—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, September 17, 1960 4 FROM WHERE WE STAND - Heigh Ho! Come To The Fair Heigh Ho, come to the fair! Almost since the beginning of recorded his tory, fairs after harvest time have had a place in the life of rural people. The desire of the farmer to exhibit some of the fruits of his labor and the thrills of competition with his neighbors has kept the age-old tradition alive down to the present time. Fairs take many different forms and themes from the strictly agricul tural exhibitions to the other extreme of a carnival atmosphere with some farm exhibits to give it a slightly rural flavor. The earliest fairs were of the first kind where farmers exhibited and sold their produce and livestock. Many of the first fairs were more like a market place than a fairground as we know them today. Later, contests of skill at farm tasks were added to the program and farm ers could show off their dexterity as well as the products of their lands. Soon, athletic events were included at many fairs and the holiday atmosphere took over the fairground. With the fiesta spirit came the games of chance and with the games of chance came the sharpers with the dodge games to separate the unsuspect ing adventurer from his hard earned cash. In many places the holiday theme became so strong that the fair bore little resemblance to the original ex hibitions. Many fairs were staged for the benefit of the carnival operators who used the county fair theme as an excuse to gather together a crowd to be duped into spending money on ques tionable games In recent years the fairs have fol lowed several different courses. We feel that Lancaster County is fortunate to have several good agncultural'fairs. Several counties in nearby areas have almost forgotten the rural aspect of ihg- fair and more space is taken up on the fairground by the midway than by all the tarm exhibits and exhibition arenas. The experience with these fairs seems to indicate that a successful carn ival and a successful farm show can Davidson What kind of a program do the farm organizations want’ That’s a question that has stumped Congress and puz zled a lot of other people. "*To gcc the answer for readers of the more than 850 newspapers which use this column, wc invited the heads of the three general farm or gan rations to give us their recommendations S'-nce the 850,UU0-member National Giange is the oldest f 93 years) of the general farm groups, the first report has oeen prepa.ed by Herschel Lancaster Farming Lancister County’s Own Farm Weekly P O Box r>2l Lancistu, Pcnna Offices fP, North DnK<* St. Lancaster, Pcnna Phorn - Lanc.istri ss 4-J047 Jack Ov * n IMitor Robert O CimpbMl, Advertising i>n'(tnr &, uusmws some comparab.e lift above Esto'lisled Nmcmlxr A, 19V> , . , . „ Puimsiw pv, r > - Saturday by that determined by the free Lancaster Panning Lmctbter. Pa maiket, comparable, that it, EntP-f(l ,v 2nd clis; m-itl.i nt to the lift Which IS given I anensfrr Pa under Act of Mir e isti additional entry at Mount non- agricultural prices and Joy ' r ' wages by tariffs and import ;' s :T i^°^. r! rIrn 1 r n; 1 e J2 ,ei:r; and by ia WS which fi cents Birotoct the rights of indus- M, mbui Pn Niuspapor Publish* ,: 3 i w .„„, „ arTlAr _ fp <*n» National "editor H wage to mim lai Awnt't.n | nun wages and collective *- _-s . oargaimng THIS WEEK —ln Washington With Clinton Davidson * * The Grange Program if D. Newsom, whose title is Master of the National Grange Subsequent columns will report on the views of Char les .Shuman, president of the American Farm Bureau Fed eration, largest (16 million members) of the three, and James Patton, President ol the FarmeiS Union. Newsom Says; “Farm income, at present levels, is not capable of gen eral ng the capital needed to continue the technological revolution that has made American agriculture the most productive in the world ‘ Clear'y the compensation of farmers (less than half the national per family average), and of agriculture as a whole is not proportionate to our contribution of the national welfare It has not been for several years “We must find effective mechanisms to try to give farm prices and farm income not occupy the same grounds at the same time. In the fairs holding both agricultural exhibits and midways, the two are so nearly divorced from each other as to be almost two different areas entirely. There has been talk al most every year of a county fair for Lancaster County. Each year there are supporters of such a move, but there are those who also paint out the disad vantages of centralizing the activity and eliminating the local incentive and pride. The local fairs do have many ad vantages and there are doubtless many farm boys and girls who could, not or would not exhibit at a centralized fair. Most of the local fairs would likely have to fold their tents if a county ex hibition were organized, but if all the effort now' going into the staging of the local fairs could be combined into one centralized show, a top-notch fair could be produced. One of the biggest problems faced by the local fair boards is the furnish ing of enough space under-roof for all the exhibits. A county fair association could probably build facilities to house all-the animals and showring facilities for what is now paid for canvas by the local fairs. ■> r-i. Many facilities could -be furnished by a county fair with the pooling of the capital available to all the fairs with the possibility of staging a really good exhibition. Even with the loss of the local fairs, we feel that the forma tion of a county fair association could be a good thing for the agriculture of the Garden Spot. But we would like to put one reser vation on the endorsement of the coun ty fair idea. We feel that any show representing the agriculture of the county should do just that. An exhibi tion based on the State Farm Show would be representative, of agriculture sncl the wholesomeness of rural Lan caster County __ If the county fair were to "develop on the theme of carnivals and' side shows, then .we are far better off with the good, small, local shows we now have At least that's how it looks from where we stand. “It s imperative that we do something much more con structive about the problem of dechn-ng farm income down 35% since 1952) than to s mp 1 y perpetuate the ar gument over the level of price supports, for neither provides a full answer. The Cost-Price Squeeze “We must attack the basic problem of the gap between farm operating costs and prices received by farmers. The real measure