10—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 13,1979 EDITORIAL COMMENT Workmen’s Comp: too much for too little For many farmers the words ‘Workmen’s Compensation’ could be reduced to a single four-letter word: pain. The pain is in the wallet and there is no simple solution to cure the agony. Farmers who hire help are required to provide Workmen’s Compensation for their employees. Should some disaster befall the hired man, the Compensation insurance steps in to provide some financial relief. Few employers, whether farmers or small businessmen, will deny that the program provides a needed service for their employees. The burn comes when the premiums for Workmen's Compensation come due. For an average dairyman or crops farmer the premiums can run anywhere from $8 up to $2O per $lOO of compensation. But if those YOUR OWN THING Lesson for October 14,1979 Background Scripture: Phillippians2. Devotional Reading: Mark 10:35-45. TO APPLY LIME THIS FALL If your land needs lime according to a soil test, then it is strongly suggested that it be applied this fall. Many farmers and gardeners will wait until next spring thinking that more of it will do good. In most cases this is not true. Lome needs time to sweeten the soil. When applied this fall it will have time to do the job before the RURAL ROUTE This is the day of “doing your own thing.” Everyone, it seems, is either proclaiming it or doing it. And, essentially, it is a sound idea. People need to look within themselves and discover their God-given identities and potential. Self discovery and self fulfillment are not only exciting, but quite necesary to Christian maturity. Far too many people never even glimpse the wonders that God has placed within them. Have This Mind At the same time, there is always the danger that, as NOW IS THE TIME ' Phone 394-6851 8 next crop is planted. In many cases the spring rush comes rapidly and either the weather or pressure from other work prevents the applying of the lime before the crop is planted. Liming is needed for maximum yields and for the best results with all of our weed killing chemicals. Try to get this job done before freezing weather arrives. TO HOUSE FARM MACHINERY The outside work is done for some pieces of farm machinery. We strongly urge that all machinery be put under roof when not in GEE I WUZ. GONNA ASK |YOU T'MAIL A PACKAGE FOR ME WHEN YOU WENT V F_ __ . 9xJC% </% iM. T^= •> 0 . ■■ ■_> 0 prices look high, the farmer should see what his counterparts in business are paying for the same service Consider construction. The cost of an average new home is $1,500 more than what it would ordinarily be--and that $1,500 ail goes to Workmen’s Compensation payments for the labor building the house. A typical hospital has an in vestment of $6OO per bed per year tied up in Workmen’s Compensation payments for its employees. A dairyman may be shipping out as much as 100 hundredweight of milk per year just to cover the cost of Workmen's Compensation for a single hired man. What makes the farmer’s case more difficult than the contractor's or hospital administrator’s is the farmer’s inability to pass the cost of the Workmen's Compensation with most good things in life, we will go overboard with “doing our own thing.” The problem arises when in our pursuit of our own self discovery and fulfillment we forget about other people. We are may be like the person in that old nursery ryhme: [ had a little tea party This afternoon at three, Twas very small, Three guests in aU- Just I, myself and me. Myself ate all the sand wiches, While I drank np the tea, use. This is especially true during the winter months. Snow and rain leaves moisture on the machinery resulting in the formation of rust. A rusty piece of machinery is depreciating and will soon give trouble and wear out. A good machinery shed out and away from the mam bam is suggested. Some are pole sheds that protect with a roof and two sides. The objective is to get the machinery in the dry. Farm machinery is very expensive to buy and to repair. Good care and maintenance will make it go much further. Don’t be WHOS TAKIN' ME FOR MV MUSIC / 1 LESSON I'Y By Curt Harler, Editor premiums along to his market. The Milk Market Administrator, for in stance, adds nothing to the price of milk to cover such expenses. Some steps have been taken to right this wrong. The Lancaster County Farmer's Association has called for a review of rates charged for Workmen’s Compensation In surance. The group also wants to explore the possibility of establishing its own Compensation Insurance policy in an effort to reduce costs. At their annual meeting Monday night the farmers were told by John Henry Brubaker, a Mt. Joy farmer and Secretary of the Pennsylvania Association of Meat Processors, to get involved in the pending legislative fight to reform the Workmen's Compensation program He asked the farmers to become politically motivated, write letters, go see their legislators personally. Twas also I who ate the pie And passed the cake to me. There is a lot more to life than just “I, myself and me”' No one was ever more fulfilled in his own potential than Jesus Christ. Yet that self-discovery that was part of his lifelong consciousness included a continuing sense of discovery about other people. And, although he was the completely fulfilled self of all humanity, his self fulfillment never found guilty of allowing your farm machinery to be stored outside this winter. TO ELIMINATE RODENTS Colder weather has arrived and more is sure to come. This will chase rats and mice from the fields into buildings. If you have out the “welcome mat” for them, they will be sure to accept. By this I mean if you have places where they can hide and set up housekeeping, then your rodent population will surely increase. We urge a good clean-up program to eliminate their possible nesting places. Junk piles By Tom Armstrong There is little question that the Workmen’s Compensation act was a labor sweetheart. But while labor is politically strong, so is business. It simply is a matter of fighting backj revamping the requirements to them livable for the man who has to| foot the bill from his own pocket. r While farm and small business* interests were busy working own fields, the Workmen’s ConP} pensation legislation got by them J Farmers have to start working at the! grassroots level to assure legislators? in Harrisburg that the farm com munity supports reform of the* Workmen’s Compensation fee schedule For too long farmers have been ■ paying too much for too little. It’s time the costs of this program were 1 brought into line with the needed benefits. expression except in his love and service to others. Thus, Paul points to this example and says: “Have this mind among yourselves which you have in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God . . . emptied himself, taking the form of a ser vant” (2:5-7). He Humbled Himself Jesus did “his own thing,” we may say, but he did it in obedience to God’s will. That divine will, not his own self fulfillment, reigned supreme in his life. Furthermore, m his obedience he did the one and broken concrete floors and walks are attractive to rats. Stone or concrete block walls that are in poor con dition will permit them to enter and make nests. Rats and mice are destructive and may carry serious diseases. Every farmer and property owner should make a special effort to eradicate all rodents at this tune. TO SET UP FARM SECURITY MEASURES Have you done anything recently to prevent farm burglaries or livestock rustling? I fear that too many of our farmers do very little in preventing thefts and vandalism. Night-time lighting of the farm homestead is an excellent investment; we are aware of Farm Calendar Sunday, October 14 Simmental Field Day at Ravenwood Farm, Mt. Airy, Maryland. Monday, October 15 Lancaster Co. Farmers’ Association sponsors Park City Days today through Saturday. thing that would seem to deny self-fulfillment: “he humbled himself” and ac cepted the ignominy of a cross. Yet it was m this humble obedience that Jesus fulfilled his Christ potential and demonstrated wM|b human nature could really be. Thus, says Paul, “God has highly exaulted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name...” (2:9). That is the example we need to keep before us as we do our thing. the lights that go on and oft on many of our farms every night and morning; Guani dogs are another good bJP vestment that discourages unwanted visitors. Garages and workshops should be kept locked wheh the family is not home or at night. Tools are very attractive to many thieves. Around livestock farms outside gates and loading chutes should be kept locked. Neighbors should be informed when the family is away for any length of time. They can notify local police when strange cars or trucks come to the farm and appear to be suspicious. I suggest that you make it difficult for thieves to operate at your farm or home. Tuesday, October 16 Ephrata Area Young FaP» mers meetmg at Ephrata High School starting at 7:45 p.m. Solanco Area Young Far mers meetmg at Solanco (Turn to Page 25)
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