Alo—Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, January 5,1980
Lancaster Farming says...
The history of the Farm Show
Complex throughout the -1970 s has
been that of a sorely punch-drunk
fighter trying to stay on his feet with
help from all sorts of people.
Age and use alone have battered
the Complex over the years. It ap
peared the Complex might bite the
dust a few years ago when the
Harrisburg Fire Marshall declared it
unsafe and threatened to count it out
for good.
The Farm Show Commission
rushed into the fray to provide a
multi-million dollar renovation of the
fire prevention and electrical
systems in the Complex.
But the Fire Marshall's actions
were just love taps compared to the
punches landed by Mother Nature.
She connected with several
roundhouse blows during the
decade, any one of which would have
been enough to spell the end for a
building with less tradition and spirit
than the Farm Show.
In 1972 Hurricane Agnes laid the
Complex out flat. No sooner did the
Complex stagger to its wobbly feet
than another crashing blow was
landed.
This time it was Hurricane Eloise,
disrupting a dairy show then in
JESUS’ FAMILY
Lesson for January 6,1980
Background Scripture:
John2:l-12; 7:1-13;
19:25b-27.
Devotional Reading:
Mark 2:18-22.
It is sometimes said that
“Behind every great man
TOSEGREGATE
NEW ANIMALS
The addition of a new and m this part of the slate,
animal to the herd, or flock, the State Farm Show
RURAL ROUTE
—LGOODNESS GRACIOUS,!
(DIDN'T EXPECT THIS SNOW-
Yet another round for Farm Show
The simple fact the Farm Show
could come out for another season
was fine testimony to the men in the
Complex’s corner. First it was Show.
Director Wellington Smith. Now it is
Director Hugh Coffman.
Both have dug deep into their bag
of tricks to keep the Complex from
falling on its face.
Last year farmers roared in
complaint when the dairy and beef
cattle schedules were split so
dairymen had animals at Farm Show
for only the first half of the week with
beef cattle coming in later.
For farmers it was more painful
than slicing open a closed eye.
Show Director Coffman decided
the remedy was too painful.
This year the sacrifice will be made
by commercial exhibitors many of
whom are sacrificing 10 percent of
their exhibit space so more firms can
have a ringside seat at Penn
sylvania’s top agricultural event.
Problem is, it’s exhibitors who pay
there stands an amazed
mother-in-law.” We ought
not pick on just mothers-m
-law, however, but extend
that dubious honor to other
members of the immediate
family. We all remember
what Jesus said about the
receptivity of the prophet’s
own countrymen—“A
prophet is not without honor
except in his own country..”-
-but we tend to forget that he
added “...and his own
house”! (Matthew 13:57).
They Have No Wine
The gospels tell us nothing
of Joseph once the Holy
Family is settled in
Nazareth. It is assumed,
is a very common practice.
However, there is always the
chance of bringing new
infections into the herd. Too
many diseases and problems
have been brought by the
owner. At this tune of year,
-TAFTER LUNCH will)
( you SC JAPE rHE SNOW,
IOFF THE LAWN
progress But again the Complex
bounced back to face the next bell.
Farm Show received a boost in
1978 with an infusion of steel fire
doors, a new corridor for fire safety, a
new roof, new lighting and electrical
lines.
although not known, that he
was older than Mary and
therefore died by the time
Jesus began his public
ministry. Fleeting
references are made to the
brothers of Jesus indicating
that they must have had
mixed feeling about the
religious vocation of their
celebrated and despised
older brother. Even Mary
betrays conflicting reactions
to him, although in all four
accounts of the passion and
resurrection of Jesus we see
Mary as a devout disciple as
well as mother of Jesus. The
view we get of Jesus’ family,
then, is one of both striking
insights and nagging
skepticism-a very human
provides opportunity for herd or flock for at least 30
showing animals and the days. The other alternative
purchase of new ones. To
those who are exhibiting Jf apunals m the
animals, and to those who berd or flock for the same
might buy a bred gilt, or mfections as the new
other animals, I’d say be animal has received,
sure to segregate these Sanitation and segregation
animals from the rest of the are two very important
By Tom Armstrong
yes. . i don't have
ALL THE L f/WEST
RAKED YET J
'OFF TflE
LAWN I
the freight for the „ otherwise free
show And they’re not thrilled about
the cutback.
