—Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, December 29,1979 10 Lancaster Farming says... It’s the time of year to make resolutions. And farmers across the state are resolving to keep better records, be more liberal with the fertilizer, cull flocks harder, spend more time with the family. For- the New Year there'll be resolutions to get a better price for our products, to sell only when the market is up, buy when it is down. But the big resolution to be made and kept is to get a workable milk security fund into law. Between 40 and 50 percent of the farmers in Pennsylvania are dairymen. They represent the biggest single bloc of buyers in the farm community. If for nothing else, the 1970 s can be remembered as the year dairymen across the state got stuck with the bill for outlandish amounts of money on several dairy failures and co-op assessments. The total loss to state dairy far mers was in the tens of millions of ' dollars. Any farmer not personally touched by the tragedy certainly has neighbors or friends who opened a registered letter informing them they’d be short $lO,OOO or more in their milk check. It seems odd that some segments JOHN THE BAPTIST Lesson for December 30,1979 Background Scripture: John 1:6-8; 19-34 Devotional Reading: “There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came for TO EVALUATE GASOHOL The use of gasohol in order to reduce fuel costs seems to be getting considerable dialogue. Our Penn State engineers continue to remind us that this type of fuel may have a place in today’s energy crunch, but needs considerable attention before jumping into it’s use or it’s making. In the first place, it is a very explosive fuel and needs special handling; also, it may be hard on motors and gaskets, when it is not 100% water-proof. In addition I’m aware of Resolve to pass a security fund of the dairy industry seemed un convinced there was a need for a security fund. Most of the doubt came from here in the southeastern corner of the state where farmers were relatively untouched by the problems which plagued dairymen in northeastern Pennsylvania several times this decade, which disrupted Pittsburgh area" milk, which saw farmers scrambling for a market. But today the biggest drawback to getting a program passed is the number of proposals being ad vanced. It’s hard to tell all of the players witnout a scorecard. And some are changing sides. Look at the Grange’s dairy resolution, for example. Approved at its convention just this past October, it asks for a split payment of a penny per hundredweight by farmers, a penny per hundred by dealers or processing co-ops. State Agriculture Secretary Penrose Hallowell told Grangers at their meeting that such a plan was the only one which stood a chance of being adopted given the political realities. Then, last week, Hallowell shifted around and proposed a plan where testimony, to bear witness to the light, that all might believe through him” (John 1:6,7). It was quite a commission: “sent from God... to bear witness to the light! ” Jesus himself was later to say to John: “I tell you, among whose bom of women none is greater than John” (Luke 7:28). Of all the personalities in the story of Jesus, John is one of the few who is men tioned prominently in all four gospels. And rightly so, for John and his ministry were big news among the people of Israel in Jesus’ day. People either admired him or despised him, but some farmer interest in making their own gasohol for personal use. I do not have the exact figures, but sorely feel that the in vestment is too great for each individual t<rconsider making his own gasohol. It might be more economical for a group of farmers to go together and invest in this equipment. Do some investigating and your “home work” on gasohol before jumping into the movement. TO BEWARE OF, SOIL COMPACTION When your topsoil becomes hard and cloddy, has poor water-holding capacity, produces crops with shallow roots, and crusts severely, it might be severely compacted. A good soil will consist of everyone was aware of him and his message. I Am The Wilderness Voice Looking back at the story of Jesus m the four gospels we think of John as one of many personalities who encountered the Christ. Yet, when Jesus first came upon the scene, the stage belonged to John. Jesus was an unknown figure in the audience and John’s was the name that echoed throughout the land. So reknowned was he that some thought he was the rein carnation of Elijah the prophet, whom some believed would return to earth before the Messiah. about 50 percent pore space, of which half of this is taken up with air and the other half with water. In a compacted soil, we lose a lot of this pore space. With today’s heavy machinery there is a greater chance of compacting the soil. This often happens when heavy machinery is operated over the soil when the ground is too wet. Also, working the soil into a very fine condition will favor compaction. Farmers are urged to consider this possibility this winter and spring in preparing their land for the 1980 cropping season. Soils high in organic matter are less likely to become com pacted. dealers foot the whole bill, but at a rate of one penny per cwt, rather 1 than two cents. Co-ops are exempt from the provisions. And farmers are covered only