—Lancaster Farming. Saturday, July 12, 1975
10
f
Farm Commentary
Life on the farm
By: Dieter Krieg
The large barn doors were swung
open and warm, bright sunshine
touched the cool, dirt floor of the
shed. The songs of birds erased the
silence, dust danced m the shaft of
sunlight, and the pleasant scent of
hard clay became less pronounced. It
was time for an awakening.
The big machine had been in
hibernation for nearly a full year and
was covered with dust, pigeon
droppings and cobwebs. There was
no burst of energy when the key was
turned to “awake" this mommoth of
the farm machinery kingdom. A squirt
of ether into the “nostrils” sparked
life into it and before long the engine
was coughing and sputtering, filling
the top portion of the shed with grey
blue smoke.
Like a big, sleepy bear crawling out
of it's cave in the Spring, the combine
advanced slowly towards the open
Tobacco exports lagging
Laddmg economies both in the
United States and overseas have
caused exports and domestic use of
U. S. tobacco for the 1974-75
marketing year to slip below last
season’s record high level. Still, total
disappearance is exceeding 1974’s
output. Thus, carryover will fall below
last year's 2.95 billion pounds to the
smallest amount since 1947.
Domestic cigarette use for the 10
months ended April 1975 was up
about V/z percent and cigarette
exports were up 10 percent. But
manufacturers and distributors cut
back inventories as output in the year
ending June 30 will likely dip about 2
percent below the record high 652
billion cigarettes produced last fiscal
year. Reduced cigarette inventories
combined with increased sales
should help bolster the production in
second half of 1975.
Use of cigars continues to trend
downward in contrast to the increase
in cigarette smoking For the year
ending June 30, large cigar output
will be down 5 percent and small
cigar production off 10 percent from
1973-74. Output of snuff is holding its
own while chewing tobacco
production may gam a little
Unmanufactured tobacco exports
if Julv 19 7 * - April li?/5 totaled 2
pt; '■ent below a year earlier. In
dications of an even slower pace this
May and June would mean shipments
for the year ending June 30 should
total about 5 percent below the
record 657 million pounds (export
weight) last fiscal year. World
cigarette demand for U S-type
blended cigarettes is still climbing
but some overseas markets have
slowed their purchase rate or shifted
to competing tobaccos because of
steep price increases and declining
real incomes
With prospects for a larger 1975
crop and much smaller price in
creases than last year, un
manufactured tobacco exports for
July-December 1975 may exceed the
338 million pounds (export weight)
of a year earlier Despite some
slackening in the demand for neutral
doorway and the warm, bright
sunshine - being careful not to scrape
the sides of the exit. It rested outside
beneath a tree for several minutes,
flexing its “muscles” while its owner
checked for proper belt tension,
control responses, etc
After a big drink at the gas pump
and a thorough going over with a
grease gun and oil can, the big
monster was ready to go to work.
With engine roaring now, the
combine paddled its way across the
sea of wheat, hungrily devouring the
crop. It filled its belly with grain and
eliminated straw from the rear.
The waves of gram gradually
disappear and only the stubble
remains. Thank God, however,
there’ll be more next year to add
beauty to the countryside, provide
the population with bread, and give
rise to a special inner joy to a farm
lover like me.
filler tobacco our exports are being
sustained by foreigners’ preferences
for full-flavor U.S. tobacco and
reduced carrying charges due to
declines in short-term interest rates.
Exports to countries in the European
Community and Southeast Asia have
declined this season.
Flue-cured tobacco exports were
off 3 percent in July 1974 - April
1975, (farm-sales weight) with the
largest drop in shipments to the
United Kingdom. For the year ending
June 30, about 430 million pounds
(570 million, farm-sales weight) will
be exported to all destinations, 5
percent below 1973-74. Burley ex
ports for the crop year ending Sep
tember 30 may equal last year’s total
of 67 million pounds (87 million,
farm-sales weight).
Cigarette tobacco imports for
consumption at 205 million pounds
(export weight) during July 1974 -
April 1975 gained 15 percent from a
year earlier. Cigar leaf imports gained
7 percent. U. S manufacturers’
stocks of imported cigarette tobacco
on .April 1 were 19 percent above a
year earlier. U. S. stocks of foreign
grown cigar tobacco were up 7
percent.
With a slowdown in cigarette
output and increased use of foreign
tobacco, domestic fkie-cured use in
the year ending June 30 is dropping 5
percent from last season's level.
Allowing for smaller exports, total
disappearance of flue-cured will run
about 5 percent below the 1.3 billion
pounds of last season. This about
equals the 1974 crop, so the July
1975 carryover of flue-cured likely
will remain near the 1.6 billion
pounds of a year earlier
Based on March 1 intentions, this
year’s flue-cured crop was projected
13 percent larger than last year.
Considering past experience, the
estimate seems reasonable. For the
new season, total supply (estimated
carryover plus the projected 1975
crop) may gam a little.
Use of fire-cured, dark air-cured,
and domestic cigar tobacco is
declining.
Where Are
You Growing?
Background Scripture:
Ephesians 4; Philippians 3; 1
John 3: 1-3.
Devotional Reading:
Colossians 3: 5-17.
One evening last week I
stood in the auditorium of
our local high school, waiting
for my son, Todd, and his
graduating class to file past
and begin the baccalaureate
service.
I could not help but
remember my own high
school graduation almost
three decades ago and
compare the two occasions.
As I looked at the long
procession filing past me, I
noted that today’s youth are
on the average, considerably
taller than my own student
generation. Physically,
young people today are
considerably advanced.
They also appear to be in
tellectually advanced, too.
Whether they are any
more mature or better
prepared for life in today’s
world, only time will tell.
“Grow Up!”
Growth by itself is not
enough. Everyone grows.
Some people grow heavier,
some bitter, and everyone
older. It is of vital im
portance to determine in
what direction we are
growing.
hi one of his novels, Louis
Bromfield says: But with me
there was no growth ... I
4iad never attained any
degree of maturity. I had
merely grown older ...
But it is not enough to grow
“older,” we are also called
to “Grow up!” And
Christians are given a
specific direction in which to
grow. In Ephesians we are
told to “grow up in every
way into him who is the
head, into Christ” (4:15). In
Philippians, Paul says the
same thing in different
words: “I press on toward
the goal for the prize of the
upward call of God in Christ
Jesus” (3:14). And the
Apostle John admonishes us
to “be like him” (I John 3:2).
Upon receiving that kind of
admonition, some people
shake their heads in either
disbelief or resignation.
“But who can be like
Christ?” they ask. “He was
the Son of God.”
The impossible dream?
If we concentrate on the
divinity of Christ to the
exclusion of his humanity,
we exalt him into
irrelevance. We will see him
as so far above us that he can
have little or no influence
upon our lives.
Yet, as someone has said,
“Jesus became what we are,
so that we might become
what he is.” In him we find,
not some “impossible
dream,” but the example of
what human nature can
become. Jesus is the Son of
God, but he also came to
share that sonship with us.
The Apostle says, “Beloved,
we are God’s children now”
(I John 3:2). In Galatians,
Paul speaks of us as
“adopted” son (4:5) and
again in Romans 8:23.
So, in Jesus, God showed
all men what he created
them to be and challenged us
to grow in that direction. It is
not so-much a matter of
arriving at the goal, but
always being sure we are
moving toward it. As Paul
puts it: Brethren, I do not
consider that I have made it
my own; but one thing I do,
forgetting what lies behind
and straining forward to
ishat lies ahead, I press on
toward the goal for the prize
ml?
To Store
Left-Over Seeds
No doubt many gardeners
and farmers have bought
more seeds than are needed
for this season. There’s no
reason why these seeds
cannot be saved for next
year’s planting. They should
be kept in a dry place, away
from rodents, and away
from any weed killer
chemicals. When using seeds
that are two years old or
more, it might be wise to run
a simple germination test on
a few of them this winter to
leant of the percentage that
will grow; then plant them a
bit thicker than you did last
spring. Keep them out of
dark, damp basements or
cellars for this storage
period.
To Respect Stage
of Maturity
Growers of sudan grass or
one of the sudan-sorghum
hybrids should keep in mind
that the plant should get to a
certain height before using
as pasture or green chop.
The sudan grass should be at
least 18 inches high before
using. The hybrids should be
at least 24 to 30 inches high
before using in the fresh
condition. If animals eat
these crops too early, there
is some danger of prussic
acid poisoning. Second
growth of these crops should
also be allowed to get to the
mentioned heights before
using. Many growers will
clip the area with their
mowing machines at 4 to 6
inches after the first grazing
in order to get more uniform
second growth. These
special crops will make good
growth during the heat of the
summer but require special
handling of the herd or flock.
Farm
Calendar
Saturday, July 12
District 3 Jersey Breeders
Annual Picnic at the Top-
O-Hill Farm in
Downingtown. 12:00 noon
for the covered dish
luncheon. Visitors are
asked to bring lawn
chairs.
Sunday, July 13
Elizabethtown Area Young
Farmers Picnic and
covered dish luncheon.
Monday, July 14
PFA Region 2 Ladies Day
Out to be held at the Penn
Ram Motor Inn in
Carlisle.
Friday, July 18
Pa. Young Farmers Picnic
at Shippensburg State
College.
Saturday, July 19
Western Pa.. Junior Angus
of the upward call of God in
Christ Jesus. (3:13,14.)
It is not enough to grow
older; we are called to grow
up as well.
(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. . .
Max Smith
County Agr. Agent
Telephone 394-(i85l
To Utilize
Testing Services
There are several testing
services available through
the Penn State Testing
Laboratory. One of the most
widely used is the complete
soil test; hundreds of local
folks benefit from learning of
their soil needs each year.
Another is the Forage Test
for livestock producers to
learn of the real feeding
value of hay, silage, or
grains; with this test we urge
that producers request a
feeding recommendation
blank when buying the
forage test kit. dither tests
available include soil
minerals and nitrogen
content. In the Forage Test
laboratory tests can be made
for minerals, non-protein
nitrogen, and nitrates. A
Leaflet explaining the
various tests is available
from our local Extension
Office.
To Order
Seed Supplies
It’s not too early to order
supplies of winter barley or
wheat to be seeded this fall.
By ordering early growers
are more likely to get the
variety and quality of seed
wanted. We continue to urge
the use of Certified seed in
order to get the most
satisfactory results. Home
grown seeds should be tested
for purity and weed content
and treated for diseases; this
is not easily done under farm
conditions. The very best
Certified seed should give
the best return for the in
vestment. The 1975
Agronomy Guide may be
used as a reference for
varieties and for seeding
rates. Don’t wait until seed
supplies are exhausted and
then have to take what is left.
Show at the Mercer Co. 4-
H Park in Mercer begins
at 11:30 a.m.
Lancaster County 4-H Horse
Show at the Lancaster
Riding Club.
farmers ’
market
opens
HARRISBURG Truck
tailgate to shopping bag will
be the way of business
Tuesday (July 15) as
Harrisburg’s newest far
mers market officially opens
at the Farm Show parking
lot.
Farmers from an 11-
county area will sell
vegetables, fruit, baked
goods and meat in the first
open air market in the
capital city in more than 40
years.
The market, which will be
open every Tuesday and
Friday from 4 p.m. to 9:30
p.m. through October, will
be officially opened when
State Agriculture Secretary
Jim McHale rings an old
school bell.
In addition to Harrisburg,
Pennsylvania cities and
towns now featuring open air
farmers markets include
Wilkes-Barre, Erie and
Heidelberg.