10-Uncaiter Fanning. Saturday. Jin. 11. 1975
Farm Commentary
Some interesting things in that
Number of Farms and Land in Farms
report USDA issued last week Ad
mittedly. it does show that the
estimated number of farms to be
operated in the US in 1975 (at
2,819.000) is down But. that total is '
down only 4-10 of 1 pet from the
1974 total of 2.830.000, and only 1
pet. below the 2,844.000 operated in
1973.
It also shows that land m farms, at
1086 billion acres for 1975 is only
slightly below the 1088 billion total
for 1974 and 1089 billion total for
1973 And. that average size of farms.
The Index of Prices Received by
Farmers decreased 5 points (3 pet )
during the month ended Dec 15 to
177 pet. of its Jan ■ Dec 1967
.average It marked the 2nd straight
month of decline and left the index S
points (4 pet) below a year ago
Meanwhile, the Index of Pnces a
by Farmers for Commocc'-s a~z
Services increased 1 oo~: . 1
pet Jtoa record 179 !' ass 15 ro~~s
(16 pet) above a >ea r ea* ~~ s
US commerci3' ~-a*
production just may nit a '=cci” - g~
this year The 3 2 o.!ho~ os. c"c-:=o
in November was 2 pc: mo r e fa- a
year earlier and brought the Jan -
Nov. total to 342 billion lbs That's
only slightly below the 34 5 billion
produced m all of 1973 and within
hailing distance of the record 37 36
billion lbs. produced in all of 1971
Here’s the breakdown Nov beef
output at 19 billion lbs, up 4 pet
from a year earlier. This brought the
11 - month total to 20 9 billion lbs, up
8 pet from a year earlier and close to
the 211 billion lb total for all of 1973
The record 22 2 billion lbs produced
Butter production up, production of
American cheese down during
November USDA reported last week
that U.S butter output totaled 68
million lbs during November, up 13
pet from a year earlier It was the 6th
consecutive month that butter output
has exceeded that of a corresponding
month a year earlier and brought the
11-month total to 862 5 million lbs,
up 2 pet from a year earlier
"We are still getting into beef
oversupply rather than out of it.”
according to an article in the current
(Jan 6) issue of USDA's Foreign
Agriculture magazine
The article by Richard J Goodman
associate administrator of USDA s
Foreign Agriculture Service, notes
that
- World cattle numbers have been
AT LEAST PRICES WERE
UP IN 74
Farmers may not look upon 1974 as
their favorite year, but from the price
standpoint, it topped 1973 - up until
now the year of record high prices
Prices Received by Farmers averaged
183 (pet of 1967) for the year, up 6V?
pet from the year before, according
NUMBER OF FARMS:
INCREASES SEEN IN SOME STATES
PRICES RECEIVED DECLINE
FOR 2ND STRAIGHT
MONTH
COMMERCIAL MEAT OUTPUT
HEADING FOR RECORD
HIGH 7
BUTTER OUTPUT UP, AM
CHEESE DOWN IN NOV.
BEEF OVERPRODUCTION ONLY
BEGINNING
at 385 acres is up only slightly from
the 384 average of last year and
1973Is_average of 383
A closer look shows that the
number of farms is expected to in
crease in New York, Pennsylvania
and West Virginia and hold firm in all
the six New England States New
York's total is expected to move up to
58,000 from 57.000 last year and
56.000 in 1973 Pennsylvania’s is
expected to move up to 72.000 from
71.000 last year and in 1973 West
Virginia’s is expected to move up to
27.000 from 25.500 in both 1973 and
1974
combination dropped the Ratio of
Prices Received to Prices Paid 3
points to 99 It was 120 a year ago
Under the old 1910-14 formulas.
Prices Received declined 13 points to
449 ana were 470 a year ago. Prices
Receded moved up to 613 from 610
3-c we'e 525 a year ago And. the
3 a r r. Ratio Declined 3 points to 73 -
' s ewes: coin: since June of 1972 A
•e=' aec i: had stood at 90
- 1972
Nov output was 11 billion
'OS down 1 pet from a year earlier
But the 11-month total of 12 5 billion
is close to the 12 75 billion total for all
of 1973 The record 14 6 billion lbs
produced in 1971
Veal. Nov output at 59 million lbs,
up 79 pet from a year earlier, the 11-
month total, at 396 million lbs, up 32
pet. from a year ago and well above
the 325 million lbs produced during
all of 1973. Mutton Nov output of 32
million lbs, down 20 pet. from a year
earlier The 11-month total, at 422
million lbs, down 10 pet from a year
earlier
Meanwhile, production of American
cheese, which had been running well
ahead of year ago levels, totaled
1149 million lbs for the month, down
7 pet from Nov 1973 This marked
the first time in 15 months that
output has been below a
corresponding month a year earlier
But, output for the first 11 months, at
1 7 billion lbs, is still 12 pet ahead of
a year ago
building for 6 years and the trend is
continuing
- US cattle inventory was up 6
mill on head - to 134 million - on Jan
1, despite a record 39 million head
slaughter total Slaughter m 1975
could reach 43 mil, head, but cattle
inventory will still go up to as high as
138 mil, head by Jan 1. 1976
to the Indexes of Market Prices in the
current Ag Prices report
Most of that gam was in crops, up
30 pet from a year earlier and 212 on
the index scale Feed grains averaged
40 pet higher, feed grains and hay,
nearly 50 pet higher
THE SECRET
Leuon for January 12,1975
Backgrouns Scripture: Mafß
8:27-38; 10:32; 15:21-39.
Devotional Reading: Psalms
22:1-8.
The first half of the Gospel
According to Mark is a
mystery story. There is a
great secret that pervades
the first eight chapters. The
secret concerns the true
identity of Jesus of
Nazareth.
For one thing, thus far only
the ‘‘unclean spirits” have
hinted at Jesus’ true iden
tity: “And whenever the
unclean spirits beheld him,
they fell downn before him
and cried out, 'You are the
Son of God’“ (Mark 3:11).
Secondly, whenever he is
recognized by them, Jesus
orders the “unclean spirits”
to keep his identity
unknown: “And he strictly
ordered them not to make
him known” (Mark 3:12).
“Say nothing
to anyone”
Thirdly, he frequently
requests those whom he has
healed to say nothing of his
part in it: “And he strictly
charged them that no one
should know this ( that he
had healed the daughter of
Jairus) (Mark 5:43).
Next, we find that people
frequently wondered at who
he was, as if they suspected
that he was someone more
than he appeared to be:
“And they were filled with
awe, and said one to another,
•Who then is this, that even
wind and sea obey him 9 ’“
(Mark 4:41).
Mark, thus, seems to have
been building up a sense of
suspense so that the reader
will be led to ask: Who really
is this man?
It is in the region of
Caesarea Philiippi that light
is finally shed on the
mystery. '“Who do men say
that I am?” asks Jesus. The
disciples had heard the
various opinions expressed
by the crowds and they
repeated what they had
heard: “John the Baptist,”
“Elijah,” or “one of the
prophets.” It was un
derstandable that the
Nazarene might be identified
with any of these by the
crowds
What is
your answer?
The disciples, however,
had had opportunities the
crowds had not shared. They
had the chance to live with
him, work with him, and
observe him closely. Far
more important was their
own answers to this im
portant question- “But who
do you say that I am 9 ”
(8:29)
At last, Peter blurts out
with the answer to the great
secret: “You are the
Christ!” (8:29). In all
likelihood they had often
considered this question,
both to themselves and with
each other, so that when
Peter answered, he ex
pressed what most, if not all,
of them suspected.
Mark does not tell us that
Jesus made any reply, but he
leaves no doubt that Jesus
confirmed Peter’s con
fession of faith. Perhaps a
nod, a slight smile, or just
the light in his eyes told them
that Peter was right.
So here it was at last. . .
the answer they had sought
so long! But the next words
I *
fr
W-
(i
4*t*
To Be Alert
For Chickweed
Alfalfa growers should be
on the alert for rank growths
of chickweed unless the
areas have already been
sprayed this fall or winter.
We get reports of heavy
growth on late summer
seedings. Young plants are
much easier to kill than
mature plants; therefore,
growers should not wait until
spring to do something. The
material to use will depend
upon several factors such as
time of seeding, and if any
grasses are with the alfalfa.
Growers are urged to con
tact their herbicide dealer or
the current Agronomy
Guide.
To Stop Feeding
Parasites
Again we refer to the
management practice of
eliminating all parsites from
livestock in order to have a
chance to make any profit.
Animals infested with either
body lice or stomach worms
will definitely not make their
owners effecient gains or
milk production. In this rea
with high livestock
population, there are many
chances for re-infestation.
Several chemical treatments
are available that will clean
out the parasites and give
the animal a chance to
become healthy and make
efficient production. Sample
of the feces sumbitted to the
local veterinarian is the best
way to leam the degree and
kind of worm problem. Don’t
feed parasites this year. You
will be the loser.
Farm
Calendar
Sunday,January 12
Dave Wilkerson’s film
“Return to Sodom” will
be shown at the Stiegel
Heights Brethren in
Christ Church', Lititz
RD2, at 7:00 p.m. All
interested people are
welcome.
Tuesday, January 14
Ephrata Area Farmer’s
Association Dairy Calf
Management, Ephrata
Senior High School Ag
Department at 7:45 p.m.
Mid Atlantic No-Till meeting
near Baltimore, MD.
Dairy Breeders
Management Meeting at
Garden Spot High School
at 7:45 p.m. sponsored by
Garden Spot Young
Farmers.
of Jesus must have brought
down the veil of mystery
once again: “And he
charged them to tell no one
about him” (8:30).
Why the great secret 7 The
answer was to be found in
what followed as Jesus
_began to speak about the
suffering and death that lay
ahead for him. He knew that
people would have difficulty
in understanding that kind of
Christ! He also knew that his
own followers would find it
difficult to understand why
the way of discipleship would
be the way of the cross.
The world still has great
difficulty with that secret.
NOW IS
THE TIME... |
Max Smith
County Agr. Agent
Telephone 394-6851
To Provide ttxerciic
Most animals prefer to be
outside most of the time; if
given them too closely by not
providing a chance to get
outside. Growing animals
need exercise to develop
proper born structure. In
addition, animals with
outside exercise will usually
need less labor to care for
them. Milking cows should
get daily exercise in order to
show heat periods and to
keep them stronger on their
feet and legs. Cattle on feed
for fattening purposes will
usually be more efficient
users of feed if given the
chance to go outside.
Freedom and livestock
comfort is needed for many
types of livestock.
To Manage The
Sheep Flock
Lambing time is ap
proaching for many sheep
growers and this is one of the
very important times of the
year. The ewe flock should
be exercised daily and in
some cases can be fed hay on
frozen ground, on the snow,
or from a rack in the far end
of the exercise lot in order to
force them to move around.
Ewes that have had daily
exercise will usually throw
stronger lambs than those
confined. Good legume hay
in liberal amounts is
strongly advised for all
breeding ewes. The amount
of grain should be limited
according to the flesh of the
ewes. Special care just
before and during lambing
time will increase the
returns from the sheep flock.
Pa. Farmer’s Union Meeting
at the Host Inn in
Harrisburg. Legislative
breakfast at 8:00 a.m.
and convention luncheon
at 12:30 p.m.
Friday, January 17
17th - 19th - Ephrata Jr. Ag
Club Field Trip to Tioga
County to cut browse for
deer.
Pa. Egg Marketing Meeting
at the Colonial Motor
Lodge in Denver at 7:00
p.m.
Pesticide Sprayers
Workshop at the Farm
and Home Center
beginning at 9:30 a.m.
Tuesday,January 21
Ephrata Area Young Far
mers meeting concerning
new changes in taxes.
7:45 p.m. Ephrata High
School Ag Department.
Cedar Crest Young Fanners
Meeting on Feeding
Management at the
Cedar Crest High School
vo-ag classroom
beginning at 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday,January MW
Farm Income Tax Meeting
at the Farm and Home
Center 9:00 a.m. - 4:00
p.m.
Thursday, January 23
Ephrata Area Farmers
Association Beef and
Poultry Field Trip
leaving the Ephrata High
School parking lot at 8:30
p.m.