for 90 percent of potential loss, rather than 100 percent as in all other plans. Hallowell’s about-face in less than two months time leaves current Grange policy dead in light of new developments. Grangers probably will come up with new policy at their Dairy Committee meeting next week. Pennsylvania Farmers’ Association and the many dairy cooperatives serving state farmers generally agree the fund should be built by a two cent contribution funded entirely by dealers. That doesn’t sit well with dealers who say it is unfair that processing co-ops not be forced to pay some of the freight. Dealers don’t like the idea of paying any of the bill, anyway. Two things can be said of the Secretary of Agriculture’s plan. First, its provisions were a surprise to most members of the dairy community. And that’s bad. Some consensus could have been attained before it was announced. His ideas could have been outlined for all parties involved to save em-- Others went even further, suggesting that he was none other than the Messiah himself. Large crowds of people went out into the wilderness of Judea to see and hear him and his name was on the lips of all authorities, civil and religious. It is into this picture of popular acclaim and official notoriety that Jesusj an unknown Galilean car penter, enters as part of a great multitude at the River Jordan seeking baptism. The acclaim and notoriety might easily have gone to John’s head and who could have blamed him for TO PROTECT TREES FROM RABBITS If we don’t get any more snow m the next two months than we have had m the last two, this article will be of little value however, winter is still to come, and no doubt some snow cover. During these tunes of snow on the ground, mice and rabbits may feed on the tender bark of young fruit trees and ornamental shrubs. This can be very serious during times of lasting snow. or shrub with hardware cloth, or with aluminum foil, is suggested in order to keep them from being girdled. K these trees or shrubs happen to be m a block, or nursery, then a chicken wire fence around the area will keep out the rabbits. BY CURT HARDER, EDITOR basking m the public glow. Yet, despite the success of his movement, John never forgot his mission: “I am not the Christ...! am the voice of one crying m the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said” (John 1:20,23). Furthermore, John had no illusions about his vocational rank: “...among you stands one whom you do not know...the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to tie” (1:27). And, although he might have claimed center stage a while longer, John does not hesitate to point to Jesus and proclaim: “Behold the Lamb of God, The tree or shrub should be protected to a height of at least 24 to 30 mches. This is needed in case of deep snow or drifting. TO PROVIDE POND SAFETY EQUIPMENT If you have a farm pond and are permitting ice skating, then you had better have some rescue equipment at the pond site. Due to the temperature of the water and air, rescues Farm Calendar id Tuesday, January 1 Workshop at the HAPPY NEW YEAR Center m Leesport. Wednesday, January 2 Thursday, January 3 Hunterdon County Board of The 1980 Mid-Atlantic Agriculture regular Tillage Conference at monthly meeting, Ex- Hunt Valley Inn. Top's tension Center, 8 p.m. include No-Till Woodlot Management (TurntoPage39) barrassment such as the Grange i S facing. The second thing to be said is the proposal will force some action on the security fund issue. And that's good. - Our objections to the proposal aren’t so much what it says as the abruptness of its introduction, the rabbit-m-a-hat way it was sprung on the dairy community. Admittedly, the Secretary did listen to dairy representatives But he dodged all of their questions about his plans, playing his hand close to the vest. Then, last week, he suddenly turned his cards face upon the table. Dealers pay all. Farmers assume some burden to assure they make reasonable marketing decisions The low payment rate means living with current bonding* laws for several more years, but farmers may have to swallow that so potential participants aren’t scared off. Protection farmers need will be provided In short, Halloweli’s is a workable plan. It would be well for all factions to get together now and resolve to pass a security fund measure early in the New Year. It’ll make the 1980 s happier for all. who takes away the sin of world!” (1:29). I Must Decrease This was not a men moment of spiritual 8 citement, for what Jot! proclaimed that day by flu Jordan, he would repeat again in clear-cut terms m one could fail to understand Pointing once more to Jesus John says: “He must » crease, but I must decrease' (3:30). John’s confession and commitment are no 1® important for us than ft him. Once we have ® countered the Son of Godu our lives, we too are calledlf defer: “He must increase but I must decrease. ’ ’ need to be immediate Wooden boards, a ladder, o| rope with inflated inner tub could save a life. . Don’t keep this equipm® 1 in the barn or in the garaSJ because it may take W much time to get it to tw person in trouble. Owners of farm ponds ad urged to use caution ® permitting skating j the ice is thick enough, & unless emergency resCo equipment is handy.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers