Lancaster Farming: Ephrata, PA
Submitted by Editor on Fri, 01/29/2010 - 12:13pm.
 Chris Torres
Staff Writer Editor’s note: This is the first of a two-part series that takes a broad look at major farming trends and events over the past decade. EPHRATA, Pa. — From Farm Bills to disease outbreaks; from an escalating debate on how food should be produced to roller coaster milk prices and record high corn production, farmers have been witness to quite a decade. A lot has transpired throughout the last 10 years and trying to summarize it is difficult.
Submitted by Editor on Fri, 01/22/2010 - 3:40pm.
Charlene M. Shupp Espenshade
Special Sections EditorHARRISBURG, Pa. — The newly formed Dairy Policy Action Coalition (DPAC) held a meeting at the Pennsylvania Farm Show last week for farmers to discuss what makes the group unique and what’s next on its agenda.
Submitted by Editor on Fri, 01/22/2010 - 3:39pm.
 Anne Harnish
Food and Family Features Editor
HARRISBURG, Pa. — With the sound of roosters crowing from every corner, visitors to the poultry show were not the only ones making noise this year. The busy poultry show at the 2010 Pennsylvania Farm Show attracted not just large crowds of spectators, but also a huge jump in entries, nearly 40 percent more than last year. More than 1,640 birds were on display this year including a wide variety of standard chickens, bantams, ducks, geese and turkeys — significantly more than the 1,200-plus birds at the 2009 Farm Show.
Submitted by Editor on Fri, 01/22/2010 - 3:38pm.
Charlene M. Shupp Espenshade
Special Sections EditorHARRISBURG, Pa. — At the recent American Farm Bureau Federation convention in Seattle, delegates set policies that will guide the organization for 2010, but what does that mean for Pennsylvania Farm Bureau (PFB) members? It means dairy issues and “cap and trade” legislation will be two topics high on the agenda in Pennsylvania and nationally. Last week at the Pennsylvania Farm Show, PFB President Carl Shaffer said, “The biggest thing discussed was dairy.
Submitted by Editor on Fri, 01/22/2010 - 3:37pm.
 Michelle Kunjappu
ReporterLANCASTER, Pa. — Organizers worked hard to set the stage for a night to celebrate Max Smith’s contribution to agriculture, and Tuesday evening’s program at Lancaster’s Farm and Home Center did not disappoint. Besides the larger-than-usual crowd who showed up for the 46th annual meeting of the Farm and Home Foundation of Lancaster County, three guest speakers, two standing ovations, a commendation from Lancaster’s mayor, and a powerpoint presentation left no doubt that Lancaster producers are grateful for Smith, 44-year Lancaster extension agent veteran. Nearly 200 people came to Tuesday night’s annual meeting to honor the 94-year-old Smith.
Submitted by Editor on Fri, 01/22/2010 - 3:36pm.
 Andrew Jenner
Virginia CorrespondentSHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. — Changing times have brought wins and losses for small farmers, according to Kathy Ozer, director of the National Family Farm Coalition. Delivering the keynote address at the 11th annual conference of Future Harvest-CASA, a nonprofit focused on issues of farm sustainability, Ozer discussed what she sees as positive and negative developments in U.S.
Submitted by Editor on Fri, 01/22/2010 - 3:35pm.
Steve Taylor
New England CorrespondentKEENE, N.H. — It’s a small not-for profit organization with a staff of just two, but Land for Good has ambitious goals aimed at preserving and strengthening agriculture throughout the six New England states. Land for Good seeks to support farmers, landowners and communities that keep agricultural lands working by providing an array of services, including farm transfer planning, farmland access, leases and other land-use arrangements, farm design and land planning and conservation development. Kathy Ruhf, co-director of the organization, says it has three primary targets for its work: -Farm seekers, people looking to get into farming or who want to move from tenancy to ownership of an agricultural enterprise, who need assistance in the nuts and bolts of real estate acquisition, farm business planning and financing options. -Exiting farm families, including those who are considering sale of a farm operation or transitioning it to the next generation and who need coaching through the process of succession with its often-complex tax, legal and emotional issues. -Non-farming owners of agricultural land, ranging from land trusts to municipal governments to second-homes owners that need advice and guidance on finding workable solutions to keep farmland active. Ruhf, a Belchertown, Mass., resident long active in issues relating to farm entry, succession and tenure and previously director the New England Small Farm Institute, shares Land for Good management duties with Bob Bernstein of Keene, N.H., a part-time farmer with a background as a contractor, executive director and organizational consultant.
Submitted by Editor on Fri, 01/22/2010 - 3:34pm.
 Charlene M. Shupp Espenshade Special Sections Editor HARRISBURG, Pa. — More than six hours after the start of the show featuring some 300 animals, Reich-Dale Counciller Hali, a Jersey owned by Kristin Mull of Chambersburg, was selected as the supreme champion last week at the Pennsylvania Farm Show dairy show. “I was happy just to get grand (champion) of my breed,” said Mull after the announcement.
Submitted by Editor on Fri, 01/22/2010 - 3:33pm.
 John Friel
Southeastern Pa. CorrespondentLEOLA, Pa. — “Everybody packs something.” That’s Denise Sheehan, assistant program director of the southeast region of the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA). Her audience: about 15 farmers and prospective farmers attending a recent master class in produce packing at the Leola warehouse and distribution center of Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative (LFF). At least five audience members run community supported agriculture (CSA) operations in PASA’s nine-county Southeast region.
Submitted by Editor on Fri, 01/22/2010 - 3:32pm.
 Chris Torres
Staff Writer
NEW HOLLAND, Pa. — Bryan Butler has been working with high tunnels since 1997. So safe to say, he’s learned a lot about them. Working with mobile high tunnels, however, has presented him with newer challenges. At New Holland Veggie Day Monday, Butler, an extension agent from the University of Maryland, shared his experiences working with mobile high tunnels. As he sees it, when it comes to mobile high tunnels, he’s learning as much as he is teaching. So he implored growers at the meeting to give him advice on things he can do to improve the design of the tunnels and the setup he has on his farm. He learned of mobile high tunnels just last year and decided to experiment with them on his farm. “I didn’t have a very high opinion of mobile high tunnels when I first got into it,” Butler said. For one thing, they are more expensive than regular high tunnels — $7,500 compared to $5,000.
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