Farmers at mercy of the weather By DIETER KRIEG EDITOR’S NOTE: Often taken for granted, and always important, is the weather. This is the 10th article in a con tinuing series on the forces which shape our weather and how we are affected by it. It never seems to matter how many times a farmer has been disappointed or fooled by the weather forecast. A hay crop might have been ruined this week because of a meteorologist’s erroneous report, but the farmer will listen to his broadcast again tomorrow anyway. Regardless of how much or how little faith he has in the weatherman’s an nouncements, the farmer realizes that the weather is one of the most important inputs in his program of operation. Weather and farming tie together like mountains and valleys - you can’t have one without the other. And in tilling the soil and raising his crops, the farmer often pays attention to weather patterns while deciding how to manage a field or crop. Take no-till farming, for example. Granted, it’s a method designed to conserve fuel and labor. But it also conserves r poTz i , m Feeding Equipment George Heath, District Manager 2618 Arcona Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055 697-5466 ALEXANDRIA MAX ISENBERG 669-4027 BALLY LONGACRE ELECTRIC 845-2261 CAMP HILL LLOYD SULTZBAUGH 737-4554 EAST EARL ZIMMERMAN EQUIPMENT 445-6409 ELLIOTTSBURG CARL BAER 582-2648 moisture, and some farmers have that idea very much in mind. Furthermore, how a farmer tills his fields will strongly determine how much of his soil might be lost due to winds and heavy rains. Erosion is a “by-product” of the weather. The weather also determines when a farmer is going to plow - he can’t do it when it’s either too wet or too dry. The weather determines when fruit blossoms develop, and when (or even if) fruit will form. Temperature controls ger mination. Winter kill decides next year’s harvest. And so the weather’s dictatorial powers over the farmer go on and on. The weather might even influence a dairyman’s decision as to how he’ll manage his pasture. A long dry spell puts a stress on grazing lands as it is, so the farmer might decide to keep his animals outside on a limited basis. But unless a severe economic catastrophe is imminent, little is done to “beat the weather.” Fortunately for most American agriculturists, they live in a climate zone which allows them to go about their work with a certain amount of certainty that a harvest will be good. Lancaster County and surrounding areas seem to be especially blessed in having good soil and good weather. Hence there’s little need to “beat fiie weather” in the “Garden Spot.” Some areas, however, aren’t so lucky, and consequently ways are found to try changing the weather. The Indians had their rain dances in their time, today we have specially equipped airplanes which seed clouds with crystals of silver iodide. In either case rain was and is the goal. Historical records show how some “rainmakers” lost their heads due to failures. Nowadays the consequences aren’t as drastic, but thousands of dollars go down the drain from time to time because of someone failing to produce rain. In severely parched areas, farmers have sometimes joined together and gladly paid for someone to produce rain. But it doesn’t always work. The weather itself still has the ultimate control over what’s going to happen. Cloud seeding is not a new development, and neither is it a ‘business’ which is exclusive to either a private firm or a government agency. Farmers in the Northeast don’t hear of it much, but according to U.S. Department of Commerce, there’s a lot of cloud seeding going on across the country. In contrast to the number of failures which result in such ef forts, there are also instances when heavy downpours result. Such was the case a few years ago when the government sent rainmakers to southern Florida to break a long dry spell. To some observers these sort of consequences have become quite controversial and occasional charges are being made that other downpours - including Hurricane Agnes’ rainfall - are manmade. Those sort of insinuations are few, however, and not substantiated by meteorologist. Besides drought, farmers also occasionally feel the detrimental effects of hail. Here, again, some attempts are being made to lessen destruction. The method involves firing silver iodide shells into the threatening clouds to cause them to release their precipitation prematurely and before large HAMBURG H. DANIEL WENGER 488-6574 HONEY BROOK ZOOK’S FARM STORE 273-9730 KIRKWOOD LANDIS &ESBENSHADE 786-4158 LEBANON MARVIN HORST 272-0871 McALISTERVILLE CLAIR SANER & SON 463-2234 MILLERSBURG LANDIS LABOR SAVERS 692-4647 MILTON LANDIS FARMSTEAD AUTOMATION 437-2375 NEWVILLE FREOB. McGILLYRAY 776-7312 PIPERSVILLE MOYER FARM SERVICE 766-8675 STREET. MD WALTER WEBSTER 452-8521 THOMASVILLE KENNETH L.SPAHR 225-1064 Lancaster Farming, Saturday, Oct. 16,1976 are formed. The practice has met with con siderable success in the Soviet Union and Australia, American scientists report. But for the most part, attempts to change the weather have taken a back seat to new technologies which work in spite of adverse weather conditions. So American farmers have seen increased use of anything from irrigation pipes to tractor cabs and drainage tile to mulch. To be continued next week. Composting not costly Almost every garden would produce a little better with the addition of organic matter to the soil. The best way to produce' suitable organic material for your garden is to start a compost pile. Locate the compost pile where it may be screened by a building, or some plant growth. As materials become available, put them in layers on the ground, says Donald B. Lacey, Extension specialist in home hor ticulture at Cook College, Rutgers University. Keep the top of the pile lower in the middle than it is on the sides. This allows rain water to collect and stay in the pile. Call 717-426-3286 Or Write HIESTAND DISTRIBUTORS, INC. Box 96, Marietta, PA 17547 Apply a layer of animal manure (if you can get it) and chemical fertilizer from time to time. Spread about 1 pint of garden fertilizer over each 6-inch layer where the compost pile is 10 feet long and 5 feet wide. Scatter some lime over each layer. During dry periods, add water to the pile. Be sure the compost is thoroughly rotted before you apply it to your garden. The compost will be improved if you turn the pile occasionally, advises Lacey. Now’s a good time to start a compost pile using leaves and grass clippings. By next spring it should be ready to add life and vigor to your garden soil. 87
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