NEW HAMPSHIRE NEWS 



modern-day marketing to create a 

 unique and profitable business re- 

 lationship. This represents a major 

 cultural shift in the Amish commu- 

 nity of Lancaster County, Pennsylva- 

 nia. 



McGilvary met up with Stoltzfus 

 over a year ago while on vacation 

 in Lancaster County and was intro- 

 duced to the old-style wooden 

 wheelbarrows handmade by the 

 Stoltzfus family. The New Englander 

 immediately felt these wheelbar- 

 rows would be a hit in today's mar- 

 ket where old-world charm is very 

 much in vogue." 



Because developers have taken 

 much of the farmland around, 

 Stoltzfus needs to make it as a 

 businessman, but he's also eager to 

 avoid mainstream American life in 

 order to protect his culture's val- 

 ues. Church doctrine forbids cars, 

 computers, and faxes; welding 

 methods and machinery are off-lim- 

 its. 



Hand-made wheelbarrows come 

 in two sizes — "full" and "junior;" a 

 catalog showcasing these and other 

 woodcrafts is in the works. 



For information, contact Steve 

 McGilvary, Misty Parker Gifts, 67 

 South River Road, Bedford, New 

 Hampshire 03110. The phone num- 

 ber is 603-464-4839. 



Legislative Overview 



{Weekly Market Bulletin, 

 December 31, 1997) 



The 1998 session of the New 

 Hampshire General Court has been 

 in business since early January 



"Here are some of the bills af- 

 fecting agriculture that have been 

 proposed: "clarification of the defi- 

 nition of the terms 'agriculture,' 

 ■farm,' and "farming;' restrictions on 

 the use of sludge and biosolids on 

 agricultural land (several bills); set- 

 ting up a panel to update fence 

 laws; expanding the definition of 

 the term "livestock;' establishing an 

 integrated pest management fund 



and a pesticide cleanup fund; pro- 

 viding for "loser pays' costs of de- 

 fending agricultural nuisance suits; 

 and banning aerial spraying of her- 

 bicides. 



There's an 'agricultural dispar- 

 agement' law proposed, along with 

 a measure to set up a study of 

 ways to manage land so as to pro- 

 tect farmland, rural character, and 

 the environment. 



And there's a bill that would set 

 up a special conservation license 

 plate like some other states have 

 that would raise money for conser- 

 vation efforts. 



Bill hearings are often scheduled 

 on short notice. Contact with your 

 local legislator, using Farm Bureau's 

 excellent legislative tracking report, 

 is one way to keep in touch with 

 what is happening. 



Kiwi Corner 



Benches and More 



An Important theme in our renovation of the University of New 

 Hampshire greenhouses is the demonstration of a wide variety of 

 technologies. An Important example Is our choice of benches. By the 

 time the summer meeting of the NHPGA (which will be hosted here at 

 UNH) comes around, we will be able to show you benches from 

 Agrodynamics, Harnois, |aderloon, Midwest Cromaster, Rough Brothers, 

 Star Steel, XS Smith, and TAK Equipment. Many of these benches have 

 been kindly donated by manufacturers to support the UNH ornamentals 

 program and local Industry. 



Having this diversity In equipment in our 'Technology Showcase' has 

 several advantages. Our students will gain experience from growing 

 plants using a variety of systems that Includes ebb-and-flood, hand- 

 watering, drip tubing, on -floor production, and trough. We can evaluate 

 these systems in an objective manner. We also hope that you as growers 

 will visit our facility to help choose what systems are best suited to your 

 needs. 



Something we are very proud of in New Zealand is "Iclwl ingenuity," 

 which comes down to inventing cheap home-made solutions that gener- 

 ally Involve the use of No. 8 fencing wire. It seems the equivalent key 

 Ingredients here In New Hampshire are duct tape and baling twine. In 

 addition to the commercial products we are demonstrating at the UNH 

 greenhouses, we would like you to share your favorite design for a 

 home-made free-standing bench so that we can build It for our student 

 and research use. Size of the bench should be 4'xl4'. We will attach a 

 sign to the bench Indicating the source of the design. 



No matter how high- or low-tech your greenhouse. It's the people 

 that are the key to growing high-quality plants. We are very fortunate to 

 have hired a new assistant greenhouse manager at UNH — David 

 Coudreault. Many of you will know David from his experience as a 

 grower and salesperson here In New Hampshire. Hiring experienced and 

 motivated staff Is a crucial step towards making our greenhouse a top- 

 class facility for helping NH Industry and we welcome David to our team. 



Paul Fisher, Department of Plant Biology, Spaulding Hall G-44, University of 

 New Hampshire, Durham. NH 03824 can be reaced By phone at 603-862-4525, 

 6y fax at 603-862-4757, or by e-mail at prf@hopper.unh.edu. 



FEBRUARY . MARCH . 1998 



