Manheim Young Farmers

Manheim Young Farmer Pesticide Update Meetings
The annual winter meetings to provide our Manheim Young Farmers with pesticide applicator credits were held in January and February, with Maryland and Virginia Milk Co-Op sponsoring the February meeting. Guest speakers for the meetings were Dave Johnson from the Penn State Research Farm in Landisville, Dr. Kerry Richards from Penn State Pesticide Education and Jeff Graybill, Agronomy Penn State Extension Educator. Highlights of the meetings included:
Ø Herbicide weed control in crops
Ø New herbicide options for 2008
Ø Safe handling of pesticide containers
Ø Lethal dose calculations
Ø Pesticide application record keeping
Ø Pesticide contamination of ground water

Conservation Planning Meeting
In November there was an on-farm meeting at the Shearer’s farm. Kevin Seibert from the Lancaster County Conservation District spoke to our members about the need to have a Conservation Plan, and went over the steps of how to write up a plan and keep it current. Many government programs, including the new REAP program, require applicants to have a plan to sign up for their various programs. A workbook was distributed to help record farm agronomic information.

Annual Banquet
The Awards Banquet in March was an evening of celebration, recognizing members and supporters in a relaxed atmosphere with good food and fellowship. Ken and Theresa Nolt received the Outstanding Young Farmer Over 30 award; Nevin and Doneen Dourte received the Community Service Award and Earl Landis received the Young Farmer Hall of Fame Award from President Doreen Shearer. Other awards included: shelled corn, Jim Musser; wheat, Jim Kettering; full season soybeans, Jim Hershey; double crop soybeans, Dustin Musser, swine finishing, Jim Hershey; broilers efficiency, Lowell Fry; high five year production protein and fat average, lifetime record protein and fat, most improved protein and butterfat, and low somatic cell count, all going to Balmer Brothers. Entertainment was provided by Ryan & Friends Ventriloquist.