Enter the 21st Century

Enter the 21st Century. Perry County Bicentennial. , Wheat, oats and rye were the mainstay of early 19th century agriculture. By the 21st century corn was the largest field crop, producing twice as many bushels on 10% less acreage than in 1954. Wheat, oats and rye were grown on just 15,800 acres. Corn was grown on 25,000 acres. Soybeans, a new crop for Perry County, increased from 400 acres in 1972 to 10,000 acres forty years later., Today's Farm - Ever Increasing Productivity , In 1840, 68% of Perry Countians were farmers. By 2012, only 11% were full or part time farmers. In 2015 there were 19 Century Farms, defined as having been worked for over 100 years by the same family. Two farms have been in the same family since the 1790s!, With few exceptions, full time farms are larger, more specialized and more productive. Soil testing ensures fields are fertilized properly. Environmental safeguards are the norm. Many farmers have adopted no-till farming practices. Spraying with herbicides and pesticides is safer and more precise. Farmers may use GPS to guide planting and spraying to reduce waste of seeds or excessive application of chemicals., Computers and ventilation systems assure that livestock are healthy in climate-controlled barns, and fed correct amounts of feed and clean water on an automated basis., Farm markets, organic farms, wineries, direct marketing and new ventures in agriculture are increasing in number., Amish farmers, more recent immigrants to the county, practice limited mechanized farming, while a number of highly productive and specialized agriculturists, hold the coveted title of Master Farmer., The Master Farmers of Perry County , The Grange, 4-H, FFA, agricultural colleges, Extension Services, Federal and State programs, the Perry County Fair, the Farm Bureau, agribusinesses with their field agents, scientific advancements in agriculture, farm publication and many more agents of change have led to increased agricultural production., One group, the Master Farmers of Perry County, has been in the vanguard, incorporating the latest agricultural science, research, technologies and equipment into their enterprises. Since 1950 when Edwin B. Wallis, Sr. in Liverpool was recognized by the Mid-Atlantic Master Farmer Association, these well-managed and highly productive farmers have been led by example and service., In 2016, 15 Perry County farmers are recognized as living or late Master Farmers. In addition to superb management of their own operations, these men and women have served as chairpersons, directors and officers of agricultural organizations, schools, banks, churches, civic organizations and government. They share a common bond: a desire to further the education, opportunities and rights of farm families., The accompanying maps show the locations of Master Farmers and Century Farms in Perry County. The agricultural community invites road tours to observe our farm lands, a legacy which continues to produce a fruitful harvest for America., [Captions:] , Loading a grain truck with corn in 2015. To the right of the stairs is a large-capacity grain dryer. Location - Oliver Township., Bailing hay in 1978. By 2016, many farmers had switched to making large square or round bales. Location - Greenwood Township., A 12-row corn planter working in a no-till field in 2010. The arms outstretched to the side of the planter mark the location of the rows so that the tractor operator can line up the next pass precisely next to the previous one. Location - Oliver Township., Filling a grain cart with soybeans in 2013. The John Deere combine performs the reaping and threshing of the grain in one operation. Location - Oliver Township., Spraying alfalfa in the 1970s was imprecise and offered the operator no protection. By 2012, GPS-guided sprayers with enclosed cabs allowed exact application of chemicals and protected the operator. When opened, the booms have an 80-foot reach. Location - Oliver Township., Poults are kept inside cardboard rings for the first 6 days so they will not wander far from the heat lamps. Older turkeys have free run of a much larger barn. Note the automatic waterers. Location: Oliver Township.