10
—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 8, 1972
Lancaster County FFA groups have a
right to be proud of their performance last
week during FFA Activities Week at Penn
State
The youngsters brought home 67 medals
and 15 honorable mentions, a record which
has to be the envy of practically every
other county in the state.
Organic gardening could be an in
teresting hobby It could also be a
profitable hobby A growing number of
consumers willingly pay premium prices
for foods which are organically grown, or
which they think are organically grown
People buy organic produce, it seems to
us, for two reasons One is that they think
the nutritional value of foods is enhanced if
they're allowed to grow “the way nature
intended them to grow” Another is that
they simply want to turn the clock back to
an earlier era, when technology was less of
a factor in farming
It should be pointed out first that a
nutrient is a nutrient The nutritional value
of the vitamins, minerals, sugars and other
goodies in a strawberry, for instance, is not
enhanced by organic gardening methods
The organic strawberry is probably smaller
and buggier than the commercially grown
strawberry, but it isn’t any better for the
human oody Unless, of course, you want to
count the protein content of bugs
There’ve always been people wanting to
Last year at this time, southern corn
blight was news. It was a serious menace to
every corn grower in the county This year
it’s not
A concerted effort by farmers, extension
people and seed suppliers has apparently
wiped out the disease for this year It’s an
FLORENCE, ALA, HERALD “A visitor
to the United States from abroad had
become deeply impressed by the very
important political campaign now in
progress throughout the country. In
conversation with a distinguished of
ficeholder he stated that he was much
impressed by the extreme generosity
displayed mutually by the gentlemen who
designate themselves as Democrats and
Republicans. Being somewhat surprised at
the visitor's comments, the politician said.
‘I don’t quite see where you get the
generosity idea.’ ‘Why my friend’ the visitor
began, ‘I am surprised that you should fail
to note how industriously each party points
out to the other exactly where it is making
its most serious mistakes.’”
AURORA, NEBRA, NEWS-REGISTER:
“While it seems in this day and age
everyone is quick to condemn youth, we
should remember there is probably no
more than 2 percent of the entire youth
population causing today’s ‘turmoil’ in the
eyes of society. That’s a pretty good per
centage when you figure the remaining 98
percent are left to carry on the American
way of life. The young people of today have
accepted more responsibilities, solved
many problems and shown more initiative
than many of their critical elders."
STINNETT, TEXAS, HUTCHINSON
COUNTY HERALD; "There are only two
ways to be quite unprejudiced and im-
Good Job, FFA
Organic Fad
Blight - A Battle Won
Grassroots Opinions
This area’s dominant position in state
wide FFA activities was also attested to by
the election of Nelson Martin to the office
of state president, and Joseph Lefever to
the office of eastern region vice-president.
To Nelson, Joseph and all the other FFA
young people, we extend our heartiest
congratulations and thanks for a job well
done
return to an earlier, golden era. If they
want to buy food grown just the way it was
grown in 1900, and if they want to pay a
premium for it, we feel they should be able
to buy it. But they should realize that it’s
just not possible to turn the clock back for
all of agriculture.
As J Phil Campbell, Under Secretary of
Agriculture, told a farm group last week,
“Some well-meaning but uninformed
persons in the environmental movement
are urging that all food in America be
organically grown, eliminating the use of
fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and other
chemicals which have contributed to
America's current ability to produce an
over-abundance of food
“But this will bring us face to face with
the stark question of which 50 million
people in America we must allow to starve,
for this is what we firmly believe the
elimination of fertilizers and other
chemical helps the farmer has from food
production will eventually bring about by
reducing food output ”
excellent example of the cooperation that
has made agribusiness the success story it
In a year when it sometimes seems that
nothing is going right, we can all at least be
thankful that the battle against blight is
won
partial. One is to be completely ignorant;
the other is to be completely indifferent."
HARRISONBURG, VA, NEWS-RECORD:
“Not everyone was discomfited when the
factories closed down and the lights and
heating plants went out in Bntian during
the . . coal strike. West German can-
dlemakers did a booming export business.
One firm sent more than eight million
candles to Britain. Its workers gave up a
holiday weekend to fill the demand. From
these examples comes a better un
derstanding why one country in Europe’s
largest trader and the other sinks into
economic distress."
THERMOPOLIS, WYO., INDEPENDENT
RECORD. “We have another important
election-year fact. The city of New York has
a special department that is charged with
the responsibility of cleaning up after
‘relieved’ dogs. In 1969 the budget-for that
department exceeded one million dollars.
Some of you politicians might keep that m
mind.”
MIDDLETOWN, PA., JEDNOTA: “The
men and women who have reached a high
degree of success in the great things of the
world have been people who have studied
themselves. They learned how to
strengthen their weak points, cultivate ° me ,l T l es m °. v '! n *
...... , ’ „ . To really appreciate the 19th
their capabilities, and arouse their efforts chapter of i Kings, we must also
to become something worthwhile in life, be familiar with the 18th chapter.
they have developed strong characters in i Kings 19 we see a man hope
which enabled them to reach the top of the Threatened'Sife
ladder in their particular line.” and the writer tells us: “Then he
| NOW IS
I THE TIME . .
Max Smith
County Agr. Agent
Telephone 394-6851
TO HARVEST STRAW
FOR BEDDING
The barley harvest is
progressing very slowly due to
unfavorable weather conditions
and winter wheat is also getting
ripe. Both of these crops have
had a hard time this year because
of the cool, wet weather.
However, producers should
realize that the straw will be in
strong demand even though the
color and quality may not be of
top quality. Most livestock and
dairy farms have been short on
bedding for several years and the'
outlook is for more of the same.
Under these conditions it
is suggested that every bit of the
straw be harvested for home use
or for sale The demand for all
kinds of livestock bedding is
strong and the effort should be
worthwhile Having the straw
entirely dry before baling will
prevent heating and resulting
musty straw.
TO REQUEST ASSISTANCE
Flood damaged farmers should
keep in mind that the farm owner
or tenant farmer should take the
initiative in making the request
for financial assistance or in
formation regarding flood
damages In addition to the
regular Flood Information Of
fices, nearly all of the
agricultural agencies are in a
position to render some help. If
conservation installations have
been torn out or damaged,
then the ASC office and SCS
Service should be informed. If
funds are needed to repair or
replace buildings, supplies,
machinery, and etc. then the
Farmers Home Administration
are in a position to help. Don’t
hesitate to make the request, if
help is needed
FLUCTUATING
FAITH
Lesson for July 9,1972
tackgreund Scripture I Kings 19 9 18.
John 16 7 15
Devotional Reading John 16 7-15
“I feel so ashamed 1 ”
This is what a woman said to
me recently as she confessed that
in a time of great suffering she
had found her faith trembling
under the strain Seeds of doubt
about God’s love had been plant
ed in her heart.
She had begun to
lose hope
As I have done
with others before
who have had sim
ilar experiences,
I reminded her of
some of the great
v, figures of the Bi-
Kev. Althouse ble who also in
stiess had experienced doubt and
despair One of the best illustra
tions of this is the experience of
the prophet Ehiah He was a
great man of faith, a spokesman
for God, yet he had known the
reality of fluctuating faith in his
own life.
TO USE NEW GRAINS SLOWLY
The winter barley crop is now
being harvested and the wheat
crop will soon be ready. Many
farmers use both of these grains
for livestock feeding; barley is
commonly known as one of the
best substitutes for corn; in
recent years wheat has been used
for feeding since the market
prices have been rather low. This
year, due to the wet weather and
the lower quality of the barley
crop, it might be best not to start
feeding the barley until it is
thoroughly dry; then it is advised
to introduce the new grain
gradually in order not to cause
scouring or bloating. After the
grain is dry and cured, some
producers will use barley instead
of corn in the rations; this is
especially true in cattle feeding.
Winter wheat may be used in
most rations but should be
limited to 20 to 30 per cent of the
ration with the exception of hogs
who can handle larger amounts
of wheat.
TO PREPARE FOR
ALFALFA SEEDING
Within a month it will be time
to be getting ready for that early
August seeding of alfalfa. If this
is to be done this summer, the
ground should be plowed as soon
as possible and a complete soil
test made on the soil The needed
lime and fertilizer should be
worked into the top soil prior to
the early seeding of alfalfa.
Summer seedmgs of alfalfa do
best on well prepared soil that is
worked down fine and firm
Disease resistant strains of
alfalfa should be ordered in order
to reduce that problem in future
years. Certified seed is a definite
part of a good alfalfa growing
program.
was afraid, and he rose and went
for his life . ” (19 3) Fleeing
to the wilderness, he sinks in
weariness beneath a broom tree
and asks that he might die: “It is
enough; now, O Lord, take away
my life . . (19 4) Elijah had
given up hope, he was throwing
in the towel
If we read 1 Kings 18, however,
we can’t help be amazed at his
attitude His despair in the wilder
ness follows close on the heels of
a tremendous victory against the
heathen prophets and their gods
on Mount Carmel What an hour
of triumph it had been! What a
vindication for this man of God!
Now, how, after that mountain
top experience, could Elijah be so
down m the dumps?
Elijah’s change of heart is rem
iniscent of the old Negro spirit
ual, “Nobody Knows The Trouble
I’ve Seen”:
Sometimes I’m up,
Sometimes, I’m down ...
Sometimes I’m almost to the
ground .. -
Let us not despair over our occa
sional experiences of fluctuating
faith if even so great a man of
God as Elijah fell so low, so fast.
Looking in the wrong places
Elijah heard God’s voice, not
in the impressive earthquake,
wind, and fire, but m “a still
small voice” (19 12). Often, we
too look for God in the wrong
place. We look for him m the
great and impressive experiences
of life, only to find that we may
hear him best, like Elijah, when
we’re at the bottom of the heap.
“What are you doing here,
Elijah?” (19:13b), God wants to
know. What are you doing here
wringing your hands and crying,
when I have work for you to do.
“Go, return . . (19:15).
This is also what he says to us
in our experiences of fluctuating
faith, when, at last, we are will
ing to listen to his still small
voice speak to us.
V*
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V.
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