10—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, May 22, 1976 ■ _ M '"S'** S’ l^saasfytEscaroa EDITORIAL COMMENTS A better deal proposed There’s a bill in the State Senate Agriculture Committee at this time which should receive attention. Already passed by the House by a vote of 172 to zero last month, Bill 219 would offer additional protection to land owners who might feel their land is being threatened The High way Department, for example, would no longer be able to take land at will The same would be true of other projects. Under the bill, landfills and rights Questionable advertising On many evenings and nights of this past winter I wondered why agricultural chemicals were being advertised on color television. The elaborately produced commercials were frequently seen during prime time TV viewing hours and even far into the night when most farmers would already have turned out the lights and gone to bed I’ve not yet solved the riddle. The need for advertising is ap preciated. But advertising a product with a very limited market to an audience which includes even those farthest away from it, is debatable. After all, is there really a market in Downtown, U.SA for chemical weed killers specified for fields of corn 7 How many of the advertising dollars spent by these chemical firms were spent needlessly 7 How many genuine potential customers were reached per dollar spent 7 .. and in relation to the total number of people who were tuned in 7 A bouquet The Lancaster County Farmers Association has plans for bringing agriculture a little closer to the public this year. The group has arranged to have the entire Park City Mall for its use during the week of Octcoer 18- 23. As a non-profit organization, LCFA can stage the public relations affair without cost to them. All it’ll take is some time and effort on the part of each member. If a golden opportunity for increasing public awareness ever came along, then certainly this is it, and everyone should be encouraged RURAL ROUTE Se vinj 7ne Ce i/ro c a Sen r hcjs t ' ? BY DIETER KRIEG, EDITOR By Tom Armstrong of way for highways would first have to be reviewed by a committee composed of the State Secretary of Agriculture, a member of the state Planning Commission, the Dean of the College of Agriculture at Penn State, the Environmental Resources Secretary, and three active farmers who are appointed by the Governor Sounds like a better deal than just taking land without further con sideration A phone call or letter to legislators may be in order to let them know how you feel The farmer ends up paying the bill in the end, since the costs of ad vertising, like everything else, are simply included in the total price. With some highly specific weed killers costing as much as $3O per gallon, it’s no riddle how expensive TV ads can be included in the advertising budget by some manufacturers The idea of advertising agriculture and its related businesses and products on TV is not bad The ap proach and over-all message are important The audience farmers and non-farmers alike might have been more appreciative of the ads if they had been more informative, and more educational rather than just sales orientated. Those TV com mercials could have been perfect opportunities to not just illustrate the desired effects of a particular product but also the importance of an entire industry. In that way the message would have been applicable to all, instead of just a few per 100 or even 1000 for LCFA to do his part to see the program succeed. A spokesman at Park City told LANCASTER FARMING on Friday morning that the merchants there allow shows and displays to come in to attract shopping crowds. Mid- October is regarded to be a good time of year and they're expecting big crowds - not just to shop, but also to look around at what the farmers have to show. Let's hope and show is a huge success. The idea deserves much support and applause. I I '* j iUA'I HOW FREE ARE WE? Lesson for May 23,1976 Background Scripture: I Corinthians 6:9-20; Galatians 5:13-26. Devotional Reading: Psalms 1. It is said that we are living in an age of freedom. As never before, people are free to eat and drink what they please, say and do whatever they want, and take their pleasure wherever they can find it. Of course, there are understandable limits to that freedom, yet it is still true that this is probably one of the least restrictive ages man has ever known. All things are lawful To some degree it was necessary that man should experience this new freedom. Past societies had often gone to the opposite extreme, binding human behaviour with restrictions that were both delimiting and absurd. Life became a system of “Thou shalt nots,” and it was assumed that if anything was enjoyable, it “probably was wrong!” Today we find that society is swinging to the other extreme. In the past there were too many restrictions and rules, but today we often find that we need more, not less, and there is a deep desire to temper the new “freedom” of man with a sense of self-discipline and responsibility. The issue is not a matter of whether we shall be free or not, for often our new “freedom” is a bogus, phony freedom. It is the kind of freedom that leads us to boast: “I can do anything I want to do.” Yet this is often an empty, deceptive boast that may mean only that we have freely chosen to be dominated by some hunger, need, or drive. We may say, for example, that we are free to eat all that we want to eat. With no restrictions on what we may eat, it does seem that we are free to do as we please. Yet, in reality, our “freedom” to eat all we want may degenerate into another kind of bondage. After awhile, we may no longer be able to eat just what we know is good for us, but, enslaved by our own voracious appetite, we may find that we are compelled to eat far more than we want or need. Not all things are helpful This same principle ap plies to all our appetites: physical, emotional and spiritual. Given free reign without any restraints at all, any of these appetites may destroy our “freedom” by ruling us, taking out lives out of the jurisdiction of our own I in \riusiToiik I i7f ‘t&T / To Recognize Stage of Maturity Hay-making time is at hand and some alfalfa growers have already made their first cutting. One of the most important factors in getting high quality hay or silage is to cut at the proper stage of maturity; I realize that the weather must cooperate in order to do the best job but we have little control over this factor. Grasses are at the peak of feed value when cut at heading time; do not let them develop into the blossom or seed-forming stage. Alfalfa and clover are best when cut in the bud to early blossom stage. Winter grains are best for silage making when cut in the blossom stage of maturity. Growers are urged to inspect their plants frequently to determine the exact stage of development. Forage crops may be easier to get dry when more mature than mentioned above, but the feed value will decrease with more maturity. To Obtain Permit For Treating Farm Ponds Many pond owners in this part of the country have trouble with algae and weed growth during the summer months; this is usually caused by the water being too shallow or too clear. Water less than 18 inches will permit algae growth quicker than deeper water; also water that is clear will permit the sun rays to reach the bottom and grow weeds and algae; fertilization of the pond will usually give the desired cloudy coior. However, before a weed or algae infested pond is fer tilized the growth should be stopped. The use of various chemicals will do the job. A permit from the Penna. Fish Commission is needed before the water is treated. Local pond owners are urged to get this permit before doing any pond treating. free choises. Thus, satiated by a huge meal, we ask ourselves: “Why did I allow myself to eat so much and become so miserable?” Paul caught this distinc tion and in I Corinthians 6 he lays it out for us: “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful.” To be really free is to have the power to do for ourselves what we know to be right and helpful to both us and others. Once again, Paul says: ‘“All things are lawful by anything” (6:12). Any time we are “en slaved” by anything, we are not truly free. HOL-D f n • 13 ■y/Jr & # NOW IS THE TIME, . .1 Max Smith County Agr. Agent Telephone ‘i'd-iiSU To Mow Pastures Many pasture grasses are maturing along with the weeds and should be chpped in the next few weeks for best production. When the grass plant goes to seed it will stop growing unless clipped; this old growth will dry and will be consumed as grass hay by the animals. The clipping will encourage new growth and produce more beef or milk per acre. This should be done several times during the grazing year starting now late in May. Weeds will also be controlled by regular mowing and the pasture f area will be improved in general appearance. Good pasture management requires several clippings during the summer months. To Read the Label Many types of chemicals are being used for food and fiber production. This ap plies to the suburban home owner as well as the com mercial farmer. In all cases the user should first read the label and the directions on the package or container. Don’t be guilty of getting into trouble with the material and then taking the time to read the label. Follow the instructions carefully; the chemical has been approved for a certain plant at the given rate and time of ap plication. Don’t change the mixture in any thinking that a bit more give better control. Pesticide safety suggests the reading and the following of all directions. Farm Calendar Sunday, May 23 Open House at the Welsh Mountain Medical Center, 3 to 5 p.m. Monday, May 24 Red Rose DHIA board meeting, Farm and Home Center, Lancaster, 8 p.m. “Agricultural Preservation” is subject of a program presented at the Drumore Elementary School, Drumore, 7:30 p.m. John Munson of the Community Development staff is host. Tuesday, May 25 Lancaster County Extension Association’s board of directors meeting, 8 p.m. in the Board Meeting Room of Agway’s Lan caster store, 1140 Dillerville Rd. (Located 'I Continued on Page 12| LISTEN' 81RD... I ALMOST LOST A FJE.LD OF WHEAT LAST /EAR, WAITING- FER YOU TO GET THAT NEST OF YOUNGSTERS OUT OF MY COMBINE.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers