10-Uncattor Farming. Saturday. Oct 18, 2975 By Dieter Krieg Life on the farm offers rewards and satisfactions which can’t easily be found elsewhere. A farmer lives close to Nature and God's creations, which gives him a sense of knowledge, appreciation and respect for the Earth which he would n Jt get anywhere else. The endless cycles of birth and death, sprouting and wilting, spring, summer, autumn and winter, never cease to amaze him Fresh air, Nature’s beauty, and the type of work which develops physical capabilities in addition to the mind, is all around him. Although the hard work may be burdensome at times, the physical activity is what keeps him agile and healthy. The business decisions and problems keep his mind alert. A sense of independence and pride in individual achievement isn’t available as often in the non-farm world. The farmer usually has these By Dieter Krieg Big, rough hands, covered with callouses, a scar or two, and a mixture of axle-grease, dust and soil which not even hot water and Lava could remove thoroughly, met and shook in friendship beneath the maple trees Tanned and wind-burned faces of farmers exchanged greetings and the latest reports on their crops and herds It was a Sunday fust like all other Sundays The church service was over, and after not having seen many of the neighbors for a week, the majority chatted for a while sometimes for even an hour Although hours of rest are scarce on the farm - especially during the planting and harvesting seasons which take up three-quarters of the year most farmers seem to regularly find time to go to church under all sorts of conditions and in all kinds of weather As a group and as individuals, the men who work the soil and tend the animals probably have a deeper respect for God and wider ap preciation of Nature than do many others Their entire livelihood depends on the mercy of God, and they know it Made aware of the priceless rewards in his work. Unlike the assembly-line worker who is often just a "cog" in a "big machine," the farmer is "the machine." He makes the decisions and follows his own plans. He's his own boss and when his products go.to market he can be proud of his accomplishments A farmer is at home while he’s working. His wife and children are always nearby. And what better place is there to raise a family 7 Exercise, stimulating surroundings, fresh air, pets, and the chance to learn the meaning of responsibility are all offered on the farm Certainly, farm life still leaves a few things to be desired, such as little or no time off, comparatively long hours, meager profit margins, and in general a “looked down upon” attitude by much of society But if a farmer can make it financially, chances are he's in no mood to trade his way of life for that of the suburbanite who only works from eight to five, five days a week miracles of life each time a field of seeds germinates, and when a calf is born, farmers appreciate their blessings and recognize the frailty of their own abilities and profession On Sunday mornings the farmer often takes shortcuts in order to get done in time for church. Or work is just partially completed Only urgent circumstances such as a cow down with milk fever interferes with the Sunday schedule In spite of their close relationship to and dependence on Nature, which m turn develops to an awareness of God, farmers have been known for catching a few winks m the pews Not necessarily a reflection of the worship service itself, the farmer occasionally dozes off because he is tired or because he has difficulty staying awake when he sits down with nothing to do I come to this conclusion because of my own experiences and beliefs, and because I have been able to stay awake in church most of the time to make observations But I can only take partial credit for the latter most of the credit should go to my wife who has an elbow as quirk as a mule’s leg THE TEST I,risen for October 13. I!»V> Background Scripture: Genesis 22: 1-19. Devotional Reading: Luke 204-45 through 21:4. If you go to Jerusalem today and visit the beautiful Dome of the Rock, guides will show you a huge rock surrounded by a railing and will tell you that the rock is Mt. Moriah, the spot upon which Abraham stood ready to sacrifice his son, Isaac. Whether or not it is actually the spot of that great event, one cannot help but be moved as he contemplates the significant drama that was probably played out at that location. It was one of the great high moments of man’s religious history. Religion “turned” an important “corner,” as we say. Where is the Lamb? Scholars and others will argue whether God actually asked Abraham to sacrifice his son. Some maintain that Abraham only thought God wanted him to do this because he saw his Canaanite neighbors doing it. Either way the point of the story is pretty much the same. Whether Abraham only thought that’s what God wanted or whether he correctly surmised it, the important point is that he was willing to sacrifice for his God the one possession which was above all others: his only son. Once before God had tested this man, calling him to leave his home country for a strange land he had never seen. 'Abraham had responded to this challenge with an obedient faith. But this test was even greater. Abraham and Sarah had been childless until Abraham reached his ninety ninth year. Then, at last, they had a child, a male heir, the heir through which God would fulfill his promise to make Abraham and Sarah the father and mother of a whole multitude of peoples. So, Isaac was not only Abraham’s son, he was his only son, the gift from God in his old age. Abraham must certainly have wondered how he could possibly make this supreme scarfice to God. It was his greatest test of faith! There is some rich sym bolic meaning in this story. For example, Abraham lays the firewood for the sacrifice on Isaac’s back and one is reminded of Jesus carrying his own cross to Calvary. There is Isaac asking in wonder, “Behold the fire and the wood; but where is the lamb for a burnt offering” (genesis 22:7). One is reminded of Jesus, scanficed as “the Lamb of God who takest away the sms of the world.” God will provide There is also Abraham’s enigmatic answer: “God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt (22:8). And that’s what God did: for Abraham and for all of us. On Mi. Moriah God provided a ram to serve as a sacrifice instead of Isaac and on Mt. Calvary he provided his own son as a sacrifice instead of all mankind. I NOW IS ' | 1 THE TIME-.. J Max Smith County Agr. Agent Telephone ll’M-dur, i To Test Forage Crop* If full value is to be utilized from the testing of hay and silage, now would be the best time to have these crops tested. With the fall and winter feeding season ahead of us, the exact knowledge of the feed value of roughages in storage could make a big difference in feed rations. We urge full attention to the testing of hay and silage crops now for both dairy and beef producers. When the test is submitted to the Penn State Testing laboratory, producers are urged to request a feeding recom mendation. This will necessitate the filling out of a special feed recom mendation form but can be secured along with the test kit without charge. Forage testing does not cost money ($9.00 per kit), but should save money in the long run. To Store Farm Machinery As soon as a piece of farm machinery has performed its last function for the season, it should be cleaned, ser viced, and stored for the winter. This means storage under roof to protect it from the elements. Rust is one of the major enemies of machinery and equipment that is left out in the weather over winter will surely have less life because it will break down quicker. A separate shed or machinery bam Is suggested rather than be stored in the regular farm barn. This will reduce the risk of serious loss in case of fire. Machinery represents a big investment and warrants weather protection when not in use. To Consider Dairy Calf Hutches Dairymen that are having problems with calf scours and pneumonia might consider the construction of several calf hutches outside of the bam. These small hutches were observed recently by a group of our County Agents on a farm tour in Wisconsin. The day old calves are put out into these small buildings with a small exercise lot for several months in order to get away from the barn infections. In the mid-west they are reported to be working ex cellent to eliminate calf losses. It might seem a bit Thus, in the story of Abraham and Isaac we find a theme that is repeated again and again in the Bible and life since then; God tests us to determine the strength of our commitment to him, but when we have demon strated our loyalty to him, it is God himself who provides the sacrifice. On Mt. Moriah Abraham learned a profound religious lesson: what God wants from us is not vain sacrifice, but our very deepest com mitment and obedience ( for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me” (22-12). There is a Mt. Moriah in the life of every man, a place where God tests our faith. rough to put a young calf out into a small hutch at all times of the year, but results favor the wider use of this practice. To Eradicate Rats We notice the presence of rats in and around too many barns and buildings. The season is approaching when they will be seeking shelter in buildings from the fields and colder weather. We stress the importance of eliminating nesting places for them in order to prevent reproduction and greater infestation. Stone walls and broken concrete floors and driveways should be repaired along with a good clean-up program. Poison bait stations will help get many rodents before they can establish a nesting place. Rats are destructful, may carry contagious diseases, and should be on the eradication program of every farmer and property owner. Congratulations are in order for Peter Witmer of Willow Street HI, who has been selected as the 1975 winner of the Dairy Shrine Club’s Student Recognition Contest. The son of Mr. and Mrs. Raymond F. Witmer, Peter will receive a $500.00 cash award from the Dairy Shrine Club at the World Dairy Exposition in Madison, Wisconsin on October 1. He was selected by a panel of judges from a group of 32 outstanding dairy science student nominees from across the country. Peter is a recent graduate in Dairy Science from Penn State University. He has chosen to return to the farm and continue in the Guernsey dairy business. We congratulate Peter and his entire family for this great accomplishment and wish him continued success in the dairy industry. It is en couraging 'to have out standing college graduates remain in agricultural production. Farm Calendar Saturday, Oct. 18 Kinzer 4-Wheel Tractor Pull to be held at the Rough and Tumble Track at 7:00 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 19 Lancaster Independent Press Day at the Railroad House in Lancaster 1-10 p.m. $2.00 donation will be required. Monday, Oct. 20 Lancaster Town Fair on Monday and Tuesday from 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 21 Neppco convention begins m Hershey - for further information on the event see the articles in this section of Lancaster Farming. Ephrata Young Farmers meeting at 7:45 p.m. at the Ephrata Senior High School - cornpickers will be discussed. Thursday, Oct. 23 Chester County Holstein Club meeting and banquet and the Upper Octorara Presbyterian Church near Parkesburg.
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