ORGANIC LIVING
By
Robert Rodale
HOUSEHOLD TECHNOLOGY WASTES
MORE TIME (AND MONEY) THAN IT SAVES
Americans love technology, especially in their homes.
They buy electric can openers to save muscle power,
electric stoves with two or even three ovens, electric
knives with enopgh power to carve up a side of beef, and a
whole cross section of implements invented by latter-day
Leonardos whose ultimate goal is to separate you from
your hard-earned money.
Why bother with those things' Probably the most
common reply is that the convenience of those labor
saving devices allows the homemaker more leisure time
by freeing him or her from the drudgery associated with
housework.
Unfortunately, we’ve all been sold a bill of goods. A
recent study completed by a sociologist Joann Vanek of
New York’s Queens College shows that, despite the wide
range of modern conveniences, modern women spend
Dutch School
Natural Foods
LARGEST SELECTION OF
NATURAL FOODS AND VITAMINS
IN CENTRAL PENNA.
RT. 222, AKRON, PENNA.
PH. 859-2339
BEWAUK *
menacing -we value
{KgSfiSS* KSTROV THEM FIRST
I *«•»
MR. DAIRYMAN;
The dairy farmer in California, due to
his breeding and management and his
feeding program, has come up with a
very high productive herd over the last
8 years
These rolling herd averages are 54
pounds and up which is nothing un
common, they were forced to look into
better milking systems that would do
the job with a minimum of udder
irritations such as:
I—Low Vacuum of 10Vz" to 11 Vz"
2—Not flooding at the teat end
3—No back flushing of the teat canal
A —Proper pulsations per minute
5 Milking all four quarters out together
6 Alternating twin-pulsation for front &
rear quarters
imim
&ct
MIIKERS
PROFESSIONAL MILKING SYSTEMS FOR THE MILKING PROFESSIONAL.
USED MUONE EOUIFMENT
SHENK'S
FARM SERVICE
RD4, LITITZ, PA
THAT IS BOUMATIC
Yes, It Is True!
84% of all cows in the state of California
are milked with Bou-Matic Milkers.
Whether s on are milking 15 cow* or 1500 it will pa> >«u to
imestigate what Hou-Matic ran do for }ou and ymr herd.
\ Dari-Ko<d Hou-Matic Milking '■nstcm along with good
herd management has proved a winning comhination for
thousands of dairymen. \t.k an\ Dari-Kool Hou-Matic u*er.
PHONE 626-4355
more time doing housework than their mothers and
grandmothers did.
The survey, which included an analysis of 20 studies
done over the past 50 years, pointed out two household
tasks in particular that take significantly longer to
complete today than they did in the ‘good old days.”
One is laundry. Perhaps you have childhood memories
of Saturday mornings in your home. Your mother worked
long and hard for about four hours over tubs of hot,
soapy water while doing the family’s laundry.
But surprisingly enough, it now takes about six hours a
week to do the family’s wash. Perhaps, as Prof. Vanek
said, “people have more clothes now than they did in the
past and they wash them more.”
Another job that now takes longer to do is shopping.
Back in the 19305, shopping for the family took about two
hours a week. Today, Prof. Vanek estimates, the typical
housewife spends approximately one full day every week
simply travelling to and from stores.
Prof. Vanek’s study is important for two reasons. One, it
debunks the myth of the labor-saving device. Secondly,
the study indicates directions we should take to adjust our
lifestyles and to win back some of our freedom from
machines.
I’m sure that if you planned your shopping trips more
carefully, you could eliminate more than half of them.
Make a list, buy what you need and avoid return trips. Car
pools are still good ideas, even if many don’t want to
participate m them. The time you save can be put to
fruitful use in a garden or at a money-makmg hobby.
Examine your laundry habits. Sort the clothes into
separate hampers as they become soiled, not on wash day.
7 Inflations which prevent the lines
from bulging and climbing
8— Visi-claw for visible milking
many more features
(1) Surge Pipeline 41 cows
(1) Surge Parlor Milking Equipment
(1) DeLaval Pipeline
(4) Sta-Rite Milking Units
(2) Surge Alamo 30’s Vacuum Pump
Several DeLaval Vacuum Pumps
(3) Sta-Rite Floor Model Milking Units
plus
Lancaster Farming, Saturday. Feb. 22.1975
Wash with full loads whenever possible. These steps will
significantly reduce the amount of time you spend at this
necessary, but boring job.
Generally, there are some jobs that you might be doing
now that you could eliminate completely. Perhaps it
hadn’t occurred to you that you don't have to iron socks,
towels or sheets. It’s a waste of effort and time.
Think about every job before you start it. How much
space do you need? Where should materials be placed’’
What’s the bare minimum of work needed to finish’’ In
what order should steps be taken?
Get everything together you need for the job before you
begin. There’s nothing more discouraging than having a
pair of wet hands while wallpapering, only to discover
that you didn't bring along a towel.
In most cases, you’ll find-that by thinking before you
act, you’ll save time. You might even save money. By
eliminating part of your ironing, for example, your
electricity bill will be that much lower. By not washing
clothes so often, you’ll be doing the same thing.
Fortunately, you can’t eliminate all your work. Dr
Lenore R. Zohman, a New York heart specialist, said
recently that people should program their housework to
get valuable exercise at the same time. Scrubbing floors
on hands and knees (rather than standing and using a
mop) provides good exercise
Dr. Zohman said it’s possible to program housework so
one can have a “very clean house, a very nice figure and a
very strong heart.”
It’s time to reassess your household schedule.
Eliminate the frills. Stick to the basics. Work with what
you have, and try to consume less Use your head instead
of your wallet. You may be surprised to find you gam
more free time.
(Editor’s Note: The opinions appearing in “Organic
Living” are those of its author, Robert Rodale, an in
dependent columnist. Rodale's comments do not
necessarily reflect the thinking of the Lancaster Farming
editor or anyone else on the Lancaster Farming staff. 1
W 1 1
New idea’s Manure Spreaders
Wood can
take it!
That’s why they use Renta
treated clear yellow pine in
every New Idea Spreader box.
Every New Idea spreader in the line has wood sides,
bottom and end . . . because wood can take it. Wood
battles against damage. Wood won’t bend, can't rust...
and fights corrosive acids better than any other spreader
box material.
Warranty On Wood That’s why only New Idea says, “In
the unlikely event that any of the wood components in
your New Idea Manure Spreader rot through, Avco New
Idea will make replacement, no charge. Replacement will
be made without cost to you, the original purchaser, at
your nearby New Idea dealer... no charge for wood, no
charge for labor or freight.”
We make your job a little easier.
UMBERGERSMILL
RD4 Lebanon
(Fontana)
717-867 8221
A L HERR & BRO
Quarryville
717 786 3521
CHAS J McCOMSEY & SONS
Hickory Hill Pa
215 -932 2615
STOLTZFUS FARM SERVICE
Cochranville Pa
215 593 5280
ABC GROFF, INC
New Holland
717 354 4191
XXX
ROYH. SUCH. INC.
Ephrata R D 2
717-859 2441
LONGENECKER FARM SUPPLY
Rheems
717-367-3590
N G HERSHEY & SON
Manheim
717 - 665 2271
LANDIS BROS, INC
Lancaster
717 - 393 3905
45