—Lancaster Fanning, Saturday. August 20. 1977
10
FOOD. ENER&Y. AND YOUR FUTURE
penna. AGRICULTURAL
*** PROGRESS DAYS
-AUSUST 23* - 24* - 25»
The Agricultural Research
P*NN >TATE UNIVEPS.TY j PENNA AGRICULTURAL
■.OOP'SUT Vr EXTENSION SERVICE t BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS
Ag Progress
one-stop shopping for
By DIETER KRIEG
A drive to picturesque Centre
County takes about 2Vz to three
hours from most parts of
southeastern Pennsylvania, which is
a considerable chunk of time out of a
farmer’s busy schedule, but this
coming week such a trip is very much
worth it.
Penn State’s College of Agriculture
is putting on another one of its
spectacular shows -- Ag Progress
Days -- and for the farmer who wants
to take advantage of it, there’ll be a
lot of good ideas and equipment
displayed which he’ll want to con
sider in his operation. In short, it can
be a one-stop shopping trip for profits
in the future.
Aside from Penn State research
projects being opened and explained
to the public, nearly 200
agribusinesses will have exhibits on
hand at the 1525 acre research farm,
located along Route 45, west of Pine
Grove mills.
The Penn State people, who
organize the big event, are making
Solar heat collector used with a small greenhouse will be demonstrated August
23 to 25 during Ag Progress Days at the Rock Springs Agricultural Research
Center of Penn State. Examining a collector plate is Dr. Robert A. Aldrich,
agricultural engineer involved in the research, who said such heat collectors can
be built by greenhouse operators from materials available locally. Hot air goes
through air tunnel on far side of collectors into rock storage in the greenhouse
and is returned through air tunnel seen on this side of the collectors.
free busses and farm wagons
available for tours to research farms
and plots. Walking tours are also a
part of it. Activities begin daily at 9
a.m. and continue through 5 p.m.
Located in one of Centre County’s
beautiful valleys, the research farms
along Route 45 are a sight to see all in
themselves. A mountain ridge,
covered from top to bottom with
majestic trees, borders the level and
neatly cultivated farmland. Penn
State uses the mountain ridge to
collect rainwater, which is then im
pounded in several ponds which the
University constructed near the foot
of the mountain. This water is then
used for irrigation and doesn't cosf a
penny to pump it, because it’s all
gravity-flow at about 55 pounds of
pressure.
There’s a lot a visitor can learn
here, and there's a lot of beauty to be
appreciated as well. If you can take a
day or two off to get to the research
farms, Penn State and the scores of
agribusiness people will have the
welcome mat out for you.
1577
Center
profit
WASTED
'GIFT
Lesson for August 21,1977
Background Scripture:
Judges 13 through 16.
Devotional Reading:
Psalms 27
If you have ever watched
the story on Samson in a
motion picture, you will
remember that the climax of
the film comes when the
blinded Samson pulls down
the pillars at the feast of
Dagon, killing his Philistine
enemies and dying in the
rubble himself. It is the kind
of scene that brings applause
from children in the theatre;
the “bad guys” finally get
their just deserts!
Making sport of Samson
Yet, the closing momenta
of the last episode in the
story of Samson are really
not moments of victory.
Samson's story is not s
“success story” and Samson
is hardly the “hero” some
have attempted to picture
him. At best he is a tragic
figure.
He started off well enough;
bom into a pious family,
dedicated to a holy calling,
and blessed by God with
prodigious strength, Samson
seemed bound for leadership
glory among his people. Yet,
despite his good beginning,
Samson’s life took a tragic
turn because be began to
abuse the power that was
given him. His became an
undisciplined life that was
dominated much more by his
passions and lusts than his
sacred vows.
Perhaps it was for this
reason that the stories of
Samson are included in the
Book of Judges: as a war
ning to all of Israel, par
' Ucularly those to whom God
had given special gifts. The
story of Samson is the story
of a precious gift wasted! In
a sense, perhaps the Biblica]
writer is using the tragic
Samson as an object lesson;
this is what happens when
God’s people drift away from
their faith.
The Philistine connection
All of Samson’s struggles
were with the Phllstines, a
sea-faring people who
inhabited a number of
coastal cities. The religious
leaders of Israel warned
their people who lived in
close proximity with the
Philistines to avoid adopting
any of the ways of their
pagan neighbors. It is ironic
that what brought Samson’s
downfall was the degree to
which he took on ways of his
enemies. Although his
physical might was much
superior, they defeated him
as he took on their ways and
values.
In a sense, there always a
“Philistine connection” in
our lives. Nothing is more
defeating than when we
unconsciously adopt the
values and ways of our
enemies, when we adopt his
methods in order to preserve
our principles. Harry
Emerson Fosdick once
suggested that the greatest
danger in warfare is not
military defeat, but the
unwitting adoption of the
very methods and principles
we oppose. It is then that the
priceless gift of God is
wasted.
TO IDENTIFY
JOHNSON GRASS
AREAS
A weed that warrants
more attention in this part of
the state is Johnson Grass;
this rank-growing weed
resembles sorghum and will
crowd out most any other
crop. Unfortunately, we
have- too many farms with
infestation; a concentrated
control program will be
needed to eradicate this
weed. At this time of the
season in com we suggest
that the fanner mark the
areas infestated with this
grass so it can be heated
next spring. Johnson grass
that has been growing since
small grain harvest should
be sprayed with Roundup in
the boot stage; it will not
give good control after the
grass has beaded out and
matured. We urge all land
owners with this type of
weed infestation to put
special effort to get rid of it
yet this fall or next spring.
TO PRACTICE
ENERGY SAVING TIPS
The saving of energy is
going to get a lot of attention
in the next few years; we are
told file energy situation is a
serious matter and will
touch most of us in the next
several years. There are
dozens of suggestions on how
to save energy in the home,
in the factory, and on the
farm; space does not permit
the listing of any of these
pointers. However, we do
suggest that each and every
person take the time to
consider the suggestions and
accept the ones that apply to
certain families and oc
cupations. The saving of
energy means, not wily
preserving some of our
natural resources, but
means the reduction of
operating and living ex
penses. Why not support the
TO EVALUATE WEED
CONTROL PRACTICES
For centuries man has been
fighting weeds on file farm
and in the garden; practices
and materials have changed
but weeds keep growing just
the same. This would be a
good time of the season to
look over the fields, or other
areas where weed materials
RURAL ROUTE
were used, and evaluate the
degree of control obtained.
To wait until fall after die
crops have been harvested
might be too late. If good
control is not present, then
changes should be made
nest jeer. Weeds decrease
crop yields and every effort
should be made to keep them
to a minimum. Don’t con
tone the same practice next
summer, if weeds are about
to taka over toe area and
hurt crop yields.
TOSUPPOKTFABM
LANDPIEBXVAT9ON
The Socd preoa it full of
land nw changes and the
naad to iwnm our good
farm land. Some of our local
officials have taken a stand
to by and keep good land in
agriculture; no doubt there
has been some criticism of
this action from non-farm
folks and concerns. Td like
to urge some support from
farmers and others for this
action to preserve farm
land. Many times only the
opposition becomes vocal
and not the supporters. No
doubt we need to give more
attention to keeping our good
land in production; public
support to our local officials
might help to get the job
done.
Farm Calendar
Today, August 20
Chlanina Field Day,
Lauzmont Farms,
Wrigbtsville.
Lancaster County
Beekeepers annual
picnic, Elmer Lapp
term, near Intercourse, 3
p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 21
Adams County 4-H Dairy
dub picnic, Roundtop
Campground, 1 p.m.
Monday, Ang. 22
Regular board meeting of
Red Rose DHIA, 8 p.m. at
the Farm and Home
Center.
Tuesday, Ang. 23
Ag Progress Days begin at
Penn State’s research
farms at Rock Springs.
Please see pages 128 and
129 for map and complete
schedule. Informative
(Continued on Page 13]
I STILL HA/e A FEELIW '
WE FORCOT SOMETHIN!?,