Pennsylvania's Celebration of Agriculture!

The 2010 PA Farm Show was once again a successful event! Half a million visitors attended this famous Pennsylvania affair. For those of you that do not know what the PA Farm Show is, let me explain.

The Pennsylvania Farm Show, which runs usually the first or second week of January in Harrisburg, is basically a celebration of Agriculture. Animals, equipment, entertainment, food, and agribusiness are just some of the things celebrated at the Farm Show. Farmers, city folk, politicians, VIP’s, and everyone in between gather at this event to learn, experience, and hear the story of agriculture. Over 300 commercial exhibits and 13,000 competitions are at the Farm Show. Farmers display every Pennsylvania grown agriculture product you can imagine from maple syrup, rabbits, and cattle, to mushrooms and Christmas trees. The event also has hands on activities like wheat weaving, quilting, lace crafting, cow milking contest, and so much more!

But the Farm Show wasn’t always the Farm Show. Here’s a little bit of history…William Penn actually established the first agricultural show and located it in Philadelphia. In 1820, Pennsylvania enacted a law to hold a formal annual agriculture event bringing together farmers in Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties. By 1851, Harrisburg was designated as the host of this event and was situated on 15 acres next to the Susquehanna River. 20,000 people attended to see the various exhibits and contests. Farmers brought what they thought was their best animals. They could also bring their crops to the show, such as wheat and tobacco. It was a huge success, enjoyed by many farmers! This show then started regional and county fairs and later people stopped attending the state event. For 16 years the state agriculture event was not held and then finally Henry E. Klugh, who worked for the Bureau of Animal Industry hosted the event in one of the buildings in downtown Harrisburg. The first PA State Farm Show was on January 23, 1917 and lasted three days. There were competitive farm exhibits, farm machinery, educational type sessions, and no admission. Over the years, the show grew and grew and by 1955, the Penn State President, Dr. Eisenhower proclaimed the PA State Farm Show as “the greatest show on earth”! Since that time, Farm Show has had many changes for the better. A bigger building, more exhibits, more events, and of course more people attending during the eight day event. Now the event is classified as the largest indoor agriculture and livestock event in the United States. A truly great honor to have this event right in my back door!

So why does everyone flock to the Farm Show? Is it tradition (my parents went, my grandparents attended, and my great grandparents attended)? Is it the food (sticky buns, roast beef sandwiches, milkshakes, apple dumplings, OH MY)? Is it because of the activities and shows (PA Iron Chef, Horse Cart Races, High School Rodeo, Beef cattle, hogs, sheep, dairy shows)? OR maybe it is because you heard from your friends that this is great family event! Whatever the reason, thousands flock to the Pennsylvania Farm Show.

I have been attending this gigantic event ever since I was baby. I live on a farm and for me it is a family tradition to attend this event. My family goes to gain more knowledge to bring back to the farm. From all the years attending this event, I have realized that it’s not just about the knowledge you bring home, it’s also about the other farmers/people you meet, the agriculture associations you learn about, and the enjoyable time you have at the show. I believe that the PA Farm Show has literally something for everyone! Whether you are a city folk, politician, farmer, or anyone else in-between, you are bound to learn something about agriculture.

Hope to see YOU at the 2011 celebration of Pennsylvania agriculture!

Below enjoy a slideshow of photos taken at the 2010 PA State Farm Show.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Here's to the bright New Year, and a fond farewell to the old; here's to the things that are yet to come, and to the memories that we hold. Wishing you all a happy prosperous 2010!

Start a new year with some dancing cows!

December Preparation for the Cattle Herd

December for many cattle producers means much preparation for winterizing their herds. What is on your checklist for this month? Nutrition and winter feeding, body condition evaluation, and calving issues should all be on your list.

December is the perfect time to evaluate your cow’s body condition. Cows that will be calving should have a body condition score that is between 5 and 7. Cows that have scores of less than a 5 should be on a separate diet to condition them with adequate nutrition for calving. If feasible, separate your cows into production classes and feed according to their body condition score and production needs.

If you have not already started, prepare your winter feeding program for your cows. Hay and feed supplements are usually the most expensive in your budget. Evaluate your winter forage supply by determining lowest to highest quality hay. Mid pregnancy cows should receive the lowest quality of forages while late pregnancy cows should receive medium quality and the highest quality hay should be given to calves, lactating cattle, and replacement heifers. Cows should receive 25 to 30 pounds of hay per day.

Feeding corn silage is also a good way to make sure your cows stay at a healthy body condition score. Pregnant heifers and dry cows in mid pregnancy should receive 45 to 50 pounds of corn silage plus .75 pounds of soybean meal or cottonseed meal. Dry cows in late pregnancy should receive 50 to 55 pounds of corn silage and .75 pound of soybean meal while lactating cows should be given 60 to 80 pounds of silage and 1 to 2 pounds of soybean meal. Another important part of the feeding program that sometimes is neglected is the mineral mix. All cattle should receive a free choice balanced salt mineral mix. Also, avoid underfeeding heifers or cows to achieve decreased birth weights. Doing this could cause a longer pregnancy and reduction in calf survival. Research has proven that there is no difference in birth weights or calving ease in comparing cows that are underfed and cows that are fed adequate diets.

For many producers, winter marks the start of calving season. Be sure to check all facilities and equipment that will be used during calving. If calving pens are available they should be clean and dry. A warmer environment should be prepared just in case you have chilled calves. Make sure that all calving assistance equipment is in one location and in working order. Producers should have all of these calving supplies in a ‘calving kit’ to easily grab when a cow is calving. Be prepared to check your herd frequently and keep a close watch on first time calving heifers. These heifers should be moved into a smaller area so you will be able to check them more frequently.

Be sure to prepare your herd for the winter by evaluating your winter feeding program, body condition score your herd, and organize your calving kit. For further information on winter preparation for your cow/calf herd, contact your local Penn State Cooperative Extension office.

Photo courtesy of: lisa a. johnston | aeternus.com

Baxter Black Speaks About Beef Checkoff

Minimizing Equine Costs in Tough Times

According to some Equine Specialists, the annual cost of raising a horse could reach up to 1000 dollars or more. For some, 1000 to 2000 dollars is just not feasible in today’s tough times. Below are just a few ways to cut costs while still enjoying the pleasure of having a horse.

The largest cost of caring for a horse always seems to be the feed bill. Is your horse receiving grain, nutritional supplements, hay, and pasture or is the horse just on pasture? Evaluate your current feeding plan as well as your horse’s condition. If your horse is overweight, it might not have a balanced diet. Also the feeding plan is determined by the use of your horse, if it is a mature pleasure horse not being exercised frequently it requires approximately 20 to 50 percent less feed. Your best option is to simplify the feeding plan by evaluating each ingredient that is being consumed. Sometimes it is not necessary for your horse to consume both grain and hay. Grain tends to be much pricier than hay. Most horses do very well on just consuming hay or being out on the pasture. This could be a cost saving tactic as well as a much healthier option for your horse. Remember if you switch to a forage diet make sure you know the quality of hay they are eating. An easy way to determine your hay quality is to send a sample of your hay to a lab for testing. Once you find a high quality hay source, buy in bulk to lower your cost per bale.

Utilize your pastures when available. Pastures are a great option instead of feeding hay during the spring and summer months. Before you put your horses on your pasture, test the soil to see if you need to fertilize. Soil testing is important so you do not waste money putting extra fertilizer on your pastures or by putting it on soil with a low pH. Setting up a rotational grazing system will also be beneficial for your pastures, horses, and your pocket. Rotational grazing moves horses to different paddocks every few days. This is the most economical way to feed animals. Rotational grazing allows the pasture to rest and re-grow and in turn allow for quality pasture throughout the entire grazing season.

Another high cost are your veterinarian bills. It is necessary to have your veterinarian do a check up on your horse once a year to determine if it is good condition. This could reduce your bills throughout the entire year. Giving your horse vaccinations may also reduce your costs. A veterinarian can show you how to give a proper injection and save him a trip and you a large bill. You will still be able to purchase the proper vaccinations from your veterinarian or you can obtain them from an animal health store. Another option to reduce your bills is to take your horse to the veterinarian instead of having to pay for a farm visit.

It is very important that you perform daily care and maintenance for your horse. Be sure to check hooves, teeth, and change water buckets daily. Keeping the stable area dry and clean is also imperative for horse health. Remember it is less expensive to do preventative then emergency care.