IQ—Lancaster Farming, Saturday. July 20 197*
Farm Commentary
No More "Farm Trends"
Seems that every week, we get
more and more things that should go
on the front page of Lancaster Far
ming. To keep things from getting too
crowded there, we've decided to
move the “Farm Trends” column
here to page 10 And, while we were
at it, it seemed to be a good time to
change the name of the column, too.
Some of the things we report on here
aren't so much comments on trends
as they are comments on people and
events Like the next item.
Aimez Vous
“Heinz Tomato Ketchup"?
A flock of Frenchmen descended
this week on the'John Galebach farm,
near Penryn in Lancaster County, to
film a ketchup commercial for H. J.
Heinz We aren't exactly sure how
everything fell into place, but we
understand the Heinz New York
advertising agency, Young &
Rubicam, was looking for a
photogenic farm. So, where else but
here would they look for one. A New
Yorker named Leech found the farm
after driving around all day with Ike
Geib, a Manheim farmer who works
part-time for Grant Heilman, the well
known agricultural photographer
Geib and his wife also did duty as
models in the photos, as did ten other
more or less local people The French
crew of photographers took over 700
pictures of the 12 people and a bottle
of ketchup
Pa. Cow Numbers,
Milk Output Both Up
Milk production in Pennsylvania
during June was 612 million pounds,
5 percent more than a year ago,
according to a report this week from
the Pennsylvania Crop Reporting
Service
The number of milk cows in the
Commonwealth during June was
665,000, the same as las't month, but
3,000 more than a year ago.
Milk production per cow averaged
920 pounds in June, compared with
950 pounds in May and 880 pounds
in June last year
United States milk production
during June is estimated at 10,505
million pounds, 1 percent less than
June a year ago. The U S average
milk production per cow was 942
pounds during June, up 16 pounds
from last year and the largest
monthly increase from the previous
year since September 1972. There
were 111 million milk cows on farms
during June, down 2 percent from the
same month last year
Wheat Prospects Decline
8 Percent in Past Month
Combination of drought in some
areas, excessive moisture in others,
and disease cut winter wheat
prospects during June, USDA
reported last week As a result,
output is now forecast at 1,403
million (1 billion, 403 million) bu,
down 8 pet from a month earlier, but
still 10 pet above last year’s previous
high and 18 pet above the 1972 total
Production of spring wheat other
than durum seen at 422 million bu,
18 pet above a year ago, durum
wheat output seen at 100 million bu ,
up 10 pet from a year ago And,
oroduction of all wheat is seen at
1,925 million (1 billion, 925 million)
bu., up 12 pet. from a year ago, though
about 175 million bu. below earlier
forecasts.
Acreages Seen Below
March Intentions
Corn, cotton acreage above a year
ago, soybean, sorghum acreage down
from 1973 levels, and acreage for
each of the four below March in
tentions, according to USDA’s Crop
Production Report issued last week
Corn for gram harvest seen at 67.6
million acres, up 9 pet. (5.8 million
acres) from last year, 18 pet. above
that for 1972 and the highest since
1960. But, it’s 1 pet. below March
intentions.
Soybean acreage to be harvested
for beans seen at 52.5 million acres,
down 7 pet. from last year, and 3 pet.
below March intentions, but still 15
pet above the 1972 total and second
highest on record. This also marks
the first time acreage has not in
creased in 15 years.
Sorghum acreage seen at 14.6
million acres, down 8 pet. (1.4 million
acres) from last year, 6 pet. below
March intentions
Milk Production Down
for 21st Straight Month
U.S milk production, estimated at
10 5 billion lbs during June, down 6-
10 of 1 pet from a year earlier This
also was the 21st consecutive month
that output has been below that of a
corresponding month a year earlier
June output brought production for
the first six months to 59.4 billion lbs.,
down 22 pet from a year earlier.
Mam reason for the June decline:
Lower cow numbers. Milk production
per cow, at 942 lbs. for the month,
was up 16 lbs. from a year earlier --
the largest monthly increase from a
previous year since Sept. 1972. But,
the number of milk cows on farms, at
11,149,000, was down 2 pet from a
year earlier (Milk Production)
Farm Work Force Down
U S. farm labor force, at 5.1 million
during June, down 2 pet from a year
ago, USDA reported last week. Farm
operators and family workers
numbered 3.5 million, hired workers
number 16 million. Each was 2 pet.
below a year earlier.
World Totals:
Red Meat Output Down,
Livestock Numbers Up in ’73
World red meat production was
down slightly last year, but livestock
numbers were up, according to USDA
reports issued last week. Red meat
output totaled 65.6 million metric
tons, down '/? of 1 pet from the 1972
record high (of 660 million tons).
A breakdown shows that the
decline came despite record high
beef and veal output At 344 million
tons, beef and veal production was up
fractionally from the previous high
set in 1972 But, pork production, at
26 4 million tons, was down 6-10 of 1
pet from 1972's record high; and
mutton and lamb (termed sheepmeat
in the report), declined 42 pet - to
4 5 million tons
Meanwhile, the livestock report,
based on Jan 1,1974 totals, showed
world cattle numbers at a record 1 3
billion head, up nearly 2 pet from a
year earlier, hog numbers, at 672
million head, up 3 pet, and sheep
numbers, at 10 billion head, up 1 3
pet (Foreign Agriculture Circulars
FLM 7 Livestock, and FLM 8 Meat)
PARTNERS
Lesion for July 21, 1974
Background Scripture:
Philippians 1; 2:19-30; 4.
Devotional Reading:
James 1:2-15.
“That is none of my af-
fair.”
That is frequently the
response of people who feel
that they should not become
involved in something that
seems primarily to concern
or affect someone else.
Another way of putting it is:
“I mind my own business!”
“No man is an island”
John Donne thought
otherwise and we all know
well his famous words: “No
man is an island..We
may think of ourselves as
being islands, we may
isolate ourselves from the
affairs of other people, yet,
says Donne, this does not
change us one bit. Whether
or not we acknowledge it, we
are linked together. When
the bell of human concern is
together. When the bell of
human concern is tolled we
must realize that it rings for
us as well as others.
In Philippians, Paul
speaks of our “partnership.”
For one thing, he says we
have a “partnership in the
gospel...” (1:5). The
“gospel,” of course, is the
good news of God’s
salvation. Therefore the
sharing and witnessing of
that news is the respon
sibility, not of a chosen few,
but all disciples of Jesus
Christ. Spreading the
message of the gospel is “our
affair,” our responsibility.
We share the respon
sibility for the gospel
because we have first shared
the benefits of the gospel.
Paul reminds the Philip
pians that they are “all
partakers with me of grace”
(1:7). If we share the grace
of God in Jesus Christ, we
must share his mission as
well. So, because we are
partners in grace, we are
also partners in the gospel.
The secret
Paul speaks of still another
king of partnership.
Referring to his hardship in
prison, Paul says: .. .it
was kind of you to share my
trouble” (4:14). It is likely
that the Philippian church
had sent Paul some money
during his imprisonment.
Paul’s imprisonment in the
eyes of some may have
seemed “none of our affair.”
Yet the Philippian church
thought of itself as Paul’s,
partner. Since he had shared
so much of himself with
them, they felt they should
share themselves with him.
Paul goes on to speak of
one more partnership; “I
can do all things in him who
strengthens me” (4:13).
Christ shares his condition.
If it is a condition of abun
dance, Christ shares that. If
it is a condition of
deprivation, Christ is part
ner with him in that too. In
fact, this partnership, this
sharing his life with Christ,
is the secret of life for Paul;
“I have learned the secret of
facing plenty and hunger,
abundance and want”
(4:12). Because of this
partnership with Christ, he
has learned contentment “in
whatever state I am.”
No man is ever alone if he
is in partnership with Christ.
| NOW IS
I THE TIME...
Max Smith
County Agr, Agent
Telephone 394-6851
To Stress Farm
Pond Safety
The farm pond is a very
popular place these hot days
and many youngsters will
try to “beat the heat” by
going swimming. Pond
owners are urged to have
some supervision over the
swimmers to avoid serious
accidents. Rescue equip
ment such as inflated in
nertubes, wooden ladder, or
wooden planks should be at
the pond in order to help a
person in trouble. Also, no
one should be permitted to
swim alone in the pond.
Special insurance should be
carried by pond owners to
protect them from any
serious accidents. Ponds can
be s place of pleasure for
both summer and winter but
proper safety measures
should be established.
To Select Tested Sires
This is the time of the year
when many producers of
sheep and swine are
selecting additional herd
boars or rams; this is a big
responsibility because the
sire can have a very im
portant bearing on the future
of the herd or flock. Per
formance tested sires are
strongly suggested in order
to produce offspring of
desirable market type and
meat quality. Experience
has revealed that many
“cheap” sires when pur
chased have turned out to be
very expensive to the new
owner. Money invested in the
proper sire should be a good
investment and one that will
return better dividends.
Don’t “pinch pennies” when
buying herd sires.
To Segregate Animals
Two of the most important
Farm
Calendar
Saturday, July 20
Pennsylvania Natural Food
Convention, 8:00 a.m. at
the Susquehana
University Campus,
Selinsgrove, Pa.
Monday, July 22
Annual Meeting Dairy
Division National Assoc.
State Depts. of Agr.,
Organic Food Group Slates
Yearly Picnic
The Garden Spot Natural
Food and Soil Association
will hold its annual picnic
today, Saturday, in the
Manheim Community Park
between Neffsville and East
Petersburg. The group was
started 20 years ago to
promote organic farming
methods.
It will be a covered dish
picnic, with participants
(Based on outlines
copyrighted by the Division
of Christian Education,
National Council of the
Churches of Christ in the
C.S.A. Released by Com
munity Press Service.)
practices in good livestock
and dairy management are
sanitation and segregation.
Both contribute greatly to
the health of the herd or
flock. When new animals are
purchased, they should be
from disease-free sources
with health papers, and then
kept separate from the rest
of the animals for at least 30
days. This pratice may be
difficult in some cases but
should never be over-looked
in good management. Many
cases of health problems in
the past would have been
avoided if the owner had
kept new animals
segregated for the first
month. Don’t be guilty of not
recognizing this very im
portant management
practice.
To Plan Maximum
Production
Plans for the fall seeding
of feed grains should now be
made and it appears that
maximum yields are again
very much in order. One of
the big items in the higher
cost of livestock and dairy
production during the past
few years has been the ex
tremely high price of grains
purchased. In this area we
do not nearly produce as
much of feed grain as needed
which means high purchases
in order to meet the needs of
livestock and poultry. If this
can be grown on the home
farm, it might be one more
economical way to meet the
cost squeeze situation. Both
barley and wheat yields have
been very good this year and
growers with expanded
acreage should benefit from
not having to buy as much
this fall and winter.
,v,y.
Sheraton Inn, Harrisburg
Tuesday, July 23
4-H Round-up
Thursday, July 25
District Holstein Show,
Guernsey Bam, East of
Lancaster
25th-27th - Pa. State Grange
Leadership School at
Gettysburg College
invited to bring their own
favorite organic food dish.
Music and discussions will
be a part of the picnic, which
begins at 6:30 p.m.
Editor’s Quote Book
We have no more right to
consume happiness without
producing it than to consume
wealth without producing it.
—George Bernard Shaw
v.v.v.
|