C3o—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, May 10,1980 SCHNECKSVILLE In competition recently at Lehigh County Community College, Deborah L. Miller won the Regional FFA public speaking division with her speech, American Fanner, Take a Bow. In her award winning speech, she says: “A few weeks ago I taught my advanced biology class how to artificially in seminate a cow. After my presentation, I heard one of my non-fanning classmates say something I will never forget. He said, ‘There is more to fanning than just milking a cow! ’ “These words, however simple, are one hundred percent true. Certainly there is more to farming than just milking a cow. A ration must be balanced for optimum production, soil samples must be taken to determine mineral deficiencies, and bulls must be picked for selective breeding. This list goes on and on. But the man who acts as the backbone of this occupation called far ming, the man who gives farming its structure, the man who makes a farm all it can be is the most important factor of all. “This is the same man who gets up at five o’clock to milk his cows and moves onto the care of his hogs. This is the same man who starts eating his breakfast at eight o’clock and finishes his meal just in time to meet with the feed gnnder, to send off a load of rrfHay4p^fj^m I Save BIG on Avco New Idea Rakes, Mow/Ditioners, Cut/Ditioners and big Round Balers during our big “Haytool Sale Time.” Every New Idea Haytool we have is on sale at prices you won’t believe! Stop in and check out our special prices, but hurry ... our “Haytool Sale Time” ends May 23. CUT/DITIONER MODEL 279 MODEL 272 RAKES MODEL 404 Contact Your Dealer For Prices MARSHALL MACHINERY Honesdale, Pa. 717-729-7117 There’s more to farming than milking a cow steers, and to help the vet untwist a cow’s stomach. This is the same man who will come m from harvesting a perfect hay crop to check a steer whose ‘left side looks just a little too round.’ This man deserves the respect and admiration of everyone. This man is the American farmer. “The American farmer takes on many different personalities in his lifetime. Just as a doctor, he has learned the value of life, and the cost of death. Like a child, his eyes are always open, curious, and searching for new and better ways of doing things. Like a chemist, he must know the properties of the elements he is working with before he can make them work together ef fectively. Just as a teacher, he must possess that all important quality, patience. But perhaps the American farmer is most like the mountain climber about to ascend a challenging slope. “As the mountain climber begins his upward journey, his mind is full of doubt and anxiety. But above him, urging him along, are three other climbers, En couragement, Com panionship, and Satisfaction. Each one gives of itself to help the climber reach his goal. Encouragement is a strong moving character who reminds the climber of what lies at the top of the mountain. Encouragement will remain with the climber from the time he has put on his hiking boots until the tune he takes them off. Companionship is there to guide the climber and to make him see that he is not alone. Companionship will extend a helping hand to aid the climber over the rough spots. The last climber is Satisfaction. Satisfaction waits at the top of the mountain for the climber and shows him just what it is that he has done. “Once the climber has reached the mountain top, he can see all the earth around him. By conquering this mountain, he has reached his goal. “When the farmer begins his upward climb, like the mountaineer, he is filled with doubt and worry. But he also has three climbers to help him along the way. The first is the Future Farmers of America.' This organization will provide him with the background and confidence he needs to reach his goal. Many awards can be won through FFA activities, but these only hint at what the farmer can accomplish in the future. Education is the second climber. By using a University’s resources, such as a four year program leading to a degree, or the cooperative’s current research, a farmer can leam about any aspect of farming in great depth, bettering both himself and his farm. The last climber is Recognition. When the farmer has finally reached his goal, he will feel great MOW/DITIONER MODEL 299 ROUND BALER MODEL 456 z^AVCO* NEWIDEA ►/»%, MODEL 402 satisfaction from those on hand who recognize him. Be it in the form / of a trophy he has earned or a newspaper article that tells of his ac complishment, Recognition is always there. I know of one farmer who started the climb to his goal when he was eleven years old. Today, at 23 years of age, his dairy herd has reached a 20,000 plus rolling herd average for milk and a 4.5 percent fat test. That’s an average of START WITH THE BEST! POURED CONRETE WALLS HOG HOUSE / ‘a if I ol (U Solid Concrete For: • Manure Pit Walls • Hog House Walls • Barnyard Walls Chicken House Walls Retaining Walls House Foundation Walls Silage Pit Walls Cistern Walls Concrete Decks Concrete Pit Tops CONCRETE WALLS ARE BETTER BECAIISF- • STRONGER... Than Block • Fewer Cracks • Reinforced Steel • SOLID... Dense all the way through • More Water Tight • Lower Maintenance Our concrete walls are formed with some of the finest aluminum forms in the business As a result we can offer a good solid wall at a LOW PRICE If You’re Thinking of Building - Call us Now! Balmer Bros. 4io Main st Akron, Pa. 17501 CONCRETE WORK, INC. (717) 859-2074 or (717) 733-9196 After 5 P.M. 20,000 pounds of milk per cow in a 305 day lactation period. I know of another farmer who owned a cow who produced great quan tities of milk, but would kick at anyone who-came near her. Despite her kicking, the farmer kept the cow in his herd. Last year, she received an award for being named Berks County’s high lifetime cow for milk after producing 208,335 pounds of milk in 3557 days. CONCRETE • SMOOTHER ... Architectural finish • Easily Roller Painted • FLEXIBLE ... Made to your Design • SERVICE .. Complete, Experienced and Professional It’s fanners like this who give encouragement to other farmers who may be climbing on slippery stones. It’s farmers like this that help other farmers to see that there is more to fanning than just milking a cow, so that someday we might say to him, Hey, American farmer! You reached your goal. You climbed your mountain. The spotlight is on you, so stand up, and take a bow!”’ I
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers