10
—Lancaster Farmini
EDITORIAL COMMENTS
Whose side
Every time the price of food rises
just a bit it receives a headline in the
papers and a spot on the news. And
just as regularly as we can depend on
that, we can also depend on much of
the background information coming
from the United States Department
of Agriculture.
In most cases the explanation is
that farmers are receiving higher
prices for this or that. Unfortunately
that’s only a part of the picture. USDA
would do better if they first of all
pointed out why farmers are making a
little more by explaining how much
higher their expenses had risen over
Excellent choice
The above picture depicts a parcel
of real estate which certainly was
tagged properly by the zoning board.
No one in his right mind would want
to farm here anyway, so businesses
and industry might as well have it.
It seems to be rare that such ex
cellent choices are made. Usually it’s
always the best agricultural land
which is swallowed up by sprawling
developments.
The public should be made aware
Agriculture
Farmers are in the news more and
more these days, and that’s good
news. After having been misun
derstood, underestimated, and
shortchanged of publicity for
thousands of years, they deserve a
break.
Television news programs are
showing an increasing number of
agriculture orientated stories which
illustrate and explain the farmer's
way of life. The 1976 gram crop is an
example of what’s being covered.
Camera crews and reporters have
come back with excellent information
regarding the setbacks and losses
involved when ram fails to nourish
fields. Recently a program featured
the consequences of a drought m the
Midwest. The people responsible for
the presentation didn’t just show
Saturday, June 5, 1976
BY DIETER KRIEG, EDITOR
parrhing
m Pennsylvania Areas
are they on ?
that same period of time. Also, let it
be known how much of the food bill
increases were due to the greedyness
of Teamster and AFL-CIO big shots.
USDA should point out some of
these background facts. Judging from
quite a number of newscasts, it would
appear as though either USDA has
failed to furnish that information or
editors cut it out of the program. In
either case, USDA should be powerful
enough to rattle a sabre or two over
such incomplete and misleading
reports.
If they can’t tell the complete story
of food production like it is, then
whose side are they on 7
of the preciousness of good farming
land. Zoning boards should be en
couraged to choose carefully and
wisely, as they evidently did in this
case in Cumberland County. All
concerned in the management,
transfer and ownership of land
should be mindful of the importance
of good soil and the consequences
involved if it is lost.
I hope that the case illustrated here
is the beginning of a trend.
in the news
damage of fields, but followed the
effects the whole way through the
farming operation both for beef
and dairy.
At a recent meeting of the
Newspaper Farm Editors of America,
some editors from the Midwest
pointed out that their home-town
dailies always carried at least two
farm stories on the front page. That’s
how important agriculture is m towns
like Des Moines, lowa and Topeka,
Kansas It's really no less important
m many other places. The difference
is that some editors and directors
know it, and others don’t. Those who
do are to be commended for their
contribution towards making
agriculture more respected and
understood.
WHERETHE
ACTION IS
Lesson for June 6,1976
Background Scripture:
Matthew 16:18; Luke 1:1-4;
Acts 1 through 2.
Devotional Reading: Joel
2:28-32.
A number of years ago
when English cleric J. B.
Phillips wrote his translation
of the Book of Acts, he en
titled it: THE YOUNG
CHURCH IN ACTION. The
title is appropriately chosen
because that is what this
exciting book is about: in
spiring acts of faith by some
of Jesus’ disciples in the
early Christian Church.
Luke for he is the writer
of Acts might just as
easily chosen to write of the
beliefs of the early apostles,
but the story of the early
church is not one of doc
trines, but of a burning,
compelling faith expressed
in a multitude of actions and
deeds that seemed to turn
“the world upside down”!
(Acts 17:6).
Mighty works
and wonders
To be sure, the Book of
Acts is not devoid of
teachings and, in fact, we
find within it several
“sermons” delivered by
some of the apostles. But
even these expressions of
faith emphasized action,
things done more than said.
For example, look at
Peter’s sermon on the Day of
Pentecost. Even Peter’s
opportunity to preach on that
day was the result of some
acts by the disciples of
Jesus. People passing by
heard the followers of Jesus
speaking in many languages.
Foreigners visiting in
Jerusalem heard the
message of Jesus Christ in
their own tongue! (Note that
on Pentecost the “other
tongues” that were spoken
by the power of the Holy
Spirit' were foreign
languages which could be
understood, not unin
telligible “tongues”).
Spectators were amazed and
demanded; “What does this
mean?” (2:12).
What shall we do?
One cannot help wondering
whether Simon Peter had
been waiting for just such an
opportunity. At any rate, the
question was the perfect cue
for him to begin speaking.
And of what does he
speak? Mostly about ac
tions: “Jesus of Nazareth, a
man attested to you by God
with mighty works and
wonders which God did
through him in your mid
st ..(2:22). Simon Peter
will speak later of the
teachings of Jesus, but Ids
primary appeal is in terms of
the acts of Jesus: the won
drous deeds he did, the
manner in which he lived,
the courageous way in which
he died.
This approach struck a
responsive chord with many
of his listeners for the Old
Testament is primarily the
story of the mighty acts of
God through his people. The
Jew was much more in
fluenced by what God did
than by what he was
reported to have said. So,
Peter appeals to them by
reminding them of what God
has done through Jesus of
Nazareth and these mighty
TO USE WOOL POOLS...
The proper marketing of the
wool clip is very important to
sheep growers because it is
one of the two major sources
of income for the year. In
this area we have two nearby
cooperative wool pools that
are available to Lancaster
County growers. The one in
Berks County is to be held at
the Reading Fair Grounds on
Wednesday, June 9. The
other is in Cumberland
County on Thursday, June
17, at the Carlisle Fan-
Grounds. Both of these pools
are open from 7:00 a.m. to
3:00 p.m. on the days
mentioned. The wool crop is
to be brought to the location
and will be graded and the
price based upon the grade.
Top grades will bring 66 to 67
cents per pound. The wool
fleeces must be tied with
paper twine, be clean, and
dry. Local growers are
urged to accept this method
of selling their wool.
TO PREPARE GRAIN
BINS ... The 1976 winter
grain crop is ripening and
the grain bins should be
prepared; old grain should
be removed from the bin and
not covered with new grain.
The bin should be thoroughly
cleaned and sprayed with an
insecticide to kill any grain
insects. Materials that may
be used include Malathion or
Methoxychlor and all parts
of the bins should be
thoroughly sprayed several
days before the new grain is
stored. Growers are urged to
refer to the 1976 Agronomy
Guide for exact details and
mixing instructions. Be sure
that the new grain crop goes
into an insect free storage.
acts themselves, Peter
asserts, are the proof that
Jesus is the Christ whom
God had promised.
And what is to be their
response to all this: a debate
on the theological issues? a
commemorative ritual? a
symbolic gesture? No, once
again the focus was to be on'
an Act: “Repent and be
baptised ... and you shall
receive the gift of the Holy
Spirit”!
RURAL ROUTE
WELL OAO IT'S TIME TO PICK
OUT ANOTHER CL UR STEER.
■I-* Oea-«*—
I MEAN RIGHT DOWN TO
THE BITTER END WHEN IT
COMES TIME TO SEIL IT, >
AV.;.;
NOW IS
THE TIME. . .
W
’"*3
Max Smith M
County Agr. Agent ;|;j
Telephone .‘594-685 1 [jjj
TO SPRAY FOR LEAF
HOOPERS ... Some crop
specialists believe that the
potato leaf hopper is the
most serious pest of local
alfalfa plants. We agree that
considerable damage is done
each summer. Both the
second and third cuttings
should be protected in this
area. The new growth should
be sprayed with the plants
are 4 to 6 inches high with
[Continued on Page 12]
Farm 9
Calendar
Saturday, Junes
Pomona Grange will visit
Topton at 9:45 a.m.
Sunday,June6
Open House at the Heritage
Center of Lancaster
County on Center Square
for Bicentennial
programs. 1-4:30 p.m.
Wednesday, June 9
Eastern Milk Producers
Cooperative Association
annual meeting at the
Hotel Syracuse in
Syracuse, New York.
Berks Co. Wool Pool to be
held at the Reading
Fairgrounds from 7 a.m.
to 3 p.m. Wool should be
tied with paper twine and
be clean.
Thursday, June 10
Nurserymen’s meeting
the Flemington
Fairgrounds
Flemington, New Jersey.
Blue Mountain Dairy Goat
Association meeting at
the Penn State Schuylkill
Campus at 7:30 p.m.
Schuylkill Co. Extension
board of directors
meeting at 8 p.m. in
Extension office.
Saturday, June 12
Garden Tractor Pulling
Contest at the Ontelaunee
Grange Hall 1 p.m.
Dairy banquet at the Bem
ville Grange Hall 7 p.m.
Four Wheel Drive Tractor
Pull at Rough and
Tumble Track in Kinzers
at 7:00 p.m. Food stand
will be in operation.
By Tom Armstrong
I KNOW, SOT ARE
yeA ... THATS WHAT YOU SAID \ &
THE FIRST TEAR yooW»HT \ |
INTO CLUB WORK. NOW WERE J *
THE ONLY fiARM IN THE COUNTR/ j |
STILL FEED!NO AN EIGHT YEAR J |
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