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—Lancaster Farming. Saturday. March 29. 1975
Conservation Deadline is Pushed Back - *
It looks like we no longer have a
July 1, 1977, deadline for the in
stallation of conservation practices
on all Pennsylvania farms In hearings
before the Pennsylvania House
Agriculture Committee recently.
Department of Environmental
Resources people told the
representatives that the deadline
would be extended. But Walter Lyon,
director of the state's Bureau of
Water Quality Management, didn’t
say horn long the deadline would be
extended Nor did he say for sure how
much farmers would have to do to
meet the Clean Streams Law
requirements
Farmers locally and throughout
that state have been most concerned
with two questions Will they have to
install expensive cropland terraces to
stop erosion from their fields 7 and
Will they have to fence off their
streams to keep their cattle out 7
The answers to both questions, in
most cases, appears to be, “No",
according to Afton Schadel, a
Schuylkill County farmer who heads
up DER’s erosion and sedimentation
control efforts Schadel said he
doesn’t think streams will have to be
fenced off And he said he feels the
state would not compel farmers to
install terraces unless their cropping
practices were the kind that could
create a lot of sedimentation An
example might be continuous corn on
land with more than a three percent
slope
Schadel was in Hmkletown on
Wednesday evening to talk to a group
Order 4 Expansion Seems Certain
Eleven counties in Pennsylvania
and two in Maryland will probably be
added to the Federal Order 4 Milk
Marketing district sometime after
June 1. This action will result from an
order signed this week by assistant
U S. Secretary of Agriculture Richard
Felkner. But the order can become
effective only if it is approved in a
referendum vote by a two-thirds
majority of all dairymen in the
present Order 4 boundaries as well
as a two-thirds majority of all
dairymen in the counties which would
be added
The effect of the addition would be
an eight- to ten-cent per hundred
increase in the blend price for all
Order 4 shippers The increase for
producers in some areas might be
even higher Locally, most dairymen
already ship to Order 4 markets and
they are paid at or above the Order 4
More on Planting Intentions
On the one hand, it appears that
farmers cut back their planting in
tentions On the other hand,
maybe that cutback isn’t so much as
it seems. In any event, the USDA’s
March Prospective Planting Report
indicates farmers now intend to plant
less corn, sorghum, wheat, and
soybeans but more oats and barley
than they originally planned to back
on Jan 1
CORN plantings now seen at 75 3
million acres, down 3 pet from a year
ago, and 3 pet below Jan 1 in
dications SORGHUM acreage seen at
189 million acres, up 6 pet from a
year ago, but well below the 10 pet
increase seen in January
But, OAT plantings are now seen at
But the Need Still Exists
of Eastern Lancaster County farmers
at the Hmkletown Alternative School
He took a lot of abuse from’one or two
vocal members of the audience They
insisted that Schadel and the state of
Pennsylvania were trying to tell them
what to do with their farms, even if it
meant spending more money on
conservation measures than they
could possibly afford
Schadel denied the charges
said one would would say anything to
a farmer unless erosion from his
fields became a serious problem He
pointed out that there are other, less
expensive ways of controlling erosion
than terraces. Contour strips, good
cropping practices and proper tillage
can all help solve erosion problems,
Schadel said.
The gist of Schadel’s message was
that farmers aren’t going to get into
trouble with the law if they make
reasonable efforts at controlling
erosion
But the legal issue is really
irrelevant, as Schadel pointed out
There are two reasons for controlling
sedimentation One is to keep our
streams clean The other reason,
more important to farmers, is to keep
the soil on their fields. Soil is the
farmer’s most valuable resource. It
only makes sense to husband it as
carefully as possible Conservation
practices can help preserve the thin
layer of topsoil on which human life
depends
That fact, not the law, should be all
the impetus anybody needs to do the
best job he can of conserving soil
minimum With the expansion, in
dependent dairies would also be
required to pay Order 4 mimmums
for the milk they buy Previously,
independent dealers in Pennsylvania
had been governed by the Penn
sylvania Milk Marketing Board
minimum, which has traditionally
been lower than the federal order
price
Most observers feel the new ruling
will get the two-thirds vote necessary
Milk cooperatives can vote their
members in a block, and the
cooperative managements are
reportedly very much m favor of the
expansion Pennsylvania counties to
be added include Lancaster, York,
Chester, Lebanon, Bucks, Mon
tgomery, Adams, Cumberland,
Dauphin, Franklin, Fulton, Juniata
and Perry.
18 2 million acres, 5 pet. above Jan.
indications, though only Vz of 1 pet.
above a year ago BARLEY acreage
now seen at 10 2 million acres, up B‘/2
pet from January intentions, 12 pet
more than last year Over-all FEED
GRAIN acreage (corn, sorghum, oats,
barley,) seen at 122 5 million acres,
down 200,000 acres from a year ago
but 300,000 acres above the Jan
forecast
SOYBEAN acreage seen at 566
million acres up 6 pet from a year
ago, but below the 8 pet increase
indicated in January DURUM
WHEAT plantings seen at 43 million
acres, up 5 pet from last year, but
below the 10 pet increase forecast in
January
THE
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OUR EASTER
EQUIPMENT
Lesson for March 30.1975
Background Scripture; 1
Corintians 15:3-15, 58;
Hebrews 13.
Devotional Reading: Psalms
118: 21-25.
One of the most inspiring
passages ever written about
life after death is I Corin
thians 15. Lifting up both the
resurrection of Jesus Christ
and our own victory over
death through him, Paul
closes with a great shout:
But thanks be to God who
give us the victory through -
our Lord Jesus Christ! (I
Corinthians 15:57).
But there is more:
Therefore, my beloved
brethren, be steadfast,
immovable, always
abounding in the work of the
Lord, knowing that in the
Lord your labor is not in
vain. (15:58).
Because of Christ’s
resurrection through which
we become like him,
conquerors of death, we can
therefore live victoriously.
Easter, thus, is more than
the "happy ending” to the
story of Jesus. It is much
more a “happy beginning”
to new life through his
power. It means, not only life
after death, but life before
death.
With everything good
So Easter is not just a
celebration, it is time when
we are given power to live
victoriously in the midst of
both life and death. The
power that broke open the
grave of Jesus and set him
free is also the same power
that enables us to meet the
challenges and obstacles
along life’s way.
A well-known Christian
benediction drawn from the
Epistle to the Hebrews
makes this point:
Now may the God of peace
who brought again from the
dead our Lord Jesus, the
great shepherd of the sheep,
by the blood of the eternal
covenant, equip you with
everything good that you
may do his will, working in
you that which is pleasing in
his sight, through Jesus
Christ, to whom be glory for
ever and ever. Amen.
(13:20,21)
In other words, the
resurrected Christ will give
us the resources we need in
order to meet the challenges
and opportunities of life.
Easter equips us to do God’s
will in our daily lives.
That you may do his will
In what ways?
The writer of Hebrews
spells out some specifics:
“Let brotherly love con
tinue .. ” (That certainly
requires some good equip
ment.)
“Do not neglect to show
hospitality to strangers”
(That also.)
“Remember those that are
in prison” (Still another.)
“Let marriage be held in
honor among all” (And
another.)
“Keep your life free from
the love of money” (Here
too!’
There seems to be no end
of opportunities and
challenges through which we
may make manifest the
power of the resurrection
with which God eqmps us.
Just as the early disciples
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To be Careful
With Drugs
The use of drugs and an
tibiotics in the production of
all types of food and fiber is
quite common, and these
materials can contribute to
over-all production.
However, extreme care
should be used in every case
to be sure the proper amount
and withdrawal times are
recognized. All users are
urged to read the directions
and follow them carefully.
These items have been
approved on the basis of
proper use and with the
following of the directions on
the label. Quality products
are a “must" for every
producer, and consumers
have a right to expect quality
food and fiber products. The
successful producer should
make every effort to use
materials as intended.
To Use Quality
Seeds
The planting season is at
hand and all farmers and
gardeners are reminded of
the merits of using either
certified seeds or seeds of
known purity and ger
mination. The inputs into a
crop are too expensive not to
start with good seeds. If
Certified seeds are • not
available of the desired seed
variety, then local seeds
should be tested for ger
mination and purity. This
service is available from the
Seed Testing Laboratory,
State Department s. of
Agriculture, 2301 North
Cameron St. Harrisburg, Pa.
The cost will run from $2.50
to $4.50 per sample depen
ding upon the type of seed
and the information needed.
The important thing to keep
in mind is not to use
unknown, untested seeds.
Farm
Calendar
Monday, March 31
8:30 a.m. - Lancaster County
Guernsey Breeders
Annual Tour. Leaving
Willow Street Mennonite
Church. There will also
be a pick-up at the
Mussers Store - Buck at
8:45 p.m.
Tuesday, April 1
1:00 - 3:00 p.m. - PSU
milking School at Penn
State.
American Egg Board Annual
Meeting at St. Peter
sburg, Florida continues
through April 2.
Pa. Poultry Sale and Service
Meeting held at the
Keller Conference Center
at Penn State.
were empowered to turn the
world “upside down,” so the
consequence of Easter in our
own time must be equally
evident in the world around
us. For that same
resurrection power is still
available to us. As Hebrews
assures us: “Jesus Christ is
the same yesterday and
today and forever)) (13:8).
(Based on outlines
copyrighted by the Division
of Christian Education,
National Council of the
Churches of Christ in the
U.S.A. Released by Com
munity Press Service.)
NOW IS
THE TIME.. . P
Max Smith
County Agr. Agent
Telephone lt!M-r>Ksl
To Become Familiar
With Weed Control
The growing season is
starting and so are the
weeds. According to a recent
evaluation of some of the
major crop problems in this
part of the state, weed
control rates at the top of the
list. Even though most
farmers and gardeners have
been trying to control weeds
for many generations, the
job is far from ac
complished. Therefore,
every grower should become
familiar with current weed
control practices and make
every effort to reduce the
weed population this sum
mer. Weeds decrease crop
yields by using available
moisture and plant food.
Clean hand or mechanical
cultivation should not be
overlooked on small garden
or flower plots. Weeds
continue to reduce food and
fiber production and in
crease costs: don’t let them
get ahead of you this season.
To Take Time
To Be Safe
The greater use of tractors
and farm machinery will be
evident in the next few
weeks. Farm equipment
cannot .be regarded as
dangerous when in proper
hands and operated at safe
speeds. However, too much
speed and careless operators
can bring tragedy quickly.
We urge all farm machinery
operators to recognize the
directions of the manufac
turer and don’t take chances.
Youngsters are anxious to
drive and ride on many
pieces of equipment, but it is
dangerous and unsafe to -
permit them to do so.
Good machinery operated
properly is vital to modem
farming practices and
should not be the cause of
human injuries or fatalities.
Operate with safety and good
common sense.
Vegetable Gardening Clinic
at the Devereux Foun
dation in Berwyn,
Chester County from 7:30
- 9:30 p.m.
Wednesday, April 2
Lancaster County Con
servation District
Meeting at the Lancaster
Farm and Home Center
at 7:30 p.m.
Pa. Ag Bankers Meeting at
the Sheraton-Conestoga
in Lancaster through
April 3.
Vegetable Gardening
Meeting at the Devereux
Foundation in Berwyn in
Chester County 7:30-9:30
p.m.
Thursday, April 3
United Egg Producers
Annual Meeting in St.
Petersburg, Florida
continuing through April
4.
Vegetable Gardening
Meeting at the Ware
Center Building on the
Lincoln University
Campus in Chester
County 7:30 - 9:30 p.m.
Lancaster County Young
Farmers Volleyball
Tournament at the
Ephrata High School
Gym at 7:45 p.m.
Saturday, April 5
Manheim Young Farmers
and wives bowling night: