r, 1976
I had taken a day off, but I don't
remember when it was or how my
wife and I spent the time. I do
remember that I walked out the door
the following morning with my
camera in hand. For quite a while I
had wanted to take a picture of one of
the finest 2-year old heifers I had
ever worked with. Today was finally
going to be the day, I thought happily,
as I drove to work
Affectionately called “Little Buddy”
because of her comparatively small
stee and gentle personality, the young
cow was a model for both pleasant
appearance and profitable
production. Her features were fine
and exceptionally well proportioned.
She carried herself in a regal manner,
and her head was that of a bovine
princess. Her udder and teat
placement were perfect
On top of that, this dark and shiny
heifer had been producing milk so
consistently that I had predicted her
to break the 17,000 pounds mark in
her first lactation. That figure might
not mean much to urban readers of
this column, so I’ll phrase it in
another way: That amount of milk
was nearly 17 times her bodyweight
and it was roughly 2000 gallons,
which would supply two families with
a gallon of milk per day for just about
three years.
THANK YOU
It was a year ago last month that I
became editor of this newspaper, and
it's about time that I acknowledge
appreciation for the scores of nice
remarks I’ve received from readers.
At the same time I also want to
apologize for not having taken the
time to reply to a good many letters in
person. (Instead I play around with
pencil and paper trying^to figure out
unique layout or clever cartoon). Last
week’s editorial drawing brought on a
number of enthusiastic responses
from readers, which is what is now
prompting me to finally say “thank
you." It's always good to know that
work is appreciated.
My “Life on the farm” columns and
editorials have consistently received
the bulk of compliments coming my
way, which is especially satisfying to
me since those articles reflect my
experiences and thinking. And
readers have acknowledged they
appreciate the fact my background is
m farming. It was on that basis, in
fact, that I was first hired to become
farm editor of a central Pennsylvania
newspaper 28 months ago, a position
which I held until joining Lancaster
Farming in July of 1975
I remember sitting in J.E. Holt
zmger’s impressive office; (he's
president of the Mirror Publishing
Co., Altoona-State College) Coming
straight off the farm without a single
By Dieter Krieg, Editor
“Little Buddy” was a perfect in
dividual, as far as I was concerned
She ranked very high in her
production, appearance and
disposition Her only problem was
that we were having some difficulties
m getting her back in calf In fact, I
had suspected her of coming into
heat the-evening before I tdbk my day
off.
My employer greeted me with a
grim face and shocking words when I
returned to work that morning
“Little Buddy is 'dead," he an
nounced in a manner that strained
his emotions Before I could even ask
“how,” I felt as though a powerful
vacuum was working on my insides.
“She was in heat yesterday,” my
friend began to explain, “and she
killed herself while tied in the free
stall barn.”
We both walked out to the horrible
scene and remained speechless for a
moment. Then we talked briefly about
how great a heifer she was My
camera still in the car was just a
silent witness to our words and
useless for the picture I had wanted.
Although her “portrait" was never
taken, memories of “Little Buddy”
are not lost as they never are when
great cows are involved in Life on the
farm.
credit in journalism, I didn’t expect to
be hired. I even felt out of pla. ' in
front of his huge desk, and w.
somewhat awed about the thought ot
even being there.
After a lengthy talk which centered
99 per cent bn farming and one per
cent on jokes, Mr. Holtzinger an
nounced “The job is yours if you want
it."
I just about fell off my chair since I
had thought a college degree in
journalism would have been a major
requirement to qualify. (I do hold a
B.S. degree in dairy science,
however). “You qualify,” he
reassured me, “you can write and you
have a strong background in far
ming.” I was happy but also a little
uneasy about becoming a farm editor
so “instantly."
As I look back now, and drawing my
conclusions from personal
achievements I've found in this kind
of work, as well as the kind responses
which readers have consistently
given me for more than two years, I
am grateful and happy for the way
this career has been working out. I
thank all those who made it possible,
both here at Lancaster Farming and
at my previous position, and all the
many readers who have taken a oit of
their time to send a compliment my
way. Thank you very much 1
THE PIETIST
Lesson for August 8,1976
Background Scripture: Acts
8:4-19; 10:1-48; 19:8-20;
Romans 8:l-9a; 1 John 3:1-3.
Devotional Reading: 1 John
1
The terms “piety” and
“pietist” are often terms of
derision among many people
today, church and non
church people alike. For
many people, the term
“piety” conjures up an
image of “holier-than-thou”
airs by people who are likely
to be somewhat fanatical in
their religious expressions.
Often there is a suggestion
that piety is likely to be a
pretense or “show;” yet,
even when it is obviously
sincere, people are un
comfortable with it.
Keeping the hour
of prayer
Some time ago I was at a
denominational meeting in
which the word “piety” was
mentioned, eliciting from
some there sneers of con
tempt. A few of us protested
that piety was essentially a
good term and, properly
understood, a vital element
in the life of faith.
Essentially, the pietist is a
person who is most sincere in
his search for the experience
of God in his life. He does not
leave his divine encounter to
chance, but develops his
receptivity through prayer,
study, and life-sharing.
Perhaps the key to the
pietist’s religion is recep
tivity. He is receptive to
experiencing the Lord in
whatever ways and means
he can, wherever he can, and
through whomever he can.
Such a man was Cornelius
in Acts 10. Cornelius was
known as a “God-fearer,” a
gentile who followed many of
tiie beliefs and practices of
the Jewish religion without,
however, becoming Jews
through circumcision. “God
fearers” were more in
terested in the monotheism
and ethics of Judaism than in
the rituals.
No divine partiality
Cornelius’s piety is
evident. First, he tells Peter,
“I was keeping the ninth
hour of prayer in my house..
”. The pietist is a person who
submits his life to daily
discipline so that prayer is a
daily encounter rather than
an occasional experience. He
finds God in his daily life
because he looks for him
expectantly each day.
Secondly, Cornelius reacts
to the vision he sees with
openness and receptivity. He
does precisely what the
vision tells him to do. He did
not stop to first determine
whether this experience fit in
with his doctrines. Although
Simon Peter is a Jew (and an
outcast Jew, at that), Cor
nelius did not let that con
stitute a barrier. When Peter
arrives (also under the
direction of a vision), Cor
nelius says: “Now therefore
we are all here present in the
sight of God, to hear all that
you have been commanded
by the Lord” (10:33).
Peter recognized what
every pietist discovers:
“Truly I perceive that God
shows no partiality, but in
every nation anyone who
fears him and does what is
right is acceptable to him”
ir^
I
TO PREPARE SILOS
The corn crop is
developing rapidly and with
a few more weeks of good
growing and drying weather
some' producers will be
making corn silage. This is
the best harvesting method
to preserve the maximum
teed nutrients in an acre of
corn. In preparing for this
silage crop no doubt some
silos will need some prior
attention. Concrete silos
often become pitted .and
rough after years of use and
need to be re-surfaced; this
can be done as the silo is
being emptied, which
requires frequent attention,
or done at one time before
the silo is filled in the late
summer or fall. The im
portant thing is to have a
smooth, air-tight surface to
the inside of the silo. Silo
manufacturers and dealers
can assist in providing the
materials to do this work.
Good corn silage is one of the
most economical feeds for
both dairy and beef cattle;
air-tight storage facilities
are needed for quality silage.
TO RECOGNIZE CORN
FIELD HAZARD
It has been called to my
attention that tall com fields
near rural road intersections
present a traffic hazard to
drivers. We are aware that
the view at many stop signs
in the farm sections of the
county is restricted because
of the tall com growing very
close to the intersection. It
will be of help to drivers if
the top part of the stalk is cut
off after the ear of com has
reached the dent stage of
maturity; this stalk above
the ear can be fed to
livestock as it is removed
from the field. In many
above the ear can be fed to
livestock as it is removed
(10:34). Peter realizes that
God is not concerned with
man-made religious labels.
And to seal the experience,
we are told: “While Peter
was still saying this, the Holy
Spirit fell on all who heard
tiie word” (10:44)
Piety anyone?
RURAL ROUTE By Tom Armstrong
OH DEAR.... My M/ My..
.... UH OH .... OH WOW
NOW IS
THE TIME ...||
Max Smith
County Agr. Agent
Telephone 394-6851
from the field. In many cases
only the comers of the field
need to be topped to give a
better view of on-coming
traffic. Cora growers with
fields in these locations are
urged to consider this
practice in order to prevent
accidents.
TO RENOVATE
PASTURES
Late August or early
September are good times to
seed a new pasture or to
renovate an old pasture
I Continued on Page 21]
Farm
Calendar
Monday, Aug. 9
Schuylkill County Con
servation District annual
picnic.
Manheim Area Young
Farmers meeting on
Silage additives.
Multiflora rose control
demonstration at the
Mark S. Balhaser farm, 7
p.m. until dark. Contact
Berks County Extension
office for directions.
4-H Achievement Days
begin at Penn State
University.
Wednesday, Aug. 11
University of Delaware
annual Farm and Home
Field Day, Georgetown
Substation. U V
Ephrata Area Young Far
mers Tour to New York.
Meet at 4:30 a.m. at the
Junior High School.'
Thursday, Aug. 12
Blue Mountain Dairy Goat
Association meeting,
PSU Schuylkill campus,
7:30 p.m.
Lancaster County Guernsey
Field Day, Robert and
Joyce Wagner farm, near
Little Britain, 10:30 a.m.
Friday, Aug. 13
Chester and Delaware
County 4-H Hog
Roundups, today and
tomorrow at Vintage
Sales Stables. Show and
judging events Aug. 13, 7
p.m., sale at 9 a.m.,
Saturday.
li
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