Alo—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 14,1981
Lancaster Farming says...
"Agriculture- it's your heartbeat,
America" is the theme for National
Agriculture Day 1981
Every politician worth his salt
either has signed or voted in favor of
National Ag Day, to be celebrated
this year on Thursday, March 19
The U S Congress last fall passed
Resolution 560 proclaiming National
Agriculture Day. Ronald Reagan will
host ceremonies in Washington this
week to make it official
In Pennsylvania, Governor Dick
Thornburgh signed a proclamation
similar to the national one
While farmers take all tne bows, it
may be a good idea to sit back, turn
on our heart machine, and find out
just how strong is agriculture’s
heartbeat
Farmers will bask in the glow of
speeches telling them they do a
better job of providing food for a
A HIGHER
AUTHORITY
March 15,1981
Background Scripture:
Matthew 21 45 through 11 4b
Devotional Reading:
Psalm 119 169-176
NOWES
THE TIME
By Max Smith f
Lancaster County 1
Agricultural Agent &
Phone 717-394-6851 |
TO BEWARE OF
MANURE PIT GAS
This is the time of the year when
many liquid manure pits will be
emptied and taken to the field for
fertilizer purposes. The liquid
manure pit is a modem method of
storing livestock waste, especially
in the larger operations. However,
this system is not without potential
health danger for both man and
beast. When the liquid manure is
disturbed, or agitated, we get
various kinds of gases released;
these may be highly explosive and
lethal to everyone. I’d strongly
urge that farmers emptying their
pits to be sure of sufficient ven
tilation in the building or area
above the pit. Also, no smoking or
open flames near the area. We
often read about men and animals
being suffocated with these gases;
also, the gases will explode and
bum the building. The pit should
not be entered after emptying
without a gas mask or some type of
respirator. Don’t take chances in
and around manure pits that have
been disturbed or emptied.
TO CULL DAIRY COWS
Dairymen have expanded their
A toimer powerful state
legislate) in the Senate ot
Pennsylvania used to boast
that he never allowed his
religion to intei tere with his
politics Many of his con
stituents often wished that
he had, tor his politics
usually seemed quite lacking
in religious values
this old question ot
mixing religion and
politico ’ poweitully al
tecting the Pi evidential
candidacies ot A 1 Smith and
John Kennedy, as well as the
more i ecent contest between
Jimmie Caitei and Ronald
Reagan has been with
H
herds to the extent that we now
have mwe milk than the demand
can consume. This is taxing milk
marketing concerns and
depressing prices. The one
practical suggestion from dairy
authorities is for every herd owner
to cull out several of his lowest
producing cows. Some dairy
cooperatives are now paying
farmers a bonus to cull out these
poorer cows. I realize that it is
difficult to do this for fear of
reducing the amount of the
monthly milk check; however, due
to high feed costs and other inputs,
the loss of several poorer
producers, and the use of this feed
into higher producers, might not
hurt so badly. We support the idea
of culling at this time.
TO CREEP FEED LAMBS
Easter is just a month away and
one of the best tunes of the year to
sell spring lambs. Sheep producers
who are planning to market lambs
on or near Easter might consider
some extra gram for these lambs
at this time. A creep feeder can be
used to permit the lambs this extra
gram while keeping out the ewes A
mixture of cracked com and oats
Let’s take
hungry world than ever before in
history
They’ll listen to that as they
wonder whether they’ll be able to
meet the next payment on their own
feed bill
Farmers will be told they each now
feed 58, or 60, or 64 other people in
the United States and abroad Little
or no mention will be made of the
supporting services and industries
which help the farmer and lower that
proportion considerably
They’ll hear that the week after
returning from a meeting where they
were a gram mill operator said a rail
car shortage means their gram can’t
be moved, or hours after being told
the equipment they ordered is tied
up someplace between here and
Chicago
Farmers will be congratulated on
their,ever-mcreasmg gram yields
civilization foi a long, long
time
Caesar s bhare
It lay at the heail ol the
dilemma with which the
Pharisees tried to entiap
Jesus in Matthew 22 “Is it
lawful to pay taxes to Caesar
oi not'' I’heie was nothing
unique in then asking him
this, toi it was one ot the
bui ning issues which divided
many ot the Jews in that
day borne, those who most
icsented Koman mle, held
that the payment ot, the tax
was not compatible with
Jewish religious law At the
other end of the speclium,
the badducees, believed that
they must comply with any
ag’s EKG
They will try not to think about
what would happen if we have
another dry year, a repeat of the corn
leaf blight infestation of a decade
ago, or a combination of the two
Farmers will be assured the future
for American farm goods is bright,
that the hungry world will buy all the
American farmer can produce
No one will dare raise the question
of yet another embargo, but it seems
America’s diplomatic and military
arsenal has been reduced to two
weapons, threats of devestating
neuclear devices, and food
Farmers will be told how important
they are as the backbone of this
nation
In the roar of cheers, requests by
farmers and their lobby for greater
help will go unheard It’s easier to
pass a bill praising farmers than it is
law the Romans entoi ced In
the middle - weie the
Pharisees who believed that
a Jew’s first loyalty was to
God, but that the tax was not
mfngement of that loyalty.
Appaiently, the Phausees
assumed that Jesus would,
because ot nis pievious
conflict with governmental
authority, deny the payment
ot such a lax With tins
subveisive answei an
ticipated, they Knew they
would trap him into making
a statement that would
cause him gieal tiouble
leacher, we Know that
you care toi no man, toi
you do not icgaid* the
position ot men 1 22-ib >
can be used. This extra weight will
increase the pounds of lamb to be
marketed at very favorable prices.
Also, the milk flow of the ewe flock
can be increased by feeding them
the extra pound of grain per day to
add additional weight to the lambs
before marketing. The Easter
season is one of the most favorable
prices for lamb producers. I’d urge
shepherds to take advantage of
these prices, if early lambs are to
be marketed.
TO TOPDRESS WHEAT
The practice of applying extra
nitrogen to winter wheat is one
way to increase both gram and
straw yields The present outlook
is very good for wheat prices this
summer. Growers are urged to
give this practice some attention at
this time. The application of 30 to
50 pounds of actual nitrogen per
acre during mid to late March,
when vegetative growth is star
ting, will give good results. The
higher rates may be applied to
lighter soils such as sand, gravel,
or shale. The lighter applications
on wheat where it has been seeded
down to clover or alfalfa, or where
there is more danger of lodgmg.
Farm Calendar
Today, March 14
Adams County Beef Producers
Beef Ball, 6 pm., Irishtown
Fire Hall.
Lancaster County FFA poultry
contest, 9 a.m , Weaver Quality
Eggs.
Delaware 4-H horsemanship clinic,
8 am -5 p.m., De! State
Fairgrounds, Harrington
BY CURT HARLER, EDITOR
What Belongs 1 o Cod
the answei that Jesus
gave the Phausees was
piobably lightly undeistood
by them, tor Matthew says
When they heaid it, they
maiveled essentially,
his position was the same -as
thens on this question But
many people since that lime
have misinlei pi eled what
Jesus said Hendei
theietoie to caesai the
things that are c-aesar s, and
to God the things that aie
Cod s Prom this statement
which is haidly ambiguous,
some inteipieleis have
intei led that Jesus was
pt oclaimmg that some ai eas
ot life belong to the slate and
some to God they have
HAV HAWS
JL
W'
Don’t be afraid, dearie. You're allowed to sit
down on the job.
Hunterdon County, N.J., 7th an
nual bakeoff, 10 a.m.. Extension
Center, Flemmgton
Sunday, March 15
Intercollegiate Horse Show,
Thomcroft Stables, Malvern
Monday, March 16
Home vegetables gardening, 7:30
p m -9.30 p.m., Farm & Home
.Center, I«mcaster.
to pass one which will do something
for them
Farmers will be assured the other
96 percent of America is behind the
farm community, and supports
farmers’ activities 100 percent
Speakers would see it as unkind to
suggest that most farmers' problems
today come from farmers them
selves, their lack of political planning,
their tendency to fight change rather
than bend with it, their living with an
outdated image of themselves
Yes, our EKG finds agriculture’s
heartbeat is strong and the patient is
doing well despite adversity
But the life support systems which
keep agriculture alive are many, and
they are being stretched farther and
farther from the farm
Agriculture needs action in ad
dition to adulation if it is to continue
to be healthy.
o o
National DHIA annual meeting,
Fresno, Calif., continues
through March 21.
Northwest Jersey vegetable
growers meeting, 9 a.m.-3:30
p.m., Clarendon Hotel,
Hackettstown, N. J.
Cumberland County Baby Beef
Club, 7:30 p.m , Silver Springs
Township Building.
(Continued from Page Al 2)
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