—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 24, 1976 10 EDITORIAL COMMENTS \ s Good idea carried too far One of the ever increasing problems in the world today is education, and the foolish assump tion by both employer and employee alike that a few years of college are automatic passports to wisdom and worthy achievements. In the field of agriculture, we have teachers who never experienced a working life on the farm, efficiency experts who are. acquainted only with, theory rather than practicality, and safety ad vocates who work out of plush offices In reference to the latter, I'd like to invite readers to turn to page 27 to read Congressman Edwin Eshleman’s view on OSHA It provides a good example of how those making the rules for agriculture are nothing more than a bunch of sim pletons These neat and tidy little men who live pampered lives obviously have no conception of how intelligent farmers are There’s no question that their ridiculous rules and proposals are nothing but insults to farmers Or is there a farmer out there who doesn’t know he can get cut by protruding nails Or that he can slip on wet manure 7 Some officials in Washington think farmers have to be told about such common sense items It’s time that kind of hogwash gets put to a stop How about farmer cooperatives and any other farmer organizations joining together to take a trip to Washmgton to let the “educated” nincompoops know they’re wasting a lot of time and money Or at least send your Congressman a letter If that’s too much trouble, then write “Amen" and your "John Hancock" across this editorial and mail it to Washington As Eshleman notes in his article, safety regulations are needed. Very much so But the least the govern ment officials could do is to allow RURAL ROUTE * fz.U 'n Penns/lva I no Areas BY DIETER KRIEG, EDITOR farmers to have a bigger voice in what is to become law Then we’d have something An amendment to a labor ap propriations bill, which is scheduled to go into a conference committee at the Capito' on Monday, will exempt farms with less than 10 employees from some OSHA regulations However, even if that goes through, it’s only going to be a temporary breather According to informed sources, the bill - as it now reads - would only exempt farmers from Oct 1 of this year until Sept 30 of next year That, in my opinion, is not enough No one is trying to deny that farm safety is needed In fact, I’ve had a few close calls of my own, some of which are brought out in this week's ‘Life on the farm’ series, found on page 67 But the fact remains that no amount of regulation is going to eliminate injuries and accidents To some extent they will certainly lessen them, but a good thing can be carried too far And OSHA laws are being carried too far when they are in sulting rather than helpful or educational It’s been pointed out many times before by numerous persons that one of the bigger problems we're facing is regulation and so-called education by people who have never had a real and direct connection with the basics involved in production and work. Such statesticiansand specialists like to think they have the answers, but often don’t. Theory doesn’t always apply. Practicality does - because it is more flexible and fits into any situation. It’s time the practicality of farmers is heard, not just in farm safety, but in efficiency, productivity, education, and law enforcement. So, “until Christ came” legalism was the focus of our religion. And after Christ has come there is to be a dif ference: “But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a custodian” (3:25). Unfortunately, many Christians live as if there was to be no difference. Their approach to religion is still that of the child who is bound to a “custodian.” It is legalistic and parochial: hardly the maturity that God By Tom Armstrong THE DIFFERENCE Lesson for July 25,1976 Background Scripture: 2 Kings 22:1-13; Luke 4:16-21; Romans 1:16-17, 15:4; Galatians 2:15-21, 3:23-29. Devotional Reading: Jeremiah 36:27-32. The use of “8.C.” and “A.D.” is a symbolic device intended to indicate that the coming of Jesus Christ is the turning-point in the history of the world. His life, death, and resurrection have a profound and formative effect upon all that takes place after that event. The age of “the new covenant,” although related to the age of “the old covenant,” is markedly different and advanced over all that preceded the Christ event. Until Christ Came The difference between these two ages is indicated by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the church of Galatia; Now before faith came, we were confined under the law, kept under restraint until faith should be revealed. So that the law was our custodian until Christ came ... (3:23,24). Before the coming of Christ, the focus of Isreal’s faith was to be found in the law. Paul likens the law to a “custodian,” in those days a slave in the household who was assigned to take care of or be governor or governess to a child. When the child was old enough, he or she no longer needed a “custodian.” The control of his or her life was no longer imposed from without, but exercised from within. When the person reached maturity there was no longer a need for the supervision of the “custodian.” This, says Paul, is what the religious law has been, a “custodian,” something to guide us until we are mature enough to regulate our own conduct. Just as the child outgrows the “custodian,” so all mankind is intended to outgrow the legalistic ap proach. “But not that faith has come ” I NOW IS I % \> TO GIVE ATTENTION TO SEPTIC TANK. A good disposal system from the home or other building needs frequent attention in order to prevent serious problems in the future. There are many commercial products on the market which claim to solve septic tank problems. Ac cording to our Penn State specialists, none of these have proved to be of „ any great advantage. The best place to dispose of septic tank effluent is to discharge it a good disposal field; in heavy clay soils this becomes a problem and requires more area. Property owners should be sure to keep trees and shrubbery out of the disposal field area; especially keep weeping willow trees at least 100 feet away; they will fill the field with tiny roots. Also, garbage disposal units in the kitchen will increase the load of the septic tank and bring trouble earlier. Most septic tanks will need cleaning out every three to five years in order to keep the solids from clogging the disposal field area. TOCHECKFARM WATER SUPPLIES.. Top quality water is essential to good family and livestock health. With the larger number of disposal units in the rural areas, the problem becomes greater. Homeowners and farmers are urged to have their water supply tested frequently in order to detect harmful bacterial. Drainage water should be kept away from the well or spring area; in many cases surface water has caused pollution and high nitrate content. Trench silos, feedlots, and livestock loafing areas should not be upgrade from the water supply. . Special care and attention to the farm water supply is needed at all times and in some cases new wells may be needed. and in some cases new wells may be needed. intended with the coming of Christ. Paul indicates this in two ways. First, there is to be in the new age a shift in em phasis from “works of the law” to “faith in Jesus Christ.” Instead of narrow rules and regulations written in scrolls and books, there is to be the love of Christ written in men’s hearts. Instead of human pride in living up the rules and regulations of our faith, there is to be a humble acknowledgement that we are dependent upon God’s grace, his unearned good ness. Secondly, there are to be no more barriers to separate people. We are “all sons of God through faith” (3:28). There is “neither Jew nor Greek ... neither slave nor free ... neither male nor female ...” But many of us are still living legalistically and parochially as if Christ had not come, or as if his coming has made no difference! THE TIME... Max Smith County Agr. Agent Telephone 394-6851 TO PROVIDE DAIRY COWS WITH QUALITY FORAGE. Cow comfort has been discussed in previous ar ticles; we hope that all dairy and livestock producers will make a special effort to provide fresh water, shade, and good air movement in extremely hot weather. Also, it is advised to provide dairy cows with plenty of top quality forage during hot weather because they will eat more forage at night during these times. This may help keep the production of body heat at a minimum and maintain normal metabolism. Signs of he;Q stress in cows include less J feed intake, reduced miikfat test, decreased production, moist skin, and rapid breathing. Theyare more apt to show these heat symptoms in early morning and early evening during hot weather. TO ADJUST CATTLE FEEDING PROGRAM... The depressed fat cattle market presents a serious problem for the cattle feeder. With the price of com going higher each week, it is difficult to realize how a feeder is going to make any profit on heavy grain feeding. One way to go might be to place more importance of silage or other forage crops in the fattening ration. Good com silage is hard beat when it comes to the economy of weight gains. Also, all of the other management practices such as stomach worm, and insect control, animal comfort, and free choice of water, salt, and minerals should add to cheaper cost of gains. With the new grading system, less finish is needed to reach the desired market grade; changes in feeding practices and marketing weights might help to meet the lower prices. Farm Calendar Today, July 24 Chester County 4-H Dairy Show, 10 a.m., Kimberton Fairgrounds. Dauphin County Pa. Far mers Association holds annual Summer Picnic, 7 p.m., Ham, rolls, beverage provided, contact Carol Hubler for place. Vinemont Community Lutheran Church holds chicken barbecue, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, July 25 Ephrata Area Young Far mers annual family picnic, 12:45 p.m., at Ephrata Community Park, hot and cold covered dishes. Tuesday, July 27 Lancaster County Extension Board of Directors meets for annual Summer dinner, 6:30 p.m., WilloJfe Valley Far mjr Restaurant. Schuylkill County PFA I Continued on Page I2|
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers