Alo—Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, August 16, 1960
Lancaster Farming says...
Farmers must plunge into Octorara studies
Another state study with possible
far-reaching ramifications on area
farmers is underway
The Department of Environmental
Resources is beginning to take a look
at the Octorara Creek to determine if
it should be included m the Com
monwealth’s System of Wild and
Scenic Rivers.
Let's have an effort to see that
agriculture's interests are protected
right from the start, along with good
farming representation on advisory
committees from lower Lancaster
and Chester counties
For many years sportsmen,
principally fishermen, and farmers
have lived in harmony along the
waters of the Octorara, F a st and
BEYOND THE
"AMEN”!
Lesson for August 17, 1980
Background Scripture:
Nehermah 1 through 6,8
through 9.
Devotional Reading:
Psalms 122.
How to Harvest
Drought-Stricken Com
Many com fields are
drying up due to prolonged
dry periods The big question
facing farmers is how to
salvage this drought
stricken com’ Ensiling is
one good way, especially if
the ears are not well-formed
However, if it is to be
ensiled, it should be left
standing as long as possible
for several reasons: 1) As
long as it has life, the stalk
will continue to build
carbohydrates (energy),
and that means more
nutrient yield and a better
quality feed 2) Elevated
levels of nitrates may be
RURAL ROUTE
10 UL D o sn
SHO\
7W' COWS
- NOMJENSE
I THINK IT'S MICE
Votiß Trying
iOMETHIMe Ei.Sf
There are usually two
wrong ways to regard
prayer. One is to expect too
little of prayer, the other is
to expect too much. To be
sure, from God’s side there
are no limits to prayer. But
front our side, there are
definite limits which we may
impose. One of these limits is
the practice of asking God to
do it all without our help.
In a sense, this may sound
like a contradiction of much
of what we have been saymg
these past few weeks, that
Israel suffered because the
nation did not trust fully
enough in God But God’s
constant reminder through
his prophets that his people
present in the plant,
especially when a prolonged
dry spell is interrupted by a
few showers.
Allowing the com to stand
as long as possible will give
it more tune to convert
accumulated nitrates into
plant protein, thus reducing
the risk of nitrate toxicity
and silo gas poisoning
However, care should be
taken to not let the com get
too dry for good
fermentation Aim for 60-
70% moisture Even though
the leaves are dry, the stalk
and ear may contain
considerable moisture
Thus, moisture is hard to
gauge by simply looking at
the plant
If the com is too dry for
good fermentation, consider
adding water at the blower
It takes a lot of water to do
this For example, about 500
fIELAX DAD
you'u Do
JUST Fine
9. I*-
West Branches and other tributaries
Let’s not tip the scales now in favor
of one over the other.
The area of the Octorara presents
many faces. There are rather wild
areas, lots of rocks and white water
There are numerous scenic areas,
too But just as important are the
miles of meadow lands adjoining the
stream which are important to dairy
and other farming interests
If the Octorara has a multiple
character, why can’t any designation
that the DER determines be similarly
multiple in scope 7
In wild areas, call it a Wild River if
you like, in a scenic river area call it a
Scenic River if you like
should depend upon him was
not intended to mean “I’ll do
it all ” God does answer
prayer, but one of the
greatest effects of prayer
always is the changes it
bnngs about in the one who
doe's the praying.
Fasting and Praymg
So, there are two basic
elements to prayer, the
communication that takes
place before the “Amen” is
pronpunced and the changes
in thought and deed that
follow after it We see this
demonstrated so well m the
story of Nehemiah. Learning
that the survivors in
Jerusalem were in “great
trouble and shame,”
pounds of water (about 62
gallons) are required to
raise the moisture content of
one ton of 50% moist silage to
60% moisture When
moisture is not in the desired
range, it may be beneficial
to use preservatives and
additives that encourage
lactic acid formation If the
silage lacks sufficient gram
or other carbohydrates for
good fermentation, ground
ear com can be added at the
rate of 200 pounds per ton
Be Particular About
Seeding Alfalfa
Alfalfa is a very valuable,
high-yielding, high-quality
feed crop It is considered as
a permanent crop and it is
also expensive to establish
Thus, it is usually beneficial
to do everything possible to
keep the crop a* vigorous as
possible for as long as
possible so the cost of
In those areas where agriculture
borders the stream and actually
depends upon it, we'd like to see a
Pastoral designation which
recognizes farmland as an integral
part of the area’s ecology.
While keeping the area green and
scenic such a designation would not
interfere with day-to-day farming
practices
After all, if a pretty stream needs
the state’s stamp of approval to be
called scenic, then farmers should
receive the same stamp of protection
in a designation that will permit
farming to continue as it has for
centuries before bureaucratic
studies ever started
We hope that the state study will
Nehemiah was deeply
moved: “When I heard these
words I sat down and wept,
and mourned for days; and I
continued fasting and
praymg before the God of
heaven” (Nehemiah 1.4)
This man who held a high
position to the Persian King
poured out his concern for
Jerusalem and its people,
and we find his elequent
prayer at the very beginning
of the book that bears his
name (1:5-11). - ‘
But there was to be more
than fasting and praying,
‘ and something would need to
be done beyond saying
“Amen’ ’ For his prayers not
only communicated his
establishment is spread over
more years. A good alfalfa
stand starts with good
establishment, and late
summer is one good time to
seed new stands, providing
there is sufficient moisture
for seed germination. Select
a well-drained, fertile field
free of weed infestations and
herbicide residues
Generally this will be a field
that had been planted to a
row crop or a small gram
crop Do not seed alfalfa into
an old sod crop.
The field should have been
limed 6 months to a year
prior to seeding Work the
ground early to form a good
firm seed bed and work in
necessary phosphorus and
potash This forms the
foundation for your new
seeding Select a high
yieldmg, disease resistant
variety Remember, alfalfa
By
om Armstrong
BY CURT HARLER, EDITOR
concern to God and ex
pressed his trust in G d s
power to meet this rr-d,
they also did somethi" ;o
Nehemiah, so that in ti. he
became part of the answer u
his own prayer, ge ting tne
king to permit him :o ’~pfur r ‘
to Jerusa'em a" 1 ■ t.r<
charge of the recon iructio
“Let Us Rise Up and Build! “
It was this same kind of
attitude that enabled
Nehemiah to successfully
rebuild the walls of
Jerusalem With his
challenge ringing in their
ears, the people in
Jerusalem when they had
seeds are small For good Days will be held August 19-
germmation and rapid 21 at the Rock Springs
emergence, good seed Agricultural Research
placement is essential This Center. Route 45 west of
can be accomplished by State College. Approx
band seeding, placing .the imately 225 corn
seed shallow and near to a mercial companies will
band of starter fertilizer, be exhibiting If you are
and firming the seed into thinking about purchasing
close contact with the soil by some farm machinery, you
using press wheels or a may have the opportunity to
cultipacker Avoid working observe it in action and
and packing the soil when compare it with other mak A))
wet and use herbicides if that will be demonstrated in
weed problems exist the field In addition, there
Plan to Visit will be many educational
Ag Progress Days exhibits, tours of research
Penn State’s Ag Progress, plots, crop variety plots, etc
Farm Calendar
Saturday, Aug ps( 16
Pa. state plowipg contest,
Hershey Farms’ farm 68,
Hershey, 16 a.m.
Hereford Jr. Farm Fair,
Hereford Senior High,
Hereford, Md., 10 a.m. to
3 p.m.
' EAYFA ice cream social,
Woodcrest retreat,
Ephrata Mtn., 6 p.m.
recreation, 8 p.m. eat.
Chester County 4-H horse
show, Blue Rock Farms,
West Chester, 8 a.m.
Berks County 4-H horse
roundup.
Southcentral Pennsylvania
Holstein championship,
Carlisle fairground,
Carlisle.
PA Polled Hereford Summer
show, Dayton
Fairgrounds, Dayton
keep condemnation proceedings to a
minimum in their scenic easement
recommendations
Starting now, farm groups in
southern Lasncaster and Chester
counties should plan to see that
agricultural property owners are
adequately represented on advisory
committees
It’s beter to get input from the
start rather than try to change a
bureaucratic recommendation later fp)
It’s time that farmers are
recognized as the country's Number
One Ecologists for their efforts year
round to not only be thoughtful
stewards of their land but to protrect
the vegetation and wildlife that lives
upon it
finished praying, said: “Let
us rise up and build”, and
Nehermah tells us that “they
strengthened their hands for
the good work.” (2.17,18)
Later, he reports, “So we
built the wall ..for the people
had a mind to work” (3.6)
And then confronted by
jealous enemies who wanted
to interfere with their work,
Nehermah and his people
met this challenge in the
same way: “And we prayed
to our God, and set a guard
as a protection against them
day and night’ ’(3 9). w)
And they were successful
because they knew what
went before and after the
“Amen” prayer.
Sunday, August 17
Franklin County Fair,
Chambersburg, continues
through August 23
Fulton County Fair, Mc-
Connelsburg, continues
through August 23
Somerset County Fair,
Meyersdale, continues
through August 23
Monday, August 18
Perry County Fair,
fairgrounds, Newport,
continues through August
23
Montgomery County, Md.
fair, off 1-270, Gaither
sburg, continues through
August 23
Cameron County
Emporium, continue"'
through August 24
(Turn to Page Al 4)