Farming
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4, Farming
appeared iliffarm producer
; mailboxes in southeast Pennsyl
vania.
"' Every since,
has provided
news, market
columns, sptojs'
features *olf farm spe
cial producer sections, aim 1 ad
vertising to our faithful reapers.
Lancaster Farming has ex
panded its circulation to more
than subscribers - the
largest in llptpry - throughout
the Mid-Afulnc and Northeast
'Wk
Farmers am agri-industries
rely on tfataj||ekly farm news
paper. F|Mpt, we simply say
to all our* loyal
Office Closed
Thanksgiving Day
Thanksgiving Day, Thursday,
Nov. 27, Lancaster Farming of
fice is closed. The office wifi re
open Friday, Nov. 28.
For the Nov. 29 issue, there
are some deadline changes:
Public Sale and Mailbox ads,
5 p.m., Friday, Nov. 21.
Classified, Section D ads
4 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 25.
Classified, Section C, Farm
Equipment ads, 4 p.m., Tuesday,
Nov. 25.
Section A ad deadline 4 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 25.
General News . noon,
Wednesday, Nov. 26.
www.lancasterfarming.com
Some of the projects Tau par
ticipates in are a holiday card
program to the local nursing
home, food drives for the local
food pantry, holiday candy and
cookie boxes for shut-ins, and a
Bible drive for the local women’s
prison.
Tau, a 60-year Grange mem
ber, said, “I’m shocked. I’m hon
ored. If you don’t belong to the
Grange, I don’t know why you
don’t.”
Tau also noted her Grange ca
reer began with an unusual start
with a special dispensation from
the state master allowing her to
join her Grange at a young age
since there was not a junior pro
gram at the time.
“It’s been a long journey and I
have loved every minute of it,”
said Tau in reflection of her 60
years in Grange.
The Granger of the Year is se
lected through a nomination pro
cess and panel of judges.
In addition to Tau’s selection
as Granger of the Year, Agricul
ture Secretary Dennis C. Wolff
(Turn to Page A 27)
Fair Association Prepares For State Convention
LaPLATA, Md. ~ “Take a
Gamble on a Shore Thing” is the
theme for the 2004 Maryland As
sociation of Agricultural Fairs
and Shows Convention Nov.
14-15 at the Delaware State Fair
in Harrington, Del.
Despite Some Traffic, Getting The Harvest In
TALMAGE (Lancaster Co.) It’s tough enough to harvest corn, and then you have to
deal with traffic. This is a view looking south on Rt. 772 near Talmage late last week, as
the harvest season begins to draw to a close. According to the Pennsylvania Agricultur
al Statistics Service, for the week ending Oct. 26, it was a good week for fieldwork. Soil
moisture was rated as 65 percent adequate and 35 percent surplus. Corn acres har
vested for grain advanced to 38 percent complete, 26 percent behind last year and still
13 percent behind the five-year average. The corn crop condition was rated as 5 per
cent very poor, 7 percent poor, 22 percent fair, 43 percent good, and 23 percent excel
lent, a slight decrease as compared to the previous week because tfie recent wind dam
age became more apparent. Ninety-five percent of the corn acreage has reached the
dent stage and 83 percent has reached maturity. Corn silage harvest was 92 percent
complete, 7 and 6 percent behind 2002 and the five-year average, respectively.
Photo by Andy Andrews, editor
“TaIX
Four Sections
Margaret Tau of Hayfieid Grange, Crawford County, center, was selected 2003
Granger of the Year. She is congratulated by Ken Mennit, 2002 Granger of the Year and
State Master Betsy Huber. Photo by Charlene Shupp Espenshade
The Delaware State Fair is
hosting this year’s annual con
vention, which will attract fair
managers, board members, na
tionally acclaimed speakers,
trade show exhibitors, and enter
Saturday, November 1,2003
tainers from across the region.
The entire convention will be on
the fairgrounds complex.
“The officers, board of direc
tors, and staff of the Delaware
$37.00 Per Year
(Turn to Page A 29)
$l.OO Per Copy
Inside
The Farmer
✓ Dairy One Annual
Reports page C3,D2.
✓ Christmas Tree
Growers meeting A 37.
✓ Lebanon Holstein
meeting page A 22.
✓ New Holland
Sales Stables Dairy
Show page A2l.
✓ Chester Holstein
meeting page A4O.
Ag Directory To
Feature Experts
Mail Or Fax
Changes To Us
EPHRATA (Lancaster Co.)
The year 2004 marks the fourth
annual Lancaster Farming Ag
Directory.
For 2004, Lancaster Farming
plans a new portion of the annual
phonebook-like reference source;
“Call On The Experts.” Leaders
and decision-makers in North
east and Mid-Atlantic agriculture
and related industries will be list
ed, along with addresses, phone
numbers, and Websites.
For agencies, universities, and
others who want their informa
tion updated, please mail in
changes to 2004 Ag Directory,
Lancaster Farming, P.O. Box
609, Ephrata, PA 17522. You
may also fax in on company let
terhead to (717) 733-6058.
In 2003, the Ag Directory to-
(Turn to Page A 29)