Big, rough hands, covered with
callouses, a scar or two, and a mixture
of axle-grease, dust and soil which-not
even hot - water and Lava could
remove thoroughly, met and shook in
friendship beneath the maple trees.
Tanned and wind-burned faces of
farmers exchanged greetings and the
latest reports on their crops and
herds.
ft was a Sunday just like all other
Sundays. The church service was
over,.and after not having seen many
of the neighbors for a week, the
majority chatted for a while
sometimes for even an hour.
Although hours of rest are scarce
on the farm - especially during the
planting and harvesting seasons
which take up three-quarters of the
— most farmers seem to
regularly find time to go to church
under all sorts of conditions and in all
kinds of weather.
As a group and as individuals, the
men who work the soil and tend the
animals probably have a deeper
respect for God and wider ap
preciation of Nature than do many
others. Their entire livelihood
KISSED FROG
Lesson for May 20, 1979
Background Scripture: _ From 1528 to 1536 Cabeza
2 Corinthians 4:1 through De Vaca explored much of
6:13. ' the New World from Florida
to the Pacific Ocean. In his
account of the journey which
Devotional Reading:
2 Corinthians 5:1-10.
TO BEWARE OF
POISONOUS PLANTS
The pasture seasoon is at
hand and grasses are
growing rapidly. Livestock
owners should be on the alert
for plants in the grazing area
that could kill thier animals.
The investment per animal
is at an all-time high; every
effort should be made to
protect these valubable
animals. Wild cherry leaves
RURAL ROUTE
The soil—farmers appreciate it
' One of the recurring
themes in fairy tales and
myths is the idea that there
is something, wonderful
imprisoned within us waiting
to be liberated. In “The
Sleeping Beauty” it is an
entranced princess. In “The
Ugly Duckling” it is a
beautiful swan. And is it in
“Rumpelstiltskin” that a
frog when kissed becomes a
handsome prince? No
matter: the idea is pervasive
in myth and daily life.
that are wilting, wilted, or
dead can poison most
animals. The trees should
either be removed from the
pasture, or checked closey
after each wind storm.
Evergreen shrubbery that
has been trimmed and the
trimmings put on the junk
pile in a pasture can kill
animals. Nightshade and
hemlock are often found in
bottom pastures or near
gullies; these plants can kill
animals whep eaten. We
urge growers to inspect their
pasture fields and remove
these potential livestock
killers.
TO RECOGNIZE STAGE
OF MATURITY
depends on the mercy of God, apd
they know it. Made aware of the
miracles of life each time a field of
seeds germinates, and when a.calf is
born, farmers appreciate their
blessings and recognize the frailty of
their own abilities and professjon.
Life on the farm offers rewards and
satisfactions which can't easily be
found elsewhere."
A farmer lives close to Nature and
God's creations,, which gives him a
sense of knowledge, appreciation and
respect for the Earth which he would
not get anywhere else. The endless
cycles of birth and death; sprouting
and wilting, spring, -summer, autumn
and winter, ’ never cease to amaze
him.
>presh air, Nature’s beauty, and the
type of work which develops physical
capabilities in addition to the mmd, is
all around him. Although the hard
work may be burdensome at times,
the physical activity is what keeps
him agile and healthy. The business
decisions and problems keep his
mind alert.
A sense of independence and pride
One of the most important
factors in harvesting top
quality hay or silage is to cut
the crop at the proper stage
of maturity. Too many
fanners permit their crop to
get too ripe before cutting.
Legumes such as alfalfa or
clover should be cut m the
bud early blossom stage.
Grasses are at their peak of
feeding value when cut at
heading time. Small grains
are best when cut for silage
or hay in the blossom stage.
Weather conditions have a
lot to do in making quality
hay or silage. Early in the
season it is often best to
-make the first cutting of a
forage crop into silage
because of poor drying
n -> '* '
he made with a companion,
he tells of an incident in
which some Indians asked
them to cure their sick. The
Indians believed that the
white men had superhuman
power. Lost, sick and half
starved, De Vaca and his
compaion realized that they
had to try to heal the In
dians. So they prayed and
blessed each- Indian. And
amazingly, each of the sick
Indians was healed. No one
was more surprised than De
Va<& who wrote ,in his
joiSrnal: “To be more than I
thought I was a sensation
utterly new to me.”
The Human Point Of View
One of the great
By Tom Armstrong
/w'"
v "O
* o
in individual achievement isn’t
available as often in the non-farm
world The farmer usually has these
priceless rewards in his work. Unlike
the assembly-line worker who is often
just a “cog" in a “big machine,” the
iarmer is “the machine.” He makes
the decisions and follows his own
plans. He’s his own bossand when his
products go to market he can be
proud of his accomplishments.
A farmer_js at home while he’s
working His wife and children are
always nearby. And what better place
is there to raise a family 7
Exercise, stimulating surroundings,
fresh air, pets, and the chance to
learn the meaning of 'responsibility
are all offered on the farm.
Certainly, farm life still leaves a few
things to be desired, such as little or
no time off, comparatively long hours,
meager profit margins, and in general
a “looked down upon” attitude by
much of society.
But if a farmer can make it
financially, chances are he’s in no
mood to trade his way of life for that
of the suburbanite who only works
from eight to five, five days a week
revelations of the Gospel is
that each of us, in reality,
much more than we think we
are. Our problem is that we
are too accustomed to
viewing ourselves and others
through the tunnel-vision of
the “human point of view.”
We see only the obvious, only
that which is on the surface.
Paul called the church at And this is precisely what
Cormth to see themselves the Gospel proclaims: Christ
and others' from a' rad- , does for us what we cannot
ically different perspective: do for ourselves. “All this is
“From now on, therefore, we from God,” Paul says, “who
regard no one from a human through Christ reconciled us
point of view...” (5:16). And to himself...” (5:18)
the new point of view?
“Therefore, if any one is m
Christ, he is a new creation;
the old has passed awav.
conditions. Also, 1
have heard research men
say that forages cut for hay
early in the stage of
maturity, and rained upon
one time, is still of higher
feeding value than forages
allowed to mature too far.
TO FERTILIZE ALFALFA
Alfalfa continues to be one
of the most important forage
crops in this part of the
country. Crops that are now
being harvested should have
good growth and yield
weights. In order to harvest
maximum yield of later
cuttings, a top-dressing of a
phosphorus-potash fertilizer
is suggested immediately
after the removal of the first
rxp
<
“ ~v »
u? r im Aj~\
rocf <•
On Sunday the farmer
often takes shortcuts in order to get
dpne in time for church. Or work is
just partially completed. Only urgent
circumstances such as a cow down
with milk fever interferes with the
Sunday schedule.
in-spite of their close relationship
to and dependence on Nature, which
in turn develops to an awareness ol
God, farmers have been known for
catching a few winks jn the pews. Not
necessarily a reflection of the worship
service itself, the farmer occasionally
dozes off because he is tired or*
because he has staying
awake when x he sits down with
r. 'hmg to do.
I come to this conclusion because of
my own experiences and beliefs, and
because I have been, able to stay
awake m church most of the time to
make observations. But I can only
take partial credit for the latter
most of the credit should go to my .
wife who has an elbow as quick as a
mule’s leg.
behold, the new has come”
(5:17). The kissed frog
becomes a handsome
prince!
Ambassadors For Christ
The frog cannot change
himself, no matter how
much he might desire it.
Someone must do it for him.
Of course, although the
frog can’t do it himself,-he
can andmust co-operate. He
cutting. Alfalfa is a heavy
feeder of both phosphorus
and potash; established
stands' should be able to
provide their own nitrogen
needs. A well fertilized stand -
should more than pay for the
extra fertilizer. Due to the
good growing weather in the
past month, the first cutting
is ready earlier than normal.
This could mean an extra
cutting this year, if the
growing power is provided
and if the insects are con
trolled.
TO CONTROL
FLIES
Flies around homes and
farm buildings are always a
Farm Calendar
Saturday, May 19
Berwick Vegetable
Cooperative annual
meeting and banquet,
6:30 p.m. dinner at the
Columbia-Montour Vo
- Tech School, Bloomsburg
R 5.
Lancaster County 4-H steers
branded and weighed, 8-
11 a.m. at the Black and
White Farm, formerly
owned by Charles Myers,
can still continue to act like a
frog and think like a frog.
And, although Christ offers
us new creation through his
act of reconciliation, we can
still muddle through in the
same old way and continue
to be the same old person.
Ttie only way to be the
“new creation” Christ offers
us is to live it out as the
ambassadors of recon-'
dilation he created us to fie.
“God was in Christ recon
ciling the world to him
self...” (5:29) and he is also
in us as well; “God making
his appeal through us”
(5:20). It is the kissed frog
who helps others to discover
their own “new creation.”
challenge to control. The
first step is a good sanitation
program; clean up the
premises and remove all fly
breeding places. When this is
accomplished there will
surely be less flies. Residual
wall sprays can be
Materials such as Cygon,
Korlan, and Rabon can be
used. Remoye all animals
before spraying walls. Fly
baits can be used on ledges,
window sills, and gutters. In
box-stalls and manure
storage places larvicides
such as Cygon, Rabon, or
Malathion can be used as a
Spray or drench to kill the fly
maggots. Good sanitation is
the starting place.
HOUSE
now owned by Melvin
Kolb.
Thirteenth annual Oxford
FFA banquet, 7 p.m. in
the Oxford Area High.
School cafeteria.
4-H Exposition, 10 a.m. zo 4
p.m. at the Flemmgton, j.
N.J. Shopping Mall.
Monday, May 21
Organizational meeting of
the Pequea Valley 4-H
(Turn to Page 31) '