10
—Lancaster Farming, Saturday. Nov. 16, 1974
Farm Commentary
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It's Our Birthday
This week at Lancaster Farming we
embark on our 20th year of con
tinuous weekly publication. From a
modest beginning in 1955, Lancaster
Farming is now circulated to some
13,000 farmer subscribers who are
concentrated in the fertile five-county
Southeastern Pennsylvania area.
It’s been said that agriculture is a
dying industry in the Northeast, and
that our bountiful fields will soon be
covered by an asphalt smear stret
ching from Boston to Richmond. We
do not believe that prediction. We
refuse to believe it. We will not give in
to the relentless advance of
bulldozers, parking lots and housing
developments.
The agriculture community we
serve here is a remnant of the
heritage that made America what it is
today. The Declaration of In
dependence was written by a farmer,
the Constitution was framed by
farmers. Farmers left their plows to
fight for their country’s in
dependence And farmers spread the
American ideal from sea to shining
sea.
Two hundred years ago, farmers
had to worry about drought, frost,
insects, and other natural forces.
Nature was at once the Colonial
farmer’s benefactor and chief op-
ponent
Today we've learned to cope with
nature to some extent, although
drought and frost can still deliver
crippling blows to individual areas
Modern farmers, though, have a
whole new set of problems their
forefathers never imagined
Taxes, land speculation, govern
ment interference, consumer com
plaints, wildly fluctuating markets,
soaring expenses, labor shortages,
fuel shortages, even trade deficits
and the price of gold can drive a
farmer’s income down, can help him
decide that it’s time to leave the farm,
sell out while he can, and live com
fortably on the interest from his
principal
Part of our job here at Lancaster
Farming is to help our readers cope
with these problems Market news is
an important - and well-read -
element of our coverage We provide
a voice for the people and the groups
that make up the farm community,
because a community without a voice
is no community at all We try to keep
abreast of new farm products and
practices, and of legislation affecting
farmers
It’s a big job, and it gets bigger and
bigger every year Wnen the first
issue of Volume 40 comes off the
presses some twenty years hence, we
hope our farming community is just
as big as it is now, and twice as active
We'll be doing everything we can to
make it so
Pork Prices Are
Seen Up Sharply
Pork prices seen up sharply during
the first three months of 1975, and
poultry and egg prices are expected
to be up somewhat But, retail beef
prices, tnough above tall levels, are
expected to be down a bit from the
first quarter of 1974
The reasons Seasonally reduced
marketings of cows and nonfed steers
and heifers, comoared to levels ex
pected late this year, a major drop in
pork output and lower poultry and
egg production
_ c r , , - -t - A "
Butter Output Continues Up
U. S. butter production in Sep
tember estimated at 65.4 million lbs.,
according to USDA's Crop Reporting
Board. Though 11 pet. below that for
August, it was 28 pet. above that of a
year earlier.
This marks the 4th consecutive
month that the Nation’s butter
output has been above that of a
corresponding month a year earlier.
At 725,739,000 lbs., butter output for
the first 9 months is now down only
slightly from the 725,385,000 lbs. for
the first 9 months of a year ago, but
still well below the 871,685,000 lbs.
produced during Jan. - Sept. 1972.
July-September Farm
Exports Record High
U. S. farm exports for the first
quarter of fiscal 1975 were record
high according to USDA’s Foreign
Agricultural Service. At $4.5 billion,
the total was 8 pet. above the
previous high (of $4.15 billion) set
during July-Sept. 1973.
Reason for the gam: Higher prices.
Volume for most commodities was
down about 10 pet. from a year
earlier. Gam also came despite lower
feedgram, wheat exports
Over-all exports of grains and
preparations, at $2.3 billion for the
period, were down 9 pet. from a year
earlier with feed gram exports, at
$902 million, down 19 pet., and
wheat exports, at $ll7 billion, down
7 pet. from year earlier totals. Higher
rice exports, at $lBl million and up
93 pet., were partially offsetting.
Exports of animals and animal
products, at $4Ol million were up 19
pet, with higher exports of fats, oils
and greases, mainly responsible for
the big gam At $143 million, exports
of animal fats, oils and greases, were
up 67 pet from a year earlier
Exports of oilseeds and products
totaled $921, up 55 pet. from a year
earlier Cottonseed and soybean oils
exports, at $169 million, were up 196
pet. from a year earlier, soybean
exports, at $494 million, were up 93
pet. from a year earlier Other big
gams were in cotton, at $217 million,
up 36 pet; nuts and preparations, at
$2B million, up 78 pet, and
vegetables and preparations, at $lO4
million, up 31 pet
Farm Labor
The Nation’s farm labor force
numbered 4,651,000 workers during
October That’s down 3 pet from a
year ago Farm operators and unpaid
family workers totaled 3,331,400,
while hired wotkers totaled
1,319,600
World Sugar Crop
Is Seen Record High
World sugar production for the
1974 - 75 crop year - that’s May 1 -
April 30 - now seen at 811 million
metric tons (89 4 million short tons)
Though it’s about 2 million tons below
earlier forecasts, it’s still record high,
according to USDA’s Foreign
Agricultural Service The previous
record high was set in 1973 74 when
the world total hit 80 5 million tons
Meanwhile, world sugar consumption
are seen at 81 million tons, up 2 pet
from 1973-74
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A NEW DAY
Lesion for November 17,1914
Background Scripture:
Ezekiel 36 through 37.
Devotional Reading: Ezekiel
37:1-14.
Recently one of my sons
came home from high school
with the assignment to
analyze the meaning of this
popular saying: “Today is
the first day of the rest of
your life."
We decided that this
saying is essentially a
statement of hope. On any
particular day we can be
linked either with the defeats
and frustrations of the past
or the promises and op
portunities of the future. We
can concentrate on what has
gone wrong or we can con
centrate upon a better
tomorrow. Some people are
so encumbered by yesterday
that they ruin every today
and tomorrow.
A new spirit
To say “Today is the first
day of the rest of your life,”
however, is to affirm your
belief that you can cut
yourself off from the past
and enjoy a better and dif
ferent future. We can put the
past behind us.
Actually, we decided that
the saying would be more
accurate if we were to say
instead of “Today is ...,” to
say “Today can be the first
day of the rest of your life.”
There is certainly nothing
automatic about today and
tomorrow. A new day is not
delivered with the morning
milk. The key is what we
make of a new day. If we are
to break with the past and
build a better tomorrow it is
incumbent upon us to take
some affirmative action. A
better “rest of your life”
doesn’t “just happen.”
This was essentially the
message that the prophet
Ezekiel brought to the
Hebrew people in exile. His
was a prophetic message of
hope for the future. He saw a
“new day” coming for these
captives in exile. A beautiful
promise was given them by
God through the prophet:
“For I will take you from the
nations, and gather you from
all the countries, and bring
you into your own land”
(Ezekiel 36:24).
“I will deliver you.,
Yet, if the people of Israel
were to enjoy this “new
day,” they could not simply
wait for it. Something was
required of them: they had
to be willing to let God
transform them. God wanted
to renew them, but they had
to be receptive;
a new heart I will give you,
and a new spirit I will put
within you; and I will take
out of your flesh the heart of
stone and give you a heart of
flesh. (36:26)
Sometimes there is
nothing we need so much as
a new beginning. This is
when it is not enough to
make some changes here
and there, when what is
required is a major
overhauling We are likely to
have the same old today and
tomorrow unless we are
willing to let God make some
radical changes in our lives
Jesus told his disciples that
you can’t put new wine into
old wineskins. So it is in our
lives if we want a “new
day,” we have to be willing
to let God make a new “us ”
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| NOW IS
| THE TIME.. .
Max Smith
County Agr. Agent
Telephone 394-6851
To Evaluate Farm
Records
Good farm records are not
only important in making out
the Income Tax Report but
should be used to make plans
for the future. Since the end
of the year is appraoching, it
might be a good time to do
some evaluating of the
various farm enterprises
and study the returns on the
various commodities. If
decisions are to be made to
go stronger in some areas,
then now would be the time
to make that decision and
order the needs for 1975.
Good farm accounts should
reveal the enterprises that
are most profitable and point
out where the money leaks
are found.
To Order Seed And
Fertilizer Needs For 1975
Good farm management
suggests that farmers plan
ahead for their farm cup
plies; this has always been
true but in times of scarcity
and rising prices, it becomes
more important. Reports
reveal shortages in some
kinds of fertilizer and seed
varieties. To wait until the
item is needed next spring
might mean taking what is
left on the market. Order
soon so that your dealer will
be able to provide your
needs.
BEST EVER...This could be the best-ever weather photo
of the earth, received at the Army’s White Sands Missile Range
from a satellite launched in May from Kennedy Space Center.
Florida peninsula is at upper left.
Farm
Calendar
Saturday, November 16
Corn Field Meeting at the
Levi S. Stoltzfus farm
located on White School
Rd., 2 miles northeast of
Honeybrook. Observation
of different corn hybrids
with husking in the af
ternoon Bring a lunch for
noon
Monday, November 18
Agway Annual Meeting at
the Farm and Home
(Based on outlines
copyrighted by the Division
of Christian Education,
National Council of the
Churches of Christ in the
U.S.A. Released by
Community Press Service.)
To Control Chickweed
In Alfalfa
Cooler weather could
mean more rapid chickweed
growth in new or old alfalfa
fields. Too many producers
recognize the problem next
spring when it is too late to
do a good job of control.
Young weeds are easier to
kill than mature weeds and
this will prevent so much
damage to the alfalfa stand.
Several herbicides may be
used this fall when the plants
are small and should give
good control. Contact your
dealer or the 1974 Agronomy
Guide for details. Don’t let
the woods get too big and too
mature before spraying.
To Beware Of
Heating Cora
Corn put into storage carry
too much moisture may heat
this fall or next spring when
the weather turns warmer.
We have heard some reports
of com that is heating. The
use of forced air through the
pile or crib will often reduce
the problem. When piling ear
com on solid floors we often
get into trouble because of
the lack of ventilation. Rails
or boards may help but
forced air will be more
satisfactory to remove the
moisture. Com is an im
portant farm crop this fall;
every effort should be made
to keep it in good condition
Center at 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, November 19
Garden Spot Young Farmers
Meeting at the Garden
Spot High School. Review
of the corn contest will be
discussed, 7:45 p.m.
Wednesday. November 20
20th through 22nd Penn
sylvania Holstein
Association annual
Convention at Pocono
Manor Inn, Pocono
Manor, Pa.
22nd through 28th - Farm
City Week for Penn
sylvania.
Sunday, November 23
Chester County Farm-City
week open-house tours-