—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, November 4,1978
10
Farmers’ interests deserve more attention
Some good news has been coming
out of several meetings, newspapers,
broadcasts, and information bureaus
in recent weeks. They’re .worthy of
note and even praise.
Topping the list is the increased
concern and involvement by Penn
sylvania farmers on the issue of
agricultural zoning and land use. A
meeting on those issues was held at
the Lancaster Farm and hfome
Center a week ago and a number of
good ideas were shared. Lots of good
advice and food for thought was also
made available. Sharing their ex
periences and ideas were four zoning
board members and two area
planners.
The future of this country's far
mland should be of concern to
everyone who owns land. Farmland
is our most precious resource. In
discriminately paving it over with
asphalt is already an expensive
mistake, the consequences of which
will grow worse each year as less
TAMING THE
WILD TONGUE
Lesson for November 5, 1978
Background Scripture;
Exodus 21:16;
Matthew 5; 11,12; 23:16-22;
James3:6-14
Devotional Reading:
John 8:42-47.
TO BEWARE OF
“TAME”WILD ANIMALS
Wild animals change then
ways when they develop
rabies. Shy animals may
become bold and aggressive
when in a rabid state. Foxes, winter are on
skunks, and raccoons seen . , ~ y. ug
te reganled as dangM»us. protecte || or
Farmers should destroy other type
these animals when seen break, will require less heat,
around livestock, or farm Under present conditions it
buddings, during daylight suggested that everyone
hours. Be extremely careful make a specia, effort to
RURAL ROUTE
GATHER ROUND FOLIfS AW LET
ME TELL YOU WHAT IVi GONNA
DO FIR YOU IF You VOTE
F Ek A\E. /
land is available for food production
and more people await their meals'
Farmers should have a definite say
about the future of their lands. As
has been stated so often by many
concerned individuals, the only way
farmers can hope to have some say in
these matters is to become involved.
In fact, many times getting involved
is only the second step. The first step
is to take the initiative to have
reasonable standards implemented
in one’s community.
While some sort of land-use plan
will undoubtedly go into effect in
most any area of the country
someday, the key is to have such
plans include the farmers’ interests.
Without the contributions of the
farming community, even the most
well-intended plans are likely to
short-change farmers.
Although the farmer has always
prided himself as an independent
and perhaps even isolated
businessman, the wprld is changing
at such a rapid oace that he can't
There is an ancient prayer
that asks:
From the cowardice the
shrinks from the new truth,
From the laziness that is
content with half-truths.
From the arrogance that
thinks it knows all truth,
O God of Troth, deliver us.
In the Judaic - Christian
tradition the Deity has
always been regarded as a
God of Truth. This attribute
was something not found in
many of the gods that
peoples worshipped in the
ancient world. Some of these
gods were cunning and
deceitful, tricking and
when handling these
animals. If you are bitten,
see your physician at once.
Bats are another mammal
that could be rabid. Rabies is
an incurable disease; don’t
take chances. Domestic dogs
and cats should be vac
cinated against rabies.
TO CONSIDER
TREE WINDBREAKS
SAY THERE YOUNG
FELLA Howse about
gettin' me something
to STAND ON SO the
good folks in the pack
CAN SEE AW ' HEAR ME
cheating their devotees as
well as their fellow-gods.
False Witness
Thus it is not at all sur
prising that one of the Ten
Commandments should
manifest a concern for
truth: “You shall not bear
false witness against your
neighbor” (Exodus 20:16).
In this original form,
bearing “false witness’ was
a prohibition against giving
false testimony in a lawsuit
involving a neighbor. But in
time, it was recognized that
God’s intention behind this
commandment was not
limited to a court of law.
Thus, Joshua charged the
people of Israel; “Now
conserve energy and reduce
fuel bills. Several rows of
evergreen trees planted
upwind from buildings will
be of great help. This is not a
common practice here in the
east; however, in the mid
west and prairie states most
farmsteads have this
protection. Owners are
requested to evaluate this
investment this winter when
the weather really gets bad.
Next spring the plantings
can be made.
TO CHECK GUTTERS
AND DOWNSPOUTS
If gutters and downspouts home, or any other building,
are filled with twigs and are y° u prepared to
leaves, they, will not do a evacuate your family, your
very good job of carrying the livestock, or other major
By Tom Armstrong
afford to just ignore what’s being
fought and crowed about at city hall
or the township shed- Few farmers
can still enjoy the isolation they had
years ago.
Last week's page 1 story in
Lancaster Farming documented
some of the possible consequences
and hindrances that can take form
when the farming community is not
adequately represented at planning
meetings. The farmer in Lancaster
County who came close to receiving a
court order against his broiler house
can consider himself fortunate. The
judge’s decision came out in his
favor.
Others have been less fortunate,
and still others are still awaiting the
outcome of their trials in court.
It’s a shame that farmers have to
go to court in order to go about their
business. Nevertheless, and no
matter how much we dislike it, it has
become a fact of life.
Although we can argue that “the
farmer was there first and if the
therefore fear the Lord, and
serve him in sincerity and
faithfulness” (Joshua
24:14). When the Psalmist
considered who would
sojourn in the tent of the
Lord, he concluded: “He
who walks blamelessly, and
does what is right, and
speaks truth from his heart;
who does not slander with his
tongue...” (Psalms 15:2,3).
And one 'of the ringing
proclamations of the
Prophet Zechariah com
manded: “Speak the truth to
one another, render in your
gates judgements that are
true and make for peace, do
not devise evil in your hearts
against one another, and
water away from a building.
Since many bam and house
moves are under or near to
trees, it is quite likely they
may not be free to conduct
water this winter. We
suggest an inspection in the
near future, and the removal
of all trash. Extra water that
gets into a building, or goes
down along the foundation, is
not the way to prolong the
life of the structure. Timely
gutter inspection will protect
the huge investment.
TO BE PREPARED
If a fire breaks out in your
transplanted city-slicker doesn’t like
his new neighborhood, that's just too
bad,” it's alsda valid statement that
the farmers should show some
degree of consideration and courtesy
towards their neighbors - be they
farmers or non-farmers.
Most farmers are conscientious
enough to show courtesy. But some
are not. Educating those few will
have to be a part of plans we devise
to have effective and fair land-use
ordinances.
Another news development in
recent weeks which deserves
is the Pennsylvania Farmers
Association’s and American Farm
Bureau’s call for investigations into
matters which concern questionable
use of taxpayers' money. Such in
stances have occurred in Penn
sylvania.
As an example of the kinds of
activities which are of concern, may
we call your attention to the story on
page 21, titled AFBF takes Labor
Dept, to court. '
love no false oath, for 'all
these things I hate, says the
Lord” (ZechariahB:l6,l7).
A Simple “Yes” Or “No”
In the New Testament we
see this concern broadened.
Jesus tells his disciples,
“...you heard that it was said
to the men of old, “you shall
not swear falsely../ But I
say to you,' Do not swear at
all ... Let,what you say be
simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ (Mat
thew 5:33,37)). Jesus
recognized that oaths would
not be necessary if people
could be counted on to tell
the truth without them. He
was asking for a standard of
truth that went far beyond
telling the truth under oath.
possessions? You might give and every member of the
somethoughttothisquestion family know how to operate
. .. them. Fire prevention is the
and discuss it with your p ia C e to start; but, if a tire
family and employees Are £ ets startedi advance
h?iL P n e ?fi, e< i t 0 flg^t JL he planning might reduce the
blaze until help comes. This ggyg lives. Take the
means that fire ex- t ime today to discuss both
pushers sho^ 1)6 fire prevention and fire
should be in good condition, fightin g plans .
Farm Calendar
Today, Nov. 4
Harford County, Md. Farm
Bureau annual meeting
and banquet, 7 p.m.,
North Harford High
School, five miles south of
Delta, Pa. on Route 165.
Pennsylvania Livestock
Association annual
banquet, Crossgate Inn,
Mechanicsburg, 7 p.m.
Keystone International
Livestock Exposition
begins.
Adams County Farm-City
banquet at King’s Valley
Restaurant, Carroll
Valley, 6:30 p.m.
Monday, Nov. 6
Lebanon County DHIA
annual banquet and
meeting, 7 p.m. at the
Schaefferstown Fire Hall.
Maryland Cooperative Milk
>
James was deeply con
cerned about the destructive
power, of the tongue. He
characterized power of the
tongue. He characterized it
as a poisonous, incendiary,
untamed beast. His epistle
leads us to suspect that he
knew some Christians who
had unconverted tongue’
With one breath they praisfe/'
God and with the other they
maligned their neighbors.
“Does a spring pour forth
from the same opening fresh
water and brackish?”
(James 3:11). One cannot be
a Christian and a maligner
of others. If the tongue
remains unfamed, the
discipleship is a sham and
pretense.
Producers (MCMP)
district meeting, 7 p.m. at
the Lighthouse
Restaurant, Cham
bersburg.
Poultry servicemen’s
seminar, Quality Inn,
Lancaster, 6:30 p.m.
Manheim Area Young
Farmers meeting, Year-
End Tax Management,
7:30 p.m. in the vo-ag
classroom.
Tuesday, Nov. 7
Adams County local
government seminar.
Room 147 of Gettysburg
Senior High School.
Wednesday, Nov. 8
Poultry and Egg Institute of
America Regional
Conference, Benjami
Franklin Hotel,
(Turn to Page 38)
- J)