Lancaster farming. (Lancaster, Pa., etc.) 1955-current, January 22, 1977, Image 10

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    —Lancaster Farming, Saturday, Jan. 22, 1977
10
The distance from the barn to the
road wasn't much more than a
snowball's throw away. And yet it was
so awfully far. On a good day I could
run along this path from one end'to
the other in about ten seconds But I
had been here, off and on, for half the
morning.
What a frustrated feeling it is to
know how easy something can be on a
good day, and then look around and
find oneself completely defeated on
another.
I was surrounded by a vast sea of
snow Two tractors were hitched to
one manure spreader and trying to
get it out to the field was the problem
Marvin, our hired man, and'l tried
once more after having accomplished
very little on previous attempts.
With wheels spinning and snow
flying, we managed to inch the
equipment forward at a steady pace
Still, every foot seemed like 100
yards, and for the next few minutes I
sat on the tractor seat in suspense to
see whether or not we’d really make
it this time.
We did.
Normally one tractor was all it took
to pull the spreader, but on a few
exceptionally nasty winter days that
wasn’t enough. This was one of those
days, so both tractors stayed on the
job.
Arctic winds swept across the
white and frozen fields as we plowed
our way through the snow. Fingers
became numb on the steering wheel,
even though they were gloved. Ice
crystals began to form on my eyelids.
This was the kind of day when many
a farmer, including myself, would
trade for an indoor job.
Our nexy job was indoors, but it
turned out to be no consolation at all
compared to what we had been
through so far.
The spreader broke down.
After unloading it by hand - a job
which certainly kept us warm enough
- we pulled the spreader down to the
barn where we washed it off with hot
water. After that we were in the
relative comfort (by comparison to
the icy weather outside) of an
unheated but protected shed.
RURAL ROUTE
That wasn’t all good either,
because as I worked on the bottom
side of the equipment some of the
debris in the spreader melted and
dripped down on my clothing and
face.
By this time the ordeal had evolved
into a battle of patience and will
against cold weather, cold steel, dirt,
a running nose and a gradually
pounding headache
As great as a life on the farm can
be, this was one of those days when a
fellow would just about sell lock, stock
and barrel for two aspirins, a hot mug
of tea, and a cozy place to forget his
frustrations.
The cold weather brought with it an
entire conglomeration of difficulties
and problems.
Youngstock bawling for water due
to frozen pipes, cows turning up their
noses at feed which was turned into a
soupy mess because of a broken pipe,
a tractor that wouldn't start, a
manure spreader which took a half
day to get out to the field and then
broke down.
It could have been worse;
We could also have been without
electrical service, the bulk tank could
have been overflowing with milk and
the tank truck might not have been
able to get in. That could have spelled
hundreds of dollars down the dram
instead of hours taken up by the
inconveniences of snow and ice.
Alos, none of us had to drive to
work. The weather wasn’t by any
means severe enough to keep a man
from walking.
At any rate, when such days are
over and the jobs were done right, it
makes a fellow feel pretty good. The
calves, for example, were well bedded
and protected from the cold blasts of
air. Cows chewed their cuds con
tentedly. And the cats huddled on top
of straw bales after lapping up a
bowlful of warm milk.
That's what makes life on the farm
enjoyable every day and bearable
even on the most frustrating days
such as many farmers are ex
periencing right now
INTO THE DEEP!
Lesson for January 23,1977
Background Scripture:'
Mark 1:16-20: 3:13-19;
Luke 5:1-11; 6: 1-6.
Devotional Reading:
John 17:6-19.
If you had been Simon
Peter, what would you have
done?
After all, you had labored
all night and had caught not
one fish. That was disap
pointing, but not surprising
for sometimes the fishing
was good and other times it
was not good at all. Last
night had been one of the
latter times.
Returning to shore at last
you joined a throng of people
who had g athered to hear the
Nazarene prophet whom
some were suggesting was
die Messiah. In fact, when
the crowds became so large,
you agreed to let this man
use your boat, pushing off
from shore a few yards
where he preceded to speak
to his audience.
Let down your nets
His words had challenged
and intrigued you. Whatever
or whoever he was, this man
was a powerful man of the
spirit. It seemed that God
himself spoke through him.
In time it seemed you hung
on every word. But when at
last he finished speaking to
the crowd, he turned to you
with his amazing command:
“Putout into the deep and let
down your nets for a catch”
(Luke 5:4)!
Who did this Nazarene'
think he was? Did he know
more about fishing than you
and your brothers? Was he
trying to make you look
foolish? Washe after all just
another wild-eyed fanatic?
So what would you do if the
Master were to say
something similar to you?
“Launch out into the deep!”
- plant that barren field one
more time - take apart that
automobile engine and you
will find the problem this
time - don’t mind the
rejection slips, but send that
book to another publisher -
give your friend yet another
chance - ...and let down your
nets for a catch!”
Simon Peter’s reaction
was understandable:
“Master we toiled all night
and took nothing” (5:5). But
when Jesus docs not reply,
Simon Peter finds himself
saying; “But at your word I
will let down the nets.”
Breakingnets!
So, partly because this
man has spoken with such
authority and partly because
you want to see for yourself
whether this man has the
powers other ascribe to him,
you and your co-workers do
as he says: Almost im-
By Tom Armstrong
TO PREVENT MILK
ODORS
Milk supplies will be more
than adequate this Spring.
Therefore, dairymen should
be extremely careful about
barn odors causing off
flavored milk. Exhaust fans
are very useful to remove
manure and silage odors
from the bam. Milking cows
should not be fed silage for at
least two to three hours
before the milking period;
also, they should "not be fed
during the milking period; it
takes less than 30 minutes
for the silage odor to appear
in the milk flow after being
consumed. Quality milk
should be the objective of
every producer and bam
odors can be the cause of a
rejected tank of milk.
TOORDER
SPRING SUPPLIES
The recent weather does
not remind us of Spring
plantings but actually two
months from now many
farmers and gardeners will
be getting ready for action.
To have the materials on
hand when needed is good
management. We urge
farmers to place their orders
now for seeds, lime, and
fertilizer, as well as other
needs. Some supplies may be
short and in that case the
farmer will have to accept
what is left. Good farm
planning should be done now
so that action can take place
when weather and time
permits. Many distributors
will appreciate early orders
with special discounts. The
same is true with machinery
repair and service; don’t
wait until spring to get these
jobs out of the way.
TO BECOME CERTIFIED
APPLICATORS
Too many local farmers
Farm Calendar
Today, Jan. 22
Second annual Winter
seminar for beef cattle
producers, 9:30 a.m. to
4:15 p.m. at the Mon
tgomery County
mediately your nets are full
of fish and, in fact, there are
so many of them that the
nets are breaking under the
strain! Soon you are
beckoning to others for help
and before you are finished
there are two boats filled
with freshly caught fish!
Perhaps “terrified” would
be more accurate as you
ponder this man’s fantastic
power and conclude that
here is truly a man sent from
God, perhaps the very Son of
God! If such a man knew
where to tell you to cast your
nets, certainly he can see
also into your sinful secret
heart! “Depart from me,”
you exclaim, “for I am a
sinful man, 0 Lord'” (5:8).
But his purpose was not to
frighten you with his
judgement, but to use his
power to bring something
truly worthwhile from your
life: “Do not be afraid;
henceforth you will be
catching men” (5:10). This
man sees not only your soiled
spirit, he sees something
even you cannot see: your
God-given potential'
NOW IS
THE TIME
Max Smith
County Agr. Agent
Telephone 394-6851
are not making any effort to
become certified applicators
of pesticides; the deadline is
October of this year and we
urge more attention to this
program. Even though some
fanners may not welcome
the regulation, it should be of
benefit to producers, as well
as to the general public.
Obtaining the maximum
amount of information about
pesticides and their ap-'
plication should be the ob
jective of every gardener
and farmer. You will be a
better person because of this
effort and present a better
agricultural image to the
consumer. The place to start
is to enroll in the Penn State
correspondence course on
pesticide certification.
Application blanks are
available at any Extension
office.
TO REDUCE
FEED WASTE
Profits m the livestock and
poultry business are not
sufficient to offset the large
amount of grain that is being
wasted in some feedlots and
feeders. Producers are
urged to inspect their
automatic feeders
frequently and adjust them
to stop the wasting of feed.|-
Many hog feeders let
feed down too rapidly and we
notice the floor covered with
high-priced feed. It is better
to let the animals work for
the feed rather than have too
much in front of them. In
outside feeders it might be
necessary to install wind
breaks in order to keep the
dry grain from blowing
away. Feed wasteage is too
high on many farms and this
loophole should be
eliminated.
(Maryland) Agricultural
Center, Gaithersburg.
Co-sponsored by the
University of Maryland,
Maryland Cattlemen’s
Association, the Ex
tension Service and the
State Department of
Agriculture.
Lehigh County 4-H banquet,
Seipestown Grange Hall,
6:30 p.m.
Monday, Jan. 24
Red Lion Young Fanners
meeting, 8 p.m. at the
high school. Topic:
pesticide applicators
certification course.
Chester County DHIA
reorganizations! meeting
at Engleside Diner,
Thomdale
Pennsylvnaia Farmers
Union annual convention
begins at the Penn Harris
Motel, Camp Hill,
registration at 9 a.m.,
programs begin at 10
a.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 25
Cattle Feeders’ Day at
Lancaster Farm and
Home Center, doors open
8:30 a.m. official
program begins 9:30 a.m.
Exhibits on display.
Presentations continue
throughout the day until
mid-afternoon.
New Jersey Dept
(Continued on Page I6|
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of Ag