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il. 49 No. 7
Danville Swine Producers Install
Innovative Manure-Handling Setup
DAVE LEFEVER
Lancaster Farming Staff
Editor's note: “Making An
Impact ” will be a new series of
features on young farmers who
are creating their own success.
The first of a regular (not neces
sarily weekly) series focuses on
a successful swine operation in
Northumberland County. Fu
ture issues will focus on farmers
in Luzerne and Berks counties,
in addition to state and regional
programs affecting new and be
ginning farmers.
DANVILLE (Northumber
land Co.) Caressa Crone’s
goal is to raise hogs profitably,
in a way that minimizes stress
on the animals, her family, and
everybody else involved, includ
ing neighbors.
Crone, along with her hus
band Richard and father-in-law
Stanley Crone, are willing to
take some risks in reaching that
goal.
ii We’ve got to
be responsible in
the way we con
duct ourselves.
We’re profession
als, just like the
doctor and the
lawyer. 5 5
Caressa Crone
Larry Specht, left, was recognized Wednesday
evening for his years of service to the Pennsylvania
Dairyman’s Association and the industry, as he be
gins his retirement. He is congratulated by Ken Teel.
More about the awards program on page A 22.
Photo by Charlene Shupp Espenshade
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www.lancasterfarming.com
The Crones manage two
1,100-head finishing barns, built
last year for feeding contract
hogs. The facilities include an
automatic hog sorting system,
along with an unconventional
pen design that provides a lot of
mobility for the animals and fits
well with manure storage plans.
Their latest project is a di
gester manure system that will
produce biogas (largely meth
ane) to generate electricity. Di
gested manure will be returned
to pits under the hog barns for
storage.
Odor control is one of the
main benefits the Crones expect
from the new manure system.
At this point, the farm is sur
rounded by supportive neigh
bors, but new housing develop
ments are being built in the area
bringing a greater chance for
negative reactions.
Heading off potential prob
lems is part of a “professional”
approach to hog farming,
according to Caressa^Erone.
“We’ve got to b£*fesponsible
in the way we conduct our
selves,” she said. “We’re profes
sionals, just like the doctor and
the lawyer.”
With two sons Rusty, 9,
and Sam, 6 Crone is interest
ed in making the farm and
neighborhood an attractive
place for the next generation.
“We care about the environ
ment and what we leave our
children,” she said.
Manure digestion technology
has been around for decades.
What sets the Crones’ system
apart is the way storage will be
handled.
Four Sections
Under the slatted floors in
each section of the hog
(Turn to Page A 34)
The Crone family, including Caressa, right, and her father-in-law Stanley, center,
are working with Penn State and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture on a di
gester system that will produce biogas from hog manure on their Northumberland
County farm. The gas will be used to generate electricity to run the farm’s two finish
ing barns. Joining the Crones is Robert J. Meinen, Penn State senior extension asso
ciate. Photo by Dave Lefever
PASA’s Farming For The Future
Conference Feb. 5-7
BRIAN SNYDER
Centre Co. Correspondent
STATE COLLEGE (Centre
Co.) The Pennsylvania Associ
ation for Sustainable Agriculture
(PASA) will conduct its 13th an
nual Farming for the Future
Conference Feb. 5-7 here at the
Penn Stater Conference Center
and Hotel.
This year’s theme is “Path
Inside
The Farmer
✓ Shank’s Barn
page 817.
✓ Dairy Stakehold
ers page A 22.
✓ Lebanon Cham
ber Banquet page A 27.
✓ Lancaster DHIA
Meeting page A 33.
✓ Future Of Food,
Farms page C 4.
✓ Lancaster DHIA
page D 2.
Saturday, December 13, 2003
ways to Prosperity: The New
Face of Agriculture.’’ Once again
the PASA conference will com
bine inspirational stories and
practical information along with
first-rate keynote addresses and
cutting edge workshops. About
100 farmers, activists, and educa
tors make up the list of present
ers for this year’s newly expand
ed program.
Local P ood On Campus:
Fanners, Colleges Collaborate
DAVE LEFEVER
Lancaster Farming Staff
WEST CHESTER (Chester
Co.) College students get ex
cited about locally-grown food.
That’s what coordinators of a
new farm-to-college program are
finding out. College food direc
tors who buy local are noticing it,
too.
“Students love it,’’ said Janet
Kassab, food purchasing director
at Swarthmore College in Dela
ware County. “They constantly
tell us.”
$37.00 Per Year
Keynote speakers this year in
clude renowned author and sus
tainable business leader Paul
Hawken, and Anuradha Mittal, a
native of India who is co-director
of Food First/The Institute for
Food and Development Policy in
Oakland, Calif.
A record of more than sixty
(Turn to Page A 36)
Kassab buys apples and other
fruit on a seasonal basis from
nearby Indian Orchards to serve
in the college dining hall.
“It’s very popular and very
well received,” she said.
Swarthmore is one of a num
ber of colleges in Pennsylvania so
far that are willing to buy local
food. Beside produce, food direc
tors are showing interest in pur
chasing local milk and meats as
well.
(Turn to Page A 39)
$l.OO Per Copy