10 —Lancaster Farmim LIFE on the farm Air is liquified by extremely cold temperatures, but the hot and humid conditions of recent weeks could make a person think that the heat of the sun melts our at mosphere. Unless a breeze was going, the air enveloping us felt as though it was thick enough to cut with a knife, and sticky enough to use as glue. One of the few cool places on the farm was the dairy barn, and that held true only when the cows were outside. As soon as they came in, the entire barn would feel like a tropical jungle. With their ears and heads often drooping, our cows walked into the barn to take their stalls, and press their noses into drinking bowls Many of them were soaked with sweat -- which made milking them a bit unpleasant, but worse yet were those which had taken a mud bath. We had a few culprits in our herd from time to time which had a habit of rolling in the mud on hot days and we dreaded to see them coming. Covered with a filthy, wet paste from head to tail, these sloppy cows tried a man's patience and took up his time. At every afternoon milking on a hot day it became common practice to drag the water hose into the barn and give showers to these dirty animals. And the litter alleys were something else too during hot wea.ther. it took twice as much scraping and barn snow to keep them looking half decent. All these annoyances and extra work came about as a result of the heat wave. It didn’t stop there, either. We ended up fencing in one muddy area after another, but as every Farm Calendar Today, July 23 Beef Field Day in New Jersey at Colonel and Mrs. James Horn’s farm, Federal Twist Road, Stockton. Tomorrow, July 24 Ephrata Area Young Far mers annual family picnic, 12:30 p.m. at the Ephrata Community Park. Monday, July 25 Annual Hunterdon County (N.J.) Farmers- Businessmen Picnic, sponsored by the Hun terdon County Board of Agriculture, at Hun terdon Hills Holstein July 23. 1977 Saturda: By DIETER KRIEG dairyman knows, cows gathering under shade trees can make their Qwn new mud hole rather quickly. So the battle of wits and patience continued. Usually the surest way of solving the problem would be to sell the individuals which made the biggest pigs of themselves. Down in the barn, cows’ tails switched back and forth to stir up a little breeze and scare flies. Oc casionally my head would get in the way. Now, a slap in the face with either a dry or wet tail is bad enough, but a direct hit in the eye is much worse. Aside from being painful, it can make the victim forget that bovines are supposed to be treated like ladies. Although I personally thrive on hot weather, the woes of the season continue on the farm. Cows lose their appetite and milk production drops in both volume and butterfat content. That spells less income for the month, despite possibly in creased costs. Even if nothing else - such as feeds and other supplies increased in price - the dairyman can count on using more electricity to pump water, run fans and cool milk. A visit or two from the veterinarian might have been necessary too. No matter how hot and sweaty we got while working in the barn with our dairy herd, we could always be sure of one thing: it was even more uncomfortable for the animals than it was for us. Hot, humid tem peratures are hard on farmers who have to work in it day in and day out, and even harder on his animals. What’s more the hot sun on the farm can melt profits. Farm, Rosemont. Tour at 5:30, dinner 7. Conrad Weiser Adult Far mers tour Lutz Brothers farm. York County 4-H Day camp at the 4-H Center, Bair. York County vegetable growers hold tour at the Chem-Agro demon stration farm near High Rock, 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 26 Senate Select Committee will hold hearings RE; Dietary Goals (McGovern) Report and egg industry interests. York County Holstein Association annual picnic and field day, Ellis Crowl farm, AirviUe, 10:30 a.m. Ephrata Area Young Far mers fishing trip, leave Ephrata Jr. High at 2 a.m. Lancaster County FFA Hog Show and Sale. Show at 10 a.m. Sale at 1. Lancaster 4-H Day camp at Lancaster County Central Park, 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 27 Lancaster County FFA Hog Carcass contest, Stonebridge Farm, Mount Joy, 9 a.m. (Continued on Page 35] RURAL ROUTE foK. ST/1PT 1 / PACKIN'. . I WE'RE SOI Mr I ON A miRA NO MORE MANNA OR MOSES Lesson for July 24,1977 Background Scripture: Joshua 3 through 6; 14:1-5. Devotional Reading: - Joshua 3:9-17 During the forty years in the wilderness there were two enduring realities that sustained the people of Israel: Moses, their leader, and manna, the food with which God fed them daily. Without either of these gifts from God they could not have made it. We can imagine, therefore, the feelings of apprehension they must have had, them, as they prepared to leave the wilderness and enter the Promised Land. First of all, they would do so without the great Moses. Their leader died before they could cross over into Canaan. He could see the Promised Land, but it was not his lot to enter it. The long delay occasioned by the “evil report” of Moses’ spies had robbed him of that privilege. What mean these stones? So, as they prepared to cross into the Promised Land they must have won dered whether their new leadership, Joshua, could lead them as Moses had. A second factor that certainly troubled them was the realization that when they crossed the Jordan into Canaan, they would no longer be fed by manna, as they had been in the desert, but from henceforth they would be eating whatever the Promised Land provided. In a sense, this should have been an at tractive prospect, but we can imagine that some people felt very insecure without the promise of the daily manna which had been theirs and their fathers’ sustenance ever since leaving Egypt. Without Moses and without manna, could they do it? While crossing the Jordan River, Joshua, their new leader, had them set up a pillar of stones, saying, “when your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ Then you shall tell them that the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant...So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial for ever” (4:6,7) And what these stones would mean from henceforth was that the people of Israel crossed over from the wilderness into the Promised Land without Moses and without manna, but with the ark of the Important as had been the leadership of Moses, vital as had been the daily nourish ment of manna, it was neither of these that brought the people of Israel through he wilderness; it was the presence of the Lord! So they could enter the Promised Land with new leadership and they could give up their assurance of daily manna, but so long as the Lord was with them, it would not matter. This ought to be an im portant lesson to all of us. As they prepared to claim the Promised Land, the people of Israel did not forget the past - in fact the Book of Joshua tells us “they kept the passover” (5:10) - but they were not afraid of the changes that lay before them. So too we have memorial “stones” to which we can point as a remem brance of God’s providence in the past, but we can also accept the changes which time and God demand and move out of our own wilderness to whatever destination God is calling us. TO PREPARE FOR AUGUST SEEDINGS... Alfalfa growers in this part of the country can establish a new stand of alfalfa by making the seeding during late July or early August; by seeding at this time of the year, the'plants get well started before freezing weather arrives. The soil should be tested for lime and fertilizer needs. A good firm seedbed is needed that has been worked several times over a period of several weeks in order to kill weeds. Straight seedings of alfalfa are quite common although some growers prefer timothy or a grass seeded with the alfalfa. The band’ seeding method is one of the very best ways to make this new seeding. Alfalfa is one of our most important forage crops; most fields will need re-seeding after 3 to 5 years. It is best not to grow alfalfa in the same field for a long period of years; the growing of com or a small grain between each of the 3 to 5 years of alfalfa is suggested. TO APPLY CONSERVATION METHODS Some of the heavy rains covenant...and that meant with the presence of die Lord. The Lord is with you XENIA, OH/O. TUCRE'S A CONFERCVCfc. ON THE CONTROL Of NECROSACIUoS/S IN 9 WINE THERE NEXT WEEK. recently reflect the need of more soil erosion practices in order to keep the soil and the water on the farm. The establishing of contour strips or diversion terraces is a part of a good conservation program; all land owners to be are making an effort at - this time to stop both soil and water losses from their land. The fall of the year is a good time to begin these prac tices, as the winter grain crops are seeded. Farmers who have a problem with ditches and erosion of their soil, are urged to give some' attention to correcting the problem at this time. ; TO BEWARE OF LIGHTNING Extreme high temperatures often bring severe thunder and lightning storms; we have had some in recent weeks and no doubt there will be others to come. Parents are urged to warn their youngsters of the danger of getting under a tree or swimming in a pond or creek before and during a storm. Safety in a building or in a truck or automobile should be the objective as the storm approaches, as well as during the storm. Stay away from electric fences and farm equipment that is out in the open. Buildings with lightning rods should be checked to be sure the rods are grounded in moist soil, and the system free of ob-/ stacles that would prevent the cable from taking the charge into the ground. Electrical storms are dangerous and safety measures should be adopted. TO ORDER FALL SEED SUPPLIES... Its not too early to be placing your order for winter barley and winter wheat needs. In many cases the desired variety may not be available if left to the last minute. Certified seeds are suggested in order to get quality seeds with per formance testing in the background. The planting of seeds of unknown purity and germination is taking a chance of a crop failure along with introducing weeds and disease infection. The seeding times for these grains starts about the middle of September for ' winter oats, late September to early October for winter barley, and the month of October for winter wheat. Additional information is available in the 1977 Agronomy Guide available at any Extension Office in the state. By Tom Armstrong ' / 90,0 " f V
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