You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
Someday when you<br />
can do chores<br />
by remote control<br />
your Butler<br />
building will<br />
still be there<br />
Today, remote controls for radio<br />
and TV sets are commonplace.<br />
But operating tractors and doing<br />
all your chores by remote control<br />
may be a long time coming. But<br />
when it does, your Butler building<br />
will still be there with years<br />
of low-cost service ahead. People<br />
who take real pride in their<br />
farms and build for the future<br />
. . . build with Butler. Today,<br />
these attractive metal buildings<br />
can provide firesafe, weathertight,<br />
rodent-proof grain storage<br />
at a low cost per bushel. Tomorrow,<br />
they can be adapted to<br />
many other farm uses. They can<br />
be finished in a variety of colors<br />
to blend with your farmstead.<br />
Be wise, build for the future. See<br />
your Butler Builder. Ask him<br />
about Butler financing, too. Or<br />
write direct for free literature.<br />
butier<br />
BUTLER MANUFACTURING COMPANY<br />
7332 East 13th Street. Kansas City 26, Mo.<br />
Manufacturers of Metal Buildings<br />
Equipment for Farming, Oil Transportation,<br />
Outdoor Advertising • Contract Manufacturing<br />
He Sells Grass<br />
in a rnilk tank<br />
Grassland and dairy cows are helping Donald get established.<br />
HOW MANY TIMES have you heard<br />
the statement, "You have to be a<br />
big operator to succeed at farming these<br />
days?"<br />
Donald Swope, 21 -year-old Harrison-<br />
ville. Pennsylvania, FFA member, has<br />
an operation that casts a long shadow<br />
on such statements. He is doing it with<br />
a good grassland program and dairy<br />
cows. Donald has bought a 14.^-acre<br />
farm and rents an additional 180 acres<br />
nearby. At present, he is milking 26<br />
cows and has 20 replacements. Donald<br />
owns nine of the cows and five of the replacements,<br />
plus a half interest in a<br />
complete line of farm machinery. Average<br />
production of his herd is nearly<br />
10,000 pounds of milk per year— pretty<br />
good for the mountainous area where<br />
he lives.<br />
How did Donald get his start in<br />
farming? Let him tell the story.<br />
"My dad is a dairy farmer and I<br />
guess I grew into the business. Even<br />
after joining the FFA, I wasn't sure<br />
dairying was what I wanted to do. I<br />
started my supervised farming with one<br />
sow. Then I started expanding my<br />
swine operation and also added broilers.<br />
It didn't take long to see that my<br />
poultry operation wasn't profitable—so<br />
I dropped it. My senior year in high<br />
school I bought a dairy cow and calf.<br />
After graduation I used profits from my<br />
swine operation to buy more dairy cattle.<br />
All this time I was becoming more<br />
and more aware that dairying was my<br />
first love. And too, it looked as if<br />
dairying was the only enterprise that<br />
offered me a steady market. Up to a<br />
few months ago, I kept raising a few<br />
hogs, but the dairy cows were requiring<br />
more attention, so I sold the hogs.<br />
"My dad had a heart attack a short<br />
time ago, so I took over his operation<br />
on a partnership agreement. I had<br />
bought the 143-acre farm only a few<br />
months before this happened. My dad<br />
asked me to take charge of his dairy<br />
cows while he was disabled. I have full<br />
use of the cows in return for supporting<br />
the family and receive the good heifer<br />
calves born during the time the cows<br />
are in my possession. If any of my<br />
dad's cows are culled out, he gets re-<br />
ceipts and replaces them with better<br />
producing animals. This help from my<br />
dad has served two purposes. It enabled<br />
me to become established in farm-<br />
ing without too much cash outlay at<br />
one time, and my father has some income<br />
while he is disabled.<br />
"The farm was a good buy. It cost<br />
$10,000 and I make a payment on it<br />
each year out of my profits. I didn't<br />
have the money to pay for it, but the<br />
bank loaned me the money.<br />
"My dad's farm is near mine so<br />
our partnership works out good. Two<br />
months ago, my brother, who owned<br />
the farm next to me, decided to sell and<br />
Dad bought it. Soon Dad and I plan<br />
to consolidate the three farms into one<br />
and work all three under partnership.<br />
By doing this we can get more use from<br />
expensive machinery and can buy our<br />
farm supplies in larger quantity—thereby<br />
lowering our production costs.<br />
"Without a good grassland farming<br />
program in this area, I would be licked<br />
before I got started. I try to grow good<br />
(Continued on Page 55)<br />
Advisor J. M. Clark and Donald look over part of fhe high producing herd<br />
lazing in the rest area. Donald is an American <strong>Farmer</strong> Degree candidate.<br />
40 The <strong>National</strong> FUTURE FARMER
Change language