of a fair income for farmers is what is left after he has sold what ho produced and paid the cost of production “Substantial progress has been made in tailoring cer tain commodity programs (such as wool, sugar & milk market ng) to fit the pecular ihea of production, process ing a.id distribution of those commodT’es. ' ' “We have a diversity 'of farm prob’ems which, cannot be so’ved by a single, shot gun approach. This diversity, however, certainly does not (Turn to Page 5) Rural Rhythms TIME By Carol Dean Huber Summer days have all been spent; I wonder where all the warm days went When I was just a child they said There would be such days ahead Childhood’s time will creep or s 4 and Yie'd ng not to youth’s de mand As you older grow, the years Flow faster than a widow’s tears. «*OTICK to the Gospel and leave G politics alone,” is advice often given, to preachers. Whether it’s good advice depends on what is meant by it. If “Leave politics alone” means that a church should not become a political party, then It is good advice. But if it means that the preacher must never men tion anything so worldly and con troversial as housing for the poor, wage levels, dirty politics, dis honest police, in competent judges, or bad leadership In high Dr. Foreman places, then "Stick: to the Gospel” is bad advice. Not only that, but a preacher shamed or scared into silence about the live Issues of hia time and community is false to his Bible The prophets of old were bold preachers. They pointed their fin gers at sin wherever they saw it And when they saw the supposed leaders of their country setting bad examples, when they saw bad foreign policy, when they saw the weak oppressed and the shady characters given the medals, the prophets did not pull their punches or preach soothing sermons about heaven. They preached some of thfeir most powerful sermons straight to the top-flight citizens of their time. One of the great evils that Micah (for instance) nailed down, was what we call upside-down morals, preached and practiced by influen tial people. It is much worse when such people get twisted-up about right and wrong, than when ob scure people do. A bum in a slum can try to tell you that wrong is right and you pay him no atten tion. But when nch or famous or powerful people take a wrong slant, you get mixed up. You think, “Well, surely a man as smart [or Now Is The Time . . . TO MAKE SORGHUM SILAGE Mai acres of forage sorghum will be made in silage yet'tins month; the proper stage! cutting is when the sorghum seeds are the dough stage; the crops will decrease feed value if lire seed-heads are allow to get hard and mature If mixed with sc beans, it is best to allow the sorghum c velopment to be the guide rather than t soybeans, which are usually cut n t small-bean stage No preservation shou MAX SMITH be needed with the forage sorghum cid TO MAKE GOOD USE OF SWEET SUDAN GRASS -Swe sudan grass is one of the very popular summer pasture also, it may be made into grass silage if the growth ge ahead of the livestock Local growers are urged to utilu the Sudan grass growth to the fullest extent in the two weeks so that little growth will be present when tl first killing frost comes Grazmg, green chopping, 01 niai mg silage are methods of preserving or using the ciop S dan grass makes a very course textured hay crop |W making into silage a preservative should be used sumlai mixtures of timothy or orchard grass TO USE CAUTION AFTER A KILLING FROST S'« sudan grass becomes poisonous after a killing imsl nr shouldn’t be _ed to livestock as fresh pasture or giccnsho ped forage, however, it may be made safely mto siiase a allow to ferment for at least three co four weeks A so y ghum may be made into &i age after a killing frost any danger of toxicity However, the second growth ol 0 of these crops after a killing frost may be po sonous livestock should not be allowed to graze upon A TO PLANT WINTER OATS—Mid-September is the mended time to sow winter cats m southeastern Pcn'i--' vama. Use e ther Dubois or La Conte varieties and son the rate of two bushels per acre on well drained land TO PACK AND SEAL THOSE TRENCH SILOS—With t heavy growt’ 1 o" corn' fodder this fall temporary eluding trench or bunker sdos may be more wideh a The corn or forage should be chopped fine (Vi to ’■> JIIC . that it will pack more tightly. A heavy wheel type t on the silage during the filling operation will help P 1 the air pocket'; and assure better quality Within 48 1 alter the trench is filled and the top crowned or lP ° ul J ifl the surface should be scaled by using either ground stone or tlm b’ack plastic covers, the latter is the popular and ‘■Vuld be held down with earth or an ad al 6-inch layer or chopped weeds or poor-quality f° r£lg rich, or educated, or Slln he ia, can't be moa#?' Robbing the People Another evil M lCa} , sharply and plainly „ s t> in plain language ,l b people. Unfortunately’ T* done sometimes qmte i means that a wealthy?*' can get wealthier simpw? charging the consumer b charge is a polite w or 7® n ing. There is a lai ge J*° southern mountains * years was bare as th desert, a desolate desm,,. in the midst of g.J 1 mountains on all sides a poration was letting go out from its chn?' 1 hindered, killing all gr ,.' for miles aiound It toov time before the gove lnffi !„ ped that. Anothei m,ii 1 turmg asbestos, exposed ! ployees to asbestosis an i„ disease of the lungs can asbestos lint in the air workers died, but it Was fectly legal... till finally t stepped m and lequued J vices that stopped the w mgs. But where was the c Not a voice was raised so this writer ever heard, agau mg either the green countrv human beings. Theie weiei phetic preacheis, no p n churches, to call a spade a Preaching for Money The prophet Micah calls ( judgment another kind cf who only loads on to nnn ; the kind of prophet ( m preacher) who preaches to those who pay him best Thi worst kmd of bad leadersni the minister of the Gospel posed to a man of God, hr he preaches only whatTns v,e contnbutois will appioie, t ceases to be God’s spokesm wears some man’s colhi very early da>s of Cnnst just after the New Testame finished, theie was a book gave regulations and adn church officeis. It seems thei many traveling evm;ehsl missionaries, then as now, for money. This little booii rule which was veiy useful, visitor begs tor otheis, hei genuine, if'he begs foi h throw him out. The pie?cl i<Sr himself fiist of aU sets ample that pashes las pcoj ther on the load to lum BY MAX SMITH
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers