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EDITORIAL CQAAMEN
10—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 12, 1977
Sustained effort essential
to keep garbage off farm
When 58 acres of prime farmland are
being seriously considered as the site
for a garbage dump, it's time to do
something about it. That’s just what
an estimated 300 people dicf on
Wednesday when they rallied in
support qf John and Abram Barley
and some of their neighbors who had
land condemned by the Lancaster
Area Refuse Authority (LARA). The
challenge before the land owners
directly involved, and anyone looking
on in dismay, is to have LARA reverse
its decision. The point is; LARA
already owns the condemned land by
virture of eminent domain. It’s up to
the public in general to mount up a
vigorous enough campaign which will
make LARA turn the land back to its
rightful owners.
It's not an easy battle and it's not
one which has a guarantee of victory
attached to it. But it is a worthwhile
effort and one which merits the full
support of anyone who has an in
terest in agriculture. That’s all of us
since there isn’t a person anywhere
on 4he planet who does not have to
depend on food.
LARA’s bullheadedness, short
sightedness, and callousness on the
matter is deplorable. For the sake of
prolonging the life of their garbage
dump for five years, they're willing to
take 58 acres of prime farmland out
of production. Although other ways of
disposal are open to them, they
haven’t directed themselves to those
possible solutions. LARA has cried
that taking the garbage to other sites,
I LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
• ....
Killer bees a real
Dear Editor:
On Sunday, Feb. 20, there
was a program on TV called
“In Search of Killer Bees.”
The program explained that
20 hives of African bees
(which are very tem
pennental and vicious due
to their harsh environment)
were imported to Brazil
several years ago for ex
periments in cross - breeding
the African strain (which are
excellent honey - producers)
with a gentle European
strain of honeybee.
By accident, the African
bees were allowed to swarm;
and from there on they
multiplied at an astonishing
rate. They seem to attack
anything that moves, is dark
in color, or makes any
vibrations near their hives.
The African bees have killed
livestock and humans in
South America while causing
many other people to be
treated for stings. The
African bees also kill the
gentle honeybees and take
over their hives.
These bees are moving
north at a rate of 200 miles
per year and are scheduled
to reach the U.S by 1990
BY DIETER KRIEG, EDITOR
However, they could arrive
at any time from “stowing
away” on board ships or
other cargo carriers.
RURAL ROUTE
such as the one on the Chester-
Lancaster county line near Honey
Brook, would raise their costs too
much. The mileage difference is only
about six miles one way. That’s going
to increase costs all that much,
LARA?
Suspicion is being voiced as to what
LARA might have to hide, or what the
members of the authority might have
to gain personally by insisting'on
acquisition of the Barley farm and
adjacent properties. LARA says other
alternatives are too expensive and
leaves the issue at that. More details
are being asked for. Studies are being
suggested. Meanwhile LARA mem
bers remain stubborn.
In order to save the Barley farm
and the smaller tracts of land owned
by several others, public pressure
must continue. The rally on Wed
nesday wasn’t the climax to this
problem. It was hopefully the
beginning of a fight for victory on
behalf of wise land use.
It was suggested on Wednesday
that concerned citizens tell the
County Commissioners how they feel.
That suggestion is seconded here.
The address of the Copnty Com
missioners is 50 North Duke Street,
Lancaster, Pa. 17604. Readers could
also contact LARA at 1291 (Rear)
Old Harrisburg Pike, Lancaster.
Let’s not let this opportunity to
save good farmland go to waste. It’s
not just a case involving the Barleys
and their neighbors, it could be ap
plicable in many other localities.
threat
If the African bee is in
troduced into this country,
[Continued on Pace 43)
>'< ‘ »*
By Tom Armstrong
JUST DESERTS
Lesson for March 13,1977
Bade ground Scripture:
Luke 11:1>13; 18:1-14.
Devotional Reading:
Luke 13:31-35.
The old Negro spiritual
tells us that, although
everybody “talks” about
Heaven, it doesn’t mean
everybody’s “goin’ there.”
So, also, lots of people “talk”
about prayer, but that
doesn’t mean their ex
perience of it has been very
satisfactory. Perhaps there
is no discipline in the
Christian Church more
highly touted, nor poorly
taught, than prayer.
Described glowingly as one
of the most vital resources in
the spiritual life, it is more
often observed, as Harry
Emerson Fosdick once
remarked, as “a pious form
rather than a vital tran
saction.”
The persistent
petitioner
One of the reasons for this
failure is to be seen in the
erroneous suppostions which
many people harbor when it
comes to praying. They
approach it as if the key in
prayer were to be found in
their efforts to persuade a
reluctant or inattentive pod
to rouse Himself to do their
will. Their efforts are
focused on praying in the
right way, using the right
techniques, saying the right
words that will cause God to
act on their behalf.
Jesus knew well this
popular misconception
concerning prayer and he
told some parables to try to
change these unfruitful
attitudes. One of these
parables (Luke 18:1-8) tells
an interesting story about a
persistent widow who finally
gets the local judge to
defend her rights by
bounding him continually.
The brief personality sketch
of the judge is illustrative of
die kind of public official
that was recognizable to his
listeners: he “neither
feared God nor regarded
man.”
The point of the parable, ofcv
course, is this; if an unjust
judge will be moved to do
justice if he is persistently
petitioned, how much more
will a loving God do if we
bring him our petitions! The
contrast could not be more
vivid: the judge respects no
one, thinks only of his own
needs, cares nothing about
the plight of others, and
wouldn’t help anyone unless
it served his own interests;
God, on the other hand, loves
men, cares about them, is
concerned about their needs,
is sensitive to their cries, and
responds to persistence. But
persistence is required not
because God needs to be be
goaded or reminded, but
because man must persist in
bis receptivity! Our per*
sistance enables God to do
the good for us that he
already wants to do.
Not like otfaermen
Hie second parable (Luke
18: 9-14) also centers on two
readily identifiable per
sonalities. First, there is the
self - righteous Pharisee
who has all the “right”
religious creden-
to Incorporate
MANURE WITH SOIL
This is the time of the year
when the aroma of this part
of the rural area of Penn
sylvania reminds us of,the
presence of livestock and
poultry farms. This waste is
a part of agriculture and is
very .useful in. providing
plant food and maintaining
organic matter in the soil.
Some folks may object to the
odor attimfe, but as yet, this
odor has not been declared
as a definite health hazard.
Producers are urged to
spread this material on
windy and sunny days so that
the odor is hot as strong; it
seems to be worse on cloudy,
muggy days. Also, there will
be far less complaints if the
manure is injected or in
corporated into the soil
quickly after spreading; this
can be done by soil injection
equipment with liquid
manure, or by plowing or
discing the area soon after
spreading. Good public
relations with ones neigh
bors may be maintained if
some of these items are
practiced.
TO PREPARE FOR
EARLY SEEDINGS
Some crops need to be
seeded into the ground just
as soon as possible in the
Spring; I’m referring to
Spring oats and to strait
seedings of alfalfa. Both'of
these crops do better if they
can get well developed
before dry, hot weather
arrives. This is especially
true of Spring oats in this
part of the country. New
pasture areas that are to be
seeded this Spring should
also be done just as soon as
the ground is dry enough. All
materials and machinery
should be prepared so that
the job can be done quickly
when weather permits.
TO FERTILIZE
PASTURES
Permanent pastures will
respond to Spring fertilizer
treatments and give ad
ditional forage. The starting
place is a complete soil test
and lime if necessary.
Following the lime treat
ment, a complete fertilizer
such as 10-10-10 can be used
where there is a mixture of
grasses and clovers. With
straight grasses only
nitrogen may be needed
Where very early grazing is
wanted, then only a part of
the area (V«-acire per
animal) can be treated early
to give several weeks earlier
grazing. Just because an
area has to be in permanent
pasture does not mean that it
cannot be productive.
Permanent pasture grasses
tials...except for two. He
lacks humility and he
despises others whom he
feels don’t live up to his pious
standards. The message in
this parable is clear: don’t
expect effective prayer if
you are proud and disdainful
of others. The problem is not
that God will not answer
such a person, but that the
person himself is blocking
the channel through which
God’s grace would flow.
Pride and hostility on the
part of the prayer slam shut
the doors through which the
blessings would come.
NOW IS
THE TIME
Max Smith
County Agr. Agent
Telephone 394-6851
such as bluegrass will yield
well both in Spring and Fall,
when well limed and fer
tilized. Extra early grazing
may reduce the feed and hay
bill.
TOTOPDRESS
WHEAT WITH
FERTILIZER
The growing season-is
here; we'already note the
change of color in Winter
' wheat and barley fields. This
means that wheat stands
may need some nitrogen
fertilizer yet this month in
order to get a good crop.
Many wheat fields are a bit
slow this Spring and need
some help. An application of
from 25 to 50 pounds of actual
nitrogen per acre is
suggested. The lower rates
should go on fertiled ground,
or on wheat fields that have
been seeded down to alfalfa
or red clover. Fields with the
goal of maximum yields of
wheat should get the heavier
nitrogen applications. Be
careful with nitrogen on
barley fields due to the
danger of causing more
severe lodging of the plants.
Farm
Calendar
Today, March 12
Area 6 Grange meeting,
Valley Grange Hall,
Lewisberry, 7:30 p.m.
Deadline is today for
signing up for the
Lancaster County
Holstein Gub’s tour to
Centre County. If in
terested, contact Ken
Rutt at 717-786-3591
Monday, March 14
Tractor safety course for
youth taught at Oxford
High School, vo-ag room,
6 p.m. Contact the
- Chester County Ex
tension Service for
details - 215-89M500.
Presticide applicator
training session, 8 p.m. at
the Hunterdon County,
N.J. Extension Center.
Cumberland County 4-H
Dairy Club banquet, 7
South Middleton
p.m.
Firehouse.
Today and tomorrow, 7 to 10
p.m., farm meetings on
Agri - Soil Conditioner,
Treadway Inn, Lan-
caster.
Adams County dairymen
hold “urgent meeting” to
discuss the dairy
situation and present
problems. West Street
Branch of Gettysburg
Bank, Gettysburg, 8 pjn.
Central 4-H Dairy Club of
York County holds
meeting, 7:30 p.m. at the
Bair 4-H Center.
Tuesday, March 15
Willow Street Fire Company
holds benefit barbecue
for new firehouse.
Fanners Market Meeting, 8
pan. at the Hunterdon
County, N.J. Extension
Center.
Tordon - multiflora rose
control meeting, 7:30
p.m. at Big Spring High
School vo-ag room,
Newville.
Ephrata Young Farmers
meet, 7:45 p.m. at the
high school. “Coni and
alfalfa uodate.”
I Continued on Pace 39]
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