,o—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, August 23. 1975
1
Farm Commentary
Some fair information
With local fairs in Lancaster Far
ming’s prime coverage area now
underway, and many more getting
ready to put up their tents, I find it
necessary to comment on the im
portance of cooperation between the
news media and fair chairmen or
publicity directors.
It is understandable that each
event wants "prime” coverage, and it
is our responsibility to give that kind
of publicity as much as possible
However, to do so is sometimes
physically impossible because of
conflicting schedules and a shortage
of reporters Furthermore, it takes
cooperation on the part of individuals
handling the show.
We can’t do everything ourselves,
nor can we afford to spend hours of
our time waiting for results or
catering to special wishes of various
persons. As requests and notices and
invitations come into our office, we
must sift through them and try to
follow through on as much as
possible. Occasionally one or two
items get left behind, which can't be
helped.
This week, due to a misun
derstanding between us and a show
director, we returned empty-handed
because of hectic schedules on both
sides. Such incidents will happen
from time to time, but they benefit
neither us nor the people wanting the
news coverage.
I want to take this opportunity to
Life on the farm
By Dieter Krieg
Once a month Dad cleared the
dining room table of everything,
including the vase and flowers. Then
he’d bring out a stack of papers, a roll
of stamps, a pack of envelopes, and
his checkbook. The only sound in the
room was that of a pen scratching on
paper. Occasionally he'd ask me to go
to town for him to deposit the milk
check in the bank and also pay the
mortgage. I remember one such
occasion.
Going to town was always a special
event back then. Although I had been
a licensed driver for about two years
at that time, opportunities to go away
were limited, not to mention being
behind the wheel of the family car.
Dad handed me a few pieces of
paper representing the items he
wanted me to take care of and asked
me not to take too long because we
had plenty of work to do. I jogged out
to the garage, hopped into the car,
and was on my way to a small world of
my own.
With windows rolled down to catch
the summer breezes, and the radio
tuned in to my favorite station, the
big Olds and I rolled up and down the
hills in southern York County towards
Red Lion. Driving was fun and easy,
and a bit more exciting than
operating a pitch fork, pushing a lawn
mower, being swatted by a juicy cow
tail, or fixing fences Getting away for
an hour or so was like a mini-vacation
advise fair chairmen to maintain
records of their show results. Sure,
they all do, but have you ever been a
reporter trying to get them 7 That can
be like pulling teeth from a shark’s
mouth. The records are somewhere,
we’ve been told, but they can’t be
found. Unfortunately, we can’t wait
for hours, and sometimes even a few
minutes makes the difference bet
ween good and poor coverage. So,
please have records available. A copy
of the show catelog is most desirable.
Surprisingly, some fairs haven’t been
providing us with such simple tools
for good, accurate reporting
If pictures are to be taken, make
sure show winners and their animals
are ready That is another prime
ingredients for good publicity.
When good coverage is obtainable,
both in pictures and words, then
chances are good for an attractive
layout in the apper. Not every event
can receive the "big page” coverage,
due to space limitations. As editor it is
my prerogative to decide which story
has the most potential for an at
tractive layout. That decision is based
primarily on the story and pictures I
have available. And as I've said
throughout this commentary, it is up
to a fair's management to see to it
that good pictures can be taken and
show results copied. So, that
hopefully answers a question that is
asked from time to time: “How do we
get coverage like so and so had 7 ”
Arriving in Red Lion, I parked the
car in front of the bank and walked
into the air-conditioned lobby. The
row of tellers on the left is where I
should pay the mortgage, Dad had
instructed, and the deposit was to be
made across from there. The lady
greeted me, asked about the family
briefly, and went to work hunting
something up at the files and pun
ching buttons on an adding machine.
Then she quickly double-checked the
balance by doing it the old-tashioned
way with pencil and paper. After
stamping the mortgage slips, she
returned one to me as a receipt, and I
crossed to the other side of the bank.
Following a brief waiting period, it
was my turn at the teller-window and
for the first time 1 took notice of the
figures on the milk check. I felt as
though all the blood of my body had
been drained. I stood there stunned
and speechless while the teller
recorded the deposit. The monthly
mortgage payment was for $1794.
The milk check was nearly a hundred
dollars short of that amount.
I thought of Dad at home, with his
bills arranged all across the dining
room table Some businesses would
have to wait for their money, and one
or two of our cows would undoubtedly
be going out for beef within a few
days.
The drive home wasn’t as care-free
as the drive to town.
A PINCH
OFSALT
Leuon for August 24,1175
Background Scripture:
Matthew 5:13-16; Acts 4:13-
16; 8:4-8, 26-40; Romans
1:14-17; I Peter 3:13-16.
Devotional Reading:
Roman 10:4-15.
A number of years ago, a
woman in my congregation
found a little book entitled,
FISH. The book was about a
program of neighborly help
that churches and groups of
churches can sponsor in
their own community.
Services such as emergency
babysitting, transportation,
meals for the elderly, putting
people in touch with com
munity resources, etc., are
provided by volunteers
working through an ad
vertised “Fish” telephone
number and an answering
service.
The salt of
the world
The name, “Fish,” is a
reference to the ancient
symbol by which Christians
identified themselves to each
other in the days of the
Roman Empire. The fish
symbol stood for Jesus
Christ and thus it serves as
an appropriate identification
for the “Fish” program.
The woman from my
congregation was excited by
this program and shared the
book with another
parishoner who eventually
gave the book to me. I, in
turn, shared the book with a
small Bible study and prayer
group that met twice a
month in members’ homes.
The group often talked about
Christian witness: here was
an opportunity to actually
put some of those convictions
into practice.
One of the women in that
group accepted respon
sibility to serve as the
organizer and soon a modest
beginning was made. Today,
several years later, Fish is
no longer a project of just
that small group of people,
nor even of our church. It has
become a countywide co
operative effort in which
many different churches
participate both with
volunteers and financial
support.
A matter of taste
This is a simple
illustration of what one
person’s efforts, “a pinch of
salt,” can accomplish for
the Gospel. There was
nothing dramatic about her
efforts, but that one woman
with her simple words of
encouragement started in
motion a most fruitful
project that is reaching
many lives for Christ.
Our people who have
participated in this project
have found that this op
portunity for witness has
produced “salt,” not only for
those who are the
beneficiaries of “Fish,” but
also the volunteers. It has
provided some extra
“flavor” for their Christian
lives, just as table salt can do
that for dull, tasteless foods.
Too often we wonder what
just one person can do.
Perhaps we should
remember the truth of that
old nursery rhyme:
For want of a nail, the shoe
was lost.
For want of a shoe, the horse
was lost.
For want of a horse, the rider
To Prune
Raspberry Plants
Old canes which have
borne the 1975 raspberry
crop should be cut out in
order to stimulate new
growth upon which next
year’s fruit will develop. The
old canes are “at the end of
the line” and are of no fur
ther use to the grower.
Primings should be burned
or burned, or taken to
authorized solid waste
disposal plants. After the
pruning has been done, the
plants should be sprayed
with both an insecticide such
as Malathion, and a
fungicide such as Captan to -
control pests. Fertilizing
should be done early in the
spring and not at this time of
the year. A regular spray
schedule should be followed
starting early spring with
the delayed dormant spray.
To Apply For
Gasoline
Tax Refund
September 30 is the
deadline for farmers to
apply for the 8c per gallon
state tax refund on liquid
fuels. This is for liquid fuels
used in non-licensed tractors
for agricultural purposes
and for power farm
machinery used for farm
purposes. The period is from
July 1,1974 to June 30, 1975.
Farmers who do not have
application forms can secure
them from the Board of
Finance and Revenue, Room
130 R Finance Building,
Harrisburg, Pa. 17120. This
must be done by September
30 in order to get this refund.
To Be Alert For
Johnson Grass
We fear there are too
was lost.
For want of a rider, the
battle was lost.
For want of a battle, the war
was lost.
For want of a war, a
kingdom was lost.
And all for the loss of a
horseshoe nail!
0r... a pinch of salt!
(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.)
Farm Calendar vSSS*SS?bL,
Monday, August 25 servation District
Manheim Young Fanners meeting at 7:30 p.m. at
meeting with a program the Farm and Home
on the treatment for high Center.
More than one
celebration
In a time when many activities
revolving around the United States'
Bicentennial seem to make it more
buy-centennial,” it was nice to see a
remark made by Farmfest 76 Exec.
Dir. Ed Hart, referring to our agrarian
beginnings. “Why should the
Bicentennial be all battle reenact
ments 7 It took a lot more than war to
make America ... people think of the
Bicentennial as a salute to 1776. Not
so. We are celebrating every one of
those 200 great years since America
gained her sovereignty," he notes.
Right on, Ed!
'WAVi M’* »»*»»»♦•#»•••••••*••••• ••••»,♦,
NOW IS
THE TIME... !
Max Smith
County Agr. Agent
Telephone :i(U-(iK5l
many local fields containing
this fast-spreading,
penennial weed. For many
years there have been
isolated spots of Johnson
Grass in several areas of the
county; however, in recent
years it seems to be more
widespread and is a definite
threat to most crops. This
grass resembles Sorghum
and grows very rank taking
all of the soil moisture and
plant food from crops.
Control is not easy but the
material Eradicane is
recommended for use next
spring before com planting
time. At this time farmers
should identify the areas
infested so that treatment
can be made next spring.
Details are available at our
Extension Office.
To Evaluate
Insurance Coverage
The insurance industry is
big business and one that is
very important to everyone.
At this time I’m concerned
with the coverage on farm
buildings and contents;
many fanners may not have
adjusted their coverage
recently and therefore are
under-insured. It is not the
first cost that should be
covered, but the
replacement cost. Property
owners are urged to contact
their insurance agents to
evaluate the extent of their
coverage. Liability in
surance is another major
item that needs regular
attention. Employees and
visitors need coverage and
the farmer needs liability
protection.
moisture com. Manheim
High School at 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, August 26
Lancaster 4-H Hog Show and
Sale at the Stockyards.
Show will begin at 8:00
a.m. with the sale to
follow at 1:30 p.m.
Tuesday, August 26
Ag Progress Days begin at
the McDowell Farms
near Mercer, PA. For
further information on
the event, see our special
pages in the second
section of this issue.
y r