Our society and the agricultural community have been through many changes over the years, but the goals of the county fairs remain consistent today … providing a family oriented show, dedicated to education, entertainment and fellowship to all.

These county fairs serve as one of the few remaining links between farm and nonfarm residents.

Today, less than 2 percent of our population is made up of farmers. With the majority of the public at least three generations removed from actual farm life, the fairs are more important than ever.

More often than not, education and communication can avoid basic misunderstandings.

Too often, nonfarm residents are ready to lay blame on the farming sector for a problem or concern that is unwarranted.

On the other hand, farm residents must realize the need to get along with and positively promote their occupation to nonfarm residents.

While the decline in the number of farms will continue for years to come, the remaining producers will strive to meet the needs of tomorrow’s society.

Farm and nonfarm residents will need to coexist more in the years to come and the county fairs will provide an avenue for such interaction.

Locally, we have the Butler Farm Show, running today through Saturday, and the Hookstown Fair, running Aug. 19 to 23, or you may just want to stop in at the Big Knob Grange Fair, being held Aug. 26 to 30 in Rochester, Beaver County.

To locate a fair near you, log on to the Pennsylvania State Association of County Fairs at www.pafairs.org.

CREP Maintenance

Now is the time to begin maintenance mowing under the CREP program. The conservation reserve enhancement program is a voluntary program whereby participants enter into 10- or 15- year contracts and earn an annual rental payment for the acreage under contract.

The trade-off for the rental payment is harvesting and grazing restrictions and improved water quality and wildlife habitat. The established mowing dates have already begun. The dates are designed so that ground nesting birds do not have their nests destroyed during the brooding season. Mowing is not required, but woody vegetations is not permitted on CREP cropland acreage.

If CREP participants follow their conservation plans, woody vegetative growth will not be an issue. CREP acreage can be mowed every year around the perimeter of the field, along the wood lines at 25 feet wide.

CREP mowing in the field can only account for one-third of the acreage. In other words, mow a different third each year, that way all the acres are mowed once every three years and this will prohibit woody vegetative growth.

Noxious weeds, such as, Canadian Thistle and Multi Flora Rose must be controlled on CREP acreage also, but mowing especially during August will not control noxious weeds.

CREP participants, especially those with buffers along the creeks will need to be vigilant in monitoring noxious weeds and use a herbicide application to kill them.

There are a few good herbicide recipes that do an excellent job at a reasonable price.

Participants already receive a maintenance payment as part of the annual rental rate, so there should be no excuse for not controlling noxious weeds. Some participants are physically unable to perform maintenance activities, and these participants may need to hire someone to complete the spraying.

Spot-checks will be performed by the Farm Service Agency and the Natural Resources Conservation Service personnel on farms randomly selected.

Although there are many farms enrolled or waiting to be enrolled, total contract acreage is only about 3,800 acres for Butler, Beaver and Allegheny counties.

Most of the CREP contracts have been for buffers along the creeks to prohibit livestock. Very few whole farms have been enrolled, which is evidence that CREP works well for active producers.

Anyone with questions on CREP mowing or any other CREP issues should contact the office at 724-482-4800, Ext. 2, or 724-775-2369, Ext. 2.

Luke Fritz is executive director of the Butler County Farm Service Agency.