An extra day, Sunday, was added
to the schedule so more people can
see the event, and partly'to give
commercial exhibitors a day's hedge
against traditionaly bad Farm Show
. weather.
They feel they deserve credit for
packing the house. Understandably,
they want a better deal.
One such suggestion, lost in the
roar of the crowd as Farm Show
gamely* faces its 64th round, is the
old plea to erect a new Farm Show
Complex on high and dry ground.
The state rejected such a proposal
in early 1972. And it preceded to
invest $lO million to clean up after
Hurricane Agnes, another few million
to put up the new beef building used
for the first time last year, and in
1980 plans to spend another
$270,000 or so for a new water
system.
All of that is money invested in a
somewhat broken-down old fighter
when the future, proponents claim, is
to be found in a new, modern facility.
The likelihood of the state shelling
out funds for a new complex is about
zero. Repeated rejection of such
reaction with which we can
all identify.
This is apparent at the
very beginning of Jesus’
ministry when he and his
family attend a wedding
feast in Cana, a neighboring
town of Nazareth. John
records for us only two brief
remarks of Mary, but they
are very revealing for us, not
to mention their relevance
for our own lives.
First of all, John tells us,
“When the wine failed, the
mother of Jesus said to him,
“They have no wine’ ” (John
2:3). Of course, this might
have been simply an offhand
remark on Mary’s part:
Have you heard they’re all
BY CURT HARLER, EDITOR
out of wine! But John is not
the land of writer to include
wedding party chit-chat and
we must suspect that this
simple remark points to
something deeper. Why
would Mary tell Jesus about
this mundane problem
unless she know of: (1)
Jesus’compassion for people
m difficulty and (2) His
ability to do mysterious and
amazing things to help
people m need. “They have
no wine,” Mary told Hhn,
just as you and I tell him,
“I’m short of money, I don’t
know what to do with my
son, I’m troubled about my
work, I’m discouraged with
my marriage.” These may
seem trifling to tell the Son
items in good
health programs.
TO BEWARE
OF PARASITES
Livestock parasites can
mean the difference between
profit and loss on most
operations. I’m referring to
both internal parasites
(stomach worms), and to
external problems such as
Farm Calendar
Sunday, January 6
The 64th Annual Penn
sylvania Farm Show
opens in Harrisburg. The
show will continue
through Friday, January
11. For a program of
events, see Section D,
page 28.
Monday, January 7
Hunterdon County, N.J. bus
plans by governors of both parties
emphasizes that.
Those favoring a new facility have
dozens of convincing statistics about
how such an arena would boost local
economy, draw other shows to
central Pennsylvania, and give
almost unlimited possibilities for an
expanding Farm Show.
A new building could be like a
splash of cold water in the face of the
tired Complex.
But if that splash is going to come,
it'll have to be from private investors,
a stock corporation, or other non
governmental source. It’ll have to be
a hundred million dollar splash.
If we are to get a new Complex,
we’ll have to foot the bill ourselves.
In the long run it may, be better to
have it funded privately than with tax
dollars. And we'll ask our own wallets
whether it is necessary.
In the meantime, the bell is ringing
for another round ... Farm Show
1980 runs January 6 though 11 at
the tired but true Complex off 1-81
north of Harrisburg.
Enjoy the spectacle and try to
ignore the battle scars and plaster
patches which are keeping the Farm
Show Complex on its feet for yet
another round.
of God, but we do because we
know he cares.
Next, Mary says to the
servants, “Do whatever he
tells you” (2:5). She could
hardly have known' what
Jesus was going to do, but
she knew her son and she
realized that, not only did he
have compassion upon
people in their everyday
needs, but he also had the
power to help them meet
those needs. In time, then,
his family came to un
derstand the same
assurance that is our s today •
although we may not fully
understand him or what he
will do, he will help us meet
our needs if we- “Do
whatever he tells us to do.”
lice, ticks, and mange.
Owners should be, on the
alert at all tunes for these
parasites that suck blood
from the animals and reduce
gams and production. Fecal
samples can determine the
internal infestation while
careful observation of the
behavior of the animals can
livestock
|TiirntoPageA33)
trip to the Pennsylvania
Farm Show.
Hunterdon County, N.J.
Foods Council meeting at
7:30 p.m. ft
Lancaster County FF«%
meeting at the Willow
Street Vo-Tech School.
Tuesday, January 8
Hunterdon County, N.J.
(Turn toAl3>-^