10 —Lancaster Farmini EDITORIAL COMMENTS ‘Powerful milk co-ops conspire to keep prices high’ 'Dairy industry’s political muscle may inhibit reform ’ ‘Government pushes milk prices beyond poor’s reach ’ The above headlines are no joke. . They're for real. Granted, they sound ridiculous, and every dairyman will question their honesty, but they appeared earlier this year in newspapers across the country. Columnist Sylvia Porter, who has a nationally syndicated, consumer oriented column attacked the milk industry in some of her stories and the above.headlines are from those articles. Such misunderstandings and misrepresentations point to the need for farmers to stand up and tell their story. According to the National Milk Producers Federation the situation has become rather drastic, which is why that organization sponsored'a symposium in Washington two weeks ago to bring the farmer's story to consumers. What that symposium ac complished is hard to determine. Most reporters present were evidently farm editors, according to information obtained personally and received through USDA. The readership for these writers, most particularly LANCASTER FARMING, is definitely rural. That’s not really where the story needs to be told. Where were the food editors from the big cities? A number of farmers have told stones about the fellow in Philadelphia or Baltimore who scoffs at the need for farmers since "I can get all the food I need at the super market." Besides Sylvia Porter and the likes of her, they’re the people farmers should be concerned about. Greater efforts must be made to reach them Henry Holloway, whose ideas and accomplishments on this subject are told in stories beginning on pages 1 and 96, is on the right track. There is indeed a lot which farmers can do if they just use their imagination and some initiative. The task of educating the public should not be left to individual far mers entirely, but they should cer tainly play a large role in it Every farmer and every agricultural organization should get in on the act. If it’s true that a number of our city residents believe that food has its origins in the supermarket and I have no reason to doubt that then it’s time to exert some pressure on the legislatures of our state and national governments to bring about some consumer education There’s no excuse for this sort of ignorance to continue This issue in itself should concern even the U S Secretary of Agriculture and possibly the President himself Some possibilities for bringing Saturday. Ai Se uno 7he Cen ro' Southeastern Pen livlvon- Areas BY DIETER KRIEG, EDITOR ‘Milk prices keep soaring’ ml 24. 1976 America’s farm story to the public might be: School programs which would require students to take a look at agriculture by studying a general course in the classroom coupled with a number of field trips to a working farm. Are farming and food any less important than English literature, for example? Or calculus, or physical education? 7 Films produced and sponsored by farmers may be the answer for educating other groups. Farmer cooperatives or associations could take charge of filming and distribution. The finished product could be -made-available to service clubs, church groups, youth organizations, and so forth. Sponsoring sports events is another idea which farmers could look into. And while advertising the finished product is important, don’t forget to tell your own story. I believe consumers would be fascinated by posters, films, and messages which tell a little bit of what’s involved in producing milk, meat, eggs, etc. Forget about showing that chilled glass of milk on the table every time. There’s more to it than that. Much more. Another idea is to promote farm products m TV ads. It’s already being done, but it's rare that the farmer’s story is incorporated m them. It's about time that they are. Direct contact with editors of newspapers and managers of TV and radio stations would probably be more effective in telling the farmers' story than a big event in Washington which is hundreds and even thousands of miles away from where the action and problems are. Also, speakers, organizers, and supporters of such events should tell their story to their constituents directly. What are the chances, for example, of some Senator’s kind remarks about dairy farming trickling back to his district Sure, he sends a news release out to the papers, but possibilities exist that the speech will never make it into print unless the paper has a farm editor. Again, the emphasis for such stories should be food editors, and even city editors. A final idea I’d like to propose in this commentary is for fairs to become more “public oriented" A great many visitors to fairs are from town and these events therefore offer farmers a terrific opportunity for publicity How about putting on some shows which are highly attractive and informative Big business does it there's no reason why farmers can't do it to After all, agriculture is a bigger business than anything else, and infinitely more important HEAD OF THE HOUSE Lesson for Apnl 25,1976 Background Scripture: Colossians 3: 1-21. Devotional Reading: 2 Corinthians 5: 16-21. A woman recently ap peared on a television “talk show” and called the women of America to “forget women’s lib”, and restore their husbands to the position of “head of the house.” She was quickly attacked by another woman who asserted that such a point of view was a return to the “dark ages.” Governing the household, she said, should be equally shared by both husband and wife. A youth in the audience rose to object that both women were “off-base,” for they were ignoring, he said, the role of the children. They too need to be equal partners with the parents in running the household. Who’s in charge? Someone has rightly ob served that the American family today is engrossed in a bitter struggle for sovereignty. Everyone, it seems, wants to be in the driver’s seat and is con cerned with his or her “rights.” This is not so much a matter of whom we say is in charge - for what we say and what is actual may be quite different. Often we still maintain that “the man is head of the house.” But that may be more apparent than real. It may be the women of the house - wife and-or mother - who makes the decisions. Or it may be the children who actually wield the power, bending parents to their wills by one means or another. I am reminded of the story of the man who said that while his wife made the “low-level decisions” as to how they spent their money, where they would go for their vacations, how they’d educate their children, he made all the “important decisions, like ‘Shall the USA send military aid to Israel?’, ‘Should we grant amnesty to conscientious objectors?’, etc” Put off the “old man” The Apostle Paul, however, sees family life in different terms than these. The struggle for power within the family circle is not the focus for the Christian. That kind of concern is something that he needs to grow beyond, “Put them all away ..says Paul of destructive and devisive family dynamics. Even more than that, “seek the things that are above” (Colossians 3:1). The Christian family needs to look higher than the struggle for family power. Above all, says Paul, “put on love which binds everything together in perfect harmony” (3:14). There will be differences in the family and there is none that does not experience conflict. But if there is love - genuine love - there will also be the cement that binds the family together. This love will transcend all questions of “Who’s in charge?”, for the Christian will realize that To Be Alert For Alfalfa Weevil The extremely hot weather of the past week has brought many crops and insects ahead of schedule. We hear reports of severe weevil infestation is some alfalfa fields; growers should be on the alert for these insects and on some fields a spray application may be needed in order to save the first cut ting. In recent years the weevil infestation has not been generally serious; however, weather conditions this spring could be more favorable for earlier and heavier weevil numbers. Reference to the 1976 Agronomy Guide for spray applications is suggested. To Make Rye Into Silage The best time to make winter rye into silage is at heading time; the recent hot weather has caused the rye to shoot heads very early and in most cases the growth is short; however, higher feeding values and quality will be attained when the rye is cut at this time. Wilting is needed to get a quality silage and in addition, we suggest some feed additive to in crease the amount of energy. Ground com and cob chop, or one of the molasses feeds, will improve the quality of the rye silage. Don’t go by the calendar this year. To Recognize Livestock Comfort; This is the first time that I needed to mention protection from hot weather in mid April; however, when temperatures get into the 90- degree range, it is time to take action to. prevent animals from suffering and from heat exhaustion. Open however decisions are made in the family circle, there can only be but one “Head of the house,” and every struggle for power within the family is a usurpation of the power that belongs to God alone. RURAL By ROUTE NOW IS THE TIME. . .1 Max Smith County Agr. Agent Telephone >1 all of the doors and windows to get cross-ventilation to the maximum is suggested for confined animals. Exhaust fans should be used to move air out of the building. Fresh water and good shade is needed for all types of livestock. Hogs suffer the most and need extra misting or fogging devices on the concrete feeding floors. Animals do suffer from the heat and may die under extreme conditions. Careful supervision and management is needed to prevent losses. To Be Alert For Soil Compaction I hear of reports that the soil is so dry and hard that normal machinery will not penetrate into the subsoil. The extremely hot, dry weather in the past week made this condition worse; however, if farmers have trouble with very hard, cloddy soil, it could be an indication of soil compaction and the lack of organic matter in the topsoil. On some farms with the growing of continuous corn, the organic matter in the soil becomes depleted and hard; the use of livestock manure and green cover crops will correct this condition. Heavy equipment on the soil when it is too wet will also cause compaction. A loose, pliable soil full of organic matter should be the aim of every farmer and gardener. , * Farm Calendar Saturday, Apr. 24 Peach Blossom Festival at Paul McPherson’s Maple Lawn Farms, Gat chellville. Activities begin at 10*.m. today and last until 6 p.m. More events on Sunday, beginning at 1 p.m. and lasting until 6 p.m. Farm located three miles north of Fawn Grove. (Continued on Pa gt 141 Tom Armstrong y . <J) W,: A
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers